Workplace safety starts with the right equipment. Whether it's protecting your head, hands, or lungs, personal protective equipment (PPE) plays a vital role in keeping workers safe in hazardous environments. But with so many options available, understanding the different types of PPE and their specific uses can be a challenge. This is where SP Group comes in. Specializing in Occupational Health and Safety, SP Group helps businesses choose the right protective gear through expert consultations, training programs, and job hazard analyses. Let’s take a closer look at the various types of PPE and how they protect workers every day.
PPE refers to any gear or clothing worn to minimize exposure to hazards that can cause injuries or illnesses in the workplace. These hazards may include physical dangers like falling objects or flying debris, chemical exposures, extreme temperatures, and biological agents. PPE acts as a critical barrier between workers and these risks, reducing the likelihood of harm.
From the construction industry and manufacturing to healthcare and pharmaceuticals, PPE is an essential part of maintaining a safe working environment. It’s not a one-size-fits-all solution—each type of PPE is designed to address specific hazards, and choosing the right equipment requires careful assessment of the risks involved in each job. Through a detailed job hazard analysis, companies like SP Group help identify these risks and recommend the appropriate PPE, ensuring that every worker is properly protected.
Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of PPE and the essential role they play in workplace safety.
Head injuries are a serious risk in industries like construction and mining. Hard hats and helmets are designed to protect workers from falling objects, impacts, and even electrical hazards. There are various types of hard hats and helmets for different safety needs- the most common types include:
These hard hats are typically made from durable materials like thermoplastic or fiberglass and often include suspension systems for shock absorption.
Protecting the eyes and face is critical in environments where flying debris, chemical splashes, or light radiation may be present. Different types of eye and face protection include:
Each type is designed for specific hazards and environments to ensure maximum safety.
In industries where workers are exposed to harmful dust, fumes, or biological agents, respiratory protection is essential. Different types of respiratory protection equipment include:
Excessive noise can lead to long-term hearing damage, making hearing protection important in industries like manufacturing, aviation, and construction. Different types of hearing protection equipment include:
Workers use their hands in nearly every task, making hand protection one of the most commonly used forms of PPE. Different types of hand protection equipment include:
Foot injuries are common in workplaces with heavy machinery or sharp objects. Different types of foot protection equipment include:
In jobs where workers are exposed to chemicals, extreme heat, or other environmental hazards, body protection is essential. Different types of body protection equipment include:
Falls are one of the leading causes of injury in industries like construction, roofing, and utility work. Fall protection systems, including harnesses and lanyards, are designed to prevent these accidents. Different types of fall protection equipment include:
Selecting the right PPE is only the first step in maintaining workplace safety. Proper implementation, training, and regular audits are equally crucial to a safe working environment. This is where SP Group excels, offering a full range of services to help businesses not only choose the best protective gear but also how to integrate it into their daily operations.
SP Group plays a key role in:
By partnering with SP Group, businesses can rest assured that they are providing the best protection for their employees. Contact SP Group today to learn how we can help you develop and implement a comprehensive PPE program built to your business's needs. Your employees' safety is our top priority!
While workplace accidents will eventually happen no matter how careful you try to be, many injuries are preventable. Regardless of your industry, safe working environments are often taken for granted, and complacency while taking on routine tasks can be the tipping point that creates hazards even in workplaces with less than normal risk.
However, between a combination of training, proper equipment, easily accessible guidance, a thorough safety policy, and help from an industrial hygiene consultant a majority of workplace accidents can be prevented entirely. With the experience gained from working with businesses of all types across the United States, here are the 5 most common workplace accidents and how to prevent them.
There are many definitions of workplace accidents and incidents, and similarly, there are many events that might be considered a workplace accident. According to the National Association of Safety Professionals, a workplace accident is defined as “a situation, hazard, or event which happens suddenly and leads to serious illness or injury”. In summary, an accident must involve:
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, private industry employers reported 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses in 2022. Additionally, the National Safety Council reports that an employee is injured on the job every seven seconds in the United States. Workplace accidents may include any type of physical or mental harm caused to employees in the workplace, but they can also include harm to individuals who are not directly employed and the surrounding environment.
Repetitive strain injuries are a common type of accident that occurs with workers who injure their musculoskeletal system from completing repetitive tasks. While many people may associate repetitive strain injuries with office workers who spend long hours sitting down at a desk, these types of injuries can occur in practically all industries. Repetitive strain injuries are also linked with overexertion and tiredness, such as from lifting, bending, pulling, pushing, and kneeling regularly without any breaks. Individuals’ neck, back, arms, hands, and shoulders are the most common parts of the body injured from RPIs.
