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...
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 eye, 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 an instant… the utility knife. Many workers use utility knives to cut drywall, strapping, puncture shrink-wrap, and open packaging. But one wrong move and these retractable...
Many people have been seriously injured or killed by machinery and electrical equipment. Often, these tragedies happen because people carelessly try to repair or maintain the equipment without making certain all the energy sources have been stopped or shut off. Many times, the accident has happened when a worker restarts...
For some of you, welding is a hands-on job; but welding safety is really up to everyone. It involves not only the welder, but also those working in the vicinity of welding operations. We also need to watch out for hazards should a contractor enter our facility to do a...
With the holidays upon us, we will probably be traveling a lot and, of course, traveling often includes sitting for periods of time waiting in addition to driving or flying to our destinations. This can increase our chances of developing a Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT). TVP is a type of...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), keeping hands clean is one of the most important steps we can take to avoid getting sick and spreading germs to others. Many diseases and conditions are spread by not washing hands with soap and clean, running water. How Germs...
Knowing which route to take during an emergency is important. So is talking to employees about possible situations in which they might need to escape and muster in a planned location. Everyone should be prepared for an evacuation emergency, even if it does not seem likely to happen. Fire drills...
Ethylene Oxide is a flammable, colorless gas with a faintly sweet odor that smells like ether at toxic levels. Above its boiling point of 51.3°F, it is a gas, but below that temperature it is a liquid. It is mainly used to make other chemicals. Large amounts are used in...