Water damage is a serious issue. Time is of the essence when cleaning up a water-damaged area. Leaks indoors can happen due to a plumbing issue such as a burst pipe or faulty seal. Natural causes such as rain or flooding can affect much larger areas. No matter the cause,...
Hidden Dangers Welding is a dangerous occupation, but besides the obvious dangers, hidden dangers include the production of harmful metal fumes and gas by-products. Welding-specific exposures have been connected to an increase of the risk of bladder and kidney cancers. Factors in Exposure Many factors influence the amount of worker...
What it Is: Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that kills without warning. It claims the lives of hundreds of people every year and makes thousands more ill. Many household items including gas- and oil-burning furnaces, portable generators, and charcoal grills produce this poison gas. Symptoms: The most...
Winter driving can be hazardous and, at times, scary—especially in northern regions that get a lot of snow and ice. Additional preparations can help make a trip safer, or help motorists deal with an emergency. This sheet provides safety information to help prevent motor vehicle injuries due to winter storms....
An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in an earth surface formed by earth removal. A trench (trench excavation) is a narrow excavation (in relation to its length) made below the surface of the ground. In general, the depth is greater than the width, but the width...
Chainsaws are an efficient and productive portable power tool used in many industries. They are also potentially dangerous if not used correctly and carefully. Proper operation and maintenance greatly reduce the risk for injury when using chainsaws. Any tool powerful enough to slice through wood can do the same to...
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, if it is used appropriately, and its limitations are understood. A fume hood is a ventilated enclosure in which gas, vapors, and fumes are...
Hearing protection devices (HPDs) such as earmuffs and earplugs can be an effective measure to protect hearing in noisy work environments. However, hearing protection devices are only effective if they are properly sized and carefully fitted into or over the ear. There are several common types of hearing protection devices:...
Hearing loss is the No. 1 sensory disability in the world. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 22 million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise at work each year. Whether you work at a sports venue, on a tarmac, or operating a jackhammer – hearing loss is...
Electric pallet jacks make quick work of moving loads around the workplace. Pallet jacks protect your back from strains and injuries by moving heavy and awkward loads and objects that would be unsafe to lift manually. But, as with any powered tool, if used improperly, electric pallet jacks can become...