Keeping employees safe can be a huge expense to your company. But when you consider what’s at stake, human lives and life’s best moments, personal safety is invaluable.
3M has announced the decision to buy Scott Safety for $2 billion, thrusting the company to the forefront of the personal protective equipment (PPE) market.
Respirators had been used by employees in about 10 percent of the private industry workplaces surveyed in late 2001. In nearly half of these 619,400 establishments where respirators were used, they were used by employees on a voluntary basis only, and, in about 12 percent, they were used only when required because of emergencies.
An SCSR is a lifesaving device that miners depend upon in times of emergency to escape from a hazardous environment within the mine. To keep this important device functioning reliably, daily inspections and upkeep become a ‘life or death’ matter. Though you may consider this to be a high-maintenance relationship, it is worth the necessary attention.
Part A. Personal protective equipment is divided into four categories based on the degree of protection afforded. (See Part B of this appendix for further explanation of Levels A, B, C, and D hazards.) I. Level A - To be selected when the greatest level of skin, respiratory, and eye protection is required. The following constitute Level A equipment:
From the safety culture in Texas to salary comparisons of safety professionals to OSHA’s VPP program and the importance of maintenance when it comes to SCBAs, here are the top OEHS-related stories of the week as featured on ISHN.com:
Those who use a Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) can run into problems with this life-saving device if it not properly maintained. “Correct inspection, cleaning, upkeep, and service procedures are all vital to ensure optimum SCBA operation,” writes Jaclyn Krah, MA, in a recent NIOSH Science Blog post.
The National Fire Protection Association has issued a safety alert on self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) facepiece lenses, recommending that fire departments, fire academies, and emergency service organizations inspect all lenses before and after each use.
