Happy New and Safer Year, everyone! With the swift dash of December and the holiday rush it came with, I’m sure you have been pretty beat the past few weeks.  Up until now, your email inbox probably holds some holiday leftovers with all the spam and friendly greetings you received last month.

Today, I’ll give you a breather. Instead of serving you a hot dish of the latest accidents in the safety industry, I’ll provide you with a brief flashback to the previous posts we ran last month.  Here are the titles of all the tips-based articles in December, along with their excerpts:

1.  Engineering Controls and Additional Head Protection for Winter

Safety is a timeless necessity in every workplace. But this time of the year calls for more serious safety precautions as employees have to brave the harsh elements that come with winter. With the dropping temperature sweeping across the nation, employees are more at risk of meeting accidents through…(read the whole article)

2.  Vehicle Safety: 12 Safety Guidelines in Driving in Winter Weather

Every year, hundreds of accidents happen on the road. A great fraction of them involves drivers who are on duty. Most of them are no rookies but are actually experienced drivers for many years.

With roads covered with ice and snow this time of the year, the hazards are tenfold. In fact, drivers are not advised to go on the road in winter weather. Then again, in the case of workers in charge of delivering goods or transporting equipment and materials to different work sites, traveling during winter is a necessity. If you happen to be…(read the whole article)

3.  Cold Stress Prevention: 7 Safety Tips to Prevent Hypothermia and Frostbite

Yesterday we discussed the importance of keeping work areas clear of snow and ice. By following proper procedures in getting rid of unwanted ice and snow, you avoid the heightened risk of slipping or falling on the job.

Unfortunately, the cold weather brings with it more risks that are invisible to the naked eye. Actually, they’re really invisible. With the dropping temperature across the nation, workers are under threat of suffering from cold stress. Those who belong to the construction, agriculture, maritime and commercial fishing industries are the most…(read the whole article)

4.  Cold Weather Safety in the Workplace: Tips to Avoid Ice and Snow Accumulation

‘Tis the season to be cautious. While these days are merrier with colorful decors lining the streets and Christmas tunes wafting in the air, conditions on the job are dangerous now more than any time of the year. This is true for places where Christmas brings with it the torturing cold of winter.

But winter not only gifts us poor earthlings with a frigid weather. With all the snow and ice from the heavens, winter also blesses us with wet and slippery grounds. That is why employees working outdoors are…(read the whole article)

5.  Workplace Fire Protection: Tips in the Safe Use and Maintenance of Portable Heaters

December is perhaps the busiest month of the year. At this time, most people are caught in a hurly-burly, what with all the gift-giving and decorating we have to do. But shopping for gifts and planning for parties are just some of the things everyone has to worry about during this frantic season. For employees, this is the time to rush countless…(read the whole article)

6.  Heavy Equipment Safety: Basic Safety Tips in Bulldozer Operations

Bulldozers are designed to cut and push large quantities of material in a matter of seconds. With their enormous size, they can cause serious injury and even death, if not operated properly. Read on to be…(read the whole article)

7.  Chemical Safety: Safety Measures in Working with Concrete

Concrete is among the most common materials used in most types of construction. However, working with concrete mixtures, chemicals and equipment can be very dangerous for workers. By following the guidelines below, you adhere to OSHA’s regulations in…(read the whole article)

8.  Safety for Businesses this Holiday Season: Safety Tips on Choosing and Using Christmas Lights

Okay a quick quiz for you. Name a major festive celebration that could likely cause electric shock, fire and falls both in homes and workplaces.

If you’re thinking Valentine’s Day, you’re dead wrong. But you’re forgiven in case your good sense of humor led you to this answer. After all, the day of hearts has the power to send flaming desires on us earthlings, making sure electricity works its way through our veins and pushes us to fall madly in love with each other, if not just plain mad…(read the whole article)

9.  Better Construction Site Safety with Respiratory Protection

Constructions are often the site of fatalities caused by falls, scaffolds, lockout/tagout, machine guarding, and electrical hazards. But what many workers don’t know is that respiratory protection came in 4^th among the Top 10 Most Cited Violations of OSHA. It spawned a total of 3,062 violations in 2007 alone.

