Electrical fires are the #1 cause of fire in the workplace. Any electrical citation from OSHA is considered a serious violation and usually results in fines that can range from $1,190 to $6,913 for a low gravity violation, and can reach up to $161,323 for a willful or repeated violation.

Held every October since 2004, National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaborative effort among government agencies, businesses, educational institutions and non-profit organizations which aims to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and the need to be safer and more secure online.  ACS is proud to support this important initiative, this year led by the Department of Homeland Security's Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA).

Earlier this month, OSHA launched its Severe Injury Report (SIR) Dashboard, an online tool that users to search its severe injury report database and view trends related to workplace injuries.  The dashboard is sortable and searchable by year, NAICS code, state, establishment name, event or exposure, source, nature, and body part. OSHA encourages workers and employers to use the SIR dashboard to learn how severe injuries happen in their industries and use the agency's available resources to help prevent workplace injuries.

Soaring temperatures this summer serve as a critical reminder of the dangers posed by extreme heat. It is important to be aware of occupational risk factors and how heat affects the human body in order to prevent heat-related illnesses.

OSHA has issued a final rule that updates the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to align primarily with the seventh revision of the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS). The final rule was published on May 20, 2024 and takes effect on July 19, 2024.

Year after year Lockout/Tagout has remained one of the top 10 most cited violations by OSHA (6th in 2023), so the odds are good you might encounter one. Violations are generally for failing to have a machine specific Lockout/Tagout procedure, not training authorized or affected employees, and for failing to conduct periodic inspections of Lockout/Tagout procedures (aka annual audit).

Workers in many industries and occupations spend all or part of their workdays on the road. One study showed that compared with other drivers, those who drive as part of their work are much more likely to be distracted. Some of the reasons this occurs is because they are more likely to be in a hurry to reach their destination, think about work, be tired, or use a cell phone.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, workplace unintentional overdose deaths from nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol have increased 619% since 2011. Overdose deaths in 2022 totaled 525, equivalent to nearly 9.6% of all occupational injury deaths that year. Increases have been experienced among all employee demographics, industries, and occupations. The main driver of these deaths is opioids.

If your company is visited by OSHA, for any reason, there is a very strong chance that they will be requesting to look at your Written Safety Plans/Programs, as well as necessary documentation for their visit. The lack of up to date and site-specific Written Safety Plans/Programs and other documentation is a leading cause of OSHA citations.

For employers who are required to maintain work-related injury and illness records, it’s that time of year again. Many, but not all, employers must complete the OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping forms on an ongoing basis. But minor injuries that are treated only by first aid don't need to be recorded.

Winter and the holiday season bring greater risks of injury and illness. In an effort to help prevent these injuries and keep workers safe, we are sharing the University of Minnesota’s 12 Days of Safety.

Compressed air is widely used in industry to power pneumatic tools such as air hammers, nail guns, and pneumatic wrenches. The line pressure needed to operate such tools is typically between 85 and 125 pounds per square inch (psi).

Many times, an injury occurs, and companies are not prepared as to how to handle and track this injury, especially when it comes to whether it is recordable or not per OSHA. Not all injuries need to be recorded on the OSHA 300 Log.

National Preparedness Month, an annual observance to raise awareness about the importance of preparing for disasters and emergencies that could happen at any time, culminates on September 30th with National Preparedness Day, the national day of action. As National Preparedness Month comes to an end and reports of El Niño 2023 amplifying extreme weather, it is the perfect time to get prepared for disasters.

Throughout the first half of 2023, OSHA signaled to employers that enforcement is an agency priority and that it will use a full range of mechanisms to hold employers accountable for workplace health and safety violations. With OSHA’s increased activity, employers must focus on compliance with workplace standards, preparing for inspections, and anticipating other OSHA actions.

If you do not take the right precautions when working in hot conditions, you can experience heat stress which can advance quickly to several heat-related illnesses. Employers and workers should be sure to have plans in place to provide access to plenty of water, take adequate breaks when needed, as well as access to shade or cool-down areas.

Doug Parker, Assistant Secretary of Labor and head of OSHA, announced that the agency will be launching a new National Emphasis Program (NEP) this summer to focus on high injury rates in warehouses.

Workplaces can have many stressors such as long hours, low salaries, heavy workload, tight deadlines, unclear job expectations, and job insecurity. Issues in the workplace can exacerbate the risk of experiencing mental health challenges.

Even if there's no clear regulatory requirement for a written safety plan/program, having one can benefit your business in ways besides compliance. After all, the main goal is to prevent workplace injuries, illnesses or deaths that would cause harm and financial hardship to your workers, their families, and your organization.