In simple terms, an accident is an unplanned event that causes injury, harm, damage, loss, or other adverse outcomes; an incident is a broader umbrella term for any unplanned event whether or not harm occurred; and a near miss (also called a “close call”) is an unplanned event where no injury, damage or harm actually … Read more
If you want safe, effective, and injury-free use of a shovel, shovel safety means choosing the right shovel, using proper lifting and body mechanics, working in safe conditions (weather, footing, load size), and paying attention to your body’s signals. Below are detailed guidelines, background, and unique insights to help you use shovels safely — whether … Read more
Ladders are one of the most used materials on the job site. It is used mainly when it is not possible to do a particular job from the ground. Though a ladder can be very important on the job site, it can be risky if not used properly. Here is why Ladder Safety is important. … Read more
A Safety Instrumented System (SIS) is an engineered set of sensors, logic solvers, final control elements (and supporting subsystems) designed to automatically detect unsafe or abnormal process conditions and bring a process (or part of a process) into a safe state when predetermined safety limits are violated. In other words, when something goes wrong (temperature … Read more
A Health and Safety Inspector is a professional employed by government agencies or private organizations whose primary role is to assess, enforce, and promote safe working environments. They evaluate workplaces, investigate incidents, ensure compliance with occupational health and safety laws, provide guidance on risk prevention, and may issue improvement or enforcement notices. In short: they’re … Read more
The five top office safety topics for office workers are: (1) ergonomic workstation setup, (2) indoor air quality and ventilation, (3) slips, trips, and falls prevention, (4) workplace stress management and mental health safety, and (5) electrical and fire safety awareness. These encompass physical, environmental, and psychological safety concerns, and addressing them holistically greatly reduces … Read more
A banksman is a trained and competent individual—also known as a traffic marshal or signaller—who directs the safe movement of vehicles and mobile plant (like trucks, excavators, cranes) on or around worksites, particularly when visibility is limited or reversing operations are necessary. Their primary duties include guiding operators using agreed signals, enforcing risk control measures, … Read more
Preliminary Hazard Analysis (PHA) is an early-stage risk evaluation method used to identify, assess, and prioritize potential hazards in a system, process, or project—before detailed design or implementation begins—so that key safety controls can be planned proactively. It answers essential questions: What can go wrong? How likely is it? How severe could the outcome be? … Read more
The three main reasons for unsafe acts in the workplace are lack of proper training and safety awareness, fatigue and psychological stress (including complacency and frustration), and organizational and environmental pressures or culture. These factors consistently contribute to unsafe behaviors, as supported by authoritative sources such as BLR, NIOSH, and peer-reviewed safety literature. Reasons for … Read more
Failure analysis is the systematic process of investigating why a product, component, or system failed to perform as intended. To start failure analysis, you gather a complete history of the failure, inspect samples, form hypotheses on root causes, test those hypotheses using appropriate methods (e.g., microscopy, chemical analysis), and then draw conclusions to prevent recurrence. … Read more