Tag Archives: worker safety

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Head Protection, Hearing Protection

LIGHT STEEL FABRICATION: THE BACKBONE OF SECURITY GRILL DOORS IN MELBORNE (GUEST POST)

Have you observed the tall buildings that are raised all over the city?   Taking a close look to these structures will show that these buildings are actually made of metal structure. Yes! Metal fabrication is the process that has made it possible. This article discusses as to how this metal structure has played the role of backbone for these skyline.

In modern times, almost each and every object that exists around us is made of metal. History says that metal has literally helped in shaping up the world that we see now. Though plants have always been necessary and favoured fabric in most of our lives, but for homes, workplace and buildings, construction is impossible without the existence of metal. At present, metal fabrication has raised its head as one of the popular choices and key components to raise strong buildings and constructional structures all around the world. 

Going back to the history of ‘fabrication’:

As we have mentioned the term, ‘fabrication’, do you know what it actually means? ‘Fabrication’ is a process under which metal structures are built in different ways. These manufacturing processes include cutting, milling, bending, and shaping of the metal using machines and computer numerical control (CNC) that is used for welding, laser cutting process, press breaks and so on. As mentioned earlier, metal fabrication stands as the backbone of architectural structure, but that’s not the only material used to exist earlier. Taking back to the primitive days, the fabrication processes begins with crude materials like mud, rock, thatch, clay that was primarily used as substantial materials for construction. Slowly and steadily with the civilisation, people started to look for strong structural material and thus, metal was discovered. With this, metal fabrication was also born. 

Use of the fabricated metal:

This fabricated metal became the de-facto material for large buildings so that the buildings got strong foundation. On the other hand, the increasing demand of strong metal also led to the necessity of advanced metal fabrication method. This advanced fabricated metal is used not only for constructional purpose. It is also used for related services like covering a building from both outside as well as inside. In order to serve this purpose, steel has turned up as the standard metal. That’s why; steel fabrication technique is simultaneously popular in the market at present.

Now, when you look at highrise buildings in the city, a close view into it will show the existence of steel structure in these buildings. Similarly in the architectural field, need for steel—especially light fabricated steel—becomes prominent. 

Getting fabricated steel from the proper location:

As the demand for lightweight fabricated steel increases, similarly the customers also begin to look for the place where they can get this metal of best quality. When the question arises about best quality, you can vouch on laser cut stainless steel panels. These panels are around 63 cm in width and 143 cm in length. Now, if you are the customer and are looking for such précised laser cut stainless steel, you will obviously look for those places where you can get such high quality metal. Above that, if your project demands a strict deadline, it will become necessary to receive these parts within the next few days. In such instance, it becomes pertinent that you choose a dealer who should not only be capable of giving high standard metal but that too within the promised date as well. 

Author Mark Aurthur says, “Where should you go then?   Reputed metal working companies offering light steel fabrication for Security Grill Doors in Melbourne that can meet all your metal structure based needs in a short span of time. One such company is Dandenong Wrought Iron.  If you want, you can definitely approach Dandenong Wrought firm to get assured services. Beside this, the internet is also there to help you out with appropriate information to meet your requirements. 

 Note: Because welding is a common fabrication process, workers in this environment must be provided with personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, hearing protection, protective footwear and head protection.  Local exhaust ventilation should be used to remove harmful welding fumes from metals and/or gases.  In the U.S., OSHA requires compliance with their safety regulations regarding the fabrication process.  We know our friends in Australia also comply with the safety regulations established byWHS (Work and Health Safety).

Source: OSHA; docstoc.com

General Safety Issues

THE IMPORTANCE OF LIGHTING ON JOB SITES (GUEST POST)

Five Things to Consider Before Switching to LED

Humans are blind without light. For construction workers and miners, lighting is even more important because projects must be completed around the clock and in poorly-lit conditions. Night shifts are not at all uncommon in such industries because strict deadlines must be met and for safety considerations, adequate lighting needs to be implemented. While any type of illumination can make working in the dark a more plausible task, LED technology is the preferred choice these days, for not just safety and environment concerns; we delve into why they are such a popular lighting equipment on job sites.

