Monthly Archives: June 2018

General Safety Issues, Health Issues, Protective Clothing, Uncategorized, Weather Protection

Hot Weather Safety Tips for Aerial Lift Workers

Hot Weather Safety Tips for Aerial Lift Workers

 

With the warmer weather of spring and summer quickly approaching, it’s time to start thinking about working outdoors in the heat. Heat stress and heat stroke are some of the most common types of illness-related accidents for construction, forestry and utility workers during the summer. Like most workplace accidents, heat stroke and heat stress can be prevented with the proper training and equipment. Here are some tips to make working during the heat of summer, just a little cooler.

Modify Your Work Schedule

For supervisors, this may seem challenging, but on those extremely hot days, it’s safer for you and all of your workers, especially those spending time in aerial lifts, to consider a lighter work schedule. What does this mean?

  • Plan heavy work during the coolest part of the day.
  • Limit the time workers spend exposed to direct sunlight, especially utility workers that are maintaining lines from aerial lifts.
  • If possible, work at night when it’s cooler and when the exposure to the sun is limited.
  • For forestry workers, do tree trimming work in the morning, to protect both you and the trees you’re working on from the heat.

Take Frequent Breaks

This is really important for protecting workers from heat illness. During the heat of summer, make sure that employees are taking plenty of time to rest and find shade or a place to cool down. For aerial lift workers who don’t have access to shade, it’s important that you frequently come down from your lift and take shelter under a canopy or in the air conditioned cab of your vehicle. Keeping your body cool and near a normal temperature is the first step to avoiding heat illness.

Stay Hydrated

Drinking water and keeping the internal temperature of your body regulated is very important to working safely during the summer. If your aerial lift basket has space, bring your water with you. Otherwise, come down from your lift frequently for water breaks. Don’t guzzle your water, take small drinks frequently, or about 1 cup of water every 20 minutes. You may want to supplement your water with diluted energy drinks like PowerAde or Gatorade to replenish electrolytes. Whatever you do, definitely avoid alcohol, soda and caffeinated beverages, since these can dehydrate you very quickly.

Wear the Right PPE

Construction and utility workers need to have the correct clothing and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for summer work. This includes:

  • Long-sleeve shirts
  • Long pants
  • Brimmed hats
  • Sunglasses
  • Light-colored clothing
  • Sunscreen

Work in Teams

It’s very important that when you’re outdoors working in the summer that you don’t work alone. For aerial lift workers, this is a great way to limit the time exposed to heat. You and your partner can take turns working in the lift and cooling down. It can also be difficult to tell on your own if you are suffering from heat illness, and it’s often easier for a coworker to tell if you are starting to be impacted by the heat.

Get Trained

Construction, forestry and utility workers, especially those that spend time in aerial lifts should be well trained in how to work safely in the summer. This training should include the tips provided here, as well as training in recognizing the signs of heat illness (dizziness, nausea, accelerated heartbeat, confusion) and basic first aid for treating heat illness.

For those working in industries mentioned above, working outside in the summer is a necessary part of the job. However, with the right training, work schedule and plenty of smarts, working outside can be cool and comfortable for everyone.

About the Author

CertifyMeOnline.net is the number one online resource for OSHA-compliant training for employees that operate aerial lifts and scissor lifts. The safety and equipment experts behind CertifyMeOnline.net know how important good, OSHA-compliant training is for business owners, and how challenging it is to schedule onsite training. CertifyMeOnline.net is the easy way to certify and train all of your employees without any downtime.

Sources:

https://www.unitedrentals.com/project-uptime/productivity/warmer-weather

https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_Hurricane_Facts/working_outdoors.pdf

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/prevention.html

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

Essential Fire Pit Safety Tips

Essential Fire Pit Safety Tips

 

A fire pit is a beautiful addition to any yard, but it can quickly become a hazard without the proper precautions. You might be familiar with the level of devastation that fire can create, and this includes your fun backyard fire pit.

We don’t want to scare you away from having this feature in your yard, but it is important that you know how to keep you, your family, and your property safe when you’re using a fire pit.

These fire pit safety tips make it simple:

 

Location, Location, Location

 

The placement of your firepit is essential to operating it safely. It doesn’t matter if you are using a portable one or have a permanently installed fire pit – these tips apply in all cases.

  • Fire pit should be AT LEAST 10 feet from any structures and neighboring property. It’s better to go the full 25 feet, but we understand that’s not always possible. More is definitely better in this case.
  • Never place it under low hanging branches, a covered porch, on the grass, or on a wooden deck.
  • Use a surface that’s not flammable such as concrete or cement blocks.
  • Put your pit on a level surface to reduce the risk of fire leaving the pit.
  • Add dirt and/or rocks around your pit that will help contain the fire if it should escape.

Once you have your firepit installed in a safe location in a safe way, you can move onto preparing it for the fire.

A great way to enjoy a firepit and reduce danger is to have landscaping that’s fire resistant. This lets you have a gorgeous yard without the risk of everything going up in flames.

Preparing for the Fire

 

Taking the time to prepare your firepit before a fire every time will help you reduce the chances of accidents. Here are the steps you need to follow:

  1. Clear anything from around the firepit and make sure the pit is level.
  2. Pay attention to the direction of the wind and make sure anything downwind from the pit isn’t flammable. Don’t light it if there’s too much wind.
  3. Avoid using lighter fluid, gasoline, or other flammable liquids to light the fire. The same applies to relighting it. A fire starter stick and kindling on top is the best method.
  4. Be sure that children and pets aren’t left unattended and that guests are a proper distance away. If alcohol is involved, increase the distance. Anyone near the fire should wear clothing that fits well and isn’t flammable.
  5. Never leave the fire pit unattended when there’s a fire burning.

How to Extinguish Your Fire Pit Safely

 

Before you light the fire, make sure you have a bucket of water close by and easy access to your garden hose. Additionally, have a shovel close so you can extinguish any flames that escape.

When you’re finished with your fire pit for the day and want to extinguish the fire, it’s important to do it safely and completely. Pour water on it and stir up the contents with your shovel to make sure all the embers are extinguished.

Remember that ashes can create a fire days after you put the initial fire out. Keep a container to hold the ashes and wait a few days to make sure they are cool enough before you discard them. When you throw them away, don’t put them in anything combustible.

A fire pit can be a very enjoyable part of your yard when used correctly. We hope you’ll be able to enjoy backyard smores, ghost stories, and more with yours all while staying safe.

 

This post was brought to you by TSC Restoration in San Diego, offering water, fire, and mold damage restoration throughout the county.