Government safety regulations are often complex and can change frequently.
— From a recent study by the
American Society of Safety Engineers
That’s a healthy return on investment.
If your business has been challenged to meet the requirements of your industry, consider joining our webinar May 4th, 2023 at 2pm ET (11am PT). Learn how to quickly build a safety plan for your business.
Government safety regulations are often complex and can change frequently.
— From a recent study by the
American Society of Safety Engineers
That’s a healthy return on investment.
If your business has been challenged to meet the requirements of your industry, consider joining our webinar April 27th, 2023 at 2pm ET (11am PT). Learn how to quickly build a safety plan for your business.
Workplace poison safety plans are an essential aspect of workplace safety. National Poison Prevention Week is observed in the United States during the third week of March every year. It is a week dedicated to raising awareness about the dangers of poisonings and how to prevent them.
Here are some key points to keep in mind when developing a poison safety plan for your workplace:
Identify the Hazards: Begin by identifying the chemicals and substances that pose a risk of poisoning in your workplace. Make a list of these substances and their potential health effects.
Labeling and Storage: All chemicals and substances should be labeled correctly, and stored appropriately. Ensure that containers are sealed and stored away from food, beverages, and medications.
Provide Training: Train employees on the proper handling, use, and disposal of hazardous chemicals and substances. This training should cover the proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and emergency procedures.
First Aid: Make sure that first aid kits are well-stocked and located in accessible areas. Ensure that employees know how to respond to a poison emergency and provide them with instructions for seeking medical attention.
Regular Inspection: Conduct regular inspections to ensure that hazardous substances are being stored and handled properly. Make sure to keep an accurate inventory of chemicals and substances on hand.
OSHA Compliance: Ensure that your poison safety plan is in compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. Stay up-to-date with any changes in regulations and incorporate these into your plan.
Here is a checklist of items to consider when developing your poison safety plan:
Identify all hazardous chemicals and substances in the workplace
Label and store all chemicals and substances properly
Provide training on the proper handling, use, and disposal of hazardous chemicals and substances
Ensure employees know how to respond to a poison emergency
Keep a well-stocked first aid kit accessible
Conduct regular inspections
Ensure compliance with OSHA regulations
By following these steps and using this checklist, you can develop a comprehensive poison safety plan that will help protect your employees from workplace hazards.
Working in cold conditions can present several safety and compliance risks and it's important to take appropriate precautions to protect workers from injury and illness. Some potential hazards to consider include hypothermia, frostbite, slips and falls due to icy surfaces, and exposure to cold and wet conditions that can lead to fatigue and decreased productivity.
Here are a few steps that you can take to ensure the safety and compliance of workers in cold conditions:
1. Monitor weather conditions: Be aware of the weather forecast and any extreme cold alerts that may be in effect. Make sure that workers are aware of the forecast and the precautions they should take.
2. Conduct a risk assessment: Identify any tasks or activities that may expose workers to cold-related hazards and take steps to mitigate those risks.
3. Provide appropriate clothing and equipment: Workers should be provided with warm, waterproof clothing and protective gear such as gloves, hats, and boots.
4. Develop a plan for warming up: Workers should be encouraged to take regular breaks in a warm area to warm up and dry off if they become wet. Supervisors should regularly check on workers to ensure that they are warm and dry, and to identify any potential problems or concerns.
5. Train workers on cold-related hazards: Make sure that workers are aware of the signs and symptoms of hypothermia and frostbite, and how to prevent and treat these conditions.
6. Implement a cold stress prevention program: This should include training on the hazards of cold weather and how to prevent cold-related injuries, as well as regularly monitoring the weather conditions.
7. Monitor workers for signs of cold-related injuries: These can include frostbite and hypothermia, and workers should be trained to recognize the signs and seek medical attention if necessary.
By following all relevant safety regulations and guidelines for working in cold conditions, you can help ensure that your workers are safe, and your company is compliant.
Are you doing enough to ensure your business is using ergonomics best practices?
We all know that good ergonomics practices will lower the risk of injury due to work.
As a safety manager, you should be checking ergonomics for each role in your company. You can help prevent long term injuries that can negatively impact your co-workers and the business.
Interested? Download the Boyer Safety & Compliance Ergonomics Checklist to help you verify how your business is doing. This is just one example of how you can benefit from a subscription.
