- Open for Business
- Age and Accidents: Lessening the Dangers for Senior Drivers
- Don't "Slip Up" When It Comes To On-site Safety
- New Lockout-Tagout Training a Win-Win for Employers and Employees
- Happy (and Safe) Holidays
- Working With Wood Presents Extra Hazards
- Too Bright For Me
- On Guard
- Want to advertise on the internet?
- Store it safely
- Safety on the loading dock
- What you can do now to prevent water damage later
- Do You Know the Law?
- Safety is Important in any Language
- Computers Can Be a Pain
- Check it out
- You've Got Mail
- Winter Safety Tips
- Eyes Wide Open
- Working Drug Free
- Are You Up to Date
- On The Road Again
- Take a Team Approach to Safety
- Will Your Automatic Sprinkler System Work When You Need It Most
- Store it Safely
- It's Hot Outside
- A Breath of Fresh Air
- What Does MSDS Mean?
- Hello, I'm Calling to Report a Claim
- Water and Electricity Do Not Mix
- That's Hot
- Springtime Can Mean Flooding
- Start Off 2006 with a Plan
- Let's Get Out of Here!
- Lift it Safely
- Product Recalls
- Is Your Place of Business Loud?
- Keep Everyone Safe with Lockout/Tagout
- Don't Be a Victim
- Play it Safe with Your Holiday Party
- Making Your Workplace Safer for Teen Workers
- Safety: The Profit Center for your Business
- Are Your Machines Appropriately Guarded?
- The Right Personal Protective Equipment
Open For Business
For some of us, most of our New Years resolutions have already been broken. But it is not too late to make one that can help keep your business in business in case of a natural disaster. Open for Business is a business continuation program that will help keep you in business despite a disaster. It’s free, easy to use and maybe the best resolution you'll ever make.
At least one-fourth of all businesses that close because of a disaster never reopen. That's why American Family in cooperation with the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS) offers a variety of tools in its Open for Business® series for small business owners to both reduce their potential for loss should disaster strike and to reopen quickly should they be forced to close.
To get started building your own secure and personalize disaster recover plan, access the IBHS website and register through the interactive online version by entering the access code AMF5561
003003 – 02/08
Age and Accidents: Lessening the Dangers for Senior Drivers
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Full Article |
Older workers bring a lifetime of skills and experience to their jobs, yet, the normal aging process may affect a worker's ability to drive safely, on or off the job. This informative article contains tips that will help you protect older employees from death or disability due to roadway crashes.
002997 – 02/08
Don't "Slip Up" When It Comes To On-site Safety
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Full Article |
Slips, trips, or falls account for 12 to 15 percent of all Workers' Compensation costs. Don’t let the safety efforts in your workplace slide; use the advice in this helpful and thorough article to help ensure that it’s your accident numbers, not your employees, that are falling.
002998 – 02/08
New Lockout-Tagout Training a Win-Win for Employers and Employees
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Full Article |
Your employees can never be too safe or too smart when it comes to Lockout-Tagout practices. That’s why this proven and interactive new training program is so important for new hires and experienced workers alike. Click the link below to learn more about the program, read case studies and how to enroll.
002999 – 02/08
Happy (and Safe) Holidays
The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
As the holidays approach we like to celebrate by entertaining friends and family, throwing parties, and preparing feasts. From the buffet table to the office party, food moves center stage throughout the holiday season. Be sure to keep food safe by following basic food safety steps...
Clean: Wash hands and food-contact surfaces often. Bacteria can spread throughout the kitchen and get onto cutting boards, knives, sponges, and counter tops.
Separate: Don't cross-contaminate--don't let bacteria spread from one food product to another. This is especially true for raw meat, poultry and seafood. Keep these foods and their juices away from ready-to-eat foods.
Cook: Cook to proper temperatures. Foods are properly cooked when they are heated for a long enough time and at a high enough temperature to kill the harmful bacteria that cause foodborne illness.
Chill: Refrigerate promptly. Refrigerate foods quickly keeps most harmful bacteria from growing and multiplying. Refrigerators should be set at 40 F and the freezer at 0 F, and the accuracy of the settings should be checked occasionally with a thermometer.
Be sure to check out these additional safety tips regarding your holiday decorations from United States Fire Administration
002946 – 10/07
Working With Wood Presents Extra Hazards
The following information is from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Woodworking facilities are inherently prone to fires and explosions for the following reasons:
- They contain large quantities of fuel in the form of wood and wood products, sawdust, and flammable materials such as paints, oil finishes, adhesives, solvents, and liquid propane for internal combustion engines. Woodworking facilities are especially at risk for fire due to the abundant production of sawdust, which will ignite and burn far more easily than whole pieces of lumber. Sanders, routers, and shapers in particular produce large amounts of fine dust. Very fine wood dust is especially hazardous. It can accumulate on rafters and other building structural components and in unexpected spots all around your facility, far from the point of generation.
- They contain ignition sources, such as potentially faulty electrical wiring, cutting and welding operations, sparking tools, propellant actuated tools, and employee smoking. There is also the potential for static electrical discharges and lightning.
An annual inspection of the lockout/tagout program should be conducted to ensure that it is followed.
Common Hazards
Potential Hazards:
Large quantities of fuel in the form of wood and wood products, sawdust, and flammable materials such as paints, oil finishes, adhesives, solvents, and liquid propane for internal combustion engines.
Possible Solutions:
Preventing the buildup of dust is one of the key means for controlling fire and explosion hazards. The principal engineering control technology for control of dust is exhaust ventilation. The primary work practice control is good housekeeping.
Dust collection is best accomplished at the source-at the point of operation of the equipment, if feasible. For many pieces of equipment, well-designed ducts and vacuum hoods can collect most of the dust generated before it even reaches the operator. Very fine dust that manages to escape point-of-source collection can be captured from above by general exhaust points located along the ceiling. These control technologies are effective for most equipment, excepting machines that commonly produce the very finest dust or large quantities of dust.
Good housekeeping extends to periodic hand cleaning of your entire facility, as some dust will escape from even the best exhaust system and will eventually accumulate on rafters and other out-of-the- way spots. Also, it is extremely important to inspect and clean your exhaust ventilation system on a regular basis to maintain maximum efficiency.
You must also:
- Ensure the proper use and storage of flammable materials, such as paints, finishes, adhesives, and solvents.
