WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Unintentional poisonings occur every year across North America. There are thousands of victims. The cause – unlabeled containers that store toxic chemicals!!!

WHAT’S THE DANGER?

Labels work because it tells what the chemical is, what are the hazards and how you can protect yourself.

But the unlabeled container is the culprit!!!

Toxic chemicals often lurk in these unlabeled containers which can cause fatal consequences if ingested.

Here is an unfortunate example:

A 53-year-old metalworker Frank Gabossi drank from a Gatorade bottle that contained a corrosive liquid used to age metal.

Gabossi died two days after accidentally drinking the blue liquid, which contained selenous acid. Police report that he’d ingested a small amount of the toxic liquid before realizing what it was. His co-worker immediately rushed him to hospital, but Gabossi later died.

People should give heed and appreciation of the harmful power and effects of chemicals.

All chemicals used at work, even “household” chemicals, should be considered potentially hazardous. Always understand the hazards of the chemical. Use all chemicals that you have zero exposures.

Chemicals can enter the body through various paths:

• Lungs: inhaling dusts, fumes, vapors, or gases.
• Skin: chemicals coming in contact with skin.
• Digestive system: ingesting chemicals.

Effects of chemical exposure:

• Acute: immediate outcomes upon exposure.
• Chronic: outcome from repeated exposure over longer duration.
• Don’t assume you aren’t being exposed just because you don’t experience immediate health outcomes: it may take days, months, years, to see chronic effects.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

There are ways to dealing with unintentional poisonings in your workplace. It all has to do with how you treat and respect the full force and power of hazardous and toxic chemicals.

1. Never use a chemical without reading the product’s material safety data sheet (MSDS) and its label, including instructions for use.
2. If a bottle is unlabeled, leave it unopened. Do not rely on your own senses for determining what chemical you have. Even lifting the lid to sniff certain chemicals is a bad move that could lead to serious respiratory damage.
3. If you find a mystery product in an unlabeled container, tell your supervisor.
4. Don’t leave any unlabeled chemical substance around, even if you know what’s in it. Instead label, return or dispose of it properly.
5. Never place any chemical in anything but its original, labeled container. Taping onto a bottle a piece of paper identifying the product is not enough because the ink can fade or your makeshift label can fall off.
6. Never pour a hazardous product, such as a cleaning solution, into a sports drink container, soda bottle or coffee cup. It’s just too easy for you or a co-worker to mistakenly take a drink from it.
7. Never take a swig from a container that’s not your own. You’re betting your life that what’s in the bottle is what’s advertised on the bottle.
8. Never place food or beverages in a refrigerator used to store hazardous chemicals.
9. Never eat, drink or smoke before washing your hands. Toxic chemicals can be transferred into your body.
10. If you or a co-worker accidentally ingests a chemical from a drink container, call 911 or your poison control center immediately.

There are 2 other preventive and protective measures that must be applied in dealing with dangerous toxic chemicals.

1. How to use chemicals safely:

• Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): always read these first to learn about how to use the chemical safely and the hazards of the chemical.
• Substitution: use a less hazardous chemical to do the job.
• Ventilation: use ventilation or work in a well-vented area when using or generating inhalation hazards (welding, spray painting, etc.).
• Storage: segregate incompatible chemicals and protect flammable chemicals from ignition sources.
• Hygiene: wash your hands after use and prevent chemicals from getting on your clothes.
• Labeling and signage: always label containers with their content and hazards.
• Work practices: always use chemicals in such a way that minimizes exposure.

2. Select proper PPE when working with chemicals

Gloves:

• Rubber, chemical-resistant
• Nitrile offer the widest range of compatibilities, but…

ALWAYS consult with the MSDS to determine which rubber glove to wear.

Eye Protection:

• Safety glasses – when splashing and vapors are not a
• Goggles – when splashing is not a concern, but vapors
• Face shields – when splashing is a concern.
• Use face shields with goggles when splashing and vapors are a

Respirators:

• Only required where airborne chemical concentrations exceed regulatory
• Each type of respirator only protects against specific hazard: solvents, dusts, gases,
• There are additional training and medical examination requirements to respirators.

Body Protection:

• Use to prevent contact to skin or clothes.
• Use rubber, chemical-resistant for liquid
• Can use non-chemical resistant (or simple change of clothes) for
• Protect clothes to prevent “carrying home” chemicals from the job.
• Remove or change before leaving the work

FINAL WORD

There are many hazardous chemicals in the workplace. But the most dangerous of them all is the one in an unlabeled container.

What’s at Stake

Most of us have seen a sick co-worker trying to make his way through the workday instead of being home resting or in bed. But coming to work with a cold, flu or other illness is a bad idea. It can make all of us less productive.

What’s the Danger

If you do come to work sick, you’ll probably infect your co-workers. A 2010 Virginia Tech study found that a single sneeze from a worker with the flu can infect an entire room with the virus for hours. And while many people recover from the flu within a week or so, others may develop serious complications that can sometimes lead to death.

If you don’t stay home to get well, your workplace almost always ends up less productive and you’re more likely to get injured because you will be more focused on how terrible you feel than on working safely.

Example

Ron hasn’t taken a sick day in 20 years, no matter the job, no matter the company. Not even from a good dose of the flu. Sweating, sneezing, coughing and wiping his nose, he never misses a beat.

Ron recently did it again, working through a nasty cold. He coughed, sneezed and sprayed germs all over the office meeting room, doorknobs, printers and everything else he touched.

Less than one week after Ron’s illness, four of his co-workers called in sick, including Bob, whose diabetes put him at risk of developing a serious complication and landed him in the hospital.

How to Protect Yourself

You may stay home when you are sick, but still find yourself working next to co-workers who are sniffling and sneezing their way through their day.

Here’s how you can keep yourself healthy and minimize the risk of catching or spreading a cold, flu or other virus:

• Wash your hands frequently, using plenty of soap and warm water. Wash for at least 15 seconds, paying attention to your fingertips, the area between your fingers, the bases of your thumbs, the backs of your hands and wrists and your lower arms. Use a paper towel to turn off the tap and open the bathroom door.
• Since you often use your hands when you interact with others, never cough or sneeze into your hands. Bend your arm and cough or sneeze into your elbow. An uncovered cough or sneeze can spread airborne droplets of germs over several feet.
• Keep your hands away from your eyes, nose and mouth. These are superhighways for germs. Most people aren’t even aware they’re touching their own faces, so make a conscious “hands-off” effort and you’ll cut your risk for picking up the flu.
• Help your immune system help you. Make sure you eat properly, get enough rest and exercise regularly to keep your immune system as strong as possible.

Final Word

Working while you are sick isn’t doing anyone, least of all your co-workers any good. Stay at home if you catch a cold, flu or virus. It’s in everyone’s best interest.

Safety Talk

Carbon monoxide, also known as CO, is a deadly gas. It’s colorless, odorless and tasteless, making it impossible to detect by human senses. When CO is breathed in, it quickly replaces the oxygen in the bloodstream. Various stages of illness can easily lead up to unconsciousness and death.

What’s at Stake

Carbon monoxide is produced when fuels are burned incompletely. These fuels can include wood, oil, gasoline, propane, natural gas and others.
Low levels of carbon monoxide exposure can cause subtle symptoms such as headache, shortage of breath, dizziness, confusion and a dull feeling. These symptoms may be incorrectly chalked up to the flu or another illness. One clue that carbon monoxide may be the problem is if the person feels better when he leaves work and gets out into the fresh air.
Higher CO exposures can cause nausea, rapid pulse and breathing, heart palpitations and possibly hallucinations, while exposures greater than 800 parts per million can cause convulsions and heart failure, followed by coma and death. Even if the victim survives, he or she may suffer from permanent brain damage.

