Tag Archives: types

WHEN LIGHTING IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN THE FACTORY ENVIRONMENT: ALL THE TIME (GUEST POST)

Modern factories—with their often-automated machinery, forklifts moving materials to necessary stations and loud mechanical noise levels that often prevent vocal warnings—are among the most potentially injurious places to work. According to a standard text on the topic, “Industrial Safety & Environment” by Amit Gupta, factory lighting is the single most important environmental variable effecting employees’ safety, comfort, satisfaction, efficiency and productivity.

Minimum OSHA Illumination Requirements in Machine Shops & Assembly Areas

Indeed, lighting in such industrial areas is so important as to be regulated by the Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA). The organization mandates minimum levels of lighting in areas depending upon the complexity of bench and machine work in the area. Simple or rough assembly requires 20 to 50 foot-candles of illumination, moderate bench work needs 50 to 100 foot-candles, difficulty assembly work demands 100 to 200 foot-candles of lighting while very fine precision bench work requires 200 to 500 foot-candles to safely and properly perform the job.

Types of Illumination

There are three major types of lighting required by OSHA to be available in the workplace. These include:

· General Lighting

Although experts in the field report that natural light is less stressful to the eye, it’s not an option for factories usually constructed over a large area that precludes natural light from reaching the interior of the workspace. Even if skylights are provided in a one-story factory to provide natural illumination, weather conditions can’t be controlled to ensure that the minimum degree of illumination required by OSHA is required.

For the typical factory, general lighting is that illumination provided by evenly spaced overhead light fixtures attached to the ceilings. Usually fluorescent, this lighting provides a consistent degree of illumination that can be measured by a light meter to ensure compliance with governmental regulations. The care and maintenance of this equipment is usually the responsibility of the plant maintenance department due to the equipment necessary to reach the lighting equipment.

· Task Lighting

Task lighting is illumination provided to spotlight aspects of workers’ specific job functions and is the most important type of lighting in terms of safety and injury prevention. This type of illumination can be provided by a number of different lamps, often attached to workbenches and moveable to allow employees to specifically adjust the light to their needs. Because of the strong association between adequate task lighting and injury prevention, replacement bulbs for these types of lamps or moveable bench lights need to be readily accessible to workers or floor supervisors in the event that a bulb expires during a worker’s shift.

· Emergency Lighting

Emergency lighting refers to illumination devices designed to turn on automatically in the event of a power failure or other emergency where workers’ vision can be challenged. These lights consist of illuminated emergency doors and may include lights along evacuation routes to the emergency doors.

Other Benefits to Proper Lighting

Benefits to the factory owner from provision of adequate lighting include fewer injuries, fewer loss days due to injury and increased productivity. The degree of improved efficiency and safety combined with the greater production output is said to offset the cost of providing proper illumination throughout the facility.

Sent by Maire Hunter.

HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST CONSTRUCTION SAFETY HARNESS (GUEST POST)

Accidental falls top the list of fatalities in the construction industry. For this reason, it is important to make the right choice of safety harness. This will have to depend on factors like the kind of work, environment, and the level of risk involved, among others.  A safety harness can come with many different features; here are some things to consider when your ready to buy:

  •        Padding
  •        Webbing
  •        Buckles
  •        Weight
  •        Features
  •        Accessories 

What about the safety harness features?

If you are looking for a safety harness that can meet OSHA compliance standards you will find that a basic safety harness will be affordable with a simple design and have a universal size.  This type of harness will certainly work, but is not ideal for a professional who uses a safety harness daily.

Most construction safety harnesses feature a padded waist belt for use with tools as well as side hip D-rings.  These features are specific to the construction industry but not included in all safety harnesses. 

Questions to ask about safety construction harnesses

What type of work will I be doing?

If you are always working at height, you might consider integrated tool pouches as well as tool belt that conforms and fits to your toolset.  If your work requires positioning, then you will need side D-Rings, these can be custom fit your harness. OSHA requires them to be proof-tested to a minimum load of 3,600 lbs. without breaking, cracking or becoming deformed. 

How long or often will I be wearing my safety harness?

