King Operator Safety

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How to Prevent Arc Flash

Jason — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 16:38:03 +0000

The best way to prevent arc flash or to protect workers in the event of an accident is through effective training. In addition to being “qualified” under OSHA’s electrical standard, workers who may be exposed to arc flash hazards need to understand why arc flash occurs, how to prevent it, and safe work practices to prevent injury.

Arc flash occurs when electrical current flows between two or more separated energized conducting surfaces. Common causes of arc flash include:

Insulation failure

Buildup of dust, impurities, and corrosion on insulating surfaces, which can provide a path for current equipment failure due to the use of substandard parts, improper installation, or even normal wear and tear

Birds, bees, and rodents snapping leads at connections

Human error, including dropped tools, accidental contact with electrical systems, and improper work procedures

Arc Flash Prevention

The best way to prevent arc flash is to de-energize equipment before beginning work.

Employees should be trained not to work on live equipment greater than 50 volts unless de-energizing introduces additional or increased hazards such as cutting ventilation to a hazardous location, or unless it’s impractical because of equipment design or operation limitations such as when voltage testing is required for diagnostic purposes.

When it is necessary to work on energized equipment, workers should always follow safe work practices, including assessing risks, wearing appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and using proper tools.

Safe Work Practices

Safe work practices can help prevent arc flash as well as protect workers in the event of an incident.

Use of appropriate PPE, for example, is essential. Depending on risks, PPE could include:

• Flame-resistant clothing

• Helmet or headgear

• Face shield

• Safety glasses

• Insulating gloves

• Shoes appropriate for electrical work (no metal)

Other precautions include:

• Obeying all warning signs and labels

• Following established work procedures

• Performing only functions employees are trained to do and have been “qualified” for according to OSHA’s electrical standard

Another important way to protect workers is through training and proper use of PPE. Make sure that your facility or job-site is prepared. Check out our First Aid page as well as the Identification page and stock up for your job-site or facility. Feel free to call 317.503.8611 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/king-operator-llc

Slip and Trips are a Common Hazard

Jason — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 15:38:26 +0000

Slips and trips are an all-too-common occupational hazard estimated to cause hundreds of thousands of accidents and injuries on the job every year.

The chief cause of slips is (no surprise) a slippery surface, compounded by improper footwear.

There are two types of slips:

-In the first, the heel of the forward foot contacts the walking surface, then slips forward, and the person falls backward.

-In the second type, the rear foot slips backward and the walker falls forward.

The best hedges against slips and resulting falls and injuries are dry walking and working surfaces and slip-resistant footwear. On slippery surfaces, nonskid strips or floor coatings should be used.

Trips occur when the front foot strikes an object and is suddenly stopped. The upper body is thrown forward and a fall is the result. A relatively slight rise in a walkway can cause someone to stub a toe, also potentially resulting in a trip and fall.

Reducing the Risk

One of the biggest contributing factors to slips, trips, and resulting falls is improper housekeeping. One technique used by many businesses is painting yellow lines to indicate walking and working surfaces that should never be cluttered, slippery, or obstructed.

Lighting can also be a factor, especially when employees move from light to dark, or dark to light areas of the workplace. Trips and falls can also result when workers are carrying large objects that obscure their vision.

Rubber mats that are skid-resistant on the top and bottom can also help. Safety signs, such as those announcing wet floors, are a good choice when hazards cannot be eliminated.

Supervisors and safety personnel should also regularly inspect walking and working areas to identify hazards, and take immediate corrective action whenever possible.

Also require all personnel at risk of slips and trips to:

-Wear proper footwear with nonslip soles.

-Report and clean up spills immediately.

-Report slips, trips, and falls so that they can be investigated and future incidents prevented.

The best way to protect workers is through training and proper use of PPE. Make sure that your facility or job-site is prepared. Check out our Hazardous Storage page as well as the Protective Clothing page and stock up for your job-site or facility. Feel free to call 317.503.8611 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

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Simple Health Interventions Save Time and Money

Jason — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:03:09 +0000

A new study finds that simple health interventions can help reduce short-term disability rates as well as worker days away from work.

