
The Benefits of Owner’s Representation
Owner’s representation on construction projects is an increasingly popular approach in the construction industry. An engineer is appointed as a representative of the owner and manages the project from site selection through construction and close-out. This approach is particularly useful for owners who lack the time, expertise or resources to manage a construction project on their own. We will discuss the benefits of owner’s representation on construction projects and the role of the engineer in managing such projects.

Mental Health: Just as Important as Physical Safety in the Construction Industry
Mental health is an essential component of overall health and well-being and it is crucial to ensure that it is prioritized in all industries, including the construction industry. The construction industry is known to have a high risk of accidents and injuries, which can have a significant impact on the mental health of workers.

Do You Have an Annual Respiratory Protection Initiative?
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to administer annual medical clearances and an approved fit test to ensure their employees are protected from inhaling harmful contaminants.

Why Companies Have Not Done a Dust Hazard Analysis
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a revised Combustible Dust National Emphasis Program on January 27, 2023. Any combustible material can burn rapidly when in a finely divided form. If such a dust is suspended in air in the right concentration, under certain conditions, it can become explosible. The purpose of the revised emphasis program is to continue OSHA inspections of facilities that generate or handle combustible dusts likely to cause fire, flash fire, deflagration and explosion hazards.

The Intersection of Industrial Hygiene and Diversity and Inclusion: Creating a Safe and Inclusive Workplace for All
Industrial hygiene and diversity and inclusion are two important concepts that play a significant role in creating a safe and inclusive workplace environment. Industrial hygiene refers to the science of identifying, assessing and controlling workplace hazards that could cause illness, injury or damage to the health of employees. Diversity and inclusion, on the other hand, refers to creating a workplace culture that is accepting, respectful and supportive of individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Should You Lockout/Tagout Electrical Cords?
No matter how frequently the control of hazardous energy is featured on OSHA’s annual list of the Top 10 Most Cited Violations (#6 for 2022), lockout/tagout fails to receive the attention it deserves at many manufacturing facilities and remains a black eye for safety programs across the nation. Because LOTO procedures take time, the process impacts production and ultimately undermines the bottom line.

Meeting Sustainability Goals Through an Effective ISO 14001 Program
ISO 14001 is a widely recognized environmental management standard that provides a framework for organizations to manage and reduce their environmental impacts. By implementing ISO 14001, organizations can establish an environmental management system (EMS) to improve their sustainability performance. There are several ways that organizations can use ISO 14001 to drive sustainability.

Revolutionizing Audiometric Testing Using Boothless Technology
As with all areas of our life, technology continues to provide new methods for doing existing tasks and Audiometric testing is no stranger to these strides. Previously we required a 40 foot trailer to provide the equipment and software necessary to do Audiometric testing.
Now, with our “Boothless” equipment, we’ve gone from a 40 foot trailer to a 21 inch rollaboard and a carry on bag.

Electrical Hazards in Higher Education: Is Your Campus Safe?
Electrical safety is an important consideration for colleges and universities, as many aspects of campus life rely on electrical power, including classrooms, dormitories and as well as research and athletic facilities. Safety measures should be put in place to ensure the health and wellbeing of students, faculty and staff, and to protect against electrical fires, electrical shock and static spark, as well as other hazards.

Are Your Qualified Electrical Workers Really “OSHA” Qualified?
In the General Industry Standard, OSHA does not go into great depth about who is qualified to work on or near energized electrical equipment.
According to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.399, a “Qualified Person” is defined as “one who has received training in and has demonstrated skills and knowledge in the construction and operation of electric equipment and installations and the hazards involved.” So how does the employer determine and record who is a “Qualified Person”?

Using ISO to Drive ESG
Today, ISO certification is synonymous with quality. There are numerous benefits obtained through ISO certification, including technological, economic and social advantages. You can also improve the quality of your processes and products, better understand your business, enhance the consistency of your operations, reduce waste, save money and gain international recognition. Pursuit of ISO certification is becoming the norm among competitive business operations, especially those who target larger corporations to be an integral part of their supply chain.