What Can Go Wrong

One of Japan’s worst mining disasters had a strong link to carbon monoxide poisoning. On Nov. 9, 1963, an accidental explosion at the Mitsui Miike coal mine in Kyushu, Japan killed 458 miners, with 96 percent of the victims perishing as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

How to Protect Yourself

Your job may require special training to prevent exposure. You may also be protected by monitoring devices, including personal exposure badges. There may also be alarms in your workplace to warn you if the carbon monoxide content of the air rises above a certain level.
In addition to your special training, remember these general guidelines for preventing carbon monoxide poisoning:

• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when operating any fuel-burning device.
• Do not run a fuel-burning heating device or engine unless the area is properly ventilated. Do not run gasoline engines or propane heaters in enclosed areas.
• Maintain fuel-burning equipment regularly and do not operate it if it is defective. A damaged heat exchanger on a furnace, a leaky chimney or a poorly tuned engine can result in carbon monoxide exposure.
• Be aware of the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning. These include headaches, weakness, dizziness, sleepiness, disorientation and unusually red cheeks.
• If you experience these symptoms or you observe them in a co-worker, get to fresh air immediately and call for medical help, even in mild cases.

If necessary, and if you are trained, perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) until medical personnel arrive.

• Alarm systems are in place in many work areas where there is a possibility of carbon monoxide leaking into the air. If this is the case in your work area, learn what the alarm signals mean and do not interfere with the alarm system in any way.
To reduce the risk of CO poisoning at home:
• Never use your kitchen stove as a heater, even in an emergency;
• Never grill with propane or charcoal indoors;
• Have an expert conduct a pre-winter inspection of common CO sources, including your furnace, fireplace and hot water heater; and,
• Install at least one carbon monoxide detector in your home. Larger or multi-level homes should probably have more than one unit.

Final Word

Carbon monoxide is a deadly gas that cannot be detected by sight or smell. So you need to be aware of other safeguards to prevent exposure.

Safety Talk

An injured worker needs care now — can you administer it? Proper training, supplies and equipment are essential for providing prompt care to injured workers. If you have ever been faced with an injury, no matter how small, you will probably know the value of first aid.

What’s at Stake

Research reveals:

• Approximately two-thirds of people (59%) wouldn’t feel confident enough to try to save a life
• Approximately a quarter (24%) would do nothing and wait for an ambulance to arrive or hope that a passer-by knows first aid.

Applying first aid can range from cleaning a simple cut on a finger to performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) on a heart attack victim. First aid is the initial assistance given to a person until medical help arrives. In the first critical minutes of a serious accident or illness, you can lessen the effects of the injuries or save a life.

Whether you learn first aid to treat a minor injury or assist at an accident scene, it is a very useful skill. Various courses of different skill levels are often available through employers, community organizations or first aid schools.

What Can Go Wrong

A vehicle gently collides with a forklift and the operator is thrown from his seat. He suffers no visible injuries except for bruising, but soon goes into cardiac arrest. Someone calls an ambulance, but none of his co-workers are trained in first aid, so no one attempts to administer CPR. He dies before paramedics arrive.

How to Protect Yourself and Others

Here are some basic guidelines for use in emergencies:

• Check the accident scene for fire, explosion, electrical and other hazards before entering it.
• Avoid general panic by staying calm yourself. Assign someone to summon help.
• Ask co-workers or bystanders to control crowds, traffic and direct emergency personnel to the scene. Always remain with the injured person. Only move the victim if he is in immediate danger from fire, explosion or other life-threatening hazards.
• Carefully examine the person for signs of breathing, consciousness, broken bones or bleeding.
• If the person has no pulse and you are able to perform CPR, do so.
• To help control heavy bleeding, remember the three P’s: Position of the patient – level. Position of the wound – keep it higher than the heart. Pressure – using a clean cloth on the wound. If there is an object embedded in the wound, apply pressure on either side.
• Loosen restrictive clothing to assist the victim’s breathing and blood circulation. If the victim is conscious, talk to him in a reassuring voice. If his injury is severe, try not discuss it with others or to let the victim see it because this can contribute to shock.
• Keep the person warm, calm and lying down to help prevent shock. However, some people will feel more comfortable in a sitting position if they are having trouble breathing.
• Only as a last resort, transport the victim to medical aid yourself.

Final Word

If you learn first aid, you may have the opportunity to save a life one day – maybe even your own.

Safety Talk

Laboratories harbor fire and explosion hazards, and radiation hazards. There may be high-powered equipment which could cause cuts, entanglement or electrocution. There also could be biohazardous materials which can cause fatal diseases.

What’s at Stake

Large research facilities, small testing rooms and medical laboratories will likely contain substances dangerous to your health and safety.

What’s the Danger

Laboratories harbor fire and explosion hazards, and radiation hazards. There may be high-powered equipment which could cause cuts, entanglement or electrocution. There also could be biohazardous materials which can cause fatal diseases. Laboratory chemicals can cause a host of acute and chronic illnesses and injuries. Burns, loss of consciousness and asphyxiation are other possibilities in lab mishaps.

What Can Go Wrong

Jorge’s boss asked him to deliver samples to the company’s laboratory at noon. The lab technicians had gone for lunch. Jorge was thirsty and hungry. When he put the samples in the chemical refrigerator he found the technicians had stashed snacks in there. One bottle looked like an exotic soft drink. It turned out to be a corrosive chemical — the last drink Jorge ever swallowed.

How to Protect Yourself

Don’t take chances. Assume that any substance, process or equipment poses a danger.

• Never eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in a lab because you risk ingesting chemicals. Keep food refrigerators outside the lab area; never put food in chemical refrigerators. Smoking is also prohibited because of fire or explosion hazards.
• Wear all required PPE (personal protective equipment). Safety eyewear is required at all times and should be easily accessible to all visitors. A work situation may also call for a face shield, gloves, a chemically resistant apron, lab coat and non-slip protective footwear. In many instances, lab PPE must stay in the lab.
• Avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing and jewelry.
• Learn to locate and use all fire extinguishers, emergency numbers, at least two emergency escape routes, safety showers and eyewash stations.
• Know basic first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
• Beware of injuries from glassware. Never use damaged glassware. Dispose of broken glass safely by keeping it separate from other trash.
• Wash thoroughly before leaving the lab area and before using the toilet. Don’t use solvents to wash your skin.
• Keep clutter and debris cleaned up and dispose of spills promptly. Return chemicals and equipment to the proper storage areas.
• Strictly observe any warning signs.
• Practice safe handling, labeling and storage of chemicals. Material safety data sheets should be readily accessible.

Final Word

A laboratory can be a very hazardous place. If you are among the personnel authorized to work in or occasionally visit a lab, be aware of the many dangers that lurk inside.

Safety Talk

You need to handle trash every day, so it is important to know there are dangerous items in trash containers and bags that could cause you personal injury. Cuts and contact with substances in the trash could expose you to dangerous chemicals and infections.

What’s at Stake

There are certain things you should not touch unless you are specially trained to handle that kind of refuse. For the following two categories you need special training to protect yourself, you need to wear personal protective equipment and you must be authorized to deal with them:

1. Bags containing hazardous chemicals or chemical bottles such as those from a laboratory.

2. Possible biohazards such as those from a healthcare facility. This includes items marked “biohazard” and bags containing syringes, needles or broken laboratory glassware.

What Can Go Wrong

A woman was taking out the trash from her workplace. The jagged edge of a can cut her through the industrial plastic garbage bag. She cleaned her wound and put a bandage on it but it grew increasingly infected in the following week.

How to Protect Yourself

Here are some other points about trash handling:

•You need to keep in mind the fact that people who put sharp-edged garbage into plastic bags may not have taken time to do it safely. The proper way to dispose of broken glass is to wrap the glass in cardboard or heavy paper to separate the broken edges from other garbage. That way, the pieces can’t puncture the trash bag and injure you. Other sharp items such as nails sticking out of scrap lumber also should be guarded to prevent puncture wounds.

•Wear the proper type of gloves for handling trash. Your protective equipment might be disposable or made of leather, depending on the job. You may even need chemical-resistant gloves. For general handling of garbage, leather gloves protect your hands from punctures and cuts.

