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Airports have many hazardous work environments that require both vigilance and the correct personal protective equipment (PPE). Workers at both busy metropolitan airports and smaller, private fields need to abide by the safety protocols in place, but should also look to their own safety by making sure the equipment they are given is in good repair. It may be wise for them to consider buying their own PPE when better options are available. Noise protection is one of the biggest considera …

Chris Coyle from Capital Safety recently spent some time with us talking about what is involved in the inspection of self-retracting devices (SRDs) under the new ANSI Z359.14 standards. According to these new standards a competent person, as defined by OSHA regulations, will be required to inspect SRLs yearly, bi-annually, or quarterly depending upon the frequency and duration of use. If you have questions about inspecting any of your fall protection devices or more specifica …

Self-retracting lifelines have created a new level of fall protection for at height workers since they were first introduced. Fast-activating braking systems have lowered both fall distances and fall forces. As the use of SRLs (more broadly referred to as self-retracting devices or SRDs) has increased across a wide range of industries, the American National Standards Institute ( ANSI) has taken a close look at the use and maintenance of these life saving devices. Their findings have resulte …

Every civilization has had to find a way to organize their waste materials. The most common method has historically been burial of the waste. According to Wikipedia (completely reliable, as we all know) the Mayans had dumps that exploded occasionally and burned. Landfills, depending upon the items being buried, still have the same dangers today and must be monitored closely to maintain safety for those in contact with the site. A sometimes significant amount of hazardous gas can be crea …

Electricians have one of the most dangerous jobs in the country according to OSHA reports. While the wattage in homes is enough to cause serious damage or death, even greater danger occurs when workers are exposed to the major electrical forces involved with municipalities and major factory and industrial work. And while training and experience are often the best ways to avoid injury, there are tools and clothing that are specially made to help an electrician fare better in the event of an ac …

Don't forget your jacket and your face mask. These words are more likely than ever to be spoken as people leave the house in major cities in China and other industrialized cities around the world these days. As air pollution degenerates further and further, lung protection becomes important not just for those working in factories and other places with dirty flying particles, but simply for day to day health in cities like Beijing, with over 20 million people. According to an article …

Workers and employers are becoming more aware of the problems associated with suspension trauma (also called orthostatic intolerance) which can affect a fall victim who is held aloft by their full-body harness. What people have been asking with some regularity lately is if the suspension trauma straps from one company will work with a harness from another. The answer, as far as we can tell with the products we have tried and the manufacturers we've talked to, is yes. Last week a cust …

Airlines are finding RamFans a cool way to boost profits. Every minute an airplane is on the ground, it stops making money. One of the reasons planes stay on the ground is the safety regulations regarding brake temperatures. It takes a tremendous amount of energy to stop a plane and that energy translates into high heat. Once the plane lands, the brake systems need time to cool down. Newer airplanes have integral fans and carbon braking systems, but they can still have heat issues. O …

Spiderman is washing windows. And he's doing a great job. According to an ABC News report, employees at the Chicago-based American National Skyline window cleaning company came up with the idea of donning superhero outfits as a way to entertain the kids at the children's hospitals where they rappel down the buildings while cleaning the windows. This story was picked up by the major news outlets and the idea has now grown to several other cities. When you see the pictures of these tou …

It's an employer's responsibility to fit test workers with the respirators used on their job sites. Most folks don't think about this unless they are in highly regulated fields. But under OSHA safety standard 1910.134 employers are required to show each worker using this lung protection equipment how to put on a respirator, how to position it on the face, and how to determine an acceptable fit. If you've never performed a fit test, here is a quick primer on how to use a Qualitative Fit Tes …