Safety Tech Cell - Articles
Safety Articles
Results: 50
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Keeping up with hazardous communications regulations
On May 25, 2011, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration decided to align its hazard communication standards with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Most metal fabricators don't realize that...
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Managing scrap metal safety
Cuts, broken bones, and even amputations—these types of injuries are a real possibility for a worker in a metal forming shop even after the final part has been stamped and formed in the press. That's because managing metal scrap, like any other...
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A road map for managing welding fume
While a process change is the first step in reducing welding fumes,
fume extraction and respiratory systems are critical tools for
employee health and safety.
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Three under-the-radar dangers in weld shops
Most of us are very familiar with the hazards of breathing in toxic fumes, but here are three not-so-obvious reasons that you need to pay close attention to your dust collection practices.
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Taking NDT to the end of tube, pipe
NDT systems are limited in how close to the end of a tube or pipe they can test successfully. They rely on electromagnetic or ultrasonic waves to flow through the tube or pipe, and the end represents an abrupt change in the wall’s...
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Green: The color of safety
Going almost 11 years with only one injury isn't luck. That fabricating operation has taken steps to ensure that safety is considered before anyone undertakes a task on the shop floor. This is how ADM Mechanical, Decatur, Ill., created that...
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Making safety a priority
Welders are exposed to a number of hazards in the shop every day. Because of the inherent dangers that a welding environment can pose, it’s important that you, the welder, in conjunction with shop management, exercise a commitment to personal...
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Clearing the air for heavy welding
Joy Global does some seriously heavy fabrication, welding atop mining shovel components several stories tall. Weld fume control was becoming a problem, so the company installed an innovative, nonlocal fume collection system to help clear the air.
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Beating the summer heat
Summertime and the factory is even hotter. Here’s a look at one option for making conditions more tolerable and safer for your workforce.
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Light (based) guarding, serious safety
Companies should consider brake safeguarding in two phases. First,
they need to consider all jobs that will be run on the machine; next,
they can select a guarding system that will work with all of them.
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Depressed-center grinding wheel safety—test your knowledge
Do you use portable grinders with depressed-center wheels? Are you following the proper safety guidelines? Take this 10-question test and find out.
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The importance of coming home
Minnesota-based E.J. Ajax has been recognized as one of the safest
metal stamping plants in North America. It has received this
recognition in part by developing good safety practices, requiring
PPE, and installing machine safeguards. But most...
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When hot, welding becomes not so hot
Welding poles indoors during an summer is not an easy task. New air-cooling technology incorporated into a welding helmet can help.
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Dealing with high forces, metal in motion, hot parts?
The main topic at the 2011 EDTR Roundtable conference in Wilmington, NC, was safety. Many of the issues involve high forces, metals in motion, and red-hot parts—in other words, topics relevant to any and all tube and pipe producers and...
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Wet dust collection snuffs hazards of industrial dusts
Metal manufacturers use wet filter systems for two reasons: to collect combustible metal dust and to filter particulate in heavy-sparking applications. Applications like deburring and grinding can involve both combustible metal particulate and...
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Meeting the new EPA regulation head-on
On the wings of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) efforts to control the permissible exposure limit (PEL) of hexavalent chromium, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has gone one step further. By July 25, 2011,...
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Wading through the NFPA-51 standard
The NFPA-51 standard outlines how to properly store, transfer, and
use industrial gases; how to handle such gases while they are in their
gaseous or liquid phases; and how to implement storage, piping and
distribution, and operating practices....
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A feminine approach to PPE
Women welders face many challenges, and one of the most overlooked is finding PPE that fits women welders properly, while providing them with a safe level of protection and allowing them to showcase their own personalities. Recently, some...
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Top OSHA violations increase; stricter enforcement program launched
OSHA has announced that the top 10 violations for 2009 increased almost 30 percent over the same time period in 2008. It also has implemented more aggressive targeted enforcement and higher penalties.
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Update on press and press brake safety standards
Updates to the ANSI standards are meant to
harmonize press and press brake safety
standards from all parts of the world. Once
accomplished, a manufacturer can feel
confident that its plants meet the latest
safety standards no matter where those...
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Stepping it up
The Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) is stepping up its
efforts to enforce regulation compliance. A
new agenda calls for more emphasis and
resources geared toward enforcement tactics
such as increasing inspections, penalties,...
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Developing and implementing a successful forklift training program: Six tips
Have all potential operators in your facility been properly trained in forklift safety? Follow the tips in this article to tailor your training for your specific operation. Your employees and bottom line will thank you.
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Don't let your equipment leave you fuming
Stricter hexavalent chromium standards are just one reason to invest in a welding fume extractor. Providing a healthier work environment also can help you protect and retain your skilled workers. What should you consider when selecting an extractor?
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Heading off health hazards
Each year more than 700,000 Americans injure their eyes at work equating to more than 2,000 eye injuries each day. About 90 percent of which could have been prevented if proper eye protection were used. Safe work practices, along with properly...
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Love your gloves
Pulling on a pair of welding gloves, for many welders, is like second nature. What may not be second nature, however, is choosing the right glove to fit your needs of protection,comfort, and dexterity. Just as welding processes differ, so do the...
