|
|||||
|
National Public Radio (NPR) recently reported their findings of an investigation of safety issues at the Upper Big Branch mine in West Virginia. I was listening to the report while enjoying my morning walk in a nearby park. It stopped me in my tracks! As part of their investigative report, NPR discovered that there were situations at the mine when the methane gas monitors on continuous mining machines were disabled because By Don Hoeschele, MS, CHMM The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) recently approved recommendations to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and other organizations to help prevent explosions and fires during pipe cleaning and These are tough economic times and businesses are looking to cut costs and save money. Trained workers are safer workers. The facts bear this out. Shortsighted statements I’ve heard include; “We don’t have problems in that area, so we’re cutting back on training.”, when the training was most likely the reason for the lack of problems. Sarah Stibbe Damaskos Certified Industrial Hygienists (“CIH”) are cool. Sometimes they do get to wear October is Fire Safety Month. We’ll see the billboards and commercials and kids will learn about fire in school, but what does it mean? It’s time to replace the batteries in your smoke detectors and don’t forget the carbon monoxide detectors, there should be one near all bedrooms. Check your fire extinguishers. Is the charge still good? What’s the expiration date? If you have kids, do they know what to do in case of fire? The numbers speak An effort to raise awareness – You never know when an emergency is going to happen. You must be and stay prepared for the unexpected at home, in school, at the workplace and in your community. Some emergencies which may happen: A Biological Threat , Blackouts, Earthquakes, Explosions, Fires, Floods, Hurricanes, Influenza Pandemic, Tornadoes, Wildfires, Winter Storms 1. Create a EHS Top Ten Tuesday: Fire Safety 1. Approximately 75% of fire related deaths are due to smoke inhalation rather than burns or other injuries. 2. Arson is the leading cause of non-residential structure fires in the United States, followed by electrical distribution systems. 3. Good housekeeping and proper storage of flammables and combustibles are important but often overlooked aspects of fire prevention and safety. Waste should not be allowed to accumulate. Combustible or flammable wastes should be removed daily. 1. OSHA regulation 29 CFR 1910.134 details the requirements for a Respiratory Protection Program. 2. A Respiratory Protection Program is mandatory if any employee is required to wear any type of respirator during the course of their job. 3. The establishment and maintenance of a Respiratory Protection Program is the responsibility of the employer and must of: a written program, employee training, fit testing’ and medical surveillance. 4. All employees who will be issued respiratory protection must be medically Top Ten Things You Need to Know About…HEAT STRESS 1. Our bodies get stressed by heat and then are unable to cool down by sweating. What You Should Know About Access to Your Employment Medical Records A friend recently told me that he might be developing an allergy to his office. We laughed about being allergic to work, but since he knows that I am in an industrial hygienist, he was serious about getting my opinion. He asked my thoughts about the source of his allergy. I suggested that he should see if anything |
|||||
|
Copyright © 2012 EHSWire - All Rights Reserved |
|||||