Practical HR Tips, News & Advice. Updated Daily.
The material in today’s Advisor is adapted from BLR’s PowerPoint® training presentation Preventing Workplace Violence: What Employees Need to Know. Workplaces mirror the society in which we live. The workplace reflects the best qualities of society—and some of the worst. One problem that the workplace shares with the rest of society is violence. Although the […]
Employers are continually seeking the simplest means to meet their employee training requirements under OSHA’s hazardous waste operations and emergency response (HAZWOPER) regulations (29 CFR 1910.120). One method that may ease the burden is computer-based training, whether on CD, DVD, or online, which is increasingly available from commercial software vendors. However, OSHA makes it clear […]
First, let’s discuss why this training matters: By definition, sites covered by HAZWOPER contain substances that could endanger the health of employees and, potentially, the general public. OSHA cares a lot about HAZWOPER training—its standard covers training requirements extensively with an appendix on training guidelines. In fiscal year (FY) 2004, there were more than 200 […]
Let’s review some overall basics from yesterday’s Advisor: Who needs to be trained? OSHA’s Hazard Communication (HCS or HazCom) standard requires you to train employees to work safely with the hazardous chemicals in their work area when they are initially assigned to that area and whenever a new hazard is introduced. Why train workers in […]
Do your employees realize that not all hazardous chemicals are liquids or vapors, or that some otherwise harmless chemicals like nitrogen can become very hazardous indeed under certain conditions? Make sure your workers grasp the full range of possibilities that the term “hazardous chemicals” encompasses. Background on chemical safety Who needs to be trained? OSHA’s […]
“Wherever OSHA standards require that employee training be conducted ‘at least annually,’ OSHA interprets that to mean that employees must be provided retraining at least once every 12 months (i.e., within a time period not exceeding 365 days),” says David Galt, managing editor—safety, with BLR®—Business & Legal Resources (www.blr.com). This annual training need not be […]
In a BLR® webinar titled “OSHA Inspection: How to Prepare for a Surprise Visit and Minimize your Liability Risks,” Tracy L. Moon Jr., a practicing partner at Fisher & Phillips, LLP in Atlanta, and an authorized OSHA General Industry Outreach Trainer, explained the importance of supervisor engagement in and ownership of safety and health compliance. […]
Steve Early had no experience or prior training operating a forklift nor was he certified as a forklift operator. Nevertheless, on his first day of work at the AZ Company, he was assigned to operate a forklift. “There’s nothing to it,” his supervisor told him. “It’s just like driving a car.” “OK,” Early agreed. “I […]
Yesterday attorney David Schmit, founder of Schmit Law in Oakland, addressed some common (yet vexing) return-to-work questions. Today, his thoughts on a few more—plus an introduction to a workers’ comp webinar you won’t want to miss.
October 6 to 12 is National Fire Prevention Week (http://www.nfpa.org/safety-information/fire-prevention-week). Inspire your employees to participate in fire drill training by sharing the news about how a failure to train and drill on evacuation routes earned Hawaii companies large fines. The Hawaii State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations’ (DLIR) Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division […]