rajan mr asked:


The most appropriate means of access to temporary workplaces at a height are ladders. The type of ladder selected varies depending upon the frequency of passage, the height to be negotiated and the duration of use. Proper safety measures are very much essential while using ladders at industrial workplaces. In the use of a conventional ladder, whether it is a step ladder or is adapted to be placed at an angle against a surface, the user typically ascends and descends the ladder by grasping upper rungs or sides of the ladder with the hands while moving the feet from step-to-step on lower rungs or steps of the ladder. If such a ladder is placed against a surface at too steep an angle, it is not uncommon for the center of gravity to be such that the ladder is quite unstable, and capable of tipping over backwards under the weight of the person using the ladder. In addition, the rungs or steps of the ladder do not provide a convenient handrail or handgrip; and, at least for some people, the lack of any surrounding side supports leads to a sense of insecurity.

The risk of falling from ladders can be minimized at workplaces by the usage of proper safety ladders. There should be provision for a retractable safety handle along with the ladder. Ladders must be so positioned as to ensure their stability during use. They must be used in such a way that a secure handhold and secure support are available to workers at all times. In particular, if a load has to be carried by hand on a ladder, it must not preclude the maintenance of a safe handhold. It is desirable to provide a safety ladder which provides an improved center of gravity over the ladder constructions of the prior art, and which utilizes handrails as the weight-bearing portion of the ladder. Only safe ladders, secured against slipping and tipping, in good condition and suitable for usage in the current objective should be allowed at industrial workplaces.

The risks and difficulties in storage related to conventional ladders have led to the invention of the new age foldable ladders and mobile safety steps. In a foldable step ladder the step section is interconnected or hinged near the top, with a fold-out extension to form a substantially triangular support; so that the ladder can be used as a free-standing ladder. Mobile safety steps or sometimes called the mobile ladder is an example of improved ladder construction technology. These are manufactured with the primary objective of safety and an added objective of minimizing storage problems. Mobile safety steps are lightweight, durable, space-saving and compliant with industry regulations.

Mobile safety steps are available from 2 feet to 10 feet tall, in spring action, lever break, push and foot lock variants. Mobile warehouse safety steps are an essential piece of equipment when picking goods from levels over 2m. So, gone are the days of using those step and rung ladders, mobile ladders are much more safe and portable in all terms. The only thing to be kept in mind is that these portable ladders must rest on a stable, strong, suitably-sized, immobile footing so that the rungs remain horizontal. Suspended ladders must be attached in a secure manner and, with the exception of rope ladders, so that they cannot be displaced and so that swinging is prevented. Mobile safety steps have become an integral part of the category of safety equipments that can prevent potential hazards at workplaces.



Carlos

Tracey Mcmaster asked:


Safety footwear and workwear has become an unavoidable part of life for many dangerous professions, particularly in light of increasingly strict health and safety at work laws. Wherever you turn there is a tradesman in a high visibility jacket, or a construction worker with safety boots and thick leather gloves. This has also given rise to a massive market for commercially orientated safety workwear and footwear, which thrives on the requirements of these industries. But is safety footwear really essential in dangerous trades, and do we really need safety workwear in any line of work?

Safety footwear and workwear has grown in popularity over the last several decades as trade and employment become more and more government regulated. With a paradigm shift towards safety and caring for employees rather than maximising profits, a huge demand has been created for protective clothing and garments in the work environment. From architects to zoologists, the demand for safety clothing has spiralled to such a degree that even mainstream manufacturers like Puma and Adidas have launched protective lines to enter the market.

All this begs the questions ‘how useful is all this safety-conscious footwear and workwear?’ As compared to a regular pair of shoes or boots, safety footwear is specifically designed to protect the feet in dangerous environments. Take your average building site for example. A construction site is a dangerous playground filled with bricks, heavy timber, nails, concrete, lethal machinery. In this type of environment accidents do happen, and they happen frequently. Without safety footwear, there would undoubtedly be far more instances of protruding nails penetrating feet, and crushed toes from heavy weight. If not for properly supported, solid safety footwear, these regular accidents would be far more severe, and cause far more problems for the employees concerned.

