Aggressive Driving Every year, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) reports approximately 500,000 collisions with 200,000 injuries and 4,000 fatalities as a result. Unsafe speed, improper turning, failure to yield the right of way, and obey traffic signals were the most frequent causes, which led the Department of Transportation (DOT) to estimate that two-thirds of traffic fatalities may be caused by aggressive driving. Aggressive driving can be caused by longer commutes, traffic congestion, and other drivers’ behaviors. It can also be caused by your own mood, reactions, and ability to deal with stress on and off the road. Aggressive driving is triggered by...

Accident Prevention Effective implementation of, and consistent compliance with, the requirements and guidelines described below are critical to the protection and well-being of everyone on the project, including our customers, vendors, and the public. Accordingly, it is your responsibility to read and fully observe all of these safety and health practices while working on this project. Basic Safety and Health Practices Daily Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is an important tool used to identify and address hazards associated with your work Tasks. The JSA is a requirement. Your supervisor will review the safety and health requirements for each work task with you prior to...

Active Shooter Preparednes The Department of Homeland Security defines an active shooter as “an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area.” These incidents usually involve firearms and randomly selected targets or victims. Anyone involved in an incident should call emergency 911 as soon as it is safe to do so. Active shooter events are usually over within 10-15 minutes (sometimes before law enforcement arrives), so know how to respond if the unthinkable happens. Active shooters may be current or former workers, family or friends of co-workers, or complete strangers. While it is difficult...

Amusement Park Hazards Amusement park hazards - and theme parks and amusement parks are favorite recreational spots for families and kids, but behind the fun are serious hazards that require workers to remain alert. Amusement park hazards can often be alarming. Amusement and theme park workers have one of the highest injury, illness, and fatality rates in the industry, so get training on the mechanical hazards associated with rides, lockout/tagout, safe ride operation, and hazard recognition and reporting. Workers that improperly access ride areas have been run over, dragged, and struck by ride carriages, cars, and arms and suffered serious injuries and...

Poison Oak - Leaves of Three, Let Them Be! Thousands of California workers seek medical treatment for poison oak dermatitis every year.  While some individuals are less susceptible than others, no one is completely immune.  There are some simple things you can do to prevent or minimize the unpleasant often-disabling effects of poison oak exposure.  Learn to recognize, avoid, and prevent exposure, and get rid of it when possible. Recognize - The poison oak leaf looks like a miniature oak leaf, a triple leaf pattern leading off one stem with prominent veins and a shiny surface.  In some regions the leaves remain...

Cleaning Pesticide Soiled Clothing Clothing worn while applying a pesticide normally becomes contaminated.  From these clothes, the body can contact and absorb the chemicals.  Protective clothing (long-sleeve shirts, pants, gloves, hat, and boots) can reduce pesticide exposure, but unless they are laundered properly, significant amounts of pesticides can remain on them or be passed onto other clothing.  Keep in mind the following to guard against pesticide exposure from clothing. Launder clothing after each day’s wear. Clothing repeatedly soiled before cleaning can retain pesticides even after it’s later laundered.  Washing less frequently also puts more chemicals into the wash and rinse water. ...

Working Against Violence Perhaps workplace violence can’t be totally eliminated, but there are things that can be done to minimize it. Awareness and preparation are key factors. Evaluate the security of all work sites, establish a security plan for each location, and update the plan on a regular basis. The chance of violence is greater for certain jobs including jobs of contact with the public, working in late or early hours, exchanging money, delivering goods or services, high stress jobs, high crime areas, and if working alone or in small numbers. Initiate safety measures. Increase security with alarms, closed-circuit cameras or guards. Lock...

Safe Handling of Portable Power Drills Portable power drills are one of our most useful tools and, with care, they can be among the safest.  But electric drills can be dangerous if not handled carefully.  They can cause injuries in many ways – from being struck by flying drilling material, if chips of the materials being drilled are flung into the operator’s eyes or if the bit punctures or bores into flesh (usually a leg), and from electric shock. When drills are treated roughly, dropped or hit against things, or if they get wet, their insulation can weaken.  Without proper insulation you...

Lead in Construction In the construction industry, lead exposure is a serious issue that many workers face every day.  Lead exposure can occur during a variety of job activities.  Lead is common in a wide range of materials including paints and other coatings, lead mortars, and base metals, which may be welded on or abrasive blasted.  Lead presents a potentially serious occupational health hazard when the lead-containing particulates become airborne.  Common jobs on a construction site that might expose a worker to lead include: Renovating or demolishing structures that have lead-painted surfaces. Removing lead-based paint or spray painting with lead-based paint. ...

Avoiding Allergic Reactions to Latex Most people who encounter latex products have no health problems, but some workers are continually exposed to latex gloves and other products containing natural rubber latex, develop allergic reactions. Those who work where latex products are manufactured or who have multiple allergic conditions may also be affected. A latex allergy can result in serious health problems. Workers with ongoing exposure to natural rubber latex should follow the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's (NIOSH) recommendations which include: reducing exposure, using appropriate work practices, training and education, monitoring symptoms, and when possible, substituting non-latex products. You can...