Safety Knights

𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐒𝐈𝐅𝐬 - 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐮𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞

The Serious Injury and Fatality (SIF) prevention movement is grounded in an understanding of the complex interactions among human performance, work environments, and organizational systems. Preventing life-altering events requires more than identifying hazards. It requires leaders to be intentionally curious about how work is performed, where risk emerges, and why people make the decisions they do. Curiosity drives meaningful action, enabling leaders at every level to recognize systemic vulnerabilities, implement effective controls, and create conditions where workers can perform their jobs safely and successfully. Too often, discussions about risk are dismissed with the statement, "OSHA does not require it." Regulatory compliance establishes a minimum legal standard and is not a comprehensive strategy for preventing serious injuries and fatalities. When leaders rely solely on regulatory requirements to justify inaction, they miss opportunities to identify and control hazards before they cause harm. To be transparent, treating regulatory minimums as the benchmark for excellence reflects a failure of leadership rather than a commitment to risk management. Likewise, blaming workers for the system's shortcomings, which are created by leaders, or inaccuracies rarely improves risk management or safety performance. Human error is often the visible symptom of deeper organizational, operational, or design-related weaknesses. Effective leaders look beyond the individual to understand why the system allowed the failure to occur. They focus on improving work design, strengthening critical controls, and creating learning opportunities rather than assigning blame. Leadership is measured not by finding someone to hold accountable after an event, but by continuously improving the system to prevent the next one.

𝑶𝑺𝑯𝑨 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝑴𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒔 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔 𝒂 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓 𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑺𝒂𝒚.

What if the most dangerous words in safety aren't spoken by a worker, but by a leader? "𝑶𝑺𝑯𝑨 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒕." I've heard those words far too many times. Sometimes they are used to justify a decision. Sometimes they end a conversation before it ever begins. And sometimes, they become the reason a leader chooses not to do more. But leadership requires a different question: 𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑏𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑤𝑒 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑛'𝑡 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑑𝑜 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑛𝑔, 𝑑𝑜𝑒𝑠 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑒 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛'𝑡? When people's lives are involved, compliance should be the starting point, not the finish line. There is one statement I continue to hear from safety, supervisors, and operational leaders that immediately tells me the conversation has shifted from leadership to compliance. "OSHA does not require it." On the surface, it sounds reasonable. After all, OSHA establishes minimum regulatory requirements. But when those five words become the foundation for decision-making, they reveal something much deeper. They reveal a leadership mindset that asks, "What is the least we have to do?" rather than, "What is the right thing to do?" The mindset is a dangerous place for any leader to operate. Compliance has never been synonymous with excellence. It has never guaranteed that every foreseeable hazard has been identified, every risk has been mitigated, or every worker will return home safely. Regulations establish a baseline, not the finish line. Although not all-encompassing, the questions every leader should be asking are not whether OSHA requires something; the questions should be: • What are the critical controls for each high-energy task, and how do we verify they are present, effective, and durable? • Have we researched and implemented manufacturers’ recommendations and current industry best practices? • What did we learn from the last precursor event, and how did we change the system? • How do we ensure investigations focus on system weaknesses—not worker behavior? • Is there an international standard that strengthens our risk management process? • Have we invited our legal, insurance, and enterprise risk management teams into the conversation? • What risk are we tolerating today that we would not tolerate after a serious incident or fatality (SIF)? • What recurring conditions or behaviors show up before incidents, and how quickly do we act when we see them? These are leadership questions, not compliance questions. Unfortunately, many leaders stop searching once they discover OSHA does not specifically mandate a control. That decision creates an invisible line where responsibility quietly gives way to convenience. And that is where risk begins to grow. Every incident investigation reveals opportunities that existed long before the event occurred. There were conversations that never happened. Questions that were never asked. Job hazard analyses (JHAs), policies, procedures, or standards that were never reviewed, and recommendations that were never implemented. The tragedy is rarely the absence of information. The tragedy is the absence of leadership. When leaders choose not to implement reasonable controls simply because they are not explicitly required by regulation, they make a conscious decision to accept unnecessary risk. Risk management and rule compliance are interrelated strategies and mutually complementary, informing decision-making (Hopkins, 2011). That is not strategic risk management. That is gambling. Gambling that today's task will end differently than yesterday's. Gambling that experience will overcome exposure. Gambling that luck will outperform preparation. Most importantly, gambling with people's lives. One serious injury or fatality can erase years of financial gains that were achieved by avoiding investments in prevention. Insurance premiums increase. Projects stop. Litigation begins. Reputations suffer. Trust disappears. Yet those costs still pale in comparison to the greatest loss of all. A worker doesn't return home. A spouse receives life-changing news. Children grow up without a parent. A family loses everything. No balance sheet can measure that cost. The skilled men and women who build our infrastructure, power our industries, construct our hospitals, data centers, schools, roads, and manufacturing facilities deserve more than minimum compliance. They deserve leaders who think beyond regulations. They deserve leaders who are curious enough to ask better questions. They deserve leaders who continuously learn, improve, and challenge the status quo. Leadership means researching emerging risks before they become incidents. It means adopting industry best practices even when they exceed regulatory expectations. It means incorporating manufacturer guidance into work planning. It means mentoring supervisors, empowering frontline workers, and investing in continuous education. Most importantly, it means proactively searching for the conditions that could contribute to the next potential Serious Injury or Fatality (p-SIF) before someone else discovers them the hard way. "An incident occurs when energy is released in the absence of effective controls. SIF prevention is about mastering the controls before energy escapes" (Hallowell, 2025). Exceptional leaders do not wait for regulations to tell them what excellence looks like. They define excellence themselves. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 Leadership is measured long before an incident occurs. Every decision to improve a process, strengthen a standard, invest in people, or eliminate a hazard becomes part of the legacy a leader leaves behind. Don't become the leader who hides behind the phrase, "OSHA does not require it." Become the leader who challenges the status quo. Become the leader who defines “What Good Looks Like.” Become the leader who asks better questions. Become the leader who refuses to gamble with lives. Become the light that guides others toward a safer future, one built on curiosity, courage, accountability, and an unwavering commitment to protecting people. Because the true standard of leadership is not found in what regulations require. It is found in what leaders choose to do when no regulation demands it. "The greatest failures in leadership rarely begin with what people do. They begin with what leaders choose not to do." 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 Hopkins, A. (2011). Risk-management and rule-compliance: Decision-making in hazardous industries. Safety science, 49(2), 110-120. Hallowell, M. R. (2025). Energy-based safety: A scientific approach to preventing serious injuries and fatalities (SIFs). CRC Press. 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫 Dr. Erich Pyles, DEL, MS, CSP, CHST is a risk and safety executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience across military, government, energy, heavy industrial construction, and mission-critical infrastructure projects. His work focuses on leadership influence, serious injury and fatality (SIF) prevention, Human and Organizational Performance (HOP), and organizational resilience. Through writing, speaking, and executive leadership, he challenges leaders to move beyond compliance and to build cultures in which exceptional performance is a natural outcome of disciplined leadership and intentional risk management.

