Pump Down The Volume: Noise Pollution Is Serious Stuff.
While it’s impossible to make a factory blasting at full output TV studio quiet, steps can be taken to reduce noise as much as possible – which translates into high productivity and fewer worker’s comp claims for hearing loss.
– By Isaac Rudik
In a world where workplace and outside noise can seem like an unyielding din, it is easy to take hearing for granted. Moreover, symptoms of hearing loss can be overlooked since they appear gradually and are seldom associated with pain. As a result, increasing deafness remains unnoticed often for years until it’s too late.
In fact, among all occupational hazards, noise is the biggest cause of permanent disability claims settled by Ontario’s Worker’s Compensation Board. According to WSIB, hearing loss due to high workplace noise levels resulted in roughly $100-million in claims paid out over a recent 10 year period.
As a result, Ontario’s Ministry of Labour introduced strict limits for workplace noise exposure. Among other things, the government reduced the allowable exposure time to noise by workers in half. The Environment Ministry deals with preventing excessive noise in Ontario, and sounds produced by human activity is controlled by the laws in the Ontario Environmental Protection Act (EPA), which holds that noise is a contaminant with adverse effects on workers.
Why? Because researchers proved that an individual exposed to 85dba for eight hours a day, week after week, will suffer hearing loss. The louder the sound, the less time it takes. Thus, the noisier the workplace, the fewer exposures and time it takes to produce significant – and, for employers, costly – hearing loss.
Achieving Results
While it’s impossible to make a factory blasting at full output TV studio quiet, steps can be taken to reduce noise as much as possible.
Executives at an Ontario tool-and-die maker knew they were in a noisy business; it’s in the nature of what the company does. But they were intent on reducing noise levels as much as possible. For one thing, they didn’t want to be socked with expensive worker’s comp claims if employees started suffering hearing problems; for another, they recognised that high noise levels meant lower productivity.
The company developed a three-prong strategy: Remove, Reduce, and Rest.
The company removed as much noise as possible from its plant and then reduced the amount of noise entering the workplace. Following exposure to loud noise, auditory rest is crucial to allow recovery time for the hearing system.
The plant formed a management-worker committee and following guidelines created by the Canadian Hearing Society.
First, noise was reduced at the machinery sound source, either by isolating machines or installing insulating materials to muffle sound and vibration.
Next, within the plant sound barriers made of acoustic materials were installed along with adding machine enclosures, equipment mounts, exhaust silencers and mufflers. Where possible, sound-absorbing coatings were applied to machines and plastic gears substituted for metal ones. Each helped reduce noise.
Finally, schedules were re-configured to allow workers to rotate to less noisy areas during their shift. They were also provided personal hearing protection and instructed on its proper use.
Primary Solution
The company used a variety of SONEX Panels which provided it with a range of acoustic solutions that met both functional and aesthetic requirements. The panels are used in everything from industrial facilities to manufacturing plants, warehouses, schools and universities, churches, multi-purpose rooms, cafeterias, offices, retail stores, recording studios and many other locations requiring acoustical control.
SONEX panels were chosen for their adhesive-applied installation and are all made with Willtec® foam, which is fire rated Class 1. At the same time, SONEX Valueline Baffles helped improve communication, reducing echo and reverberation in large open areas such as the production plant and warehouse.
Although the company absorbed an up-front investment, it noticed improved productivity on the plant floor almost immediately. Moreover, it received a number of points towards its LEED certification as an all-around healthy and green workplace – which is paying off in employee retention.
Coupled with reducing the likelihood of joining a long line of companies facing worker comp claims for hearing loss, the company is delighted it pumped down the volume.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Thursday, June 25, 2009
What Cheating Fisherman And Improper Hazardous Waste Storage Have In Common
What Cheating Fisherman And Improper Hazardous Waste Storage Have In Common
Manufacturers storing raw material from paint to corrosives will face much heftier fines and stiffer “we got you” sanctions – all the way up to temporary plant closures – if storage cabinets don’t meet regulations.
– By Isaac Rudik
As anyone who fishes can attest, getting caught over the limit – whether it’s one too many trout on a line in an isolated, northern lake or a huge trawler netting too many tons of albacore in the middle of the open ocean – can result in a hefty fine and other stiff sanctions.
The idea is to levy a penalty large enough so that fishers loose the value of their catch plus fork over a painful, don’t ever do that again, fine.
Now, improperly storing hazardous materials will trigger even higher fines, and for the same reason
The Ministry of Environment is adopting the same approach as fish and game wardens to penalise companies improperly handling and storing hazardous material. When fully implemented, manufacturers who store raw material from paint to corrosives and other contaminants will face much heftier fines and stiffer, “we caught you red handed,” sanctions – all the way up to temporary plant closures – if storage cabinets do not comply with regulations.
The reason behind the tough, new and potentially very costly tactic is because a leading cause of industrial fires is improperly stored and handled flammable liquids. To minimize the hazard, the government wants businesses to identify and inventory any chemicals in the workplace, storing them in code-compliant safety cabinets. If an inspector finds non-compliance, the days of a slap on the wrist are gone.
