Yearly Archives: 2018

General Safety Issues

Top 10 Safety Workplace Measures Every Employee Should Adopt

Top 10 Safety Workplace Measures Every Employee Should Adopt

No matter where you work, there is always a chance of danger due to accidents. It is necessary for the companies to adopt some safety measures and train their employees about it. Employees’ time to time require a reawakening to be reminded about the dangers that might occur at the workplace every day.
What is safety training?
In simple words, safety training is teaching your employees like essay help how not get hurt or injured during office hours. The goal of this training is developing an environment where health and safety of the employees comes first. It is also the legal duty of the company to protect their employees from any kind of workplace danger.
Here in this article we shed light on top 10 safety workplace measures every employee should adopt in order to keep their employees safe from any kind of hurdle. These measures are:
  • Always keep an eye on your surroundings:
Keep an open eye during working hours keeps you away from many incidents. This on the other hand, enhances your work performance. If your work is somewhere around machinery then always being alert and keep both your eyes and mind open while working.
  • Keep your posture correct:
Back problems are very common during work. If your 9-5 job is to sit in front of a computer, then it is must to keep sitting in a way that your shoulders are in line with your hips in order to avoid back pains. If you have to pick something, then make sure to use correct form. It is must for the management to provide their employees comfortable chairs.
  • Take breaks:
Avoid sitting at one place for so long instead take regular breaks and walk around. There are many work related injuries that might occur when the employee is tired or feel fatigued. Taking breaks can keep you fresh on the job, and you will be able to work in a better way. Try to work on difficult tasks in the morning when your concentration is on the peak.
  • Use machines properly:
It is the duty of the management to teach their staff how to use the tools and machines properly in order to avoid any hurdle. Employees must have to take proper measures while using machinery and tools. Using machines and tools the right way reduces the chances of workplace injury.
  • Emergency exits:
It is a must that every employee in the company must know about the emergency exits. Also make sure that these emergency exits are easy to reach. Also, there must be clear access to shut off in case if you need to stop them from functioning in case of emergency.
  • Report unsafe conditions to management:
It is the duty of the management to keep an open eye on their employees and if there is any unsafe condition happens in the then workplace takes care of it. Also ask your employees to keep themselves alert during work and if they find any mishap report it urgently to the duty supervisor.
  • Avoid high risk jobs:
It is strictly not allowed to assign any high risk task to a worker who is not trained for the specific job. Doing this is not at all safe for the worker as well as for the machineries. So, for high risk jobs it is must to give complete training to the employees and then assign them any task.
  • Stay sober:
Alcohol or drugs are strictly not allowed in the workplace. If any of the employees find using drugs or alcohol during working hours than it is the right of the management to at once fire them. When the concentration, motor control or alertness of the employee is diverted then there is a high risk of workplace injuries.
  • Reduce stress:
Avoid giving too much work to a single employee. Too much work stress can lead to concentration problems and depression that will directly or indirectly affect the work. A common cause of workplace stress includes long working hours, job insecurity, workload, etc., If you have any workplace stress better to discuss it with your supervisor and ask them for their help.
  • Wear the correct equipment:
If you are not wearing the right equipment while working on machines, then the chances of injuries increase. Depending on the job, it is a must for you to wear safety equipment such as earmuffs, earplugs, hard hats, gloves, safety jackets, face mask, etc. These things will reduce the chances of injuries.
It is the duty of the top management to take care of every safety measures at work in order to avoid any possible workplace injuries. Time to time give training to the employees, so that if any mishap occurs they will be able to hand it. Adopting these simple initiatives play a major role in maintaining workers trust on the company and they in return able to work in a better way.
Eddie Colin is currently working as the branch manager of a private bank in Michigan. He studied Banking and Finance at college and what makes him stand out from others is his multilingual capabilities. Eddie has been fond of languages since a very young age and he eventually became known as a multilingual essayist at college Speedy essay. He understands the various types of essays and offers guidance to students online who are struggling with.
Fall Safety

Create a Safe Environment with Height Safety Installers

Create a Safe Environment with Height Safety Installers

 

With the ever rise in population, the problem of space crunch has become a crucial issue that engineers have dealt with by resorting to multiplestoreyed buildings. With the construction of high-storied buildings, safety concerns too were being questioned. Thus, a group of engineers came up with height safety installers to curb the safety concerns. The height safety installers are not only restricted to construction sites but also installed by other professionals involved in maintenance and repair of high rise buildings.

