Confined Space Confined spaces present a special type of danger – a danger that you may not recognize until you’ve already entered a confined space and encountered the hazard. By then, it may be too late. Toxic gases, lack of oxygen, shifting materials inside, and other hazards can cause injury...
Chemical Spills Chemical spills can be in the form of liquids, solids such as pellets, gases, or vapors. They can be flammable (quick to burn or explode), corrosive (damaging to human tissue or other materials), or toxic (poisonous to humans and other living things). The time to deal with a...
Ladder Safety Virtually every single ladder accident could and should have been prevented. It only takes a little bit of common sense about ladder safety to prevent an accident from occurring while using ladders. Stick to the following simple ladder safety rules to ensure that you or your fellow workers...
Lock It, Tag It, and Try It If you operate, clean, service, adjust, or repair machinery and equipment, be aware of the hazards to which you’re exposing yourself. Any powered equipment that could put you in danger is a hazard that can be prevented when lockout/tagout/tryout procedures are followed. Before...
Cell Phone Safety Cell phones can be a dangerous distraction in the workplace. Just like other workplace distractions such as horseplay and chattering with co-workers, cell phones can cause us to lose focus on the task at hand. When used inappropriately these devices can get employees in trouble at work...
Aerial Platform Safety Jobsites are not always at ground level. Sometimes workers need to use aerial platforms, aerial ladders, articulating boom platforms, vertical towers, or ladder trucks to reach their work. All work has hazards and risks involved in it, but when you work at an elevated height, extra training...
Atmospheric Testing in Confined Spaces Atmospheric testing is required for two distinct purposes: evaluation of the hazards of the permit space and verification that acceptable conditions exist for entry into that space. Evaluation testing: The atmosphere within a confined space must be tested using equipment that is designed to detect...
Trenching and Excavation Safety Two workers are killed every month in trench collapses. You can be trapped before there is time to react. So it is important that every excavation be prepared correctly, allowing you to complete your job safely and efficiently. Remember that every trench is different....
Housekeeping Effective housekeeping can eliminate some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly. Poor housekeeping frequently contributes to accidents by hiding hazards that cause injuries. Effective housekeeping is an ongoing operation. It is not a hit-and-miss cleanup done occasionally. Periodic “panic” cleanups are costly and ineffective...
Arc Flash Safety Simply put, an arc flash is a phenomenon where a flashover of electric current leaves its intended path and travels through the air from one conductor to another or to ground. The results are often violent and when a human is in close proximity to the arc...