Safety+Health

"When the job market tilts in favor of workers … how do you keep your best people?" asks DEKRA Insight's Don Groover, who outlines four steps leaders can take to swiftly and effectively "stop the hemorrhaging."

The National Safety Council celebrates up-and-coming safety leaders by recognizing the “Rising Stars of Safety” – safety professionals younger than 40 who have distinguished themselves in the workplace.

Federal regulations often take years – sometimes decades – to come to fruition. In the current presidential administration, the focus is on deregulation – and experts say the process of rolling back a rule can prove just as slow.

As mental health in the workplace receives increased attention, what role – if any – should the safety professional play in gauging workers’ mental well-being? Is the question an overdue recognition of a major contributor to worker health and safety, or a distraction from the primary responsibilities of injury prevention?

OSHA data shows 23 workers were killed in trench collapses in 2016 – surpassing the combined total from 2014 and 2015. “Employers need to realize that any excavation has the potential for exposure to serious injury and fatality,” one expert says.

Once relegated to science fiction and other works of popular culture, exoskeletons are showing promise in providing ergonomic support and preventing injuries among people who work physically demanding jobs.

“Many organizations still are using safety programs from the past century,” says DEKRA Insight’s Don Groover, who describes four ways organizations can update their programs to respond to “the safety needs of today.”

Rewarding yourself “is a proven way to help you stay motivated,” says veteran safety pro turned professional speaker Richard Hawk, who describes six simple ways to give yourself an emotional boost.

The 2018 NSC Congress & Expo is set to take place Oct. 20-26 in Houston. Safety+Health offers an extensive preview of the world’s largest annual event for environmental, health and safety professionals, including a look at educational sessions, keynote speakers, networking opportunities, the “Best in Show” New Product Showcase Awards, and more.

OSHA aims to rescind two major parts of its Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses final rule. Under the proposal, covered establishments with 250 or more employees – or those with 20 to 249 employees in certain high-hazard industries – no longer would be required to submit injury and illness data Forms 300 or 301.