safetybriefs.org

Can you use safety glasses for welding?  Yes, for mild welding.  If your going to be assembling a bridge, you’re going to need a welding helmet or mask.  However, for smaller jobs (see below) you could use a filtered safety glasses.

A filtered lens is the most misunderstood lens of all.  It’s like Cousin Pete and his slurred speech.  Greenish in color, the filtered lens comes in a variety of different shades. The shades are numbered, with the most popular shades being 2.0, 3.0 and 5.0.  The highest numbered shades offer the most eye protection.

A filtered lens is worn for applications and environments where others are performing welding tasks such as torch brazing, torch soldering, gas welding and oxygen cutting.  These lenses also protect against UV and Infra Red radiation that occurs while working with molten metal.

A simple chart for the most popular shades and the most common uses can be found below:

IR 2.0 – Torch soldering
IR 3.0 – Torch soldering, torch brazing, and cutting
IR 5.0 – Torch brazing, cutting, and gas welding

Popular Filtered Examples:
Uvex Astro Spec 3.0 Filtered
Uvex Astro Spec 5.0 Filtered

Technorati Tags: filtered safety glasses, Safety Glasses, welding safety glasses

(No Ratings Yet)

Today is No-Brainer Day. Yes officially! Finally! I’ve been waiting all year for today.

What do I consider a no-brainer? Well, it’s something that goes without saying. Such as having pretzels with beer, or watching Baywatch with your pants off. It just makes sense.

You know what else makes sense? The two training DVD’s that Snug Harness have available for free. Yep, you heard me right… Free. The only thing you pay is shipping. That’s a pretty sweet deal if you ask me. I have no idea how long this will be around so take advantage while you can. It’s a no brainer! You can get them HERE >>>

Technorati Tags: fall protection, fall protection training, snug harness

(No Ratings Yet)

On January 16th, OSHA (Big Brother) cited Peach State Roofing of Rock Hill, S.C. for repeat fall protection hazard with a proposed penalty of $50,000. That’s a lot of bones, dinero, scratch, greenbacks, benjamins, dough, or cash no matter how you slice it. Why do we have so many names for money?

I mean seriously, how is this crap still happening? Everyone knows that fall hazards are the leading cause of workplace injuries and death right? Well they are.

The company was failing to provide fall protection for employees working 13 feet above ground. Why? Let’s get it together guys.

Even though Blame Someone Else Day has already passed, I’d like to say that in addition to the company, the employees climbing up without fall protection are just as much to blame.

Remember, you’re the only one looking out for yourself. Besides if you refuse to work without safety gear and they fire you, well then you can sue their asses. Point employee.

Technorati Tags: fall hazards, fall protection, osha

(No Ratings Yet)

The I, or H Beam for that matter, can be a pretty tricky obstacle in the world of fall protection. Luckily, there are a lot of solid options out there and I thought we’d highlight a few of the standouts.

Guardian Beamer 2000 - This classic anchor fits over a horizontal beam and slides with you as you work. It’s extremely versatile and there are wide range of variants on the market.

French Creek Bolt Hole Girder Anchor - The Bolt Hole Anchor easily fits into pre-drilled holes on beams and works like a charm. Very easy installation.

Guardian Vertical Beamer - This anchor comes in handy when you don’t have a suitable horizontal anchor to tie off on. The Vertical Beamer clamps onto any vertical or diagonal beam.

Guardian Beamguard - The Beamguard allows you to create a complete horizontal lifeline system across a length of beam without too much obstruction.

So there you have it. Check out some of these great products. You never know, one of these may be the answer to all of your prayers.

Technorati Tags: beamer, fall protection, h beams, i beams

(No Ratings Yet)

“Near miss” situations. We’ve all had them, whether we want to own up to it or not. My most memorable was a water rapids experience where, despite my life jacket, I still wasn’t coming back up. Luckily someone two rafts behind me saw me fly out and was able to grab my life vest as they went over the rocks.

It didn’t matter that I had a life jacket on or that I was a great swimmer (at the time I was swimming for a University). Sometimes, no matter how you prepare, stuff happens. I was lucky that day.

That’s why it’s important to have a Rescue Plan in place so “near misses” don’t turn into something worse. Be it a fall protection rescue ladder, a controlled descent device or another choice – Having a plan in place can make all the difference.

Technorati Tags: controlled descent, fall protection, rescue plan

Posted in Fall Protection 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.

