Category: Safety

Marijuana Safety Concerns Voiced by Occupational and Environmental Medical Group

An occupational and environmental medical group urged members of Congress to keep workplace safety implications in mind when considering marijuana legalization. Congress should proceed cautiously and make public and worker safety its primary concern before legalizing marijuana, the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (ACOEM) said in a statement. Several states already have enacted […]

OSHA Enforcement Roundup: Falls, Excavations, and … Rhinoceroses

What have OSHA’s compliance officers been up to lately? Take a look at some of the more significant enforcement cases from the past several months to find out. From the usual suspects like fall hazards and excavations to some less typical cases, recent enforcement activity illustrates the importance of a strong safety and health program […]

Emergency eye wash

Eyewash Stations: Do You Know the Requirements?

While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has few specific requirements for eyewash stations, there are good best practices available under American National Standards Institute (ANSI) voluntary standards. Experts at Safety.BLR.com® were recently asked a question about proper installation of eyewash stations—read on to see what they had to say and how it can […]

First Aid cabinet

Facility First Aid Kits: Should You Stock OTC Meds?

Facilities management professionals are often tasked with the proper supply of on-site first aid kits. When it comes to keeping medications stocked, there may be some question as to whether you should include over-the-counter (OTC) medications, and if so, which ones.

Construction Worker wearing personal protective hearing protection in a high noise area.

The Impacts of Hearing Loss on Safety

Hearing loss is a common disability, affecting about 48 million people in the United States. The impacts of hearing loss on the workforce are far-reaching, and can result in lost productivity, lower wages, and increased safety risks.

vaping devices or electronic cigarette on a wooden background

If Your Employees are Vaping at Work, How Do You Handle the E-Cigarette Waste Stream?

If your employees are vaping at work, you may wonder what your facility’s obligation is for managing the e-cigarette waste even if your company isn’t a retailer or manufacturer of e-cigarettes. Is there any federal or state agency guidance on how to manage this waste stream? Experts at Enviro.BLR.com® were recently asked this question—read on […]

The Importance of Refreshing Safety Training at Your Facility

If your facility relies on a workforce largely comprised of contractors, managing risk by ensuring safety has become increasingly important. Companies rely on comprehensive occupational health and safety training to enhance safety at their facilities and to mitigate supply chain and regulatory risks associated with poor safety adherence among their contractor workforce. They have realized […]

Opioid crisis concept - pills and a needle on a faded American flag

Opioid Toolkit for Employers Released by NSC

The National Safety Council (NSC) released an “Opioids at Work Employer Toolkit” that employers can use to address workplace impacts of the ongoing opioid crisis. The NSC encouraged employers to implement robust drug-free workplace policies and called on employers to equip their workplaces with first-aid kits containing naloxone (an overdose reversal drug), provide supervisor education […]

Facility safety

Guidance on 6 Action Items to Address Facility Hazards

OSHA reports that Recommended Practices for Safety and Health Programs is one of its most popular guidance publications. The agency originally published this document in 1988 and issued the first update in October 2016. In that revision, OSHA stated that much had changed over the preceding 28 years in the nature of work, conditions in […]

Lab tech working with corrosive chemicals

The Impacts of Corrosive Chemicals on Facility Safety

Are the workers in your facility prepared to recognize the dangers posed by corrosive chemicals? If this question makes you hesitate for even a second, you should give them the information they need to protect themselves.