Workplace Safety

Corrosives are solid or liquid substances that exact extreme caution when handling. They are usually either an acid, such as nitric acid, sulfuric acid, chromic acid, hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, or acetic acid, or a base, such as ammonium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, or potassium hydroxide. Anyone that has ever seen the effects that corrosives have on metal or other strong materials can easily imagine the damage that a corrosive would do to the delicate human skin. Adding to the danger is the fact that corrosives act upon contact, meaning that damage begins the moment that the corrosive or its vapors come into contact with the eyes, mouth, skin, digestive tract, or respiratory tract.

Injuries from coming into contact with corrosive materials might be extensive and, in some cases, irreversible. Keep in mind that the stronger the concentrate of the corrosive material is, the more damage it has the potential of doing. Some of the most common injuries that result from unprotected contact with corrosives are burns to the eyes and skin. The end result might be blindness or severe scarring of the skin tissues. When the vapors from corrosive materials are inhaled, they might cause burning to the respiratory tract, pulmonary edema (the buildup of fluid around the lungs), or even death. Although less common, if ingested, the corrosive might cause extensive burning or perforation in the mouth, esophagus, and stomach.

Aside from the danger of corrosives coming into direct contact with the body, some are combustible or flammable. These substances can very easily explode or catch on fire if not properly stored and handled. One more danger comes from some corrosives being incompatible with other chemicals. When incompatible chemicals are mixed or accidentally come into contact with one another, the result can be a dangerous, sometimes deadly, chemical reaction. Again, the dangers of corrosive materials demand that they be treated with care, respect, and caution. Any worker that handles any corrosive material should always protect themselves:

• Make sure that corrosives are stored in a safe area. This not only means away from other incompatible substances, but, sometimes even away from other corrosives.
• The storage area should be secured, cool, and dry.
• If it’s necessary to transfer corrosive materials between containers, then make sure that the transfer is done with extreme caution and that the appropriate safety steps have been taken.
• There should be appropriate ventilation anytime a corrosive material is accessed.
• If it’s necessary to mix corrosive materials with water, then be attentive to avoid overfilling and spillage. It’s always best to add water in minute amounts.
• Never reuse any container that previously contained a corrosive material.
• Remember to follow the proper protocol when disposing of unused corrosive materials; these shouldn’t just be poured down a drain.
• Remember to don appropriate personal protective equipment as per protocol. This might include chemical rubber gloves, apron, goggles, face mask, and/or respiratory equipment.
• In the event an accident does occur, immediately seek first aid for the injured. The area should be closed off to prevent subsequent injuries and the appropriate chain of command should be notified.

Remember, it’s too late to be cautious once an accident occurs. It only takes one mistake to produce a costly, painful, disfiguring, and potentially deadly injury.

mployers with mobile employees should make sure that they are taking a proactive approach to ensuring that these employees are using their cell phones in a safe manner and not putting themselves and bystanders at risk of injury. Any employer with mobile employees should have a cell phone safety policy in place that clearly defines if and how cell phone usage is allowed while driving and what the repercussions for breaking the policy are. To help ensure that the cell phone safety policy is enforceable, reasonably fair, and realistic, employers might seek the input of their mobile employees and management team when creating the policy. Here are seven policy options to consider:

