Category Archives: Respiratory Safety

Eye Protection, Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

SAFETY TIPS FOR AUTUMN

In the Northern Hemisphere, the first day of autumn, (or Autumnal Equinox) is Friday, September 23rd.  The word equinox comes from the Latin words for “equal night.” The fall and spring equinoxes are the only days of the year in which the hours of day and night are equal as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.  From here on out, the temperatures begin to drop and the days start to get shorter. The four seasons are determined by changing sunlight (not heat)—which is determined by how our planet orbits the Sun and the tilt of its axis.

As days begin to cool off, chances are you will be in the mood to get out there and do some of the tasks required to prepare your yard for winter.  Raking leaves is usually one of the big jobs waiting for you.  Be sure you own a good rake and a good pair of work gloves.  When picking up the leaves, bend at the knees, not the waist, or you’ll have a sore back.  As the weather becomes cooler, certain allergens blow in, just the same as in the spring.  A dust mask will help when you are working outdoors.  Watch for snakes lurking under the leaves! 

More than 400,000 victims of lawn and garden tool accidents are treated in U.S. emergency rooms annually, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.  Always wear safety glasses when doing yard work, as well as earplugs, if you are working with power tools.  Be sure you use the correct tool for each job.   If you have to use a ladder to prune trees or clean out gutters, be sure the ladder is in good condition, and set it on level space.  Move it more often as needed rather than stretch to reach something.  Many falls are attributed to faulty ladders, so it’s important to have a sturdy one.

Following the extremely hot and dry weather that many areas in the U.S. have struggled with this summer, it would probably be hard to find anyone that isn’t looking forward to the fall season.  Watching the leaves turn, taking walks on cool mornings, and enjoying the wind-up of baseball season – leading to the World Series, as well as backing your favorite college and professional football teams, should furnish pleasure to everyone. 

One other word of caution: deer are out and about more during the fall season, so please be sure to keep a watch out for them.  Many times, they get spooked and run across highways without fear of cars.  This can be a dangerous situation for drivers and passengers, as well as the animals.  So, please use caution when driving. 

Fall is such a great time of the year – make it a safe one, and enjoy!

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

NATIONAL FARM SAFETY WEEK, SEPTEMBER 18 – 24

An important September observance in the United States is National Farm Safety Week, sponsored by the National Education Center for Agricultural Safety.  Working in the agricultural field ranks among the most hazardous industries in our country.  Farmers and family members who work side by side are at high risk for fatal and non-fatal injuries.  Most farmers have made their living by working the soil generation after generation.  They are aware of the hazards their occupation presents.  Accidents happen, though, and we want to share with you some of the things that might happen on a farm or ranch. 

Every day, approximately 243 agricultural workers suffer lost-time injuries, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, (NIOSH).  Young people are particularly susceptible to injury, if precautions are not taken.  Many young persons are injured by machinery (including tractors) and motor vehicles (including ATV’s).  

  • PTO’s (power take-off) devices are extremely dangerous to workers, especially children.  These are pieces of farm equipment, such as augers, that are attached to tractors.  They rotate at 540 to 1,000 revolutions per minute.  Loose clothing could get caught in one of these, and there is simply no time to get out of this situation without serious injury.  
  • Tractors should be equipped with a rollover protective structure (ROPS.)  There should not be extra riders on tractors or other farm equipment.  The person driving the tractor should always use handholds and care when getting on or off the tractor; slips and falls cause injuries.  A friend of ours who has farmed all of his life fell off his tractor one day, breaking his collarbone.  
  • ATV’s are very popular on farms and ranches; they are designed for a single rider.  There is a risk of overturn when riding an ATV.  Always wear appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) when operating machinery, such as a helmet when riding an ATV. 
  • Animals present certain obstacles, as most farmers and ranchers will tell you.  Avoid quick movements and loud noises when working with animals.  One should know their characteristics.  Movement in an animal’s blind spots may startle it.  Be sure there is a quick escape if you go inside an animal pen.  The same goes for having a good escape route when working with animals in close quarters, such as chutes and stalls. 
  • Hired farm workers should be aware of farm safety; they should have training and direct communication to ensure that they understand what they are expected to do.  Direct supervision when they are performing dangerous duties, particularly when the worker is new to the job.  Be sure there are no language barriers limiting the effectiveness of training or supervision. 

