ORR Safety has been in the safety distribution business for a long time. Over our 70-plus year history we’ve built relationships with people and companies to become the trusted safety experts for industries like construction, pulp and paper, railroad and more. Our customers know that we will partner with them to select the best products for their employees. In fact, ORR has a Strategic Sourcing  team focused on analyzing the market and building relationships with suppliers around the world to bring our customers the products they need at the price they desire. ORR’s approach to pro ..read more

  Strategic sourcing is a term heard a lot in business today. But what exactly is strategic sourcing and how does it benefit your business? Strategic sourcing involves an in-depth analysis of all areas of the supply chain with the intent to increase productivity and efficiency, resulting in higher quality products and more competitive costs. Essentially, it’s a long-term proactive approach to procurement versus a short-term reactive approach, aligning an organization’s procurement strategy with its overall goals and objectives. This ongoing process allows companies to identify the best so ..read more

According to the CDC, “hearing loss is the third-most common chronic physical condition among adults after hypertension and arthritis.” For workers in the railroad, manufacturing, transportation and construction industries, noise is often considered just a part of the job. With OSHA reporting an estimated “242 million spent annually on workers’ compensation for hearing loss disability,” worksites cannot afford to overlook the damage caused by prolonged noise exposure. Currently, OSHA requires “employers to monitor noise exposure levels in a way that accurately identifies employees exposed to n ..read more

If 2020 has taught us anything it’s that we should expect the unexpected. As a safety leader, expecting the unexpected is in your job description. Emergencies can come from any number of different places – weather, illness, fire, toxins or chemicals, and more. So how do you combat the emergencies that are bound to happen? It starts with a plan...an emergency action plan. While emergencies are, by definition, sudden events, their occurrence can be predicted with some degree of certainty. The first thing to consider is the type of emergencies that are most likely to affect your location or indus ..read more

In the world of food and beverage manufacturing, food safety and hand protection is a two-way street. In addition to protecting themselves, workers must also protect food products from the threat of cross-contamination and the spread of foodborne pathogens. Harsh chemicals, sharp-edged tools, bacteria, grease, and extreme temperatures are only a few of the hazards workers face on the job. Gloves have the power to mitigate or amplify these hazards. Matching the right glove to the right application in your facility is critical in reducing cost, eliminating the risk of injury, and preserving your ..read more

In today’s workplace, more than 20,000 eye injuries are reported each year. Of those injuries, 90 percent are preventable with the proper workplace injury prevention measures. Ensuring that your employees have the right eye protection for their job, however, is easier said than done. Depending on the type and size of your facility, hazards may go unnoticed until an injury occurs. As a Safety Eyewear Consultant, I see violations every day. Even if an employee wears safety glasses on the job, they might not be properly fitted for the hazards of their specific job. Common job hazards such as fog ..read more

                  If you're a highway construction worker who frequently works at night after the rush hour commute, just when the sun is about to set, you can relate to how harsh the working conditions can be. Cars whizzing by, boiling asphalt being poured and work areas lit up by stark, overhead lights offer plenty to talk about during huddles and safety briefings prior to starting the night shift. An Often Overlooked Hazard I know this to be true because I was recently called in by a major construction company to help solve a glaring problem tha ..read more

Eye safety is one of the top concerns for safety managers making safety eyewear a critical piece of safety equipment. There are are many things to consider when choosing safety eyewear options for your employees. Did you know that safety eyewear can come in the form of regular safety glasses or prescription safety glasses?. Prescription and non-prescription safety glasses may perform the same basic function but they are not created equal. In the case of prescription safety glasses, the materials selected for the lenses must not only keep foreign objects away from the wearer’s eyes, but also a ..read more

In today’s digital world the effects of blue light are an inevitable part of the workplace. Whether you work outdoors or in an office setting, we are all exposed to blue light. As a safety manager, it's your responsibility to provide blue light blocking safety eyewear for your team. Recent medical studies indicate that not only is the damage from blue light exposure permanent, but it can also speed up the process of age-related macular degeneration. This can result in permanent vision loss. Common sources of blue light include the sun, electronic devices such as computers, laptops, TVs, smart ..read more

Eyeglasses have a tendency to fog. Whether it’s when you are exercising, moving outside into the heat after being in an air-conditioned car or building, or going from the warmth of a car or building into the cold winter weather, your glasses will fog. If you wear safety glasses while working this is also true and can be extremely annoying and potentially dangerous. In fact, there are around 2,000 eye injuries that occur every day at work in the U.S. The causes for these eye injuries vary, but one common theme seems to be foggy lenses on safety glasses. In 2020, everyone who wears an ..read more