According to a study of 118,000 American workers by health services company Cigna, a combination of predictive analytics and a nurse/health advocate-led intervention can produce a measurable reduction in future disabling illness or injury incidents among employees at high risk for short-term disability.

The study found that employee absence prevention health interventions are associated with a relative reduction in short-term disability of 15 percent among workers at high risk of experiencing a disability in the next 12 months.

The interventions resulted in a short-term disability incidence rate of 16.8 percent versus 19.8 percent for those not in the intervention group—overall, a 15 percent relative reduction in incidence of disability.

Absence ‘Measurably Reduced’

“By identifying customers at high risk of future short-term disability and providing individualized intervention that includes coaching, incentives, and other outreach, our study shows that the onset of disability absence can be measurably reduced, benefiting both employers and employees alike,” says Dr. Robert N. Anfield, chief medical officer for Cigna’s disability business. “Future studies should address how intervention impacts short-term disability duration, return-to-work rates, and total medical costs.”

The study defined “high risk” as greater than or equal to a 10 percent probability of short-term disability during the next 12 months. Employees eligible for the study were full-time, actively at work, and covered by Cigna-administered medical and disability plans.

Called the Absence Prediction and Prevention program, it established a nurse/health advocate-led intervention that included:

Early identification of employees at high risk for future short-term disability

Proactive outreach to these employees

Clinical assessment

A range of disability absence prevention strategies

Mark Marsters, senior vice president of operations for Cigna’s disability insurance business, says that by proactively identifying individuals who may be struggling, before their condition worsens and they need to leave work, employers can help people stay healthy and potentially prevent or lessen the impact of an injury or illness.

Another important way to protect workers is through training and proper use of PPE. Make sure that your facility or job-site is prepared. Check out our Fall Protection page as well as the Identification page and stock up for your job-site or facility. Feel free to call 317.503.8611 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

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High-Risk Workplace Environments

Jason — Thu, 07 Mar 2013 15:13:31 +0000

OSHA has issued its annual site-specific targeting plan for inspections. High-risk workplaces will be top priority.

This year, as in years past, OSHA is directing enforcement resources to workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses occur.

The site-specific targeting (SST) program is one of OSHA’s main programmed inspection plans for high-hazard, non-construction workplaces that have 20 or more workers. The SST plan is based on data collected from a survey of 80,000 establishments in high-hazard industries

“Through the SST program, we can prevent injuries and illnesses, and save lives by focusing our inspection resources on employers in high-hazard worksites where workers are at greater risk,” says OSHA chief David Michaels.

As part of the SST program, OSHA is conducting a study to evaluate the effectiveness of the program based on 1,260 randomly selected establishments.

OSHA’s Nursing and Personal Care Facilities National Emphasis Program will conduct programmed inspections of nursing and personal care establishments, unlike previous years when these inspections fell under the SST program.

In addition to the SST program, OSHA implements both national and local emphasis inspection programs, which include programmed inspections, to target high-risk hazards and industries. OSHA currently has 11 national emphasis programs that intensify inspections on hazards or industries such as lead, silica, shipbreaking, trenching/excavations and process safety management, and approximately 140 regional and local emphasis programs.

State Plan Selection Criteria

Selection of workplaces to be inspected under this year’s STT for participating state plan states will be based on 2010 establishment specific injury and illness rates.

The SST plan initially selects for inspecting all establishments with the following DART and DAFWII case rates:

Manufacturing establishments with a DART rate at or above 7.0 or a DAFWII case rate at or above 5.0.

Non-manufacturing establishments (except for nursing and personal care facilities) with a DART rate at or above 15.0 or a DAFWII rate at or above 14.0.

The best way to protect workers is through training and proper use of PPE. Make sure that your facility or job-site is prepared. Check out our Fall Protection page as well as the Identification page and stock up for your job-site or facility. Feel free to call 317.503.8611 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/king-operator-llc

Protect Your Back at Home and On The Job

Jason — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 13:50:35 +0000

So many safety topics are critical for preventing worker injuries. But across the board in all industries, perhaps the most critical is back safety training.

Why do your employees need to be trained in back safety?

