Tag Archives: electrical

Ergonomics, Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

HAZARDS ARE LURKING EVERYWHERE!

We recently published an article regarding how to perform a job hazard analysis in the workplace.  There are hazards everywhere, in the workplace, home, school, businesses, just about anywhere you happen to go in everyday life. 

Have you ever noticed something in a store  that shouldn’t be there?  While  checking out of the grocery store, I noticed there were wires everywhere, around the area that customers had to pay out and pick up their sacks to leave.  They were installing new computers, but there must have been another way to put those wires where customers were not at risk.

Another example, a small local chain discount store had become extremely unorganized.  Seems that several employees had quit, and there were not enough employees to stock incoming merchandise, until it got to the point that it became dangerous to even try to find what you were looking for.  The risk of falling over something in the aisles was  bad enough that persons quit going into the store.  The local fire marshall warned the store to get it straightened out in a certain amount of time, or he would be shutting the door because the business had become a fire hazard.  Bringing in employees from area stores to help get everything stocked and neat again resulted from his visit.

Depending on the type of work we do, there are hazards in most all places of employment.  Biological Hazards can be extremely dangerous if the right safety precautions are not taken.  This includes anything that can be passed from one person to another.  Contagious biological hazards are flu, hepatitis, or HIV.  Mold and chemicals are also biological hazards. 

Fire Hazards in the workplace are one of the major causes of lost work time.  Work may be shut down because of fire damage to the building.  Employees should conduct fire drills often, and be trained in fire safety: where the fire extinguishers are and how to use them.  Exit routes should be clearly posted and never blocked.  Lives can be lost in fires, so this is a very serious concern.

Electrical Hazards are dangerous both at work and at home.  Never overload an electrical socket or extension cord.  Check all cords to ensure there are no frays that could start a fire. 

Slips, Trips, and Falls.  These are hazards that could happen anywhere.  In the home, stairs should be well lighted, and both in the home and workplace, good housekeeping is a must.  Clutter or other things out of place can cause someone to trip over them.  Wiring from computers stretched out in the office are a cause of falls.  Trips and falls can result in sprained muscles or worst case scenario, broken bones.  Falls from high places are always a threat to those who must work on ladders or six feet or more off the ground.  This is when fall protection is required.

Lifting Improperly.  How many times have you been told to bend at the knees when lifting a heavy object, only to bend over and use your back?  If you think that the load is too much for you, ask for help.  Four hands work much better than two in many cases.  Wearing a back brace offers some extra back support, and makes one aware of the weight they are lifting, but can’t prevent an injury if the load is too heavy.

Noise Hazards.  If you work in a place where you and your co-workers have to yell at each other, you need hearing protection.  Businesses such as manufacturing, airports (those working near the planes), around racecars and other loud machinery, need to protect their hearing.  Once hearing is damaged, it can’t be fixed.  Rather than have to wear a hearing aid, why not start off with hearing protection at the beginning of your career?  And for parents, encourage your kids to keep their music at a normal level.  When you can hear their music through their earplugs, it’s time to turn it down, and save their hearing.

Let’s help protect our coworkers and others when we notice something that could cause someone to get hurt.  Report any hazards at work; also, report hazards that you see in a store where you are shopping.   You could save someone from injury, and also save a company from a lawsuit.

General Safety Issues

WORKPLACE SAFETY: ARE YOUR EMPLOYEES SAFE? (GUEST POST)

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Every employer knows that its employees are its biggest asset; without them the business couldn’t function.  Keeping employees safe falls to every individual in a company but employers have a responsibility to ensure the people that work for them are happy and healthy, and that someone is there specifically to ensure that this happens. 

So how do you know that your employees are safe while they’re at work? 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) uses the Health and Safety Act 1971 to uphold strict guidelines on what is needed to keep employees healthy and safe in the workplace. 

Guidelines for employers range from lighting, cleanliness, hygiene, moving around the premises and comfortable conditions.  Employers must make sure that: 

●       Buildings are up to scratch – they are lit well, of a good temperature, are clean and open to some fresh air, are not in dangerous disrepair and have good wash facilities. 

●       Anyone with a role that involves any of the following has specific guidelines around them; harmful substances, manual handling, noise, pressured equipment, working at height, working in confined spaces and radiation. 

●       There are full reporting systems in place for any workplace accidents or near misses. 

Employers also have strict guidelines on: 

  •   Fire Safety                             
  •   Electrical Safety                              
  •   Gas Safety 

On the flip side, employees also have an obligation to themselves and their peers when it comes to their health and safety at work.  Employees have a responsibility to: 

  •        Take reasonable care of their own and others health and safety. 
  •        Not to interfere with or change anything that has been put in place for theirs or anyone elses health and safety and to comply with any guidelines that are in place, including attending relevant training. 
  •        Report any incidents that occur or any concerns in keeping with company procedures. 
  •        Communicate any changes in health in keeping with the company procedures. 

Risk Assessments 

Risk assessments are an effective way of making sure that your workers are safe. They look at what could occur and examine it in detail to minimise the risk as much as possible. 

