Proforma Safety Blog

OSHA Releases Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

Posted by proforma on March 1, 2011  |  No Comments

OSHA has released its new Enforcement Guidance for Personal Protective Equipment in General Industry, intended to clarify what kind of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) employers must provide free to workers, such as goggles, face shields, earplugs, earmuffs and respirators.

Beware the Killer Holiday Meal

Posted by proforma on December 3, 2010  |  No Comments

In past years medical experts have wondered whether there is a connection between a single big holiday meal and a heart attack. They now understand better the physiological effects of eating a meal packed with carbohydrates, fat, and salt, and the news is not good for big eaters.

A study of nearly 2,000 heart attack patients suggest that an unusually large meal can quadruple chance of having a heart attack within two hours. This article in Health.org provides guidance on how to be a gourmand, not a glutton.

This article points out that increased holiday consumption can trigger gout, which is on the rise with obesity, diabetes and metabolic disorders.

Shopping for Safe, Fun Holiday Toys

Posted by proforma on December 1, 2010  |  No Comments

The next few weeks will be a flurry of activity as parents buy gifts for the holidays, so what could be more appropriate to share at this time than the toy industry’s top picks for 2011 Toy of the Year Awards? Categorized by age, gender and other characteristics, this list will give you a description of the toy, manufacturer, price and manufacturer’s website.

If you’re unsure what is appropriate toy for a particular age level, this guide published by the Toy Association gives specific information about the abilities and interests of children from six months through 12 years, with suggestions for what play experiences are appropriate.

For more information on the Toy Industry Association and consumer safety and shopping tips, toys and trends, go to www.toyinfo.org.

Pipeline Owners Should Have Policies for Personal Electronic Devices

Posted by proforma on August 4, 2010  |  No Comments

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has issued an advisory to owners and operators of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline facilities to develop policies governing the use of personal electronic devices (PEDs) by employees performing maintenance work. The agency advises there should be written procedures and controls governing the use of PEDs by workers performing pipeline tasks that may affect pipeline operation or integrity.

Imperial Sugar Rebuilds Facility on the Ashes of 2008 Catastrophe

Posted by proforma on March 30, 2010  |  No Comments

On February 7, 2008, at about 7:15 p.m., something ignited sugar dust in Imperial’s refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, resulting in blasts and subsequent fires that destroyed much of the facility and killed 14 people. This article in the NFPA Journal®,March/April 2010, talks about the  tragedy, which the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) described as “entirely preventable.” Poor maintenance, housekeeping, and equipment design were identified as factors in the catastrophe. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reported scores of “willful” and “particularly flagrant” safety violations. Imperial Sugar has made the commitment to build a safe, modern packaging facility and the solution has been a system and functional design for the new plant that emphasizes the concepts of separation, isolation, and suppression. At Port Wentworth, this has included relocation of the huge sugar storage silos, more stand-alone buildings, and inclusion of fire walls within buildings. Most important, it’s included a major overhaul to employee attitudes toward safety. Click on the link above for details.

Don’t Do It Yourself By These Books

Posted by proforma on January 9, 2010  |  No Comments

Many of us have a Sunset book in our home library for wiring or other home repairs. Now it appears that nine books — produced for Sunset, Loews and Amerispec — have been recalled because of erroneous technical diagrams and instructions that can pose an electrical shock or fire hazard. The publisher, Oxmoor House, Inc., of Birmingham, AL, is offering a full refund. The list of titles is available here.

Chit Chat Can Kill

Posted by proforma on October 8, 2009  |  No Comments

Whether on the job, in the car, or anywhere else where concentration is important, distractions like chatting can result in injury or death. This article is an important reminder to stay focused: The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has cited violations of the “sterile cockpit rule” in six airline crashes since 2004. Pilots were chatting — in one case, making chicken noises — before they crashed, in some instances, resulting in fatalities.

The Ladder Exchange Initiative Is a Good Idea

Posted by proforma on August 31, 2009  |  No Comments

As far as safety-related programs are concerned, The Ladder Exchange Initiative has to be one of the most creative.

The Ladder Exchange Initiative invites workers to exchange a ladder that is bent, broken or battered for a new one at designated outlets that offer discounts on the replacements. The Initiative kicks off on September 1, 2009, and runs through year’s end.

The UK Health and Safety Executive site also offers good advice and photos of what to inspect for. Click here for details.

Lifeboat Drill Goes Awry; One Crew Member Killed

Posted by proforma on August 31, 2009  |  No Comments

A fatality occured recently on a Mobile Offshore Drilling Unit (MODU) during a planned lifeboat drill.

The MODU was conducting routine testing of its lifeboats and equipment as required by regulation and launched its starboard lifeboat with a crew of seven. During recover of the lifeboat at the end of the drill, the aft hook opened, the boat swung onto its forward hook, which then failed, plunging the lifeboat and its occupants 65 feet into the sea. One crew member died and the remaining six sustained injuries.

Among the causes, it was determined that critical components of the system had deteriorated with age and use and the On-Load release system was not fully understood. For details, read the IADC report.

Is that Sunscreen Really Working?

Posted by proforma on July 6, 2009  |  No Comments

Whether you’re working or recreating outdoors, you need sunscreen. But which ones work? Did you know 3 out of 5 brand name sunscreens either contain hazardous chemicals, or don’t protect skin from sun damage? Check the 2009 Sunscreen Guide, put out by the Environmental Working Group. It offers evaluation of an incredible list of products purporting to be effective sunscreen agents.