One in 5 U.S. workers suffers a back injury on the job.

Back injuries are the second most common cause of days away from work, next to the common cold. According to BLS, there were nearly 200,000 reported back injuries that required days away from work in 2011.

Overall 80 percent of Americans will have a back injury that requires medical attention at some point in their lives, so the odds are you will, too.

Men and women are equally affected.

Back injuries are most frequently reported in working people beginning around age 30, and the risks increase with age. But even younger people can suffer back injuries on the job if they are out of shape.

Once your back is injured, it is more likely to be reinjured.

Some back injuries can result in chronic pain and permanent partial disability.

Common Causes of Injury

There are many causes of back injuries. Often, an injury occurs due to a combination of causes that weaken an employee’s back over a period of years until something is seriously damaged.

Improper lifting. Improper lifting technique is a major cause of back injuries, especially job-related injuries. Lifting a load improperly can cause a serious and immediate injury if your back is already overstrained or out of shape.

Awkward motions. Activities such as reaching, bending, and twisting are often cited as causes of back injury. Injury can be caused over time by wear and tear on the back or as a result of one sudden movement.

Physical condition. If an employee’s body and back are in poor condition, that worker is more likely to develop back problems and pain. This often happens when people who normally don’t use their back try to do something that requires a lot of lifting or other stress. This can easily result in a strain or sprain.

Excess weight. Being overweight or having a potbelly can put continuous stress on your back that will gradually weaken it and contribute to injury.

Poor posture. People often complain of back pain because they slept in an awkward position, or because they sat or stood in an awkward posture for too long. Slouching, slumping, hunching, and other habitually poor postures put stress on the back and over time can lead to pain and injury.

Medical conditions

An underlying medical condition can make the back more susceptible to injury.

For Example:

Degenerative conditions such as arthritis and osteoporosis

Viral infections

Irritation to joints and discs

Safe Lifting

Probably the most common cause of back injuries on the job, of course, is improper lifting. So teaching employees the safe lifting technique can go a long way toward preventing injuries.

Here’s a simple five-step technique that can help reduce the risk of back injury.

Step 1. Stand close to the object with a wide stance. Feet should be shoulder-width apart, with toes pointing outward.

Step 2. Bend at the knees and hips, and try to maintain your body’s natural curve.

Step 3. Pull the load close to you and grip it firmly.

Step 4. Tighten your stomach, to act as a back support, and lift your head, which will help you lift with your legs rather than your back.

Step 5. When you’re ready to lift, use your legs and keep your back straight.

Check out our Ergonomics page and make sure everyone in your facility has access to back protection. Feel free to call 317.503.8026 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

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Protect yourself from Germs

Jason — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 01:12:57 +0000

We spend 8 to 12 hours a day in workplaces often rank with germs and grime, the kind of stuff that’s not only nasty to see and touch, but could be making you and your employees sick.

Researcher Dr. John Anderson says that germs travel through the workplace in several ways:

Air-conditioning systems, coughs, and sneezes that release droplets

Surfaces like door handles, hand rails, or elevator buttons

Skin-to-skin contact by touching or sharing personal items, or even shaking hands

Objects like pens, tools, cups, etc. made germy by hands that have touched the mouth, nose, or eyes

Utensils and food, when hands dirty from contact with saliva, body fluids, or feces contaminate things they touch

Direct contact with body fluids, which can be transferred to another person by cuts, abrasions or the membranes of the eyes and mouth

Anderson recommends a proactive approach to germ control at work. This means assuming that everyone is potentially infectious, the environment is dirty, workers aren’t using the best personal hygiene practices, and the maintenance crew isn’t doing a thorough job.

Hand washing is the key to effective germ control, says Anderson. Hands should be washed thoroughly with water and soap for at least 15 seconds (most people don’t wash long enough) after using the bathroom, before and after preparing food, or after touching people or using equipment.

Other essential germ control steps include:

Cover broken skin as intact skin is an important barrier against germs.

Keep your stuff to yourself. Don’t share clothing, towels, cups, or other personal items.

Wash it first. Before using any items in the break room, such as utensils or plates, wash them first.