Where are these Installed?

These height safety installers are used in different arenas. The application is Varied. Roof access has been made easy by the use of these height safety systems. Roof access is required in large number of buildings for varied purposes. Very few people agree owing to high risk factor. They can prove beneficial in large factories where production is held on a large scale.

The cleaning of windows in high-rises may it be a mall, corporate building or also a hospital is a herculean task. The height safety installers can help to accomplish the task of cleaning the windows.

There are Various Equipments under this line which will help you Ensure Height Safety:

  1. Roof Anchor Points: These points help workers to ascend and descend. These systems are basically anchor points which help workers work without fear.
  2. Roof Access Hatches: These systems ease the process of climbing rooftops. Roof guardrails- These are installed to ensure the safety of inhabitants occupying the property. These guardrails can be customized to suit one’s need according to the premises that you live in or want to occupy in the future.
  3. Roof Walkway System: This system is installed for smooth access to all kinds of roofs. Be it a concrete roof or a roof of any other material, it is tough for the workers to work, risking their lives. The roof walkway system is a type of height safety installers which helps provide safety to workers.
  4. Roof Access Ladders: These ladders are factory made, tailor suited ladders made of fabricated metal which is generally installed to ease the process of approaching the roof top. These ladders are a safe option.
  5. Static Lines: These are basically a network of metal wires attached to anchors which are meant to provide support system to the roof and also ensures easy access across many elevated systems.
  6. Fall Arrest Harness: This is one of the simplest systems in the range of height safety installers. This is something very basic which almost every company opts for.

There are many other systems that help workers to function in high-rises. With multi-storied buildings occupying most of the space especially in the big cities, safety of workers working in these high-rises has become a concern. People employing workers are bound to ensure that they will be provided with the best of safety gears and a safe working condition.

Height safety installers have emerged as a blessing especially for the promoters and builders. These safety installers offer long term assistance also after the construction process is completed. The high rise needs proper maintenance, if left unattended for long, the property might face frequent wear and tear.

From cleaning, to water leakages and emergency situations, the high safety installers come in handy. In fact, most commercial buildings today house several thousand people and their safety is of prime concern. Thus owners of malls, hospitals or even residential complexes ensure that there is a team of professionals who are looking into its maintenance. All safety installers are made available to them.

General Safety Issues

A Physical Therapist’s Tips To Stay Healthy & Energetic At Work

A Physical Therapist’s Tips To Stay Healthy & Energetic At Work

In every industry, the work culture has changed a lot in the last few decades. Since the time we started using computers, prolonged sitting has become quite common. If you sit in one place continuously for more than a few hours, it leads to health problems.

Perhaps that’s the reason physical therapists always advise people to take short breaks. It not only helps in refreshing your mind but also has a lot of benefits for your physical health.

Whether you work in a high-end office or you spend your time working on manufacturing plants and construction sites, living a pain-free life is essential for one and all. If you are unwell, you can’t perform at your best; therefore, it’s vital to take care of your health. Those who have jobs that require intense physical activity remain at the high risk of workplace injuries.

However, those who have sitting jobs end facing a wide range of problems due to lack of physical movements. You feel pain in your neck, back, shoulders, and arms, etc., after sitting for long periods of time. Besides, some people also experience pain in the wrist, knees, hips, and lower back, etc.

The only way to enjoy a healthy while still performing your duties on time is to consult a physical therapist. Your therapist will not only treat your condition, but they will also educate you.

According to Priority Physical Therapy, “We assess the worker’s current functional abilities and gather information regarding his/ her job requirements. Treatment is both evaluative and restorative. Therapy will utilize a combination of manual therapy techniques, therapeutic exercises, body mechanics training, modalities, and patient education/ home programming.“

So, if you have a full time sitting job, here is how you can maintain your health.

Correct You Sitting Posture 

You can reduce the risk of a variety of health conditions that stem from prolonged sitting by correcting your posture. Always make sure that you sit up straight. If you slouch, then make sure you stop that in the first place. Slouching is a bad habit; therefore, you should always try to avoid it. Most people who slouch end up struggling with spinal problems. They struggle with conditions like neck pain and back pain frequently. Although you get tips to prevent back pain from your family and health professionals; however, sometimes it’s better to use your intelligence as well.

