Safety Tips

Compressed gas cylinders may look fairly harmless, but the stored gases can be toxic, flammable, oxidizing, corrosive or inert, according to the Department of Energy Office of Environment, Health, Safety and Security.

For some workers, mosquitoes are an on-the-job hazard. That’s because some mosquitoes carry diseases – such as Zika virus, West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus, dengue and malaria – that can be transmitted to people.

Lifting objects or manually handling materials puts workers at risk for back injuries. More than 111,000 such injuries requiring days away from work were recorded in 2017, according to Injury Facts, an online database created by the National Safety Council.

Muncie, IN — Concerts, fireworks, auto races, road construction and mowing the lawn are all summertime happenings that can cause permanent hearing damage, cautions Ball State University audiologist Lynn Bielski.

Strasbourg, France — Musculoskeletal disorders rank No. 2 worldwide in shortening people’s working years, according to a recent analysis of data compiled by the World Health Organization.

Norwich, England — A new study links workplace bullying to health problems and negative behaviors among people who are frequent targets.

Carson City, NV — Nevada has become the latest state to require hospitals and other health care facilities to create and implement workplace violence prevention programs and report incidents.

Washington — Legislation that would direct OSHA to issue a standard requiring employers in health care and social services industries to develop and implement workplace violence prevention plans was voted out of the House Education and Labor Committee on June 11, and now advances to the full House.

Boulder, CO — The amount of air pollutants in nail salons can make working in one comparable to working at an oil refinery or in an auto repair garage, according to a study from the University of Colorado Boulder.

New York — A new law in New York City bans employers, labor organizations and employment agencies from testing job applicants for marijuana and tetrahydrocannabinols, or THC – the active ingredient in marijuana.