The summer temperature is rising by the day and so are the rates of heat-induced illness and death. The first report of heat-induced illness took place in Memphis, TN on June 24, 2009, but deaths have been occurring all season and are sure to continue. These incidents remind us to provide employees with the proper training to ensure their safety when working in these conditions.
“Working in extreme temperatures is not only uncomfortable, it can be life-threatening,” said acting…
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Added by SafetySkills on July 10, 2009 at 10:36am —
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Now here's a great question - usually from the maintenance guy, not the purchasing guy. In reference to cartridge filter style dust collectors, you're going to run across several different configurations for opening/closing the access points as well as removing/installing the filters. Let me briefly address what is typical, what is unique and let you decided for…
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Added by Sal Campos on July 10, 2009 at 7:00am —
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By now most all of us are aware of the act of heroism by construction worker Jason Oglesbee as he plucked a woman out of the Des Moines River saving her from almost certain death. Many of my colleagues as well as I have been challenged philosophically about this event. Without regard for his own safety Mr. Oglesbee crawled into a set of grade 80 rigging chains and had the crane operator lower him into the water to save the women. I am sure you are aware the outcome was all good. However, it…
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Added by Dwayne Towles on July 9, 2009 at 12:36pm —
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Fauske & Associates, LLC, the World Leader in Nuclear and Chemical Process Safety, announces new laboratory capabilities with the expansion of state-of-the-art equipment and space. FAI has doubled its Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) testing capabilities, yielding quicker test turnaround times. ARC provides thermal hazard evaluation of products, reaction mixtures and intermediates. The experimental results are used for reactor and pilot plant safety analysis. It determines the…
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Added by Ashley Swanson on July 9, 2009 at 11:30am —
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As an exporter of timothy hay and alfalfa to the Far East, Ward Rugh, Inc. in Ellensburg, WA generated much fugitive dust in their operation as they compacted bales for shipment. Expansion to the operation contributed to the housekeeping challenge and the increased processing of hay, a common allergen, contributed to worker discomfort. Hay dust presents challenges for dust collection similar to many fibrous dust types. It's lightweight and consists of a wide range of strand lengths…
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Added by Sal Campos on July 9, 2009 at 6:00am —
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HSE People is a new website designed exclusively for people working or recruiting in the area of Health and Safety. The site is 100% Free to join and offers members the ability to exchange information and network in a way that has not been possible until now. HSE People combines the best features of Social Networking, Job Sites and Training resources all in one place. Members can build a profile advertising their availability, services they offer and…
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Added by HSE People on July 8, 2009 at 9:42am —
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Anyone who has spent any time in the field hears someone ask why we use the term "near-miss". After all, wasn't it more of a "near-hit" or even a "total miss"?
All joking aside, we know that these events, whatever we call them, are both an indicator of problems and an opportunity to improve the overall safety of our facilities.
A near-miss, in my experience, is an event that happened, and just by chance it did not result in a serious outcome. When someone runs a red light as the cross…
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Added by Tim Gardner on July 8, 2009 at 8:30am —
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Hello, Safety Community! I'm looking for a video on Safe Behavior that I could present to a supervisory meeting to be held next week. I'm trying to promote a Safe Behavior Program for this government entity. If anyone out there has a video clip, DVD, or PPT Prorgram covering this topic would be helpful. I'm really trying to sell the benefits of this type of program to this group of supervisors.
Thanks
Added by Dave Tortorich on July 7, 2009 at 4:17pm —
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Industrial dust collectors are used in a variety of
agricultural seed processing applications such as corn shellers, seed cleaning, seep preparation, seed coating, seed hybrid development and general facility ventilation. Challenges like "bee's wings" and corn silks must be considered. In some cases,
nylon overbags can be…
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Added by Sal Campos on July 6, 2009 at 5:59pm —
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Some would say that two identical dust collection systems on a single, centralized vacuum system is redundant, redundant. One vitamin manufacturer who wanted non-stop dust collection on a '24/7' basis would agree! But he'll also tell you that he replaced 10 small dust collectors of different types that were scattered throughout his manufacturing plant, resulting in filter inventory, maintenance and dust disposal that were time consuming and…
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Added by Sal Campos on July 2, 2009 at 5:51pm —
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With the H1N1 flu the CDC, WHO and OSHA are providing information for employees under the "general duty clause" to protect their employees from the H1N1 flu by using the N95 respirators and additional PPE. The N95 respirators do require fit testing and training. 3M has a large backorder shortage of N95 respirators because health care facilities are stock piling the respirators. If you would like you can go to OSHA.gov or CDC.org or WHO.int and see what is being required for the protection of 13…
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Added by Arlene Jones on July 1, 2009 at 9:52am —
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Last week I wrote
this post about a time I hired a safety professional and insisted that he not be called a safety manager. The reason why, the post explains, is that we wanted employees to take full accountability for their own safety.
