GAO Report On Workplace Injury Reporting Stuns OSHA

The Occupational Safety and Healthy Administration (OSHA) has again been forced to confront the fact that injury and illness reporting are just not at the level they need to be in order to ensure the highest level of worker protections across all industries. The Government Accountability Office (GAO), which is a specific branch of the government dedicated to auditing data for various federal agencies, has just provided a report which confirmed the fact that it is all too common for companies to under-report the incidence of injury in the workplace.

What the New OSHA Nominee Means for You

David Michaels was approved by a Senate committee on November 18th for the position of OSHA director. Although, he must still be approved by the full Senate, Michaels, a professor and former Energy Department official, has already created a buzz within the industry.

OSHA Provides Black Friday Guidance

In the wake of last year’s Black Friday stampede that left a Walmart employee dead, OSHA has issued new guidance on procedures to avoid a disaster such as that this year.

The Many Challenges Of Logging Safety

Forestry and logging represent some of the most difficult safety challenges of any industry. From a risk manager’s perspective, many of the different hazards associated with heights, heavy machinery, power tools and motorized vehicles are amplified by the fact that workers are asked to constantly adapt themselves to new outdoor environments that are much harder to control in terms of risk mitigation.

Air Quality In Enclosed Spaces – Tips For Dealing With Low Oxygen Environments

Working in enclosed spaces can bring a host of unseen hazards to the table that most workers might not think about in the course of their day to day activities. In particular, welders and metal workers are vulnerable to finding themselves in situations where their lives are on the line despite no visible indication of danger.

University Campus Safety – Outdoor Safety

When approaching the issue of occupational safety and health on university campuses, it can sometimes be tempting to “think inside the box” and only consider potentially hazardous activities which occur within a university building. While it is true that labs, swimming pools and even cafeteria kitchens all offer their own specific challenges when it comes to worker safety, there are other hazards that exist out of doors which are equally dangerous but not always as easy to identify.

Fall Protection Equipment Options for the Construction Industry

Although the revised fall prevention guidelines issued by OSHA with regards to steel erection and the construction of new buildings are of course helpful, when creating a full fall protection program, the installation of netting and flooring is only part of the total effort that should be made.

Evaluating Job Hazards – Talk To Employees

While being OSHA compliant is important part of doing business, employers committed to employee safety choose to be proactive. Evaluating job hazards is a proactive way to reduce injuries, stay 2 steps ahead of OSHA regulations, and improve employee morale.

Forklift Safety – When Pedestrians and Vehicles Mix

In large warehousing facilities, or even in industrial buildings where materials are often moved from one area to another, forklifts are a fairly common sight. Referred to by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as powered industrial trucks, forklifts comes in many different shapes and sizes, from small runabouts to heavy-duty units typically employed in lumber yards and mining sites. Regardless of their size, however, forklifts present one of the more common hazards to worker safety.

University Campus Safety – A Broad Mandate

University campuses face unique challenges when it comes to occupational safety, primarily due to the fact that such a wide range of different activities occur on their grounds. While specialized industries may be able to effectively train their employees on the procedures necessary to ensure a hazard-free environment, university workers often face a number of challenging environments during the course of a single day’s work. It is hard to think of another sector of the economy where maintenance workers and other administrative staff could encounter sporting events, chemical storage and transportation issues, high voltage electricity and heavy vehicular traffic all within the confines of a single facility.

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