Spring is a great time to get started on your garden. But gardening takes a toll on your body, particularly your hands, wrists, knees and back.

Which locations in my building are at highest risk for water leaks, and how can I prevent them?

National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15. This year’s theme is “Work zones are a sign to slow down.”

Lightning can strike with little or no warning. That’s why it can’t be ignored or taken lightly by employers or workers – particularly those who spend time outdoors.

Here are some tips for staying safe from lightning before, during and after lightning storms.

Washington – The Chemical Safety Board has scheduled a meeting to consider whether OSHA's responses to some of the board's recommendations have been "unacceptable," and to launch its Most Wanted Chemical Safety Improvements Program.

Charleston, WV – A number of combustible dust-related incidents, injuries and deaths over the past decade might have been prevented had OSHA promulgated a standard covering the hazard, according to a Chemical Safety Board report released July 16.

The Chemical Safety Board has reiterated its call for OSHA to promulgate a comprehensive combustible dust standard.

Washington – Two new fact sheets from OSHA provide information intended to protect workers from combustible dust explosion hazards and agricultural emergencies.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board is seeking to better understand why efforts to manage and control combustible dust hazards “have often failed” to prevent explosions.

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board has extended to Dec. 31 its deadline for comment on a recent initiative that seeks to better understand why efforts to manage and control combustible dust hazards “have often failed” to prevent explosions.

Boise, ID — As a result of “continuing incidences of fatalities and injuries” at grain handling facilities within the jurisdiction of its Boise area office, OSHA on Dec. 31 renewed a Local Emphasis Program focused on inspections at these facilities.

Greenbelt, MD — Inspectors across North America will examine braking systems, lights, tires and other commercial motor vehicle components May 17-19 during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s annual International Roadcheck.

Washington — OSHA recently announced the start of a three-month increase of inspections at hospitals and nursing care facilities that treat COVID-19 patients.

Washington — OSHA will begin identifying and citing workplaces that haven’t complied with the agency’s requirement to submit Form 300A – an annual summary of worker injury and illness data, under a newly adopted enforcement program.

Washington — Understaffed amid the COVID-19 pandemic, OSHA “lost a valuable opportunity” to better protect workers by “not identifying federal partners in a position to assist during a large-scale safety and health crisis,” concludes a Department of Labor Office of Inspector General audit report released March 31.

Arlington, VA — As the Mine Safety and Health Administration works to develop a standard on worker exposure to respirable crystalline silica, the agency has launched an enforcement initiative aimed at boosting protections against the hazardous material.

Denver — Deaths and serious injuries resulting from falls in the construction industry in recent years have prompted OSHA to launch an initiative to inspect worksites across Colorado’s Front Range, Montana and South Dakota on weekends, “when many employers typically do not monitor their jobsites well.”

Washington — The Chemical Safety Board says it will resume providing updates on incident investigations to “provide important initial information” on agency developments.

Greenbelt, MD — From May 17 to 19, inspectors across North America checked braking systems, lights, tires and other commercial motor vehicle equipment during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 35th annual International Roadcheck.

Washington — Safety scofflaws may face increased citations and penalties under an OSHA policy set to go into effect in March.

Washington — A look at four incidents – some deadly – involving emergency discharges from pressure release valves has prompted the Chemical Safety Board to issue a safety alert.

Washington — OSHA’s Field Operations Manual needs an update so the agency can “better address complaints and referrals,” the Department of Labor Office of Inspector General says.

Washington — OSHA is seeking to revive an Obama administration policy that would allow workers to designate someone who doesn’t work for their employer – including someone from a union or other organization – to represent them during an OSHA “walkaround” inspection.

Washington — Internal Revenue Service personnel will no longer make unannounced visits to businesses or households, except in certain circumstances.

Washington — OSHA is accepting comment on a proposed rule that would let workers designate someone who doesn’t work for their employer to represent them during an OSHA “walkaround” inspection.

Washington — OSHA has pushed to Nov. 13 the deadline for comment on its proposal to allow workers to designate someone who doesn’t work for their employer to represent them during OSHA “walkaround” inspections.

Philadelphia — OSHA Region 3 has renewed a series of regional and local emphasis programs, which include a focus on fall hazards in the construction industry.

Washington — A pair of lawmakers from opposites sides of the aisle, along with a coalition of organizations, express opposing viewpoints in comments on OSHA’s proposed rule on worker walkaround representation.

Washington — OSHA’s rule on worker walkaround representation is undergoing a final review, according to the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs website.

Washington — OSHA’s final rule on worker walkaround representation is set to go into effect May 31.

Orlando, FL — For the 14th consecutive fiscal year, Fall Protection – General Requirements is OSHA’s most frequently cited standard, the agency and Safety+Health announced during the 2024 NSC Safety Congress & Expo.

Noise-related hearing loss has been one of the most prevalent occupational health concerns in the United States for more than 25 years, according to OSHA.

How can safety professionals improve executive buy-in for investments in their organization’s safety programs?

As labor markets tighten and operations become leaner, what are some strategies for recruiting and retaining top talent?

Suspension trauma is a rare occurrence, but it is important to know the warning signs to reduce the hazard.

Fall protection is designed to save a worker’s life, but it also can create risks in certain situations. If a worker is suspended for too long, he or she may develop what is known as suspension trauma.

Reduce your risk of slips, trips and falls by keeping floors clean and clear of clutter, maintaining good lighting both indoors and on outdoor walkways, and more.

Fall protection systems may prevent a serious injury or fatality. However, if a worker wearing fall protection gear falls and is suspended in a static upright position for an extended period of time, too much blood can accumulate in the veins and blood flow cannot normalize.

Although truck drivers and delivery workers are exposed to a number of traffic-related hazards every day, one hazard that may not be apparent is the risk of falling from a vehicle.

Scaffolds can be a safer and more productive way to work than ladders, but they must be set up correctly, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health warns, noting that the majority of fatal falls among construction workers in Massachusetts involve scaffolds.

Falls through skylights and roof and floor openings can cause severe injuries and, in the worst case, death. According to NIOSH, workers should follow these tips to protect themselves:

If a worker wearing fall protection falls and is left suspended in the air too long, he or she may develop suspension trauma.

Imagine this scenario: A construction worker is replacing shingles on the roof of a two-story house 20 feet above ground. He loses his footing and slips, falling off the roof. He’s wearing a fall-arrest system, and as a result is saved from death. But he’s not out of danger yet.

A 55-year-old painting contractor and his 27-year-old son were electrocuted when the aluminum extension ladder they were moving contacted an overhead power line.

Not all construction risks can be completely eliminated, so leaders must prevent injury and loss by understanding the specific hazards of various jobsites and providing the proper personal protective equipment for worker tasks.

Do your employees know what to do in the event of a fire or a tornado? What about a nearby chemical spill or a gunman in the building? Ready.gov, a FEMA website aimed at educating people about preparing and responding to emergencies, urges all employers to train workers on evacuation, sheltering and lockdown procedures.

This detailed white paper will help you increase the impact of your sexual harassment prevention training.

A key principle of OSHA’s Safe + Sound campaign is “worker participation.” (The others: “find and fix hazards” and “management leadership.”)

Simply put, “lockout/tagout is a safety procedure used to make sure equipment and machines are properly shut off and not able to start during maintenance or repair work,” the Texas Department of Insurance says. “This is known as controlling hazardous energy.”