Scenario: An employee scratched his index finger on a vinyl saw clamp at work. He immediately began walking to the onsite first aid station to obtain a Band-Aid. On the way, the injured employee met a co-worker who told him that he had a Band-Aid in his pocket. As the co-worker began to apply the Band-Aid, the injured employee looked at his finger where there was a small amount of blood on the skin...

For many years OSHA has taken the position that the company who “supervises the daily activities” of the worker is the company who has to record their injuries on their 300 Log.  I am guessing that with all the recent emphasis on “temporary workers”, the recordabiity question was asked once again and ONCE AGAIN OSHA has stated it is the employer WHO SUPERVISES the workers...

More than 50,000 preliminary assessments were reviewed by DHS from facilities with chemicals of interest 3,146 facilities are currently covered by CFATS More than 3,000 facilities voluntarily removed, reduced, or modified their holdings of chemicals of interest   2,111 visits to assist facilities with compliance   3,242 Security Plans authorized     2,658 Authorization Inspections...

According to the results of the survey, the average safety professional is a man. More than three-quarters (77.6 percent) of respondents were male, while only 22.4 percent were female.  Another defining feature: age. Nearly two-fifths (17.4 percent) of the respondents are at least 60 years old, and more than half (54.3 percent) are at least 50 years old. Only 3 percent are younger than 30. Survey...

Enclosed are the Office of Inspector General’s (OIG’s) three fiscal year 2015 management challenges and one internal control weakness for consideration as part of the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) Federal Managers’ Financial Integrity Act review. The Reports Consolidation Act of 2000 requires our office to report what we consider the most serious management...

This week (November 2015) I have been working with a small employer who is not staffed with a full time EHS professional  Great folks, but like many small employers we have a ways to go to get where we need to be.  So we started with what I believe to be a bedrock of any safety program… HAZCOM.  As we know this standard has been turned upside these last couple of years and we...

GENERAL ALLEGATIONS Respondent operates a controlled temperature laboratory, where it conducts research on the effect of cold temperatures on equipment, structures and technological systems, at its Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.  The Facility is located approximately two miles north of the center of Hanover, New Hampshire. The 30-acre site is bordered on the north and south...

MSA is issuing this User Safety Notice due to a potential safety issue involving 50ft./15m. Workman SRLs.  We apologize for any inconvenience that this may cause. We have determined that a small percentage of Workman 50 ft./15 m. SRLs manufactured from January through August of 2015 may have an improper brake nut torque setting.  This condition is not detectable when performing the normal...

Respondent owns and operates a disposal facility associated process equipment.  At the facility the Respondent stored produced water, including residual hydrocarbons, in a 500-barrel fiberglass tank. Produced water stored in this tank was generated from multiple wells. Produced waters, and their associated vapors, are extremely hazardous substances due to their flammability and explosive nature....

For several years now, with OSHA and EPA have issued bulletins/alerts regarding Excess Flow Valves.  These alerts/bulletins warned against placing too much faith in these valves when it comes to PREVENTING a “catastrophic release”.  These valves do not have a history of failing because of defects, they have a history of failing due to IMPROPER DESIGN!  In this article, I hope to explain...

 

OSHA has published a set of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding their REVISED PSM Retail Exemption Policy.  The questions they answer are: … HomeRead More »