1/27/2020 Ever since Apple came out with the iPod, people have been taking their favorite songs with them wherever their hearts’ desire. Well, actually this whole portable music craze goes back to the transistor radio in the 1960’s where a person could easily carry a radio in one hand – Read more
1/20/2020 Over the past few months, while attending several tailgate meetings, I have brought up the topic of hazard assessments and hand protection. The fact is, in 2019, we have had more than our fair share of hand injuries. And, in just about every instance, the injured worker did not Read more
8/12/2019 Lately, I have found myself conducting quite a number of respirator training classes. My typical opening question is, “when was the concept of wearing a respirator first conceived?” Most people automatically respond with “World War I.” True, respirators were used during this time, as this is when Chemical Warfare, Read more
6/23/2019 The U.S. Bureau of Labor and Statistics reported that 70 percent of workers who experienced hand injuries in 2015 were not wearing gloves. The remaining 30 percent of injured workers wore gloves, but the gloves were inadequate, damaged or the wrong type for the hazards that were present. This Read more
9/17/2018 During the recent confirmation hearings for Judge Kavanaugh, I listened to a line of questioning concerning an incident in 2010 when the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined Seaworld in San Diego after a trainer was killed by a captive killer whale. This was the first time OSHA Read more
9/23/2013 A few weeks ago, the National Football League (NFL) reached a settlement in the combined lawsuits of 4,500 former players: The NFL will pay out up to $766 million (plus legal fees) to help retirees whose brains were damaged by concussions. The terms apply to every retiree who presents “medical evidence Read more
5/23/2016 Face Shields; quite possibly the forgotten PPE. While wearing safety glasses is becoming a “no brainer,” outside of specific hot work activities, face shields seem to be an extraneous piece of equipment that is only considered when one wants to be extra cautious, however, never really mandatory. After all, Read more
9/23/2019 Safety shoes?! “Why do I need to wear safety shoes?” Debby was perturbed. She was assigned to work in the field trailer – a double wide. Yes, the work at the site was construction while heavy equipment was always present. But Debby was working in a trailer. She wasn’t Read more
8/20/2018 Safety Glasses have come along way. I suppose some of us may recall when safety glasses came in only one style: Nerd. That’s because they made even the coolest looking guy look like a geek. It was sometime in the 1990’s when manufacturers began introducing fashionable styles causing the Read more