Safety Tips

Canned-air products commonly are used in offices to remove dust from computers, shredders and other electronic equipment.

Painters commonly use products such as paint strippers that may contain toxic, flammable or combustible chemicals.

Forklift trucks are powerful equipment, and employees can be seriously injured if safe operating procedures are not followed.

Struck-by hazards include objects ejected from a power tool – such as a nail gun – as well as rolling, moving or sliding objects, such as a moving vehicle.

Eye and face injuries commonly are caused by flying or falling objects, or sparks striking the eye. Different types of hazards may require different types of protection, including goggles, faceshields or wielding shields.

A 33-year-old equipment operator was killed after he was pulled beneath a 45-ton bulldozer. The victim worked for a company that employed about five full-time workers and hired approximately 70 additional contract laborers.

Highway construction zones can create a hazardous environment for workers.

Gasoline and other flammable liquids should only be stored in approved containers based on specifications developed by the Department of Transportation, OSHA, the National Fire Protection Association and the American National Standards Institute.

Workers exposed to poor indoor air quality may experience headaches, shortness of breath, coughing or nausea.

Misusing, abusing or mishandling compressed gas cylinders can create a significant hazard. A worker who is assigned to handle cylinders under pressure must be properly trained and monitored.