Poor Housekeeping Award
There are countless examples of poor housekeeping resulting in spontaneous fires and explosions.
In schools, for example, it is common to find chemicals stored alphabetically – easy for students to find what they’re looking for when doing experiments but also for disaster to strike. In one recent case at a university, diluted solutions of Hydrochloric and Nitric acids were discarded in a waste container. Sometime during the night, the acids reacted with each other, creating pressure from the gases generated.
The pressure was strong enough to destroy the 1-litre waste container kept in a storage cabinet under a fume hood. It also blew the doors off the cabinet, upseting equipment on a counter. Fortunately, nobody was standing nearby when the explosion occurred.
Many businesses commit the same error, failing to properly isolate hazardous materials that can interact and ignite a fire or worse.
Easy Prevention
Storing hazardous material must be done according to Canadian laws and regulations, all of which are Underwriter Laboratory of Canada (ULC) approved, Factory Mutual Canada (FMC) Approved, and National Fire Code of Canada (NFCC) approved.
Proper safety cabinets meet nine other, key criteria.
• Insulated, 18-gauge steel construction, double-walled, with 1½" air space.
• Chemical-resistant finish, inside and out.
• Dual vents with built-in flash arresters.
• Liquid-tight containment sump at least 2" deep, to hold leaks.
• Highly visible warning label "Flammable — Keep Fire Away."
• Easy close or self-latching doors with three-point latches for added fire protection.
• Doors with fusible link mechanism that holds doors open but melts at 165°F for automatic closure.
• Built-in grounding connector.
• Adjustable leveling feet for balancing on uneven surfaces.
There are numerous, UL Canada Aapproved safety cabinets available, each designed to store specific types of hazardous or flammable material. They offer protection against not only potential explosions or fires but also the wrath of a ministry inspector armed with a citation book.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Manufacturers storing raw material from paint to corrosives will face much heftier fines and stiffer “we got you” sanctions – all the way up to temporary plant closures – if storage cabinets don’t meet regulations.
– By Isaac Rudik
As anyone who fishes can attest, getting caught over the limit – whether it’s one too many trout on a line in an isolated, northern lake or a huge trawler netting too many tons of albacore in the middle of the open ocean – can result in a hefty fine and other stiff sanctions.
The idea is to levy a penalty large enough so that fishers loose the value of their catch plus fork over a painful, don’t ever do that again, fine.
Now, improperly storing hazardous materials will trigger even higher fines, and for the same reason
The Ministry of Environment is adopting the same approach as fish and game wardens to penalise companies improperly handling and storing hazardous material. When fully implemented, manufacturers who store raw material from paint to corrosives and other contaminants will face much heftier fines and stiffer, “we caught you red handed,” sanctions – all the way up to temporary plant closures – if storage cabinets do not comply with regulations.
The reason behind the tough, new and potentially very costly tactic is because a leading cause of industrial fires is improperly stored and handled flammable liquids. To minimize the hazard, the government wants businesses to identify and inventory any chemicals in the workplace, storing them in code-compliant safety cabinets. If an inspector finds non-compliance, the days of a slap on the wrist are gone.
Poor Housekeeping Award
There are countless examples of poor housekeeping resulting in spontaneous fires and explosions.
In schools, for example, it is common to find chemicals stored alphabetically – easy for students to find what they’re looking for when doing experiments but also for disaster to strike. In one recent case at a university, diluted solutions of Hydrochloric and Nitric acids were discarded in a waste container. Sometime during the night, the acids reacted with each other, creating pressure from the gases generated.
The pressure was strong enough to destroy the 1-litre waste container kept in a storage cabinet under a fume hood. It also blew the doors off the cabinet, upseting equipment on a counter. Fortunately, nobody was standing nearby when the explosion occurred.
Many businesses commit the same error, failing to properly isolate hazardous materials that can interact and ignite a fire or worse.
Easy Prevention
Storing hazardous material must be done according to Canadian laws and regulations, all of which are Underwriter Laboratory of Canada (ULC) approved, Factory Mutual Canada (FMC) Approved, and National Fire Code of Canada (NFCC) approved.
Proper safety cabinets meet nine other, key criteria.
• Insulated, 18-gauge steel construction, double-walled, with 1½" air space.
• Chemical-resistant finish, inside and out.
• Dual vents with built-in flash arresters.
• Liquid-tight containment sump at least 2" deep, to hold leaks.
• Highly visible warning label "Flammable — Keep Fire Away."
• Easy close or self-latching doors with three-point latches for added fire protection.
• Doors with fusible link mechanism that holds doors open but melts at 165°F for automatic closure.
• Built-in grounding connector.
• Adjustable leveling feet for balancing on uneven surfaces.
There are numerous, UL Canada Aapproved safety cabinets available, each designed to store specific types of hazardous or flammable material. They offer protection against not only potential explosions or fires but also the wrath of a ministry inspector armed with a citation book.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. (www.compliancesolutionscanada.com), Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
When Thinking You’re Doing Everything Right - Isn’t Enough
When Thinking You’re Doing Everything Right - Isn’t Enough
Following regulations when something is first installed may no longer be adequate because a company grows, employing more people, or the regulations are tougher yet the business doesn’t keep up-to-date. The result can be a shockingly expensive work order – and an even more expensive fine.
