Warning: Read the Signs Safety signs are too important to be ignored. They provide us with vital hazard information in a number of ways: through colors, words, and pictures. Signs tell you where the hazards are and how to protect against the danger. Safety signs come in all sizes, colors,...
Powered Industrial Trucks Forklifts are excellent laborsaving 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...
Hydrogen Sulfide Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, flammable, extremely hazardous gas with a “rotten egg” smell. It occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas and can be produced by the breakdown of organic matter and human/animal wastes (i.e., sewage). It is heavier than air and can collect in low-lying...
Laboratory Safety – Labeling and Transfer of Chemicals Hazardous chemicals present physical and/or health threats to workers in clinical, industrial, and academic laboratories. Hazardous laboratory chemicals include cancer-causing agents (carcinogens), toxins that may affect the liver, kidney, or nervous system, irritants, corrosives, and sensitizers, as well as agents that act...
Compressed Air Safety Compressed air is present across just about every industry; companies are using compressed air for many functions, from running huge equipment to powering simple air tools. Compressed air is a valuable utility and is a safe power source when used properly. As with any other energy-carrying power...
Blind Spots in Mobile Equipment A blind spot is the area around a vehicle or piece of construction equipment that is not visible to the operators, either by direct line-of-sight or indirectly by use of internal and external mirrors. Two recent incidents in the news involving construction equipment backing over...
Housekeeping – Construction Sites Did you know that over two thirds of all accidents involve housekeeping in some way, shape, or form? Approximately 2.5 million disabling injuries happen in the service industry every year with a cost of over 100 billion dollars. Housekeeping is everyone’s job – every trade, every...
First Aid for Burns A burn can be painful or painless, according to the degree. The degree of a burn is determined by its location on the body and the number of skin layers affected. Heat, electricity, chemicals, or radiation can cause a burn. The first response in a burn...
Chemical Fume Hoods 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 in which gases,...
Proper Hearing Protection Hearing loss is the No. 1 sensory disability in the world. The World Health Organization estimates that 16 percent of hearing loss worldwide is attributable to occupational noise exposure. To minimize the risk of incurring hearing loss due to noise, it is important for organizations, employers, and...