Straight Shot Safety and Compliance Consulting

01/28/2026

Deregulation Isn’t Neutral; It Shifts Risk

When federal regulations are eliminated or weakened, risk doesn’t disappear.

It moves, often from corporations to workers, customers, and communities.

History shows that many major disasters weren’t caused by too much regulation, but by:

✔ Lapsed oversight

✔ Self-policing without accountability

✔ Compliance becoming optional instead of mandatory

Regulations aren’t red tape. They’re risk controls and removing them has consequences.

Straight Shot Safety has the expertise to bring your company into compliance and keep employees safe.

Contact Straight Shot Safety today info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511
Fractional Safety leadership, without the full-time cost.

Call now to connect with business.

01/26/2026

The Hidden OSHA Risk in “Experienced” Employees

One of the highest incident rates occurs with long-tenured employees.
Why?

✔ Shortcuts become normalized

✔ Procedures drift

✔ Informal training replaces documented training

OSHA doesn’t care how long someone’s been doing the job; only whether they were trained, evaluated, and protected.

Experience is not a control measure.
Documentation is.

Contact Straight Shot Safety today info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511
Fractional Safety Leadership, without the full-time cost:

01/20/2026

OSHA Compliance Is Not Optional: Even When Work “Seems Safe”

Many employers assume OSHA only applies to construction or heavy industry.

That’s a costly misconception.

If you control the work environment, training, equipment, procedures, you own the safety obligation.
OSHA enforcement often starts after an incident, not before one.

The question isn’t “Do we need this?”
It’s “What happens if OSHA asks?”

Proactive safety programs cost less than reactive compliance.


Contact Straight Shot Safety today info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511
Fractional Safety leadership, without the full-time cost. You need this in 2026

Call now to connect with business.

01/15/2026

🔔 OSHA 300A Posting Reminder! 🔔

Just a friendly reminder to all employers: The annual OSHA 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses must be posted from February 1st through April 30th. Make sure your summary is visible in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted.

This requirement helps promote transparency and safety in the workplace.
Don’t forget, certain employers are also required to submit their 300A data electronically to OSHA.

Stay compliant and keep safety a top priority!

If you need any assistance or have questions completing the form, contact Straight Shot Safety info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511

OSHA

Call now to connect with business.

01/14/2026

The Lone Worker Factor: Federal Laws & OSHA Guidance

An often-overlooked aspect of workplace safety, especially as we approach OSHA’s new 2026 standards is how we protect lone workers.

🔎 Who is a lone worker?
According to NIOSH and OSHA, a lone worker is someone who:

🔹 Works without direct supervision or regular contact with others
🔹 Cannot easily get help in an emergency

With an estimated 53 million lone workers across North America and Europe, this is a significant safety concern.

What protections exist? While there isn’t a single federal OSHA standard just for lone workers, several laws and regulations apply:

General Duty Clause (OSH Act Section 5(a)(1)): Employers must provide a workplace free from recognized hazards.

29 CFR 1915.84 (Shipyard Employment): Requires regular check-ins for employees working alone in confined/isolated spaces.

Other OSHA Standards: Certain tasks (e.g., confined space entry, respiratory hazards) prohibit working alone or require specific precautions:

29 CFR 1910.146 (Confined Spaces)

29 CFR 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection)

Electrical Safety, Any person working with potentially lethal voltages/current.

State-specific requirements: Some states go beyond federal OSHA with stricter lone worker protections.

Why does this matter for OSHA’s 2026 standards? As OSHA moves to address hazards like heat, violence, and chemical exposures, lone workers remain especially vulnerable.

Without oversight or a buddy system, emergency response may be delayed, and risks can increase.

What should employers do now?
Straight Shot Safety should review your Lone Worker Process.

🔹 Include lone-worker scenarios in risk assessments
🔹 Implement check-in protocols or monitoring devices
🔹 Clearly document how lone workers are protected

Even without a blanket federal standard, failing to protect lone workers can still lead to violations under the General Duty Clause or applicable OSHA rules.