– By Isaac Rudik
While the news media likes to portray companies who get fined for violating health and safety rules as cold-hearted, money grubbing, villains, the truth often is very different. In fact, each year many businesses believe they are doing everything correctly, working hard and spending money to protect workers and the environment, yet still get cited and fined.
The reason? What they thought was properly following regulatory procedures and requirements when something was first installed – say, an eyewash basin – or protective regimens are no longer adequate because the company grew and employs more people, or the regulations themselves became tougher and the business didn’t keep up-to-date.
In fact, there are plenty of occasions when thinking you’re doing the right thing simply is not enough – and it could end up costing even the most diligent business serious money.
Playing Safe
The process at an Ontario manufacturer required that parts be put through an acid bath during assembly. The businesses was painstakingly thorough in ensuring that exposed employees wore goggles and face shields, and insisted that a supervisor check several times each shift that they were being used – and used correctly. As a result, the company never suffered an injury or an incident.
During a routine visit, a Ministry of Labour inspector toured the plant. Much to the surprise of everyone, before leaving the inspector wrote out a work order and cited the plant, making it subject to a hefty fine. The reason? Even though the facility had two eyewash stations – neither of which had ever been used – the water flowed slowly and some of the treatment supplies on hand were well beyond their “use by” date.
Moreover, the work order noted that the company needed to have as many operable eyewash facilities as necessary to enable a worker to reach it within 10 seconds from wherever they’re stationed. Because the plant grew in size over the years, one of the eyewash stations was now 30-to-60 seconds from hazardous work areas, and on the other side of a partitioning wall.
In fact, one of the most-common ways an organisation can find itself in trouble is over something very simple such as it emergency eyewash and shower facilities.
Easy Steps
The most-obvious rule of thumb is ensuring that each emergency shower or eyewash station is easily identified. A sign should use a symbol that does not require workers to have specific language skills to understand it, and the location should be well lit.
Other recommendations include emergency showers or eyewash stations should:
• Be located as close to the hazard as possible
• Not be partitioned off from hazardous work areas.
• Have an unobstructed path between the hazard and aid.
• Be located where workers can easily see stations.
• Be on the same floor as the hazard, as near an exit as possible so that emergency response teams can reach the victim easily.
• Provide a drainage system for excess water because, once used, the water itself may be a hazardous waste and special regulations apply.
• Not come in contact with electrical equipment.
• Be protected from freezing when installing emergency equipment outdoors.
It’s not just factories that are at risk.
For instance, a London ON nursing home was fine $55,000 recently for exposing workers to eye injury because of a disinfectant used in cleaning the facility. And a Markham food processor was hit with a $75,000 fine after a worker cleaning a food preparation tank was injured when a disinfecting line broke, injuring the employee’s eyes. In both cases, the company was committed to providing a safe workplace and found out, too late, that more needed to be done.
The fact is that any business may find itself at risk – even when it is striving to do the right thing.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc., Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Following regulations when something is first installed may no longer be adequate because a company grows, employing more people, or the regulations are tougher yet the business doesn’t keep up-to-date. The result can be a shockingly expensive work order – and an even more expensive fine.
– By Isaac Rudik
While the news media likes to portray companies who get fined for violating health and safety rules as cold-hearted, money grubbing, villains, the truth often is very different. In fact, each year many businesses believe they are doing everything correctly, working hard and spending money to protect workers and the environment, yet still get cited and fined.
The reason? What they thought was properly following regulatory procedures and requirements when something was first installed – say, an eyewash basin – or protective regimens are no longer adequate because the company grew and employs more people, or the regulations themselves became tougher and the business didn’t keep up-to-date.
In fact, there are plenty of occasions when thinking you’re doing the right thing simply is not enough – and it could end up costing even the most diligent business serious money.
Playing Safe
The process at an Ontario manufacturer required that parts be put through an acid bath during assembly. The businesses was painstakingly thorough in ensuring that exposed employees wore goggles and face shields, and insisted that a supervisor check several times each shift that they were being used – and used correctly. As a result, the company never suffered an injury or an incident.
During a routine visit, a Ministry of Labour inspector toured the plant. Much to the surprise of everyone, before leaving the inspector wrote out a work order and cited the plant, making it subject to a hefty fine. The reason? Even though the facility had two eyewash stations – neither of which had ever been used – the water flowed slowly and some of the treatment supplies on hand were well beyond their “use by” date.
Moreover, the work order noted that the company needed to have as many operable eyewash facilities as necessary to enable a worker to reach it within 10 seconds from wherever they’re stationed. Because the plant grew in size over the years, one of the eyewash stations was now 30-to-60 seconds from hazardous work areas, and on the other side of a partitioning wall.
In fact, one of the most-common ways an organisation can find itself in trouble is over something very simple such as it emergency eyewash and shower facilities.
Easy Steps
The most-obvious rule of thumb is ensuring that each emergency shower or eyewash station is easily identified. A sign should use a symbol that does not require workers to have specific language skills to understand it, and the location should be well lit.
