Category Archives: EHSQ

Continuous Improvement and Fall Prevention: Using the Hierarchy of Controls to Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls

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In Part III of our blog series during National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, Scott Gaddis looks at using the Hierarchy of Controls to promote a proactive safety approach to preventing falls in the workplace.

Employing the Hierarchy of Controls

Understanding control and how best to manage your walking and working surfaces program are more significant than the outputs of the risk assessment process. The process defines good control actions specific to hazards and risks, but it is not the only process that can be used. While I’m a firm believer in the risk matrix and scoring approach, I also would recommend the widely accepted approach within the safety and health practice called the hierarchy of controls. This process is simple to understand and is quite useful in gauging the control appetite of the organization. It should serve as the overarching methodology for how we best deliver the … Read more...

Fall Prevention Strategies: How Risk Management Can Prevent Slips, Trips and Falls

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In Part I of this blog, Scott Gaddis looked at how falls in the workplace happen and the impact they can have on workers. In Part II, Scott examines the role of risk assessments in preventing falls from happening in the first place.

Risk Assessment

The objective of risk assessment and analysis is to understand the level of risk associated with the hazards found in the work environment as well as the concerns related to how people are navigating walking and working surfaces. All associated activities need to be judged with criteria that assist in building a credible understanding of what is acceptable or not acceptable.

Most regulatory bodies require some form of risk assessment and all follow a similar template:

  • Identify risks to the worker associated with work activity.
  • Identity hazards found in the work environment that pose a threat of loss.
  • Provide details of identified risks or hazards
… Read more...

The Problem is Real: Why Slips, Trips and Falls Continue to Cause Serious Workplace Incidents

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May 1-5, 2023, is the National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction. This is a voluntary event that encourages employers to stand down from work and discuss workplace hazards relating to trips, falls or other job safety concerns.

In this three-part series dedicated to walking-working surfaces, Scott Gaddis—Vice President, Global Practice Leader, Safety and Health at Intelex Technologies, ULC—provides his expert insight into the risks associated with pedestrian safety in the workplace and what employers need to do to mitigate them.

Pedestrian Safety in the Workplace

Pedestrian safety is not an issue to be overlooked. The Bureau of Labor Statistics says that on average, slips, trips and falls cause nearly 700 fatalities per year. OSHA reports that as many as 30,000 forklift accidents occur in the United States annually and close to 20 percent of those accidents involve a pedestrian being struck by the forklift. Of these forklift … Read more...

Popular Reads – The Top 10 Intelex Blog Posts From 2022

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A look back on Intelex blog posts from 2022 reveals a full gamut of environment, health and safety (EHS) topics: from long-standing challenges and proactive strategies to improve safety performance to the exploration of new ideas, technologies and emerging opportunities.

Our coverage this year featured stories about building and growing safety cultures and safety management best practices, and innovative EHS technologies such as software-as-a-service and artificial intelligence that help organizations improve. We also explored the continued impact of COVID-19 in the workplace and environmental, social and governance (ESG) criteria and what it means for EHS.

Stay connected throughout the year to the things that matter in EHS and ESG by becoming a regular Intelex blog reader. And, in case you missed them, check out some of our top 2022 blog posts below.

#1 Lessons from the U.S. Army Climate Change Strategy: The U.S. Army’s first-ever Climate Strategy shows why … Read more...

Winter Safety Tips

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These tips can help prevent injuries and illnesses and make the winter months safer and more enjoyable.

Driving safety – Driving on wet, snowy or icy pavement is very different than driving during warmer months. Snow, sleet and ice can lead to hazardous road conditions. Another safety challenge occurs if your vehicle breaks down. Prepare your vehicle for the upcoming winter season with these helpful tips from the National Safety Council:

  • Test your battery; battery power drops as the temperature drops.
  • Make sure the cooling system is in good working order.
  • Have winter tires with a deeper, more flexible tread put on your car.
  • If using all-season tires, check the tread on your tires and replace if less than 2/32 of an inch.
  • Check the tire pressure; tire pressure drops as the temperature drops.
  • Check your wiper blades and replace if needed.
  • Add wiper fluid rated for -30 degrees.
  • Keep
… Read more...

