EXPOSURE to bloodborne pathogens (BBPs) is an occupational hazard for many workers, including, among others, health care workers, law enforcement officers, fire service personnel, funeral service employees, body piercers, day care workers, environmental service workers, and wastewater workers.
USERS of chlorine now regulated by the newly created 2003 International Fire Code and the 2003 Edition of the Uniform Fire Code are pleased to find they are no longer required to have a scrubber when storing or using 150-lb cylinders or one-ton containers of liquefied chlorine gas.
WHEN most companies consider the high cost of health care, their immediate thoughts generally focus in on medical insurance premiums. However, it's those often subtler, sneakier expenses that tend to drive up an organization's health-related cost of doing business.
INTERESTINGLY, it may be perfectly acceptable to wear tennis shoes while installing sheet metal weatherproofing on a steeply pitched roof. At least, that was the thrust of a May 2004 interpretation letter from the chief of OSHA's Construction Directorate.
WHEN an employee is injured on the job, the incident usually triggers a predictable series of events. First and foremost is getting the employee appropriate treatment for the injury.
ACCORDING to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, striking more than 340,000 people each year, or 930 people each day.
OVER-the-counter medications can be "the right stuff" for colds, allergies, first aid, fevers, headaches, and pain in general. They're relatively inexpensive and readily available--all too readily, considering the ease and potential risks of ordering and refilling via online sources.
Editor's note: Static postures aren't harmless; they can cause low back pain, varicose veins, and other problems. Sit to stand postures are preferable, says Ann Hall, marketing manager for LINAK U.S. Inc. LINAK, a Scandinavian company with its North and South American headquarters located in Louisville, Ky., provides movement by electric actuation for customers who design and manufacture a multitude of finished products, including sit-stand desks.
THE statement "All injuries can be prevented" has been bandied around for decades. Some people even have added, "All injuries can and should be prevented." In theory, these statements may be partially true. But in reality, millions and millions of injuries occur every day, in every corner of the world, and this has been going on forever.
FEW workplace injuries leave more noticeable scars and jagged reminders than head/face injuries. Scarring, burns, pitted or uneven skin texture, severe sunburn or frostbite damage, or disfiguring skin pigmentation changes can be forever present after an injury to the face or head.
IN bridge-building environments where natural foot-level anchorage points exist, contractors and inspectors can look at installing horizontal lifeline systems for their means of fall protection.
ACCORDING to OSHA 1910.95(b)(1), when harmful workplace noise cannot be controlled by other means, "personal protective equipment shall be provided and used . . . ." This may seem like an easy task, but it's not. With a plethora of product options available and new technologies offering improved capabilities, safety professionals are often at a loss to understand which product is best in which application.
FLAMMABLE and combustible liquids are present in nearly every workplace. Gasoline, diesel fuel, and many common products such as solvents, thinners, cleaners, adhesives, paints, and polishes may be flammable or combustible.
FOR some years now, there has been a debate over whether it is safer to leave a portable oxy-fuel welding and cutting unit in a constant state of readiness for use, or whether the unit should be disassembled when it will not be used for "X" period of time.
Editor's note: Private and public organizations can use NFPA 1600, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs, to set up effective programs for mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery from disasters and emergencies. NFPA (www.nfpa.org) has made the 2004 edition of the standard freely available on its Web site to allow for widespread use.
THE basics of heat stress are well known, as are the ways to prevent it from becoming a problem. That anyone remains at risk of heat-related serious illness, or worse, is a sign that the dangers have been forgotten or simply are being ignored.
IN June 2001, a Marietta, Ga., worker was using his feet to tamp down cardboard inside a compactor when his feet became caught in the cardboard and he was pinned inside the machine.