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With the weather in most of the country colder than Santa’s ass, I thought now would be a good time to go over some cold weather work safety tips.  Digest.

• Limit your exposure to cold, duh!
• Wear layers of loose, dry clothing
• Keep moving
• Cover your head, hands, feet, and face
• Take regular breaks in heated areas
• Know the symptoms of frostbite (Same goes for hypothermia)
• Act quickly if frostbite/hypothermia strikes (Get medical attention!)

These of course are just the basics.  For more detailed instructions head over here.  They’ve got a great list.

Technorati Tags: cold weather work, frostbite, hypothermia, safety tips

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I wanted to take this time to talk a little about hearing protection and let you know your options.  Let’s begin.

The most basic of course is Ear Plugs.  Ear plugs fit tightly into the ear canal, and in most cases are disposable.  The important thing to look for in ear plugs is fit.  If these little guys don’t close the ear canal then their use is limited.  And remember not to jam them too far into your ear.  That’s a good general rule for anything really.

Next we have Ear Canal Caps.  Ear canal caps minimally close the ear canal and are mounted on a headband for easy use.  They may be more comfortable, but in most cases aren’t as effective.

Finally, you’ve got Earmuffs.  Earmuffs are mounted on a head band and sit over the ear, and are generally more comfortable because they don’t enter the ear at all.  However, many workers can’t stand earmuffs in hot weather.  You can be the judge.  Some earmuffs even come with radios!  That last part was a bit random.

Well, those are your options for ear protection. Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: ear plugs, ear protection, earmuffs, hearing protection

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Nobody really liked school growing up, and if you did you’re a nerd.  The only thing fun about school was recess, lunch, any party in class, and the last day.  But…

We were recently informed that Snug Harnes and Safety Glasses Inc. both received and A+ from BBB Online.  That would be the Better Business Bureau.  Which is an agency that measures the quality of businesses for consumer protection, and not a well made dresser for businesses as I originally thought.

So to those fine sites we say congratulations, and keep up the good work selling the safety gear we frequently talk about.  Huzzah!

Technorati Tags: BBB Onlines, safety glasses inc., snug harness

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Safety News Alert posted their Top 10 Safety Stories last week. They polled editors of safety publications and came up with their Top Ten list of safety stories for 2008.

Number six on Top 10 Safety Stories was OSHA’s requirement of Employer’s to pay for their employee’s  PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). This went into effect this past May. In a nutshell, if OSHA standards require you to wear PPE – then your employer needs to pay for it. Safety glasses, hard hats, gloves, goggles, safety shoes, welding helmets and, faceshields, chemical protective equipment, and fall protection equipment are some examples of PPE.

Exceptions to this OSHA ruling are as follows, “…specialty safety-toe protective footwear, boots with built-in metatarsal protection, logging boots and everyday work clothes used solely for protection from weather.”

We are curious on how many of you benefited directly by OSHA’s ruling this past year? How many already had employers providing your PPE?

Technorati Tags: fall protection, osha, Safety Glasses

Posted in Safety Articles by Sassy Safety Glasses Queen. The Sassy Safety Glasses Queen is our resident safety glasses expert. She specializes in the news, trends, and fashions of the Safety Glasses industry while dabbling in the world of fall protection.

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With the increase of bucket work across the country, we thought it might be a good idea to pass off these aerial lift safety tips from OSHA.  Read carefully and follow. (That was my tip!)

• Ensure that workers who operate aerial lifts are properly trained in the safe use of the equipment.
• Maintain and operate elevating work platforms in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
• Never override hydraulic, mechanical, or electrical safety devices.
• Never move the equipment with workers in an elevated platform unless this is permitted by the manufacturer.
• Do not allow workers to position themselves between overhead hazards, such as joists and beams, and the rails of the basket. Movement of the lift could crush the worker(s).
• Maintain a minimum clearance of at least 10 feet, or 3 meters, away from the nearest overhead lines.
• Always treat powerlines, wires and other conductors as energized, even if they are down or appear to be insulated.
• Use a body harness or restraining belt with a lanyard attached to the boom or basket to prevent the worker(s) from being ejected or pulled from the basket.
• Set the brakes, and use wheel chocks when on an incline.
• Use outriggers, if provided.
• Do not exceed the load limits of the equipment. Allow for the combined weight of the worker, tools, and materials.