Similarly consider a workman on a highway carrying out essential maintenance through the night. Without a quality high visibility jacket, this kind of job would be made considerably more dangerous, and it is essential that visibility is maintained throughout to avoid motor accidents and disruption. Or how about working with chemicals? Is it important to have safety footwear and workwear in this kind of scenario?

The list is endless. Safety footwear and workwear is designed for the sole purpose of protecting the wear in dangerous situations, whether directly or indirectly as in the case of the high visibility jacket. On top of the safety advantages, these garments also help ensure you don’t ruin your ordinary clothes in the course of employment, providing a duality of benefit that makes them essential to own for those involved in dangerous or risky trades such as construction, or any form of dangerous manual labour.

Safety wear has become an increasingly popular choice for many, and a necessity for employers working above the law in recent years. But it’s not just a necessity in legal terms. It is also essential for the protection and prevention of injury to employees, and practically speaking, for the avoidance of legal action.



Audrey

Daniel Spivey asked:


The importance of safety at work place can’t be over exemplified. It is mostly felt in factories where the labourers are exposed t sustained risk in their daily operations. Adaptation of safety measures not only ensures safety of the life of the workers but also of their family dependents.

ANSI makes it mandatory for major factories and construction houses to comply with certain specified norms. It is important that the construction houses and factories adopt certain specified norms. It is important that the construction houses and factories adopt some basic safety measures so as to ensure overall safety of the workplace. First and foremost all operations should be executed under supervision of factory foreman. He is responsible for discharge of all safety measures. All the safety provisions must be brought to the attention of everyone employed in the factory units. A list of all adopted safety measures should be displayed at a prominent place so as to attract attention of workers Special care should be taken with regard to providing safety helmets, shoes, and safety belts to the workers. A first aid kit should be maintained so as to combat emergency situation. Safety is of utmost importance in construction sites. Special attention should be devoted to ensure safety in these areas. Fr instance barricading all open excavations is necessary.

Every employee should be made educated of the necessary steps to be adopted in case there is an emergency. As we know, most of the offices are located in high rise towers and the incidents like fire, elevator emergency, power cut have manifold impact at these places.

Especially in incidents like fire, it is necessary for the employee to take some basic steps so as to arrest the magnitude of the casualty. In case of high-rise towers, it becomes difficult for fire-fighters to carry 100pund gears at the top of the buildings. In that case fire fighting devices like fire extinguishers should be kept within the reach of everyone.

Safety of employees is primarily important at any workplace irrespective of the fact whether it is an office, factory or a construction site. But at the same time, proper protection of the office property is essential. All the employees should be identified by proper photo identity card that is required to be shown as one enters the office premises.

A photo id card helps in identifying its holder with his name and photograph. This helps in avoiding impersonation and reduces chances of theft, robbery and pilferage in factories.

Each equipment should be properly labelled and a proper record should be maintained. Safety is of utmost importance in warehouses. All the stocks should be labelled with the help of a bin card and should be kept under strict vigilance of the storekeeper. The stock chart should be maintained regularly so that any deficit in stock can be brought to notice.

Last but never the least it is important to buy insurance cover for all the workers as well as the working equipments. But at the same time it is necessary to take proper safety steps. All insurance claims are liable to rejections if the safety requirements are not being complied with.



Raul

Nash asked:


Not many would be aware of this, but the government has legislation for health and safety of people at work. The Health and safety at work etc Act 1974 requires the employers to have proper health and safety management systems at work. The Act makes provision for securing the health of people at work, welfare and safety of the employees including the people who are not directly employed by the company like contractors and visitors.

While the law exists and it is mandatory for the employers to follow the guidelines, it is also necessary for the employees to know about their rights and duties regarding their own health & safety. Employers should conduct a General Risk Assessment to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

To create awareness about health & safety at work, the employers should have proper employee induction & health and safety training programs whenever new employees join the company. The induction program should educate the employees about the safety standards, procedures and policies of the company.

The basics of health and safety at work start with having proper First Aid. Every organization big or small must have proper First Aid Kits and systems. While at work, people can suffer an injury or fall ill. It is very important for the company / firm to have proper arrangements so that the employees can receive immediate medical attention. A person who has received proper training for administering First Aid should be appointed for this.