Yes, it’s still hot out there and your co-workers deserve a plan to avoid heat illness.
Proper planning and implementation of a few control measures can make working under these circumstances much more tolerable from a health standpoint.
Ready to get started? Download this free sample Heat Illness Prevention Procedure and get started on prevention heat-illness.
It’s been a hot summer around the country! In these conditions, it is very natural to get affected by the extreme heat. Heat strokes, heat stress, heat exhaustion, and several other forms of heat illnesses are very common in people nowadays. The worst part is that these illnesses target people across all age groups and can leave behind harmful effects.
This blog shall guide you to know more about the harmful effects of heat illnesses and how to prevent them from affecting you. Let us get started.
The human body generally maintains a body temperature a few degrees above or below 98.6° F. During hot summers, this heat balance within the body is often disrupted because the body cannot properly cool down at a fast rate.
When the body overheats, blood vessels get bigger, and the heart starts to beat faster. Blood from the inner body is carried to the outer layers of the skin for cooling. If the temperature outside is warmer than the body temperature, the brain signals the body to release heat in the form of sweating.
The body loses a lot of water and salt through sweating. As a result, the body undergoes dehydration and physical strains. This is how heat illnesses affect our bodies.
Heat illnesses can occur in various forms. While some of them can be simply in the form of physical rashes, light-headedness, or fatigue, others can be as dangerous as painful cramps, heat strokes, and even fainting.
Different heat illnesses can affect people in different ways. However, most of these heat illnesses share similar symptoms.
Let us look at some of the most common heat illnesses and their general symptoms.
The most common physical symptom is heat rashes. These may occur in the form of:
● A cluster of blisters or pimples
● Itchiness and reddening of the skin
● Sensitive, patchy skin
● Infections in sensitive areas that are prone to sweat
This usually occurs when the body undergoes excessive loss of water and salt due to sweating. Heat exhaustion may lead to:
● Painful muscle cramps and spasms
● Fast or weak pulse rate
● Abnormal body temperature
● Fast or shallow breathing
● Nausea, vomiting, and fatigue
● Dizziness and even fainting
This is probably the most dangerous type caused due to overheating of the body. Heat strokes may even require medical attention if they worsen. Some major symptoms of it are:
● High body temperature
● Rapid breathing
● A racing pulse rate due to excessive pressure on the heart
● Flushed red skin
● A throbbing headache
● Nausea, vomiting, and fatigue
To avoid heat illnesses, it is necessary to know some techniques to prevent them. Safety is always better than cure, so here are some basic heat prevention tips everyone should follow:
● Reduce body heat load by mechanizing tasks, sharing work, and increasing rest time.
● Reduce radiant heat loads by increasing distance from source, insulating the source, or reflecting the heat.
● When the temperature of the work area is 95°F or above, try to lower air temperature, lower air velocity, and wear protective clothing.
● When the temperature of the work area is below 95°F, try to lower air temperature, increase air velocity, and wear less clothing.
● Increase evaporative heat loss (by sweating) by increasing air velocity and decreasing humidity.
● Shorten each exposure period; use frequent breaks.
● Use an air-conditioned rest area with well-adjusted air velocity.
● Allow workers to self-limit exposure based on signs and symptoms (but be careful).
● Provide plenty of cool water; replace electrolytes as recommended by medical staff.
● Wear clothing that allows maximum cooling with minimum sweating (loose is good).
● Under extreme conditions, you may need to use cooled protective clothing.
● Educate workers who are exposed to hot conditions.
There are several factors that influence the consequences of working under hot conditions. Proper planning and implementation of a few control measures can make working under these circumstances much more tolerable from a health standpoint.
You owe it to your co-workers/employees and their families.
Work environment safety is gaining immense significance. This is true for any industry, including manufacturing, healthcare, IT, and numerous others. One of the main reasons for this is the growing awareness of what constitutes a healthy and safe workplace and why it is crucial.
Every year, in June, we observe the National Safety Month in the USA. While safety is a perennial requirement, during these 30 days, Boyer Safety Services focuses on building more awareness and pushing the envelope when it comes to creating and curating a safe space for people to work.
This article will take you through some questions you must ask and rules you should follow to accomplish work environment safety. Let’s get to it.
