First, let me say this upfront if your facility has not evaluated your local fire department’s rescue capabilities in the past 2-3 years, I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE it to do so ASAP.  With the drastic swing in the economy and many cities on the brink of bankruptcy, I know of at least 50 FDs that have scrapped their special rescue teams and are relying on County or Regional wide teams to cover special...

When do I have to have a Confined Space rescue team? I get this question almost monthly, and it worries me that so many facilities struggle with such a critical analysis. It is not easy, but it could be a matter of life or death and deserves some explanation. In this post, I will walk us through the rationale of entry-style rescue vs. non-entry-style rescue and when each one would be REQUIRED. I am...

EXCELLENT OVERVIEW from a GREAT SOURCE! … HomeRead More »

Let’s set the record straight… “Line of sight” is HALF THE REQUIREMENT, and this term is NOT in any official language from OSHA, nor does OSHA recognize it! We see this all the time…a LOTO procedure talks about cord and plug equipment not needing to be locked out if the worker is in the “line of sight” of the plug.  Let’s look at the term “exclusive...

Can businesses use tagout when lockout can be used on the energy isolation device? Simply stated, locks MUST be used when they can, UNLESS the employer can demonstrate that their tagout will PROVIDE FULL EMPLOYEE PROTECTION. Here is the exact language from 29 CFR 1910.147: … HomeRead More »

Is there a method to OSHA’s madness in regards to the PSM required operating procedures? … HomeRead More »

Many THANKS to my NEW & RENEWING Corporate Partners in Safety! since 3/2011 since 3/2011 since 2007 since 2009 since 2/11 2011 Fatality Tracker Electrical 7 (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift Mobile Equipment  30 (2010 = 110) (2009=88) Mining 48...

Join me and SAFTENG.net in helping spread this important safety message about texting and driving! … HomeRead More »

WARNING!!! This is a REAL 911 call from a gentleman who lost his life after a belt tore his arm off at a concrete plant. The call was edited to remove the worker’s name and other personal information (e.g., mentions of wife and kids’ names), and it was cut off to end before the man lost consciousness and eventually lost his life from a blood loss. This is posted with the hopes that those...

The More Routine The Task.. The Bigger The Safety Risk?? For some persons, safety only becomes an important consideration when they are doing a “dangerous” job or task. They rationalize that safety procedures can be bypassed or ignored when the task is simple, small, routine and seemingly presents little risk of injury. Unfortunately, this type of thinking is why many routine, and...

Many THANKS to my NEW & RENEWING Corporate Partners in Safety! since 3/2011 since 3/2011 since 2007 since 2009 since 2/11 2011 Fatality Tracker Electrical 7 (2010 = 90) (2009 = 100) Forklift/Manlift Mobile Equipment  30 (2010 = 110) (2009=88) Mining 48...

Generally, responders rely primarily on Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) maintained at the facility. However, MSDSs may not provide sufficient information to effectively and safely respond to accidental releases. This Alert is designed to increase awareness of MSDS limitations, so that first responders can take proper precautions, and identify additional sources of chemical information, which could...