OHSA and the EPA encourage employers to conduct a “Root Cause Analysis (or RCA)” when an incident or near miss occurs to investigate the reason why it happened, and to prevent a similar occurrence from happening again. A Root Cause Analysis allows an employer to discover the underlying and systemic...
Workers in construction are at risk for exposure to crystalline silica, a common mineral found in construction materials like concrete, brick, mortar, sand, and stone. If you have ever seen a sidewalk being jackhammered, and concrete dust blowing in the air, you have probably seen respirable crystalline silica. When workers...
A “whistleblower” is a person who informs about illegal, unsafe, or unhealthy activities that another person, group, company, or organization is doing. OSHA’s Whistleblower Protection Program enforces the provisions of more than 20 laws protecting employees from retaliation for reporting workplace concerns, hazards, or violations. OSHA Whistleblower protections extend to...
Estimates put the number of disabling injuries resulting from falls at over 30,000 per year. The number of deaths is close to 12,000 a year. About one in 10 of these deaths happen in the workplace. Slips, trips, and falls cause numerous injuries every day. But they are among the...
Emergencies can create a variety of hazards for workers in the impacted area. Preparing before an emergency incident plays a vital role in ensuring that employers and workers have the necessary equipment, know where to go, and know how to keep themselves safe when an emergency occurs. If an Emergency...
Each year, workers suffer approximately 125,000 caught or crushed injuries that occur when body parts get caught between two objects or entangled with machinery. These hazards are referred to as “pinch points.” The physical forces applied to a body part caught in a pinch point can vary and cause injuries...
In the workplace, ‘good housekeeping’ is the term used for keeping the worksite clean and free of hazards that can cause injury. Housekeeping is a safety concern that is often overlooked or taken for granted. Far too many accidents happen because people did not keep their work areas neat and...
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers stuck by vehicles or mobile equipment, and transportation incidents, account for the highest number of on-the-job fatalities (per the National Safety Council). The BLS reported that in 2022, there were around 96,000 work zone crashes, resulting in around 37,000 injuries and 891...
Spring is the time of year that many home and business owners request tree services such as tree removal, trimming, and pruning. During the winter, heavy ice and snow, and during the spring, high winds and rain can cause downed trees and power lines. Caution is especially necessary when cleaning...
Brownfield sites, or “brownfields” are defined by the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act as “real property, the expansion, redevelopment or reuse of which may be complicated by the presence of a hazardous substance, pollutant, or contaminant.” OSHA Standards OSHA Standards for Brownfield hazards are addressed under the...