Other recommendations include emergency showers or eyewash stations should:
• Be located as close to the hazard as possible
• Not be partitioned off from hazardous work areas.
• Have an unobstructed path between the hazard and aid.
• Be located where workers can easily see stations.
• Be on the same floor as the hazard, as near an exit as possible so that emergency response teams can reach the victim easily.
• Provide a drainage system for excess water because, once used, the water itself may be a hazardous waste and special regulations apply.
• Not come in contact with electrical equipment.
• Be protected from freezing when installing emergency equipment outdoors.
It’s not just factories that are at risk.
For instance, a London ON nursing home was fine $55,000 recently for exposing workers to eye injury because of a disinfectant used in cleaning the facility. And a Markham food processor was hit with a $75,000 fine after a worker cleaning a food preparation tank was injured when a disinfecting line broke, injuring the employee’s eyes. In both cases, the company was committed to providing a safe workplace and found out, too late, that more needed to be done.
The fact is that any business may find itself at risk – even when it is striving to do the right thing.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc., Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Something In The Air Smells Funny.
Something In The Air Smells Funny.
Chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business. Its use is so widespread that few people even notice “death head” label warnings anymore yet chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and death.
– by Isaac Rudik
You can’t avoid noticing chlorine in the air: It’s pungent, biting, eye-tearing, odour is unmistakable – and potentially very dangerous. That’s why, when a train carrying chlorine tankers derails or a tanker truck overturns, an entire town or neighbourhood is evacuated quickly by authorities, hospitals are put on stand-by and reporters rush to the scene.
For example, not long ago a chlorine manufacturer in Canada was pumping the gas into an awaiting rail tanker. But the coupling was not properly fastened to the train car from the feed pipe and chlorine leaked into the air. Two employees working at the tanker plus one who was nearby and rushed to their aid were overcome by the toxic effects, suffering injuries to their lungs, eyes and exposed skin. People in nearby businesses and a few close-by apartment buildings were hustled onto busses and taken to a school as a precaution until the air was cleared of gas and the leak sealed.
As a toxic gas that irritates and can even destroy the respiratory system, chlorine is a potentially lethal industrial ingrediant. Because it is heavier than air, it can accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Even more dangerous, chlorine gas is a strong oxidizer which can ignite flammable materials.
Easily Overlooked
The risks of chlorine are easily overlooked and even forgotten about until there is an incident.
When most people think of chlorine, they either think of a laundry product as in chlorine bleach or what gets dumps in a swimming pool to control algae and bacteria. Indeed, many of us use chlorine products regularly without giving it a second thought.
But, chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business, employed for everything from water treatment and pulp bleaching in paper mills to disinfecting equipment in food processing plants. Moreover, it is widely employed in producing countless consumer products ranging from laundry cleaners and tires to antifreeze, household cleaners and pharmaceuticals.
In fact, the use of chlorine is so widespread that few people even notice the “death head” warnings on labels anymore despite the fact that, in many industrial applications, chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and even death.
But industrial facilities that produce or use chlorine cannot be sanguine about its handling and storage.
Breathe Easily
When workers breathe even low concentrations of chlorine, it can aggravate the respiratory system and exposure to the gas can irritate the eyes because it reacts with water and cells, changing it into hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Neither is pleasant.
So it is incumbent upon businesses to take simple steps to provide adequate protection.
Workers can be protected by being issued gloves, masks and protective clothing. At the same time, work areas in which chlorine is present need portable air sampling devices, complete with exposure level alarms. Finally, fume hoods are a must to enhance localized ventilation.
Chlorine gas is one of those industrial components that carry a significant risk but which too many businesses seem to overlook – until it’s too late. Conducting a risk audit is one way to help ensure that the gas stays in the container and workers won’t suffer if there’s an accidental leak.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. , Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business. Its use is so widespread that few people even notice “death head” label warnings anymore yet chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and death.
– by Isaac Rudik
You can’t avoid noticing chlorine in the air: It’s pungent, biting, eye-tearing, odour is unmistakable – and potentially very dangerous. That’s why, when a train carrying chlorine tankers derails or a tanker truck overturns, an entire town or neighbourhood is evacuated quickly by authorities, hospitals are put on stand-by and reporters rush to the scene.
For example, not long ago a chlorine manufacturer in Canada was pumping the gas into an awaiting rail tanker. But the coupling was not properly fastened to the train car from the feed pipe and chlorine leaked into the air. Two employees working at the tanker plus one who was nearby and rushed to their aid were overcome by the toxic effects, suffering injuries to their lungs, eyes and exposed skin. People in nearby businesses and a few close-by apartment buildings were hustled onto busses and taken to a school as a precaution until the air was cleared of gas and the leak sealed.
As a toxic gas that irritates and can even destroy the respiratory system, chlorine is a potentially lethal industrial ingrediant. Because it is heavier than air, it can accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Even more dangerous, chlorine gas is a strong oxidizer which can ignite flammable materials.