- Segregate tasks particularly prone to fire and explosion hazards, such as spray painting, welding, and use of powder-actuated nail guns.
- Train employees to recognize, avoid, and correct potentially hazardous conditions and behaviors. Train employees so that they are acquainted with the special equipment and aspects of building design related to dealing with fires and explosions.
- Control ignition sources. This involves using electrical systems rated for the projected use and protected by appropriate circuit breakers, grounding all equipment prone to accumulating static electrical charges, grounding entire buildings against the possibility of lightning strikes, and controlling and banning smoking in and around the workplace. Consult Subpart S of OSHA's General Industry Standards for more information on electrical design requirements.
- Never permit blow-down of accumulated dust with compressed air. Blowing dust with compressed air will create the very type of dust cloud that presents the greatest explosion hazard.
- Provide continuous local exhaust ventilation on all woodworking machines. The local exhaust systems must have a suitable collector. Dust collection systems must be located outside the building, unless the exceptions described in NFPA standards are met.
- Segregate combustible and flammable materials such as lumber stock and chemical solvents from each other and from ignition sources.
- Ensure that you use equipment with a hazard classification appropriately rated for your work environment.
What Other Fire Protection Measures Should Be Taken?
- Fire-resistant construction and/or fire-resistant materials (particularly fire doors that could be used to contain the spread of a fire).
- Explosion relief devices, such as blow-out panels in walls, floors, and ceilings that protect structural integrity in the event of an explosion.
- Multiple emergency exits that are well marked and easily accessible. These exits should lead people directly away from the areas of greatest likely hazard.
- Emergency alarms and communications systems to promote rapid evacuation and fire fighting response.
- Automatic sprinkler systems designed for a worst-case fire scenario.
- Readily accessible, portable fire extinguishers fully charged with fire retardants appropriate to the types of fires likely to occur in that area.
What Should You Do to Protect Workers in the Event of a Fire?
- Install an alarm system to warn for necessary action or safe escape [1910.165].
- Establish emergency plans and fire prevention plans [1910.38].
- Install battery-operated emergency lighting along the floor to aid in the evacuation of smoke- filled buildings.
- Store fire-retardant blankets, clothing, and masks in areas where workers could conceivably need them to pass through smoke and flames to reach exits.
002955 - 10/07
Too Bright For Me
The following information is from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Optical Radiation: Welding Protection
The intensity of visible light and radiant energy produced by welding operations varies depending on the task, the electrode size, and the arc current. Workers involved in welding, cutting, and brazing operations must use appropriate welding protection depending on specific welding operations. [1926.102(a)(5)]
Only filter lenses with the appropriate shade number will provide protection against optical radiation. Filter lenses must coincide to specific radiant energy exposure. Welding protectors are constructed of heat resistant material such as vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a filtered lens to protect workers eyes from burns caused by infrared or other intense radiant energy. These devices protect the eyes and face from flying sparks, metal spatter, and slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering, and cutting.
Welding helmets are secondary protectors intended to shield the eyes and face from optical radiation, heat, and impact. Use welding helmets in addition to primary protection such as safety spectacles or goggles to provide adequate protection.
Stationary windows:
Lift-front windows:
Hand held shields:
Welding goggles:
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Headgear:
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002956 - 10/07
On Guard
The following information is from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Crushed hands and arms, severed fingers and limbs, lacerations and abrasions - the list of possible machinery-related injuries is long and horrifying. Many hazards are created by moving machine parts. Safeguards are essential for protecting workers from preventable injuries.
The following standards have been established to ensure the safety of machine operators and other employees in the area:
- Machine Guarding
- Point of Operation Guarding
- Additional Guarding
- Barrels, Containers, and Drums
- Exposure of Blades
- Anchoring Fixed Machinery
- Eye and Face Protection
- Lockout/Tagout
For a printable sample employer self-inspection checklist for safeguards and other hazards, please see Appendix G.
The purpose of machine guarding is to protect the machine operator and other employees in the work area from hazards created by ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips & sparks. Some examples of this are barrier guards, light curtains, two-hand operating devices etc. [1910.212(a)(1)]
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002957 - 10/07
Want to advertise on the internet?
Many of the same rules that apply to other forms of advertising apply to electronic marketing as well. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has prepared a guide to give you an overview of some FTC laws that apply.
002809 - 8/07
Store it safely
When material is removed from a pallet where it has been stacked, there are risks to the worker. This guide developed by OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) will help you consider the best and safest way to store and unload material on a pallet.
002817 - 8/07
Safety on the loading dock
Every day materials arrive and finished products leave your business - often through a loading dock. Such a high level of activity can present special risks to dock workers. However, there are steps you can take to lessen that risk.
The following information is from the State Office of Risk Management of Texas website.
The biggest reason to put a priority on dock safety is not so much related to the frequency of incidents in the dock areas as it is to the potential severity of injuries that can occur in these types of accidents. Injuries sustained when pedestrians are impacted by a lift truck, falling loads, or tractor-trailer tend to be very serious and even fatal. Prevention of these types of accidents can be achieved through proper equipment, training, and enforcement of safe operating procedures.
When people think of dock safety, one of the first things that come to mind is the wheel chock. This is a wedge-shaped block placed in front of the rear wheel of a trailer to prevent the trailer from moving away from the dock while the trailer is being loaded. OSHA regulations require the use of wheel chocks or other vehicle restraining devices when loading and unloading trucks and trailers. This keeps the trailer from moving away from the dock during the loading process.
It is essential that lighting is bright enough to ensure the safe loading of a product and to help forklift operators see pedestrians. Lights mounted on forklifts aid entry into trailers and ease operations on ramps or in remote areas. Heat strips or climate curtains can help control temperature throughout the building, although pedestrians must use caution when passing through these to avoid forklift traffic.
To prevent slips, trips, and falls from happening, the walkways, stairs, and walking surfaces of ramps and dock plates should be coated with a non-skid paint. Also mark all walkways with yellow lines to control traffic. Be aware of sharp drops or uneven ground such as cargo loading areas and try to eliminate these drop points in docking areas by using mechanical substitutions such as tailgate loaders in trucks or ramps that store flat when not in use. Warning signs should be posted in these areas. Never jump from a dock; be careful not to step backward off docks; keep your mind and your eyes on what you are doing. Ramps and gang planks have hazards similar to loading docks. These should have gradual slopes, be as wide as possible and as dry as possible.
