Tag Archives: hazardous

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, Respiratory Safety

ENSURING WORKPLACE SAFETY FROM TOXIC AND HAZARDOUS GASES – (GUEST POST)

Ensuring Workplace Safety from Toxic & Hazardous Gases

Many individuals who work in heavy industry frequently come into contact with incredibly hazardous and toxic gases, which can cause serious health risks to workers, members of the public and even cause plants to shut down due to dangerous levels of gas. It is of paramount importance then that they ensure that their workplace is correctly protected against this risk.

Guaranteeing Safety

The reliability and durability of the equipment you use is the most important element and the best way to ensure a safe working environment. Many businesses operate in hazardous conditions and their equipment has to withstand incredibly tough environments. What matters here is guaranteeing that your systems can withstand any potential damage without the need for continual repair and maintenance. Your equipment must be able to cope with the rigors of day-to-day use in challenging conditions and provide reliability every step of the way.

Comprehensive, Workable Solutions

It is important to have the ability to configure the detection equipment in such a way that it all works perfectly alongside each other to deliver a comprehensive gas detection system.

Depending on the working environment, individuals can be exposed to a number of different hazardous and toxic gases. In order to ensure complete safety it is advised to employ detection systems, which combine a number of different detection methods in order to identify all potential dangers.  These systems can then be connected to central computer systems and integrated to a wide network of sensors and are not limited to the detection of harmful gases but also include flow, temperature and pressure monitoring.

By carefully monitoring for any changes to the immediate surroundings pre-emptive action can be taken allowing the entire workforce to respond accordingly.

Bespoke Gas Detection

By enlisting the expertise of professionals in the gas detection industry you can safeguard against potential risks. Bespoke gas detection allows for the implementation of the most effective detection systems for your specific sector, business or location. Bespoke gas detection ensures the highest levels of safety possible and involves the design and installation of gas monitoring systems to exact environmental specifications that are tailor-made to suit your exact needs.

Personal Gas Detection

By using personal gas detectors you enable your workforce to complete the required work in both normal and dangerous conditions. Personal gas monitors allow individuals to monitor their own safety while at the same time gathering valuable information relating to working conditions that can be catalogued and uploaded to increase broader safety procedures.

About the author:

This article was provided by Gas Alarm Systems Ltd who have over 15 years’ experience in the design, development and maintenance of gas detection systems.

 

 

 

 

 

 

General Safety Issues

NUMBER 7 – HIGHEST PENALTIES ASSESSED BY OSHA 2010

It has taken a while to list and attempt to describe all the top ten OSHA violations and highest penalties assessed for last year, but this is the next-to-last one.  It is my hope that in some way, by seeing not just the list, but what each violation means, workers and employers may be more aware if any hazards exist in their place of work.  Many companies go for years without a lost-time incident; they are very conscientious of the importance of safety.  However, there are many others that may think that safety is not as important, and may put profit ahead of the well-being of their employees.  Safety pays off in the long run, and by doing these reviews,  I hope that attention will be paid to costs incurred, not only in fines, but more importantly, injuries and lives lost. 

Number 7 on our list of highest penalties assessed is: Excavations, requirements for protective systems, construction (29 CFR 1926.652).  Excavation and trenching are among the most hazardous construction operations.  An excavation is any man-made cavity, trench, cut or depression in the earth’s surface formed by earth removal.  A trench is defined as a narrow underground excavation that is deeper than it is wide, and is no wider than 15 feet.   First of all, OSHA standards require that trenches be inspected daily and as conditions change, by a competent person prior to work entry  to ensure elimination of excavation hazards.  This person should be authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate or control these hazards and conditions. 

Cave-ins are the greatest risk and are much more likely than other excavation-related accidents to result in worker fatalities.  According to OSHA, the fatality rate for excavation work is 112% higher than the rate for general construction.  Falls, falling loads, hazardous atmospheres, and incidents involving mobile equipment are other potential hazards.  Collapses of trenches cause dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries each year.  This seems to be a job only for the bravest of the brave! 

There are three different types of protective systems, and persons should never enter an unprotected trench.   There are many things to consider when designing a protective system, such as soil classification, water content of soil, changes due to weather or climate, depth of cut, and other materials that will be used in the trench.   Here are ways of making the trench safer: 

  1. Sloping.  This involves cutting back the trench wall at an angle inclined away from the excavation.
  2. Shoring.  This requires installing aluminum hydraulic or other types of supports to prevent soil movement and cave-ins.
  3. Shielding.  This protects workers by using trench boxes or other types of supports to prevent soil cave-ins. 