Great Ideas to Ignite Your Organization’s EHS Passion

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Seasoned safety pros and newly-appointed novices can benefit from these great tips for becoming a better EHS leader.

William Gibson, a safety specialist for Ohio-based Del-Co Water Company Inc., admits he’s far from being the most seasoned environment, health and safety (EHS) professional. But he is passionate about people and a keen observer who has taken the best ideas from safety veterans he’s encountered and applied those learnings to his own professional journey.

Gibson says he stepped out of his comfort zone to become a safety manager in 2017 when his company called out for someone to manage safety for the growing organization. During a recent presentation at the EHS Today Safety Leadership Conference, he shared many of the great lessons learned during his relatively short five-year career as an EHS professional and outlined what he believes are the building blocks of a great safety program and the key elements … Read more...

A Thanksgiving Wish for Greater Employee Wellness and Engagement in EHS

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Workers need to do their part and workplace safety needs to be “owned” by every employee.

We want to send out a big “thank you” on this Canadian Thanksgiving Day to EHS professionals who champion the cause of worker wellness and workplace safety. Every worker who returns home safely at the end of a shift likely have an EHS professional to thank for proper training, regulatory compliance, employee engagement, safety protocols and maintaining a safe workplace.

It’s a tough job, but most safety specialists embrace the challenge. According to the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals – which sets certification standards for safety professionals in that country – 91.6 percent of them report being “satisfied or very satisfied” with their career. They are a passionate and committed group.

What Matters to Safety Professionals?

Recent Intelex research in North America reveals 57 percent of survey respondents say they consider improving the … Read more...

Is Your Organization Prepared for an OSHA Inspection?

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OSHA expects to complete approximately 31,400 inspections in 2022, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels.

Will you be ready if an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspector comes calling?

In 2021, OSHA conducted 24,333 inspections, including 13,749 unprogrammed inspections, which were prompted by employee complaints, injuries, fatalities and referrals.

During two years of COVID-19, the U.S. regulatory agency performed fewer inspections and most of these were limited to onsite investigations of fatalities, catastrophic accidents and coronavirus issues. The tide turned and OSHA has significantly stepped-up efforts to hold employers accountable for failures to protect workers and keep them safe.

This year has seen more OSHA visits and greater fines imposed. It was recently reported that OSHA expects to complete approximately 31,400 inspections in 2022, rebounding to pre-pandemic levels. OSHA has increased maximum penalties for serious and other-than-serious violations from $13,653 to $14,502 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated … Read more...

Leaders 2 Leaders The Network: Successful Mobile Rollout 

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The adoption of mobile technology allows Wizz Air to immediately report on and record flight information and incidents, even when employees are off-line.

Akos Steigervald, System Administrator and FDM manager, is the main point of contact at Wizz Air for Intelex Technologies. Wizz Air, with its 6,400+ employees, is a Central-Eastern European airline with its head office in Budapest, Hungary. The airline, which carried 21.7 million customers in 2021, serves many cities across Europe, as well as some destinations in North Africa and the Middle East. 

Steigervald recently shared information about Wizz Air’s successful mobile rollout during a Leaders2Leaders The Network session with other Intelex customers. These sessions feature a series of interactive, customer-led sessions that encourage best practice sharing, networking and collaboration with our Intelex European customers. The sessions – for users by users – offer insight, pro tips and more to help you get the most from our … Read more...

Here’s How Intelex Is Simplifying EHSQ Software Selection

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Our Custom Product Demo Tour is designed to make the process of learning about environmental, health, safety and quality (EHSQ) software faster and easier.
The Intelex Custom Product Demo Tour was designed to make the process of learning about environmental, health, safety and quality (EHSQ) software faster and easier.

Finding and selecting the right environment, health and safety (EHS), quality control or environmental, social and governance (ESG) management software is overwhelming, expensive and a time-consuming task for many. And it’s an effort that can take up to six months on average for many organizations.

There’s the initial consideration of how to purchase software, which is confusing enough. Research shows 74 percent of software producers utilize subscription models, 65 percent utilize perpetual licenses, 59 percent leveraging usage-based models and 47 percent use outcome/value-based models.

Then there’s the matter of finding the right features and functions. While many look for common things, others seek unique variations that their organization might require. A buyer typically wants control of their purchase journey since many do their own … Read more...