Industrial Safety & Hygiene News articles from August 2006

Industrial Safety & Hygiene News archives from August 2006

Building a safety culture: changing human behavior takes time--and education.
August 1, 2006... Building a safety culture in your organization does not happen overnight. At the root of a safety culture is behavior, and changing human behavior requires education. Changes occur on two levels: getting the individual to stop doing some things...

Money talks, culture walks? Survey says: money matters most to employees.(EDITORIAL: comments)
August 1, 2006... For all the talk about safety cultures these days, a reality check might be in order. And we received one last week via email from, the Society for Human Resource Management, in the form of the group's annual employee job satisfaction survey....

Worker killed in oil well accident.(news SCAN)
August 1, 2006... An oil field worker was killed and two others injured July 6 when a malfunction at a southwestern Oklahoma oil rig sent pipe careening through the facility, according to the Associated Press. The oil well drilling operation was located...

Survey says: time is biggest obstacle to safety education.(news SCAN)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... What's the biggest obstacle to teaching employees about workplace safety? If you answered "lack of time" you have plenty of company. The Detroit Free Press reports that a recently released statewide survey shows that a quarter of polled...

Insomnia sufferers have higher rate of absence at work.(news SCAN)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... Employees who suffer from insomnia have a significantly higher rate of absence at work than those who sleep well, according to a study by sleep researchers. Some 50 percent of employees who suffer from insomnia have at least one time of...

New online resource available for steel product workers.(news SCAN)
August 1, 2006... A new page on OSHA's Web site is aimed at assisting employers and employees with information on OSHA workplace standards for steel product manufacturing. The Basic Steel Products page, a new Safety and Health topic, is a product of...

Fatigue a factor in rise of state worker injuries?(news SCAN)
August 1, 2006... Corrections officers, juvenile services counselors and other public workers in Maryland are getting hurt on the job in record numbers, documents show, straining state finances at a time when a savings fund to pay for workplace injuries has been...

Strong management a key to culture change.(news SCAN)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... "Safety management isn't about preventing accidents; it's about management learning to manage better," says Samuel J. Gualardo, CSP, of National Safety Consultants, Inc. In his presentation on achieving organizational safety and health...

Crippling keyboards?(news SCAN)(Brief article)
August 1, 2006... With all the dangers present in many workplaces, carpel tunnel syndrome remains one of the most crippling work injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, CTS, while not the most frequently reported injury, sidelines workers for the...

Where OSHA stands on current issues.(rules & REGS)
August 1, 2006... Where does OSHA currently stand on some of today's top safety and health issues? Though there were no major new announcements, OSHA administrator Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. provided an update recently when he spoke at the ASSE Safety 2006 PDC & Expo...

Sears settles fall hazards case.(rules & REGS)
August 1, 2006... Giant retailer Sears will adopt a safety and health program to ensure that all powered industrial trucks are operated in a safe manner, as part of a settlement agreement announced June 29 by OSHA. The settlement applies to all Sears stores...

OSHA renews several key alliances.(rules & REGS)
August 1, 2006... OSHA has been busy in recent months continuing its outreach efforts by renewing a number of key industry alliances. On July 12 the agency renewed its pact with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP) and the Council on...

Firm faces fines in confined space entry case.(rules & REGS)
August 1, 2006... A West Virginia company faces $117,500 in fines for failing to protect its workers from safety and health hazards from a job site in Cheshire, Ohio, according to OSHA. Onyx Industrial Services, Inc., of Nitro, W.Va., was cited for multiple...

Despite citations, plant victimized by deadly fire.(rules & REGS)
August 1, 2006... Workplace inspectors have returned to a Carthage, Ohio, dog-food plant in the wake of a fatal fire. OSHA had issued nine citations to the company, Origo, last year--two for inadequate portable fire extinguishers. An explosion rocked the...

New pact to promote safety among building material workers.(rules & REGS)
August 1, 2006... OSHA has entered into a new alliance with United Building Centers (UBC) designed to promote workplace safety and health for some 5,500 workers in 18 states. Through the pact, OSHA and UBC, one of the nation's major industrial employers,...

When groups take risks; a bike ride brings principles to life.(PSYCHOLOGY of safety)
August 1, 2006... My 12-mile bike ride one recent morning was interrupted by an event that adversely affected my attitude and self-talk. Here's what happened: At the beginning of my route near my home in Newport, Va., I encountered about 20 bikers traveling in...

Protecting pregnant employees in the U.S.: using global information is a necessity.(MANAGING BEST practices)
August 1, 2006... In last month's column we learned that it's difficult to protect a pregnant employee in the U.S. A pregnant employee and her physician, with the employer as an interface, will determine if workplace risks are acceptable or not. The feds don't...

