It was still hot and sweaty in the midday sun just a couple of days after Labor Day in New York, and at first glance, you’d think we were out in the yard in the dead of winter.

The old adage goes, “Do something good for someone and they’ll tell 10 people. Do something bad to someone and they’ll tell 100 people.”

"It’s a drug and we’re hooked!” is what I said to my brother, Richie, about the fix I felt we got from doing the really big monster commercial and residential jobs for what we felt were lots of dollars.

One of the nice things about my job is I’m usually busy. I like when I look up at the end of the day and see that the day has flown by. 

Domestic hot water recirculation system design is a hot topic in our industry, for good reason. 

Generosity is the new marketing. In this era of social media, charitable companies can earn an enhanced brand reputation as being a “good” company and will make people want to do business with them.

Why we do what we do” is why I do what I do. My job is to “change behavior.

Thanks, Fred.

From Roman baths to modern water-saving showerheads, plumbing has come a long way.

Thermostatic mixing valves and common sense can help prevent injury and litigation.

Third-party listing helps protect you and your customers.

The code-writing organizations are currently finalizing the 2021 edition of the Plumbing Code, which may be adopted in your state or local jurisdiction by 2023. That is how far in advance hot subjects that are being discussed now wait before becoming law.

As a backpacker, the most important item I carry in my backpack is water. I start each morning of a hike with three liters of water; two in my bladder and one in my bottle. The water bottle looks like any typical water bottle that people carry.

Elegance is the name of the game with modern bathrooms. To keep up with the demands of the public, the plumbing codes and standards have changed regarding modern bathrooms. Some changes are for the good; others, well, we will have to see.

The baby boomer generation is reaching retirement age, and many are planning to age in place. As the body ages, the use of plumbing fixtures changes. The aging body no longer has the strength and flexibility of the younger body.

Google “safety culture” and you get about 1,600,000,000 results in 0.95 seconds. Safety and health managers have long known the importance of culture – the organization’s values, beliefs and leadership - on safety, morale, productivity, engagement, presenteeism and absenteeism. Culture has been at the top of safety and health issues for the past ten years at least.

U.S. Navy Captain Mike Abrashoff was given command of the USS Benfold at age 36, making him the youngest commanding officer in the Pacific fleet. His challenge was daunting: the destroyer with 310 sailors was a notable loser, with low morale and the highest turnover in the Navy. Many safety and health pros early in their careers face the challenge of establishing their credibility.

Today’s workplaces look far different than they have in the past, taking on many shapes, sizes and settings. As a result, more workers from multiple employers are working side-by-side at the same locations, increasing the shared responsibility for worker safety among employers.

This is a voluntary consensus standard. It uses recognized management system principles in order to be compatible with quality and environmental management system standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.

Hospitals, clinics and related medical centers can now choose from four new onsite consulting services introduced by  J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc.

This relentless commitment to cleanliness is critical in navigating the complex regulatory compliance landscape, ensuring your facility stands out for all the right reasons. 

Ergonomics principles can guide employers towards systems that adapt to workers’ needs and decrease the potential for discomfort and harm.

As part of the rulemaking process, the agency will seek and consider input from a ride range of stakeholders and the public at-large as it works to propose and finalize its rule.

The proposed rule would require employers to develop an injury and illness prevention plan to control heat hazards in workplaces affected by excessive heat.

Silica is released into the air during the construction process and breathing it in can lead to cancer. Use this guide to learn how to work safely with silica in every setting.

From wearable safety devices to machine learning to Big Data, companies now have more tools than ever to help push safety incidents down to zero.

How many years will it take for AI applications to trickle down to small contractors? The odds are the OSH benefits will not be equitably distributed.

A+A 2021 – the leading International Trade Fair for Safety, Security and Health at Work – drew to a successful close after four days: 1,204 exhibitors from 56 nations and more than 25,000 trade visitors traveled to Düsseldorf, Germany to attend the sector’s most relevant trade fair.

The rule updates the current standard by improving the amount and quality of information on labels and safety data sheets. Updates take effect on July 19, 2024.

OSHA encourages public participation in the rulemaking process.

On dangerous or risky job sites, and within certain environments, personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times. It makes perfect sense, because the gear is designed specifically to mitigate severe or fatal accidents. Helmets, for example, protect the head from falling objects, overhead fixtures, and much more.

Companies in the market for personal protection equipment (PPE) should look for products that are UL classified where this is applicable. These items have been subject to specific relevant tests and passed inspections for either personal or industry use.

Bulwark, the world’s largest flame-resistant (FR) apparel brand, was recently sold to Redwood Capital Investments, LLC, marking a new era for the company as it transitions into a stand-alone workwear organization.

Welding is an essential part of numerous manufacturing and assembly processes, employing more than 400,000 people in the United States alone. Because of the nature of the job — working with high temperatures and molten metals — injuries are likely.

The Tyvek 400 SFR coverall offers protection against flash fires and particulate contaminants.

As an organization highly committed to safety, it was important to this premium retailer that they take a proactive approach to control any hazardous energy that could impact safety and/or the efficiency of their stores – and the sooner the better. 

Currently designated as NFPA 660: Standard for Combustible Dusts, the all-encompassing standard will be completed in 2024 and likely released in late 2024/early 2025.

With such a strong desire to be connected, why don’t we feel this same need to be connected through the safety equipment at work?

The mobile training aims to shake up the notion of traditional compliance training, making it widely accessible and highly interactive, even in remote locations. 

The owner of a Liverpool, Pennsylvania roofing company risked the lives of two of his children by exposing them to falls from heights.

Motion Industries, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Genuine Parts Company, announced that it acquired Hydraulic Supply Company (HSC). Execution of the transaction was completed on October 1, 2018. 

Prioritizing routine maintenance helps businesses keep operations safe, efficient and cost-effective in the long run.

Not only does OSHA have regulations for the forklifts themselves, they also have specific requirements for forklift operators. The Powered Industrial Truck Standard outlines the topics that must be included during training, as well as requirements for refresher trainings.

Driving during a national holiday is always a risk. Stay safe out there!

Research from the University of Kentucky’s Superfund Research Center (UK-SRC) shows that a diet high in fiber could possibly reverse the adverse effects that environmental toxins have on cardiovascular health. The findings are part of UK-SRC’s “Project #1,” which examines how nutrients affect toxicity caused by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in vascular tissues.

No magic pills make musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) disappear, yet risk, human resources and safety departments continue to buy into programs and systems that do not affectively aid in helping employees deemed the “walking wounded.” 

Many of the OSHA cases that cite “willful” violations present mysteries. The mysteries are why the alleged violations were categorized as willful. These charges are not a mystery to OSHA, but they are mysteries to readers of citations. Since the penalty for a willful violation can be over $130,000, there should not be any mystery about such charges.

Two studies demonstrate that older adults may be able to live longer, healthier lives by increasing physical activity that doesn’t have to be strenuous to be effective, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention | Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Health Scientific Sessions 2020. The EPI Scientific Sessions, March 3-6 in Phoenix, is a premier global exchange of the latest advances in population-based cardiovascular science for researchers and clinicians.

When I coach leaders, I often hear that the image of wallowing stays with them long after I’m gone - even when they don’t feel like wallowing! Ultimately, the thought of wallowing moves their thoughts to intentions, and then, purposeful actions.

The term “Safety culture” has become like the term “engagement” in popular management writings. There is no common agreement on the term. We are left with (mis)interpretations of terms like “safety culture,” which lead to haphazard attempts at changing organizations toward improvement.