Content tagged with "health"
Results: 50
Article
November 7, 2006
Fabricator finds tubular niche
Although Illinois is known primarily for its fertile fields and agricultural output, it's home to many manufacturing companies too. John Deere incorporated Deere & Co. in Moline. DaimlerChysler manufactures automobiles in Belvidere. Caterpiller's worldwide headquarters is in Peoria. Where... Read more...
Article
August 8, 2006
A breath of fresh air
Ten years ago laser cutting offered a distinctive advantage to those who invested in the technology. For the most part, successful laser cutting required gas, optics, and patience. The decade has brought many changes to laser cutting, including higher power levels and faster drive... Read more...
Article
May 9, 2006
Optimizing flow through robotic welding workcells
Figure 1
One of the new CNH systems welds on a loader chassis. Veteran industrial robotic user Case New Holland (CNH), Fargo, N.D., recently installed three robotic welding systems. Each system consists of an inverted robot on a large, three-axis traveling column and two... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2005
Don't let your health go up in smoke
Increasing knowledge about the health hazards associated with breathing welding fumes and gases above certain concentrations and the serious illnesses that can result emphasizes the need to educate, train, and provide welders with appropriate protection. Welding fumes are very fine,... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2005
Changing workplace raises safety and health questions
Editor's Note: Much of the content for this article was taken from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) publication " The Changing Organization of Work and the Safety and Health of Working People: Knowledge Gaps and Research Directions ." The organization of... Read more...
Article
November 8, 2004
Having a safe office party
Editor's Note: Originally published on December 11, 2003. It's that time of year when companies celebrate the holidays. Whether the celebration involves a lavish holiday party held off-site or a casual get-together in the office, both party organizers and attendees should follow safe... Read more...
Article
March 11, 2004
Welding fume health hazards
In 2003 NIOSH published a comprehensive review of scientific literature on health effects associated with welding. The article, "Health Effects of Welding,"1 noted that past investigations have found bronchitis, airway irritation, and other respiratory illnesses in large numbers of... Read more...
Article
February 26, 2004
A 'bout' with the champion
Rep. Don Manzullo, R-Ill., has emerged on Capital Hill as the mouth for manufacturers. As a congressional representative for a district in which many manufacturers have closed their doors in recent years, he says he can't help but accept that role. His public statements, sponsorship... Read more...
Article
February 12, 2004
Emergency preparedness: A critical safety program component
The guy who works next to you suddenly sustains a serious injury or has a medical emergency. Do you know what to do? You are injured on the job or have a medical emergency. Do your co-workers know what to do? If you answered no to any of these questions, you and those around you are... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Respirator selection as a business decision
Several factors can help employers select a respirator that meets the required level of protection while having a positive business impact. Using this approach, employers can make choosing a respirator a business decision that can increase productivity, decrease injuries, and decrease... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Occupational injury and illness statistics
Statistics also were reported for cases that resulted in days away from work, a job transfer, or restriction and are grouped in two categories: those requiring at least one day away from work, with or without job transfer or restricted activity, and those requiring job transfer or... Read more...
Article
January 29, 2004
Managing environmental risk in tube, pipe production
Editor's Note: This article is adapted from a presentation made at the TPJ Symposium, March 16-18, 2003, Scottsdale, Ariz. The U.S. Congress and the states have created a complex scheme of environmental rules and regulations with which tube and pipe producers must comply.... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Appliancemaker reduces downtime with stamping press feed system
Most of the parts are stamped out of light-gauge metals. "On the majority of our machines, we're feeding 0.0040 inch and less," said Dan Partin, senior process engineer at Whirlpool. Partin reported that the company had noticed excessive downtime on some of its key presses that were running for... Read more...
Article
January 13, 2004
Beating 'world' pricing
This Finn-Power Express Bending Cell, which automates complex bending and reduces tedious and costly work stages, has last bend negative capability and fully automatic operations cycles—from loading the sheet to unloading the bent parts. "I have a precision sheet metal shop and... Read more...
Article
November 20, 2003
Workers' compensation—Managing the process
Editor's note: Portions of this article were published previously in an issue of FMA/TPA "Member Connections." State workers' compensation laws were enacted to ensure that covered employees who are injured on the job are provided with monetary benefits to cover medical expenses and to... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Meeting ISO 14001 requirements
First published in 1996, ISO 14001 specifies the actual requirements for an environmental management system. It applies to those environmental aspects an organization can control. Achieving ISO 14001 requires documented improvement. First, you must document your current environmental conditions... Read more...
Article
November 6, 2003
Is your company a breeding ground for workplace violence?
Approximately 2 million U.S. workers are victims of workplace violence each year. In 1997 the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reported that an average of 20 workers are murdered each week in the U.S., and an estimated 18,000 per week are victims of nonfatal... Read more...
Article
October 23, 2003
Take control of safety
Often invisible to the human eyes, airborne contaminants can have serious consequences for your health. Be familiar with the potential hazards and the effects they can have on your respiratory system. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard 1910.134... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Selecting the best lens for welders' eye protection
The Dangers of Ultraviolet and Infrared Light Radiant energy exposure, also called optical radiation, occurs with work applications that involve intense concentrations of ultraviolet (UV), infrared (IR), and intense visible light. Arc welding and cutting, as well as laser welding,... Read more...
Article
October 9, 2003
Promoting back safety—one company's approach
Over the years, our midsize company, Aeroglide Corp., has used numerous methods to battle back injuries. We have tracked injuries in five-year increments and developed battle plans based on the trends we've observed. Dealing with Injuries We noticed that very few of the injuries were... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Stamping 101
Figure 1 The Catalyst To make the facility a reality, in 2000 Mike Chester, president and co-owner of Buhrke Industries, a Tier 1 and Tier 2 automotive stamper, donated 1,750 square feet of space in one of Buhrke's buildings. Once a location was established, many Chicago-area... Read more...
