Annette Thom Safety Advisor Workers in all sorts of industries use, or may become exposed to, various types of hazardous chemicals and other substances on a regular basis. Sometimes those hazards are part of a production process, while in other instances it may be something used to clean a worksite. That’s why OSHA requires employers to develop a HazCom plan …

By Safety Management Group When most people think about farming, they imagine a quiet, peaceful life in the country. Few realize agriculture has long been one of the most dangerous occupations, with high injury and death rates. One of the most hazardous areas within agribusiness is the handling of grain. With the development of the ethanol industry, many new jobs …

John Boley, CHST, CIT, CUSP Lead Safety Advisor It happens on nearly every jobsite and nearly every day. A worker performs a task without using the proper safety procedures and a safety professional walks up to correct him. The mood becomes tense, the worker’s resentment is obvious, and the safety pro becomes defensive in return. The safety professional doesn’t understand …

By Safety Management Group Unlike many types of businesses, hospitals and other healthcare facilities don’t have the luxury of shutting their doors when there is a need for construction or renovation. During normal operations, a long list of Life Safety Measures protects the safety of patients, visitors, and workers. When construction, renovation, or maintenance projects create additional complexity, a new …

Tom McCoy Safety Advisor Regular workplace inspections play an essential role in preventing all sorts of incidents, injuries, illnesses, property damages, or loss of revenue. Some companies, largely out of a desire to reduce expenses, skip these important inspections. That creates a short-term solution at best — or at worst, an accident waiting to happen. The reality is critical examinations …

By Vincent Plank, CSP Safety Management Group You’ve probably seen ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) at home near bathroom and kitchen sinks, but how exactly do they work and where are they required? OSHA defines a GFCI as a device for the protection of personnel that can deenergize a circuit or portion of a circuit within an established period of time …

Christopher Herbert MPH, MSK Safety Advisor | Ergonomist If you work regularly at a desk, are you completely comfortable? After sitting for an hour reading emails or performing some other task, do you feel stiffness in your legs? Are there twinges of pain in your thighs? How about your neck? Often, when we notice pain and discomfort, we immediately think …

By Safety Management Group It’s a small number that carries a huge impact for a contractor’s business. It affects their ability to stay competitive and maintain profitability, and it gives owners and construction managers powerful insights into the contractor’s business philosophy. It says so much that owners and CMs use it to decide whether the contractor’s workers can set foot …

Annette Thom, Safety Advisor Have you ever been in a position where you were directed to present a safety initiative from management which you knew would not be accepted by the front-line workers? You take the initiative and all its materials, posters, etc., and then present it to the first shift. You see eye rolls, hear moans, and groans. Pretty …

By Safety Management Group As construction costs escalate, building owners and developers are in a constant search for ways to trim project budgets. While some cost factors — such as the price of materials, fuel, and other components — are the result of basic supply and demand, others can be controlled to some degree. Insurance is an excellent example. One …