There are many other obstacles included in farm work.  Pesticide exposure could cause pulmonary disease.  Hearing loss from operating loud equipment over a long period of time, stress, and musculoskeletal disorders may result from this occupation.  The use of personal protective equipment is important when working outdoors.  Safety sunglasses, good work gloves, and respirators for working in dry, dusty environments are just part of the necessary protective measures to use. One never knows when that first aid kit will be needed, either. 

As always, we salute those who work in the agricultural field.  Without them, we’d be pretty hungry!  We wish for safety for all of them; and empathize with those who have lost their crops this year due to drought, flooding, wildfires, or other natural disasters.

General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

SAFETY FOR OUR FIREFIGHTERS

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Wildfires continue to make their way through the state of Texas, and the firefighters, both volunteers, professionals, and other firefighters from all over the United States are doing their best to contain them.  Thousands of persons have been left homeless, having been left with only the clothes on their backs.  The brave personnel who have been fighting wildfire after wildfire must be totally exhausted, but they keep going back to answer the calls for help. 

Workers are exposed to many obstacles, such as electrical hazards, carbon monoxide poisoning, lifting, extreme heat, respiratory problems, snakes, rodents and insects, and slips, trips and falls.  They also must bear the extreme weight of the protective clothing that they wear.  Depending upon the site’s job tasks, listed are some of the personal protective equipment that they must use:

  • Disposable cut/abrasive resistant work gloves.
  • Chemical gloves.
  • Fully enclosed goggles (best for ash) or safety glasses.
  • Ear protection in noisy areas.
  • Head protection.
  • Respirators. 

Fire fighters must be medically cleared to wear the correct respirator.  Other instructions per OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.134), include:

  • Proper training.
  • Fit testing for respirator.
  • Inspect respirator each time it is put on and taken off.
  • Perform a user seal check every time it is donned.
  • Clean the elastomeric respirator at least once a day in accordance with manufacturers recommendations.
  • Store elastomeric respirators in a clean bag.
  • Stop work and retrieve a new one should the respirator become damaged or fail to function. 

Firefighters are also exposed to the fire retardants that are dropped by planes.  Desperate measures are demanded to try to extinguish or control the strength that these fires contain because of the extreme drought for the past eleven months of this year in the state.   So far, approximately 1,600 homes have been lost, (the count changes daily), and more than 3.7 million acres have burned.  Firefighters have saved countless homes.  Four persons have died as a result of the fires. 

Once the fire is over, firefighters and other workers may be involved in a variety of response and recovery operations.  Some, such as utility restoration, cleaning up spills of hazardous materials, and search and rescue, should only be conducted by workers who have the proper training, equipment and experience.  Because of demand, many other community volunteers will be involved with cleanup, and should take the same precautions as trained workers.

Please think positive and say a prayer for rain for those parts of our country that so desperately need it.  There are some states who have had too much rain, so it seems to be “feast or famine” where the weather is concerned.  The words “Thank You” cannot express the gratitude we owe our firefighters everywhere, every day – men and women who work so diligently to save homes, people, wildlife and land. 

Source: OSHA, NIEHS, NIH

First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

ENSURE SAFETY IN GRAIN STORAGE BINS

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While working with a flood cleanup crew in Minot, North Dakota, a quality assessment representative for the town was watching a private business owner and contractor assemble a group of workers to enter a grain storage bin.  Noting that there was no safety equipment present, and knowing the hazards involved,  the representative from Minot called an OSHA inspector in the area, who quickly arrived on the scene.  There was no retrieval gear for the workers, the atmosphere had not been tested, and no training in grain bin entry had been given to the workers.  Due to this intervention, a potential tragedy was prevented. 

Unfortunately, a terrible accident in Colorado in 2009, did not have the same results.  A 17-year-old worker lost his life in a grain bin.  The company pled guilty to violating OSHA regulations that resulted in the death of this young man.  There was a lack of safety and rescue equipment on site; however,  three teenagers entered the bins without the benefit of personal protective equipment, such as a body harness and lanyard.  The only instructions given to the crew were to watch out for one another and be careful.  Cody, the victim, was allowed to enter the bin despite knowing that the bucket elevator was not locked out and grain was flowing from the bin.  While inside the bin, he was engulfed by the flowing grain and sucked under, where his chest was crushed and he died of asphyxiation.  Despite the efforts of Cody’s co-workers, they were unable to locate and rescue him.  

