New Publication on Lockout/Tagout Addresses Safety for Temporary Workers

A new OSHA bulletin on lockout/tagout explains the joint responsibility of host employers and staffing agencies to ensure that temporary employees are properly protected against the sudden release of stored energy. Prior to beginning work, both employers should review the task assignments and job hazards to identify, eliminate, and control the release of hazardous energy before workers perform service or maintenance on machinery. This is part of a series of guidance documents that focuses on compliance with safety and health requirements for temporary workers.

OSHA Resources Can Help Workers Stay Safe During Holiday Season

Retailers and other businesses temporarily increase staffing levels to accommodate the busy holiday shopping season. OSHA has resources to help keep warehouse employees, tractor trailer drivers, and forklift operators safe as they work to get merchandise to people's home. Retailers are encouraged to follow crowd control safety guidelines, such as using trained security personnel or rope lines for customers. For more information, visit OSHA's Holiday Workplace Safety webpage.

Safety Conversations with Workers Can Help Prevent Workplace Injuries

Every day, safety conversations take place at all levels of a company, from executives and managers to front-line supervisors and workers. These conversations have great potential for improving workplace safety and health. OSHA's Safe + Sound Campaign resource, Better Safety Conversations, provides tips for making safety conversations more effective, and the importance of leading by example.

OSHA and ISEA Distribute PPE to People Recovering from Hurricane Florence

OSHA and the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), an Alliance Program participant, teamed up to distribute personal protective equipment (PPE) to workers, residents, and businesses affected by Hurricane Florence in North and South Carolina. "OSHA's goal is to keep workers and volunteers safe while they perform cleanup and recovery operations, and the ISEA is an important partner in these efforts," said OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Loren Sweatt. Information on specific safety equipment and how to stay safe during storm cleanup and recovery can be found on OSHA's Hurricane Preparedness and Response page, and on the ISEA Storm Cleanup: Safety Equipment Resource Center page.

OSHA Launches Program to Target High Injury and Illness Rates

OSHA is initiating the Site-Specific Targeting Program to target workplaces with high injury rates for inspection. Using injury and illness information electronically submitted by employers for calendar year 2016, OSHA will inspect establishments that should have provided 300A data, but did not. This program helps OSHA ensure that employers provide safe and healthful workplaces by directing enforcement resources to those workplaces with the highest rates of injuries and illnesses. For details on the program, and recordkeeping and reporting requirements, read the news release.