Spills may affect how quickly powered equipment can stop and make walking surfaces very slick for pedestrians. Correct sources of leaks, and clean up any oil and grease spots immediately. Dock workers must also be aware of procedures to contain spills, be trained to recognize chemical hazards, and know what personal protective equipment (PPE) to wear when handling chemicals.
Safety awareness is not enough to reduce dock hazards. You must have systematic inspections and auditing, and you must have safeguards in place. Identify sources and types of injuries by reviewing past mishap reports. Management must take steps to organize product movement, control pedestrian traffic, and secure racking. Enforce compliance to all procedures. Plant safety is directly related to the enforcement of safety procedures. If you don't enforce it, it won't happen.
002818 - 8/07
What you can do now to prevent water damage later
Grounds maintenance and landscaping are major components of the interconnected systems that protect a commercial building from water damage. These tips, reminders and warning signs of potential problems will help you keep your building safe from water damage.
The Institute of Business and Home Safety has developed tips, reminders and warning signs of potential problems that will help you keep your building safe from water damage.
002815 - 8/07
Do You Know the Law?
State Law for Teenage Workers
Want to know what your own state laws relating to teenage workers? This link to the Department of Labor website will give you what you need to know.
002660 - 4/07
Safety is Important in any Language
Hispanic Workers OSHA site
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has developed a site with resources for Hispanic employers and workers. While this site includes links to Spanish-language resources, it is intended primarily for English-speaking and bilingual users. Within this Compliance Assistance site is a link that will provide you with a variety of their safety material into Spanish.
002653 - 4/07
Computers Can Be a Pain
Ergonomics/Computers
Covering everything from monitor and chair placement to lighting and preventive exercises, this website courtesy of the Division of Occupation Health and Safety provides the computer user the ergonomic information to prevent computer workplace stress and strain.
002655 - 4/07
Check it out
Warehouse Safety
Your warehouse area can present a variety of hazards that you may not have considered. This checklist will help you identify the risks that need to be addressed.
002662 - 4/07
You've Got Mail
How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam
"We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity."
"During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn't verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information."
Have you received email with a similar message? It's a scam called "phishing" - and it involves Internet fraudsters who send spam or pop-up messages to lure personal information (credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information) from unsuspecting victims.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation's consumer protection agency, phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you may deal with - for example, an Internet service provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message may ask you to "update," "validate," or "confirm" your account information. Some phishing emails threaten a dire consequence if you don't respond. The messages direct you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization's site. But it isn't. It's a bogus site whose sole purpose is to trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.
The FTC suggests these tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:
- If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don't click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don't ask for this information via email. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company's correct Web address yourself. In any case, don't cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser - phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but that actually send you to a different site.
- Area codes can mislead. Some scammers send an email that appears to be from a legitimate business and ask you to call a phone number to update your account or access a "refund." Because they use Voice Over Internet Protocol technology, the area code you call does not reflect where the scammers really are. If you need to reach an organization you do business with, call the number on your financial statements or on the back of your credit card. In any case, delete random emails that ask you to confirm or divulge your financial information.
- Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.
- Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for antivirus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.
- A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It's especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Operating systems (like Windows or Linux) or browsers (like Internet Explorer or Netscape) also may offer free software "patches" to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.
- Don't email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting personal information. If you initiate a transaction and want to provide your personal or financial information through an organization's website, look for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a URL for a website that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some phishers have forged security icons.
- Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to check for unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.
- Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them. These files can contain viruses or other software that can weaken your computer's security.
- Forward spam that is phishing for information to spam@uce.gov and to the company, bank, or organization impersonated in the phishing email. Most organizations have information on their websites about where to report problems.
- If you believe you've been scammed, file your complaint at ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's Identity Theft website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft. Victims of phishing can become victims of identity theft. While you can't entirely control whether you will become a victim of identity theft, you can take some steps to minimize your risk. If an identity thief is opening credit accounts in your name, these new accounts are likely to show up on your credit report. You may catch an incident early if you order a free copy of your credit report periodically from any of the three major credit bureaus. See www.annualcreditreport.com for details on ordering a free annual credit report.
You can learn other ways to avoid email scams and deal with deceptive spam at ftc.gov/spam.
002520- 01/07
Winter Safety Tips
Snow Throwers
The following information is from the US Consumer Products Safety Commission.
If you use a snow thrower, stop the engine and use a long stick to unclog wet snow and debris from the machine, according to Chairman Ann Brown of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). "Do not use your hands to unclog a snow thrower," Brown warned.
According to CPSC, you run the risk of suffering severe hand and finger injuries, even amputations, if you attempt to clear the auger/collector or discharge chute with your hands. Most of the injuries happened when people, thinking that the augers had stopped rotating, put their hands into the machine's auger/collector or discharge chute in an attempt to clear snow or debris.
CPSC offered the following safety tips for using snow throwers:
- Always stop the engine if repairs or adjustments are to be made or if the discharge chute or auger needs to be unclogged. Remove snow with a push stick or similar instrument, not with your hands.
- Always keep hands and feet away from all moving parts.
- Never leave the machine unattended if the engine is operating; shut down the engine if you must leave the machine for any length of time.
- Add fuel to the tank outdoors before starting the machine; don't add gasoline to a running or hot engine. Always keep the gasoline can capped, and store gasoline out of the house and away from ignition sources.
- If you have an electric-powered snow thrower, be aware of where the power cord is at all times.
- Check the snow thrower each time you need to use it over the winter; always refer to the owner's manual for instructions on care and maintenance.
Tips To Protect Workers In Cold Environments
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site.
Prolonged exposure to freezing or cold temperatures may cause serious health problems such as trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia. In extreme cases, including cold water immersion, exposure can lead to death. Danger signs include uncontrolled shivering, slurred speech, clumsy movements, fatigue and confused behavior. If these signs are observed, call for emergency help.
OSHA's Cold Stress Card provides a reference guide and recommendations to combat and prevent many illnesses and injuries. Available in English and Spanish, this laminated fold-up card is free to employers, workers and the public. Tips include:
How to Protect Workers
- Recognize the environmental and workplace conditions that may be dangerous.
- Learn the signs and symptoms of cold-induced illnesses and injuries and what to do to help workers.
- Train workers about cold-induced illnesses and injuries.
- Encourage workers to wear proper clothing for cold, wet and windy conditions, including layers that can be adjusted to changing conditions.
