Workplace Safety

Pressurized hoses are used on the jobsite everyday to run tools like paint sprayers and nail guns. Although the tools they power can make a worker’s job much easier, the hoses themselves can be dangerous if handled improperly. The hoses derive power from the liquid or gas that moves inside them; however, that power also creates a reactive force. If the force is strong enough, it can cause the hose to whip, possibly causing serious injury if it strikes a worker and even additional hazards, like a chemical spill.

The following tips can help you prevent hose whipping hazards:

• Inspect hoses for torn outer jackets, damaged inner reinforcing, or soft spots before using them. Hoses with these types of damage should be removed from service.
• Reduce the pressure in the hose to a lower level if possible. Setting pressure regulators to 30 psi or less can minimize the possibility of the hose whipping.
• Avoid making sharp bends in the hose, which can damage the reinforcement.
• Don’t jerk on a hose that has become snagged as this can cause ruptures. Find the object the hose is caught on, and release it there.
• Restrain pressurized hoses that are unavoidably located near other employees with guards that are strong enough to keep the hoses in place if a leak or rupture occurs.
• Use solid lines with tight fittings if possible instead of flexible hoses when working near other employees. Solid lines do not whip or leak as readily as flexible hoses, which can develop leaks from vibration, pressure cycles and aging.
• Examine the connections on pressurized hoses frequently to prevent any accidental detachment of the line, which would result in uncontrollable whipping. Hose clamps with a restraining chain should be used to minimize the whipping effect if hose connections should accidentally become loose.
• Pin the two sides of the hose’s twist type fitting together using the lugs provided. Be sure these fittings are fully secured.
• Use the safety device at the air supply to reduce the pressure in the event of a hose failure. This device is standard on all hoses that are ½ inch in diameter or larger. If the hose you’re using doesn’t have this device, lash the two ends of the hose together to restrict whipping.
• Never connect or disconnect pressurized hoses, always depressurize first.
• Don’t stop the airflow in a hose by bending or crimping with pliers as this could cause major hose damage.
• Stand clear of potential rupture points when conducting hose pressure tests. During testing, the pressure should be increased gradually with a brief pause between each increase. Instruments for reading pressures should be arranged so they are clearly visible at all times.

Excavations are commonplace on construction sites. They are dug in order to build foundations and to accommodate various types of installations. Although having employees working in an excavation may seem like just another part of the job, that doesn’t mean that excavations don’t present some very real dangers.

The most frequent cause of injury/death associated with this particular work environment is the cave-in. One cubic yard of soil weighs about 3,000 pounds. If workers are buried, they’ll suffocate in less than three minutes. If they somehow manage to survive, the weight of the soil will probably have caused serious internal injuries.

However, cave-ins aren’t the only hazard in excavation work. Lack of oxygen, toxic fumes, explosive gases, and buried power lines may also present serious safety risks. The best way to avoid exposing your employees to these risks is to develop a site-specific safety plan prior to beginning any work.

There are several factors to consider when examining the site where an excavation is to be dug:

• Surface debris- Identify any objects near the site that may create a hazard and be sure they are removed before digging begins.
• Soil composition- There are four types of soil composition as defined by OSHA:
  • Stable rock- This is natural solid mineral matter that can be excavated and that remains intact while exposed.
  • Type A soil- This is cohesive soil that has an unconfined compressive strength of 1.5 tons per square foot or more. Unconfined compressive strength means the load at which soil will fail when it’s compressed. The unconfined compressive strength can be determined by laboratory or field-testing.
  • Type B soil- This is defined as cohesive soil that has an unconfined compressive strength of between 0.5 and 1.5 tons per square foot.
  • Type C soil- This soil has an unconfined compressive strength of 0.5 tons per square foot or less.
• Underground utility lines- Where are the sewer, telephone, fuel, electric, and water lines located? What agencies need to be contacted to turn off the utilities until work is completed?
• Vehicle traffic- Is the excavation near a high-traffic road? This is a significant factor because frequent vibrations caused by moving vehicles could cause a cave-in.
• Stability of adjacent structures- Are there buildings, walls, or other structures that the excavation could render unstable? If so they will have to be properly supported before any digging begins.
• Water accumulation- Could water accumulate in the excavation from nearby streams, heavy rains, or a high water table? If this is a problem, how will it be alleviated?
• Atmospheric hazards- Could workers be exposed to atmospheric hazards or low oxygen levels? How will these hazards be controlled before work begins and what rescue equipment must be available in the event of an incident?

