Speaking of Safety
Heat-related risks for workers depend on factors like humidity, PPE, hydration, and acclimatization. High humidity with heavy gear traps heat, increasing strain. Proactive hydration is crucial, as dehydration starts before work begins. Acclimatization is key for heat tolerance. Effective safety measures include scheduling, cooldowns, and recognizing behavioral changes as heat exhaustion warning signs.
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.
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?
Excavation/trenching work is inherently dangerous. Prior to starting work at a jobsite, employees must be informed of the potential hazards that may exist in their work environment. In addition to knowing how to recognize hazards, they need to know how to avoid unsafe conditions. OSHA and State safety regulations require employers to train and educate workers to recognize and protect themselves from hazardous conditions. How can an employer expect their people to work safely if they are not aware of what constitutes an unsafe condition and/or what conditions exist?
A safety communication program is the sum of all activities related to promoting and maintaining interest in workplace safety among all employees. There are many policies, processes, and programs that make up a company’s overall safety program. One vital program in any safety program is the safety communication program. This post dives into some things to consider before implementing such a program or even when trying to improve an existing one.
Working on a construction site can be a dangerous occupation; that much is true. According to a report from Occupational Safety Health Administration (OSHA), construction-related fatalities accounted for 21.1% of all worker fatalities in 2018. With nearly 6.5 million people working at over 250,000 construction sites across the U.S. on any given day, it’s easy to see why enforcing preventative construction site safety procedures is critical.