Do You Know the Common Facts About Gasoline? You are around gasoline everyday, but not everyone realizes that gasoline is the most common flammable liquid manufactured and used. Because we use it so often, we sometimes forget some common facts about this flammable liquid: Gasoline as a liquid does not burn – it is the vapors that the liquid gives off that burn. Vapors usually cannot be seen but frequently travel long distances to a source of ignition. Thus the gasoline can be located a great distance from an actual ignition source. Gasoline gives off enough vapor to flash, when exposed...

Trenching Safety A trench is a narrow channel (up to 15 feet wide), generally deeper than it is wide, made below the surface of the ground. An excavation is any man-made hole or trench that is made by removing earth. Trenching is recognized as one of the most hazardous construction activities. The greatest risk is a cave-in and even a small job can present serious safety hazards. The key to preventing this type of accident is good planning. Each year in the United States trenching cave-ins result in hundreds of serious injuries and dozens of deaths. Trenches are needed to build roads,...

Kitchen Machine Safety Do you work in a kitchen? You have the potential for some of the most serious and frequent accidents caused by improper use of kitchen machines, which are more powerful than types used in the home. One hasty shortcut can mean the loss of a finger or a hand. As in all industries, new employees are especially prone to accidents and should be trained to remember the following safety rules: Cutters & Choppers: These should never be operated with the blades exposed-guards must always be in place. Every day, test the safety interlock switch that turns the power off when...

Hearing Protection Noise is an unwanted sound that can affect job performance, safety, and health. Psychological effects of noise include annoyance and disruption of concentration. Physical effects include loss of hearing, pain, nausea, and interference with communications when the exposure is severe. Hearing protection is essential when noise exposures can't be controlled at their source. Both earplugs and earmuffs provide a physical barrier that reduces inner ear noise levels inner ear and prevents hearing loss from occurring. However, people often resist wearing these or use them incorrectly. Employees resist wearing hearing protection more than any other type of personal protective equipment. One reason...

Time to Charge your Battery Are you aware of all the hazards that could occur when you service, charge or jump the common lead-acid battery found in cars and trucks? You can protect yourself by following a few common sense safety rules: Fire Protection: Lead-acid batteries produce flammable hydrogen gas when being charged. This highly explosive gas, generated within the cells, will expand and seep out of the vent caps. A cigarette, tool, or spark from any source could ignite the gas, causing the battery to explode. Always charge in a well ventilated area. Remember that the battery is receiving a charge...

Safety And Your Supervisor Is job safety important to you? Some people will say yes right away. Others may feel differently, at least when this question is first posed. But survival and avoidance of pain is a basic instinct for all. You may say that safety isn't important to you, but just wait until you get hurt. At that time, I'll bet you will think differently. Safety does not just happen. Remember the old adage, if something can go wrong, it will. We must work to make things happen right; that is, in a safe manner. But one person cannot do this...

Housekeeping at Work “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression.” Never has this phrase been so true as when it comes to housekeeping at work. The negative impressions and implications of poor housekeeping can affect you and co-workers for a long time to come. Morale is lowered for most people who must function every day in a messy, disorderly work environment, although they may not be aware of the cause. Safety is an even more critical issue. If your housekeeping habits are poor, the result may be employee injuries – or even death, citations by OSHA (or...

Forklift Safety - Elevating Personnel Safely Forklift Safety - Forklifts (or powered industrial trucks) were never intended by manufacturers as a means of lifting personnel to perform job tasks at heights. Through the years, however, it became apparent, as evidenced by the number of injuries occurring, that this was, indeed, a method being employed for getting to light fixtures, top storage racks, elevated motors and other items too high to reach from the floor or from a ladder. It was viewed as a quicker way to accomplish tasks. Instead of going to the storage area and retrieving a ladder, riding the...

IT IS HOT! Preventing Heat Stress Wow! What a scorcher! You knew it was going to be a hot day but with this humidity, it has to be 105° F outside. You reach for that power tool to finish your job and start to feel lightheaded. It's probably because you haven't eaten much this morning. You can make it until lunch! Time passes and your condition hasn't gotten any better-in fact it's worse! Your breathing has increased, you're sweating profusely, and your mouth is dry. Something's wrong! You start to climb down the scaffolding but you're almost too weak to move. You...

Plumbing Safety A plumber installs, repairs, and maintains plumbing fixtures or systems in businesses, industries, or residences. The job may include installation and repair of pipes, fittings, and fixtures servicing the water supply, waste disposal, and heating systems. Plumbers must also haul supplies, cut, and assemble plumbing materials, and use equipment and tools. Plumbing is a simple name for a job that has a wide variety of duties. Chemical and material exposures are common for plumbers, so get training on the potential hazards at the job sites that you are assigned. Find out if your jobsite has asbestos, lead paint, or mold....