Forklifts are excellent labor-saving devices. They save time and reduce the likelihood of injury associated with manual material handling activities. However, forklifts can become very dangerous if operated by a reckless or untrained operator. All operators should receive safety training prior to being allowed to operate a forklift. Forklift accidents...
Abrasive wheel machines are used in general industry, construction, and maritime operations, but the small “fixed bench” or pedestal grinders can be found in just about every maintenance and machine shop in America. This adds up to a lot of workers exposed to serious risks for eye injuries, hand or...
Loading docks are hubs of activity in manufacturing plants, warehouses, industrial buildings, and distribution centers. In most companies, this is the primary location of movement of product in and out of a facility. A loading dock is a recessed bay in a facility where trucks are loaded and unloaded. Loading...
There is absolutely no reason for anybody to get hurt, disabled, or killed while using a ladder. Yet it happens every single 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 rock under one...
Rigging safety is a critical part of work Rigging is used to lift heavy materials to heights with cranes and other devices. Riggers also act as signalmen. Improper rigging of a load or a rigging failure can expose riggers and other workers nearby to a variety of potential hazards. Over...
‘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...
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) estimates that each year, about 4,000 injuries associated with electrical extension cords are treated in hospital emergency rooms. About half of the injuries involve fractures, lacerations, contusions, or sprains from people tripping over extension cords. CPSC also estimates that about 3,300 residential fires...
Do you know how to extinguish a fire? According to OSHA regulations, no one at a workplace is supposed to use a fire extinguisher unless they have been trained to do so. Though this may seem awfully restrictive, there are several good reasons for this rule. If an untrained person...
Pinch points are places where a body part or a piece of clothing can get caught up in machinery, between equipment or between a lid and a container when closing. Pinch point injuries can be very serious, resulting in the loss of limbs or even death. Each year, workers suffer...
If you’ve ever been the first one on the scene at an automobile accident or have been working next to someone who had a traumatic injury at work, then you know how important it is to know what to do. So often in the stress of the situation we forget...