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U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission

Office of Information and Public Affairs

Washington, DC 20207

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 7, 2008 Release #08-155

CPSC Hotline: (800) 638-2772 CPSC Media Contact: (301) 504-7908

CPSC Warns Winter Storm Victims: Use Portable Generators Outdoors Only

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission is issuing a warning to consumers confronted with severe winter weather. When there’s a power outage, exercise caution when using portable generators.Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible killer. You can’t see or smell it. A generator’s exhaust contains poisonous CO which can kill you in a matter of minutes. At least 65 people died in 2006 from generator-related CO poisoning. Many of the deaths occurred after winter storms knocked out power. Follow these important generator safety tips:

• Never use a portable generator inside a home, garage, shed or other partially enclosed space, even if doors and windows are open.

• Use portable generators outside only, far away from the home. And keep the generator away from openings to the home, including doors, windows and vents.
  

• Read the label on the generator and the owner’s manual, and follow the instructions.
  

• Install CO alarms with battery backup in the home outside each sleeping area.
• Get to fresh air immediately if you start to feel sick, weak or dizzy. CO poisoning from exposure to generator exhaust can quickly lead to incapacitation and death.

CPSC recently mandated a new danger label on generators manufactured after May 14, 2007. The label states that, “Using a generator indoors CAN KILL YOU IN MINUTES. “CPSC has additional rulemaking underway on generators. The Commission directed staff to investigate various strategies to reduce consumers’ exposure to CO and to enable and encourage them to use generators outdoors only. Those strategies include generator engines with substantially reduced CO emissions, interlocking or automatic shutoff devices, weatherization requirements, theft deterrence and noise reduction. In addition to safe generator use, CPSC suggests consumers follow these safety tips after a storm:

• Never use charcoal indoors. Burning charcoal in an enclosed space can produce lethal carbon monoxide.
  

• Use caution when burning candles. Use flashlights instead. If you must use candles, do not burn them on or near anything that can catch fire. Never leave burning candles unattended. Extinguish candles when you leave the room.

• Do not use portable heaters or lanterns while sleeping in enclosed areas such as tents, campers, and other vehicles. This is especially important at high altitudes, where the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning is increased.

Technorati Tags: consumer product safety, cpsc, generator, portable, portable generator safety, Safety, TWIS, winter weather

Tags: Health, Safety, TWIS by David Wright - IamSafetyGeek
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Could you contract a disease at work? What if someone sneezes on you? Or using a tool with dried blood? Or cleaning Restrooms? The simple answer is YES! This is why we are going to learn about Bloodborne Pathogens. A bloodborne pathogen is a disease producing bacteria or microorganism. OSHA defines a bloodborne pathogen as a pathogenic microorganism present in human blood that can lead to disease. There are many disease carrying pathogenic microorganisms that are covered by the Bloodborne Pathogen Standard; however, the most common and those of primary concern are Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), Hepatitis B (HBV), and Hepatitis C (HCV).

Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV):

• HIV is the virus that leads to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). A person can carry HIV for many years and not have symptoms until it turns into full-blown AIDS.
• AIDS attacks the person’s immune system, which makes it difficult for the body to fight off disease.
• Scientists and medical authorities agree that HIV does not survive well outside the body. Drying of HIV-infected human blood or other body fluids reduces the risk of environmental transmission to essentially zero.
• HIV is found in very low quantities in saliva and tears from some AIDS patients. HIV has not been found in the sweat of HIV-infected persons. Contact with saliva, tears, or sweat has never been shown to result in the transmission of HIV.

Hepatitis B Virus (HBV):

• 1 to 1 ¼ million Americans are chronically infected
• Symptoms include: jaundice, fatigue, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, intermittent nausea, vomiting
• May lead to chronic liver disease, liver cancer, and death
• Vaccination available since 1982
• HBV can survive for at least one week in
  dried blood

Hepatitis C Virus (HCV):

• An estimated 3.9 million Americans have been infected with HCV of whom 2.7 million are chronically infected.
• Persons chronically infected with HCV may not be aware of it because they are not clinically ill. Sometimes it can take two decades before symptoms are recognized.
• Chronic liver disease occurs in approximately 70 percent of infected persons.
• There are some drugs that have been licensed for treatment of HCV; however, they are only effective in 10-40 percent of persons.
• 8,000-10,000 deaths occur each year as a result of the chronic liver disease.
• There are some drugs that have been licensed for treatment of HCV; however, they are only effective in 10-40 percent of persons.

