SafetyBlog
Crystalline Silica and Silicosis: What You Should Know
Crystalline silica is one of the most common minerals found on Earth. It's used in wide variety of applications, including glass production, foundries, construction, ceramic, roads, rubber, plastic and more. However, exposure to fine, dust-size particles of crystalline silica can lead to a non-curable respiratory disease known as silicosis.According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly 2 million U.S. workers are exposed to crystalline silica, 100,000 of whom have "
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Feb 2nd 2015
How To Reduce The Risk of Infectious Illness In The Workplace
According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), between 5 and 20% of the U.S. population will catch the flu virus this year, while the average adult will catch between 3-4 cold viruses (source). Unfortunately, workplaces are a haven for infectious bacterial and viral illnesses. When a person is sick, he or she may continue to work, placing the health of other workers at risk. So, how can you reduce the risk of infectious illness in the workplace?First and foremost, it's import
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Jan 29th 2015
OSHA's New Injury Reporting Rule Now In Effect
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) new injury reporting rule took effect on January 1, 2015. If you're an employer, you should familiarize yourself with the changes made to this rule. Failure to follow the new guidelines could result in fines or other penalties.Up until now, employers were only required to report fatalities and injuries involving three or more workers. As of January 1st, however, all fatalities, injuries that require hospitalization (regardless of how man
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Jan 28th 2015
Preparing Your Rescue Plan
Developing a rescue plan is one of the
most commonly forgotten elements of safety procedures in the
workplace. It can be difficult to make a rescue plan because of the
different factors that can occur in any work environment. When you
need to make a rescue
plan for your workplace, there are certain steps that
should be taken to thoroughly address what could happen based upon
your location. Prior to creating the physical steps involved with
performing a workplace rescue, there are four im
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Jan 28th 2015
Protect Yourself From Occupational Loud Noise
If you work in an environment that's characterized by constant loud noise, you should take measures to protect yourself from hearing loss, tinnitus, and other related conditions. According to the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 22 million workers in the United States are exposed to dangers noise levels, and 9 million are exposed to ototoxic chemicals (source). Occupational hearing loss is one of the most common causes of disability, with treatment costing over $24
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Jan 27th 2015