Tag Archives: requirements

General Safety Issues, Head Protection

SAFETY TIPS ABOUT HARDHATS

One time I was required to wear a hardhat when a group of our hospital employees was taking a tour of the new facility that was being built.  We all felt a little silly, but after I started working for Texas America Safety Company, I realized the importance of the personal protective equipment.  (And that something could have been dropped from up above us while we were taking that tour.) 

Hardhats are the most important type of head protection.  A friend once told me that while he worked in the West Texas oilfields for many years, he never had anything fall on his head; however, that hardhat  had kept him from bumping his head many times while maneuvering on drilling rigs. 

Head Protection under OSHA states that it is up to the employer to ensure that each and every employee at risk wears a hardhat.  This is when work has falling debris that could hit an employee or when an employee could possibly fall.  The hard hat that you choose should have the America National Standard for personal protection, as required by OSHA. 

Hardhats fall into three different groups:  C, E, and G.  A hard hat that cannot protect you from an electrical shock is classified under group C.  Hardhats that are capable of withstanding up to 20,000 volts of electricity are in Group E.  Group G can only withstand 2,500 volts of electrical shock.  There are also two types of hardhats.  Type 1, which protects the top of your head, and Type 2, which not only protects the top of your head but the sides of your head. 

Be sure that you make the correct choice of hardhat for the particular job and hazards that may occur: 

  • It should not be too heavy;
  • Needs to be comfortable and fit correctly;
  • Choose one that is made of the material that fits the job you do.
  • Some types of hardhats can be worn backwards, which at times may make your job easier to do.  If the description of the hardhat does not specify that this is possible, do not select that type of hardhat.
  • The lining of the hardhat should be thick enough to absorb shock in case you fall.
  • Straps on the hardhat should fit securely around the chin.
  • Hardhats have mounts for other types of equipment, pencils, lights, faceshields, etc. 

Maintenance should be performed regularly to ensure that your personal protective equipment is in good shape and doesn’t need repair or replacing.  Check for cracks on the hardhat, and if you find one, replace the hardhat.  Take the time to understand the importance of wearing a hardhat.  You are not making a fashion statement; you are complying with safety procedures. 

Another sign that your hardhat needs replacing is when the outer casing becomes dull.  If mounts on the hardhat break, it’s also time for a new one.  Chin straps that create problems should be discarded and replaced. 

There is one way that your hardhat can make a statement, whether it’s patriotic, camo, World War II, pink, or representing teams from the NFL, NBA, NHL, NASCAR, or your favorite NCAA team, wear your hardhat with pride.  Companies that allow their employees to wear the hardhat of their choice can ensure compliance with their safety programs.

So, as we’ve written before: “Use Your Head, Wear that Hardhat!”

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues, Respiratory Safety

OSHA’s TOP TEN MOST CITED VIOLATIONS SO FAR THIS YEAR

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At the National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo, which wrapped up yesterday, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the Top 10 most cited safety violations at workplaces so far this year.

The deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, Patrick Kapust, presented the agency’s findings during a lecture at the Expo.  The Top 10 violations present key areas where OSHA can more actively enforce regulations as well as provide more training, outreach and assistance.

“”While great progress has been made in safety over the past 100 years, today’s presentation reminds us there is more to be done to make our workplaces safer.  We appreciate our colleagues at OSHA sharing their most recent data at our Celebration of the Century,” Janet Froetscher, the President and CEO of the NSC, said in a press release.

Business owners and managers can use this year’s Top 10 to better protect their employees. Many of the areas listed as the most frequently violated are simply overlooked in the workplace, either from overexposure or or lack of knowledge.

The Top 10 for 2012 so far are:

1. General lack of fall protection
2. Failure to communicate hazards
3. Improper scaffolding construction and safeguards
4. Insufficient respirators and masks
5. Unsafe ladder usage
6. Inadequate machine guards
7. Improperly maintained or used industrial trucks
8. Unsafe wiring methods
9. Lack of lockout/tagout tools
10. General lack of electrical protection

Number one was cited in 7,250 inspections of businesses so far this year, a staggering number given the priority OSHA has placed on the use of fall protection harnesses in the workplace. Be sure that your business is in compliance with this incredibly important safety regulation.  Those employees who are required to work at heights should have full protection from the risk of falls.

Companies that fail to comply with OSHA regulations are taking a chance with the lives of their employees first of all, plus having to pay large sums of money in fines, and lost time and productivity.  It seems it would be much easier to follow the rules than be reported as irresponsible.

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Protective Clothing

LAW REQUIRING PPE PROVISIONS ISN’T ENFORCED BY EMPLOYERS (GUEST POST)

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is defined as personal and protective specifically against the hazard or hazards that have been identified. PPE must be compatible and work effectively with other equipment. Correct PPE equipment is required to ensure that employees are protected from injury or disease through their work and provides a last line of defence when other risk management strategies have failed in some way. 