•For foot protection you need enclosed shoes — not sandals — and preferably safety-toed footwear. The hard toes protect your feet in case you drop something on them, and also give some protection from spills of substances in the trash.

•It is appropriate to use safety eyewear if there is a chance of being struck by flying particles such as breaking glass.

•When dealing with tall garbage bins, use side doors if possible rather than heaving big bags up into the air. With top-loading dumpsters, make sure the dumpster lid is securely propped open before tossing in the bags. Don’t try to hold the lid up and throw a trash bag at the same time.

Keep your hands out of the way when closing a trash bin and be careful if you are lifting a lid in windy conditions because it can slam down on your hands. Never climb into a trash bin.

Do not dispose of fluorescent bulbs in trash bags and bins. This is environmentally hazardous and dangerous to people if the bulbs are broken.

Final Word

Before you work with certain kinds of refuse, you’ll need special training and equipment. So if you are working in a facility such as a laboratory or a hospital, find out what you are or are not allowed to handle.

Safety Talk

The space between a loading dock and a truck trailer is one of the most dangerous in any plant.

Usually about six inches (15.24 centimeters) wide, this space has been the scene of many fatal accidents. Forklifts cross from the dock into trailers over adjustable steel bridges called dock levelers. If a trailer moves away from the dock, a forklift can tumble to the ground, crushing its operator.

What’s at Stake:

Trucks can suddenly move forward for a number of reasons. They can slide on ice, snow or mud built up around the dock, or on hot asphalt. The brakes can fail. Perhaps the brakes were not set or the wheels were not chocked to prevent movement. Or the driver can make a mistake and pull away from the loading dock before the forklift is clear.

Trailer creep is the term describing slight movement of a truck trailer away from the dock. Premature departure is the term used to describe leaving the dock too soon, possibly as a result of wrong or misunderstood directions. In fact, driver impatience because of delivery schedules has been shown to be a significant factor in more than a few loading dock accidents.

So the presence of a dock leveler is no guarantee of a safe surface for a forklift. A better system involves a vehicle restraint to secure trailers and reduce the chances of premature separation from the loading dock.

What Can Go Wrong:

A truck driver felt that he hadn’t backed a trailer straight enough against a loading dock, so he decided to pull out and back in again. Unaware that his truck was already being unloaded, he pulled away from the dock. A forklift driver was just backing out of the trailer at the time. The forklift and driver fell off the trailer. Fortunately, the worker was not seriously injured.

How to Protect Yourself:

If you work around a loading dock as a driver, forklift operator or in another capacity, make sure you understand the hazards and know how to protect yourself and others. Forklift incidents can easily result in death or serious injury to operators and pedestrians. Falls caused by slippery dock surfaces or unguarded edges can be serious as well. Any workers who manually lift and carry materials are also at risk for disabling back injuries.

Consider these loading dock safety tips:

• As a driver, you need to observe and obey signals, whether they originate from dockworkers or from automatic lights telling you when to back in or move forward. Cooperate with the vehicle restraint procedures in force at the dock. You also need to stick to pedestrian lanes when you leave your truck, and remain in the driver waiting area as instructed.
• As a dockworker, you need to know how to safely restrain a trailer—using, but not relying on—automatic signaling. Use a dock leveler correctly and never tamper with the safety stop device intended to prevent free-fall. If using chocks, place them yourself instead of leaving this job to the driver. Chocks should be chained to the dock. Inspect and maintain dock equipment regularly.
• Dockworkers should use materials handling equipment to avoid back injury. Only trained and authorized persons should operate forklifts. Beware of pinchpoint and entanglement hazards around dock conveyors.
• Maintain good lighting and keep surfaces free of grease, mud, snow or ice to prevent falls. Always use the steps and the handrail to exit the dock. Do not jump to the ground from a dock or trailer.
• As a forklift operator, wear your seatbelt. Many forklift drivers have been crushed to death when they felt a forklift starting to fall and tried to jump free.

Final Word

Work happens quickly around a loading dock, as shipments arrive and are handled on tight schedules. But no matter how fast things move for just-in-time shipping, you should always make time for safety.

Safety Talk

We all know about the dangers of using a cell phone while driving. But if you think driving a car while talking on a cell phone is dangerous, imagine the hazards of operating a forklift, working on an assembly line or performing other safety-sensitive jobs while chatting away on a cell phone. In fact, many workplace incidents occur because workers weren’t concentrating on the task at hand.

What’s at Stake:

Cell phones aren’t the only source of distraction, but they’ve made the problem much worse, because people have become so dependent upon them. Cell phone use on a jobsite could result in a serious incident. For that matter, cell phone distractions can occur anywhere, at any time.

What Can Go Wrong:

A manager who was talking on a mobile phone walked into the path of a reversing dump truck and was run over by the vehicle. He later died in hospital. An investigation found that the truck’s reversing alarm was sounding loudly when the incident occurred. However, it appears that the victim was so focused on his cell phone conversation that he didn’t pay attention to the alarm.

How to Protect Yourself and Others:

Much has been written about the dangers of using cell phones while driving, so we won’t rehash those dangers in detail. However, the use of cell phones in industrial facilities creates two kinds of serious hazards:

• Talking or texting on a cell phone is distracting and especially dangerous when workers are operating   equipment or machinery, handling hazardous substances or performing other tasks that require their complete attention. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just the handling of the equipment or dialing/texting that makes cell phones dangerous. The very act of talking on a cell phone diverts attention, often with terrible results.
• Much like jewelry, which is often banned in industrial workplaces, cell phone devices may become entangled in machinery or interfere with the proper use of PPE. For example, a worker may not be able to wear proper hearing protection or a hardhat if he’s using a hands-free wireless earpiece for his cell phone. Or a worker may remove his safety gloves to send a text on his cell phone.

Final Word:

No telephone call is worth your life, especially one involving the use of a cell phone while you are operating equipment or walking in a zone where forklifts and other vehicles are moving. Curb your cell phone use until you are in a safe place.

Safety Talk

In a heroic attempt to extinguish an apartment fire, two men working in a residential building found extinguishers in a hallway and raced to the unit. Although they had just rescued a tenant from the same unit, they were both overcome by thick smoke and died of cardiac arrest.

WHAT’S AT STAKE
Fire extinguishers can be found in many facilities and often save lives and property.  But fires double in size every 60 seconds, so choosing to use an extinguisher incorrectly or at the wrong time can quickly kill or injure you.

Today we’ll review what decisions to make before using an extinguisher and how to use an extinguisher effectively.

WHAT’S THE DANGER
There’s a reason humans warn each other to be careful near fires.  Fires can quickly kill or seriously injure us in many ways, for example:

• Smoke inhalation, causing asphyxiation and death
• Severe skin and internal burns
• Structural collapse, causing crushing or striking deaths and injuries

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF
What’s the first thing to do if you discover a fire?  Notify others to leave the building or area, following the organization’s emergency exit procedures.  If you don’t remember or don’t know the emergency exit procedures, ask your supervisor today.  You should also pull the nearest fire alarm, call 911, or otherwise contact the fire department or your organization’s fire brigade.  Remember, fire doubles in size every 60 seconds, so it’s crucial to act fast.

Next, if you aren’t trained and authorized to attempt extinguishing a fire, you should leave the building immediately along with others.

If you are trained and authorized to extinguish a fire, the fire appears small, and there’s an extinguisher nearby that you feel is safe to use, quickly consider 3 P’s before using it:

1. Path: Can you get to a safe exit without passing through any fire, smoke, or heat?
2. Proper: Do you have the proper extinguisher for the type of fire you’re facing?
3. Pressure: If the extinguisher has a pressure indicator, is the pressure reading in the correctly charged range?

If you answer YES to all 3 P’s, and you do not feel your safety is in danger, you can attempt using the extinguisher.  When it’s time to use an extinguisher, remember the “P-A-S-S” technique:

P ull the pin:  Pull the pin; remove the breakable seal, if it’s there, and pull the pin.

