When you think about martial arts, you're most likely NOT thinking about any correlation to work safety. These two practices typically aren't paired together, but the foundational aspects of Aikido show that some martial arts principles can be applied to your safety mindset to help you stay safe on-the-job. In the video below, Safety Specialist Phil Aldridge discusses a specific principle and how you can put it to work right away.

After decades of debate and scientific research, OSHA released their final rule on beryllium occupational exposure earlier this month. The new standard will effectively lower exposure limits, restrict access to high-exposure areas, and provide more protection to exposed workers.

Last week, we published a blog that covered the latter half of OSHA's top ten most cited violations. This week, we look at the top 5 violations from the 2016 reporting year. OSHA issues violations and penalties not only to protect workers but to deter others from, unknowingly or not, allowing an unsafe working environment. As 2017 begins, it's a great time to evaluate any vulnerabilities in your workplace and conduct walkthroughs to ensure your work site does not have any violation worthy scenarios.

Each October, OSHA releases a list of the most cited violations from their approximately 32,000 workplace inspections the year before. The list seldomly changes; year after year the same violations swap positions on the top 10 list and the number of violations often increase. As you start 2017, let this knowledge of the common violations in your industry help you start the year with a renewed focus on areas that need a stalwart safety strategy.