Effects of respiratory hazards are not that easy to deal with . They are so complicated that they can manifest from a few seconds to several years after exposure to the hazards. The effects range from irritation of the nose, throat and lungs to contamination of the bloodstream to irreversible damage to the brain. The worst thing it could lead to is death and this either comes as a…(read the whole article)

10.  Safety in Materials Handling, Storage and Disposal: General Requirements for Storage

Keeping a garage or attic in order is a big challenge for any housekeeper. Old photo albums stacked high on a corner must be kept from molds. Wooden furniture is under threat by termites, if not chipping paint or varnish. Silver pieces are likely to get tarnished, while steel materials can attract rust unless you store and maintain them well.

A simple storage room like an attic or garage can be a complex file system where everything that goes in and stays must be properly stored and regularly visited for maintenance. Just imagine the scene in industrial or commercial sites where bigger…(read the whole article)

11.  Everyday Safety at Work: 9 Tips to Avoid Falling Asleep on the Job

This is how it feels to be at your own body’s mercy. No matter how much you fight the feeling it just keeps on coming back. As if that’s not enough, every single day on the job, this is the scenario. You’re tasked with lifting the same load alone: your very own eyelids.

Of course your job is on the line. Once your supervisor sees you dozing off at work, it might mean another of a series of memos.

Of course your life is on the line, too. With literally one blink of…(read the whole article)

December is perhaps the busiest month of the year. At this time, most people are caught in a hurly-burly, what with all the gift-giving and decorating we have to do. But shopping for gifts and planning for parties are just some of the things everyone has to worry about during this frantic season. For employees, this is the time to rush countless matters on the job, from year-end reports to last-minute deliveries.

Photo by Belén

But no one said wrapping up the year is as easy as wrapping presents and placing them under the lovely Christmas tree. This is especially true when you’re blessed with the cold, if not frigid, days of December at your workplace. With the dropping temperature seasoning the Christmas air, conditions in the workplace can easily turn from okay to uncomfortable to fatal.

Heaters for Safety on the Job

Thank heavens for heaters. Portable heaters, in particular, have been common among various worksites. Not only are they necessary in workplaces that need heating in certain areas, they are also ideal in offices and other worksites with only a small area.

But like any invention, portable heaters are not perfect. Just as they pose several benefits to a cold world, they can be the cause of various accidents, the most common of which is fire. Read on to find out safety tips on choosing and using portable heaters in your workplace.

Basic Standards

First thing’s first, before purchasing a portable heater for your workplace, make sure it is approved for commercial use by a nationally recognized safety testing laboratory.

It’s best to go for a heater with a tip-over switch. This feature allows the heater to turn off automatically when it is knocked over. Also, ensure that the heater has a guard that keeps fingers and other flammable materials away from the heating element. The guard usually comes in the form of a wire grill.

Take time also to read the owner’s manual before operating the heater. Always refer to it when maintaining the heater.

Do’s in Using Portable Heaters

Follow these guidelines when using or operating a portable heater:

• Place the heater at least 11 feet away from combustible materials, including curtains, upholstered furniture and walls.

• Keep a fire extinguisher near every portable heater.

• Place the portable heater on the floor or on a location with a secure footing. Placing it on tables and chairs is a big no-no.

• Perform pre-operational inspection of the heater. Check for damage on its parts, knobs, coils and legs. If a damage is detected, immediately take the heater out of service and have it repaired by a competent person.

• Disconnect the heating unit first before making repairs on it.

• Always keep clothes, plastic and other combustible materials from the heater coils as they can instantly start a fire.

• Ensure that the portable heater is plugged into properly grounded outlets.

• No matter what kind of portable hater you’re using, you must keep and maintain a smoke detector with it.

• Avoid using extension cords with the portable heater. If you really have to use an extension cord, make sure it is marked with a power rating that is at least as high as the heater itself.

• Make sure the electrical cord is NOT exposed to the intense heat generated by the heater.

Photo by Jane M. Sawyer

• Before moving or refueling a heater, turn it off and allow it to cool down. When using heaters with liquid fuel, allow it too cool down first and move it to a well-ventilated area before fueling it.

