The Safety Brief

Dan has compiled the 10 most common signage and labeling questions asked about keeping workers safe and avoiding fines. These questions are from a wide range of industries. The answers are a good starting resource for any professional concerned about facility safety.

The size of signs. The colors of signs. OSHA compliance. NFPA vs. GHS. Lockout/tagout. Arc flash labeling. Confined space labeling. It?s all here. Handwritten vs. printed labels, what is required? The answer is here too. Facility safety, all part of The Safety Brief.

An eyewash station is something you may need, but hope you will never use. But if there's an emergency, it's there to flush out the eyes fast to prevent injury or blindness. / / If you have hazardous substances, you may be OSHA-required to provide eyewash stations. Larger facilities may need more than one. / / Provide employees with training, and have necessary safety signs properly placed. Signage needs to be large and clear enough for a worked with obstructed vision to see. / / Eyewash stations are a final stop-gap. Workers should not ignore their PPE, wearing goggles, gloves or other protective gear as required.

Safety recognition programs for employees, implemented correctly, can be successful in reducing injuries and saving money. But, if executed poorly, can do more harm than good. / / Employees may try to rig the system to get a reward for better safety reports. Some workers will work slower to increase safety. Also, if managers and owners are not behind a safety program, it has little chance of success. / / To avoid the potential failures, properly plan a recognition program with realistic goals, and include rewards for achieving those goals. / / Once initiated, be ready to adjust goals and procedures as needed, and to keep workers and managers on their toes. And continue to manage the program with attention to detail.

Will universal safety standards cause more problems than they solve? Implementing rules across cultures and languages will have benefits, but also potential issues.  GHS, the Globally Harmonized System of labeling hazardous chemicals is one example of standardized visual warnings being adopted worldwide.

The United Nations began planning the program in 1992, and hoped to have it engaged by 2008. Many countries have yet to embrace it. Proponents of GHS and other systems say that all countries should respect international rules and labeling, because safety is safety. Critics suggest that poor countries can't afford to implement such rules.  Also, a debate continues on who should set the standards of any program, and how they should be implemented.

Increase efficiency by red-tagging items you don't need immediately. Store them or get rid of them. Red tagging is part of 'Sort', one of the five elements of a Japanese system of streamlining manufacturing called 5S.

The five elements of 5S are Sort, Set In Order, Shine, Standardize, and Sustain. If you are eager to improve your work environment and increase productivity, start some safety housekeeping with 5S red tags.

Helmets, ear protection, eye protection are all important. However, safety managers must ensure foot protection is a priority too. The foot is susceptible to many dangers at a jobsite. OHSA warns of punctures, crushing, sprains, slips, trips and falls. Feet can also be injured from electrocution, chemical burns and frostbite.

Shoes or boots that offer protection from hazards should be worn as necessary. Protective footwear features include insulation to protect from heat and cold, and outer coating to isolate from chemicals. Special soles are designed to protect from electrical shock, or provide traction in wet or icy environments. Steel toes protect from falling objects. Feet are often overlooked in the workplace, but since workers spend so much time on their feet, they also need to be considered.

Mining companies and miners must always be involved with mine safety. The past few generations of miners have had many safety improvements, but more are needed. Companies and miners should prevent cave-ins with proper ground control, including pillar design, roof supports and horizontal stress supports.

Confined space fire and explosions can be minimized by keeping flammables isolated and labeled. Fire suppression systems and well-labeled evacuation routes are critical. Electrical mine safety can prevent fires and electrocution if cabling is visible and properly placed. Explosive dust and fume dangers can be avoided with ventilation systems, and personal respirators and other PPE.

If there is an accident, an Emergency Response Preparation plan should be in place, including onsite help for small injuries and quick transport to a local emergency room for larger injuries.

Summer brings a new set of workplace hazards. Workers will be affected by heat and humidity, in and out of the sun. Plan ahead in the spring for hot weather supplies and facility adaptation.

Ventilation and liquids are important to keep employees cool and hydrated. Beware of insects and animals, which are both very active during this hottest season. OSHA requires that employers take action to have these workplace hazards removed.

Scaffolding safety is often hard to achieve, due to the structure's temporary nature. Just like any other work at-height, it is dangerous. But, because it is a temporary structure, more can go wrong with scaffolding. Avoid slip and fall hazards by inspecting it regularly.

OSHA requires all workers to be trained prior to occupying, building or moving a scaffold. Employees should also know if scaffolding might intersect with site hazards. Don't let scaffolding give you a false sense of security. Arrest systems and PPE are still needed. Even a short fall can be deadly.

ALL injuries equal, or add up to, a loss of money for every company. And imagine how much money. The U.S. Centers For Disease Control And Prevention says there are 3.6 million work-related injuries treated in emergency rooms each year.

These kind of stats point towards the job (no pun intended) that employers have in making sure their workers stay safe at all times. There are various ways to accomplish that task and our Safety Man, Dan Clark covers some of those in this short radio-cast. Let's listen in and see if there's anything we can all do to keep ourselves and others safer by reducing workplace injuries.