Create a safe workplace

Don’t leave your safety to your EH&S manager to handle.  Look around your workplace with “fresh eyes”.  Imagine your kids are working there.  Would you change anything?

Check out the top ten most frequently cited standards for OSHA in 2009.

Control of hazardous energy, Lockout/Tagout: Employees must be safeguarded from the unexpected startup or energization of equipment.  Are your energy sources marked with lockout/Tagout devices and signs?

Hazard Communication: Are you trained to handle the chemicals you work with?  Have they been marked with the appropriate labels?  Are the material safety data sheets (MSDS’s) available for you to view?

Scaffolding: 72% of workers who are injured in scaffold accidents are due to planking issues.  Do you keep a record of how often your scaffolding gets inspected?

Fall Protection: Fall protection must be provided at four feet in general industry, five feet in maritime and six feet in construction. However, regardless of the fall distance, fall protection must be provided when working over dangerous equipment and machinery.  Training and fall protection equipment is key to keeping you safe while on-the-job.

Don’t leave the work to someone else.  If you know something is definitely in need of being addressed, do what you can to make it right.   Your life depends on it.

-BDust

Calibration labels explained

How do you keep track of equipment inspections, calibrations and maintenance?  A quick and easy way is to use write-on status labels.

These labels feature a pressure-sensitive adhesive that will aggressively bond to any curved or flat surface.  Available in a variety of sizes and shapes to fit into most spaces, machine status stickers will keep your maintenance team and employees informed of the most recent work done on sensitive equipment.  The standard labels are 5/8”high x 1-1/2”wide and fit into areas where space is limited on machines and instruments.  Alternatives are 1”diameter and ½”h x 1-1/8”w mini labels.

The type of environment your label needs to be placed in affects your choice of label material.  Most standard labels resist dirt and moisture.  Vinyl cloth labels have a more aggressive hold and withstand temperatures up to 180°.  A self-laminating label has an added benefit of covering your wording to guard against tampering, oils and chemicals from washing away your information.

Just use pen, pencil, stamp ink or a permanent marker to write on the surface of the label.  Stick the decal onto your machinery.  You are done.

From calibration to quality control to inventory management, you can choose from a wide selection of label wordings to cover any situation.

-BDust

Should your business be awarded based only on price?

We all know what the downturn in the economy has had on the bottom line.  One of the most notable effects has been how purchasing managers switch to different vendors with cheaper products.  But the question that comes up is:  Do the new materials really cost less in the long-term?

When a new vendor is chosen, there will inevitably be a change in the material itself.  Does your new product have the same durability as what you are used to getting?  Steven Toth, a Health and Safety Coordinator at Aero Instruments and Avionics in North Tonawanda says, “while a low price is nice, if it doesn’t work or has to be repeatedly replaced, it’s not a good value.”  He purchases plastic duro-tags from Emedco because the tags don’t need frequent replacing.  In fact, he hasn’t had to replace his eyewash inspection tags for 3 years!

Work with your purchasing and quality assurance teams when making these decisions.  The time and money your company spends to research and try out new vendors may not make it cost-effective in the long-term.

-BDust

Get more Tag for your buck!

With the economy still not where we want it to be and company budgets still tight, how do you pick a tag for your facility with the best value?

Answering the following questions will help you pinpoint the best choice for your application.

• Where will the tag be used?

Cardstock is recommended for indoor-use only in clean, dry environments, whereas Tyvek and Plastic Duro-Tag materials are also durable enough to withstand harsh wet conditions.

• What will you use the Tag for?

For record-keeping, choose a multi-part tag.  Selections include perforated cardstock or tyvek, carbonless-copy or 3-part cardstock.

• How long will the tag be used for?

For temporary or short-term indoor applications, a cardstock tag is the perfect choice.  In situations requiring high-visibility, fluorescent colors are a great option.  For long-term and permanent use, choose a heavy-duty tyvek tag or an indestructible plastic Duro-Tag.  Tyvek tags are best for harsh indoor use and limited outdoor exposure.  Duro-Tags work well for industrial and long-term outdoor applications.  Made in our Buffalo, New York plant, we are so proud of our Plastic Duro-Tags that we offer a lifetime guarantee.

