Blog Articles

Wildfires continue to wreak havoc throughout California and beyond. In response to the latest round of wildfires, California and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have enacted an emergency regulation that’s meant to protect outdoor workers from potentially dangerous wildfire smoke. It’s not just firefighters who have to worry about breathing in various toxins and smoke. Gard … read more

We make specific recommendations below, but first a little background... Working in the manufacturing or construction industries usually means working near what’s known as silica dust, or respirable crystalline silica, which is commonly found in and around construction and manufacturing sites. It’s created by cutting, grinding, drilling, or crushing stone, rock, concrete, brick, mortar an … read more

As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to keep your employees cool on the job. Excessive heat either indoors or out can lead to a range of physical and mental symptoms. If your staff needs to work long hours in the blazing sun or a steamy warehouse, you need to provide the proper equipment to make sure they stay cool and comfortable on the job. Learn more about common heat-related illnes … read more

The U.S. Department of Labor first emphasized the life-threatening hazards of respirable crystalline silica in the 1930s. Today, according to OSHA, approximately 2.3 million Americans are exposed to silica on a regular basis in the workplace. Heavy equipment operators, construction, and plaster/drywall workers are the most at risk to being exposed to silica. The most severe exposures to c … read more

The purpose of the OSHA’s final rule is to revise the outdated general industry Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) Standards on the slip, trip, and fall hazards, which are a leading cause of worker injuries and deaths. The Walking-Working Surfaces; Personal Protective Equipment (Fall Protection Systems) Standard, 29 CFR 1910.22, became effective … read more

The OSHA Hazard Communications Standard (HCS) 1910.1200 is important because it prevents over 500 workplace injuries and about 43 deaths across the USA annually. Revised in 2012, it covers 43 million workers engaged in handling hazardous materials at work. The Standard mandates the identification of about 650,000 hazardous chemicals and enforces the appropriate protective measures. As a S … read more

By Mario Mendoza, Regional Sales Manager, Allegro Industries On May 4, 2015, OSHA issued a new standard for construction work in confined space. There are five key differences from the Construction Rule, and several areas where OSHA has clarified existing requirements. The five new requirements include: More detailed provisions requiring coordinated activities when there are m … read more

Harnesses are part of the program to provide fall safety while working at height. That's their number one job. But comfort has to be up there in the list of requirements especially for folks who wear their harnesses for long periods of time each day. Delta harnesses have come quite a long way since the days when at-height workers were tying a rope around their waist. Delta's new Ves … read more

Working in the heat, especially during Summer months, can lead to illness or even death. Common reactions are heat exhaustion, heat stroke, heat cramps and heat rash — all of which can be avoided following these heat stress prevention tips from OSHA. Some risk factors that can cause heat stress include: High temperature and humidity, direct sun exposure, … read more

For the first time in 25 years, OSHA will be increasing its penalties. This change is a catch-up adjustment since it has been so many years since the organization has increased fines. Violation fees are expected to go into effect by August 1, 2016. 2016 penalty increases include: Violation Type Current Maximum Penalty 2016 Maximum Penalty* Other tha … read more

Let's face it, people don't read so much anymore. That's why OSHA has decided to put more pictorgrams and fewer blocks of tiny, difficult-to-read text in their new Safety Data Sheets (SDS). SDS will replace the traditional Material Safety and Data Sheets (MSDS). See? Fewer words in the title as well. OHSA has transitioned to the new SDS format in order to provide workers with clear … read more

Ventilation is one of the central pillars of confined space safety. Fumes, vapors, and volatile organic compounds accumulate and create an atmosphere that is not conducive to breathing. And I think we can all agree that breathing is a central pillar of living. OSHA calls ventilation one of the most important engineering controls available to maintain a safe work environment. We agree. And … read more