In general, you can have a form that covers all areas of safety. Each of these is in the form of a question. The answer must include a simple yes/no. Furthermore, it should also include what actions must be taken, and the person in charge.
This way, even if a question’s result is negative, an organization can take the necessary steps and shift it to a positive one. Some of the prominent questions are:
Are all worksites clean, sanitary, and orderly?
Are the minimum number of toilets provided?
Are all washing facilities clean and sanitary?
Are all workspaces adequately illuminated?
Are workspaces kept dry and slip-resistant?
Are pits or floor openings covered or guarded?
Are all hazardous and potentially infectious materials cleaned immediately by following strict procedures?
Is combustible scrap, debris, etc. cleaned and disposed of properly?
Is the regulated waste, according to OSHA guidelines discarded according to the regulations?
While any organization answers the questions mentioned above, it is also important for them to follow certain rules. There are quite a few rules from which we’ll be covering the most significant ones, and they apply to any company across any industry.
Being in a perfectly healthy condition both physically and mentally while working is important, without which no employee should be allowed to work.
While working, any unsafe activities such as horseplay, practical jokes, etc. should be avoided and one must ensure that they do not work under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substances.
Any machinery should be operated only by qualified people and only when it is in safe conditions. If it isn’t then the employee should report this to a supervisor.
Whenever necessary employees must wear the necessary gear or kit and only then work in their space.
One must also ensure that they report if they have any allergies, are wearing lenses, or anything else that could be impacted in the workplace environment.
Storage, usage, and dispensing of hazardous or sensitive material must be carried out according to strict protocols and procedures.
Overall, anything that can potentially harm a person, or make an environment unsafe, should be reported and taken care of.
With this, organizations such as yourself can ensure complete workplace safety, which is healthy for all employees involved. Ensure that you follow these closely.
Since the onset of the pandemic, home offices have become the norm. People have set up rooms or corners that they call their workspace or home office. However, while creating or building these makeshift home offices, one also needs to take all sorts of precautionary measures to prevent possible hazards.
While this might sound a little far-fetched, it is pretty common for home office hazards to occur, especially with the umpteen number of gadgets, devices, wires, and pieces of equipment involved. Hence, work from home safety is essential.
To keep yourself and your family safe, it is essential to be precautious. In this article, I’ll take you through some of the possible hazards that can occur at your home. I’ll also suggest simple steps on what to do if there’s a hazard and how best to tackle the situation.
Fire can erupt from any place; it can start with equipment malfunctioning or might be due to a minor mishap with a candle.
So, try to avoid these things. Treat your home office like your actual workplace. Do not keep unnecessary gadgets, candles, or space heaters around. Do not smoke in your workplace just like how you wouldn’t in your office and ensure that you have fire extinguishers in place in case there’s a hazard. Furthermore, ensure that these extinguishers work with electrical fires.
If your work is extensive and requires you to use too many devices simultaneously, you’ll try to connect them all according to your convenience. But do not forget that it could cause an overloaded circuit.
When a circuit takes on much more load (too many electricity-consuming devices), it short circuits. This might cause electrocution, loss of power, failure of the home power grid, and so on.
Ensure that you use power strips with their own surge protectors instead of using extension cords. If heavy machinery such as air conditioners are involved, have a circuit of their own.
Surge protectors protect your circuit if and when the load exceeds the threshold amount.
This is perhaps the most careless mistake we all make. We just have too many wires from different gadgets and devices lying around unorganized. These can be causes for possible straining of cords, leading to a damaged wire that can even result in electrocution.
So instead, move your desks closer to the power sources and plugs such that extension cords aren’t necessary. Furthermore, since home offices might soon become the norm, invest a little and install a convenient power outlet that doesn’t require long wires.
Injuries can happen while lifting or transporting heavy boxes and equipment. So, ensure that you store them in cabinets closer to the ground and not in high places. You can also use safety belts while lifting since they always come in handy.
One of the most common mistakes people make is not having a proper emergency exit plan. So, plan your space accordingly and put together an evacuation plan that can help you escape if there's a hazard in your home office.
These are some of the home office hazards that can take place. I’ve also given some tips and measures you can take to prevent these hazards in your home offices and ensure work-from-home safety.
