Workplace violence, harassment and mental health continue to be key concerns for workers. But the big picture regarding the true state of these serious matters often remains unclear. Elissa Rossi, VP of compliance advisory services at Traliant, joins the OH&S SafetyPod to discuss Traliant’s 2024 employee survey report on this topic, giving voice to over 1,000 workers. We’ll address some of the study's most significant findings, the impact of hybrid work models and what employers can do to combat workplace violence, harassment and mental health in their organizations.

Sponsored by the National Fire Protection Association

Empower Your Business with Global Safety Solutions from the Experts Developed by leading experts, NFPA products and solutions help your business improve performance to complete more projects, retain top talent, increase profits, and help reduce loss or damage to people and property. Contact an NFPA Enterprise Specialist today for a customized recommendation of the best NFPA products and services to help meet your business goals. To learn more, visit www.nfpa.org/enterprisesales.

Workplace drug testing has existed for decades with lab-based urine testing being the dominant test method for much of that time. However, new technologies have ushered in new approaches, which could have come at a better time given how recreational marijuana laws could impact worker safety. Bill Current, the president and founder of the Current Consulting Group, joins the OH&S SafetyPod to talk about those laws, innovations such as oral fluid testing, and how those technologies are helping employers maintain safe and healthy workplaces.

Sponsored by OraSure Technologies

OraSure’s drug and alcohol testing portfolio is a minimally invasive, observed collection to detect recent drug use. The Intercept® and OralTox® Oral Fluid Tests offer a simple collection process, reduce sample tampering, and provide accurate results. Q.E.D., OraSure’s point-of-care alcohol test, offers quantitative ethanol detection with a high correlation to blood levels, and SwabTek our newest product launch can detect drugs on surfaces, and in suspected paraphernalia, within 30 seconds. Visit www.orasure.com to learn more.

As Women’s History Month and Women in Construction Week fall in March, OH&S’s SafetyPod examines the role of women in worker safety. Shawna Fraser Nagle, MS, CSP, CHST, CUSP, the Vice President of Safety at Newton, Mass.-headquartered Fraser Engineering Co. Inc., joins the podcast to discuss her experience in workplace safety, as well as the unique abilities and value that women bring to worker safety. Other topics discussed include how safety organizations are cultivating that value, and the future of women in workplace safety.

Sponsored by Columbia Southern University

For 30 years, Columbia Southern University has been a leader in occupational safety and health education. Taught by experienced safety experts, CSU’s bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in occupational safety and health are recognized by the Board of Certified Safety Professionals as Graduate Safety Practitioner® Qualified Academic Programs. Visit ColumbiaSouthern.edu/OHS to learn more.

Occupational Health & Safety’s Executive Editor David Kopf and Content Editor Robert Yaniz, Jr. kick off the new year by talking about a few safety initiatives and trends that will impact the next 12 months. Those developments, include efforts to combat workplace overdose deaths, address worker mental health, child labor investigations and more “tailored” PPE design. Additionally, Kopf and Yaniz also preview some of the editorial efforts OH&S has in the works for 2024, including our webinar programs, event coverage, online features and more.

Ergonomics continues to get increased attention in the workplace, but worker safety and health professionals face a number of challenges when trying to ensure good ergonomics. Sofia Kiriukhina, the Head of Customer Success at TuMeke Ergonomics, joins the OH&S SafetyPod to discuss the role of ergonomics in full-circle employee health. It turns out that the ergonomics challenges facing businesses might also open the door to some new opportunities through innovations, technologies and rethinking previous approaches to ergonomics and assessments.

Sponsored by TuMeke Ergonomics:

Reduce injuries and sustain productivity by automating ergonomic risk assessments with TuMeke Ergonomics. Born out of a collaboration between experts in technology and ergonomics, the company has grown to become a standard tool in the U.S. workers’ compensation insurance industry and among the world’s largest industrial firms. We are on a mission to eliminate workplace musculoskeletal injuries. No wearables, only video-based technology. To learn more, visit tumeke.io

Every section of a Safety Data Sheet is important, but there are several sections of SDS that often get less attention than they should. Well-known workplace safety expert Stephen E. Badger, CSP, OHST, WCP, manager of loss control for The MEMIC Group, joins the SafetyPod to share his insights on four key SDS sections employees and employers need to follow more closely and why. Badger focuses his attention on sections 8, 9, 7, and 11 and digs into the crucial details of each.

Sponsored by Scraper Systems™ by Rite-Hite®:

Scraper Systems™ by Rite-Hite® is North America’s leading name in automated rooftop snow removal from truck fleets. Safely clear 24 inches of snow and ice in less than 30 seconds. Scraper Systems’ fleet plows help reduce winter risks, protect your brand, and get your fleet on the road quickly after a snowstorm. Scraper Systems are ready to ship for this winter. Contact us at Scrapersystems.com or 888-340-4344 to learn more today!

The winter months are now upon us, bringing in a range of seasonal safety hazards and risks that businesses and industries have to deal with in order to keep workers safe. Brendan Moriarty, Vice President, Casualty Executive Field Specialist, North America Risk Engineering at Chubb, joins the podcast to discuss several winter hazards impacting many businesses across a variety of industries and how those businesses can address those hazards and keep workers safe. From frostbite and hypothermia to slips and falls to vehicle risks, Moriarty offers a wealth of winter safety solutions.

Sponsored by NFPA® Global Business Solutions: 

Operate your organization at a higher level with NFPA® Global Business Solutions.

Developed by leading experts, NFPA products and solutions help your business improve performance to complete more projects, retain top talent, increase profits, and help reduce loss or damage to people and property. Contact an NFPA Global Solutions Specialist today for a customized recommendation of the best NFPA products and services to help meet your business goals. To learn more, visit www.nfpa.org/Training-and-Events/By-type/Onsite

Regular readers of Occupational Health & Safety’s website, enewsletter and social media accounts saw our regular updates from the show floor and key conferences sessions at NSC’s Safety Congress & Expo 2023 in New Orleans, but we wanted to use this episode to hit on some key highlights. Executive editor David Kopf and content editor Robert Yaniz, Jr. discuss NSC’s new Respond Ready Workplace program; the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion panel; the Campbell Institute Forum discussion on training multi-generational workforces; and OSHA’s annual Top 10 violations announcement.