OSHA’s permit-required confined space standard (PRCS) went into effect April 15, 1993. This standard (1910.146), arguably the second most difficult of OSHA’s standards to comprehend, second only to recordkeeping (1904), likely is the hardest with which to comply. After 18 years, most employers, including many with sound safety systems, are still not in compliance, based on the author’s experien...

the Secretary shall revoke the council’s charter. Upon revocation of a charter, the council shall surrender all its government property to the appropriate OSHA regional official. Any continuing or future organization in the same geographical area shall not use the title Field Federal Safety and Health Council, or any derivation thereof, unless formally rechartered by the Secretary. Notification...

As many employers know all too well, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) requires them to record work-related injuries and illnesses and to maintain the OSHA 300 Log for five years. Moreover, OSHA requires all employers to report to OSHA certain serious injuries within a short time period. On September 11, 2014, OSHA announced its Final Rule revising the current recordkee...

This study examined the relationship between Washington's fall protection standard and injuries in construction workers. Workers' compensation claim rates for falls were examined for employers that were cited for violating the standard over the 1991-1992 period. Fall injury rates for the periods before and after inspections were compared. Claims for a control group of employers that had not bee...

In 2013, one in five reported nonfatal occupational injuries occurred among workers in the health care and social assistance industry, the highest number of such injuries reported for all private industries. In 2011, U.S. health care personnel experienced seven times the national rate of musculoskeletal disorders compared with all other private sector workers. To reduce the number of preventabl...

This study analyzed the Construction FACE Database (CFD), a quantitative database developed from reports of the Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program conducted by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). The CFD contains detailed data on 768 fatalities in the construction industry reported by NIOSH and individual states from 1982 through June 30, 20...

The North Pacific Fishing Vessel Owners' Association (NPFVOA) is a non-profit association dedicated to safety education and training for commercial fishermen and other mariners. Funding is provided primarily through member contributions and also through tuition fees and sales of materials. Members are primarily fishing vessel owners and fishing-related companies, from small salmon boats with si...

OBJECTIVE To compile current regulations and advisory recommendations on cleanliness of worker clothing and personal protective equipment and to evaluate the adequacy of criteria for determining whether cleanliness has been achieved. METHODS Systematic review of information provided by federal agencies (eg, OSHA, MSHA, and NIOSH), nongovernmental advisory bodies (eg, ACGIH, AIHA, and ANSI), a...

Most people work to make a living, but unfortunately many at the cost of their safety, health, and even lives. The International Labour Organization (ILO) estimated that each year poor occupational health and safety led to 271 million injuries, 160 million occupational diseases, and 2 million work-related deaths (1). Whereas, the development of occupational safety and health may be traced back ...