Workplace Safety

Most workers roll their eyes at the mention of a safety meeting — but what they might not realize is that these meetings have a greater purpose than just lecturing workers with a “boring” speech. Proper safety training can spell the difference between life and death on the jobsite.

Safety meetings 101

In a safety meeting, the company’s management and safety experts have an opportunity to teach employees how to perform their jobs more safely. This crucial training could prevent countless accidents in the long-run.

Some studies show that 90% of all jobsite accidents are caused by “unsafe acts.” These types of accidents are often the result of a worker not making the safest choices on the job. However, if workers attend all safety meetings and pay attention to the information being presented, they’ll know how to steer clear of unsafe acts and avoid accidents on the jobsite.

Pay attention!

If you’ve been working on a particular jobsite for many years, you might assume you already know everything there is to know about safety in your workplace. As a result, you might tune out during safety meetings and let your mind wander.

However, it is crucial to pay attention in these meetings even if you think you’ve heard it all before. After all, you might just learn something new. For example, you could learn about the latest, cutting-edge protective equipment or a smarter, safer and more effective way to do your job. All workers should pay close attention and take safety meetings seriously because the lessons they learn could help save their own or another worker’s life.

Understanding the risks

Are you still not convinced that safety meetings are necessary? Then you might want to consider the potential costs of having an accident on the jobsite. Here are a few ways a jobsite accident can directly affect you:

• You could lose your income: If you are seriously injured in a jobsite accident, you might not be able to work. If that’s the case, your paycheck might decrease or disappear altogether. Who will pay the bills if this happens? What if you are the sole breadwinner in your family? You and your family could be devastated financially.
• You could suffer from chronic pain: If you are injured on the jobsite, you might still be able to work — but you could suffer from severe aches and pains for the rest of your days. Think about how excruciating it would be to work through back aches, knee pain or splitting headaches every day.
• You could die: In the worst case scenario, a workplace accident could kill you. Think about how your loved ones would feel knowing that you died from an easily preventable accident at work.
• You could become disabled: Although you might survive a serious jobsite accident, you could become disabled. Imagine spending the rest of your life confined to a wheelchair.
• You could lose a co-worker: Because we spend so much time with our co-workers, they are often like family to us. How terrible would it be to watch your co-worker die because of a mistake you made on the jobsite? What if you could have prevented his death by stopping him from taking a misstep? Safety training teaches you how to look out not just for yourself but also for your fellow workers.

As you can see, there are many good reasons for safety meetings. Not only could you learn vital new safety methods, but these meetings also give you and your co-workers a chance to talk to your supervisors about any safety or health concerns. So as boring as safety training might seem, listen up and absorb all the information you receive. This information could save your life one day.

As a worker, your two most important tools are your hands. Unfortunately, those two vital tools suffer through a great deal of wear and tear. On the worksite, your hands might be exposed to harsh weather conditions, dirt, chemicals, fuels, grease, solvents, oil and other unforgiving substances. Plus, if you’re handling sharp tools and heavy equipment constantly, you’re putting your hands at risk every day on the job.

Because your hands are two of the most important and frequently used parts of your body, it’s critical to protect them at all costs. If you take proper care of your hands and think before acting on the job, you’ll greatly reduce your risk of a serious hand injury. Here are a few ways to keep your hard-working hands safe, secure and strong:

Wear protective gloves

Wear the proper hand protection for each job you perform. For example, if you’re handling rough or abrasive materials, leather gloves will go a long way toward protecting your hands. Leather gloves can also help you get a better grip on heavy objects and shield your hands from things like cutting tools, thorns, sticks and other sharp objects.

On the other hand, if you’re working with chemicals, petroleum products or solvents, you’ll need to wear special gloves that are designed to protect your skin from these substances. No matter what kind of gloves you’re wearing, it’s important to find the right fit. If your gloves are too small, they might not fully cover and protect your hands. However, if your gloves are too large, they could get caught in moving machinery parts.

Moisturize every day

If you work with grease, chemicals, paint or other harsh substances, you might want to apply a special hand cream before work to protect your skin against dermatitis. You should also apply hand lotion after work each day, especially if you work outside often and suffer from dry, calloused or cracked hands. Hand lotion can help soothe painfully dry skin and add moisture back to your hands, which will prevent further cracking.