Technorati Tags: aids, bbp, bloodborne, hbv, hcv, hepatitis, hiv, OSHA, pathogen, Safety

Tags: Bloodborne Pathogen, OSHA, Safety, TWIS by David Wright - IamSafetyGeek
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For those of you who are involved in Mining Safety, I am sure you have noticed the alarming rate that you have been receiving the Program Information Bulletins from MSHA.  I always find myself wondering if I have missed any!!!  Well I have good news.  You can find them ALL on MSHA’s website.   They are broken down and sorted by year for you and they have them all the way back to 1996!

Enjoy!

Technorati Tags: mine safety, MSHA, msha alert, pib, program information bulletin, Safety

Tags: MSHA, Safety by David Wright - IamSafetyGeek
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I found this article in this month’s Facility Safety Management:

Each year 300 people die from a disease called silicosis, and as many as two million workers are exposed to silica each year. The often fatal disease is entirely preventable, though once acquired there is no cure.

 

Silica is a naturally occurring mineral compound, and the second most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Many industries expose their employees to airborne silica, such as those involved in cutting, coring or drilling concrete. Cutting wet or using engineering controls such as ventilation are the most effective methods of reducing employee exposure to silica dust.

 

The Concrete Sawing and Drilling Association offers the following fact sheet and best practices for employers and employees of concrete cutting operations to reduce their exposure to silica dust.

Employers must educate concrete cutting employees in the following ways:

1. Train workers about the health effects of inhaling silica dust and train them in good work practices.

2. Train workers to recognize when and how silica dust may be generated and provide training on how to eliminate or control the dust at the source.

3. Train workers on how to use and maintain engineering controls to reduce silica dust.

4. Establish a respiratory protection program and train workers on when, where and how to use and take care of respirators.

5. To determine if respirators are necessary, use company task-specific air monitoring data, historical data relevant to the tasks and OSHA/NIOSH data to determine the need and type of respirator required.

Respirators are recommended for any dry cutting, and also when cutting inside an enclosed or limited work area.

 

Employees must practice the following preventive measures when cutting:

1. Always use the dust control systems provided with the machinery and keep them in good operating condition.

2. When sawing or drilling concrete, use equipment that provides water to the blade or bit. Use vacuums or wet sweeping to clean up slurry (water and dust debris).

3. Wear washable clothing. Periodically and at the end of the day, vacuum any dust off clothing.

4. Do not eat, drink or use tobacco products while working or smoking outside of the work area.

5. Wash hands and face before eating or drinking.

6. When required, always wear the appropriate respirator.

 

Note: With any type of vacuum system, worker protection from respirable dust is only as good as the filter in the vacuum. For the maximum control, use high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, which are 99.97 percent efficient when tested with fine dust (0.3 Ìm).

Technorati Tags: concrete, cutting concrete, drilling, dust, dust control, respirator, Safety, sawing, Silica

Tags: Health, OSHA, PPE, Silica by David Wright - IamSafetyGeek
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Anytime you work with equipment that produces a spark or an open flame, or a process that generates excessive heat, there is a risk of fire. Work involving electric or gas welding, cutting, brazing or similar flame producing operations is known as hot work.

Hot work can be controlled through a hot work policy and part of the hot work policy should be a permit program or some way of establishing authorization for all processes that produce a spark or extreme heat.

Some of the hazards of hot work are:

• Fire, property or personal loss
• Explosion of compressed gases
• Flammable or combustible vapors, solids, liquids near the area of the hot work
• Process involving oxygen, fuel, sharp blades, flames on torches
• Metal splatter and electric shock
• Confined space issues
• Transportation of gas cylinders

Precautions to avoid or minimize risks involved in hot work fall under fire prevention measures, personal protective equipment, and preventative maintenance of specialized tools, warning labels and ventilation.

Hot work permit

The employer must issue a permit for all hot work, with the following exceptions: where the employer or the employer’s representative is present while the hot work is being performed, in welding shops authorized by the employer, in hot work areas authorized by the employer which are located outside of the grain handling structure.

The permit must certify that the requirements contained in OSHA Standard 1910.252 have been implemented prior to beginning the hot work operations. The permit must be kept on file until completion of the hot work operations.

Technorati Tags: 1910.252, combustible vapors, hot work, OSHA, permit, Safety, Welding, welding safety

Tags: OSHA, Safety, Welding by David Wright - IamSafetyGeek
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