- Be sure workers in extreme conditions take a frequent short break in warm, dry shelters to allow their bodies to warm up.
- Try to schedule work for the warmest part of the day.
- Avoid exhaustion or fatigue because energy is needed to keep muscles warm.
- Use the buddy system - work in pairs so that one worker can recognize danger signs.
- Drink warm, sweet beverages (sugar water, sports-type drinks) and avoid drinks with caffeine (coffee, tea, sodas or hot chocolate) or alcohol.
- Eat warm, high-calorie foods such as hot pasta dishes.
- Remember, workers face increased risks when they take certain medications, are in poor physical condition or suffer from illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension or cardiovascular disease.
For free copies of OSHA's Cold Stress Card in English or Spanish, go to OSHA's website, www.osha.gov, or call 1(800) 321-OSHA.
002521- 01/07
Eyes Wide Open
Forklift Safety
Note: Your American Family Loss Control Representative, contacted through your American Family Agent, can help you set up or obtain forklift safety training for your employees.
Forklift Operator and Pedestrian Safety
Forklifts, if not operated properly, can cause serious injury and property damage. To avoid these problems, it is best to set up a safety effort that involves all forklift operators, as well as all employees who are pedestrians in the forklift operating area. To keep a workplace safe, the following guidelines are recommended for forklift use:
Hire Only the Best Drivers
- Require a candidate's forklift driving experience to be listed on the job application.
- Check all driving references.
- Require a candidate to perform a hands-on forklift inspection and conduct an operation evaluation.
- Ensure that the candidate possesses all the necessary visual, auditory, physical and mental abilities to operate a forklift.
Train Forklift Operators
Ensure forklift operators receive periodic training on safe forklift inspection and operation techniques. Training topics could include hands-on demonstration and evaluation of the following forklift tasks:
- Forklift safety inspection.
- Locating controls and instrumentation and their tasks.
- Changing or charging fuel or power source.
- Carrying load up or down an incline.
- Safety operating rules or techniques.
- Tiering of palleted loads.
- Loading or unloading flatbeds and trailers.
- Stacking or unstacking racks.
- Steering and maneuvering.
- Operating the truck on different surface conditions.
- Understanding the composition of loads carried, including vehicle capacity and load stability.
- Operating in pedestrian traffic.
- Being aware of other hazardous conditions unique to the workplace.
Inspect Your Forklifts
- Daily inspections can detect many problems before they cause serious accidents.
- Ask your forklift manufacturer to provide suggestions, schedules and inspection forms to assist in setting up a maintenance program for your particular type of forklift.
- Consider installing seat belts, operating beacon caution lights and backup alarms to enhance safe forklift operation.
Pedestrian Safety Guidelines
Workers who are not forklift drivers also have a responsibility for safe forklift operation. Specifically, they can take the following actions to make forklift operation safer:
- Whenever a forklift approaches, stop and make sure the operator sees you. If need be, step out of the aisle and let the forklift pass.
- Look both ways before stepping into an aisle, around a corner or through a side door. Be sensitive to blind spots in the work area.
- Organize the work place to keep aisles and adjacent areas clear of employees and other obstructions.
- Do not allow yourself to be lifted on a pallet or fork blades.
- Do not walk or work beneath an unsupported lifted load.
- Report any unsafe behavior of operators or pedestrians that you observe.
Forklift Operator Hazards
- Moving too fast.
- Not looking when backing up.
- Carrying a view-blocking load.
- Falling objects caused by poor load stacking or lifting.
- Pedestrians standing or being lifted on pallets or fork blades.
- Not giving pedestrians right of way.
Pedestrian Hazards
- Standing or walking in blind spots, such as around corners and doorways.
- Walking or working in aisles as forklift approaches.
- Standing or being lifted on a pallet or fork blades.
Forklift Operating Area Hazards
- Materials stacked in or near aisles.
- Rough or uneven floor surface.
- Oil, water or other slippery substances on the floor.
- Poor lighting in forklift operating areas.
- Forklifts in poor condition or in need of repair.
002526- 01/07
Working Drug Free
Working Drug Free
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site.
Of the 16.7 million illicit drug users aged 18 or older in 2003, 12.4 million (74.3 percent) were employed either full or part time. Furthermore, research indicates that between 10 and 20 percent of the nation's workers who die on the job test positive for alcohol or other drugs. In fact, industries with the highest rates of drug use are the same as those at a high risk for occupational injuries, such as construction, mining, manufacturing and wholesale.
To help small businesses benefit from being drug-free, the Department of Labor and OSHA's Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace program offers small businesses a range of free and easy-to-use tools to help them maintain safe, healthy and drug-free workplaces.
002523- 01/07
Are You Up to Date
OSHA First Aid Standards
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site.
Employers are required by OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.151 to have a person or persons adequately trained to render first aid for worksites that are not in near proximity to an infirmary, clinic, or hospital. In addition, OSHA requires certain employers to have CPR-trained rescuers on site.
Be sure you are up to date with these new guidelines.
002316 - 10/06
On The Road Again
Vehicle Safety Program
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site.
OSHA has developed a simple ten step program that is designed to minimize the crash risk to your business.
Motor vehicle crashes cost employers $60 billion annually in medical care, legal expenses, property damage, and lost productivity. They drive up the cost of benefits such as workers' compensation, Social Security, and private health and disability insurance. In addition, they increase the company overhead involved in administering these programs.
The average crash costs an employer $16,500. When a worker has an on-the-job crash that results in an injury, the average cost to their employer is $74,000. Costs can exceed $500,000 when a fatality is involved. Off-the-job crashes are costly to employers as well. 1
1 NHTSA [2003]. The economic burden of traffic crashes on employers: costs by state and industry and by alcohol and restraint use. Publication DOT HS 809 682.
002317 - 10/06
Take a Team Approach to Safety
Safety committees
The following information is from the Colorado State Onsite Health & Safety Consultation Program website.
The presence of an active safety committee can work to develop safety goals for the company. A well-motivated safety committee gets employees involved.
Once managers and employees buy into safety, a company will see decreased accident rates, turn-over, and absenteeism. Productivity often increases because processes tend to become more efficient when evaluated for hazard prevention.
Find out how easy and profitable it can be to have a safety committee at your company.
