A burn can be painful or painless, according to the degree. The degree of a burn is determined by its location on the body and the number of skin layers affected. Heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation can cause a burn. The first response in a burn situation is to stop...
Mercury (Hg), also known as “quicksilver,” is a liquid at room temperature but easily evaporates into a gas. Fluorescent tubes and lightbulbs contain varying amounts of mercury vapor and liquid mercury. When a tube or bulb breaks or is crushed, easily-inhaled toxic vapor is released into the air. Such vapor...
Anhydrous, or “without water” (from Greek) Ammonia is a colorless, liquified gas with a distinctive sharp, pungent smell. A flammable chemical compound that is considered hazardous by the OSHA HazCom Standard (29 CFR 1910.1200), Anhydrous Ammonia can form explosive mixtures in air. The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) for ammonia in...
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. Where H2S Is Found H2S gas occurs naturally in...
Almost every maintenance shop has a bench or pedestal grinder. They are most commonly used to shape or sharpen the cutting edges of tools such as chisels or lawn mower blades. These are powerful, useful tools, but they are also potentially dangerous because users take them for granted. Serious injury...
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. Even with the best safety planning, there...
Arc Flash is a type of electrical explosion/discharge resulting from a connection through air to ground or another voltage phase in an electrical system (i.e., when a wire contacts a grounding system). The temperatures at the source of an arc flash can reach 20,000 degrees Celsius (36,032 degrees Fahrenheit) –...
Falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Employers must take measures in their workplaces to prevent employees from falling off overhead platforms, elevated workstations, or into holes in the floor and walls. Falls are the second leading cause of occupational fatalities and disabling injuries...
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. A fume hood is a ventilated enclosure used to control chemical exposure to...