Easily Overlooked
The risks of chlorine are easily overlooked and even forgotten about until there is an incident.
When most people think of chlorine, they either think of a laundry product as in chlorine bleach or what gets dumps in a swimming pool to control algae and bacteria. Indeed, many of us use chlorine products regularly without giving it a second thought.
But, chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business, employed for everything from water treatment and pulp bleaching in paper mills to disinfecting equipment in food processing plants. Moreover, it is widely employed in producing countless consumer products ranging from laundry cleaners and tires to antifreeze, household cleaners and pharmaceuticals.
In fact, the use of chlorine is so widespread that few people even notice the “death head” warnings on labels anymore despite the fact that, in many industrial applications, chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and even death.
But industrial facilities that produce or use chlorine cannot be sanguine about its handling and storage.
Breathe Easily
When workers breathe even low concentrations of chlorine, it can aggravate the respiratory system and exposure to the gas can irritate the eyes because it reacts with water and cells, changing it into hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Neither is pleasant.
So it is incumbent upon businesses to take simple steps to provide adequate protection.
Workers can be protected by being issued gloves, masks and protective clothing. At the same time, work areas in which chlorine is present need portable air sampling devices, complete with exposure level alarms. Finally, fume hoods are a must to enhance localized ventilation.
Chlorine gas is one of those industrial components that carry a significant risk but which too many businesses seem to overlook – until it’s too late. Conducting a risk audit is one way to help ensure that the gas stays in the container and workers won’t suffer if there’s an accidental leak.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. , Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Splish Splash, It’s A Chemical Bath
Splish Splash, It’s A Chemical Bath
Nothing can be as traumatic as a debilitating chemical accident at work. Safety regulators and courts are tough on employers and sympathetic to workers who suffer eye injuries as a result of an accident at work. But preventing serious accidents is relatively easy and often inexpensive.
– By Isaac Rudik
Too often, too little attention is paid to risks posed by potential workplace eye injuries. Yet nothing can be as traumatic as losing even partial eyesight – and both provincial safety regulators and the courts are tough on employers and very sympathetic to workers who suffer eye injuries as a result of an accident at work.
Even when a company thinks it’s doing the right thing for workers, it may not be doing enough.
For example, not long ago a lab technician who was wearing safety glasses suffered permanent eye injury when a chemical splash got under the goggles. His eyes were not completely protected because goggles provided by the lab were not designed to be worn on top of glasses. Yet no warning signs or labels were posted. A co-worker rushing to the employee’s aid took him to the eyewash station but the natural reflex to shut the eyes prevented the worker from flushing both eyes for 15 minutes.
Numerous Risks
While perhaps the most debilitating, it’s not just eyes that are at risk to injury from chemical splashes. Skin burns and damage to internal organs from inhaling chemical fumes are serious risks that must be addressed seriously. Moreover, hazardous substances are found in countless workplaces. Indeed, they are in most work areas including shops, factories, farms and even offices.
Countless substances such as sulfuric, nitric and hydrofluoric acids are common in many industrial processes, and along with alkali’s including ammonia, magnesium, and potassium, are all hazardous. If not handled with caution, any one of them will cause serious burns and injuries.
In fact, there is a wide range of gas, solid and liquid hazardous materials that workers need to be protected from so exposure cannot cause a life-altering accident.
Identifying and controlling risks faced by workers is not difficult, nor is it necessarily expensive – if a business knows where to look and how to adjust the way the shop floor works. There are steps any company can take immediately:
1. Isolate dangerous processes with barriers or separate the work area.
2. Provide adequate training and supervision.
3. Familiarize workers with hazards, educating them on workplace safety and emergency procedures.
4. Establish safe work practices such as restricting area access, reducing clutter, replacing container lids, providing for safe storage and being prepared for an emergency.
5. Use local exhaust ventilation or automate the workplace process.
Beyond these, it is vitally important to install back splash guards to protect workers from splattering water, flying debris and other mishaps. And a lab safety shield can protect against UV radiation, splattering liquids, flying glass and other hazards while allowing a clear, undistorted view of work area.
While companies often point to lockers full of personal protective equipment such as gloves, lab coats, safety glasses and dust masks, generally these are only supplements to more direct and effective controls.
Prevent, Don’t Prevaricate
The worker who suffered the serious eye injury never returned to work. The company paid a hefty fine for not alerting workers to the proper use and limitations of safety goggles, and a court awarded the man substantial damages because it ruled the employer was careless. But his life will never be the same again.
For example, had the worker been provided with either goggles that fit securely over glasses or a face shield, the injury might have been prevented altogether. Indeed, proper protective clothing should be a “must have” in any workplace where there is exposure to acid or alkaline solutions. These include protective clothing, masks and barriers.
The proper fume hood for a given exposure will help ensure that fume “seepage” doesn’t endanger employees – either those working directly with the hazardous material and those in the rest of the plant.
Like so many workplace accidents, if a company is willing to take positive, often inexpensive, steps to minimise the risks facing employees and the potential exposure facing the business, problems can be avoided easily.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. , Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Nothing can be as traumatic as a debilitating chemical accident at work. Safety regulators and courts are tough on employers and sympathetic to workers who suffer eye injuries as a result of an accident at work. But preventing serious accidents is relatively easy and often inexpensive.
