December 2018 OH&S

December 2018

  • PROTECTIVE APPAREL: Six Important Changes Reflected in NFPA 2112-2018 Updates
  • PROTECTIVE APPAREL: The Essence of Cold Weather Protection
  • IH/GAS DETECTION: Gas Detection for Safe Confined Space Entry
  • FACILITY SAFETY: Ready for the Cold?
  • HAZMAT: EU-OSHA Seeks Better Management of Dangerous Substances
  • ELECTRICAL SAFETY: Workplace Safety Saves Lives and Money. Is Your Facility Prepared?
  • FIRE AND EMERGENCY: Training Employees to Recognize and Respond to Hazards
  • FIRE AND EMERGENCY: Safety Beyond the Basics: What Can We Do to Be Prepared?
  • WELDING SAFETY: Key Protections for Arc Welders
  • LOCKOUT/TAGOUT: Staying Safe During Equipment Maintenance
  • VISION PROTECTION: Getting Eye and Face Protection Right
  • NEW PRODUCT OF THE YEAR: 2018 NPOY Contest Winners Honored
  • BEHAVIOR-BASED SAFETY: BBS & HOP = Predictive-Based Safety
  • STANDARDS: Dollars and Sense: The Business Case for Safety Management Systems
  • DROPPED OBJECTS: The Number 1 Reason to Demand Your Tool Tether Be Dynamic Drop Proven
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Cover Story

NFPA 2112 is the industry standard for FR garments designed to protect wearers against exposure to flash fire and provides a starting ground from which safety managers in oil, gas, chemical, and petrochemical industries can build effective FR PPE programs to address the specific risks they face daily. (Westex by Milliken photo)

Six Important Changes Reflected in NFPA 2112-2018 Updates

By Scott Francis

From cold weather insulation guidance to labeling, these are the changes you need to know to be well informed when specifying an FR PPE program designed for flash fire hazards.


Features

We congratulate the 22 winners in our tenth annual contest recognizing the most innovative new safety products.

2018 NPOY Contest Winners Honored

By Jessica Davis, Jerry Laws

OH&S congratulated winners of the tenth annual contest during the 2018 National Safety Council Congress & Expo in Houston.


The familiar hierarchy of controls shows that elimination is the most effective risk control strategy, while PPE is the least effective. (WorkSafeBC graphic)

Key Protections for Arc Welders

By Jerry Laws

Controlling the risks is done by applying the hierarchy of controls: elimination, substitution, engineering controls (such as ventilation systems to remove welding fume), administrative controls, and finally, PPE.


Communication with residents and building occupants is key to preparing them for emergencies.

Training Employees to Recognize and Respond to Hazards

By Karen D. Hamel

Employees should be trained to respond appropriately to each scenario that is applicable to their workplace, which could mean training everyone not only to evacuate, but also to shelter in place and how to lock down areas.


BBS & HOP = Predictive-Based Safety

By Chuck Pettinger

With accuracy rates as high as 86 percent, predictive analytics have helped organizations save lives.


Acclimating workers to cold exposure, hydration, scheduling frequent breaks, and equipment such as heaters are all part of the prevention process.

The Essence of Cold Weather Protection

By Melissa Gerhardt

Lightweight garments may seem counterintuitive for protecting against the cold, but layering up lightweight garments is one of the best ways to combat the cold and remain comfortable.


The Number 1 Reason to Demand Your Tool Tether Be Dynamic Drop Proven

By Nicholas Voss

A device may pass a static test with flying colors, but when put into a real-life situation it may still fail and break, and that's bad for anyone standing underneath.


According to the European Survey on Working Conditions, the proportion of workers who report being exposed to chemicals for at least one-quarter of their working time has not changed since 2000, remaining steady at about 17 percent.

EU-OSHA Seeks Better Management of Dangerous Substances

By Fred Elliott

The ESENER-2 survey found 38 percent of EU companies reporting that chemical or biological substances in the form of liquids, fumes, or dust are present in their workplaces.


One of the easiest ways to monitor safety metrics is by using a safety management software. As you improve your safety performance analysis, you’ll need a system that can handle the influx of data, give you access to real-time metrics, and help you glean valuable insights hidden within the flood of information.

Dollars and Sense: The Business Case for Safety Management Systems

By Todd Grover

ISO 45001 and the revised ANSI/ASSP Z10 SMS Standard will help safety professionals make the case to executive leadership that integrating safety and health into existing business management systems is both financially prudent and increasingly feasible to achieve.


If you know you

Ready for the Cold?

By Paul Smith

Both your employees and your facilities should be well prepared for cold weather hazards.


Proactivity toward prevention lowers safety risks. Any and all preventive measures will drastically lower the probability of a hazardous scenario from happening. (Lewellyn Technology photo)

Workplace Safety Saves Lives and Money. Is Your Facility Prepared?

By Jay Smith

Workplace safety and operational performance are critical factors to protect all of your assets: your employees, facilities, and financial interests.


Gas Detection for Safe Confined Space Entry

By Jerry Laws

It's more than a best practice—it is essential to test the air prior to and during entry, as OSHA requires.


Employers

Safety Beyond the Basics: What Can We Do to Be Prepared?

By Brian Welch

If we can allow employees adequate time to plan, review technical information, practice, and check available resources, together we can reduce the workplace fatalities each year.


Getting Eye and Face Protection Right

By Jerry Laws

Having an eye and face protection program in place will boost the chances employees will use their PPE correctly.


Staying Safe During Equipment Maintenance

By Jerry Laws

Lockout/tagout ranked fifth on OSHA's list of the Top Ten most-violated standards during fiscal year 2017 and again in FY2018. There were 2,877 violations of 1910.147 during FY2017 and 2,944 during FY2018.


Departments

Ohio Alliance Foresees a Safer Industry

By Jerry Laws

Alliance partners will provide education and support to brewery owners and their employees on safety and health issues specific to craft brewers, as well as risks unique to their industry.


Balancing Safety: Overcoming Surprising Contributors to Slips, Trips, and Falls

By Robert Pater

Even with aging workforces, injuries can be greatly reduced with a blend of best engineering controls and practical training.


Artificial Intelligence