Regulations & Compliance

How to Build a Lockout/Tagout Program: The Complete Equipment Checklist

Every facility that services powered equipment needs a lockout/tagout (LOTO) program; it’s a direct requirement from OSHA 1910.147. But a binder of written procedures only works if your team has the right hardware and training to carry them out. If you’re standing up a new program or truing up an outdated one, this checklist walks through every category of equipment you’ll need, what each device does, and…

CSS Editorial Staff | August 4, 2026 | Product Spotlight, Safety Products, Safety Solutions | Lockout Tagout, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Workplace Safety

COVID-19 Updates from OSHA

COVID-19 cases in the United States are continuing to rise at a staggering rate. To combat this, OSHA has been helping employers safeguard their employees during the pandemic to protect them from COVID-19. State OSHA Agencies Issue New COVID-19 Rules There there are nearly a dozen states with their own OSHA-Approved State Plans that allow the state agencies to issue their own regulations in their jurisdiction. While…

Jesse Allred | December 9, 2020 | Industry News, Safety Solutions | OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Social Distancing

Understanding Australian Pipe Marking Standards (AS 1345-1995)

AS 1345-1995 is the Australian pipe marking standard providing a consistent system for identifying the content of pipes and ducts in the workplace. By understanding and following applicable labeling standards, workers are able to quickly identify a pipe’s contents and take the proper safety measures. The standard was developed by Standards Australia—basically the Australian equivalent of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). Like ANSI, Standards Australia is…

Jesse Allred | July 30, 2020 | Safety Solutions, Visual Safety | Labeling, Pipe Marking, Regulations & Compliance, Workplace Safety

Robots, Automation, and Workplace Safety: 7 Common Hazards

It’s been more than thirty years since OSHA published Guidelines for Robotics Safety in 1987. Since then, automated systems and are robots are used in all kinds of industries to complete all types of jobs – from material handling to fabrication to security. Robotics have given companies the chance to dramatically increase operational efficiency while ensuring a high level of quality control. Automation is often used to…

Jesse Allred | January 21, 2020 | Safety Solutions | Electrical Safety, Lockout Tagout, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Workplace Safety

New Year’s Resolutions for Staying Safe in 2020

The beginning of the new year offers a great opportunity to not only evaluate our personal performance, but our professional performance as well. It’s possible to create a better quality of life in the workplace; there’s always room for improvement, bad habits to kick, and small changes to make. Consider the year that’s now behind you. What was successful, and what failed? Improving safety is at the…

Laura Myers | December 31, 2019 | 5S, Safety Products, Safety Solutions | Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Workplace Safety

Addressing Lockout/Tagout for National Electrical Safety Month

Since May is National Electrical Safety Month, it’s the perfect time to address common electrical hazards in your workplace. One of the most important components of electrical safety is the control of hazardous energy, known as lockout/tagout (LOTO). This article defines LOTO, why it’s important to your facility, and how it can help prevent dangerous accidents. What is LOTO? Lockout tagout is the practice of controlling energy…

Jesse Allred | May 13, 2019 | Safety Solutions, Visual Safety | Electrical Safety, Equipment Labeling, Lockout Tagout, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Workplace Safety

Pipe Marking for Anhydrous Ammonia

Anhydrous ammonia is widely used in food production as a cost-effective refrigerant. Although efficient, ammonia is a very dangerous chemical that can pose serious risks to those working with, or around, the substance. The corrosive properties of ammonia are extremely hazardous to human health; within just a few seconds of contact, it can burn, blister, and permanently damage skin. Inhalation of ammonia can not only cause long-term…

Jesse Allred | March 14, 2019 | Safety Solutions | Ammonia Pipe Marking, Facility Marking, Labeling, Pipe Marking, Regulations & Compliance, Workplace Safety

Pipe Marking Season: Auditing Your Facility’s Pipes

The Essential Guide to Effectively Auditing Your Facility’s Pipes Pipe labels may fade or turn brittle with time as they are exposed to harsh environmental conditions. They may have also been labeled improperly in the past, not meeting current standards set by regulatory bodies. Or they can become damaged and unreadable if pipes are located in high traffic areas. These possibilities make routine audits essential for ongoing…

Jesse Allred | February 13, 2019 | Visual Safety | Facility Marking, Labeling, Pipe Marking, Regulations & Compliance, Safety, Valve Tags, Workplace Safety

Is your business compliant with Proposition 65?

