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Ergonomics, Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Head Protection

TOP TEN MOST COMMON WORKPLACE INJURIES (GUEST POST)

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 Every day nationwide, 12 people don’t come home from work. Workplace incidents kill over 4000 workers per year, when all they were trying to do was their job. Millions more per year are injured at work and over 3 million of those never recover from their injuries. Here are the top ten work-related injuries in the US, according to insurance statistics, starting with number 10. 

10. On the Job Violence – Nearly 30 years ago, in Edmond, Oklahoma, a disgruntled postal worker shot and killed 15 people, including himself, and wounded 6 others. Congress determined that the US Postal Service could have and should have taken steps to prevent the tragedy. The term “going postal,” was coined shortly thereafter to describe any incident where an individual loses control and causes mayhem and violence. 

The horrific violence of that day became a springboard for other disgruntled employees, who now account for nearly 500 workplace fatalities per year, mostly by shooting. Injuries from violence in the workplace are an astounding 15-16 injuries per 1000 working. The violence ranges from assault to rape. 

To prevent violence in the workplace, employers need to establish protocols in the event of violence or suspicious activities and train employees to be able to recognize potentially dangerous situations or environments. 

9. Repetitive Motion  – The Medieval working conditions of the 19th & early 20th Century didn’t concern itself with a silly injury such as this. Your back pain, sensory problems, or carpal tunnel syndrome were just good reasons to fire you and replace you with another able body willing to be broken. 

We may be a little more enlightened today but employers still need to make sure that procedures and equipment are ergonomically designed for the least amount of repetitive motion. When this isn’t feasible, then a rotation cycle between jobs needs to be in place to prevent this injury. 

8. Machinery – Nothing is quite as frightening than when a machine latches on to hair, clothing, fingers, or limbs and begins to devour the person attached.

 Employers need to have policies, procedures, and dress codes in place that minimize this type of accident. Additionally, emergency shut-off and back-up controls need to be easily accessible. 

7. Vehicles – Other than specific laws, public service announcements, law-enforcement, and backseat drivers, nobody monitors bad drivers. Consequently, accidents or “inevitabilities” occur. 

Employers can monitor the driving habits of their employees who drive for business by establishing certain driving policies, training, and reporting systems that reinforce good driving habits. 

6. Impacts – These are the injuries that may initially invoke a laugh when someone stubs a toe, walks into a wall, bumps into the corner of a table, or backs into a piece of equipment. It actually isn’t funny, especially when the impact causes serious head trauma or contusions.

Employers should play an active role in keeping walkways clear and welcoming feedback on existing hazardous conditions. Any hazardous condition should be rectified immediately. 

5. Falling Objects – Falling objects may be common in construction zones where hard hats are required at all times but one may not think to be wary in the office or in a retail environment. A case of copy paper falling from the storage shelf or a number 10 can falling from the top shelf of a grocery store may not be common enough to require hard hats in the office or grocery store but they do occur. 

Employers in all lines of work need to be wary of any existing condition where objects can potentially fall and injure an employee. Altering conditions and establishing policies can reduce this type of injury. 

4. Slipping and Tripping without Falling – Whew! You almost fell. That might have been less painful however, than the involuntary twisting and wrenching of your muscles, tendons, and other tissues trying to avoid the fall. These events can cause debilitating injuries and conditions that may cause you to lose work or need long-term medical attention. 

3. Falling from Heights – Taking a tumble off a ladder, scaffold, roof, or stairway, can cause severe injury, with head trauma being the most serious. Some jobs that carry the constant threat of falling will usually take extra precautions to alleviate that risk. However, many falls occur while performing simple tasks like changing a light bulb or carrying a box down a flight of stairs. 

Employers should create policy and procedures that take into consideration inherent dangers in the workplace. Employees should not ignore policy, no matter how skilled they feel they may be without safety equipment or procedures.

2. Slipping, Tripping, and Falling – Slippery floors, uneven surfaces, or out of place objects and equipment in walkways can cause slips and falls that can result in serious injury. 

