There are approximately 400,000 back injuries each year. They are the leading source of lost time injuries and cost billions of dollars annually, not to mention the hours, days, or even months of disabling pain. In construction work, material is constantly being moved or lifted, and most often the lifter...
American National Standards Institute Z89.1 (ANSI Z89.1)-approved hard hats are designed to protect you from the impact of falling objects and, with some types, from accidental contact with electrical current. However, the way we take care for our hard hats can have a big impact on how well they do...
About 3,200 people nationwide received hospital treatment for workshop grinder, buffer, and polisher injuries during 2017. Injuries occurred to hands, fingers, and eyes and included lacerations, contusions, skin abrasions, corneal abrasions, and tissue damage caused by foreign objects becoming lodged in the eye. These are powerful, useful tools, but they...
It’s probably happened to you more than one once. You’re out in the field on a cloudy day when suddenly, cool gusts of wind blow your way. Before long, a biting cold creeps inside your body and you end up shivering on the job. Because you did not expect this...
Compressed gas cylinders contain a great deal of energy. If the cylinders are mishandled or treated roughly, that energy can burst into an explosion – especially if the shut-off valve isn’t covered. Some cylinders commonly found in the workplace are restraining up to two tons of pressure. If the cylinder...
Caffeine is commonly used in today’s society to get more energy or to feel more alert. While coffee has been around for hundreds of years and is still the most common caffeinated drink in the world, energy drinks have been gaining in popularity over the past few decades. Energy Drink...
Think of all the activities we perform at work that would be so much more difficult, if not impossible, to do without electricity. Unfortunately, there is not always an electrical receptacle located nearby to directly plug our tools or equipment into, so we often utilize an extension cord to get...
To some people, the word ‘housekeeping’ calls to mind cleaning floors and surfaces, removing dust, and organizing clutter. In the workplace, ‘good housekeeping’ is the term used for keeping the worksite clean, neat, and free of hazards that can cause injury. This isn’t just a matter of appearances – it’s...
There are many work situations in which chemicals are routinely relied upon to get the work done. But just as important as the safe handling of these chemicals, is their safe storage. If not stored properly, chemicals can cause a fire, explosion, or personal injury. There are some real and...
The sun is essential to all life on Earth; however too much exposure to the sun can be harmful to us. Excessive exposure to ultraviolent light, also called “UV rays,” emitted from the sun can cause many skin conditions, as well as skin cancer. Over-exposing our skin to the sun’s...