Straight Shot Safety should review your Lone Worker Process.

Contact Straight Shot Safety today info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511 Your fractional Safety Professionals

WorkplaceSafety

01/12/2026

Massachusetts Laser Safety: More Than an OSHA Issue

In Massachusetts, laser safety doesn’t stop at federal standards.
Employers operating Class 3B and Class 4 laser systems fall under the oversight of the Massachusetts Radiation Control Program (MRCP) in manufacturing, R&D, Medical Offices, Hospitals, Dentists, Spas, Veterinarians and advanced engineering environments.

At Straight Shot Safety, we help organizations understand and navigate this added layer of accountability.

✔ Registered with Massachusetts Radiation Control for laser safety
✔ Alignment with ANSI Z136, MA Regulations 105 CMR 121.00 laser safety standards
✔ Practical integration with OSHA expectations and real-world operations

Why this matters:
• Laser incidents can trigger state radiation control inquiries, not just OSHA inspections
• Missing or outdated laser safety programs can create insurance and workers’ comp exposure
• In M&A or investor diligence, Massachusetts regulatory gaps are increasingly flagged

Laser safety in MA is not just a best practice, it’s a regulatory risk management issue.

If your laser program was built years ago, inherited with equipment, or never formally reviewed against Massachusetts expectations, now is the time.

Straight Shot Safety info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511
Laser Safety | Massachusetts Compliance | Operational Risk Reduction
hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag hashtag

01/09/2026

OSHA 2026 enforcement increasingly relies on your own data.
Documentation, Data & Escalated Penalties

Focus Area #9: Injury & Illness Recordkeeping
Red flags include:
Late OSHA 300 entries
Mismatched HR and safety records

Typical inspection triggers:
OSHA data initiative review
Discrepancy discovered during unrelated inspection
Employee retaliation allegation

Focus Area #10: Repeat & Willful Violations
OSHA is expanding:
Corporate-wide repeat citations
Enterprise-level penalty escalation

Typical inspection triggers:
Follow-up inspection at sister facility
Prior citation referenced during new inspection
PE platform roll-up inherits known hazards

🚨 Bottom line: What one site ignores can now impact the entire portfolio.

Straight Shot Safety is available to review and update your Company’s safety plans, training, and help you mitigate any potential costly issues. info@straightshotsafety.com
978-245-7511

Call now to connect with business.

01/08/2026

OSHA is no longer allowing host employers to hide behind contracts.

Contractors, Temps & Multi-Employer Liability

Focus Area #7: Contractor Safety Management

OSHA is citing hosts for:
Poor contractor qualification
Failure to coordinate hazards

Typical inspection triggers:
Contractor injury on host site
OSHA inspection initiated at contractor, expanded to host
Terminated contractor files complaint

Focus Area #8: Temporary & Staffing Workers
Expect scrutiny of:
Task-specific training
Shared supervision models

Typical inspection triggers:
Temp worker injury in first 30 days
OSHA inquiry following workers’ comp claim
Staffing agency audit reveals training gaps

📉 Post-acquisition risk: Temp labor use often increases immediately after close.

Straight Shot Safety can update your company's training and job hazard analysis. info@straightshotsafety.com 978-245-7511

Call now to connect with business.

01/06/2026

OSHA 2026 post #3 "foreseeable"

OSHA 2026 enforcement increasingly targets hazards that are considered “foreseeable.”

Focus Area #5: Heat Illness Prevention
Enforcement will escalate where:
No written heat plan exists
Supervisors lack training

Typical inspection triggers:
Heat-related ER visit
Anonymous employee complaint during peak summer heat
Local media coverage of heat events

Focus Area #6: Hazard Communication (GHS)
OSHA is citing:
Missing or outdated SDSs
Improper secondary container labeling

Typical inspection triggers:
Chemical exposure treated at urgent care
Fire marshal referral during inspection
New chemical introduced without updated training

📌 These are among OSHA’s fastest, easiest citations to issue.