Electricity, as we all know, can be extremely dangerous. For businesses where electrical components, machines, tools, etc. are used, it’s critical for employee safety that training in electrical safety is regularly performed and measured. Boyer offers quizzes that help you measure how proficient your co-workers are in a particular topic. The quizzes will also help you measure how effective your safety training is.
The Boyer Safety and Compliance Suite has recently had over 25 new quizzes added that you can use for your business. Boyer Safety & Compliance Suite provides you access to COVID-19 documents, employee handbooks, safety plans, self-inspection checklists, training presentations, and much more that you can use to improve safety and OSHA compliance at your business.
In addition to the Electrical Safety Quiz, the quizzes cover a wide variety of topics including the following:
Personal Protective Equipment
Fall Protection
Ergonomics
Bloodborne Pathogens
Hazardous Materials
and more…
Ready to get started? Download this free sample Electrical Safety Quiz to measure your co-workers’ understanding of electrical safety.
Oh, and YES, the answers are provided!
We are all aware of the ways of dealing with fires, at least superficially. For example, we have seen in movies or documentaries how raging fires are quelled using fire extinguishers. You just seemingly pick one up, take the pin out and start spraying.
But in reality, how does a fire extinguisher work? What are its various types that exist, and what are their uses? Let us take a step-by-step look at the multiple characteristics of a fire extinguisher and the correct ways of using them.
There are three main components for a fire to take place. First, it needs fuel required to ignite and light the fire up and keep it burning. Secondly, it needs a sufficient amount of heat to ignite the flammable fuel.
And finally, it needs oxygen, in addition to fuel, to continue burning.
Cutting off the supply of any one of these is the best way to stop a fire.
Fires are classified based on their cause/fuel into four categories.
A - Wood, paper, cloth, trash, plastic
B - Flammable liquids, gasoline, grease, oil, acetone
C - Energized electrical equipment
D - Metals: Potassium, sodium, magnesium, aluminum
Air-pressurized water
Large, silver filled with 2/3 water
Pressurized with water
Two ft. tall and weigh approximately 25 lbs.
Class “A” fires only
They remove heat
Filled with non-flammable carbon dioxide gas
Recognized by the horn and lack of pressure gauge
5lbs. to over 100lbs.
B and C fires only
Can cause freeze burns
AB and ABC ratings
Coats fuel with a fine layer of powder agent such as Monoammonium Phosphate
Nitrogen is the typical pressurizing agent.
Always try and assist people in immediate danger due to the fire. Keep in mind to activate alarms and signals, if present, and use fire extinguishers on insipient-stage fires only.
Additionally, don’t try to fight the fire if the cause of the fire is unknown or the fire is out of control or spreading. Also, don’t fight a fire without the right equipment. Most importantly, always avoid it if you are uncomfortable with fire, smoke, or other prevailing conditions, even if the right equipment is present.
There are some rules that you should keep in mind when a fire breaks out:
In case of fire, pull the alarm or ask someone else to pull it.
Do not take the initiative into your hand unless you have been told, trained, or expected to fight the fires. Instead, follow the standard operating procedures.
Use a fire extinguisher only if you know/are trained to use one.
Finally, follow the PASS method for controlling fires:
Pull pin to release the discharge mechanism
Aim at the base of the fire
Squeeze the handle to release the extinguishing agent
Sweep the fire extinguisher back and forth across the fire.
One of the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths is falling. This is why employers must take measures in their workplaces. Some common causes of falls that need to be prevented include falling off overhead platforms, elevated workstations, or falling into holes in the floor and walls.
Slips, trips, and falls are only second to motor vehicle crashes when it comes to general industry accidents. Therefore, it is only right that adequate protection is provided to employees. Moreover, OSHA dictates that fall protection is required unless one is working on a ladder, scaffold, or scissor lift.
The following are some of the most common fall hazard locations:
● Overhead platforms
● Overhead runways
● Elevated workstations
● Floor openings or pits
● Wall openings
● Shelving units
● Stationary Storage Tanks
● Tanker Trucks
● Industrial Production Units
For effective fall hazard control, it is important to go step by step. Take a look at how you should proceed with your fall hazard control.
First and foremost, it is crucial to try and eliminate the fall hazard. Therefore, work from the ground up to gauge the height of the tank or other relevant object. Covering holes and floor openings is a very effective way to eliminate a fall hazard. This is especially true if access to the hole is rarely necessary. Otherwise, latched or bolted trap doors can also be used.
