Risk Management

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Women got the vote. Prohibition began. The National Football League was founded. And, the construction industry was forever changed by the invention of an often overlooked but significant worker safety advancement – the hard hat.

Being a safety professional is not black and white like what you learned in university, college or what a safety enforcement officer will tell you. It is in fact, different shades of gray. This you will learn as you grow as a safety professional.

In the final seconds of the championship game, the quarterback hands off the football to his star running back. The running back skillfully weaves, dodges and avoids tackles. The home crowd cheers as he crosses the goal line, securing victory.

Good investigators understand what their biases are and work to control them while in investigation mode. Adopt the persona of a sports referee—the neutral arbitrator, without a stake in the outcome.

Industrial plants are known for being loud, acoustically-harsh environments. The combination of high ceilings, reflective surfaces and heavy machinery din creates an environment for reverberation and noise. Such conditions can decrease productivity and increase health and safety hazards. 

Wellness is defined as “the condition of good physical, mental and emotional health, especially when maintained by an appropriate diet, exercise, and other lifestyle modifications.” Companies are turning to preventative programs to reduce workplace injuries.

Despite all our best efforts   and often those of the employees we train and advise - people have a problem with safety. It can be a hard topic to bring to life, and there’s a fine line between honesty and being accused of scaremongering.

Dropped tools and equipment are some of the deadliest hazards from working at height that often go overlooked. New developments and standards are bringing more focus to this hazard in general, but is your company maximizing the benefits of a dropped objects program?

Combustible dust is present in a variety of industries and is the precursor to a serious hazard. This hazard’s often-destructive nature makes it vitally important to understand. When accounting for the hazard, several questions arise, highlighting the true complexities of combustible dust.