002318 - 10/06
Will Your Automatic Sprinkler System Work When You Need It Most
Automatic Sprinkler Systems
Automatic sprinkler systems are the most effective means of providing life safety and limiting property loss during fires. The key to ensuring that your sprinkler system will work when needed is to include the system in an ongoing program of inspection, testing and maintenance performed by a qualified employee or sprinkler contractor.
Use this chart from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Regulation 25 as a reference guide on wet pipe and regular dry pipe systems and as a checklist to determine the status of your system.
002319 - 10/06
Store it Safely
Store Flammable Liquids Safely
Storage, handling and use of flammable and combustible liquids requires special attention. These liquids don't burn or explode by themselves; however, heavier-than-air vapors from liquid evaporation tend to settle on the floor. These vapors can flow along the floor for long distances, ignite at some remote point and flash back. This is one reason why specially designed storage cabinets and rooms must be used for flammable liquids, such as paints, solvents and thinners.
According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 30, up to 15 gallons of flammable liquids must be stored in safety cans. Amounts from 15 to 60 gallons must be stored in a standard flammable liquid storage cabinet meeting the specifications of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Code 30.
Flammable liquid storage cabinets, which can be found in any safety equipment/supply store, must adhere to the following guidelines:
- Do not store more than 60 gallons of flammable liquid per small containers in a flammable liquid storage cabinet.
- Cabinets must be Underwriter Laboratory (UL) approved.
- The cabinet top, doors and sides must be made of 18 U.S. gauge sheet steel and double walled with tight joints.
- The door must have a three point latch with a sill raised to at least 2 inches above the bottom of the cabinet to retain spilled liquids.
Also according to the NFPA Code 30, flammable liquids with flash points lower than 73 degrees F and in quantities greater than 60 gallons must be stored in a specially designed storage room. This room is designed to protect flammable liquids from fire exposures in other portions of the building and to contain fires that originate within the room.
Flammable liquid storage rooms must have the following features:
- Ideally, the room must be detached from the main building. The next best option is an attached room separated by a blank wall.
- The room must be ventilated for removal of vapors. Ventilation must be either a gravity or mechanical exhaust ventilation system. The ventilation must be continuous, 24 hours a day, and a complete air change within the room must occur at least six times per hour. A gravity system has openings present at the top and bottom of the room which allow air to circulate in from the top and out at the bottom.
- Explosion-proof wiring is required. Class I, Division 2 wiring is required for rooms that store sealed containers. If dispensing or mixing takes place, the wiring must be Class I, Division 1.
- Ceilings, floors and walls must have a fire resistance rating of two hours. The door must be Class B, self-closing, and be fire rated for 1 ½ hours.
- Floors and wall edges that join the floor must be liquid tight.
- Raised sills of at least 4 inches in height must be present to prevent liquid from flowing to adjoining areas. A permissible alternative is an open-grated trench, which drains to a safe location, across the width of the opening inside of the room.
002287 - 7/06
It's Hot Outside
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site.
002284 - 7/06
A Breath of Fresh Air
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site .
Establishing a respiratory protection standard will protect an estimated 5 million respirator wearers working in 1.3 million workplaces. The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) department estimates that compliance with the standard will prevent hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses in U.S. workplaces each year.
The Respiratory Protection standard requires employers to establish and maintain a respiratory protection program to protect their respirator-wearing workers. This standard is intended to:
- Enhance the protection of worker health.
- Promote more effective use of respirators.
- Make it easier for you to comply with its provisions.
- Make it easier to understand the policy and procedures you must follow when implementing a respiratory protection program.
What is a respirator?
Respirators are devices that protect workers from inhaling harmful substances. These substances can be in the form of airborne vapors, gases, dust, fogs, fumes, mists, smokes or sprays. Some respirators also ensure that workers do not breathe air that contains dangerously low levels of oxygen.
There are two major types of respirators:
- Air-purifying respirators, which remove contaminants from the air.
- Atmosphere-supplying respirators, which provide clean air from an uncontaminated source.
Respirators provide protection from respiratory hazards only when they are used properly.
What is a respiratory protection program?
A respiratory protection program is a cohesive collection of worksite-specific procedures and policies that addresses all respiratory protection elements required by the standard. For example, a respiratory protection program must contain specific procedures describing how respirators will be selected, fitted, used, maintained and inspected in a particular workplace.
These programs are generally required, whenever you or OSHA requires your employees to wear respirators. For example, you may need to establish a respiratory protection program:
- If your employees work in situations where the level of oxygen is insufficient, or potentially insufficient.
- If your employees are potentially exposed to harmful levels of hazardous gases or vapors.
- If your employees are exposed to other potential respiratory hazards, such as dust, mists, fumes, sprays and other airborne particles.
You need to supply workers with respirators when all preferred methods of protecting them from breathing contaminated air have been determined to be insufficient to reduce the contamination to non-hazardous levels. You must consider the potential for emergencies when making this determination. These preferred methods include:
- Engineering controls, such as ventilation.
- Substituting non-hazardous materials for the materials that pose respiratory hazards.
- Administrative controls, such as scheduling major maintenance for weekends or times when few workers are present.
Respirator Selection
In order to select an appropriate respirator you must:
- Conduct an exposure assessment to determine the type and amount of hazardous exposure
- Take into account the factors that can influence respirator selection such as job-site and worker characteristics
- Understand the assigned protection factors
- Know the various kinds of respirators and their relevant characteristics
Below you will find the two types of respirators available.
The respirator shown above is an air-purifying respirator. This respirator has filters, cartridges or canisters that remove contaminants from the air by passing the ambient air through the air-purifying element before it reaches the user.
The important factor that determines the effectiveness of this purifier is the filter, cartridge or canister being used. As a result, a change schedule is the part of the written respirator program which says how often they should be replaced and what information was relied upon to make this judgment. A cartridge's useful service life is how long it provides adequate protection from harmful chemicals in the air. The service life of a cartridge depends upon many factors, including environment conditions, breathing rate, cartridge filtering capacity and the amount of contaminant in the air. It is suggested that employers apply a safety factor to the service life estimate to assure that the change schedule is a conservative estimate.
The second respirator displayed above is an atmosphere-supplying device. It supplies clean air directly to the user from a source other than the air surrounding the user.
Factors that Can Influence Respirator Selection
There are three major factors that influence the type of respirator that is chosen for an individual task. One of these is the physical configuration of the jobsite. Tightly constrained areas may not permit the use of self-contained breathing apparatuses even though they might be an acceptable choice otherwise. Likewise, working around obstructions or moving machinery that can snag hoses may limit the use of airline respirators.
