Pointing to what it says is an “unacceptable” level of workplace injuries and illnesses among workers in nursing homes and other residential care facilities, OSHA has announced that it will soon begin a national emphasis program to increase enforcement in …
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics recently announced that non-fatal injuries and illnesses in private industry declined by 200,000 from 2009 to 2010. OSHA hailed that as good news, and rightly so. But to gain a fuller understanding of the …
Is it right for OSHA to penalize an employer for an incident that was completely beyond the company’s ability to prevent? If that seems wrong to you, I agree. But that is exactly where OSHA is heading with a new …
Two controversial proposals by OSHA are becoming entangled with partisan fighting over the federal budget. A spending bill crafted recently by Rep. Denny Rehberg (R-Mont.), chairman of the House Labor, Health and Human Services Subcommittee, would block OSHA from moving …
Based on recent calls, OSHA appears to be turning a spotlight on companies that use energy control circuitry during tasks that are routine, repetitive and integral to their operations. As most readers know, OSHA requires lockout/tagout to control potentially hazardous …
OSHA has reduced the minimum size for companies to be included under the Site-Specific Targeting program, so that now companies in selected industries with as few as 20 employees can be inspected. The Site-Specific program is OSHA chief programmed inspection …
11 tips for succeeding at an Informal Conference after being cited by OSHA
A recent report from Purdue University and a new hazard alert from OSHA point up the wide range of safety threats to workers if adequate precautions are not taken when working in grain handling. The Purdue report says that 26 …
OSHA’s new emphasis program aimed reducing accidents involving powered industrial trucks is confined to four Southern states, but employers across the country would be well-advised to pay close attention. Violations involving forklifts are low-hanging fruit for OSHA inspectors everywhere and …
OSHA is stepping up its use of Corporate-Wide Settlement Agreements in an effort to make more efficient use of its compliance resources, but companies should think carefully before signing off on such an agreement. Under a CSA, companies that have …