1. Safety Training For Drivers. Of course, you should ensure that all drivers of company vehicles have a valid driver’s license. Your policy should also definitely require that any mobile employee using a company vehicle complete a driver safety and defensive driving course before being handed the keys to a company vehicle. These safety courses often include demonstrations related to driver distraction from cell phone usage. This can be a real eye-opener for drivers that might have never seen the devastation caused by vehicle crashes firsthand. (…continued) 5 5 5 5 5 5 (…continued from previous page)
2. Post Warnings in All Company Vehicles. A concise notice should be posted in all company vehicles. The notice should clearly state that cell phones shouldn’t be used while driving and that if the phone call is an emergency, then the operator should let a passenger make the call or pull over before using the cell phone.
3. Hands-Free Device Option. If feasible, your policy might be that mobile employees can only use hands-free devices when driving. While providing your mobile employees with a hands-free device isn’t going to ensure that the worker isn’t distracted by a phone conversation, hands-free devices have been shown to reduce distraction.
4. Answering Services or Call Forwarding Options. It might be hard for mobile workers and those trying to contact them to adjust to an answering service or call forwarding option, especially if workers have previously been allowed to make calls or answer their phone while driving, but the convenience of immediately answering or making a phone call during driving activities simply isn’t worth the risk and liability. After the mobile worker arrives at their destination, then they can check their messages and make appropriate return phone calls.
5. Turn the Cell Phone Off. Your cell phone safety policy could include the mobile employee shutting the cell phone off while he/she is driving the company vehicle. The employee can turn their cell phone on to make needed calls or check their answering or call waiting service once they’ve arrived at their destination. If turning the cell phone off is part of your cell phone safety policy as a method to reduce driver distraction, then the policy should also include any passengers turning their cell phones off as well.
6. Let Employees Take Responsibility. Most employees aren’t going to adhere to a policy that’s all talk and no action. The cell phone safety policy might also include making employees take responsibility for any fines or additional vehicle operation costs incurred from traffic violations related to illegal cell phone usage. The policy might also state a more harsh disciplinary measure for workers that acquire a certain amount of traffic violations.
7. Banning Cell Phones from Company Vehicles. Before making a total cell phone ban part of a cell phone safety policy, employers should understand that this could leave the employee unable to contact emergency services in the event of an accident or emergency. So, completely banning the use of company or personal cell phones during driving should only be considered after careful thought and as a last resort. It might be necessary if mobile employees continually ignore the above policy options or have repetitive cell phone traffic infractions.

A September 2007 study titled Profit from Experience conducted by the AARP, examined how the world’s leading economies, known as the G7 (Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States) are dealing with the declining number of younger workers and the anticipated shortages of skills in certain areas as older workers near retirement. The consensus is that the solution to these problems lies in retaining older workers beyond the typical age of retirement.

Older workers can be as productive as younger ones, but they do require different considerations. In order to integrate older employees into the workplace successfully, employers must design programs that take advantage of the strengths and capabilities of age while accounting for its limitations.

To create an effective integration program, employers should focus on four key areas:

1. Work environment – Workplace ergonomics and human factors engineering can lessen the exposure to hazards so older workers can continue working injury-free. Some ergonomic techniques that should be incorporated include limiting the number of extremely repetitive tasks, reducing stressful postures and rotating jobs. Some of the human factors engineering strategies that will make the job site conducive to older workers include reducing the risk of injuries from trips and falls by placing hand rails along travel routes, reducing clutter, installing slip-resistant floors, repairing uneven floors, and using color contrast between stairway risers and treads.
2. Work arrangements – Many employees want alternatives to the abrupt transition from full-time work to full-time retirement. Non-traditional job arrangements like flexible hours, job sharing, telecommuting or phased retirement are examples of some alternatives.
3. Disease prevention and wellness promotion – Offering clinical services, like influenza immunization, mammography, and cholesterol and blood pressure screening can prevent or delay disability from chronic conditions. In addition, employers should provide on-site programs that encourage no smoking, healthy eating, and moderate exercise.
4. Issues that impact on the ability to remain employed – Many daily living tasks become increasingly difficult with aging and can interfere with an employee’s ability to continue working. Older workers who can no longer drive to work easily can benefit from being allowed to telecommute or becoming part of a carpool. Changing family needs can also prevent a worker from remaining in the workforce. An employee with a spouse that needs home care would be able to stay on the job if their employer offered elder care benefits.

A trucking company told one of its drivers that it would replace him if he refused to accept certain assignments. These assignments required him to violate federal regulations that limit the number of hours he could drive in a given period. When this came to light, the company fired him for violating regulations. His job loss caused him such severe anxiety that he needed medical attention. He later sued his former employer for infliction of emotional distress; a court awarded him $300,000.

As this case illustrates, indifference to employees’ emotional well-being can cost employers hefty penalties. What is a valid emotional distress claim? How serious must an incident be to qualify? And what can employers do to stop these claims from happening?

