When it comes to new safety information, regulations, and practices, up-to-date knowledge makes a difference in worker well being, productivity, and consumer satisfaction. At MySafetySign, we’re following the agendas and changing regulations of agencies like OSHA, ANSI, NFPA, ADA and the CDC. We post about new discoveries, controversy, and data, like changing safety regulations or information about the most dangerous jobs in America. Our posts aim to update you about ways to stay safe anywhere, from your home kitchen to a construction scaffold.
News
Is workplace wellness doing more harm than good?
As healthcare costs have risen in recent years, a concept developed at large corporations has spread to companies large and small. According to a congressionally mandated report released last year, about half of U.S. employers now use workplace wellness programs. Marketed as a way to help improve employee health and thereby reduce absenteeism, increase productivity […]
West Virginia chemical spill highlights problems in regulation
One month after 10,000 gallons of a toxic industrial chemical leaked into the Elk River in West Virginia, national, state and local health officials continue to disagree over the safety of the water supply, and legislators and health officials are rushing to identify the regulatory gaps that allowed the accident to happen. Just two miles upstream […]
Introducing the 2014 Health & Safety Industry Survey
We’re always looking for ways to improve the working lives of safety professionals, so we’re very excited to introduce the inaugural 2014 edition of MySafetySign Health & Safety Industry Survey. We canvassed over 500 safety professionals and we asked about key barriers and drivers to implementing health and safety initiatives in the workplace, hazard communication, […]
In Colorado, employer drug policy trumps legal marijuana use
Even though Colorado adults can walk into a store and legally purchase marijuana, just like liquor, exercising that freedom off-the-clock could cost them their jobs. Amendment 64 legalized the recreational use of marijuana for those 21 and over in Colorado, but it retained employers’ rights to “have policies restricting the use of marijuana by employees.” […]
Are lab accidents at schools preventable?
A chemical accident at Beacon High School, New York in which two students were injured during a lab demonstration, has stirred up a debate on whether lab accidents at schools are preventable. Tenth grader Alonzo Yanes, one of the injured students, suffered second-degree burns on his face, neck, and arm while the other student suffered first […]
Are super-sized cruise ships a giant safety hazard?
You’re enjoying a once-in-a-lifetime vacation aboard a luxury cruise liner. There are night clubs, a shopping mall, water park and every type of dining destination you can imagine. But what regulations are in place to protect you –and the thousands of other passengers – and prevent a dream from turning into a nightmare? Cruise ship […]
Workplace safety proves a strong investment
Could safer employees yield happier investors? According to new research, published in the September Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, companies with exemplary health and safety programs also excel on the stock market. In the study, titled “The Link Between Workforce Health and Safety and the Health of the Bottom Line: Tracking Market Performance of […]
Top ten safety blogs you should be reading
Experts in occupational safety will often tell us that safety doesn’t happen in a vacuum; it’s a complex network of assessment, risk management, the right equipment, and well-trained workers. For us here at MySafetySign, the same adage applies when it comes to staying informed about the safety industry, and we’ve steadily built our own arsenal […]
How current lead exposure limits are failing workers
According to findings presented in an analysis from the Environmental Protection Agency, current limits for occupational lead exposure do little to address the potential health risks of low-level, long-term exposure. Lead dust, which has been linked to cardiovascular and neurological deficits, is common in industries such as manufacturing, home remodeling and automotive repair. The Occupational […]
OSHA urges Colorado flood disaster response crews to take precautions
Earlier this month, historic floods caused by torrential rains hit Colorado’s Front Range region, resulting in property loss estimated at nearly $2 billion statewide. Even more devastatingly, there is a confirmed death toll of seven people (as of noon, Sept. 20). 140 people are still unaccounted for, and downed electrical wires, damaged roads and bridges, […]
Ambiguous regulations increase risks for temporary workers
Temporary workers, who are appointed to employers by staffing agencies, inhabit a confusing space in the American workforce: They can have a “first day” at a new job every week. Their day-to-day work is managed by one employer, yet they are paid by another. And they may, or may not, receive training from one or […]