Here are some ways in which you can prevent falls:
Guardrails consist of top rails, mid-rails, and intermediate vertical members. They can also be combined with toe-boards and provide a vertical barrier system.
These consist of a top rail, a mid-rail, and posts. The height from the upper surface of the top rail to floor level is 42 inches (+/− 3"), and for the mid-rail, it is 21 inches.
Toeboards are barriers that prevent materials and equipment from dropping to lower levels. Standard toeboards are 3.5 inches high, with not more than ¼-inch clearance above the floor.
You can use fences, barricades, and locked doors to prevent access to areas where a fall hazard exists. However, it is still better to have a method of fall protection inside the fence as well.
Personal restraint systems prevent falling by keeping the worker from reaching a fall hazard. It consists of an anchorage, connectors, and a body harness and may include a lanyard, deceleration device, lifeline, or any suitable combinations.
While fall restraint systems are not mentioned in OSHA’s fall protection rules, OSHA accepts a properly used fall restraint system in place of a personal fall arrest system. This is when the restraint system is rigged to prevent the worker from getting to the fall hazard. OSHA recommends that the fall restraint systems have the capacity to withstand 3,000 pounds of force or twice the maximum expected force needed to restrain the worker from exposure to the fall hazard.
In case of accidents, it is best to try and control the fall to prevent accidents and mishaps.
A position-device system keeps both the hands of a worker free on a vertical structure. The difference between a positioning device system and a personal fall-arrest system is that the positioning device system supports the worker on an elevated surface and limits a fall to two feet.
Safety net systems consist of mesh nets, panels, and connecting components. They are typically used as protection for those who work 25 feet or more above lower levels. Safety nets also require proper maintenance.
There are certain obligations on the part of the employer to prevent fall hazards. The following are some employer requirements in terms of fall protection.
Employers must provide training to all employees about fall hazards and methods to prevent them. It is also helpful to know about OSHA standards.
The employer must inspect the workplace for potential fall hazards. The employees also check their personal restraints and personal protection systems.
In the case of the unfortunate, there should be a proper rescue system beforehand. It is also crucial that the employer communicate this plan to all concerned parties.
Our eyes have given us the gift of vision. It is imperative that we try to protect them, especially if we are in a work environment where our eyes and face are vulnerable to mishaps. Prevention is always better than cure.
Selecting a Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit requires workers to assess their training and workplace necessities. Workers must be trained on how to wear, maintain, and properly dispose of a PPE kit. As per OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) requirements, here are some useful methods to use a PPE kit for eye and face protection.
1. Safety Goggles
Safety goggles have the purpose of protecting the face and eyes from dust particles, flying debris, sharp chips, and fragments. They sit tightly on the wearer’s face and form a protective seal around the eyes. This prevents any hazardous projectiles or metal splashes from getting in the eyes from under or around the goggles.
Safety goggles can also be made of materials of specific optical densities to provide protection against high-energy laser beams. Workers must have PPE kits equipped with such safety goggles for protection against certain wavelengths of laser beams.
2. Safety Spectacles
Safety spectacles are designed like our regular glasses and are reliable when there are chances of flying debris and fragments entering the eyes from the front. They are convenient as they are easy to put on and can be equipped with prescription lenses of the wearer’s eye power. However, the sides of safety spectacles are open. For this reason, side shields are required along with safety spectacles, to provide protection when there is a hazard of flying particles from different directions.
For workers exposed to high temperatures, wearing eye safety spectacles with a heat-reflective face shield protects the eyes and the face. In addition, anti-glare safety spectacles with tinted lenses or visor-type glasses protect the eyes from changing lighting and eye strains from excessive screen time at the workplace.
3. Face Shields
Face Shields are a part of the PPE kit and act as secondary protection in addition to primary protective gear such as safety goggles and safety spectacles. They are meant to protect the face from injury caused by impact, high temperatures, flying debris, chemical splashes, and infectious materials.
4. Filter Lenses
For workers exposed to optical radiation in their workplace, filter lenses must be used as a protective measure for the eyes. The magnitude of radiant energy determines the filter shade required for good eyes and face protection.