Emotional distress claims often accompany discrimination claims. For example, a worker who claims that the employer discriminated against him because of his race may also seek damages for emotional distress resulting from the alleged discrimination. They can also occur in conjunction with wrongful discharge suits, such as the one involving the truck driver. Courts will not hold employers liable for just any workplace incidents that upset employees. Rather, emotional distress claims must meet several requirements:

• The employer’s actions must be intentional or reckless. In the case of the truck driver, the employer knowingly gave him assignments that forced him to exceed legal limits on driving time, then fired him for following orders. An employer might demote an employee because of his age, in the belief that younger workers will perform better. Another example is an employer denying promotion opportunities for female employees because men have traditionally held those jobs. These are all intentional acts; the trucking company’s acts might have been reckless.
• The employer’s conduct must be extreme or outrageous. Some conduct is bad enough to strike an ordinary, reasonable person as meeting these descriptions. Such a person might find the trucking company’s firing of an employee for doing what he was told to be outrageous. Harassing, disciplining or firing a worker for participating in union organizing activities is illegal and might impress a jury as outrageous conduct.
• There must be a direct connection between the employer’s actions and the employee’s mental distress. If the worker was emotionally healthy prior to the incident and suffering from anxiety after, the court is likely to find that the employer caused the injury. However, if the employee had other external situations occurring at the same time (death in the family, illness, divorce, etc.), the employer could plausibly argue that the distress resulted at least partly from these other factors. The court might find the employer only partly to blame or dismiss the claim entirely.
• The employee must suffer severe emotional distress. Merely being upset about a bad day at work is not sufficient. The distress must be severe enough to require psychiatric or medical attention. An employee who felt sad for a few days after a chewing-out from his boss probably does not have a valid claim. One whose doctor admitted him to the hospital for observation and treatment probably does.

Employers can avoid emotional distress claims by clearly informing supervisors that they will not tolerate discriminatory or harassing behavior. They should also provide safe means for employees to report these types of incidents. They should keep employees’ health status in mind when making adverse employment decisions, as those suffering from serious illness are vulnerable to emotional distress. Finally, they should make all adverse employment decisions carefully and base them on valid business reasons. Taking these steps will makes these claims less likely, reduce workers’ compensation costs, and hold down employment practices liability insurance premiums.

Workplace conditions have a substantial impact on employee performance. By workplace conditions, we aren’t just referring to an employee having the opportunity to advance, being recognized for a job well done, or salary or benefit offerings. Believe it or not, the quality of the air in the workplace has just a substantial impact as all of the above. Most have already heard the term sick building syndrome (SBS) being used to describe situations where occupants of a particular building experience health and comfort effects from spending time in the building. However, employers have just recently begun to realize the extent to which a sick building can effect employee output.

What Causes Air Quality Problems In The Work Environment? Every environment has a unique combination of external and internal factors. So, what causes problems in your neighboring business isn’t necessarily what’s causing problems in your business. Knowing this, each environment must be evaluated to determine what combination of factors is present in any particular building.

One factor that has received a great deal of attention from the media lately is chemical contaminants. The consequences of chemical contaminants are sometimes fatal. This type of contaminant enters the air one of two ways – off gassing occurring from the internal operation of equipment or machinery or from the contaminants found in chemical products like pesticides and fertilizers being blown inside the building. In either case, these contaminants are likely to accumulate in the environment and cause health effects if there isn’t an adequate supply of circulating fresh air.

Contaminants caused by fungi, mold, or bacteria are also concerns. Building fungi and bacteria are often the result of carelessness and are usually discovered during routine site inspections. If the environment is hospitable, fungi and bacteria begin to grow very quickly. They are commonly found in places like a wastebasket containing food, a poorly or infrequently cleaned coffeepot, or filthy staff break room. All of these sites of contamination can quickly add up and become a major problem. On the other hand, mold is an altogether different issue. It’s more often uncovered through a professional inspection and requires professional removal.