• Keep accumulation of carbon monoxide under control by establishing and maintaining adequate ventilation in the work area.

Don’ts and Never’s in Operating Heaters

Remember also what NOT TO DO when using portable heaters in the workplace to avoid accidents. Here they are:

• Never overload the circuit used for the heater.

• It’s worth saying again: never place portable heaters on tables, chairs, stair steps, pallets and other locations where they are likely to fall over or be knocked over.

Photo by Carlos

• Never let extension cords get buried under rugs or carpeting.

• Never touch the coils of the portable heater while it is on or cooling.

• Do not place a fan in front of the portable heater. Otherwise, the fan can melt or start a fire.

• Never place anything on top of the cord.

• Never stand on a portable heater.

• Never leave the heater unattended, especially when leaving the work site.

Related Links:

Fire Prevention in Your Workplace: Getting Better Fire Safety Measures

Safety in Cold Weather

Silent Killer Alert and Tips: Carbon Monoxide Hazard Bigger This Time of Year

Safety Measures for Changing Weather

Bulldozers are designed to cut and push large quantities of material in a matter of seconds. With their enormous size, they can cause serious injury and even death, if not operated properly. Read on to be in the know about safety measures for bulldozer operations.

• Only qualified and trained workers should be allowed to operate and ride on bulldozers.

• Operators must always use seatbelts when riding or operating the bulldozer.

Photo by Kenn W. Kiser

• Start the engine only when seated on the operator’s seat and when the path is clear of workers, objects and other obstructions.

• Workers must follow proper lockout, blockout and tagout procedures, especially when a bulldozer needs repairs.

• Use a system of traffic controls when operating the bulldozer on a public thoroughfare or in an area close to vehicle traffic or obstructing it.

• Flaggers must be assigned in areas where warning signs and barricades cannot control traffic flow.

• Keep bulldozer away from overhead power lines.

• Before operations, personnel must test if the manual warning device (horn) of the bulldozer works.

• The bulldozer must also be equipped with automatic back-up alarm that can be heard through the whole worksite.

• Shut off the engine whenever refueling.
  

• The bulldozer must be equipped with rollover protection structures (ROPS).

• Never climb on parts of the machine where hand and foot holds are not provided.

• Be doubly cautious when approaching or operating near trenches or excavations.

• Never use the bulldozer on structures that are taller than it unless there is sufficient overhead protection.
  

Related Links:

Better Safety with Machine Guards: Basics and Proper Use

Top 7 Tips on Using the 2006 Census to Improve Workplace Safety

Lockout Tagout Basics : Machinery Tags (When Absence Means Trouble)

13 Safety Tips on Handling Loads with Forklifts

Forklift eTool: New OSHA Release

Okay a quick quiz for you. Name a major festive celebration that could likely cause electric shock, fire and falls both in homes and workplaces.

If you’re thinking Valentine’s Day, you’re dead wrong. But you’re forgiven in case your good sense of humor led you to this answer. After all, the day of hearts has the power to send flaming desires on us earthlings, making sure electricity works its way through our veins and pushes us to fall madly in love with each other, if not just plain mad.

Electric Shock, Fire and Falls

But kidding aside, Christmas is even more dangerous than the celebration of looooove. Just imagine all the Christmas lights during this season and you can easily smell danger lurking around the corner with its own gifts. You wouldn’t want to be on its list when electricity shock, fire and falls are in its holiday sack.

Christmas lights cause electric shocks or fire because of two main things. One is choosing the wrong kind of lights or a product with poor quality. Another is using or maintaining Christmas lights improperly.

In the case of falls, we all know how pretty it is to have Christmas lights twinkling and blinking from trees and roofs. That’s why it’s not hard to imagine this accident striking anyone during this colorful season. This is especially true for employees working for businesses that celebrate Christmas with festive decorations.

Christmas Light Safety Tips

Without further ado, I bring you now, some safety guidelines in the use of Christmas lights.

• Use LED lights. Not only do they burn cool, they are also more economical because they use only 10 percent of electricity.