Fire safety is of prime importance at work. The potential hazards and sources of fuel, oxygen & ignition etc should be identified. Proper Fire detection and warning systems should be in place to prevent any mishaps. Fire extinguishers should be kept ready in different places throughout the building. There should be exit doors and escape routes in the building. Electrical equipments and wiring should be proper and checked at regular intervals. The employees should be given training on dealing with fire emergencies. Fire drill and Fire Risk Assessment should be done at regular intervals.

Stress at work place is common. But if it starts affecting the health of the employee then it is a problem. Employers should identify the factors causing excessive stress to the employees. A stress risk assessment should be done to identify the potential hazards and risks. Proper measures should be adopted to control excessive employee stress. Employees should be given proper training, support and care to help them prevent & relieve the stress.

Employers should follow the norms of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations. They should assess the health risks faced by the employees from the chemicals or substances used at workplace. Proper control measures should be adopted and the same should be followed by the employees. Training and information about the health risks should be provided to the employees.

The employers are also required to have proper policies for disability health & safety. Employees with cognitive, physical, sensory, ambulant and other disabilities have a right to proper arrangements and facilities at the workplace. There should be proper access, lighting, signage, seating arrangements for the disabled. Other employees of the company should also be sensitized about the same.

New and expectant mothers have a right to proper care at the workplace. The employers should identify the potential hazards to the mother as well as the baby while at work. The employers can offer alternative work, different or less work timings or paid leave to ensure the health and safety of the mother and baby. Similarly, arrangements should be made for young persons at work and lone workers. A general risk assessment should be done for the security, health and safety of such employees.

It is important that the employer as well as the employee is aware of the rights and duties pertaining to health and safety at workplace. For details you can take the services of a health and safety consultant or just search for “health and safety at work” on any major search engine.



Ella

Scott Newton asked:


Safety signs are largely associated with legal requirements rather than providing any practical purpose. In fact, some signs become so well known that we often ignore the true message underneath, so why is there still such a pressure for employers to ensure they have adequate signage throughout the workplace? Actually, safety signs play a real practical role in preventing injury and ensuring staff are aware of the dangers and hazards awaiting them at given points in the workplace. Without them, many employees would lack essential direction in times of crisis, and employers might find themselves in significant legal difficulties if any accidents were to arise as a result.

Safety signs are often seen as part of the bureaucratic process rather than a practically important safety tool. But this isn’t necessarily the case. Safety signs can provide an initial warning to staff as to dangers. Imagine the scenario of a construction site. A new employee on his first day is unaware of the various dangers of a construction environment, yet finds no signage to guide him through his employment. This is simply a minefield of danger, and without safety signs in place, that employee would be very lucky to remain safe throughout the course of his first day. In environments where danger lurks around every corner, having adequate and clear safety signs can help advise staff of the pending dangers and ultimately instil caution when it is required most.

Safety signs are also of great importance in workplaces which come into close contact with the general public. Where workman are employed in a road excavation, or in a scaffolding project, it is crucial to ensure that no harm is caused to the general public during the efforts. One way to help best ensure this is by employing clear safety signs to warn the public to exercise caution as they go. This helps keep the employer out of trouble as well as acting as a safeguard for the public, allowing a smoother interaction between dangerous employment environments and the ordinary thoroughfare.

Safety signs might not seem the most interesting topic of conversation, but they really are essential in the fight against danger and risk in the workplace. By ensuring your workplace is sufficiently well signed, you can help protect the staff and visitors to the site, particularly members of the public, against the imminent dangers that could otherwise go unnoticed, leading to less industrial accidents and helping to reduce the risk to employees and ordinary people.

Not only through living up to legal requirements, the positioning of safety signs in the workplace can be of critical importance in ensuring a healthy and safe workforce for increased productivity without the misfortune and hassle of staff injury and legal proceedings. As an employee, safety signs are the first port of call in response to any injury, be it to staff or the general public, and they can also help create a safer environment for both groups where danger meets everyday life, such as city-centre construction sites and excavations.



Willie

Scott Newton asked:


Safety vests can be important as a primary barrier to injury in the workplace. As an employer, it is your legal responsibility to act reasonably to avoid causing injury to your employees. As an employee, it is a good idea to consider investing in a safety vest as part of your work attire to ensure that you can protect yourself amongst your colleagues, although it may be better to remind your employer of his legal responsibility. Either way, there are a number of tricks and tips involved in acquiring safety vests at an attractive rate, which can be applied as an employee or, more favourable as an employer to best success.

