Archive for the ‘hand-protection’ Category

Q&A: Creating the Best PPE Safety Program

by Julianne Bass

FAQAboutPPE

PPE should be considered the last line of defense when it comes to protecting workers from the unavoidable hazards of their jobs, but let’s face it many companies rely on PPE to get the job done. When selecting, training your workforce and implementing a proper PPE Protection Plan, make sure you have answers to all of the important questions before making any decisions.

Q: What are critical components to any successful PPE program?

                A: A successful PPE program starts with a proper assessment of the hazard area to ensure that your selection of PPE is correct. While all areas of your facility should be assessed on a regular basis, if there is one in particular that has a high number of accidents and injuries and requires PPE while performing task, start with a hazard assessment to pinpoint an exact solution. Then move on to selecting the right PPE. Not all PPE is created equally make sure that the specification needed for the job are met by the piece of protective wear that you are selecting. Once your PPE is selected be sure to train your workers on its importance, the proper way to use it, and follow up with fit tests, proper care, and inspections to make sure that if the quality of the PPE deteriorates that it is replaced in a timely manner.

Q: How often should PPE programs be updated?

A: At the very least your PPE program should be audited and updated on an annual basis to remain in compliance with OSHA regulations. However, many safety authorities recommend making regularly scheduled updates throughout the year or as needed.

Q: Does PPE have to be tested/inspected?

                A: Outside of annual updates, PPE must be regularly examined by a qualified worker to make sure that it is still performing to the standard it should be as stated on manufacturer labels. Simple maintenance should be done by the user such as cleaning and proper storage.

Q: How should PPE be stored?

                A: All PPE does not have the same storage instructions. As a rule, the specific piece of PPE your workers are using should be stored according to the instructions that came with it. Depending on the type of PPE if not stored properly it could deteriorate more quickly due to exposures to elements like dirt, sun, heat, cold etc.

Q: Is it ok to share PPE?

                A: In general it is not a good idea to share PPE among coworkers. Outside of the obvious issues around the spread of germs and infectious disease, PPE often requires fitting it to the specific user. Unless specifically stated in manufacturer instructions it is advised against sharing PPE. Only having one user will also help in keeping clear maintenance and replacement records.

Safety Threads: All PPE is NOT Created Equally

by Julianne Bass

shutterstock_167355917

For every dollar spent on PPE OSHA estimates $4 are saved in costs from work-related health care and productivity losses. A coating, a textile structure, or interweaving of common place threads are all that stand between you and a life altering injury. Do you know exactly what goes into making these superhuman products? When developing products that will protect against hazards such as, a chemical spill, a fire, abrasion, or general workplace injury. There are many different approaches that go into protecting the end user.

Here are some important terms to know to help you better select your safety options in the future. When it comes to the selection of materials the rates below can differ depending on weight, density, weave, elasticity, and even color.

  •  Permeation rate: the rate at which the chemical will move through the material. For example a more tightly woven material will provide greater protection than a fabric you can see right through. The higher the permeation rate the less protective the material.
  • Breakthrough rate: the time it takes a chemical to permeate completely through the material. Breakthrough is measured using a standardized test ASTM F739
  • Degradation: measurement of the physical breakdown of a material due to contact with a chemical. The slower the rate the more protective the product is. Signs of degradation include swelling, stiffening, wrinkling, changes in color and other physical deterioration.
  • Inherent: materials that have resistance built into their chemical fiber structures. This can never be worn away or washed out. For example aramid fibers are lightweight and extraordinarily strong, with five times the strength of steel on an equal-weight basis.
  • Treated: materials that are made resistant by the application of chemical additives. These treatments wear over time and will no longer provide protection. For example polyethylene coatings are applied to materials to increase their ability to repel liquids, as well as dry particulates

It is important to remember that just because a product is certified doesn’t mean it is the best cost effective option. Naturally products with a longer breakthrough rate made up of inherent materials will cost more than treated products.

