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The 5 Whys of Risk Analysis
What is the 5 Whys method of risk analysis? The best way to understand it might be by thinking about the famous (but true) trope of a child asking an adult “Why?” repeatedly, even after they’re given an answer. “Tie your shoes.” “Why?” “Because otherwise you’ll trip.” “Why?” “Because when shoelaces are left untied and […]
Guide to Hazardous Waste Management Part One: Do You Generate Hazardous Waste?
Managing hazardous waste can be a challenge, regardless of generator status. That’s partly because the regulatory obligations can be difficult to navigate, but also because many generators continue to struggle with the basics of determining if their wastes are hazardous in the first place. In this first installment of our new blog series, the Guide […]
What is Total Worker Health (TWH)?
In recent years, the field of safety has evolved from its traditional focus on preventing workplace injuries to a broader focus on protecting employee health and well-being, including their psychological safety. *The Total Worker Health® (TWH) initiative by National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has emerged as a powerful framework for driving new […]
Ergonomics in the Pharmaceutical Industry
The pharmaceutical manufacturing industry is a unique environment in a number of ways, but especially when it comes to ergonomics and musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) risk. There are the typical manual material handling (MMH) tasks like lifting and moving product in a warehouse, but many injuries in this industry are actually from lab tasks. And while […]
The Perils of a Paper Permit to Work System
A key element of a strong risk management process is a centralized, electronic Control of Work system, and a solid Control of Work program can’t really “control” the work and ensure the safety of employees if it lacks an organized and efficient Permit to Work system. A Permit to Work system houses all the information on the types of work to be completed in […]
When Are Work from Home (WFH) Injuries Recordable? We Answer Your Remote Work Questions
When we do webinars and conference presentations on OSHA Recordkeeping compliance, we’re often asked about issues related to work-from-home (WFH) and remote work scenarios. These questions have become more frequent since the pandemic accelerated trends toward remote work, forcing employers to grapple with questions they may never have thought to ask before. When are WFH […]
Using the Hierarchy of Controls to Maximize MSD Risk Reduction
Once a job task in a facility has been evaluated for the risk of developing a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) and the risk has been quantified, it’s time to implement solutions. If you’re going to effectively reduce MSD risk, you need to understand which risk factors are contributing most to the overall score and utilize control […]
“The Bowtie Analysis Blog” — Part 4: Using Master Bowties to Manage Risk at Multiple Facilities
Welcome to the fourth installment of our “Bowtie Analysis Blog” series. In our first installment, we talked about the usefulness of risk bowties for training employees on workplace risks, our second installment explored the way they can pull together information from many different types of assessments, and our third post discussed how bowties help visualize and manage risk […]
What is Industrial Hygiene?
Everyone knows that when we talk about “hygiene” we’re talking about cleanliness and health, but what does hygiene mean when it’s paired with “industrial”? Having good hygiene means consistently performing habits and practices to preserve health. The same goes for industrial hygiene – a series of habits to keep a facility and its employees in […]
Are You Meeting Your Requirements for Section 1 of Safety Data Sheets (SDSs)?
If you’re a chemical manufacturer or importer, are you currently meeting requirements for information required in Section 1 of an SDS? During webinars and in-person events, we often get questions from safety professionals, chemical manufacturers and chemical importers regarding the emergency number requirement. Both HazCom2012 in the United States and WHMIS 2015 in Canada require […]