Jun
25
2010
If there has been a workplace accident you will need to investigate it and get all the details before taking any action. The best way to get an overall picture of what happened is to interview the people who know the most about what happened. The 9 steps listed below will help.
- Set The Right Environment. You need to have the right environment in order to ensure co-operation. You will also need to explain the reason for the interview and ask for help identifying the information that you need. Ask all the questions you need to ask carefully and listen to the answers you receive. It is also a good idea to take notes.
- Hold The Interview Close To The Accident. This is a good idea because it allows the witnesses to point out and even demonstrate what happened. It also helps to know where the witness was standing so that you have a good idea of what they would have seen.
- Keep Discussions Private. When you interview any witness you need to do this privately as this will allow you to collect the information without any confusion or without witnesses contradicting each other.
- Get The Person’s Perception. You need to make sure that there is no outside influence or bias. Make sure that you listen carefully and try not to interrupt the person while they are relaying the information to you. You are only trying to gather information at this stage so take notes because evaluation will come later.
- Listen. You need to encourage everyone that you interview to talk so it is vital that you answer and try to avoid doing all the talking.
- Repeat. When you have received all the information from the person repeat the story back to them to ensure that you fully understand what they said. This also allows them to add any information that they may have forgotten or left out.
- Thank The Person. You should end your discussion by thanking the person for their help and cooperation in this matter. Explain that you are collecting all the information so that you can prevent this type of incident occurring in the future.
- Take Notes. It is important that you make notes throughout the interview process and document any vital information you receive at once. Try to write down the whole dialogue and any critical information you have received.
- Keep Communication Open. Make sure that the person knows that they can come back to you if they remember any further information. You might want to talk with the person again about the incident in the coming days in casual conversation as this may also lead to further information.
Once you have all you information gathered you will then be able to assess the situation clearly and put procedures in place to prevent it from happening again.
Jun
24
2010
Eye injuries are something that should be taken seriously especially in the work place. If you look at your average factory, you will see huge machines that are capable of causing a lot of injuries. There could be hazardous chemicals, complex electrical grids and much more. Warehouse floors can be extremely dangerous and this is why you will always find different kinds of signs to notify workers of the pending dangers.
The sign that I want to discuss in this post is the eye protection sign. This sign is used in areas where a person’s eyes could be at risk of damage. There are a number of situations that warrant this sign and these include industrial facilities that work with welding or blowtorches. These construction tools can let off sparks and if you eyes are protected you could end up blind. In order to avoid this type of accident it is imperative that employees wear protective goggles or a welding mask to keep them safe and protected.
There are other situations that require eye protection including working with wood or material that release dust into the air. Dust can sting and burn the eyes if they are not protected and splinters of wood can also cause irreparable damage. Eye protection in this case can prevent such injuries.
If you are dealing with sensitive or corrosive materials such as liquids that have a tendency to splash you need eye protection. Whilst eye protection may not protect all of your face if splashes occur they will preserve you sight which is extremely important.
Eye protection signs are available in so many different formats. You have the standard sign that will notify employees of an eye protection area. This is an area where protective eye wear has to be worn. There are also specific signs that specify the type of eye protection required such as safety goggles required. There are also combination signs that advise workers that both eye and ear protection may be required.
By using these signs in the workplace and enforcing safety standards you can ensure that your workers are protected and that they understand in advance what kind of danger is to be expected. Prevention is always better than cure and eye protection signs are a great way to prevent accidents.
Jun
23
2010
Introducing a safety program into your work place means introducing change. You will be changing the culture of your workplace by introducing new tools and techniques and you will also be introducing changes in the social structure and in the way your workers are trained.
All these changes combine to make a successful safety program and before you can introduce them you need to look at three specific areas.
- An awareness of the need for change
- A clear vision of what you want to achieve
- A program of change that will meet your vision
An awareness of change is something that needs to be discussed with every member of your staff. You need to promote a clear vision of the objects that you want to achieve and receive appropriate feedback. You need to try and communicate in a language that your employees will understand because these are the people that your changes will affect the most.
The secret to making this work is to look at the situation through the eyes of your employees. These are the people who help you to make a profit in your business and they will want to know what is in it for them when you implement your changes. You need to be able to answer this in terms that they will understand if you want to implement a successful safety program.
Your workers are interested in their immediate work area, their immediate work relationships and of course themselves. You need to discuss the need for change in relation to how it will affect them and what advantages they will bring to their lives. If you ignore their values your changes will be resisted.
If you tell them to change you will come up against resistance. You will be taking them out of their comfort zone and asking them to do things that they are not used to doing. You won’t have their co-operation. In order to change the way a person behaves you have to work with them and coach them through the changes in the processes that they are used to working with.
You will need to use positive reinforcement at every possible opportunity during this development stage. Introducing changes to your workplace can be difficult if you don’t look at them from the prospective of your workers. You need to get into their shoes and see how your changes will affect them. Once you understand this you will be able to communicate the benefits of your changes and your vision for the safety program with ease. If you can do this you are guaranteed a successful implementation of your safety program.
