Employers in Pennsylvania, especially those in construction, should know that OSHA has kicked off one of its National Emphasis Program, this time on trenching and excavation safety. According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 130 fatalities in trenching and excavation operations between 2011 and 2016. Eighty percent occurred in the private construction industry.
Pennsylvania drivers: beware of upsurge in big rig accidents
Statistics for 2016 show that over 4,300 people died because of trucking accidents on the country's highways. Over the past 20 years, the National Transportation Safety Board has recommended on 10 separate instances that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA, needs to do something about requiring anti-crash technology on all big rig trucks. The trucking accident problem is an issue currently being discussed by some members of Congress.
Lockout/tagout can prevent serious workplace injuries
Workers in Pennsylvania who deal with machinery and electricity are often at a higher risk of a serious on-the-job injury. This is one reason why lockout and tagout, or LOTO, rules are a major priority for the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. LOTO is used when a piece of equipment or a power supply needs to be maintained or service or when a guard or other type of safety device needs to be removed or bypassed to allow for repairs or other work. The safety procedure ensures that dangerous equipment is shut off and cannot be accidentally restarted; in many cases, visible red padlocks are used to designate a machine on LOTO.
