Lick with Caution - Delicious Facts about Ice Cream

July is National Ice Cream Month and what better way to pay tribute to my favorite treat of choice, is to look back in history to see how this creamy cool delicious treat came to be. Although  this is a safety blog, relax because I will also throw in some tips on how to avoid a brain freeze from downing your banana split way too fast. According to Wikipedia (yes, I am aware on how accurate this may be, but this research is all in the name of fun) In the Persian Empire, people would pour grape juice concentrate over snow, in a bowl, and eat this as a treat in hot weather. The Roman Emperor Nero (37-68) had ice brought from the mountains and combined with fruit toppings. Arabs were the first to use milk as a major ingredient and sweetened the ice cream with sugar rather than fruit juices. Ice cream was introduced to the United States by Quaker colonists who brought their ice cream recipes with them. Confectioners sold ice cream at their shops in New York and other cities during the colonial era. Ben Franklin, George Washington, and Thomas Jefferson were known to have regularly eaten and served ice cream.

With all that ice cream and delicious fruit toppings crossing the globe, it’s easy to imagine that Ben Franklin may have suffered a brain freeze or two. Brain freeze happens when something cold touches the nerves in the roof of the mouth, triggering the blood vessels in the front of your head to constrict, which causes an unforgettable mind numbing experience. So here is where the safety part comes in, the next time you feel a brain freeze coming, press your tongue to the roof of your mouth to warm it up or you can eat your ice cream slowly. My favorite tip is pour some hot fudge on top of your sundae. The warm gooey goodness could definitely tone down the chill factor.  The real challenge is how to safely eat an ice cream cone without it ending up all over your shirt and pants. It’s all about the timing and maintaining a balanced shape. Licking in a circular motion at the base of the ice cream helps to maintain a stable shape but you can’t take your time. Your licking must beat the dripping. Come to think about it, it seems like a lot of pressure.  If you can’t handle it, feel free to put it in a cup instead. Now that I’ve provided you with the history of ice cream and how to safely avoid a brain freeze and not wear the creamy frozen goodness, go, eat and enjoy the safe way!

Lockout/Tagout Done Right Keeps The Danger Out

Proper Lockout/Tagout procedures ensure that all workers are aware of maintenance being done on machines that will harm the repairer if turned on. That being said, it is so important that your company follows the guidelines to insist that everyone is working safely and no accidents, or worse may occur. Unfortunately neglectful or untrained employees on the lockout/tagout procedures are a danger to the workplace and training must be treated as paramount.


Recently OSHA has cited T&D Metal Products LLC with 4 safety violations after two workers suffered amputation injuries. Read the new release at here.

SafetySkills™ offers Lockout/Tagout courses at for the general industry as well as Oil and Gas. Simulation courses are also available featuring impressive 3D renderings to make the learner feel as if the they are performing the tasks first hand.

Loud Workplace Noises Can Cause Permanent Damage

     According to OSHA, every year approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous noise. Noise and vibrations can harm workers when they occur at a high level or continue for a long time. Loud noise can also create physical and psychological stress, reduce productivity, interfere with communication and concentration, and contribute to workplace accidents and injuries by making it difficult to hear warning signals. Noise-induced hearing loss limits your ability to hear high frequency sounds, understand speech, and seriously impairs your ability to communicate. (Source: osha.gov)

     OSHA has implemented limits on the noise exposure in the workplace to protect workers from hearing damage.  The limits are based on a weighted average of an 8 hour day with a 5 dBA exchange rate. The maximum exposure limit is 90 dBA for all workers in an 8 hour day. There are several warning signs that you workplace may be too noisy such as hearing ringing or humming in your ears when you leave work, you have to shout to be heard by a coworker arm’s length away or you experience temporary hearing loss when leaving work.

     SafetySkills™ addresses the OSHA standards of hearing conservation, the cause of hearing loss in the workplace and the different options of personal hearing protection. To view the course on hearing conservation, visit us at http://www.safetyskills.com/occupational-health-and-safety-series/hearing-conservation.The course is intended for general industry employees who may come in contact with noise levels high enough to cause hearing impairment. For more information on all the courses in the SafetySkills™ library, go to www.safetyskills.com.

