Practical Facilities Tips, News & Advice.
Sometimes a company’s employees just need to leave. Workplace emergencies can range from isolated chemical spills, fires, toxic gas releases, and active shooter incidents to local flooding; hurricanes; tornados; and, more rarely, terrorist attacks. Workplace lockdowns or sheltering in place may be the appropriate response, but sometimes you need to evacuate your facility. But first, […]
The U.S. Department of Labor has announced funding opportunities for more than $21 million in Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) training grants for nonprofit organizations. The first availability will provide $10 million under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021 for Workplace Safety and Health Training on Infectious Diseases, including the Coronavirus grants. To be eligible […]
Are you prepared to fully reopen your facilities during an ongoing, if waning, pandemic and the threat of wildfires this summer? States and localities are rolling back pandemic precautions as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations roll out across the United States–President Biden pledged May 4 that 70% of American adults would receive at least one vaccine dose […]
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is easing its COVID-19 recommendations for fully vaccinated workplaces, but the agency is still advising employers to take steps to protect any unvaccinated workers. On June 10, OSHA announced updated guidance along with new rules for frontline healthcare employers. The latest word from OSHA reflects new guidance from the Centers […]
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) compliance officers typically arrive without advance notice, which is enough to raise alarm bells in the minds of many employers. You might know why they’re there. Or you might not have any idea. Whatever the situation, step one should be to ask yourself: Should I demand the inspector come […]
As government regulations surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic begin to loosen, employers with remote operations will have more opportunities to transition people back into the physical workplace. Here are key issues to keep in mind. No One-Size-Fits-All Solution To facilitate employees’ return to the workplace, you should develop a reopening plan and enact policies to manage […]
On March 21, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) published a national emphasis program (NEP) to focus its enforcement efforts on preventing employees from contracting COVID-19 and protecting those who report unsafe working conditions. In general, an NEP is a method by which OSHA temporarily focuses its resources on a specific danger or […]
The hazard communication standard (29 CFR 1910.1200)—sometimes referred to as the HazCom standard or “worker right-to-know”—remains one of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) most frequently cited standards.
Today we’re getting answers from EHS Hero® experts for two forklift-related questions. First, does OSHA require floor markings to clarify pedestrian walkways where lift traffic may be present? And second, does OSHA require annual forklift inspections? Read on to see what the experts had to say.
On April 9, the White House announced President Joe Biden’s nomination of Doug Parker to head the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Parker currently is chief of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA).