Falls are the number one cause of fatal accidents in construction, with these deaths accounting for 36.9 percent of construction fatalities in 2013. Many of these deaths occur in residential construction, and beginning in 2010, OSHA began enforcing its fall protection standard for all residential construction sites, not just commercial construction sites (see 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(13)). To…
When looking at workplace safety on construction sites, most people focus on things like fall protection and avoiding objects being dropped from above. While these are certainly important hazards, they are not the only ones. On many construction job sites, one of the biggest types of hazards is actually breathing. This is because there is…
The hazards of lead are well known, so people may assume exposures to this dangerous metal have been reduced. To a certain extent to this true; lead levels in the general population have decreased since the 1970s. In some workplaces, though, lead continues to be a serious problem. The Seattle Times recently published a series…
Confined spaces in the workplace are common, and they may even be more common than you think. For example, sewers, storage bins and tanks can all be confined spaces, but in many cases so are silos and open pits. Some confined spaces may not pose great harm, but others can be very dangerous to anyone…
One of the most common, and potentially most dangerous, types of accidents in most workplaces is related to falling. Whether this means falling down stairs, falling from great heights or just tripping and falling, it is important to make sure to take precautions in order to minimize this risk. Most facilities do a fairly good…
Does your facility have pipes? If so, those pipes need labels. While pipe labeling may seem like a confusing process with many requirements, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Starting with a plan will make your pipe-labeling project easier and more organized. Then once your facility’s pipes are labeled, you’ll see communication about pipes improve.…
Do You Inspect Rental Equipment? There are many situations where it is necessary to rent equipment for use in a facility. In the vast majority of cases, renting equipment is an easy process where you get exactly what you need and don’t experience any problems at all. Occasionally, however, the process can be quite a…
Slips, trips and falls are some of the most common accidents in many kinds of workplaces, and these incidents often result in injuries that prevent people from doing their jobs. Businesses should take steps to reduce the hazards that cause slips, trips and falls such as implementing housekeeping procedures for floors, using salt or sand…
Most facilities spend a lot of time, effort and financial resources working to remain compliant with regulations from OSHA and other organizations. While this is good, and certainly necessary, it is important to ask whether it is sufficient. The regulatory organizations provide guidelines and requirements that are meant to be the minimum acceptable levels of…
Construction sites pose many hazards, and as OSHA puts it, demolition is “construction in reverse, with additional hazards.” Therefore, OSHA has dedicated extra time and attention recently to demolition safety, and it developed a resource page explaining the standards specifically related to this kind of work (29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart T). This emphasis on demolition safety…