1. LEDs are very bright

One of the most important qualities of a light source is its brightness. In most cases, brighter lights are better lights because they allow an individual to see more of his or her surroundings, but whilst you want the work area illuminated, it’s also just as important to not have bright lights shining directly in workers (or passer-by’s) eyes. Brighter lights cut through the darkness like a knife through butter, and they provide vision for those who need it most when they need it most whilst still being flexible enough ensure only the required area is lit up. Laser-emitting diodes are much brighter than traditional incandescent bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps. They have longer throw, which is critical in tunnels that may stretch on for miles. A tiny LED unit the size of a box of cards can emit light at an intensity that is at least three to four times that of an incandescent or CFL unit that’s the same size.

2. LEDs are extremely durable and reliable

When you buy a product, you expect it to function as advertised and for a long time. With LED technology, you get both every purchase. The lifespan of an LED light is up to 50 times longer than that of an incandescent light and five times longer than that of a CFL. Incandescent bulbs have filaments that can burn out, and CFLs can be easily destroyed with impact. LEDs, on the other hand, are nearly indestructible. They are extremely shock resistant and can take a beating in even the harshest environmental conditions. Since LEDs don’t have filaments, they won’t ever burn out. In mining tunnels or unfinished structures where danger lurks around every corner, LED lights can save lives because they work reliably all the time – as long as they are plugged in or powered by batteries. In the event of a tunnel or structural collapse, surviving workers can count on LED lights to guide them to safety.

3. LEDs do not pose any apparent health risks

All compact fluorescent lamps contain mercury, a poisonous substance that is hazardous to human health. While the mercury is essentially harmless when contained within the CFL bulb, it can easily leak if a CFL bulb is shattered. Stepping onto fragments of CFL bulbs can cause a severe reaction that destroys tissue.

In construction zones and mines, accidents occur all the time. Things get knocked down, bent and dented for one reason or another. Many times, these occurrences aren’t even the fault of the workers. In such accident prone workplaces, LEDs are the only sensible lighting option because they rarely break and don’t contain harmful chemicals. CFLs and incandescent bulbs are simply too fragile to withstand the abuse, and that means they can fail when you least expect it to pose the biggest health risk of all: potential death. 

4. LEDs use less energy and run cooler

Research suggests that LED lighting uses about 75% less energy than incandescent lighting. That huge decrease in consumption translates to huge savings over time, and who wouldn’t want to save money? Mining and construction businesses usually spend a lot of money to run daily operations, and a big part of that goes to lighting. Replacing existing light fixtures with LEDs can cut a lot of energy costs and spare funds for more useful purposes.

Being the efficient light sources that they are, LEDs produce very little heat as a result. Heat production isn’t only annoying for workers because it can raise local temperatures and make the job even more difficult to endure than it already is, excessive heat can also set off explosions in mining tunnels where volatile gases often exist. Saving money and saving lives are both very convincing reasons for any individual or company to switch over to LED lighting. 

5. LEDs can be expensive

LED lighting is great, but let’s be honest – there are pros and cons to everything. The biggest drawback of implementing LED lighting in construction and mining sites is cost. Yes, you’ll save a ton of money in energy expenses, but purchasing the LED units themselves could cost you a small fortune initially. That’s especially true if you run a large business and plan on phasing out your entire stock of incandescent or CFL lights. The good news is that LED lights have gone down greatly in price since their introduction years ago. This means that they are more affordable for the average consumer. However, the fact remains: LED lights are still more expensive than more conventional forms, and they probably won’t get into the same price range until another cutting-edge lighting technology comes along and goes mainstream.

This is the age of LED lighting. This powerful, rugged, and efficient technology is clearly superior to incandescent and CFL technology, and it’s on the path to seeing mainstream use. In industries such as construction and mining, using LED lighting can prove to be a huge advantage that increases vision, productivity, and safety. Unfortunately, not all LED lights are made the same. Product design and quality of manufacture can determine whether or not an LED light lives up to its reputation or bites the dust far before it’s supposed to. When shopping for LED lighting, always do research to ensure that you get a quality product that is as dependable as sunlight.

Author Bio

This article is written by Jayde Ferguson, who writes for AllightSykes, one of the world’s largest suppliers of lighting towers; designed, engineered and built in Australia to meed the world’s toughest standards.  