Although identifying hazards is the responsibility of all on-site employees, OSHA requires that a “competent person,” that is, someone who has been trained in soil analysis, protection methods, and excavation requirements, examine every excavation site. This person is responsible for classifying soil, determining the best method to protect workers from cave-ins, and testing for atmospheric hazards. The competent person must inspect the site and the protective system at least once a day for instability, damage, or other hazards.

Most construction employers and employees are well aware of the potentially deadly effects of heat stress, but they often overlook the hazards of cold weather. Prolonged exposure to cold weather can result in a number of injuries, such as frostbite and hypothermia. It can also aggravate existing medical conditions such as arthritis, increase the risk of musculoskeletal injuries, and affect dexterity and coordination.

In spite of the number of hazards associated with cold stress, there are steps both workers and employers can take to minimize its risks:

Employers:

• Monitor wind chill and temperature – Wind chill can heighten the effects of cold stress. Low temperatures combined with high wind velocity can cause a worker to lose heat rapidly.
• Create a warm-up schedule – Designate specific, periodic times for warm-up breaks. Increase the number of warm-up breaks as the wind velocity increases and/or the temperature drops.
• Protect work areas from windy conditions – Wrap industrial plastic around the exterior of the area in which employees are working, or provide a heater to warm up the area.
• Provide a heated shelter – Workers with prolonged exposure to equivalent wind-chill temperatures of 20 degrees above zero or less need to have an easily accessible, heated enclosure so that they can warm up in the event they are becoming hypothermic.

Employees:

• Dress appropriately for cold weather – Workers exposed to cold weather should wear three layers of clothing and protect their heads, hands, and feet.
• Drink plenty of fluids – Cold environments suppress thirst, making it easy to become dehydrated. Workers need to ensure they drink enough while working in the cold. Drink beverages that are warm and sweet because they will help maintain body temperature. Alcoholic beverages should be avoided because they cause the body to lose heat more rapidly.
• Eat high calorie meals – When the body’s metabolism burns calories, it produces heat. The more calories that are burned, the more likely the body will remain warm in a cold environment. Workers who wear heavy, protective clothing lose more heat, which means they need 10% to 15% more calories to maintain normal body temperature.
• Avoid smoking – Research shows that smoking lowers body temperature to below normal levels.
• Stop working when exhausted or fatigued – Cold weather affects the amount of physical work an individual can perform, and fatigue will increase the risk of hypothermia.
• Use the buddy system – Cold stress can cause a worker to become disoriented and jeopardize their safety.
• Always work in pairs when working in extremely cold conditions so partners can monitor one another and obtain help in an emergency.

Too many employees work long hours for several days in a row without sufficient sleep — and that’s a recipe for disaster. When you haven’t had enough sleep, you’re more likely to feel tired, depressed, keyed up, or irritable. That’s why a jobsite staffed with fatigued workers creates a hazardous work environment.

The problem with sleep debt. Experts say that the average adult requires seven to eight hours of uninterrupted sleep every day. When you don’t catch enough ZZZs each night, you build up a dangerous sleep debt that adds up over time.

If you only sleep four hours one night, your work performance might not be affected right away. However, repeated nights of insufficient or disrupted sleep over a period of days or weeks will eventually wear you down. Over time, this growing sleep debt will not only make you feel tired and irritable, but it could ultimately lead to depression, loss of appetite and digestive problems. Insufficient sleep can also increase your risk of getting sick.

Fatigued Workers = Dangerous Jobsite. If you and/or your co-workers are sleep deprived on the worksite, you’re more likely to make mistakes or miss potentially dangerous situations. Sleepy workers often react more slowly than usual, show poor judgment, and are unable to stay focused on the job at hand. When you’re tired, you could also lose motivation, become forgetful, and take greater risks. This could lead to serious accidents and injuries on the jobsite. It all adds up to an unsafe work environment for yourself and your fellow workers.