• Use only lights that are recommended by a reputable testing laboratory. Such lights are usually labeled “UL” or “ETL”.

• Prior to use, inspect lights and extension cords for defects or damage. Check for loose connections, cracked or broken sockets and bare or frayed wires

• Immediately replace burned-out bulbs with ones that have the same wattage. Unplug Christmas lights when replacing bulbs.

• Never hang Christmas lights on a metal tree or you’re more exposed to the risk of electric shock.

• Make sure you don’t create a maze of wires, cords and plugs when plugging in Christmas lighting.

• Never use outdoor lights indoors. Make sure Christmas lights and other decorations outdoors are plugged into a ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI). This device helps prevent electric shock and fire.

• Use insulated holders to secure outdoor Christmas lights. Never use nails or tacks to secure cords of lights. Also, don’t run strings of lights through hooks.

• Ensure that your outside receptacles are GFI-protected to eliminate electric shock hazards.

• Never pull on a string of Christmas lights.

• Never overload extension cords. Remember that outdoor cords can be used both indoors and outdoors.

• It’s best to have appropriately sized timers that can turn lights on and off automatically.

• Make electrical outlets and timers readily accessible for employees.

• Always turn off your Christmas lights before leaving the business premises. Never leave it on overnight.

For OSHA-recommended safety tips on using ladders and working on roofs, just check out the following links:

Safety Measures in Using Portable Ladders

Fall Protection for Roofs, Floors, and Walls with Holes or Openings

Skylights and Roof Openings

Other Related Links:

Fire Prevention in Your Workplace: Getting Better Fire Safety Measures

Better Fall Protection in Your Workplace: News and Safety Tips

OSHA Announces Top 10 Most Cited Violations

Top 10 OSHA Fines for Small Companies

Keeping a garage or attic in order is a big challenge for any housekeeper. Old photo albums stacked high on a corner must be kept from molds. Wooden furniture is under threat by termites, if not chipping paint or varnish. Silver pieces are likely to get tarnished, while steel materials can attract rust unless you store and maintain them well.

A simple storage room like an attic or garage can be a complex file system where everything that goes in and stays must be properly stored and regularly visited for maintenance. Just imagine the scene in industrial or commercial sites where bigger storage rooms are waiting for construction, manufacturing and other workplace materials. From lumber and bricks to chemicals and glass, different materials demand various ways of storage, disposal and handling.

Here are just some general requirements for storage of various kinds of materials in the workplace:

1. Make sure all maximum safe load limits of floors in buildings and structures (in pounds per square foot) are posted in conspicuous locations of all storage areas.

2. Never exceed the maximum safe load limits.

3. Ensure that incompatible materials are segregated well.

4. Keep all aisles and passageways of storage areas clear to allow free and safe movement for personnel and material handling equipment.

5. When materials are stored inside buildings or structures under construction, they should not be placed within 6 feet of any hoistway or inside floor openings. Neither should they be within 10 feet of an exterior wall that does not extend above the top of the stored materials.

6. When stacking bagged materials, layers should be stepped back. Cross-key at least every 10 bags stacked high.

7. Proper fall arrest equipment must be provided to personnel working on stored material in hoppers, tanks, silos and other similar storage areas.

8. Make sure to stack, block, rack or interlock materials that are stored in tiers.

9. Brick stacks should never be more than 7 feet high. All loose brick stacks that are 4 feet high must be tapered back 2 inches in every foot of height above the 4-foot level.

10. Masonry blocks stacked higher than 6 feet must be tapered back one-half block per tier above the 6-foot level.

11. When stacking lumber, make sure they are on level and solidly supported sills.

12. Ensure that used lumber no longer have nails attached to them.

13. Lumber piles must never exceed 20 feet in height. Manually handled lumber must be stacked only 16 feet in height.

14. Cylindrical materials like structural steel, pipes, poles, and bar stock, unless racked, must be stacked and blocked.