Another important factor is the worker's medical condition. Wearing respiratory protection poses a physical burden on the wearer. When a worker's medical condition would prohibit restrictive breathing conditions, negative pressure respirators would not be an appropriate choice.
Lastly, a worker's comfort is also an important factor in the selection of a respirator. A worker's preference should be a consideration during the respirator selection process. Among air purifying respirators, powered air purifying helmets have been subjectively rated the best for breathing ease, skin comfort, and in-mask temperature and humidity, while filtering face-pieces rated high for lightness and convenience. Each, however, has its own drawbacks, and all these factors should be taken into account during selection.
002280 - 7/06
What Does MSDS Mean?
The following information is from the Colorado State Onsite Health & Safety Consultation Program website .
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (O SHA) has estimated that more than 32 million workers are exposed to 650,000 hazardous chemical products in more than 3 million American workplaces. This poses a serious problem for exposed workers and their employers.
The basic goal of a Hazard Communication Program is to be sure employers and employees know about work hazards and how to protect themselves. This should help to reduce the incidence of chemical related illnesses and injuries.
Chemicals pose a wide range of health hazards (such as irritation, sensitization and carcinogenicity) and physical hazards (such as flammability, corrosion and reactivity). OSHA's Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) is designed to ensure that information about these hazards and associated protective measures are disseminated to workers and employers. This is accomplished by requiring chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import, and to provide information about them through labels on shipped containers and more detailed information sheets called material safety data sheets (MSDSs). All employers with hazardous chemicals in their workplaces must prepare and implement a written hazard communication program. They must ensure that all containers are labeled, that employees are provided access to MSDSs, and that an effective training program is conducted for all potentially exposed employees.
A vital part of this Hazard Communication program is maintaining Material MSDSs and insuring employees have the necessary training to understand the terminology contained in MSDSs. The following pages provide brief explanations of terminology that can be used during employee training.
Please feel free to contact us at (970)491-6151 or OHSS@lamar.colostate.edu if you have questions or need further assistance.
Manufacturers, importers, distributors and suppliers are required to provide you with MSDSs for each of their hazardous chemicals. As an employer or contractor, you are required to maintain a file of MSDSs for the hazardous chemicals you use. According to OSHA, you will be able to determine if a substance is hazardous by referring to the MSDS and the label. The OSHA Standard specifies the information required on each data sheet, and all information must be written in English. However, it is good practice to translate MSDSs for chemicals your company uses frequently into all languages spoken in your workplace.
Review the MSDSs you receive for accuracy and completeness, and make sure you have the latest version on file. When an MSDS includes new information or a new compound has been added to it, additional employee training is required.
To ensure proper recordkeeping and maintenance of MSDSs, you should:
- Make sure any employee who purchases supplies for your company is on the lookout for MSDSs.
- Include a request for an MSDS and a label that meets the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standards on all purchase orders.
- Ask for an MSDS for materials with labels indicating they are hazard unless an MSDS is already on file.
- To deal with a multi-employer situation, other contractors on the site may be asked to provide hazardous substance information for the chemicals they bring to the site.
While MSDSs will appear in many different formats, they will contain essentially the same information. An MSDS should contain the following information.
Identification
- Chemical name, as it appears on the label.
- Manufacturer's name and address.
- Emergency telephone number in the event of an emergency involving the substance.
- Date prepared and the signature of the preparer.
Hazardous Ingredients/Identity Information
- Hazardous Components: Contains the specific chemical identity, its formula, and any common names it is known by.
- OSHA Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs): PEL is the permissible maximum amount or concentration of the chemical a person may be safely exposed to without harm.
- American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH) Threshold Limit Value (TLV): The TLV is the concentration of a chemical in the air that can be inhaled for five consecutive eight-hour workdays by most persons without harmful effects. It is generally expressed in parts per million or milligrams per cubic meter of air.
- Other exposure limits: Any other recommended limitation on the use of the chemical by any agency, scientific group, or organization should be included.
Physical/Chemical Characteristics
- Boiling point: The temperature at which a liquid boils.
- Vapor Pressure (mm Hg): Vapor pressure measures a liquid's tendency to evaporate. The higher the vapor pressure, the faster it will evaporate.
- Vapor Density: Indicates the weight of the vapor compared with the weight of an equal volume of air. If a vapor is heavier than air (vapor density greater than 1), it will sink to the ground. If it is lighter than air (vapor density less than 1), it will rise. For example, with flammable materials, when the vapor density is greater than 1, vapors tend to collect in the lowest spot. A contractor must be alert to vapors traveling to an ignition source, then flashing back to the vapor source. Under some circumstances chemical vapors may displace oxygen.
- Solubility in Water: Indicates whether the chemical can mix with water in any ratio without separating.
- Appearance and Odor: A brief description of the chemical's color and smell.
- Specific Gravity: Ratio of a material's weight to the weight of an equal volume of water. The specific gravity determines whether the material floats or sinks in water. Specific gravity values less than or equal to one indicate that water should NOT be used to extinguish a fire involving the substance unless the water comes from automatic sprinklers.
- Melting Point: Indicates the temperature at which a solid changes to a liquid.
- Evaporation Rate: Indicates the temperature at which a substance evaporates.
Fire and Explosion Hazard Data
- Flash Point: Indicates the lowest temperature at which a liquid gives off enough vapor to ignite in air when exposed to flame. When the flash point is between 100° and 110 o Fahrenheit (F), extra care must be taken in hot environments. The liquid's temperature could be high enough to be ignitable if an ignition source is introduced. Such sources might be cigarette smoking, electrical equipment and wiring, cutting and welding, or static electricity. A red diamond label is required on all liquids classified by OSHA as flammable (flash point values of 99.9 o F or below).
- Flammable Limits: Indicates the range of vapor concentrations, which will explode when an ignition source is present. The "Lower Explosive Limit" (LEL) is the minimum amount of vapor in the air that can be ignited. The "Upper Explosive Limit" (UEL) is the maximum amount of vapor in the air that will sustain fire.
- Extinguishing Media: Materials suitable for putting-out a fire involving the identified chemical. These fire-fighting agents are water, fog, foam, alcohol foam, carbon dioxide and dry chemical.