The detrimental effects of poor air quality can spread rapidly. Resolutions should be initiated immediately after the source of contamination is identified. Of course, it’s best to prevent the contaminants from becoming an issue in the first place. According to The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, the following steps can be helpful to maintain good air quality in your building:

• While the HVAC isn’t running, the condensation pan should be inspected and cleaned of debris. A solution of 1% to 5% sodium hydrochloride can be used to sanitize the condensation pan. Rinse the pan with clear water.
• Some HVAC units with rooftop outdoor air intakes might need to have a bird screen installed. The installer of your unit can usually tell you if this is a necessary step. If so, it should be inspected monthly.
• Make sure that all rooftop exhaust fans are within operational guidelines. If not, they should be immediately replaced or repaired.
• Since a leaky air filter can decrease the effectiveness of the filter, it should always fit tightly within its rack and not have any open spaces or gaps.
• Routinely inspect intake air vents. Negative pressure could occur if the exhaust fans are operational and the air vents are blocked. This can cause the HVAC system to become imbalanced and produce moister untempered air. The end result is moisture control problems.
• Routinely clean any accumulated dust from the fan coil unit and fiberglass liner. If the fiberglass liner has deteriorated, has turned black, or is otherwise soiled, then it should be replaced.
• Prior to turning the HVAC system on, you should properly exhaust the building. Any warm and humid air that has accumulated during non-operational hours can condense when it’s mixed with the cool air from the air conditioner. The added moisture from condensing might create a rain forest effect.

The weather outside is frightful, whether it’s January in Buffalo or July in Phoenix. Extreme weather conditions can be a major problem for construction workers, most of whom have to perform their tasks outdoors. During the summer, high temperatures and humidity can cause dehydration, heat stroke, cramping, exhaustion, and rashes. The need for workers to wear protective clothing, such as long denim pants and heavy boots, exacerbates the heat’s effects. Those parts of the body not covered up become vulnerable to sunburns and skin cancers resulting from exposure to the sun’s rays. Summer lightning storms can cause fatal injuries to workers. During the winter, low temperatures and high winds can combine to make conditions bitterly cold. This can lead to hypothermia and frostbite, in addition to a greater potential for slip and fall accidents due to the presence of ice and snow.

For these reasons, all contractors should make protection against extreme weather conditions part of their regular safety procedures. Some regulations from the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration require this. For example, one regulation requires employers to provide personal protective equipment and special training to workers if they will work under conditions so severe that they qualify as environmental hazards. Among the required protective equipment is clothing to cover an employee’s eyes, head, face, arms and legs. Another regulation requires employers to provide equipment protecting employees from over-exposure to the sun.

Some steps contractors can take to prevent illness or injury resulting from weather conditions are:

• Learning the signs that indicate the weather is making a worker ill
• Monitoring workers for signs of illness
• Training workers on how to protect themselves from the elements
• Setting an expectation that workers will dress appropriately for weather conditions
• Providing shade during hot weather and heated areas during cold weather in which workers can take breaks
• Scheduling work for cooler periods in the summer and warmer periods in the winter

Workers should dress in layers during the coldest weather and should, to the extent practical for the work, keep exposed skin covered with gloves, hats, and scarves to protect against frostbite. During hot, sunny weather, employees should wear wide-brimmed hats, long-sleeved shirts made of light material, and ultraviolet-resistant sunglasses. They should also apply sun block at regular intervals during the day.

In addition to higher Workers Compensation costs, employee injuries and illness rob a contractor of the productive services of good workers, divert management’s attention from the core business, and make the employer less attractive to good, skilled workers. Although contractors cannot completely protect their workers from the effects of extreme weather conditions, with some simple steps and training they can make losses from these conditions less likely and less severe.

After several hours of sitting at your work desk, it’s finally time for your break. The moment you stand up for your break, you realize that your legs are numb, stiff, or just won’t work. This is a common scenario experienced everyday by a variety of desk workers. Not that being devoted or working hard is a negative thing, but it can be detrimental to the body if smart work habits aren’t employed.

When workers become immersed in their work, it’s often hours before they even realize that they haven’t moved their lower extremities. This type of prolonged motionless work might seem like something that would increase productivity, but it can lead to an array of health problems, such as obesity and stress. The resulting problems actually make for a less productive employee.

Obviously, the first smart work habit is to get up and stretch the lower extremities and get blood flowing again. Ideally, workers should get up from their desk every hour for just a few minutes. This can be accomplished simply by walking to the water cooler, bathroom, copier, or such.

