SafetyBlog

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released its list of the top 10 most commonly cited workplace safety violations for the year 2015.When speaking at the 2015 NSC Congress & Expo last month, OSHA's Patrick Kapust revealed the most common safety violations among employers. Some of these violations are obvious, as they constantly make the list each and every year, but others are somewhat surprising. Without further ado, let's take a look at the top 10 safety violati …

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) has advised the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to update its whistleblower protection program.The whistleblower protection program is designed to protect the rights of workers who file a complaint with OSHA. It's not uncommon for employers to retaliate against workers by demoting them, cutting their pay, or firing them altogether. Under OSHA's whistleblower program, however, retaliation such as this is against the law. So, why is the OI …

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced last week that it will shift it focus from counting the number of inspections it performs to conducting more complex and thorough inspections. So, what does this change mean for the nation's 28+ million employers?It's estimated that OSHA currently performs about 40,000 inspections per year, give or take a couple thousand. Normally, the Administration keeps records of these inspections so it can optimize its operations for greater …

How many hours per day do you spend sitting? It's not uncommon for men and women to spend more than half the day sitting. Whether you are driving, eating dinner, watching TV, using the computer, or even working, you might be sitting. And while this may seem harmless enough, there's growing evidence that it can lead to disease and other health problems later in life.According to a new study published in the journal Health Psychology Review, prolonged sitting has been linked to adverse health effe …

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new rules that place further restrictions on farm workers. These rules are designed to protect workers from the potentially dangerous effects of chemical-based pesticides.In a statement to the press, the EPA said that children will no longer be allowed to handle pesticides, and that all farm workers will be required to complete on-going safety courses regarding pesticides.There are an estimated 2 million Americans whom work in the farm indu …