Kyle W. Morrison

Former senior associate editor

Articles

ARTICLES

Hazardous times

A timeline of significant combustible dust-related incidents, and the pursuit to regulate the hazard
February 1, 2012
Kyle W. Morrison
No Comments
A Chemical Safety Board official recently told Safety+Health that "it's long past time" for a standard on combustible dust. S+H presents a timeline, with links and videos, outlining recent significant combustible dust incidents and actions taken.
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OSHA enforcement

Does it help improve workplace safety?
October 1, 2011
Kyle W. Morrison
One Comment
Recent comments from assistant OSHA administrator Jordan Barab indicate that he believes OSHA enforcement can lead to a safer workplace, despite a lack of supporting evidence. While many experts agree OSHA can have a positive effect on workplace safety, they disagree as to how large of a role the agency plays in doing so.
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General duty clause clipboard

The General Duty Clause

What is it, how does OSHA use it and what should employers know?
May 1, 2011
Kyle W. Morrison
No Comments
Combustible dust, diacetyl and – more recently – gas blows all are recognized industry hazards, yet federal OSHA does not have standards regulating them. However, the agency does have a way to protect workers from unregulated hazards, and employers could be seeing it more often: the General Duty Clause.
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more than grain danger 530

More than a grain of danger

As grain-related injuries and deaths increase, OSHA cracks down
May 1, 2011
Kyle W. Morrison
No Comments
Deaths and injuries from grain entrapments are on the rise and, as a result, OSHA is warning grain facility owners and operators to take appropriate precautions – or face steep consequences. In 2010, 51 grain entrapments were documented – the highest number ever reported, according to Purdue University’s Agricultural Safety and Health Program in West Lafayette, IN.
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Protecting the Public Worker

February 1, 2011
Kyle W. Morrison
One Comment
Despite all they do, many workers employed by local or state governments do not receive the same type of safety and health job protections as those employed in the private sector. Approximately 8 million public workers in this country go uncovered by the Occupational Safety and Health Act.
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The Shocking Truth

Experts suggest electrical hazards are easily avoidable, but complacency hinders compliance
December 1, 2010
Kyle W. Morrison
No Comments
From lighting our workstations to powering massive industrial machinery, we depend on electricity to get us through the workday.
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Leading, lagging indicators

The measure of safety

What are the leading and lagging indicators, and how can they improve safety?
March 1, 2010
Kyle W. Morrison
No Comments
These “lagging” indicators represent the past, highlighting incidents that cannot be changed. To look at what is happening now to ensure such incidents do not happen in the future, “leading” indicators are needed.
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