A im the nozzle:   Aim the nozzle, at the base of the flame. If you can safely manage, stand about 10 to 20 feet from the fire. Most importantly, never put yourself in danger. The contents of an extinguisher are under pressure and if you’re too close to the fire, you may spread it. In a Class B fire–one with flammable liquid—instead of aiming directly at the base, you want the extinguishing agent to settle on the flame from above.  Aiming straight at the bottom of a flammable liquid fire could spread the liquid and make the fire worse.

S queeze the handle:  Squeeze and hold the handle. You should have about 10-20 seconds of material.

S weep from side to side:   Sweep from side to side to allow the extinguishing agent to evenly cover the fire.

If at any time conditions change, for example your exit path is threatened by smoke, leave immediately.

FINAL WORD
Your safety – and the safety of co-workers – is the top priority in a fire.  If you answer NO or I DON’T KNOW to any of the 3 P’s, leave the building immediately.  If you don’t remember the PASS technique, leave the building immediately. Getting home to family, friends, and co-workers is always a heroic act.

Safety Talk

Don’t Slip Up A moment of distraction is all it took for Terrence’s foot to catch at the walkway’s edge, causing him to stumble. He recovered his balance but it was a close thing! Terrence is not the only one who trips at work. Slips and trips are the leading causes of accidents across industries. In this Safety Talk, you will learn what causes slips and trips and how to prevent them. What Can Go Wrong In general, slips and trips happen when you lose your footing and slide unintentionally or catch your foot on an object and stumble. There is any number of reasons why you might slip or trip in the workplace. A trip can be caused by damaged steps, uneven surfaces, or rumpled carpets and a slip might be caused by slick floors, sloped walking surfaces, or ice and snow. Both of these types of accidents can cause serious injuries – like sprained ankles, broken arms, or even fatal head injuries – and happen anywhere in your facility. So how can you prevent a slip or a trip at work? How to Protect Yourself Prevention is the key to protect yourself from slips and trips. Terrence may have never tripped on that walkway if the edges had been smooth and even. What else could he, and you, do to prevent trips in the future?

• Keep it clean! Make sure to put away tools and throw away trash in work or high traffic areas of the facility.
• Watch where you walk! Keep an eye on the walkway or path to avoid obstacles or go around icy patches.
• Light it up! Turn on the lights when walking into a room and make sure to replace burnt out bulbs.

To prevent slips, you and Terrence can:

• Clean it up! Wipe up small spills if you can. Larger spills should be marked and the appropriate person informed.
• Help protect others! Offer ideas and recommendation to help improve existing safety practices.
• Step it up! Wear the right shoes for the job to help prevent slips. You may need to wear hard or soft soles, depending on the facility’s walking surfaces. Not sure what’s appropriate? Ask your supervisor for advice.

Final Word Remember the walkway that Terrence tripped over? Well, it’s now smooth, after some maintenance, so that others don’t hurt themselves by tripping on it. Terrence is doing what he can to prevent slips and trips at his facility by using the suggestions made in this Safety Talk. You can too!

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?
Slips, trips and falls are the second-leading cause of workplace deaths, next to traffic incidents. They cause over 700 deaths every year, accounting for more than 15 percent of all workplace fatalities. Slips, trips and falls are also the leading source of workplace accidents, with over 200,000 reported every year.

What’s the Danger?
Slip, trip and fall hazards fall into two broad categories: unsafe conditions and unsafe acts. An unsafe condition is a condition of your workplace that’s likely to cause injury or property damage. Unsafe conditions can cause slip, trip and fall hazards anywhere you walk and work, including:

• Office and shop floors;
• Construction site grounds;
• Parking structures;
• Restaurant kitchens;
• Loading docks and warehouses; and
• Hospital rooms and classrooms.

Walking and working in these areas can become hazardous from one or more of these unsafe conditions:

• Unsafe floors and surfaces;
• Unsafe stairs and railings; and
• Poor lighting.

An unsafe act is a task or activity done in an unsafe or dangerous manner which can harm you or others. These acts include unsafe work practices, risky behaviors, shortcuts, and other human factors.

Examples of unsafe work practices include:

• Spilling coffee on the breakroom floor and not cleaning it up.
• Mopping the floor and not putting out caution signs to warn people that the floor is wet.
• Talking or texting on your cell phone as you walk.
• Hurrying and not keeping your eyes on your path, especially when walking on uneven or slippery surfaces.
• Not reporting the burned-out lightbulb in the stairwell.

At work, not paying attention to where you are going or knowing where you should be is a risky—and potentially deadly behavior. Other risky behaviors include rushing, running, and taking shortcuts.

Human factors are personal characteristics, traits, or conditions which can affect how you do your job and increase your risk of a slip, trip, or fall. Age, eyesight, physical condition and medications you take are examples of human factors.

How to Protect Yourself

Preventing slips, trips, and falls starts with identifying the hazards around the workplace. These hazards may involve unsafe conditions or unsafe acts. Once slip, trip and fall hazards are identified, your employer must do one or more of the following:

• Eliminate the hazard through engineering controls, such as slipresistant flooring.
• Minimize the risk of injury through administrative controls and safe work practices, such as providing wet-floor signage.
• Provide training on hazards, safe work practices, and the use of personal protective equipment; and n Protect employees against injury by providing personal protective equipment.

FINAL WORD

Avoiding unsafe conditions and not participating in unsafe acts can help you avoid falling for slip, trip and fall hazards on the job

What’s at Stake?

Distracted driving is a factor in approximately four million crashes in North America each year. The Canadian and American Automobile Associations (CAA and AAA) have identified the following deadly driving distractors:

1. Cell phones
2. Objects, people and events outside of the vehicle
3. Adjusting radio and vehicle controls
4. Vehicle occupants
5. Something moving in the car
6. Using another object or device
7. Eating and drinking

What’s the Danger?

Driving requires us to See, Hear, Do, and Think. The seven distractors require at least one of these skills as well. Using a cell phone to text or carry on a conversation requires you to use all four skills – See, Hear, Do and Think.

Which is why, even though all seven distractors mentioned earlier are dangerous, cell phone usage ranks at the top of the list for distracting behaviors that increase your chances of being involved in a crash or near crash event.

• Text messaging (or texting) on a cell phone – 23 times more likely
• Talking on a cell phone – 4 to 5 times more likely
• Reading – 3 times more likely
• Applying makeup – 3 times more likely
• Reaching for a moving object – 9 times more likely
• Dialing on a hand-held device – 3 times more likely
• Talking or listening on a hand-held device – 1.3 times more likely

Driving while talking or texting on a cell phone not only puts you at risk for an accident- it can also result in an expensive fine and demerit points on your driver’s licence if police catch you doing it. Many states and provinces prohibit cell phone use while driving, and many employers also have strict policies prohibiting this practice.

How to Protect Yourself

Before you start out for a drive here are five easy tips you can practice to avoid distracted driving:

1. Give yourself plenty of travel time and make sure you’re well rested and alert.
2. Review all maps and directions and pre-program your route on your vehicle’s global positioning system (GPS).
3. Stow and secure loose objects.
4. Prepare children and other passengers with everything they need. Don’t forget to secure pets too.
5. Lastly, preset the controls on your vehicle’s climate control system and audio system.

While you are driving:

1. Let calls go to voicemail and don’t read or return texts. Do not surf the Internet or read emails. If you think you’ll be tempted to check your phone, turn it off or place it in your vehicle’s glove compartment.
2. Do not eat, drink, smoke, apply makeup or engage in any other grooming activities.
3. Stop at safe locations such as rest stops or a commuter lot, to make and receive calls or take care of the needs of children, passengers or pets.
4. Keep your eyes and mind on the road.
5. Stop periodically to help you stay alert. If you are fighting the urge to sleep, consuming caffeine, opening the windows to let in fresh air and blasting music won’t keep you safe and alert. You need to find a safe place to pull over and take a nap.
6. Finally, maintain at least a two-second following distance between your vehicle and the vehicle in front of you. Using the two-second rule significantly reduces your chances of being involved in a motor vehicle accident. Increase your following distance beyond two seconds in inclement weather, heavy traffic and while passing through highway work zones.

