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Tis the Season to Be Aware of Conveyor Belt Hazards

By Job Journey on Thursday, December 18, 2014

During the holiday season, many products are being sorted and moved around facilities by conveyor belts. Because these machines can cause injury if used incorrectly, it’s a great time to be reminded about the hazards associated with conveyors and how you can stay safe on the job.

Know the Pinch Points
Although the tops of conveyor belts are flat and don’t appear to present extraordinary risks, the areas where the belt meets the rollers are serious pinch points. No matter how much slack a belt may appear to have, it’s always heavy and dangerous. In fact, thousands of hand and other body injuries are attributed to conveyor belts every year.

Dress Appropriately
If you work around conveyor belts, it’s vitally important that you avoid wearing loose clothing, jewelry, or accessories that dangle. Also, remember to keep long hair secured and away from any machinery. If hair or improper clothing items become caught between the rollers of a conveyor belt, the belt can drag the item along and potentially cause serious injury.

Stick to Your Job
Remember to perform the job you have been trained to do, and don’t step outside of those guidelines. Injuries often occur because someone sees a string or another part of the belt dangling and tries to pull the damaged piece off. In doing so, one’s hand can be pulled into the moving parts. Likewise, if a product or package gets caught on the belt, do not grab it to remove it. Instead, leave that to co-workers who are specifically trained in performing lockout and tagout procedures to avoid serious injury.

If you’re simply placing materials on the conveyor belt or removing items from it, your job should be relatively safe. But, taking a small step outside of your duties or wearing the wrong clothing can lead to serious injury.

While last minute shopping orders are going out and post-holiday sales begin, these machines will experience heavy use. Remember to dress safely, stick to your job, and keep yourself and your co-workers safe.

Movin’ On Up is brought to you by Express Employment Professionals.

Safety Tips – How to Prevent Back Injuries

By leidson on Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Proper lifting techniques are important when moving heavy loads, but did you know they are equally important when picking up something as small as a pencil? We’ve all heard the cautionary instruction to lift with the legs and not with the back. But the reason why is not simply because the weight of the object; it’s also because of the weight of your upper body.

Think About This

If you bend across a desk or counter to pick up a pencil, you are lifting the whole top half of your body that is extending past your midsection to reach for that pencil. This can cause your back to “go out” due to overexertion of muscles that support it. Over time, this bending and weakness in the muscles can cause long term damage to your spine.

Our spines are made mostly of bones (vertebrae), discs and nerves. Discs keep the bones from crushing down on the nerves, but when we bend our backs, one side of the disk is being pressed down with all the weight being lifted. The pencil example, extended over a whole career, illustrates how easy it is to damage your back.

Tips to Avoid Back Injury

Try sliding objects toward you before lifting them off a surface. To access something close to the ground, whether the lower drawer of a file cabinet or an object that has been dropped, always bend your knees and squat close to the object before lifting it. The most important thing you can do to avoid lifting hazards over time involves avoiding these situations as much as possible by taking control over your own workspace. Consider how often you perform certain lifting tasks. Try to place the things you access most often close to you and between your hips and shoulders. This includes organizing desks, counters, cabinets, drawers, and shelves so that frequently accessed items as well as heavy ones are in this zone. A regular review of your workspace can help protect your back throughout a long career in any field.

For more important safety topics check out these articles:

Hands Off: Leave Mechanical Maintenance to the Professionals
3 Ways to Stay All Ears: Protecting Yourself from Hearing Hazards
The Shocking Truth Behind Electrical Safety

At Work The Daily Grind Uncategorized

4 Ways to Prevent Musculoskeletal Injuries

By leidson on Monday, October 21, 2013

Musculoskeletal disorders and injuries are the leading cause of disability in America. One in two adults report a musculoskeletal condition requiring medical attention. Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) accounts for 43% of all lost-time claims, 43% of all lost-time claim costs, and 46% of all lost-time days. Musculoskeletal injuries and disorders can affect the body’s muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Most work-related MSDs develop over time and are caused either by the work itself or by the employees’ working environment. Musculoskeletal health is dependent on strength and flexibility, but it’s also dependent on overall good health. So, how can you make a difference and turn these statistics around? Here are four ways to prevent musculoskeletal injuries.

