In case you missed them, here are 10 of the LHSFNA’s most popular articles over the last year. The topics below touch on many of the biggest health and safety issues facing LIUNA members and their signatory employers. These articles are a snapshot of where the field of occupational safety and health stands at the end of 2017, and in many cases, they are a look at where we may be headed in the future.
1. “What Is Objective Data in the New Silica Rule and Where Can I Find It?”
It should be no surprise that our top article of the year involves OSHA’s silica rule. The standard is changing how construction contractors control dust and protect workers from harmful exposures. This article focused on helping contractors stay in compliance when not using Table 1.
2. Slow Down in Highway Work Zones: The Life You Save May Be Your Own
Keeping construction laborers safe in highway work zones has to involve the public. This year’s awareness campaign focused on helping drivers realize they are also at risk in work zones. In fact, 97 percent of the deaths that occur in work zones every year are to the traveling public.
3. Tips to Prevent Fogging Safety Glasses
Fogging safety glasses contribute to thousands of preventable eye injuries every year. Understanding the causes of fogging and what steps can be taken to prevent it can help reduce these injuries and keep workers on the job.
4. Do You Have a Competent Person Ready for OSHA’s New Silica Rule?
After contractors become familiar with the silica standard’s lower permissible exposure limit and options to control respirable dust, their questions often turn to the rule’s other requirements, including those surrounding competent persons and medical surveillance.
5. The State of Marijuana in the U.S. in 2017
State marijuana laws continue to change rapidly, yet the drug remains illegal at the federal level. This contradiction puts both employers and employees in a difficult situation. This article provided advice and best practices to help both sides navigate this issue.
6. Lyme Disease Could Be Lurking in Your Lawn
Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the U.S. and Canada. This article shared tips and best practices to prevent the spread of Lyme disease both on and off the jobsite.
7. Preventing Occupational Skin Disorders in Construction
A lot of attention gets paid to the “big four” injuries in construction, but occupational skin disorders are the second most common injury workers face, trailing only back injuries. This article helped workers understand the difference between irritant and allergic contact dermatitis and how this condition can be prevented.
8. Assessing and Improving Safety Climate on Your Jobsite
There are many programs designed to improve safety on construction sites. What one change would have the biggest impact on safety on your site? This article made the case that the answer should be improving your safety climate.
9. The Real Cost of Substance Abuse
Almost 21 million people in the U.S. suffer from substance use disorders and 75 percent of those people are part of the workforce. This article analyzed the costs of substance abuse and provided guidance on how employers can help workers get help when they need it.
10. Heart Disease: A Hazard at Every Worksite
Heart disease accounts for one in every four deaths in the U.S. every year. Factors on many construction sites – noise, shift work and secondhand smoke, to name a few – increase risk for heart disease. Consider ordering the Fund’s Your Heart at Work toolbox talk today and talking about these risks on your site.
[Nick Fox]