This is why it’s so important to ensure that you get at least seven hours of sleep every night. If you are planning to work an extended shift, make sure that you make time for a good night’s sleep as soon as your shift is over. Although it might be tempting to run out after work and socialize with your friends, it’s more important to your safety and overall health to go home and get plenty of sleep.

Employers can help. Employers can pitch in and help make the workplace safer by ensuring their workers get plenty of sleep. Some employers require a certain number of mandatory off-duty hours. This increases the likelihood that workers will go home and get enough sleep before they return to the jobsite.

If workers are taking on extended shifts, employers can help by offering prepared meals and a quiet place where workers can rest during their breaks. Supervisors should also be aware of the dangers workers face when they are exposed to loud noise, chemicals, and extreme temperatures for extended periods of time.

If you are planning on asking employees to work lengthy hours, make sure that you consult with an occupational hygiene specialist first. This type of expert can evaluate the situation and determine whether or not it’s safe to increase a worker’s exposure to these potentially dangerous factors.

Whether you work a job that requires a lot of heavy lifting or sitting at a desk all day, you’ve probably heard plenty about back pain — and you might have experienced it first-hand. About 80% of all adults in the U.S. have experienced back pain at some point, according to the Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center.

In 2009, the Center surveyed more than 14,000 subscribers who experienced lower back pain in the past year but never had surgery. More than half said the pain limited their daily routine severely for a week or longer and 88% said the pain recurred throughout the year.

Unfortunately, misconceptions and myths about back pain abound. Read on to learn the truth about back pain and the best ways to treat it.

Surgery isn’t always the best solution. Many people falsely believe that surgery is the only solution for a slipped disk (also known as a herniated or ruptured disk). However, this is not necessarily the case. First of all, most back pain is not caused by a herniated disk. Oftentimes, it’s simply a pulled muscle or another problem that will heal on its own. Back pain is extremely complex, and each case is unique. As a matter of fact, doctors cannot make a specific diagnosis for more than 70% of patients with chronic back pain.

Therefore, you shouldn’t assume that you need surgery as soon as your back starts aching. Your doctor will have to put you through some extensive testing to determine if your pain is coming from a damaged disk. Even if the doctor does confirm that you have a slipped disk, you might be able to recover without surgery.

Some studies show that about 90% of patients with a herniated disk gradually improve within six weeks. If your pain persists longer, then you might be a good candidate for surgery. However, because back surgery can be extremely invasive and require lengthy amounts of recovery time, you should view it as a last resort.

You might not need to take it easy. Another common misconception is if your back hurts, you should take it easy and get plenty of rest until the pain subsides. However, many medical experts say exactly the opposite. If your back hurts, you should try to continue your every day activities. People who stay active tend to heal more quickly than those who banish themselves to bed rest.

Of course, if you are experiencing severe pain, you might need to take some time off from work, especially if you have a physically demanding job. However, you might consider coming to the jobsite for some light work until you recover fully. This will give you an opportunity to stretch your back and remain somewhat active while your back heals.

Not all back pain is caused by an accident or heavy lifting. Although you might be quick to assume that your back pain was caused by lifting something heavy, that might not be the case. Of course, people with physically demanding jobs that involve a lot of lifting and carrying of heavy materials are more likely to experience lower back pain. However, there are many other causes for back pain.

As a matter of fact, people who sit still at a desk all day long are actually at higher risk for a disk injury than those who do moderate amounts of physical work. That’s because these desk workers remain sedentary for much of the day, sitting in unnatural positions in front of a computer and placing constant pressure on their spine.

There are many other factors that contribute to back pain. For example, your age can play a role, as well as your gender. Men are more likely to injure their back when they’re around 40 years old, while women generally suffer from back pain between the ages of 50 and 60. Your lifestyle can also affect back pain. Smoking, obesity, and stress are often linked to lower back pain.

A back injury doesn’t mean the end of your career. In the past, many workers assumed that if they injured their back, they would never be the same again and would be unable to return to their job. However, most people who experience back pain eventually get better — with or without treatment.

Studies show that most people who take time off from work due to back pain return to the job within six weeks. Only a small percentage of people never return to work again after a back injury. Unfortunately, once you’ve suffered from back pain, you’re most likely going to experience it again at some point. Luckily, even these recurring incidences of back pain will generally go away on their own.

