A study released by the RAND corporation looking into California’s Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) indicates failures to “look beyond paper compliance with its provisions.” The paper points to training by employers and enforcement by regulators as having the most pronounced impact on injury rates under the program. The IIPP law has required for [...]

Ever since man picked up a rock more than 2 million years ago and used it break apart wood, bone and other objects the hammer was destined to become an integral tool in the construction of human society. Yet despite more than 2 million years of experience using hammering devices, mankind still suffers from hammer [...]

Each year the flu accounts for 200,000 hospitalizations, 41,000 deaths and an economic impact in excess of $80 billion. However, the risk of outbreak in your place of employment can be significantly lowered through the implementation of engineering controls, administrative controls and work practices. Engineering Controls Engineering controls involve changes to the work environment to [...]

OSHA has issued a directive on Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting Incidents of Workplace Violence. The directive establishes uniform procedures for OSHA field staff for responding to incidents and complaints of workplace violence and conducting inspections in industries considered vulnerable to workplace violence, such as healthcare and social service settings, and late-night retail establishments. Workplace [...]

“Oh I’m a general contractor so it’s the subcontractor’s responsibility.” “I’m a subcontractor so it’s the general contractor’s responsibility.” One of the common myths involving a general and subcontractor is safety is the other person’s responsibility. OSHA has decided everybody is responsible for safety. If you have a jobsite you have to be compliant with [...]

Wisconsin updated the “Hours and Times of Day Minors May Work in Wisconsin” required posting for employers July, 2011. The update eliminates all restrictions on the hours 16-year-olds may work, except during school hours. The change also simplifies the “Maximum Hours of Work for Minors Chart” by removing 16-year-olds, and keeping in place weekly hour [...]

This summer OSHA launched a nationwide outreach campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about the hazards of working outdoors in hot weather (heat-related illness). OSHA’s website informs businesses on the importance of preventing Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/index.html OSHA has also partnered with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on weather [...]

OSHA is in the midst of switching from the MSDS system of categorizing chemicals and their hazards to the Global Harmonized System. To help answer some of the questions about this switch Safety Services talked with OSHA representatives about the switch. 1. Why did OSHA start the process to switch to the GHS? The main [...]

Roughly 520,000 employees each year suffer a job-related eye injury requiring medical treatment. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates these injuries cost employers more than $300 mil­lion in lost production time, medical expens­es, and worker compensation. While educating employees on the proper use of eye and face wear protection is impor­tant, just as important is [...]

1. Bloodborne Pathogens – 1910.1030 Bloodborne pathogens are diseases transmitted through bodily fluids. To protect against the spread of these diseases in the work place OSHA requires all employers whose employees work with sharp objects or have the possibility of exposure to bodily fluids to have a bloodborne pathogen policy in place. This policy must [...]