Shield your hands from harm

If you work with cutting tools, sharp objects, rotating equipment or other machinery, it’s important to realize that your hands are always in danger. Think before you act and always follow proper safety guidelines. Although you might have gotten away with nothing more than minor hand scrapes or cuts in the past, your next hand injury could be much worse if you aren’t careful.

When working with potentially dangerous machinery or equipment, always keep these hand safety rules in mind:

• Stay focused on the job at hand. Avoid distractions, keep your eyes on your hands at all times and work carefully and deliberately.
• Before lifting a box or any other object, check the item for splinters, nails, broken glass and other dangers.
• Keep your hands away from rotating equipment. Never use your hands to stop rotating parts.
• Pay attention to your fingers when lowering heavy objects to ensure they don’t get pinched.
• Never use your fingers to test the temperature of liquids or machinery.
• Keep your hands clear of loads that are being mechanically moved or lifted.
• If you do suffer from a hand injury, report it to your supervisor and seek medical treatment immediately.

Although our hands are our most important tools, we often take them for granted. We overuse and abuse them and sometimes forget to protect and care for them. Take care of your hands both on and off the job, and they’ll continue to take care of you.

Approximately 80 out of every 100 accidents are directly attributable to the person involved in the incident. In fact, unsafe work behavior causes four times as many accidents as unsafe work conditions.

Workplace accidents occur for many reasons. After an accident, people tend to look for someone or something to blame rather than identifying the root cause. Below are some of the unsafe workplace behaviors that can lead to accidents. As you read them, ask yourself whether you have ever been guilty of any of these. It may not have resulted in an accident the first time, but you might not be so lucky in the future.

• Taking Shortcuts: It’s only natural to look for ways to do our jobs faster and more efficiently. But do these time savers come at the expense of your own safety, or that of other workers? Shortcuts that reduce your job safety are not shortcuts at all, but an increased risk of injury.
• Being Over Confident: Confidence is never a bad thing. But too much confidence in one’s work ability can lead to improper procedures, tool mishandling, etc. which could lead to an accident.
• Beginning a Task with Incomplete Instructions: To perform a job safely and correctly you need complete information. Never be shy about asking for further explanations about work procedures and safety precautions. The only dumb question is the one that goes unasked.
• Poor Housekeeping: When clients, managers or safety professionals walk through your workplace, cleanliness is usually an accurate indicator of everyone’s attitude about quality, production and safety. Poor housekeeping creates hazards of all types. A well maintained area sets a standard for others to follow. Good housekeeping involves both pride and safety.
• Ignoring Safety Procedures: Purposely ignoring known safety procedures can endanger not only you but your co-workers too. Being indifferent about safety is a death wish.
• Mental Distractions: Letting your personal life keep you from focusing on your work is a hazardous situation. Dropping your mental awareness can pull your focus away from safe work procedures.
• Failure to Plan: Hurriedly starting a task, or not thoroughly thinking through the process can put you in harm’s way. As the old saying goes “People Don’t Plan to Fail, They Fail to Plan!”

A hard hat not only protects your head from falling materials, but it can also soften the blow to your head if you accidentally bump into a piece of machinery, equipment or another potentially harmful item.

Here’s how a hard hat protects you:

* The rigid outer shell resists and deflects blows to the head.
* The suspension system inside the hat acts as a shock absorber by distributing the impact over a large area.
* Some hats serve as an insulator against electrical shocks.
* The hat shields your scalp, face, neck and shoulders against hazardous splashes, spills and drips.
* Some hard hats can be modified, allowing you to add face shields, goggles, hoods or hearing protection to them.

Even if your hard hat gets dented or shattered, it still takes some of the force of a blow off your head. If a blow is powerful enough to shatter a hard hat, just imagine what it could do to your unprotected head.

CHOOSING THE BEST HARD HAT

When you’re shopping around for a hard hat, consider what kind of work you’ll be performing. Choose the most suitable hard hat for your line of work and only find an approved hard hat that has been manufactured to meet required standards. This ensures that your head will receive the utmost protection.

