In a purely non-scientific, sticking-my-finger-into-the-wind kind of way, it seems to me there’s been more discussion of Safety 2, Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), and Safety Differently lately.

Note: I tend to lump these all together because they have a lot in common and I’ll be using the term Safety Differently for the rest of this article.

Maybe you’ve noticed that same increase in chatter about and interest in Safety Differently yourself lately.

Not so long ago, I “listened in” on a thoughtful and interesting discussion on LinkedIn in which people were discussing Safety Differently. One of the primary issues in the discussion was whether or not Safety Differently was really any different that “traditional” safety.

Ron Gantt, as he often does, entered the fray and presented a comprehensive, eloquent answer in which he suggested that Safety Differently really is different than traditional safety. (I should also note that many people who contributed to this discussion were very thoughtful–it was one of those times when you realized that a social media network like LinkedIn really can be a great community where passionate, informed professionals exchange views and opinions in a productive, civil, respectful manner.)

I was pretty impressed, and I asked Ron if we could do an interview in which he presents his views on Safety Differently. Ron was kind enough to agree, as he has in the past as well, and we’re very grateful to him for his contributions below. For those of you not familiar with Ron, check out the SafetyDifferently.com website that he edits and keep an eye out for him at safety and similar conferences–he’s an engaging and persuasive speaker. You can also find additional information about Ron at the bottom of this article.

And now, let’s get to talking to Ron about Safety Differently.

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Here’s another one of our OSHA Basics series of articles.

In this one, we’re going to explain what a “vertical” standard is and what a “horizontal” standard is.

If that catches your attention or piques your curiosity, read on!

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Did you know that there are about 3,000 new cases of mesothelioma, a disorder associated with exposure to asbestos, every year (in the US)? It’s true.

This is a high number, to be sure. And that high number becomes even more grave when you realize that diagnosed patients have a life expectancy of 12-21 months after diagnosis, that only 23% live longer than a year after diagnosis, and that on average, there are 2,500 mesothelioma related deaths in a year.

I recently met up with Shawn Tallet, a Health Advocate with the Mesothelioma and Asbestos Awareness Center (MAAC), and he shared those numbers above with me. Shawn’s been nice enough to tell us a little more about asbestos, asbestos exposure in the workplace, and mesothelioma in the interview below. Our thanks to Shawn, to the MAAC, and to all the good people working to help prevent asbestos-related illness and to help those who do suffer from it.

In addition to the information below, I’d point you to the MAAC’s blog, which has a lot of helpful articles on the topic. And we’ve included a short sample of our own Online Asbestos Awareness Safety Training Course at the bottom of this article as well.

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Here’s another quick article in our OSHA Basics series, in which we explain basic, ground-level information about OSHA that you may not know. Hey, none of us were born with this information and you’ve got to learn it somewhere, right?

In this article, we’re going to explain what an OSHA Directive is. We hope you’ll find this helpful. They’re definitely good to know about in the context of OSHA inspections.

And with that to pique your curiosity, let’s get started.

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As part of our OSHA Basics series, in which we explain some basic information about OSHA, we’re turning our attention to OSHA’s letters of interpretation.

If you’ve never heard of a letter of interpretation, they’re worth knowing about.

Or, maybe you’ve heard of them, but have always been a little curious about what they are. If that’s the case with you, we think we can help you out.

Or maybe you’re just curious about how to find OSHA’s letters of interpretations so you can read them yourself. Again, we’ve got you covered.

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In this installment of our OSHA Basics series, we’re going to give you a quick introduction to OSHA’s so-called “General Duty Clause.” The General Duty Clause is found in Section 5 of the OSH Act–5(a)(1), to be exact. And in general terms, it’s OSHA’s requirement that employers provide employees with a safe work environment that’s free of recognized hazards.

You probably know OSHA has many specific safety & health requirements for specific safety and health hazards–things like welding fumes, airborne particulates, and confined spaces, for example. But you can probably also understand that there may be unsafe, hazardous working conditions that aren’t covered by a specific OSHA standard. That’s the situation that OSHA’s General Duty Clause was created to cover–it’s a bit of a safety at work catch-all.

Read on to find out what the General Duty Clause is, how it’s related to an employer’s responsibility for occupational safety and health, and how an OSHA inspector might cite an employer for violating the General Duty Clause.

Plus, feel free to download our free Guide to OSHA General Industry Compliance Guide at any time, and stay tuned for a similar guide for Construction.

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For many (but not all) employers, July 1, 2018 is the deadline for submitting your calendar year 2017 form 300A, the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses, using OSHA’s still-relatively new online submission portal.

To find out which employers have to submit their 300As on July 1, and to find out where to do that, read on.

Also, feel free to download our FREE GUIDE TO OSHA REPORTING & RECORDKEEPING.

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