PPE is legally the responsibility of employers within the UK. The law currently emphasizes that employers must provide their staff with free of charge PPE. However, a recent TUC article has highlighted that over one in five workers are being forced into providing or replacing PPE equipment that they needed for their work. This is relevant particularly across the electrician and construction industries. 

Notably out of these, the survey highlighted that 11.6% of workers were required to use safety equipment at work and yet it was not provided or paid for by their employer. An additional 8.9% were responsible for any damage or replacements for employer provided PPE. 

An example would be the need to invest in good quality Arc Flash Hood in a usable and working condition as is essential for many electricians; the expense of which should be footed entirely by employers as dictated by the law. 

Compounding the poor levels of PPE provision there are two further factors to consider: 

  • Employers, where they do offer PPE, often buy low quality PPE of a standard size in an attempt to maximise profit through minimising costs. Employees therefore find that they are limited to uncomfortable, incorrectly sized PPE which is not effective against hazards and therefore often buy their own equipment. 
  • Within the current market place many workers within the construction or electrical engineering sector are now termed as self-employed, or are working through an agency. This enables employers to shirk around the law regarding satisfactory PPE and increasingly opens the doors to the requirement of self-funding for PPE provision. 

Interestingly, the law also goes as far as to state that every employer should ensure that all PPE provided is fully maintained (including replaced or cleaned where appropriate). This means kept in good repair and in efficient working order. With this in mind it’s also perhaps surprising to learn that a staggering 60% of those with employer provided PPE that requires regular cleaning are held responsible for the task. Their employers made no investment or provision for cleaning of PPE equipment. 

Unfairly, it seems that it’s most often than not workers from lower paid roles that are held responsible for the costs, and disproportionately it is female employees that are required to provide their own attire. This means there are many newly qualified electricians having to spend money they can least afford gaining test and commission, cherry-picking other types of certificates as well as investing in or maintaining their  Electrical PPE in order to make themselves more employable. 

Naturally the electrical companies currently benefit a lot from the individuals’ efforts to land work and are happy with the current situation. Until the law is backed up through pressure on companies, including those in the construction industry, to employ on a PAYE basis things look set to remain problematic. There is already little enforcement of the existing law and as a result many are forced to pay from their own pocket or go without, which is unthinkable within the construction industry. The government’s future plans to reduce the number of workplace inspections are set to increase the chance of the situation getting worse for the little guy before there’s any improvement.

Sent to us by Pete Clydesdale, of Clydesdale.net.  Pete, thanks so much for pointing out that many contractors do not furnish the correct ppe for the employees, or none at all.  In the U.S., OSHA has very much the same regulations, and through inspections they have penalized many companies for these violations.  It is lawful that every person have the right to safe working places and the correct protection. 

For quality safety products from glasses to gloves, and inbetween, check out Texas America Safety Company.

 

General Safety Issues

ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING MSDS INFORMATION (Guest Post)

  • Portland, Oregon – Graphic Products, Inc., the world’s leading safety and industrial label printer and supplier, has released three new FREE labeling guides for facility and plant managers worldwide:  
    • Available Fault Current Labeling Guide: Provides an overview of the National Electrical Code Article 110 labeling requirements, recently updated in 2011. This guide contains information about required NEC compliant labels and includes labeling examples. It also highlights the method used to calculate available fault current, which must be displayed on labels.
    • OSHA HazCom 2012 Best Practices Guide for Labeling: Reviews the U.N.’s Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) standards. OSHA’s recent decision to adopt GHS standards means changes for most facilities as soon as December 1, 2013. This guide keeps you ahead of the curve by training your workers on OSHA-GHS standards before the deadline.
    • SDS Quick Reference Labeling Guide for HazCom 2012: Provides information on the U.N. Safety Data Sheet (SDS) format, which is replacing the old MSDS format. SDS is globally recognized. These sheets are an important element of the new GHS labeling standards. Use this guide to learn about SDS formatting and train workers before the December 1, 2013 deadline. 

    Graphic Products, Inc. launched the DuraLabel labeling system to facilitate pipe marking, OSHA/safety labeling, wayfinding signs and labels, arc flash, lockout/tagout, mine safety, wire marking, barcoding, and floor marking.

    Contact Graphic Products today to request these new guides and discover many other free informative guides. Visit www.GraphicProducts.com to learn more. To speak to a Graphic Products representative call 1-888-532-6787 or email fastresponse@graphicproducts.com. 

    The above information was sent to us by Jack Rubinger, with DuraLabel, who often sends helpful articles on industrial safety.  Our parent company, Texas America Safety Company, www.tasco-safety.com, also has all types of MSDS binders, MSDS posters, index dividers, attachment chains, Right to Know centers, racks, and even an “over the seat” holder for your car or truck.  This holds the notebook, MSDS binder, and clipboard .  Thanks to Jack for helping  ensure that you are compliant with the latest labeling or product changes.