The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is a federal agency dedicated to regulating and enforcing worker safety. Congress established it under the US Department of Labor in 1970 when it passed the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.
In the world of safety compliance training, there are a lot of HAZes: HAZWOPER, HAZMAT, HazCom. It's easy to mix them up, especially since none of the names give obvious hints about the content.
All three are required training related to dangerous materials, but they target different audiences and safety measures.
So, exactly what is the difference between HazCom, HAZWOPER, and HAZMAT?
What Does MSHA Stand For in Mining?
MSHA stands for the Mine Safety and Health Administration, meaning the agency that executes the Federal Mine Safety and Health Act of 1977 as well as the Mine Improvement and Emergency Response Act of 2006.
Dozens of workers die and thousands of workers become ill every year due to heat stroke. Heat stroke in the workplace is something that must be understood and prevented.
Jobs where employees are outdoors lead to a risk of heatstroke. It is vital that workers and managers become aware of heatstroke because it is considered a medical emergency.
Everyone must understand what heatstroke is, how to help someone with heatstroke, and how to prevent it.
Anyone who's seen a local law firm ad has probably heard of asbestos. But do you know what it looks like? Where you'd encounter it? What sorts of activities make it dangerous to your health?
The answer is probably 'no,' unless you've had asbestos awareness training, which is exactly why it's required for at-risk workers in the U.S.
What Are Toolbox Talks in Construction?
Toolbox talks are routine but informal meetings that focus on a specific safety topic. Toolbox training is supposed to be short, frequent, and focused on practical application.
In 2012, OSHA revised its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to be compatible with the United Nations' Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).
These systems exist to ensure that people recognize any hazardous chemicals in their workplace, understand the dangers they face, and know the precautions they need to take.
What is Asbestos?
Asbestos is a mineral fiber that can occur naturally in rock and soil.
Because asbestos has special properties like heat resistance and fiber strength, it was incredibly common in building materials and other products produced from the late 1800s through the 1970s.
What Are Industrial Chemicals?
Industrial chemicals are exactly what they sound like – chemicals that are used in industrial processes or for industrial operations. These chemicals are used to create materials used in manufacturing, combine materials, disinfect, lubricate, and more.
Some industrial chemicals are exclusively used in industrial settings, while others also make it into commercial products as ingredients.
In an era of workplace shootings and increasingly intense natural disasters, it's more likely than ever that your workforce will experience a traumatic event on the job. How can you plan for these events? How do you minimize their impact on everyone's health and safety? And what can you do in the aftermath to help your employees cope?
Emergency action plans, critical incident stress management, and critical incident stress debriefings are all key answers to these questions.
