Safety Rules are written in blood. The Occupational Safety & Health Act (OSHA) and Mine Safety Health Act (MSHA) are federal safety rules enacted to make the workplace safer for employees. After decades of workplace injuries and fatalities, studies and workplace practices were reviewed to identify what was unsafe. The result is OSH Act and [...]
Mine safety. Confined spaces. Most workplaces in the US have confined space hazards. Mining is no exception but with different twist. Many confined spaces in mining involved material processing equipment. Crushers, conveyors, and material storage bins. Material engulfment is a hazard that can be present where mined materials are handled. For example, sand and gravel [...]
Warning signs. As you no doubt know the safety rules in the Occupational Safety Health Act (OSHA) usually apply only in the work place. Namely, between employer and employee. OSHA makes the employer responsible only for worker safety. But as in life, there are exceptions. OSHA section 29 CFR 1910.145 says warning signs safety rule [...]
Walking surface safety. What’s to worry about, almost everyone walks, put one foot in front of the other and look where you are going. Well, true enough, but not the entire truth. As an employer keeping walking surfaces clear of hazards is a requirement under OSHA to protect employees. But, depending on the nature of [...]
Safety training. Required or just helpful? The question above is answered, both. As a safety professional, I’ve found safety training to be very beneficial for crews and management alike. After all, how can it be expected that crews will know how to safely handle a task if they are never told how to safely handle [...]
Accident investigations. Or, how to avoid incidents and save money. Taking some time to learn why and how an injury or equipment damage incident occurred is extremely beneficial. First, it helps to learn why an incident occurred. Second, it saves money. Properly conducted, a post incident investigation will bring to light why and how an [...]
Learn how to not fall. We're talking safety training. If your workplace tasks expose you to fall hazards, you must provide training on fall protection. Fall protection training is straightforward. The rules include how to use fall protection harnesses, how lanyards work, and anchor points. And when to deploy fall protection equipment. Learning how to [...]
Signs for Safety because safety matters. Signs inform us of many things. Location of food, events, historic sites. Signs also can warn us of dangers. Examples include, fall, trip, radioactive, or electrical hazards among other hazards. Signs alert us to safety hazards that may not be apparent or which may be hidden. The Occupational Safety [...]
Accident investigations. Or, how to avoid incidents and save money. Taking some time to learn why and how an injury or equipment damage incident occurred is extremely beneficial. First, it helps to learn why an incident occurred. Second, it saves money. Properly conducted, a post-incident investigation will bring to light why and how an incident [...]
Knowledge equals safety. What does this simple statement mean? One word. Training. Employees trained to recognize hazards and unsafe conditions at work will know where risks to their safety and health exist. Knowing that a hazard exists means the employee can take appropriate steps to avoid/reduce/eliminate the risk to their safety. Training on how to [...]