Employers should make sure chronic problems such as uneven surfaces or items left in walk areas are rectified and solved. Policies regarding spills and wet surfaces, including having hazard markers, need to be in place. Employees should be aware of their environment at all times. 

1. Overexertion – And the number one work related injury is overexertion. Any physical activity that hasn’t been replaced by a machine, such as lifting, pushing, carrying, throwing, or pulling has the potential for exertion injury. Overexertion may ultimately be a relative term since it differs from person to person. However, anytime someone pushes himself or herself beyond physical capacity, injury may be imminent. 

Employers should be aware of all exertion regulations and not expect employees to push themselves beyond those guidelines. 

Conclusion 

Workplace injuries and deaths may seem inevitable, but by improving the safety surrounding the inevitable situation or removing that situation altogether could diminish their frequency. Employers and employees need to play an active role in making this happen. 

This piece was written by Kurt Dowdle, a writer for http://naqvilaw.com, a personal injury firm in Las Vegas, NV.

Eye Protection, Fall Safety, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection, Respiratory Safety

SAFE WORKING AT HEIGHT (GUEST POST)

From Jason of riskatmedia.com 

There are particular hazards associated with working at height, some of these hazards accompany almost all types of work activity, such as manual handling and slips and trips.  Others, such as falls from height and contact with moving or falling objects are of particular concern to personnel who work at height.  Falls from height are the leading cause of fatal injuries at work. While 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 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, tools, equipment and materials can be extremely heavy and you should give consideration to safe manual handling practices before undertaking any job that involves lifting these items while working at height, where manual lifts may be made more difficult by space restrictions and the potential to fall. 

Slip, 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. It is extremely important that elevated work platforms and access ladders are kept clear of slip and trip hazards that could result in a possible fall from height.  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 that you use, by only taking the tools, equipment and materials necessary to the job aloft, by appropriately storing all such items and keeping walkways clear, by ensuring that you always wear appropriate footwear, and by taking responsibility for your own and your colleagues safety and containing any spills that you might discover. Scaffolders should ensure that no loose scaffolding materials are ever left on a finished scaffold. 

Contact with Moving or Falling Objects  Contact with moving or falling objects is a significant hazard to personnel involved in work at height, as well as to personnel who may be working in the areas beneath operations conducted at height.   Access to the area in which you are working from a ladder should be restricted by barriers when moving vehicles, trailers and hand bogies pose a collision risk.  Suitable barriers and signs should be used to keep the access roads used by Mobile Elevated Work Platforms clear. This will reduce the risk of collision with structures, people and other mobile plant and vehicles.  Care should still be taken to ensure that the platform’s boom or knuckles do not impede the access and working areas used by other plant and vehicles. 

Safe working practices should always be followed to prevent the fall of materials from a height.  All tools, equipment and materials essential to work aloft should be appropriately stowed to ensure that they do not fall.  Any excess materials and all debris should be removed from elevated work platforms, all loose items should be placed in storage boxes, bagged or secured where possible, edge protection should be used to prevent items falling from sloping roofs and all items you need to carry while using a ladder should be held in a belt pouch.  Where there is still a possibility that materials may fall from a height, access to the work area should be restricted by barriers and appropriate warning signs or by posting a banks-man. 

Elevated Working Platforms  Where work at height cannot be avoided, safe working practices should always be followed to reduce the risk of falling any distance which could cause injury.  You should always use an approved and safe means of gaining access to elevated working platforms.  Wherever possible, work at height should be carried out from an appropriate working platform with edge protection, making use of a safety harness and any other available work equipment and fall arrest systems to prevent falls from height.  Where this is not possible, work of a light nature and short duration can be undertaken from a ladder, while other work can be undertaken by suitably trained, experienced and medically fit individuals using a body harness and other fall arrest equipment identified during detailed planning.  You should never use temporary makeshift working platforms.

