All posts by pat brownlee

Eye Protection, Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

IMPORTANCE OF PROPER LIGHTING AT WORK AND HOME (GUEST POST)

By Ross Donald

Poor lighting is one of the most commonly identified causes of workplace injuries. It is not surprising when you consider that proper lighting is a key factor of being able to identify and avoid hazards, safely handle dangerous equipment, and deter criminal activity. Though additional lighting means additional costs, the costs of personal injury are often far greater. It is vital to give ample consideration to the lighting conditions of businesses and homes not only with cost in mind, but also the well-being of occupants and visitors.

Light Measurement

In meeting safety standards, light is usually measured in foot-candles. This refers to the amount of light cast on one square foot of a surface from a candle one foot away. There are many meters one can buy for professional use in measuring light, but personal intuition cannot be overvalued in determining unsafe lighting conditions.

Outside

Outdoor lighting needs just as much consideration as indoor lighting. Slip and fall accidents often occur outside when poor lighting makes it difficult to spot ice, oil, or dips and rises on walkways and parking lots. Also, a high level of visibility around the exterior of a building enhances its security by deterring criminals who would be easily seen conducting suspicious activity. In terms of safety and security, brighter lighting covering the largest area possible is usually advisable. This will also ensure that security cameras capture what they need to when incidents do occur.

Though business and home owners often give a good deal of consideration to aesthetic in their outdoor lighting, it is important to balance safety into that equation. Parking lot lighting is not federally regulated, but you will often find local legislation that requires something like, “a minimum of .25 foot-candles on the parking surface.” Such a minimum requirement is not necessarily suitable for all cases, however.

Stairs

Stairways indoors and outdoors need to be well lit as they are a hot spot for falls and tend to result in more severe injuries. Though there are a variety of options for lighting stairs, it is a good idea to place the lights so that there is as little shadow on the stairs as possible. Legislation often requires something around one foot-candle at the center of each stair and landing, so it is important to evaluate the light on this area of stairways.

Dangerous Equipment

Perhaps the most important consideration for proper lighting, dangerous equipment has to be evaluated on a case by case basis depending on how it is used. This includes everything from handling knives in a kitchen to operating a fork lift in a warehouse. Equipment involving careful manual operation needs a good light source that allows the operator to clearly see what they are doing. Also, if the operator is casting their own shadow over the equipment, the light source may need better placement. For equipment where there is a danger of injury by falling into its area of operation, ample light should be provided for a zone around the equipment as well.

Emergency Lighting

Emergency situations such as power outages and fires require not only good back up light sources, but also well-lit egress routes in case evacuation is necessary. Though this is an obvious and regulated consideration for businesses, it is important not to allow maintenance of such provisions to fall by the wayside. After all, just because they are not used every day doesn’t mean you should ignore them and expect them to perform whenever you may need them.

The Mood Factor

Though we wouldn’t generally consider a dreary state of mind to be an injury, it is a light-related factor that affects us all on some level at work and at home. Studies have shown that low light conditions contribute to a dark mood. At the same time, too much light also causes a decline here, so the trick is to find the right level of light that both enhances mood and provides safety where necessary.

As lighting technology evolves, more and more efficient, low-cost options are becoming available. While cost and aesthetics are valid considerations, safety is always paramount and should not be sacrificed in favor of other factors. Even with proper lighting installed, regular maintenance and replacement of the lights themselves and removal of obstructions is advisable for businesses and homeowners alike. When health and well-being are at stake, no cost in money or effort should be too great. Whether at home or at work, we should always be on the lookout for unsafe lighting conditions so they can be addressed before harm is done.

Ross Donald is a safety-conscious stay at home dad and blogger who loves to undertake a variety of DIY projects. He writes for leading supplier of light fixtures, Lightingsale.com

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Protective Clothing

METALWORK: CUTTING OUT THE DANGERS (GUEST POST)

The market for welding equipment and profile cutters has broadened considerably in recent years as such machinery become more affordable, less cumbersome and thus available to the majority of the population. The hazardous methods used to accurately carve shapes from metal sheets are now adopted equally by unskilled hobbyists working in their own home and heavy industries of mass production. The widespread availability and unregulated use of profile cutting machinery has exposed more people to harm. Looking at plasma cutting in particular, it is easy to see the dangers of this trade and the necessity of certain safety precautions which all users must adhere to. 

