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OSHA INJURY RECORDKEEPING: How to Avoid Common Mistakes and “Willful” Recordkeeping Citations
Virtually every safety professional in the United States is hit dead center by potential new crackdowns on OSHA 300 log accuracy.
As OSHA moves towards electronic reporting of injury and illness, every error you make may be scrutinized. And if your mistakes appear the least bit suspicious, you could be hit with “willful” citations that would [...]
January 29, 2003: The West Pharmaceutical Dust Explosion
West Pharmaceutical Services is a $500 million public corporation that manufactures rubber components for drug vials and syringes. On January 29, 2003, a dust explosion at its Kinston, NC, plant, killed six and injured 38, including two firefighters that responded to the incident.
West’s media response was swift and skillful:
It immediately issued a press statement and [...]
6 Common OSHA 300 Traps to Avoid
By Glenn Demby
The Feb. 1 deadline for finalizing your 2011 OSHA records is just 2 days away. As you review your OSHA 300 logs, be on the lookout for 6 common pitfalls that can lead to citations under the Recordkeeping standard:
1. Not Recording Injuries If They’re Not Your Fault
As OSHA clarifies in a [...]
OSHA Targets Whole Companies, Not Just Particular Sites
Historically, OSHA has carried out its enforcement duties one workplace at a time and issued citations and orders based on the conditions of the particular location inspected. But on Wednesday (Jan. 18, 2012), OSHA did something that it had done only once before in its history: It sought enforcement against an entire enterprise, i.e., not [...]
Ontario Moves Forward on OHS Reform
Bill 160, adopted in May, was just the hors d’oeuvre of Ontario OHS reform. On Dec. 16. 2011, Ontario’s new Chief Prevention Officer (CPO) and Ministry of Labour (MOL) laid out the next steps the reform process. Here are the 6 initiatives he outlined:
1. Government Help in Reprisal Cases
The MOL just proposed an OHS regulation [...]
Black Friday, Wal-Mart & the Economics of OSHA Appeals
You’re probably familiar with the tragedy of the Wal-Mart employee who was crushed to death by the stampede of holiday shoppers in Spring Valley, NY, on Black Friday, 2008. The subsequent legal case has become a fascinating and informative illustration of the OSHA process.
The OSHA Case against Wal-Mart
There’s no OSHA standard on crowd control. [...]
The Darr Mine Explosion
At about 11:30 AM on December 19, 1907, a huge explosion rocked the Darr Mine in Jacobs Creek, PA. The blast was believed to have been caused when heat emitted by the open lamps carried by miners detonated clouds of flammable gas and dust that had built up inside the mine. Many of the 239 [...]
New Report on How Companies Are Spending Their Security Dollars
As with other health and safety activities, companies are keeping a tight rein on security expenditures. Exactly how are companies spending their security dollars? A new research report from the Institute of Finance & Management (IOFM) sheds light on this important question.
The IOFM Report
IOFM is a leading provider of independent research and analysis of corporate [...]
The Case of the Vanishing Cylinder
NOVEMBER 6, 2011:
As a kid, I didn’t care much for hide-and-seek. Let ‘em hide. Ol’ Nick wasn’t about to go looking for them.
When I became an OSHA inspector, I learned to play the game. Now I open drawers, poke around in cleaning closets and check fuse boxes. In fact, I’ve gotten good at finding [...]
Debunking 7 Myths that Could Keep Businesses in the Dark
As 2011 nears an end, it’s a good time for businesses to evaluate facility lighting and prepare for the U.S. Department of Energy’s energy-efficiency legislation that will go into effect in 2012.
This legislation will mandate that lighting manufacturers cease the production of non-efficient lighting and related products, which will change the way facilities consume energy [...]