Work platforms on scaffolding should have full guardrails and toe boards.  A safety harness is required if full guarding is not possible, or if the work involves reaching over. Mesh should be installed if scaffolding is designed specifically to store bulk materials. 

Appropriate fall arrest equipment attached to a suitable anchor point inside the platform should be used whenever you work from a mobile elevated work platform. 

Edges of roofs from which a person could fall should be provided with a barrier that is properly constructed, anchored and fitted with toe boards as appropriate.  Roof openings should be protected by barriers or covers.  Fragile roof areas should be identified and protected by a barrier, or fitted with crawling boards, crawling ladders or duck boards that are properly supported.

Where ladders must be used, they should be securely lashed at the top, tied at the bottom, or held by a second person to ensure that they do not move or slip.  Ladders should be long enough to allow 3 or 4 rungs above the working step, 3 points of contact should be maintained at all times and a harness clipped to a secure anchor point should always be used. 

Structural Integrity  Elevated working platforms should be structurally sound to prevent accidents which could lead to falls from height.  All scaffolding should be erected by trained and competent personnel, they should verify that all materials are fit for purpose and that the load bearing ground and surfaces are fit for purpose.  Never be tempted to make unauthorised alterations to scaffolding. Prior to using any scaffolding on site, you must check that the scaff tag is in date and valid.  Scaffolding should be inspected weekly and following adverse weather conditions by a competent person.  If you are at all unsure that the appropriate inspections have been carried out, do not use the scaffolding and report to your manager. 

All ladders should also conform to the relevant Standard, be free from patent defect, and be inspected once a week by a competent person.  If you have any reason to doubt that a ladder has been appropriately inspected, do not use it and report to your manager.

Lanyards should be inspected before each use and should be subjected to a detailed inspection by a competent person at least once every six months.  If you have reason to think that any fall arrest equipment has not been properly inspected, please do not use it and discuss the matter with your manager. 

Planning  To reduce the risk of personnel falling all work at height should be suitably planned. Where the use of a body harness cannot be avoided for work at height, a competent manager should provide a plan which incorporates safe access and egress, as well as the type of harness and double lanyard that should be used. 

A suitable rescue plan should also be in place where a harness or restraints are used.  The rescue plan should ensure that effective communication links have been established so that assistance can be summoned. 

Training  All personnel need appropriate training and experience to safely carry out operations which involve working at height.  Only suitably trained and authorised personnel are allowed to use mobile elevated work platforms and body harnesses.  Cradles should only be used by personnel who are suitably trained and experienced. 

Human Factors  Human factors play a significant role in safe working at height.  For this reason, personnel should not work at height if you are tired or otherwise unable to give your full attention to the task at hand.  If you feel that your medical history, age, health or fitness might affect your ability to carry work at height, please discuss this with your manager.  Remember that 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. 

Environments  The risks associated with work at height can be increased by the environment in which you are required to work, Hot and cold environments can result in physical stresses and affect concentration, as they have the potential to raise or lower you body core temperature beyond safe limits.  Confined spaces limit your ability to move around, can be poorly lit and may increase the length of time taken to provide medical assistance in the event of an emergency. It is therefore extremely important that you follow safe working practices when working at height in these environments. 

Hot Works  Particular attention should be given to establishing a safe place of work and to following safe working practices when you carry out hazardous tasks, such as hot works, at height.  The risks associated with fumes, explosions and electric shock can result in falls from height.  Ensure that you use appropriate Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, that you use and store gas bottles safely and that all items of electrical equipment carry a valid appliance testing label. 

Personal Protective Equipment PPE  PPE is an important means of reducing the risks associated with work at height.  At least standard PPE with safety glasses, construction hard hats and gloves should be worn, with a harness attached to suitable fall arrest equipment while accessing or working on elevated platforms.  Additional PPE, such as dust masks, breathing apparatus and hearing protection may be required for particular tasks, as outlined in the relevant risk assessment.

You should also wear close fitting garments, not wear a tie or jewellery and tie back long hair and long beards to reduce the risk of entanglement.  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. 

