Protecting workers from hazardous energy through Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is a basic safety responsibility, but there are additional steps employers can take that go beyond the basic requirements.  

Many businesses are increasingly using temporary workers during the holiday season and throughout the year, making it challenging to provide safe environments without proper planning and guidance.

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine announced the second round of Workforce Safety Innovation Grants awarded to advance worker safety in Ohio.

While the presence of risk is unavoidable, it’s how your business addresses hazards that really makes a difference. 

While many factors have contributed to supply chain hurdles and economic woes, there are clear measures organizations can take to ensure progress toward more sustainable operations. 

Nearly 20 percent of U.S. workers experience bullying in the workplace and 19 percent witness it, according to a national survey conducted by the Workplace Bullying Institute (WBI). The survey defined workplace bullying as “repeated mistreatment of an employee by one or more employees; abusive conduct that is: threatening, humiliating, or intimidating, work sabotage, or verbal abuse.” Although the WBI survey was conducted in 2017, the problem has not abated; in a 2019 Monster.com survey, nearly 94 percent out of responding employees reported being bullied in the workplace. 

To help service members perform better in the field, military training emphasizes the importance of certain traits associated with traditional masculinity, including suppression of emotion and self-reliance. But when veterans return home, strict adherence to these traits can become detrimental, leading to more severe post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and making it more difficult to treat, according to research published by the American Psychological Association (APA).

Ignoring mental health problems in the workplace can lead to conflicts between employees, affect productivity and, of course, result in a worsening of the mental health issues being experienced by individuals. Here are recommendations from Mental Health America for employers who want to support mental health in their workplaces:

We had just witnessed a large toolbox talk at a mining construction site in Africa. It wasn’t a bad session; the safety officers were loud and lively in their statements, there was some humor and even the safety manager from the general contractor stepped in to say a couple words.

"Safety for everyone” is the tagline of a 60-second Honda commercial you might have seen this fall. It tugs at the heart strings. A series of images is accompanied by voice-overs:

Typically, anxiety disorders are chronic. Often, there is a waxing and waning course. The severity of the anxiety condition(s) depends upon several factors including adequate treatment, absence of precipitating factors, etc.

Invited to do a workshop for a very large international corporation, I went out to a dinner where I sat next to the “grand poohbah” vice president in charge of all things quality and safety. He leaned over to me and said:

. Gene Hobbs was working for the Meade County Road Department, raking along the edge of a road shortly after noon, when he was run over by a dump truck backing up, killing him upon impact, on December 13, 2016.

Managers say their employees’ personal lives shouldn’t be their concern. However, this isn’t the best approach because workplace mental health is an important matter. It’s a common mistake to forget the human nature of employees. As an employer, it’s important to be compassionate with those who work for you.

On the average construction site, safety is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Rules, OSHA regulations, and standard operating procedures control how crews go about their days. While physical safety is essential, what is often overlooked in heavy industries is the weight of mental health challenges.

Studies have been looking into the effect of stress and other psychosocial factors on employees’ well-being for decades. One of the first efforts to recognize the connection between workplace stress and well-being was the Whitehall Studies from 1967 to the mid-1980s. And studies continue to document the link between the two.

CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will host a special virtual event on Thursday, Nov. 18 with NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard, Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, and other national experts from labor and medicine on the mental health of the nation’s critical health workforce.

Coinciding with Construction Suicide Prevention Week, a task force is calling on construction industry employers, trade groups and other stakeholders to join OSHA’s Suicide Prevention Safety Stand-Down, Sept. 5-9, 2022.

The intent of a “stop work authority” (SWA) when included in a safety program is to empower employees to take action when they see a situation that is unsafe or think a worker may get injured. Though the SWA process and practice may seem as beneficial at many levels in dealing with operational risk and worker safety; there potentially may be some unforeseen barriers or challenges to its actual utilization.

