Aug
17
2010
There are so many people who work in the construction industry who still question whether or not they have to wear safety boots. Safety boots can be uncomfortable and many people think that the steel toe does not allow for good air circulation. This can make your feet hot and sweaty.
Even with this being said, safety is the main reason why people have to wear these boots and most construction sites will require that people wear steel toe boots before they can even enter the site never mind work in it. Without safety boots you will be exposing yourself to unnecessary hazards and risk and the owners of these sites are not prepared to take any risks. If something large or heavy was to fall on a workers foot steel toe boots can help to prevent severe injury.
These rules have been put in place for the safety and welfare of the workers and you need to be aware of the fact that a construction site is a dangerous place. There are so many stories of people who have lost limbs all because they failed to follow the proper safety guidelines and wear the appropriate safety wear.
Steel toe boots surround your toes and they also provide protection. If there is heavy equipment or heavy machinery in your workplace these boots can help to prevent serious injuries. When it comes to a choice of wearing metal or losing a toe, metal will always win. If you injure your foot you can actually do enough damage that you won’t be able to work again.
Steel toe boots also protect your ankles and they provide protection from falling objects and sharp materials. If you choose comfort over safety you could end up with an injury that will prevent you from working. Ankle sprains are very common for those who don’t wear safety boots.
There are some people who choose to wear steel toe boots outside of work. Steel toe boots can be used as a security measure if you live in a dangerous neighbourhood.
If you are wondering whether or not you have to wear your safety footwear let me offer you this. You only have one pair of feet and if you lose them they don’t grow back. Losing just your big toe can have a devastating effect on your life because your big toe helps you to balance. You really do need to protect your feet and if your job puts them at risk then you need to make sure that you take all the precautions that you can. Safety shoes and boots have been created for just this and when you have steel toe boots on it means that your toes are fully protected should you have any accidents.
Aug
4
2010
Safety shoes in the workplace are extremely important.
Did you know that 25% of all disability claims worldwide are due to foot injury? In the USA there are over 100,000 injuries that are reported in the workplace each and every year that cost companies up to $1 billion.
This cost and the distress that employees face is not restricted to the USA and there are many countries worldwide that are not implementing stricter policies that ensure that workplace safety is adhered to. In Canada foot injuries have reduced by 60% because of the implementation of mandatory protective footwear.
Most people assume that foot injury comes from working in dangerous environments but there are a lot of other injuries that can take their toll too. Blisters, dropped arches and even aches and pain can cause employees to take time off work.
Below is a list of the most common injuries that are sustained when safety footwear is not worn.
- Crushed feet, broken bones and loss of toes. These injuries are more common in the construction industry but they are also reported in the logging and fishing industry too.
- Puncture wounds to the feet. If you work where nails, staples or even scrap metal is used then this can happen when safety footwear is not worn.
- Cuts, lacerations and severed toes are common for those who work with machinery such as chain saws.
- Burns. These can be from chemicals or hot metal splashes.
- Electric shocks. These are most common for electricians and construction workers.
- Sprains and fractures can happen in any workplace and are normally caused by trips and falls.
More and more countries are introducing mandatory safety footwear regulations to guarantee protection in the workplace. Steel toed boots are designed to protect the top of the feet. Safety boots and shoes are also been fitted with impact protection also. There are impact absorbing soles and ankle collars fitted to some safety footwear for additional support. Safety trainers are also being made that come with puncture protection. There are also anti slip safety shoes.
With so many different types of safety shoes and boots available there really is no reason not to protect your feet no matter what type of environment you work in.
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.