The Risks 

From arc-eye to smouldering debris on the skin, the dangers associated with plasma cutting are all extremely hazardous to anybody working in the vicinity. One serious risk is the fire hazard created by the arc of plasma which not only emits intense heat but also gives off sparks, which can land on nearby surfaces, clothing or skin. The arc also produces a bright glare which is damaging to the eyes. Molten metal and shards of freshly cut debris can be airborne and can burn or cut exposed skin. Then there are the fumes released by the metal during the process which can create an immediate choking hazard or more long term health problems. Any coating on the metal (ie. galvanised steel) must be removed beforehand as they produce truly toxic fumes. Finally, the extreme power output of a plasma cutter creates a high risk of electrocution. It certainly sounds like a risky business, but with the following precautions in place, profile cutting can be a safe and efficient way to manufacture cut metal. 

The Solutions 

Before starting any form of profile cutting, it is essential to inform any people in the vicinity that the equipment is being used so that each individual can take the necessary action to avoid harm. In industrial manufacturing, no unauthorised persons should be allowed to use a plasma cutter and it is essential that every operator undergoes appropriate training. Protective clothing and eye-wear is an absolute must for all machine operators. Goggles must provide unrestricted vision and movement while protecting the eyes from glare and debris. This means a suitably shaded, thick and unbreakable lens. Clothing must be full length to cover every inch of skin, fire resistant and without cuffs which could catch smouldering debris. It is essential to ventilate the room with fresh air or wear breathing apparatus where the fumes are likely to be intense. The risk of electrocution can be eliminated by being well grounded by wearing rubber soled boots and gloves as well as the standard welding gloves. There also must be no moisture or water around which could conduct electricity throughout the room. Finally, ensure that the plasma cutting machinery is placed as far from surrounding objects as possible to avoid sparks leaping to any material that could act as a fuel for fire.

In the workplace, the employer must ensure that these regulations are upheld to the highest standards to guarantee staff safety. At home, the individual is responsible for their health and ultimately their life, so such hazardous metalwork should not be undertaken lightly.

 Sent to us by Dan Oztunc

This article was written by Emily Banham on behalf of Kerf Developments Ltd, the leading British supplier of profile cutting, oxy-fuel cutting, high definition plasma cutting and waterjet cutting equitment. More information on plasma cutters can be found on the following link – http://www.kerfdevelopments.com/plasmacutting.html

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

IT’S NATIONAL BURN AWARENESS WEEK – 2013!

Burn Awareness Week, observed the first full week in February, is designed to provide an opportunity for burn, fire and life safety educators to unite in sharing a common burn awareness and prevention message in our communities. Burn Awareness Week, celebrated early in the year, is an excellent opportunity to “kick off” a year full of burn awareness education.  This year’s theme focuses on Preventing Scald Injuries.

Scalds – A Burning Issue

Scald injuries are painful and require prolonged treatment. They may result in lifelong scarring and even death. Prevention of scalds is always preferable to treatment and can be accomplished through simple changes in behavior and the home environment.

In conjunction with Burn Awareness Week, (February 3 through February 9) the American Burn Association is providing information relating to scald burns for use in your own communities.  Although anyone can sustain a scald burn, certain people are more likely to be scalded —infants, young children, older adults and people with disabilities. These high-risk groups are also more likely to require hospitalization, suffer complications and experience a difficult recovery.

Most burn injuries occur in the person’s own home and the vast majority of these injuries could have easily been prevented.  Tap water scalds are often more severe than cooking-related scalds. The American Burn Association recommends the following simple safety tips to decrease the risk to yourself and those you love from tap water scalds.

  •  Set home water heater thermostats to deliver water at a temperature no higher than 120 degrees Fahrenheit / 48 degree Celsius. An easy method to test this is to allow hot water to run for three to five minutes, then test with a candy, meat or water thermometer.
  • Adjust the water heater and wait a day to let the temperature drop. Re-test and re-adjust as necessary.
  •  Provide constant adult supervision of young children or anyone who may experience difficulty removing themselves from hot water on their own. Gather all necessary supplies before placing a child in the tub, and keep them within easy reach.
  •  Fill tub to desired level before getting in. Run cold water first, then add hot. Turn off the hot water first. This can prevent scalding in case someone should fall in while the tub is filling. Mix the water thoroughly and check the temperature by moving your elbow, wrist or hand with spread fingers through the water before allowing someone to get in.
  •  Install grab bars, shower seats or non-slip flooring in tubs or showers if the person is     unsteady or weak.
  • Avoid flushing toilets, running water or using the dish- or clothes washer while anyone is showering.
  •  Install anti-scald or tempering devices. These heat sensitive instruments stop or interrupt the flow of water when the temperature reaches a pre-determined level and prevent hot water that is too hot from coming out of the tap. 

