Electrical Hazards Electricity is an essential source of energy for most work-related operations. However, fewer sources have a greater potential to cause harm than electricity. Working safely with electricity is possible if you are trained in, understand, and follow certain basic ground rules. Electrical hazards are doubly hazardous in that...
Housekeeping 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 a serious safety issue. In fact, we can easily earn OSHA’s “seal of disapproval” – a citation...
Back Injury Prevention Back injuries are the most common injury in the workplace and the cause of most missed work time. The injury can be caused by a strain, spasm, or sprain to the ligaments or muscles of the back. This can happen due to lifting something that’s too heavy...
Protecting Workers from Heat At times, workers may be required to work in hot environments for long periods. When the human body is unable to maintain a normal temperature, heat illnesses can occur and may even result in death. It is also important to consider that hot work environments may...
Falls From Heights Falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths. Employers must take measures in their workplaces to prevent employees from falling off overhead platforms, elevated workstations or into holes in the floor and walls. Falls are the second leading cause of occupational fatalities...
Power Tool Safety Failing to properly use and maintain electric-powered tools causes thousands of cuts, punctures, pinches, amputations, and electrocutions each year. Tools can seriously injure or kill the user if not properly maintained or used. Everyone who uses tools must learn to recognize the hazards associated with the different...
Forklift Safety 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...
Heat Stress As spring turns into summer and brings up “hot weather,” we should all be aware of some tips to prevent heat stress. Remember physical activity at high temperatures can directly affect health and indirectly be the cause of accidents. Hot conditions put your body under a lot of...
Chemical Hazards – Chemical Spill Safety Unplanned release of a chemical can have devastating effects. Skin and eye burns, damage to the lungs, fire and explosion, corrosive damage to materials, pollution of air, soil, and water, and danger to the public are just some of the possible consequences of a...
Chemical Hazards – Working Safely with Lead It used to be thought that only children were exposed to lead poisoning hazards, which occurred mostly from eating lead-based paint chips from doors or windows in the home. This is no longer the case. Studies conducted over the past few years now...