Florida Roofing Contractor Faces $349K Fine for Repeated Fall

Federal investigators have recently cited a Florida roofing company, Orchids Builders LLC, for willfully and repeatedly exposing its workers to serious fall hazards at residential construction sites. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed penalties totaling $349,754, following a pattern of non-compliance that spans multiple inspections since 2023. This enforcement action serves as a stark reminder of the critical importance of robust fall protection programs and continuous safety vigilance across all industries, including telecom and construction, where work at height is a daily reality. https://buildrightacademy.us/blog/florida-roofing-contractor-faces-349k-fine-for-repeated-fall

Lost Time Question

This may have already been asked already and possibly by me but in searching I am not having any luck. Since it's been some time since I've had an employee with an injury where they have been off, I thought I better check with the folk better at remembering this stuff than me. We had a driver who was injured throwing straps to strap down a load of flat bed trailers. He fractured a rib as well as badly strained his shoulder and bicep of his dominant arm. Doctor gave him restrictions of NO use of his injured dominant arm and limited pushing/pulling/lifting of anything over 5 lbs along with limited back, twisting and stopping. I should also add he lives 45 minutes to an hour away from our facility. In discussing with him and the claim rep, we all decided to keep him off work due to his pain he was experiencing and for the fact he was limited to what he could do with his non-dominant arm (we had talked about doing some walk-in door and railing painting but decided that may not be the best choice to do with a non-dominant arm). I alway forget how it works with OSHA when we have an employee off but the doctor gives them restrictions.

