Industrial Safety & Hygiene News articles from June 2001

Industrial Safety & Hygiene News archives from June 2001

Will computers take over the classroom?(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Sitting a worker down in front of a computer screen for safety training is definitely part of our future in environmental, health and safety. Let's explore some of the issues in this new world of electronic, or e-training. First, let's...

A break in the clouds.(environmental health and safety management)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Time for an EHS attitude adjustment One Friday not long ago I e-mailed contacts in the health and safety field asking for input on timely topics. Come the following Monday morning, any blahs I had turned to blues after reading some of the...

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS.
June 1, 2001... incentives Q: How do I provide incentives to employees for being safe without undermining my incident reporting process? A: Don't link incentives to your incident rate where non-reporting is encouraged. Link incentives to performance...

Needle safety compliance kicks in.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Changes to OSHAs bloodborne pathogens standard went into effect April 10th. Revisions instruct employers to select safer needle devices as they become available, and to involve employees in choosing those devices. These steps are to be taken as...

Industry pollution increased in 1999, says EPA.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... The total quantity of all types of pollution tracked by the federal government increased 323 million pounds, or 1.4 percent, from 1998 to 1999. EPA's Toxics Release Inventory tracks chemicals released as waste into the air, water or land,...

Bush's OSHA begins to emerge.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Emphasis is on incentives & flexibility Labor Secretary Elaine Chao might have been speaking specifically about ways to address ergonomic problems when she testified before a Senate committee in ate April, but her "guiding principles" will...

OSHA pressed to limit hours of training docs.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Overtime and shift practices are becoming more visible job safety issues in this age of lean and mean, high-performance business operations. The most recent example is a petition presented to OSHA on behalf of more than 40,000...

GET GOING ON ERGO urge safety and hygiene groups.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Safety pros and industrial hygienists want Washington to get going on a new ergonomics standard. "It's time to put politics aside and move forward as quickly and as thoroughly as possible to craft a fair and workable new standard," said...

OSHA HEADHUNTING.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... As ISHN went to press in late May, there was still no word on President Bush's Dick to head OSHA. John Henshaw, currently director of environment, health and safety for St. Louis-based Astaris LLC, a joint venture between Solutia, Inc., and FMC...

Cloud over recordkeeping rules.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... There's a question whether OSHA's new injury and illness record-keeping requirements, years in the making and scheduled to go into effect January 1, 2002, will hold to that effective date. "OSHA has pulled from the Office of Management and...

Will carpal tunnel syndrome just go away?(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Maybe time does heal some wounds Italian researchers studied 354 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome referred to surgeons. Over the course of about one year, more than 200 of the study patients were left untreated, only "sporadically"...

SWEATSHOPS WITHOUT BORDERS.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... You don't have to go far to find health & safety abuses Shoe, toy, and clothing sweatshop operations have been the object of protesters at trade talks around the world in recent years, but did you know sweatshop conditions exist in...

Contractors laugh off safety.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Road construction contractors at a focus group sponsored by the International Safety Equipment Association laughed when asked if laborers in their organizations regularly used personal protective equipment. What's the problem with PPE?...

LOST TIME.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... What injuries result in the longest absences? On average, when a serious injury or illness occurs at work requiring time off, the employee is out for six working days, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Median days away from...

SPRAINS.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... put a strain on employers More than four out often injuries and illnesses causing workers to take time off were sprains and strains, most often involving the back, in 1999, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Heres the top ten...

TRUCK DRIVERS.(get most severe work injuries)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... get most severe injuries Since 1993, truck drivers have experienced the largest number of injuries and illnesses requiring time away from work, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 1999, truck drivers experienced 141,000...

Ergo injuries.(ergonomics, overuse injuries)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
June 1, 2001... Who's most likely to get hurt? More than 582,000 musculoskeletal disorders requiring recuperation away from work were reported by employers in 1999, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That number has dropped since 1992, but MSDs...

Do fear tactics work?(to implement occupational safety)
June 1, 2001... Simply scaring someone isn't enough Can we scare people into working safe? One example that comes to mind indicates that fear appeals fail to have a lasting effect. Remember the program "Scared Straight?" Teenagers who have broken the law...

Punished for poor performance.(if increase in workers' compensation)
June 1, 2001... What to do if it happens to you This headline caught my eye not long ago: "Safety official suspended over rise in job injuries." Here's the scoop: The individual overseeing the safety of city workers in Cleveland, Ohio, was suspended...

Take advantage of TECH TOOLS.(for occupational training and presentations)
June 1, 2001... Six ways to enhance your training At a recent meeting of health and safety trainers from several organizations, I heard the leader of one of the groups say their policy is black and white: computers have no place in the classroom. They are...

