Like Oil And Water, Drinking And Driving Do Not Mix.  Season's Greetings. It's that time of the year again, for friends, family, and the eagerly awaited company Christmas party. Yes, you know, the party where Bob has one eggnog too many and hits on someone else's wife. All kidding aside, this is the worst time of year for drinking and driving accidents. In fact, people who drink and drive are responsible for about 23,000 deaths a year. In recent years a great deal of attention has been devoted to solving the drinking and driving problem that plagues this country. More police patrols...

Do Cellular Phones Cause More Vehicle Accidents? Cellular phones - It's common knowledge that the number one cause of work-related fatalities are vehicle accidents. Most companies have at least one truck, if not a whole fleet of vehicles, and their drivers face the hazards of the roadway day after day. Sometimes a trip ends tragically. Now, a new technology threatens to increase the accident potential for drivers. In more and more companies, cellular phones are being used by construction, service and delivery personnel, as well as by management levels. According to one research study, the use of a cellular phone while driving...

Housekeeping Is An Important Part Of Your Job Housekeeping is everyone's job! Your employer is not your mother! What do I mean by that, you ask? I mean, just like when you were young, your mother had to remind you to pick up after yourself. Now that you are on your own, you still need to be told sometimes. Housekeeping is a very important part of your job. Not only does it improve the overall appearance of your shop or work area, it shows that you take pride in where you work. The best way that you can help keep your...

Temporary Heat Safety Temporary heat safety devices are a vital part of being able to work effectively in cold weather. They allow temperature-critical work to continue on schedule, and provide for more comfortable working conditions. However, as a result of poor selection and careless use of portable heaters, injuries and damaging fires occur every year. If improperly used, temporary heating equipment can lead to burns, fires, explosion, carbon monoxide poisoning, and the creation of oxygen deficient atmospheres. So, with the winter season upon us, it's important to review the many types of temporary heating devices that are available, and be sure they...

Safety & Security After Hours Last one out turn off the lights!" If only it were that simple. In today's work environments, whether it's a fixed facility or a temporary job site, after hours safety and security is an important responsibility that shouldn't be overlooked. This involves more than just turning out the lights. A good approach is to use a checklist, to ensure that everything is checked for safety and security. The list can be customized to suit your own operation, and may include the following: Perimeter Fencing and Gates Vehicles and Machinery Roof Top Access Dumpsters and Recycle Bins Area...

Respirator Program Respirators and a written respirator program are required by OSHA whenever air contaminants are above the Permissible Exposure Level. A respirator program should include the following elements: ___ Physician's examination to determine the worker's capability of wearing a respirator ___ Program implementation and annual re-evaluations ___ Written standard operating procedures for the selection and use of respirators ___ Fit testing ___ Purchase of respirators and/or filters for each atmospheric need ___ Purchase of cleaning materials, filters, pre-filters, canisters and spare parts ___ Documented employee training on respirator use and limitations ___ Equipment inspection, cleaning, maintenance and storage procedures and records ___ Work-area monitoring to establish degree of exposure...

Develop And "Sell" Your Safety Solutions The best ideas for improving the work environment often come from the people who are most affected by what happens in that environment-the workers. But how can employees effectively create solutions to their workplace safety problems, communicate their ideas for improvement to management, and have those ideas be seriously considered? Two tools are needed; a structured approach to solving problems and a way to submit formal suggestions. A Five-Step Approach to Solving Problems: Identify the Problem. Perhaps you already have a specific, perplexing safety problem in mind. It may be a piece of equipment or a...

Safe Operation Of Forklifts - Equipment Hazards Forklifts are a very important part of material handling in many industries. They are also a source of serious accidents. All personnel who operate forklifts must be trained and certified in safe operation at least once a year. The training includes both classroom and vehicle operation. Written and driving tests are administered by the instructor. Here are some basic safety rules to remember when operating a forklift. OPERATOR RESPONSIBILITY The operator is in charge of his/her own vehicle. As such they are responsible for their own safety, vehicle, load, company property and equipment and other...

Personal Protection Quiz Selecting Suitable Eye Protection Question 1: While using an abrasive grinder to dress some hand tools, your eyes will be sufficiently protected from flying particles if you wear a face shield. Answer: No. Face shields are not approved eye protection. They are designed to protect the facial skin from cuts and abrasions. They may be worn over approved primary eye protection for additional protection to the face. Question 2: One of your assigned job duties is to transfer a corrosive liquid chemical from one container to another. You wear safety glasses with side shields while performing this task. Are your eyes...

Back Care: You Can Make A Difference! "OUCH! Why did I try to lift that much weight on my own?" Did you ever ponder those words after you hoisted something heavy, or lifted from an awkward position? These incidents are well-known causes of back strain, but you might not have considered other "underlying" factors that lead to back injury. Several conditions influence your "back health." The cause of most back problems is poor posture, loss of flexibility, stressful living/working habits and above all, a general decline in physical fitness. Surprised? You shouldn't be. When you "let yourself go," (and most of us...