Stay Active
The musculoskeletal system, like every system in our body, benefits from a healthy lifestyle. A well-conditioned body, good nutrition, and healthy habits help strengthen the immune system. Being active helps lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels which also help fight off MSD. Stretching regularly is another good habit to pick up. Stretching keeps your muscles, tendons, and ligaments flexible.

Eat a Balanced Diet
Our muscles need vitamins, minerals, water, protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats so they can function at their best. Maintaining a healthy weight is also very important for keeping your body aligned. A lack of alignment can cause undue stress on discs, bones, ligaments, and tendons, which can lead to MSD. Your muscles are made up of around 70 percent water, so make sure you drink at least eight tall glasses of water a day to stay well hydrated.

Maintain Good Posture
Good posture reduces the amount of strain on individual muscles groups and helps keep muscles toned. Any posture that requires the body to move out of the neutral posture range is considered to be awkward posture and can be harmful to your musculoskeletal system. Keep your work within 14 to 18 inches of your body, depending on your height. Also, avoid reaching overhead or behind your back, if you can. If you can’t, return to neutral as soon as possible. Your current posture could be overworking your body. With a little adjustment, however, you can correct most posture problems.

Get Sleep
Adequate sleep protects the immune system, repairs cells, and makes us feel better. Sleep is beneficial to our bodies, but did you know it can improve skeletal health? During sleep our bodies have the chance to repair and build new tissue which can strengthen our musculoskeletal systems.

Be aware of the MSD risks in your workplace and do your part to make a difference in the statistics. How are you working to change the MSD statistics? Share with us in the comment section below.

At Work Workplace Safety

When Elevated, Fall in Line with Safety

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, March 13, 2013

While millions of people go to work inside buildings that can be hundreds of feet tall, there are countless others who work on top or along the outer walls of those buildings. They are the window washers, the construction workers, and the roofers, who make working in these buildings possible.

More than 14% of all fatal work injuries in 2011 were caused by falls, slips, or trips from elevated areas, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Falls are among the most common causes of serious work-related injuries and deaths in the United States. If you work on roofs, ladders, scaffolding, or any other place that is off the ground, here are ways you can keep yourself safe.

The Roof! The Roof! The Roof is on Securely!
Most falling injuries reported are in the construction industry. That’s why it’s important to always wear a properly fitted harness. Keep it connected and inspect harnesses before working on the roof of any building.

Guardrails or toe boards should be present when working around holes or skylines. Even if you aren’t on a roof, rails are important to keeping workers from falling into machinery or hazardous substances even if they are only a few feet above the ground.
If none of these safety measures are available, do not get on the roof until they are provided.

Ladder Disaster
There’s a lot that goes into ladder safety like choosing the correct placement, securing, and facing the ladder. But you can greatly reduce your chances of falling off a ladder by planning ahead. Work with your supervisor to determine which type of equipment should be provided, the best places to put the ladder, and how to share that information with the rest of your co-workers. Avoiding injury can be contagious if others see you following the rules.

Don’t Scoff the Scaffold
Just like equipment used on roofs, scaffolds should always be inspected to make sure they are level, stable, and fully planked. The guardrails should be completed along the entire edge of the scaffolds and should always have an easily accessed area to properly climb one. If there is no defined entrance, workers may begin to climb the cross braces, which are meant to evenly support the beams, not directly support bodyweight.

Scaffolds should always be the correct height needed for you to do your job. If something isn’t high enough, contact your manager or project lead. You shouldn’t have to risk more injury by standing on the guardrails or placing a ladder on top of the scaffolds to reach a high point.
Working high above the ground is a necessity. Some of the hardest working people put themselves at risk every day to make sure the job gets done. If you follow these safety guidelines, you’ll be able to complete jobs successfully throughout your career

At Work Workplace Safety

Join the Fight Against Frostbite

By Jared Cole on Monday, December 17, 2012

Protect Yourself from Frostbite With winter in full swing and the days of blistering heat behind us, you may think that harsh weather conditions at work are gone until next year. The fact is, extreme cold can be just as dangerous as extreme heat.