No industry is completely safe whether you work in healthcare, manufacturing, construction, mining, chemical handling; all of these industries come with their own set of dangers. Keep in mind, there is no single solution to protect against all hazards, make sure the product you are selecting matches the hazard you are protecting against.

Landscaping Safety: Mowing and Tree-Trimming Pointers

by emedco
Quick-Grab Traffic Cones & Accessories

Use traffic cones to cordon off areas landscapers are working on.

The phrase ‘landscape work’ may evoke images of cultivated lawns and idyllic scenery. However, being employed in the industry comes with more than its fair share of safety hazards. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), landscape workers are exposed to a wide range of dangers, including chemicals, machinery, lifting, construction, and weather related hazards.

These hazards translate to potential accidents easily resulting in debilitating injuries. To effectively reduce such risks, it is important for landscape workers to know and understand the hazards of their job, and to familiarize themselves in safety protocols. In the effort to cultivate landscape worker safety, Emedco offers a few points on some of these safety risks and how to deal with them.

(more…)

Dress for Safety! Use PPE to Prevent Injuries and Save Lives!

by emedco

Wherever there is modern industry, there is risk of accident and injury. And yet through this danger — some of it fatal — people literally build the foundations of modern society and economy.

It’s your responsibility as a business owner to attend to your workers safety as best as you can, and one of the best ways to do that is through the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Fall Protection

Protect yourself from construction’s top killer — a long fall!

Selecting the right kind of PPE can be complex and time-consuming. That’s why it’s usually simpler to match your choice of PPE with the threats your workers face.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) pays careful attention to every accident report, enforces safety standards, and regularly releases its own safety statistics. From their list of the top ten OSHA violations emerge the Fatal Four — the four most common causes of fatal accidents in the construction industry — and some PPE measures you can use to mitigate their dangers.

(more…)

The Ins and Outs of Confined Spaces

by emedco

In every aspect of life, you should know what you are getting into. Confined spaces are no different. Before you or your workers enter a confined space, you should be aware of the potential hazards and the ways to avoid them. Read the rest of this article before you barge into a confined space and risk your safety.

Confined Space Safety

Confined space products help you provide a secure and safe environment in areas with limited space.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines confined space as an enclosed area with limited means for entry or exit. If you look around, you will actually see a lot of confined spaces. You’d find storage bins, manholes, silos and mining sites, to name a few.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the unfavorable natural ventilation in confined spaces could contain or produce dangerous air contaminants. This means it’s not ideal for you to stay inside a confined space for a long time. Other confined space hazards you might find are explosions, panic attacks, ear injury, and collapses, which are more common in mining sites.

So, how can you or your workers avoid these hazards? Follow these steps from the Mine Safety and Health Administration:

1. Test and monitor the atmosphere. Before you enter a confined space, test the external atmosphere for oxygen content, flammability, and toxic contaminants. Make sure the oxygen content is at least 19.5%, which is the MSHA standard. Use a safety belt if the air seems dangerous.

2. Purge and ventilate. To remove air contaminants, you need to purge the confined space by ventilating the area. You need to do this before anybody enters the site.

3. Conduct trainings. Identify the hazards involved. Familiarize yourself with the entry and exit procedures. Remember the location of the safety equipment and first aid supplies and how to use them.

4. Use safety signs. Remind people of the hazards by posting safety signs. Confined space signs should be posted in multiple locations within the area. Block the entrance when work is not in progress.

Danger Confined Space

Confined space signs clearly and effectively warn employees of confined space dangers.

(more…)

Fun Hand Facts… and gloves to protect them in the workplace

by emedco

Numbers Each hand contains

–         29 major and minor bones (many people have a few more).

–         29 major joints.

–         At least 123 named ligaments.

–         34 muscles which move the fingers and thumb:

  • 17 in the palm of the hand, and
  • 18 in the forearm.

–         48 named nerves:

  • 3 major nerves.
  • 24 named sensory branches.
  • 21 named muscular branches.

