The Safety Brief

OSHA standards vary state to state. For the first time, a database accurately compares state and federal OSHA laws and regulations. On a website. For free. In additional to federal OSHA standards, 25 states have their own OSHA laws and regulations. This complicates compliance. In this podcast, hear how two non-government entities compiled all U.S. and state health and safety laws. The information is easily compared by various categories and jurisdictions.The information free to the public. Links to the database are in the transcript of this podcast.

Workers’ Memorial Day 2015 should be observed by focusing on workplace illnesses caused by hazardous chemicals. Listen for the reasons. Employers need to take the safety bull by the horns, especially with chemical safety. This Worker’s Memorial Day, honoring people killed or injured on the job, companies are asked to go beyond OSHA standards. Hear the head of OSHA, Dr. David Michaels, publicly state his agency’s chemical standards are substandard. To truly honor workers, he asks all employers to set higher chemical standards. Workers’ Memorial Day is observed annually, globally, on April 28th.

Workplace violence prevention should be the sober goal of every company. Hear how to keep workers safe from the public, clients and each other. With April designated National Workplace Violence Prevention month, it’s a good time to review precautions needed for every company. Creating a zero-tolerance policy is just one of the six important steps Dan Clark says a business should initiate to stem workplace violence. Safety education, a secure workplace and equipping the staff are also discussed.

Flammable liquids safety can change quickly when workplace temperatures rise. Listen for four ways to avoid flashpoint fires and explosions. Find out the difference between flammable and inflammable. Hear about volatile liquid chemicals, and how their vapors can ignite at a certain flashpoint. In this podcast, Dan Clark warns of four major areas of caution:  Storage, labeling, fire suppression, and ignition sources.

Nail gun safety increases with modern, well maintained equipment. Keep nail gunners from getting an injury with these six tips. The right nail gun trigger is just one of the items that will help save workers from a trip to the emergency room. Dan Clark says training, and jobsite best practices are important precautions when nail guns are being used. Dan also explains that employers should provide PPE, and first aid. He also tells why it’s critically important for workers to report injuries and close calls.

Extended workdays can be good and bad. Workers enjoy longer weekends. However, workplace safety can decrease when shifts stretch past eight hours. In this podcast, Dan Clark reveals five safety issues with extended workdays. Fatigue is the obvious problem. Extended exposure to ergonomic, chemical and noise hazards should also be considered. Safety can also be compromised when workers return from extended time off. They often forget important job process details.

Texting and driving will get you a ticket in the DOT’s national crackdown April 10-15. Companies can be fined if workers text and drive on the job. Police across the United States are enforcing Department of Transportation’s first-ever campaign against driving while texting. The six day blitz will aim at everyone—John Q. Public, and employees driving company vehicles. In this podcast, Dan Clark reminds company owners, managers and employees of on-the-job texting and driving regulations. Various government agencies have rules strictly forbidding texting while driving. Hear comments from OSHA’s Dr. David Michaels about every company’s responsibilities on this subject.

Ashtray ban in company vehicles? The government recommends it, plus more rules to stop secondhand smoke in the workplace. Listen to hear what NIOSH says. A tobacco-free work environment is the goal of the The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Their new recommendations, including the removal of ashtrays from business trucks and cars, were just released. Dan Clark asks if ashtray removal is really necessary, and invites your comment at www.facebook.com/thesafetybrief

Hear four detailed reasons why lifting devices—forklifts, conveyors and hoists—are good investments. Workers can avoid sprains, fractures and musculoskeletal injuries. Straining while lifting can damage eyeballs. Picking up heavy objects can increase optical pressure, detaching the retina. In this podcast, Dan Clark describes a new study funded by NIOSH looking into this. Customize the lifting devices for the work environment. Some workers will have more lifting ability than others.

Who pays for temp PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)? Not the worker. The host employer or staffing agency are responsible for keeping temporary workers safe with the right gear. OSHA’s Temporary Worker Initiative is a hot potato. Dan Clark explains that it’s typically the host employer that is responsible for providing PPE, since work is done on site. Staffing agencies, though, have some responsibility too. Dan also notes some PPE items which employers are not required to provide.