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Disposable filtering face piece respirators (FFR), more commonly called dust masks, are the respiratory protection most used by employees in the workplace. Disposable FFRs are not intended for repeated or extensive use; yet, for reasons of expense, convenience, and supply, they often are. At what point does a disposal FFR begin to fail to protect […]
You come to your well site one morning and find a 20-year old worker dead on the well pad. He had been gauging a crude oil tank. That’s the stuff of nightmares for all safety managers at oil and gas (O&G) sites. This particular nightmare came true for one safety manager and serves as an […]
You come to your well site one morning and find a 20-year old worker dead on the well pad. He had been gauging a crude oil tank. That’s the stuff of nightmares for all safety managers at oil and gas (O&G) sites. This particular nightmare came true for one safety manager and serves as an […]
In a new report recently issued by the Obama Administration, it states that “every American is vulnerable to the health impacts associated with climate change.” Yesterday we reviewed findings in the report that apply specifically to U.S. workers. Today we will consider what safety managers can do to help safeguard their workers from the heat-related effects […]
Recently, a subscriber asked the following question:
Nanoscale applications are rapidly moving from the research lab to industrial and commercial settings. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), examples of workplaces that may use nanoscale materials (nanomaterials) include chemical or pharmaceutical laboratories or plants, manufacturing facilities, medical offices or hospitals, and construction sites. Yesterday we explored nanomaterials hazards and ways […]
There are many chemicals in use in modern workplaces—and there are a lot of ways workers can be exposed to them. Three employers that were cited within a 1-month period earlier this year provide instructive examples of the kinds of mistakes that lead to overexposures.
Are all companies required to have first responders? If so, how many, and what training is required for them?
At Lake Compounce Family Theme Park in Bristol, Connecticut, visitors can ride the Boulder Dash – a wooden coaster that reaches speeds above 60 mph – or the brand-new Phobia – a steel coaster that flips riders through a cobra inversion 150 feet in the air. But behind the thrills and chills were some working […]
A driver miscommunicates critical information to facility personnel during delivery of corrosive material that was then unloaded into the wrong storage tank containing incompatible materials. Adding to the confusion, it’s the driver’s first delivery to this location. The comingling of incompatible materials emits a vapor affecting the breathing of the driver and facility employee resulting […]