There are many treatment options. If you’re suffering from severe back pain, don’t feel like you’re alone. You can turn to many different types of experts to help you manage the pain and recover.

First and foremost, visit a trusted family physician. He or she can rule out a serious health problem and may be able to refer you to a specialist. Many back pain sufferers turn to chiropractors, physical therapists, pain management doctors, and other specialists. Although back pain usually resolves on its own with time, these experts can help you through the pain, give you valuable advice, and offer you some relief.

On average, 20 workers are killed each week on the job, making homicide the second leading cause of death at the workplace (after motor vehicle accidents). Additionally, an estimated million workers are non-fatally assaulted each year, according to data from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, a division of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Though the vast majority of workplace violence is related to robbery and perpetrated by individuals from outside a business, about 9% involves co-workers or former employees.

Workplace violence committed by current or former employees has a devastating impact on a business and its employees. Although the real and immediate injury to the victim(s) delivers the biggest blow, the business itself can suffer bad publicity and, likely, an expensive lawsuit. Regardless of whether or not workers who were not involved in the incident witnessed the event, many are likely to experience emotional after-effects.

What are the causes of workplace violence? According to a guide published by the Minnesota Department of Labor & Industry, workplace violence can occur at any business, because the business environment is not the only trigger of brutal incidents. Family stress, substance abuse issues, and an employee’s overall psychological status, can carry into the workplace and provoke an incident of violence. Other situations that can lead to tragedy include an employee developing an unrequited crush on a co-worker, being rejected for a promotion, or feeling they are treated unjustly by a supervisor. In some cases, an individual cannot handle the resulting feelings of rejection appropriately. The pressure to produce and/or fear of layoffs can also trigger violence in an unbalanced employee.

An analysis by USA Today of 224 incidents of workplace violence committed by employees concluded that, in 80% of cases, the employee had exhibited clear warning signs of possible violence, which were ignored or minimized by supervisors or co-workers. Although some red flags of violence are clear — such as wielding a weapon or making verbal threats — others are less obvious. Experts in the field urge caution when the following behaviors are present:

• Continuous complaints of unjust treatment
• Inability or unwillingness to be held accountable, as well as the need to place blame on others
• Difficulty in accepting criticism
• Deterioration of job performance
• Mood swings or personality/behavioral changes
• Emotional outbursts

Although workplace violence cannot be eliminated completely, businesses can take action to lessen the chances that an incident will take place. Supervisors, managers, and all other employees should be made aware of actions and attitudes that can indicate potential violence. Companies need to make it perfectly clear that non-physical precursors to violence — such as bullying, intimidation, aggression, and threats — will not be tolerated. Policies should also encourage employees to report such red flags, with reasonable assurance of their personal safety. Managers and supervisors require training in how to diffuse workplace tensions effectively and deal with confrontations before they turn violent. Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) or other counseling services can be helpful in taking these steps.

Although people can and do change, many perpetrators of violence have a history of brutality, or of red flags for potential violence. For this reason, background checks, pre-employment screenings, thorough resume reviews, and pre-hire interviews can be beneficial tools in workplace violence prevention, according to information from the International Risk Management Institute. Other warning signs include frequent job changes that are not explained adequately; mysterious holes in an applicant’s work history; demeanor during a pre-hire interview that is unresponsive, uncooperative, or somehow unsettling; and, of course, any history of violent or threatening behavior.

With the right policies and preventive measures, a business can know that it has taken appropriate steps to deter workplace violence and protect their employees to the best of their ability.

Pneumatic nail guns are easy to use, and can significantly reduce work time, but they are also deadly weapons. Driven by compressed air, they can blast upwards of 30 nails a minute at speeds of 490 feet per second. According to a 2007 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a large number of those nails not only find their way into the heads, hands, and necks of the employees who use nail guns, but also those of their co-workers.

The lead author of the research, Dr. Hester Lipscomb, an epidemiologist from Duke University in North Carolina, studied data from the Consumer Product Safety Commission’s National Electronic Injury Surveillance System about reported nail gun injuries from 1995 to 2005. Her findings reveal that the number of persons with nail gun injuries seeking treatment in hospital emergency rooms increased from about 12,000 in 1995 to roughly 42,000 in 2005. Lipscomb said the data highlighted the need for better training, and an increased awareness that nail guns must be treated just like any other loaded weapon.