5. Welding Helmets
Similar to face shields, welding helmets also act as secondary protection gear. When we use welding helmets along with equipment that provides primary protection, such as safety goggles and safety spectacles, they aid in protecting the face and eyes from impact hazards, chemical splashes, high temperatures, and optical radiation.
As the world continues to adjust to the realities of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, safety managers are tasked with enforcing protocol, and in some cases, mandates. Making this more challenging is that sometimes information changes quickly, and guidance from difference sources can be conflicting. Over a year and a half in, a new issue has arisen: COVID compliance burnout.
When it comes to the workplace, many employers have been relying on OSHA’s guidelines Protecting Workers: Guidance on Mitigating and Preventing the Spread of COVID-19 in the Workplace. This document is updated to reflect developments in best practices and as the science around COVID-19 evolves. It also helps safety managers understand which elements are mandatory, like OSHA requirements apply to preventing occupational exposure to SARS-CoV-2, and which items are suggested but not required, like getting all workers vaccinated.
While many businesses have adopted COVID-19 safety plans that were a combination of CDC guidelines like practicing social distancing paired with practices that made sense for their specific business like Plexiglas shields, there’s less information on how to manage COVID fatigue.
Offer clarity. Regular employees may not be aware of what is required by OSHA and what is not. If some employees are pushing back about certain PPE requirements, a reminder that complying with PPE like masks is not different than a proper lock-out/tag-out from OSHA’s perspective.
Be transparent. If your organization has adopted policies or process that goes beyond OSHA or CDC guidelines, make sure that employees understand why.
Evaluate your safety plan at large. Now may be a good time to revisit your entire safety program and plan. Communicating any necessary updates may help take the focus off of COVID.
Ask yourself if there is room for flexibility. Safety plans are by nature rigid, but you may have the opportunity to work with other managers and even human resources to offer flexibility in other areas, for example, dress codes, or shift start times.
Bring feedback to senior management. Sometimes, as a safety manager, you may hear feedback that does not always get surfaced up through the organizational chart. It may be worth communicating what you hear in the field; while changes are not always possible, sometimes it helps people to simply feel heard.
Organizations across industries frequently employ safety managers in order to ensure that occupational health and safety guidelines are met. While according the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistic the largest concentration of occupational health and safety careers are concentrated in manufacturing, safety managers are also found in construction, transportation, energy, retail, hospitality, and other workplaces.
Safety managers are tasked with carrying out the policies and programs that minimize the risk of accidents and injuries at work. They are responsible for ensuring compliance with regulatory environments like OSHA, Cal/OSHA, HIPAA, or Federal DOT as well as the internal guidelines and policies defined by the company. These standards may vary by location and jobsite type.
Reporting is also an important part of a safety manager’s job, as incidents have to be tracked, and in some cases, accidents must be investigated.
Additional job duties often include:
Leading safety training sessions for staff
Conducting or assisting with safety audits
Implementing or managing environmental health and safety programs
Communicating with management on the status of the safety program
Skills that help make safety managers successful include attention to detail and strong communication. A Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Associate Safety Professional (ASP), or Occupational Health and Safety Technologist (OHST) may be required for some positions.
OHSA provides workers with many rights in the workplace, and federal law offers additional protections. Employers have a responsibility to eliminate known health and safety hazards, and employees should be able to speak up if they feel there is a health or safety issue going unaddressed.
When workers do raise concerns, they should be able to do so without fear of being retaliated against or punished. For those workers who don’t feel comfortable speaking directly to their employer, OSHA provides a process to file a safety and health complaint.
Additional rights that apply to workers include but are not limited to:
Safe machinery
Protection against toxic chemicals
Be provided with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and other safety equipment
Receive workplace training
The Boyer Safety and Compliance Suite can help employers deliver on training. This program offers compliance forms, employee handbooks, self-inspection checklists, training presentations, and other occupational health and safety materials in both English and Spanish.
To find out more about OSHA’s protection for workers, visit:
https://www.osha.gov/workers/
To find out more about the Boyer Safety and Compliance Suite, go here:
https://www.boyersafety.com/product
If you have more than 10 employees, the Code of Federal Regulation, Title 29, Part 1910.38 requires than an emergency action plan must be available in writing in the workplace. Employees should be able to easily access the plan for review.
Safety managers are tasked with implementation, training, and maintenance of these plans.
