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...
Hot Work Safety Hot work may include spark and high heat producing job tasks such as grinding, welding, soldering, thermal or oxygen cutting or heating. Advanced planning and safe work procedures help prevent workplace fires caused by hot works activities. Whenever possible, hot works activities should take place in designated...
Loading Dock Safety Loading docks are a hub 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...
Cold Weather Safety Summer and fall are gone and the winter months are upon us. Even though it’s cold outside, we still have to work and get the job done. There are several things we can do to keep warm and prevent cold weather related accidents. General hazards: The most...
Practice Good Housekeeping Good housekeeping is one of the surest ways to identify a safe workplace. You can tell how workers feel about safety just by looking at their housekeeping practices. Good housekeeping isn’t the result of cleaning up once a week or even once a day. It’s the result...
Ladder Safety 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...
Lockout/Tagout There are many examples of people being seriously injured or killed by machinery and electrical equipment. Often, these tragedies happen because people carelessly try to repair or maintain the equipment without making sure its energy source has been shut off. Many times the accident happens when a worker restarts...
Eye Protection In just the blink of an eye, an incident can injure or even blind a worker who is not wearing proper protective eyewear. The type of eye protection–safety glasses, goggles, face shields, or helmets–must meet the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the...
Proper Fit Of 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...