One of the most visually prevalent pieces of safety equipment on a construction site is the traditional hard hat. Many employers’ safety and health programs require the wearing of hardhats at all times when on the construction site. This is a requirement that is over and above the OSHA PPE regulations. Where OSHA requires hardhats only in situations where there is a danger of overhead falling or flying objects, again many employers simply require 100% wearing of hardhats. I think this is a good idea since the worker may have no idea of where a potential danger’s coming from, such as another worker working overhead.
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OSHA recently released its Top Ten Safety Violations for 2009 for all industries. Fall protection continues to be among the top violations, occupying three of the top ten spots. However, early indications are that fatalities are substantially down according to the most recent (September 2010) fatality date on OSHA’s website (http://www.osha.gov). Interesting enough, a common thread through all these violations is that strict adherence to a company safety & health program, or I2P2 (OSHA’s latest term for Injury and Illness Prevention Program/ Plan) would address all of these issues. (more…)

Among the more welcome pieces of safety equipment to be broadly adopted by employer and worker alike is the back brace. Most often seen over the smock of your friendly neighborhood Home Improvement Store associate, the girdle-like garment has been the savior of many hard working people. However, even a back brace can not be a cure all for back related pains at the work site.
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