The construction industry has long been considered a relatively analog sector. Though there is certainly a great deal of machinery involved, it is still most often associated with hands-on activities. Experts in engineering, building, and architecture applying their talents to creating everything from basic housing to impressive works of art. Yet, just as with almost every area of our contemporary way of life, there are ways advanced digital technology is transforming the construction sector.
Growing productivity has come with an increasing waste problem for manufacturing and heavy industry. The industrial sector produces more garbage than ever, and the task of disposing of it is often difficult, unsafe and inefficient. Failing to manage refuse properly can also come with significant consequences — fines, environmental damage and long-term health problems.
Culture is difficult to quantify yet remains a crucial aspect of workplace safety. Most facilities understand the need for specific safety rules and protocols, but company culture — the beliefs, values, and attitudes of the workforce — often goes underemphasized. That shouldn’t be the case.
We credit industrial automation with productivity, efficiency, and safety gains, citing manual handling reduction and a reduction in musculoskeletal injury as a first-stage safety benefit. Yet, advanced technologies bring new opportunities for improved worker safety beyond manual handling, requiring an adaptation in our safety thinking.
By December 8, 2021, all federal government contractors must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to the guidance, contractors are required to obtain documentation on every employee’s vaccination status. Meanwhile, private sector employers with 100 or more employees will more than likely be required to uphold the same standard.
Work in the skilled trades is often looked at as an unviable long-term career path. Brian Ciciora, founder and CEO of the performance workwear company Truewerk, is looking to change that narrative and empower new segments of workers to join the skilled trades.
Each year, members of the cancer community recognize Mesothelioma Awareness Day (MAD) by spreading awareness about the disease. Mesothelioma is a preventable type of cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. Today, laws prohibit new uses of asbestos in the U.S, but construction workers continue to be at risk of exposure from old uses of the mineral.
In a recent poll we asked EHS professionals: what is your biggest barrier to collecting accurate EHS data? The clear winner was “cultural barriers to data entry” followed by “training of data collectors” which received 39% and 30% of the vote respectively. Culture is a word that is commonly used in the EHS industry and building a safety culture is often a focus of EHS professionals.
OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER 29 CFR 1910.120, 1926.65, EPA 40 CFR 311), aims at preventing or minimizing worker exposure to hazards during operations and emergency response to unplanned events such as releases or spills. It mandates training for various categories of workers including the First Responder.
Studies have been looking into the effect of stress and other psychosocial factors on employees’ well-being for decades. One of the first efforts to recognize the connection between workplace stress and well-being was the Whitehall Studies from 1967 to the mid-1980s. And studies continue to document the link between the two.
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