Photo of the day: Personal Protective Equipment last resort
Hazards exist in every workplace so strategies to protect workers are essential. When possible, the priority should be the elimination and control of hazards at their source or along the path between the source and the worker. Personal protective equipment…
Online Quiz: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) while at work is of great importance. It ensures that should any accidents occur, the damage imposed on the wearer is significantly reduced or prevented altogether. Personal protective equipment is defined as equipment, including those…
Photo of the day: hierarchy of controls
The hierarchy of control is a system for controlling risks in the workplace. Guidance on the photo of today explains the hierarchy of control and can help employers understand and use the hierarchy of control to eliminate or reduce risks…
Photo of the day: Choosing the Right Face Mask and the difference between a respirator and face mask
Face masks and coverings have become a familiar sight over the last year as we all work together to bring the coronavirus pandemic under control. But with so many on the market, are any face masks better than others and…
Breath Safely: The Proper Use of Respiratory Protection
Exposure to the gases, dust, mists, and fumes of hazardous chemicals can cause lung damage, cancer, and other serious conditions of the respiratory and central nervous systems as well as other organs. Your organization has implemented a written respiratory protection…
E-Books: Job Hazard Analysis A Guide for Voluntary Compliance and Beyond
Job Hazard Analysis A Guide for Voluntary Compliance and Beyond 2nd edition by James E. Roughton. This book methodically develops the risk assessment basis needed for ANSI/AIHA Z10 and other safety and health management systems. It is supported by numerous real-life examples,…
E-Books: Fall Prevention and Protection Principles Guidelines and practices
Fall Prevention and Protection Principles Guidelines and practices by Hongwei Hsiao. This book covers a wealth of knowledge from experts and informed stakeholders on the best ways to understand, prevent, and control fall-related risk exposures. Featured are subjects on (1)…
Lessons Learned from Hand Injuries
From our earliest moments, we use our hands to learn, to explore, and to interact with the world around us, and now as working adults, our hands continue to be “out front,” touching, grasping, pushing, pulling, and lifting our way…
Photo of the day: 8 Basic steps to wear a safety harness
In the construction industry, working at heights is a standard part of the job. But with increased height also comes an increased risk of falling. For comprehensive safety solutions, always partner with professionals who prioritize safety at every level. Whether…
Why Your Rainwear Might Need Flame Resistance
You’re facing down a 12-hour outdoor shift and a cover of dense, grey clouds are threatening continuous rainfall. Even though you’re dressed to handle the cold, you know that the rain will gradually soak through your layers one by one,…
Safety Program for Working at Heights
When you stop and think about it, you might be surprised to realize how many of the things you do in everyday life would require the application of a fall protection program if it were done at work. You probably…
How to Calculating Fall Arrest Distance with 4 steps
Whether you are working in a cradle, on scaffolding, or performing any other type of work at heights, the fall arrest system is of no help if you reach the ground before your fall is stopped. Although it sounds obvious, we, unfortunately,…
What You Need to Know About Welding Apparel
Welding helmets and gloves are the first things that come to mind when most people think of welder’s safety apparel. But welders themselves know how much they rely on other pieces of protective gear to keep them safe when doing their highly…
Q & A: What happens if I tie off at the foot level with a personal SRL?
Q: What happens if I tie off at the foot level with a personal SRL? A: It’s not uncommon for construction workers to tie off at foot level with a personal SRL while working with leading edges. But it does…
What Hearing Protection Is Right for Me?
Hearing loss is one of many safety issues that permeate almost every workplace but is seldom discussed in the open. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)estimates that roughly 22 million Americans are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work….
Work at Height Checklist
Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries. Common cases include falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces. ‘Work at height’ means work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place,…
Q & A: What kind of gloves are best for stick welding?
Q: What kind of gloves are best for stick welding? A: Welding presents various hazards, many of which specifically put the welder’s hands at risk. According to guidelines from both OSHA and ANSI, gloves used for any type of welding…
Combat Confined Space Hazards with the Right PPE
Confined spaces are found in nearly every industry and pose a challenge for workplace safety. Confined spaces present serious risks to the workers who must enter them. Of course, it’s possible (and necessary) to mitigate those risks. With a thorough…
Q & A: Does anyone other than equipment operators need to be trained in lockout/Tagout?
Q: Does anyone other than equipment operators need to be trained in lockout/Tagout? A:Absolutely! Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is an administrative control system that protects workers from harm while working with, on, near, or in contact with an energized system. The OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.147 states that…
Jobs need Disposable Clothing
Maintaining, inspecting, and extending the life of your personal protective equipment (PPE) is a hot topic. But despite all this talk about prolonging the usable life of our equipment, sometimes the best option is disposable gear that can be destroyed immediately after…
The Danger of Fall Arrest Systems: Suspension Trauma
Two workers are conducting maintenance on a bridge when one loses his footing and falls. His fall protection gear kicks in and arrests his fall almost as soon as it starts. His life has been saved – but he’s not out of…
The Next Generation of PPE: Mobile Phones and Tablets
Traditionally, personal protective equipment (PPE) has referred to the items that protect a worker’s physical body helmets, goggles, steel-toed boots, harnesses. But you might not realize that one of the most important pieces of PPE your team can adopt is a mobile…
How is wind chill calculated?
Q: How is wind chill calculated? A: Heat stress is a commonly recognized problem, and many employers have put protective measures in place to reduce their workers’ risk of developing heart-related problems. Cold stress, however, is a much less widely…
How do cooling towels work?
Q: How do cooling towels work? A: Working in hot environments presents its challenges, one of which heat exhaustion and heat stroke. According to OSHA, heat stroke was the likely cause of 18 workplace fatalities in 2018 and 13 in 2017. For this reason,…
