Category Archives: manufacturing

Howard’s Weekly Roundup – January 28

Posted on January 28, 2018 by mavity2012

Thanks for the input on topics you’d like to see and on your own observations to reference in the weekly Update. We’ll also cover many of these subjects in the Podcast and two related domains will soon be up and … Continue reading →

Posted in aging workforce, attitude/culture, books and articles, construction, emergency response, harassment, internal investigations, manufacturing, repeat items, restaurants, safety programs, safety technology and apps, social media, supervisor development, Uncategorized, union organizing, wellness, workplace violence | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Have you Prepared For Third Party Embarassment Tactics?

Posted on May 30, 2014 by mavity2012

The areas of labor, employment, and safety exposure which present very real threats to the distribution industry. There are several reasons for this increased focus on these types of business: ■Distribution is a huge market for plaintiff lawyers who want … Continue reading →

Posted in auto industry, boycotts, class actions/systemic investigation, hospitality, manufacturing, public attacks, restaurants, retail, unions | Leave a comment

Will GM’s Car Recalls Encourage Whistleblower Claims?

Posted on April 3, 2014 by mavity2012

During this week’s discussion about GM’s auto recalls, OSHA also released a Fact Sheet and guidance on “Filing Whistleblower Complaints Under The Moving Ahead For Progress In The 21st Century Act (MAP21).”  I’m willing to bet that most of you … Continue reading →

Posted in discipline and discharge, discrimination, manufacturing, OSHA, whistleblower/retaliation | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

OSHA Citations, Lost Production and Getting Lean

Posted on December 30, 2013 by mavity2012

In our competitive environment, every manufacturer struggles to do more with less and to find capital for “non-production” areas, such as maintenance, safety, training, housekeeping and HR.  If done in a shortsighted fashion, the employer learns through painful experience the … Continue reading →

Posted in combustible dust, employer policies, food processing, hazard assessment, manufacturing, MOC, OSHA | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Huh? What’s A Worker Center Got To Do With Me?

Posted on December 10, 2013 by mavity2012

When Is A Union Not A Union? When It’s A “Worker Center.” By Steven Bernstein (Hospitality Update, No. 4, December 2013) In recent weeks, the fast-food industry has fallen prey to coordinated demonstrations by a number of loosely affiliated groups, … Continue reading →

Posted in auto industry, boycotts, manufacturing, union organizing, unions, whistleblower/retaliation | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

I’m Not an Engineer! What Do I Care About Management of Change?!

Posted on October 18, 2013 by mavity2012

Although OSHA’s Process Safety Management (PSM) standard may be the most challenging of OSHA’s regulations, the PSM standard, along with NFPA consensus standards about combustible dust have raised the topic of the importance of management of change (MOC) outside of … Continue reading →

Posted in combustible dust, consensus standards, hazard assessment, hazardous substances/chemicals, manufacturing, OSHA, plastics, safety programs | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Feds Let Hawaii OSH Resume Regulating Manufacturing

Posted on September 16, 2013 by mavity2012

(from Honolulu Civil Beat) Hawaii is starting to get its act together when it comes to workplace safety and the feds are taking notice. The Obama administration is letting the state reassume responsibility for regulating manufacturing industries, according to an … Continue reading →

Posted in manufacturing, OSHA, state osha plans | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Want Another Reason to Focus On Your Employees?

Posted on June 27, 2013 by mavity2012

Many of you know, I grew up in the hills of Northwest Georgia where about 85% of the nation’s carpet is manufactured. To put it mildly, it is a non-union area. Thirty miles North lies Chattanooga, which was once a highly … Continue reading →

Posted in attitude/culture, employee engagement, manufacturing, safety programs, union organizing, unions | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

OSHA Gets It Right On Temporary Workers – Part II

Posted on June 11, 2013 by mavity2012

I have been surprised to see so little commentary on the outgoing Deputy Assistant Secretary’s April 29 announcement of OSHA ramping up its focus on Temporary Workers.  Ed talked a bit earlier this week about OSHA’s new initiative and I’ll … Continue reading →

Posted in employer policies, government inspections, hospitality, manufacturing, OSHA, safety programs, workers comp | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

Combustible Dust Explosions and Compliance – Especially For Food Processors

Posted on May 13, 2013 by mavity2012

  I have linked to an Interview by the good folks at Chem.Info.com, an excellent publication and provider, especially for food processors and related businesses.  We represented construction employers at the 2008 Port Wentworth Sugar Plant (Imperial Sugar) explosion and … Continue reading →

Posted in civil and criminal exposure, combustible dust, consensus standards, emergency response, food processing, general duty 5(a) citations, manufacturing, OSHA, willful | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment