Safety Tips

Falls, struck-by incidents and overturned machinery are the most common causes of injury and death in forklift operations, according to NIOSH. Many of these deaths and injuries can be prevented by ensuring machine operators are trained and the work area is safe.

A 34-year-old female firefighter was killed after being struck by a pickup truck on an icy interstate. The victim was a seven-year veteran firefighter, working as part of a crew dispatched to an accident.

Using tool belts can be helpful for carting a large number of tools around a jobsite. But when fully loaded, tool belts can weigh upward of 50 pounds, according to OSHA.

According to OSHA, injuries on loading docks most often occur when forklifts run off docks, or when product or equipment falls off and strikes a workers.

More than 5,000 workers are burned in restaurants every year, according to NIOSH. Commercial fryers are responsible for many of these burns.

Hearing-impaired workers face a number of additional challenges in the workplace, particularly when working safely around machinery or responding during an emergency situation.

People who work on or around roller-compactors are at risk for rollover or struck-by injuries, according to NIOSH. Although rollover injuries and fatalities can be reduced by increased use of safety belts and rollover protective structures, the agency stresses that a safe work space and appropriate training are vital to preventing injuries related to rollers.

Consistent and thorough inspections of scaffolding are crucial to ensure worker safety.

Working with metals often requires interaction with certain oils and other synthetic fluids that can be irritating or damaging to the skin. According to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries, a variety of skin problems can develop from exposure to metalworking fluids, the most common of which is dermatitis.

Some of the most significant safety hazards that ironworkers face are encountered during the erection of open web steel joists, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.