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Currently featured in the April 2024 Synergist
From Fire Season to Fire Year
Protecting Wildland Firefighters in an Extreme Environment
Wildfires are a natural part of the ecosystem in the United States, but in many areas, our cumulative risk management choices over the last century have contributed to crisis conditions that make fires more severe and far-reaching. On the front lines of wildfire response are wildland firefighters, who do arduous work under difficult conditions, frequently in remote locations.
Developing the Silica Control Tool
A Model for Respirable Crystalline Silica Exposures at Construction Work Sites
Construction companies are primarily small businesses, and many do not have access to occupational hygiene data or expertise. The Silica Control Tool, developed by the British Columbia Construction Safety Alliance, uses a database of respirable crystalline silica exposure measurements from construction work sites to help employers generate RCS exposure estimates for their work activities and environments.
Injury Management
Exploring the Complexities of OSHA Recordkeeping and Workers’ Compensation
OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements and workers’ compensation involve two distinct bodies of laws and regulations. Recordable injuries or illnesses are those that employers are legally required to document via OSHA forms 300, 300A, and 301. For most employers, workers’ compensation is regulated by state law. An injury or illness may be OSHA recordable but not be accepted as compensable.
Features from the March 2024 Synergist
Revisiting the Sandman Outrage Model
How to Consider Differences in Risk Perception
Have you ever had a conversation with a worker who didn’t want to wear their personal protective equipment? How about someone who was panicking due to an odor in the workplace, even after you demonstrated extremely low levels of exposure? The disconnect between your perspective and the worker’s can be viewed through the framework of risk perception.
The Data on DEI
Numbers Reveal the Workplace Experiences of Women and Minority Groups
Although significant progress has been made in diversity, equity, and inclusion, there is still a long way to go before these won’t be goals to be met but achievements to celebrate. In addition to the gap in demographic representation, there is another gap between the average salaries and wages paid to employees of different genders, races, and ethnicities.
Into the Field
What to Include in Your IH Field Sampling Kit
Being prepared to collect data is vital. The better prepared an IH is, the more thorough an evaluation they can make. A more thorough evaluation yields a better assessment so the workers they protect will go home to their loved ones each day healthier and happier.