Whatever you choose, know that Emedco can supply you with the best selection of tags for your workplace.  We stand by our products.

-BDust

Would you recognize your lockout person?

So, you’re part of a team working on some equipment and you need to get it started.  You notice a lockout tag and padlock attached to the power supply.  On the tag is the name of the person who is supposed to remove the padlock.  How do you go about finding that person to remove their lock if you are not familiar with their name?

E-Z Photo Lock-out Tags makes this process easier by including a photo of the specific employee who applied the lockout device.  Write the name and contact info of the person authorized to remove the lock.  Place a photo onto the calendared vinyl tag and remove the backing of the self-laminating overlay.

Compliant with OSHA 1910.147, these tags are durable enough to last in any facility.  The laminate protects against chemicals, abrasion, grease and solvents.

Having photos on lockout tags also acts as a reminder of what’s at stake when you are working with energy sources and large machinery.

Do your tags comply with OSHA standard 1910? (part 2)

OSHA standard 1910.147 requires that tags used for lockout/tagout must be constructed and printed so that exposure to weather conditions, moisture or chemicals will not cause the tags to deteriorate or become illegible.  Durotags exceed these specifications.  Laminated on both sides, Durotags are fade-proof, weatherproof and chemical resistant.  They feature a 3/8″ i.d. metal grommet that prevents tearing at the point of attachment.

Tag attachments need to be non-reusable, attachable by hand, self-locking and non-releasable with no less than 50 pounds of pull-strength.  The purpose of this regulation is help eliminate the possibility of your tags inadvertently falling off or being knocked off your equipment.  Fasteners don’t need to be any particular length as long as they allow the tag to hang from the lockout point.

Do your tags comply with OSHA standard 1910.145? (part 1)

OSHA standard 1910.145 requires that tags are used to prevent accidental injuries or illnesses to your employees who may become exposed to “hazardous conditions, equipment or operations which are out of the ordinary, unexpected or not readily apparent”.

Each tag must have an appropriate header (“signal word”) and indicate what the specific hazard is or instructions for your employees to follow.  Headers can be written text, pictographs or both.  Danger, Caution, Warning or Biohazard are approved signal words and must be readable at a minimum of 5 ft. or more, based on the hazard.

Tags are usually made of cardstock, paper, plastic, tyvek or aluminum.  They should be attached as close to the hazard as possible using string, wire or adhesive that will stand up to unintentional removal or loss.

-BD

Have you posted your DART Summary for this past year?

Employers who aren’t exempt from OSHA’s recordkeeping requirements have to prepare and maintain records of work-related injuries and illnesses.  The summary of the past calendar year should be posted for your employees from February 1 to April 30 for their review.

Are you required to maintain this information?

___  Do you have less than 10 employees at any one time during the last calendar year?

___  Is your company’s SIC Code listed on this list of partially exempt industries?

___  Have you been asked in writing to keep records under § 1904.41 or § 1904.42?

If you answer yes to any of the above three questions, you are required to record and report work-related fatalities, injuries and illnesses.

Where do you get this information to post?

Your company is required to log recordable cases of work-related injuries and illnesses on OSHA form 300 and summarize the data for review on OSHA form 300A.  Your safety manager should have a log of this information.  You can purchase one at Emedco.com.

What’s your DART?

DART Rate is a measurement of workplace injuries that allows OSHA to benchmark safety records for any industry.  You can do a quick calculation of your company’s DART Rate and Injury and Illness Incidence Rate using Emedco’s DART Rate Estimator.

Current data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics from 2008 lets you compare your company’s DART or Injury & Illness Incidence Rate to others in your industry.  For Injury and Illness rates, click here.  For DART rates, click here.  Find your industry by searching for your NAICS code along the left.  If you don’t know what your NAICS code is, you can cross-reference it using your SIC code on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website.