JEREMY J. LANCASTER, CSP. Excavation and trenching pose serious threats to worker safety. I personally experienced the long-lasting consequences of unsafe excavation and trenching practices when I lost my brother to a fatal excavation collapse. This article offers key lessons in safety and prevention to stop similar future fatalities. Excavation and trenching are some of…

By Mike Randall, CSP and Jeremy J. Lancaster, CSP Improper rigging, not knowing the full weight of the load, and load movement during lifting are all common causes of crane incidents. Being aware of the sling configuration and its impact on capacity will go a long way to ensure a lift is performed safely. When…

Industrial incidents, both nonfatal and fatal, continue to occur at a dangerous and unacceptable level. In 2021, 2.6 million nonfatal injuries or illnesses were reported. In the same year, 5,190 fatal work-related injuries occurred across all sectors. Annual Fatal Incidents Have Trended Upward Since 2011 Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Furthermore, the Chemical Safety…

Workplace safety and health are critical for employees and employers. Ensuring a safe work environment is crucial not only for the well-being of workers but also for the productivity and success of a business.  Industrial hygiene is the art and science of recognizing, evaluating, and controlling occupational and environmental health hazards that may cause health…

Proper Maintenance and Inspection Jerome E. Spear, CIH, CSP, FAIHA | Mike Randall, CSP “A chain is only as strong as its weakest link” is an often used cliché frequently spoken or written in a figurative context. Although not a chain, wire rope is often an integral part of many pieces of load handling equipment…

By Jerome E. Spear, CIH, CSP, FAIHA According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), one death occurs in every 10 confined space accidents. Injuries and fatalities involving confined spaces often involve successive fatalities when “would-be” rescuers succumb to the same problem as the initial victim. Almost every kind of industry has some type…

by Jerome E. Spear, CIH, CSP, FAIHA Heinrich’s study in 1931 concluded that for every serious injury, about 29 minorinjuries occur with 300 other occurrences that produce no injury (Heinrich 90). In anotherstudy, Bird and Germaine showed a 500:100:1 relationship among property-damageaccidents, minor-injury accidents, and disabling injury accidents (Bird and Germain 21).Fletcher reported a ratio…

By Jerome E. Spear, CSP, CIH Chromium has been used commercially in the U.S. for more than 100 years. Chromium occurs mainly in three forms, described by its valence state. Metallic chromium (Cr[0]) is a steel-gray solid with a high melting point that is used to make steel and other alloys. Chromium metal does not…

By Jerome E. Spear, CIH, CSP, FAIHA When the National Science Foundation’s Office of Polar Programs organizes a team to travel to the Antarctica to drill ice cores, preparations are extreme.  Drillers wear tight cuff wet gear over extremely cold weather gear as well as gloves, hoods, cold weather face masks and chemical vapor respirators.…

By Jerome E. Spear, CIH, CSP, FAIHA The use of lift trucks powered by internal combustion engines inside buildings and enclosed spaces creates the potential buildup of carbon monoxide (CO).  Propane-powered (LPG) lift trucks represent 60% of all material handling vehicles and 80% of all internal combustion lift trucks.  Although LPG lift trucks emit considerably…