Note:  Try the LED lights that can be attached to caps and hardhats, offered by Texas America Safety Company (tasco-safety.com)  Remember that 5% discount if you mention the blog! Thanks, pb

 

 

 

 

 
Eye Protection, General Safety Issues

A SAFER JOBSITE: ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY LIGHTING (GUEST POST)

Construction and mining jobs are among the most dangerous occupations worldwide. Each year thousands of injuries and accidents relating to machine and equipment operation are reported, making the fatality rate for this industry higher than the national average across all industries. According to the United States Bureau of Labour Statistics though, this situation is slowly improving. 

Despite the improving record however, both construction and mining sites are still accident prone environments where lives are constantly at risk. In the US, nearly 6.5 million people work across different construction sites every day so keeping workers and pedestrians safe are the number one priority. Adequate illumination and the use of proper lighting equipment on the site plays an important role in reducing the hazards associated with the line of work. 

While companies are taking steps to improve work safety for their employees, they are also taking bigger steps to reduce the environmental footprint. We look at how mobile lighting influences a safer jobsite and its ‘green’ impression.   

Lighting Amount

A key factor to consider for construction and mining jobsites is the amount of light that is required by the state standards and Occupational Health and Safety guidelines. The American National Standards Institute has specific requirements about what is considered “safe lighting” for worksites that needs to be abided by. Most light tower manufacturers can also help with this information, but the requirements need to be determined before you know which tower can get the job done right. 

Lighting Position

Sufficient lighting though isn’t enough to fulfill a safe jobsite, it’s just as important to position and adjust the light towers correctly. There are a number of ways to make lights less invasive and companies can manufacture towers with a softer glare, but ensuring they aren’t ‘blinding’ workers or creating a glare hazard for nearby motorists is essential.

Visor shields can normally be offered by manufacturers to provide protection while still giving adequate brightness, or some tower models can allow for the lights to be aimed directly down. When positioning lighting towers, it’s vital the light isn’t shined into a person’s eyes and becomes a safety issue – these applications to prevent the light from blinding those on or near the jobsite is critical.  Certain types of safety glasses can adjust automatically to protect from glare as needed.

Environmental Safety

Nearly as much of a concern as the safety of workers, the environmental welfare is becoming an increasingly widespread decision. For lighting towers on larger or especially remote and hard to access jobsites, it’s beneficial for them to have a greater fuel capacity to help prevent spills. This will also reduce the amount of times the lighting tower will need to be serviced, allowing significant cost savings and eco-friendliness. 

LED Lighting Towers – A Healthier Approach

This ‘green’ epidemic has led an increasing number of construction and mining companies to make the switch to LED lighting towers. LED lighting towers offer benefits for worksite safety, cost savings and environmental concerns.

As fuel capacity is major consideration, replacing a standard lighting tower with an LED one can save your company tons of litres of fuel and money.  Typically they cost more to purchase but are more power efficient with a longer life expectancy, ultimately saving you more. 

As opposed to Metal Halide lights which can take up to five– ten minutes to start and restrike, LEDs are instant and provide a better colour rendition making them extremely useful when dealing with electric wiring.

When it comes to the safety of workers, passer-by’s, and the environmental compliance innovations are always being driven to continuously meet the requirements with confidence.  Safety features are standard, but going the extra measure to incorporate environmental friendly lighting will ensure a safer jobsite all around. 

Author Bio

This article is written by Jayde Ferguson who writes for  AllightSykes, one of the world’s largest suppliers of lighting towers; designed, engineered and built in Australia to meed the world’s toughest standards.  

 

Eye Protection, General Safety Issues, Hand Protection, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety, Uncategorized

ENSURING THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS SAFETY

Safety Meetings and Safety Training are conducted to keep you safe while you earn your pay.  But what if these meetings were presented in a language that you didn’t know?  America has always been known as a Melting Pot, with immigrant workers coming from all over the world.  Many of them are from disadvantaged countries, and work in seasonal jobs such as agriculture.  Others work in construction, mining, and industries with high mortality rates.  Some are machine operators, assemblers, cleaners, and helpers.  Limited English proficiency may be a direct contributor to workplace injuries or fatalities. 

OSHA has a history of requiring employers to train their employees in a manner that they understand.  If they don’t speak English, then preparation for their job tasks, as well as safety and health training, is to be conveyed in the language that they understand.  If the employee’s vocabulary is limited, training must account for that limitation.  Simply telling them to read training materials will not satisfy the employer’s obligation.  OSHA also requires employers to verify that employees have acquired the knowledge and skills for which they have been trained; i.e., lockout/tagout, respiratory protection, bloodborne pathogens, etc.