While sitting at your desk, make sure that you keep your back straight, feet flat on the floor, and knees at a 90-degree angle. Besides, you should keep your computer at an eye level, so that you do not have to stretch your neck.

Use An Ideal Chair 

Using the right chair is utterly crucial to keep your spine healthy. Maintaining the actual shape of your spine is highly vital to keep the musculoskeletal conditions at bay. If you are using an uncomfortable chair, ask your boss to replace it with a better one that can offer the right support to your back.

Also, if you are feeling uncomfortable, you can use a footrest. Nowadays, you will find a wide range of office chairs which offer the maximum comfort to employees. You can also use them!

Take Breaks Frequently 

Taking short breaks is an ideal way of keeping your body pain-free. When you get up from your seat frequently, it not only helps in improving your circulation but also makes it easier for you to concentrate on your task once you get back at your desk. Since it helps in refreshing your mind, you can focus on your work. Walking around your office is an excellent way of relieving the compression that results from long hours of sitting.

Stretch Your Body Regularly 

Stretching is very crucial for people with the sitting jobs. They should keep on performing basic stretches that do not take much time. Stretch your neck if you are feeling uncomfortable. Roll your neck in all the directions to relieve tightness. You can also roll your head to the right side and hold that position for at least 15 seconds. Do it again but this time around roll your head to the left side. Besides, you can also stretch your chin all the way to your chest and tuck it.

Similarly, you can carry out upper body stretch and hamstring stretch at work.

Drink Water Frequently

Keeping your body hydrated is utterly vital to stay healthy. Always keep a bottle of water at your desk, so that you can drink it frequently. If you are someone who does not like drinking plain water, you can mix lemon in it. Make sure that before taking the lunch you take enough of water.

It not only helps in reducing the amount of food you consume during the mealtime but also keeps you healthy. It helps in flushing out toxins from your body, strengthens the immune system, and promotes weight loss.

Drinking water frequently helps in preventing dry mouth and bad breath.

Uncategorized

Tips For Writing Good Health and Safety Documents For Your Workplace

Tips For Writing Good Health and Safety Documents For Your Workplace

Writing health and safety documents is a job that requires a lot of knowledge and devotion. It’s necessary that every company should have these documents.

The dictionary and governments define these as a plan of action, a method of action that guides and influences future decisions on health and safety.

If you are not sure how to write these documents, here are some tips  that will improve your writing for health and safety documents.

  1. Make it simple

Simplicity is the key for clarity. Using long sentences packed with jargon that most employees will not understand will only lead to confusion. This is why you should strive to make your documents as simple as possible. This is not to say that you should not follow the guidelines given by the authorities but it means that you should make the text as simple as possible within the given boundaries.

  1. State the responsibilities

One of the things that each health and safety document should have is the part which clearly states who is responsible for what part. The names should be updated when necessary and there should be no confusion as to who employees should contact if they are ever in need or health and safety authority within the company.

  1. Describe everyone’s duties

This step is related to the previous one and it means that you should clearly state what the duties of each authority related to health and safety are. “The description should be simple and possibly in the form of a list so that it’s easier for both the one who holds the responsibility and employees to read and understand. Also, state what are the duties of each one of your employees”, – explains Jody Nelson, a Recruiting Manager at Academized and Revieweal.

  1. State your goals

Every document should be written with certain goals and in this case, you need to show your employees which goals you plan to achieve. Let them know how things will change and how they will change This will make them more motivated to respect and act on rules and regulations stated in the document.

  1. Pay attention to the accuracy of your documents

One of the most important things about your health and safety documents that is often neglected is, of course, it’s accuracy. Most people forget to proofread and edit and this can lead to many issues. If an employee reads a misspelled word and thinks it means something different entirely, they will likely do something that harms your health and safety policy. It can also make you seem unprofessional and uneducated. People are less likely to follow your guidelines if they are packed with mistakes. This is an easy fix, luckily, and you can do it by using some of these tools.

–Writing Populist and Via Writing are online writing guides that can provide you with tips on how to write properly and for maximum clarity of your work.

–Boom Essays is an online editing tool that can remove all of the redundancies and unimportant things in your documents. Learn more about it from Boomessays review.

–Academ Advisor is a plagiarism tool that you should utilize since everything you write needs to be original and unique to your company and your regulations.

–Essay Roo and Thesis help are online formatting tools that can help you turn your text into something readable.