Repetitive strain injuries and accidents resulting from overexertion and tiredness can certainly be prevented. In many situations, these injuries arise due to poor ergonomic design of an employee's work environment. Creating a more ergonomic workplace along with increasing breaks and diversifying tasks is a great way to reduce and even eliminate these injuries completely.
According to the National Safety Council, 850 workers died in falls, and hundreds of thousands were injured badly enough to require days off of work in 2021. While construction workers are seven times more at risk from a falling injury, this accident can occur in any industry, including laboratories, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and even desk jobs. The NSC, however, proposes that accidents caused by falling are 100% preventable. Consider the following to limit the amount of falling accidents in your workplace:
According to the CDC, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related deaths in the U.S. From 2011-2020, more than 17,000 workers in the U.S. died in a work-related motor vehicle crash. In 2019 alone, work-related crashes cost employers $39 billion. This risk is increased when considering the extra danger posed by machines in general, including, for example, excavators, farming equipment, heavy machinery, stationary machinery, etc.
Accidents caused by vehicles and machines can be prevented by encouraging a strong safety culture, requiring training and proper certification and licenses, and taking steps to mitigate exhaustion and long hours of workers using vehicles and machinery.
Psychological stress occurs due to work-related stress, low role clarity, poor organizational management change, high or low job demand, poor environmental conditions, and remote or isolated work. A report by Atticus found that mental health issues account for 52% of all workplace injury cases and that 1 in 10 workers experience mental health issues related to their jobs.
Mental injuries can be prevented by communicating thoroughly with employees about their needs and integrating targeted changes based on their feedback. Furthermore, certain implementations can be made in order to provide more work clarity, more optimized work routines, provisions for access to nature, and isolation mitigation.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, workers in the U.S. suffer more than 190,000 illnesses and approximately 50,000 deaths annually related to chemical exposures. Toxic material exposure is possible in almost any industry, but it is particularly concentrated in pharmaceutical jobs. These types of accidents also have the potential to cause harm to the surrounding environment.
Toxic material exposure can be prevented by integrating EHS and OHS compliance and by hiring the services of a safety consultant to perform audits on your facility, thereby recommending unbiased feedback. Toxic material can also come in the form of disease and poor hygiene, therefore it is also recommended to hire the professional help of an industrial hygiene consultant.
Steps can always be taken in order to minimize or even fully prevent accidents from occurring in the workplace. Although many of the most common accidents are vastly different in how they are likely to occur, one solution is able to address each one with the same precision and attention to detail. An industrial hygiene consultant can provide an organization with unbiased feedback from an outside perspective. They are a great way to supplement more frequent inspections with broader and more inclusive audits that will help keep your organization’s workplace environment in line with the highest safety standards.
Are you looking for ways to maximize your employees’ safety and optimize your regulatory compliance? Contact the safety consultants at The SP Group to learn more about how we can help your organization today.
Energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal, or other sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous to workers—in fact, hazardous energy leads to workplace fatalities every year. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy can result in serious injury or death to workers, but there are ways to mitigate the risks posed by hazardous energy, namely through Lockout/Tagout procedures.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration upholds a standard for an employer’s responsibility to protect workers from hazardous energy, which includes the full implementation of Lockout/Tagout procedures and adequately training employees so that they know, understand, and are able to follow its provisions. As safety consultant experts, The SP Group has found that effective Lockout/Tagout training is the single most important factor in minimizing the risk of hazardous energy. Read on for our insight into optimizing your training program so that you can ensure your employees are safe and all regulatory requirements are met.
Lockout/Tagout (often referred to as LOTO) is a phrase to describe the safety procedures for the isolation of machinery and other work equipment in which energy is used, stored, or created. It’s a system that helps to avoid the potential accidents and incidents that can occur during maintenance, servicing, repair, or inspection activities in the workplace.
LOTO involves placing a padlock on a machine once the energy has been fully isolated from it, and then attaching a tag to the machine to communicate that it should not be used. This ensures that workers can complete necessary maintenance, servicing, repair, or inspection work safely, without putting themselves or others at risk. LOTO is also used for machines that present risks during maintenance, servicing, repair, or inspection, such as power presses, processing machines and automatic processing lines, mixing machines, ovens, conveyor systems, and mechanical handling systems, amongst others.
