Author: svalente

Rigging and hoisting of steel members and materials are essential parts of the steel erection process. However, in addition to the dangers usually associated with cranes and derricks, steel erection can also create hazards, such as suspended loads over employees.

Cranes are one of the most versatile, powerful and important pieces of construction equipment, accomplishing heavy lifting and moving tasks more efficiently. They are also one the most dangerous pieces of equipment, creating fall and struck-by hazards as heavy, suspended loads move over large areas. Employees working with and around cranes need to understand these hazards, as accidents with suspended loads are serious and potentially fatal.

Crane accidents are a leading cause of death and injury on construction jobs. Workers may be at risk to being struck by loads or equipment or getting caught in between moving equipment, materials and power lines.

The manufacturer or importer of a chemical is required by OSHA to develop a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) that contains specific, detailed information about the chemical’s hazard using a specified format.

The label on the chemical is intended to convey information about the hazards posed by the chemical through standardized label elements, including symbols, signal words and hazard statements.

Upon initial assignment and when a new chemical is introduced into the workplace, employees must be provided with hazard communication training.

This month’s SPS Safety Focus is all about electrical and lock out/tag out. An extension cord looks harmless, but most extension cords carry 110 volts of electricity, and 110 volts can kill.

Check out these tips for Working Around electricity safely:

This month’s SPS Safety Focus is all about Traffic Control.

Did you Know: Every year there are many accidents resulting in injury and damage due to carelessness when backing vehicles. Incidents involving backing vehicles are not uncommon among worker-on-foot fatalities. Backing accidents are preventable.

Work zones on roadways are increasingly dangerous places, both for workers and for those traveling through them. Using barricades and warning devices at job sites directs traffic flow and helps to ensure the safety of motorists and workers.

These garments are required for ALL workers within the right-of-way. Here are some facts about what makes something “hi-viz”:

Do you know there’s a killer on the job that you probably meet face-to-face every day? The common, ordinary ladder. Ladders are involved in many accidents, some of which are fatal. Your life literally can depend on knowing how to inspect, use, and care for this tool.

In general, there are two types of respirators Air Purifying and Supplied Air. Respirators work by either filtering particles from the air, chemically cleaning (purifying) the air, or supplying clean air from an outside source.

Respirators should be used whenever it is necessary to protect the health of an employee from contaminated air. Also, when viable engineering controls are not available. With the correct cartridges these respirators can be used for the following…

Respirators are not always appropriate or safe for use, specifically in the following tasks/scenarios…

It’s National Work Zone Awareness Week. What many fail to recognize is the vast majority of people killed in work zone crashes are motorists and their passengers. In 2021, 778 drivers and their passengers died in work zones (based on NHTSA FARS data), making it all the more important for drivers to slow down and stay focused while approaching and passing through a roadway work zone.

Wednesday, April 17, 2024 is Go Orange Day. Go Orange Day provides an opportunity to unite in wearing orange to show support for the men and women who work tirelessly to keep our roads safe.

It’s no surprise that distracted driving is dangerous, but did you know it claimed 3,308 lives in 2022? NHTSA leads the national effort to save lives by preventing this dangerous behavior. Get the facts, get involved, and help us keep America’s roads safe.

Falls from one level to another are among the leading causes of severe injuries and deaths among workers in the United States. And to add insult to injury, no pun intended, many workers who were injured or killed were wearing a full body harness as part of a personal fall arrest system, but their full body harness was not properly worn or adjusted, and it failed to work.

You’ve got your full body harness on and properly adjusted, and you’ve attached the proper end of your lanyard to the back D-ring on your harness. The next step is to attach the other end of your lanyard to an anchor point. But selecting the wrong anchor point could have some painful, or even deadly, ramifications. That means you must put some serious thought put into what you hook off to with your lanyard.

Lanyards (or self-retracting lifelines) reduce the arresting forces on a worker during a fall. The standard lanyard length could vary. Follow these guidelines for safe use of lanyards…

Falls are a leading cause of construction injuries and fatalities. Workers can fall from ladders, scaffolds, vehicles, heavy equipment, aerial lifts, platforms, and roofs, and through holes or openings in floors or roofs. Guardrails can prevent a fall.