Industrial Safety & Hygiene News articles from July 2001

Industrial Safety & Hygiene News archives from July 2001

Don't step inside confirmed spaces until you've checked your gear.
July 1, 2001... Confined spaces can contain many serious hazards to worker health and safety: Atmospheric hazards include oxygen deficiency -- the number one cause of confined space fatalities; oxygen enrichment and combustible gases, which pose...

The problem with rules.(at home and work)
July 1, 2001... Do pledges and promises make a difference? House rules. We have a few, as I'm sure many of you do. Ours are prominently taped to a door, and set down obligations for walking the dog, taking out trash, cleaning up -- everyday stabs at...

OSHA inspections.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... How often are work sites actually inspected by OSHA? Should I worry about it? Worry? Since operating a safe workplace is the law, you have to assure compliance, but not out of fear of being inspected -- unless you are in a high hazard...

Staffing levels set for firefighter crews.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... For the first time ever, fire protection standards mandate the number of firefighters to be sent out on calls and response times for answering emergencies. The standards, issued by the National Fire Protection Association are voluntary,...

New TRI reporting & research software.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... "TRIAL" is a new software program that makes it easier for facilities that must file annual Toxics Release Inventory reports to access all TRI reporting regulations and guidance on interpreting those regs. The software is available on EPA's TRI...

New steel erection rule goes into effect.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Unless a review by Bush administration officials holds up OSHA's steel erection standard, the rule's new requirements go into effect July 17. The standard was published in the last days of the Clinton administration, and all regulations...

Work on a voluntary standard picks up speed.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... A new ANSI committee charged with drawing up voluntary requirements for how to organize and audit workplace health and safety practices, similar to ISO quality and environmental "management systems" standards, held its second meeting May 17 and...

Time to get tough on SEAT BELT SLACKERS.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The first-ever national report card on vehicle safety from the National Safety Council gives 19 states Ds and Fs for driver and passenger safety. States that score the highest, such as California, achieved success through strong seat belt laws...

Look who's leading industrial hygienists.(American Industrial Hygiene Association President-elect Gayla McCluskey)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... It's worth noting recent leadership changes at the American Industrial Hygiene Association, especially in light of the group's efforts (unsuccessful) in recent years to change its name, and the name of its annual conference, to something more...

WHAT'S YOUR BREAKING POINT?(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Survey shows workers being pushed past their limits Safety and health jobs are naturals for making you feel overworked and overwhelmed. You know this by now, and a study of 1,000 working adults confirms it. Characteristics of safety...

Depression's damage: Sick days and lost productivity.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Improving healthcare for depressed workers can help raise their spirits and your bottom line, according to a study that finds office workers who are depressed are twice as likely to call in sick and miss work compared with their colleagues. ...

Does your safety & health program pass the test?(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The American Industrial Hygiene Association recently endorsed these universal environmental health and safety responsibilities on the part of employers every where. How does your program measure up? * Provide and maintain a working...

Take a seat.(ergonomic seating)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Humantech ergonomists suggest following these tips when selecting and using ergonomic seating in the office: 1 Select a chair that easily adjusts in height. The range of adjustment should be enough for your particular body shape as well as...

Scary safety messages that work.(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Spell out the consequences and your recommendations Remember the public service ad that used to scare people away from using illegal drugs? It showed an egg, a frying pan, and then the egg frying in the pan. "This is your brain. This is...

Ready for the new era of EHS?(environmental health and safety)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Don't be so sure everything is "under control" With major environmental health and safety regulatory and technology hurdles behind them -- and success evident -- many EHS pros are falling into the mindset of Charles Duell, commissioner of...

"What's our industrial hygiene measure?".(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Traditional metrics don't meet executive needs Your CEO turns to you at a meeting and asks, "How do we measure industrial hygiene performance?" What would you say? It's not an easy question to answer. There may be a few exceptions, but...

