‘Ergonomics’ literally means “the rules of human strength.” Engineers interested in the design of work environments originated the word in the 1950s. Today, the purpose of ergonomics in the workplace is to create a better match between the worker, the work they perform, and the equipment they use. A good...
We have often heard of the “Daily Dozen” regarding proper exercise and maintaining good health. The “Daily Dozen” has a counterpart known as the “Deadly Dozen,” ideally applicable to safety on the job, and which also has an important bearing on health and welfare. What we are describing are the...
Pallets are used at many job sites and companies every day. From shipping product out the door to moving items internally, pallets are part of our daily life. Pallets are a fundamental part of warehouse and industrial life. They’re immensely helpful in allowing workers to move loads around in a...
OSHA requires employers to identify and protect against breathing hazards. Engineering controls are the preferred form of protection; e.g., ventilation, using less toxic measures, and enclosing operations that create air contaminants. When air measurements reveal that engineering controls haven’t brought air hazards to safe levels, employers must provide employees with...
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, many workers in the United States are killed each year by contact with equipment or by being caught up in operating machinery. Bottom line is that these deaths could have been prevented. Cleaning a jammed conveyor, reaching for a wrench, and retrieving a...
Corrosive materials are present in almost any workplace, either by themselves or contained in other products, such as cleaning agents. Materials with corrosive properties can be either acidic (low pH) or basic (high pH). Common acid corrosives include hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, acetic acid, and nitric acid. Common alkaline/bases include...
Industrial drums of any size pose a significant workplace risk for anyone employed in warehousing or material handling occupations. With the average 55-gallon drum weighing between 400-600 lb., manually transporting, decanting, or otherwise handling drums is not only physically demanding, but a potentially dangerous task for any workers. In the...
If you look up the word ‘toxic’ in most any dictionary, you’ll find that it means “poisonous.” Most people want nothing do with poisonous materials, but many people work with them every day. In fact, toxic materials have thousands of uses in industry. Many of the benefits we enjoy, such...
There is absolutely no reason for anybody to get hurt, disabled, or killed while using a ladder. Yet it happens every day. Somebody steps on the safety sticker that says, “This is not a step!” and ends up with a broken leg. Another worker puts a ruck under one of...
Are you using a red plastic gas can? If so, you may be living with a ticking time bomb. Deadly explosions causing catastrophic burn injuries and deaths are occurring across America due to the absence of a flame arrester in the canister. Gasoline is an extremely flammable liquid fuel. It...