OSHA News & Workplace Safety Blog

OSHA’s Heat Enforcement Just Got Stronger. Is Your Workplace Ready?

How Mock OSHA inspections Help Prevent Accidents

The Key to Preventing the Next Accident Mock OSHA Facility Inspections Save Worker Lives & Millions in Lost Profit When an explosion occurred in a plant in Corrigan, Texas, severely burning a man, it took four years for the courts to make their decision. When they did, the verdict was staggering. The court awarded the plaintiff $39.7 million for pain and suffering. It was April 26, 2014 when Ralph Figgs’ life changed forever. He was working at a Georgia-Pacific plant when a dust collection system failed, causing the explosion that permanently injured Figgs, killed two of his fellow workers, and injured several others. In all, three companies were held at fault. Along with Georgia-Pacific, a company called Aircon Inc., which designed and installed the dust collection unit, as well as GreCon Inc., the manufacturer of the spark suppression system, were held liable for the accident. Just some of the issues that arose during the trial were failure to perform proper safety inspections, as well as employees not being properly trained in emergency procedures related to the dust collection system. But by listening to the concerns of supervisors and employees, learning more about job tasks and goals, identifying potential problems, and putting a plan in place to address the continued safety of employees, the long-term health and success of a company can be ensured. If you are unsure where to start and would like more information, contact us here and ask for a facility inspection example.

Employee Safety is a Team Sport

6 Ways to Boost Employee Safety Motivation & Ignite Company-Wide Safety Compliance

How Much Are OSHA Penalties & Fines?

Congress gave OSHA the authority to fine employers for violating safety standards. From 1990 to 2015, penalties were capped at $7,000 per serious, other-than-serious, or posting violations, and $70,000 for willful or repeat violations.

4 Steps to Communicate HAZCOM Safety Clearly

Last year, one of the largest automotive glass suppliers in the world — a publicly-traded company that supplies materials to all the major automobile manufacturers — appeared to be on top of the world. The company was worth tens of billions of dollars, with manufacturing facilities all over the world. A documentarian even made a major motion picture about the company.

OSHA National Fall Prevention Stand Down

What is a Safety Stand-Down? A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event at work, where employers and employees focus on safety. Any workplace can participate, even those not exposed to fall risks, by using the time to discuss other hazards, protective measures, and overall safety goals. It’s also a chance for workers to share safety concerns directly with management.

Fall Protection Systems Help Prevent Construction Fatalities

Fall Protection Systems can prevent nearly 40% of construction industry fatalities! A Quick Guide to Reduce Construction Fall Accidents with Fall Protection Systems Falls are the leading cause of construction industry fatalities and injuries and are the biggest component of what OSHA calls the ‘Focus Four’ accidents. Falls are such an important issue for OSHA that each year they hold a ‘National Safety Stand Down’ to increase awareness of fall accidents and prevent them. We must always ensure we utilize engineering controls to remove any risk from a work site, but there will still be some hazards that remain.

OSHA Form 300A Must Be Posted February 1st through April 30th

OSHA requires many types of recordkeeping for most businesses with more than 10 employees on average during a calendar year.

A Look at Prequalification Sites

Would a Prequalification Site be Right for your Business? Prequalification sites (often referred to as Pre-Qual) are online websites that analyze a company’s safety programs, training, and history for larger companies to select their contractors. There are many sites but the largest and most common sites are ISNetworld©, Avetta©, and PEC-Safety©. Below are both benefits and drawbacks of utilizing Pre-Qual.

2020 OSHA Penalty Amounts Increased

Understanding OSHA’s Penalty Adjustments Until five years ago, OSHA had not raised their penalty amounts since 1990. Now, with the Inflation Adjustment Act, OSHA is required to annually adjust penalty amounts by January 15th.

First Aid/CPR Requirements for Employers

Does OSHA Require First Aid/CPR Training? Many employers today wonder what the requirements are when it comes to training their employees in First Aid/CPR. Is it, or is it not required? Will employers be held liable or at fault if none of their employees are trained? What is the right thing to do?