(No Ratings Yet)

ANSWER: It all depends on what kind of work you are performing on the ladder. You do not need Fall Protection if you have three points of contact on the ladder. Your feet and hands are your points of contact.  So if you had both feet and both hands on the ladder, that would be four points of contact.

For instance. If you are a painter, you generally only paint with one arm so you do not need Fall Protection. If you do siding. There are times when you need both hand to perform your work. That means that you have to attach an overhead anchor, use a shock pack lanyard, and a harness.

A lot of people have the concern that they are only 4′ up on a ladder and if they are using a 6 foot lanyard. If they fall they will hit the ground anyways. In these instances you will need to use a retractable. They lock up in less than 18 inches. That should stop you before your feet hit the ground.

Also. Always remember the 4:1 ladder rule. For every 4 feet of ladder you are using. The base of the ladder has to be a foot away from the foundation.

Technorati Tags: fall protection, harnesses, ladder safety, retractables

Posted in Fall Protection Articles by Luke Allsage. Luke Allsage is our resident fall protection expert, he knows what you need, where to put it, and how much it can hold. In the rare cases he doesn't know something, he knows where to find it.

(No Ratings Yet)

The indoor/outdoor (mirror 50) eye protection is used for um… oh yeah indoor and outdoor applications.  This lens is one of the most versatile lenses.  It has 50% visible light transmission, which means that it’s blocking about half of the light that could get through to your eyes.

The lens is actually a clear lens with a mirrored coating.  The mirrored coating reflects sunlight and glare, which cuts down on eye fatigue and strain.  It provides protection in the sun, but because of its clear lens and the high amount of visible light that passes through, these safety glasses are effective inside as well.

The unique nature of this lens helps your eyes adjust when moving from a shaded area to a bright area and vice versa.  Without these this lens it’s like a punch in the face every time you went in and out.  Indoor/Outdoor lenses allows individuals to wear the same pair of safety glasses for indoor and outdoor applications.  The most important thing to remember is to make sure that the door is shut when the air conditioner is on.

The indoor/outdoor lens can be used for most applications, whether they’re inside or out. They work best for individuals moving from shade to direct sunlight and back again.  You know… people who have trouble making up their mind.

Popular Indoor/Outdoor Examples:
DeWalt Protector Indoor/Outdoor Safety Glasses
AO Safety Fuel Indoor/Outdoor Safety Glasses

Technorati Tags: eye protection, indoor/outdoor safety glasses, Safety Glasses

(No Ratings Yet)

There may or may not be some confusion in this department so I thought I’d give you a brief look at what goes into a complete personal fall protection system. Here I go…

Anchor - You need something to stay strong if you should fall. These attach to anything that can hold 5,000 lbs. of force… Simple. You can get them to attach to wood, metal beams, concrete… hell even railroad tracks!

Connector - Whether it’s a lanyard or a retractable, your connector… um… connects you to the anchor. You can even get these things with shock packs to reduce the pressure on your body during a fall.

Harness - The harness connects your body to the lanyard/retractable. This way you’re not tying the lanyard around your neck and creating a noose. The harness evenly distributes the force of a fall throughout your body.

Rescue - You need to rescue yourself in case of a fall and a self rescue ladder, which attaches to the lanyard, can be the perfect solution. You need to get beck onto solid ground after you fall. There isn’t a lot of time…

So those are the components of a basic but complete personal fall protection system. Use this as a checklist and make sure you’re covered every time you venture above 6 feet.

Technorati Tags: fall protection, fall protection anchor, rescue ladder, safety harness

(No Ratings Yet)

When it comes to un-boxing that new TV or DVD player, I’m all for pitching the directions and putting them in the round file (garbage can).

However with safety products it’s a completely different situation. Reading and better yet understanding the directions can make the difference between life and death or functioning and vegetable.

As trite and cliched as it may sound, it truly is better to be safe than sorry. That is unless of course you enjoy feeling guilty. Regardless, take the time to read the directions, and understand exactly how your safety equipment is supposed to be working.

If you know how it’s supposed to work, it will be easier to identify when something is amiss. Real Men Read Directions, especially if you buy a universal remote (those things are tricky bitches).

Technorati Tags: instruction manuals, reading directions, safety equipment

(1 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

I found this fun little video online and I thought you guys would enjoy it. I don’t want to spoil the ending, but this video is about how to make emergency sunglasses out of duct tape. These glasses of course would not count as safety glasses, but they will shield your eye in extreme conditions when you’re in a pinch. Is there anything duct tape can’t do?

Technorati Tags: emergency sunglasses, how to, Safety Glasses

(No Ratings Yet)