Employee health and safety seems like a “given” for most organizations. Time and money are spent ensuring workers are healthy and safe, and processes seem to be operating “ok.” But oddly enough, we still hear about injuries, illnesses, and fatalities occurring at work sites throughout the world. Why are accidents still happening, and furthermore, where […]
The U.S. Senate, by a vote of 50-48, overturned OSHA’s so-called “Volks” rule, which had required employers to maintain injury records for five years. Overturning this rule means employers need to maintain records for only six months. Safety experts have argued that overturning the rule makes it easier to hide serious injuries from the government […]
Each year on March 8, the global community marks International Women’s Day to highlight the challenges women face around the world, reflect on progress and celebrate successes. Since the 1950s, the percentage of women in the U.S. labor force has increased from 34% to 60% today. Women face different health risks at work than men, […]
Since the dawn of the Industrial Age, technology has changed the way we work. The digital revolution of the last several decades has helped accelerate that change. More workers than ever are transacting in bits and bytes. To be sure, computing has led to incredible advancements in science, industry, and society. As with all advances, […]
Safety is a familiar concept to us all. We read safety reports before we buy a car, instruct our children to wear bicycle helmets, and buckle our seat belts in the car. We are surrounded by safety labels on everything from plastic bags to hair dryers. But how often do we talk about safety in […]
Did you know that Underwriters Laboratories (UL) was founded to help keep people safe from fire? It’s true: in 1894, founder William Henry Merrill opened the Underwriters’ Electrical Bureau, the Electrical Bureau of the National Board of Fire Underwriters after seeing the potential–and dangers–of the proliferation of electricity. UL’s first standard–Tin Clad Fire Doors–was published […]