HSE is the Soul of Facility Management

Beyond Maintenance: Why HSE is the Soul of Facility Management In the modern landscape of facility management (FM), health, safety, and environmental (HSE) protocols are the architectural backbone that protects everyone from industrial technicians to residential tenants. A Unified Framework for All Spaces Whether managing a high-output industrial plant or a luxury residential tower, the objective remains the same: provide a safe and healthy workplace. Industrial Resilience: For heavy-duty environments, HSE focuses on Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) of safety-critical equipment and managing risks associated with plant operations to ensure business continuity. Residential & Office Well-being: In domestic and commercial spaces, HSE addresses "silent" hazards like indoor air quality—which affects 30% of buildings worldwide—and ergonomic factors to ensure occupant comfort. Standardization and Professional Excellence Global excellence in facility management is achieved by aligning operations with international standards. ISO 45001:2018: This standard provides the framework for Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S), emphasizing leadership, worker participation, and the elimination of hazards. ISO 14001:2015: For environmental stewardship, this standard guides FM teams in managing aspects like waste segregation, energy efficiency, and water conservation. The Human Interface in FM FM safety is deeply humanized, extending beyond technical compliance into daily hygiene, housekeeping, and welfare standards. Success is driven by a "Just Culture" and the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, where technicians are empowered to report "Learning Events" (near misses) and exercise Stop Work Authority if they encounter an unsafe condition. By viewing maintenance through the lens of ISO 45001 and ISO 14001, facility managers transform structures into safe, sustainable ecosystems that support long-term organizational reputation. Ultimately, prioritizing HSE in facility management ensures that the visible face of success is always a safe one. A systematic approach to risk preserves the integrity of our built environment for everyone.

15ft rule for HVAC warning line

I am new to safety and I work for an HVAC and Plumbing Contractor. I am confused about the standard vs letter of interpretation and what to follow regarding warning lines 6ft vs 15ft. I cant find a standard that specifically notes the 15ft rule for non roofing companies. I can see a letter of interpretation about it which as far as I can tell says: non-roofing contractors (like HVAC) working on a low-slope roof can use a warning line set back 15 feet or more from the edge as an alternative to conventional fall protection, provided no work occurs outside that line and a strict work rule prohibits approaching the edge. Can anyone clarify what is actually needed and the difference on Standards vs Letters of Interpretation?

Psychosocial hazards

The psychosocial work environment is defined by how work is designed, organized, and managed, as well as by the organizational practices that shape daily working conditions. Psychosocial factors—such as workload and working hours, role clarity, autonomy, support, and the existence of fair and transparent processes—strongly influence the work experience and have a direct impact on worker safety, health, and performance.  When these factors affect workers, they become risks which, like physical, chemical and biological risks, must be taken into account and managed in order to guarantee safe and healthy working environments.  How psychosocial hazards cause harm Psychosocial hazards can create stress. This can cause psychological or physical harm. Stress itself is not an injury. But if workers are stressed often, over a long time, or the level of stress is high, it can cause harm.  Psychological harm may include anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, sleep disorders, Physical harm may include musculoskeletal injuries, chronic disease or fatigue related injuries. Psychosocial hazards may interact and combine Psychosocial hazards may interact or combine to create new, changed or higher risks. It is important to consider all the psychosocial hazards workers may be exposed to when managing psychosocial risks. Some hazards may not create psychosocial risks on their own but may do so if combined with other hazards. For example, when workloads are high the risk may increase if workers cannot take breaks or there is no one around to help. Some hazards may only create risks on their own when severe.  Managing psychosocial risks A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must eliminate psychosocial risks, or if that is not reasonably practicable, minimise them so far as is reasonably practicable. The model WHS Regulations require PCBUs to have regard to all relevant matters when determining what control measures to implement.

Automating Work-as-Imagined

Organizations are automating the written version of work, not the real version. We all know the HOP concept of work-as-imagined versus work-as-done. Procedures describe the work one way; the floor does it another. That gap has always existed, and it has been mostly survivable. People adapt around incomplete procedures, incomplete information, missing parts, unrealistic demands, etc. We have invisibly provided the slack that lets organizations succeed despite the gap. But we know that the wider that gap, the more likely an incident. Even still, gaps exist and work so well that most organizations don’t even know it’s happening. Now AI tools are being deployed into those same work systems. And that presents a new stressor upon that system. AI gets trained and configured on the written version of work - those procedures, data, process maps, etc. It never sees the adaptations. It can’t. Nobody wrote them down. So the gap that people quietly absorbed for decades starts surfacing at machine speed. Maybe someone downstream can catch the error, but the acceleration and amplification that AI brings may make that impossible. The risk I’m trying to remove is helping organizations discover their work-as-imagined/work-as-done gap through an AI-enabled event instead of before one. The way I’ve been framing it (I call the extension HAOP - Human, AI, and Organizational Performance): Humans adapt AI optimizes Organizations govern Before automating, the organization’s job is to actually understand how the work is done at ground level - the same thing a learning team does, now pointed at AI readiness. So my question for the group, especially anyone whose company is piloting AI tools: before deployment, did anyone assess how the work is actually performed? Or did the rollout start from the procedure manual? I’d genuinely like to hear what you’re seeing, either way.