Technorati Tags: aerial lift safety, body harness, fall protection

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In this edition of idiots on ladders, I’ll let the images speak for themselves.  Message:  Don’t be an idiot on a ladder.

Technorati Tags: idiots, ladder safety, ladders

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Ear protection is worn for various reasons…when using power tools, shop equipment, firearms, noisy yard equipment, at concerts, riding motorcycles… Personally, I wear ear protection so I don’t have to listen to my husband snore.  We both benefit greatly from this – I get sleep and he gets to keep breathing.

All noise-reducing products are required to have a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR). The NRR formula is complicated and annoying to write about succinctly – if you can write about it clearly in three sentences or less I will buy you a beer. Just know that higher the number, the better the product.

You also should know:

• Always use hearing protection when exposed to 100dB or more, even if the exposure is short.
• Regular exposure to noise above 85 dB will cause a gradual hearing loss in a significant number of individuals. Louder noises will accelerate this damage.
• When noise measurements indicate that hearing protectors are needed, the employer must offer at least one type of earplug and one type of earmuff without cost to employees.
• Snoring husbands are the number 67th cause of divorce in Wisconsin.
• Sassy’s Favorites: DeWalt Interceptor Ear Muff (light weight, foldable & inexpensive without being cheap); Radians Maximus Electronic Earmuffs (if you want to spoil yourself); Elvex Uni-Fit Foam Ear Plugs.

Resource:  American Academy of Otolaryngology

Technorati Tags: ear protection, earmuffs, hearing protection

Posted in Safety Articles by Sassy Safety Glasses Queen. The Sassy Safety Glasses Queen is our resident safety glasses expert. She specializes in the news, trends, and fashions of the Safety Glasses industry while dabbling in the world of fall protection.

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As many of you know, OSHA (Big Brother) makes it’s living by policing job sites for safety.  But how does that effect you?  Well, I did a little research and I found some statistics from October 2007 to September 2008 that you may find interesting.

In this time period 4,164 companies (including roofers, carpenters, general contractors, masons, and plumbers) were sited on Standard 19260501.

You don’t know what Standard 19260501 is?  It’s the “Duty To Have Fall Protection.”  That’s a lot of companies.  The kicker is that these companies all have 1-9 employees.  That sounds like a small business if I’ve ever heard of one.

So the 4,164 of the companies they inspected were cited.  The bad news is that there were more citations than companies meaning that some companies got more than one citation.  Could I say citation anymore?

Now, in case you’re wondering the fine total for just this standard eclipsed $5,106,754!  That’s an average fine of $1,226 per company.

So ask yourself.  Is $1,226 an expense you’d like to afford in a recession?  And if 4,164 companies were caught, how many companies did OSHA inspect?  Are you next on the list?  Be safe.

Technorati Tags: fall protection, osha, osha fines

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French Creek Productions recently released a very interesting product.  I know some other companies have released similar products, but this was the first one I’ve been able to see up close.  That very interesting product?  The Door Jamb Anchor.  What’s with the word jamb having the “B” at the end?  Sometimes I’ll say it without making the “B” silent.  It’s fun try it.

Anywho, what’s so great about the Door Jamb Anchor besides its name?   Well, it’s a great temporary anchor that mounts in door jambs and window openings from 24″ to 43″ wide.  That is pretty damn convenient.  Especially during renovation work.  It can also be used for roof tops with elevator shafts and wall openings or in emergency and rescue situations.

If this sounds like something of interest to you, take a look.

Technorati Tags: door jamb anchor, fall protection, french creek production

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Well, as if the title of this post didn’t explain my full desire, I’ll try to elaborate.  Actually now that I think about it, this post should probably be called, “Inviting All Safety Consultants.”  You see, We’re looking for safety consultants to help contribute to Safety Briefs.  And by contribute, I mean writing.  We’d like to expand what were doing here and broaden our scope.  And that’s where we need the help of you Mr. Unknown Safety Consultant.

What’s in it for you?  For one, you get to be a part of an awesome new adventure in the safety world on the information super highway.  The other thing, which may be more interesting to you, you’ll gain exposure to the business owners, safety coordinators, and construction workers that read this blog.  That’s a pretty good group of people get in touch with.  Anywho, if you’re interested please fill out our contact form and we’ll see what we can  do to get you set up as a contributing author.  It may just be the best business move you could make.

Technorati Tags: safety, safety consultants

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