Proper Lifting - Preventing Back Injuries Proper lifting techniques can help prevent back injuries, muscle strains, and other musculoskeletal injuries when handling materials. Before every lift, evaluate the load, plan the movement, and determine whether you can safely handle it or need assistance. Prepare Before You Lift Take a few seconds to evaluate...

Ammonia Safety Ammonia is widely used in cleaning products, refrigeration systems, manufacturing, agriculture, fertilizers, and other industrial processes. It may also be produced naturally when materials such as manure or compost decompose. Although ammonia is common, exposure can cause serious injuries to the eyes, skin, and respiratory system. Ammonia may be encountered...

Heavy Equipment Hazards Heavy equipment is essential on many construction sites, but its size, weight, power, and limited visibility can create serious struck-by, caught-between, crushing, electrical, and rollover hazards. Safe operations require trained operators, effective communication, controlled work areas, and constant awareness by everyone working nearby. Guide for Discussion Employees Working Around Heavy...

Cruise Control Driving Cruise control can make long-distance driving more comfortable by maintaining a selected vehicle speed without continuous pressure on the accelerator. When used under appropriate conditions, it may help reduce driver fatigue and unintended speeding. However, cruise control does not replace attentive driving and should only be used when...

Personal Protective Equipment – PPE and Work Clothing Proper work clothing is an important part of workplace safety. Clothing should protect employees from environmental and job-related hazards without creating additional hazards such as entanglement, heat stress, restricted movement, or exposure to hazardous substances. Before work begins, the required PPE and protective clothing...

Caught-In, Caught-Between, and Crush Hazards Caught-in, caught-between, and crush hazards occur when a worker or body part becomes trapped, squeezed, pinched, pulled into, or compressed between objects or moving equipment. These incidents can cause bruises and cuts, fractures, amputations, crushing injuries, or fatalities. These hazards are commonly associated with machinery, vehicles, material...

Mobile Scaffold Safety Mobile scaffold safety requires proper setup, inspection, and use to prevent falls, scaffold overturns, and struck-by or electrical injuries. Mobile scaffolds, sometimes called Baker scaffolds, provide convenient elevated work platforms but can become unstable if they are improperly assembled, overloaded, moved, or positioned. Workers who erect, dismantle, move, or...

Driving Distracted? Driving requires your full attention. Cell phones, navigation systems, radios, passengers, food, work-related concerns, and other distractions can take your eyes, hands, or mind away from the task of driving. A distraction lasting only a few seconds can be enough to miss a changing traffic signal, stopped vehicle, pedestrian, road...

Ladder Safety Ladder safety begins with proper transport, setup, inspection, and use. Before climbing, make sure the ladder is appropriate for the task and positioned securely. When transporting a ladder, keep the front end elevated and maintain awareness of people, equipment, doors, and overhead hazards. Side rails of a portable ladder...

Aircraft Maintenance Safety Aircraft maintenance includes inspection, servicing, fabrication, and repair of aircraft structures, engines, coatings, and systems. Whether work is performed in a hangar, maintenance area, or on the flightline, employees may encounter moving aircraft, elevated work, rotating equipment, hazardous chemicals, noise, tools, and restricted workspaces. Staying alert and following...