One of the biggest wake-up calls I had recently was when I realized the detrimental impact biases have in the world of safety. Most people recognize that biases exist in “the other guy” but fail to see these preconceived notions in themselves. SPOILER ALERT: We all have them, and they are putting all of us at risk.

HSE audits, permits to work, job safety analyses (JSAs), pre-task HSE reviews, safety observations, ‘hazard hunts,’ management / leadership walk-abouts, hazard IDs, . . . what do all of these ‘tools,’ or processes, have in common? While it is not a complete listing, it does represent a subset of widely-used and generally accepted tools used by organizations to help manage HSE risk on an ongoing day-to-day basis.

Most Safety Managers know that safety committees are a good idea, and many states require them by law. But is your committee doing all it can and should be doing? If you answered No, you’re not alone. Here are our top 10 tips to start improving today!

Wellness is more than just something that we can “do” as a one-off thing for a short-term boost. It’s a way of life, which is why it also needs to find its way into your lifestyle. Unless you make it a habit, it’ll quickly be forgotten and you’ll be back to your old bad habits in no time.

The employee empowerment process is something we usually see discussed in the pages of Forbes or Bloomberg Businessweek, but empowerment is just as important for you and your workers as it is for the C-Suite. In fact, given that safety is on the line, it may be even more important. We’ve spoken to safety managers in various industries about how they empower their workers.

One of your biggest challenges as a Safety Manager may be creating a culture of safety throughout your organization. Making it a company-wide effort instead of just “your job” can be an uphill battle, but it’s a policy that will pay off in the end. Whether you already have companywide buy-in or if you’re just beginning to introduce the idea, maximize your success by including these five steps in your safety culture planning:

To enhance safety and environmental protection, the EPA’s Hazardous Waste Generator Improvements Final Rule, which became effective federally last year, requires identification including the words “Hazardous Waste,” a description of the container’s hazards, and the date the accumulation started on each container.

Reminding workers to wear their PPE is a big part of keeping them safe. But as a busy safety manager, the last thing you want is to be your company’s new CNO – Chief Nagging Officer! You can make your job easier while making your workers happier and safer by implementing an easy PPE Wear Testing Program.

Most of us have had at least one boss who tells workers to “leave their personal problems at the door!” But that advice was never very realistic. And in this day of texting, social media, and a phone in everyone’s pocket, it’s even less likely. The communication age makes it more important than ever to make stress management a high priority both to keep workers safer and to avoid hits to your company’s bottom line.

Now that the OSHA rule on Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Fall Protection Systems (29 CFR 1910 Subparts D&I) has been effective for more than a year, organizations are still working to understand and implement required changes to fall protection projects, policies and programs.