Twelve companies that include ACCO Brands Corp., Buffalo Gap Instrumentation & Electrical Co. Inc., Caterpillar Inc., EnPro Industries, EuroKera North America, Fluor Corp., Gribbins Insulation Co. Inc., Honeywell Federal Manufacturing and Technologies LLC, Kennametal Inc., Nalco Co., Richard Goettle Inc. and Savage Services have all made it into the 2011 Safest Companies list as named by EHS Today.  Safe work environments are extremely important not only in order to get workers home safely but to keep the company performing at top level.

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Trench drains are used in a variety of industries from manufacturing, utilities, food processing, commercial and even some residential situations.  A trench drain is a long drain that sits flush with the floor.  It efficiently moves liquids, sometimes large amounts of liquids, out of a possible slippery area.  Trench drains need to be covered in order to prevent trip hazards.  Grating, perforated plate, expanded metal and sometimes floor plate are all options that can cover the drain preventing objects from falling in.

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Have you ever thought twice about a decision you made?  Wondering how things would be if you made the other decision and how life changing it could have been.  Everyone has in personal and professional situations.  In the article “Managing Safety: Three Steps to Build Character in Safety” David G. Lynn talks about making the right choices in the workplace and helps to identify situations that lead to unsafe decision.  The three steps are:

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Patrick Kapust, of OSHA announced the top ten violations at this year’s National Safety Council’s Congress and Expo.  The list tends to be similar from year to year with the top few moving positions, Fall Protection made it to number one this year.  EHS Today listed the top ten and the number of violations as stated below:

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When you think of perforated metal you may picture decorative panels in homes and business, architectural sun shades on business, acoustic equipment, washer drums, strainers, guard rails, and fuel/air filter systems; however perforated metal can also be efficiently and effectively used as a safety flooring product.

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You may think slip and falls occur most on ramps or steps, but surprisingly they happen on flat walking surfaces where high traffic is prevalent.  Slip and falls are not only dangerous to pedestrians, but can be fatal.  There are more than 20,000 fatalities per year in the United States, resulting in roughly 55 per day.  Beyond being dangerous, slip and falls can be extremely costly.  According to the National Council on Compensation, the annual cost of disabling occupational injuries due to slip and falls exceed $11 billion.

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Many unpreventable factors can cause a slip, trip and fall accident within a facility costing big bucks in unemployment and liability claims.  Wet or damp floors are not the only cause; clutter, footwear and improper cleaning are additional slip and fall factors.  The majority of general industry accidents are slip, trip and falls. Disabling occupational injuries due to slips, trips and falls has cost an estimated $11 billion annually. According to Don Ostrander, CSP, “The average cost from slip and falls is $22,800 per accident. Average worker’s compensation claim is $19,000.”  Many times when an employee has an on the job accident the company has to factor in a replacement worker on top of the salary of the unemployed.  There is no limit to what fees companies will be responsible for when a visitor has a slip and fall accident on the premise.  Legal and medical fees can be unbearable.

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In the food and beverage industry accident prevention is a top priority due to the high volume of ingredients and food items utilized for processing in these plants.  From oils and powder to syrup and water, liquids are a key ingredient to many of the food items processed in manufacturing facilities.  According to an article titled “Falls from Height” on the Health and Safety Executive website, falls form height in the food and beverage industry account for 20% of fatal accidents and are the third highest cause of fatal injury.  In addition, falls from height comprise 80 major injuries a year and 230 over 3-day absences each year.

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The U.S workforce spans across four generations for the first time in modern history.  Effectively training, managing and communicating with all generations can be a challenge for managers.  Effective safety training can be difficult as each generation has different work habits, work ethics, and ways of learning.  An article entitled “The Barriers to Effective Safety Training: Finding Training Techniques that Bridge Generation Gaps” talks about different ways to effectively train cross generation facilities.

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Forklift accidents are one of the most common pedestrian accidents in the United States; with nearly 100 deaths and 20,000 seriously injured workers each year.  It’s imperative for decision makers to understand the technologies available and how they can help increase safety between workers.  Better communication between operators and pedestrians will also help reduce collisions.  According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the most common causes of forklift fatalities include:

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