–My Writing Way is a guide for proofreading and editing that can point you towards some of the most common mistakes and their fixes.

–Elite Assignment Help and Ukwritings are online copywriting services that can help you write your health and safety documents.

  1. State how health and safety regulations will be implemented

There should be a section where you’ll explain what you will do to make sure that these regulations are implemented. Write about some of the things you’ll do, investments that will be necessary, educational seminars within the company that you’ll organize etc.

  1. Format for clarity

Most documents are not organized in a way to be easy to read. However, this document is important for your entire organisation and it should be formatted in a way that is easy to read.

Most employees will be overwhelmed by a wall of text and they can rarely focus on the most important things when it seems so confusing. This is why you should use headings, subheadings, bold text, bullet points and lists to make it easier for them to read and understand. Use short paragraphs and simple sentences wherever possible. This is also good for later finding a specific part of the document that you need – you would be able to easily find it through subheading instead of going through the entire thing.

Conclusion

Writing important documents like health and safety documents is not an easy job and much relies on your ability to make the content of it clear and readable. This means that all of your employees need to be able to understand it clearly and understand who is responsible for what. Follow these tips and the guidelines that were given to you by the authorities for optimal results.

Freddie Tubbs is an Employee engagement manager at Big Assignments. He regularly takes part if workplace organization conferences and contributes posts to Ox Essays and Australian Reviewer blogs.

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues

First Aid in the Workplace: Team Bonding and Good Sense

First Aid in the Workplace: Team Bonding and Good Sense

Accidents will happen, and it’s a fact that most accidents happen at home or in the workplace. Even minor mishaps can result in injury – tripping on a loose carpet, for example, can lead to a fall and bruising or perhaps a fracture – and it’s not just accidents that require first aid. Some people suffer from conditions that mean they can fall ill, in a variety of ways, without warning, so it pays to be aware of this. At work, it also helps if you know where your first aid equipment is – we’ll come to this in more detail later – so it can be accessed more quickly and easily.

What can you do, as an employer or an employee, to make sure that there are sufficient personnel with first aid experience and knowledge to provide the assistance needed in the case of accidents at work? That’s what we’re going to look at in this short article, where we will also explain how it can be used to encourage team bonding too.

Basic First Aid

So, where do we start when it comes to first aid in the workplace? To begin with, let’s talk about the equipment you should always have close to hand, in the office, factory, shop or wherever it is that you work.

A basic first aid kit should contain the following: plasters, of various sizes; gauze dressings, also in different sizes; eye dressing patches; a variety of bandages; disposable gloves; scissors and tweezers; antiseptic cream and painkillers, plus a thermometer, tape for the bandages, and an eye bath. This is by no means a comprehensive list, as it is simply the basics. You may have certain requirements that apply specifically to your place of work, in which case your first aid kit will differ from some.

Now, that first aid kit should be neatly packaged in a secure box, and be readily available. There should be signage pointing out where to find the kit, and there needs to be responsible persons who are trained in its use, and who are tasked with the act of first aid where necessary. This brings us neatly to the subject of first aid training.

Who Should be Trained?

Every employer has a legal requirement to ensure that the workplace is a safe place in which to work. The regulations covering health and safety at work can be quite daunting, so it is advisable that you put your chosen employees through courses on this, and also send them on any first aid courses that may be relevant to your workplace environment.

The personnel you choose for this training should be trustworthy, reliable and sensible, and it helps if they have some prior knowledge of health and safety at work, and in first aid, although it is not essential. There are many first aid courses that you can send your team on, and some the take place at your premises. They vary in content, but to begin with, a course in basic first aid is perhaps recommended for anyone who has not been through one before. Many employers make this a condition of employment, and with good reason.

A basic first aid course will teach the attendants the simple facts they need to know, and will generally last half a day or a little longer. The attendants will learn about how to act when dealing with an emergency, dealing with heavy bleeding, what to do if someone is unresponsive or not breathing, and handling seizures. They will also be taught what they need to know in the case of someone breaking a bone, how to deal with head injuries, and more. This may sound daunting but it is all useful not just at work, but in everyday life, too.

It’s also worth remembering that first aid courses can be taken in a groups, and this has the benefit of encouraging team bonding. A workforce that learns essential skills together will get to know each other – very helpful if you have new employees who are still fresh to the environment – and most organizations offering first aid training make sure there is a fun element involved in what is a very serious subject, so your team will enjoy the course as well as learning from it.

