Hearing Protection

 

Hearing protection comes in three styles

Earplugs...

·        - fit inside the ear canal

·       -  cut noise by as much as 30 decibels

·       -  may be disposable or reusable, custom-fitted or one-size-fits-all

·        - may be made of foam, silicone, rubber or plastic

·         -are comfortable in hot weather

·         -are inexpensive

but...

·         -may be hard to fit

 

Earmuffs

·        - cut noise by as much as 25 decibels

·        - are easy to put on and take off

·        - come in specialized forms for high-voltage work or for filtering out only hazardous noises

·        - may be worn with earplugs for extremely high noise levels

but...

·        - are bulky

·         -may be uncomfortable in hot weather

 

Canal caps

·        - are soft pads on a headband

·       -  seal the ear canal without actually entering it

·         -are comfortable, cool and light

but...

·       -  may not completely seal the ear canal

·       -  are less effective than earplugs or earmuffs

 

Never try to protect hearing with

·       -  stereo headphones

·       -  cotton wads

They don’t work!

Treat your hearing protection right…

·       -  Use the right protection for your workplace.

·       -  Use and maintain your hearing protection according to the manufacturer’s recommendations.

·        - Use it whenever noise level is high—not just sometimes.

 

Safety Data Sheets for hazardous chemicals

 

Overview

OSHA requires that employees who come into contact with hazardous chemicals be provided with thorough and accurate information on each hazardous chemical present in the workplace. The revised HazCom standard requires the use of the GHS-compliant, 16-section safety data sheet (SDS).

SDSs must be readily accessible to all employees. Your employer must obtain or develop an SDS for each hazardous chemical that they produce or use in the workplace. Your employer will tell you where those SDSs are located in your workplace.

What must be included on an SDS?

OSHA requires that all SDSs, whether printed or electronic, have the following information:

• Section 1, Identification
• Section 2, Hazard(s) identification
• Section 3, Composition/information on ingredients
• Section 4, First-aid measures
• Section 5, Fire-fighting measures
• Section 6, Accidental release measures
• Section 7, Handling and storage
• Section 8, Exposure controls/personal protection
• Section 9, Physical and chemical properties
• Section 10, Stability and reactivity
• Section 11, Toxicological information
• Section 12, Ecological information
• Section 13, Disposal considerations
• Section 14, Transport information
• Section 15, Regulatory information
• Section 16, Other information

Why should I consult the SDS?

You should consult the SDS to:

• Determine if symptoms you are experiencing can be attributed to the chemicals.
• Make sure you are using the correct PPE for the chemical.
• Find out if the chemicals you are working with are toxic.
• Verify the information on the label of the container of chemicals you are using.

An awareness of the hazard information on the SDS can mean the difference between safely working with chemicals, and a chemical tragedy.