S+H Staff

How can lockout/tagout deliver return on investment while remaining safe and in compliance with OSHA?

Fatality, injury and illness rates have steadily declined for the past several years. OSHA administrator David Michaels – like his predecessors – has claimed at least some credit for this decline, attributing it to actions his agency has taken.

OSHA’s staff in Region 7 has been challenged to meet an audacious goal: zero. The region, which covers Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska, is striving to achieve zero workplace fatalities, said regional administrator Charles Adkins, who has been with OSHA since its inception more than 40 years ago.

Operating heavy machinery can create significant hazards on a construction site.

Equipment such as adjustable chairs and ergonomic mouse pads can help prevent strain among workers sitting at a desk. But workers required to stand for long periods of time are subject to strain injuries that cannot be prevented with such equipment.

Keeping an eye on the barometer is critical during mining operations because situations in which the barometric pressure either rises too high or drops too low can create serious safety risks. The Mine Safety and Health Administration outlines the dangers of both situations, as well as steps that can be taken to mitigate them.

Recent reports show prescription drug abuse has reached the level of a public health crisis – and 12.9 million working-age drug users are employed. What can safety professionals do to maintain a drug-free workplace without infringing on a worker’s right to privacy?

A 23-year-old public employee was killed after being struck by a wheel and tire assembly that separated from the axle of a flatbed truck being pulled by a tractor-trailer truck.

For the first time in more than 30 years, the Environmental Protection Agency is set to update its regulations concerning hearing protection devices. Under the Noise Control Act of 1972, EPA regulates the labeling of all hearing protection products sold on the basis of their effectiveness in reducing unwanted noise.

Second responders work to clean up the ravages of a disaster area, stabilize infrastructure and help return regions to normal operations. Although they may not literally be putting out fires, those who work in construction, utilities and public works play a vital role in disaster recovery – and face multiple safety hazards while doing so.