September 2010 Blog Posts (25)

With fall and winter coming on, generators are more than likely going to be needed again soon. Every year, wind storms, rain and snow cause power outages all across the country. While some areas (the area where I have my home, for example) are more prone to power outages (out where I live, it's because of the number of trees that fall and knock down power lines) no area is totally immune and having a generator is usually a good idea to avoid freezing, avoid losing food when the fridge goes…

Isn't the internet cool?! You need a handout for a safety meeting… a couple of clicks and pretty soon your printer is humming away. You want to put up a new safety poster… just click and print!

The top posts, on this blog, still have to do either with "The OSHA Cowboy, OSHA Bullrider, OSHA Santa, OSHA streaker, and more" (Go figure!) or has to do with…

MSHA (Mine Safety and Health Administration) issued an emergency rule last Tuesday (Sept. 21^st) mandating that the percentage of rock dust, which is ground limestone and renders coal dust inert, must be increased from 65% to 80% in the mine intakes. This measure is intended to reduce potential mine explosions.

The problem with coal dust is that it can greatly amplify explosion in the mine shafts by essentially making the air "explosive" and combustible.…

Hugs Safety has been very fortunate in recent years to work with the folks at Habitat for Humanity in Charlotte, NC helping to make their work sites safer for volunteers and professionals alike. In a recent article of the Charlotte Observer, Habitat, it's volunteers, and supporters made many families dreams of home ownership come true, and our HUGS system was installed on the worksites to ensure completion of the jobs without any serious injuries resulting from roof…

According to a new study, due to be released in the upcoming issue of "Heart" journal, the answer is "yes!" unless you are keeping physically fit. According to research, men who aren't staying fit more than double their risk of heart disease if they work long hours. The article gives the following information:

• Compared with men who worked less than 40 hours per week, unfit men who worked 41 to 45 hours a week were 59% more likely to die of heart…

An article published on the HealthDay website (www.healthday.com) and accessible here, has concluded that they way you view life has a lot to do with how healthy you are. In other words, think happy thoughts and you'll be a healthier person.

The study, conducted by Suzanne C. Segerstrom from the psychology department of the University of Kentucky, is far from conclusive. It doesn't begin to explain the link between the brain and…

We've all heard about the dangers of sniffing glue. What you may not realize, however, is that you might be getting a high exposure count to the very chemicals that kids are using to get high without even knowing it. And it can be doing you as much harm.

The problem resides in the fact that these harmful chemicals can get into your system in one or more of several manners:

Absorption – Are you cleaning your tools, paint brushes, bearings, etc……

We mentioned last week in a post that OSHA is generating a record number of fines (see "OSHA Crackdown"). Apparently, all that money isn't going to waste.

OSHA made a total of 8 million dollars worth of donations to some 45 organizations whose primary purpose is to try to educate "hard-to-reach" people groups regarding safety. The reasons why most of these people groups are hard to reach has to do with…

Last Friday we ran a post on the record low fatalities in the highways. While that's good news, a British Columbia company wants to make sure that we don't rest on our laurels.

School zones and other areas where children play are still problem areas. Getting drivers to slow down is still a priority.

Preventable, out of Canada, has come up with a novel approach. They have painted a 3D illusion into the…

Remember 1950? No, me neither. That's why it's pretty impressive to hear that fatalities on the highways of America have dropped to an all time low not seen since then. The US Department of Transportation announced yesterday (9/9/10) that traffic deaths fell 9.7 percent in 2009, down to 33,808 and that this number put us at the lowest level since 1950.

Credited mainly to better technology (airbags, better built side impact doors, etc…), "safety-conscious drivers and tougher…

One of the best things to happen in the area of safety has to do with the RTK (Right to Know) that states that all employees have the right to know what they are being exposed to and the potential hazards that this exposure might have.

Every job site should have an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) binder that gives detailed information on all the chemicals and materials that you, as a worker come into contact with. It doesn't do you a whole lot of good, however, unless you understand…