Cooking-related scalds are also easy to prevent. Some things you can do to make your home safer from cooking-related burns include:

  •  Establish a “kid zone” out of the traffic path between the stove and sink where children can safely play and still be supervised. Keep young children in high chairs or play yards, a safe distance from counter- or stovetops, hot liquids, hot surfaces or other cooking hazards.
  • Cook on back burners when young children are present. Keep all pot handles turned back, away from the stove edge. All appliance cords should be coiled and away from the counter edge. During mealtime, place hot items in the center of the table, at least 10 inches from the table edge. Use non-slip placemats instead of tablecloths if toddlers are present.
  • Never drink or carry hot liquids while carrying or holding a child. Quick motions may cause spilling of the liquid onto the child. 

For more information about preventing scald burns, contact the American Burn Association at 312-642-9260 or www.ameriburn.org.  Accidents happen so quickly, and burns are so painful and slow to heal, let’s all take a little more time for extra care where there is a potential for getting injured by burns.

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT PROPOSED WORKPLACE STANDARD REGARDING SILICA DUST

Our parent company, Texas America Safety Company, recently received this information, and we want to pass it on to our readers, because you can help.

As you may know, about 1.7 million workers in the United States each year are exposed to silica dust and run the risk of developing silicosis, lung cancer and other debilitating diseases. Public health experts estimate that 280 workers die each year from silicosis—and thousands more develop silicosis as a result of workplace exposures. 

But a proposed workplace standard on silica dust exposure from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been delayed for nearly two years as the Office of Management and Budget reviews the proposed standard.

Your membership and audience can help spur action on controlling this deadly workplace hazard by signing a White House “We the People” petition urging the Obama administration to move forward with the silica dust standard. 

Laborers (LIUNA) President Terry O’Sullivan says:

Any further delays in the rule-making process will only add to the death toll. The construction industry urgently needs stronger OSHA standards to prevent overexposure to silica dust. LIUNA and our supporters across the country will keep fighting for progress on this issue until a new safety standard is approved.

The petition requires 25,000 signatures by Feb. 11 to elicit a formal response from the White House. Click here to sign the petition. 

The current delay in moving ahead with a silica dust standard is just the latest in what is now a 15-year saga of trying to protect workers, even though the dangers of exposure to silica dust and the crippling and fatal lung disease it causes have been known for decades. 

At a Senate hearing last year focusing on the innumerable delays and roadblocks new OSHA safety standards must clear before becoming law—about eight years—Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, blasted corporate opposition to workplace safety laws and anti-worker lawmakers for blocking needed safety measures.

Today, rather than hearing outrage over worker deaths, we hear misinformation campaigns from corporate lobbyists about OSHA supposedly killing jobs. We see legislative proposals that call for blanket prohibitions on new regulations and proposals to add even more red tape to the regulatory process….We must come up with ways for OSHA to do its job without intimidation or interference.

Strategic Communications Department
Tad Kicielinski / Media Outreach Manager

Note: For your information, Blog4Safety wishes to explain more about silica dust to help in your decision regarding the petition:

What is crystalline silica?
Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica. Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica. All three forms may become respirable size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica.

What are the hazards of crystalline silica?
Silica exposure remains a serious threat to nearly 2 million U.S. workers, including more than 100,000 workers in high risk jobs such as abrasive blasting, foundry work, stonecutting, rock drilling, quarry work and tunneling. Crystalline silica has been classified as a human lung carcinogen. Additionally, breathing crystalline silica dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal.

What can employers/employees do to
protect against exposures to crystalline silica?

  • Replace crystalline silica materials with safer substitutes, whenever possible.
  • Provide engineering or administrative controls, where feasible, such as local exhaust ventilation, and blasting cabinets. Where necessary to reduce exposures below the PEL, use protective equipment or other protective measures.
  • Use all available work practices to control dust exposures, such as water sprays.
  • Wear only a N95 NIOSH certified respirator, if respirator protection is required. Do not alter the respirator. Do not wear a tight-fitting respirator with a beard or mustache that prevents a good seal between the respirator and the face.
  • Wear only a Type CE abrasive-blast supplied-air respirator for abrasive blasting.
  • Wear disposable or washable work clothes and shower if facilities are available. Vacuum the dust from your clothes or change into clean clothing before leaving the work site.
  • Participate in training, exposure monitoring, and health screening and surveillance programs to monitor any adverse health effects caused by crystalline silica exposures.
  • Be aware of the operations and job tasks creating crystalline silica exposures in your workplace environment and know how to protect yourself.
  • Be aware of the health hazards related to exposures to crystalline silica.
  • Smoking adds to the lung damage caused by silica exposures.
  • Do not eat, drink, smoke, or apply cosmetics in areas where crystalline silica dust is present. Wash your hands and face outside of dusty areas before performing any of these activities.
  • Remember: If it’s silica, it’s not just dust.