Regularly wipe down surfaces at your workstation, including your phone, your computer, or your tools with disinfecting wipes.

Keep a safe distance (at least 6 feet) and wash frequently if a co-worker is sneezing a lot or seems sick with a cough or sore throat.

Stay home if you’re not feeling well so that you don’t infect co-workers.

Check out our pages featuring cleaning supplies and wipes. Feel free to call 317.503.8026 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

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First Aid Kits from King Operator

First Aid Skill and Importance

Jason — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 18:36:54 +0000

Seconds count when an injury or illness occurs on the job. Use the information here from AMA to train employees on how to handle medical emergencies when they are the first or only person on the scene.

Instruct employees to take the following steps when injuries happen. Appropriate initial care can go a long way toward recovery. Here’s what to do for:

Bleeding:

• Call 911 for heavy bleeding.

• Wear gloves from the first-aid kit.

• Cover the wound with a sterile bandage from the first-aid kit.

• Apply direct pressure.

Suspected heart attack:

• Call 911.

• Keep the person calm.

• Loosen tight clothing.

• Check for heart medication.

• Keep the victim still.

• Don’t give stimulants.

Eye injuries:

• Chemical splashes: Flush with water for 15 minutes. Cover affected eye(s) with clean cloth. Get medical attention.

• Particles in the eye: Flush with water until object comes out. If it won’t come out, cover the eye, and get medical attention. Don’t rub the eye.

• Blow to the eye: Apply cold compresses for 15 minutes. Seek medical attention.

• Cuts near the eye: Bandage loosely, and get medical attention.

• Penetrating objects: Don’t remove, move, or apply pressure. Immobilize the object, bandage the other eye, and seek immediate medical attention.

Eye Wash Stations from King Operator

Eye Protection from King Operator

Burns:

• First- and second-degree burns: Treat with cold running water for pain relief. Cover burned area with moist, sterile dressing. Don’t break blisters on second-degree burns.

• Third-degree burns: Call 911, and keep victim comfortable until help arrives.

Chemical exposure:

• Eyes: Flush with water for 15 minutes, cover with clean cloth, and get medical attention.

• Skin: Flush with water for 15 minutes, and get medical attention.

• Inhalation: Move victim to fresh air. Administer CPR, if necessary.

• Ingestion: Call 911, check SDS for first-aid information, and/or call local poison center.

Remind employees that this is a basic overview of first-aid techniques and priorities. It is not the same as a first-aid and CPR certification course. A certification course is much more detailed and offers the opportunity to practice first-aid and CPR skills as well as providing hours of classroom training.

Encourage your employees to take a course and get certified. Taking a certification course will give them the full knowledge and confidence they need to use first-aid skills on the job, at home, and elsewhere in the community.

Make sure that you are prepared for for the number of people that will respond to incidents by providing protection for everyone that will be involved. Check out our Hazardous Storage page as well as the Protective Clothing page and stock up for your job-site or facility. Feel free to call 317.503.8026 or email sales@kingosafety.com with other questions or comments. Have a great week and be safe.

Linkedin: http://www.linkedin.com/company/king-operator-llc

Elevating Work Platforms and Hazards

Jason — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 16:25:08 +0000

Elevating work platforms: How to prevent deadly accidents

Work at elevation always exposes workers to the hazard of a deadly fall. The use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), also known as aerial work platforms (AWPs), such as boom lifts and scissor lifts, can provide a measure of safety.

Unfortunately, the enhanced safety provided by guardrails, as well as the ability to have both hands free to work and a place to put tools and equipment, are to some degree offset by the hazards of the elevating equipment itself.

According to an analysis published in October 2012 by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), 25 deaths resulting from accidents worldwide involving MEWPs from January to September 2012.

Sixty percent (15) of those fatalities occurred in the United States, making the nation a world leader in a dubious statistic. Fifteen of the incidents worldwide involved booms, seven involved vehicle mounts, and three involved scissor lifts.

The analysis also identified the five leading causes of death among workers in these accidents.