ONLINE SAFETY LEARNING.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... You need interaction -- and here's how it can happen It's a common question in safety departments these days: "With the advent of online safety training programs and distance learning courses, how important is interaction between...

COMPLIANCE TOOL.(ReguSource from Wellington Environmental)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... ReguSource [R], software to help environmental, safety and health managers track time-sensitive tasks for their facilities, has been developed by Wellington Environmental. The program includes screens for managing time-sensitive activities,...

ASIAN LANGUAGE SOFTWARE.(from Brady Signmark)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... Brady Signmark[R] has introduced MarkWare [TM] FE 1.0, an Asian language version of its popular Make-It-Yourself safety and facility identification software. Designed to work with Signmark's line of Make-It-Yourself systems, Mark Ware FE was...

MSDS / EHS SOFTWARE.(from A V Systems)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... MIRS [TM] software maintains and prints inbound/outbound multilingual MSDSs in OSHA, ANSI, Canadian, and European formats. Text can be entered, scanned, or imported from the Web or CD-ROM. The software provides worker right-to-know compliance...

TANK VENTING.(software from Protectoseal)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Pro-Flow[R] II, Windows-based software for sizing and selecting vapor control equipment, is available on CD-ROM from The Protectoseal Co. The program calculates pressure/vacuum relief vent and flame arrester flow requirements for low-pressure...

LOCKOUT-TAGOUT.(Preuss Engineering Associates)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... OneFourSeven [TM] lockout-tagout software quickly creates graphical machine-specific lockout procedures. The software includes a corporate written program, employee training and quiz, assessments and checklists to help implement an...

INFORMATION MANAGEMENT.(THESIS from Bamboo Solutions)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... Bamboo Solutions offers THESIS, a Total Health and Safety Environmental Systems software suite for Info.trak, the company's core information management software. Forms and reporting capability are made available across Info.trak's Web client,...

BUILDING SAFE CONSTRUCTION HABITS.
June 1, 2001... Take a proactive approach Something about construction attracts, fascinates, and excites just about everyone. Can you walk past a construction site and not turn and look at what's going on? Some people come back day after day to watch....

THINKING ON YOUR FEET.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Don 't wear just any old shoe How much is your foot worth? Would you take $10,000 for one of your feet? How about $100,000? I seriously doubt it. Your feet allow you to stand, balance, dance, walk, run, and move. The money would soon...

Beyond steel toes.(avoiding foot problems at work)(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... 12 tips for avoiding foot problems on the job We're often complacent about footwear. Don't be fooled into thinking steel toe shoes are all you need. Foot protection is much broader than that. This article gives you twelve tips that are easy...

Finding the right FOOTWEAR SUPPLIER.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Four keys for getting what you need What are safety managers looking for in protective footwear? In the early 1990s, they began asking for brands that addressed specific safety shoe needs. Some buyers and specifiers wanted athletic shoes,...

Shocking truth.(preventing electric shock on job)
June 1, 2001... How to avoid electrical hazards in confined spaces Confined spaces such as boilers, tanks, vessels, silos, storage bins, hoppers, vaults, pits, and pipelines all need to be tended to every so often. But working in these confined spaces can...

Stimulate your students.(nine ways to better learning)
June 1, 2001... Nine ways to better learning You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. This age-old adage rings true for many safety trainers. The formidable job of translating regulatory requirements into a sought-after learning...

Where does safety & health go from here.
June 1, 2001... A summit meeting in Washington aims at a new national agenda "I look back over my shoulder to the time when our meetings were more spirited and our debates sharper. Conformity has overwhelmed us." -- Tony Mazzocchi, director of health...

Lightning safety.
June 1, 2001... If you can hear it, clear it... if you can see it, flee it With the coming of summer, the likelihood of thunderstorms and lightning becomes an increasing concern. But should you be worried? After all, your chances of being struck by...

CONSTRUCTION TRAINING.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... AdvanceOnline, Inc., a provider of Web-based safety training solutions, now offers a 10-hour construction safety course and six construction courses at http://institute.advanceonline.com. These courses are aimed at construction workers, and...

AQUEOUS PARTS CLEANING.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Safety-Kleen takes care of every aspect of the aqueous parts cleaning process -- from parts cleaners and machine servicing to pickup, disposal and paperwork. The WE CARE[R] program promotes good environmental citizenship. Safety-Kleen Corp.,...

WORK BOOTS.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... LaCrosse Footwear has introduced the Leatherneck series of work boots. The boots are made of premium, full-grain, oil-tanned leather. They are constructed with DuPont[R] Thermastat [TM] Extreme linings to wick moisture away from feet, keeping...

ABSORBENT MAT.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... SPC's Barrier BattleMat has a durable camouflage look and an exclusive 2-ply poly backing that prevents liquid penetration and provides a non-slip surface. Can be used as walk-on mats or single-use absorbents in harsh industrial conditions....

