Summer is here and so is the sun.. We are all at risk for heat illness, whether we are working or simply living our day to day lives. There were 8,081 heat-related deaths reported in the United States between 1999 and 2010. In 5,783 of those deaths, the cause was exposure to excessive heat. Overall, July and August had the highest number of reported deaths. What is heat illness? Heat-related illness is a condition that results from exposure to extreme heat where the body is unable to properly cool, leading to a rapid rise in body temperature. Our bodies use the evaporation of sweat to remove h ..read more

The Importance of Infection Control We are living in an unprecedented time. The COVID-19 Pandemic has taught us that we are vulnerable. Following infection control guidelines can provide valuable protection from infections. These can include viral infections such as the flu, or bacterial infections including staph. Every year, lives are lost due to infectious diseases such as the Flu, Ebola and Coronaviruses. But we can protect ourselves and others by making a few changes. First let’s look at how germs (bacteria, viruses, and fungi) spread. Transmission Germs don’t move themselves. They rely o ..read more

Contact with Machinery In 2018, 786 workers died due to contact with objects and equipment; 374 of them were from contact with machinery. Workers across the country use machines and equipment that present a variety of hazards, such as amputation, crushing, electrocution, burns, and lacerations. Examples of hazardous machinery include: Mechanical power presses Powered and non-powered conveyors Roll-forming and roll-bending machines Table, portable, and band saws Drill presses Milling machines Shears, grinders, and slitters Identifying potential physical or health hazards in a comprehensive haz ..read more

The Cost of Overexertion In 2018, nearly 300,000 cases of overexertion kept employees away from work, according to the BLS. Of these, 1/3 were injured when lifting or lowering objects. Injuries like these account for almost one-quarter (23%) of all occupational injuries and cost roughly $13.79 billion annually. Overexertion in this case refers to physical overexertion; when a person works beyond his/her physical capacity and tolerances. When it comes to safety and health, the danger of overexertion is often underestimated. After all, we all suffer occasional pain and discomfort. However, mino ..read more

The OSH Act and OSHA The Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) was enacted in 1970 to assure that workers had a safe and healthy working environment. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was formed in order to carry out this mission, as well as to encourage and assist states by providing research, information, and training while instituting enforceable standards. Since its creation, workplace fatalities have been reduced by over 60 percent and occupational injury and illness rates have declined by 40 percent. On January 15, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration ..read more

Fall Protection Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry. Fall protection is consistently OSHA’s most commonly cited standard.  In fact, OSHA cited 6,010 fall protection violations in 2019. Among the different methods of fall protection, fall restraint and fall arrest are often used interchangeably. So, let’s look at the differences. OSHA requires the use of some form of fall protection when: a worker is working at a minimum height of 4 or 6 feet for general industry and construction respectively, or a worker is working at any height where there is danger below. For e ..read more

Why talk about work zone traffic safety? Year after year, construction ranks high among the most dangerous occupations. Around 773 people lost their lives in work zone crashes each year from 1982 through 2017, according to the Federal Highway Administration. Highway work zones add an even greater degree of risk due to the proximity of motorized traffic. So what can you do to minimize the risks to your workers? Minimizing hazards to equipment operators/drivers in internal work zones, workers on foot, motorists, and pedestrians requires implementing a traffic control plan. Federal, state or loc ..read more

Accident Investigations & Causal Analysis Accident investigations should be a critical part of loss control. An accident investigation, when performed correctly, can enhance safety and reduce costs. Property damage and downtime resulting from accidents cost companies up to 50 times more than the workers’ compensation. The majority of organizations don’t track these costs specifically. But what is an accident investigation and what is its purpose. What is an accident investigation? An accident investigation is a systematic collection of information and analysis of the facts leading up to t ..read more

Heavy Equipment Operation Operating heavy equipment can be a stressful job, even for seasoned operators. Accidents can happen, but they are preventable. Equipment can be operated safely to reduce risk. Employers should host regular safety meetings, ensure procedures are up-to-date, and train workers. Operators should never put themselves in a situation they don’t feel comfortable. These along with the general guidelines below will keep incidents down and translate into a positive working environment. Blind Spots Heavy equipment operators need to be 100% sure that no one is behind them or in t ..read more

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Requirements No matter the job, personal protective equipment (PPE) can provide vital protection against the hazards of specific job or task. For one Atlanta based company, not assessing the hazards and providing the necessary protective equipment led to a OSHA citation with a hefty fine of $211,400. Where did the company go wrong? OSHA launched an investigation after hot steam burned an employee trying to repair a leak on a steam-line header. During the investigation, OSHA determined the header had been leaking for several months. OSHA found the company vi ..read more