Electricity and Overhead Power Lines  Electric shock can result in death and severe burns.  In addition, serious injury can occur if an individual falls from height as a result of an electric shock. All items of electrical equipment should carry a valid test certificate or label to reduce the risk of electric shock.  Testing should be carried out by suitably trained individuals.   If any item of electrical equipment does not carry a valid test label, it should not be used and you should inform your manager.  You should also carry out a visual pre-use inspection of all equipment to ensure that it remains undamaged. 

Because of the risk of electrocution, aluminium ladders should never be used where there is a risk of contact with electricity.

Electric shock can also occur as a result of contact with overhead power lines.  Where mobile elevated work platforms are to be used near overhead power lines, an appointed person should plan and supervise operations.  Power lines should be made dead where at all possible.  Where this is not possible, work under power lines should be of short duration and all appropriate restraints and barriers should be in place to ensure that the platform cannot reach or accidentally come into contact with live power lines. 

Mobile Elevated Work Platforms MEWPs   Other safe working practices are necessary to prevent mobile elevated work platforms from overturning during work at height.  The manufacturer’s safe working load should never be exceeded and the platform should never be operated in high winds.  You should also avoid handling sheet type materials in windy conditions.

Where the use of a platform on uneven ground cannot be avoided, they should be used at reduced speed, they should not be turned on slopes and the use of road plates should be considered. 

Emergency Procedures  In the event of an emergency while working at height, isolate any equipment that you have been using, make your work area safe and use a safe means of egress to evacuate the area according to the site emergency procedures.  If you are involved in an accident, seek immediate assistance. 

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Eye Protection, First Aid Safety, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection

HOT WORKS – SAFE WELDING OPERATIONS (GUEST POST)

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Sent by Jason of riskatmedia.com 

There are particular hazards associated with hot works, which includes welding activities, the use of oxy/gas equipment and acetylene, cutting operations and air-arc gouging. Each year over 1000 work related injuries to welders are reported to the Health and Safety Executive in the United Kingdom.  Approximately 300 of these are major injuries, such as amputations and fractures.  Some of these injuries result from hazards that accompany almost all types of work activity, such as handling, slips and trips and being hit by a moving or falling object.  Others are more likely to be solely associated with welding activities, such as the intensity of electric arcs and high temperatures. 

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, portable welding equipment, gas cylinders and work pieces 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 can result from contamination, obstacles, inappropriate footwear, reduced visibility, the environment and people’s attitudes. Good housekeeping can significantly reduce the risk of serious slip and trip injuries. Containing spent rod ends and removing debris, slag, packaging and other waste materials to waste skips. You can also reduce the risk of slips and trips by properly routing any cables or air hoses that you use.

A safe place of work should be established to take into account the restricted visibility resulting from welders wearing protective head-shields. Consider whether the environment in which you will be working increases the risk of slips and trips and take responsibility for your own and your colleagues safety by appropriately containing any spills that you might discover. 

Moving or falling objects

Death or injury can result when large and heavy objects, such as gas cylinders used during welding operations, tip or fall because they have not been properly secured. Gas cylinders should always be secured by means of a chain, strap or cable to a building support, or proper cylinder cart. Bottle trolleys should also be covered when gas cylinders are moved short distances. 

Electrical Dangers

Electric shock from welding equipment can result in death or severe burns. Serious injury can result if the welder falls as a result of the shock. To prevent the risks posed by electrical hazards, all equipment should be tested and certified before use. Air pipe work should be checked to ensure that there is no electrical conductivity between the ends and the welding return cable should be connected as close as possible to the work piece. The electro-magnetic field produced by certain types of welding equipment may pose a risk to welders who have implantable medical devices fitted. Please make sure that you have informed your supervisor if you have an active implantable medical device, and talk to your doctor about the safety of using welding equipment in relation to your medical device. 

