Safetyguy08's Blog – February 2012 Archive (20)

Came across this on the Justrite website yesterday and thought it might be of use to you all...

Those of you who follow my blog know that I don't use it as a glorified commercial for our eCommerce website. I believe in providing good, accurate, up-to-date information to build trust and help everyone be…

Most people who have no experience, and some who do, don’t ever think of concrete as something that can cause severe burns. Think again. As these photos demonstrate, concrete can cause serious skin burns and yet very often those who work with concrete wear no protective gear whatsoever, exposing themselves to serious health issues related to the high alkaline content of concrete.…

The flu virus is thought to thrive in cold weather, so it’s no surprise that during this unseasonably warm winter, we’ve had an equally mild flu season. Doctor visits for the flu have been below average this winter for New Mexico, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

But don’t think you’re in the free and clear. Typically, flu season peaks in February…

What's In Your Drain?

Fifty Catch Basin Inserts. 2 Weeks.

This Stormwater Minute is mostly visual. After all, they say a picture is worth a thousand words. And this is a perfect example. The photo above shows what was removed from 50 catch basin filters after 2 weeks in storm drains in the southern California area.…

Free is good, right? Especially when it comes to something that might otherwise take you a whole lot of time to put together. Today I want to make you aware of a free app you can download and customize, to make you workplace audit much, much simpler.

Completely free, fully customizable workplace audits for every…

Okay, technically this isn't a "workplace safety" post but it does relate to health and it comes from the CDC website. It's also surprising so I'm going to post it.

According to the CDC website, Bread is where Americans are getting most of the sodium that they ingest. Considering the fact that 90% of us get more than the recommended levels of sodium intake, that's pretty significant.

The…

The U. S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) is apparently tired of OSHA dragging its feet on the combustible dust standard it promised to address as early as 2003 and has yet to act on.

In two separate statements, both of which can be found on the CSB website. Chairperson Rafael Moure-Eraso speaks out about OSHA's failure to address the issue despite promises to do so.

Rafael…

Icicle danger: BEWARE OF Death by Icicle!

Icicles and rooftop snow are the latest danger facing the public this winter. Freezing temperatures across the country have led to the build-up of ice and snow on cell towers, buildings and roofs - with emergency services called into action to deal with some of the dangers.…

What can we do to help safely thaw these frozen pipes and prevent it from freezing during cold winter weather? Water has a unique property in that it expands as it freezes. This expansion puts tremendous pressure on whatever is containing it, including metal or plastic pipes. No matter the "strength" of a container, expanding water can cause pipes to break. Pipes that freeze most frequently are those…

Effective as of February 1st 2012 (2 weeks ago now), the new crane rule went into effect.

In the wake of several crane accidents and fatalities, not to mention the cost of damages, OSHA has put together a new rule for crane inspection, maintenance and operation. If you haven't been aware of this new rule, don't panic yet. While it went into effect at the beginning of the month, you've got until…

Well, president Obama release the FY 2013 budget yesterday and with regards to OSHA, the main points had to do with an increased funding for the whistle-blowers' program and a decrease in money for personnel through the consolidation of three different regional offices which would effectively eliminate some redundant positions.

1. The Whistle-blowers' program: OSHA would receive an additional $5 million to help fund all the investigations that are currently backlogged. What this is…

I can still remember what they used to say "I actually drive better when I'm high because I'm more focused" or something very like that. They were talking about how they drive while under the influence of cannabis.

A new study, published in the "British Medical Journal" (you can view the abstract on the…

More people die in fires caused by smoking than in fires with any other single cause. Because tobacco is designed to stay alight, cigarettes can easily start an accidental fire.

• Keep your home, business, co-workers and family safe from fire.

• Use your common sense – know the risks and make sure when you put it out, it really is out!

• Take extra…

The old adage that says "if you want something done right, do it yourself" doesn't necessarily hold true. Sometimes the best course of action is to let the professionals do it and when you're talking about safety related issues, who better than OSHA.

With that in mind, why not let OSHA do your respiratory training for you? They've just added several more respiratory training videos to bring their total up to 17 (9 in English and 8 in Spanish).

English:…

Use this video in your next scaffold training class as a prime example of "How not to dismantle a scaffold"…

Burn Awareness Week Feb 6-10

As 75 to 80 percent of burn injuries happen in and around the workplace or at home, it is important for you to be aware of risks and take precautions to make your work place and home safe for you and your family. Each year in the United States, 1.1 million burn injuries require medical attention. Approximately up to 4,500 people die every year in the U.S. from burns and related infections. Included below is information from the American Red Cross Emergency…

Twelve photos were selected from the hundreds of entries sent in; twelve entries that no only speak of safety in creative ways but twelve entries that are also worthy for their aesthetic qualities as well. The photos speak well of the theme they've chosen to represent and do so as great photos.

Go to the European Agency for Safety and Health…

Want yet more safety talks? Then I've got another great link for you:

http://ehssafetynews.com/2012/01/28/toolbox-talks-resource-great-topics-information/

Here's a list of what they have to offer:

• General
  
  General safety toolbox topics.…

If you've got fall protection equipment it is imperative that the equipment be inspected each and every time you use it to make sure it isn't damaged and that it will perform well if and when it needs to.

In order to make the process as painless as possible, as well as to have adequate record-keeping, having a checklist form is usually the best way to go.

I've put together the three following checklist forms that you can download and print out to walk you through this…

You see it every day, that black diesel exhaust piping out of the trucks going down the road. And there's plenty that you never do see. Diesel powers a good percentage of heavy equipment, buses, trucks, earth-movers, etc...

Interestingly enough, considering all the vehicle emissions testing and EPA standards, there presently is no federal occupational health standard for diesel,…