Personnel Safety


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Personnel Safety

Subtopics:

Fall Protection
Personal Protective Equipment
Slips, Trips, and Falls

Complete Topic List

Online Exclusive: Sample guns-at-work policy
COCA Online Exclusive June 2013
The presence of guns increases the possibility of gun violence--so say studies that have examined gun ownership among homeowners, as well as studies examining the availability of guns in the workplace. . . . more »

NIOSH provides guidance on weight limits for maternal lifting
June 2013
Researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently teamed up with the U.S. Department of Defense to evaluate the scientific evidence linking occupational lifting . . . more »

Workplace violence: Guns-at-work policies and California law; What you need to know
June 2013
In the wake of the Newtown, Connecticut, school shootings and other workplace shootings, employers are not waiting for the federal government to act to prevent gun violence. Many are instituting new policies about weapons in the workplace. . . . more »

Trainer's handbook: Teach workers to identify and investigate near misses
May 2013
In February 2013, a meteorite crashed spectacularly into the Ural Mountains in Russia, shattering windows and injuring more than 1,000 people. That same week, an asteroid the size of a swimming pool passed by the Earth, close enough to make owners of weather satellites extremely nervous. . . . more »

Hazard identification: Electronic waste recycling exposes workers to multiple hazards; Make these 'green' jobs safer
March 2013
When it's time for a new television, microwave oven, computer, or cell phone, what do you do with the old one? In California, you don't just toss it in the trash. These and other electronic devices contain metals, primarily lead and mercury, that can cause widespread damage to the environment when they leach out of landfills. . . . more »

Elevating work platforms: The 5 leading causes of deadly accidents and how to prevent them
January 2013
Work at elevation always exposes workers to the hazard of a deadly fall. The use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs, also known as aerial work platforms or AWPs), such as boom lifts and scissor lifts, can provide a measure of safety. Unfortunately, the enhanced safety provided by guardrails as well as the ability to have both hands free to work and a place to put tools and equipment are to some degree offset by the hazards of the elevating equipment itself. . . . more »

Injuries and illnesses: Transportation accidents, workplace violence top causes of fatal injuries; Is your industry at risk?
January 2012
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) has released its preliminary Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries data for 2011, a year in which 360 California workers died on the job, a 10 percent increase from 2010. . . . more »

Hazard identification: CDC highlights 4 hazards for hotel housekeepers; Tips to keep custodial workers healthy
December 2012
More than 400,000 hotel housekeepers are at work in America today, and they're working harder than ever. Housekeepers are dealing with thicker, fluffier pillows and comforters, more layers of sheets, and ever-heavier linen carts. . . . more »

Hazard identification: Study finds commercial fishing is the most dangerous job; Handling 5 common hazards
November 2012
Commercial fishing is tough work. The work surface is constantly wet, always moving, and buffeted by water and wind. Fishermen work long hours, sometimes with little sleep for long periods, in all kinds of weather. If they're injured on the job, their access to medical care is limited until the Coast Guard arrives. . . . more »

Standards update: New rules enhance safety for laboratory workers, tree trimmers
November 2012
Two new standards were recently finalized by California's Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board (OSHSB) that address hazards common to laboratory workers and tree trimmers. Read on to learn what's new. . . . more »

Hazard identification: New Cal/OSHA guide addresses restaurant industry hazards and common violations
September 2012
From 2002 through 2010, Cal/OSHA conducted 135 investigations of serious accidents in restaurants, 11 of which resulted in fatalities. . . . more »

Researchers urge on-site worker rescue plans for confined spaces
July 2012
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, have found that many employers mistakenly rely on public fire departments to rescue workers from confined spaces like water and sewer pipes, manh . . . more »

Construction: Watch out for that bulldozer! How to keep pedestrians safe around moving equipment
July 2012
At a Glendale worksite, a carpenter was struck and killed by a front-end loader when he walked through the area where the loader was operating to retrieve work materials from storage and was in the loader's blind spot. Cal/OSHA cited the employer for a violation of Construction Safety Orders (CSO) Section 1592 for failing to control its earthmoving equipment in a way that protected workers on foot. It was assessed an $18,000 fine. . . . more »

Appeals Board Decisions: Mistakes and Miscommunications Lead to Double Drowning; Don't Let This Happen in Your Workplace
April 2012
Workers for Teichert Construction of Sacramento were digging a trench as part of a municipal water project in Paso Robles on Oct. 2, 2008. Three men worked in the excavation at the corner of Niblick Road and South River Road. Two were inside a large pipe removing wooden supporting timbers; they passed these to a third man who stood outside the pipe. . . . more »

Construction: Concrete Pours Gone Wrong Injure Workers; Incidents Highlight Worksite Hazards
April 2012
The concrete pour at the site of an apartment building under construction in San Francisco not far from the Golden Gate Bridge was not going well last August. As workers were pouring a section of the roof, the falsework--temporary framework that supports a building during construction--shifted, dropping about four inches. . . . more »

Online Exclusive: Checklist for Cutting the Risk of Amputations in Your Workplace
COCA Online Exclusive March 2012
A Port of Oakland worker loses both legs after she is run over by a container lift; a worker clearing brush alongside Route 76 in Bonsall loses his arm when a loose cable whips past him. Although most amputations are related to medical conditions like diabetes, 25 percent are caused by traumatic incidents like these that can occur on the job. . . . more »

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