Publisher

Injury and Illness Prevention Program

/in /by

In California, every employer is required by law to provide a safe and healthful workplace to his/her employees. In accordance with the California Code of Regulations, your employer needs to have an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) in writing.

There is a specific IIPP required for the construction industry, the Construction IIPP. What should you expect to see in an IIPP? It is a written plan that has the following elements: Read more

Publisher

Safe Winter Driving

/in /by

Winter driving can be hazardous and scary, especially in northern regions that get a lot of snow and ice. Additional preparations can help make a trip safer, or help motorists deal with an emergency. This sheet provides safety information to your residents to help prevent motor vehicle injuries due to winter storms. Read more

Publisher

More OSHA Enforcement Action Against Motor Carriers

/in /by

Following on the heels of two enforcement cases last summer against truckload carrier J.B. Hunt and LTL carrier Old Dominion (see August 2013 issue of California Transportation News), the Occupational Health and Health Administration (OSHA) Office of Public Affairs issued two more enforcement announcements against motor carriers in early January. Read more

Publisher

OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2013

/in /by
  1. Fall protection: Fall protection, according to OSHA, should be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry, and eight feet in long shoring operations.
  2. Hazard communication: The adoption of the GHS-aligned HazCom 2012 standard means a lot of big changes, so read the rule in its entirety.
  3. Scaffolding (construction): Workers must have proper fall protection when working on raised surfaces.
  4. Respiratory protection: Companies must provide appropriate respirators to employees as part of a respiratory protection program.
  5. Ladders: Common issues include non-parallel positioning relative to landings, too much or too little space between rungs, inadequate landing size, and ladder bases more than 12 inches off the ground.
  6. Machine guarding: Machine guards protect workers’ limbs, skin, and eyes from nip points, rotating parts, flying chips, and sparks.
  7. Powered industrial trucks: Ensure that forklifts and other industrial trucks are in top mechanical order. Operators must be trained and certified to operate vehicles safely.
  8. Electrical wiring methods: Trust wiring to licensed, bonded electricians. Use caution with extension cords.
  9. Lockout/tagout: Machinery or equipment can unexpectedly energize, start up, or release stored energy. Use professional-grade lockout and tagout supplies.
  10. Electrical general requirements: Avoid consumer-rated appliances for commercial work environments.