Fire and Explosion

Welding and allied processes produce molten metal, sparks, slag and hot work surfaces which pose a risk of fire and explosion, and which can result in fatalities, serious injury and plant damage. Flying sparks are the main cause of fire and explosion, especially as sparks can travel up to 10 metres from the work space. Sparks and molten metal can travel even greater distances when falling and can pass through and become lodged in cracks, clothing, pipe holes and other small openings. To reduce the risk of fire and explosion when carrying out Hot Works, a permit for work should be obtained before commencing work on any operational plant. Working areas and the areas below them should be kept free of combustible material. Fixed items of plant, such as installed electrical cables should be protected by a fire blanket. Sparks should be contained by means of a non-flammable material. Fire extinguishers should be close at hand, and the working area should be inspected when work is suspended to ensure there is no residual risk of fire or explosion. 

Oxy-Gas Equipment

Additional precautions are necessary when working with oxy-gas equipment. Gas bottles should be in an upright position, secured to prevent falling and located in an open aspect during use. The cylinder valves should be kept shut while hoses and equipment are being connected or disconnected. The requirement to fit flash back arrestors to both hoses is mandatory, but you should also ensure that you have enough gas in both cylinders to complete the job and that you follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for proper shut-down and start-up procedures for the equipment you are using to reduce the risk of flashbacks. The bottle key should be kept on the valves while equipment is in use to enable quick shut off in the event of an emergency. A fire watch should be maintained during operations.

All gas cylinders should be isolated when not in use to prevent oxygen or gas enrichment. And all operators should subject oxy-gas equipment to daily pre-use checks, such as leak detector spray or pressure drop tests. Contamination of gas cylinders by oil or grease should be avoided, as this may increase the risk of fire and explosion. Direct exposure to fire can initiate a heat generating decomposition reaction within acetylene gas leading to the potential for explosion. Any cylinders exposed to a fire should therefore be isolated for at least 48 hours, or until deemed safe. When not in use, gas cylinders should be stored in properly constructed and ventilated cages, with no source of ignition within three metres. 

Eye damage and burns

Most welding and related activities produce significant quantities of non-ionising radiation, such as visible light, ultraviolet and infra-red, which can cause eye damage and painful skin burns. The intensity and wavelength of energy produced depends on the process, welding parameters, electrode and base metal composition, fluxes, and any coatings or plating on the base material. Ultraviolet radiation increases approximately as the square of the welding current. Visible brightness or luminance of the arc increases at a much lower rate. Processes using argon produce larger amounts of ultraviolet radiation than those using most other shielding gases. The risk of injury to the operator resulting from exposure to non-ionising radiation can be reduced by decreasing the length of exposure, wearing a head shield and standard Personal Protective Equipment or PPE with gauntlets and Proban fire-retardant overalls. 

Welding Fumes

Many welding processes produce fumes which are potentially harmful. Depending on the materials involved, the ill effects can include irritation of the eyes, skin and respiratory system, or more severe complications such as impairment of speech and movement. Symptoms of over-exposure to welding fumes may manifest immediately or some considerable time later. To reduce these risks, position the work area with an open aspect to minimise fume concentrations. Use forced ventilation where necessary and, in confined spaces, an air fed hood. Use a disposable mask appropriate to the type of fumes produced during work operations, and remember that respirators are mandatory for stainless steel welding. It is also important to refer to the relevant Hazardous Material Assessment which will outline additional safe working practices for the materials used. 

Work piece Stability

Where cutting operations are performed, it is always important to give consideration to the effect that these operations will have on the stability of the work piece. In particular, consideration should be given to weight distribution, as the removal of significant weights may alter the balance of the work piece. Where appropriate, the work piece should be supported. You should also plan how items that have been removed will be lowered without risk to yourself, to others who may be working nearby, or to equipment. 

Emergency procedures

In the event of an emergency, conduct an initial assessment of the situation. If you believe that the situation is beyond your control, evacuate the area immediately. Turn off all valves, but only if it is safe to do so. If the flame from a leak cannot be extinguished by turning off the valve, do not stay and attempt to fight the fire. Evacuate the area immediately. 

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