Electrical Safety

Working with electricity in any way can be dangerous and has been noted as a serious workplace hazard for quite some time. When using electrical tools or working with electricity indirectly, do not cut corners regarding safety. Take the time to review OSHA's electrical standards as they are designed to protect employees exposed to electricity dangers. These can include electric shock, electrocution, fires, and explosions. It's important to remember that most of the time, electrical accidents are not intentional. That's why it is so crucial to step back and double-check your tools and environment before beginning work. 

General Electrical Safety

• Regularly inspect both electrical and extension cords for damage. 
• Unplug appliances when they're not in use to minimize the risk of shock and fire. (It also saves energy). 
• Avoid overloading outlets.
• Plug in cords so that they are out of the way and don't become a tripping hazard. 
• Never run cords under rugs, doors, or windows. 
• Never plug a space heater or fan into an extension cord or power strip. 
• Keep combustibles (paper, plastic, rubber, etc.) at least three feet away from space heaters or other heat sources. 
• Use the proper wattage for lamps and lights. 
• Ensure that smoke alarms are installed and working properly. 

Safety Rules for Electrical Tools

• Do not attempt to repair or adjust portable electric tools when they are plugged in. 
• Never use portable electric tools in the presence of flammable vapors or gases unless they are specifically designed for such use. 
• Tools should be stored properly, handled with care, and regularly inspected. 
• Always be aware of potential current flow, path, and duration...low voltage jolts can be fatal. 
• Tools must be third-wire grounded or double-insulated and used only with three-pronged extensions. 
• Stay alert to recognize accidental grounding mishaps. 

For Portable Electrical Tools 

Before using portable electrical tools, take the necessary precautions and check your tools for the conditions below. 

• Defective or broken insulation 
• Improper or poorly made connections to terminals
• Broken or otherwise defective plugs
• Loose or broken switches
• Sparking brushes 

If any of these conditions exist, have the tool repaired before use and report it to your supervisor. DO NOT use any defective tool. 

Need further help with electrical safety in your workplace? Our EHS team can help! Reach out to us for Lockout/Tagout Training, Personal Protective Equipment, Job Safety Analysis, Programs and Procedures, and more. 

Eye Safety

Preventing eye injuries and blindness is especially important in high risk industries, like construction or general industry. According to the CDC, each day, approximately 2,000 U.S. workers sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. Around 33% of these injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments. 

How Eye Injuries Occur

• Striking or scraping: Most eye injuries are from small particles or objects striking or scraping the eye. These materials are often spout out by tools, windblown, or fall down from work happening above you. Larger objects can also strike the eye causing blunt-force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket. 
• Penetration: Some objects (nails, staples, slivers of wood) can go through the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision.
• Chemical and thermal burns: Industrial chemicals or cleaning products are common causes of chemical burns to the eyes. Thermal burns can also occur to welders. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration requires employers to ensure the safety of all employees in the work environment. OSHA requires that employers provide eye and face protection whenever necessary to protect against mechanical, environmental, radiological or chemical hazards. 

Examples of Safety Eyewear Protection:

• Non-prescription and prescription safety glasses
• Goggles
• Face shields
• Welding helmets
• Full-face respirators 

Wearing ANSI Z87.1 certified safety glasses, goggles and face shields can mitigate the impact of up to 90% of eye injuries suffered in the workplace. Eyewear that is marked as Z87.1 + indicates that there is a high-velocity impact rating. 

In addition, OSHA requires employers to conduct a formal personal protective equipment (PPE) assessment to ensure all necessary PPE is identified and worn to decrease the chances of an injury. 

Reach out to us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss any PPE hazard assessment or purchasing of personal protective equipment needs. 

Protecting Your Head

There are some practical reasons for wearing a hard hat. They help keep your head cooler in the summer; dry during rain; and helps to shield your ears from noise. However, the main and most obvious reason for wearing a hard hat is to protect your head. 

The Purpose of Hard Hats

Hard hats can protect your head in a few different ways. 

• Protects you from falling objects
• Helps protect your head in a fall
• Keeps your head safe if you bump into machinery, ductwork and the like
• Non-conductive hats protect you from electrical shocks and burns 

In addition to safety, hard hats are a fun place to put stickers and decals that showcase your skills and certifications. 

Proper Care

In order to get the best protection out of a hard hat, you must take care of it and pay attention to signs of wear or damage. Below are some best practices.

• Always keep your hard hat properly adjusted.
• Do not cut, bend or heat the hard hat.
• Frequently inspect your hat for deep gouges or cracks in the shell. If you see signs of wear or the color of the hard hat turns dull, it’s time for a new one. 

Proper Wear

Having a hard hat will not protect you unless you wear it correctly. Follow the guidelines below.

• Never wear your hat backwards.
• Do not put anything inside your hard hat other than your head. It is not a storage bin.
• Do not try to substitute it for a “bump cap”. The bump cap will not provide adequate protection from falling objects as it is not strong enough. 
• It is not a stool or step; doing so weakens the shell of the hard hat. 

You can’t protect your head without the proper wear and care of a hard hat.

Protecting Your Hearing

While October is Protect Your Hearing Month, there should be a year round emphasis on hearing protection, both on the job and at home.

20 million workers are subject to dangerous noise levels on the worksite. When not on the job, numerous everyday activities can harm hearing as well. These activities include listening to loud music with headphones, going hunting, attending concerts, using power tools, and more. Education on hearing protection is critical in order to protect yourself and others both on the job and off. 

 How We Hear  

 Sound frequencies travel through the ear canal to the eardrum. Once the noise reaches the eardrum, the membrane resonates, similar to a  drum that has been hit. The noise transports through small, tender bones to the cochlea. In the cochlea are tiny hair cells that convert the noise  frequencies as nerve impulses. Once these impulses reach the brain, we experience them as noise. 

How Damage Occurs

The hair cells running along your cochlea are very tender and can be damaged easily. The most prominent form of ear damage is sound. Excessive noise levels kill off nerve cells so slowly that most people do not notice it is happening until it’s too late. The point? It’s critical to wear hearing protection correctly at all times when required or when you are engaging in activities that you know will have loud noises. That way you are not putting yourself at risk for damage.

Signs You Need Hearing Protection

• Struggling to hear someone talk that is 2 feet away or less
• A loud ringing in the ears
• Lessened hearing after leaving the worksite

Note: your ears do NOT gradually get acquainted with noise and do NOT develop natural protection against high decibel levels. 

What is "Too Loud"?

In accordance with OSHA standards, hearing protection is required:

• If you are subject to sound levels over 85 dBA for 8 hours or more
• At all times when the decibel level reaches or exceeds 90 dBA

YOU CAN PRESERVE YOUR HEARING BY WEARING THE PROPER PROTECTION AT ALL TIMES WHEN REQUIRED.

Choosing the Right Hearing Protection for You

There are several different options when it comes to hearing protection. Knowing which type of protection is right for you and your environment is key to protecting your hearing. An article from the CDC explains the different types of hearing protection here.