Stay Cool at Work with Heat Stress Training

       A new national outreach campaign by the US Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will be focusing on the hazards of working in hot weather. The new initiative was announced on April 26, 2011 from Secretary of Labor, Hilda L. Solis. This campaign will focus on educating workers and their employers about the hazards of working outdoors and the steps needed to prevent heat-related illnesses. The message will focus on water, rest and shade. According to US Dept of Labor, thousands of outdoor workers experience heat illness which begins with heat exhaustion and if not treated immediately, can lead to heat stroke. More than 30 workers died last year from heat stroke. (Source: www.osha.gov)

      SafetySkills™ has developed an OSHA compliant course that focuses heat stress in the workplace. The course is available at http://www.safetyskills.com/heat-stress-in-the-workplace. With this course employees will learn how to identify and prevent the hazardous health effects of high heat. Heat stress can affect a broad span of industries from agriculture and landscaping to construction, oil and gas, road repair and airport baggage handling. For more information on this online course and others, please visit www.safetyskills.com

2010 OSHA Top 10 List of Citations

OSHA provided a list of the 10 most frequently cited standards for the fiscal year 2010 (Oct 1 2009 to Sept 30 2010 (Source: www.osha.gov). OSHA publishes this list to make employers aware of the areas that cause the most citations and to remind employers on what the standard procedures are to ensure a safe working environment.

 

 

                   1.     1926.51-Scaffolding

                   2.     1926.501-Fall Protection

                   3.     1910.1200-Hazard Communication

                   4.     1910.134-Respiratory Protection

                   5.     1926.1053-Ladders

                   6.     1910.147-Lockout/Tagout

                   7.     1910.305-Electrical,Wiring Methods

                   8.     1910.178-Powered Industrial Trucks

                   9.     1910.303-Electrical,General Requirements

                  10.   1910.212-Machine Guarding

       Many workers unnecessarily get hurt or injured on the job because of the lack of attention to safety details. SafetySkills™ addresses these common citations and more in our e-learning course library. We are OSHA certified and continuously update our titles with new animations, imagery and interactions to keep the training fresh and engaging. Please take a look at our course library for more information on these courses on more http://www.safetyskills.com/course-catalog.

Distracted Drivers - A Dangerous Dilemma

Rising gas prices aren't the only thing that is causing panic on the road. Distracted driving is an epidemic that is sweeping the highways and roadways, causing many injuries and fatalities.  DOT reports that in 2009, more than 5.400 people died in crashes linked to distraction and thousands more were injured. Text messaging is often the cause of distracted drivers which has led thirty states to ban the practice for all drivers.  Employers who allow or encourage texting while driving are in violation of the Occupational Safety and Health Act. They must understand that it is their legal obligation to create and maintain a safe and healthful workplace.

       SafetySkills™ addresses the topic in the Distracted Drivers course available at http://www.safetyskills.com/driver-safety-series/distracted-drivers. After the completion of the course, the learner will be able to recognize the causes of driver distraction and the appropriate actions needed to prevent them.  Millions of drivers take the road each day as part of their job. SafetySkills™ wants to ensure that everyone arrives safely. Please visit us at http://www.safetyskills.com/driver-safety-series/distracted-drivers for more information on all the courses available in the driver safety training series.

Don't Let Asbestos Get the Best of You

On May 25 2011, OSHA had issued a news release concerning the US Department of Labor's fines of over $1.2 million to AMD Industries of Cicero, IL. According to the news release, AMD Industries violated OSHA regulations after 5 unprotected and untrained workers were allegedly required to conduct asbestos removal which had  exposed the workers to  cancer causing material. This is not the first time that AMD had a run in with OSHA laws. In December 2010 the company was issued 19 willful and 8 serious health citations. At that time, AMD was conducting an in house asbestos removal project using untrained workers. AMD had failed to provide protective respirators or even warn the workers of the risk to their health. (Source: www.osha.gov)

The general public may be exposed to asbestos in small doses daily in the air. Most people who develop asbestos related diseases were exposed to asbestos at their workplace. The greater the exposure to large quantities of asbestos, the greater the risk of developing a related illness. Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. To keep employees safe, employers must know the forms and toxicity level of asbestos. SafetySkills™ provides an Asbestos Hazard Awareness course available at http://www.safetyskills.com/occupational-health-and-safety-series/asbestos-hazard-awareness This course provides information on the basics of identifying asbestos hazards and how to eliminate the hazards in the workplace. For more information on this courses and other safety training courses, please visit us at www.safetyskills.com