When thinking about safety, the procedures and regulations can be easy to get lost in. Let’s take a look at what mistakes you can avoid when reviewing your safety practices, and of course, let’s see what OSHA has to say about the most common violations.

Don’t get caught up in procedure

Alfonsius Ariawan describes how some deep-rooted beliefs can harm a company; namely that if you follow procedures, the operations will be safe and the business successful. Simply completing the tasks on a compliance list is insufficient to obtain the desired result: a truly safe work environment. Focus on reducing risk rather than compliance, and try to bring about a change in mindset. There’s a lot more to it, so go to EHS Today and find out how you can upgrade your safety.

Improve welding safety

During ‘Hot Work’ activities, as OSHA calls it (much less exciting than the name suggests), accidents are much easier to come about. You have to be mindful of your PPP: planning, preparation, and protection. Examine your terrain, explore all potential hazards, prepare, and make sure you’ve got the right gear. This all sounds obvious, but a small misstep can lead to serious consequences. And don’t forget the part that’s most left out: documentation. If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen. We got that inspiration on EHS Daily Advisor, go there to read the hot tips in detail!

AI and Robotics: your job isn’t on the line, your safety is

In the construction industry, Kim Slowey writes, people are concerned that emerging technologies will take their jobs, but a larger concern is the safety risks that type of technology brings with it. There are many advantages, such as higher productivity and efficiency, but people are worried about the social aspect, and the liability aspect: where do you go when something goes wrong? Read more on Construction Dive and get informed on the potential safety impact of AI and robotics.

Top 10 OSHA Violations

Buckle up, and see if your company has contributed to this list in some way. Let’s hope you haven’t, but if we want to make sure our people get home safely every night, we have to be willing to share our lessons learned and avoid repeating the same mistakes. Among the most common mishaps, fall protection is at the top of the list, five years in a row now, so there’s still a lot of room for improvement here. LOTO is at five, another area where serious measures need to be taken. You can find the full infographic on manufacturing.net, it’s well worth a look.

Let us know what you wish you learned early on in your career about safety, and subscribe to get industry news right in your inbox, thanks for reading!

Photo by Mark Duffel on Unsplash