Safety Products

Avoiding Back Injuries in the Workplace, Part 1

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Avoiding back injuries in the workplaceEditor’s Note: This is the first of a special three-part special report on avoiding back injuries, the most common workplace injury.

Anyone who has suffered back injury can tell you how painful and debilitating they can be. They tend to take a long time to heal and often can lead to further back problems months or even years later.

They also account for one out of every five workplace injury, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Back injuries can cause an employee to miss work and lose wages, but they also can cost an employer in lost productivity and in workman’s compensation claims. In fact, approximately 20% of all workmen’s comp claims are due to workers suffering back injuries.

So there is a benefit to both employees and management to avoiding back injuries whenever possible.

Under Pressure

Most people know that you should always lift with your legs, bending your knees when picking up a heavy object, but have you ever considered why this is the case? The amount of force you put on your back when you don’t bend your knees can be tremendous.

Think of your back as a fulcrum in a lever system. Because it isn’t centered, bending at the waist causes you to have a 10:1 weight-to-force ratio. In other words, lifting an object that weighs only 10 lbs. actually puts about 100 lbs. of pressure on your lower back. So any type of repetitive lifting and bending from the waist can quickly result in a back injury.

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Convex Mirrors Reduce Collisions, Increase Safety

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convex mirrorUsing convex mirrors in your warehouse or workplace is an inexpensive, efficient way to increase safety, improve security and reduce collisions in high traffic areas. They come in a variety of different styles to fit your specific needs and can be installed easily in just a few minutes.

In many cases, convex mirrors are available for far less than $100 each. Plus, the small monetary investment in purchasing convex mirrors for your workplace can pay enormous dividends later in terms of improved productivity, less theft, and fewer workmen’s compensation claims from resulting from accidents.

Eliminate Blind Spots

Convex mirrors are perfect for eliminating blind spots and promoting a safe work environment. Also known as convex traffic mirrors, they are commonly used in parking garages, warehouse aisles and anywhere else there is likely to be a lot of vehicular traffic. They are also frequently used in retail stores and other commercial businesses to reduce theft and increase visibility for loss prevention personnel.

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Do Workers Really Need to Wear Safety Glasses?

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protective eye gearDo workers really need to wear safety glasses? According to organization Prevent Blindness America, the answer is a resounding, “Yes!” The organization estimates that more than 700,000 workplace accidents in the US every year result in employees injuring their eyes, while another 125,000 eye-related accidents occur in the home. Yet another 40,000 US children injure their eyes playing sports, and those are only the accidents that are reported.

The saddest part about it is that many, if not most, of these injuries could have been prevented had the injured person been wearing safety glasses. Unlike prescription eyeglasses or sunglasses, safety glasses or safety goggles must adhere to a higher standard of impact resistance. This standard applies to both the lenses and the frames of the glasses.

An Easy Solution to Reduce Injuries

In most cases, safety glasses have non-prescription lenses and can be used by anybody regardless of the quality of their vision. Their purpose is to protect the eye from injury caused by impact with objects or liquids. Specialized safety eye gear can also be used to protect eyes from intense light — such as the sun’s rays or laser or the glare from an arc weld — or from caustic chemicals.

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Reduce Accidents in the Workplace with Safety Equipment

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One of the keys to creating an efficient and productive workplace is by controlling the flow of traffic. City streets and public highways are regulated by traffic laws, stop lights, stop signs, speed limit signs and other safety equipment in order to maintain order and minimize accidents. That same type of control can be applied to your workplace.

safety equpimentWhile there may not be a flow of cars and trucks across your warehouse or work yard floor, other vehicles such as forklifts, golf carts, power jacks and even manual pallet jacks pose a potential collision of crushing danger if not properly supervised and managed. One of the best ways to get your employees to follow the pathways you determine is to use traffic control equipment.

Slow Down Traffic, Increase Safety

For example, something as simple as traffic cones could be used to indicate areas where power equipment should not be used, such as places with narrow passage ways or delicate inventory. Chain barricades can be used to designate areas where employees are allowed to walk so that they won’t be in danger of being run over by equipment operators.

Even speed bumps can be installed to create slow zones or to prevent operators from going to fast. Speed bumps are now available in a variety of heights and materials — including some that are made from 100% recycled plastics — so that you can help protect the environment while promoting workplace safety.

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Increasing Safety with Forklift Monitoring Systems

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Rosco, Inc. has announced a new partnership with Cascade International to introduce a new Backup Camera System made specifically for indoor and outdoor forklifts. The new forklift camera is called MaximEyes and is made to to increase safety with a unique forklift monitor mounting plate and camera clamp-bracket that is compatible with nearly all fork … Read more

Designing for Accuracy and Safety Improvements in Material Handling

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Wynright Corporation, the nation’s leading independent, U.S.-based provider of intelligent material handling systems, recently announced the appointment of Kevin Sosnowski to Vice President, Selection Solutions. The business unit is responsible for delivering light- and voice-based engineering solutions and products that help clients manage the materials handling demands of their traditional and eCommerce businesses. With this … Read more

Using an Inventory System to Reduce Warehouse Theft

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using inventory to reduce theftRegardless of the types of products they store, nearly every warehouse has experienced shrinkage due to employee theft at some time or another. But one of the best prevention tools you can use to reduce or eliminate theft from your warehouse doesn’t require the purchase of an expensive surveillance system or the adding to your payroll with the hiring of security guards. It’s your inventory system that might need the upgrade.

An accurate, frequent inventory of the products you store in your warehouse can be your best defense against employee theft. First, when your workers see your inventory being counted on a monthly, or even a weekly basis, it will put them on notice that you are paying close attention to how much of your product should be there. While some businesses will perform a physical inventory as little as once a year simply to satisfy bookkeeping requirements, a monthly or weekly inventory will help you identify and solve a theft problem more quickly.

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How to Use an Eyewash Station

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Proper use of an eyewash stationInjuries caused by chemicals in the eyes can be among the most painful and most dangerous in the workplace. As a result, it is essential to install eyewash stations in your warehouse or work yard if there is the chance that employees may be exposed to caustic substances.

If you accidentally get caustic chemicals in your eyes, the first thing to remember is not to panic. Make your way as quickly as possible to the nearest eyewash station, shouting out to your co-workers for help as you go. When you arrive at the eyewash station, turn the eyewash on using either the foot controls or the faucet spigots. Remove any contact lenses or glasses and rinse both eyes with copious amounts of water for at least 15  minutes.

Continuous Flushing for At Least 15 Minutes

As you are flushing your eyes, use your hands to hold your eyelids open to ensure adequate flushing of the chemical irritants from your eyes. If you are in pain, this may be difficult to do but it is essential to removing the chemicals from your eyes as quickly as possible. In the meantime, notify one of your co-workers to contact emergency personnel by calling 9-1-1. You should continue rinsing your eyes until emergency medical personnel arrive to assist you further.  Avoid rubbing your eyes because this may push the chemicals deeper into your eye sockets, potentially causing additional harm and pain.

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Proper Use of Safety Cans

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Safety cans are used to store dangerous and flammable chemicals, such as gasoline, kerosene and diesel fuel. They are specifically designed to ensure that these materials are kept safe and handled property to reduce the risk of fire or explosion. Safety cans include a number of features that make them the preferred choice of Underwriters Laboratories … Read more

Choosing the Right Hearing Protective Equipment

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There are many factors to consider when selecting the right hearing protective equipment for your warehouse or manufacturing facility. Protective equipment comes in all shapes and at various levels of noise exposure. Choosing the most cost-effective solution for you that will provide the optimal amount of protection without cutting out too much noise can be a fine line … Read more