You should also make sure your hat properly fits your head. The hard hat will offer you maximum protection only if you have the proper shock absorbing space between your hat and the suspension system. You should adjust the sweat bands and suspension straps to ensure the hat sits comfortably and securely on your head. Your hard hat shouldn’t slip when you bend your head forward and you should not wear it tilted back on your head.

TAKING CARE OF YOUR HAT

Once you find the right hard hat, be sure to take good care of it. Do not leave your hard hat resting on the dashboard of your car because sunlight and heat can damage the sweatband and suspension straps. Try not to drop or throw your hat, and don’t ever drill holes in it. You should check your hat for cracks, gouges and strap frays or breaks every single day.

Although some workers might think that wearing a hard hat is nothing more than nuisance, it could save their life one day. Every time you step onto a jobsite, shield your head with a protective, well-fitting hard hat.

In 2007, the number of workers killed on the job dropped to an all-time low, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ annual Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. That year, there were a total of 5,488 worker deaths — the fewest since the Bureau began keeping track in 1992. That is down 6% from the 5,840 deaths reported in 2006.

Although this is great news, the Bureau also discovered a significant increase in a few specific types of fatal injuries. For example, a record number of workers died from falls in 2007. Therefore, experts say there is still a drastic need for an increase in violation fines as well as more intense safety training programs for construction and transportation workers — two of the riskiest jobs in the United States.

Here are a few more of the eye-opening findings from the 2007 fatality census:

• The construction industry once again had the most deaths of any private sector, with 1,178 fatalities in 2007. However, there was a 5% decrease in construction worker deaths from 2006, when there were 1,239 fatalities.
• The overall rate was 3.7 fatal injuries for every 100,000 workers in the U.S., the lowest annual rate ever reported by the bureau. That’s down from a rate of 4.0 deaths for every 100,000 workers in 2006.
• Transportation incidents continued to be the No. 1 cause of on-the-job fatalities, accounting for two-fifths of all worker deaths. However, the number of transportation-related fatalities dropped to an all-time low of 2,234 in 2007.
• The number of fatal falls grew to a record 835 in 2007. Fatal falls have increased by a whopping 39% since the BLS started tracking data in 1992.
  • Workplace homicides skyrocketed to a total of 610, up 13% from 2006. This includes a substantial increase in homicides involving police officers and retail supervisors.

According to Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Department of Labor’s Secretary of Labor, this decrease in overall fatalities are “continued evidence that the initiatives and programs to protect workers’ safety and health, designed by an implemented in this administration, are indeed working.”

Other experts say that while a 6% decrease is certainly an improvement, 5,488 worker deaths are still 5,488 too many. Some say the government needs to enforce a stronger penalty system under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, which could help decrease worker deaths even more. Under current law, committing a willful violation of worker-safety laws that causes the death of a worker results in a mere six-month misdemeanor. The maximum administrative penalty of $70,000 per violation has not been increased since 1990. Many experts say these penalties are simply not severe enough.

Also, some point out that it’s difficult to gauge the number of fatalities by looking at just a two-year period. Many believe you must look at the statistics over five to 10 years to understand the actual trends.

Despite how you look at the numbers, one thing is certain: Strong safety-training programs are vital to the well-being of workers. Companies must continue to focus on good safety practices to ensure their workers return home safely each and every day.

Your eyes are constantly at risk on the jobsite — whether you work in a manufacturing plant, a lab, or a construction site. Some studies show that about 2,000 eye injuries take place each and every day. Sadly, 10% to 20% of these eye injuries result in temporary or permanent vision loss.

Perhaps even more eye-opening is this statistic: Three out five people who suffer from eye injuries were not wearing eye protection when the accident occurred. If you want to shield your eyes from harm on the worksite, read on to learn more about jobsite eye injuries and how to prevent them with the proper protective eye wear.

The Usual Suspects: Common Causes of Eye Injuries

Although there are countless causes for jobsite eye injuries, some of the most common offenders are:

• Flying objects: About 70% of jobsite eye injuries are caused by flying debris or falling objects, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics Survey.
• Chemicals: Many injuries are the result of eyes coming into contact with dangerous chemicals.
• Negligence: Poor maintenance, substandard safety habits, the misuse of tools, and improper eye protection result in a great deal of eye injuries.

