Office Safety – Recognizing Potential Hazards Office safety begins with recognizing potential hazards before they cause an injury. Offices may appear relatively safe, but falls, poor housekeeping, unsafe storage, improper lifting, and everyday office equipment can create hazards when employees are not paying attention. Take time to look around your work area...

Cold Weather Hazards of Propane-Fueled Vehicles Propane-powered vehicles and equipment require special precautions when moved from cold outdoor conditions into a heated building. Propane is stored as a liquid under pressure, and liquid propane expands as its temperature increases. If a fuel container is overfilled, warming can increase internal pressure and...

Acetone Use & Care Acetone is a widely used solvent found in cleaning products, coatings, adhesives, paint-related products, and many industrial processes. It evaporates quickly and is effective at removing oils, grease, and other residues. Although acetone has relatively low toxicity compared with many industrial solvents, it can still create health...

Machine Guard Safety – Safety Requirements for Safeguards Machine guard safety is essential for preventing employees from contacting hazardous moving parts that can cause lacerations, crushing injuries, amputations, or death. Machinery with exposed points of operation, rotating components, nip points, or other hazardous moving parts must be properly safeguarded whenever employees...

Powder-Actuated Hand Tools Powder-actuated hand tools use an explosive charge to drive nails, studs, or other fasteners into materials such as concrete, steel, and masonry. Because these tools operate with tremendous force, improper use can cause severe or fatal injuries from accidental discharge, ricocheting fasteners, flying debris, or fasteners passing completely...

Earthquake Safety Earthquakes can occur with little or no warning and may cause falling objects, structural damage, fires, utility failures, chemical releases, and disruption of emergency services. The best protection is to prepare the workplace, know what to do during the shaking, and practice emergency procedures before an earthquake occurs. Prepare the...

Awkward Work Positions - Save Your Back Awkward work positions can place excessive stress on the back, muscles, joints, and soft tissues, increasing the risk of strains and other musculoskeletal injuries. Proper positioning, planning, and use of mechanical or ergonomic aids can reduce these risks. Guide for Discussion What Is an Awkward Work...