The facts of the investigation revealed  that it was common practice for this company to hire high school-age teenagers from the local area.  These teens were assigned various hazardous tasks, which included bin entry, “Walking the Grain”, working in and around unguarded mechanical equipment, unsafe electrical devices, confined spaces, and exposure to explosive grain dust.  Employees regularly entered the bins to “walk down grain”, the practice of walking around the edge of a bin to dislodge clumps of grain while it was flowing from the bin, without the appropriate safety harness with lanyard.  A center-grain-unloading auger draws grain from the top center and the grain forms a cone as the bin is emptied. 

There are many deadly hazards of engulfment and suffocation while working inside grain storage bins.  Grain bins are used to store bulk raw agricultural commodities such as wheat, corn, and oats.  If workers stand on moving or flowing grain, it can be like “quicksand” and pull them under.  If they stand on or below “bridged” grain, it can collapse and bury workers.  Also, if they try to loosen grain, it can cave in on them.  OSHA’s Hazard Alert warns how workers can become engulfed in these bins, and lists precautions that employers must take to protect workers.  These include:

  • Disconnecting equipment that presents a danger;
  • Prohibiting workers from walking on the grain to make it flow;
  • Providing workers with personal protective and rescue equipment;
  • Requiring an observer outside the bin who is trained on how to perform rescue operations. 

In the case of the teenager who lost his life, the company paid $500,000 to his family, as well as fines to OSHA.  OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels stated, “This is a terrible tragedy that should never have happened.  Money won’t bring back this young man’s life, but we can make every effort to ensure that these tragedies don’t happen again.”  The company involved is required to implement safety provisions that include providing safety training and refresher training to its employees, and develop a procedure that includes harnesses and lanyards or similar safety equipment in anticipation of bin entry at any of its grain elevators.  If they violate any of these terms of probabion, they could be potentially liable for up to another $500,000 fine.

Parents: don’t hesitate to find out what kind of job your teenager is going to be asked to do.  It’s not worth taking a chance.  Companies should never gamble with their employees’ lives, especially when they put them in hazardous situations that are entirely preventable. 

Source: OSHA

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

ASBESTOS EXPOSURE AND RESPIRATORY SAFETY: STAYING CLEAR OF MESOTHELIOMA CANCER

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Today’s article was sent to us by Guest Author, Rachel Jones of mesotheliomasymptoms.com.  She had expressed an interest in sharing ways of protection for contractors who work around asbestos . 

On September 26, the eighth annual Mesothelioma Awareness Day will take place in the United States. Congress has set aside this time to help raise both awareness and funding related to this deadly cancer that still affects up to 3,000 new patients a year. With direct linking to asbestos exposure, the tie between this cancer and safety gear is crucial, especially with those involved in the asbestos abatement process.

There is an extensive amount of protective gear that is required to keep workers and abatement professionals safe from the dangers of asbestos exposure. Some of the common examples of protective gear aren’t nearly as capable of preventing these dangerous levels of exposure from occurring. For example, a common safety mask made out of paper is unable to protect from the inhalation of these fibers.

Mesothelioma is a cancer in which the lining (mesothelium) of the lungs, abdomen and heart can become compromised by asbestos. Because the lungs are highly susceptible to being affected by asbestos fibers, a respirator is probably the single most important type of protective gear to abatement contractors.  Dual cartridge respirators which serve to cover half of the face are the most common type used. It’s also greatly imperative that they include HEPA filters with a NIOSH rating of N100, P100, or R100. This means that the filters are small enough to prevent asbestos fibers from being inhaled. Just as is the case with any necessary respirator use, the fit of the gear is crucial, as an ill-fitting mask would be unable to prevent from all leaks.

Along with the importance of respirators, there is a great need to protect both the skin and eyes when contact with asbestos is taking place. Just as is the case with most construction projects, safety goggles or other protective eyewear is highly recommended. Protecting the skin is a much more complicated process, however.

Some states vary on the advised protective and safety gear from a clothing standpoint, while most recommend that disposable coveralls and gloves are the best option. A few states even suggest wearing multiple sets of coveralls. In any case, the protective clothing worn during the process of asbestos abatement must always be disposed in a sealed asbestos waste bag.

This great amount of safety and protection is a major necessity. While many remain uninformed and unaware of the dangers of this cancer, it has posed a threat to industrial workers and others for decades. Even though the use of asbestos as a common material has largely decreased in the last few decades, the long latency period of mesothelioma will ensure its affect on people for years to come.

