OHSA and the EPA encourage employers to conduct a root cause analysis 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 causes of...
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. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), has a Whistleblower Protection Program that enforces the provisions of more than 20 laws protecting employees from retaliation for reporting workplace...
Although we’ve seen it in the cartoons and in the movies a million times, not many people actually slip on banana peels. But while the results may produce a few chuckles in the theater, falls are nothing to laugh at. In fact, some estimates put the number of disabling injuries...
If you’ve ever been the first one on the scene at an automobile accident or have been working next to someone who had a traumatic injury at work, then you know how important it is to know what to do. So often in the stress of the situation we forget...
Pinch points are places where a body part or a piece of clothing can get caught up in machinery, between equipment or between a lid and a container when closing. Pinch point injuries can be very serious, resulting in the loss of limbs or even death. Each year, workers suffer...
In the workplace, ‘good housekeeping’ is the term used for keeping the worksite clean and free of hazards that can cause injury. This isn’t just a matter of appearances – it is a safety issue. There are, of course, many advantages to good housekeeping. A neat, clean workplace makes it...
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers struck 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. Overgrown branches often fall in the least ideal of situations, causing downed power lines. During the winter, heavy ice and snow, and during the spring, high winds and...
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.” THE EPA estimates there are about 425,000 of these sites in...