Source: OSHA

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

BE WISE WHEN IT COMES TO EXTRACTION OF WISDOM TEETH (GUEST POST)

By Chris Grasso

Common surgical procedures like wisdom tooth extractions don’t usually lead to medical complications. In some cases, though, individuals have suffered severe pain because of dental procedures that they didn’t even need. The unnecessary removal of wisdom teeth can bring about its own set of complications, which are completely avoidable by being informed. Before letting a dentist operate on you, make sure you understand the risks of extractions and related procedures.

Know Your Reaction to Anesthesia

Some people have a sensitivity or allergy to general anesthesia drugs. This can cause them to experience a stroke or heart attack during surgery. It’s absolutely crucial to be aware of potential allergic reactions to specific drugs and to understand the alternative options. Accidental injuries related to anesthesia have been on the rise in the past 10 years. In fact, the death rate for people under full anesthesia has risen in recent years. According to German researchers, seven out of one million patients die during anesthesia. That might sound like a low number, but it’s nearly twice the number of deaths during the 1980s.

Know What Causes Dry Socket

Patients also risk medical problems while recovering from tooth extractions. Between two and five percent of people who have their wisdom teeth extracted get dry socket, an extremely painful condition that requires additional medical attention. In most cases, patients can prevent dry socket by keeping their mouths clean. Not all dentists, however, provide proper instructions for people who have a high risk for getting dry socket, including those who smoke or use certain birth control pills.

Nerve Damage Caused by Botched Extractions

Given the large number of nerves clustered in and around the mouth, it’s not surprising that some patients experience extensive nerve damage that can leave them handicapped for life. In some cases, dentists have accidentally severed nerves, causing loss of feeling or numbness in the mouths of patients. They can also damage nerves while pulling on wisdom teeth or cutting impacted areas. This nerve damage can affect the lips, tongue, and cheeks. Some patients even lose their sense of taste.

Tooth Extractions Can Damage Existing Dental Work

Wisdom teeth don’t always come out easily. Dentists often have to pull, tug, and cut them out. Patients don’t feel this when they are under the effects of general anesthesia. Violent extractions, however, can damage existing dental work. That often causes long-term pain, not to mention the additional expense of getting crowns, implants, and other dental work replaced.

The truly unfortunate thing is that not all people who have their wisdom teeth removed actually need the procedure. It has become a rite of passage that nearly all people undergo. Keeping the existing dental work in tact is very important and costly thing to do, CuperoLaw.com recognizes that dentists have a responsibility to protect their patients from unnecessary pain and expense. If you think that an oral surgeon has taken advantage of you, then it’s important to get the right legal representation before confronting the doctor as doctors know their rights and you should know yours.

Painkiller Complications

It may be a smaller percentage of people who are allergic or get sick from a painkiller given after a surgery, but would you want to find out after surgery. Being in immense pain after surgery is no time to find out that you may get sick after taking the pill given for you to deaden the pain. Others get very nauseous from these pills in addition to the pain being present. Know the feeling and effect you get from painkillers. This could save you from becoming ill and being in unnecessary pain.

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

TIPS TO REMOVE ASBESTOS FROM GARAGE EASILY (GUEST POST)

Asbestos is natural mineral that is attributed to a few but very lethal diseases science has discovered so far. Mesothelioma is one of those diseases and is caused after decades of exposure to the mineral. Asbestos has been one of the widely used components in the building and construction industry since 1930s. The mineral in the form of sheets was specifically used in the making of garage roofs and ceilings. The utilization of the mineral paced up in the following years until it was as late as 1990s when the Government of USA put a ban on the use of Asbestos, fearing the adverse manifestations provoked by the mineral. Although the use of asbestos has been plunged down, the sight of old buildings and houses is not uncommon and even today every tenth house is found to have been built of 1950s or 1970s. When the dangers of asbestos are known, it just does not make sense to keep on living in a house that leaves its residents at a frequent exposure to asbestos. However, changing and abandoning a house is not always possible and feasible but what is feasible is to remove the asbestos from garages or wherever it is used. In the following text we discuss some very simple and easy tips to get rid of asbestos garage. 