When working in freezing conditions, you are at risk of developing frostbite – localized damage to your skin when it freezes. While frostbite initially isn’t permanent, it can lead to permanent nerve damage, amputation, and even gangrene if left unattended. Here are ways you can avoid getting frostbite this winter season.

Signs and Symptoms
When working long hours in the cold, if you start to feel itching followed by pain, immediately get out of the cold and check the affected skin. If the itchy, painful area is white or grayish-yellow, feels unusually firm or waxy, or is numb, seek medical attention immediately. Those symptoms are the first stage of frostbite called frostnip. While not permanently damaging, it can lead to more severe complications if left unattended.

If immediate medical assistance is unavailable, get to a warm room as soon as possible, immerse the affected area in warm, but not hot, water, or warm the skin using your own body heat until you can get treatment. It’s best to avoid using major heat sources like heating pads, and fireplaces since the frostbitten skin is generally numb and can easily be burned.

You Got a Friend in Me
Often an individual is unaware that he is affected by frostbite until someone else points it out because the frozen tissues are numb. It’s best to have a partner so you can monitor each other for signs of cold stress. Most of the time, it’s difficult to determine danger signs when you only rely on yourself.

In and Out
Just because you work in a freezing environment doesn’t mean you have to stay there the entire time. Take periodic brakes during your shift and spend them in a warm room or near heat sources. Even if schedules are tight, taking 15 minutes off your feet in a heated break room could save you from losing your feet forever.

Layer After Layer
When it comes to staying warm, less is definitely not more. When you wear several layers of thin clothing, you are actually staying warmer than if you wear one or two thick layers of clothes. The first layers touching your skin should be made from synthetic fabrics, like polypropylene, that absorb sweat. Outer layers should have fabrics that are waterproof and wind resistant.

It’s also important to wear proper equipment like warm gloves, boots, and a hat. If you become too warm, open a layer or two of your clothing, but not your gloves or hat. Also, make sure your gloves and boots are loose enough that they don’t cut off your blood circulation, which could speed up the frostbite.

Warm Eats and Warm Drinks
While coffee and hot coco are delicious and warm, the high caffeine concentration dehydrates you faster when cold conditions already put you at risk of dehydration. Instead, try sweeter beverages like sports drinks or orange juice. The natural carbs will give you a steady stream of energy and keep you hydrated longer. You can also bump up your carb intake by eating hot pasta dishes, soups, and other calorie-dense foods, which will keep your body fueled while its burning extra calories trying to stay warm.

Frostbite isn’t deadly, but can lead to amputation where you are unable to work if unattended. Stay warm this winter season with these helpful guidelines and avoid the silent but hazardous condition of frostbite.

At Work Workplace Safety

Drive to Survive With Forklift Safety

By Jared Cole on Friday, September 14, 2012

You get to drive a forklift at work. How awesome is that – you’re behind the wheel of a 14,000 pound beast that can lift an average of one to five tons. The warehouse is your highway. But, with such great power comes the potential danger that could possibly injure or kill you or those around you.

There are nearly 100 fatalities and more than 95,000 injuries every year from accidents while operating forklifts. According to the Industrial Truck Association, 90% of all forklifts will be involved in some type of accident during their useful life. With so much power and likely danger at your fingertips, here are some ways you can stay safe while operating forklifts.

Before You Start Your Engines
Being properly trained in operating a forklift should be done before ever climbing into one. It’s illegal for anyone younger than 18 to operate a forklift, and some states require proper training and certification before anyone can operate a lift truck. Make sure you have all of the proper qualifications before handling heavy equipment. If you don’t, get with your supervisor to set up training times.

Your employer should also have a checklist of things to look for before starting a forklift. Things like fuel/battery power levels, tire conditions, control panel testing, etc. should be checked before every shift and logged. If anything isn’t working properly, make sure a manager knows immediately. Also, honk your horn to make sure it works, check to see if safety lights are working, and confirm the backup alert works once you have cleared everything else.