The four classes of fires are :
Class A - |
paper, wood, straw, cloth |
Class B - |
flammable and combustible liquids |
Class C - |
fire involving energized electrical equipment |
Class D - |
combustible metals |
Testing laboratories classify fire extinguishers based on the class of fire they are designed to put out. Each extinguisher type may contain a different extinguishing agent. For example:
Class A - |
contain water |
Class B - |
contain carbon dioxide, foam, or dry chemical agents |
Class C - |
contain carbon dioxide or dry chemical agents |
Class D - |
contain highly specialized extinguishing compounds |
- Special Fire Fighting Procedures: Indicates the chemical's special characteristics when it comes in contact with fire, such as whether it is difficult to put out; whether it will re-ignite spontaneously; whether it is extinguished by water or other fire-fighting agents. This subsection will also indicate any required protective equipment needed when fighting the fire. It will describe toxic materials given off by the chemical when it is burned.
- Unusual Fire and Explosion Hazards: Indicates any special types of hazards requiring attention. The description will indicate whether the chemical is difficult to extinguish, will re-ignite spontaneously, and how it reacts with water and other extinguishing agents. For example, if water is applied to a combustible liquid with a flash point above 212 o F, it may foam violently or boil over, endangering workers and firefighters.
Reactivity Data
- Stability: Indicates conditions that contribute to the stability or instability of a chemical when it is exposed to heat, pressure, or excessive shock during storage, use, misuse or transport. Look to this section to identify specific conditions to be avoided. These warnings, for example, may be "reacts violently with water" or "avoid sudden shock."
- Incompatibility (materials to avoid): Indicates various materials or conditions you must keep the chemical away from to avoid adverse reactions. For example, a substance which ignites or explodes when it comes in contact with the chemical.
- Hazardous Decomposition or By-products: Indicates gases, or vapors, which are released when the chemical is burned or decomposes. It tells you what hazardous substances your employees may be exposed to as a result of heating, working with, or burning the chemical.
- Hazardous Polymerization: Polymerization is a chemical reaction where molecules of the chemical combined with molecules of another material to form a different material. This reaction is accompanied by the release of large amounts of energy that can produce fire or other hazards. Polymerization can occur when the chemical comes in contact with certain plastics, rubber or coatings. This section of the MSDS will indicate possible storage conditions that could result in polymerization. It will also indicate any inhibitor-chemicals that can be added to prevent or delay polymerization-and the expected time period in which an inhibitor is used up.
Health Hazard Data
- Route(s) of Entry: A chemical may enter the body either through inhalation, by contact with the skin or eyes, or by being swallowed.
- Health Hazards: Indicates any long-term (chronic) or short-term (acute) effects of a chemical on the human body.
- Carcinogenicity: Indicates whether the chemical causes cancer. It is important that your employees understand that not all hazardous substances cause cancer when an individual is exposed to them.
- Signs and Symptoms of Exposure: Indicates and describes the effects of exposure to the chemical (employee's appearance/behavior), the most common resulting sensations (headache, dizziness or nausea).
- Medical Conditions Severely Aggravated by Exposure: Indicates how the chemical will affect any pre-existing medical conditions.
- Emergency and First Aid Procedures: Indicates first aid procedures to use in order to reduce the hazardous effects of the chemical. The techniques covered will deal only with inhalation of the chemical, and skin or eye contact with it. You must emphasize that these are emergency procedures only. Exposed employees should be examined by a doctor immediately.
Precautions for Safe Handling and Use
- Steps to be Taken in Case Material is Released or Spilled: Indicates precautions such as: "avoid breathing gases or vapors"; "avoid contact with liquids and solids"; "remove ignition sources"; "use special equipment for cleanups." This section also gives recommended techniques to use in controlling land or water spills.
- Waste Disposal Methods: Indicates how to dispose of the chemical and contaminated materials.
- Precautions to Take in Handling and Storing: Indicates safe handling and storage procedures to be taken to avoid hazardous reactions. This section will emphasize incompatibility and polymerization hazards, which could occur during storage or handling of the chemical.
- Other Precautions: Indicates special precautions to use in handling or disposing of the chemical.
Control Measures
The measures described below should be taken whenever the chemical is handled or disposed of during normal use. They are not solely intended for emergencies or accidental spills.
- Respiratory Protection: If needed, specifies type of respirators required by OSHA when the chemical is used, even as a precautionary measure in non-emergency situations.
- Ventilation: Indicates ventilating systems needed to prevent over-exposure to the chemical. "Local exhaust ventilation" is a system with high speed and low volume that will capture a chemical quickly after it has been released. The objective is to prevent the substance from reaching the employee's breathing zone. "Mechanical (general) ventilation" is used to heat and/or cool an enclosed area in a permanent facility.
- Protective Gloves: Indicates whether or not gloves must be worn when the chemical is handled. If gloves are required for skin protection, the type of material they should be made of will be indicated.
- Eye Protection: Indicates appropriate eye protection such as face shields, safety goggles or glasses.
- Other Protective Clothing or Equipment: Indicates protective equipment (aprons and boots) and what material it should be made of to prevent skin contact.
002286 - 7/06
Hello, I'm Calling to Report a Claim
We are your partners in helping you protect your business, and you are our first line of defense against losses. If a claim does occur, you should obtain relevant information immediately so we can process the claim appropriately.
If an injury occurs in your establishment, always collect the following information from those involved:
- Full name
- Full address
- Phone number
Next, report the claim, even if you feel your company is not at fault. Circumstance may dictate otherwise, and the sooner we receive notice of the claim, the better our investigation will be. We will also contact the injured party(ies) to let them know we are working on the claim.
Call our 24-hour Claim Call Center at 1-800-374-1111 or contact your American Family agent to report your claim.
What to do if there is a loss on the premises
- Obtain a detailed explanation of what occurred. Ask for the specific location where the incident occurred. Inspect the area where the loss occurred and document what you observe. Obtain the names, addresses and phone numbers of any witnesses. This includes employees, customers and individuals who accompanied the injured person. If people are in the area, kindly ask them if they saw anything and if they would be willing to be listed as a witness.
- Keep a camera on the premises so you can take photos of the area where the incident occurred. Remove and save video camera tape if it was operating at the time and review it to see if it shows any important event. If there isn't time to review the tape, label and preserve it so it can be reviewed later.
- If the loss involves a physical object, for example machinery, a table or a chair, don't throw the object away. Clearly label what it is related to, the date and time, and secure it in a safe place until a claim adjuster can inspect or take possession of it.
