October 2008
- Slip and Fall: Six Steps to Prevention
- Stop Hiding Your AEDs
- 2008 Mold Update
- 2008 Vision Product Focus: Message Received
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Features
By Marc Barrera
October's final night is much darker than the harmless fun you may imagine. Ghosts and goblins may be prowling the streets with witches, warlocks, princesses, pirates, and countless other costumed carousers, minds fixed on sweets and treats. The truth is, they have good reason to be frightened.
By Karen D. Hamel
No facility is exempt from slip-and-fall injuries. Even in non-manufacturing environments, slips and falls to the same level account for more than 15 percent of OSHA reportable injuries and more than 70 employee deaths each year, according to the U. S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
By Steve Silicato, REM, CIE
Now that American industry seems to have focused all of its energies on the newest hot topic—going “green”—many issues that formerly seemed to grab so much attention, such as the health effects of mold, have faded into the background. The fact is that mold continues to be a problem in the residential, commercial, and industrial markets, and it must be dealt with on an ongoing basis. This article takes a look at the state of mold remediation and what’s new in the area.
By Linda J. Sherrard
Proper equipment and PPE are critical for safe operation of a chain saw, a potentially dangerous tool that is tougher to handle than it appears. The most important components of a chain saw user’s PPE ensemble may be his eye and face protection, although protective gloves and footwear are included.
By Stefanie Herb
A senior building maintenance employee was working on a building that was undergoing renovations. The job included the installation of an emergency exit light above a doorway. The maintenance employee was positioned on a 10-foot fiberglass stepladder. As he was rechecking the 110-volt electrical wiring using a multi-meter tester, he experienced a strong electrical shock sensation. He was reaching above and behind the light at the time and fell approximately 8 feet to the floor. He sustained a fractured left heel, as well as a compression fracture of his lower back. This employee was hospitalized, according to the OSHA accident report.
By Anastasia Mironova
Look around: Automated external defibrillators (AEDs), which give life-sustaining defibrillation therapy to a sudden cardiac arrest victim, are popping up all over the world.
By Rob Wolff
It has always amazed me how a simple thing such as a lack of communication can not only lead to less-than-optimal results, but also that the sub-par performance can sometimes continue for decades! No example of this phenomenon is more readily apparent than the traditional approach used to irrigate injured eyes in commercial or industrial facilities.
Departments
By Ronnie Rittenberry
Sure, there are the apparitions, noises, disembodied voices, and objects moving of their own accord, sometimes flying across the room.And, yes, temperatures can suddenly drop, and strange, often nauseating smells can fill a room for no apparent reason.
By Jerry Laws
Americans have all but stopped buying houses at this writing, and car sales are dismal. What’s the worry?
By Robert Pater
When it comes to reducing ergonomic injuries -- soft-tissue injuries and others that are extremely prevalent and costly for many companies -- developing the right culture is especially important. Ergonomic problems are typically cumulative in nature. One-shot interventions or would-be quick fixes usually fall flat when applied to Ergo injuries that reflect daily choices and actions, wearing down and debilitating workers over time.
By Marc Barrera
Safety is top of mind for many manufacturers, but also growing in importance is the pressure to become “green,” or environmentally sound. GreenRoad Technology Inc., a fairly new driver safety company headquartered in Redwood Shores, Calif., has taken the basic idea of a traffic signal and reengineered it into a small device that gives real-time feedback on 120 driving maneuvers to increase safety. The device is installed on a vehicle’s dash and contains three colored lights -- red for unsafe, yellow for moderately unsafe, and green for safe.