Final Word

Safe driving demands your undivided attention. Keep your eyes and your mind on the road. Driving and multitasking can never safely coexist.  If you need to make or take a phone call, check driving directions or select some different music, pull over into a safe place. Two minutes of inconvenience seems like a more than fair trade for a few extra years or decades of life.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

Swimming and boating are staples of summer fun. The fun can quickly turn to tragedy though, when water and boating safety are thrown overboard. On average, 1,000 people die in boating-related accidents every year in North America and thousands more are injured. Additionally, more than 3,500 unintentional drownings, not related to boating, happen each year. The majority of these deaths are preventable.

What’s the Danger?

• Most boating deaths involve recreational activities and the vast majority of victims are males 15 to 74 years of age.

– Almost 90 percent of boaters were not wearing, or not properly wearing, a lifejacket when they drowned.

– In more than 21 percent of boating deaths, a lifejacket was present on board but was not worn.

• Swimming, unexpected falls at waterfronts and pools, or from a dock, account for thousands of drowning deaths each year.

– The National Safety Council cites drowning as the second-leading cause of death for people between the ages of 5-24.

– In a recent Canadian study, the average age of drowning victims in Canada was 42. The highest death rates were among those 20 to 34 and 65 and older.

– More than 200 children drown in backyard pools every year, and 80 percent of these drownings occur when there is a lack of adult supervision.

• Alcohol consumption plays a role in many water-related accidents and deaths.

– According to the Canadian Red Cross, alcohol is a factor in almost 40 percent of water-related fatalities involving people 15 and older.

– The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cites alcohol use as the leading contributing factor in fatal boating incidents in the U.S.

How to Protect Yourself

Boating Safety Tips

• Wear a lifejacket:

– Lifejackets are required by law for each person on board a boat.

– Properly fitted lifejackets can prevent drownings and should be worn at all times by everyone on the boat.

– If you operate a boat, it is your responsibility to make sure everyone has and is wearing a properly fitting lifejacket.

• Don’t drink alcohol and operate a boat:

– Alcohol use affects judgment, vision, balance, and coordination.

– Boating under the influence of alcohol is just as deadly as drinking and driving.

– Drinking and boating is illegal in all U.S. states and all provinces in Canada.

• Be prepared:

– Take a course on boating safety.

– Make sure your boat is in good operational order before each outing.

– Check gasoline and fluid levels.

– Check the weather forecast. Don’t go out on the water if stormy weather is expected. If you see lightning or hear thunder, get to a safe place off the water immediately.

Swimming Safety Tips 

• If you don’t know how to swim, take swimming lessons.
• Always swim with a buddy.
• Only swim in designated areas and obey all warning flags, signs and lifeguard instructions.
• Make sure your skill level matches the water you’re swimming in. Swimming in a river, lake or ocean requires more strength to handle strong currents and waves.
• If you get caught in a current:

– Don’t try to fight it.

– Stay calm and float with it.

– Swim parallel to the shore until you can swim free.

• Never dive in shallow water or unfamiliar areas.
• Never drink alcohol when swimming. Just as when boating, alcohol affects your judgment, vision, balance, and coordination.
• Get out of and away from the water immediately if you see lightning or hear thunder.
• Teach children to swim at an early age.
• Actively supervise children near any water. NEVER leave them alone, even for a minute. A child can drown in the time it takes to run inside and grab a drink or answer a phone call.
• Put up proper gates and fencing around backyard pools.
• Empty kiddie pools after each use. A child can drown in just a few inches or centimetres of water.
• Learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and rescue techniques.

Final Word

Swimming and boating are two of the most popular summer activities. Don’t drown in a sea of regret because you forgot to practice safe boating and swimming.

What’s at Stake?

Depression affects tens of millions of workers across the U.S. and Canada, with a cost to companies of more than $50 billion annually from absenteeism, loss of productivity and medical expenses.  By 2020, depression is projected to rank second only to heart disease as the leading cause of disability worldwide. The toll on the workers themselves is often immeasurable.

What’s the Danger?

Workers who are depressed often feel tired, unmotivated and have difficulty concentrating.  Depression can cause problems with decision-making abilities and an increase in errors and accidents.  Workers with depression also miss work more often and experience a higher level of presenteeism, where a worker is present at work but less focused and productive than workers without depression.

Due to the stigma of mental illness, many people find it hard to talk about their depression and seek help for it. Getting help is important, because if left untreated, depression can lead to job loss, damaged relationships, substance abuse and suicide.

How to Protect Yourself

While employers and co-workers are not expected to diagnose or treat depression, knowing the signs and what steps to take next can have a significant impact on affected employees and the workplace overall. Sometimes just knowing there is someone concerned about them provides the extra support needed for depressed workers to seek out help.

Symptoms of depression include:

• Persistent sadness and a withdrawing from friends and family,
• Fatigue and irritability,
• Lack of enthusiasm and loss of interest in things most people find enjoyable,
• Problems with sleeping, including insomnia or sleeping all the time,
• Excessive crying,
• Chronic aches and pains, and
• Thoughts of suicide or death.

At work these symptoms might manifest themselves in:

• Decreased productivity.
• Morale problems.
• Lack of cooperation.
• An increase in incidents and injuries.
• Absenteeism.
• Talking about being tired all the time.
• Complaints of unexplained aches and pains.
• Alcohol and/or drug abuse.

If you think you might be suffering from depression, make an appointment with your doctor and talk to him or her about how you’re feeling. You can also check to see if your company has an employee assistance program or other in-house service.

If you suspect a co-worker is experiencing depression, talk to that person confidentially. Be supportive and encourage them to talk to their doctor, an on-site occupational health nurse or an employee assistance professional who can refer them to the right kind of treatment.

Final Word

Help for overcoming depression is available and the success rate for treating depression is very high. Today’s medications and therapies can help between 80 and 90 percent of those with depression.

What’s at Stake?

Fatigue is the state of feeling very tired, weary or sleepy. It results from not getting enough sleep, shiftwork, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. Fatigue impacts work performance and safety and can cause health problems. In the most extreme cases, fatigue has been linked to environmental disasters, plane and train crashes, nuclear disasters and the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle.

What’s the Danger?

The risk of making mistakes at work increases dramatically if workers sleep for less than seven to eight hours, or are awake for more than 17 consecutive hours.

• Fatigue reduces your ability to make decisions and to do complex planning. Communication skills and your ability to respond to and remember directions and recall details also suffer.
• Fatigue slows your reaction time, and your ability to respond to changes in surroundings or information provided. It also shortens your attention span, especially during boring or mundane tasks.
• Fatigue lowers your productivity and performance and your ability to handle stress. It makes it hard to stay awake, increases forgetfulness and increases errors in judgment.

Experiencing one or more of these factors can make you dangerous to work with, because it increases the chances for incidents and injuries.

How to Protect Yourself

One of the most important ways to protect against fatigue is to get enough rest. For most people that means seven to eight hours of sleep per night.

Try these tips for getting a good night’s sleep:

• Go to bed and get up at the same time every day, even on weekends.
• Don’t eat too close to bedtime, as doing so can cause heartburn and just generally make it hard to fall asleep. Do eat a balanced diet of fruits, veggies, healthy fats, proteins and whole grains.
• Turn off your cell phone or tablet at least one hour before you go to sleep and don’t watch TV in bed.
• Exercise regularly, but not too close to bed time. Exercising an hour or so before bed can make it hard to fall asleep.
• Avoid caffeine, tobacco and alcohol before bed as well. Stay away from foods and drinks that contain caffeine for at least five hours before bedtime.
• Keep your room dark and cool. Most of us sleep better in a cooler room.
• If you can’t sleep, get up and go into another room and read or perform some other quiet activity that doesn’t involve staring at a screen until you feel sleepy.

