Safe Handling of Flammable Liquids Flammable liquids are used in many workplaces. They may range from cleaning fluids, paints, and gasoline to some more volatile and dangerous liquids. If you remember a few simple, common sense rules when handling or storing flammable liquids, you can help prevent injury to yourself and your coworkers or prevent your jobsite from going up in flames. Flammable liquids themselves will not burn, but as the liquid evaporates, it gives off vapors that mix with the air to form dangerous gases that can be set off by a small spark. Gasoline, for example, evaporates at temperatures as...

Flagger Safety A flagger keeps motorists and road workers safe during temporary roadwork by following the safe work practices and training requirements from OSHA and the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). Get training from a qualified person on safe work practices, traffic control procedures, and communication techniques with the public.  Understand the different traffic control setups and roadwork hazards.  Recognize hazards and emergency situations, respond and maneuver quickly, and warn coworkers if needed.  Demonstrate that you can control traffic with the correct procedures during your training. Wear high visibility safety apparel that meets Performance Class 2 (daytime) and Class 3 (nighttime)...

Emergency Showers When your work tasks require the use of chemicals that are corrosive or severely irritating to the skin or which are toxic by skin absorption, you need an emergency shower available. The emergency shower should be within a 10 second walk (approximately 50 feet) from the chemical workstation.  Keep the pathways clear.  Prevent shock hazards by keeping electrical equipment and outlets away from the shower area.  Test the shower monthly or according to manufacturer’s instructions weekly to ensure it activates. If you are contaminated with a chemical, stay calm and act immediately.  Chemicals can do a lot of damage in just...

Work Safely with Concrete and Cement Concrete is a common building material that can be used in a variety of ways. It’s generally made by combining cement, sand, aggregate (small stones) and water. When these materials are mixed in the correct amounts and if they’re further strengthened by adding re-bar, fiberglass strands or plastic rods, the concrete can be used to build roads, bridges, buildings, septic tanks, floors, concrete blocks, and even countertops for homes. However, anyone who uses or works around concrete and cement should understand the potential health hazards and follow safe handling procedures to prevent harmful exposures. There are...

Seatbelt Safety - Wear Your Seatbelt Thousands of people, not wearing their seatbelt, apparently believing themselves immune to the laws of physics, die each day as a result of vehicle accidents be. According to the laws of physics, if a vehicle is traveling at 30 miles per hour, its contents and passengers are also moving at 30 miles per hour. The vehicle's sudden stop at 30 miles per hour can mean the difference of life or death to the passengers wearing seat belts. People are a vehicle's most valuable content and seat belts keep people in place. In a crash, unbelted passengers...

First Aid for Burns First Aid for Burns  - A burn can be painful or painless, according to the degree. The degree of a burn is determined by its location on the body and the number of skin layers affected. A burn can be caused by heat, electricity, chemicals or radiation. The first response in a burn situation is to stop the heat source or break contact between the heat source and the skin. The body holds in the heat and continues to burn until the skin cools. In many cases you can cool the burn with water. Unless told to...

Auto Body Work Repairing auto body damage requires sanding, grinding, and sometimes welding to repair the vehicle before it can be refinished. Get training in collision repair. Know the techniques and tools to complete bodywork. Review the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) for the chemicals you use to identify the personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear and how to mix and use materials properly. Eye injuries are common in auto body shops. Always wear eye protection when you are grinding, sanding, welding, and painting. Safety eyeglasses, goggles, and/or shields can protect your eyes from flying particles, sparks, and splashes. Grinding and sanding the paint off...

Excavations Excavations are any man-made cut, cavity, hole, trench, or depression made in the earth’s surface by the removal of soil. Workers in excavations can be exposed to cave-ins, engulfment, hazardous atmospheres, and falls. Excavation safety training and procedures prevent serious injuries and accidents. Before work on an excavation can begin, surface hazards such as unstable buildings, sidewalks, etc. that could endanger employees must be secured or removed. Hazards below the ground must also be identified and made safe before work can begin. Call 811 at least 2 days before the excavation. They will contact utilities so that representatives can determine if...

Ergonomics -  Breaks, Rest Periods, and Stretches Ergonomic injury risk factors include forceful movements, repetitive motions, awkward postures, and lack of rest.  Rest periods give the body time to recover from work; breaktime exercises and stretches strengthen the body.  Workers should think of themselves as Industrial Athletes; athletes wouldn’t participate in a sport without proper rest and warm-up, so use the same preparation on the job. Maintaining overall health reduces your risk of injury.  Get a good night’s sleep to rest your body and maintain alertness.  Eat healthy foods and drink fluids to boost energy and stay hydrated.  Aerobic exercise and weight...

Emergency Preparedness Emergency Preparedness - Emergencies in the workplace cannot be eliminated, but if you have an emergency action plan in place and have trained workers to respond quickly and appropriately you can optimize efficiency, relieve anxiety, and in some cases, save lives. Management commitment and worker involvement are essential to an effective emergency action plan.  The action plan should be explained to workers and reviewed whenever the plan or responsibilities change.  How good is your emergency action plan?  Find out by asking yourself and your workers the following questions: General Is there a means of reporting emergencies and accounting for personnel before...