Having worked for an oilfield construction company in West Texas several years ago, I know there were many of our employees that didn’t understand or speak English, and were dependent on their Spanish-speaking supervisors to instruct them.  They worked hard for minimum wage, and did a good job.  But there were injuries, as well.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health shares these examples of how they are working to improve problems that immigrant workers face:

§ The NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) program identifies and studies work-related injury deaths, with the goal of identifying effective prevention measures.
§  Through on-site investigations, NIOSH and cooperating states collect detailed circumstances for select incident types, including deaths of Hispanic workers since 2002.
§ Targeted research programs focused on the construction and agricultural sectors, both of which employ a disproportionate share of immigrant workers. 
§ An occupational health disparities program, which is conducting research on the causes and prevention of occupational health disparities including those experienced by immigrant workers. 
§ A Spanish language website and translation of several NIOSH publications into Spanish.
§ An innovative information and communication effort with the Spanish-language television network Telemundo and other partners, in which construction safety messages were incorporated dramatically into a widely watched prime-time series, and supplemented with a public service announcement and a special website.

 
Companies and their supervisors are responsible for the safety of all workers, must understand the hazards of their job, as well as the importance of wearing Personal Protective Equipment, and how to take care of it.  If employees see a co-worker that is at risk, regardless of a language barrier, or any other reason, they need to reach out and help.  That way, everyone stays safe!

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety

DEVELOP WORK ZONE TRAFFIC SAFETY PLANS

DISASTER RECOVERY EFFORTS

U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA chief encourages safe cleanup efforts

The U.S. Department of Labor is always concerned that the loss of life or serious injury to recovery workers won’t be added to tragedies caused by calamitous weather.  Quoting Ed Foulke, Head of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, “I encourage you to take proper precautions to avoid serious injury.  Identify the risks.  Wear personal protective equipment when working in cleanup areas.”

These words can apply to the many disasters in our country: tornadoes, floods, and fires.  Using professionally trained personnel and volunteers, recovery crews need to be informed of the special hazards they are facing before they begin their efforts, and particularly how to stay protected in areas with moving equipment and traffic.

An example of such planning includes:

  • Develop a traffic control plan, and properly train all workers involved.
  • Provide the crew with high visibility apparel and headwear that is visible day or night, and conspicuous to motorists and equipment operators.
  • Signs need to be placed well ahead of the work area to give motorists advance notice.
  • Traffic Controls such as barriers, cones, and a flag person are to be utilized.
  • Flag personnel must wear high visibility headwear and clothing.  They should stand alone while doing their duty.  Other workers should never gather around the person who is flagging traffic.
  • Crew members need to be trained not to stand between mechanical equipment and fixed objects or blind spots.

Blog4Safety says “Thank You” to the many unsung heroes who do this type of work every day as their regular job, or volunteer in times of need.
Source: OSHA
USDOL

General Safety Issues

HOLDING TAILGATE MEETINGS

No, this isn’t a tailgate party before a football game, it’s a 10-15 minute on-the-job meeting held to make employees aware of work-related illnesses and accidents.
In California, these meetings are required in both the construction and tunneling industries.
The person in charge asks employees to share actual experiences, ones that they have witnessed: an on-the-job accident or near-accident.  These meetings are casual and relaxed, where the workers feel comfortable talking about topics that pertain to their particular job hazards.  The meetings are always about safety and health problems on the job, and employee participation is encouraged.  Meetings are held to ensure rules are followed and to prevent accidents from happening.

As an example, and according to Cal/OSHA, workers are killed or injured every year because machine guards are taken off and not replaced.  Typical excuses given for this type of accident are:

  • “I didn’t have to time to replace it”
  • “The guard slowed me down”
  • “Listen, I’ve run these machines for years without guards and I’ve never been hurt”
  • “I wanted to be sure the machine was running ok, just never got around to replacing the guard”.

Of course, it’s too late for the victim after the accident has occurred.  Regretfully, it is then that the guards are replaced and strict rules are enforced.

Regardless of what type of company safety policy is enforced at your place of business, it is important that all workers have input to make sure they are protected from accidents and illnesses that are job-related.

Source: CAL/OSHA

Uncategorized

SAFETY TIPS FOR THOSE “UP IN THE AIR” WORKERS!