At work, remember these fatigue-triggering factors and try to avoid them:

• Dim lighting.
• High temperatures, high noise, and high comfort, such as sitting for long periods in a very comfortable chair.
• Repetitive, long, boring and monotonous tasks.

If you can, take breaks or break up tasks and keep the lights bright. Eat light, healthy snacks throughout your shift instead of heavy, fatty snacks. If you’re driving, be sure to take breaks at least every few hours and change drivers if you can.

Final Word

Fatigue at work doesn’t have to turn into a nightmare of injuries and accidents. Take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating right and knowing the factors that trigger fatigue.

WHAT’S AT STAKE?

Housekeeping at work is about much more than cleaning windows and sweeping up dust bunnies. Poor housekeeping can cause injuries, slow down production, dampen morale, start fires and cause catastrophic explosions of combustible dusts.

WHAT’S THE DANGER?

A messy workplace not only affects workers’ safety and morale, it makes a bad impression on potential and current customers and regulatory officers. How much harder do you think an inspector will look at your work area if it’s unorganized and messy? The answer is; a LOT harder.

Poor housekeeping contributes to accidents by:

• Covering up hazards, such as frayed wires or damaged cords.
• Creating slip and trip hazards, including boxes, pallets and cords cluttering walkways, and spills and leaks on workroom and breakroom floors.
• Providing fuel for a fire, in the form of cardboard, trash, and flammable vapors; and
• Encouraging a sloppy mindset. If clutter, spills, and disorganization are the norm, it’s not long before more serious safety hazards are overlooked because they, too, have become the norm.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

The first thing to remember about housekeeping is that it is ongoing. Get into the habit of cleaning up as you go through your day.

Remember these tips for housekeeping in industrial and construction settings:

• Clean up spills immediately, or report them if you aren’t trained to clean them up.
• Put lids and caps back on containers and bottles after every use.
• Put tools, equipment and boxes back where they belong.
• Take out trash and recycling on a regular basis so it doesn’t have a chance to pile up.
• Follow maintenance procedures for machines and equipment to help contain leaks and
• overspray from machines; and
• Control dust accumulation. Dust accumulation is a significant fire and explosion hazard.

Offices, retail spaces, restaurants and healthcare settings should be kept clean, organized and free from fire hazards too.

1. Close cabinet drawers to prevent others from tripping on them or causing the cabinet to tip over.
2. Push unoccupied chairs in against desks or workstations and keep items out of aisles and walkways.
3. Clean up spills and put out caution signs when floors are wet; and finally
4. Report water, ice, and snow on sidewalks and around doors. Clean it up if you can.

General housekeeping tips for all workplaces:

• Don’t block sprinkler heads, fire extinguishers and other emergency equipment. Keep material and equipment at least 18 inches (46 centimetres) away from sprinkler heads.
• Prevent objects from falling by paying attention to how high material is stacked and stored.
• Keep walkways clear of clutter.
• Practice proper storage. Whether it is chemicals, garbage, boxes, bins, or bags—store it correctly to prevent spills, vapor accumulation, unstable piles, and damage to tools and equipment.

FINAL WORD

Good housekeeping helps keep your safety record clean by preventing injuries, chemical hazards, fires and explosions. It also improves morale and productivity by making it easier for you to find what you need to do your job.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

Statistics show that, on average, fire kills eight people each week in Canada, with residential fires accounting for 73% of these fatalities. In the United States, the number is six times higher, with an average of 48 people killed each week.

What’s the Danger?

Fire spreads quickly.

• In two minutes, a fire can become life-threatening.
• In five minutes, your home can be engulfed in flames.

The bigger danger is the heat and the smoke:

• Inhaling the super-hot air can sear your lungs. Fire also produces poisonous gases that make you disoriented and drowsy. So instead of being awakened by fire and smoke, you may fall into a deeper sleep.
• Asphyxiation, or smoke inhalation, is the leading cause of fire deaths, exceeding burns by a three-to-one ratio.

How to Protect Yourself

Create a fire escape plan and practice it twice a year. Some tips to consider when preparing this plan include:

• Have two ways to get out of each room. A secondary route might be a window onto a neighboring roof or a collapsible ladder for escape from upper story windows.
• Practice feeling your way out of the house in the dark or with your eyes closed.
• Make sure that windows are not stuck, screens can be taken out quickly, security bars can be quickly opened.
• Set up a meeting point at a safe distance from your home; and
• Teach children not to hide from firefighters.

A working smoke alarm significantly increases your chances of surviving a deadly home fire.

• Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, including the basement.
• Fire safety agencies recommend installing smoke alarms both inside and outside of sleeping areas.
• Install both ionization AND photoelectric smoke alarms, OR dual sensor smoke alarms, which contain both ionization and photoelectric smoke sensors.
• Test batteries monthly.
  • Replace batteries, except non-replaceable 10-year lithium batteries, at least once a year.
  • Replace the entire smoke alarm unit every 8-10 years or according to manufacturer’s instructions.
• And while it can be annoying, disabling a smoke alarm that is set off by cooking can be a deadly mistake.

If a fire does break out, follow these escape tips:

• When the smoke alarm sounds, get out fast.
• Crawl low under any smoke – heavy smoke and poisonous gases collect first along the ceiling.
• Before opening a door feel the doorknob and door. If either is hot, leave the door closed and use your second way out.
• If you open a door, open it slowly. Be ready to shut it quickly if heavy smoke or fire is present.
• If you can’t get out, close the door and cover vents and cracks around doors with towels, sheets or tape to keep smoke out.
  • Call 9-1-1 or your fire department.
  • Say where you are and signal for help at the window with a light-colored cloth or a flashlight.
• Lastly, don’t risk your life. If you can’t get to a person or a pet leave the home and call 9-1-1 or the fire department.
  • Tell the emergency operator where the person is located.
  • When firefighters arrive tell them right away of anyone still inside.

Final Word

Having an escape plan and working smoke alarms throughout your home are two ways you can avoid getting burned if a fire were to break out in your home.

What’s at Stake?

A near miss, or close call, is an event that almost results in an injury, illness or property damage. Think back to a close call you had. Was a split second, a few inches, or dumb luck the only thing between you and death?

What’s the Danger?

Near misses are red flags that something is dangerously wrong with a process, task, piece of equipment or tool, or something in the work environment. Too often these red flags are ignored, not reported or not corrected. This leaves room for the following to get too close to you and your co-workers:

• Catastrophic equipment failure.
• Fire and explosions.
• Chemical spills and other environmental disasters.
• Serious injury and death.

How to Protect Yourself

The best thing you can do to protect yourself and your co-workers is to speak up. Report near misses that you witness or that happen to you. This is easier said than done sometimes because you might:

• Fear getting in trouble or be embarrassed about your part in the incident.
• Not understand the importance near miss reporting plays in accident prevention.
• Be worried about breaking a safety or production record for so many days without an incident; or
• Be discouraged by the lack of action when similar issues have been reported.

While keeping silent may seem like the easy way out, think about how you would feel if a co-worker died because of a hazard that you knew existed but didn’t report?

Some other ways you can protect yourself include:

• Be aware of how your co-workers conduct themselves and work together to prevent injury and safeguard one another from incidents. Compare your routines and habits with theirs and share tips.
• Take responsibility for the equipment or machinery you use. If equipment or machinery causes you problems or appears to be broken, stop using it and report it to your supervisor.
• Ensure you understand and follow all safety procedures. If you have questions or have ideas for a safer way to do something talk to your supervisor.

Final Word

Don’t give danger a second chance to get too close for comfort. Report all near misses immediately so they can be investigated and hazards can be corrected.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

The flu is a serious contagious disease. Not only does having the flu make you feel miserable, for some people the flu can be fatal. In fact, tens of thousands of people die from the flu in North America, each year.

What’s the Danger?

