Wednesday, December 20, 2023

Injury and Illness Tracking Changes


 






New requirements for submitting workplace injury and illness information to OSHA go into effect Jan. 1.

Employers that meet certain size and industry criteria must provide 2023 injury and illness data between Jan. 2 and March 2, 2024.

Online aids, including new videos and a fact sheet, are available to help walk employers through the data submission process.


Safety am Health Resource Links

 Check Out These Resources: Screenshot Doug

Protecting Tower Workers

 Protecting Tower Workers / Protección de los trabajadores de las torres

OSHA renewed its national partnership with the Federal Communications Commission and the Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association so everyone in the tower erection industry can do their job without fear of injury.

Silica Exposure and Warehouse Hazards.









OSHA has enforcement and compliance initiatives to protect workers from silica exposure and warehouse hazards. Nearly 300 inspections were opened at warehouses and engineered stone fabrication and installation worksites. Small business employers covered by these initiatives can get free help to make sure they are in compliance.

Safety As a Core Value

 Safety posters displayed on wall

Employers should make sure workers know their rights under the federal Occupational Safety and Health Act, including its anti-retaliation provisions.

Winter Weather Preparedness

 Technician working on power cables in the snow

Make sure workers have proper protection from cold stress and other winter weather hazards.

Benefits of Safety Helmets Versus Traditional Hard Hats

 Multiple angles of an OSHA safety helmet

New helmets use advanced design, materials and protective features to protect a worker’s entire head. This new bulletin explains the benefits of safety helmets versus traditional hard hats

Wednesday, November 29, 2023

December 21, 2023 - Final Offering for No-Fee Course: Managing Electrical Hazards

 

Most commercial buildings have greater electrical demand, with higher voltages and multi-phased electrical services that require constant maintenance. Exposure to hazardous electrical energy may result in burns, shocks, fires, indirect fall and severe injury leading to death. This training will expand knowledge of identifying, avoiding, and controlling electrical hazards using best practices from NFPA 70E and applicable construction and general industry standards.

Register now



Winter Weather Preparedness

Winter Weather











Employers have a responsibility to provide workers with employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards, including winter weather related hazards.

Employer Responsibilities for Keeping Young Workers Safe






Employer Responsibilities for Keeping Young Workers Safe

Do you employ young workers? Young workers are those new to the workforce, even up to age 24. Young workers can be an asset to your workforce. However, it may be their first job or the first time they are operating equipment.


Private Sector Workplace Injuries and Illnesses for 2021 and 2022

 








U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics issued its latest report on private sector workplace injuries and illnesses for 2021 and 2022. Private industry employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022, up 7.5% from 2021, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. This increase is driven by the rise  in both injuries, up 4.5% to 2.3 million cases, and illnesses up 26.1% to 460,700 cases.

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

Holiday Workplace Safety Resources

 A male worker wearing a mask drives a forklift in a large warehouse

As the nation enters the holiday shopping season, employers must ensure that all workers are trained to recognize and prevent job hazards and implement safe work practices. OSHA has resources to help keep workers safe at every step, whether you’re working at a retail store or delivering gifts from the warehouse to homes. Learn more below and by watching "9 Tips to Protect Workers During the Holidays."

Thursday, October 26, 2023

Honoring Fallen Workers

 

The long-awaited Triangle Fire Memorial to the victims and legacy of the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire was dedicated October 11, 2023, at the site of the historic fire in New York City. This memorial is a reminder that the fight for workers' rights must continue.

Resources in English and Spanish

 Check Out These Resources in English and Spanish!

America's Diverse Workforce

 Información Rápida

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month and subscribe to OSHA's Información Rápida newsletter.

Silica Safety Initiative

 Silica Safety Initiative / Iniciativa para la seguridad de la sílice

OSHA launched a new enforcement initiative to protect workers from silica exposure from engineered stone.

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Preventing Suicide

 Preventing Suicide

During Suicide Prevention Month and all year long, we urge employers to create healthier workplaces by prioritizing mental health.