Without these preventative measures, there’s a chance that machines that are being serviced and worked on could be accidentally activated, exposing maintenance personnel to hazardous electricity. The lock mechanism creates a physical barrier to prevent machines from being activated, and the tag gives a visual cue that indicates that a machine should not be activated. This should coincide with a training program that informs all employees, regardless if their job is associated with electrical work or not, what LOTO is and how to follow its provisions.
A robust lockout/tagout program is a regulatory requirement and a cornerstone of workplace safety. It protects your employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, preventing injuries and fatalities. Ensuring all devices are properly locked and tagged out during maintenance and repair operations is vital for safety and security. Benefits of a robust lockout/tagout training program include:
Your LOTO program and its corresponding training may need to be updated. It is an ongoing health and safety mechanism that should be continually evaluated for its effectiveness and compliance with regulatory standards. Be on the lookout for recurring safety incidents, outdated or worn-out lockout tags, non-compliance issues found in inspections, and negative feedback from employees. Also, be aware of changes or additions in machinery and equipment that should require updates to your LOTO program and training regimen.
As mentioned above, training is a crucial component of the LOTO program. Here are several tips to improve your LOTO training and thereby minimize potential risks:
LOTO programs are less useful if employees do not understand all aspects of it. Your training program should be designed to be comprehensive in that it covers all relevant aspects, and it should be designed to be straightforward so that it is clear and easy to understand.
OSHA requires LOTO training once a year, but accountability should be at the forefront of every training program. Consider assigning each employee a role to ensure the accountability of others in their team, and provide clear expectations about consequences should LOTO procedures be avoided or incorrectly followed.
Your training program should continually be reviewed for its effectiveness as well as its applicability to new, updated equipment and machinery. Consider conducting evaluations from a corporate perspective as well as from the employee level, such as asking whether there was any confusion about the process and whether the information provided in training was suitable for any updates your facility may have received.
Similarly to the above, investing in audits and inspections can help determine the overall effectiveness of a LOTO training program. By hiring the help of a third-party safety consultant, you can gain unbiased feedback about the training and safety procedures currently in place and receive insight into how to optimize them for a better workplace in the future.
An effective Lockout/Tagout training program is critical to ensuring that employees are safe from risks posed by hazardous energy. Unfortunately, LOTO programs and training are just one aspect of comprehensive occupational safety, and there are a plethora of safety risks employees and customers might face depending on a company’s industry. If you think your employees could benefit from an improved LOTO training program or if you have concerns about other facets of your workplace safety, contact The SP Group to learn more about partnering with a professional safety consultant today!
In the fast-paced and high-stakes world of the pharmaceutical industry, the health and safety of employees are paramount. With the constant handling of potentially hazardous chemicals, biological agents, and complex machinery, the industry poses unique occupational health risks that must be carefully managed and mitigated. Ensuring a safe working environment is not only a regulatory requirement but also a critical component of maintaining productivity, employee morale, and a strong organizational reputation.
This blog delves into the effective strategies for minimizing occupational health risks in the pharmaceutical industry. From implementing robust safety protocols and leveraging cutting-edge technology to fostering a culture of safety and providing continuous education and training, we will explore comprehensive approaches that can help safeguard the well-being of your workforce. Whether you are a seasoned professional or new to the pharmaceutical field, understanding and applying these strategies can make a significant difference in creating a safer, healthier workplace. Join the OHS experts at The SP Group as we navigate the complexities of occupational health and uncover practical solutions for risk minimization in this vital industry.
Minimizing occupational health risks in the pharmaceutical industry is of critical importance for several key reasons:
1. Employee Well-being: The most immediate and compelling reason to minimize occupational health risks is to protect the well-being of employees. The pharmaceutical industry involves exposure to hazardous substances, complex machinery, and laboratory environments, which can pose significant health threats. Ensuring a safe work environment helps prevent injuries, illnesses, and chronic health problems among workers.
2. Regulatory Compliance: The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, with stringent guidelines from bodies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and other international regulatory agencies. Non-compliance with these regulations can result in severe penalties, fines, and even shutdowns of facilities. Minimizing occupational health risks ensures adherence to these crucial regulatory requirements.
