Good Hygiene Can Keep You Healthy Good personal hygiene is an important part of workplace safety, particularly when employees work with chemicals, oils, fuels, dusts, paints, solvents, biological contaminants, or other hazardous substances. Contaminants left on the skin or clothing can be absorbed through the skin, accidentally ingested, transferred to food...

Firework Safety Tips Never allow children to play with or ignite fireworks, including sparklers Make sure fireworks are legal in your area before buying or using them Keep a bucket of water or hose handy in case of fire Light fireworks one at a time, then move back quickly Never...

Hand Injury Prevention Our hands are involved in nearly every task we perform, which also means they are frequently exposed to workplace hazards. Cuts, punctures, burns, crushing injuries, caught-in hazards, and amputations can occur in seconds and may result in permanent loss of function. Most hand injuries can be prevented by recognizing...

Safe Attitudes A story about safe attitudes. I was in a shipyard when I observed a worker perched precariously high and above the ground on a structural member. The Safety Manager signed time out and said, "Let's talk about this." The worker replied angrily, "Are we here to play safety or...

Lockout/Tagout Safety Remember to Lockout and Tagout Lockout/tagout safety protects employees from the unexpected startup, energization, or release of stored energy from machinery and equipment during servicing and maintenance. Employees who operate, clean, service, adjust, or repair equipment must understand when lockout/tagout (LOTO) applies and follow established energy-control procedures every time. Failure to...

General Safety – It’s Your Decision Every day, employees make decisions about how to perform their work. We naturally want to complete tasks efficiently and with the least unnecessary effort. Finding safer and more efficient ways to work is a good thing—but efficiency should never come at the expense of safety. A...

Flammable Liquids – Gasoline Gasoline is one of the most commonly used flammable liquids, and that familiarity can cause workers to underestimate its hazards. Gasoline is highly volatile, readily ignitable, and capable of producing dangerous vapor concentrations at normal working temperatures. The greatest fire hazard is generally not the liquid itself, but...

Eye Protection Preserve Your Vision As you leave the workplace today, look up, down and all around, observing the beauty around you. See the blue sky, the many shades of leaves in the trees, and the different birds that occupy them. When you get home, watch your children playing in the yard...

Electrical Sources in Hazardous Locations Electrical equipment can become an ignition source when it produces arcs, sparks, or excessive heat in an atmosphere containing flammable gases or vapors, combustible dusts, or easily ignitable fibers or flyings. A single ignition can result in a serious fire or explosion. Where hazardous atmospheres may exist,...