Online exclusive: Communications tower safety checklist
Communication tower workers are at high risk of falls, electrocution, crushing injuries, falling objects, and other hazards. Before they go aloft, they should ensure they have everything they need and...
View ArticleFeatured resource: 10 warehouse safety measures you should implement
In 2012, warehouse and storage workers in the United States experienced nearly 12,000 injuries requiring days away from work. More than one in three of the injuries were musculoskeletal disorders, with...
View ArticleHazard identification: New industries, younger victims keep silica concerns high
Both Cal/OSHA and federal OSHA have been taking aim at the hazards of crystalline silica for some time. OSHA created a Special Emphasis Program to address crystalline silica exposures in 1996 and...
View ArticleHazardous chemicals: How do you take your coffee? Cream? Sugar? Lung disease?
It's not news that diacetyl, a chemical used to create butter flavor in prepared foods, can cause deadly lung disease--bronchiolitis obliterans (or "popcorn lung," because it was first identified in...
View ArticleOccupational illness: Korean MERS outbreak raises concerns for workers who...
The first case of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) was reported in Saudi Arabia in 2012. Cases have since been reported in eight other countries in the region as well as the Gaza Strip, the...
View ArticleTrainer's handbook: National Farm Safety and Health Week makes a good time to...
September 20 to 26 is National Farm Safety and Health Week, sponsored by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety (NECAS). According to the U.S. Department of Labor, farming accounted for...
View ArticleProcess safety management: Federal OSHA issues enforcement guidance on good...
The Chevron Richmond Refinery fire of 2012, and the recommendations of the U.S. Chemical Safety Board that arose from it, sent regulatory agencies into a tizzy.
View ArticleAppeals Board decisions: Disrupted routines lead to amputation, fines for...
We all have routines, and ideally they make us more efficient and productive. For example, routinely completing and filing paperwork keeps it from piling up and going undone, and routinely inspecting...
View ArticleOnline Exclusive: Auger safety checklist
An auger is essentially a giant corkscrew blade that can range from palm-sized to more than 100 feet long. Although the structure of an auger is basic, with only one real "moving part" (the auger...
View ArticleFeatured Resource: 8 steps to a successful wellness plan
An effective workplace wellness program can pay off for employers and employees alike.
View ArticleTemporary workers: Cal/OSHA issues new temp worker guidance
A new Cal/OSHA fact sheet details requirements and recommended practices for staffing agencies and other primary employers that send workers out to host employer worksites.
View ArticleAppeals Board decisions: What's the difference between 'serious' and...
After a worker failed to unplug a band saw before removing the guard to clean out shavings, his employer was cited for three different serious, accident-related violations of Cal/OSHA rules.
View ArticleTrainer's handbook: Jobsite safety inspections: Do your workers know what's...
At a construction worksite, the hazards may change daily--even hourly. To catch and correct hazards that crop up, regular jobsite safety inspections are necessary, and Cal/OSHA requires them as part of...
View ArticleWellness: EEOC issues proposed wellness program rule; What you need to know
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has released a proposed rule that provides guidance on how wellness programs can comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the...
View ArticleStandards update: Cal/OSHA revises standards on storage batteries, fuel stations
Two new rules took effect on October 1, 2015, affecting the changing and charging of storage batteries and electrical safety at fuel stations. Here's what you need to know.
View ArticleInspections: Cal/OSHA responds to Fed/OSHA criticisms, promises tougher...
Does Cal/OSHA conduct enough health inspections? When the agency inspects, does it issue citations in a timely manner? And does it keep up with follow-up inspections for serious violations? How about...
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