The largest percentage of job roles held by women in the construction industry are those in management roles, overtaking sales occupations. To celebrate this and Women in Construction Week™ from March 3-8, 2024, let’s explore the latest developments in the industry for women. 

Though convinced that we have made strides with equipment and safer processes, I am equally convinced that we are stuck on a hamster wheel.

When it comes to managing the risk associated with employee safety, the risk manager usually looks to the safety department to address that area.

A sturdy foundation is essential in construction to ensure the stability and integrity of the entire building. Similarly, when managers take the time to get to know their employees, they establish a solid foundation of trust and lay the groundwork for optimal performance. 

Harvard’s recent Anti-Bullying Policy (the Policy) has many good elements. It is missing important elements regarding the definition of bullying and how the Policy should work. There are lessons in this. 

In addition to requiring workers to wear the necessary safety equipment, it’s also important for management to create a strong work culture and to show the staff that they’re valued. Here are some tips for prioritizing safety and communication in an industrial setting. 

How many times in workplaces are new employees rushed into jobs to fill vacancies or meet high demands or deadlines?

While reminiscing about some of the impactful music videos my wife and I remember from the 1980s and ’90s, I ended up researching, learning something new and thinking differently. With our efforts to improve occupational safety, this article explores how certain songs transcend their role as mere entertainment in music and become powerful catalysts for change.

An important operational goal of an organization is to strive to create a productive, supportive and safe work environment for its employees.

Shawn Galloway, CEO of ProAct Safety and author of several books on workplace safety, training and culture, talks to ISHN about this.

The effectiveness of workplace communication is reliant on a number of factors, such as environment, skillset and structure.

Investing in the mental and emotional well-being of employees is not just a compassionate approach but a strategic imperative for any organization.

The foundation of an inclusive workplace is recognizing and embracing its evolution. That means re-defining inclusion organization-wide to instill a more modern and all-encompassing mindset.

Many organizations suffer from performance deviation despite their best efforts.

Attribution refers to the cognitive process that people use to find reason for either their own behavior or that of others.

Honeywell announced a new version of its Immersive Field Simulator (IFS) offering, a virtual reality (VR) and mixed-reality-based training tool that incorporates a digital twin of physical plant operations to provide targeted, on-demand, skill-based training for workers.

Loading zones are high-traffic work areas with many safety hazards. Even for fully-trained employees, bad habits and lapses in best safety practices can be fostered over time — such as using overhead doors without proper caution. 

Interviews with training exhibitors at the ASSP 2022 conference reveal these current trends in safety training.

We need to abandon the popular misconceptions that compromise the effectiveness of HazCom training programs.

Thousands of people are blinded each year from work-related eye injuries. These injuries are due to none or ill-fitting protection.

OTI Education Centers are non-profit organizations that offer training courses on OSHA standards and occupational safety and health topics to workers and employers across the country.

Scheduled to premiere in May 2023 during AIHce EXP, AIHA’s annual conference, the series aims to introduce the public to the key role the occupational and environmental health and safety (OEHS) profession plays in creating healthier workplaces and communities.

The OSHA standard on fall protection, training requirements is one of the top 10 most frequently penalized OSHA standards for FY 2022.

ASSP recently published the third edition of the “Safety Professionals Handbook,” its flagship book that helps safety professionals expand their knowledge, advance their careers and improve safety at work.

For one price, safety professionals receive 12-month access to an online library of content featuring more than 100 courses presented by industry experts.

Ladder Safety Month takes place every March to raise awareness of ladder safety and decrease injuries and fatalities caused by ladder misuse.

MSHA will award these grants as part of its fiscal year 2023 State Grants program.

BLS data shows that of the 5,190 fatal workplace injuries in 2021, 680 were associated with falls from elevations, about 13 percent of all deaths.

More manufacturers are turning to automation amid ongoing labor shortages and pressure to maximize productivity. 

This article delves into the components of a horizontal lifeline system, their application, and why it's often best to consult with a fall protection expert before making your final choice.

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

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. 

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.

The U.S. workforce is now composed of four generations: Baby Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z. Age ranges for these generations in 2019 were: boomers (55-73); Gen X (39-54); Millennials (23-38); and Gen Z (6-22).

"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:

Although it seems to make perfect, intuitive sense that people would get hurt when they are doing the most dangerous things, that isn’t what actually happens to more than 95 percent of us. So, what does this mean in terms of the old risk assessment matrix?

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.

How to use psychological and behavioral knowledge to improve workplace safety. As a safety leader, it’s important to recognize moments when people are looking to you as an example and ensure that your behavior aligns with the values you’re working to instill in others.

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.

In this episode, editor-at-large Dave Johnson interviews behavioral psychologist Dr. E. Scott Geller. Dr. Geller discusses the uses and misuses of behavior-based safety, why the psychology of safety is more important today than ever, and the need for safety and health professionals to practice empathy, positive psychology, one-on-one conversations, and Actively Caring For People (AC4P).

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? 

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

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

PFAS-based repellents used in safety apparel can potentially lead to adverse health effects so solutions are needed.

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.

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