Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) hereby revises the construction industry safety standards which regulate the design, construction, and use of scaffolds. The final rule updates the existing scaffold standards and sets performance-oriented criteria, where possible, to protect employees from scaffold-related hazards such as falls, falling objects, structural instability, electrocution and overloading.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3150.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Electricity has long been recognized as a serious workplace hazard, exposing employees to electric shock, electrocution, burns, fires, and explosions. In 1999, for example, 278 workers died from electrocutions at work, accounting for almost 5 percent of all on-the-job fatalities that year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. What makes these statistics more tragic is that most of these fatalities could have been easily avoided.

https://web.uri.edu/ehs/files/June-2012-Electrical-Safety.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

The purpose of this guide is to present a summary of the basic elements for a first-aid program at the workplace. Those elements include:

• Identifying and assessing the workplace risks that have potential to cause worker injury or illness.
• Designing and implementing a workplace first-aid program.
• Instructing all workers about the first-aid program, including what workers should do if a coworker is injured or ill.
• Putting the policies and program in writing is recommended to implement this and other program elements.
• Providing for scheduled evaluation and changing of the first-aid program to keep the program current and applicable to emerging risks in the workplace, including regular assessment of the adequacy of the first-aid training course.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Combustible dusts are fine particles that present an explosion hazard when suspended in air under certain conditions. A dust explosion can cause catastrophic loss of life, injuries, and destruction of buildings. The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) identified 281 combustible dust incidents between 1980 and 2005 that led to the deaths of 119 workers, injured 718, and extensively damaged numerous industrial facilities. More recently, additional incidents have occurred. On February 7, 2008, a sugar dust explosion and subsequent fire at a sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, caused 14 deaths and left many other workers seriously injured with severe burns.

https://www.osha.gov/pls/publications/publication.athruz?pType=Industry&pID=250

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

This training guide will help you plan how to prevent heat illness among your crew and provide training to your workers.

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatillness/osha_heattraining_guide_0411.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

This guide is intended to help small businesses comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Hexavalent Chromium (Cr(VI)) standards. Employees exposed to Cr(VI) are at increased risk of developing serious adverse health effects including lung cancer, asthma and damage to the nasal passages and skin. This guide describes the steps that employers are required to take to protect employees from the hazards associated with exposure to Cr(VI).

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA_small_entity_comp.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Handling and storing materials involve diverse operations such as hoisting tons of steel with a crane; driving a truck loaded with concrete blocks; carrying bags or materials manually; and stacking palletized bricks or other materials such as drums, barrels, kegs, and lumber.
The efficient handling and storing of materials are vital to industry. In addition to raw materials, these operations provide a continuous flow of parts and assemblies through the workplace and ensure that materials are available when needed. Unfortunately, the improper handling and storing of materials often result in costly injuries.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha2236.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Oil spill cleanup workers can face potential hazards from oil byproducts, dispersants, detergents and degreasers. Drowning, heat illness and falls also pose hazards, as can encounters with insects, snakes and other wild species native to the impacted areas. In these situations, OSHA goals include ensuring that workers receive appropriate training and protective equipment. This training tool was developed by National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, as a health and safety resource for those who will participate in an oil spill response and cleanup.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/Oil_Spill_Booklet_05.11_v4.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak. An influenza pandemic occurs when a new influenza virus emerges for which there is little or no immunity in the human population, begins to cause serious illness and then spreads easily person-to-person worldwide. A world-wide influenza pandemic could have a major effect on the global economy, including travel, trade, tourism, food, consumption and eventually, investment and financial markets. Planning for pandemic influenza by business and industry is essential to minimize a pandemic’s impact. Companies that provide critical infrastructure services, such as power and telecommunications, also have a special responsibility to plan for continued operation in a crisis and should plan accordingly. As with any catastrophe, having a contingency plan is essential.

https://www.cdc.gov/nonpharmaceutical-interventions/pdf/gr-pan-flu-work-set.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

During an influenza pandemic, transmission of the pandemic virus can be anticipated in the workplace, not only from patients to workers in healthcare settings, but also from customers and coworkers in general work settings. Employers can use a set of occupational safety and health controls referred to as the “hierarchy of controls” to reduce exposures to pandemic influenza in their workplaces.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/employers-protect-workers-flu-factsheet.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure the safety and health of America’s employees by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health.

This handbook provides a general overview of a particular topic related to OSHA standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Because interpretations and enforcement policy may change over time, you should consult current OSHA administrative interpretations and decisions by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the Courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements.

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/avianflu/index.html

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

Exposure incidents should be reported immediately to the employer since they can lead to infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus(HCV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), or other bloodborne pathogens. When a worker reports an exposure incident right away, the report permits the employer to arrange for immediate medical evaluation of the worker. Early reporting is crucial for beginning immediate intervention to address possible infection of the worker and can also help the worker avoid spreading bloodborne infections to others. Furthermore, the employer is required to perform a timely evaluation of the circumstances surrounding the exposure incident to find ways of preventing such a situation from occurring again.

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

One way the employer can protect workers against exposure to bloodborne pathogens, such as hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), the virus that causes AIDS, is by providing and ensuring they use personal protective equipment, or PPE. Wearing appropriate PPE can significantly reduce risk, since it acts as a barrier against exposure. Employers are required to provide, clean, repair, and replace this equipment as needed, and at no cost to workers.

Read the rest of the factsheet here.