3. Productivity and Efficiency: A safe working environment correlates strongly with higher levels of productivity and efficiency. When employees feel safe and healthy, they can focus better on their tasks, which leads to improved performance and fewer disruptions in workflow caused by accidents or health-related absences.
4. Employee Morale and Retention: Demonstrating a commitment to safety and health boosts employee morale and job satisfaction. Employees who feel safe and protected are more likely to remain at their jobs, leading to higher productivity and retention.
The first step in minimizing potential risks is to identify and address the most common hazards. Some of the most common hazards present in the pharmaceutical industry include:
The pharmaceutical industry continues to make rapid advances in the prevention and treatment of infectious pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and fungi. To drive this innovation, pharmaceutical workers, scientists, and researchers must routinely handle these hazardous organisms, along with any chemicals and materials needed for the development of vaccines and other types of medicines. PPE, adequate ventilation, sanitation, and other critical processes can help to reduce the risk of biological hazards.
Core to the pharmaceutical industry is the handling, use, transportation, and storage of all types of chemicals. Many of the chemicals used in the pharmaceutical industry can be extremely hazardous to human health if consumed, inhaled, or touched.
Just like any other workplace, workers can be subjected to ergonomic hazards that cause short and long-term physical health issues. If employees cannot move freely or easily, or if employees have to conduct repeated movements or positions throughout the workday, it’s highly plausible that they will face a plethora of ergonomic challenges that stress their bodies.
Combustible and flammable materials present within pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities can cause uncontrolled fires, leading to extensive and often costly property damage. Accidents involving flammable materials can also lead to serious and potentially fatal worker injury (e.g., burns, smoke inhalation).
Sharp instruments (medical instruments, scalpels, and scissors), broken glassware, equipment, and tools can all contribute to a variety of injuries in the pharmaceutical industry. Common injuries resulting from this hazard include cuts, burns, bruises, and more.
Establishing comprehensive safety protocols is foundational to minimizing occupational health risks. This involves risk assessment and management whereby the pharmaceutical company should conduct regular reviews and investigations to identify potential hazards in the workplace. Once identified, it’s critical to develop and implement management strategies to mitigate these risks. This can be accomplished through the help of an OHS consultant.
In a similar way, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) can help reinforce safety protocols. We recommend that pharmaceutical companies develop and enforce detailed SOPs for all tasks involving hazardous materials and complex machinery, and make sure these procedures are easy to understand and readily accessible to all employees.
Finally, be sure to invest in proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Ensure that appropriate PPE is provided and utilized consistently, and regularly inspect the PPE for wear and tear and replace it as needed.
By having these protocols in place, you can significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents and exposures that could compromise employee health and safety. To be as thorough as possible, we recommend hiring the services of an OHS consultant who can independently review your pharmaceutical venture and provide regular recommendations on how to optimize health and safety.
In conclusion, safeguarding the health and safety of employees in the pharmaceutical industry requires a proactive and multifaceted approach. By implementing robust safety protocols and leveraging advanced technology, businesses can significantly reduce occupational health risks and cultivate a culture of safety. To further enhance your organization's safety measures and ensure compliance with industry regulations, contact The SP Group for expert occupational health and safety consultancy services. Take the next step in protecting your workforce and strengthening your business by partnering with us today.
Risk assessments are fundamental cornerstones of responsible business practices. They are crucial to ensuring the health and safety of employees, customers, and the surrounding environment, and while they’re usually legally required, they have significant financial and performance benefits as well.
Whether you're wondering how to complete a risk assessment or are unsure of what constitutes best practice, read on to discover everything you need to know. Looking for safety consultant services to help you with your risk assessment? Contact The SP Group for expert EHS support.
Risk assessment is a step-by-step process for controlling health and safety risks caused by hazards in the workplace. By systematically identifying what hazards currently exist or may appear in the workplace, proactive and reactionary measures can be put in place for the highest possible standards of safety for all stakeholders of a company.
There are a plethora of different types of risk assessments that can be undertaken, and they must be proportionate and relevant to the operational activities being undertaken by employees and individuals interacting with the company. Broadly speaking, most types of risk assessments can be categorized under occupational health and safety or environmental health and safety.
Occupational health and safety includes risk assessments that work towards compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) as well as local building, fire, and mechanical regulations. This compliance may include hazard communication, respiratory protection, personal protective equipment, hearing conservation, and energy control.