The computer is a key source of bad work ergonomics and negative impacts on the health of workers. Experts suggest that computer monitors be positioned directly in front of and arms-length away from workers. To minimize any eye strain from glares on a computer monitor, it should be tilted slightly downward. The worker can help minimize eye strain by blinking frequently to keep the eyes moist. It might be necessary to focus from a different angle, such as by slightly tilting the head upward.

Likewise, the computer keyboard should be placed directly in front of workers. It should be positioned at a comfortable distance. Try the computer at a sloped and flat position to see what feels more comfortable. It might also be helpful to rest and relax the palms when not typing.

Now that the computer and keyboard are positioned properly, workers should make sure that their own body is in good alignment. Make sure that the feet are flat on the floor and the back is supported. A lumbar support may be helpful to support the back. Stores that sell ergonomic office supplies will have work equipment, such as a chair with the lumbar support or a lumbar support insert, that’s been designed scientifically for comfort and ease of use.

Workers who take care of their body at work will feel better at work and at home. Even with the tiny amount of time lost to stretching and ensuring proper body mechanics and equipment positioning, this worker will also ultimately be more productive.

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), the second highest cause of death in the construction field is the worker being struck by an object. Most workers in the construction field are very aware of the struck-by hazards they face when doing roadwork. However, many construction workers might be surprised to know that statistics show most struck-by accidents occur on the construction site. Heavy equipment is involved in around 75% of struck-by fatal injuries. Equipment operators that don’t follow proper safety protocols not only put themselves at risk, they put workers on the ground at risk of being struck by swinging equipment, crushed under overturned vehicles, or getting pinned by equipment.

Struck-by injuries statistics prompted OSHA to establish the following procedures for equipment operators to follow in order to avoid creating hazards:

1. All vehicles should be checked each shift to ensure that all accessories and parts are in a safe operating order.
2. Unless a vehicle has a reverse alarm or the driver has a worker to signal them, vehicles with an obstructed rear view should never be driven in reverse.
3. OSHA standard seat belts should be worn unless the equipment is stand-only or doesn’t have a rollover protective structure.
4. Operators of lifting and dumping devices should ensure that they and all other workers are clear of the area before lifting or dumping.
5. Vehicles and equipment should only be operated on maintained and safely constructed grades and roadways.
6. Parked vehicles and equipment should have the parking brake set. If parked on an incline, the wheels should also be chocked.
7. If not in use, bulldozer and scraper blades, dump bodies, end-loader buckets, and other overhead equipment should be lowered or blocked, with the controls in a neutral position.
8. All vehicles should have adequate safety devices, such as braking.
9. There should be a cab shield/canopy on any vehicle loaded by a power shovel, loader, crane, and such.
10. The load and lift capacity of a vehicle should never be exceeded.
11. Any construction taking place near a public roadway should have traffic signs, flagging system, and barricades.
12. Workers must wear warning clothing, such as orange or red vests, to ensure they’re clearly visible. Warning clothing must be reflective if working at night.

Workers must also be mindful of overhead falling objects. This is a particular concern when working beneath scaffolding, cranes, or any area that overhead work is being done. There’s also the danger of objects that potentially could be propelled through the air and strike a worker, such as a power tool or an activity involving something being pried, pulled, or pushed. The following list of OSHA guidelines can protect workers from falling and flying hazards:

1. The first line of head protection is having a hardhat on.
2. Workers in areas where tools or machines could produce flying particles should wear shields, safety goggles, or safety glasses.
3. Materials should be stacked so that they don’t collapse, slide, or fall.
4. Scaffolding areas should feature toe boards, guardrails, screens, debris nets, canopies, or platforms to prevent or catch falling objects. Tools and materials should also be secured to prevent them from falling.
5. Hazard areas should have warning signs and be barricaded.
6. Protective guards on tools, such as lathes and saws, should be inspected for good working condition before use.
7. Never use a power-actuated tool unless trained to do so.
8. Try not to work in areas where underneath loads are being moved.
9. The lift capacity of hoists and cranes shouldn’t be exceeded.
10. All components of a hoist and crane, such as wire, hooks, and chains, should be inspected for good working condition before use.

