Following up on a 2012 post about complying with 1910.95(j), I wanted to share a working example of how I document my “hearing protector attenuation” evaluation. I think the example speaks for it’s self, but if you need a reference as to what this exercise is meant to accomplish please refer to my 2012 post Hearing…...
If you have a First-Aid team that “renders aid” as part of their job duties (even though their participation on the team is voluntary – but rendering care once on the team is NOT) this is a case you should understand. The business was cited for NOT having the employees vaccinated at the time-frames stated…...
Is there such a thing as a “dual phase” pressure safety valve (PSV)? Not that I have ever encountered; yet that does not stop some from trying to “educate me” on their dual-phase PSVs. So why does this topic matter? Our PSV’s are our LAST LINE of defense in an overpressure event, and if they…...
NOTE: a reduction in penalty can come about many different ways, so a reduction in penalty does not imply that the hazardous condition did not exist at the time of the inspection. Many reductions in penalties occur due to negotiations requiring abatement of the hazard and extra’s like training supervisors in OSHA 10-hr course. …...
OSHA has finally announced that the agency is not accepting electronic submissions of injury and illness logs at this time, and intends to propose extending the July 1, 2017 date, by which certain employers are required to submit the information from their completed 2016 Form 300A electronically. Updates will be posted to this webpage when they…...
At 3:40 a.m. on November 29, 1988, the Kansas City, MO Fire Department received an alarm indicating there was a fire at a highway construction project. The dispatcher directed Pumper 41 to respond to the truck fire. He added: “Pumper 41, use caution on your call. There’s information there may be explosives. It’s in a…...
I have to admit that this transition from the old HAZCOM to this Globally Harmonized Hazcom Standard has been a bumpy ride over the past 4-5 years. I have had to correct postings a couple of times with some help from my friends at OSHA and NFPA. But there is one thing that I…...
This is a very good case on machine guarding (1910.212) application. Employees routinely reached under a set of doors that were interlocked to clear a jam. One day and employee reached too far and lost his finger tip. OSHA cited 1910.212(a)(3)(ii) and the commission upheld it. The reason why this case is so solid for…...
November 10, 2016 MEMORANDUM FOR: REGIONAL ADMINISTRATORS STATE DESIGNEES THROUGH: DOROTHY DOUGHERTY …...
On December 19, 2016, OSHA issued a final rule titled, “Clarification of Employer’s Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness.” See 81 FR 91792. The final rule, which became effective on January 18, 2017, resulted in various amendments to OSHA’s recordkeeping regulations clarifying that the duty to make…...
I normally do not follow or write about Construction related safety matters as it is not an area I have a lot of experience, but this decision caught my attention because next month (May 2017) OSHA’s new General Industry Fall Protection standards take hold and some of the issues in this case will be dealt…...
U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 4,440 structure fires involving hot work per year. These fires caused an average of 12 civilian deaths, 208 civilian injuries and $287 million in direct property damage per year. From 2001-2015, five firefighters were fatally injured in four unintentional fires started by torches. Forty-two percent of the fires…...