As the employer, you are in the fortunate position of having resources plus a requirement for multiple units to cover the entirety of your workforce whilst allowing room for a few extra for future employees. This means you can afford to place bulk orders over longer delivery periods, which should be reflected in the figure you pay. Simply by opening a trade account with a supplier of safety wear, you can usually benefit from the privileges of trade discounts for bulk orders and credit terms, allowing you increased flexibility at a cheaper price. For many small to medium businesses, this is an essential step in allowing effective cash flow management, allowing the business to overcome the initial bulk purchasing hurdle without sacrificing the savings.

As an employee, you will find it more difficult to find a bargain in your pursuit for a safety vest, simply because you have access to less resources, and have a lower demand for product numbers. However, this doesn’t mean you have to pay top dollar for your safety wear. The Internet has numerous online retailers, stocking top of the range garments for all types of employments at generous discounts from retail prices. Alternatively, auction sites might provide you with a cheap, albeit second hand, garment that could serve the purpose for which it is required at a significantly lesser expense to you. At the end of the day, when the safety vest is purchased as an item exclusively for workwear to comply with employers requests, there is no reason not to look for a second hand offer that could help ease the financial burden. Unless your employer has requested a specific type of safety vest, there should be no problem in doing your own research to find a low cost alternative to ensure you don’t have to spend as much on your workwear.

Acquiring safety wear at a discount price need not be problematic, provided you know the ins and outs of haggling, and where to get the best deal to begin with. By browsing online, or looking for bulk suppliers, you can help reduce the unit cost per safety vest to an attractive rate, which will ultimately allow you to get more for your money. As an employer, this means you can decrease your fixed purchasing cost, as well as negotiate suitable terms for payment and delivery to aid with cash flow circumstances. All in all, through choosing your purchasing channels wisely, you can ensure you get the best deal for yourself, and your staff.



Leon

David Heller asked:


In the modern industrial environment it is more important than ever to make sure you have adequate safety equipment in place. For the health and safety of your employees, and for the benefit of your company from a legal and marketing viewpoint, safety equipment is a must, and if you haven’t already invested in the appropriate safety precautions, you should act with urgency to remedy the situation. In this article, we will look at why it is important that you invest in safety equipment, and how you can begin to get your workforce equipped and protected.

The importance of safety equipment in the workplace should never be underestimated, and in protecting your employees you protect both your name and your productivity. Whether it’s through buying the equipment for your employees or enforcing strict procedures around health and safety, there are numerous ways in which you can promote safety equipment to your staff for use in their everyday work, particularly in dangerous trades. But why is it important for you as an employer to make sure your employees stock up on the correct safety equipment before they begin their work every day? Furthermore, what can you do to actively encourage your workforce to treat their safety equipment as part of the job, to prevent accidents and injury in the workplace?

The first thing you can do as an employer to keep your workforce safe is to implement a uniform and equipment policy, and stick to it. What that means is creating a hard and fast rule that appropriate equipment must be worn or carried or used at all times to avoid injury. If your employees disobey the rule, continue to remind them why it is there – eventually, if you push it hard enough, your employees will act with safety equipment as second nature when in the workplace, leading to a reduction in industrial accidents and staff absences.

Secondly, as an employer you can acquire safety equipment for your organisation at a much lower unit price than each employee individually, and it may also turn out to be tax deductible, bring double benefits for your business. Look into acquiring bulk safety equipment appropriate to your industry, to benefit from both increased staff loyalty and protection, as well as minimising your potential tax liability at the end of the year as an expenses deductible from profits.

Safety equipment is an essential consideration in many industries, ranging from railwaymen to plumbers to construction workers. Wherever you happen to be working, there will almost certainly be some safety procedures in place, and a great number of vocations demand safety as a paramount consideration in the nature of the work. It goes without saying that where a job is dangerous, appropriate safety equipment should be made available at all times, and whilst this may not always be the employer’s responsibility, it can be good for PR and morale to invest in the appropriate safety equipment your staff need to do their jobs.



Larry