Avoiding Exposure to Biological Health Hazards at the Workplace

OSHA recommends the following steps that need to be taken in order to avoid exposure to biological hazards that may be received in powder or liquid form.

• Do not empty or shake the container in which the hazard is contained.
• In case of a spill, do not try to clean the liquid or powder by yourself.
• Place the container in a plastic bag or in a trash can and then seal it.
• Remove any contaminated clothes and then seal it in a bag.
• Lock the room and keep other’s from entering it.
• Wash yourself with soap and water. Never use any disinfectant or bleach on your skin.
• Report the case to your local law enforcement agency.
• Make a list of the employees who were present in the area when the container was opened.

Follow these initial steps in order to prevent the spread of the biological hazard at your workplace.

The Importance of the Safety Net in the Construction Industry

According to the 30 Hour OSHA training courses for the construction industry, workers should always be well-equipped with just the right type of personal protective equipment at any construction site in order to stay safe and create a healthier working environment. Personal protective equipment comes in a number of different varieties ranging from hard hats and steel-toed boots to goggles and safety nets.

In the construction industry, construction projects range from simple single-storied building to mammoth multi-storied skyscrapers that are a haven for potential disasters and hazards. This is especially true for multi-storied building like skyscrapers where it is absolutely necessary to install temporary safety barriers at every floor so as to prevent the occurrence of falls.

The construction safety net is also called the scaffold net or the debris net today. In the construction of tall buildings like skyscrapers, it is very important to install safety nets at each level of the building so as to prevent tools and material and even people from falling to the ground. When tools and materials fall at such heights, they can cause immense damage to property and endanger people that may be walking beneath them. These safety nets or barriers include the toe board. The toe board is a strip of plywood that is generally fastened to the floor surface for edge floor. A sort of fabric is attached to the toe board and other upright supports are also attached. The toe board will prevent small items like nails, etc. from being kicked off a floor, and the net fabric will catch larger items like tools.

The ideal specifications for such safety nets and barriers include:

1.Material: HDPE, PE, PP
2.Color: Green, orange, blue, or black. It can also be customized.
3.Length: 5 meter to 6 meter sheets, or 20-200 meter rolls of sheet.
4.Width: Anywhere from 1.5 meters to 5 meters.
5.Density: Anywhere from 50 to 300 grams per square meters.

OSHA makes it compulsory for all contractors or employers to ensure that their work sites are adequately protected. Workers are ideally meant to be trained in the various safety techniques.

There are many OSHA safety training courses that are specifically meant for construction workers. Some of these courses include the 30 Hour OSHA Training Course for construction workers. This particular course teaches workers to identify, prevent and minimize workplace hazards. Without the OSHA safety training courses, workers will simply remain ignorant about the importance of safety at the workplace and the risks that they are constantly exposed to.

So, if you happen to be a construction project employer, then make sure that your workers are all trained in the OSHA 30 hour courses and explain to workers the importance of these courses. Once your workers are signed up for these courses, they’ll understand the importance of personal protective equipment and the use of safety nets at the construction site. Without this knowledge, your workers will constantly be exposed to risks and dangers at the site.

Lessons you will Learn with the 30 Hour OSHA Training Course

As with everything else connected to OSHA, worker and workplace safety are the most important factors to be dealt with in today’s working environment. There are many OSHA safety courses that range from the 8 hour annual refresher courses to the 24 hour, 40 hour, 10 hour and even 30 hour OSHA training courses.

If you want to get yourself OSHA certified but don’t know just which course to take, then maybe the OSHA 30 hour safety course is just what you need – that is if you happen to be constantly exposed to hazards at the workplace.

Here is what you will learn with the OSHA 30 hour training courses:

1.You will learn that safety is of utmost importance in your work, as it will keep you out of harm’s way and will help you comply with the OSHA standards.
2.You will learn how to avoid the OSHA fines.
3.You will learn the necessary skills to conduct effective safety programs at the workplace.
4.You will learn about the OSHA standards and regulations.
5.You will learn how to stay safe and healthy at the workplace, and how to increase productivity.

The Do’s and Don’ts during a Surprise OSHA Inspection

Everyone’s heard of OSHA and everybody knows the price they have to pay for non-compliance. In spite of this, many of us remain unprepared for a surprise inspection. If you haven’t been visited by OSHA yet, or not recently at least, then you have to watch out.

Here are a few do’s and don’ts when undergoing a surprise OSHA inspection:

1. Firstly, never make the OSHA inspectors wait. This is probably the worst thing you can do as it shows that you are not ready. Nothing that you can do in the last minute will make any difference. So, attend to your inspectors immediately.

