The Department of Homeland Security defines an active shooter as “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.” Active shooters may be current or former workers, family or friends of co-workers, or complete strangers. While it is difficult to foresee a...
Tick-borne pathogens can be passed to humans by the bite of infected ticks. Ticks can be infected with bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Tick bite prevention: Avoid areas where there is a lot of vegetation or animals that can carry ticks. If you have to be in these areas, wear clothes...
Heat stroke is the most serious of health problems associated with working in hot environments. It occurs when the body’s temperature regulatory system fails, and sweating becomes inadequate. The body’s only effective means of removing excess heat is compromised with little warning to the victim that a crisis stage has...
Nail guns are powerful, easy to operate, and boost productivity for nailing tasks. They are also responsible for an estimated 37,000 emergency room visits each year – 68% of these involve workers and 32% involve consumers. Nail gun injuries: There are seven major risk factors that can lead to nail...
It’s starting to warm up. We not only need to start thinking about water and ensuring we stay hydrated, but with the warm weather, snakes are coming out of hibernation and we need to be aware of the dangers. Venomous snakes can be dangerous to outdoor workers including farmers, foresters,...
The Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is now aligned with the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). This update to the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) provides a common and coherent approach to classifying chemicals and communicating hazard information on labels and safety data sheets. Major changes to...
OSHA defines a ‘safety can’ as an approved container holding 5 gallons of gas or less with a spring-closing lid and spout cover, a means to relieve internal pressure, and a flash-arresting screen. OSHA defines ‘approved’ as a gas can that has been listed or approved by a nationally recognized...
Last year OSHA received reports of more than 2,600 amputations nationwide. Machine guarding landed in the eighth spot on the agency’s most cited violations, something the agency says contributes directly to most amputation causes. Lockout/tagout citations were in the number five spots. Mechanical components present amputation hazards: Point of operation—the...
Labor-intense activities in hot weather can raise body temperatures beyond the level that normally can be cooled by sweating. Heat illness initially may manifest itself as heat rash or heat cramps but can quickly escalate to heat exhaustion and then heat stroke if simple preventative measures are not followed. Should...
Did you know that over 2/3 of all accidents involve housekeeping in some way, shape, or form? Approximately 2.5 million disabling injuries happen in the service industry every year with a cost of over 100 billion dollars. Housekeeping rules to remember are: Plan your work. Clean up after yourself. Pick...