All human body fluids, including sweat, saliva, vomit, and blood, can potentially be infected with bacteria or viruses. Some of these potentially infectious materials die almost immediately once outside of the body, but others can survive for several minutes, hours, or days in the air or on surfaces. Healthcare workers can never know until laboratory tests are returned which patients pose a threat.
A burn means more than the burning sensation associated with this injury. Burns cause skin damage because the skin cells die. Burns can happen at work and outside of work. In fact, burns are one of the most common household injuries, especially among children.
A laboratory was seriously damaged when the rotor of an ultracentrifuge failed while in use. Flying metal fragments damaged walls, the ceiling and other equipment. The shock wave blew out the laboratory's windows and shook down shelves.
Glutaraldehyde is a toxic chemical that is used in certain circumstances to disinfect and clean medical, surgical and dental equipment. It is used when equipment can’t be sterilized with heat, or if something can’t fit in a sterilizing unit.
An electrical burn occurs when skin meets an electrical voltage. It does not always leave a significant burn to the skin, but the electricity can cause significant internal damage to nerves, muscles and internal organs.
Poisoning, accidental or intentional, causes significant harm or death to many US and Canadian people. Poisoning takes many forms as harmful chemicals can be breathed in, swallowed, touched or injected.
Close to 400,000 healthcare workers a year sustain an injury by used hypodermic needles and other sharp instruments such as a scalpel blade and suture needles.
Recently, a researcher left a lit Bunsen burner inside a BSC, closed the sash and walked away. The type of biological safety cabinet she was using recirculates about 70% of the air with 30% of the air going out of the exhaust.
Housekeeping staff working in healthcare play an important role in keeping the environment safe for patients, staff, and visitors. They may not provide direct clinical care to patients, but they work around patients, and in areas where clinical care has been given.
A fracture is the medical term for a broken bone. The break can be along the length of the bone or across the bone, so it looks as though the bone has snapped. These are generally clean breaks but sometimes the bone can fracture in several places, especially if the fracture is caused by a fall from a great height or from being crushed.
Staph is a very common, generally problem free, bacteria that lives in the nose or on the skin of up to 1 in 3 people. Staph only causes a problem if it gets somewhere it shouldn't, such as into a wound, or the blood. Staph can be easily treated with antibiotics but over time some bacteria have developed a resistance. These strains are commonly known as MRSA, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and can cause a variety of problems ranging from skin infections to pneumonia.
Infections are a serious problem in healthcare facilities. Many people develop an infection while using healthcare services. Such infections are known as healthcare associated infections (HAI).
Sexual harassment is defined as any conduct, comment, gesture, or contact of a sexual nature that is likely to cause offence or humiliation to any employee; or that might, on reasonable grounds, be perceived by that employee as placing a condition of a sexual nature on employment or on any opportunity for training or promotion.
During a busy shift, an OB technician helped with many crash deliveries and operations. Consequently, surgical instruments and trays that should have been washed, piled up on the sink counter and eventually knocked over a gallon jug of 4% formaldehyde. The employee was in and out of the utility room, doing the dishes between surgeries, and noticed that her throat was sore.
When you install or remove overhead lines, you must protect yourself and others against hazards that could expose you to shock, electrocution, falls, flying and falling objects, and burns.
Slip, trip, and fall injuries are one of the most common causes of workplace injuries and death. The falls from slips and trips can lead to disabling injuries, traumatic brain injuries, surgeries, and countless hours in rehab. These types of injuries are painful and costly and can put stress on your relationships, lead to depression, anxiety, and in some cases post-traumatic stress disorder, or PSTD.
Few experiences may be as frightening as when a crane becomes unbalanced while a load is being lifted or when the crane collapses under the weight of an excessive load. An unbalanced load or crane collapse can cause death to the operator, other construction workers, can cause damage to property or equipment.
A trench is an excavation, too, if it isn’t more than 15 feet (4.5 meters) wide at the bottom. And, if you install forms or other structures in an excavation that reduce its width to less than 15 feet, measured at the bottom, the excavation is also considered a trench.
Hazardous Locations are defined as premises, buildings or parts thereof where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to the presence of flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dusts, or easily ignitable fibers.
Hazardous Locations are defined as premises, buildings or parts thereof where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to the presence of flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dusts, or easily ignitable fibers.
A 40-year-old worker was killed at a construction site recently in Toronto. According to police, concrete panels had fallen onto the worker as they were being unloaded, and the man became trapped.
The potential for serious injuries and even fatalities is very high when thinking about work involved for concrete and masonry workers. Precast concrete, lift-slab operations, and masonry construction all pose different types of risk, and all have the potential for multiple employees to be hurt or killed if these risks are ignored.
Aerial lifts are commonly used by utility workers. Aerial lifts include boom-supported aerial platforms, such as cherry pickers or bucket trucks, and elevating platforms, such as scissor lifts.
When someone is choking with a completely blocked airway, no oxygen can enter the lungs. The brain is extremely sensitive to a lack of oxygen and begins to die within four to six minutes. Irreversible brain death occurs in as little as 10 minutes.
Flammable and combustible liquids are present in most workplaces. When used and stored properly these liquids rarely present a problem. But, when that’s not the case, the results can be catastrophic.
Since it's your first time, you may want to checkout some of the video tutorials.
800-ICW-SAFETY (800.429.7233)
SAFETYOnDemand@icwgroup.com