  1. ‘DO IT YOURSELF’  a BIG  “NO”

The most important and the foremost thing to be taken in to consideration is that never EVER attempt to remove the asbestos sheets from the garage yourself. Since the beginning of 21st century, a number of contractors have emerged who offer the service of asbestos removal from the buildings. So, when you can always find an entity to help you through your objective, it wouldn’t be a wise decision to resort to ‘DIY’. Secondly, they are professionals and are qualified enough to do their chore safely and eliminating all the hazards posed by the mineral.

       2. Compensation in the expenses of Asbestos removal

The removal of asbestos from garages may cost you anywhere from tens of dollars to hundreds and thousands of dollars depending upon the size of the roof, area of the garage and other relevant factors. The cost may seem expensive enough to proceed with the removal process; however no compromise should be made when your health is at sake. For this reason, there are a number of organizations and councils that are willing to foot in the expenses. What can be better than that! So, if you have decided to get rid of the deadly mineral, and it’s the money that intrigues you; consult to any such council and grab what ever you can. 

  1. What substitutes you have?

In the instance that you do not totally support the idea of paying huge sums on the removal of asbestos, there is possibly another option open for you. Instead of asbestos removal, you can always resort to asbestos encapsulation, which is much more cheap and produces almost similar results. 

Author Bio: Roma Haswani is currently researching on mesothelioma lawsuit and he also helps people who are diagnosed with mesothelioma.

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

DIFFERENT TYPES OF RESPIRATORY EQUIPMENT DESIGNED TO LET YOU BREATHE EASIER (GUEST POST)

1 Comment

Construction is a rewarding and essential line of work, but also a dangerous and difficult one in some cases. It’s no secret that there are multiple hazards to deal with on any given job site, but one that is especially common is the variety of risks to workers’ lungs and airways. Protecting the respiratory system of workers is vital not only for their personal health, but also for the longevity of the company that employs them. After all, endangering the health of workers by neglecting to provide them with proper respiratory equipment can lead to dire legal consequences.

Respiratory protection equipment is used to block a wide range of substances from entering the lungs of those who wearing them, including hazardous dust, fumes and vapors. Quality construction companies will know which ones are present on each job site, and will have the necessary equipment to handle each of these potentially harmful substances and fumes properly. These are the main types of respiratory equipment that are used on construction sites today.

Disposable Masks

The equipment that is used to protect a worker’s respiratory system can range from very basic masks to more complicated central ventilation systems. Air purifying respirators are generally the most common category of respirators used on most construction sites. In their most basic form, they are disposable masks that are meant for short-term use and are discarded after each day, or even multiple times during a single day of heavy use. The breathing process of the person who is wearing the mask naturally draws air through it, removing dust particles and debris.

Reusable Respirator Masks

The next step up from these disposable masks is reusable respirator masks. Essentially, they work the same as the disposable masks, as the user is responsible for breathing in the air that must be purified. The difference is that this type of mask is capable of blocking out more harmful materials than the disposable variety. The filters within these masks can be removed and replaced, and the masks can handle a variety of different filters that are specially designed to block specific substances. Some versions of these masks will sometimes leave an open area for the user’s eyes, while other models will have eye protection built in. Which is preferable depends on the work situation in which they’re being used.

Powered Respirators

Powered respirators are masks that use a powered blower to pull outside air into a filtration system. They usually include a mask unit that covers the entire face of the user, and they eliminate the need for the user to manually pull air into the system.

Atmosphere Supplying Respirators

The next step up from a powered respirator is an atmosphere-supplying respirator. This type of mask is connected to an external oxygen tank, and includes a built-in valve that lets users control the airflow into their mask. Atmosphere supplying respirators are used for jobs near more dangerous contaminates than air purifying respirators and powered respirators can handle.

Of course, each of these basic types of masks includes quite a few specific variations. Which masks will be necessary on a particular construction site depends on such factors as the air flow at that site, the contaminants in the air and the duties of the workers in question. Regardless, respiratory equipment is a vital aspect of any construction job that should be taken very seriously.

