Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
Let’s review some overall basics from yesterday’s Advisor: Who needs to be trained? OSHA’s Hazard Communication (HCS or HazCom) standard requires you to train employees to work safely with the hazardous chemicals in their work area when they are initially assigned to that area and whenever a new hazard is introduced. Why train workers in […]
Do your employees realize that not all hazardous chemicals are liquids or vapors, or that some otherwise harmless chemicals like nitrogen can become very hazardous indeed under certain conditions? Make sure your workers grasp the full range of possibilities that the term “hazardous chemicals” encompasses. Background on chemical safety Who needs to be trained? OSHA’s […]
“Wherever OSHA standards require that employee training be conducted ‘at least annually,’ OSHA interprets that to mean that employees must be provided retraining at least once every 12 months (i.e., within a time period not exceeding 365 days),” says David Galt, managing editor—safety, with BLR®—Business & Legal Resources (www.blr.com). This annual training need not be […]
In a BLR® webinar titled “OSHA Inspection: How to Prepare for a Surprise Visit and Minimize your Liability Risks,” Tracy L. Moon Jr., a practicing partner at Fisher & Phillips, LLP in Atlanta, and an authorized OSHA General Industry Outreach Trainer, explained the importance of supervisor engagement in and ownership of safety and health compliance. […]
Steve Early had no experience or prior training operating a forklift nor was he certified as a forklift operator. Nevertheless, on his first day of work at the AZ Company, he was assigned to operate a forklift. “There’s nothing to it,” his supervisor told him. “It’s just like driving a car.” “OK,” Early agreed. “I […]
Yesterday attorney David Schmit, founder of Schmit Law in Oakland, addressed some common (yet vexing) return-to-work questions. Today, his thoughts on a few more—plus an introduction to a workers’ comp webinar you won’t want to miss.
October 6 to 12 is National Fire Prevention Week (http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/fire-prevention-week). Inspire your employees to participate in fire drill training by sharing the news about how a failure to train and drill on evacuation routes earned Hawaii companies large fines. The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ (DLIR) Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division […]
The information in today’s issue is adapted from BLR’s 7-Minute Safety Trainer session, “Basic Fire Prevention Steps.” Use and Maintain Electrical Equipment Properly Electrical equipment causes the largest number of workplace fires. Follow these safe practices: Replace cords and wires that are frayed or have worn insulation. Don’t overload circuits, motors, fuses, or outlets. Make […]
The information in today’s issue is adapted from BLR’s 7-Minute Safety Trainer session, “Basic Fire Prevention Steps.” The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to have a fire prevention plan that covers workplace fire hazards and contains procedures and responsibilities for preventing fires. In this safety training session, we’ll learn what components cause […]
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) reached a settlement agreement with True North Hotel Group, Inc., stipulating that the Overland Park, Kansas-based company must pay $22,225 in back wages and compensatory damages to a former employee who was terminated in Massachusetts after notifying supervisors about safety concerns and filing a whistleblower complaint with DOL’s Occupational […]