High-level decisions about workplace safety and work-life balance reduce workplace accident rates, according to a recently published study1. Employees' perceptions that an organization was focused on worker safety were found to decrease rates of work-related personal injury by 32%.

¹Occupational Injury in America: An Analysis of Risk Factors Using Data from the General Social Survey, J Safety Research

Grants for Workplace Training/Education

The $1.2 million Susan Harwood Training Grant Program supports 1) target topic grants for training of workers and/or employers associated with OSHA selected training topics, and 2) training materials grants to develop, evaluate, and validate classroom-quality training materials on an OSHA selected training topic. Topics for 2012 are fall protection, grain handling operations, crane safety, workplace violence, hazard communication for chemical exposure, injury and illness prevention programs, and shipyard safety hazards. Eligible applicants for the 1-year grants are nonprofit, community and faith-based organizations; employer associations; labor unions; and colleges and universities. Receipt deadline: Thursday, May 17.

Susan Harwood Training Grant Program

OSHA News Release

Hazard Communication Standard Revised

"Exposure to hazardous chemicals is one of the most serious threats facing American workers today," says US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. To better protect workers from these exposures, OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is now aligned with the United Nations' global chemical labeling system (GHS).

OSHA (Hazard Communication)