Spring Cleaning: Seven Statistics on Housekeeping and Workplace Safety
When people think of major hazards in the workplace, poor housekeeping likely isn’t the first thing to spring to mind, but a cluttered, disorganized workplace can lead to deadly consequences. Consider what could happen if fire exits were blocked by piled up equipment or materials and workers couldn’t get to safety in time. Other examples could include fatal foodborne illnesses caused by filthy production machinery or people on the ground being injured or killed when high winds pick up and throw unsecured building materials. Here are seven statistics relating to housekeeping and workplace safety: According to the US Department of [...]
Why Are Young Workers at an Increased Risk for Injury?
It is often said that young workers are prone to taking risks, on the job and otherwise, out of a sense of feeling invincible. But research suggests that actually might not be the case, according to a study. Researchers have identified several workplace and worker characteristics that can lead to injuries, especially among young workers. Workplace characteristics include: Insufficient training: Many young workers do not receive adequate orientation and training for their jobs. One study found that just 20 percent of young workers receive any safety training within their first year on the job. Insufficient resources: Many young workers are employed [...]
What to Look for in Better Online Safety Training
HOW DO YOU EVALUATE ONLINE SAFETY TRAINING AND FIND WHAT’S RIGHT FOR YOUR BUSINESS? According to Ebbinghaus’ Forgetting curve, we can estimate that employees forget: 50% of what they learn within one hour 80% of what they learn after two days 90% of what they learn after 31 days Download this special report to learn more: What to Look For in Better Online Safety Training
This Date in History Sparked Electrical Safety
As we grow older, there are certain images from childhood that we each remember. One of the images in my memory is the poster of American heroes that graced the wall of Miss Bosco’s first grade classroom. Denizens of the poster included Washington, Jefferson, Lewis and Clark and Lincoln. But the one I most remember was Benjamin Franklin flying his kite in an electric storm. I loved the image but had no idea what Franklin was doing. Later, when I read about Franklin and his work with electricity, I thought the whole kite story was just one of those historical [...]
Concussion Awareness isn’t Just for Sports
You don’t have to scroll too far into the sports section to read about some famous athlete’s career sidelined by a concussion or series of them. But the football field isn’t the only workplace where concussions happen, and the effect to employers and employees can be just as costly as it is to a major sports franchise. What is a concussion? A concussion is a traumatic brain injury caused by a blow to the head or whiplash that results in the head and brain moving rapidly back and forth. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce around or [...]
Why You Should Be Embracing Online Safety Training
eLearning courses can exist in a variety of forms, using a range of technologies. Commonly used in organizations like schools and corporations, eLearning can help learners complete education and training objectives with greater ease and flexibility than traditional classroom-based learning. eLearning courses can use a variety of techniques, including audio and video recordings, presentations, quizzes, surveys, games, and more. eLearning courses can be published online through a learning management system (LMS). An LMS allowsfor course creators to streamline eLearning content into one easy-to-access location. An LMS that is SCORM-compliant (shareable content object reference model) allows for easy integration of content [...]
Shifting Into Night Shift Safely
In many industries, falling asleep on the job for even 30 seconds can cause a serious mistake. Yet studies show that 30 to 50% of night shift workers report falling asleep at least once a week while on the job. Sleep issues affect truck and bus drivers, airline pilots, factory workers, police, emergency workers, healthcare providers, hotel employees and anyone else on night or changing shifts. The body has high and low points every 24-hour period. Body and brain functions slow down during the nighttime and early morning in a pattern known as circadian rhythms. Working while the body is [...]
Remind Workers to Pay Attention Around Flammables
If your workplace includes the use or handling of flammable substances, workers need special training to recognize and avoid the hazards that go along with them. Three main reasons to pay attention are that work areas contain flammable liquids like fuels, solvents and cleaning chemicals that can explode and burst into flames if something causes them to ignite, the things your workers do while working with or near flammable liquids can ignite fires and explosions and although you’ve taken steps to protect your workers—like installing ventilation and storing flammables in specially designed containers—workers also need to do their part by [...]
You Can’t Delegate Compliance with Environmental Laws to Your Workers
Many aspects of a company’s operations must comply with environmental laws. And naturally, most of these operations are carried out by workers. Company officials and supervisors oversee these operations, of course. But they can’t be everywhere at once. So what happens if a worker deliberately violates an environmental law? Don’t assume that the company is off the hook. Although workers can be liable for deliberate violations they commit, the responsibility for ensuring compliance with the law ultimately falls on the company. Getting workers to obey company policies is obviously critical to a company’s compliance efforts. But there’s more to environmental [...]
Checklist for Anti-Harassment Policy
An anti-harassment policy is a key component of a complete harassment prevention effort. Check the box below if your anti-harassment policy contains the following elements: An unequivocal statement that harassment based on any protected characteristic will not be tolerated An easy-to-understand description of prohibited conduct, including examples A description of a reporting system - available to employees who experience harassment as well as those who observe harassment - that provides multiple avenues to report, in a manner easily accessible to employees A statement that the reporting system will provide a prompt, thorough, and impartial investigation A statement that the identity [...]
Workplace Stress – Getting Management to Take It Seriously
Getting Management to Take It Seriously Work-related stress has been around for as long as workplaces themselves. But recognition of stress as an occupational hazard is a product of modern times. Unfortunately, not all companies have gotten the message. That leaves it to safety directors and supervisors to persuade management that stress really is a problem to take seriously. The best way to do that is to relate the problem to dollars. Here’s how to educate your company’s “bigs” to the dangers of workplace stress and gain their support for programs to combat it. There’s also a Model Worksheet below [...]
SAVE 10% on OSHA 10 & 30 Hour Training Online
Hiring new employees to restart this economy after the pandemic? Looking to take advantage of growth opportunities? Need to get employees trained, certified and working quickly, efficiently and safely? SafetyNow can help you get your OSHA required training online, and save you some money too. What is OSHA 10 & 30 Hour Training? The OSHA Outreach Training Program provides training for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces. SafetyNow’s OSHA 10 & 30 Hour training for General Industry and Construction supports OSHA’s mission of increasing worker productivity and ensuring that workers are more [...]
