Worker engagement and adoption is a common topic of discussion when EHS professionals gather to discuss their environment, health, safety and quality (EHSQ) program success. It makes sense too. The value you get out of any health and safety management or quality management program is only as good as the people (and the number of …
Tag: workplace safety
Revised OSHA Document Shows How New Penalty Amounts Are Calculated
Increased maximum fines aren’t the only new aspect of OSHA’s penalty policy. Who gets the maximum (and who doesn’t) under what circumstances has also changed in some situations. On Aug. 2, 2016, OSHA issued its revised Field Operations Manual (FOM) for its enforcement employees. Most all of the changes have to do with the new maximum fines …
Safety in the Semiconductor Industry
Semiconductors have become invaluable in our increasingly tech-driven world, and the industry continues to grow. Semiconductor unit shipments are expected to exceed 1 trillion units by 2018, compared to about 700 billion units in 2010 and fewer than 400 billion units in 2000. As with any industry experiencing tremendous growth, there is a concern that …
Top Three Ways to Avoid Increased OSHA Fines
All it takes is one workplace safety or employee health violation to severely hinder a business’s financial standing. With OSHA’s near-80 percent fine increase going into effect August 1, and its more rigorous inspections process, it could be even more crippling to try to stay up to code. Until very recently, a serious OSHA violation …
IOSH Says More Action Is Needed on Preventable Deaths
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has called for a continued focus on workplace safety and health after an annual rise in work-related deaths in Britai, where 144 people were killed while at work in 2015-16, up from 142 during the year before. “Our shared objective is a world where work is safe …
House Subcommittee Approves Bill That Would Cut OSHA Funding
Washington – OSHA’s budget would decrease by $18.4 million in fiscal 2017 as part of a draft billreleased by the House Appropriations Committee. The House Appropriations Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies Subcommittee met July 7 to mark up the text of the Labor, Health and Human Services funding bill for FY17. …
US Labor Department Hikes OSHA, MSHA Penalty Amounts
In 2015, Congress passed the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to advance the effectiveness of civil monetary penalties and to maintain their deterrent effect. The new law directs federal agencies to adjust their penalties for inflation each year, and requires agencies to publish “catch up” rules this summer to make up for …
33% of Workers Say Their Company Puts Productivity Before Safety
A new survey from the National Safety Council (NSC) reveals many U.S. workers think their companies prioritize productivity before safety. Workers in high-risk industries were more likely to say safety takes a backseat to production. The NSC surveyed 2,000 employees across the nation and found 33% believe their companies put production before safety. The percentage …
Workplace Injuries Infographic: Why You Should Be Protected
Before OSHA was indoctrinated in the 1970’s, workplace injuries and illnesses were the norm. Large industrial companies were taking advantage of their employees and had virtually no concern for their safety, which made them seem almost dispensable. Finally the U.S. government realized how unethical it was to disregard employee safety, and workplace injuries and illnesses …