VAPOR EXHAUST HOSE.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Federal's CVE Hose is made with a durable, flexible 100% polyester-based fabric, laminated with a special oil-resistant membrane. The use of this special material makes this hose an ideal choice for exhausting air where chemicals or oil mists...

VENTILATION SYSTEM.(from Allegro Industries)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Allegro Industries' complete ventilation systems include the most needed equipment for a typical confined space site. The systems include a choice of Allegro's most popular blowers, six feet and 15 feet of ducting with a storage rack, a Saddle...

PORTABLE DETECTOR.(from MSA Instrument Div.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)(Panel Discussion)
July 1, 2001... The Orion four-gas portable detector features one-button calibration, rugged construction that resists dust and water penetration, and a 16- to 20-hour run time. With an internal pump and charger included, the unit measures oxygen, hydrogen...

FOUR-GAS MONITOR.(from RKI Instruments)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... RKI's GX-2001 four-gas monitor weighs only six ounces and is about the size of a pager. The unit simultaneously monitors combustibles, oxygen, carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulfide. Standard features include a vibration alarm and...

MULTIGAS MONITOR.(from Industrial Scientific Corp.)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... The MG14O multigas monitor from Industrial Scientific is ideal for confined space applications in virtually every industry. The instrument continuously monitors the surrounding air and displays the concentration of oxygen, combustible gas,...

Strange but true CONFINED SPACE stories.
July 1, 2001... Be prepared for the unexpected The incidents described in this article are all based on actual confined space situations. To protect both the guilty, the innocent and my sources, I have changed identifying details. These changes do not...

STEPS TO MERGING.(behavior-based safety)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Behavior-based safety & ergonomics Behavior-based safety (BBS) approaches should naturally incorporate ergonomic improvements relating to tools, materials and equipment processes. It's a powerful combination of best practices. BBS focuses...

Keep your hands to yourself.(hand protection on the job)
July 1, 2001... Five tips for preventing amputations and other injuries Everyone can relate to the need for protecting our hands. We've all had blisters, miscues with a hammer, finger cuts, or maybe even fractures at work or at home. No matter what product...

PROTECTING YOUR HANDS.(employee safety)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Involves more than puffing on gloves Considerable damage to hands and fingers can happen when employees stick them where they don't belong. Our hands -- complex and wonderfully designed tools -- are capable of performing a range of motor...

CUT PROTECTION.(Ansell SafeKnit CX gloves)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Ansell has introduced SafeKnit CX, a glove to serve the metal fabrication, metal stamping and sheet metal handling professions. The glove's blend of high-performance SafeKnit CX fibers and cotton yam provide cut protection and comfort that...

EXAM GLOVE.(from Sempermed)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... The Polymed[R] exam glove features "fusion" bonding of latex and synthetic polymers. This creates a multilayer glove that combines the elasticity of latex and the strength of copolymers, which protects against cracking and/or peeling in normal...

PROTECTIVE CREAM.(SBS Protect from DEB SBS)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... SBS Protect[TM], an all-purpose protective cream, creates a barrier on the users' hands to keep both water- and solvent-based irritants from coming in contact with your skin. Because contaminants are not absorbed into skin, clean-up is fast,...

PROTECTIVE GLOVES.(from Marigold Industrial)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Marigold[R] Industrial 12-in, unsupported PVC Supasoft[TM] gloves replace traditional PVC gauntlets and breathable PVC-coated gloves in many applications. Supasoft[TM] gloves are a good alternative to natural rubber latex gloves, when latex...

WORK GLOVES.(from Wells Lamont)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Constructed with a high-impact vinyl/nitrile foam-padded back, the CoalHandler[R] from Wells Lamont is designed to absorb shock and prevent injury to the vulnerable backside of the hand. The jersey back of 100% DuPont Keviar[R] provides cut and...

FOUR KEYS FOR CONTROLLING BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS HAZARDS.
July 1, 2001... Think of bloodborne pathogens as microorganisms that can be found in blood. There are other bodily fluids that can carry these organisms, but this article, because it deals with industrial exposures, will focus on blood. During recent...