Environmental health and safety includes risk assessment that primarily strives for compliance with the Clean Air Act (CAA), Clean Water Act (CWA), Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act (EPCRA), and Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). They may include risk assessment and stewardship in air safety, hazardous waste, wastewater, stormwater, and emergency community planning.
Risk assessments are mandated by law, though the type and extent are often dependent upon where a business is located. It is, however, more than just a legal hurdle - risk assessments ensure that any risks posed to the health, safety, and well-being of employees, customers, and the environment are suitably eliminated, reduced, controlled, and prepared for. The importance of risk assessments includes:
Risk assessments are only effective when implemented meticulously and precisely according to each unique organization’s situation. The following four practices will, however, help ensure best practices for risk assessment.
Risk assessment must be carried out regularly and frequently. For risk assessments to be effective in an ever-changing business environment, assessments must be completed prior to a particular activity or task being carried out in order to eliminate, reduce, or suitably control any associated risk to the health, safety and well-being of persons involved with (or affected by) the task/activity in question. This means that an assessment should be done before the implementation of a new operational procedure but also periodically recurring to ensure that standards are maintained even throughout a normal working period. Furthermore, a risk assessment should be reviewed following an accident in the workplace in order to verify what may have led to the problem occurring in the first place.
Best practices for risk assessment must also include clear and transparent delegation of responsibility. This means having clear guidelines as to who will be undertaking the risk assessment, when it will occur, who and where risk assessment results are reported to, who processes and implements the implications of an assessment, and who is in charge of evaluating failures of proper risk prevention. Responsibility and accountability go hand in hand, and they are both critical to an optimized risk assessment.
Risk assessments, regardless of the industry or size of a business, should have a core set of pillars, whereby it achieves a holistic review of a business’s operations. Best practices should include:
While it is common and generally recommended to hire an in-house safety manager to be in charge of everyday compliance and maintenance, highly successful risk assessments always include the evaluation from a third-party safety consultant service. Safety consultant services from a professional organization can provide a company with fresh insight from an outside, unbiased perspective. EHS consultants can offer institutions impartial recommendations and suggestions, based on extensive experience working with other companies and ensuring regulatory compliance. It is recommended that companies hire safety consultant services regularly, at least once or twice a year, to provide a holistic yet detailed analysis of their operational risks.
Businesses must do their best to perform the most effective risk assessments in order to ensure the health and safety of their employees, customers, and the surrounding environment. Using best practices, such as delegating responsibility and hiring safety consultant services, companies can optimize the risk assessment process and deliver the highest possible standards of safety culture. If you’re in the process of creating an effective risk assessment program, consider contacting The SP Group to get the industry standard in precise and effective safety consultancy.
The effects of safety (or lack thereof) can have repercussions throughout a company’s structure. Safety culture at its best can lead to higher productivity and profitability; at its worst, will lead to injuries, loss of time, profitability, and poor employee morale.
Safety culture is critical to implement as soon as possible, but it’s most effective when introduced through the lens of proven and testable practices. Achieving a positive safety culture should be a priority for any business owner who wants to maintain high-quality standards of risk management. In this article, the safety consultants at The SP Group discuss what safety culture is, why it’s important, and how to improve it in your workplace.
Safety culture encompasses the values, perceptions and beliefs of your employees about health and safety in the workplace. It is the representation of the attitude of a workplace, reaching all levels of the business hierarchy including owners and managers as well as full- and part-time employees. Most importantly, safety culture is the mindset toward safety values and beliefs along with the manifested implementation of procedures to support it.
Think of safety culture as a unified force that enables better perceptions and actionable steps towards safety for all stakeholders: the employees, the environment, and customers.
The importance of a positive safety culture cannot be understated. With a well-implemented safety culture, there will be a very noticeable effect on how health and safety strategy is received and executed across the board. Instead of health and safety being seen as a barrier to productivity or a necessary hurdle to overcome, safety culture will enable more receptiveness for initiatives and policies that preserve the safety of a company’s stakeholders.
Good safety culture helps:
Without a positive safety culture, employees may not take health and safety as seriously, leading to increased risk of injury and harm within the company and beyond it. From a legal point of view, it’s critical to be able to demonstrate that you have taken all the necessary and reasonable steps to achieve a healthy and safe working environment.
Investing in a positive safety culture is undoubtedly beneficial for the short and long-term success of any company; here are some of the top ways to strengthen it:
The first way to strengthen your organization's safety culture is to initiate regular training sessions. Health and safety training provides employees with the knowledge and tools they need to perform their jobs safely and effectively. It helps create awareness for safety procedures while simultaneously communicating to the employees that health and safety matter and are worth their time.