Workplace mental health and well-being are critical in every industry and company. Unfortunately, not all companies take the need for mental health support and resources seriously. The manufacturing industry, in particular, has been deemed one of the worst for mental health and wellness support.

Securing employees' physical safety is a top priority for employers in the construction industry. But what about psychological safety? Keeping your employees’ minds in a safe, healthy space is essential, but, unfortunately, mental health care in the construction industry is falling short.

Colors and symbols can affect our emotions, cognition, and actions, and their strategic implementation improves safety outcomes.

It’s vital to help alleviate these outside stressors so your employees become more engaged and productive in all phases of life.

 In the age of customer-centric business models, it's easy to overlook the fundamental role of employees in driving business success. Here's one company's story utilizing a focused approach to enhance employee engagement.

Do your employees truly know what to look for and can they recognize the hazards and risks associated with their tasks? Is it psychologically safe to openly recognize hazards and risks and choose safe actions within the culture? 

Those working in industrial jobs face unique physical and mental health challenges that employers should be aware of. Most companies care about the well-being of their workers.

Mike Ettenberg, Founder of Frontline, is a retired firefighter tired of losing or destroying his designer shades in the heat of the frontlines. 

The revised standard strengthens requirements for incident reporting and analysis, and includes modifications that address today’s vehicles, technologies and operating environments.

Research reveals there is actually significant confusion and over-simplification in the differences (and similarities) between hardhats and helmets.

Founder of safety footwear for women highlights the unique challenges women face in hazardous work environments.

Onboarding more personnel, especially in compliance officer and senior executive staff roles, has significantly enhanced OSHA’s oversight capacity.

The hierarchy of controls for respiratory protection is a system designed to minimize or eliminate exposure to airborne contaminants.

Without proper CO2 monitoring, personnel in environments like restaurants, beverage distribution facilities, grow spaces, and laboratories are at significant risk. 

The two organizations will cross-promote volunteering opportunities while sharing content and amplifying the stories of members and member communities.

The Challenge was a three-phase, $350,000 competition aimed at improving respirator fit evaluation.

Non-FR/AR rainwear can ignite and melt when exposed to flames or electrical arcs, exacerbating injuries.

Designed for any terrain, new boot offers style and protection. 

Designed for any terrain, new boot offers style and protection. 

The guide provides a structure by which employers can assess, plan, and implement strategies and practices that support mine worker mental health and address harmful opioid use.  

A 27-year-old rigger suffered fatal injuries after falling approximately 30 stories.

OSHA investigation finds operator of three Massachusetts waterproofing contracting companies could have prevented an employee from dying in February 2024 when part of a foundation broke and fell.

Employees were using a forklift to take stone slabs off a storage rack when the slab became unsecured and struck the worker. OSHA investigators find it could have been prevented. 

Regular inspections and the implementation of advanced technologies, such as IoT sensors, are essential for early risk detection and prevention of catastrophic events.

Preliminary agency data show a decrease in fatalities the agency is mandated to investigate, including significant reductions in fatal injuries from trench collapses and falls.

The revised standard is helping to elevate World Standards Week, an event held Nov. 12-14 by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) to promote best practices in workplace safety.

Current trends for health-and-wellness, plant-based, reduced-sugar and functional beverages, for example, easily can affect the taste, mouthfeel and overall beverage experience. Thus, beverage formulators engage masking ingredients to fight off any unwanted effects.

Although cannabis beverages still are a niche market, the interest in this space remains expansive as ingredient suppliers have advanced the quality of CBD, THC and hemp solutions.

More consumers are engaging in the active nutrition community, offering more opportunities for protein fortification. Suppliers are developing animal- and plant-based protein solutions to meet this growing demand. 

Experts note that not only do classic flavors like vanilla, chocolate and strawberry resonate with consumers, but also remain the tried-and-true go-to for beverage-makers.

With no shortage of contributing factors for Americans’ rising stress levels, ingredient suppliers are turning to holistic ingredients that promote relaxation and stress relief to help beverage-makers meet consumers’ growing need states.