OSHA statistics indicate that there are roughly 85 forklift fatalities and 34,900 serious injuries each year, with 42 percent of the forklift fatalities from the operators being crushed by a tipping vehicle.

Factors contributing to falls from ladders include haste, sudden movement, lack of attention, the condition of the ladder (worn or damaged), the user's age or physical condition, or both, and the user's footwear.

Falls are the leading cause of death in construction. In 2016, there were 370 fatal falls to a lower level out of 991 construction fatalities (BLS data). These deaths are preventable.

OSHA requires employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment. Eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards.

OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry and eight feet in long shoring operations. In addition, OSHA requires that fall protection be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery, regardless of the fall distance.

Machine safeguarding is the best way to prevent amputations. Guards provide physical barriers to hazardous areas. They should be secure and strong, and workers should not be able to by-pass, remove or tamper. Guards should not obstruct the operator’s view or prevent others from working.

Changes in technology and infrastructure have opened up new pathways for opportunities. The 2019 World of Concrete Education Program offers 187 sessions providing training and certification, safety, leadership and construction fundamentals and more—all vital to your growth and profitability.

Worksafe in Oakland, California has an opening for an Occupational & Environmental Health Specialist who will contribute scientific and technical expertise to Worksafe’s policy advocacy and trainings, and spearhead their efforts to protect workers from chemical hazards and toxic substances. The deadline for priority consideration is 12/12.

Rules are so easy to make that safety offices are often accused of being a “Rule Mill” because they continuously produce their rule-of-the month. Why do we create so many rules? One particular cog in our mill that causes us to create rules is incidents. When we suffer an incident, we want to throw every tool in the arsenal to keep it from happening again.

The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP), the world’s oldest professional safety organization, has launched a biweekly Safety Standards and Tech Pubs Podcast to help occupational safety and health professionals stay informed of industry consensus standards and technical publications.