BACK SUPPORT.(lumbar pad from Back-A-Line)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... A peer-reviewed study credited Back-A-Line's patented lumbar pad with "creating proprioceptive feedback," coaxing the spine into better posture and supporting it in that curve. The support can be worn for all activities. It has been awarded the...

EMERGENCY MEDICAL CARD.(from Assurance Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Assurance Co., Ltd. offers a durable, rugged and waterproof emergency medical card that goes wherever the worker goes. No bigger than a credit card, the medical card contains vital emergency and contact information. Assurance Co., Ltd.,...

FREE CATALOG.(from Best Manufacturing)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Free 50th Anniversary Catalog from Best Gloves features 32 pages of its diverse product lines, including: N-DEX (medical and industrial), General Purpose, Chemical Resistant, Cut Resistant and Insulated/Specialty Products. Best Manufacturing...

BURN TREATMENT.(Safetec Burn Gel and Safetec Burn Spray from Safetec of America)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Safetec Burn Gel[TM] (S.B.G.[TM]) and Safetec Burn Spray[TM] (S.B.S.[TM) contain 2% lidocaine and are recommended for quick pain relief of minor bums, without leaving the skin feeling sticky and greasy. Both products come in a single-dose...

EMERGENCY RESPONSE MODULE.(from Knorr Associates)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Knorr Associates Inc. adds an Emergency Response Team (ERT) module to its DataPipe[TM] EH&S Data Management System. The new module helps companies in the semiconductor and other high-risk industries to abide by state and local guidelines...

HAND CLEANER.(from Stockhausen)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 1, 2001... Stockhausen Skin Care has introduced Kresto Select, which has the cleaning power of the original Kresto but is completely solvent-free and safe for the skin. This patented STOKOPON cleaning system is the result of extensive research and testing...

MAINTENANCE MANAGEMENT.(Tiscor's FacilityManager)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... TISCOR's FacilityManager, a paperless computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), is designed to generate work orders and streamline preventive maintenance inspections using Palm Pilots from Symbol Technologies[R]. FacilityManager plans,...

Computerized Screening, Inc.(signs contract with Meijer)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Computerized Screening, Inc. (CSI) of Sparks, Nev., has signed an agreement with Meijer, Inc. of Grand Rapids, Mich., to immediately provide Meijer's stores with the CSI HealthNet[TM] health station. CSI HealthNet health stations provide blood...

Kimberly-Clark Corp.(Away from Home Sector becomes Kimberly-Clark Professional)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Kimberly-Clark Corp. has changed the name of its Away From Home Sector to Kimberly-Clark Professional. The new name more accurately reflects the core values of the business unit, according to its group president, Russ Taylor.

Guide To Safety Products for Welding, Grinding and Cutting.(from 3M)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... 3M has introduced a comprehensive Guide To Safety Products for Welding, Grinding and Cutting. This free guide reviews potential safety problems related to metal working jobs and includes information for addressing these issues. It also provides...

Internet Training Center.(from J.J. Keller and Associates)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... J. J. Keller & Associates, Inc. has unveiled its Internet Training Center, a collection of safety training courses that students can access via the Internet. Developed in response to customer requests, the center provides interactive, online...

AWARDS.(Stockhausen scholarships)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Stockhausen Skin Care has chosen five graduate students in industrial hygiene/occupational safety as recipients of a $2,000 scholarship to use toward their studies in the next academic year. The winners are: George Astrakianakis from the...

MOVES.
July 1, 2001... Best Manufacturing (www.bestglove.com) has hired Mark Wheeler as director of marketing for the company's Industrial Division. He has more than 10 years of integrated. marketing communications experience. Prior to joining Best, he served as an...

Striving for mediocrity?(occupational safety programs)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2001... Most pros say building a business case for health & safety is not a priority The survey in the May 2001 issue of T ISHN provides a good snapshot as to what is on the minds of a slice of health and safety professionals. The fact that...