A positive workplace safety culture only thrives when the entire company is united in its success. This means including every employee on the business ladder. It might initially seem that safety culture only matters for boots-on-the-ground employees and perhaps the management team overseeing them, but by communicating safety culture to senior team members and business leaders, they can help to set an example for others to follow, inspiring others to take health and safety seriously with passionate and engaging support.
In order to ensure that a positive safety culture is encouraged throughout the company, it’s important to maintain accountability, especially when there is a failure to comply with health and safety procedures. Safety policies should be universal, and thus everyone in the business should understand what safety risks are at stake. Similarly, everyone should be held accountable with clear consequences should any policy be breached.
A great way to build a positive safety culture is to include your employees and help them share their voices and opinions. By sending out a safety survey, you can get feedback on your safety culture and policy, such as how it is being developed and implemented. Consider asking questions to your various teams, like: What are their problems with safety culture right now? How would they improve the safety culture within their team?
A positive safety culture disciplines individuals who breach safety policy, but it also rewards good safety culture practice. Rewarding or recognizing employees who help cultivate the culture you are striving for sets an example for other employees to follow their good conduct, developing a positive mindset and encouraging a positive safety culture.
An important aspect of any health and safety program is that it is acting proactively, not reactively. By taking significant, measurable strides towards a safer and more transparent working environment, it will show in the overall satisfaction and trust of your stakeholders.
Be ambitious; be prepared to challenge others; challenge yourself and learn from failure. Make your plan and have the courage to stick to it.
One of the best ways to foster a positive safety culture is to gain a fresh perspective from outside the organization. By hiring the help of an occupational health and safety consultant, your company is guaranteed to receive impartial recommendations for optimizing your current safety strategy. Furthermore, you can count on the expert experience of a safety consultant who helps provide improved safety, regulatory compliance, risk mitigation, and guidance that has been proven effective with their other clients. By investing in OHS, you will undoubtedly cultivate a safety culture that meets the highest professional and industry standards.
Whether you’re looking for some extra advice to get your safety culture back on track, or if you need to outsource your OHS strategy entirely, contact The SP Group today! We have safety consultants who have traveled all across the US, and we would be happy to share our expertise with you! Call today to book your free consultation.
It is an unfortunate truth that every year people are injured and even killed at work. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 2.8 million recorded injuries and illnesses and 5,486 fatalities in 2022. Countless working days are lost annually through work-related accidents and illnesses, as well as practically unquantifiable losses in terms of trust, productivity, and internal and external company resources. What follows is a guide to help organizations of any size and of any sector carry out effective and efficient health and safety investigations, identifying what went wrong and proactively creating measures to discover and mitigate existing risks.
We recommend that management teams take steps immediately on their own, and should they want to optimize their operational health and safety, contact specialists offering safety consultant services such as the SP Group to help formulate the best plans and procedures.
Workplace incidents refer to any undeliberate or unplanned event that causes harm or potential harm. Many people use the term incident and accident interchangably, but according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, an “accident” implies an event that random and not about to be prevented. Since nearly all worksite fatalities, injuries, and illnesses are preventable, OSHA has suggested using the term "incident" instead.
Workplace incidents can occur in any sector, from construction and manufacturing to hospitality and agriculture. Some industries may be at a higher risk of workplace incidents, such as those involving extensive physical labor and the use of heavy machinery, but it is certainly not limited to those.
Categorizing the different types of incidents that can happen within your specific organization will help to effectively create means and modes of dealing with risks.
The 10 most common types of workplace incidents are:
Investigation of workplace incidents is an essential part of managing health and safety. Simply put, a workplace accident investigation is a procedure undertaken by an organization to gather information, analyze collected information, identify risk control strategies, and create an action plan for dealing with current and future incidents.
Conducting investigations into workplace incidents is critical for a variety of reasons, but the primary ones are documentation and future prevention.
By carrying out workplace investigations, each incident can be properly documented for legal and operational history. Organizations need to have a record of what, when, where, and how an incident occurred for their records in order to manage internal and external relations, such as cooperating with government oversight agencies or providing evidence to a lawsuit.
