When it comes to new safety information, regulations, and practices, up-to-date knowledge makes a difference in worker well being, productivity, and consumer satisfaction. At MySafetySign, we’re following the agendas and changing regulations of agencies like OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, ADA and the CDC. We post about new discoveries, controversy, and data, like changing safety regulations or information about the most dangerous jobs in America. Our posts aim to update you about ways to stay safe anywhere, from your home kitchen to a construction scaffold.
News
PPE on a near-atomic level: are workers safe from nanomaterials?
Advancements in science allow us to see more of the world around us, but often raise more questions than answers. Such is the case with engineered nanoparticles, and the dilemma of how “standard industrial hygiene practices” apply to a potential hazard that isn’t yet fully understood. Little particles, big question marks Nanomaterials are defined by […]
Will the ANSI designs save more lives?
The ANSI Z535 sign designs are now sanctioned alternatives to OSHA’s traditional, straightforward templates. But, will they save lives? It depends! In some environments, the ANSI designs are far superior. For others, the directness and historical familiarity with the traditional OSHA Danger and OSHA Caution signs, we believe, are far better. The safety sign market, […]
Safety awards: a high-five program that changed a company
Not all safety incentive programs need to be expensive or complicated. At Rocky Mountain Masonry, a daily high-five routine has helped educate and inspire workers, earning the company the 2013 Charles A. Cain Safety Award. The award was presented by the Utah’s Workers Compensation Fund (WCF) for innovative safety practices. The workers also meet for five minutes […]
The West Texas tragedy: Can oversights lead to an overhaul?
All too often, safety oversights are brought to light because of a tragedy. In the case of the deadly explosion at the West Fertilizer Co. in Texas last month, early investigations have revealed a patchwork of reporting requirements and safety thresholds that may have left workers and the community dangerously exposed. An article on Salon.com states […]
OSHA violations at Disneyland: It’s a small safety world
Safety violations can happen anywhere – even the happiest place on earth. Despite the Disney empire’s notoriously high standards for customer service, employee satisfaction and overall safety, the iconic Space Mountain ride in Disneyland was closed last Friday after inspectors from the state’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health cited the park for six safety […]
High worker injury rates in nursing homes trigger possible OSHA inspection
As many as 1000 nursing homes with high worker injury and illness rates in 2011 have now come under OSHA’s radar for a possible safety inspection. Residential care facilities including business homes, nursing homes, and convalescent homes were issued warning letters for a possible inspection by OSHA, the federal agency charged with enforcement of safety […]
OSHA issues high heat advisory in California
It’s the first day of spring, but many U.S. regions are experiencing prolonged cold fronts. California, however, has the opposite concern: rising temperatures across the state have prompted OSHA to issue a heat advisory, catalyzed by a concern for outdoor workers’ safety. OSHA’s press release states: “While California’s heat illness standards are the toughest in the […]
5 tips to prevent child injuries from frontovers and backovers
As many families prepare for a three-day weekend of fun, there are some safety concerns to keep in mind with extra kids and visitors around the house. Vehicles, in particular, pose a risk to children. Backovers and frontovers account for 64% of non-traffic automobile fatalities among children. Backovers and frontovers are defined as an accident […]
Excavation and trenching: what are the dangers?
It’ll come as no surprise that construction means moving dirt, and a lot of it. Excavating and trenching are literally the foundation of civil engineering, necessary for installing pipes, roads, and ground wires. Excavation and trenching poses particular risks to workers, with hazards ranging from cave-ins, dangerous gases in the atmosphere, falling objects, drowning hazards […]