Eye Protection 101

It is extremely important to choose the right eye protection for your specific job. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers provide workers with suitable eye protection. Some workers might need to use a different type of eye protection from day to day or even hour to hour as their duties change. Here are the different types of eye protection available to workers:

• Goggles: If you work around a lot of liquid pesticides, toxic chemicals and/or dust, goggles might be your best option. They provide better protection against splashes and dust than safety glasses. Make sure that the goggles fit tightly against your face for the ultimate protection.
• Glass eye protection: Not only are glass lenses less likely to scratch, but they can withstand chemical exposure as well as protection from flying objects. Additionally, if you have vision problems, you can get prescription lenses.
• Plastic and polycarbonate eye protection: These eye protection products are generally lightweight and protect well against welding splatter. Although they are less likely to fog up, plastic and polycarbonate products are not very scratch resistant and do not accommodate prescriptions.
• Shielded safety glasses: If you job requires safety glasses, make sure to choose shielded safety glasses. Shields will offer your eyes more protection from flying debris as well as chemicals suspended in the air.
• Full face shields: If you work in an environment where you could be exposed to an airborne substance, you should wear a full face shield. However, a face shield alone is not enough to protect your eyes — wear approved safety glasses beneath the shield.

Once you determine the appropriate type of eye protection for your line of work, be sure to follow these safety guidelines on the jobsite:

• If you are working around flying chips or particles, chemical gases or vapors, hazardous light liquid chemicals, acids or caustics, electrical sparks, molten medal, dust or swinging ropes or chains, wear goggles or a face shield.
• Make sure that your eye protection is approved for your specific environment.
• When opening a container, always turn it away from your face.
• Always keep sharp or pointed objects away from your face and eyes.
• Do not wear outdated or scratched prescription lenses — this can warp your vision.
• Never remove protective eye wear until after you have turned off the tool in use.
• Replace cracked or damaged goggles or glasses as soon as possible.
• Focus! When you are using power tools or working with dangerous substances, always concentrate on the task at hand.
• If your eyes are starting to feel strained, stop and take a break.
• If you get a small piece of dust, wood or another object in your eye, flush it out with eye wash solution as you look down. If eyewash solution is not available, flush the eye with water.
• If you get pesticide into your eyes, use a portable eye flush dispenser immediately. If you do not have an eye flush dispenser at hand, call for help so someone can guide you to an eyewash station.
• Flush your eye with eyewash solution for 15 minutes and have someone call for medical attention.
• If you get a substance in your eye, have a co-worker check the Material Safety Data sheet and/or product label for the proper first aid instructions.

In a fire breaks out in your workplace, the proper use of a portable fire extinguisher could mean the difference between a minor property loss and a major one. But there are several items to consider in using fire extinguishers. For instance, you must know the class of fire involved and the correct type of fire extinguisher to use.

Classes of fires and fire extinguishing agents

• Class A – Involves ordinary combustibles such as paper, wood, cloth, rubber or plastics. The common extinguishing agents are water or dry chemical.
• Class B – Flammable liquids, grease or gases are covered under this category. Common extinguishing agents are foam, carbon dioxide or dry chemical.
• Class C – Live electrical fires are included in this category. Carbon dioxide or dry chemical extinguishers should be used. However, the actual burning product could be from another class.
• Class D – Burning materials include combustible metals such as magnesium and sodium. Special extinguishing agents, approved by recognized testing laboratories, are needed when working with these metals.

How to respond to a fire

Pull the fire alarm and call the local fire department immediately if a fire breaks out. Follow your company’s procedures on responding to fires. But attempt to fight the fire only if, (1) you know the type of material burning, (2) you have been trained to use the fire extinguisher correctly, and (3) if the fire is still in the early stage. Once the fire gets out of control, evacuate the premises immediately.

Remember the PASS technique when using an extinguisher

• P – Pull. Pull the locking pin before using the fire extinguisher.
• A – Aim. Aim the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire. Not at the flames or smoke.
• S – Squeeze. Squeeze the lever of the fire extinguisher to operate and discharge.
• S – Sweep. Sweep the fire extinguisher back and forth at the base of the fire to extinguish.

A typical fire extinguisher contains about 10 seconds of extinguishing power or less if it has been used previously. Always read the instructions that come with the extinguisher beforehand and become familiarized with its parts. It is highly recommended by fire prevention experts that you seek hands-on training before operating a fire extinguisher. Most local fire departments offer this service.