This latency period involves a large gap (often decades long) between an original exposure to asbestos and the onset of symptoms. With extremely long gaps between exposure and the arrival of symptoms, mesothelioma life expectancy is on average, very low (between four and 18 months after a diagnosis).

With the dangers of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma set to have a major affect into the future, the importance of proper safety gear and awareness of this disease go hand in hand. Just as staying informed on the dangers of asbestos exposure can help future patients, proper safety gear will allow contractors to keep safe in the process of having asbestos removed.

Thank you, Rachel, for this very informative article.  Hopefully, those who are working around buildings containing asbestos will take all the necessary precautions to stay protected and healthy.  You can find more interesting articles about mesothelioma at the website: www.mesotheliomasymptoms.com.

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Health Issues, Respiratory Safety

SAFETY IN GRAIN HANDLING FACILITIES

Both employers and employees must know all the precautions to protect themselves against potentially hazardous conditions in grain handling facilities.  Grain handling facilities are those such as grain elevators, feed mills, flour and rice mills, dry corn mills, dust palletizing plants, soybean flaking operations, and the dry grinding operations of soycake.  Many safety and health hazards are associated with grain handling operations.  Suffocation and falls are the two leading causes of death at grain handling facilities.  Other risk factors are potential flash fires and explosions as a result of excessive amounts of airborne grain dust, and electrocutions and injuries from improperly guarded machinery.  OSHA issued the grain handling facilities standard (29CFR 1910.272) to reduce injuries and deaths in the grain handling industry.  This standard requires workers to be trained in the identification and control of grain handling hazards.  Health and respiratory hazards are also presented by exposures to grain dust and airborne contaminants. 

The most important facet of preventing health issues and injury risks in all industrial activities is proper training.  Prior to new employees starting work, when changes occur in assignments, or if employees are exposed to new or unfamiliar hazards – the proper training must be applied.  Also, when workers are assigned to infrequent, special, or suspected hazardous tasks (such as bin entry or handling toxic or flammable substances), they must have been trained correctly.  Specific procedures included are performing housekeeping, hot work, lockout/tagout, and preventative maintenance.  Grain handling facilities are required to implement a hot work permit system.  This type of work includes electric or gas welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, or any similar activity that produces a flame or spark.  The permit guarantees that the employer and operating personnel are aware that hot work is being performed and that accurate safety precautions have been taken.

 We have talked about confined spaces in previous articles.  In grain handling, there will be a necessity to enter silos, bins, and tanks.  As mentioned before, atmospheric testing in confined spaces is mandatory.  These tests must be conducted before entry (by experts) and continued until work is finished.  Ventilation, supplemented by the use of appropriate air supplied respirators, shall be provided when: oxygen levels are less than 19.5%. 

At home or work, it seems that housekeeping is extremely vital, especially so in industrial settings.  OSHA standard allows “a maximum accumulation of no more than 1/8 inch of dust in priority housekeeping areas of grain elevators.”  When this amount of grain dust accumulates, steps must be taken immediately for its removal.  All lockout-tagout procedures required by 29 CFR 1910.147 and OSHA standard should be observed when entering grain elevators or silos for maintenance.  If a person enters a bin, silo, or tank from the top, they must wear a full parachute-type body harness with a lifeline.  This holds the body vertical and in case of an accident, makes easier removal of the victim through small access hatches.  A well-trained and properly equipped attendant is required to maintain communication with the personnel in the confined area during the whole time, and to provide help when needed. 

Workers in grain handling face serious dangers of suffocation, entanglement, falling, fires, explosions, electrocutions, and injuries from improperly guarded machinery.  These dangers will be eliminated if employers implement a safe grain handling program, train their employees on the safe handling of grain, and both employer and workers carefully follow the procedures to ensure the safe handling of grain.  

As we reported earlier, in an article about the Top Ten OSHA violations and penalties assessed for 2010, Violation of (29 CFR 1910.272) Grain Handling Facilities came in at #9 on the most penalties assessed list.   At least 25 U.S. workers were killed in grain entrapments last year, and there were more grain entrapments in 2010 than in any other year since researchers at Purdue University began collecting data on the subject in 1978.  The following is a list of violations that received citations, many of them classified as serious, in 2010:

  • Failure to train in safety precautions and bin entry procedures;
  • No observer during bin entry;
  • No rescue equipment;
  • Not testing atmosphere in the space to be entered;
  • Failure to have deflagration controls for combustible dust;
  • Walk working surfaces without guarding in place;
  • Failure to safeguard employees from electrical hazards such as broken electrical conduits;
  • Lack of signage and hazard communication procedures;
  • Failure to evaluate work spaces for confined space entry permits;
  • No confined space entry program;
  • Non-entry retrieval system;
  • Lack of personal protective equipment;
  • Lack of electrical training;
  • Lack of combustible dust controls;
  • Failure to train employees in combustible grain dust hazards. 

