Environmental Health and Safety Compliance

Confined Space: Entry Supervisor Responsibilities

Friday, September 10, 2010 by Stephanie Cox

The responsibilities of an entry supervisor for a confined space are:

Know space hazards including information on the mode of exposure, signs or symptoms and the consequences of exposure
Verify emergency plans and specified entry conditions such as permits, tests, procedures and equipment before allowing entry
Terminate entry and cancel permits when entry operations are completed or if a new condition exists
Verify that rescue services are available and that the means for summoning them are operable
Take appropriate measures to remove unauthorized entrants
Ensure that the entry operations remain consistent with the entry permit and that acceptable entry conditions are maintained

Is the entry supervisor at your facility aware of these responsibilities or could he/she use additional training? Call one of the Environmental Health and Safety Compliance technicians at August Mack Environmental at 800.579.0770 if you have these types of training needs!

Upcoming Webinar on Safety Audits: A Logical Process

Friday, September 10, 2010 by Brooke Lock

Join us for a webinar discussing safety audits. We will start out with why you may be considering a safety audit. This will be followed with a logical process of how to perform the audit, starting with how to prepare for the audit, then the audit process itself, and we will finish up with many of the issues that need to be evaluated. Given this topic covers a very broad range of issues, we will be looking at this from the “50,000 foot level”. Stick around until the end since we will finish with some overall observations to help minimize your risks.

To register for this December 16th Environmental Health and Safety Audit webinar, visit augustmackevents.webex.com.

The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 by August Mack Environmental

It is an employer’s responsibility to provide a safe work environment for his/her employees. As such, one of the areas of great safety risk to employees concerns hazardous energy. Subsequently, a well developed and effective program to control hazardous energy through a lockout/tagout (LOTO) program is of utmost importance. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has promulgated rules with regards to this area in 29 CFR 1910.147.

The purpose of a LOTO program is to ensure before an employee performs any servicing or maintenance on machinery or equipment, where the unexpected energizing, startup or release of any type of energy could occur and cause injury, the machine or equipment shall be isolated from the energy source and rendered inoperative. The employer needs to establish a program consisting of energy control procedures, employee training and periodic inspections. One of the most important and time-consuming of these tasks is the development of the energy control procedures. The regulatory standard describes this specific requirement in 29 CFR 1910.147[c](4). Exceptions to the requirement also are noted in this section of the regulation.

To learn more about Lockout/Tagout, click here to read an article written by an Health & Safety Compliance expert at August Mack Environmental.

Have a GREAT Labor Day

Monday, September 6, 2010 by Health and Safety Account Team

I hope you are having a great three day weekend enjoying the Labor Day weekend!

August Mack Environmental specializes in environmental, health and safety compliance; environmental due diligence; environmental site remediation; and sustainable business strategies to the industrial, legal, financial, health care and government sectors throughout North America.

Have a Great Labor Day Holiday

Monday, September 6, 2010 by Tom Anderson

August Mack specializes in environmental, health and safety compliance; environmental due diligence; environmental site remediation; and sustainable business strategies to the industrial, legal, financial, health care and government sectors throughout North America. August Mack has offices in Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Ohio and Pennsylvania. For more information on August Mack's environmental, health and safety services, visit www.augustmack.com or call 800.579.0770.