Safe Workplace and Safety News

If you are looking for information about PPE and safety equipment, try the International Safety Equipment Association web site. ISEA is the trade association in the United States for companies that manufacture safety equipment.

The web site features safety equipment related news, information about government regulations, a product and vendor guide, and information about product standards. You'll find their web site at: http://www.safetyequipment.org/

Labels: PPE

There has been a growing awareness of the hazards produced by arc flash. A critical component of an arc flash safety program is labeling. One of our other web safety related sites is dedicated to arc flash warning labels. The site has information about labels and label printers. It also has an excellent blog that regularly posts links to magazine articles and arc flash safety resources. This is blog to add to your RSS subscription list as it will help you keep up to date on arc flash and NFPA 70E news.

Labels: Arc Flash, workplace safety

Looking at the top ten most-violated OSHA standards, based on OSHA citations issued from October 2004 through August 2005, lockout/tagout was the fifth most-cited offense.

An article in the July issue of EC&M magazine, titled "Tag — You're Out!", addresses this issue. This short article features a quiz to help you evaluate your lock out/tag out knowledge.

Read the article at: EC&M Magazine

Labels: LOTO

Sarah Hornik writes about changing employee behavior to improve safety in the August 11th issue of Industrial Safety & Hygiene News. The article opens with the statement:

"Building a safety culture in your organization does not happen overnight. At the root of a safety culture is behavior, and changing human behavior requires education. Changes occur on two levels: getting the individual to stop doing some things and getting the individual to start doing other things."

The article points out the people don't like to change and that employers must provide the motivation, training and leadership that results in change.

Labels: Industrial Safety, workplace safety

If you'd like to get basic questions about the Voluntary Protection Program answered, the Vermont Occupational Safety & Health Administration web site has an excellent page of answers to frequently asked questions. Although these FAQs are targeted at Vermont workplaces, most of the answers also apply to the federal OSHA VPP. The Vermont VPP is modeled very closely to the program offered by Region 1, Federal OSHA and is virtually the same. If you are doing basic research on VPP, this FAQ page is a useful resource.

Labels: OSHA, VPP

OSHA has announced a Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) initiative that is designed for the construction industry. OSHA Administrator Ed Foulke made the annoucement at the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) Safety and Health Committee mid-year meeting in Denver. He said:

"VPP is a good tool for increasing safety and health awareness within the industry," Foulke told attendees when announcing the program. "It is important for OSHA to recognize those construction companies that should be held up as models of safety and health for the rest of the industry."

The OSHA press release describes the new initiative as continuing to "rest on the principle of effective safety and health management systems. However, it is unique from traditional VPP programs in that it adds new procedures and requirements that recognize the unique aspects of the construction industry. For example, the program allows for participation at the company, division, or business unit levels."

Labels: OSHA, VPP, workplace safety

Control charts are a tool that can be used as a part of VPP.

A "control chart" is a graphic presentation of results compared with your goals or limits. A control chart is used to determine whether variations in the results of a process are random or systematic. It allows you to identify the non-random variations that corrections or changes can be made to eliminate the variations.

An article on the web site for the Hanford Nuclear Reservation provides an excellent, detailed description of how to generate and use control charts. The article starts by discussing the various types of control charts. It then provides a detailed description of how to create a control chart, including the required mathematics. This is followed by a description of how to analyse the information provided by a control chart.

Labels: VPP, workplace safety

OSHA standard 1926.200 provides the requirements for signs, signals and barricades that are to be used during construction. This regulation provides a general description of each type of sign that is required on a construction site.

Signs and labels are an important part of a safety program because they communicate needed information right at the point of need. In addition to following OSHA regulations, which are generic, it is important to create safety signs and labels that clearly deliver their message. This means, for example, using as few words as possible while still clearly communicating. In addition, the colors used on safety labels and signs should be standardized--some color combinations are required by OSHA for certain types of labels and signs--so that they can be immediately recognized. Plus the use of pictograms helps to quickly convey a message, as well as communicating to someone who may not understand the language used on the label or sign.

Labels: OSHA Signs, workplace safety

CraftMaster Manufacturing, Inc. is one of many Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) success stories. This short article on the OSHA web site provides on overview of the steps CraftMaster Manufacturing has taken to maintain their VPP STAR status. With VPP you can not achieve STAR status and then stop working on improving safety. Safety is an ongoing process and VPP STAR certification must be renewed every 3-5 years.

CraftMaster Manufacturing has been in the VPP program since 1994. They achieved STAR status in 2004. In the three-year 2001- 2003 period they had a total recordable case incidence rate that was 85% below their industry average and a days away, restricted or transferred rate (DART) that was 83% below industry average. During October 2004, the facility surpassed 9 million hours without a lost workday injury.

This article describes three examples of employee involvement that has helped to improve safety at CraftMaster Manufacturing:

1) The Behavior Observation Program - this program is used to detect and correct unsafe behavior during periods in which unsafe behavior is most likely to occur.

2) The Hazard Reporting System - any employee can submit a work order request if an unsafe condition is identified.

3) Pre-Use Analysis evaluates new equipment and processes to address potential safety and health hazards prior to installation.

Labels: Industrial Safety, VPP

Labels and signs are an important part of any safety program. They communicate needed information at the point of need. Safety labels need to be clear, easy-to-read, and be of the proper size and color. Plus they need to be durable.

The DuraLabel 4TTP industrial label and sign printer will make the safety labels and signs you need for your facility. Using vinyl tapes up to 4 inches in width (tapes can be tiled to produce larger signs), die cut labels, or specialty materials, the DuraLabel uses high quality 300 dpi thermal transfer printing to create labels and signs that are resistant to sunlight (UV), water, scuffing and harsh environments (when printed with a chemical resistant ribbon).

The DuraLabel is not limited to making safety labels and signs. It can produce a wide range of labels--from shrink tube wire markers to NFPA Diamond RTK labels. It includes database software for produce arc flash waring labels and templates for pipe markers.

The DuraLabel 4TTP is an industrial labeling machine that can handle most labeling and sign making needs.

Labels: OSHA Signs, safety labeling