All workers should have the assurance that these things are not going to happen to them; that their company would purposely do everything possible to guarantee a safe return home after their shift every day.  Let’s hope that 2011 will result in fewer violations and safer, well-informed and properly trained employees.

Source: OSHA, Texas Dept. of Insurance (TDI)

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Head Protection, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety

HOW TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM DANGERS IN CONFINED SPACES – PART II

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In yesterday’s segment on this subject, we described several different types of confined spaces, as well as the numerous hazards associated with them.  Today, we will include a checklist of recommendations from OSHA for safe entry.  Government statistics show that around sixty percent of the fatalities associated with confined spaces accidents are of well-meaning, but untrained, would-be rescuers who lost their own lives in the process of trying to save someone else.  Here is an actual accident that resulted in death because of a lack of hazard awareness and unplanned rescue attempts:
A self-employed plumbing contractor entered an underground water line vault to inspect a backflow device.  The contractor collapsed shortly after entering the vault.  A supervisor noticed the man down, and entered the vault in a rescue attempt.  Both men had entered an untested oxygen-deficient atmosphere, and died as a result.
If proper guidelines had been followed, these fatalities and other similar ones could have been prevented.  The two sample checklists below show the importance of attention to detail that must be given before anyone enters a confined space and during work being performed.  Standby attendants must be qualified and trained in proper rescue techniques.
Here is one sample checklist, (Appendix D-2) to Standard 29 CFR 1910.146:
In yesterday’s segment on this subject, we described several different types of confined spaces, as well as the numerous hazards associated with them.  Today, we will include a checklist of recommendations from OSHA for safe entry.  Government statistics show that around sixty percent of the fatalities associated with confined spaces accidents are of well-meaning, but untrained, would-be rescuers who lost their own lives in the process of trying to save someone else.  Here is an actual accident that resulted in death because of a lack of hazard awareness and unplanned rescue attempts:
A self-employed plumbing contractor entered an underground water line vault to inspect a backflow device.  The contractor collapsed shortly after entering the vault.  A supervisor noticed the man down, and entered the vault in a rescue attempt.  Both men had entered an untested oxygen-deficient atmosphere, and died as a result.
If proper guidelines had been followed, these fatalities and other similar ones could have been prevented.  The two sample checklists below show the importance of attention to detail that must be given before anyone enters a confined space and during work being performed.  Standby attendants must be qualified and trained in proper rescue techniques.
Here is one sample checklist, (Appendix D-2) to Standard 29 CFR 1910.146:
Osha-checklist
I hope that by sharing this detailed information we will all realize how important it is to be aware of the risks that people who work in these type of situations face and how they must comply with the safety rules and regulations; that those who would help them in times of emergencies would be as prepared to enter these places as the ones already inside.  This information could possibly save your life, or the life of a co-worker.  Rescue agencies (fire departments, police, etc.) are trained to enter confined spaces with the right equipment.  One thing to remember: an unplanned rescue could possibly be your last one.
General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

HOW TO PROTECT WORKERS FROM DANGERS IN CONFINED SPACES – PART I

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The safety poster shown below is graphic, but it conveys excellent information for those persons whose jobs require them to work in areas considered to be confined spaces.   These vessels, etc. are normally sealed so the dangers within, whether it is high-pressure, hot, or toxic materials, or gases, mechanical or electrical hazards, stay within.  When a human enters to inspect or service what’s inside is when the danger begins.

According to OSHA, many workplaces contain spaces that are considered “confined” because their configurations hinder the activities of employees who must enter, work in, and exit them. Confined spaces include, but are not limited to underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, manholes, pits, silos, process vessels, and pipelines. OSHA uses the term “permit-required confined space” (permit space) to describe a confined space that has one or more of the following characteristics: contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; contains a material that has the potential to engulf an entrant; has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress. Repeating, OSHA’s definition of  “Confined space” means a space that:
(1) Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work; and
(2) Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit (for example, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, and pits are spaces that may have limited means of entry.); and
(3) Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

“Acceptable entry conditions” means the conditions that must exist in a permit space to allow entry and to ensure that employees involved with a permit-required confined space entry can safely enter into and work within the space.

