Tag: safety culture
E-Enterprise: What They’re Saying
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the process of trying to modernize its approach to environmental compliance and efficiency through a project called “E-Enterprise.” Yesterday we looked at the basic premises of E-Enterprise and how it will affect the regulated community. Today we will review some of the comments the EPA has received […]
The Comprehension Question: Do Your Workers Understand Their Training?
In order for your Environmental and Health Safety (EHS) training to be effective, you must have clear communication with trainees. This goal may be hard to achieve with workers who speak English as a second language (ESL). However, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) says that an employer’s responsibility to provide employees with information […]
What They’re Saying About the Pesticide Worker Protection Standard
At this writing, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is close to issuing a final rule amending the Worker Protection Standard (WPS). Yesterday we recapped some of the changes the EPA has proposed to update this standard, which is meant to protect farm workers and their families from exposure to pesticides. Today we will review […]
Prevent Employee Exposure to Silica
OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently issued a joint hazard alert about protecting workers from significant crystalline silica exposure during manufacturing, finishing, and installing natural and manufactured stone countertops. Protect workers in this and other industries from silica exposure with the safety measures outlined below. Preventing Silica Exposures Because […]
Understand the Hazards of Silica
Each year, more than 300 American workers die from silicosis, and thousands of new cases are diagnosed. Silicosis is the name given to incurable lung damage that occurs when workers inhale dusts that contain crystalline silica. Silica comes in different forms, but crystalline silica is the type that causes scarring in the lungs. Crystalline silica […]
Are You Covered by the Bloodborne Pathogens Standard?
Tomorrow, July 28, is World Hepatitis Day. According to the World Health Organization, 400 million people worldwide are currently living with hepatitis B and C, and 1.4 million die of these diseases each year. OSHA is taking workplace exposures to bloodborne pathogens seriously. On June 25, the agency issued enforcement guidance for inpatient healthcare settings […]
High-Tech Safety: The Internet of Things
Is your refrigerator connected to the Internet yet? What about your car, your thermostat, or your garage door opener? What about your workplace? Are your punch presses and dough mixers and forklifts connected to the cloud? And if they are, are you using it to make your workplace safer? Here’s how the Internet of Things […]
High-Tech Safety: Wearable Technology
You probably have a smartphone already, and your tablet, your television, and your car may be almost as smart. But what if you had a smart hard hat, smart safety shoes, and a smart high-visibility vest? You could increase your safety IQ just by getting dressed! In all seriousness, wearable technology is coming soon to […]
Safety Incentive Program “Do’s”
When you’re trying to motivate workers, it makes perfect sense to use both carrots and sticks—right? Unfortunately, when it comes to safety, the most obvious “carrot”—an incentive program that rewards workers for working safely—can easily go wrong. For example, rewarding a team of workers for not having any reportable accidents can result in the workers […]