Risk assessments deliver this by sticking to five steps: 

  • ●       Identify the hazard
  • ●       Identify who is at risk and how they might be harmed
  • ●       Evaluate the risk and look at precautionary measures
  • ●       Record and put changes in place
  • ●       Carry out reviews and act accordingly as time goes on. 

If I’m concerned? 

Employers should ensure that there are adequate whistle blowing and reporting procedures in place and that they are prepared to approach the national governing body, the HSE, should any breaches occur. Employee health and safety should always be paramount. If there are any concerns they should be immediately reported by employees to management or to the HSE by managers. 

This is a guest post provided by the team at  Northern Insulation, UK based asbestos removal and thermal insulation experts.

We appreciate our authors and readers from the UK and several other countries.  This informative article was sent to us by Tudor Davies.  Similar safety rules apply in the U.S., under OSHA. pb

General Safety Issues

WHEN TO USE FIRE BLANKETS V.S. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

When to Use Fire Blankets vs Fire Extinguishers

Guest Blog

We received this very interesting information regarding fire protection from another guest author, Nisha Sharma, who is from the United Kingdom.  We are happy to have “safety partners” from other parts of the world share their knowledge with our readers.  Nisha will tell you a little bit about herself at the end of the article.

Many people feel safe within their homes, but are you really prepared for disaster to strike? It’s easy to think that a fire won’t happen to your family, but the truth is that it’s that kind of thinking that leads to lack of preparation, which can lead to death. In order to protect your family from the unthinkable, it is recommended that you have both a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket kept within your home.

Most residential fires are started in the kitchen. Because of this, many people store fire extinguisher underneath the sink or in some other location within the kitchen. While a fire extinguisher is always a good piece of safety equipment to have on hand, they’re not always best to use within the kitchen. This is because many fire extinguishers contain water within the foam. When a fire breaks out in the kitchen, it’s usually from a grease fire or an electrical fire.

A grease fire is defined as any fire that contains cooking oils or fat within them. Adding even a small amount of water to these fires causes a fireball explosion that quickly consumes the entire room. If you were standing anywhere near the fire when the water was added, you’re almost always guaranteed to be badly burned, assuming you’re lucky enough to survive with your life.

An electrical fire is defined as any fire that involves the use of electrical equipment. Adding water to these fires can cause electric shocks that can be so severe that they cause death. You don’t even have to be close to the flames to get shocked, electricity can be conducted through the water and into the person who is trying to put out the flames.

When dealing with grease or electric fires, you should always use a fire blanket. The blanket itself is made out of fire retardant material that can be thrown over kitchen fires to smother the flames. The blanket can also be safely wrapped around all living beings if they become engulfed in flames. Because of this, a fire blanket, not a fire extinguisher, should be stored within the kitchen.

A fire extinguisher can be used to put out all other types of flames, including ordinary combustibles fires, flammable liquids or gas fires and metal fires. One example of this is a campfire quickly becoming out of hand and spreading to nearby grass. This is considered a combustible fire and can be put out with an extinguisher. Another example of when to use a fire extinguisher would be if a gasoline tank started to leak and a fire was started because of it. This is a gas fire, so an extinguisher may be used.

My name is Nisha Sharma, I am the Editor for FireSafetyStore.co.uk. I am a mother of one who loves to write especially about parenting advice, baby products and family advice. If you would like to find out more information about fire safety products, such as fire blankets, feel free to visit our website above.

Thank you, Nisha. We look forward to hearing from you again!

General Safety Issues, Uncategorized, Weather Protection

DOWNED ELECTRICAL WIRES – SAFETY FIRST!

In almost all occupations, electrical hazards exist in some form.  Those hazards are multiplied for workers involved in cleanup and recovery efforts following major disasters.  A particular life-threatening danger exists around downed and low-hanging electrical wires caused from high winds, ice storms, or other weather-related troubles.

Some Safety Tips:

  • First, contact appropriate utility personnel.
  • Do not assume that a downed conductor is safe simply because it is on the ground, or not sparking.  Always consider all equipment, lines and conductors to be energized.
  • The circuits don’t always turn off when a power line falls into a tree or on the ground.  These downed power lines can kill you if you touch them, or the ground nearby.
  • Low-hanging wires still have voltage potential even if they aren’t touching the ground.
  • Never go near a downed or fallen electric power line.  Always assume that it is energized.  Fences, water pipes, bushes and trees, buildings, telephone/fiber optic cables, aluminum roofs, siding, sheds, etc., can also be energized by downed wires.
  • Some sources that create electrical backfeed are: circuit ties/switch points, lightning, generators, and downstream events.
  • Remember that electricity can travel away from its source.
  • Don’t touch anything that is touching the wire.
  • Never touch a person injured by a downed power line. Call 911 immediately.
  • If you are in your car, stay inside and use a cell phone for help.  Do not touch the outside of the car.
  • Finally, never drive over downed power lines.

OSHA