So you want to be best-in-class? Here are seven characteristics to benchmark.(POSITIVE SAFETY cultures)
August 1, 2006... Going back at least as far as the early 1980s, to the study done by Tom Peters and Bob Waterman in the now classic In Search of Excellence, and continuing today in the work of many management gurus, a small subset of companies have been...

8 steps to shaping your safety culture.
August 1, 2006... In order to improve your workplace safety culture, follow these eight steps and you'll be on the road to positive change. 1 Know the "now" safety culture A thorough understanding of the existing culture must be accomplished. This can...

Sure footing: improve safety--and productivity--with anti-fatigue flooring.(facility safety)
August 1, 2006... Installing anti-fatigue matting in your workplace to improve work conditions seems, on the surface, like a pretty simple endeavor. Surprisingly, however, many companies use the wrong products for their applications. When the correct...

Handle with care: use proper containers for handling flammable liquids.(facility safety)
August 1, 2006... Pound for pound, flammable liquids can explode with more force than dynamite. For example, five gallons of gasoline is estimated to explode with a force equal to 415 pounds of dynamite. Let's look at proper procedures for handling, storing,...

Cradle-to-cradle product optimization: go beyond chemical management by employing environmentally sustainable products.(facility safety)
August 1, 2006... Environmental, health & safety (EHS) professionals have been tasked with managing chemical inventories and resulting residues from production processes for decades. Efforts to reduce a chemical's overall environmental impact have involved using...

4 Steps to medical waste management for non-healthcare facilities.(facility safety)
August 1, 2006... Managing sharps and other medical waste in the non-healthcare business setting has been an issue for years. On-site medical clinics bear little difference from off-site doctors' offices and therefore face similar management issues regarding...

Respiratory protection: with deadline near, will you be ready for new hex chrome rules?
August 1, 2006... In February of this year, OSHA published an amendment to several sections of 29 CFR 1910. These changes address workers' exposure to hexavalent chromium (Chromium VI), and include three new sections. This new ruling became effective in March,...

1 High visibility earplug.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 259 The redesigned Deci 4200[TM] earplug from North now features a softer Hi-Viz orange tapered foam for increased comfort and better fit along with an NRR ruling of 33dB (corded and not corded). The new, slightly larger tapered...

2 Mask-mounted PAPR.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 254 Survivair's mask-mounted PAPR is lightweight,and intrinsically safe. Silicone full facepieces are available and come in small and standard sizes. All full facepieces come standard with a speaking diaphragm to enhance...

3 Pancake filter.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 250 North's 75FFP100NL is a P100 low-profile flexible filter offering protection from nuisance-level (below the PEL) odors of organic vapors, acid gases and ozone in a single pancake style filter. Designed to fit comfortably under...

4 Ultra-soft earplugs.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 258 New Skull Screws earplugs from Peltor NEXT feature a unique steely gray finish that gives them a tough-as-nails look, but are actually made of ultra-soft foam that offers all-day comfort. Along with high-impact packaging...

5 Fit Tester.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 252 Fast and accurate, the OHD FitTester 3000 provides easy-to-use quantitative fit testing utilizing the reliable principle of Controlled Negative Pressure (CNP). A fit test can be performed in as little as two to three minutes....

6 Supplied air respirator.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 255 E-Z Airline from Scott offers ideal protection and comfort when extended wear times are required in non-IDLH environments such as industrial and construction work. As a Type C positive pressure respirator, the E-Z Airline...

7 Particulate respirators.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 251 The EZ 22 Series and EZ 23 Series N95 particulate respirators from Moldex are simple to put on and take off, featuring the patented FLEXWING[TM] design that has only one adjustable cotton strap. The NIOSH-certified respirators...

8 Electronic earmuff.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 256 Elvex Impulse foldable ear muff is equipped with noise suppression and communications circuitry. Users get impulse noise suppression, while the electronic circuitry enhances weak sounds, such as an instructor's voice. An impulse...

9 Protective earmuffs.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 260 RidgeLine's Pro-Tekt Industrial Line protects users from dangerous noise , levels while still allowing full awareness of surroundings. Dynamic Level Sound Compression (DLSC[TM]) protects hearing without shutting off...

10 Air purifying respirators.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 253 AOSafety offers two new innovative air purifying respirators: QuickFit is a full facemask respirator that goes on and off with a turn or pull of the QuickDial; and QuickLatch Flex allows quick breaks with the flip of a latch....

11 Folding banded earplugs.(respiratory & hearing protection)
August 1, 2006... CIRCLE 257 The PetCap[R] from Howard Leight is a unique folding banded set of earplugs that can be worn under-the-chin, over-the-bead and behind-the-neck. A semi-aural protector, PerCap's soft polyureuthane ear pods seal the opening of the...