FORMALDEHYDE MONITOR.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The Formaldemeter 400 is a direct-reading portable formaldehyde monitor. Instrument features include: fast response, readings on a four-digit LCD in under 10 seconds, compact size, rugged construction and simple operation. EnMet Corp., Ann...

Gas monitor certification.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Thermo Gas Tech's Model 128 has received the NRTL (National Recognized Testing Laboratory) mark, in addition to the OSA (Canadian Standard Association) mark received earlier. These rigorous certifications assure our customers the Model 128 is...

Self-retracting lifelines.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... DBI/SALA has expanded its line of Talon[TM] self-retracting life-lines. They are smaller, lighter, stronger, safer, and now longer -- available in 16 ft. It is manufactured with an impact-resistant super tough nylon housing and an all-metal...

See things in the dark.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... AddLight[TM] introduces high-intensity, long-lasting photolu-minescent markings for nearly everything. These non-vinyl, non-metallic, flexible markings provide a durable way to mark everything from firefighter helmets and hard hats to articles...

MSD TRAINING.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... CLMI has announced the upcoming release of a new Blueprints[R] for Safety training program, Understanding MSDs. Provide your employees with information on musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomics with this comprehensive and informative new...

Lift truck training.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The new Spanish version of the widely used and recommended Coaching the Lift Truck Operator[TM] program offers instructors the tools necessary to meet OSHA's requirements for formal instruction, practical training and evaluation. Comprehensive...

Helping you save lives.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... At the National Safety Council, our business is helping you save lives...on the job, on the road, and at home with your family. We can help you address the most critical safety issues, including workplace health and safety, occupant protection...

Comprehensive safety shoe program.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Famous Footwear features a unique safety shoe program offering selection convenience and value in durable work boots. For more information or to shop online, visit the company's Web site at www.famous-footwear.com.

Safety footwear program.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... HYTEST(R) Safety Footwear Introduces the New HYTEST (R) Safety Footwear Network Program. The best brands lineup and a new safety incentives partnership, providing the most comprehensive value added program in the industry...all from one source....

Company name change.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... GfG instrumentation is focusing on cutting edge sensor technology and product innovations in the safety industry. The company name change is the first of many efforts that will be made in the coming years to position GfG to be the market leader...

Flame-resistant fabrics brochure.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Westex recently published a 20-page, full-color brochure on its proprietary INDURA (R) and INDURA Ultra Soft (R) flameresistant fabrics. The brochure emphasizes the characteristics of these fabrics in balancing three factors - protection,...

Protective eyewear.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... The Veratti Viper from Encon features a lightweight design for all-day comfort. Adjustable length temples and ratcheting pivot promote maximum employee acceptance. The frameless design provides a wide field of vision coupled with maximum impact...

Zero maintenance gas detector.(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
June 1, 2001... BW Technologies announces an "Industry First", the GasAlertClip with internal vibrating alarm, for use in high noise areas. The zeromaintenance, two-year, disposable gas detector features a confidence LCD display, records and displays peak...

Safety distributor L.N. Curtis & Sons has chosen Survivair as the "Supplier of the Year" for the year 2000.
June 1, 2001... Safety distributor L.N. Curtis & Sons has chosen Survivair as the "Supplier of the Year" for the year 2000. The relationship between Survivair and L.N. Curtis & Sons spans more than four decades. For more information about Survivair and its...

Environmental Support Solutions (Environ.com).(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Environmental Support Solutions (Environ.com) has acquired Wixel, Inc., a developer of waste management tracking, management and regulatory reporting software.

RHS Solutions.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... RHS Solutions, a provider of risk, occupational health and safety consulting services, has announced the addition of its online OSHA 200 record keeping service. FirstReport Online completes OSHA 200 Logs and workers' compensation First Reports...

Banner Engineering Corp.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Banner Engineering Corp. has launched a Web site, www.bannerengineering.com, which details the entire Banner line, complete with downloadable technical data, application drawings, AutoCAD files in DXF format, and tutorials for every product....

MOVES.(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... Jeffrey Whynall has been named vice president and general manager of the Biosystems division of Bacou USA, Inc. Whynall succeeds John F. Burt, Jr., who will continue in the position of founder. PIRK RecordKeeping, Inc., a licensed...

RESOURCES.(International Safety Equipment Association )(Brief Article)
June 1, 2001... The International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) has published a new 16- age, color booklet titled Products to Keep You Visible Day or Night -- In Any Light. The guide outlines the benefits of high-visibility apparel and helps...

Before you blow the whistle.
June 1, 2001... "I would never do it again. The price is too high." The spring and summer of 1995 were hotter than usual in Exeter, New Hampshire. I worked in a quartz factory there with machines called melters that have an average running temperature of...