Furthermore, incident investigations can bolster efforts to prevent future incidents from occurring. Trend analysis of and accurate information about previous incidents and near misses helps in the development of improvement objectives to reduce the risk that they will reoccur. It is vital that an organization can document and prove they’ve taken reasonable steps to prevent future accidents from occurring - failing to do so could lead to legal liability.
In summary, there are a number of advantages to carrying out an accident investigation:
Incident investigations can be complex and should involve several different individuals including management, specially trained investigators, and legal personnel.
The process for conducting investigations can be broken down into five general steps, however, each organization may require specifically curated investigation procedures.
Securing the scene of the incident includes providing immediate first aid and medical assistance to any individuals involved, as well as preserving all evidence. The use of cones, barriers, and supervision is likely to be necessary. Non-physical incidents should include securing and protecting that individual from further damage, as well as securing the source of said damage.
Every incident varies in its proportion and severity. Oftentimes, a specialized team will need to consult on how best to carry out an investigation to ensure that it is both comprehensive and thorough enough.
The next part of the investigation involves the gathering of information and evidence. This could include securing pictures, videos, CCTV footage, interviews of affected and non-affected workers, inspections, maintenance logs, and training histories.
Along with this evidence, it is helpful to gather a description of the events, details of damaged individuals and property, and even casual, seemingly unrelated factors surrounding the incident. The goal is to gather as much information as possible.
After all information and evidence have been collected, specialized teams must analyze the data to determine the root cause of the accident. Sometimes the cause is obvious, such as a loose wire that caused someone to trip, but more often than not, the incident is usually caused by a complex chain of events. All data must be analyzed with an unbiased perspective by individuals with no stake in the outcome.
The conclusion of the investigation involves documenting and sharing the results in a report. But, quite importantly, the closing of the investigation should also include implementation of corrective and preventive action - this too should be documented.
Beyond conducting thorough and effective investigations, there are several other steps you can take to minimize the number and severity of future workplace incidents. We recommend carrying out regular risk assessments, providing safety and wellness training to all employees on a regular basis, hiring qualified personnel (including a physical assessment for roles that are demanding), and keeping your workplace clean and obstruction-free.
OSHA has several laws and regulations that organizations must follow in order to maximize the wellness of their employees. They also have a plethora of resources for organizations and their management to get ideas about ways to optimize their company’s policies.
A health and safety consultant offers professional advice and guidance to organizations, employers, and employees. In the modern workplace, many thriving compaies utilize a third-party in order to ensure the utmost safety and protection of their stakeholders.
The benefits of hiring safety consultant services include:
Regardless of the size, industry, or experience of your organization, you can rely on The SP Group to be your trusted partner for occupationall health and safety services. From providing support for compliance with OSHA, as well as local building, fire, and mechanical codes, we are leaders in safety consultation, servicing companies all across the United States. If your company needs the help of an expert safety consultant, or if you simply have more questions, contact the team at SP Group today!
According to The International Ergonomics Association, ergonomics is “the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.”
Simply put, ergonomics is a science, discipline, profession, and solution for the single purpose of improving the ‘fit’ between people and their work. Ergonomics, and ergonomic consultants more specifically, aim to make sure that tasks, equipment, information, and the environment suit each worker.
Ergonomics is an incredibly important addition to workplace health. Applying ergonomics:
Ergonomics can reduce the potential for health issues developed at work, such as aches and pains in the wrists, shoulders, and back. For many people, the workplace is where they spend the majority of time throughout the week which means it should be suited to their body’s needs to prevent the development of issues over prolonged periods of time.
Some examples of ergonomics include:
Most people think of ergonomics as the way in which their physical body can best be accommodated and supported, but it actually extends into social, organizational, and psychological aspects of the individual and the workplace as well. For example, the amount of work that needs to be done (too much or too little), inadequate social support, deadlines, lack of access to the natural environment, poor air quality, and decreased aesthetic visual quality, can all have negative effects on the worker and how well they are able to complete their work safely and effectively.
Companies and organizations often seek the advice of an ergonomics consultant to improve the important aspects of their respective workplace or office.
Whether you choose to rely on the help of an ergonomics consultant or an in-house specialist, the first step is to develop a thorough and actionable plan to holistically improve a company’s workplace. A common ergonomics program will include the following steps of development:
By gathering information on the workspace, environment, common tasks, and most-used equipment, a company can better understand the needs of individual employees and how best to improve ergonomics.
