Why do I have to have safety meetings? Safety training is required by OSHA. Every employer has the responsibility of making sure the employees know and understand the hazards associated with their job. Effective safety meetings (i.e. training) inform the employees of the hazards as well as how to perform the task safely. Back to Top
How often should I have safety meetings? Once a month at the very minimum. Daily or weekly tailgate meetings are most effective and are required by some sub and general contractors. (See our Forms Section) Back to Top
What is a MSDS and how can I get one? MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. A MSDS list the components of a product as well as the health and safety related information for that product. The company that supplies your products should also supply you with a MSDS every time they make a delivery. If they don't, ask for one. If you still can't get the MSDS you need, call the company directly. Tell them exactly what you have and you will get an MSDS in no time at all. Another great place to get MSDS's in on the web. Click HERE to visit the site.
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What is a JSA? JSA stands for Job Safety Analysis. JSA's list the steps of a particular job or task, the hazards associated with that step and the recommendations for doing the job or task safely. Back to Top
What should I do if OSHA comes to my job site? There are several things you can do. First find out what the "scope" of the visit is. The scope will tell you "exactly what they are there for". You can ask if they have a warrant. If they don't, you can suggest that they get one. You can ask if they will wait a while until you contact your main office to get someone in authority to come out and assist them. You can invite them onto the premises and let them do what they came to do. Go with the inspector and do what they do. If they ask questions, write the questions and answers down. Write down the name(s) of the person(s) they speak with. If they take pictures, you should take pictures also. Back to Top
Why would OSHA come to my job site? There are several reasons that will prompt a visit from OSHA. The most prevalent one is a fatality. There is also imminent danger. If an inspector is driving along and notices something that can cause a catastrophic incident, he/she will stop by. OSHA is required to respond to all employee complaints. If an employee calls OSHA and says that a problem exists, OSHA has an obligation to visit the facility. Lastly, there exists a phantom computer that lists all the business in the United States. It randomly spits out names of businesses that need to be visited by OSHA. At last count, if your OSHA visits came only from the computer, you would get to see an OSHA inspector about every 70 years. Back to Top
How can I stay abreast of OSHA's changing rules and regulations? There are numerous publications that you can subscribe to that will inform you of the up-coming changes as well as the finalized Standards. A very good place to look for this information is on the OSHA web site. Click HERE to visit the OSHA site Back to Top