002167– 04/06
Water and Electricity Do Not Mix
Combining water and electricity can be disastrous. Each year more than 300 people are electrocuted and thousands more are injured from electrical shocks or electrical fires. Many electrical injuries can be avoided through the use of a simple, inexpensive device called a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI).
A GFCI (shown to left) is a fast-acting electrical circuit breaker that senses small imbalances in the circuit caused by current leaking to the ground. The GFCI continually matches the amount of current going into an electrical device against the amount of current returning from the device along the electrical path. Whenever the amount "going" differs from the amount "returning" by approximately 5 milliamps, the GFCI interrupts the electrical power within as little as one-fortieth of a second.
For example, if a person washing dishes while listening to a nearby radio accidentally knocks the radio into the sink, a very dangerous electrical hazard exists. Retrieving the radio may cause the person to be electrocuted.
However, if the radio was plugged into a GFCI receptacle and the person reached into the water to retrieve the radio, the GFCI would detect a leak, shut off the power and prevent electrical shock.
Because GFCIs are effective and inexpensive, the National Electrical Code (NEC) requires GFCI protected electrical outlets on all 15 and 20 ampere, 125-volt receptacles in kitchens, within 6 feet of sinks and in bathrooms, garages, utility rooms, outdoor outlets and any other place that water or moisture may present a hazard. GFCIs can be installed at circuit breakers to protect a service line with several receptacles. Also, one GFCI can be wired to protect up to two other receptacles that are on the same circuit.
How to test a GFCI
GFCIs should be tested monthly by following these steps:
- Plug a lamp or appliance into the GFCI receptacle.
- Turn on the lamp or appliance.
- Push the test button on the GFCI receptacle. If the GFCI is working properly, the test button should turn off the power to the lamp or appliance.
- Push the Reset button on the GFCI. This should return power to the GFCI receptacle and appliance. If the power did not shut off when the Test button was depressed, there is an electrical problem that should be corrected by a licensed electrical contractor.
An inexpensive GFCI circuit tester is available in hardware stores. The GFCI circuit tester also checks for proper wiring of electrical outlets. To conduct the test:
- Plug in the testing device and check warning lights for proper wiring of the outlet.
- Push the Test button. The lights should go out.
- Push the Reset button on the GFCI. This should return power to the GFCI and the lights on the tool will reappear.
Safety Recommendations
- If GFCIs are not present at NEC-required locations, we recommend having a licensed electrical contractor install them accordingly.
- Educate employees on how to test GFCIs on a regular basis.
002169– 04/06
That's Hot
The following information is from the U. S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Web site.
Metalworking fluids (MWFs) are used to reduce heat and friction and to improve product quality in industrial machining and grinding operations. There are numerous formulations, ranging from straight oils (such as petroleum oils) to water-based fluids, which include soluble oils and semi-synthetic/synthetic fluids. MWFs may be complex mixtures of oils, emulsifiers, anti-weld agents, corrosion inhibitors, extreme pressure additives, buffers (alkaline reserve), biocides, and other additives. In use, the fluid complexity is compounded by contamination with substances from the manufacturing process (such as tramp oils, hydraulic fluids, and particulate matter from grinding and machining operations). Furthermore, water-based metalworking fluids support microbial growth, which introduces biological contaminants (such as bacterial and fungal cells or cell components and their related biological byproducts such as endotoxins, exotoxins, and mycotoxins).
Some 1.2 million workers in machine finishing, machine tooling, and other metalworking and metal-forming operations are potentially exposed. Workers can be exposed to the fluids by breathing aerosols generated in the machining process, or through skin contact when they handle parts, tools, and equipment covered with the fluids. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) defines MWF aerosol as the mist and all contaminants in the mist generated during grinding and machining operations involving products from metal and metal substitutes.
Occupational exposures to metalworking fluids may cause a variety of health effects. Respiratory conditions include hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), chronic bronchitis, impaired lung function, and asthma. Work-related asthma (WRA) is one of today's most prevalent occupational disorders, imposing significant costs in healthcare and workers' compensation. Dermatologic exposures are most commonly associated with, but not limited to, allergic and irritant dermatitis (skin rash). In addition, substantial evidence shows that past exposures to some metalworking fluids were associated with increased risk of some types of cancer. Although actions taken in the last several decades have reduced that risk, it is not known if these actions have totally eliminated the risk.
NIOSH recommends that exposures to MWF aerosols be limited to 0.4 milligrams per cubic meter of air (thoracic particulate mass), as a time-weighted average concentration up to 10 hours per day during a 40-hour workweek [ http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/98-102.html ]. The recommended exposure limit (REL) is intended to prevent or greatly reduce respiratory disorders associated with MWF exposure. Some workers have developed WRA, HP, or other adverse respiratory effects when exposed to MWFs at lower concentrations. This REL is technologically feasible for most metalworking operations.
Several preventive measures are available to reduce MWF exposures and their effects. Formulations have been developed with safer, less irritating additives and MWF components. Machinery has been modified to limit the dispersal of MWF mists. In addition, the use of protective gloves, aprons, and clothing, the education of workers regarding the safe handling of MWFs, and the importance of workplace personal hygiene are all key to controlling the exposures to MWFs.
002171– 04/06
Springtime Can Mean Flooding
Rain. Tides. Levee failure. Ice jam. Snow melt. Floods happen, and they happen beside rivers, on the coast, in deserts and in city streets. You don't have to lose your property and possessions to rampaging waters, however. It's never too early to prepare and you can take several basic steps right now to protect your business from disaster.
First Things First
- Check with your city or county building authority, your insurance agent or your mortgage lender to find out if your community participates in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). If your property is in a participating community, you live in a flood zone. Period.
- Consult the same sources to determine if your property is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, which has at least a one percent chance of being flooded in any given year. Perhaps you live in an "A" zone, generally near a lake, river or stream and subject to rising water. Or you may live in a "V" zone, an area that involves beachfront properties and is susceptible to wind-driven waves as well as rising water.
Know Your BFE
Whether you live near a river or on the ocean's shore, you should know the expected flooding level in your area. The base flood elevation (BFE), in other words. Consult your local building authority for the base flood elevation in your immediate area. Also check building department records or your property survey for the elevation of your property's lowest floor. This is the lowest enclosed area in your property, including any area - your basement, for instance - that is below ground level on all sides. If you ar