Your workplace provides many opportunities for people to interact and often in close quarters. More interaction, in close contact, increases the risk for respiratory illnesses like the flu to spread.

The flu virus is mainly spread through droplets from coughs and sneezes. This is why it’s so easy to spread the virus in the close quarters of an office, shop floor, clinic, classroom or other workplace.

Common flu symptoms are easy to remember if you remember the F.A.C.T.S:

• Fever
• Aches
• Chills
• Tiredness
• Sudden onset

Symptoms can also include headache, sore throat and a hacking cough. Young children are more likely to experience vomiting and diarrhea with the flu.

How to Protect Yourself

Here are SIX tips to lower the risk of getting and spreading the flu virus.

1. The single best way to prevent seasonal flu is to get vaccinated each year.

• While there are many different strains of flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season.
• And don’t worry; the flu vaccine cannot make you sick with the flu. The viruses in the vaccine are either killed or weakened and cannot cause infection.

2. Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when coughing or sneezing or cough or sneeze into your elbow if a tissue isn’t available.

• Droplets from coughs or sneezes containing flu virus can travel up to 6 feet (2 metres).
• The simple act of covering your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze can prevent others from getting sick.

3. Clean your hands after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

• When using soap and water, rub soapy hands together for at least 20 seconds, rinse hands with warm water, and dry completely.
• If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub and wash your hands as soon as you can.

4. Avoid close contact with people who are sick and when you are sick, keep your distance from others.

• It is recommended you stay home and clear of people while you are sick.
• Wait at least 24 hours after your fever before going back to work. This will help to ensure you are no longer contagious.

5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth and try not to use a co-worker’s phone, desk, computer, or other tools and equipment.

• Germs are often spread when a person touches a contaminated surface and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.

6. Lastly, take care of yourself.

• Eat a healthy diet. Get plenty of rest, exercise, and try to avoid stress.
• Being stressed can weaken your immune system and make it harder to fight off the flu and other illnesses.

Final Word

Do your part to control the spread of the flu virus.

• Get a flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.
• Cover your mouth and nose when you cough and sneeze.
• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces; and
• Stay home when you’re sick.

What’s at Stake?

Welding poses a unique combination of both safety and health risks to more than 500,000 workers in a wide variety of industries. The risk from fatal injuries alone is more than four deaths per thousand workers over a working lifetime.

What’s the Danger?

The fume plume is the clearly visible column of fume that rises directly from the spot of welding or cutting. Gases from the plume such as helium, argon, and carbon dioxide displace oxygen in the air and can lead to suffocation, particularly when welding in confined or enclosed spaces. Carbon monoxide gas can form, posing a serious asphyxiation hazard. Health effects from welding fumes can include metal fume fever, stomach ulcers, kidney damage, cancer and nervous system damage.

How to Protect Yourself

Just as with other workplace chemicals, your employer must provide information and training on the hazardous metals and gases in welding fumes.

PPE, including respirators, welding helmets, gloves and leather aprons must be worn to prevent inhalation exposure, eye injuries and burns.

Welding surfaces should be cleaned of any coating that could potentially create toxic exposure, such as solvent residue and paint.

Air monitoring is often necessary to test the level of toxic fumes in the air. Even with air monitoring proper exhaust and ventilation is a must to direct the gases and fumes from the fume plume out of your breathing area and away from by-standers.

• Keep fume hoods, fume extractor guns and vacuum nozzles close to the plume source to
  remove the maximum amount of fume and gases.
• Position portable or flexible exhaust systems so fume and gases are drawn away from you
  and exhaust ports should be directed away from other workers.
• Never weld in confined spaces without ventilation!

Final Word

Being aware of the hazards in and around the fume plume, wearing required PPE and always using proper exhaust and ventilation, can protect you and your co-workers from the potentially deadly gases and fumes that happen during welding procedures.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

The hazards associated with compressed gas include oxygen displacement, fires, explosions, toxic effects from certain gases, reactivity and projectile concerns.

What’s the Danger?

An employee was killed when a compressed gas cylinder turned into a projectile because its valve was knocked off. Another worker suffocated after entering a space filled with nitrogen from a leaking cylinder. A massive explosion and fire at an industrial plant sent huge fireballs and gas cylinders flying hundreds of feet into the sky. These are all real-life examples of what can happen when compressed gas is not used, handled or stored correctly.

How to Protect Yourself

Read and Follow Labels and Safety Data Sheets

• Compressed gas cylinders must be properly labeled. Empty cylinders must also be marked as such. If you see a cylinder improperly marked, fix it or report it.
• Read the safety data sheet carefully for information about handling, storage and use and emergency procedures.

Know and Use Safe Work Practices for Handling and Use

• Wear required PPE.
• Use regulators that are compatible with the gas and regulators and gauges rated for the pressure in the system.
• Replace cap when not in use. This protects the valve to prevent leaks and other hazards.
• Never roll a cylinder to move it. Instead, use the appropriate cart, cradle or platform.
• Never attempt to refill a cylinder and never mix gases in a cylinder.
• Tag defective cylinders. Notify your supervisor of any problems, including difficult-to-
• open valves, so they can be addressed by the supplier. Do not try to fix it yourself.
• If a gas cylinder begins to leak, evacuate the area and call for emergency assistance.

Follow Safe Storage Procedures

• Select a dry, secure location well vented to the outdoors.
• Keep cylinders away from heat and any source of ignition.
• Keep cylinders upright and secured so they cannot fall or be knocked over.
• Store fuel gases and other flammable or combustible gases away from oxygen cylinders.

Final Word

Remain calm when working with gases under pressure. Follow safe use, handling and storage
procedures.

What’s at Stake?

The laboratory environment can be a hazardous place to work. Some settings, such as hospitals, chemical production and pharmaceuticals may contain many specific hazards which lab workers must be aware of. Labs present just about every type of workplace hazard you can think of – all in one location.

What’s the Danger?

Laboratory workers have the potential to be exposed to chemical hazards, compressed gas hazards, contaminated blood and body fluids, fires and electrical hazards. Other hazards include exposure to lasers, radiation, and cryogenic materials such as liquid nitrogen. Lab employees often do a lot of repetitive motion work, stand for long hours and work in awkward postures, which can lead to a high risk of musculoskeletal injuries such as carpal tunnel, neck and back injuries. Finally, there is the potential for sharps injuries, burns, and slips and falls.

How to Protect Yourself

Follow the signs. Pay attention to and follow all warning signs. Don’t go in restricted areas unless you are trained and authorized.

Put on PPE. Wear all required PPE (personal protective equipment), avoid wearing loose-fitting clothing or jewelry and keep long hair tied back.

Avoid ingestion risks. Never eat, drink, chew gum or smoke in a lab. Never put food in lab refrigerators. Wash your hands after removing gloves, before leaving the lab, before eating, applying cosmetics or using the restroom.

Be ready! Learn to locate and use fire extinguishers, emergency numbers, at least two emergency escape routes, safety showers and eyewash stations.

Cut the risk of sharps injuries. Never use damaged glassware or pick up broken glass with your bare hands – always use tongs or a broom and dust pan. Dispose of broken glass safely by keeping it separate from other trash. Learn proper techniques to avoid needle-stick injuries and always put sharps in appropriate sharps containers.

Give falls the slip. Pick up and throw away clutter and debris and clean up spills immediately to reduce the chance of slips, trips and falls.

Get a handle on it. Practice safe handling, labeling and storage of chemicals and compressed gases. Safety data sheets should be available in case of chemical exposure and should always be reviewed before working with chemicals. Return chemicals and equipment to the proper storage areas. Make sure lids are securely on chemical bottles and compressed gas cylinders are stored upright and secured properly. Only move cylinders in secured carts – never roll them – and replace protective caps when cylinders are not in use.

Avoid the ache. Learn proper lifting techniques and manual material handling to avoid back injuries. Take breaks, practice good technique and use equipment correctly to avoid repetitive motion injuries.