Learning ABC

Among the primary teachings of a first aid course will be the focus on ABC; this easy to remember mnemonic is designed to remind those in attendance – primarily amateurs such as your working team – about the most important aspects of treating patients in a range of situations.

ABC stands for Airways, Breathing and Circulation. Put simply, these are the three main points to focus on if you find someone is suffering a trauma, has suffered an injury, or you come across someone who is unresponsive. The course will go into more detail, but in brief it is essential that the patient’s airways are kept clear, that they are able to breathe efficiently, and that they have adequate circulation. Attendees of first aid courses will be taught what to do in different circumstances in order to remedy a situation in which any of the above are compromised, to the best of their ability.

No first aid course can teach your team everything they need to know, but what it will do is give them a basic grounding – and more depending on the type of course you choose – in how to handle first aid in the workplace. It is also essential that you book regular refresher courses as skills that are learned but never used can be forgotten. Furthermore, you may have a new intake of employees who need to learn the basics, or one or more of your main first-aiders may move on to a new position.

Check out the various first aid courses available from a range of service providers now and get your team together for an enjoyable and informative, not to mention potentially life-saving, experience that will also help them get together as a team.

General Safety Issues

Advantages of Providing Safe Workplace to the Employees

ADVANTAGES OF PROVIDING SAFE WORKPLACE TO THE EMPLOYEES

Benefits of safe workplace

Most businesses ignore the various safety regulation in order to reduce the short term operating cost of their business operations. However recent studies on the subject shows that the creation of a safe workplace is more beneficial to the companies. The main benefits of developing a safe workplace are given below

  1. Increase in employee safety: The development of a safe workplace helps to reduce the number of accidents that happen at a workplace. The implementation of the proper safeguards helps to improve employee morale. These measures also help to improve the productivity of the employees. The creation of a safe workplace helps to create strong bonds between the employees and employers. These strong bonds help to improve the overall efficiency of the business operations of the company.
  2. Reduction in operating cost: Businesses have to pay at least one million US dollars to employees as compensation every week in order to settle the lawsuits related to workplace accidents. The development of a safe workplace helps to reduce the number of lawsuits that are filed against the company as well as the compensation paid by the company to injured employees. The decrease in the number of accidents at a workplace also helps to reduce the number of absent employees. The reduction in the number of accidents at a workplace also helps to reduce the chances of a complete shutdown of the business operations of the company.
  3. Positive effect on public perception: The reduction in the number of accidents at a workplace has a positive impact on the general perception of the public about the company. Customers usually prefer to buy products from companies who care more about their employees as compared to other companies. The creation of a safe workplace helps the company to increase customer retention by building a positive public image.

Facts related to Workplace Safety

One worker dies every 15 seconds due to a work related accident. More than 150 workers are injured during various workplace accidents at the same time. The implementation of poor health and safety regulations is responsible for reducing the global GDP by more than 4 percent. The implementation of poor health and safety regulations by businesses is responsible for 317 million workplace related accidents. More than half million employees are injured during workplace related accidents every year in Australia. A study conducted by the National security council of Australia shows that 85 % of the businesses fail to properly implement the necessary safety measures. The survey also concludes that most of the workplace related accidents occur in the Construction sector. The Mining sector, Forestry & Fisheries sector, Transport & Storage sector and Manufacturing sector are the other four sectors that are responsible for most of the workplace related accidents.

Measures for increasing Workplace Safety

The main steps that can be used by the businesses to increase worker safety are given below

  1. Staff training: The businesses should provide adequate safety training to their employees in order to create safe The first aid training can help the employees to provide basic medical assistance to the injured patients in case of a work related accident. This will help the businesses to reduce the number of workplace related deaths.
  2. Implementation of Work Health and Safety Act 2011: The Work Health and Safety Act 2011 was developed by the Australian government in order to reduce the number of workplace accidents. The act contains a list of rules that can help businesses to minimize the risk of workplace related The implementation of the new law also helps the Australian businesses to minimize their legal obligations in case of a workplace related accident.
  3. Implementation of safety incentive plan: The implementation of a safety incentive plan helps to reduce the risk of workplace related The businesses should create and distribute various procedural manuals and promotion videos. This information will help employees to make effective decisions in the case of a workplace related accident.
  4. Use of Protective safety equipment: Businesses should equip their employees with Protective safety equipment in order to better protect their employees from chemical, mechanical and radiological hazards. The companies should also provide special training to these employees in order to reduce workplace related.