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Tracking injuries
When considering activities that can affect your company's bottom line, don't overlook the positive difference tracking injuries can make. Recording and analyzing injury data can help you identify and correct problem areas, properly plan for...
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Recessions and industrial safety—enemies?
As you steer your company through the recession, remember that at the end of the day, it really is all about the people. Making safety a priority, especially in tough times, can boost employee morale and increase productivity. A behavioral...
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Venting on the subject of clean shop air
A shop owner should want the best ventilating technology for its thermal cutting operations. It keeps employees safe and protects the company from potential liability situations. With that in mind, the feature poses five questions that every shop...
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Fumes + Weld students = Bad news
A welding program in northeastern Arizona, looking to improve the air quality in its welding lab, replaced its fume extraction equipment.
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Safeguarding against robotic welding hazards
Safety light screens, safety interlock switches, and two-hand controls are three types of safeguarding devices that can be used as part of a comprehensive safety system for robotic welding setups in your shop.
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Safety update
A little more than a year after implementing stricter hexavalent chromium standards to the metalworking industry, OSHA has gone a step further and released respirator fit testing guidelines to complement the existing standard.
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Steady as she goes
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the U.S. nearly 100 workers are killed and another 20,000 are seriously injured annually in forklift-related incidents. Knowing how they occur and studying the events that lead up to them can go a...
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Building relationships, ensuring safety
Safety should be a business priority beginning with the employee hiring process. Once you have hired the right people, you can ensure the success of your safety program by building relationships, giving employees' safety concerns the attention...
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Preventing torch fires in welding and cutting operations
Welding and cutting, which accounts for 1 percent of structure fires and 4 percent of nonhousehold property damage, is the most dangerous type of hot work, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Companies that weld and cut...
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Clothes before woes
Welding injuries, from minor welding flash burns to serious third-degree burns, can be painful and, in extreme cases, can cause disfigurement and lead to career-ending disabilities. Wearing the proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is an easy...
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What not to leave at work
The metal fabricating industry is among the employment sectors with the highest rates of amputations from on-the-job accidents. Many are caused by improperly safeguarded machinery, hand tools, forklifts, and other equipment. Preventing...
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Predicting and preventing workplace accidents
Can workplace accidents be predicted and prevented? Aeroglide safety professional Kelly Langdon believes it's not only possible, but that doing so is critical for a company's success. In this article, Langdon explains the three-step process he...
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Cleaning the air, boosting morale
An automotive stamping plant located in Plymouth, Mich., recently integrated more welding cells. In an effort to continue with its aggressive stance on employee health, the company integrated RoboVent™ air filtration systems from Great Lakes...
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Welding helmets in view
Welders looking for welding helmets have a lot of options to choose from. With everything that is available, it is important for welders to be informed of the protection levels of each helmet as well as the features each provide in order to find...
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Revisions to respiratory protection
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) recently made changes to its Respiratory Protection Standard. By answering 6 FAQs regarding respirators, you will be better equipped to implement or update an existing respiratory program.
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Examining respiratory safety
In the wake of the implementation of OSHA's hexavalent chromium standard, read three fab shops' efforts to provide safe breathing conditions for its welders.
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Giving the nod
Autodarkening helmets do more than just protect welders from infrared and ultraviolet light the second the arc is struck. By allowing users to keep the helmet down over the face, the helmets help to prevent unnecessary neck strain, which can lead...
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Maximize comfort with the lightweight Speedglas SL welding helmet
3M's new Speedglas™ Super Light (SL) Welding Helmet and Auto-Darkening Filter (ADF) set a new standard for comfort and lightweight. The SL helmet is our lightest helmet today, weighing 25% lighter than our other Speedglas helmets....
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Why doesn't my fume extraction work?
Many welding manufacturers today have experienced a great disappointment with fume extraction systems for their welding processes. Often this problem has little to do with the actual filtration equipment itself, but with the way it is applied to...
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The invisible risks of welding
Welders who ignore healthy work practices today are putting their long-term health in jeopardy. Being aware of some of the less obvious health hazards can help to ensure healthy living later in life.
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It's the small things
Many times industrial safety programs focus solely on safe equipment operation and other obvious hazards while ignoring simpler concerns. Addressing these concerns can make an important difference in worker safety, morale, and productivity....
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Last chance: Read the sign!
Appropriate warning signage is a critical component of industrial safety—often the last reminder regarding some aspect of safe machine operation. Labels have come a long way since "Keep Off" and "Keep Out." Various standards are having an...
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New OSHA hexavalent chromium standards
Compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) hexavalent chromium standards requires certain industries, including steel fabrication, to meet specific respiratory protection requirements. This Q and A article...
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Breathing easy
A manufacturer of hospital and nursing home furniture upgraded its air filtration systems in its London, Ont., Canada, manufacturing plant.
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Locking in safety
Assessing the work environment, creating programs, and training staff to abide by those programs are the keys to maintaining a safe work environment and avoiding steep fines, worker injury, or death.
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