Ergonomics - The Term Ergonomics Ergonomics is an important term that is currently receiving a great deal of attention from safety professionals. Federal OSHA is in the process of developing standards that would require every company to have an ergonomics program.  What is ergonomics and how could it affect you? Ergonomics is the scientific study of human work. It considers the physical and mental capabilities and limits of people as they interact with tools, equipment, work methods, tasks, and the environment. The primary goal of an ergonomics program is to reduce work-related injuries and illnesses by adapting the work to fit the...

What To Do In Case of Fire SOUND THE ALARM: Do not underestimate any fire. Sound the fire alarm and call the local fire department immediately if a fire breaks out. Choose a safe location to make the call. It will be helpful for emergency responders to know the size and location of the fire and the general hazards in the area (such as chemicals, compressed gases etc). Follow your own company’s procedures in responding to fires. USE YOUR JUDGEMENT: When you see smoke or fire, you should use your own good judgment before you decide to extinguish the blaze. Attempt to...

Personal Fall Arrest and Fall Restraint Systems It is important for you to understand the difference between a fall arrest system and fall restraint system. These are most commonly used in the construction industry, but may apply to many other situations where employees must work at heights. FALL RESTRAINT: A fall restraint system consists of the equipment used to keep an employee from reaching a fall point, such as the edge of a roof or the edge of an elevated working surface. The most commonly utilized fall restraint system is a standard guardrail. A tie off system that "restrains" the employee from...

The Mighty Power Press Powerful metalworking machines, like a power press make punching a hole in sheet steel look as easy a punching holes in a sheet of paper. This equipment's bulk and power is one of the reasons that injuries from power presses are among the most common in metal working industries. Power presses come equipped with numerous safety devices such as guards, barriers, presence sensing devices, or two-hand trips-for very good reason. These machines are unforgiving. The injuries they cause are usually serious. Only ten manufacturing industries out of hundreds primarily use power presses, yet they have nearly 10% of...

Radiation in the Workplace You are probably familiar with a few uses of radiation, like x-rays and nuclear power. But did you know there are lots of ways radiation is used in the workplace? Radiation is used to sterilize health products, to treat cancer and other diseases, to measure the moisture content of soil at construction sites, to locate leaks in pipelines and defects in welds, to make fluorescent bulbs last longer, to make lightning rods work better--the list goes on and on. Radiation is a tool that is used for great benefit to our society. But radiation can be harmful...

Give New Co-Workers Your Support! Once the initial orientation to the company is over and the basic requirements of the job and the safety program have been covered, it's time to move the new employee into the work force and introduce the people he or she will be working with. Co-workers play an important role in getting the new person off to a good start. What is a veteran employee's role when it comes to orienting a new employee? Remember that new people are nervous to begin with - just starting a new job. They probably don't remember all the instructions they...

Is it OK to Repair Electrical Cords? Even heavy duty extension cords become damaged. Because they can be expensive, you may be asked to make a repair, rather than get a new cord. But merely re-attaching and wrapping the wires doesn't mean the repair is proper or safe. Let's review the correct way to repair electrical cords. The first obvious step is often overlooked. Unplug the cord and take control of both ends. Splices: Cut back only enough of the outer and inner insulation to make the repair. Keep in mind that the color-coded wires on one side need to be connected to...

Hydroblaster Safety High-pressure water cleaning has become more common over the past few years, often replacing the need for sand blasting. The uses of hydroblasters vary from paint and grease removal, tank cleaning and log debarking, to rodding of heat exchangers and cleaning of sidewalks. Although hydroblasters are fairly simple to operate, they can be dangerous if not properly used. A pump is used to increase the water pressure to 10,000 psi, with larger units capable of 45,000 psi or more. This pressurized water is pumped through a flexible steel braided hose and discharged through a pipe called a lance which has...

Time to Chock and Block Those Tires! “I am only going to leave the truck for a minute – it won’t go anywhere.” This is what we hear all the time, but every year, workers are severely or fatally injured because the wheels of a truck or trailer were not chocked. Vehicle drivers are also injured when trailers overturn because unblocked freight shifted during travel. When wheels aren't meant to roll. Accidents are caused each year when a truck or trailer rolls away from the dock because no one took time to chock the wheels. In some cases, drivers were crushed by...

That Container Only Looks Empty! Containers that have held flammable or combustible liquids can remain explosive even after the liquid has been removed. The liquid in the container is replaced by air which mixes with the hazardous vapors. This combination can be explosively ignited by a spark or heat. In fact, these containers are normally more explosive than a full container. How many times have you seen a 5 gallon pail or a 55 gallon drum being used as a welding or grinding stand? This is very dangerous. Any sparks produced could ignite the vapors. Also, the torch flame, heating the container,...