Tips & Updates about OSHA & Hazwoper Training Courses | Safety Tips

On February 15 this year, OSHA issued revised directives with regards to determining whether employers are complying with OSHA’s PPE standards. This directive is also known as the Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in the General Industry and is the latest about PPE from OSHA. It is an important document for employers as well as employees. The PPE standards first emerged in order to keep up with the rapid scientific advances in determining and eliminating workplace safety hazards, developments in the type of fabrics and materials used to avoid hazards and the type of respiratory and personal protection tools used. PPE has become a lot more sophisticated since then. There are several important changes that have been made, namely: Firstly, the document now clarifies just what type of PPE should be provided by employers at no cost to the employees and when are employers required to pay for PPE such as respirators, hard hats, hearing protection, personal fall protection...

Alabama, Florida, Louisiana and Mississippi are the four states that have been greatly affected by the oil spill at Gulf of Mexico. The U.S. Department of Labor has announced a National Emergency Grant of $27 million for the ongoing Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Hilda L. Solis, the U.S. Secretary of Labor said, “Working families in the Gulf Coast have been dealt a tremendous blow by this oil spill, and they are facing serious long-term challenges. They need and deserve our help now. From the start, we have been actively engaged in ensuring workers tackling the cleanup are kept safe and healthy. These grants will help those still looking for work find jobs that are good, safe and will help the region's economy get back on track." The four states have been experiencing economic hardship due to the wage decline and job loss in the shrimping, fishing, hospitality and tourism industries. And it is hoped that the funds will help them in recovering as far as possible. Alabama and Miss...

The law dictates a number of rules and regulations, which ideally should be adhered to. However, in reality, just the opposite tends to happen. For example, the workers who have to work outside in the heat. These workers need shade, water and heat illness training for their safety and health. According to the critics, although these things are provided by law, in reality, these existing rules are too vague to meet the workers requirements. As a result of this statement, California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board has decided to make the rules more specific adopting some revisions to current guidelines so that the workers can work comfortably and safely. They have calculated some new regulations, for example: Shade should be easily accessible and provided for at least 25-percent of employees in case of above 85-degrees temperatures. And above 90-degree temperature, plentiful water will be provided. If temperature goes higher than 95, for heat related illness, employ...

A final rule of the PPE or personal protective equipment has been revised by OSHA. The PPE sections include the general industry, long shoring, shipyard employment and marine terminals standards that mostly concern eye- and face-protective devices and head and foot protection requirements. The references have been updated in OSHA’s regulations to reveal more current editions of the appropriate national consensus standards that will integrate advances in technology. OSHA has put its requirement that the PPE should be safely designed and be constructed for the mission performed. Workers when they are exposed to occupational hazards require head, eye and face or foot protection. Now they will be provided a protection that will be based on the standard that reflects an advanced technology as well as materials. The final step has been taken by OSHA as an effort to update or to remove the references of outdated industry standards and national consensus. A revision of the PPE standards inclu...