Myth #1 – Electrical insulation can prevent you from being shocked

This is probably the most misunderstood and prevalent myth out there. We are probably all familiar with the properties of conductors and materials used for them. Materials such as gold, silver, aluminum, copper, and the ferrous metals are all excellent conductors of electricity. Most other materials around us have some resistance to electrical current flow of one degree or another.

Materials with a high resistance to electrical current are called insulators, or insulating material. Examples are plastic, rubber, fiberglass, wood, and glass. Materials manufactured and designed with electrical insulating qualities in mind, could have insulating properties measured in thousands of volts.

However, we need to understand that no material is effective at insulating someone from electrical current at any voltage. All dedicated insulators have a voltage limit to resisting electrical current flow. There is no insulating material that will protect you from a sufficiently high voltage. Remember, voltage is the pressure of the electron flow, and that pressure is exerted against the insulating material outwardly, as the electrical flow passes. Therefore, you will find that insulating materials have a voltage rating. The most common voltage rating for a electrical cords, power tools, and appliances is 600 V. Just as you can imagine what would happen if you put 6000 V on a 600 V cord. The same thing applies to any insulating material if a sufficiently high voltage is plied to it. Sometimes the only insulating protection is simply distance. (more…)

This is a four part series on the four leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry. These four hazards, known as the Focus Four account for 8 to 9 out of every 10 fatalities in construction. Today we’ll talk about the fourth leading fatality: caught between hazards.

Caught between hazards can be generalized into four categories: working in unprotected excavations, being involved in a structure collapse, and being caught within a pinch point or having a load fall on a worker.

Workers caught in an excavation collapse is the leading cause of caught between hazards. When working in an excavation narrower than 15 feet and deeper than 5 feet, trencher protection is mandatory. Trench protection may be sloping or benching the trench walls, or shielding the worker with shoring, or a trench box. It is vital for workers to never work outside of the protection afforded by these protective systems.
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This is a four part series on the four leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry.  These four hazards, known as the Focus Four account for 8 to 9 out of every 10 fatalities in construction.  Today we’ll talk about the third leading fatality: electrocution hazards.

Electrocution hazards can be generalized into four categories: Working around power lines, working around power tools and extension cords, locking out and tagging out electrical equipment, and demolition work.
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This is a four part series on the four leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry. These four hazards, known as the Focus Four account for 8 to 9 out of every 10 fatalities in construction. Today we’ll talk about the second leading fatality: struck by hazards.

Struck by hazards encompass many activities. Construction workers may be struck by vehicular traffic, struck by heavy equipment on a construction site, struck by moving loads, or even falling loads.
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This is a four part series on the four leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry. These four hazards, known as the Focus Four account for 8 to 9 out of every 10 fatalities in construction. Today we’ll talk about the leading fatality: falls.

Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, and one of the leading causes of death in general industry. Several hundred construction workers every year die from falls. Most of these falls are from elevated heights and most of those are from scaffolds and ladders. Falls from roofs, account for another significant cause of falls from elevated Heights. (more…)

Hardhats are an important piece of safety equipment that no construction worker should be without. A hardhat protects the head from falling debris that could cause major head trauma or even death in some cases. This indispensable piece of safety equipment is generally mandatory on many construction sites.
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Safety goggles are an important piece of safety equipment that helps to protect the eyes. This type of safety equipment is an essential part of equipment that should be worn on the job site and even during some recreational activities. Many of us even doing home improvement projects neglect to protect out eyes and forget how important safety goggles are until there is an accident.
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Approximately 100 workers are killed in forklift accidents each year and about 25% of these incidents are due to the machine overturning. Some other common reasons behind forklift fatalities involve being hit by materials or the worker being run over or falling off the vehicle.

People that use forklifts everyday have a tendency to take shortcuts and have a lackadaisical attitude about safety, which make the individual more prone to accidents. A person can avoid becoming a statistic if willing to review and observe forklift safety and be aware of guidelines each and every time the machine is used.
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There can be many hazards when working on a job site. Many builders realize the injuries that can occur when corners are cut trying to save money on a job site. There are many costs that can be reduced, but costs should never be cut when dealing with employee safety and safety equipment.

Hard hats are an essential piece of equipment that should always be worn on a building site. The hard hat helps to protect ones head from falling debris to bumping the head on objects on the job site. Without wearing one of these hats, can lead to many head injuries and even death for a person.

When back braces are not worn when lifting, can cause major spinal injuries. By wearing a back brace when bending or lifting helps keep the back from being strained. This piece of equipment when worn properly can help prevent many common back-related injuries that can occur when lifting and bending.

Protective eyewear can help reduce of injury or loss of and eye when worn properly. There are many hazards that can injure the eye on a job site. This can include flying debris to working with hazardous chemicals. Safety goggles or safety glasses are a great way to help protect eyes from injury when doing any type of construction work.

Costs on purchasing safety signs should never be cut. “Danger” and “Caution’ signs should always be placed where applicable on a job site. This will keep workers informed on where some of the most dangerous areas are and where certain precautions should be taken in these designated areas. By not using these signs on a construction site could result in many different types of injuries or even death.

A first aide kit is a must on a construction site. Without having this basic piece of equipment can have devastating effects when one has an injury. By having a first aide kit that is fully stocked at all times can sometimes be the difference between life and death for someone that is hurt on the job site. This allows one to apply first aide until the person receives medical attention.

Following certain rules for safety and using proper safety equipment on a job site, not only saves money in the long run, but can also save lives. By not cutting corners on safety will greatly reduce hazards on the job site.

The rates of workplace injuries and illnesses in 2007 occurred at a rate of 4.2 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers—a decline of .2 cases from 4.4 cases in 2006. Also, the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses reported in 2007 went down slightly to about 4 million cases, compared to 4.1 million cases in 2006. The total recordable injury and illness incidence rate has declined by 0.2 cases per 100 workers each year since 2003, when estimates from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses were first published using the North American Industry Classification System. Some key findings of the 2007 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses were:
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