Article
September 25, 2003
Protecting yourself from gases and fumes
Protecting yourself from fumes and gases often means overcoming objections. Some welders mistakenly argue that running a fan to blow smoke away eliminates risk. Others avoid using protective equipment because it's uncomfortable or takes too long to set up. Worse, your workplace might not... Read more...
Article
August 28, 2003
Safety pays
Now more than ever, fabricators must believe that safety pays . It pays to make safety a high priority, to invest in safety training, and to provide a safe workplace. The pressure to reduce costs during this very competitive time is great, but it is imperative that owners and managers... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Six dangerous misconceptions about crane safety
Nearly every product today has a warning label. In fact, many products have multiple warning labels, lights, and bells. We even have warnings telling us our coffee is hot! It's little wonder, then, that many of us suffer from warning overload and just ignore the warnings. Unfortunately,... Read more...
Article
July 10, 2003
Article
June 26, 2003
Making the workplace safe for Spanish-speaking employees
Over the past several years, the U.S. has seen a dramatic increase in its population of Hispanic, Spanish-speaking people, with a corresponding impressive increase in the number of Spanish-speaking citizens who are entering the manufacturing work force. Having employees who speak limited... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Your best safety resource
The committee is made up of busy people—presidents, CEOs, vice presidents, directors, managers, and engineers. They come from businesses located in several states—from New York to the Deep South. They share the common struggle of helping their businesses weather the current economy,... Read more...
Article
June 12, 2003
Loading up on quality, productivity, safety
Like the products it manufactures, CNH Global N.V. has to stay on the move—technologically. The company's Wichita, Kan., facility uses robotic welding to help produce Case- and New Holland-brand skid steer loaders. Powerful yet quick, skid steers can spin on a dime and move heavy... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Spinning your wheels?
Grinding wheels, rocks, stones—what's the difference? Grinding wheels used in welding and fabrication are strong, tough tools, but many in the industry have called them "rocks" or "stones," implying that they're unbreakable. This myth, or misconception, has led people to become... Read more...
Article
May 29, 2003
Defibrillators—Should you have one in your workplace?
Photo courtesy of American Heart Science . In December 2001 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released a statement encouraging employers to consider making automated external defibrillators (AEDs) available in their workplaces. This announcement followed the... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Producing holes in tubing
Producing holes in tubing with punch press tooling can be divided into two main processes: punching and piercing (see Figure 1 ). Tube Piercing Tube piercing is different from traditional hole punching in that a die is not employed on the underside of the material. Instead, external... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Reviving the past
When he looked at the outside of his building, Bellingham, Wash., YMCA Director Dave Harding realized he faced a challenge. The original Bellingham, Wash., YMCA building. The YMCA's main downtown facility was located in an early-1900s, four-story building. In recent years the interior... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2003
Sick at Work?
For some workers, various symptoms of illness appear when they enter the workplace and disappear when they leave. These workers suffer from sick building syndrome (SBS). According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), SBS is used to describe situations in which building... Read more...
Article
April 24, 2003
Employees value workplace health and wellness programs
A November 2002 study commissioned by the American Association of Occupational Health Nurses (AAOHN) found that nearly 60 percent of the respondents consider health and wellness program offerings from employers a viable incentive to stay at their current job. Seventy-eight percent would... Read more...
Article
August 29, 2002
Rejoice with the right respirator
Object When you ask a safety or health practitioner to recommend a welding respirator, be prepared to answer at least a dozen questions first. The first concern in selecting an appropriate respirator is the process contaminants. The base metal and consumables generally determine the air... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
Keeping pace with today's punching requirements
Figure 1 The punch, die, and stripper's function still is to punch holes that are a specific size and shape into sheet metal in a specific location. The quest for accurately punched holes, top-quality piece parts, and long tool life can be a positive experience when you consider your... Read more...
Article
December 13, 2001
When sparks fly ...
While an arc welding unit was being used on the second floor in a Kaukauna, Wisconsin, warehouse, sparks dropped through an opening to cardboard boxes below, igniting the boxes. There was no fire watch on the first floor, and when the fire was discovered 15 minutes later, employees could... Read more...
Article
November 15, 2001
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November 15, 2001
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November 15, 2001
Assessing cutting and forming machine tool safety
During the past decade increasingly comprehensive machine tool safety standards have been adopted in many countries, including the U.S. The expanded breadth of recent standards typically includes the entire life expectancy of machines, the full scope of possible risks, the frequency and severity... Read more...
Article
October 11, 2001
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October 11, 2001
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August 16, 2001
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July 12, 2001
Thermal spray safety and OSHA compliance
Object Thermal spray equipment normally is operated in special enclosures designed to reduce noise levels, extract fumes, and provide direct viewing of the spray nozzle when it's used in high production environments. Occasionally R&D projects, large parts, low production runs, or complex... Read more...
Article
July 12, 2001
Examining the GTAW environment
Possibly the greatest development of the last decade was increased awareness of environmental and health concerns, which in the welding industry has prompted improvements in air quality, ergonomic workstations, and decreased exposure to materials deemed harmful to health. It is important... Read more...
Article
May 15, 2001
Surviving an OSHA inspection
Every employer knows about– and some fear a visit from– the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the federal regulator and watchdog of workplace health and safety. Unless an employer has successfully undergone an OSHA inspection or one by a parallel state agency,... Read more...
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April 24, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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February 19, 2001
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