Open Dock Door Protection

We have a non air conditioned warehouse with 5 dock doors. Only one of the dock doors is actually used for unloading/loading trucks which is not an every day event. When it is hot out, they like to open the doors for air flow. Are standard chains sufficient enough for protection or would we need to get actual barriers that would be able to stop a fork truck?

FATALITY - FALL FROM 1.5 METERS

A warehouse supervisor suffered fatal injuries following a fall from a mobile loading ramp when helping to load plastic waste bales into a shipping container. As he accessed the ramp, a plastic bale slipped from the forklift truck which was loading them into the container. This caused the victim to step backwards and fall approximately 1.5 metres onto the concrete surface below. REFLECTIONS: 1. Are we in compliance with all the requirements in their implementation and their execution every day? 2. Would using a loading dock been a safer? 3. Should a MOC and PSSR have been performed as “This was a new activity – changes to established working practices can introduce new risks and employers must ensure those risks are identified and controlled before work begins." stated by the HSE inspector * Company failed to properly plan the loading activity which used the ramp * Also failed to install a handrail on the mobile loading ramp, despite manufacturer’s instructions clearly requiring this * Fined £425,000 and ordered to pay costs of £119,258 Victim's wife said: “My husband was the family man and everything we did revolved around him. “Everyone is struggling to come to terms with their dad, uncle and friend not being here. He did so much for so many people. “To explain my feelings of loss is to try and explain the unthinkable – there are just simply no words. “He was my husband and very best friend. He was my always and forever and he is my forever always.” An investigation by the HSE found that the company failed to properly assess the risks associated with the loading operation and failed to adequately consider and control the risks arising from pedestrian use of mobile loading ramps. The investigation found that employees were permitted to access the ramps without handrails. In spite of the fact that the manufacturer of the ramp had specifically advised that pedestrians should not use the ramp unless handrails were fitted. HSE also found that the company had not sufficiently considered reasonably practicable alternatives that would have avoided work at height altogether, including using existing loading bays or placing containers on the ground before loading. Employers must properly plan and assess work at height and ensure that it is avoided where it is reasonably practicable to do so. Where work at height cannot be avoided, suitable measures must be in place to prevent falls and protect workers from injury. HSE inspector said: “Victim lost his life in an incident that was entirely preventable. The manufacturer's instructions were clear: no pedestrian should have been using the ramp without handrails being fitted." “Employers should carefully assess work at height activities and always consider whether the task can be carried out without exposing workers to fall risks." We thank the HSE for this value adding information.

HELP: HOW TO ADD PHOTOS TO A POSTING?

Have tried copy and paste but it does not work. Is there another way to do it?

Wildfire Smoke & AQI on Construction Sites (Michigan)

With the recent Canadian wildfire smoke impacting Michigan, I'm curious how everyone is managing outdoor work when the Air Quality Index (AQI) reaches "Unhealthy" or worse. Federal OSHA doesn't have a wildfire smoke-specific standard, but employers still have obligations under: • OSH Act Section 5(a)(1) – General Duty Clause, requiring employers to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards. • 29 CFR 1910.134 – Respiratory Protection, if respirators are required or provided beyond voluntary use. At what AQI are you modifying work activities? Are you issuing N95s to crews? Has anyone's company implemented an AQI action plan or stop-work threshold? Interested to hear what best practices everyone is using, especially on large commercial and Amazon projects.

Lithium-ion Battery Disposal

I get asked about this all of the time. Here is a quick refrences. Note Home Depot and Lowes will take power tool batteries as some other places that sell them might!

ASP Prep?

I want to get my ASP. What have people used to prepare for that exam? What areas should I focus on? Any help is appreciated. I have worked in safety for 7 years and have an associates degree. My employer isn't requiring I get this certification. This is more just a personal goal of mine.