 By Maire Hunter

Back Safety, Ergonomics, Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection

SAFE LIFTING OPERATIONS (GUEST POST)

Sent by Jason of Riskatmedia.com

All work activities carry the potential to cause harm to our own and others’ health and well-being, but we sometimes forget how real and close to us these hazards are.  Every year, a large number of people are killed at work, and an even greater number of people suffer work related injuries because they are unable to follow safe working practices. There are particular hazards associated with lifting operations, some of these hazards accompany almost all types of work activity, such as manual handling and slips and trips.  Others, such as contact with moving or falling objects and contact with moving machinery, are of particular concern to personnel involved in lifting operations as they result in a significant number of fatal and serious injuries each year.  In fact, contact with moving or falling objects is the third greatest cause of workplace fatality and the second greatest cause of major accidents at work. 

Manual Handling

Manual handling related activities are a major cause of occupational injury.  Low back pain, joint injuries and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts, affect over a million people each year, and many of these injuries are the result of manual handling. Prior to carrying out any unavoidable manual handling activity you should help to protect yourself from injury by following good manual handling practices.  Consider the task to be carried out and the nature of the load, and be aware of your own capabilities and the environment in which you are working. In particular, lifting accessories, lifted equipment and loads can be extremely heavy and you should give consideration to safe manual handling practices before undertaking any job that involves lifting these items. 

Slips, Trips and Falls

Slips and trips represent a significant cause of work related injury.  Slips and trips can result from contamination, obstacles, inappropriate footwear, reduced visibility, the environment and people’s attitudes.  Good workmanship and good housekeeping are practices that can help to prevent accidents and fires.  By removing waste materials to waste skips you can contribute significantly to good housekeeping.  You can also reduce the risk of slips and trips by properly routing any cables or hoses that you use, by ensuring that a safe place of work is, by ensuring that you always wear appropriate footwear, by considering whether the environment in which you will be working increases the risk of slips and trips and by taking responsibility for your own and your colleagues safety and appropriately containing any spills that you might discover.  Spills involving oil or hydraulic fluids represent a significant hazard, as they present a dangerous slip hazard and also involve substances that are both hazardous and flammable.  It is extremely important that your work area is kept clear of slip and trip hazards during lifting operations, when your own and your colleagues attention will be quite rightly focused on the lifting task at hand. 

Contact Risk

Contact with moving or falling objects is a significant hazard to personnel involved in lifting operations, as well as to personnel working close by, and can result in death or serious injury.  It is therefore vitally important that safe working practices are followed at all times during lifting operations to ensure that loads do not move, swing or fall.  

Training and Approval

All personnel need appropriate training and experience to be able to use work equipment safely.  Never use lifting equipment unless you have received suitable training and are qualified and competent to do so.  You should ensure that you are suitably qualified, competent and, where appropriate, have the necessary certifications to use the particular type of equipment that you will be working on.  All lifting operations should be controlled by an appointed, competent person who should brief all team members before the lifting operation is undertaken. 

The Lift Plan

To reduce the risk of loads moving or falling, all lifts should be planned.  Frequent or routine lifts may be subject to a generic lift plan, supported by an onsite risk assessment and team briefing.  For complex lifts, an individual and detailed lift plan should be documented.  All lift plans should be reviewed and approved by the appointed, competent person.  In particular, lifts should be planned so that personnel will not be standing or working directly beneath a load and so that the load will not be moved directly over people.  The lift plan should also provide an escape route in the event of unexpected movement of equipment or of the load. 

Suitable and Safe Equipment

It is important to ensure that all equipment used during lifting operations is safe and suitable for the job at hand.  Lifting equipment should be subjected to a detailed and thorough examination by a competent person prior to its first use on site, upon installation, when it has been disassembled and reassembled at a new location, if it has been involved in an incident, if it has been overloaded, if it has been subject to modification or major repair to safety critical components, if there have been changes in the condition of its use such as periods out of service, and for equipment used to lift personnel.  If you have any reason to doubt that such an examination has been carried out, do not use the equipment and report to your manager.  In addition, all items of electrical equipment should carry a valid appliance test certificate or label, to reduce the risk of electric shock.  Electric shock can result in death or severe burns. Serious injury can also result if someone falls or becomes incapacitated during lifting operations as a result of electric shock.  Testing should be carried out by suitably trained individuals.   You should also carry out a visual pre-use inspection of all equipment to ensure that it remains undamaged and ensure that all safety devices are fitted and are operational.  If any item of electrical equipment does not carry a valid test label, it should not be used and you should inform your manager. 

