A desire to go beyond regulatory compliance and increase the safety of employees is behind a Minnesota manufacturer’s use of OSHA’s On-Site Consultation Program, through the Minnesota OSHA (MNOSHA) Workplace Safety Consultation (WSC). That’s how Malco Products, Specific Benefit Corporation (SBC), achieved an OSHA Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) designation in 2004 – a designation it has maintained to this day.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has unveiled five proposed changes to existing hours of service (HOS) rules for commercial motor vehicle drivers. Predictably, the revisions – which FMCSA says will increase safety and save money – are drawing mixed reactions. U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao said the changes would give commercial drivers more flexibility while maintaining the safety limits on driving time.
Sitting for long periods of time has emerged as a significant health threat, associated with everything from obesity to metabolic syndrome, which can include high blood pressure, and high blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
More companies and individuals are taking steps to reduce sitting time by moving to standing workstations, which have surfaces at heights that allow the user to stand while typing on a keyboard and viewing a monitor.
Common to most construction sites in America is that both workers and managers wear Z89.1 compliant hard hats onsite as a symbol of safety, to protect from falling objects and also as a tool deflector.
One of the biggest wake-up calls I had recently was when I realized the detrimental impact biases have in the world of safety. Most people recognize that biases exist in “the other guy” but fail to see these preconceived notions in themselves. SPOILER ALERT: We all have them, and they are putting all of us at risk.
Compared to small and "micro" businesses, larger companies have made more progress toward introducing the Total Worker Health (TWH) approach to worker health and safety, reports the August Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
"Our results indicate a need for intervention research that specifically targets microbusinesses and small businesses, especially in light of the outsized health and safety risks encountered in these sectors of the economy," write Liliana Tenney, MPH, and colleagues of Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Aurora.
This week, Aug. 12 – 18, is Safe + Sound Week, an annual, nationwide event that recognizes the successes of workplace safety and health programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe.
According to OSHA, last year more than 2,700 businesses participated in the program, which is aimed at helping employers get their programs started, energize an existing one, or recognizing their safety successes.
The Malta Dynamics product line has expanded with the addition of a new line of rescue and retrieval safety harnesses.
Featuring a comfortable, lightweight design with breathable padding, the Razorback Elite and Elite MAXX Rescue Harnesses get the job done even when working in confined spaces.
Safe + Sound Week (Aug 12-18, 2019) is a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe. With OSHA, VPPPA and the National Safety Council all as major sponsors, the message that safe workplaces are sound businesses should resonate with everyone. Why is having a health and safety program important?
Office workers are at high risk of experiencing musculoskeletal, or soft-tissue, disorders from repeated motion and awkward positions, such as sitting for long hours in front of a computer. Previous research has shown that safe and efficient, or ergonomic, office equipment can help reduce the risk, but obtaining the right equipment sometimes can be challenging.