OUR HEALTH SAFETY - Cyclosporiasis: An Annual Summer Parasitic Infection–How to Protect Ourselves.

A family member recently got this parasite in a vacation trip to Hilton Head Island. After returning home for 1 week, she just finished one week of suffering through all the symptoms described below. Yesterday she was administered 2 bags of saline solution and will need more in coming days. Sharing in the spirit of proactively helping us, our families and friends to be aware of this malady and help us to do everything that we can to prevent getting it. Cyclosporiasis: Key Facts & Protection Cyclosporiasis is a summer foodborne illness caused by the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis. Nearly 3,000 cases have been reported across 31 U.S. states, with Michigan seeing an unusually high surge. The hallmark symptom is frequent, explosive watery diarrhea, often 5–6 times a day, sometimes accompanied by nausea, bloating, low‑grade fever, and fatigue. How Infection Happens Transmission is almost always through contaminated fresh produce (leafy greens, berries, herbs). Person‑to‑person spread is rare. Diagnosis & Treatment Diagnosis requires a specific stool test, so ask your clinician directly if suspected. Most people recover with hydration alone, but confirmed cases are treated with TMP‑SMX (Bactrim/Septra), which typically works within days. Untreated illness can lead to dehydration, nutrient malabsorption, and rare complications like cholecystitis or reactive arthritis. Protection & Prevention Wash hands with warm water and soap for 20 seconds. Rinse all produce under running water; avoid soaking. Remove bruised/damaged areas. Scrub firm produce (melons, cucumbers). Discard outer lettuce leaves; wash each leaf. Wash herbs (basil, cilantro) thoroughly. For onions: trim root, remove outer layer, wash well. For raspberries: swish in 3:1 water–vinegar mix, then rinse; or use frozen berries. Only cooking above 158°F fully kills the parasite. If diarrhea lasts more than a few days—especially after eating fresh produce—seek medical evaluation. Countries with documented endemic presence While many countries have reported cases, endemic transmission is most often documented in: Latin America (e.g., Guatemala, Peru, Haiti, Honduras) South Asia (e.g., Nepal, India) Southeast Asia (e.g., Cambodia, Vietnam) Middle East (sporadic reports) Caribbean regions Note: These regions are frequently cited in epidemiological studies and travel-related case reports. United States (non-endemic, but outbreaks occur) U.S. outbreaks are foodborne and linked to imported fresh produce such as: Basil Cilantro Mesclun lettuce Raspberries Snow peas Environmental Sources WHO documentation shows Cyclospora oocysts can be found in: Wastewater Surface water Groundwater Drinking water Soil Fresh produce This reflects contamination through inadequate sanitation systems Travel-Associated Risk Travelers to endemic tropical/subtropical regions frequently acquire the infection. Routine food/water disinfection methods do not reliably kill Cyclospora, so CDC advises heightened precautions for travelers. 3

Fall Protection - Annual Inspection Question

The other day, I was doing Safety Training with a friend. We are a good team, as my 50 years of experience is entirely in manufacturing leadership across Operations, HR, Health & Safety (OSHA), and Risk (WC). On the other hand, he has 30 years of experience in H&S leadership with 20 years in Construction and 10 years in manufacturing. On a break, we were talking about another job, to do the annual fall protection equipment inspection in a manufacturing plant. I asked if he wanted to partner up. I have experience with Fall Protection, but he has more than I do his construction experience. The customer has over 250 harness systems, and a partner would be nice with just the volume, no matter the case. He said, “Sure, but I am retired now, I do not have an Ergonomic Pull Tester?” I said, “Do you mean to check how much force an employee has to use to pull, lift, or push in a task? I had a set, back when I was employed at XXXX Corporation, to do Ergo Analysis. But I do not have a set either, since I am semi-retired. I know the harnesses have strength test requirements, but I did not know you had to test for it mechanically?” He said, “Sure, how else will you know? I thought but did not say, “I would think you would use a visual check and rely on the manufacturer’s specifications.” That conversation has stayed with me. After doing online research, I found reports that manufacturers advise against using mechanical testers to pull on harnesses because the force could overstretch the material and stitching, much like an actual fall. Who knows the correct answer?

CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Week Scheduled for July 12-18

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) Operation Safe Driver Week is scheduled for July 12-18. During Operation Safe Driver Week, commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers who are demonstrating unsafe driving behaviors will be identified by law enforcement personnel and issued a warning or ticket/citation. Examples of unsafe driving habits include speeding, distracted driving, fatigued/drowsy driving, following too closely, impaired driving, failure to wear a seatbelt, unsafe lane changes, disregarding traffic signals, etc. The goal of this weeklong safe-driving enforcement and outreach initiative is to improve drivers’ behaviors through education, traffic-enforcement strategies and driver interactions with law enforcement. Driver-related behaviors are largely preventable; therefore, addressing these behaviors is one of the most effective ways to reduce injuries, save lives and improve overall road safety. According to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 36,640 people were killed in traffic crashes in 2025. Transport Canada’s National Collision Database shows an average of 2,000 motor vehicle fatalities in 2023. And Mexico reported 15,979 road deaths for 2022. CVSA’s Operation Safe Driver Program aims to reduce the number of crashes on our roadways caused by unsafe driving actions. The focus of this year’s Operation Safe Driver Week is reckless, careless or dangerous driving. Any person who drives a vehicle in willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property is driving recklessly. Careless/dangerous driving is defined as operating a vehicle without due care and attention or reasonable consideration for other motorists or people on the road. Driver education initiatives are also a major part of Operation Safe Driver Week. Driver awareness programs are crucial for preventing crashes by teaching drivers to identify risky driving habits and proactively address and avoid those behaviors. To assist in educating drivers about ways to safely share our roadways, CVSA offers resources for teen and new drivers and commercial motor vehicle drivers, along with public service announcement videos, which are available for download and distribution. CVSA also distributes Operation Safe Driver Week postcards at no cost to its industry and enforcement members.

Risk Assessment Matrix

When designing the SkyFire Risk Assessment Matrix, I wanted something that encouraged conversations around high-consequence hazards rather than simply assigning a risk score. One design choice I made was giving additional weight to severity. My thinking was that hazards with the potential for life-altering or fatal consequences deserve extra attention, even if they occur less frequently or seem easier to control. I know there are many valid approaches to risk assessment, and this isn’t intended to replace site-specific procedures, engineering review, competent-person judgment, or regulatory requirements. It’s simply the philosophy that best aligned with what I wanted this tool to encourage. The matrix includes: • Severity, occurrence, and detection rating guides • Color-coded risk levels • Post-control risk review • Control type prompts • Action status guidance One of the things I enjoy most about safety is seeing how different professionals approach the same challenge. I’m always interested in learning how others build their risk assessment processes. Do you: • Use a traditional likelihood × severity matrix? • Use an FMEA-style approach? • Use your own formula? • Or use something entirely different? I’d genuinely enjoy hearing the reasoning behind your approach and what has worked well in your operations.

What Would You Put in a Mobile Safety Reference Tool?

One challenge I repeatedly ran into was finding the information I needed when I was away from my desk. Whether it was a regulation, form, guidance document, calculator, or reference material, I found myself searching for the same resources over and over again. To solve that problem, I started building a mobile safety resource library for my own use. I originally built this while working in the mining space, but I’m curious what resources safety professionals from other industries would want available as well. The project is called SkyFire. It currently includes regulatory references, MSHA forms and resources, safety calculators, and field tools. I’ve found it incredibly useful for my own work, and I’m continuing to expand and improve it. I’m not trying to sell anything. I’m simply looking to learn from other professionals and build something genuinely useful. So I wanted to ask: What would you put in a mobile safety reference tool? What information do you wish was easier to access when you’re away from your desk? The project is available here: https://skyfireehsmining-dev.github.io/skyfire-safety-library/

Trying to find +1.75 Indoor/Outdoor safety glasses

I got a request from one of my techs this morning for a pair of +1.75 reader indoor/outdoor tint safety glasses. He thought they showed +1.70 on the frames but from what I can tell online the normal strength would be 1.75. However, for starters it's hard to find the 1.75 strength to begin with. Then add in the indoor/outdoor tint and I'm running into nothing. Somewhere he apparently had found a pair. I have a few clear lens pairs on hand but he needs the tinted to cut the glare of the sun as the sun bothers his eyes since he's had a few eye surgeries. He is a refrigeration tech so tends to be looking up more. Anyone know of any source where one can by this strength and style? His broke but he's making due temporarily but I don't like that he had to tape them up since that decreases the safety of them. So I need to find him something asap.