August 30th, 2018 is the official day that new Prop 65 regulations will take effect. Originally enacted in 1986 as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act, Proposition 65 works to inform those in California of potentially hazardous chemicals present in products or areas. There are a wide variety of chemicals (both naturally occurring and synthetic chemicals) that require businesses to post or label Prop 65…

Jesse Allred | August 28, 2018 | Safety Solutions | Health, Labeling, Prop 65, Regulations & Compliance, Safety Signs, Signs, Spanish Signs, Wall Signs, Warehouse Signs, Workplace Safety

Spanish GHS Labels

The Globally Harmonized System (GHS) is a set of standards set forth by the United Nations aimed at standardizing and harmonizing the classification of hazards, and has been adopted by companies, governments, universities, and other institutions around the world. Although the UN does not have the power to require or enforce this system, OSHA has aligned its Hazard Communication Standard with the global system. The focus of…

Jesse Allred | May 31, 2018 | Safety Solutions | GHS, OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Spanish Resources

International Fire Code

Currently adopted by 42 US states, as well as Puerto Rico, Guam, and the District of Columbia, the International Fire Code seeks to establish minimum standards for fire prevention and fire protection systems, while unifying and simplifying the numerous model fire code standards available into a single, comprehensive code. Or, in the words of the International Code Council, “The provisions of the provide protection…

CSS Editorial Staff | October 12, 2017 | Safety Solutions | Fire Safety, Regulations & Compliance, Safety

Wrong Ways to Use Floor Tape

Using floor tape is a great way to keep your facility better organized, safer, and in compliance with many regulations. Floor tape is an easy-to-use option that is fairly quick to install and can last for years without any significant problems. Floor tape is only a good solution, however, if it is used properly. There are some common mistakes people make when installing and maintaining their floor…

Tony Ferraro | April 20, 2017 | Safety Solutions | Facility Efficiency, Facility Marking, Floor Marking, Floor Tape, Organized Workplace, Regulations & Compliance, Safety

It’s Pipe Marking Season! Get All Your Pipe Marking Resources in One Place

Now that spring has arrived and everything is thawing out, it’s the perfect time to take stock of your facility’s pipe labels. Maybe your labels took a beating over the winter and could use some cleaning. Maybe they’ve been in place for many years and are starting to look worn. Maybe you just haven’t thought about them in a while. When the weather improves, it’s a good time…

CSS Editorial Staff | April 3, 2017 | Industry News | Ammonia Pipe Marking, Facility Marking, Fire Safety, Labeling, OSHA, Pipe Marking, Regulations & Compliance, Safety

OSHA’s Training Program Operating Efficiently According to GAO

In addition to providing regulations, guidelines, and inspections, OSHA also offers an important training and education service, known as the Outreach Training Program. In fiscal year 2016, this program reached almost 900,000 workers and provided them with important training on a wide range of topics related to occupational hazard recognition and prevention. According to a recent Government Accountability Office report, which was released earlier this month,…

Tony Ferraro | March 27, 2017 | Industry News | OSHA, Regulations & Compliance, Safety

LinkedIn Corner: Are Shorts Safe in Specific Work Environments?

Gregory Harriss, a Safety Coordinator at GEM Electric, recently posed an interesting question in the Construction Environmental Health and Safety group on LinkedIn. He posted, “We are electricians and I was told that employees are wanting to wear shorts in the summer time on the job sites. I personally have not seen any place that says no they cannot per OSHA…” This is a great question, and…

Tony Ferraro | March 6, 2017 | Industry News | Regulations & Compliance, Safety