Eye and face protection must be worn correctly by the worker and provided by the employer. Hear OSHA’s answers to important questions in this podcast. There are so many workplace hazards affecting eye and face safety. Here are some of the questions and answers from OSHA’s Eye and Face Protection eTool. 1. When do companies have to provide eye and face protection for workers? A: Whenever eye injuries might happen at work and engineering controls …
Chemical hazards can lurk, unseen. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) says we should learn from the West Fertilizer Company explosion in Texas. Listen for their study results. The CSB recently released its investigation findings into the 2013 explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in Texas. In this podcast, Dan Clark describes what caused the April 2013 chemical disaster in West, Texas. The CSB determined a combination of zoning laws, storage conditions, and lack of …
Safety signs help companies be OSHA compliant based on ANSI Z535 safety sign and tag standards. Hear about four categories of workplace safety signs. OSHA adopted sign standards from American National Standards Institute, ANSI. OSHA also incorporates sign requirements from the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA. In this three minute podcast, Dan Clark spells out the requirements for: • Hazard Warning signs: ○ Danger – White text on red background. The most serious danger. ○ …
Portable containers for hazardous chemicals in the workplace can have NO labeling in only two situations, according to OSHA’s HazCom 2012 standard. In less than three minutes, Dan Clark explains how a worker may transfer a hazardous chemical from an HCS 2012-labeled container to a container with no warning labels whatsoever. Seems odd, doesn’t it? The current Hazard Communication Standard allows an employee to use a hazardous chemical in an unmarked container if (1) they …
Permit-required confined spaces aren’t just sewer pipes. Semi-trailers can be hazardous too. Hear about hazards in three trailer types, empty and loaded. In this 3½ minute podcast, Dan Clark describes OSHA’s standard on PRCS (permit-required confined spaces) for big-rigs. Dan also defines confined spaces (CS), and offers tips on CS and PRCS programs for safety managers. TRANSCRIPT: (:00) intro music and effects (:04) Dan Clark: When you think of confined spaces in the workplace, a …
First aid kits in the workplace are mandated by OSHA. Hear about the minimum standard changes in 2015 and if a trained person is necessary. If a company’s work location is far from emergency services, OSHA requires that a person be qualified. For the workplace, OSHA refers to ANSI’s standard. Hear about the two types of kits in ANSI’s standard, Class A and Class B, and which is right for your company. ANSI revised its …
OSHA 300A is a safety form most employers need to display in the workplace by February 1 annually. Hear how to fill out the form and who is exempt. An OSHA 300A form is an employer’s report to employees on recordable injuries for the previous year. In this podcast, Dan Clark explains what counts as a recordable injury. Some businesses are exempt from posting the form. In 2015, classification of many businesses changed, requiring them …
Temporary wiring (like an extension cord) gets the thumbs-up from OSHA in just four settings. In only a couple of minutes, Dan Clark lays out the details. In this podcast, hear about OSHA’s temp wiring standard in workplace remodeling, experimentation, holiday lighting and emergencies. We also list considerations when selecting and using extension cords and other flexible wiring. TRANSCRIPT: (:00) intro music and effects (:04) Dan Clark: Sometimes you have to use temporary wiring such …
Trench sloping at a safe angle prevents cave-ins and saves lives. Trench Right is the free mobile app designed to calculate safe slopes in all soil types. Trench collapses needlessly kill workers every year. In this podcast, Dan Clark describes the new tool to avoid collapses. Simply input excavation dimensions, soil type and penetrometer readings into Trench Right. It quickly reveals the safe angle for trench sloping. See the transcript for links to the iOS …
Respirator fit tests are required by OSHA. But the employer must also do a medical evaluation of an employee before they wear a respirator on the job. A worker does not need to see a doctor, but he or she must answer an extensive list of questions which is then reviewed by a medical professional. A link to the OSHA-required questionnaire is in the transcript, below. Also in this podcast, Dan Clark details the two …
