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...

Preventing Silicosis There is a general lack of awareness about the nature of the disease silicosis and about the sources of silica exposure in the worksite.  More than 1 million U.S. workers are exposed to crystalline silica (free silica).  Overexposure to crystalline silica can cause silicosis, a disabling lung disease. Sand, rock, and soil are the most common materials that contain silica.  The most common form of crystalline silica is known as quartz.  Inhalation of airborne dusts that contain crystalline silica can occur in a wide variety of settings:  mining, quarrying, and stone cutting; foundry operations; paint-blasting and sand-blasting; glass manufacturing and...

Power Press Safety A power press can present serious hazards to its operator. A power press injury can result in the amputation of fingers, hands, or arms and cause other disabling injuries. Proper safeguards, employee training, press maintenance, and inspections are vital to the prevention of injuries. A power press can be used in more than one production system and there may be several ways to safeguard each system. For operators, the greatest danger is at the point where stock is inserted, held, or withdrawn by hand. Safeguards are designed to eliminate the possibility of the operator or other workers from placing...

Insect & Spider Bites Each year many workers experience insect and spider bites serious enough to make them lose time off the job. If you are stung by a bee, remove the stinger gently (with tweezers, if possible) and avoid squeezing the poison sac.  Apply an ice pack or a cloth dipped in cold water to reduce swelling and itching.  A sting from a yellow jacket can be deadly.  These insects feed on dead animals and can cause blood poisoning.  If you have an allergic reaction to a bite, get medical help immediately. Of spiders causing serious medical problems only the black widow...

Hearing Protection Devices Hearing protection devices (HPD) such as earmuffs and earplugs can be an effective measure to protect hearing in noisy work environments.  However, hearing protection devices are only effective if they are properly sized and carefully fitted into or over the ear.  The two common HPD categories are earplugs and earmuffs. There are several common types of hearing protection devices: Formable earplugs made of expandable foam.  One size fits most people. Premolded earplugs made from flexible plastics.  Often sold in different sizes, they should be selected to provide best fit for each ear. Semi-aural devices, or canal caps, consisting of...