Personal Protective Equipment

An Article from One of Our Old Newsletters:

Mold is naturally-occurring, microscopic fungi that are found almost everywhere. In nature, mold break down organic matter such as fallen leaves and dead trees. But indoors, and at high concentrations, mold can affect the health of certain individuals. Exposure to mold and the mycotoxins they can produce, can lead to adverse health effects in sensitive individuals including rash, fever, headache, fatigue and asthma.

Mold occur in a variety of...

Taken from our newsletter files:

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there more than 500,000 “serious” hand, finger and wrist injuries in private industry each year. These types of injuries can be categorized in several different ways: abrasions, lacerations, sprains, strains, skin irritations, fractures, thermal burns, chemical burns, contusions, avulsions or amputations. It is important from the recordkeeping perspective to understand how to classify hand and finger injuries. The...

The key to preventing mold grow is to control moisture. Here are some helpful tips:

• Act quickly, within 24 hours, to cleanup sudden large leaks and spills
• Maintain your roofing and drainage systems to prevent moisture intrusion
• Regularly service the HVAC system
• Add and/or use ventilation systems to lower the humidity
• Use a dehumidifier
• Insulate cold surfaces
• Increase air movement and air exchanges
• Increase the air temperature
• Maintain indoor relative humidity below 60 percent
• Add mold inhibitors to paints...

Look around, everything we do today is done electronically. In the eWorld, we can find the answer to almost every question in minutes rather than hours, days or weeks. However, with all of this information available at our fingertips it is becoming harder and harder to discern what information is valuable and what information is not. This task is even more cumbersome for those individuals responsible for managing environmental, health and safety (EH&S) functions for their company because these...

• Use proper personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Wash hands and face after work and before eating
• Launder clothing daily
• Never wear clothes and shoes that were worn during lead exposure (when away from work)
• Never enter eating areas wearing PPE

Seven Year Safety Glasses

Keeping safety personal protective equipment (PPE) stocked and ready to go can be a daunting proposition. At an industrial facility, it is very common for PPE to walk away and leave everyone at the facility wondering where to get the needed items. Leaving people without PPE exposes the facility to risks and compromises the safety of the employees. Items such as gloves, glasses, hard hats, etc. are items that employees sometimes feel that they are entitled to and should...

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Safety Data Sheets (SDS) has 16 sections in a set order, and information requirements are prescribed. In Section Seven of the GHS SDS, the required information is related to handling and storage. A complete list of applicable required information is below:

• Precautions for safe handling
• Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities

In Section Eight of the GHS SDS, the required information is related...

The Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) Safety Data Sheets (SDS) has 16 sections in a set order, and information requirements are prescribed. In Section Five of the GHS SDS, the required information is related to fire fighting measures. A complete list of applicable required information is below:

• Suitable (and unsuitable) extinguishing media. Specific hazards arising from the chemical (e.g. nature of any hazardous combustion products)
• Special protective...

The responsibilities of an authorized entrant for a confined space are:

• Know space hazards, including information on the means of exposure such as inhalation or adsorption, signs and symptoms of exposure
• Use personal protective equipment properly
• Maintain communication with attendants
• Alert attendant when a prohibited condition exists or when warning signs/symptoms of exposure exist
• Evacuate the space as soon as possible when
  • Ordered by the authorized person
  • Recognize the warning signs or symptoms of...

When preparing for entry into a confined space, you may need the following equipment:

• Ventilation
  • Does the space have potential for a hazardous atmosphere? If so, the space needs to be ventilated.
• Permits
  • A confined space permit needs to be filled out and reviewed by the entry supervisor, the entrants and observers.
• Testing Equipment
  • Air monitoring must be conducted prior to and during entry
  • Results are recorded on the confined space permit
  • All levels of the space need to be tested (top to bottom)
    • Som...

When preparing for an employee to enter a confined space, the entry supervisor and crew should pre-plan the entire job focusing on identifying potential hazards and the elimination/control of the hazards. The program coordinator also should be able to provide assistance during the pre-planning process. The pre-planning process must consider at the least the following items:

• Energy hazards and needed Isolation procedures (LO/TO)
• Potential air contaminants, ventilation and air tests needed
• Cleaning...