The Mighty Power Press Powerful metalworking machines, like a power press make punching a hole in sheet steel look as easy a punching holes in a sheet of paper. This equipment's bulk and power is one of the reasons that injuries from power presses are among the most common in metal working industries. Power presses come equipped with numerous safety devices such as guards, barriers, presence sensing devices, or two-hand trips-for very good reason. These machines are unforgiving. The injuries they cause are usually serious. Only ten manufacturing industries out of hundreds primarily use power presses, yet they have nearly 10% of...

Radiation in the Workplace You are probably familiar with a few uses of radiation, like x-rays and nuclear power. But did you know there are lots of ways radiation is used in the workplace? Radiation is used to sterilize health products, to treat cancer and other diseases, to measure the moisture content of soil at construction sites, to locate leaks in pipelines and defects in welds, to make fluorescent bulbs last longer, to make lightning rods work better--the list goes on and on. Radiation is a tool that is used for great benefit to our society. But radiation can be harmful...

Give New Co-Workers Your Support! Once the initial orientation to the company is over and the basic requirements of the job and the safety program have been covered, it's time to move the new employee into the work force and introduce the people he or she will be working with. Co-workers play an important role in getting the new person off to a good start. What is a veteran employee's role when it comes to orienting a new employee? Remember that new people are nervous to begin with - just starting a new job. They probably don't remember all the instructions they...

Is it OK to Repair Electrical Cords? Even heavy duty extension cords become damaged. Because they can be expensive, you may be asked to make a repair, rather than get a new cord. But merely re-attaching and wrapping the wires doesn't mean the repair is proper or safe. Let's review the correct way to repair electrical cords. The first obvious step is often overlooked. Unplug the cord and take control of both ends. Splices: Cut back only enough of the outer and inner insulation to make the repair. Keep in mind that the color-coded wires on one side need to be connected to...

Hydroblaster Safety High-pressure water cleaning has become more common over the past few years, often replacing the need for sand blasting. The uses of hydroblasters vary from paint and grease removal, tank cleaning and log debarking, to rodding of heat exchangers and cleaning of sidewalks. Although hydroblasters are fairly simple to operate, they can be dangerous if not properly used. A pump is used to increase the water pressure to 10,000 psi, with larger units capable of 45,000 psi or more. This pressurized water is pumped through a flexible steel braided hose and discharged through a pipe called a lance which has...

Time to Chock and Block Those Tires! “I am only going to leave the truck for a minute – it won’t go anywhere.” This is what we hear all the time, but every year, workers are severely or fatally injured because the wheels of a truck or trailer were not chocked. Vehicle drivers are also injured when trailers overturn because unblocked freight shifted during travel. When wheels aren't meant to roll. Accidents are caused each year when a truck or trailer rolls away from the dock because no one took time to chock the wheels. In some cases, drivers were crushed by...

That Container Only Looks Empty! Containers that have held flammable or combustible liquids can remain explosive even after the liquid has been removed. The liquid in the container is replaced by air which mixes with the hazardous vapors. This combination can be explosively ignited by a spark or heat. In fact, these containers are normally more explosive than a full container. How many times have you seen a 5 gallon pail or a 55 gallon drum being used as a welding or grinding stand? This is very dangerous. Any sparks produced could ignite the vapors. Also, the torch flame, heating the container,...

The Dangers of Oily Rags Oily rags left in a closed container can become a safety nightmare. Many people do not believe it can happen. For no apparent reason, fire erupts, usually during off hours – as the materials have had time to react. It is called spontaneous ignition, and preventing is part of your job. Spontaneous ignition occurs when a combustible object is heated to its ignition temperature by a chemical reaction involving the oxygen in the air around us. This “oxidation “ process creates heat that, if not dissipated, will bui8ld up until ignition occurs. Generally, this can happen when...

Excavations Are Serious Business Excavations and trenches need not be deep or large to create a life threatening hazard. Soil is heavy, and failures take place with little or no notice. You can be trapped before there is time to react. So it is important that every excavation be prepared correctly, allowing you to complete your job safely and efficiently. Remember that every trench is different. Soil type, moisture content, depth, configuration, proximity to existing structures, and location of spoil piles all work together to make every excavation unique. Keep these points in mind when working: Follow the recommendations of your...

Front-End Loader If you operate a front-end loader, you have probably experienced the bouncing, weaving, and "road walk" that leaves you feeling as if you are not in total control of the equipment. Hopefully, you have recognized this as dangerous and have learned to slow down, especially when traveling downgrade, when empty, or when traveling on particularly bad terrain. There are other hazards to be considered as well: (1) getting caught in the pinch points of the bucket arms or the pivot area of an articulated machine, (2) collision, (3) running over a pedestrian, (4) spilling a load on others, (5) machine...