Electronic noise cancellation: guard your workers against low-frequency noise hazards.
August 1, 2006... When it comes to hearing protection, workers are typically offered passive ear defenders in the form of earplugs or earmuffs that employ acoustic foam to block noise waves from entering the ear. Passive ear defenders are quite effective for...

Emergency eyewash stations on the job: understanding, education & compliance deliver safety, productivity and cost savings.
August 1, 2006... Non-compliance with emergency eyewash safety standards is a serious issue in today's workplace. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), this lack of compliance contributes to a reported 2,000 injured U.S....

Foam glove.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 266 The G-Tek[TM] DynaMax foam glove from PIP comes in heavyweight Style 19-D470, ideal for use in electronics, glass cutting and metal handling. The washable glove is made of Dyneema[R] and engineered yarns with a foam nitrile palm...

Photoluminescent tape.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 262 New Stay-Put[TM] photoluminescent tape from AddLight is a cast polymer film that the company describes as paint on a roll. The peel-and-stick vinyl-free construction provides conformable, durable and permanent adhesion. Ideal...

Supplemental oxygen.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 263 A lightweight portable companion to an AED, LIFE[R] Emergency Oxygen SoftPac[TM] provides supplemental oxygen to a breathing victim before the onset of fibrillation, oxygen-enriched CPR to a non-breathing victim, or continued...

Lone Worker Safety.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 264 The Lone Worker Safety System from Grace Industries incorporates the company's wireless "man-down" alarms and the use of high-performance spread spectrum radio signaling to provide assistance in emergency situations. For use in...

3/4" Finger glove.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 267 Made from split cowhide, Wells Lamont's new SUG 838 glove has a 3/4" length finger design and features patented KwikPulL[TM] fingerless glove removal assists. Other features include: Airdex[TM] breathable, stretchable spandex...

Biohazard Kit.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 265 North's Biohazard PPE Kit reduces potential worker exposure against a broad range of pathogens and other threats from influenza or occupational exposures to microorganisms. North PPE items included in the kit are goggles, N95...

Safety signs.(products NEWS)
August 1, 2006... Circle 261 New products from Accuform Signs include the innovative line of Lenticular Signs (two images in one), Photo-Image Digi-Day[TM] Electronic Scoreboards, and an extensive line of multilingual signage. These products, along with...

Miller Fall Protection, Bacou-Dalloz.(BUSINESSES)
August 1, 2006... Miller Fall Protection, Bacou-Dalloz completed expansion of its Franklin, Pa., manufacturing facility in a dedication ceremony June 21. Housing a new state-of-the-art fall protection technology and training center, the ISO 9001:2000-certified...

AliMed[R], Inc., a designer, manufacturer and distributor of OR/surgical, critical care and diagnostic imaging products, has partnered with UniMed to feature Sharps Compliance Mail Away Sharps Disposable Systems.(BUSINESSES)
August 1, 2006... AliMed[R], Inc., a designer, manufacturer and distributor of OR/surgical, critical care and diagnostic imaging products, has partnered with UniMed to feature Sharps Compliance Mail Away Sharps Disposable Systems. The system provides a simple,...

Honeywell Analytics.(BUSINESSES)
August 1, 2006... Honeywell Analytics has been awarded SAFEcontractor certification status for maintaining high standards of health and safety for service operations in the United Kingdom.

Pelican[TM] Products.(MOVES)
August 1, 2006... Pelican[TM] Products, a manufacturer of protective cases and safety-approved flashlights, has named Matt Miller as director of sales for the Commercial Division and Scott Jones as the director of sales for National Accounts.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation Research Committee and the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety have announced that they will fund two extensive studies aimed at helping prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).(ASSOCIATIONS)
August 1, 2006... The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) Foundation Research Committee and the Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety have announced that they will fund two extensive studies aimed at helping prevent work-related musculoskeletal...

Events.(calendar)(Brief article)(Calendar)
August 1, 2006... september ASSE Continuing Education--Math Review, Sept. 10; ASP Workshop, Sept. 11-13; Safety Management I, Sept. 11-13; Safety Management II, Sept. 14-15; CSP Workshop, Sept. 14-16, Denver, CO, American Society of Safety Engineers, (847)...

What's brewin' in the safety industry? Notes from ASSE's Professional Development Conference & Expo in Seattle.
August 1, 2006... ASSE's Safety 2006, June 11-14 in Seattle, was a hit. Attendance records were broken (3,941 attendees), conference sessions were well attended, and expo vendors seemed giddy with the quality of sales leads. The show was high energy. Not a lot...