To help workers use nail guns safely, The National Association of Home Builders has established the following guidelines:

• Inspect the tool before each use.
• Wear safety glasses, a hardhat and appropriate hearing protection whenever you use a nail gun.
• Keep guards and other safety devices on nail guns working in accordance with the manufacturers’ recommendations.
• Never carry the tool with your finger on or under the trigger; always remove your finger from the trigger when not driving nails or fasteners.
• Use the nail gun as directed. For example, with a pneumatic nail gun, you should first contact the surface, and then squeeze the trigger. “Bumping” or “bouncing” the nail gun against the work surface with the trigger engaged could cause the nail gun to go off when it hits something else by accident, like your leg.
• Drive nails/fasteners into the work surface only, never into materials that are too hard to penetrate.
• Do not drive nails/fasteners close to the edge of the work surface, on top of other nails/fasteners, or with the tool at too steep an angle. This could cause the nails/fasteners to ricochet and hurt someone.
• Never point the tool at yourself or others in the work area.
• Keep your hands and feet away from the firing head during use.
• Remove all nails/fasteners from the tool before connecting it to the air compressor and do not exceed the manufacturers’ recommended working air pressure rating.
• Fasten the air hose securely to the tool to prevent it from becoming disconnected.
• Disconnect the air before clearing jams, performing maintenance, leaving the work area, or moving the tool to another location.

Everyone knows how important it is to get eight hours of sleep each night so that they can be at their best the following day. What you might not know, however, is that if your employees don’t get enough rest, they will experience decreased motor skills, impaired thought processes, and memory loss, all of which can make them susceptible to injury.

In addition to being a safety hazard, sleep deprivation can also affect your employees’ health. Research shows that night shift workers typically get an hour less of sleep per day than day workers. Taking away this hour of sleep interferes with their circadian rhythms. These are the events that occur within a 24-hour period, like sleeping/waking, which are regulated by an internal clock. If you try to readjust that clock, such as when you switch sleep times, it can cause difficulties, because circadian clocks affect almost every level of bodily functions. As a result, employees can develop peptic ulcers, hypertension and cardiovascular diseases.

Not getting enough sleep also causes an employee to consume more calories. That’s because sleeping plays an important role in regulating the body’s leptin levels, a hormone that tells the brain when the body needs more food. Low levels of leptin cause the individual to eat more which can lead to obesity. Obesity can lead to diabetes, hypertension or other health problems, as well as decreased productivity and increased absenteeism.

As an employer, you need to find ways to combat the effect sleep deprivation can have on your workers’ health and safety. Here are some steps you can take:

• Break up the monotony of repetitive tasks – A sleep deprived employee’s attention span wanes after one to two hours of doing the same task over and over. To reduce mistakes, schedule frequent, short break periods in which the employee stops work and stands up, or moves around.
• Put high-intensity lighting in the work area – The short-term effect is that the lighting keeps workers alert. Over time, exposure from this type of light retrains the body’s circadian rhythms to delay the onset of sleep. When the worker does go to sleep, because the body has been retrained that this is the new sleep period, the worker actually experiences a more restorative sleep.
• Permit napping – When employees first begin working a night shift, it is important that they have an opportunity to nap until they become acclimated to their new schedule. Allowing an employee to nap for 30 minutes can significantly improve their ability to function.
• Use the buddy system – Create employee teams of two who are responsible for monitoring each other for signs of sleep deprivation. If an employee notices their teammate is looking tired or starting to make mistakes, they can insist that their co-worker stop what they are doing, and take a break.

Doctors, nurses and safety experts constantly preach to us about how we should all learn first aid. But is it really that important? The answer is a resounding yes. When a person is injured, the proper first aid techniques can greatly lessen the severity of their situation. In particularly grave situations, first aid can even save a life. Even a seemingly minor injury, such as a small cut on your hand or a bump on your head, can lead to serious medical problems if you don’t take the appropriate first aid measures. If things get bad enough, you might have to miss work — which means you’ll lose valuable time and money. To help protect yourself and those around you, it’s critical to know first aid. Sign up for a first aid course with a qualified instructor and you’ll learn how to respond quickly and properly to almost any type of injury.

