Occupational, Industrial, and Safety Shares for your company or organization

Rigging

5/2/2016 Rigging: that is the practice of securing loads that are intended for being lifted by heavy equipment.  Rigging is a critical part of work at construction sites as well as at shipyards and general industry. The workers that perform this task are referred to as riggers Riggers can also function as signalman for crane operators and other workers that maneuver heavy equipment. Improper rigging of a load can result in serious injuries.  Annually about 50 Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

Raynaud’s Syndrome

10/28/2019 It’s that time of the year when proactive measures for winter work begins. Any S&H professional that has ever cracked open “Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene” should recall the section on temperature extremes where the various ailments associated with heat and cold stress are discussed. One condition, Raynaud’s Syndrome is brought up. And while this medical condition is technically, not a disorder based solely on exposure to cold weather; its symptoms can be exacerbated by Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

Staying Hydrated in the Winter

11/30/2015 Many years ago, I was working at a remediation site when the first cold weather that announced winter hit us. We had our tailgate meeting and, of course, because of the obvious changed weather, we discussed the importance of staying warm. Topics such as wearing appropriate clothing (wearing layers so that we could avoid sweating after work began), the susceptibility of our extremities and the difficulty to work with hand tools were discussed. And Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

The Hazards Created from Design Change

5/28/2019 Back in the 1970’s – there I was – in San Francisco when I walked into the newest hotel in the city…the Hyatt Regency. It was like I walked into a city within a city.  One of the defining features of the hotel was its lobby, which incorporated a multistory atrium, spanned by elevated walkways made of glass, steel and concrete. They were impressive-looking as they connected the second, third, and fourth floors expanding from the Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

Safety Shoes

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 going the be installing scaffolds or placing dry wall on frames.  And she certainly wasn’t going to be driving a front-end loader, forklift or dump Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

Safety Glasses for Work and Play

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 American work force take notice. Indeed, the designs were so trendy and chic that people began wearing them outside of the work environment. According to Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

Beryllium Lymphocyte Proliferation Tests (Be-LPTs)

6?17/2019 Persons assigned to work at sites where there is a recognized exposure to beryllium – based on skin contact and/or airborne inhalation – are required to participate in a specific medical surveillance program, which is in addition to a typical fit-for-duty physical required for working at a hazardous waste site or treatment, storage and disposal facility. The specific regulations are the OSHA standards for general industry and construction; 29 CFR 1910.1024 and 29 CFR Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

The Holiday Blues

12/23/2019 True, the holiday season is always promoted as the most wonderful time of the year (as the popular Christmas song – most notably sung by Andy Williams – fills the air in TV commercials and shopping centers). Classic movies as “It’s a Wonderful Life” and “A Christmas Carol” and, of course, “A Christmas Story (you know, the one with little Ralphie and his dream of the Red Ryder BB gun!)” seem to be playing Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

HouseKeeping

8/31/2020 It seems that the subject of housekeeping is one that is frequently brought up at tailgate meetings; yet the details are seldom discussed. It is one of those topics that every project will have an issue with. True, for some projects, housekeeping can be a more obvious concern than others. But all workplaces can always use a little tidying up.  Besides being a visual eyesore: one which may also be perceived as a general Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago

On the Job Safety for New Hires

12/9/2019 Many organizations make a cognizant effort to hire new blood as this ensures that stagnation within their workforce does not become a problem.  By having new hires, long-time employees can be used as mentors, providing knowledge on company procedures and processes; thus, ensuring that company protocol is reviewed – even by the experienced professionals. In addition, adding new persons to the organization ensures the working base is maintained. However, according to studies, new hires Read more…

By Robert Brounstein, ago