Safety Tips

A 52-year-old machinist at a manufacturing company was preparing to spot drill the center of a 103-inch piece of round steel in a manual lathe.

Identifying and correcting hazards in the workplace helps ensure workers safely return home to their families. OSHA, via its Safe + Sound campaign, says employers can do many things to encourage workers to find and fix hazards.

Contact with electricity is one of the leading causes of fatalities in construction, according to OSHA.

Aside from being the control center of the vehicle, a truck cab serves as an office for paperwork and phone calls, a break area to rest and eat, a shelter from inclement weather and extreme temperatures, and a storage area for supplies and equipment. As wide-ranging as this multifunctional space is, even more so are the hazards that can be inside and around the cab, cautions KeepTruckingSafe.org.

A 55-year-old boom lift operator died after he fell from the basket of an elevated lift.

Outdoor workers are unique in that they regularly share their workspaces with wasps, bees, hornets and other stinging insects. It’s important for workers to know how to respond to and treat stings, especially because some people may be allergic.

A 27-year-old laborer was killed while using a compact excavator to excavate an existing crawl space underneath a house.

When a natural disaster, biological incident or other event occurs, first responders and recovery workers often rush to the scene. That means it’s crucial they have the proper personal protective equipment ready and know how to use it.

Rain can reduce or impair your view of the road, the Nevada Department of Transportation points out. Combined with reduced tire traction on wet roadways, “It’s easy to see that driving in the rain needs to be treated with extra caution.”

As with all workplace safety and health efforts, staying safe in the future world of work will be the combined effort of employers taking the right steps to reduce risk and employees doing their part to look out for themselves and each other.