Only after analyzing the work environments of each employee role can the company begin to identify the role-specific risks that are faced by a given worker. This includes recognizing what the biggest and most frequent risks are, whether physical, social, or psychological, and then mitigating, eliminating, or addressing those risks with actionable solutions. There are two ways to identify these risks: externally through an ergonomics consultant who can observe a worker carrying out their tasks through an experienced lens, and internally through interviews of the employees themselves so they can share their thoughts on aspects that may not be apparent or easily observable.
By identifying all ergonomic risks, control measures can be implemented. Again, this is usually done both externally and internally. Ergonomic experts have experience developing solutions to common workplace risks and can help innovate new ways of addressing industry, company, or even location-specific problems that employees may face. Similarly, incorporating ideas and suggestions of employees is often fruitful in identifying solutions that only someone running into the problem themselves could recognize.
Implementing an ergonomics program is usually not as simple as adjusting desk height or encouraging short rest breaks. Usually, as solutions are integrated into the workplace, there will be a degree of training required to get employees up to speed with new changes and the resources that are available to them. For example, informing employees of social and emotional welfare programs, how they work, and how to get involved with them will be a critical first step. A demonstration of new ergonomic work equipment (such as adjustable height desks and chairs) will also be important for implementation.
A successful ergonomics program is not complete on day one of its implementation. It’s also necessary to monitor and measure its effectiveness. Your safety specialist or ergonomic consultant will pay close attention to the results of the implemented program and the measured benefits. Having discussions with employees regarding how they feel about the new ergonomics program will also be key in understanding its real-world effect.
There are three main types of ergonomic solutions: physical, cognitive, and organizational.
Physical ergonomics are the most common and well-known form of ergonomics. It mainly deals with how the human body performs activities associated with work and the potential for physical injuries while maximizing on-site safety.
If physical ergonomics is not a priority for a company, there is a risk for workers to develop musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). OSHA highlights that MSDs “affect the muscles, nerves, blood vessels, ligaments, and tendons… which can increase a worker’s risk of injury.”
Examples of physical risks include poor body positioning, prolonged body positioning, repetitive physical tasks, lifting heavy objects, and reaching overhead.
An example of a physical ergonomic solution is an adjustable height workstation. Depending on the type of labor involved, a workstation that is able to adjust the height of its surface eases unnecessary body pressure. Precision work can benefit from a raised surface height so a worker is not constantly bending over, while heavy-lift work benefits from a lower surface height so there is less lifting required and more space for the worker to leverage downward pressure.
Similarly, an adjustable height desk allows a worker who would otherwise be sitting in their desk chair throughout the entirety of their shift to be able to work from a standing position. By having the option to stretch their legs and work from a different body position, there is a decreased risk of MSDs from developing.
An adjustable height desk is one of many different ergonomic solutions that could be implemented into a workplace environment, and would likely be just one aspect of a detailed plan developed by an ergonomics consultant.
Cognitive ergonomics considers the limitations and work risks associated with mental processes like memory, perception, attention, motor response, and reasoning. Cognitive ergonomics solutions create methods of designing and arranging information and workflow to create a “light cognitive load’.
For example, an overload of critical steps to perform a job correctly that requires consistent memorization, reading, and re-reading by employees can create a heavy cognitive load. Also, if a work environment has low access to outdoor, recreational, or break space can lead to emotional difficulty.
Cognitive ergonomics solutions address these problems at the source. Creating simplified instructions, improving the flow of information sharing, and providing access to quiet spaces in the workspace can benefit an employee’s cognitive ability and load. Newer innovations, such as augmented reality devices, have been implemented into cognitive ergonomics solutions as well.
Organizational ergonomics deals holistically with the information learned about physical and cognitive ergonomic risks and applies solutions across the entire organization.
By optimizing communication, encouraging company-wide safety, and implementing easily accessible resources, a company can improve ergonomics in a scalable way.
This is one of the biggest benefits of hiring the help of an ergonomics consultant. It’s not just about the specific solutions that will make every employee’s job safer and more enjoyable, it’s about the ability to implement an ergonomics strategy in an efficient and effective manner that reaches all across an organization, enduring year after year.
An effective ergonomics program is critical for enhancing employee health, morale, and overall performance. At the SP Group, we understand that all organizations are different and the demands on their employees are equally diverse. If you’re looking for an experienced ergonomics consultant who can provide valuable guidance in creating a healthy and productive work environment, we invite you to give us a call. Contact the SP Group today for a free consultation.