Emergency Preparedness Workplace emergencies can occur with little or no warning. Fires, explosions, severe weather, earthquakes, chemical releases, medical emergencies, utility failures, and workplace violence can place employees at immediate risk. While emergencies cannot always be prevented, effective planning, training, and preparation can significantly reduce injuries, confusion, and property damage. Employees should...

Power Tool Safety - Safe Use of Portable Power Tools Power tool safety requires employees to inspect, operate, and maintain portable power tools properly to prevent electrical shock, cuts, flying-particle injuries, entanglement, and other serious hazards. Power tools make many jobs easier, but their speed and energy can cause severe injuries...

Chemical Safety Chemicals are used throughout construction and industrial workplaces and may be present as liquids, gases, vapors, mists, fumes, or dusts. Depending on the chemical and how it is used, exposure can cause burns, irritation, poisoning, respiratory problems, fires, explosions, or other serious injuries and illnesses. Employees must understand the hazards...

Hearing Protection – Hear Today, Gone Tomorrow Noise-induced hearing loss can occur so gradually that employees may not realize their hearing is being damaged until the loss is permanent. Unlike many workplace injuries, noise-induced hearing loss cannot be reversed. The best protection is to recognize hazardous noise and control exposure before...

Chainsaw Safety Chainsaws are powerful tools capable of causing severe lacerations, amputations, and fatal injuries. Safe operation requires proper training, equipment inspection, personal protective equipment (PPE), and strict attention to cutting techniques and surrounding hazards. Before Operating a Chainsaw Only trained and authorized employees should operate chainsaws. Before use: Read and understand the...

Crane Safety – Avoid the Crush Crane operations create serious caught-between and crushing hazards. Workers can be crushed between moving equipment and stationary objects, struck or pinned by swinging loads, caught between a load and another surface, or injured by unexpected equipment movement. These incidents can cause fractures, amputations, permanent disability,...

Oily Rags - Safe Storage and Disposal Oily rags require proper storage and disposal because oils, solvents, and other flammable or combustible residues can create serious fire, exposure, and waste-handling hazards. Rags should never be allowed to accumulate in work areas, on equipment, or in ordinary trash containers. Why Oily Rags Are...