Hot and Hazardous: Heat Illness Can be Deadly Heat can be a real danger for workers during the summer, especially those who work outdoors. Heat illness should be viewed as a serious health problem – one that can even be fatal. For many people, summer heat is uncomfortable. But for...
Lockout/Tagout Anyone who operates, cleans, services, adjusts, or repairs machinery or equipment should be aware of the hazards associated with that machinery. Any powered machinery or electrical equipment that can move in a way that would put people in danger is a hazard that can be prevented by following locking...
Lyme Disease Safety Lyme disease is a serious tick-borne illness that can cause chronic muscle pain, inflammatory arthritis, heart disease, and/or neurological disorders. Because the disease can be long term and debilitating, early recognition and diagnosis is important so that it can be successfully treated with antibiotics. Lyme disease is...
Hazard Awareness A hazard can be defined as a condition or changing set of circumstances that presents a potential for injury, illness, or property damage or the potential or inherent characteristics of an activity, condition, or circumstance that can produce adverse or harmful consequences. An accident is defined as an...
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, whether safety glasses, goggles, or face shields, must meet the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and...
Trenching Safety A trench is defined as a narrow channel, deeper than it is wide and made below the surface of the ground. A trench can be up to 15 feet wide. An excavation is any man-made hole or trench that is made by removing earth. Trenching is recognized...
Chemicals are a major part of our everyday life at work. Examples include toxics, corrosives, solvents, and numerous other substances. As long as we take proper precautions, these substances can be handled safely. We are exposed to chemicals by: Inhalation – Breathing in dusts, mists, and vapors Example: Working...
Did you know that cold stress, or hypothermia, can occur at any time of year? In fact, most cases of cold stress develop in air temperatures between 30 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. People who are exposed to lower temperatures are at risk for injuries ranging from frostbite to serious loss...
Scaffolding allows you to do your job at elevated heights. It includes suspended systems from buildings, supported systems from the ground, and aerial systems on mobile equipment. Without proper training, your work on a scaffolding system puts you at risk for falls or for being hit by falling objects, both...
Most of us take our senses for granted so we don’t often give our hearing much thought. But most people suffer some degree of hearing loss and, once your hearing is gone, it doesn’t come back. Farmers, construction workers, people exposed to constant loud noise on the job, whether at...