About the author

I’m Jessica Gross. I read and write every day on various topics related to society, culture, academics, business and lifestyle. I have been working as an academic consultant for Australian assignment help for more than a decade. You can catch me on twitter.

 

 

General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Protective Clothing

The 3 different types of gloves that every Plumber Needs

3 Different Types of Gloves That Every Plumber Needs

As you probably already know, a plumber’s number one asset is his hands, and as such, you should be doing everything you can to keep them (and yourself) safe while on the job. Gloves are an essential part of this equation, as they are often a plumber’s first line of defense against the various health and safety hazards they run into on a daily basis – things like chemicals, heat, sparks, or flames when soldering or welding, and raw sewage.

This may seem straightforward enough, but there are still a lot of plumbers who feel that gloves restrict their range of motion, and because of this, stay away from them altogether. While it’s true that some gloves do make a job more complicated or frustrating than it has to be, the risks that come with not wearing gloves should be enough to convince any plumber who enjoys his health to start wearing them. Not all gloves are made the same however, so we did our own research on the three gloves that are most useful to an everyday plumber.

Latex or Nitrile gloves

These thin, moisture resistant gloves are a must have for any plumbing jobs that include exposure to infectious, and other biologically hazardous materials. Remember to wear them on simple jobs like drain cleanings, and during the more complex ones, like installing a new sewer line, as both of these projects involve handling raw sewage. You can also use Nitrile gloves for the same instances, if you’re allergic to latex.

Tip: Most plumbers agree that wearing a pair of these gloves under their normal leather “work” gloves offers better protection.

Drain Cleaning “Work” Gloves

Drain cleaning gloves can be made from leather, PVC (Rubber), or synthetic materials, and are the most commonly used type of glove among plumbers. They offer added protection against the cuts and abrasions that commonly occur when handling a metal drain snake, as well as protection from the sewage and other bodily fluids that follows the snake up. Leather-based or synthetic gloves should be utilized whenever the job calls for physical labor, for increased grip and protection.

Tip: Again, it’s a good idea to wear latex or nitrile gloves under these, and it should be noted that rubber gloves are great for avoiding chemical-related injuries, and offer the most protection when working with commercial-grade solvents.

Welding Gloves

Gloves with a high level of heat resistance are crucial for plumbers that do any kind of welding or soldering work on a daily basis. Typically, welding gloves are made of thick leather, have extra long cuffs to prevent spatter burns, and offer varying levels of fire resistance.

Tip: When choosing a pair of welding gloves, make sure that the gloves you choose match the type of welding work that you will be doing, as different types of welding and soldering come with different temperatures.

Wearing the wrong gloves or no gloves at all is the perfect way to injure your hands on a job. It’s a fact that using gloves on any plumbing job is important, but what’s not so obvious is just how important choosing the right kind of gloves for each job can be.

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

Frequent construction site accidents and how to avoid them

Frequent construction site accidents and how to avoid them

Working on a construction site can be an extremely dangerous job. In fact, several hundred people have lost their lives while working in or being on a construction site in 2016 alone in the United States.  The ‘Fatal Four’ are the top four leading causes of construction site injuries and deaths in America every year. These are:

  • Falling
  • Being stuck by an object
  • Electrocutions
  • Caught-in/between*

*This means that the worker was caught-in/compressed by objects or equipment. They were then struck, caught, or crushed in a collapsing structure, equipment, or material.  These accidents can lead to:

  • Scarring
  • Disfigurement
  • Back or Neck injuries
  • Spinal chord injury
  • Brain injury
  • Blindness
  • Deafness
  • Amputated limbs
  • Death

One thing is more shocking than the ‘Fatal Four’, and that is how many deaths are caused by them each year. In 2015, 364 workers died from falls, 90 from being struck by an object, 81 from electrocutions, and 67 from caught-in/betweens. Then numbers have only gotten worse just one year later. In 2016, 384 workers died from falls, 93 from being struck by an object, 82 from electrocutions, and 72 from caught-in/betweens.  The total number of ‘Fatal Four’ deaths each calendar year equals more than half of all construction worker deaths. Out of all occupations’ work-related deaths, construction deaths make up over 20 percent. That means one in five workplace deaths are from construction alone, which is also the highest of all the industries.

