Safety+Health

OSHA announced on March 24 the release of a final rule intended to protect workers from respirable crystalline silica. The agency claims the rule will save more than 600 lives and prevent more than 900 cases of the lung disease silicosis per year, but critics argue the rule is unnecessary and compliance will be costly.

Almost every OSHA rule is reviewed by the White House’s Office of Management and Budget before being promulgated. Why do those reviews often take so much longer than the 90 days they are supposed to take?

Jim Spigener from DEKRA Insight details why the downturn in the oil industry is also producing “some very real, very serious implications to safety both at the worker level and in the process safety arena.”

Veteran safety pro turned professional speaker Richard Hawk explains why a competent safety professional who laughs a lot or is funny “can be a smart combination.”

Al Zucco from USG Corp. discusses three pillars that help engage all stakeholders in sustainability and reminds us that safety is the cornerstone of what all organizations do.

An Oklahoma law allowing employers the option to “opt out” of traditional workers’ compensation was ruled unconstitutional. But the fight is far from over, and a decision in the state’s Supreme Court could set a precedent for the rest of the nation.

A recent survey shows that more than 70 percent of construction firms expect to add to their workforce in 2016. As the construction market heats up in many sectors, what can employers do to help keep construction workers – particularly new or inexperienced workers – safe?

Deaths among communication tower workers have increased, prompting OSHA to ask for input on how to reverse the trend. A recent workshop hosted by OSHA and the Federal Communications Commission explored best practices for keeping climbers safe.

OSHA goes into an unusual amount of detail as it seeks to justify its direction and agenda in its final budget request of President Barack Obama’s administration.

Michael Mangan from DEKRA Insight shares eight principles for making your leading measures “valid, actionable and easy to communicate.”