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The second in a two-part series on confined space gas monitoring: They say that knowledge is power. This is certainly the case when it comes to safety in confined spaces. It is only after we are aware of the potential dangers of confined spaces that we can recognize a seemingly empty space as containing life-threatening possibilities. BW Honeywell GasAlert Micro Clip XL 4-Gas Monitor In the first part of our Gas Monitoring discussion, we talked about Oxygen (O2) levels and Lower Explosi …

Large job sites have so many projects and workers operating at once, it can be difficult to maintain communication with all of them. Many accidents happen because one set of workers is unaware of the harm their actions may cause to another team. Confined spaces entrants are already putting themselves into an area with known dangers. But it can get even more dangerous if machinery unexpectedly gets turned on, or tons of grain begins to fall on the head of you or your team. The key to con …

Fall protection needs an anchorage that is capable of holding in the event of a fall. Makes sense. But how do you know if a certain point is beefy enough to hold a full-grown man and his tools doing a 6-12 ft. free fall? Unless you've had a certified anchorage installed, chances are you won't know for certain. So try to err on the side of caution. The old adage about anchorage points is that they need to support 5,000 lbs. We usually tell folks that if they can imagine dangling a Ford F …

When isolating or ventilating a permit-required confined space, it is critical that a competent person on your team take meter readings with a 4-gas monitor for oxygen (O2), toxic gases and if applicable, combustible gases (VOCs) with a PID to determine if the processes have been effective. Of course you already know this if you or your company are performing this type of work. But are you measuring for the correct PEL levels? PEL limits change with some regularity, and what may be r …

"OSHA certified" is a bit of a misnomer. OSHA produces the standards which personal protective equipment must meet, but the organization doesn't certify equipment. The  Allegro air line respiratory systems, for example, are made to fulfill safety requirements, and are useful against a range of workplace challenges. While you need equipment that meets the OSHA requirements for your specific work place challenge, you won't find anything that is actually OSHA certified or OSHA approved. …

For safe entry of a permit-required confined space (PRCS), OSHA designates roles for key persons involved in the procedure.  Workers trained in these responsibilities are the only ones who should be involved in these potentially hazardous tasks. Workers' roles vary depending on the amount of training and experience they have working in confined spaces.  The first role we will discuss is that of the Attendant.  The duties described in OSHA standard 1910.146 require an Attendan …

If you're working in site maintenance, oil and gas production, or other large facilities, you likely have loads of fall protection equipment that requires periodic inspection by a competent person. OSHA sets requirements for regular inspection, and defines the type of person who can sign off on these reviews. A Competent Person in the eyes of all-mighty OSHA is simply someone who can identify the hazards of their workplace environment and who has the authorization to take immediate measure …

Ebola was exciting wasn't it? I'm not talking about the terrible disease that some African countries are still struggling with. I'm talking about those amazing news reports getting everybody all whipped up. While we talked about basic precautions against the more likely scenarios, we are not the largest news agency in the world (shocking, I know). Now we are overstocked on some of our best respirators, and if you haven't added them to your Walking Dead safety kit, or you just need great lu …

Just after you have ordered your fall protection equipment (hopefully from pksafety.com) is the perfect time to update your rescue plan.   What?  You don’t have a rescue plan?  Well, you are not alone.  Many conscientious companies provide equipment and training for the PPE issued on site, but fail to see the scenarios through.  What happens to your workers after a fall occurs? The danger of suspension trauma – where blood flow is cut off by harness stra …

Fall protection equipment needs to be regularly inspected by a Competent Person according the specifications set forth in the ANSI Z359 protection codes if you want your Z359-rated equipment to be considered usable. Inspection is critical for all fall protection safety equipment, whether you intend to meet the highest standards in the country or not. To do this effectively, it's important to have a consistent process for the inspection. For each piece of equipment you have in your inventory, …