Summer Alert - Heat Stress The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has announced the launch of its annual Campaign to Prevent Heat Stress in Outdoor Workers. For the fourth consecutive year, OSHA’s campaign aims to raise awareness and educate workers and employers about the dangers of working in hot weather and provide resources and guidance to address these hazards. Workers at particular risk are those in outdoor industries, such as agriculture, construction, landscaping and transportation. “Heat-related illnesses can be fatal, and employers are responsible for keeping workers safe,” says U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. “Employers...

GHS - Classification and Labeling of Chemicals If you currently work in a workplace that uses hazardous chemicals governed by a Hazard Communication (HAZCOM) Program, there are changes to the standard you need to be aware of. In March 2012, the Occupational Safety and Hazard Administration updated its HAZCOM standard (29 CFR 1910.1200) to align with the GHS - Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. The major changes to the standard are: - Hazard classification: Provides specific criteria for the classification of health and physical hazards, as well as classification of mixtures. - Labels: Chemical manufacturers and importers will be required...

Transitioning to Safer Chemicals American workers use tens of thousands of chemicals every day. While many of these chemicals are suspected of being harmful, only a small number are regulated in the workplace. As a result, workers suffer more than 190,000 illnesses and 50,000 deaths annually related to chemical exposures. Workplace chemical exposures have been linked to cancers, and other lung, kidney, skin, heart, stomach, brain, nerve, and reproductive diseases. Establishing a chemical management system that goes beyond simply complying with OSHA standards and strives to reduce or eliminate chemical hazards at the source through informed substitution best protects workers. Transitioning to safer alternatives...

Effective Workplace Safety and Health Management Systems Every day, workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities cause immeasurable pain and suffering to employees and their families. Recent estimates indicate that workplace injuries and illnesses cost our nation’s businesses $170 billion per year in wasteful and often preventable expenses. Effective Safety and Health Management Systems (SHMS) have proven to be a decisive factor in reducing the extent and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses. SHMS will result in reduced injury-related costs.These savings, when properly administered, will exceed the cost of a workplace SHMS. more information on www.osha.gov...

Many people are exposed to heat on some jobs, outdoors or in hot indoor environments. Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources, high humidity, direct physical contact with hot objects, or strenuous physical activities have a high potential for causing heat-related illness. Workplaces with these conditions may include iron and steel foundries, nonferrous foundries, brick-firing and ceramic plants, glass products facilities, rubber products factories, electrical utilities (particularly boiler rooms), bakeries, confectioneries, commercial kitchens, laundries, food canneries, chemical plants, mining sites, smelters, and steam tunnels. Outdoor operations conducted in hot weather and direct sun, such as farm work, construction, oil and...