OSHA launches the Safety Champions Program
The Safety Champions Program is a new initiative that helps employers develop and implement effective safety and health programs. The main goal of safety and health programs is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths. The Program incorporates the seven (7) core elements of Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs: The Safety Champion Program
Would you claim you could drive a vehicle safely if I covered up the dashboard?
An SMS needs a feedback loop! The data from that feedback loop needs to be VERIFIED and VALIDATED as accurate BEFORE it is used to make decisions within the SMS. Just imagine driving your vehicle with NO FEEDBACK. No speedometer, no engine temp, no blinker feedback, no RPMs, NOTHING. You’re just driving, maybe relying on
Idaho National Laboratory online interactive Periodic Table
I am not a fan of “government”, but I am a fan of so many of the workers within our government. They can do some fantastic work. Take this latest and greatest tool for Chemical Safety, for example. This is just too “cool,” and if you are into HAZMATs or Chemical Safety, this is a
For all the safety experts on “metrics” decrying leading and lagging indicators as “bureaucracy” and a “waste of time”…
Imagine driving a vehicle without a dashboard. No feedback whatsoever as to how well you and the vehicle are performing. Sure, we can do it, but without feedback on our performance and the vehicle’s, I doubt we’d meet the state’s defined and quantified standards for “safe operation of a motor vehicle.” Just consider speed as
What is it about a disgruntled employee and their safety
It has taken me 20 years to truly understand what Clive Lloyd said in his book “From Compliance to Care.” One of my top five safety books I recommend for every safety professional and front-line manager. “Behaviors are NOT the problem – they are expressions of the problem.” I have conducted over 100 safety assessments
Has industrial safety become an “infomercial”?
Most of us who were adults in the 2000s can recall some silly claims made by “Infomercials.” You know… “The Juicer,” the “no-stick pan,” the “Snuggie,” the knives that slice a beer can and tomatoes, the “Shamwow” towel, and the list goes on and on. Oh man, could they make the product seem as if
Arc Flash Incident Highlights Critical Need for Voltage Verification During Electrical Maintenance
An arc flash incident occurred during electrical maintenance activities on a 480V motor control center (MCC) aboard a fixed offshore facility in the Gulf of America on March 21, 2025. Two contractor technicians were troubleshooting a tripped MCC bucket Figure 2) when an arc flash occurred. One technician, despite wearing Category 2 arc-rated Personal Protective
Inspections vs Audits (Part II)
Last year, I shared Part I regarding the difference between the two words: Audit and Inspection. Today, I want to explain how and why OSHA/EPA “inspect” and we “audit” our PSM/RMP-covered processes. To put it bluntly, an OSHA/EPA “inspection” does NOT and will NEVER replace our 3-year PSM/RMP audits. Both EPA and OSHA require RMP/PSM-covered
Trust and distrust in safety leadership: Qualities of importance (study by Natalie Abiodun)
This is a GREAT study, although it was not an extensive study. But when I learned of it from Pete Cutbush, I found the research and thought it was spot on; although that may be my biases shining through. As I was taught by all my former business leaders, leading with safety can influence ALL
Behavior-Based Safety Process (BBSP) and Incident Management
One of the most prominent mistakes organizations make when implementing their Behavior-Based Safety Process (BBSP) is that they still operate under 1990s-era assumptions regarding how they view and manage incident reporting and investigation and the behaviors of personnel involved in those undesired events. An improperly implemented and managed BBSP can create numerous biases, with the
Simple “safety maturity” or dare I say “culture” test…
Auditing! Whether it’s internal (1st party), 2nd party, or 3rd Party, auditing at a CONSISTENT FREQUENCY is a true sign that management is committed to safety. If the management team asks… “Does OSHA require this audit?”