Did you ever notice a guy standing high up in a bucket, working on electric or telephone lines?  Looks like fun for those of us who don’t make our living doing that.  But there are safety risks involved, such as falls, electrocutions, and tip-overs for workers who stand in cherry pickers or bucket trucks, which are held up by boom-supported aerial platforms.

According to OSHA, the following safe work practices are encouraged:

  • Always treat power lines, wires and other conductors as energized, even when they are down or appear to be insulated.
  • A restraining belt with a lanyard attached to the boom or basket to prevent the worker(s) from being pulled from the basket should always be used.
  • If provided, use outriggers.
  • Unless permitted by the manufacturer, never move the equipment with workers in an elevated position.
  • Hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical safety devices should never be overridden.
  • Workers who operate aerial lifts are to be properly trained in the safe use of the equipment.
  • Elevating work platforms should be maintained and operated according to manufacturers instructions.
  • Load limits of equipment should not be exceeded.  The combined weight of worker, tools and materials should be considered.

The next time you see one of these workers, you might just say thanks for getting your power, cable, or telephone back on line during that last storm.  Their job is not an easy one!

General Safety Issues, High Visibility Safety, Weather Protection

Are You Bright Enough For Your Work?

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Until the document regarding American National Standard for High-Visibility Safety Apparel (ANSI/ISEA 107-1999) was published, there was no authoritative guide for performance specifications, design, and use of high visibility and reflective apparel, which included vests, bib-jumpsuit coveralls, jackets, harnesses and trousers.  The many workers that need this protection are now assured of being seen, both day and night, when they wear apparel that conforms to these regulations.  These conspicuity classes of garments are based on wearer’s activities:
Class I:

  • Occupations requiring full and undivided attention to approaching traffic, moving no faster than 25 mph.
  • Non-complex work backgrounds.
  • Working away from traffic.
  • Examples: Sidewalk maintenance workers, parking lot attendants, roadside “right of way”, delivery vehicle drivers (if criteria is met for Class I), shopping cart retrievers, and workers in warehouses with equipment traffic.

Class I garments should have a visible background of 217 sq. inches, and visible reflective of 155 sq. inches.
Class II:

  • Occupations for workers that need greater visibility in inclement weather, or have greater risks than Class I; whose activities are near roadways where traffic speeds exceed 25 mph but less than 50 mph.
  • Complex work backgrounds.
  • Diversion of traffic attention.
  • Examples: Ship cargo handlers, roadway construction, airport baggage/ground crew, emergency response/law enforcement, forestry, railway workers, school crossing guards, trash collection and recycling, delivery vehicle drivers where criteria is met.

Class II garments should have a visible background of 755 sq. inches, and visible reflective of 201 sq. inches.
Class III:

  • Occupations of workers who face serious hazards and have high task loads that require attention away from their work.  Garments should provide enhanced visibility to more of the body, such as arms and legs.  Workers in locations where traffic exceeds 50 mph, should have the highest level of conspicuity.
  • Workers who are exposed to extreme weather conditions.
  • High risk workers and limited sight distances jobs.
  • Examples: Utility workers, roadway personnel, survey crews, emergency response, equipment operators, railway workers, accident side investigators.

Class III garments should have a visible background of 1240 sq. inches, and visible reflective of 310 sq. inches.

Always be sure that the label on the vests identifies the vest maker and that it meets ANSI/ISEA.  It should display a picture of the vest, class and brightness level, and garment care guide.
Source: ANSI, Occunomix

General Safety Issues, Protective Clothing, Respiratory Safety

Get The Lead Out.

Often, we hear on the news about imported toys containing lead that is harmful to children.  But for workers at many construction sites, lead is a very common hazardous component.  Contact can come from inhaling dust and fumes, and may be ingested when hands are contaminated by lead dust.

To “get the lead out”, workers should do the following:

  • Wear appropriate personal protective equipment: gloves, and clothing.
  • Be sure to wash hands and face after work, and always before eating.
  • Never enter eating areas wearing protective equipment.
  • Use respirators, and be alert to symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, loss of motor coordination, headaches.
  • At work, ensure adequate ventilation – stand upwind of plumes.
  • Use dust collection equipment and employ wet methods to decrease dust.
  • Never wear exposed work clothes away from work.
  • Use correct cleaning methods and wash clothes daily.

OSHA