Causes of the ‘Fatal Four’  Falls: 

  • Misuse of ladders
  • Unguarded, protruding steel bars
  • Improper scaffold construction
  • Unprotected sides, wall openings, and/or floor holes

Being struck by an object: 

  • Masonry walls
  • Falling/flying objects
  • Vehicles

Electrocutions: 

  • Lack of ground-fault
  • Contact with power lines
  • Improper use of equipment and cords
  • Path to ground missing or discontinuous

Caught-in/betweens: 

  • unsafe spoil-pile placement
  • Unsafe access/egress
  • Failure to inspect trench and protective systems
  • No protective systems

How to prevent accidents for all of you construction workers  

Equipment:  ToolsCritic.com recommends that all hand tools and equipment non-machine-operated should be cleaned and properly stored away in a designated area after being used,. Before use, be it hand tool or machine, all equipment should be checked to make sure they are in proper working order. By taking a few extra minutes doing this, you’re eliminating the risk for faulty equipment and accidents that are caused by equipment laying around.

Following safety guides and training:  The safety guides and training all employers are required to give are designed and set in place by OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. These are specifically for the health of every construction worker.

Staying alert:  With any job, it is necessary to pay attention to your work, but construction workers need to pay extra attention. Others may mess up a task, but construction workers could lose a lot more. By paying attention to your surroundings, watching for anything falling, making special note of any possible hazards, you’ll increase your chance of going home safe and sound.  Extra precautions:

Say what you see. If there are unsafe working conditions, don’t be afraid to tell your employer. It’s part of your job. Doing so can save your life or someone else’s.

Take a break. It’s easy to get exhausted, especially when working in construction. Eating, staying hydrated and allowing the body even a few minutes of rest can keep you and other construction workers to stay focused and more alert to what’s happening.

See and be seen. You won’t be the only one on site, usually. Wearing bright color clothing, as well as a neon vest, can keep you visible to others. This is important because accidents aren’t only a one person event. People can run into each other, be throwing things around the site, or a number of other factors that could trigger an accident. So make sure to make yourself easily seen and to see others.

Put up signs. It’s common to put up signs around the site for high-risk areas. Whether it is because of a high voltage area, an area where debris will fall, or another reason, putting up a sign can alert others and remind yourself to stay clear of the area or to be extra cautious. Remember to look for them as well, since others may have put up a sign.  Remember, if you have an accident or see someone else have one while on site, follow the appropriate steps to seek immediate medical attention for the worker. Accidents can and do happen, but the numbers can become a fraction of what they are now if these measures are taken.

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

Workplace Safety & Workers Insurance Creates a Loyal Workforce

Workplace Safety & Workers Insurance Creates a Loyal Workforce

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, around 3 million non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in 2016. Of the most searched safety concerns in America, workplace safety is a major cause for concern for both American employers and employees.

Workplace accidents have a severe impact on workers, which could be both physical as well as psychological, leading to reduced productivity. Accidents at the workplaces, including near misses, is a clear indication of having some uncontrolled hazard that needs to be identified and removed before it can cause any further accidents and injuries.

Workplace accidents hurt not only to employees but also employers and the business. The reduced productivity results in lower staff morale, lost sales and even closure of the business, in the worst-case scenario.

Employees are a Business’ Biggest Asset

In 2016, 40% of the employers worldwide had difficulty filling positions, representing a 2% increase from 2015, according to a 2016-17 Talent Shortage survey conducted by Manpower Group. Lack of available applicants and hard skills were cited as major reasons for employers being unable to fill positions.

Needless to say, skilled employees are a company’s biggest asset, not just because they are rare to find but because these talents provide a competitive advantage to the business. Hiring and retaining the right talent is the single most effective way of achieving results and reaching growth goals for a company.

Why Workers Compensation Insurance is a Must

When employers show they care, employees are likely to feel more motivated and believe in the company’s goals. It is for this reason that businesses make sure to provide workers compensation coverage for their workers. Worker compensation insurance is also a state mandate program, the aim of which is to provide workers with much-needed protection.

In case the employee suffers a work-related injury or illness, the insurance covers lost wages and medical treatment, so that the worker can focus on getting well, rather than trying to get back to work quickly, even before they have recovered fully, to avoid missing out on wages, says an expert at Danskin Agency.

Although workers compensation covers for medical expenses for the initial and follow-up treatments, as well as physical and occupational rehab therapies, medication, etc., it is better to prevent workplace accidents in the first place.

