When people work in environments that have a higher propensity for injuries work place safety becomes a leading concern. It is imperative that as plant and facility owners increase their workforce that they give consideration to safety and the environment in which they ask their employees to work.
When people work in environments that have a higher propensity for injuries work place safety becomes a leading concern. It is imperative that as plant and facility owners increase their workforce that they give consideration to safety and the environment in which they ask their employees to work.
Safety hazards come in many different forms, and often times it matters what the end product that you are producing that dictates the degree of hazards that you might encounter. Some hazards are airborne and require the use of masks and some hazards are noise levels. Both air and noise hazards require the creation and implementation or either a respirator program and/or a hearing conservation program respectively.
In regards to a respirator program the employee might be required to wear certain respirators. There are different types of respirators to prevent the user from inhaling the harmful airborne particulates. It is required a Safety Consultant come and do some monitoring to determine which respirator is right for the job being performed. Once the right type of respirator is determined the next step is to implement a respirator program. The program is written, then employees are trained on the new program, and it is also recommended that annual or quarterly testing be done to ensure that the chosen respirator is still the right solution.
In the manner of hearing conservation programs it follows the same path as the respirator program. A solution is identified, and a program involving the solution is written and implemented. Also like the respirator program, when utilizing a hearing conservation program the work areas that require hearing protection should be monitored regularly so that new solutions can be implemented if needed.
Hearing and breathing hazards are not the end of potential hazards, they are merely the beginning. OSHA has a very extensive website that lists the top safety citations that they issue. Some of these are hearing and respirators but others include Lock Out Tag Out programs and fall protection. Many seem to be fairly common place safety preventions, however when employees and their managers seem to get comfortable with their working environment safety can sometimes be an easy corner to cut.
Work place safety is at the forefront of a lot of topics today. With the economy in a standstill, many people out of work and managers trying to save money safety can be an easy thing to cut—budget wise. This is the biggest mistake any plant manager or facilities director could ever do—safety needs to be a number one priority. To contact a Safety Consultant in your area, click here.
Occupational Health Overcomes Everyday Hazards
Many workers face different types of hazards on a daily basis. Each company has a responsibility to proactively protect their employees from hazards encountered in the workplace. Accidents or injuries can bring production to a halt, reduce the workforce while the employee is recovering and lead to costly worker compensation claims. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help your company improve the Occupational Health present at your facility.
The Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos poses a major health risk in many office buildings and homes due to the wide adoption and usage of asbestos as an insulator in the construction process. Asbestos can be found in the glue beneath vinyl flooring or in material applied to concrete to regulate the temperature between floors in an office building. These buildings and homes are being remodeled and modernized as an update to the space, but the demolition process can be hazardous if asbestos is present. Test for asbestos prior to starting your next remodeling project to ensure workers are safe.
Communicating the Dangers with HazCom
Hazard Communication focuses on explaining the dangers present at the workplace. The employees have a right to understand the hazards present and how to remain safe on the jobsite. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to fulfill the HazCom requirement set forth by OSHA.