Going for a drive or riding in a car can be a relaxing experience, but drivers need to remain alert when behind the wheel. Although anyone could fall asleep while driving, certain target populations are more prone to having accidents because of falling asleep. For instance, men are twice as likely as women to have an accident due to drowsiness. Teenagers, who love burning the candle at both ends, are another group with the potential to doze off while driving. In fact, teenagers and their 20-something counterparts are less likely to admit to being too fatigued to drive and will often get in the driver’s seat, even if they shouldn’t.

Naturally, there are work-related reasons that contribute to falling asleep while driving. Shift workers who work nights or rotating shifts often have trouble sleeping because their inner clock may be off kilter. Commercial drivers have an increased exposure to accidents as a result of driving during the late night and early morning hours when their biological clock tells them that they should be sleeping.

What can you do to help prevent yourself or a loved one from becoming a statistic? The best solution is a nap that lasts for about 20 minutes before you drive. Although many Americans do not allocate time for an afternoon rest, napping is a normal part of the human sleep-wake cycle. There is a biological tendency to fall asleep in mid-afternoon. In certain parts of the world, mid-afternoon activities are brought to a halt so that people can take advantage of their natural tendency to sleep. This kind of nap that is taken before the afternoon work period begins is looked upon as a restorative activity, not idling away time that could be better spent doing other tasks.

Napping is even more important if your sleep is disturbed the night before, or you actually slept for fewer hours than your body requires. Napping the next day can help relieve your sleepiness and enhance your ability to remain alert.

The other factors to remember are that most sleep related accidents happen in non-urban areas, generally on roads with 55 mph-65 mph speed limits. When combining the restful quiet of a suburban setting with the steady pace of that speed limit, you have the makings of a situation in which a driver could easily be lulled into sleep. Also, the early morning hours are a particularly vulnerable time for drivers on extended runs. The best remedy for these conditions is periodic rest stops in designated rest areas. Interrupting your driving for a 20-30 minute nap can make all the difference in restoring your alertness and your responsiveness. Avoid becoming a grim highway statistic. Take the time you need, and protect yourself and others on the road.

In our modern world, just about everyone comes in contact with solvents on a daily basis. At work, you might be exposed to solvents when you come in contact with glues, paints, thinners, degreasers, or cleaners. As a result of this widespread contact, it is important to understand the hazards that are associated with these chemicals. For practical purposes, a solvent is simply any chemical capable of dissolving specific solids or liquids. Petroleum based solvents are the most common type used in industry.

Exposure and overexposure to a solvent can occur in various situations. Preventing such exposures is key to protecting yourself from the damaging effects that certain chemicals can have on your body. Examples include:

• Absorption by direct contact on the skin. Wearing the right type of gloves and other protective gear is one way of preventing skin contact with the solvents you are using.
• Inhalation by breathing vapors. Breathing in the vapors can quickly result in the chemical entering your body and bloodstream via your lungs. Utilizing the proper respirator can protect your lungs from toxic vapors.
• Ingestion of the solvent due to not washing your hands after usage. Direct contact with your hands and mouth through eating or smoking may result in unexpected ingestion of solvents. Making sure you follow proper hygiene rules when handling solvents will help prevent ingestion.
• Puncture of the skin by a tool or other object that is covered with solvent. Punctures can result in the introduction of toxic chemicals directly into your bloodstream. Making sure you wear proper safety equipment will aid in preventing injuries of this type.

Overexposure to solvents can cause a variety of ailments. Depending on the type of solvent you are exposed to, the body can react in different ways. Skin contact can result in minor skin rashes or an allergic reaction resulting in “chloracne.” This happens when the solvent dissolves the skin’s natural oils. Some workers can develop a sensitization to a particular product or chemical which causes their entire body to be overly sensitive to that substance. In this instance, even a slight exposure can result in adverse or serious reactions. Serious overexposures can lead to illnesses resulting in tissue or organ damage.

As with any chemical or product, important information is contained in the product’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). The MSDS provides information on safe use, handling, disposal and protection methods among other information.

Solvents serve a useful purpose in our everyday lives. If we take the time to learn more about them, we can be better prepared to use them correctly, protect ourselves, and still get our job done effectively. If you are unsure of the potential hazards of a solvent or other chemical that you are using, be sure to ask questions and/or review the MSDS. It is far better to be overly cautious, than to risk an adverse reaction.