Designated Path - On the job Tool Box Talks

Overview

All buildings must have a way of allowing occupants fast exit to the outside or a safe place of refuge in case of an emergency. These exits can be hallways, corridors, balconies, ramps, stairs, or lobbies.

The designated paths of exit must be arranged and maintained to provide a free and unobstructed means to exit all parts of the building at all times. Employers must also ensure that these paths are accessible to occupants who have impaired mobility.

Exits must lead directly outside, to a refuge area, or to an open space with access to the outside. The area beyond the exit has to have enough room to accommodate the people who are likely to use the exit.

Exit doors: 

• must be able to be readily opened without having to use keys, tools, or special knowledge.

• cannot have any alarm or device that would restrict emergency use of the exit if the device fails.

What must my employer do?

Your employer will explain how to locate exits in your facility, and what you should do if you are required to exit the building in an emergency.

What must I do?

You must become aware of at least two exits from your area of the workplace.

You have the duty to not block exits or paths of exits, and alert your employer if you notice exits that are blocked.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Machine Guards - On the Job Tool Box Talks

Machine guards are your fist line of defense against injuries caused by machine operation. Each machine must have adequate safeguards to protect operators from the machine's hazards.

Hazards Involved with Machine Operation

Each machine has its own unique mechanical and non-mechanical hazards. Machines can cause severe injuries: amputations, fractures, lacerations, or crushing injuries. Machines can also cause minor injuries: bruises, abrasions, sprains or strains, bur ns, or cuts.

Examples of mechanical hazards that can hit, grab, crush, or trap an operator are:

• Hazardous motions-rotating machine parts, reciprocating motions (sliding parts or up/down motions), and transverse motions (materials moving in a continuous line-a power transmission belt).

• Points of operation-the areas where the machine cuts, shapes, bores, or forms the stock being fed through it.

• Pinch points and shear points-areas where a part of the body can be caught between a moving part and a stationary object.

Examples of non-mechanical hazards that can injure operators, or other people in the area, include chips, splashes, spa rks, or sprays that are created as the machine is running.

Methods of Safeguarding

There are five general types of safeguards that can be used to protect workers:

• Guards-These are physical barriers that prevent contact. They can be fixed, interlocked, adjustable, or self-adjusting.

• Devices-These limit or prevent access to the hazardous area. These devices can be: presence-sensing devices, pullback or restraint straps, safety trip controls, two-hand controls, or gates.

• Automated feeding and ejection mechanisms-These eliminate the operator's exposure to the point of operation while handling stock.

• Machine location, or distance-This method removes the hazard from the operator's work area.

• Miscellaneous aids-These methods can be used to protect both operators and people in the area. Examples include shields to contain chips, sparks, or sprays; holding tools that an operator uses to handle materials going into the point of operation; and awareness barriers to warn people about hazards in the area.

Operating Instructions

Following the machine's operating instructions ensures that the machine is being run correctly and safely. Understand how the machine works, and reduce your risk of injury, by following the instructions. Each machine should have its own set of operating instructions that outline:

• What to look for during the pre-start-up inspection.

• The location of the machine's control panel(s), and how each control functions to operate the machine. 

• How to adjust the machine (including how to adjust any adjustable guards), and how to feed stock into the machine during the job set-up.

• How to start, run, and shut-down the machine under normal operations.

• How to perform emergency shut-down procedures.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

Summer Heat and Sun - Tool Box Talks

Hot  summer  months  pose  special  hazards  for  outdoor  workers  who  must  protect  themselves  against  heat, sun  exposure,  and  other  hazards.  Employers  and  employees  should  know  the  potential  hazards  in  their workplaces and how to manage them.

Sun

Sunlight  contains  ultraviolet  (UV)  radiation,  which  causes  premature  aging  of  the  skin,  wrinkles,  cataracts, and  skin  cancer.  There  are  no  safe  UV  rays  or  safe  suntans.  Be  especially  careful  in  the  sun  if  you  burn  easily, spend  a  lot  of  time  outdoors,  or  have  any  of  the  following  physical  features:  numerous,  irregular,  or  large moles; freckles; fair skin; or blond, red,  or  light  brown  hair.  Here’s  how  to  block  those  harmful  rays:

• Cover  up.  Wear  tightly  woven  clothing  that  you  can’t  see  through.

