For decades, asbestos was considered an ideal substance used in a variety of industrial materials and equipment due to its remarkable heat and fire resistance properties, paired with incredible durability, poor electrical conductivity, and high tensile strength. Because of these properties, and because it was available in large quantities and inexpensive to produce, asbestos fibers were often combined with other materials for use in thousands of industrial, maritime, automotive, and building products.
May is National Electrical Safety Month, and the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) reminds us that disasters bring serious risks for electrically related fatalities, injuries and property loss. To highlight those risks and ways to plan for severe weather events, this year’s campaign theme is “Electrical Safety during Disasters.”
Hot, bulky, too tight or too loose - what starts out as required personal protective equipment (PPE) can become oppressive after four, eight or even 12 hours at work. The temptation for an overheated worker to pull off a glove or hood, roll up sleeves or unzip a coverall for a moment of relief can be irresistible.
Carbon monoxide (CO) is often called the silent killer because it is odorless, tasteless, and invisible, making this toxic gas one of the most overlooked dangers in homes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that annually close to 450 people die and 20,000 people are admitted to the emergency room as a result of unintentional carbon monoxide poisoning.
Anyone who has worked in construction knows that there is potential to suffer on-the-job injuries. The strain associated with heavy lifting or even repetitively performing the same activity, puts workers at risk of being injured every day. Exoskeletons are an emerging solution to this problem and reduce the risk of work-related injuries in highly manual environments, such as construction sites.
Amputations, fractured fingers, second-degree burns and head trauma are just some of the serious injuries suffered by U.S. meat plant workers every week, according to data seen by the Guardian and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism.
Created by Naked Prosthetics , this prosthetic moves with a person's hand mimicking a natural finger.
“For us, function is about getting somebody back to work, back to life, back to doing what they want to do," said Bob Thompson, CEO of Naked Prosthetics.
They created the product to help the vast amounts of construction workers who've lost partial fingers and wanted to get back on the job.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the most vulnerable age group to sustain injuries to the hands are inexperienced, recent hires age 19 to 19. In fact, the incidence rate of hand injuries steadily declines as workers get older and more experienced. The 65 and older age group has the lowest incidence rate of hand injuries.
Petroleum gases and vapors consist of harmful toxins like benzene, butane, and methane. In the oil and gas industry, petroleum gases are often referred to as “sweet gas” or hydrocarbon gas.
Employees that work with oil storage tanks have the highest risk of exposure. OSHA records show that there were 9 deaths from exposure to petroleum gases since 2010.
An electronic nose typically identifies odors by detecting the “fingerprint” of a chemical compound across an array of sensors monitored by pattern-recognition software. E-nose technology is already in use across many industries, including agricultural, environmental, food, manufacturing, and the military.