Dropped tools and equipment are some of the deadliest hazards from working at height that often go overlooked. New developments and standards are bringing more focus to this hazard in general, but is your company maximizing the benefits of a dropped objects program?
The first 10 to 15 seconds after exposure to a hazardous substance, especially a corrosive substance, are critical. Delaying treatment for even a few seconds may cause serious, permanent injury.
For chemical exposures and splashes, you need more protection than the use of goggles, face shields and other PPE. Showers and eyewashes are a necessary backup in an emergency to minimize effects of chemical contamination.
For guidance, use the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) / International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) Z358.1-2014 emergency equipment standard.
ANSI/ISEA 138 is a work in progress. The second consensus ballot/public review draft was released in October, 2018.
February 7, 2019
There are 110,000 lost-time hand injuries annually. Hand injuries send more than one million workers to the emergency room each year. And 70 percent of workers who experience hand injuries are not wearing gloves.
In recent years, technology advancement has allowed manufacturers to create more sophisticated yarns that improve glove performance significantly. The level of cut protection can be increased by using high-performance materials, and by increasing a material's weight.
Selecting chemical protective gloves is a crucial, yet challenging task for safety managers worldwide. Complex portfolios are made even more complicated by evolving standards and regulations, making compliance increasingly difficult in today’s work environments.
Combustible dust is present in a variety of industries and is the precursor to a serious hazard. This hazard’s often-destructive nature makes it vitally important to understand. When accounting for the hazard, several questions arise, highlighting the true complexities of combustible dust.
The safety industry continues to make strides in the materials and technology used to create cut-resistant gloves, sleeves, and clothing. PPE that used to be made of stiff fabric that trapped heat and moisture is now available in a variety of materials that are more comfortable with each new innovation.
OSHA investigators found that employees at a Texas gun range were not only exposed to above-permissible limits of lead in the air, they also risked potential exposure due to surfaces throughout the facility that were contaminated with the substance. Tap Rack Bang Indoor Shooting Range LLC - operating as The Gun Range faces penalties totaling $214,387 for safety violations at its facility in Killeen.
The case of a law enforcement officer (LEO) who developed alarming symptoms after a traffic stop highlight can provide lessons for other emergency responders, who are increasingly at risk of being exposed to illicit drugs while on the job.
The incident that led to a health hazard evaluation (HHE) occurred in New Hampshire in June 2017. As part of a vehicle search, the officer opened a container of what was suspected to be heroin and fentanyl.
It’s February, which means that Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and love is in the air. At the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), we like to use this time of year as an opportunity to show our appreciation for the personal protective equipment (PPE) that keeps the people we love safe.
In this spirit, NIOSH recently set a goal to improve the safety and health of fire fighters by reducing their exposure to harmful contaminants due to unclean or inadequately cleaned PPE.