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Take a look at the diagram. Interesting, huh? After evaluating the location and frequency of chainsaw injuries, doesn’t it kind of make you rethink your PPE plan?

It’s easy to blow off PPE until you see the cold hard facts.

Be Smart and Safe. And if you’re not, please email me your “I’m An Idiot” story. I really love hearing those. Even the gross pictures. Just warn me ahead of time so I don’t open it too close to lunch.

Technorati Tags: chainsaw chaps, chainsaw safety, ppe

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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This past week I have been invited to several different online training courses. The OSHA Training courses provide safety training for almost everything. Alas, I am hesitant to fork over the dough for a couple different reasons, but I don’t want my fear of the unknown to hamper a potentially good thing!

So we are looking for people and businesses that have actually used different online training sites. We want to know about the good, the bad and the ugly. If you have had good experiences, we want to know!

I do think it’s relevant to point out that it’s not just online businesses that we need to research, there are trainers that do onsite OSHA training that are bogus. Currently, that is an issue coming up in New York. After the high number of construction deaths this past year (19) and injuries (181), the city has started requiring anyone working 15 stories or higher on a building to take the OSHA 10 training course by July 2009. However, reporters have discovered this “training” has been less than stellar. One class they infiltrated had a little over 2 hours of actual teaching time once “beer breaks” were factored in. Some industry experts say, “…classes are often a joke… insiders have noted a rise in bogus training.”

What are you noticing out there?

Technorati Tags: health and safety training, osha training, safety training

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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Temples are a huge component of safety glasses and eye protection, and as a result let’s go over some of the common used terms when discussing this piece of equipment.

First of a ll what is a temple?  Well, a temple is the plastic or metal that stretches from the frame of your safety glasses to your ears.  Clear?  Now here are the variants.

Pivoting or Ratcheting Temples: The ability to tilt or adjust the angle of the temple up and down in order to provide a comfortable or specific fit.

Adjustable Temples: The manipulation of the temple in length in order to accommodate various sized faces, depending on how far the ears are away from the eyes.

Temple Tips: The end of the temple by your ear.  These are often covered in rubber for comfort.

Technorati Tags: eye protection, safety glass temples, Safety Glasses

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Here is a brief answer to this question from the folks over at entnet.org.  So what’s the deal?  Can we still hear voices and machines with ear plugs in?  How is that possible?

“Just as sunglasses help vision in very bright light, so hearing protectors enhance speech understanding in very noisy places. Even in a quiet setting, a normal-hearing person wearing hearing protectors should be able to understand a regular conversation.

Hearing protectors do slightly reduce the ability of those with damaged hearing or poor comprehension of language to understand normal conversation. However, it is essential that persons with impaired hearing wear earplugs or muffs to prevent further inner ear damage in very noisy places.

It has been argued that hearing protectors might reduce a worker’s ability to hear the noises that signify an improperly functioning machine. However, most workers readily adjust to the quieter sounds and can still detect such problems. If a worker is already hearing impaired, he or she needs expert advice about how to protect against further damage. In some cases hearing aids can and should be used under earmuffs.”

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

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Here is another disaster fact from OSHA.  You may remember my first post about this neat feature, but if not you can check it out here.  Anyway, here is another sample accident and what you can do to prevent it.  Sometimes it’s just a good idea to hear all of the things that have happened so you know they can possibly happen.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF ACCIDENT
Employee was working on a roof without any fall protection method employed. He fell 15 feet 7 inches head first and struck the asphalt below. He and another employee were moving 20 foot sections of angle iron away from the edge of the roof when he appeared to lose consciousness and fell over the edge.

ACCIDENT PREVENTION RECOMMENDATIONS
Implement a fall protection plan and discuss the different methods available to prevent an accident from occuring. Methods available are as follows: Guardrail systems or body harness and lanyards attached to the appropriate anchorage points.

Technorati Tags: anchor points, fall protection, harnesses

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The polarized safety glasses are the ultimate in sun protection.  The only thing stronger is Uncle Lester’s $5 cologne.  Polarized lenses are becoming the most sought after glasses on the market.  This lens is designed for outdoor use where reflected glare from water, snow, cement, and other hard surfaces exist.

