E-Newsletter

Safety and Savings Tips for January 2013, From All Safety Products, Inc.

Are You Grounded?  Follow the path to Electrical Safety

Because electricity is used in every work area, the threat of electrocution is present
in almost every job.

Take the case of a worker who was drilling holes for a bracket that needed to be
bolted into place. The drill bit needed sharpening, but to save time, the worker just
pushed harder. He felt the drill getting hot, but he didn't stop.

Instead, he grabbed a water pipe for support as he pushed even harder on the drill. At that point electrical current surged from the drill through the worker's hand, across his heart, and through the other hand. Fortunately, a co-worker knew CPR and was able to resuscitate him.

The basic problem in cases like this is that people fail to recognize electrical hazards and ignore warning signs. This worker, for example, should have known that overheating the drill could cause problems. He also should have known that electricity must have an uninterrupted path or circuit to flow.

If a person becomes part of the circuit, current will pass right through him. And he should have known that to direct the current away from the person holding a tool, there must be a path of least resistance, known as a ground . Normally, the electricity will follow the tool's ground wire because it has the least resistance. But when the worker grabbed the metal pipe, he became the ground and almost died as a result.

Some Overlooked Safety Tips to Consider:  Good to Practice Good Safety at Home as Well!

PROTECT HANDS FROM CHEMICALS

Protecting your hands from hazardous substances means selecting the right kind of gloves and wearing them while working.

Before you put gloves on:

Inspect them to make sure they're not torn, cracked, or otherwise damaged.

Don't wear worn or damaged gloves; replace them.

Make sure gloves cover your hands completely with a snug, but not uncomfortable, fit.

Bandage cuts or scrapes before putting on chemical-resistant gloves.

After you're finished working:

• Rinse gloves thoroughly before taking them off.
• Remove contaminated gloves so that contamination doesn't touch your skin.
• Wash hands thoroughly after removing gloves.
• Place gloves in the proper containers for decontamination or disposal.
• Store clean gloves right side out, cuffs unfolded, in a cool, dark, dry place.

LEARN TO FALL PROPERLY

No one wants to trip or slip and fall on the job, so take steps to avoid falls.

If you do fall, reduce injury by:

• Rolling with fall.
• Bending elbows and knees and using your legs and arms to absorb the fall.
• Getting medical attention after a fall to treat anything torn, scraped, sprained, or broken.

TAKE SAFETY TRAINING HOME

Did you know that more serious injuries happen at home than on the job? It's true. Practice safety techniques you learn at work at home, and teach them to your family.

For a list of our chemical resistant gloves, please visit this link.

Been There, Done That? Don't take safety for granted!

Bill has been on the job for years. He knows it inside and out, so he figures he can safely cut a few corners.

Jane's been around even longer, and she frequently takes risks-calculated risks-she calls them to save time.

So far Bill's been lucky. He's only had a few near misses. But Jane's luck finally ran out, and now she's in the hospital trying to figure out what happened.

What happened, of course, is that as an experienced employee, she felt should could take risks without it affecting her safety.

She was wrong. And Bill is wrong to think he can cut corners just because he knows the job.

Here are some important reminders for veterans like Bill and Jane:
 

• Don't make changes in procedures without checking with your supervisor.
• Don't override safety rules. If you have a question, talk to your supervisor or the safety manager.
• Don't take shortcuts or risks to save time. Work at a safe, steady pace, and you'll get everything done in time and in one piece.
• Don't take your safety and health for granted.
• Keep alert to hazards - no matter how often you've done the job.
• It's the one you don't see that eventually gets you.
• Don't blow off safety training. Even if you've heard it before, listen again. You might learn something new.
• At the very least, you can share your expertise with less experienced co-workers.

About All Safety Products

We are all about trying to save you money when we are able to. It is our shipping policy to only charge you the actual shipping/handling costs. Sometimes there is a shipping error on our website. We do review all orders for accuracy and pleasantly surprise our customers when we notify them of an adjustment in their favor. We make money on products, not shipping!