Load Integrity and Stability

Establishing load integrity and stability is also essential to reducing the risk of loads swinging, moving or falling during lifting.  All equipment operators and users should be familiar with the safe lifting capacity of the equipment and should understand the effects of changes in configuration.  The safe working load of the lifting system should be assessed, taking into account the configuration of the equipment and the operating environment where appropriate.  This safe working load should never be exceeded.  The load should possess sufficient integrity to withstand the forces applied during lifting and the method of rigging should ensure that the load remains stable and cannot tip, slip, swing or fall unintentionally.  For this reason, all rigging and thorough daily pre-use inspections should be carried out by competent personnel.  During jacking operations a firm level base should be provided against the load so that no sideways forces are present.  Loads should also be checked in increments to prevent the limit of the jack stroke from being reached. 

Human Factors

To reduce to risk of injury to other personnel from swinging, moving or falling loads, all non-essential personnel should be excluded from the area in which lifting operations are taking place.  Barriers and warning signs should be used where appropriate to facilitate this, especially as people can make mistakes and may break the rules.  These and other human factors play a significant role in safe lifting. Personnel should not undertake more than one task at a time during lifting operations and you should not take part in lifting operations if you are tired or otherwise unable to give your full attention to the task at hand. You should never come to work in possession of, or under the influence of, alcohol or drugs.  These substances expose everyone on site to risks that are unnecessary and easily avoided. 

Communication

Communication is a vital part of safe working practices during lifting operations.  The lifting appliance operator needs to be able to understand and obey an emergency stop signal no matter who gives it, and any member of the lifting team needs to be able to issue an emergency stop signal.  It is therefore vital that all members of the lift team establish, test and understand the verbal, hand signal or radio communications that will be used during the lift, prior to lifting. 

Personal Protective Equipment PPE

Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is an important means of reducing the risks associated with lifting operations.  At least standard PPE with safety glasses, a hard hat and industrial work gloves should be worn.  Only PPE in good working condition will reduce the hazards associated with your work, so it is important to remove, clean and store your PPE correctly.

Noise at Work

Hearing loss caused by exposure to noise at work is a significant source of occupational disease, with many people suffering deafness, tinnitus or other ear conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise levels at work.  The level of noise and how long people are exposed to noise at work both contribute to potential hearing damage.  Noise can be reduced to harmless levels by using ear plugs and ear defenders in high noise areas. 

Emergency Procedures

In the event of an emergency while conducting lifting operations, lower any suspended loads, isolate any equipment that you have been using, make your work area safe and evacuate the area according to the site emergency procedures.  If you are involved in an accident, seek immediate assistance.  Lifting operations should never be carried out alone. 

Riskatmedia – Safety Videos

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection

FOUR PREVENTIVE MEASURES YOU CAN TAKE TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN YOUR SEWER LINES (GUEST POST)

(This is an area where you don’t want to risk surprises)

Not every part of life is pretty. We don’t really want to think about our sewers that often, but like Mike Rowe displays in his popular Discovery Show Series, Dirty Jobs, there are a lot of “Hardworking men and women who earn an honest living doing the kinds of jobs that make civilized life possible for the rest of us.” Plumbers have one of those jobs, perhaps not that glamorous but if you are ever in a sewer emergency, they suddenly do become super heroes; from Upstate New York to Phoenix, Arizona, no matter if you are a stock broker or a homemaker, we all need a good, friendly neighborhood plumber from time to time. There are a couple of steps that you can take and preventive measures that you can keep in mind to help properly maintain your sewer lines.

Here are a few super tips and preventive measures that you can take so that you don’t end up with a filthy job yourself.

1). Don’t believe everything you read! When a product states that it is flushable it is not always true. The label can’t take into consideration the age or condition of your particular sewer lines. Some older and fragile sewer lines may not be able to tolerate flushing the product that you hold in your hands so when in doubt throw it out, instead of flushing it down.

2). When it comes to your sewers the two words to remember are “preventive maintenance.” Be aware of the condition of your sewer lines and don’t wait for something to go wrong before you take action. This will help you avoid possible issues later on down the road. One good suggestion, especially if you own an older home, is to have an annual inspection of your sewer lines. The plumbing industry has integrated new technology into its practices and many companies now have video cameras that they can use to scope your sewer pipes to evaluate their current condition. This is also highly recommended before a new home purchase.

3). Be aware of the placement of your landscaping. Do not plant a tree near a sewer or water line that runs through the yard. Tree and plant roots can infiltrate a sewer line and cause serious problems down the road.  You will avoid having problems later on as the trees roots can infiltrate a sewer line. In fact, roots and grease are the two main culprits when it comes to sewer line problems.

