News and Updates
Category: Occupational Safety
Tips for National Fire Safety Month
Did you know that October is National Fire Safety month? This is a great time for businesses to revisit their workplace fire safety plans, as well as any other Emergency Action Plans. Based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 125 deaths occur on average each year from workplace fires – many of which can be prevented from regular reviews, maintenance and inspections. Minimizing workplace fire hazards is the first step in preventing fires – so how do you recognize these issues? Report any electrical hazard you see, such as faulty or bad wiring. Frayed or damaged electrical cords, as well as damaged electrical outlets/receptacles are a common reason for fires to start. Ensure that flammables are stored properly. If your company uses or facilitates flammables, they must be stored in a flammables cabinet, and inspected regularly. Regularly inspect fire-prone areas like employee break rooms, electrical storage or server rooms, and laboratories/areas where flammables or chemicals are stored. Reviewing your emergency plans, exit routes, and drills to look for “holes” in your system or plans. Properly maintaining your fire suppression system, extinguishers, and providing employee training on fire safety. Most offices or workplaces utilize ABC fire extinguishers, which can extinguish ordinary combustibles, flammable liquids, and energized electrical equipment. Knowing how to properly use fire extinguishers is important, following
More OSHA Updates: New Administration, New Standards, HCS Updates and More
New Administration Former member of the Biden-Harris transition team Douglas L. Parker is the Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health, Department of Labor He currently serves as chief of California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA), a position he has held since 2019. Prior to his appointment to Cal/OSHA, Parker was executive director of Worksafe, an Oakland, California-based legal services provider. Workplace safety enforcement will be more aggressive and robust under an OSHA governed by the Biden administration, and Parker will be tasked with overseeing those enforcement efforts. Employers should prepare for these more aggressive policies by ensuring that their safety and health programs are compliant with rules that are still in place and govern American workplaces. Employers should work to identify and eliminate workplace safety hazards. The new administration has made it clear they intend to double the number of OSHA investigators to enforce the law and existing standards and guidelines. “It will likely take around 18 months for new inspectors to be trained and begin conducting inspections. Once those new compliance officers are in the field, employers can expect more OSHA inspectors knocking on their doors.”1 Secretary of Labor Sworn In Marty J. Walsh was sworn in as the nation’s 29th Secretary of Labor on March 23, and immediately shared a public message about his commitment to America’s w
