Complacency in the Workplace: Don’t be a Zombie

Complacency can be defined as self-satisfaction, often combined with a lack of awareness of hazards. Complacency is extremely hazardous in the workplace. We get so used to things being done the same way that we do not always look at the hazards that may surround us. We also may underestimate the risk of tasks that we perform regularly, or fail to notice a change in our environment when we become complacent in our daily routines. Continue Reading →

Remove Those Blinders: Improve Your Situational Awareness

Situational awareness is being aware of what is happening around you in terms of where you are, where you are supposed to be, and whether anyone or anything around you is a threat to your health and safety. Continue Reading →

Are You Too Hot To Work Outdoors?

Outdoor workers can be exposed to hot and humid conditions and are at risk of special hazards. Employers and employees should know the potential hazards in their workplaces and how to manage them. Continue Reading →

Fatal Falls

A review of the OSHA stats regarding fatalities readily highlights trends on how workers are being hurt or killed. In fact in the latest report, three of the first five incidents listed, show workers who died from some sort of fall. It is important to remember here that non-work related injuries and fatalities often mirror the OSHAstatistics. Continue Reading →

What’s Wrong With This Picture?

Here are a few examples showing how ladders are commonly misused. Many injuries and fatalities occur every day while working from ladders at relatively low heights. Working at any height is dangerous if safe ladder practices are not followed. Continue Reading →

Report That Near Miss

A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, ordamage – but had the potential to do so. Only a fortunate break in thechain of events prevented an injury, fatality, or damage; in other words, amiss that was, nonetheless, very near. Other familiar terms for these events is a “close call”, or in the case of moving objects, “near collision” or a near hit. Continue Reading →