OSHA News & Workplace Safety Blog

Are You Posting Safety Violations Online?

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Safety Committees & Workers’ Comp Premiums

Why are insurance premiums on the rise?

3 Important Steps for Safer Scaffolding

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What is BBS and HOP?

7 Tips for Effective Safety Training Meetings

Stop Boring Your Safety Training Audience with These 7 Effective Tips How do you turn around an unresponsive audience & have a great classroom safety training session or safety committee meeting?

Trump Administration’s Effect on OSHA in 2017

The Trump Administration’s Effect on OSHA in 2017

Winter Injuries: Frostbite & Hypothermia

Winter Injuries: Frostbite & Hypothermia While winter activities such as skiing, sled riding, and making a snowman can be enjoyable; they also can pose a threat if you are not aware of the risks. Some tips to keep in mind before endeavoring into the winter wonderland we call earth are:

Why are Safety Committees Important?

Why are Safety Committees Important? Safety committees can have a significant impact on a company because they provide you with the opportunity to sit down with front line workers to discuss prominent safety concerns. Safety committees set a great example for worker safety and allow them to hold an important role in keeping not only themselves, but their coworkers safe. How can it transform your safety culture? By including employees from all levels of the company, you can focus on specific work-related injuries within your own organization. The employees that are outperforming work on a daily basis know the ins and outs of how a task is complete and can help identify hazards that management may have overlooked. Then, management can work with the employees to implement corrective actions expressed during the safety committee discussion. Did you know that establishing a safety committee may also save money on your workers’ compensation premiums? Lately, these premiums are skyrocketing and can be a growing expense for your company. This can affect a business’s competitiveness and overall, their bottom line. Certain states do offer worker’s compensation premium discounts to those who have a state-certified workplace safety committee. These discounts vary by state so it is best to contact your state workers’ compensation bureau and insurance company to discuss what types of discounts are available in your area. You can also find more information about available discounts here. Elements of a Successful Safety Committee Core elements that should be in place to allow your safety committee to thrive: Have management representation and involvement. Hold regular meeting times and clear roles for the committee members. Prioritize topics and set goals so the discussion stays on track. Follow through with member issues by implementing corrective actions and completion dates. Recruiting at least one member from every department. Develop a meeting agenda and take minutes to keep track of discussions. Review current trends in your own organization and allow for an open discussion. Involve members in incident investigations and workplace inspections. Are you ready to take the next step??? How to easily establish a safety committee: Decide who will initially be a part of the safety committee. Some roles that need to be established are: Chair Person Vice Chair Committee members Subcommittees Also determine who is responsible for executing complex decisions and handling conflicts should they arise. The next step is dealing with the logistics of the meeting. When and where will the committee meet? Typically, these meetings should be held monthly but everyone’s situation is different. You can conduct a formal meeting in a conference room or you can try a ‘mobile meeting’ by walking through the workplace. This allows you to notice and address items on the spot. Then we want to decide how the agenda will be established as well as who will take and keep track of the meeting minutes. Step 3 is crucial to have a fully functioning committee; you need organization and structure. An agenda should be set along with corresponding minutes to account for the discussion held, questions, follow-up items etc. Having this information organized and available will allow your committee to meet each month with accurate information that can be addressed in a functioning manner. The final step is involvement. Employees, Supervisors, and Management will all be involved so lines of communication need to stay open. It’s important to remember that each person’s voice and opinion matters and what they bring to the table should be acknowledged and/or addressed. Build a safety culture by implementing an effective safety committee!

Can You Be OSHA Certified?

OSHA Certified? OSHA’s training requirements are in accordance to the safety and health hazards that employees are exposed to on the job. We often hear this misconception that OSHA requires employees to be OSHA certified. While there is no such thing as an ‘OSHA Certification’ there are various levels of training for employees and supervisors. OSHA Training Institutes (OTI) and Education Centers offer available outreach courses including 10 and 30-hour trainings in Construction, General Industry, Maritime Industry, and Disaster Work. These outreach trainings are not a certification program but they can allow a safety professional to become an OSHA Authorized Trainer by completing the appropriate courses (click here to learn more). OSHA Authorized Trainers can conduct and issue course completion cards for 10/30 Hour Trainings in the designated industry depending on which classes they take.

Responding to an Active Shooter

What Would You Do? Most people know that an active shooter is a person who appears to be actively engaged in harming or attempting to kill people in a facility. Active shooter events have been happening more frequently and can happen anywhere, at any time. The actions taken by you can mean life or death for anyone involved. There are three lines of defense that can help should you ever find yourself in this situation.

Electrical Safety Month

May is Electrical Safety Month