Related Links:

Materials Handling: Top 13 Tips for Greater Sling Safety

Fall Protection for Roofs, Floors, and Walls with Holes or Openings

Safety Measures in Using Portable Ladders

Tips for Team Lifting

Top 10 OSHA Fines for Small Companies

All You Need to Know about Safety in Handling, Lifting and Storing Lumber

Crane operators and safety coordinators, listen up! The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has made a 45-day extension period for public comment on the Crane and Derricks Proposed Rule. The proposed rule focuses on the key hazards related to construction cranes and derricks.

The deadline was extended because of the following reasons:

• Length of the original Federal Register notice
• Comprehensive nature of the proposed rule
• Number of requests for public comment

Be sure to send in your comments on or before January 22, 2009. A public hearing will be scheduled soon by OSHA so watch out for that, too. For more information about sending public comments, just visit the OSHA website by clicking here.

Related Links:

Crane Safety

OSHA Responds to Crane Accidents

When Cranes Crumble

Crane Safety:  Where Are We Going Wrong?

New York Crane Collapse

Crane Topples at a Dallas Pump Station, Injuring Two Workers

Top 10 OSHA Fines for Small Companies

Month of Loads. This was what November was for the Safety Blog. A lot has been said last month about the hazards of loads in different situations and worksites. From sling safety and secure loading operations to ground-to-roof materials handling and using wheelbarrows and dollies, these articles feature both the best and worst. That is, the best ways to eliminate some of the worst accidents in the workplace.

Of course more topics graced our blog last month. Some of the most interesting are ergonomics for electrical workers, PPE for health care personnel and the 5 distractions that cause workplace hazards.

Here is the list of titles of November’s tips-based articles along with their excerpts:

1. Silent Killer Alert and Tips: Carbon Monoxide Hazard Bigger This Time of Year

Bring out your respirators and gas masks, everyone! The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries recently warned the public about the threats of carbon monoxide (CO) at the workplace. The Department particularly called upon employers to reduce the…(read the whole article)

Photo by Matthew Hull

2. 12 Safety Measures for Secure Loading Operations

Transporting loads is a very dangerous operation. It might seem like a simple task of getting stuff from one place and bringing it to another. But loading, unloading and transporting cargo can cause serious injury and even fatality. Workers loading and unloading cargo are exposed to serious danger in that …(read the whole article)

3.  All about Material Safety Data Sheets

Working with chemicals is always a dangerous business. While not all chemicals are potentially explosive, some can leave your skin burned and beyond repair. Others can blind or even asphyxiate you in a matter of seconds.
Although wearing proper personal protective equipment (PPE) protects you from a chemical’s potential hazards, nothing beats the …(read the whole article)

4. Materials Handling: Top 13 Tips for Greater Sling Safety

Materials handling is one among the most important tasks in any industry. Without it, important tools, equipment and materials cannot be moved, sold, manufactured and utilized. This is the very reason why slings are important tools in almost every industry. Without them, it would be difficult to handle materials and …(read the whole article)

Photo by Wally Irwin

5. Safety Measures for Using a Wheelbarrow: Inspection and Handling Tips

Whether it is hauling bricks, sand, gravel, tiles or concrete, wheelbarrows are very helpful in carrying a small amount of heavy objects and materials and moving them from one place to another. Workers must be trained not only in the proper way to use wheelbarrows, but also in wearing the right kind of personal protective equipment (PPE) while using this indispensable tool.

Safety in the use of wheelbarrows starts with…(read the whole article)

6. 5 Distractions that Cause Workplace Hazards

In a perfect world, employees don’t have to worry about breaking their shoulder bone, falling off scaffolds, or catching a grave lung disease. They’d be provided with excellent training not only once but regularly.

Besides being comfortable and self-cleaning, their PPE could be worn in a matter of seconds and would have built-in…(read the whole article)

7. Safety Guide for Flaggers

Orange cones, barricades and flashy arrows. These are things you’d likely see on a part of the road whenever certain operations are being done near vehicle traffic. In most cases, too, you’d see one or two people in flashy vests monitoring…(read the whole article)

Photo by Kevin Rosseel

8. Safety with Loads: Tips on Using Hand Trucks, Carts and Dollies Properly

Back injuries are a common problem caused by carrying or moving loads. While using delivery trucks can make the task easier and faster, it becomes impractical when loads just have to be transported a short distance.

