Significant developments within OSHA and ANSI safety standards will have a considerable effect on fall protection requirements throughout general industry.

When OSHA published its proposed rule for Walking-Working Surfaces and Fall Protection last year, it was the culmination of a regulatory project that’s been brewing for decades. For the members of the Fall Protection Group of the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA), it was a mark of success in efforts to get the agency to focus on protecting workers from falls.

Beyond following the regulations mandated by OSHA and your state, safety in welding is largely based on understanding hazards and awareness of your surroundings.

May 15-17, 2011, Savannah, GA

Approximately ten percent of all occupational deaths are from struck-by accidents, and that number increases to 26 percent in the construction industry, according to OSHA. With the weather getting warmer and the layers of clothing coming off, it’s important to make sure that the layer of high-visibility apparel stays on.

The next time you drive by a highway work zone, try to envision how it differs from one that existed a decade ago. Is there more equipment on site? Maybe. Are the barrels and barriers still orange? Most likely.

When it comes to decisions relating to PPE, there are three distinct but interrelated issues.

Have you heard the term “FR clothing” and asked yourself, “What does the ‘FR’ stand for?” The ‘FR’ in FR clothing means ‘flame resistant.’ By definition, flame resistance is the ability of a material, in this case clothing, to self extinguish once the ignition source is removed. It also prevents the spread of flames.

3M introduces a new line of quality disposable apparel to help protect workers. 3M™ Protective Coveralls help provide protection against light liquid splashes and sprays, and harmful dusts present in the industrial workplace.

This special report on hand protection in the workplace covers all the topics you’ll need to make the right glove choices. Articles by experts discuss the pros versus the cons of ambi gloves, how to understand cut-resistance materials, and how the density of knit and gauge plays a role in the level of protection offered by gloves.