May
18
2010
When it comes to work place safety a first aid kit is essential. You might never have to use it but it is always better to be safe than sorry. Having a first aid kit at hand is necessary if there are ever any minor accidents and to reinforce this below you will find a number of reasons why every business should keep a first aid kit.
You may not know this, but it is the law to have a first aid kit on your premises. There are a lot of people who actually don’t know that this is a work safety requirement and it is one that should be enforced even if you are self employed. The Health and Safety regulations state that all employers must have adequate tools available to tend to any employee who may fall ill or sustain an injury whilst at work.
Now that we have the legalities over, the next thing that should encourage you to get a first aid kit is the fact that it really is a smart investment. Your first aid kit can contain so many items and not just bandages. You can have headache pills and pain relievers in your first aid kit. Paper cuts are something that are very common in the office work place and when this happens a first aid kit is the first thing to reach for.
In general your first aid kit should contain bandages, topical antiseptics, burn cream, adhesive tape, non woven gauze and some generic over the counter medications.
Having a first aid kit in the work place is necessary for all minor ailment and injuries and not just a requirement for severe trauma. I’m sure by now you have realized the important of having a first aid kit and if you don’t, just remember that you are in fact breaking the law.
May
5
2010
High visibility clothing is mandatory in some jobs and there is a lot of planning that goes into the manufacturing of this. There are also many regulations that workers have to meet and high visibility clothing is one of them. The purpose of this pose is to take a close look at the main regulation standards and the different types of high visibility clothing that must be worn.
In the UK, high visibility clothing is divided into three different classes and each of these is suitable for a specific work environment. The classes can be found in the regulation documents EN471:2003.
Class 1:
Class one high visibility items are very simple and contain the minimum amount of fluorescence. This clothing type is usually worn in safer environments and the law states that these items have to have at least 0.14 sqm of fluorescent material and a minimum of 0.10 sqm of reflective material.
Some examples include work harnesses, over trousers and reflective belts.
Class 2:
These items are a little more visible than class 1 and are required by those who need to be seen clearly from a distance and up close. The EN471:2003 states that clothes that fit into this class need to have at least 0.5 sqm of fluorescent of material and 0.13 sqm of reflective material.
Some examples include short sleeved garments, sleeveless jackets, waistcoats and bibs.
Class 3:
Class three high visibility clothing is for the most dangerous of environments and this includes those who work beside the road or on a rail track. These people need to be clearly seen at all times by oncoming traffic. The law states that class 3 high visibility clothing needs to have at least 0.8 sqm of fluorescent material and 0.2 sqm of retro-reflective materials. Another aspect of the class 3 items is that they have to be reflective from the back and the front.
As you can see, when it comes to high visibility clothing there is a lot more to take into consideration than just buying a reflective waist coat or band. You have to adhere to certain regulations and know exactly what class of reflective clothing you need to be wearing.
Find safety footwear at www.oshatoes.com
May
4
2010
There are so many eye injuries caused each year because people are not wearing the right safety eye protection products or not wearing any at all. When it comes to work safety it is important to know the possible dangers and eye hazards and the types of protection that is available.
Some of the dangers that can lead to serious eye injury through direct contact or exposure include molten metal, harmful chemicals and liquids and intense light radiation. Protective eyewear can prevent injuries and there are different styles, types and features to these products. This post will explain more about choosing the right protective eyewear for your job.
Identify The Hazards
Before choosing eye protection you need to understand the potential hazards that can lead to injury. Safety lenses can help to protect your eyes from flying particles and these can be caused from drilling, grinding, sawing and even sanding. There is also protective eyewear and face shields and these are required during welding work or anything else that might cause hot sparks or molten metal to splash. When working with harmful liquid, chemicals or gases there are special glasses that are required to help prevent exposure and injury. Any workers who use laser or welding equipment could also be exposed to UV lights or radiation and the correct eye protection is again required.
Features of Protective Eyewear
Safety glasses normally come with scratch resistance lenses to ensure their long life. Lenses are also coated to help to reduce moisture and prevent fogging. If you are welding or laser cutting then you will need the added protection for UV and infrared radiation. Frequent exposure to UV and infrared radiation can cause photokeratitis which causes sunburn on the surface of the eye. Long term problems can include cataracts. Tinted lenses can help to protect again UV radiation but when it comes to infrared radiation there are special shaded lenses.
Tinted lenses can also be used by those who need to see colours more effectively such as electricians. These are called TCG lenses.
Visibility and Comfort
When it comes to eye protection it is important that the safety glasses are comfortable to wear. Comfort and visibility play a vital role when it comes to choosing the right eye protection. There are many different styles available and there are also glasses that can fit any face. There are also thinner lenses and lighter frames so that they are more comfortable for the worker to wear.
Workplace injuries can be prevented if the proper eyewear protection is being used. If the protective eyewear is uncomfortable then workers might decide not wear them and that is why comfort is paramount. All employees should be trained properly and protective eyewear should be mandatory where required.
You can find a variety of safety glasses and eye protection at www.oshatoes.com