Know Where to Go
You really need to see where you are going. Make sure your path is always clear, dry, and open. Some forklifts can be going 10 mph, which takes about 22 feet to come to a complete stop. That’s why you don’t want to have anybody between the forklift and a hard surface like a table, bench, or wall. The same goes for passing a slower forklift. You don’t know what’s ahead and you might not have the stopping distance to avoid a collision.

If the load blocks your view, drive in reverse unless you’re going up a slope. In that case, have a spotter with you on the side to help guide you. The spotter shouldn’t be in the forklift with you because that extra weight can cause the forklift to tip over, which is the most common forklift accident.

Maneuvering slopes and inclines can be tricky when operating forklifts. If you come to an incline with a load, always travel with the load pointing uphill. But if you don’t have a load, always travel with the forks pointing downhill.

You’ll Take the Slow Road, and I’ll Take the Low Road
Almost every worker faces deadlines and time limits for projects, but that doesn’t mean you can cut corners – literally. Always turn corners slowly and honk your horn so anyone on the other side will know you’re coming. Honking the horn should be done when entering or exiting any area like going from outside to inside or going through any open doorways in order to access a different part of the building. You may be in a rush, but quick corners lead to quick tipovers and serious injuries.

Another way of keeping your forklift from tipping over is to keep your forks as low to the ground as possible when moving. Keeping the weight of your lift toward the bottom will give you a better center of gravity and more stability.

Forklifts can be a very useful and necessary tool to do your job, but remember these safety lessons so that you can keep riding your forklift free of injury and danger.

At Work Workplace Safety

Avoid Heave-Ho No-Nos with Proper Lifting

By Jared Cole on Wednesday, August 15, 2012

We often joke about how much we hate to pick up the house, tidy your desk, or clean the garage. We hear the phrase, “See a penny, pick it up. All the day you’ll have good luck,” spoken all the time while growing up. But for many in the workplace, lifting objects bigger than a penny is no laughing matter when it comes to potential injuries from improper lifting. Disabling back injuries can not only keep you from earning a paycheck, but it can also keep you from enjoying your personal activities and time with family.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one in every five workplace injuries or illnesses.

Most of the pain and lost time can be prevented if you are aware of how to lift safely to protect your back. Here are some ways you can keep your body free from injury with a few simple posture reminders.

Head
The most important thing to do before lifting anything is thinking about what you’re going to lift. Are there places to grasp? Does it have any slippery surfaces? Is the path you need to take clear? If you are unsure of what you’re about to lift, look it over for any potential hazards.

You shouldn’t just go by looks. Many objects that appear small and light, could be heavier than they look. If possible, gently test an item’s weight by pushing it with the side of your leg. If it’s heavier than what you think you can lift, get a co-worker to help. When lifting, tuck your chin to your chest. This will help keep your back as vertical as possible.

Shoulders
Keep your arms and shoulders as close to your body as possible. The farther your joints are away from your body, the more stress is put on them, which leads to an increased chance of arm injuries. If the load’s center of gravity moves away from your body, there is a dramatic increase in stress to the lumbar region of the back. You should try to minimize any turning or twisting, but if you must turn while carrying the load, turn using your feet.

Knees and Toes, Knees and Toes
You need a solid base of support when lifting anything. Make sure your feet are shoulder width apart and take short steps. If your feet are too close, you’ll be unstable. If they’re too far apart, you won’t move very well.

Your leg muscles are much, much stronger than your back muscles, so let your strengths work in your favor by lowering yourself with your knees instead of your back. Once you have a grip, lift with your legs and keep your back straight. When lifting objects, try not to twist with your body by taking small steps to face a direction. Keep your eyes up, too. Looking upwards will help keep your spine in a safe position.

Check with your manager as many companies have policies in place requiring maintenance staff to move heavy objects. Lifting and carrying heavy objects at work can leave you vulnerable to serious back injuries, which can keep you from earning a paycheck for months. If you keep in mind these helpful guidelines about proper lifting, you won’t be dropping the ball on your health when picking something up.