– By Isaac Rudik
Too often, too little attention is paid to risks posed by potential workplace eye injuries. Yet nothing can be as traumatic as losing even partial eyesight – and both provincial safety regulators and the courts are tough on employers and very sympathetic to workers who suffer eye injuries as a result of an accident at work.
Even when a company thinks it’s doing the right thing for workers, it may not be doing enough.
For example, not long ago a lab technician who was wearing safety glasses suffered permanent eye injury when a chemical splash got under the goggles. His eyes were not completely protected because goggles provided by the lab were not designed to be worn on top of glasses. Yet no warning signs or labels were posted. A co-worker rushing to the employee’s aid took him to the eyewash station but the natural reflex to shut the eyes prevented the worker from flushing both eyes for 15 minutes.
Numerous Risks
While perhaps the most debilitating, it’s not just eyes that are at risk to injury from chemical splashes. Skin burns and damage to internal organs from inhaling chemical fumes are serious risks that must be addressed seriously. Moreover, hazardous substances are found in countless workplaces. Indeed, they are in most work areas including shops, factories, farms and even offices.
Countless substances such as sulfuric, nitric and hydrofluoric acids are common in many industrial processes, and along with alkali’s including ammonia, magnesium, and potassium, are all hazardous. If not handled with caution, any one of them will cause serious burns and injuries.
In fact, there is a wide range of gas, solid and liquid hazardous materials that workers need to be protected from so exposure cannot cause a life-altering accident.
Identifying and controlling risks faced by workers is not difficult, nor is it necessarily expensive – if a business knows where to look and how to adjust the way the shop floor works. There are steps any company can take immediately:
1. Isolate dangerous processes with barriers or separate the work area.
2. Provide adequate training and supervision.
3. Familiarize workers with hazards, educating them on workplace safety and emergency procedures.
4. Establish safe work practices such as restricting area access, reducing clutter, replacing container lids, providing for safe storage and being prepared for an emergency.
5. Use local exhaust ventilation or automate the workplace process.
Beyond these, it is vitally important to install back splash guards to protect workers from splattering water, flying debris and other mishaps. And a lab safety shield can protect against UV radiation, splattering liquids, flying glass and other hazards while allowing a clear, undistorted view of work area.
While companies often point to lockers full of personal protective equipment such as gloves, lab coats, safety glasses and dust masks, generally these are only supplements to more direct and effective controls.
Prevent, Don’t Prevaricate
The worker who suffered the serious eye injury never returned to work. The company paid a hefty fine for not alerting workers to the proper use and limitations of safety goggles, and a court awarded the man substantial damages because it ruled the employer was careless. But his life will never be the same again.
For example, had the worker been provided with either goggles that fit securely over glasses or a face shield, the injury might have been prevented altogether. Indeed, proper protective clothing should be a “must have” in any workplace where there is exposure to acid or alkaline solutions. These include protective clothing, masks and barriers.
The proper fume hood for a given exposure will help ensure that fume “seepage” doesn’t endanger employees – either those working directly with the hazardous material and those in the rest of the plant.
Like so many workplace accidents, if a company is willing to take positive, often inexpensive, steps to minimise the risks facing employees and the potential exposure facing the business, problems can be avoided easily.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. , Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Something In The Air Smells Funny.
Something In The Air Smells Funny.
Chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business. Its use is so widespread that few people even notice “death head” label warnings anymore yet chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and death.
– by Isaac Rudik
You can’t avoid noticing chlorine in the air: It’s pungent, biting, eye-tearing, odour is unmistakable – and potentially very dangerous. That’s why, when a train carrying chlorine tankers derails or a tanker truck overturns, an entire town or neighbourhood is evacuated quickly by authorities, hospitals are put on stand-by and reporters rush to the scene.
For example, not long ago a chlorine manufacturer in Canada was pumping the gas into an awaiting rail tanker. But the coupling was not properly fastened to the train car from the feed pipe and chlorine leaked into the air. Two employees working at tanker plus one who was nearby and rushed to their aid were overcome by the toxic effects, suffering injuries to their lungs, eyes and exposed skin. People in nearby businesses and a few close-by apartment buildings were hustled onto busses and taken to a school as a precaution until the air was cleared of gas and the leak sealed.
As a toxic gas that irritates and can even destroy the respiratory system, chlorine is a potentially lethal industrial ingrediant. Because it is heavier than air, it can accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Even more dangerous, chlorine gas is a strong oxidizer which can ignite flammable materials.
Easily Overlooked
The risks of chlorine are easily overlooked and even forgotten about until there is an incident.
When most people think of chlorine, they either think of a laundry product as in chlorine bleach or what gets dumps in a swimming pool to control algae and bacteria. Indeed, many of us use chlorine products regularly without giving it a second thought.
But, chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business, employed for everything from water treatment and pulp bleaching in paper mills to disinfecting equipment in food processing plants. Moreover, it is widely employed in producing countless consumer products ranging from laundry cleaners and tires to antifreeze, household cleaners and pharmaceuticals.