Some of the elements of an Emergency Action Plan include:
• Emergency escape route will be conspicuously posted and emergency exits clearly marked.
• Procedures to account for all employees after emergency evacuation has been completed:
• Preferred means of reporting fires and other emergencies:
• The employer shall advise each employee of his or her responsibility under the plan:
Your Emergency Action Plan should also provide specific instructions for events like fire, tornadoes, and earthquakes.
Learn more:
https://www.boyersafety.com/product
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970 and covers most employers in the private sector and their workers. OSHA sets standards for workplace safety, and as many safety managers know, can levy steep fines for violations.
Here are the most expensive OSHA penalties this far in 2021:
A Waco, TX bath and shower manufacturer is facing proposed penalties totaling $558,821 for 19 violations of failing to use machine guards.
A Hugo, OK railcar service provider was cited for 11 serious violations and two willful violations, and has proposed $419,347 in penalties after two employees died from exposure to natural gas.
OSHA investigated an employee complaint at a Waterville, Maine auto body manufacturing plant and proposed $393,992 in fines for not addressing fall and noise hazards.
A Minnesota-based construction company settled with OSHA on a $380,000 penalty after exposing employees to excavation hazards. The company was also required to hire a safety manager and a third-party safety consultant.
In a second violation after first being cited in 2018, an Oak Grove, MO plumbing company is facing a second penalty of $299,590 for failing to implement proper trenching standards.
A national discount retailer was determined by OSHA to have exposed workers to hazards including fire and blocked exist. OSHA proposed $265,265 in penalties.
A Polson, MT sawmill was investigated after an employee lost a partial finger. For using unguarded saw blades and not following correct lock-out / tag-out procedures, the lumber processing facility facing $264,478 in proposed penalties.
After a maintenance mechanic at a Lakewood, NJ ice cream manufacturing plant lost two fingers repairing an ice cream wrapper machine, the company was has been assessed a $237,176 fine.
$234,054 in penalties are proposed for a Pewaukee, WI water technology company after a guardrail failed and an employee fell into a nearly thirty-foot deep water testing pit.
A Fargo, ND seed company settled on a $250,000 penalty and a mandate to improve safety training, after an employee’s leg was partially amputated related to injuries sustained in the operating bin of a grain auger.
Remember that OSHA can inspect your workplace at any time, so it pays to be ready. Boyer Safety Services offers a virtual audit to help safety managers and program supervisors stay in compliance.
You can download the Boyer Safety & Compliance Recordkeeping Checklist, which covers these topics:
Are all recordable injury or illnesses being recorded as required on the OSHA 300 log?
Are employees medical records and records of employee exposure to hazardous substances or harmful physical agents up-to-date and in compliance with current OSHA standards?
Are employee-training records kept and accessible for review by employees, when required by OSHA standards?
Have arrangements been made to maintain required records for the legal period of time for each specific type record? (Some records must be maintained for at least 40 years.)
Are operating permits and records up-to-date for such items as elevators, air pressure tanks, and liquefied petroleum gas tanks?
Every day, safety managers across the country work hard to keep their workplaces in compliance with state, local, and federal requirements—and keep workers healthy and safe.
For those organizations covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employees have the right to request an OSHA inspection. OSHA may also initiate an inspection, for a variety of reasons, and vary rarely offers advance notice.
This is why it’s extremely important to have your processes and procedures mapped out before-hand. In the event you receive a surprise inspection, make sure you know:
Who to direct the OSHA inspector, or CSHO (compliance safety and health officer) to. This could be a manager or other supervisor, or in some cases perhaps a business owner. Whomever you choose, it should be someone who is regularly on-site. It is also a good idea to have a backup representative.
The standard process for an inspection. OSHA inspections consist of three primary parts
The opening conference, where the CSHO will state the reasons for the inspection
The “walkaround.” During this portion of the inspection, the CSHO will check the potential health and safety hazards described in the complaint. A representative from management can and should be present.
The closing conference, where the CSHO will discuss remediation if necessary as well as any subsequent steps for the business to take.
You can find a detailed explanation of this process on OSHA’s website: The OSHA Inspection: A Step-by-Step Guide (opens to a PDF).
Boyer Safety also offers a virtual audit that simulations the walkaround section of an OSHA inspection.
