OSHA ARTICLES MAIN PAGE

4/11/2016· OSHA

"Ignorance of Safety, or No Ostrich Zone."

By: Greg Gerganoff

In the safety world hazard recognition plays a vital role in keeping your people safe from unsafe behaviors and/or conditions. Some hazards are easily recognized, for example an employee climbing up a 20 foot ladder with tools held in both hands. (This is a fall hazard by the way.) Common sense right? The safety guy who taught me safety had a great response to this attitude, "Few people have any sense (read knowledge) in common (read shared alike)". So while some safety hazards are immediately recognizable others require training to spot and avoid. Training is a key method in avoiding the "Ostrich Zone". One such hazard is Hydrogen Sulfide. You don't want to bury your head facing this hazard. (Won't do much good anyway, Hydrogen Sulfide is heavier then air!)

6/29/2015· OSHA

Forensic Clues: Power Press Safeguarding

By: John Ryan, BSME, PE

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that between 1,600 and 2,000 amputations occur annually due to power press operation. Another 18,000 people receive less serious injuries annually. Injury statistics compiled by OSHA for the years 1975 through 1983 confirm these figures. These numbers are alarming and unnecessarily high. Power presses can be used safely when the presses are properly designed to minimize the hazard that the operator is exposed to.

2/19/2016· OSHA

Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness: Avoiding the Ostrich Zone

By: Greg Gerganoff

Hazard recognition plays a vital role in keeping employees safe. Some hazards are easily recognized, for example an employee climbing up a 20-ft ladder while holding tools in both hands is an obvious fall hazard. While some safety hazards are immediately recognizable, others require training to spot and avoid. One such hazard is hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Training is a key method to avoid the "ostrich zone." You do not want to bury your head when facing this hazard.

11/2/2018· Accident Prevention & Safety

Hydrogen Sulfide Awareness: Avoiding the Ostrich Zone

By: Greg Gerganoff

Hazard recognition plays a vital role in keeping employees safe. Some hazards are easily recognized, for example an employee climbing up a 20-ft ladder while holding tools in both hands is an obvious fall hazard. While some safety hazards are immediately recognizable, others require training to spot and avoid. One such hazard is hydrogen sulfide (H2S). Training is a key method to avoid the "ostrich zone." You do not want to bury your head when facing this hazard.

6/10/2014· OSHA

Machine Guarding-Employer or Manufacturer Responsibility?

By: John Ryan, BSME, PE

OSHA was created through the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. OSHA's mission is to ensure worker safety by creating and enforcing safety and health standards. OSHA does many good things to help maintain a safe workplace, but manufacturers often try to hide behind the shield of OSHA, putting blame on an employer for unsafe machinery or working conditions, when often the machinery was never safe to begin with. Some standards promote safety and some standards protect the manufacturer from product liability law suits. Most industrial standards are voluntary, unless they are specifically referenced in a Code of Federal Regulations / OSHA standard. OSHA standards are Federally mandated and are enforced by the Federal government.

8/5/2021· Industrial Hygiene and Safety

Occupant Health Hinges On Indoor Air Quality

By: Nancy M. McClellan

Mold, pollen, dust, smog, smoke, carbon dioxide, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and other viruses and bacteria released through materials like furniture upholstery and carpeting, gaseous chemicals, particulates, and occupants, can all impact and jeopardize human health. Investing in healthier indoor air now will lead to a better environment in your building as we emerge from this pandemic with occupants that are more productive and focused.

12/14/2018· Accident Prevention & Safety

Permit-Required Confined Spaces – What You Need to Know to Safely Enter (and Exit!)

By: Jennifer Morningstar

According to the OSHA regulations, a confined space is anyplace that meets the following criteria: (1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and (2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit; and (3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

8/18/2016· OSHA

Portable Generator Safety: Let There Be Light! But Be Safe About It

By: Greg Gerganoff

Electricity is a vital source of energy in our daily lives. It powers tools, provides light and heat. Our working lives are much improved and efficiency greatly increased thanks to electricity. But what about those situations where power from the grid is unavailable. Well, portable generators are an excellent tool for such a scenario.

6/24/2016· OSHA

Safety Committees - Safety Culture: It's Not Just Another Trend

By: Greg Gerganoff

Safety culture is a term frequently bandied about in today's business world and sounds as trendy as "mission statements" were years ago. (Let's not forget "best in class". First time I heard this at a company meeting I looked around to make sure I hadn't mistakenly wandered into a dog show. Really?)

3/7/2016· OSHA

Unintended Consequences-Safety

By: Greg Gerganoff

"If you don't know where you are going, you will probably end up somewhere else.", so said Laurence J. Peter, a professor at the University of Southern California whose works touched the business world. (He is well known for the "Peter Principal".) Peter's above quote essentially points out that action lacking a clear objective will likely lead to unwanted or unintended consequences.