Workers entering and working in confined spaces face a number of potentially fatal hazards such as insufficient oxygen, physical hazards including falls, and toxic or flammable atmospheres. Fortunately, new technology innovations are helping to improve their safety. Todd Connelly, Rental Sales Manager for Blackline Safety, joins the podcast to discuss why confined space entries persist as a safety concern; key considerations when evaluating CSE approaches; and how smart, connected safety solutions can help manage confined space hazards.

This episode is sponsored by Blackline Safety.

Over 2 million workers in the United States conduct permit-required confined space entries per year and can face life-threatening challenges. The threat of toxic and explosive gases, oxygen deficiency, and extreme temperatures mean working conditions can quickly turn deadly. But thanks to innovations in smart technology, times have changed—and safety has improved. Learn more at www.blacklinesafety.com.

If you’re a regular reader of Occupational Health & Safety, then you’re probably familiar with Robert Pater. Pater is the managing director and creator of the MoveSMART system to reduce soft-tissue injuries and slips, trips, and falls, and he’s quickly approaching his 20-year anniversary of writing the Breakthrough Strategies column for OH&S. Moreover, he’s written nearly 200 articles for OH&S as well. Robert joins the podcast to talk about the upcoming anniversary of his column, as well as to discuss why slips, trips and falls continue to be a significant workplace safety topic, as well as other safety trends and risks that he thinks should be on safety professionals’ radars. Like Robert’s columns, this interview is full of safety insights.

Certifications in the fire, life, and electrical safety fields play crucial roles. Daniel Pickel, the Director of Certification and Accreditation at the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), joins the podcast to discuss topics such as how certifications help safety professionals stay up-to-date, how is technology influencing the certification landscape, and recent trends in certifications and emerging certifications that should professionals be aware of.

Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering their mission. Visit www.nfpa.org to learn more.

The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association recently enjoyed its 40th anniversary as well as the 40th edition of its annual Safety+ Symposium, which ran Aug. 25-28 at the Gaylord Rockies Resort & Convention Center in Aurora, Colo. VPPPA Executive Director Chris Williams, CAE, joins the podcast to discuss how the association and the show have evolved over time; significant takeaways and highlights from the event; and the future of safety and the role of innovations such as artificial intelligence in safety. Listen in on this far-reaching discussion about the milestone anniversary and safety as a whole.

Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering their mission. Visit www.nfpa.org to learn more.

In this episode of the OH&S Safety Pod, OH&S Content Editor Robert Yaniz Jr. speaks with OH&S Executive Editor David Kopf about his experience at the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo, held in Orlando, Florida, from Sept. 16-18. They discuss key highlights from the event, including the scope of this year’s edition, OSHA’s 10 most frequently cited standards, new workplace fatality data, and the new partnership between the National Safety Council and Avetta.

In this episode of the OH&S SafetyPod, Robert Yaniz Jr. speaks with Eric Whitley, director of industrial transformation at L2L, about the role of digital communication tools in improving safety, transparency and efficiency in the manufacturing sector. With L2L’s recent report What's Holding Manufacturers Back in 2024? as a springboard, we discuss how technology is helping bridge the gap in workforce safety challenges.

The American Society of Safety Professionals held its 63rd annual Safety conference and expo August 7-9 in Denver last week, and Occupational Health & Safety’s Robert Yaniz, Jr. and David Kopf discuss Safety 2024’s highlights, including its record-breaking attendance, the offerings on the expo floor, the conference, and the compelling opening keynote address. For anyone who couldn’t make the show, this episode is jam-packed with details on what made Safety 2024 event so compelling.

Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering their mission. Visit www.nfpa.org to learn more.

For the past four years, the American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) has conducted an annual Corporate Listening Tour in which it surveys business leaders on their safety concerns. It then releases an annual report based on that tour. The 2024 edition of that report yielded some eye-opening and helpful workplace safety insights. Jennifer McNelly, the Chief Executive Officer of ASSP, joins the podcast to discuss what the association learned from corporate leaders this year, and the trends are thought-provoking, to say the least. They cover workplace safety applications of AI, empowering workplace safety and health leaders in the changing workplace, and much more. This is a conversation you don’t want to miss.

Various kinds of disasters pose a wide spectrum of respiratory hazards for first responders, so how can they be kept safe? Dennis Terpin, Ph.D. joins the SafetyPod to discuss key topics related to this issue, such as the elements of hazard and risk assessment for those types of disasters; how health and safety planning vary in terms of the type of disaster and how this impacts respiratory safety; the key components of a respiratory protection program in disaster scenarios; and how the RAIN model applies to protecting responders’ from respiratory hazards during disaster response.

Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association

The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is a global self-funded nonprofit organization, established in 1896, devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. NFPA delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering their mission. Visit www.nfpa.org to learn more.

Recent advancements in AI are already changing the way safety professionals protect their workers. But as the technology continues to evolve, the effect AI has on workplace safety will likely only intensify, as a new norm begins to take shape. In this episode, R. Mukund, founder and CEO of Benchmark Gensuite, joins the OH&S SafetyPod to discuss how AI is enhancing safety measures across industries, how this technology plays into compliance issues and what the future might hold for AI’s role in workplace safety.