Excavations pose a serious and sometimes fatal threat to the safety of our workers. An excavation accident is 15 times more likely to result in death than any other construction accident. However, with the proper safety precautions, we can dramatically reduce the possibility of an accident. It is important to...
Eye injuries of all types occur at a rate of more than 1,000 per day. Each year some 100,000 of these will be disabling because of temporary or permanent vision loss. A recent survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics found that three out of five workers who suffered an...
Let’s hope you never need one, but if you do let’s hope it’s clean and accessible. If you get foreign particles in your eyes, an emergency eyewash station is the most important initial step in first-aid treatment. Chemical burns to the eye are among the most urgent of emergencies. Toxic...
Hard hats are commonly used in many types of workplaces to protect employees from head trauma caused by falling objects, striking their head against an object, or electrical hazards. The hard hat is a piece of personal protective equipment designed to individually protect an employee when all other methods of...
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...