Injury prevention

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From 1992 to 2005, at least 154 workers were killed after a metal ladder they were using came in contact with an overhead power line, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data cited in a recent NIOSH review.

Although most states enforce some type of “move over” law, which requires drivers to move over one lane or reduce speed when passing law enforcement on the side of the road, struck-by incidents are still happening.

Guarding floor and wall openings and holes is a requirement under OSHA’s fall protection standard. Hatches, which provide workers with direct access to a rooftop where equipment is often stored, fall under this requirement.

What’s one way workers can cut their risk of a back injury in half? “Store it off the floor,” the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries says.

Aside from being the control center of the vehicle, a truck cab serves as an office for paperwork and phone calls, a break area to rest and eat, a shelter from inclement weather and extreme temperatures, and a storage area for supplies and equipment. As wide-ranging as this multifunctional space is, even more so are the hazards that can be inside and around the cab, cautions KeepTruckingSafe.org.

Contact with electricity is one of the leading causes of fatalities in construction, according to OSHA.

Identifying and correcting hazards in the workplace helps ensure workers safely return home to their families. OSHA, via its Safe + Sound campaign, says employers can do many things to encourage workers to find and fix hazards.

When a natural disaster, biological incident or other event occurs, first responders and recovery workers often rush to the scene. That means it’s crucial they have the proper personal protective equipment ready and know how to use it.

Rain can reduce or impair your view of the road, the Nevada Department of Transportation points out. Combined with reduced tire traction on wet roadways, “It’s easy to see that driving in the rain needs to be treated with extra caution.”

The “blue line” is defined as the path workers take to get their work done. The National Safety Council adds: “Blue line reviews are field observations of work by leaders with the goal of better understanding how work is actually performed.”