Safety and Health

The employer is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the workplace is safe and healthy for all employees.

The primary purpose of a safety and health program is to identify and control hazards in the workplace in order to prevent accidents and injuries.

Employees have a responsibility to follow safety procedures, report unsafe conditions, use personal protective equipment, and participate in safety training and drills.

Slips, trips, and falls are the most common type of workplace accident, accounting for over 25% of all accidents.

Falls from heights are the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for over 35% of all workplace deaths.

The purpose of a safety inspection is to identify and correct unsafe conditions in the workplace in order to prevent accidents and injuries.

A safety committee is typically composed of representatives from management and employees, and its role is to advise management on safety matters, conduct safety inspections, investigate accidents and incidents, and provide training to employees on safety procedures.

A hazard is a potential source of harm, while a risk is the likelihood that harm will occur. In other words, a hazard is something that can cause harm, while a risk is the chance that harm will actually happen.

The hierarchy of controls for managing hazards is a system that prioritizes the most effective methods for controlling hazards. The most effective method is elimination, which involves removing the hazard from the workplace. The next most effective method is substitution, which involves replacing the hazard with a less hazardous substance or process. Engineering controls are physical changes to the workplace that reduce the risk of exposure to hazards. Administrative controls are changes to work procedures or policies that reduce the risk of exposure to hazards. Personal protective equipment is the last line of defense against hazards, and should only be used when other methods of control are not feasible.

The most common types of personal protective equipment include hard hats, safety glasses, earplugs, and respirators. These items are designed to protect workers from head injuries, eye injuries, hearing loss, and respiratory problems.

A safety data sheet (SDS) is a document that provides information about the hazards of a chemical substance, instructions on how to use the substance safely, and information on how to dispose of the substance safely.

An accident is an event that results in injury or damage, while an incident is an event that could have resulted in injury or damage. In other words, an accident is an event that actually causes harm, while an incident is an event that has the potential to cause harm.

A lockout/tagout procedure is a safety procedure that is used to prevent the accidental release of energy during maintenance or repair work. The procedure involves isolating the energy source, locking and tagging the energy isolation device, and testing the lockout/tagout system to ensure that it is effective.

A confined space is a space that is not large enough for a person to enter and work in, while a permit-required confined space is a space that is large enough for a person to enter and work in, but has additional hazards, such as toxic gases, flammable vapors, or oxygen deficiency.

A confined space entry permit is a document that is used to authorize entry into a confined space. The permit identifies the hazards associated with the confined space, specifies the precautions that must be taken when entering the confined space, and authorizes the entry of specific individuals into the confined space.