Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) News
OSHA Releases New Construction Safety Videos
"Falls cause one of every three construction worker deaths. These falls happen in a split second while workers are on roofs, scaffolds, ladders, bridges and other work surfaces. But these deaths can be prevented." So begins one of OSHA's 12 new videos targeting construction hazards...
ISEA Offers New Fall Protection Guide, FAQs
"A comprehensive fall protection program prevents injuries, saves lives and makes good business sense." So begins the International Safety Equipment Association's (ISEA) new fall protection use and selection guide....
Web Exclusive Feature: 5 Essential Baghouse Maintenance Safety Precautions
Regular maintenance is required to keep your baghouse dust collector operating efficiently. But just like any other maintenance involving industrial equipment and machinery, baghouse maintenance can pose hazards for personnel. Workers who regularly change out filter bags or perform inspections, repairs and other routine procedures must follow the correct safety procedures to remain safe...
Protecting the Eyes from UV Damage
Many people remember to apply sunscreen to protect their skin from damaging ultraviolet (UV) rays, but how many of us are aware of the damage that UV rays can have on our eyes ...
ISEA: Use the Right PPE to Stay Safe During Hurricane Cleanup Operations
Taking safety precautions is necessary not only during a hurricane, but also during cleanup operations. Homeowners who are not equipped with the appropriate personal protective equipment could face serious or even life-threatening injuries when clearing debris following the storm...
Baylor University Researchers Use Body Scanners as Tools for Designing Protective Clothing
By merely stepping into a darkened booth, gripping a couple of handles and pushing a “trigger” with their thumbs, workers one day may be able to virtually try on protective clothing and equipment and find the perfect fit...
MassCOSH: Laundry Work is a Pain for Angelica Textile Services Employees
Following a July survey of 113 employees at Angelica Textile Services in Somerville, Mass., the Massachusetts Coalition for Occupational Safety and Health (MassCOSH) discovered a range of health and safety concerns, particularly those involving musculoskeletal injuries...
Survey: PPE Noncompliance Poses a Serious Threat to Worker Safety
Employees who believe PPE is not necessary for their work or who consider it too uncomfortable to wear run the risk of leaving themselves unprotected and vulnerable to occupational injuries. According to a new survey from Kimberly-Clark Professional, this happens all too often...
EHS Out Loud Blog: Protecting Industrial Workers from Radiation
In his latest blog post for EHS Today, 2010 Future Leader in EHS Jason Townsell describes how the ALARA principle is used to manage occupational radiation exposure...
AMD Industries Faces $1.2 Million in OSHA Fines for Asbestos Exposure
Cicero, Ill.-based AMD Industries Inc. faces more than $1.2 million in proposed OSHA fines after allegedly exposing unprotected and untrained workers to asbestos...
The Key to Managing Human Error at Work: Engagement
A worker makes a mistake on the job and causes an accident. He’s at fault, right? Not necessarily. One expert suggests that instead of playing the blame game, employers can more successfully manage human error by engaging workers in safety practices...
At-Home Safety: Stay Out of the Sun on “Don’t Fry Day” May 27
On Friday, May 27, help battle skin cancer by celebrating “Don’t Fry Day.”...
Managing PPE: NFPA Standards: One Number Makes a Big Difference in Protection
Which standard is the most appropriate to use when considering flame-resistant clothing: NFPA 2112 or 2113...
Four Decades of OSHA: A Timeline
On April 28, OSHA reaches a 40-year milestone. Since it was founded 4 decades ago, the agency established a range of safety and health regulations to protect the American work force; reduced workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities; and initiated a national conversation about occupational health and safety...
Court Rejects Challenge to OSHA’s Fall Protection Directive
On April 7, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit dismissed the National Roofing Contractors Association’s (NRCA) petition for review of OSHA’s December 2010 directive on the use of fall protection in residential construction. The directive withdrew an earlier one that allowed certain residential construction employers to bypass some fall protection requirements...
Heart Attacks, Acceptance of Risk Contribute to Increased Firefighter Fatalities
Cultural factors in firefighters’ work environment that promote getting the job done as quickly as possible with whatever resources available lead to an increase in line-of-duty firefighter fatalities, according to researchers at the UGA College of Public Health. The researchers also determined that cardiovascular events, and not smoke inhalation, represent the leading cause of death for firefighters...
OSHA Releases Guidance on Preventing Fall-Related Injuries, Deaths among Residential Construction Workers
On April 8, OSHA issued a new guidance to help employers prevent fall-related injuries and deaths among residential construction workers...
Researchers: Walk Quickly, Don’t Shuffle, on Slippery Surfaces
By studying helmeted guinea fowl, birds that react to slips and falls much like humans do, researchers concluded that moving quickly in a forward, firm-footed stance across a slippery surface is less likely to lead to a fall than if you shuffle or move slowly...
Extreme Environments Call for Extreme Innovative Hearing Protection Solutions
Protecting today’s workers in extreme noise environments is no small feat...
Work Boots that Work for You
A guide to selecting foot protection based on the work environment...
Protecting Against Extreme Noise
How much noise is too much noise, and what can we do to protect employees working in extreme noise environments?...
OSHA Issues Guidance on Spirometry Testing to Prevent Respiratory Hazard Exposure
OSHA and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) developed two guidance documents, one for workers and one for employers, describing the use of spirometry testing to help reduce and prevent worker exposure to respiratory hazards...
Domestic Service Workers Vulnerable to Occupational Hazards
Domestic service employees who perform tasks such as cleaning, cooking, childcare and care of the elderly may be exposed to occupational health risks such as harsh chemicals and musculoskeletal injuries all while having limited workplace safety rights, an employment law expert explains...
Indiana OSHA Cites Notre Dame $77,500 following Death of Student Employee
On March 15, the Indiana Department of Labor cited the University of Notre Dame with the most serious safety violation allowable under Indiana law for the fatal injury of 20-year-old student employee Declan Sullivan...
The High Price of Leaving Hearing Loss Unaddressed
People with untreated hearing loss lose as much as $30,000 in income annually, depending on their degree of hearing loss, according to the latest national study by the Better Hearing Institute (BHI). The cost to society is estimated to be as high as $26 billion in unrealized federal taxes...