According to NIOSH, when the entry of a worker is necessary,  prior to entry into any type of confined space, several things must be done to ensure the safety of the persons required to work there.  The atmosphere should be tested, at all levels – top, middle, and bottom.  The area should be well ventilated with blowers or fans, and re-tested to ensure that it is ventilated correctly before anyone enters.  There are many locations that have insufficient air movement, which results in oxygen deficiency, flammability, or toxic situations.  Persons inside may be involved in welding, cutting, or brazing operations, and others may be painting, scraping, sanding, or degreasing.  Workers must have the appropriate personal protective equipment, such as hardhats, gloves, rubber boots, and the proper type of respirators.  Some may need air purifying ones, those that filter dangerous substances from the air, or air supplying types that furnish safe breathing air from a tank or uncontaminated area nearby. Only air-supplying respirators should be used in confined spaces where there is not enough oxygen.

Other hazards of confined spaces include extreme temperatures, engulfment hazards, such as loose materials in bins – sand, coal, grain – materials that a worker could fall into and suffocate.  Being in small spaces also amplifies noise; some are slick and wet, adding to the risk of electric shock, and others may have falling objects dropped into the area by work being done above the entrance.  All of these hazards add up to the fact that it takes very special kinds of workers that are willing to do this type of work, and companies that do their very level best to meet the needs and requirements to keep these folks safe.

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Tomorrow, we will discuss the way these workers should be protected by having attendants at the entrance, and rescue operations at the ready, as well as a checklist that contains recommendations for a safe entry.  Please stay tuned…………………………

Source: OSHA, NIOSH

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Respiratory Safety

PROTECTING WORKERS’ SAFETY & HEALTH DURING RESCUE AND RECOVERY, PART II

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Rescue workers and emergency responders never know what type of hazards they may face, depending on the particular type of disaster that occurs.  We began listing general precautions that they should take in Part I of this article.  Although we know that they are prepared for all types of emergencies, we want to share this information in hopes that it will be of assistance. 

Rescue workers and emergency responders will more than likely be exposed to blood or body fluids, or pathogens from sewer system breakage.  It is very important that they wear gloves, other protective clothing, and respiratory protection.  Decontamination of workers and equipment (P.P.E.),  before leaving the site is very important to prevent adverse health effects, contain any hazards to the site, and prevent secondary contamination of off-site facilities (e.g., fire stations, or workers’ homes) or additional equipment, such as ambulances.  Slips, trips and fall hazards from holes or protruding rebar may exist.  Fall protection equipment, with lifelines tied off to suitable anchorage points (e.g., bucket trucks) should be used whenever possible.  Hardhats should be worn when working around unstable structures where there is a potential for secondary collapse.  Also, there could be types of over-hanging debris that could fall on workers. 

In Part I, the use of respiratory protection was mentioned.  N-95 or greater respiratory protection is acceptable for most activities with dust exposure, including silica and cement dust.  Use full-face respirators with P-100 organic vapor-acid gas combination cartridges if airborne contaminants are causing eye irritation.  

Workers should be monitored for signs of heat/cold stress, such as altered vital signs, confusion, excessive sweating, and fatigue.  Work schedules should be adjusted to rotate personnel, and additional workers should be added to work teams.  Everyone should refrain from food and beverages in areas exposed to toxic materials. 

Because so many disasters have already occurred this year, it is important to know that when large-scale disasters overwhelm State and local assets, the National Response Framework (NRF) Worker Safety and Health Support Annex can provide technical assistance needed to help protect Federal, State, Tribal, and local organizations’ response and recovery workers.  According to OSHA, depending on the scope, complexity, and hazards associated with the incident services of the NRF include the following: 

  1. Identifying and assessing worker health and safety hazards present at the site and in the environment.
  2. Assessing the resources needed to protect workers and identifying sources available to meet those needs.
  3. Providing technical expertise in industrial hygiene, occupational safety and health, structural collapse engineering, safety engineering, radiation safety, biological and chemical agent response, and occupational medicine.
  4. Managing the creation and implementation of a site-specific health and safety plan (HASP).
  5. Monitoring and managing worker safety and health hazards through on-site identification, evaluation, analysis, and mitigation, including personal exposure monitoring.
  6. Providing assistance with developing, implementing, and monitoring the personal protective equipment (PPE) program, including the selection, use and decontamination of PPE.
  7. Coordinating the collection and management of exposure and accident/injury data to identify trends and facilitate data sharing.
  8. Coordinating and providing incident-specific response and recovery worker training.
  9. Assisting with the development and distribution of educational materials on preventing and mitigating hazards. 

