Posted by proforma on November 21, 2011 | No Comments
Pinched fingers may not seem life threatening, but represent the kinds of injuries that are completely avoidable if the correct tools are made available. In this instance, an offshore maintenance worker injured his fingers while moving a 3 ft. by 3 ft. floor grating. The after action review found this had become a common practice at this installation.
Tags:offshore GOM, oilfield worker
Filed Under: Workplace Safety
Posted by proforma on November 21, 2011 | No Comments
Preliminary statistics seem to indicate that forklift fatalities declined in 2010, according to this report by the U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics. What safety professionals are wondering is if the decline is due to better safety enforcement, or fewer forklifts operating because of the poorer economy.
Safety managers are reporting increased focus on training and zero tolerance for incidents, with some companies enforcing more stringent policies that include a rule that every new driver must pass a training course, followed by a number of hours paired with an experienced driver. If an incident occurs, the worker is removed from forklift operations (possibly with a demotion) for retraining and retesting. If the problem persists, the individual is removed from forklift operations entirely. Critical is to establish clear rules, describe what happens when a rule is violated, communicate them repeatedly in writing and verbal form, document accurately and enforce your decisions.
Filed Under: Workplace Safety
Posted by proforma on November 21, 2011 | No Comments
While we don’t want to sound Scrooge-like, have you considered the downside of hosting a holiday company event or party where alcohol is served? Read this informative article so that you can better inform your company as safety manager and suggest solutions. Employers are considered to have more influence or control over their employees’ drinking at company parties than you might suspect. A major case (that found the employer liable and withstood appeal) shows how employers can be found liable if:
» Employees are told that the event will benefit the business;
» The company paid costs for the event, including drinks;
» Travel expenses may be covered;
» Employees are encouraged to entertain clients and buy them drinks; and
» The employee leaves the event by himself, although there may be of impairment.
Tags:fatality
Filed Under: Workplace Safety
Posted by proforma on November 9, 2011 | No Comments
Do you spend a major portion of your day sitting? Think about it: at work, driving, eating, watching TV…might be worth counting how many hours per day you actually are sitting. A new study published in the journal Cancer Prevention Research and recently presented at the American Institute for Cancer Research Annual Research Conference shows a connection between the hours you spend sitting and the increased risk of cancer, especially breast and colon, due to increased inflammation.
Epidemiologist Christine Friedenreich, who led the study, recommends getting up to walk every hour from your office chair; sending fewer emails and walking to your colleague’s office. Or simply standing up more. These and other interesting facts are available in the full article here.
Filed Under: Home Safety, Workplace Safety
Posted by proforma on November 9, 2011 | No Comments
With the Thanksgiving holiday fast approaching, it would be wise to remind employees of the dangers of home fires associated with holiday festivities. In fact, the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) says that in 2009, home cooking fires on Thanksgiving Day was three times the national average of fires per day .
Whether we believe we need a refresher on the basics of kitchen safety, a reminder about basic kitchen safety practices is always helpful.
Filed Under: Home Safety
