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Press SafetyVariegate, Inc.
Since 1992 -
Press Safety
Building Your Safety Library
By William S. Roorda
The OSHAct, which became law in 1971, assigns to the employer the responsibility for the personal safety and well being of every employee. In a small plant, this responsibility is often assumed by the person in charge of the operation. However, in larger plants and plants with more than one operating shift, a designated safety engineer or safety supervisor should be assigned to each shift.
The first concern of the individual(s) responsible for safety in the plant should be proper safety training, especially for new hires and temporary employees. Training programs require knowledge and understanding of the safety regulations and standards that are applicable to the workplace.
The following is a list of essential safety publications that every plant safety library should include.
Federal requirements of industry, which are enforced by OSHA, are embodied in Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations 1910. This publication is located at:
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=13660
June 8, 2007 - Documents of interest: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.217
OSHA also enforces the ANSI B11 Machine Tool Safety Standards, where applicable. These publications are available from:
American National Standards Institute
11 West 42nd Street
New York, NY 10036
www.ansi.org June 8, 2007 - Documents of interest: ANSI B11.1-2001, ANSI B11.19-2003, ANSI/NFPA 79 - 2002, ANSI B11-TR3-2000
The FMA/CAN Safety and Loss Control Manual is specifically dedicated to companies that use machines for fabrication. This publication is available from:
The Fabricators & Manufacturers Association, International
833 Featherstone Road Rockford, IL 61107-6302
The most comprehensive source of information recommended for use in every workplace is the NSC Accident Prevention Manual for Business and Industry. This two-volume publication is available from:
National Safety Council
1121 Spring Lake Drive
Itasca, IL 60143-9858
William S. Roorda is a Consulting Engineer with Alcona Associates, Venice, Florida. Alcona provides engineering consulting services for the metal forming industry, including machine tool safeguarding, OSHA compliance inspections, and accident investigation. Roorda is a member of the FMA/CAN Safety Committee.