Polarized lenses offer a gray lens with a mirror coating.  The mirror eliminates the sun’s glare and keeps your eyes comfortable and relaxed.  A polarized lens only allows 12% visible light transmission.  Which is more protection than a simple gray or mirrored lens.

The best aspect of the polarized lens is its rich color spectrum.  Even though your eyes are protected, you can still see clearly.  You’ll finally be able to see the detail and glory of all ten pounds of Aunt Millie’s blush.

As you would assume, these lenses are for outdoor use.

Popular Polarized Examples:
Radians Cobalt Polarized
Orange County Choppers 300 Polarized

Technorati Tags: polarized safety glasses, Safety Glasses, wiley x

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Matt, Matt, Matt. What are we going to do with you? You had nowhere to go but down at Las Vegas Motor Speedway after the 500.  But seriously, last place? Okay if I am going to be fair, engine failure is a good reason to come in last – if you have to have a reason.  At least if you’re going to do it, do it big and looking good.

In case you’re wondering, I do realize that I have picture of NASCAR rookie Joey Logano.  I was looking for cools photos of Matt wearing Wiley X and Joey popped up looking so fine.  Joey has just been added to Wiley X’s growing list of NASCAR drivers.

Wiley X Eyewear has quickly become a top choice for drivers because of the superior visual performance and High-Velocity Protection technology.  And they just look so darn good when you’re wearing them.

Technorati Tags: eye protection, Safety Glasses, Wiley X eyewear

Posted in Safety Glasses 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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Tornadoes, high winds, hurricanes and hail can lead to tree damage. Clean up and recovery after a major storm can be exhausting and sometimes dangerous.

For some of us, we can get a little trigger happy with the chainsaw.  I have certainly seen the end results of that – not that I am naming any names, cough*Tony* cough.

It’s important to make sure you have the qualifications and proper equipment (chainsaw chaps, boots, face/head protection, ear protection, and gloves) to safely take care of the job.  Please prove to your wife (or husband) that you’re not an idiot.

Some tips for DIY (Do-It-Yourselfers):
·         DO make sure it’s a job you can handle. (Don’t be afraid to call in the pro!)
·         DO cut through one log at a time.
·         DO read your owner’s manual on how to prevent kickbacks.
·         DO use extreme caution when working on partially fallen trees.
·         DO work with a partner.
·         DON’T start a chain saw while the blade is pinched in a log.
·         DON’T stand on the log you are cutting.
·         DON’T ever turn the chain saw upside down to cut.
·         DON’T cut trees in a cluttered area.
·         DON’T ever cut with the saw’s tip. (Kickback is a b’otch)

Not sure if you’re up for the job? Check out Missouri’s Department of Conservation, Tree Care After the Storm, for more information.  http://mdc4.mdc.mo.gov/Documents/10133.pdf

Technorati Tags: chainsaw chaps, chainsaw safety, 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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I thought it would be a good idea to go over some terminology used in the world of safety glasses so we’re all on the same page.  This time I’d like to share with you the definitions of a “Nose Bridge” and “Nose Piece”  Let’s go.

Nose Bridge: Connects the two lenses together and rests on the top of your nose.

Nose Piece: Refers to the piece of rubber or plastic that straddles the side of your nose.

So, now that you nose the difference, I never want to hear you make this eye protection mistake ever again.

Technorati Tags: eye protection, nose bridge, nose piece, Safety Glasses

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In researching hard hats on the Internet, I came across the Hard Hat Brotherhood.  Now, these guys aren’t all about safety but instead use the hard hat as a mascot due to its inherently manly nature.  Basically, they’re just a bunch of guys that get together and do guys things.

I see it as something like a red hat society for men, but instead of using red hats they use hard hats.  So if you’re interested check them out.  I thought it would be something interesting to take a look at.  Nobody likes the guy that talks about safety all the time.

Technorati Tags: hard hat brotherhood, hard hats, safety

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