Procedures For Safe Aerosol Can Disposal

If your industry makes regular use of aerosol cans, then you know just how much of a hassle it can be to find storage space for all of your empties until it is time to take them to the local hazardous waste disposal site. Even if you do have a dumpster or storage room dedicated to aerosol cans, you might be nervous about the idea of stockpiling an item that is well known to be a risk for accidental explosion.

Acetylene Storage – New Regulations

A substantial part of creating a safe environment for workers involves minimizing the chances that an employee’s surroundings will in some way contribute to or increase the risk of an accident occurring. Risk managers must frequently engage in the evaluation of a facility’s design, particularly if it is often reconfigured in order to accommodate new projects, or if employees are often asked to move around the building or complex and perform their particular jobs in changing circumstances.

Compressed Gas Cylinders – A Question of Respect

Compressed gas is a fixture at many job sites, but it is also an element which can pose a several potential hazard in terms of worker health and safety. As a result, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has imposed many layers of clear regulations and guidelines designed to help protect those who work with compressed gases from the dangers that surround their use.

OSHA Issues Grain Handling Safety Reminder

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been forced to reiterate the policies outlined in their Grain Handling Facilities standard, due to a rash of recent injuries and fatalities in the industry. The reminder serves to draw attention to section 1910.272 of the standard[2], which outlines a comprehensive safety policy that can help to save lives and prevent the type of accidents which have recently grabbed headlines.

Hazardous Materials – Hazard Communication Standards

In the workplace, there are certain types of hazards that are quite clear. For example, the idea that injuries could result due to a fall down a long, slippery metal stairwell, or through accidental contact with a rapidly-spinning steel blade do not need to be explained to anyone. However, there are scenarios where the dangers are not so immediately obvious, making it difficult for workers to know exactly which precautions they need to take and what type of personal protective equipment they need to wear.

Identifying Dust Explosion Risks – An Overview for Risk Managers

Controlling the risk of dust explosions in the workplace involves an understanding of the specific elements that go into creating a hazardous situation. Risk managers are already familiar with the Fire Triangle, which is the combination of elements that together form the necessary building blocks for fire: an ignition source, oxygen and fuel. However, a dust explosion introduces two other elements into the equation.

OSHA Publishes Ethylene Oxide Guide for Small Businesses

Hospital and health workers are not strangers to the everyday dangers involved in their line of work, such as exposure to violent patients, unhealthy lifting situations or even unexpected failures of protective equipment such as gloves or scrubs. However, there are some concerns in the health workplace that are much more difficult to prepare for – largely because they are invisible.

Five Industries that Should Consider Safety Cabinets

Although, safety cabinets have been a staple in the construction industry for years, there are a variety of other companies and industries that should seriously consider making the switch. Typically, safety cabinets are used when companies are frequently dealing with hazardous chemicals.

Hazardous Materials Transportation – Spill Containment Options

Not all hazardous materials issues are confined solely to the jobsite itself. Risk managers are often called upon to consult with and advise logistics personnel with regards to the safe transportation of chemicals and gases that pose a danger to those around them should they be mishandled or should an accident occur. While training of those who are called upon to interact with these materials while they are being transported is an important part of reducing the risks involved, the use of the proper safety equipment can also help to create a much safer process for all involved.

OSHA Releases Final Rule for Acetylene Storage Requirements

On November 9th 2009, the revised OSHA standard for acetylene will take effect; but for many in the industry the new revision comes as no surprise.