• Use  sunscreen.  A  sun  protection  factor  (SPF)  of  at  least  15  blocks  93  percent  of  UV  rays.  Be  sure  to  follow  application  directions  on  the  bottle  or  tube.

• Wear  a  hat.  A  wide  brim  hat,  not  a  baseball  cap,  works  best  because  it  protects  the  neck,  ears,  eyes,  forehead,  nose,  and  scalp.  

• Wear  UV-absorbent  shades.  Sunglasses don’t have to be expensive, but they should block 99 to 100 percent  of  UVA  and  UVB  radiation.  Before  you  buy,  read  the  product  tag  or  label.  

• Limit  exposure.  UV  rays  are  most  intense  between  10  a.m.  and  4  p.m.

Heat

The combination of heat and humidity  can  be  a  serious  health  threat  during  the  summer  months.  If  you work  at  a  beach  resort,  on  a  farm,  or  in  a  kitchen,  laundry,  or  bakery,  for  example,  you  may  be  at  risk  for heat-related  illness.  So,  take  precautions.  Here’s  how:

• Drink  plenty  of  water before  you  get  thirsty.  

• Wear  light,  loose-fitting, breathable clothing— cotton  is  good.

• Take  frequent  short  breaks  in  cool  shade.

• Eat  smaller  meals  before  work  activity.

• Avoid  caffeine  and  alcohol  or  large  amounts  of  sugar.

• Find out from your health-care provider  if  your  medications  and  heat  don’t  mix.

• Know  that  equipment  such  as  respirators  or  work  suits  can  increase  heat  stress.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency

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OSHA Responsibilities and Rights

Overview

OSHA is responsible for establishing rules, regulations, and practices that help keep us all safe at work. Under these rules, employees have certain rights and responsibilities in regard to workplace safety.

Responsibilities

Read the OSHA poster at the jobsite. Comply with all applicable OSHA standards. Follow all employer safety and health rules and regulations, and wear or use prescribed protective equipment while engaged in work. Report hazardous conditions to your supervisor. Report any job-related injury or illness to your employer, and seek treatment promptly. Cooperate with the OSHA compliance officer conducting an inspection if he or she inquires about safety and health conditions in your workplace. Exercise your rights under the Act in a responsible manner.

Rights

You have a right to seek safety and health on the job without fear of punishment. That right is spelled out in Section 11(c) of the Act. If you are exercising these or other OSHA rights, your employer is not allowed to discriminate against you in any way, such as through firing, demotion, taking away seniority or other earned benefits, transferring you  an undesirable job or shift, or threatening or harassing you.

As an employee, you also have the right to:

•  Review copies of appropriate OSHA standards, rules, regulations and requirements that your employer should have available at the workplace.

•  Request information from your employer on safety and health hazards in the area, on precautions that may be taken, and on procedures to be followed if you are involved in an accident or exposed to toxic substances.

•  Receive adequate training and information on workplace safety and health hazards. Request the OSHA area director to conduct an inspection if you believe hazardous conditions or violations of standards exist in your workplace.

•  Have your name withheld from your employer, upon request to OSHA, if you file a written and signed complaint.

•  Be advised of OSHA actions regarding your complaint and have an informal review, if requested, of any decision not to inspect or to issue a citation. Have your authorized employee representative accompany the OSHA compliance officer during the inspection tour.

•  Respond to questions from the OSHA compliance officer, particularly if there is no authorized employee representative accompanying the compliance officer.

•  Observe any monitoring or measuring of hazardous materials and have the right to see these records, as specified under the Act.

•  Have your authorized representative, or yourself, review the injury and illness recordkeeping forms (OSHA Nos. 300, 301, 300A) at a reasonable time and in a reasonable manner.

• Request a closing discussion with the compliance officer following an inspection. Submit a written request to NIOSH for information on whether any substance in your workplace has potentially toxic effects in the concentration being used, and have your name withheld from your employer if you so request.

•  Object to the abatement period set in the citation issued to your employer by writing to the OSHA area director within 15 working days of the issuance of the citation.

•  Be notified by your employer if he or she applies for a variance from an OSHA standard, and testify at a variance hearing and appeal the final decision.

•  Submit information or comment to OSHA on the issuance, modification, or revocation of OSHA standards and request a public hearing.

This information is provided by: Assurance Agency