3 Most Important Aspects of Workers Safety

1.      Ensure Fall Protection

According to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) on occupational injuries and illnesses, falling from a height to a lower level was the reason for nearly 5% of all worker injuries and illnesses in 2013, accounting for 13% of all fatal work-related injuries.

To provide fall protection, employers need to first identify locations that are high risk areas and train employees on proper protective gear while working at a height.

2.      Identify Cause of Workplace Fatigue

At work, fatigue is a major safety issue. Occupational fatigue is often the result of heavy workload, long working hours, lack of sleep, as well as several environmental factors and medical conditions.

It is the employer’s responsibility to help employees combat fatigue by offering them breaks and scheduling their work during their most alert and active hours, while emphasizing upon the importance of sleep, as published by Safety and Health Magazine.

Providing workers compensation insurance is a great way to let workers feel cared for and know that their efforts are valued.

3.      Electrical Hazards

Inappropriate use of extension cords can become a major cause of workplace mishaps. Over time, their insulation wears down, being subjected to traffic abuse by feet or forklifts, which can create shock hazards.

Employers need to make sure that extension cords being used are new and heavy gauge and are placed at a maximum possible distance from human interaction.

When employees know that they are working in a safe environment, their satisfaction levels will increase, and absenteeism will drop. Establishing safety programs and offering workers compensation insurance will create a more contented workforce, which will ultimately help the business.

General Safety Issues

4 Reasons for Hiring a K9 Security Team for Events

4 Reasons for Hiring a K9 Security Team for Events

Man’s Best Friend is always looking out for you! Our furry four legged friend has been protecting us for ages, so why not use them for providing security at events? They have been serving us as house pets (or rather a family member), so no wonder (with roper training) they will excel at being excellent security forces. Some may think differently, but no need to, because a task force of dogs works like clockwork, when it comes to protection and discipline!

There are many companies that offer their services, but you should never stray past the reputed ones. Just have a look at testimonials and references and you will be able to find companies like K9 Patrol Ltd, who have the best security dogs and SIA (know more about it from Wiki!) approved contractor status.

  • Why Should You Consider Hiring Security Dogs for Events?

It is not just about events! Dogs can offer top notch security for a variety of places like malls and airports to name some. The risks that a person might not be able to take to, the dogs have better ability to adapt and emerge victorious. Many event organizers have already turned to the four legged security force. Why are you still feeling sceptical about it? The dogs will do a fantastic job at securing the event!

Here are the perks that you will get to enjoy with the security dogs:

  1. Professional Behaviour: It is not a secret that dogs take training far better and faster than a human being! The dog handlers make sure that you have full security and professional behaviour from the dogs. They will never allow anybody to pet the dogs. Each event will be different from the other! One might have loud music, while another event might be peaceful, the dogs have been trained in such a way that nothing can distract or spook them! They ensure that your event will run as smoothly as possible.
  2. Versatile & Quick Response: The dogs have been trained to do a multitude of tasks, from sniffing to tackling perpetrators. Whatever the event and need of the hour, the K9 security members will complete it with a lot of gumption. Do not fall for their cute looks, behind those cute eyes are versatile security individuals!
  3. Enhanced Senses: Everybody knows about this! Dogs have better senses, and as such, are considered the best animals to be used as detection dogs. The best sense that dogs have is, the sense of smell. They have this amazing capability of sensing and differentiating between varieties of smells. This has made them a popular option for various places and events. If you hire reputed security forces, then you need not worry about training, because they will provide the highest standards of security.
  4. Enhanced Sense of Security: The visitors or attendees at the event always feel safe, when they see dogs around them. You might or might not like dogs, but everyone knows how loyal and protective creatures they are. Hence, the attendees of the event will feel more secure; and in the event of any issues, they will remain calm.

Dogs have been extensively used as therapy animals and pets, but even in the realm of security, they have been top performers. They fit into this role like a perfectly fitted glove! Almost tailormade!

Many people have a doubt — can man’s best friend attack a perpetrator (a human)? Well, they surely can, if they have been trained to, and feel others are threatened by that man! It would seem as if they can sieve out the bad from the good (to everyone’s benefit)!

For this reason, you need good handlers and excellent trainers, which a reputed K9 security company will be able to provide. Call upon the dogs, and see your event run without a glitch!