Portable Fire Extinguishers In the event of a fire, the correct use of a portable fire extinguisher could mean the difference between suffering a minor loss or a major one. Portable fire extinguishers, if used properly, can make that difference. But there are several things to consider in using fire...
Frostbite During winter, many of us will continue to work outdoors, exposed to inclement weather. Just as heatstroke is a serious problem in the summer, frostbite can cause serious injury in the winter. It is important to be able to recognize frostbite symptoms and protect yourself from this serious condition....
Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupters (GFCI) The most common electric shock hazard, ground faults, can cause severe electrical shock or electrocution. In normal conditions, electricity runs in a closed circuit; electricity flows out on the “hot” wire and returns on the “neutral” wire, completing the circuit. A ground fault occurs when the electrical...
Care for Your Respirator OSHA requires employers to identify and protect against breathing hazards. Engineering controls are the preferred form of protection; e.g., ventilation, using less toxic measures, and enclosing operations that create air contaminants. When air measurements reveal that engineering controls haven’t brought air hazards to safe levels, employers...
Machine Safety According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 1100 workers in the United States were killed last year by contact with equipment or by being caught up in running machinery. That’s 20% of all fatalities in the workplace. Over a thousand people killed in ways that could have...
Scaffolding Safety Every year nearly 100 fatalities and 10,000 injuries occur on scaffolding across the country, despite numerous safety regulations aimed to prevent such incidents. There are a number of different scaffold types, having different rules and regulations surrounding their assembly, fall prevention requirements, and inspection procedures. The good news...
Utility Knife Safety There’s one hand tool that demands your respect over many others in the workplace, a tool that can cut you to the bone in an instant…the utility knife. Many workers use utility knives to cut drywall, strapping, puncture shrinkwrap, and open packaging. But one wrong move and...
Safety Unlimited, Inc. is happy to announce that, new for 2016, we are making Spanish language versions of “Safety Matters Weekly” and “Weekly Safety Meeting” available for download. You can find the Spanish document links at the bottom of each article, in addition to the English documents we’ve always...
Close Calls/Near Misses According to statistics, about 3 billion “close calls” or “near misses” occur annually in United States workplaces. Statistics also show that for every 300 near misses, 29 minor injuries occur, along with one injury serious enough to keep the injured person out of work. A close call,...
Powder-Actuated Tools Whenever you operate a powder-actuated tool (PAT), safe work practices must always be followed. These tools are designed to drive nails or other fastening devices into material such as concrete, steel, and masonry, which are not easily penetrated. These devices use explosive charges similar to a firearm. Since...