Safety Resources

 Rail Cars and Marine Terminals poser screenshot

Spreading the Word About Heat

 Beat The Heat logo

OSHA announced the winners of its national "Beat the Heat" contest that challenged participants to share their best tools and resources for educating workers about the dangers of heat exposure.

Monday, August 21, 2023

U.S. Constitution & Amendments Workshop Course

 









The U.S. Constitution & Amendments Workshop course will held on September 18, 2023. 

Join Rutgers School of Public Health in celebrating Constitution Day 2023. The U.S. Constitution is one of the most influential legal documents in history. This living document has influenced many countries around the world develop their own model for government. As safety and health professionals, we've witnessed the impact the OSH Act has had on protecting the lives of America's workforce. This workshop is dedicated to reviewing the origins, influence, and impact of the U.S. Constitution. The facilitator for this workshop will be Michael Presutti.

This workshop is funded by OSHA through the Susan Harwood Program.
This course is Offered through Zoom Virtual Learning Platform

Click here for more information, and registration.

Safe + Sound Campaign New Videos


 







Three new videos (available with Spanish captioning) provide tips on reaching out to workers to support their mental health. They are part of our emphasis during this year's Safe + Sound Week (August 7-13) on the importance of addressing mental health as part of every workplace safety and health program.

Protect Workers From Heat


 






Employers have a duty to protect workers against heat hazards. A new OSHA Hazard Alert lays out employer responsibilities, worker rights, and OSHA's current heat enforcement efforts.

Thursday, July 27, 2023

Save the Date - OSHA 7300 Understanding OSHA’s Permit-Required Confined Space Standard course on August 8, 2023

 

 

The Center for Public Health Workforce Development is celebrating Safe & Sound week by offering the OSHA 7300 Understanding OSHA’s Permit-Required Confined Space Standard course on August 8, 2023. There is no registration fee to attend.


Confined space entry work carries an inherent risk to workers. It has the potential to contain a hazardous environment, contain materials that have the potential to engulf an entrant, walls that converge or floors that slope downward, which may trap or asphyxiate an individual. They may also contain other recognized health or safety hazards, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires or heat stress.




Prioritizing Warehouse Safety

 Warehouse worker wearing high-viz vest and hardhat while using a forklift to move pallets

A new National Emphasis Program aims to prevent workplace hazards and injuries in warehousing and distribution centers.

Flood Cleanup and Recovery Operations

 Stop Sign under flood water. Get workplace flood safety resources at osha.gov/flood

Workers performing flood cleanup and recovery operations can be exposed to many hazards. These include sewage and toxic waste overflow, shifting and falling debris, downed power lines and heat-related illness. OSHA has resources to keep workers safe.

Worker Protections

 I don't feel safe at work - warehouse worker wearing safety gear

Visit worker.gov to get answers on workplace safety, fair pay and equal treatment.

Safety Resources

 Young male worker in apron, using tablet

Trenching Safety

 Alliance meeting attendants

OSHA and an alliance of trade organizations, labor unions and industry stakeholders are partnering to better protect trenching and excavation workers.

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Safe + Sound Week

 Safe + Sound Week logo

Participate in Safe + Sound Week, August 7-13, and recognize the value of workplace health and safety programs. This year’s annual program will focus on mental health and well-being.

Monday, June 19, 2023

Reminders for OSHA Outreach Trainers

 







  1. Beginning October 1, 2023, the OSHA card processing fee is increasing to $10 per student. This is the first increase of card processing fees since 2016 and reflects increases in costs incurred by the program. The Outreach card replacement processing fee remains $25. 

 

  1. It is important that you remind your students that you (the Authorized Outreach Trainer) are their primary source for follow-up information, like replacing lost Outreach cards. As you know, students can receive replacement cards for up to five years from the date they completed their training. Please make sure that you provide them with a way to contact you during that time period, if they need their card replaced. 

 

  1. There is no grace period for expiring OSHA Outreach Trainer authorizations. If your credentials lapse, you will need to take the standards course along with the initial trainer course again. Please be mindful of your trainer expiration date. 