1. Falls

Falls from the platform was the leading cause of death for workers on MEWPs in the analysis, killing seven workers. Falls can occur when workers lean too far over the protective structure, try to increase their working height within the platform, or climb out of the platform.

Workers must understand that even though they are inside a protective structure, they can still fall. They must wear personal fall arrest, fall restraint, or positioning devices, and secure themselves to the boom, basket, or tub. They must not tie off to an adjacent pole, structure, or equipment. They also should never sit or stand on the edge of the basket or use planks, ladders, or anything else to raise them higher within the bucket or platform. They should never climb out of the bucket or platform while it is elevated.

2. Electrocution

Workers at height encounter electrical hazards that they would not be exposed to on the ground, including overhead power lines and electrical installations and equipment, such as signs and lighting. Electrocution was the second leading cause of death for workers on MEWPs in the IPAF

analysis, killing six workers.

Conduct a prejob hazard analysis to identify overhead power lines and other electrical hazards that are present at the worksite or inherent in the job task. If possible, cut power to electrical installations in the work area before work begins. Make sure workers have appropriate electrical protective equipment and safety gear and know how to use it properly. Also, if the MEWP is insulated against electrical conductivity, it should not be altered in a way that reduces its insulating properties.

3. Overturns

Five workers died when their MEWP overturned. This can happen because of unstable ground conditions, high winds, defective equipment, collisions with other vehicles, or instability caused by moving the platform.

Make sure that ground conditions are adequate to support the MEWP. For outdoor work, that means be careful when working on or near slopes; ensure that conditions remain safe after heavy rain; and look for irregularities such as bumps, pits, or potholes that could cause the MEWP to tip.

For indoor work or work on structures (such as docks), make sure the load-bearing capacity is adequate.

Protect MEWPs against ground traffic to prevent collisions. Define conditions under which the MEWP should not be used (for example, high wind conditions).

4. Mechanical/technical problems

Four workers died because of mechanical/technical problems with their MEWPs. These may include control failures, hydraulic failures, or other problems.

Workers should be trained to operate the specific MEWP they will be using. Before using a MEWP, the operator should perform a visual inspection and test all controls to make sure they work.

Operators should also be aware of the manufacturer’s limits for the MEWP and must not exceed them.

5. Entrapment

The fifth leading cause of death on MEWPs in the IPAF analysis, responsible for three workers’ deaths, was entrapment. This can occur when a forklift tips into water and the worker is trapped underwater. It can also occur when the worker is crushed between the work platform and a structure, such as an overhead beam.

Watch for hazards that could create entrapment problems, including water hazards and overhead crushing or contact hazards. Make sure workers are aware of these and know how to prevent potentially deadly entrapment.

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Location, Location, Location and Safety Training

Jason — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:15:50 +0000

While OSHA tells you what the content of safety training should be, they don’t tell you how to conduct training—or where. The location of your training session can be a critical component in how effective your training is.

There are so many things to consider when preparing your overall training program, as well as each individual training session, that you may take the location for granted. It’s not that the issue is very complicated, but you should take a few minutes to ask yourself where would be the best place to hold your safety training.

Should it take place in the work area or in a classroom setting?

Work Area

This is the best place for toolbox talks, demonstrations, and hands-on training.

Upside: You have at hand all the materials and equipment you need for the session.

Downside: There may be noise and distractions if others are working in or passing through the area. To solve this problem, find a spot where trainees are blocked off as much as possible from activity around them, or set up temporary screens.

Classroom Setting

This is the best choice when you are giving a lecture or trying to transfer information, such as new safety rules or regulatory requirement. It’s also an obvious choice when you’re showing a video or doing computer-based training.

Upside: Classroom training removes employees from the distractions of the work area so that they can more easily assimilate new information.

Downside: Because classroom training removes employees from the work area, it can make training abstract and more difficult to transfer to the job. To solve this problem, provide handouts to remind employees of what they learned and how to apply it to their jobs.

Why It Matters

Learning isn’t done in a vacuum, so the learning environment matters.

You don’t want anything to distract from the training subject matter—and a bad location might do that.

The most effective training session gets everything right, from choice of training method to choice of location, so it’s important to choose your location well.

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