Although we wish that this year’s disasters were over, it is only May, and there are seven months left in this year.  We know that thunderstorm season is here, as well as flooding disasters, with hurricane season not too far behind.  We owe our thanks to those emergency workers who stand by, prepared to serve whenever and wherever needed. 

Source: OSHA

General Safety Issues, Health Issues, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety

NUMBER 8 – HIGHEST 2010 PENALTIES ASSESSED BY OSHA

Number 8 highest penalties assessed by OSHA for 2010 is: Lead, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1025).  Lead is an ingredient found in thousands of products widely used throughout industry, including paints, solder, electrical fittings, tank linings, plumbing fixtures and metal alloys.  Many homes have been painted with lead-containing paints.  Significant lead exposures can also occur when paint is removed from surfaces previously covered with lead-based paint.  OSHA’s regulations governing construction worker exposure to lead include the development and implementation of a worker protection program in accordance with Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations.  Some projects may have only limited exposure, while others involve more exposures, thus, companies must use engineering controls and work practices to reduce worker exposure. 

  •          Workers must be required to practice good personal hygiene practices, such as washing hands before eating and taking a shower before leaving the worksite. 
  •          They must be provided with protective clothing and when necessary, with respiratory protection.
  •          The permissible exposure limit (PEL) of 50 micrograms of lead per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour period.
  •          Employees exposed to high levels of lead must be required to enroll in a medical surveillance program. 

Hundreds of workers will be involved in cleaning up after the floods that are flowing through many states at this time.  Both workers and volunteers will be renovating and repairing, or tearing down and disposing of, damaged or destroyed structures and materials.  These types of operations many times generate dangerous airborne concentrations of lead, a metal that can cause damage to the nervous system, kidneys, blood forming organs, and reproductive system if inhaled or ingested in dangerous quantities.  All persons involved should take the proper precautions and wear protective clothing, and use respiratory products.  Other operations that may generate lead dust and fumes are:

  • Flame-torch cutting;
  • Welding;
  • Demolition of structures;
  • Abrasive blasting of steel structures;
  • Use of heat guns, sanders, scrapers, or grinders to remove lead paint. 

Although we have been discussing the penalties associated with work-related violations, I want to share this information from the Consumer Product Safety Commission, regarding other ways we are exposed to lead.  One out of every eleven children in the United States has dangerous levels of lead in their bloodstream. Even children who appear healthy can have dangerous levels of lead.  People can get lead in their body if they: put their hands or other objects covered with lead dust in their mouths, eat paint chips or soil that contain lead, or breathe in lead dust (especially during renovations that disturb painted surfaces).  Lead is even more dangerous to children than adults because children’s growing bodies absorb more lead and their brains and nervous systems are more sensitive to the damaging effects of lead.  If not detected early, children with high levels of lead in their bodies can suffer from: damage to the brain and nervous system, behavior and learning problems (such as hyperactivity), slowed growth, hearing problems and headaches.  This is just one of the reasons we need to be cautious about toys or play-jewelry that may contain lead.

Lead is also harmful to adults. Adults can suffer from difficulties during pregnancy and other reproductive problems (in both men and women). Other effects are high blood pressure, digestive problems, nerve disorders, memory and concentration problems, and muscle and joint pain. Lead can affect the body in many ways. 

On the job – as stated earlier, if you work with lead, you could bring it home on your hands or clothes. Shower and change clothes before coming home. Launder your clothes separately from the rest of your family’s.

  • Miscellaneous Sources – old painted toys and furniture.
  • Food and liquids stored in lead crystal or lead-glazed pottery or porcelain.
  • Lead smelters or other industries that release lead into the air.
  • Hobbies that use lead, such as making pottery or stained glass, or refinishing furniture.

So, let’s “get the lead out,” and get serious about the consequences of lead exposure.  Also, wish for this violation to  be excluded from next year’s list of highest penalties assessed by OSHA.

Sources: OSHA, CPSC