Alliance Safety Council - Safety & Training Articles

In an ongoing effort to raise awareness and understanding of the value of safety and health programs, OSHA has designated June 12-18, 2017 as Safe + Sound Week. Focuses of the event include management leadership, worker participation, and a systematic approach to finding and fixing hazards in workplaces.

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction workers, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In an effort to mitigate injuries and fatalities, the month of March is being recognized as National Ladder Safety Month by the American Ladder Institute. Working professionals, ladder manufacturers and government organizations are collaborating on this awareness initiative.

OSHA issued a Final Rule on Respirable Crystalline Silica in March 2016. The rule aims to reduce instances of lung cancer, silicosis and kidney disease in workers by limiting exposure to respirable crystalline silica. Enforcement for the construction industry is scheduled to begin on June 23, 2017.

OSHA recently issued a final rule that aims to improve tracking of workplace injuries and illnesses. The rule, which took effect on Jan. 1, requires employers with over 250 employees to electronically submit the data from all OSHA forms (OSHA Form 300 — Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; OSHA Form 300A — Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses; and OSHA Form 301 — Injury and Illness Incident Report).

Falls from heights and on the same level are among the leading causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths, according to OSHA. To mitigate this, OSHA has issued a final rule on walking-working surfaces and personal fall protection systems. The new rule offers updates and clarifications on standards, and also adds training and inspection requirements.

For the eighth straight year, the Louisiana Governor’s Safety & Health Conference was once again the place to find reliable, local resources and updates to accelerate the skills of those involved in the many facets of safety.

With the recent floods, countless individuals in Baton Rouge and surrounding areas are currently seeking disaster site workers. To meet this need, the Mid-South OSHA Training Institute Education Center and Alliance Safety Council is offering the OSHA 7600 Disaster Site Worker Course for only $10 to cover materials.

For the first time in 25 years, industry will soon be facing increased OSHA fines in accordance with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Penalties under the OSH Act and the Social Security Act, which were previously excluded by a 1996 amendment to the Inflation Adjustment Act, are now subject to increase.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has designated May 2-6, 2016 as the third annual National Safety Stand-Down. The event involves a nationwide effort to remind and educate employers and workers in the construction industry of the serious dangers of falls. During the week of the National Safety Stand-Down, companies across the country will pause during their workdays for discussions, demonstrations and training on how to recognize hazards and prevent falls.