People who have not taken a first aid course often make mistakes when attempting to help an injured person. Sometimes, these mistakes can be deadly. Here are a few of the most common first aid mistakes:

1. Treating burns with butter or ice: If you burn your skin, do not treat the area with butter or ice. Butter can prevent your skin from healing properly and ice can cause frostbite, damaging the skin even more. Also, never cover a burn with a bandage or any other covering.

If you are suffering from a mild burn, wash the affected area with cool water and apply antibiotic ointment. If the burn is severe or located in a sensitive area, such as around your eyes or mouth, see a doctor immediately.

2. Telling someone with a nose bleed to lean back: If someone is suffering from a nose bleed, the last thing they should is lean their head back. They could actually choke on blood. If you have a nosebleed, sit down, lean forward and pinch your nose just below the nasal bone for five to ten minutes. Once the bleeding stops, do not blow your nose or bend over for several hours — this could cause the bleeding to start up again. If you have a nose bleed that lasts longer than 20 minutes, seek medical attention.

3. Trying to move a badly injured person: If someone is badly injured, do not try to move them. Even if an injured pedestrian is lying in the middle of a busy street after being hit by a car, DO NOT try to move him. If you attempt to move him, you could make his injuries even worse.

Instead, call 911 immediately and wait with the victim until the ambulance arrives. Only a trained professional, such as an EMT, should move a severely injured person.

4. Not acting quickly enough: One of the biggest first aid mistakes people make is simply not acting quickly enough. Let’s say your co-worker John cuts himself badly, and is losing a lot of blood very quickly. If you don’t act right away by applying pressure to the wound to stop the bleeding, John could die within a matter of minutes.

You should also react quickly to smaller injuries. For example, imagine that you scrape your finger on a rusty old nail sticking out of your workstation. If you simply wipe off the blood and go back to work, the cut could get badly infected and even lead to blood poisoning.

This is why it’s so important to act quickly. Instead of ignoring your scrape and assuming it will be fine, you should thoroughly clean the area with soap and water, apply antibiotic ointment, wrap your finger in sterile dressing and see a nurse immediately.

With the proper first aid training, you will know better than to make these mistakes. Oftentimes, first aid can mean the difference between life and death. Play it safe and sign up for a first aid course today.

In most everything we do, we find a “trick” or shortcut to make the process easier and faster. For better or worse, after we develop these shortcuts, they become work habits in our everyday activities. Developing everyday safety habits can keep you injury free through the year. Here are ten safety habits to live by:

1. Set Your Own Standards.
Don’t be influenced by others around you who are negative. If you fail to wear safety glasses because others don’t, remember the blindness you suffer will be yours alone to live with.

2. Operate Equipment Only If Qualified.
Your supervisor might not realize you have never done the job before. You have the responsibility to let your supervisor know, so the necessary training can be provided.

3. Respect Machinery.
If you put something in a machine’s way, it will crush it, pinch it or cut it. Make sure all guards are in place. Never hurry beyond your ability to think and act safely. Remember to de-energize the power first before placing your hands in a point of operation.

4. Use Your Own Initiative for Safety Protection.
You are in the best position to see problems when they arise. Ask for the personal protective equipment or additional guidance you need.

5. Ask Questions.
If you are uncertain, ask. Do not accept answers that contain, “I think, I assume, I guess.” Be sure.

6. Use Care and Caution When Lifting.
Most muscle and spinal injuries are caused by overstrain. Know your limits. Do not attempt to exceed them. The few minutes it takes to get help will prevent weeks of being out of work and in pain.

7. Practice Good Housekeeping.
Disorganized work areas are the breeding grounds for accidents. You might not be the only victim. Don’t be a cause.

8. Wear Proper and Sensible Work Clothes.
Wear sturdy and appropriate footwear. These should enclose the foot fully. Avoid loose clothing, dangling jewelry, and be sure that long hair is tied back and cannot become entangled in the machinery.

9. Practice Good Personal Cleanliness.
Avoid touching eyes, face, and mouth with gloves or hands that are dirty. Wash well and use barrier creams when necessary. Most industrial rashes are the result of poor hygiene practices.

10. Be a Positive Part of the Safety Team.
Willingly accept and follow safety rules. Encourage others to do so. Your attitude can play a major role in the prevention of accidents and injuries.