This is where hand trucks, carts, and dollies come into the picture. With these tools, workers can…(read the whole article)

9. Proper PPE for Health Care Workers: Protection from Hazardous Drugs

Just imagine 8 million people losing their lives in a single accident. Wouldn’t it be a big tragedy? Surely, a whole country, if not the whole world, would be mourning. While the health care industry has never caused a disaster as big as this, it actually exposes about 8 million workers (at least in the United States) to the…(read the whole article)

10.  Equipment and Vehicle Safety: Tips on Using All Terrain Vehicles (ATV)

All Terrain Vehicles (ATV) are among the most useful land vehicles ever invented. Designed to combat the hazards of different kinds of terrain, they can be used in almost every worksite there is. Not only do they make traveling easier for drivers, they are also…(read the whole article)

Photo by Scott Liddell

11.  Ergonomics for Electrical Workers: Safety When Using Tools for Installation and Repair

Case # 1: A day in the construction site is another ordinary one for Billy. He has no problem drilling holes on a wall until the drill bits and hole saws get stuck while the drill spins. Later, he suffers from severe wrist and elbow injury.

Case #2: Meet Carlos, another electrical worker. For the day, he’s tasked to…(read the whole article)

12.  Following OSHA Rules, Protecting Employees: 6 Workplace Safety Tips Often Taken for Granted

Being stubborn is a common human trait. It’s probably because defying authority comes with a certain degree of excitement and satisfaction. Sometimes we go ignoring instructions printed on boxes or painted on signs because we love…(read the whole article)

13.  Manual Handling of Loads Safety: Materials Handling from Ground to Roof

I’ve always wondered about how it feels to be a tightrope walker. It must be nerve-wracking to perform in front of a packed arena. That is, while using maybe a 3- to 4-inch rope as a bridge between two 15-ft…(read the whole article)

Photo by Kevin Connors

14.  Construction Safety: Using, Handling and Maintaining Jackhammers

Jackhammers are designed to break asphalt, concrete and rocks. They come either in electric or pneumatic models of 60 or 90 lb. weights. Without proper training and personal protective equipment (PPE), workers can easily…(read the whole article)

15.  Vehicle Safety: Safety Measures in Braking and Stopping

Of all the mechanisms any vehicle is equipped with, the ones for braking and stopping are the most important. Any defects on them can cause operators to accidentally strike pedestrians, drop loads or hit other equipment. These and other serious accidents can cause anything from a lost leg to…(read the whole article)

Being stubborn is a common human trait. It’s probably because defying authority comes with a certain degree of excitement and satisfaction. Sometimes we go ignoring instructions printed on boxes or painted on signs because we love taking shortcuts. There are other times when we put too much faith in ourselves, in other people or in a system that we think won’t fall apart or go wrong.

Any employer knows how challenging it is to have to go by the rules always. When workplace safety is the issue, the challenges are even tenfold. But still, more and more employers are finding ways to overcome these challenges.

Not only do they see it as a way of complying with federal and state regulations, but a major step in protecting employees and gaining better productivity. More and more employers also realize the fact that creating a solid safety program translates to less expenses.

That’s not to say, though, that each safety program is a good one and is entirely faultless. If that’s the case, then we won’t hear of several accidents, violations and citations every single day. Some workplace standards and tips out there are just taken for granted more than others. Read on to find out if you missed them, too.

1. Use guards and engineering controls.

You’ve heard of it more than once before. A worker wears personal protective equipment from head to toe, only to have their leg cut by a giant machine—all because they failed to guard the machine. Another story shocks you about this electrical worker who suffocates underground even while wearing the right respirator.

Don’t take shortcuts. Train your personnel in the proper blockout, tagout and lockout procedures. While you’re at it, have a competent person conduct an assessment of your work area before providing your workers with PPE. This way, you can install the right engineering controls to better control or eliminate existing hazards.

What numbers have to say: The year 2007 saw Lockout/Tagout Procedures as 5^th in OSHA’s List of Most Cited Violations. It had a total of 2,937 violations. Machine Guarding came 8^th on the same list, totaling 2,138 violations.

