mikecj: SunTzu (The Art of War) always allowed his opponents an escape route. That way there was always the option not to fight and that often lessened his opponents resolve. Off topic, but it's such a great piece of literature, no? After reading it two or three times, I learned "War" is a general term for "Things in Life". Business is a war nobody really sees as war... it's just something people wake up to do. -Justin

In a recent safety committee meeting, the discussion about storing our ladders more appropriately came around. We store them in an acceptable manner, but definitely not a best practice. What I was hoping to find is a standard on storing fiberglass step ladders . I'm assuming there would be a regulation on storage in the ANSI standard A14.5, but I really don't want to fork out the $15.00 to download a .pdf from ANSI's store. I may be running out of options, though. Does anyone have the wording of

Correct. Like I said... the prescription was written , therefore it is a recordable. The technicalities of the law really suck sometimes. -Justin

Akula: The doctor perscribed a perscription eye drop to lube the eye and reduce the irritation. He had a prescription written for him... this becomes an OSHA recordable. -Justin

I called the OSHA Compliance Guidance Group about a similar situation. In summary, each man needs his own retrieval line and they can be hooked to the same retrieval system. Another note: the retrieval system must be able to support the total weight of all the workers. -Justin

Due to time constraints from my lunch break, I'll need to make this quick. Ask yourself the basic questions: Can the machine be accidentally activated? Are internal parts (gears, for example) exposed? Can someone get clothing caught in the machine while performing a normal task? (To clarify, we do not permit loose clothing around our machines.) The list goes on. What kind of machines are you working with? -Justin

Where would be a good source to find a pre-written plan for each of these substances? I was thinking EnviroWin, but I figured I'd get your opinions first. Any help is appreciated! -Justin

Generally, if any suspicions come about or red flags get thrown up (i.e. odd smells, rumors of gas leaks, combustion engines [generators, welding machines] in poorly ventilated areas, etc.), you should have the air tested. Ask the employees what the smell is similar to. There's not a paper mill nearby, is there? -Justin

At our company, we feel as if we could improve our safety committee's organization and techniques on acheiving goals. Are there any seminars, classes, courses, "lunch-n-learns", etc. available to give a helping hand? -Justin

SafetyEyes: Never use the top of your step-ladder as a WORK BENCH, tools can accidentally fall hurting someone below. I can agree and disagree with this. Most step ladders I've seen have slots on the top platform where a screwdriver, hammer, or other small tool can be placed. Yes... it CAN present a hazard, but just the task of climbing a ladder presents a hazard, too. Oversized power tools (electric drills, portable band saws, etc.) shouldn't be placed at the top. Use it and take it down. -Justin