General Trenching and Excavation Rules from OSHA include:

  • Keep surcharge loads at least 2’ from trench edges.
  • Inspect trenches at the start of each shift.
  • Inspect trenches following a rainstorm.
  • Keep heavy equipment away from trench edges.
  • Know where underground utilities are located, in order to avoid electrocution or explosion.
  • Test for low oxygen, hazardous fumes and toxic gases.
  • Never work under raised loads.

Trenches 20′ deep or greater require that the protective system be designed by a registered professional engineer or be based on tabulated data prepared and/or approved by a registered professional engineer.  Evidentally, excavation safety has not improved to the point of not making the list of highest penalties assessed, since it was classified as 7th.  Let’s hope next year, excavation safety will be off the Top Ten list!

Source: OSHA

Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety

EVER HEARD OF POPCORN LUNG?

Who doesn’t love the taste of butter-flavored popcorn?  But how many of us are aware of “popcorn lung disease” or “popcorn workers lung,” caused by exposure to a butter-flavoring chemical called diacetyl, and possibly mixed with other flavorings?   The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), has, and continues to investigate the occurrence of severe lung disease in employees in microwave popcorn packaging plants and flavorings manufacturing facilities for several years.  Their reports show that many employees at microwave popcorn plants suffer from fixed airways obstruction, some consistent with bronchiolitis obliterans, and other respiratory illnesses.  The type of lung damage that many employees have suffered is irreversible, and some have died from it.  Numerous lawsuits have been settled by those who have been affected.  NIOSH also reported that employees at microwave popcorn plants and a flavorings manufacturing facility experienced eye, nasal, and/or upper respiratory irritation and/or burns.   

Around September, 2007, several well-known popcorn manufacturers announced that they would remove the flavoring chemical.  In October, 2009, OSHA launched a National Emphasis Program to reduce and eliminate the hazards associated with chemical exposures from diacetyl, the prominent chemical ingredient in butter flavorings.  Those workers who work around vats containing these mixtures, as well as the ones who package the microwave popcorn should have adequate protection from breathing these harmful vapors in their work environment.  Other food products that may use this flavoring include candy, potato chips, and pound cakes.  

NIOSH has issued the following recommendations for reducing employee exposure to potentially dangerous flavoring chemicals:

  • Use engineering controls such as closed systems, isolation, ventilation booths, or local exhaust ventilation.  Simple exhaust hoods can dramatically reduce exposure.
  • Train employees on all potential hazards and ensure that they understand proper procedures and use of engineering controls.  It is critical that engineering controls are effective in protecting workers.
  • Good housekeeping and work practices that minimize exposure are carried out through administrative rules.
  • Proper personal protective equipment must be used.  Suitable respirators, such as NIOSH-certified respirators with organic vapor cartridges combined with particulate filters would provide minimum level of protection.  Teflon, Tychem, or butyl rubber gloves and aprons to reduce skin contact with ketones (diacetyl).  Eye protection is  needed, as well.
  • Workers exposed to flavoring chemicals should have their lung function checked by spirometry on a regular basis.
  • Monitor occupational exposures and the state of workers’ health often.
  • All workers should know the MSDS information regarding the chemicals they are exposed to. 

NIOSH states: “Even if substances are safe to eat – ‘generally recognized as safe’  as determined by the Food and Drug Administration, they may still be harmful to breathe in the forms and amounts to which food and chemical industry workers may be exposed.  How much exposure that people have to diacetyl and other inhaled flavoring chemicals is the important issue in determining the risk for lung disease.  It would be hard to compare the risk to consumers to that of the workers.  Even though there is little to suggest significant risk to normal consumers, a sensible precautionary approach should be taken.  Cooking or popping of products containing diacetyl and other butter flavoring chemicals should be done in an area with adequate exhaust ventilation, in order to remove vapors.  Microwave popcorn bags should be allowed to cool before they are opened, which will also decrease exposure to vapors.  Flavoring mixtures are often complex and contain both natural and manmade substances.  There is much to be learned about the potential health effects of the individual component materials and how they interact when combined.” 

I checked the box of butter-flavored popcorn in my pantry and it doesn’t list diacetyl; however, it does state “artificial flavors” in the ingredients.  That’s food for thought, isn’t it?