Articles by Tom Musick

Organized baseball and softball offer many benefits to children and teens. The activity allows players to improve their fitness, build peer relationships, celebrate successes, confront failure and ultimately increase self-esteem. But with the game comes risk. From catching or throwing a ball to swinging a bat or sliding into a base, the sport requires a variety of motions that can make young athletes susceptible to injury.

Thousands of earthquakes occur annually in the United States, according to data from the U.S. Geological Society’s National Earthquake Information Center. The vast majority range in magnitude from 2.0 to 3.9 – strong enough to notice, but not likely to cause significant damage.

When the weekend finally arrives, many workers transition from sedentary creatures to recreational athletes. These people often are referred to as “weekend warriors” – those who participate in a wide range of activities such as running, bicycling, hiking, rock climbing and more.

An increasing number of safety experts say prevention programs that focus on serious injuries and fatalities – or SIFs – are the most effective approach for limiting worker exposure to hazards.

Hundreds of thousands of workers in construction, manufacturing and a variety of other industries may be exposed to harmful levels of lead. What can safety pros do to protect workers from this hazardous metal?

Construction work is one of the most dangerous jobs in the United States, resulting in the deaths of nearly 1,000 workers every year. Most of those fatalities involve one of the "Focus Four" hazards. As the industry experiences another boom and the workforce grows, safety pros are focusing on training and engagement.

Ladder-related incidents injure more than 50 workers every day in the United States. To help address the issue, the American Ladder Institute has designated March as National Ladder Safety Month.

Labor-law experts are predicting significant changes for worker safety regulation – including a stronger focus on compliance assistance – under the Trump administration.

Although nobody can say for certain when the next revision to OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard will take place, the agency hosted a meeting in November to gather stakeholder feedback on efforts to align the standard with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

What does a safety professional need to know if he or she manages a fleet of vehicles? National Safety Council experts say the effort needs to be collaborative. Also: Take a quiz to test your knowledge.