It’s Summer and I Have Nothing to Wear: Personal Protective Equipment and Summer Dress Codes

Summer is here, and so is the sun. That means many people will try to stay cool while working and many businesses relax dress codes to allow for shorts and sandals. But workplace hazards do not take a summer vacation, and the hot weather also brings its own dangers. A previous blog post addressed steps employers could take to prevent heat illness. Not only should employers implement heat illness prevention programs, but they must continue to make sure workers wear their personal protective equipment (PPE)…
Continue reading...

OSHA and Hazard Assessments: Electrical Hazards in the Workplace

OSHA requires that employers “instruct each employee in the recognition and avoidance of unsafe conditions” and the regulations applicable to the workplace “to control or eliminate any hazards or other exposure to illness or injury.” This broad directive underscores the necessity of conducting a hazard assessment—determining the hazards present in the work environment. Indeed, one of the “root causes” of workplace incidents is the failure to identify or recognize hazards that are present, or that could have been anticipated. Take, for example, electrical hazards. Many…
Continue reading...