4). It is often more convenient to just flush something away then to dispose of it properly. But it is very important to remember to not use your toilet as garbage can. By not flushing the wrong types of debris down your toilet you will save water and perhaps even the cost of a plumber. Watch small children around the toilet as they love to watch many thing go “down the toilet” ie; toys, tooth and hair brushes, your keys!

Keep these 4 helpful hints in mind and they will help you keep this dirty, but necessary part of life clean and working properly. The good thing about plumbing tips is even if you live in Glendale in the Southwest of Arizona or Washington D.C., plumbing tips are pretty universal so we can all benefit from the same information and apply it so that we don’t wake up to a sewer emergency. If you would like to read about 5 things you should NOT put down your drains, click here.

Our thanks to Stephanie Drescher, who sent this very important information that affects us all.  In case you do wind up doing some plumbing yourself, be sure to wear gloves and safety glasses and any other protection you may need.  We all should appreciate our plumbers, who do jobs we don’t want to do, but receive good compensation for their hard work. pb

 

General Safety Issues

HOW TO HELP A CHILD WHO IS BEING BULLIED (GUEST POST)

By Marcia Hall of GoNannies.com

Though bullying is certainly not a new problem that children face, in recent years it has escalated to a level that children have never before experienced. Parents whose children are being bullied often do not know how to help, however, there are many things that can be done to support, comfort and assist the child through this troubling time.

Stay connected with the child’s friends by allowing and encouraging him to have friends over. When parents encourage their child’s friends to spend time at the house where parents can witness the type of interactions that occur, parents are able to better appreciate the world their child lives in. This will also help encourage the child to open up and share more experiences and feelings with his parents.

Give your children a break from the pressures of their social media life.  One of the reasons bullying today is so alarming is that a good majority of it does not happen in person, but instead occurs virtually through social media sites. Because of this, a good way to help protect your child from the sorrow of cyber bullying is to create a “turn off time” in the house.  This is the time that all phones, computers, tablets and desktops get turned off for the night.  With this rule in place, your child at least has a time when he is not allowed to see or hear any hurtful comments.  It may not make the comments go away, but being forced to turn everything off for a while will make difference and give him some respite from the attacks if he is a victim of cyber bullying.

Fully listen to the child’s side of the story. Sometimes parents hear part of the story and assume they know the rest. It is very important to a child’s emotional stability to be fully heard by at least one person.  When a child can trust that his parents will listen to him fully no matter what, it gives him the strength to be honest about the issues he’s facing.

When a child shares an incident of bullying, respond with loving concern rather than trying to immediately fix the problem. Often, when parents first hear about a bullying incident, their initial reaction is to quickly find a solution.  This can frustrate a child who simply wanted someone to know what he is going though.  Avoid instantly coming back to him with simple “solutions” or even cliché’s that will do nothing to help the situation.

Ask the child how he wants to be helped before jumping in to fix the problem.  Many times children really just want a shoulder to cry on and are not looking for parents to help them fix anything.  Parents should have a discussion with their child before they come up with any solutions to the problem.

Validate the child’s emotions.  No matter what, the child is looking for someone to tell him it is ok to be worried, angry and even scared about being bullied.  Parents can validate these emotions by sharing stories from their own childhood and making sure the child knows that he has done nothing wrong.  Above all else, a child should walk away from his parents knowing that what he said is confidential and safe with them.

Rather than making blanket statements, ask the child questions to help him look at the issue from a different perspective.  Questions are the best way to help a child discover his own feelings about the situation at hand.  Choose questions that will help him think not just about how he feels about what happened, but also why he might feel that way. “Tell me more about that.”  “Why do you think that hurt you so much?” “How did everyone around you respond?” “What can you do to change the situation?” “What do you want to do about it?” These are a few questions that can help lead the child to discover how he really feels and what he wants to do about the situation.

Avoid being too directly involved in any issues your children has with their peers. Most parents want to not only help the child fix the problem, but also to fix the problem themselves.  While there is most definitely a time to talk to teachers and principals and to advocate for the child in other ways, the best and most effective thing a parent can do to help a child who is being bullied is to lead the child to his own conclusions about how to address the situation and then support and encourage him when he follows through on those actions.  Becoming directly involved can not only be embarrassing for a child, it also make the situation much worse.  In addition, it does not teach the child how to respond to these types of situations in life.

No parent wants their child to be bullied, but finding the right balance of love, observation and action can help a child not only get through the difficult events that are inevitable in childhood these days, but actually become a stronger and more resilient adult because of them.