Occupational Safety

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OSHA has developed a new agricultural fact sheet and QuickCard^TM on the safe use of tripod orchard ladders, which are used by workers such as fruit pickers and landscapers. Many workers have been hurt from slips on rungs, falls, collapsing ladders and being struck by tree branches.

The seeds have been planted and are being cultivated for the development of a global occupational health and safety standard. I am participating as a U.S. delegate and member of the U.S. leadership team on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to develop the new OH&S standard – ISO 45001.

"We've already experienced increased communication about our safety program, and now we are talking about safety in a proactive positive way. Employees are proud to work for a company that cares about safety and makes it a priority. Not only has our communication and awareness of safety issues increased, we expect to see reductions in worker compensation insurance premiums and general liability premiums," said Elizabeth Duffrin, Chief Financial Officer.

NTSB names blame in Asiana crash, Europe surveys its aging workforce about hours and the stiffer penalties for texting while driving are favored. These were among the top EHS-related stories featured on ISHN.com this week.

David Kimberl hadn’t even earned his first paycheck from a Florida construction company when he was killed while dismantling a section of a bridge in Larchmont. The 18-year-old, who had never worked in bridge construction, was crushed to death when a bridge panel weighing nearly 1,800 pounds fell on him.

Introduction to Risk and Failures: Tools and Methodologies by D. H. Stamatis and Workplace Safety and Health: Assessing Current Practices and Promoting Change in the Profession by Thomas D Schneid have been released recently by CRC Press.

Employees today are expected to do more with less, and safety professionals are no exception. While the business case for safety would seem to be obvious – high injury rates cost money and reduce productivity – getting upper management to commit resources to safety can be challenging if there’s a perception that the cost won’t justify the results.

U.S. seizures of counterfeit products have increased more than 325% over the past decade, according to the 2014 Counterfeit Electrical Products Survey by the the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), which says the counterfeits endanger everyone who uses electricity.

I really enjoy hearing from you, my readers. I recently received an email from someone who had read my book, “Mastering Safety Communication,” and they asked the following question:

Twenty-three million young people are expected to seek summer jobs this year, many entering the workplace for the first time.  There is often little or no workplace violence training for young workers on the job, despite life-threatening risks.