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We’ve touched on airborne lead exposure from indoor gun ranges in the past. Get The Lead Out – Shooters at Indoor Ranges Need Respirators.  OSHA is apparently now on the lookout for increased lead exposure for shooters and employees at indoor ranges (I’m pretty sure it had nothing to do with our post) and recently fined a range in Illinois $111,000 for airborne lead exposure limits up to 12 times the safe level. Another company in Florida was sited for not properly protecting employee …

Residents of the areas affected by Hurricane Isaac could see (or at least hear) greater numbers of mosquitoes and have increased exposure to the West Nile virus soon according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The recent Category 1 hurricane, while lacking the raging winds of faster-moving storm systems, brought wide-spread flooding and that flooding may create expanded breeding grounds for mosquitoes. Floodwaters initially washed away areas of standing water wher …

What happens when your small business grows, and you find yourself having to contend for the first time with confined space issues? There is quite a bit to do, and every aspect has a specific reason for being. Here is a basic primer for working in confined spaces for those who have not had these important responsibilities before. First, conduct an assessment of the on-site hazards. Describe the different roles and responsibilities of each of the parties involved in servicing these confi …

Residential roofers are scrambling to find an affordable roof safety system that keeps them compliant and lets them get on with their work. Horizontal systems are a great choice because once in place, they allow a greater area to be covered in safety. The problem with using a single fixed point roof anchor is the danger of swing falls. Once a worker moves away from the vertical line from the anchor, any fall will include not only the vertical forces, but the slapping, whip-you-around …

The same thing happens every season. The first rainy day of the year we receive hundreds of orders for rain gear. We have walk-ins who stand dripping at the counter while our warehouse guys find right sizes for them. It's like a holiday. Unless you are the foreman or the employer, and then it's just wasted, unproductive, money-losing time. We all know it's going to rain again this year. The problem is, none of us wants the good weather to go away. Ordering rain gear while it's sunny out …

Gloves used to be easier. There was generally only one size. They either fit, or they didn't. They either worked, or you didn't wear them. These days there are more choices, and it's a good thing because OSHA requires hand protection as part of safety standard 29 CFR 1910.138. The Bureau of Labor Statistics places injuries to the hands, wrists, and fingers as the second-highest of all workplace injuries behind falls with more than 100,000 annually. The challenge for employers and glove …

Last year wind blew the fine Playa dust everywhere. Goggles that keep dust out, but still allow airflow to keep them from fogging are the overall best option. This category of eye protection is called Sealed eyewear and is relatively new category in the eye safety pantheon. It generally refers to a style of hybrid glasses/goggles. They often have foam around the lenses to create a better face seal, and many, such as the I Force Glasses, have the option of trading out either traditional har …

The Bay Area abounds with many wonderful old things. Vintage boats and Victorian era houses are two that often end up benefiting from a product called penetrating epoxy. For the owners of old houses, this epoxy seeps deep into damaged or rotten wood creating incredible strength while eliminating the possibility of future rot on gingerbread, bay windows, dentils, and lentils. It is seen as almost a miracle in an age when traditional woodworking crafts have largely disappeared. For classic boat …

The London Olympic Park where Usain Bolt and Allyson Felix recently won gold medals has received a gold medal of its own. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) will honor the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) for what is being called the safest construction of an Olympic Stadium ever. The ODA is the public body responsible for developing and building the new venues and infrastructure for the Games in 2012. And while it might seem a bit of a back-handed compliment, rec …

We've all heard tests of the emergency broadcast system over the TV and radio. The long monotone and subsequent beeps of digital information being transmitted are generally followed by an announcement that this was a test ("This is only a test"). Last night as I listened to the baseball game, I heard my first real emergency broadcast. The announcement directed residents of several counties in the Bay Area, including mine, to shelter in place. The Chevron refinery in Richmond, one of the …