In this three-part series, the role of personal perceptions and the influence of invalidated information on them used in risk assessments will be explored. Part 1 discusses how perceptions are developed.

As humans experienced the first global pandemic since 1918, it also experienced a multitude of missed opportunities that would have mitigated the frequency and severity of COVID-19 exposures and infections. Contrary to many messages communicated by politicians, the pandemic is not a political issue. Instead, it is a hazard, subject to scientific hazard control.

Many private and public entities have no anti-bullying policy at all. Some have policies with holes in them; some of the language undermines the policies’ stated purposes.

Federal OSHA is stagnant and ill-prepared to regulate future risks. OSHA has only 1,850 inspectors to cover 8 million U.S. workplaces. OSHA has no regulations for rising concerns such as infectious disease, EMFs, psychosocial hazards, or ergonomics.

OSHA historically has been overly ambitious when Democrats control the White House. It’s time to follow a new playbook as Biden takes over, according to many experts inside and outside OSHA.

In 2020, safety responsibilities ballooned to include precautions for a global pandemic — and this trend doesn’t show any signs of stopping. When responsibilities grow but your time and resources don’t, it can be hard to keep up with all the problems you need to solve.

I’m sure many people are happy to bid good riddance to 2020 and hopefully look forward to a better 2021.

In this series, the concept of and need for whistleblowers is explored along with historical and present-day cases.

Workplace hazards today are broad and complex. Where specificity of law is absent or ambiguous, such as workplace safety for Covid-19, OSHA’s “General Duty” clause, section (5)(a)(1) of the OSH Act, becomes an enforcement incentive.

OSHA requires that in any workplace where respirators are necessary to protect the health of the employee or whenever respirators are required by the employer, a written respiratory protection program must be established and implemented.