Speaking of Safety
Workplace safety started gaining attention and awareness during the Industrial Revolution, particularly for textile and mining workers laboring under strenuous conditions. The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created what we know today as OSHA. Emergency Preparedness, Slips, Trips and Falls, Heat-Related Illness and Hazard Recognition. Test your knowledge about these important safety topics with the quiz below.
Whether you’re an individual or an organization responsible for a lockout program, you are well-aware of the immense responsibility you have to keep employees safe and your organization compliant – from writing lockout policies and procedures to training and sustaining your lockout program. Oftentimes, organizations want to jump right into training, which is essential to every lockout program.
You may not be able to smell it, taste it, or discern its presence. But, in many industries, toxic and flammable gases present a significant industrial hazard. New technologies are improving gas-detection capabilities, helping safety managers ensure employee health and well-being. Gas detection is only one of many elements in a comprehensive workplace safety plan. But it’s an important one.
Simply put, a psychological safe workplace characterizes an environment where people feel secure safe to be themselves, to voice their ideas and concerns. It is a culture where they value feedback and are able to engage in constructive conflict. An employee who feels psychological safety feels heard and valued. They feel it is safe to disagree, to experiment and to take risks. Generally, they are not afraid to speak up.
From a safety professional’s point of view, this data is troubling and makes us scratch our heads wondering how we can begin to turn this trend around. Complying with OSHA standards helps you keep workers safe and avoid costly fines. The annual OSHA Top 10 list reminds us that we must continue to improve so we can make workplace safety better now and for future generations. So why do we see repeatedly the same standards making this list year after year?
A heavier ladder doesn’t make a safer ladder. Although there are plenty of heavy ladders that are safe to use, the product’s weight doesn’t determine stability or durability. Grandpa’s old ladder may weigh 70 lbs., yet still work like a charm, but that doesn’t mean all ladders have to feel that way. With the improvements to manufacturing that have occurred over the past 20+ years, ladder manufacturers (Little Giant, included) have made ladders that weigh a fraction of what they used to while having a carrying capacity that exceeds that of the old ladders.