Need help with your Health and Safety plan? Straight Shot Safety is the go-to expert. info@straightshotsafety.com 978-245-7511

01/05/2026

Laser Safety Isn’t Optional: It’s Regulated, Enforced, and Increasingly Scrutinized

All Class 3B and Class 4 LASER devices used in Massachusetts must be registered with the Division of Radiation Control (DRC).

Any Laser device for medical, dental, veterinary, academic, industrial, manufacturing, or entertainment use (laser light show) must be registered.

A designated LASER Safety Officer (LSO) must provide a laser safety officer training certificate, Paul Spurrell, LSO with Straight Shot Safety is registered with Massachusetts Radiation Control for Laser Safety.

High-power and industrial laser systems are becoming more common across manufacturing, R&D, medical use, and advanced materials processing. What hasn’t changed? The regulatory expectations.

At Straight Shot Safety, we support organizations that operate Class 3B and Class 4 laser systems by helping them move beyond “paper compliance” and into defensible, operational laser safety programs.

✔ Registered with Massachusetts Radiation Control for laser safety

✔ Practical alignment with ANSI Z136 and MA Regulations 105 CMR 121.00 standards

✔ Risk-based controls that work, not just in manuals

✔ Practical integration with OSHA expectations and real-world operations

Laser incidents don’t just trigger OSHA attention. They can involve:

• State radiation control program review and fines

• Workers’ compensation investigations

• Insurance carrier reviews

• PE / M&A diligence red flags

Whether you’re commissioning new laser equipment, expanding operations, or preparing for an audit, laser safety needs to be addressed before something goes wrong.

If your laser safety program hasn’t been reviewed recently, inherited with equipment, or never formally reviewed against Massachusetts expectations, now is the time. That’s usually a signal, not a coincidence.

Straight Shot Safety info@straightshotsafety.com or call 978-245-7511
Laser Safety | OSHA Consultant | Operational Risk Reduction

Call now to connect with business.

01/02/2026

High-risk operations under emergency conditions are a prime OSHA target in 2026.

Focus Area #3: Electrical Safety (NFPA 70E)
OSHA will look closely at:
• Arc flash labeling accuracy
• Energized work justification

Typical inspection triggers:
• Electrical flash incident without injury
• Utility outage requiring emergency energized work
• Whistleblower complaint from a technician

Focus Area #4: Confined Spaces
Violations often stem from:
• Informal entry during maintenance
• Contractor rescue plans that don’t exist

Typical inspection triggers:
• Fire department response to a confined space rescue
• Near-miss reported internally but later disclosed
• Contractor injury during tank or vault entry

⚠️ Reality: Emergency work is where “paper programs” collapse.

Straight Shot Safety is the expert you need to review your process. Contact us today info@straightshotsafety.com 978-245-7511

Call now to connect with business.

12/31/2025

OSHA 2026 Enforcement Reset: Where the Pressure Starts
OSHA’s 2026 agenda isn’t theoretical. Inspections will be triggered by everyday operational events.

Focus Area #1: Construction – Fall & Struck-By Hazards
OSHA will intensify enforcement around:
• Incomplete fall protection plans
• Subcontractor oversight failures

Typical inspection triggers:
• ER visit after a ladder or scaffold fall (even without lost time)
• Citizen complaint from a subcontractor crew member
• Local building inspector referral after observing roof work

Focus Area #2: Manufacturing – Machine Guarding & LOTO
Expect citations when:
• Guards are removed for “just one run”
• LOTO procedures don’t match actual tasks

Typical inspection triggers:
• Minor hand injury treated offsite
• Maintenance employee reports bypassed guarding
• OSHA follows up after a workers’ comp claim

These often look “low severity” until OSHA classifies them as repeat violations.

Straight Shot Safety is the expert you need to review your process. Contact us today info@straightshotsafety.com 978-245-7511

Call now to connect with business.