Final Word

Don’t be Dr. Jekyll in the lab. Use caution, plan your work, and follow safety procedures to keep yourself and others safe while working in the lab.

Safety Talk

What’s at Stake?

Poor housekeeping is one of the leading causes of nonfatal occupational injuries. According to the National Safety Council, 15% of all accidental deaths at work are caused by slips, trips, and falls. Many of which can be linked to shoddy housekeeping.

What’s the Danger?

• What can happen to the work environment when you don’t practice good housekeeping?
• Not containing and cleaning up combustible dust is a huge risk for explosion.
• Improper storage of flammable and combustible liquids is also a fire or explosion risk.
• Not properly stacking and storing items is a falling objects risk that can lead to injury or death, and damage to products and equipment.
• Cluttered aisles and passageways:
  • Increase the chance of slip, trip, fall injuries.
  • Blocks escape in an emergency; and
  • Blocks emergency equipment like fire extinguishers.
• A messy space can hide health hazards, chemical leaks, and fire hazards.
• Finally, poor housekeeping can lead to pest or rodent infestation.

What can happen to you when you don’t practice good housekeeping? You may:

• Trip over loose items on floors, stairs and platforms or slip on greasy, wet or dirty surfaces.
• Strike or run into projecting, poorly stacked items or misplaced material, or be hit by falling objects.
• Cut, puncture or tear skin on projecting nails, wire or steel strapping; and finally,
• Have a hard time finding tools, paperwork, and other items needed to do your job or find it hard to concentrate in a messy environment. This can make you less productive and motivated.

How to Protect Yourself

• Keep your work area, organized, clean, and orderly.
• Mark aisles and passageways in the warehouse, shop and manufacturing floor, and have a clear designation for vehicle and pedestrian traffic as well as pallet storage, equipment storage. If this is missing in your workplace, speak to your supervisor about it.
• Label what goes where and put things away after use. This includes tools, chemicals, and PPE.
• Follow procedures for disposing of trash regularly and properly. For example, use metal cans with lid for disposal containers for oily rags, or put recycling in the correct bin and not in the regular trash.
• Store flammable and combustible liquids such as paint, paint thinners, solvents etc. in their designated storage cabinets.
• Make sure racks in the warehouse are secured for safe storage of inventory, equipment, and tools. If not, notify your supervisor.
• Keep aisles and passageways clear:
  • Never store anything in or around doorways or stairways.
  • Always close drawers and cabinet doors when not in use; and
  • Never run loose cords or hoses across walkways.

Final Word

Effective housekeeping results in the easier flow of materials, less exposure to hazardous substances, more efficient cleanup and maintenance and a safer workplace for everyone.

What’s at Stake?

The body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating isn’t enough. Body temperature can rise to dangerous levels if you don’t drink enough water and rest in the shade. You can suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on the job. Heat illnesses and deaths are preventable.

 What’s the Danger?

Any worker exposed to hot and humid conditions is at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, including new workers, temporary workers, or those returning to work after a week or more off. All workers are at risk during a heat wave.

The three main heat related illnesses are heat stroke, heat exhaustion, and heat cramps. Heat stroke can be fatal and heat exhaustion and heat cramps can quickly lead to heat stroke if left untreated.

Heat Stroke

Heat stroke is a condition that occurs when the body becomes unable to control its temperature, and can cause death or permanent disability.

Symptoms

• High body temperature
• Confusion
• Loss of coordination
• Lack of sweating despite the heat
• Red, hot, and dry skin
• Throbbing headache
• Seizures, coma

Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is the body’s response to an excessive loss of water and salt, usually through sweating.

Symptoms

• Rapid heart beat
• Heavy sweating
• Extreme weakness or fatigue
• Dizziness
• Nausea, vomiting
• Irritability
• Fast, shallow breathing
• Slightly elevated body temperature

Heat Cramps

Heat cramps affect workers who sweat a lot during strenuous activity. Sweating depletes the body’s salt and moisture levels and this can cause heat cramps.

Symptoms

• Muscle cramps, pain, or spasms in the abdomen, arms or legs

How to Protect Yourself

• To prevent heat related illness and fatalities:
• Drink water every 15 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.
• Rest in the shade to cool down.
• Wear a hat and light-colored clothing.
• Learn the signs of heat illness and what to do in an emergency.
• Keep an eye on fellow workers.
• “Easy does it” on your first days of work in the heat. You need to get used to it.

If you or a co-worker are experiencing signs of any heat related illness follow the first aid guidelines below.

First Aid 

Heat Stroke

• Request immediate medical assistance.
• Move the worker to a cool, shaded area.
• Remove excess clothing and apply cool water to their body.

Heat Exhaustion

• Rest in a cool area.
• Drink plenty of water or other cool beverages.
• Take a cool shower, bath, or sponge bath.

Heat Cramps

• Stop all activity, and sit in a cool place.
• Drink clear juice or a sports beverage, or drink water with food.
• Avoid salt tablets.
• Do not return to strenuous work for a few hours after the cramps subside.
• Seek medical attention if you have the following: heart problems, are on a low-sodium diet, or if the cramps do not subside within one hour.

Final Word

Speak up if you think you’re experiencing heat related issues or if you see a co-worker struggling. You can beat the heat by working smartly, taking quick action and getting proper care as soon as symptoms start to develop.

What’s at Stake?

Head injuries are one of the most serious types of injuries that can occur at work. Injuries to your head can cause short and long-term disability, ongoing health problems such as, memory issues, cognitive and physical issues. Head injuries can be caused by, among other things, falling or flying objects, falling, slipping, or tripping, electrical shock, or by bumping your head against a fixed object.

What’s the Danger?

The result of a head injury can range from cuts, bruises, and bumps that are visible, to a headache, concussion, cracked skull, internal bleeding in the brain, or death.

Other complications from a head injury include:

• Sensitivity to light and sound.
• Dizziness, headaches.
• Difficulty concentrating, sleep disturbance, and varying degrees of consciousness.
• Depression.
• Problems understanding and difficulty communicating with others.
• Seizures.
• Buildup of fluid on the brain.
• Issues with problem-solving.
• Changes in behavior, and difficulty with social interaction.

How to Protect Yourself

First, be aware of and avoid slip, trip, and fall hazards such as:

• Slippery sidewalks, floors and other surfaces.
• Unsafe stairs and areas that are not adequately lit.
• Obstructions in walkways.

Second, wear head protection whenever you work in any of the following areas:

• Areas where objects might fall from above and strike you on the head;
• Areas where there could be head contact with electrical hazards; or
• Areas where you might bump your head against fixed objects, such as exposed pipes or beams.

Third, know what you’re putting on your head:

• When choosing a hard hat, you must pick one that provides the right level of protection based on the type of location of work.
  • According to ANSI/ISEA Z89.1-2009 and Canadian CSA Z94.1-2005 standards, hard hat electrical performance is divided into three categories:
    • Class G (general) helmets: Designed to reduce the danger of contact with low-voltage conductors and are proof tested at 2,200 volts.
    • Class E (electrical) helmets: Designed to reduce the danger of contact with conductors at higher voltage levels and are proof tested at 20,000 volts.
    • Class C (conductive) helmets: Provide no protection against contact with electrical hazards.
  • Hard hat impact protection is divided into two categories:
    • Type I Hard Hats are designed to reduce the force of impact resulting from a blow only to the top of the head, such as a tool falling from above.
    • Type II Hard Hats are designed to reduce the force of a side impact resulting from a blow which may be received off-center, from the side, or to the top of the head. This form of impact might result from contact with the sharp corner of a side beam for example.
• You also want to look for features such as the ability to adjust the hard hat suspension.
• For maximum protection, hard hats must be worn with the bill facing forward, unless otherwise noted on the hard hat label.
• Helmets and suspension systems must be inspected daily, maintained as necessary, and replaced promptly when damaged.

Final Word

Head trauma can leave a lasting impression. Take the necessary precautions to make sure a falling tool, a fall, or unexpected beam edge, doesn’t go to your head.