Prevention is the key when it comes to firefighting. Good housekeeping, proper storage procedures and safe work practices will go a long way toward reducing the likelihood of a fire destroying valuable property and/or injuring workers in the area.

On the jobsite, most of us want to complete our work in the shortest amount of time possible. Of course, it’s always great to find new ways to finish your daily tasks at rapid speed. Unfortunately, too many workers sacrifice safety simply so they can wrap up their day more quickly.

When we were children, we often took shortcuts because we just weren’t patient enough to take the extra time to do things the safe way. For example, instead of walking all the way around a yard to get to the gate, a kid might decide to jump the fence instead. This obviously isn’t the safest choice, but the kid decides he’d rather take the risk so he can get where he’s going more quickly and with the least amount of effort.

Even after we reach adulthood, many of us continue to think and act this way. For example, we might decide to cross the street in a high-traffic area instead of taking 30 more seconds to walk down a block to the crosswalk. Crossing a busy street is a dangerous (and illegal) shortcut — but we do it either to save time or because we’re just lazy.

The lesson here is that the shortest or quickest way to accomplish a task is not always the safest way. Generally, the safe way of completing something takes more time and effort. In other words, there are no shortcuts to safety.

Just think about these scenarios:

• An electrician named John is up on a ladder finishing up a job. He needs to reach a part of the ceiling that’s about four feet to his right to connect one last wire before he’s done for the day. Instead of climbing down, shifting the ladder to the spot where he needs to work and then climbing back up, he decides to take a shortcut to save some time. He stretches his arm as far to the right as he can reach to grab onto the wire. As he reaches over, he loses his balance. He slips and tumbles to the concrete floor below, and the ladder falls on top of him, badly cutting his head. He spends the rest of the night in the ER and ends up with 30 stitches in his forehead.
• Stacy’s boss asks her to finish up her day chipping some concrete. Stacy isn’t sure where the safety goggles are located, and she doesn’t feel like hunting them down. She knows the job will only take her about an hour, so she gets to work so she can wrap up her day early. As she’s chipping away, a fragment of concrete flies through the air, hits her in the eye and scratches her cornea. Stacy temporarily loses visibility in her right eye and is forced to take two weeks off from work to recover.

Both of these workers knew they were putting themselves at risk by taking these shortcuts. However, they both convinced themselves it was worth the risk because they were in a hurry and ready to get home. In the end, they both ended up hurt — and they actually lost more time than they gained.

When you take shortcuts on the job, you might be able to avoid danger most of the time. But every time you make an unsafe choice to save time, you’re rolling the dice. If you keep taking these gambles, one of these days you’re going to lose. That’s why you should never take shortcuts on the job. It’s always worth a little extra time and effort to do things the right way and the safe way.

The old proverb says, “Don’t cry over spilled milk.” Whether it’s milk, coffee, oil or chemicals, any kind of workplace spill can lead to serious problems or injuries. Not only could your workers slip and fall, but they might also be exposed to dangerous substances and fumes. Follow these tips on how to handle spills and a few ways to prevent spills in the first place.

Spill Response:

• Know your materials: Ensure that all your employees are familiar with the proper storage, handling techniques and spill response methods for each material in your workplace.
• Draw up a spill response plan: Create a worksite spill response plan and train your employees on how to respond to different spills. Maintain material safety data sheets for each material on the worksite. These sheets should cover the correct spill response, cleanup and disposal techniques for each material. Make sure that each worker reads and understands your worksite spill response plan, and keep copies of the material safety data sheets easily accessible so employees can refer to them quickly if necessary.
• Use the right gear: When cleaning up a spill, workers should wear the appropriate protective gear, including gloves, safety glasses, coveralls and respirators. Make sure that all employees know where this gear is stored and when and how to use this equipment.
• Respond immediately: If a worker causes or finds a spill, they should notify their supervisor and surrounding coworkers immediately. If the spill is flammable or volatile material, shut off all flame sources and air out the area if it’s safe. Barricade the spill area so workers avoid exposure to the substance, and try to prevent the spilled material from entering floor drains or outside areas. If a worker is exposed to dangerous spilled material, get them to a well-ventilated area and use emergency eye washes or showers on them for at least 15 minutes. If necessary, seek medical attention.
• Ask for help: While workers can handle some spills themselves, other spills should only be cleaned by an expert. Ensure that all your employees understand when it’s okay for them to clean a spill and when they should contact their supervisor or an outside professional for help.
• Size matters: Different sized spills should be handled differently. Generally, if a spill is equal to one cup or less, workers can simply wipe it up with paper towels or other absorbent materials. For a one-gallon spill, you can typically clean up the mess with spill socks, pads or absorbents. As workers clean these larger spills, they should surround the puddle with absorbent materials and work toward the middle of the spill—this will reduce spreading or splashing of the material. If the spill is two gallons or more, you might want to contact your emergency spill response team or an outside resource to handle the cleanup.
• Use proper disposal methods: Once you have soaked up the spill, use a broom and dustpan to sweep up all the wet towels, spill absorbents or other cleanup materials. Thoroughly clean and decontaminate the floor as well as any tools, machinery or other surfaces that might have been exposed to the spill. Double bag all the contaminated clean-up materials in plastic and place the bags inside a plastic or metal drum. Label the drum as “Hazardous Waste” with the date and the type of materials spilled. Arrange for proper storage and/or disposal of the drum.

Spill Prevention:

• Use smart storage techniques: Store materials in appropriate, well-sealed containers in the proper environment. Group similar materials together and post each material storage area with the proper spill response technique and emergency phone numbers. Store all materials indoors, away from exterior doors and drains, to prevent accidental spills into the environment.
• Limit materials: Try to limit the amount of hazardous materials stored in your workplace. This will minimize the risk of major spills. If you must keep a large amount of a certain material or if you have any toxic or hazardous materials, store these substances in double containers.
• Move materials carefully: When you or your workers are moving materials, carry one container at a time or place multiple containers on a rolling cart.
• Look for leaks: Check all of your storage equipment, material lines and materials dispensing areas for signs of leaks as often as possible.

Incidents involving contact between heavy equipment and overhead power-lines are more common than you might imagine. Some of the more typical occurrences include workers lifting loads with cranes, operating trucks with raised beds, and placing drilling equipment into position. In each of these instances, the danger exists because workers failed to realize just how close they were to power lines.

Machinery that makes contact with an overhead power line conductor becomes energized with electricity ranging from several thousand to more than 10,000 volts. When this happens, there are three ways that injury can occur:

• Workers in direct contact with both the machine and ground become a pathway for electrical current.
• Equipment operators, who are unaware of the line contact, or of their imminent danger, dismount the equipment, which causes them to bridge the high voltage between the equipment and ground.
• Nearby workers who try to help co-workers involved in the incident make contact with energized equipment or victims.

Because accidents involving power lines and heavy equipment are such a problem, OSHA established the following guidelines:

• All equipment covered by Subpart O—Motor Vehicles, Mechanized Equipment, and Marine Operations, must comply with 1926.550(a)(15) when working or being moved in the vicinity of power lines or energized transmitters.
• Any overhead line must be considered energized unless and until the person owning the line or electric utility authorities indicate that it is not and has it visibly grounded. There are three OSHA approved methods to protect equipment operators from coming into contact with live overhead lines:
  • De-energize lines and visibly ground them before work begins. The owner of the property or the utility company is responsible for performing this step.
  • Construct insulating barriers that are separate from the equipment to prevent physical contact with the lines.
  • Operate equipment only if the required clearance between the lines and the equipment exists. If the line is rated 50 kV or below, there must be a 10 foot clearance. If the line is rated over 50 kV, there must be a minimum of 10 feet plus 0.4 inch for each 1 kV over 50 kV. Keep in mind that the required amount of clearance must be between the line and all parts of the equipment.
• Transporting crane-type equipment with no load and boom lowered requires a minimum of 4 feet of clearance for voltages less than 50 kV, and 10 feet of clearance for voltages between 50 kV and 345 kV. Voltages over 345kV, up to and including 750 kV, require a 16 foot clearance.
• A person must be designated as a spotter to ensure line clearance of the equipment. The spotter is also required to give a timely warning for all operations where it is difficult for the operators to see if they are maintaining the desired clearance.