 

  1. OSHA indefinitely extended the virtual instructor-led Outreach training exemption. If you plan to present a virtual (Teams, WebEx, Zoom, etc.) training, you must notify Rutgers at outreach@sph.rutgers.edu a minimum of two weeks prior to the course start date to give us sufficient time to review your request.

Halt a Hazard Challenge

Halt a Hazard

Workplace hazards can emerge over time. Setting aside time to regularly identify and rank safeguards can help keep safety and health hazards under control and keep workers safe. This challenge will help you identify a hazard to control.

Halt a Hazard

Landscaping Safety

 Landscaper trimming hedge bushes

As summer approaches, landscaping industry employers are urged to stay focused on protecting workers from hazards such as heat illness, machine injuries and pesticide exposure.

Disease-Carrying Ticks Fact Sheet

The United States is home to many species of tick that can transmit diseases to humans. Disease-carrying ticks have spread to new regions over recent years. On average, more than 50,000 cases of tick-borne diseases in humans are reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) each year. 








Reducing the Risk of Worker Exposure to Disease-Carrying Ticks Fact Sheet

Reducing Workplace Stress

 Safe Workplace Good Headspace

OSHA's Workplace Stress Toolkit provides resources to help employers reduce workplace stress and improve the mental health and well-being of workers.

Protecting Workers From Heat - 5 Ways We’re Tackling Heat Hazards

 Heat safety graphic - sun, construction worker outdoors, bakery worker in kitchen

Read about the Department of Labor's measures to protect workers from heat-related illnesses.

Monday, May 22, 2023

OSHA Resources

 Middle-aged man wearing apron in a small storeroom, writing on a tablet

OSHA revised Small Business Handbook includes new chapters on ergonomics, young workers, workplace violence and infection control plans.

Fall Prevention

 Person clibming ladder to rooftop - Never stand on the top step of a ladder

new video provides five things to know about ladder safety.

Prioritizing Mental Health

 A middle-aged worker in a checked shirt sits in a room full of pallets and tools, holding his head in his hand with a stressed expression on his face.

Respiratory Protection

 Blue N95 respirator mask

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health released a new video to help users determine if an N95 filtering facepiece respirator is approved by the agency.

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Safety Resources

 Preventia problemelor de sănătate provocate de căldură la locul de muncă

Prevent Heat Illness at Work Poster (in new languages).

Collaborating on Trench Safety

Workers in high-viz vests and hardhats, working on a trench site

 State agencies, industry leaders and OSHA launched a campaign to educate employers and workers about deadly excavation hazards.

Workers Memorial Day - April 28

 Collage of workers from the memorial wall

Workers Memorial Day (April 28) is a time to honor workers who have lost their lives on the job. Join the April 27 Department of Labor ceremony online or find or share a local event.

Know Your Rights

 Job Safety and Health and Employee Rights posters

OSHA and other agencies have many online resources explaining the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers. These include:

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Safety Resources

 

Find more safety resources on OSHA’s publications webpage.

Hearing Loss Prevention

 Worker wearing protective ear muffs

new series of videos was developed to help workers understand the impact of occupational hearing loss and how to prevent it.

Ladder Safety

 Workers wearing fall safety gear while climbing extention ladders. If you're working at 6 feet or higher, you need fall protection.

March is National Ladder Safety Month. Find resources to help protect workers from fall, electrocution and other hazards.

Wednesday, March 22, 2023

Reducing Silica Exposure

 Worker sanding silica countertop

manufacturer of stone countertops improved ventilation, hazard communications, and employee involvement to significantly reduce silica exposure.

Friday, February 24, 2023

Worker Protections

 I don't feel safe at work - warehouse worker wearing safety gear

Visit worker.gov to get answers on workplace safety, fair pay and equal treatment.

Safety Resources






Find more safety resources on OSHA's publications webpage.

Help Prevent Falls

 Construction worker in safety harness

The 10th annual Stand-Down to Prevent Falls will take place May 1-5.

Generator Safety

 Portable generator

When winter weather causes power outages, employers must protect workers from carbon monoxide exposure from portable generators.