Compliance Stuff

  It’s been a long time since OSHA has come under scrutiny. “With a leadership change, often long-standing regulatory agencies will change as well,” says   Philip Russell, partner at Ogletree Deakins .” And this change could be dramatic, says Russell. “I think that you could see from Trump 47 innovation like we've never seen before.” To understand the practical implications of that viewpoint,  EHS Today  spoke with Russell, who has been practicing law in the EHS space for a number of years working with companies across a range of industries. Ogletree Deakins Phillip Russell, partner at Ogletree Deakins EHS Today: What do you think will change with the new administration?  PR:  OSHA has been around since 1970, and it's operated essentially the same administration to administration. It really doesn't matter who's in the White House, but I think now perhaps we will begin to see a reorganization or shift in resources away from politically popular targets. ...

  When asked about the biggest threats their companies face,  51%  employyes said cyber threats/attacks, 33% said massive tech failures and 33% said natural disaster, according to a   recent survey from Fusion Risk Management   To address these threats most companies have  written emergency preparedness plans, and the survey of 1,000 employees found this to be the case.  Seventy-six have access to a written plan. Looking at specific events, 83% had plans for natural disasters, 65% for cyber threats, and 62% had plans for active shooter events. When asked how often the emergency preparedness plans were updated the response is as follows: Annually -- 53% Not regularly tested or updated -- 28% Twice a year -- 9% Once every two years -- 6% Every three years -- 4% Another method to prepare for emergencies is to use drills or simulations. The survey found that 76% of employees participated in natural disaster drills, while 43% were involved in active shooter...

  OSHA reported on November 2 that it found significant reductions in fatal injuries from trench collapses and falls, two of the leading causes of death among construction industry workers.  In fiscal year 2024, federal OSHA investigated 826 worker deaths, an 11% reduction from 928 in the previous year. Excluding Covid-related deaths, this is the lowest number of worker fatalities OSHA has been mandated to investigate since FY 2017. “ These numbers are promising evidence that stronger enforcement and collaboration with labor and management, driven by the Biden-Harris administration’s worker-centered approach, is saving lives,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Douglas Parker, in a statement. “Most striking is the improvement in areas we have focused on with employers and unions. Our state program partners have also seen improvements.” OSHA OSHA’s National Emphasis Program on Falls, the leading cause of serious work-related injuries and fatalities in ...

  It’s often a long road from identifying an issue, creating a consensus and then designing a solution. That seems to be the case with the philosophy called  total worker health ( TWH). It was created in 2006 by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to “expand the science, education and training around a more holistic approach to worker well-being.” “TWH is defined as policies, programs and practices that integrate protection from work-related safety and health hazards with promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being,” according to  Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health’s Center for Work, Health & Well-Being,  one of the 10 centers of excellence created by NIOSH to implement this doctrine. Since its creation, many companies have adopted this expanded vision of safety and created programs to address it. By 2023, 58% of small firms and 94% of large companies in the U.S. had a wellness program. I...

  Fatigue continues to be a problem for workers. In fact, more than 43% of U.S. workers are sleep deprived and say they are too tired to function at their job, according to a survey released by the National Safety Council in 2019.     By 2020 that number went up to 77%. Although the pandemic was probably a large component of that, the numbers are not going in the right direction. This issue has a direct impact on safety in the workplace. It’s estimated, by the National Safety Council, that 13% of workplace injuries are caused by fatigue. Translated into costs, employers are paying more than $136 billion annually in health-related lost productivity. Viewing this number from a cost per employee, it’s around $1,200-$3,100 per year. In addition to injuries, fatigue can cause reduced mental cognition, decision-making, and reaction time, as well as decreased performance and productivity. As is the case with solving many issues, technology has a large role to play. In this...

OSHA Launches Severe Injury Report Dashboard The dashboard includes all severe injuries reported by employers covered under OSHA since 2015. Read more  here . How to Prepare for OSHA’s New HazCom Final Rule A look at the changes to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard and guidance on how to ensure compliance. Read more  here . AIHA Launches New Heat Stress Mobile App The app that can more accurately gauge heat stress risks in real time, unlike any tool offered previously the group says. Read more  here . Common Workplace Accidents Result in Costliest Claims Travelers study finds slips, trips and falls at top of claims. Read more  here . When the Danger is Internal: What EHS Professionals Need to Know About Mental Health Risk Ensure that your organization treats mental health as serious a risk factor as physical hazards. Read more  here . Workplace Well-being is Worsening All is not well at work, according to recent findings. Read more  here . Safety Practic...