Arguably the most important feature on a safety harness, padding provides much-needed comfort and adds a layer of protection in the event of a fall.  If your job consists of long hours in a harness, a question you might ask is; could I wear this all day?  The comfort of your harness should be one of the deciding factors when choosing a construction safety harness. 

A general rule when buying safety harnesses is that more padding=more comfort, the same goes for work boots and helmets.  If you’re planning on spending long hours in your safety harness, you should consider more padding; you will feel the benefits daily.

What material is my safety harness made with?

Dyneema and Kevlar are considered the premium webbing materials used for safety harnesses.  Both materials are comparable to steel and commonly used in military body armor.

Will I be sharing this harness with my co-workers?

For a construction worker, the ability to quickly snap in and adjust the harness can be a real timesaver.  Safety harness buckles come in three basic types, quick-connect, pass-thru, and tongue.  If your job requires you to share your harness with other workers, you may want to consider a harness with tongue buckles.  These are easy to adjust on the fly but not as precise as the quick connect buckles.

What about the size and weight?

The size of your safety harness is determined by your height and weight, always consult a safety professional to help determine the appropriate size for your build.  Additionally you should check the MFG sizing charts, if your total weight is over 310lbs (including tools) you should opt for a specially rated harness for increased capacity.  

With the appropriate type of harness, which conforms to OSHA standards, accidental falls, work related injuries, and fatalities can be minimized and your day can be just bit more comfortable! 

Note: Blog4Safety’s parent company, Texas America Safety Company, also has a huge array of safety harnesses

 

WORK GLOVES: FUNCTIONALITY AND STYLE

Company health and safety experts know that selecting the right gloves for their workers is a vital part of ensuring the success of keeping their employees hands’ protected.  Depending on the particular hazards of the job, much thought must go into making the right choice.  Style is also important to workers and helps ensure compliance.  Some PPE (personal protective equipment) may be unattractive, but leading glove manufacturers have gotten the message from retail and athletic clothing markets and developed fashionable, yet functional styles that workers will wear. 

Health and safety experts also know that wearing a pair of gloves will not protect the hands of workers unless those workers are careful in performing their work duties, which includes being aware of the dangers their hands are exposed to, even while wearing gloves.  Because gloves are made of materials that protect from abrasions, nicks, vibrations, and other hazards, some employees may think they are invincible.  They are required to wear their PPE at all times on the job.  If there are periods that they do not have to wear gloves, glove guards are handy to attach the gloves to clothing, where they are readily accessible. 

Of course, as in any setting where PPE is required, training is mandated before the person starts his/her job.  They must understand how important their personal protective equipment is, how to take care of it, and the need to report and replace any damaged or worn product.  Workers that must wear gloves as part of their PPE must remember that unsafe conditions and acts cause injuries.  The most important thing a worker can do is to keep those gloves on at all times, while working carefully.  Be sure they fit and are comfortable, and if they look good, that’s a plus, too.  There is no one type of glove that will prevent all hand injuries, and no glove will help avoid injury if it is not worn.  Individuals must continually think about how he/she is handling the product he is working on, lifting, or running a particular type of equipment.  He doesn’t want to go home missing a finger, or worse. 

There are gloves that are high-visibility, others for furnishing good grip and protection.  Women want to wear gloves that are made for their smaller hands.  Gloves must fit properly to help the hands do their job.  If they are too large, grip is lost.  Some gloves furnish better ventilation than others, and there are fingerless gloves for mobility, yet they still allow good grip.  Then there are gloves for the gardeners, for ranchers and farmers, and drivers.  We see football players wearing gloves, as well as golfers (a golf glove).  Why not look as sharp as they do, when we are working?  I plan on getting some hi-vis gloves to wear this winter when taking walks with Buddy.  

Gloves furnish dexterity, sensitivity, durability, and tactility.  Each type excels in one or more of these descriptions.  Some medical and industrial grade gloves may not meet the “style” factor, but play a very important part in protecting healthcare, food processing, and other types of workers’ hands.   Leather gloves are soft and supple, yet are protective.  One glove  that even helps “do” the job in dark areas (such as under the hood of a car), has a light on the back of it!  

Employees must be taught to know that PPE is the last (but very important) line of defense for their protection.  Workers are the front line.