Hydrogen Sulfide, or H2S, is a toxic gas that is colorless and highly flammable. Other names for H2S include sewer gas, swamp gas, manure gas and stink damp. In addition to gas form, H2S can exist as a liquid compressed gas. H2S gas occurs naturally in hot springs, crude petroleum,...
Almost every maintenance shop has a bench or pedestal grinder. These are powerful, useful tools, but they are also potentially dangerous because users take them for granted. About 3,200 people nationwide received hospital treatment for workshop grinder, buffer, and polisher injuries during 2016. Serious injury and even death can result...
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, maintenance workers, including plumbers, experience more injuries and illnesses than nearly any other occupation. Fortunately, responsible plumbers can avoid the vast majority of these threats by adhering to plumbing safety tips and using proper protective gear. Plumbing Accidents: The type, frequency, and severity...
Arc Flash is a phenomenon in which a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another or to ground. This often results in a very violent release of energy. When a person is unfortunate enough to be near this arc...
Falls are the second leading cause of occupational fatalities and disabling injuries in the United States. Each year, over 500 workers die in fall-related accidents and over 300,000 workers suffer a disabling injury. Fall protection is defined as any means or system used to protect employees from falling from an...
Dry ice is solidified carbon dioxide. When dry ice melts, it turns into carbon dioxide gas. Carbon dioxide gas is always present in the environment, but in low concentrations. It is colorless and odorless. However, dry ice can be a very serious hazard in a small space that isn’t well-ventilated....
We don’t often think of mental health as a workplace safety issue, but it is. When workers are struggling, it impacts their health and safety. It may be surprising that the construction industry has one of the highest occupational rates of suicide in the United States. In this industry, in...
A chemical fume hood is critical in a lab. A well-designed hood, when properly installed and maintained, offers a large degree of protection to the user, provided that it is used appropriately, and its limitations are understood. When Using a Fume Hood: Never allow your head to enter the plane...
We all hope we never need an eyewash station, but if an accident should happen, we want the station to be clean and accessible. If a foreign particle enters the eyes, an emergency eyewash station is the most important initial step in first-aid treatment. Chemical burns to the eye are...
There’s one hand tool that demands your respect over many others in the workplace, a tool that can cut you to the bone in and instant….the utility knife. In fact, nearly one-third of all injuries attributed to manual workshop tools in the US involve knives with retractable blades. Accidents Involving...