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

A needlestick or a cut from a contaminated sharp can result in a worker being infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and other bloodborne pathogens. The standard specifies measures to reduce these types of injuries and the risk of infection. Careful handling of contaminated sharps can prevent injury and reduce the risk of infection. Employers must ensure that workers follow these work practices to decrease the workers’ chances of contracting bloodborne diseases.

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_BloodborneFacts/bbfact02.pdf

Retrieved from: Occupational Safety & Health Administration

This pamphlet contains important information regarding employer rights and responsibilities following a Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspection under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), as amended. Under the OSH Act, employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace.

https://www.osha.gov/Publications/osha3000.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is an internationally recognized organization that supports the health and safety of workers. AIHA recognizes there is a very real possibility for a pandemic influenza outbreak throughout the world. After reviewing the evidence-based science, state-of-the art research, and the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for Occupational Safety Health (NIOSH) standards, AIHA has developed this supporting document to help ensure adequate control measures are implemented for the health and safety of individuals, including those working in the healthcare industry. AIHA recognizes this document may also apply to other novel or aerosol transmissible diseases.

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

In 1995, ISO began efforts to draft an international occupational health and safety management system (OHSMS) standard. That effort failed. Since that time, a number of countries have developed their own OHSMS guidance standards. In addition, at the international level, the International Labor Organization (ILO) published guidance on Occupational Safety and Health Management Systems in 2001 (ILO-OSH 2001).
In the United States, the ANSI Z10 standard (Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems) was published as a final standard in July of 2005. This standard is formatted into two columns. The left column states the requirements that must be met if an organization wishes to demonstrate its conformance to Z10. The right column provides recommendations and explanatory notes. Some organizations may wish to use the Z10 standard for third-party certification of their OH&S management systems.

http://www.asse.org/assets/1/7/FinalPositionPaper_OHSAuditorCompetency.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

This document discusses the six positions the AIHA has toward Permissable Exposure Limits.

https://www.aiha.org/government-affairs/PositionStatements/whitepaper02_PELs.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

The following document discusses the American Industrial Hygiene Association’s standing on workplace violence.

https://www.aiha.org/government-affairs/PositionStatements/ErgonomicsPositionstmnt100509.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has indicated that it is interested in receiving input on issues related to the agencyès  potential development of an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (I2P2) rule [Federal Register, May 4, 2010]. This document was developed by the American Industrail Hygience Association (AIHA) in response to the agency’s request.

https://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/safetyhealth/OSHAwhite-paper-january2012sm.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

The American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) is the largest association of industrial hygiene and occupational and environmental health professionals in the United States. Its members are dedicated to improving the health and safety of working people and communities in the United States and abroad. This White Paper presents and supports workplace protections that AIHA believes are essential components of occupational health and safety systems and programs. AIHA believes these basic protections are worker rights, as well as an essential ingredient of occupational health and safety systems. These protections are already largely embodied in law for many workers/employees in the United States, but unfortunately not all workers enjoy these basic rights. In the United States, public employees in approximately half the states are not covered by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)1 and have very limited health and safety protection; and for many workers in other countries these rights do not exist or are not enforced.

https://www.aiha.org/government-affairs/PositionStatements/whitepaper01_WorkplaceRights.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

Workplace violence continues to be a serious problem in the United States. Research by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that workplace violence is the second leading cause of traumatic injury death on-the-job for men, the leading cause of traumatic injury death on-thejob for women, and accounts for some two million non-fatal injuries per year in the United States.(1,2,3)

Industrial hygienists are concerned with the anticipation, recognition, evaluation, and control of all occupational hazards. Although prevention of workplace violence has not been a major focus of industrial hygiene in the past, AIHA promotes the involvement of industrial hygienists in responding to new and emerging hazards such as this one. AIHA believes that industrial hygienists should collaborate with other workplace professionals, employers, labor unions, government, and researchers in the development and implementation of workplace violence prevention programs. Industrial hygienists have special expertise in developing safety and health programs that may be brought to bear in establishing workplace violence prevention programs. In particular, industrial hygienists have training and skills in evaluating and controlling environmental hazards and in designing and administering health and safety programs that should be adapted to workplace violence prevention.

https://www.aiha.org/government-affairs/PositionStatements/whitepaper00_PreventionWorkplaceViolence.pdf

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

AIHA agrees the proposed modifications to the HCS will improve the quality and consistency of hazard communication information provided to employers and employees. Standardized label elements will make hazard identification easier and the use of pictograms will be helpful in workplaces where literacy and English language reading is limited. The detailed criteria underlying the hazard classification system should result in far more consistent classification chemical manufacturers resulting in similar hazards and precautions appearing on labels and SDS for similar chemicals. A standardized format for SDS will also assist employers, employees and emergency responders in identifying needed information more efficiently. AIHA supports the proposed revision of the HCS and believes it will result in better hazard recognition and safer use of chemicals in the workplace.

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

Typically, two Deputy Assistant Secretaries of OSHA are appointed. One Deputy Assistant Secretary serves as the political person, and this is the position to which Barab has been appointed. This position does not require Senate confirmation. Barab will assume the duties of Acting Assistant Secretary until an Assistant Secretary is and confirmed, which suggests that the administration is nowhere close to nominating someone to serve as head of OSHA.

Retrieved from: American Industrial Hygiene Association

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) recognize the benefits of a collaborative partnership to improve occupational health and safety conditions at workplaces throughout the United States.
NIOSH and AIHA hereby form a Partnership to use their collaborative efforts and expertise to advance the protection of workers, promote best practices, and encourage employers to develop and utilize occupational health and safety management systems and effective prevention strategies and technologies.