–         30 named arteries and nearly as many smaller named branches.

–         The bones in your fingers are no stronger than a lead pencil.

Here are some hand statistics from the CDC and OSHA:

–          If all workers, from medical to industrial and everything in between, would just wear gloves, then more than 1 million hospital emergency visits by U.S. workers per year could be avoided (according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)

–         Hand Injuries have cost employers over $500 million dollars in the US last year (lost time, settlements, etc)

–         Non compliance of PPE hand protection is among one of the most common OSHA citations to date, costing employers on average $4,000 per citation.

Sources: Kimberly Clark Professional, E-Hand.com

OSHA 1910.132(h)(1) requires that protective equipment, including PPE, shall be provided by the employer at no cost to the employees.   It’s not a one shot deal- as a business owner, you have to be compliant every hour of every day.  Safety has to be top of mind comfort leads to compliance. Don’t let your workers become a statistic!

Emedco has a huge selection of comfortable gloves to make this requirement alot easier. Choose from nitrile, vinyl, latex or utility gloves to suit the application. We have top brand gloves from Ansell, Kimberly Clark, Sperian, Memphis, SHOWABEST, North, and Memphis at our fingertips(no pun intended). Check out other Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) at your fingertips.

Make Emedco your One-Stop PPE Source- Your Way, Today, Guaranteed!

Submitted by: Donna Kolody/Emedco

What type of medical glove do I need?

by emedco

There are three major types of medical gloves: latex, vinyl/synthetic and nitrile. The FDA regulates the quality of exam gloves produced and forces factories to conform to standards set. Today, all medical-grade exam gloves must pass through a series of tests to be sold in the U.S. market. This overview and recap of pros and cons should help you decide the exact type you need to protect your workers and be OSHA compliant.

Latex Gloves

This is the original material used to create medical gloves. Due to the great flexibility and durability of natural rubber, latex gloves continue to be used in the medical industry.

Pros: High tactile sensitivity, very durable, comfortable

Cons: Latex allergy, dry, irritated skin

Vinyl/Synthetic Gloves

Made from the synthetic material polyvinyl chloride (PVC), commonly called vinyl. Healthcare facilities have been transitioning to synthetic alternatives like vinyl due to latex allergy concerns.. Today, vinyl gloves are the most cost effective exam gloves available.

Pros: High value, cheap, latex free

Cons: Less durable synthetic, lower elongations, bad perception

Nitrile Gloves

This type is the exam glove of choice for doctors and nurses when working in harsh environments. Made from nitrile material, these exam gloves are known for providing protection to various chemicals like chemotherapy drugs. It provides excellent barrier protection – providing three times more puncture resistance than latex.  It’s no surprise that nitrile exam gloves are becoming the preferred latex-free choice.

Pros: Excellent barrier protection, chemical resistant, latex free

Cons: High price

Make Emedco your One-Stop Safety Source for top brand gloves from Ansell, Kimberly Clark, Sperian, Memphis, and SHOWABEST, and other Personal Protective Equipment(PPE). Your Way, Today, Guaranteed.

Submitted by: Donna Kolody/Emedco

Handling Chemicals and Protective Gloves

by emedco

Achieving appropriate protection against chemicals is complicated because of the great diversity of compounds and applications in the workplace. OSHA inspectors will generally accept the employer’s judgment in regard to personal protective equipment (PPE). In applications where the work is especially dangerous, the inspector might request documentation that the PPE is appropriate for the situation. Chemical-resistant gloves are designed to protect against chemical absorption into your body. Examples of chemical-resistant gloves would be nonporous types made of nitrile, neoprene, latex, rubber or PVA.

Emedco has a large selection of top brand chemical and protective gloves from Ansell, Kimberly Clark, Sperian, ShowaBest Glove, and Memphis to meet your needs. Make Emedco your One-Stop PPE Source- Your Way, Today, Guaranteed!

To learn more, visit www.OSHA.gov.

Submitted by: Donna Kolody/Emedco