Hazard identification and assessment within the workplace are critical elements of an effective safety and health program. Luis Silva, our USF SafetyFlorida contributor for October, provides insight into the proper storage of oxygen cylinders, as pictured in the above photo. What is wrong with this picture? An oxygen cylinder is stored immediately next to a fuel-gas cylinder in the welding area.  There is one more problem.  Can you identify it? Applicable OSHA regulation 1910.253(b)(4)(iii) Oxygen cylinders in storage shall be separated from fuel-gas cylinders or combustible materials (especially oil or […]

What first comes to your mind when thinking about occupational heat hazards? Many will think about outdoor work in the summertime. The 2023 summer season has greeted us with extreme heat advisories, watches, and warnings. By late June, more than a third, or 36% of the U.S. population, was covered by one of these heat alerts on a single day! You don’t need to wait until June or be outside to consider heat when developing your job hazard analysis (JHA).  OSHA fatality reports from 2017 to 2022 show 118 heat-related […]

William Tomlin, our USF SafetyFlorida contributor for July, provides insight on improving safety errors such as the one pictured in this photo. Can you spot what’s wrong with this picture? Keep reading to find out more. Hazard:                    An electrical power source […]

Commercial airline travel is safer than ever, and Dr. Clarence Rodrigues, a consultant with USF’s SafetyFlorida, the state’s work-related health and safety consultation program housed within the university’s College of Public Health, is playing a part in keeping it that way. Rodrigues is one of the co-authors of the seventh […]

Dear Reader, This element of the Management System focuses on developing a current and complete inventory of the safety and health hazards at the workplace, sometimes referred to as a comprehensive baseline hazard assessment.  It includes assessing how the hazards are controlled and worker exposure to them. The inventory serves as the basis for priority setting (i.e., policy, goals, and objectives). It requires the expertise of an internal or external qualified individual to conduct the baseline hazard assessment.  Another aspect of hazard identification includes effective safety and health daily, weekly, or monthly inspections […]

Mental health is constantly in the news of late and is considered a major social problem. It can be associated with dangerous behavior and seen as threatening to society and the social order, especially in the media. However, there are widespread misunderstandings about mental illness, and many remain unaware that their symptoms could be connected to a mental health condition and therefore don’t seek treatment. Since an individual with a mental disorder does not look visibly different from others, the issue is dismissed frequently or minimized, adding to the challenges […]

Hazards: 1926.502(i)(1) Covers located in roadways and vehicular aisles shall be capable of supporting, without failure, at least twice the maximum axle load of the largest vehicle expected to cross over the cover. 1926.502(i)(2) All other covers shall be capable of supporting, without failure, at least twice the weight of employees, equipment, and materials that may be imposed on the cover at any one time. 1926.502(i)(3) All covers shall be secured when installed to prevent accidental displacement by the wind, equipment, or employees 1926.502(i)(4) All covers shall be color-coded or […]

Following the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, many communities in Florida were faced with the daunting task of rebuilding after the second deadliest hurricane on record slammed into the state. The USF SafetyFlorida Consultation Program, housed in the USF College of Public Health, initiated outreach efforts to these devastated regions under […]