New Projects Should Be Evaluated for Air Permit Requirements Early in the Design Process
As an environmental consultant who specializes in assisting industrial clients with air permitting services, I get several calls per year from environmental compliance managers along the lines of the following:
– Management desires to add a new process/modify an existing process/add new equipment.
– The unit(s) have already been purchased and will be delivered to the site next week/month/real soon.
– I need to make sure we have any permits we need and are in compliance with all environmental regulations ASAP!

Preventing Back Injuries in the Workplace
Occupational back injuries account for greater than one million injuries each year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Such injuries can result in lost time, reduced productivity, increased demands on other workers, costs for medical treatment and insurance premiums and adverse effects on the quality of life for the person affected. Because of this alarming number of back injuries and the detrimental effects for both the employee and employer, prevention is key, along with awareness of the causes and solutions.

Developing Safety and Compliance Training Utilizing the Triple T Method
In today’s workplace, safety and compliance training is more important than ever. Having a comprehensive program in place is essential to protecting your employees and customers as well as your business. Safety training and compliance can help reduce workplace accidents and injuries, protect the environment and prevent legal liabilities. In order to accomplish this, EI recommends using the “Triple T” method when developing training: Tailored, Transparent and Timely.

Arc Flash 101
OSHA describes arc flash as “a phenomenon where a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another, or to ground. The results are often violent and when a human is in close proximity to the arc flash, serious injury and even death can occur.” I had never experienced what an arc flash incident looked like until I attended EI’s NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 70E training course and saw a video example of this phenomenon.

The Heat is Coming: Preparing for Inevitable Heat Stress
Even though it is a New Year and we are in the middle of winter, there is no time like the present to prepare for the inevitable hotter months to come, as well as potential heat-related illnesses that impact your workforce. Many of you may be unaware that last April, OSHA added Outdoor and Indoor Heat-Related Hazards to its National Emphasis Program (NEP). This pioneering effort reinforces OSHA’s advanced notice of proposed rulemaking issued in October 2021 which marks the development of a standard that protects indoor and outdoor workers from hazardous heat. While most of us remain bundled up in our winter coats, employers can start acting now to ensure controls are in place for employees during the summer heat as well as remain prepared for OSHA heat-related inspections.

Scaffolding Fatalities – A Preventable Loss
On Monday of this week, three people were killed, and two others injured after a scaffolding collapse at a construction site in Charlotte, North Carolina. All work at the site was halted after the victims fell approximately 70 feet when the scaffolding came apart. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is assisting with the investigation as to the cause of the collapse. A similar incident occurred in 2015 when three construction workers were killed when scaffolding collapsed as it was being dismantled at a high-rise construction site in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina.

Twas the Night of Confined Spaces
Twas the night before the largest (and only) product distribution event of the year and the facility, in the coldest climate on Earth, was abuzz with bustle and frenzied activity. Employees of shall we say “a smaller stature,” were busy transporting parcels, both large and small, from infinite rows of shelving to the plant’s loading docks and onto an awaiting magical sled via forklifts. Of course, all of these smaller stature employees were over 18 years of age in accordance with OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.178 standard for Powered Industrial Trucks.

Sustainability Hurdles to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
In EI’s blog series on sustainability in business, the latest article, “Small and Medium-Sized Enterprise (SME) Involvement is the Key to Sustainability Success,” discussed the significant contribution of SMEs to carbon emissions via their supply chain for large corporations. When compared to the larger FORTUNE 1000 clients they support, one would logically assume that reducing carbon emissions for SMEs would be much simpler and more straightforward given their limited geographic footprint, shorter supply chains, reduced work-related travel and smaller office/workspaces to heat/cool and light.

5 Do’s and 5 Don’ts for Recycling
We all want to do our part in protecting the planet from unnecessary waste, but sometimes that good intent can lead us to putting things we shouldn’t in our recycling bins. According to Republic Services, here are 5 things that don’t belong in your standard curbside bins: plastic bags, toys, clothing, disposable diapers, and yard debris.
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