Aris Industries

The growing enthusiasm for the annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction has given rise to a new, similar event: the National Safety Stand-Up for Grain Safety Week. It’s happening this week. The event is designed to raise awareness about the hazards in the grain handling industry, which include engulfment/entrapment; slip, trip, and fall prevention; mechanical hazards; machine guarding; and lockout/tagout. Demonstrations of those hazards – along with discussions about how to abate them, were held at the Asmark Institute Agricenter in Bloomington, Illinois yesterday.

Full article: It’s National Safety Stand-UP Week – for grain handling safety
Source: Safety Best Practices

The IPIECA – the global oil and gas industry association for advancing environmental and social performance – and the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) have launched a new suite of guidance for the oil and gas industry: ‘Managing fatigue in the workplace’
The guidance includes fatigue management in the workplace, performance indicators for fatigue risk management systems, assessing risks from operator fatigue, and fatigue in fly-in, fly-out operations.

Full article: Managing fatigue in the oil and gas industry
Source: Safety Best Practices

Cintas Corporation has become the first company to reach 100 sites with Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) Star certification from OSHA. The company’s Dayton, Ohio location became its 100th VPP location in early 2019.
“Safety is woven into the DNA of Cintas’ culture, and we are extremely proud of this accomplishment,” said Scott Farmer, Chairman and CEO, Cintas. “Nearly 45,000 Cintas employee-partners across the country go to work every day, and it is our mission to make sure everyone goes home safe.”

Full article: Cintas becomes first company with 100 VPP star certified locations
Source: Safety Best Practices

How do manufacturing companies know the best and safest way to design workplaces and assign tasks? Ideally, injuries and illnesses should be prevented, but historically companies have adjusted their workplace policies, practices and procedures after an injury or illness occurred.
In a NIOSH-supported study at the University of Iowa’s College of Public Health, researchers tested the role of computer simulation in promoting workers’ well-being by designing safer work.

Full article: Computer simulation helps manufacturer improve safety, health
Source: Safety Best Practices

What are potential obstacles to building an effective Process Safety Management (PSM) program?

From what I’ve seen there are three related obstacles to building an effective PSM program. The first is engagement. It really takes commitment from everyone up and down the chain of command to build a best-in-class PSM program. Related to this is timely and relevant communication so that everyone from the shop floor up to the C-suite is on the same page. And the third obstacle is availability of decision-useful data.

Full article: Process Safety Management: A Q&A with Cority’s Ian Cohen
Source: Safety Best Practices

In 2019, 1,762,450 new cancer cases and 606,880 cancer deaths are projected to occur in the United States1. It is statistically improbable for someone in America not to know someone close who had or has cancer.

Full article: Managing fear of carcinogens
Source: Safety Best Practices

Small and midsize business owners who are struggling to find a way to address prescription drug misuse among their employees can get help from Sharing Solutions, an initiative just launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Said Carolyn Cawley, president of the Chamber Foundation; “Employer specific resources are thin, and they’re scattered. Our campaign collects and curates credible resources to help employers get what they need more quickly.”

Full article: U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to help employers combat opioid crisis
Source: Safety Best Practices

According to OSHA, one in five deaths in 2017 were in construction with what it calls the “Fatal Four.” These are accidents in construction caused by falls, being struck by objects, electrocution, and caught-in/between.

The first overlooked worksite safety practice is awareness. If employees are not made aware of the dangers they face in the workplace, the burden falls on management to ensure they do.

Full article: Overlooked work safety practices that lead to falls
Source: Safety Best Practices

When working in freezing temperatures, it always pays to be prepared. Whether you’re working in a year-round cold environment such as cold storage or you’re working construction in the dead of winter, knowing a few cold weather safety tips can help you remain both functional and comfortable on the job.

Full article: How to stay safe when working in freezing temps
Source: Safety Best Practices