2. Always be open and honest with your inspectors. Hiding things away won’t help, as you’ll eventually be caught.

3. Don’t take your employees along with you on an inspection. Your inspector wants to see how things work in your company. Many inspectors use cameras and videotapes during an inspection.

4. Prepare yourself to answer any type of question. Make sure you have all the documents in place, especially those that outline your safety plans.

5. Always encourage your employees to talk to the inspectors. If not, then the inspectors are going to talk to them anyway. Many times, inspectors slip employees their business cards so that they can call them.

6. Never lie to your inspectors. This can anger them.

7. Don’t limit your thinking to standards. Think about all the hazards at your workplace. The inspectors will always check for hazards; not for standard violations.

8. Keep all your training documents in place. Your inspectors will want to look at them. If you have any Hispanic employees working for you, always keep documentation showing that they understood the training properly.

9. Designate a responsible person to meet with the inspectors. Make sure the person is well prepared. The person doesn’t have to be a safety manager.

10. Check out the Field Operations Manual for Inspectors. Although it is for inspectors, you can download it for free online. It can help you prepare for an inspection.

Young Workers and Forklifts are a Deadly Combination

The numbers of workers getting injured in forklift related accidents are mostly young workers. There are a disproportionate number of forklift accidents relating to young workers and that may be due to various reasons like lack of training, risk taking and inexperience.

According to the OSHA’s Powered Industrial Truck standard, employers must see to it that the powered industrial trucks are operated by a person competent enough to operate the truck safely. They must have a successful completion of training and evaluation. Workers under 18 are prohibited from using the forklifts at the non-agricultural industries and under 16 in agricultural industries.

These rules have come up to protect young workers from dreadful injuries. Forklift related accidents with young workers happen partly as a matter of poor judgment, inexperience, lack of training and supervision.

To curb this problem, it is very necessary to train employees before they undertake any forklift operations. The OSHA safety training includes a section on forklift hazards and the ways to control the hazards. The OSHA training courses also deal with key areas as hazard communication, back safety, general workplace safety, OSHA requirements, and many more. Help your employees to stay safe with the training.

Forklift accidents are costly to both employees and the organizations. Identifying the hazards related to forklifts can reduce the hazards and help employees operate the truck safely.

Want to Become an OSHA Inspector? Here’s what you have to do

According to statistics, the number of injuries and illnesses witnessed in the general industry was 4.2 cases per 100 workers in 2007. The main aim of OSHA is to ensure that these work-related sicknesses, injuries and deaths are prevented. The agency was basically created to ensure that occupational deaths are reduced, and it has successfully achieved this.

The agency has thousands of inspectors and there are several thousands of inspections that take place each year by these qualified inspectors. So, how does one become an OSHA inspector?

• Check whether the salary range suits your needs. The average salary of an OSHA inspector is anywhere from $46,625 to $73,329 per annum.

• Are you willing to relocate? The main headquarters of OSHA are located in Smyrna, Georgia.

• Obtain a degree in the health and safety field and learn about hazardous materials, industrial hygiene, safety, occupational health and medicine, unsafe environmental conditions, toxicology and many similar subjects.

• Get the necessary experience. It is important to have at least 52 weeks of experience in the field in order to become an inspector.

How Can the OSHA Safety Trainings help Construction Workers

In the past few years, people have woken up to the reality that workplace safety trainings are indeed very important. The various safety rules and regulations set down by OSHA cannot be avoided or overlooked, as it helps prevent fatalities and other accidents at the workplace. OSHA was first created to help implement these workplace health and safety standards so as to protect workers in the construction as well as general industry from possible injuries.

Workers in the construction industry face a number of different hazards and dangers on a daily basis and it is extremely important to ensure that they are aware of these hazards in order to be productive at the workplace. The OSHA standards are not only about creating a safe work environment, they are also geared towards ensuring that employers comply with their standards.

The Benefits of getting trained:

• It will help minimize the number of workplace injuries as all workers go through certified trainings.

• It helps familiarize employees with the potential hazards that exist on a work site.

• It helps to be a great refresher course.

• It helps managers by teaching them how to apply the OSHA standards to their real life work, in order to prevent accidents.

• The course information is constantly updates, as and when the OSHA standards are changed.

• If you cannot personally attend classroom session, there are online courses that are convenient.

• These online courses come replete with photos, graphics and narration.

• These courses will allow you to work at your own pace.