In fact, the use of chlorine is so widespread that few people even notice the “death head” warnings on labels anymore despite the fact that, in many industrial applications, chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and even death.
But industrial facilities that produce or use chlorine cannot be sanguine about its handling and storage.
Breathe Easily
When workers breathe even low concentrations of chlorine, it can aggravate the respiratory system and exposure to the gas can irritate the eyes because it reacts with water and cells, changing it into hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Neither is pleasant.
So it is incumbent upon businesses to take simple steps to provide adequate protection.
Workers can be protected by being issued gloves, masks and protective clothing. At the same time, work areas in which chlorine is present need portable air sampling devices, complete with exposure level alarms. Finally, fume hoods are a must to enhance localized ventilation.
Chlorine gas is one of those industrial components that carry a significant risk but which too many businesses seem to overlook – until it’s too late. Conducting a risk audit is one way to help ensure that the gas stays in the container and workers won’t suffer if there’s an accidental leak.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc., Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business. Its use is so widespread that few people even notice “death head” label warnings anymore yet chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and death.
– by Isaac Rudik
You can’t avoid noticing chlorine in the air: It’s pungent, biting, eye-tearing, odour is unmistakable – and potentially very dangerous. That’s why, when a train carrying chlorine tankers derails or a tanker truck overturns, an entire town or neighbourhood is evacuated quickly by authorities, hospitals are put on stand-by and reporters rush to the scene.
For example, not long ago a chlorine manufacturer in Canada was pumping the gas into an awaiting rail tanker. But the coupling was not properly fastened to the train car from the feed pipe and chlorine leaked into the air. Two employees working at tanker plus one who was nearby and rushed to their aid were overcome by the toxic effects, suffering injuries to their lungs, eyes and exposed skin. People in nearby businesses and a few close-by apartment buildings were hustled onto busses and taken to a school as a precaution until the air was cleared of gas and the leak sealed.
As a toxic gas that irritates and can even destroy the respiratory system, chlorine is a potentially lethal industrial ingrediant. Because it is heavier than air, it can accumulate at the bottom of poorly ventilated spaces. Even more dangerous, chlorine gas is a strong oxidizer which can ignite flammable materials.
Easily Overlooked
The risks of chlorine are easily overlooked and even forgotten about until there is an incident.
When most people think of chlorine, they either think of a laundry product as in chlorine bleach or what gets dumps in a swimming pool to control algae and bacteria. Indeed, many of us use chlorine products regularly without giving it a second thought.
But, chlorine may be the most-commonly used toxin in business, employed for everything from water treatment and pulp bleaching in paper mills to disinfecting equipment in food processing plants. Moreover, it is widely employed in producing countless consumer products ranging from laundry cleaners and tires to antifreeze, household cleaners and pharmaceuticals.
In fact, the use of chlorine is so widespread that few people even notice the “death head” warnings on labels anymore despite the fact that, in many industrial applications, chlorine can cause worker illness, injury and even death.
But industrial facilities that produce or use chlorine cannot be sanguine about its handling and storage.
Breathe Easily
When workers breathe even low concentrations of chlorine, it can aggravate the respiratory system and exposure to the gas can irritate the eyes because it reacts with water and cells, changing it into hydrochloric acid and hypochlorous acid. Neither is pleasant.
So it is incumbent upon businesses to take simple steps to provide adequate protection.
Workers can be protected by being issued gloves, masks and protective clothing. At the same time, work areas in which chlorine is present need portable air sampling devices, complete with exposure level alarms. Finally, fume hoods are a must to enhance localized ventilation.
Chlorine gas is one of those industrial components that carry a significant risk but which too many businesses seem to overlook – until it’s too late. Conducting a risk audit is one way to help ensure that the gas stays in the container and workers won’t suffer if there’s an accidental leak.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc., Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Cancer In The Workplace: “Safe Enough” Can Hide Dangers.
Cancer In The Workplace: “Safe Enough” Can Hide Dangers.
This is the third in our series on how workplace health and safety can elevate cancer risks, and how to control potential problems. This article focuses on hidden cancer dangers lurking in occupation safety issues.
– by Isaac Rudik
Only a madman or a fool would work with dimethyl sulphate without wearing a certified safety mask to protect against inhaling its lethal fumes.
Yet even a conscientious employer may not spot hidden dangers in what is otherwise thought of as a “safe” plant.
Not long ago, a company brought us in to conduct a thorough compliance audit in an attempt to hold the line of its insurance premiums, which the insurer was threatening to hike. As we walked through the facility, the chief operating officer pointed proudly to the numerous health and safety measures the company had installed over the past few years. When we came to a sealed part of the plant where dimethyl sulphate was being used, he began telling me about how insistent the supervisors, managers and executives are about workers being masked at all times.
That’s when I grabbed the man’s arm and pulled him hard towards the exit. Shocked and surprised, as I tugged him away he gave me one of those “are you nuts or something?” looks that comes from disbelief and what, to him, was my incomprehensible behaviour. Once we were safely outside the workspace, I removed my mask and told him, “That place is a breeding ground for cancer.”