That frame of mind served us well as an organization. The safety professional was truly an expert, and his expertise was critical in making sure we didn't…
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Added by Tim Gardner on July 1, 2009 at 8:30am —
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Common rubber grinding dust generating processes include tire manufacturing, retreading and recycling as well as the production and recycling of appliance moldings, rubber gloves and various automotive parts. Rubber dusts in these types of applications pose challenges for industrial dust collection systems as well as potential health hazards for workers. Oils in rubber are the biggest problem for dust collectors. In …
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Added by Sal Campos on June 30, 2009 at 6:53pm —
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Got quarry dust? Then read on. Indiana Limestone Co., Inc. (ILCI) of Bedford, IN, needed to find a way to clean up massive amounts of dust generated in its limestone cutter's bay. Though limestone dust is completely non-toxic - being classified by OSHA as a nuisance dust - the word "nuisance" describes it well. The fine powdery material hinders visibility in the work area, permeates sensitive tools and machinery, and creates continual cleaning…
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Added by Sal Campos on June 29, 2009 at 4:08pm —
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Check out Linda Tapp's updates
SafetyFUN Tweeting real-time from
ASSE conference in San Antonio, Texas JUNE 28-JULY 1, 2009. Couldn't make it? Well now is our chance to get involved through Twitter discussions
Added by John Astad on June 29, 2009 at 2:59pm —
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CDC & OSHA Issue Guidance for Handling Confirmed or Suspected Influenza Infection
On April 24, 2009, the CDC stated that until further notice, Healthcare facilities should use the CDC’s October 2006 “Interim Guidance on Planning for the Use of Surgical Masks and Respirators in Healthcare Settings during an Influenza Pandemic”. This guidance insists that all personnel providing direct patient care should wear a fit-tested disposable N95 respirator and this respirator must be used…
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Added by Arlene Jones on June 29, 2009 at 1:17pm —
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National Safety Apparel is proud to introduce Arc and Flame Resistant Rainwear to our extensive line of safety apparel. Arc Rated Rainwear now available in Arc Essential & Arc H20. Coming Soon: Arc Advance & Arc Extreme.
Click
here to see available styles, materials, colors and levels of protection.
Added by National Safety Apparel on June 29, 2009 at 12:53pm —
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Companies that handle paper and scrap are among the businesses heavily impacted by the explosion venting requirements outlined in NFPA 68 Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting. In the process of making paper or paper products, dusts are generated during cutting, slitting, scoring, shredding and other processes - and these dusts are potentially combustible. The PDF article, …
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Added by Sal Campos on June 25, 2009 at 4:00pm —
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Barbara Monk of Odessa, Ontario says there have been few times during her 21-year career that her hands have not been covered with cuts and nicks. As a journey level construction electrician and member of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Monk typically works on new construction and retrofit projects.
As part of her job, Monk strips insulation from electrical wires and cables to make electrical connections and uses a hack saw to cut cable and conduit. She…
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Added by Safety Community on June 25, 2009 at 1:58pm —
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You have probably noticed fireworks stands already popping up in your cities, neighborhoods and locations near you. At night the sounds of bottle rockets or other fireworks can be heard on my street and we still have 10 days till the big celebration. It is that dangerous time of year again.
As July 4th approaches, you're probably thinking about sitting out on the lawn with your family and neighbors, having a BBQ, eating snacks, making smores and watching beautiful fireworks bursting in the…
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Added by Ken Oswald on June 25, 2009 at 12:15pm —
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