May Meeting OSHA Roundtable
The May meeting is always well attended, with 2023 being no exception. SC OHSA provided the annual update in a panel format. Speakers addressed status on standards, emphasis programs and training. A big thnk you to all the speakers and attendees!
March 2023 Site Tour SCDOT OMR
A big thank you to SC DOT for a fantastic tour of the Office of Materials and Research Lab in Columbia. This lab tests soils, concrete, asphalt and material that goes into our road projects. Supplier material is tested for strength, cold, heat, viscocity, longevity, friction and water. We witnessed concrete break testing, water testing and saw lots of classic pencil sharpeners!
Thank you to Merrill Zwanka, Temple Short and staff for a great tour.
2023 South Carolina PDC
Our annual Professional Development Conference was held Friday February 17th at Blue Cross Blue Shield. We greatly appreciate Blue Cross Blue Shield for their generosity and accommodations. A big thank you to our speakers, attendees, and officers for making this years PDC one of the largest attended in recent history.
January 2023 Site Tour IBHS Richburg
While we were told this was corny, we were BLOWN away by this months site tour! IBHS is a testing and research facility focusing on protecting businesses and residents from wind, hail and fire perils. Our tour exposed us to all the tools the scientists of IBHS use to analyze and test risks, including a MASSIVE wind tunnel.
Safety Stand Down Week
SC OSHA to Mark 50 Years with Statewide Safety Stand Down
December 5-9, 2022
Week long classes will highlight various training efforts of employers in South Carolina
South Carolina OSHA is celebrating 50 years as a State Plan in December with a statewide call to employers to provide at least 50 minutes of additional safety training for their employees during Safety Stand Down Week December 5th – 9th, 2022.
“We know that training is key to a safe and healthy work environment, and what better way to celebrate SC OSHA’s anniversary than to invest 50 extra minutes to make our worksites even safer,” SC OSHA Deputy Director Kristina Baker said. “We are asking employers to provide training and education on topics that are vital to their workers.”
South Carolina became the first state to be given initial approval to administer an OSHA state plan on November 30, 1972. This approval was later filed in the Federal Register on December 6, 1972. In 1976, the State received certification, and in 1987, final approval to administer the State Plan.
Over the past 50 years, SC OSHA has worked diligently to ensure safe and healthy worksites for all workers. In addition to its Compliance Division, SC OSHA has a dedicated group of employees in its Office of Outreach and Education, who provide free consultation and training services to employers throughout the State. In recent years, the Office also developed a Youth Safety program, provided outreach services during natural disasters, and provided support and education during a global pandemic.
“The safety of South Carolina’s workers depends on strong relationships with employers, employees, and the community,” LLR Director Emily Farr said. “We are fortunate in our state to have employers and employees committed to safety, and we look forward to their participation in this statewide event.”
During the Safety Stand Down Week, employers can provide their own training to employees or participate in SC OSHA’s 50-minute training sessions that will be offered virtually at noon each day at the locations listed below.
- 12/5 – Nucor Steel Berkeley – Fall Protection Training
- 12/6 – Juneau Construction Company – University of South Carolina Campus Village Project site – Forklift Training
- 12/7 – Milliken & Company, Greenville/Spartanburg – Fall Protection Training
- 12/8 – Holder Construction – Clemson University Daniel Hall Expansion and Renovation Project – Fall Protection Training
- 12/9 – SC OSHA Virtual – Workplace Violence Training
All employers who provide 50 minutes of training, whether onsite or virtually, are asked to register and share their photos and social media posts using the hashtags: #KEEPCALMANDSTAYSAFE; or #SCOSHAIS50. All registered employers will receive a certificate, anniversary coin, and slogan T-shirts and bags.
