On the date of the fire, a plumber was repairing a leak in a pipe elbow in a remote area. After pulling most of the foam insulation away, he finished soldering and left. Someone spotted smoke an hour later. ...Full story

Compressed gas cylinders — whether it’s just one cylinder, or multiple units — are widely used in manufacturing and commercial operations. Oxygen and flammable gas cylinders stored alone present a lesser hazard than when stored together, where they can feed off each other if there’s something wrong. While oxygen is...Full story

According to the Centers for Disease Control, hundreds of injuries and fatalities occur annually from ladder related accidents.” Every ladder accident poses the risk for a severe injury or even fatality.

Improper use of a ladder can lead to injuries or more severe harm from falls and slips. A person climbing...Full story

People burn material outdoors for many reasons including fire pits for recreational use, or to burn debris, brush, or leaves. If not managed properly outdoor fires can quickly grow and spread out of control. As they grow, outdoor fires are very difficult to control and fire departments are often too...Full story

Compressed gas cylinders are widely used and present both fire and explosion hazards. Unsecured cylinders can rocket into people or through walls if they tip over, suffer damage to the valve, and release contents under high pressure.

The following general rules apply to all cylinder storage. Refer to the National Fire...Full story

Violence against teachers and school aides has become an increasing problem in schools today. Students with behavioral disorders, drug and alcohol abuse, gang involvement, conflicts at home, or conflicts with their peers can display aggressive behavior towards educators. When dealing with students who have aggressive tendencies, we need to first...Full story

Spray Polyurethane Foam (SPF) is a foam insulation used to insulate spaces and maintain either cold or heat temperatures depending on the need. SPF is found on interior walls and ceilings, cold storage rooms, coolers, controlled-atmosphere rooms, general barns, and pole barns. SPF is flexible and can be applied to...Full story

How much in extra sales do you need to make to cover the cost of workplace accidents? Workers’ compensation insurance covers medical and wage losses but does not cover all accident costs.

Indirect costs include:

• Administration expenses to handle claims
• Customer service delays
• Damaged material or customer property
• Lost sales or technical skills
• Personal impact on...Full story

A comprehensive, informative occupational safety and health program should include 10 sections. Below are guidelines to develop a plan for your workplace.

Section 1: Employer Information

• Basic information about the company and the type of business you conduct.
• Company name.
• Primary business address, city, state, and ZIP.
• Contact information (phone numbers, email, social media sites).
• Type...Full story

Not all safety audits need to be done every month by the same people or take an entire day. A layered audit involves more people working at different intervals. This is a suggested method for creating a layered safety audit.

Shift Team: more frequent – one area

Frequency: Daily

Participants: Safety team member,...Full story

There are many ways to track claim losses for your business: accident investigations, incident rates, claim costs, and claim frequency, among others. Tracking losses helps identify the strengths and weaknesses in your business, and where you should concentrate to reduce your risks and costs.

Preventing accidents from happening at all is...Full story

A formal safety committee should be appointed to assist management on matters relating to the control of accidents, injuries, and incidents. To maintain continuity and control, the safety coordinator should be assigned as a permanent staff consultant to the safety committee. Note that committees do not dictate policy nor relieve...Full story

Identifying and offering transitional work after an injury or illness benefits both the injured worker and the employer. An Early Return to Work program can lead to:

• Better health outcomes for injured workers.
• An earlier return to full-time duties that is more challenging and fulling.
• Prevention of interruptions to salary and a return...Full story

Summer is the time when teachers and support staff begin a nearly three-month break from the rigors of their jobs. Summer is also a time when custodians are busy with additional cleaning to prepare the building for the upcoming school year.

During this time period, custodians’ tasks include increased heavy lifting...Full story

The population of the United States continues to get older. About 29% of the U.S. is age 55 or older, and many are working for more years than earlier generations did. As they age, workers face new health and workplace injury risks, especially strain and soreness, and they are more...Full story

Organizations often have friendly competitions between staff members. These friendly competitions can often end in serious injuries for the participants. Some organizations have gone so far as to ban employees from participating in these types of competitions. Some common injuries that can occur during these activities include:

• Twisted knees and ankles...Full story

Food service employees are involved in specialized activities that put them at greater risk for specific workplace injuries. Below are some suggestions to help you avoid hazards found in food service areas:

General Kitchen Rules

• Be aware of the location of the nearest fire extinguisher; it may come in handy. Read the...Full story

When working in places we are employees are not familiar with, the potential for injury increases. When alone, response time can be delayed, and the seriousness of injury can increase. When we are both alone and in an unfamiliar place, the result of an injury can be catastrophic.

The potential of...Full story

On average, trays of bread weigh between 12 and 30 pounds. Attempting to lift several trays at a time, combined with the tray size, can increase stress on the body. As noted by the chart, this makes body position and the following techniques very important to follow.

• Get a good grip...Full story