What caused me to backtrack so rapidly was the stunning sight of a half dozen workers, all wearing proper breathing apparatus, yet some were working in short sleeved shirts and none wore adequate eye protection. I pointed out that regardless of how powerful the ventilating system is in the room, particulate-sized carcinogens from dimethyl sulphate can enter the body through the skin and eyes.
Never Safe Enough
Needless to say, the COO who was so proud of what his company does to protect workers was stunned. He admitted that it never occurred to him or anyone else at the factory, whether shop floor workers or corner office executives, that they were unknowingly creating a risk despite their sincere, best efforts to create and maintain a safe workplace.
The problem is that dimethyl sulfate and many other common chemicals used in a number of manufacturing processes can cause severe external burns when skin contact is made and damages internal organs if it enters the body through the skin. As a result, strong ventilation systems and individual breathing apparatus for workers are not enough to remove the danger.
Consequently, anyone working around such compounds needs more protection including overalls, and goggles. The entire workplace should be fitted with a spill contamination system. In fact, the government lists 60 precautions that companies need to undertake. Some of these include:
· Always keep the material locked inside proper storage containers when not being used.
· Always store according to MSDS.
· Keep the material away from break rooms and cafeterias.
· Store containers in a well-ventilated place.
· Be sure that ignition sources are kept far from the material.
· Never eat or drink when using the compound.
· Whenever leaving the work area, remove clothing that may be contaminated.
· If a worker begins to feel ill, seek medical advice immediately.
· Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on recycling.
Real Risks
The risks from dimethyl sulphate and other cancer-causing chemicals are very real yet the dangers can be totally hidden – even from companies that believe they are taking care to protect vulnerable workers.
When so many types of protection are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, there is no excuse for a business of any size not to ensure that workplace health and safety issues are thoroughly addressed.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. , Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
This is the third in our series on how workplace health and safety can elevate cancer risks, and how to control potential problems. This article focuses on hidden cancer dangers lurking in occupation safety issues.
– by Isaac Rudik
Only a madman or a fool would work with dimethyl sulphate without wearing a certified safety mask to protect against inhaling its lethal fumes.
Yet even a conscientious employer may not spot hidden dangers in what is otherwise thought of as a “safe” plant.
Not long ago, a company brought us in to conduct a thorough compliance audit in an attempt to hold the line of its insurance premiums, which the insurer was threatening to hike. As we walked through the facility, the chief operating officer pointed proudly to the numerous health and safety measures the company had installed over the past few years. When we came to a sealed part of the plant where dimethyl sulphate was being used, he began telling me about how insistent the supervisors, managers and executives are about workers being masked at all times.
That’s when I grabbed the man’s arm and pulled him hard towards the exit. Shocked and surprised, as I tugged him away he gave me one of those “are you nuts or something?” looks that comes from disbelief and what, to him, was my incomprehensible behaviour. Once we were safely outside the workspace, I removed my mask and told him, “That place is a breeding ground for cancer.”
What caused me to backtrack so rapidly was the stunning sight of a half dozen workers, all wearing proper breathing apparatus, yet some were working in short sleeved shirts and none wore adequate eye protection. I pointed out that regardless of how powerful the ventilating system is in the room, particulate-sized carcinogens from dimethyl sulphate can enter the body through the skin and eyes.
Never Safe Enough
Needless to say, the COO who was so proud of what his company does to protect workers was stunned. He admitted that it never occurred to him or anyone else at the factory, whether shop floor workers or corner office executives, that they were unknowingly creating a risk despite their sincere, best efforts to create and maintain a safe workplace.
The problem is that dimethyl sulfate and many other common chemicals used in a number of manufacturing processes can cause severe external burns when skin contact is made and damages internal organs if it enters the body through the skin. As a result, strong ventilation systems and individual breathing apparatus for workers are not enough to remove the danger.
Consequently, anyone working around such compounds needs more protection including overalls, and goggles. The entire workplace should be fitted with a spill contamination system. In fact, the government lists 60 precautions that companies need to undertake. Some of these include:
· Always keep the material locked inside proper storage containers when not being used.
· Always store according to MSDS.
· Keep the material away from break rooms and cafeterias.
· Store containers in a well-ventilated place.
· Be sure that ignition sources are kept far from the material.
· Never eat or drink when using the compound.
· Whenever leaving the work area, remove clothing that may be contaminated.
· If a worker begins to feel ill, seek medical advice immediately.
· Follow the manufacturer’s recommendations on recycling.
Real Risks
The risks from dimethyl sulphate and other cancer-causing chemicals are very real yet the dangers can be totally hidden – even from companies that believe they are taking care to protect vulnerable workers.
When so many types of protection are relatively inexpensive and easy to use, there is no excuse for a business of any size not to ensure that workplace health and safety issues are thoroughly addressed.
Isaac Rudik is a compliance consultant with Compliance Solutions Canada Inc. , Canada’s largest provider of health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to industrial, institutional and government facilities.
E-mail Isaac at irudik@csc-inc.ca or phone him at 905-761-5354.
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