Tipbit: Guards are also used to eliminate fall hazards. Toeboards, for example, must be four inches or more in height and placed on areas with or near holes.

2. Don’t forget the MOST LIKELY.

Of course emergency plans, fire safety, gas safety and electrical safety should be addressed in your safety program. These should be one of your priorities, especially since they pose some of the worst hazards on the job.

But don’t forget to consider accidents that could most likely happen in your work site. You can start by determining common incidents that happen in your workplace. If your work site is a farm and workers have to work outdoors, then maybe heat stress is a big threat to their safety. If your staff works on public thoroughfares, then you should consider focusing on hazards posed by busy traffic.

What numbers have to say: General Requirement is no other than the first among standards involved in the Top 10 Fines Issued by OSHA against Small Companies. Its fines totaled a whopping $6,601,703.00 with 8, 147 citations.

Tipbit: Injuries caused by lifts or heavy loads are a hazard in almost every workplace. Take time to assess how you can address this challenge. Some effective ways you can consider are doing two-man lifts, and using wheelbarrows, dollies, hand trucks, or carts.

3. Conduct inspections and maintenance.

Just imagine how dangerous it would be to wear cracked face shields for welding tasks, use fraying ropes to handle heavy loads, and have poorly inflated tires on a long trip on the road.

Before using any tool, machine or equipment, do your homework. Yes “equipment” includes PPE so make sure you inspect and maintain your non-skid shoes, face shields, hard hats, gloves, safety goggles, etc.

What numbers have to say: Speaking of PPE, head protection alone grabbed the 7^th spot on the list of Top 10 OSHA Fines for Small Companies in 2007. Fines amounted to $747,099 and citations totaled to 1,464.

Tipbit: Most machines, tools and equipment must be inspected by competent or qualified personnel. The same thing is required when they have to be serviced, repaired or maintained.

4. Involve employees.

No one dreams of becoming a benchwarmer. Workers are no different and they find more significance in something if they take part in accomplishing or producing it.

So listen to me, when I tell you to include your workers in coming up with a good safety program. They should be great sources of input with their experience and training. Let them contribute ideas. You’ll learn later that it’s easier for them to remember, understand and follow rules embedded in your safety program.

What numbers have to say: Hazard Communications ranks 10^th in the 2007 Top 10 OSHA Fines for Small Companies. It spawned a total of 1,311 citations, with fines reaching $175,265.00. On the same list, Training and Training Requirements took the 9^th and 8^th spot, respectively.

Tipbit: It has been proven that big companies benefit from forming safety committees. One way to do this is selecting people from different departments to work together so that you can better address hazards in various work areas.

5. Assess your safety program.

Just as workers’ performance should be evaluated, safety programs must be regularly assessed and updated. Again, involve your employees in the process of assessing everything from keeping MSDSs to fueling powered augers. This also includes evaluation of safety meetings, safety manuals, emergency action plans, etc.

What numbers have to say: While we’re on the subject of MSDS, you might be interested to know that in 2006, incidents involving harmful substances had a 12 percent increase. That is according to the 2006 National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Tipbit: Make sure to have a competent person join you in assessing your safety program. Most companies find it beneficial to have an expert outside the company help them with this process.

6. Keep your workplace clean.

You don’t exactly need to make your desk or station shining, shimmering, and splendid. Some dusting will do plus getting rid of all the clutter and obstructions in your work area. You’ll do yourself a favor in the long run. Just take it from countless workers who made it to the headlines after falling, getting hit, trapped or crushed just because they slipped or tripped on some clutter or debris in their work site.

What numbers have to say: It’s hard not to talk more about fall hazards, especially when it always makes stunning records. Just last year, it came 3^rd in the Top 10 Most Cited OSHA Violations, producing nearly 4,800 violations.

In New York alone, fall hazards topped the list of most cited violations among randomly selected construction sites. This was part of a two-week enhanced enforcement effort performed by OSHA this past summer.

Tipbit: Vehicles should also be free of clutter, dust, grime, and all kinds of dirt. Before loading objects into a truck, make sure it is free of loose materials by keeping them in compartments or removing them completely.

Related Links: