Winter Driving Safety

When winter storms strike, do not drive unless necessary.

1. If you must travel, make sure you car is stocked with survival gear like blankets, a shovel, flashlight and extra batteries, extra warm clothing, set of tire chains, battery booster cables, quick energy foods and brightly-colored cloth to use as a distress flag.
2. Keep your gas tank full to prevent gasoline freeze-up.
3. If you have a cell phone or two-way radio available for your use, keep the battery charged and keep it with you whenever traveling. If you should become stranded, you will be able to call for help, advising rescuers of your location.
4. Make sure someone knows your travel plans.

Winterize Your Vehicle
Preparing your vehicle for the winter season now will help ensure your vehicle is in good working order when you need it most.

1. Have a mechanic check the following items on your vehicle:
   • Battery
   • Wipers and windshield washer fluid
   • Antifreeze
   • Ignition system
   • Thermostat
   • Lights
   • Exhaust system
   • Flashing hazard lights
   • Heater
   • Brakes
   • Defroster
   • Oil level
2. Install good winter tires. Make sure the tires have adequate tread. All-weather radials are usually adequate for most winter conditions. You may also want to carry a set of tire chains in your vehicle for heavy snow conditions.
3. Keep a windshield scraper and small broom for ice and snow removal and maintain at least a half tank of gas throughout the winter season.
4. Finally, plan long trips carefully. Listen to the local media report or call law enforcement agencies for the latest road conditions.

Drive Safely
The leading cause of death and injuries during winter storms is transportation accidents.

1. Before getting behind the wheel this winter season, every driver could learn a lesson from our school bus drivers. It is elementary, but we have to keep our vehicles clear of ice and snow. Good vision is a key to good driving.
2. Plan your stops and keep more distance between cars. Be extra alert. Remember, snowdrifts can hide smaller children. Moreover, always match your speed to the road and weather conditions.

Trapped in a Car
What would you do if a blizzard trapped you on the road?
Here are some tips to follow:

1. Stay in your car and wait for help to find you.
2. Run your engine for short periods of time to stay warm. Keep your down-wind window open and make sure your exhaust pipe is clear of snow.
3. Turn on the dome light at night when you are running the engine to signal rescuers.
4. Hang a brightly colored piece of cloth or piece of clothing from your car.
5. Exercise from time to time by vigorously moving arms, legs, fingers and toes to keep blood circulating and to keep warm.

For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

7 Steps for prevention of Frostbite and Hypothermia

Unfortunately, the cold weather brings with it more risks that are invisible to the naked eye. Actually, they’re really invisible. With the dropping temperature across the nation, workers are under the threat of suffering from cold stress. Those who belong to the construction, agriculture, maritime and commercial fishing industries are the most exposed to the fatal hazards of cold weather.

Cold stress can be a fatal threat to every worker. Once exposed to cold or freezing temperature for long periods of time, they run the risk of losing a serious amount of body heat. If not treated immediately, this could lead to brain damage and even death.

Here are safety tips to prevent cold stress or cold-induced illnesses or injuries:

1. Train employees for the cold and changing weather.

Training sure is a timeless necessity in the workplace. In these colder days, workers must be trained not only about cold-induced illnesses and injuries, but also to determine environmental or work site conditions that may cause cold stress. They should be especially trained in recognizing the signs and symptoms of cold stress or cold-induced injuries like hypothermia and frostbite.

Here are signs and symptoms of hypothermia:

• Cool skin
• Slower, irregular breathing
• Slower heartbeat
• Weak pulse
• Uncontrollable shivering
• Severe shaking
• Rigid muscles
• Drowsiness
• Exhaustion
• Slurred speech
• Memory lapses

The following are signs and symptoms of frostbite:

• Paleness of the skin
• Sensation of coldness or pain
• Pain disappears after a while with the freezing of the tissues.
• Tissues become increasingly whiter and harder.

2. Use a buddy system.

Sure, you may want to be left to yourself while working. But believe me, this is not the time to enjoy solitude while accomplishing your tasks outdoors. You don’t want to be working one minute and thawing your fingers the next.

So get a partner and work on monitoring each other for signs of cold stress. Don’t be stubborn because most of the time, it’s just difficult to determine danger signs when you only have yourself to rely on.

3. Adjust your work schedule to the cold or changing weather.

Don’t punish yourself too much. Just because you have to work outside and it feels like stepping into a walk-in freezer, it doesn’t mean you have to bask in the frigid winds all day.

Schedule work during the warmest part of the day. Break a task into shifts so you can take frequent, short breaks in warm dry shelters.

4. Layer clothing.

At this time of the year, the saying “less is more” surely does not hold true. Well, maybe partly true since wearing less clothes means getting exposed to more cold-stress-related threats.

Remember that it’s better to go for several thin layers of clothing instead of wearing just a couple of thick layers. For clothes next to the skin, choose those with synthetic fabrics to avoid absorption of sweat. An ideal choice is polypropylene. For your outer layer, choose fabrics made of waterproof and wind-resistant material.

5. Wear complete PPE (personal protective equipment).

You know you need it. Wear warm gloves, hats and hoods. In extreme conditions, don a warm woolen hood that covers your neck, head and ears. If you get hot while working, just open your jacket. Don’t remove your hat and gloves. The key is in wearing clothing that can be adjusted to changing conditions.

Avoid wearing tight-fitting footwear as this restricts blood flow. Your shoes or boots should allow you to wear either one thick or two thin pairs of socks.

6. Eat and drink hot or warm foods and liquids.

You might have to say goodbye to hot coffee and choco for a while. Drinking caffeinated and alcoholic beverages is not recommended while working in cold weather. Instead, go for warm, sweet beverages like sports drinks and sugar water. Keep in mind that you are also at risk of dehydration under cold weather so make it a habit to drink up.

Good news, though. You can feast on hot pasta dishes, soups and other foods rich in calories. Remember, though, that if you’re sick or under medication, you are more at risk to get cold stress. This is especially true if you have hypertension, diabetes or a cardiovascular disease.

7. Wear eye protection.

Ice or snow + excessive ultraviolet rays = eye injury. Yes, this is one proven equation. Before working outside, check first if you may be exposed to glare or, worse, blowing ice crystals. If conditions point to the affirmative, then go wear the right kind of eye protection.

For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

Can you think of even one job or occupation where you never have to lift an object? I can’t. Lifting of objects can range from very light objects such as a piece of paper, a pin or a pen to very heavy objects like loads of boxes. Lifting is very much a part of our every day jobs. And, because it is something we do so often, we tend to do it without thinking, or at least we do until we strain a muscle, or worse, hurt our backs.
Lifting incorrectly can result in a variety of injuries. Back strain is a very common one. It results from over-stretching certain muscles, but it can be avoided by practicing safe lifting techniques. A hernia is another injury associated with lifting. A hernia does not generally result from a single lifting effort. It is usually the result of continued extreme exertion, especially done contrary to the structure of body.

Don’t underestimate the importance of being in good physical condition. Years of poor posture, overeating, lack of exercise, stress and improper lifting can catch up with you. Learn how your back works and what you can do to keep it strong. Ask for your physician’s recommended stretching, warm-up, and reconditioning exercises; then practice them regularly.

Safe lifting plays an important role in keeping your back healthy. Although there doesn’t seem to be just one right method to lift an object, there are lifting techniques that take strain off the low back area.
These techniques have several steps in common. They recommend you “size up the load”. That is, look it over. Decide if you can handle it alone or if you need help. When in doubt, ask for help. Moving a box or other object that is too heavy for one person is not worth strained and sore back muscles.
You should also “size up the area”. Look over the area where you are carrying the object to, and make sure it is clear of obstacles before beginning to carry the object.

For that period of time spent lifting, the load becomes a part of your body. You support and propel the object while it is attached to you. This attachment should be firm and sure. Get a good grip.
Attaching yourself to a load will change your balance. To keep this change of balance to a minimum, keep the load close to your body, to your normal center of gravity between the legs, between the shoulders.
Good foot position allows you to keep your balance and bring into play the full power of your leg muscles. Leg muscles are more powerful and more durable than back muscles. Let your leg muscles do the work. Again, footwork is important once you avoid twisting your upper body. Use your feet to change direction. Don’t twist your body. Twisting compounds the stress of the lift and affects your balance.

When you have someone helping you lift an object, teamwork becomes important. If you’re going to be carrying the load to another point, both of you should decide in advance how it is to be handled. Check the route and clearance. One person should be the leader and be in a position to observe and direct the other. Lifting and lowering should be done in unison. Don’t let the load drop suddenly without warning your partner.
Everyone has a way of lifting that seems most natural. Examine yours to see if you are using lifting techniques that reduce strain on your lower back. As the employee making the lift, you’re being counted on to make lifts that are safe and comfortable for you based on the items we’ve discussed:
Stay in shape
Size up the load; ask for help, if needed
Get a good grip
Keep the load close
Keep your balance with footwork
Let your leg muscles do the work
Don’t twist your body....


For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

Slips, Trips, & Falls

Did you know that slips, trips, and falls are second only to automobile accidents in causing personal injury? Over half of the fall injuries happen on the same level. In other words, people fall to the surface on which they are walking or working. The rest of the falls are from one elevation to another. These falls may include falls from ladders, roofs, catwalks, uneven surfaces, or stairs. There are thousands of minor injuries caused by slips, trips, and falls each year. Most alarming of all is the fact that industrial falls cause over 1000 deaths each year. Slips and trips result from some kind of unintended or unexpected change in the contact between the feet and the walking or working surface. What can be done to prevent slips, trips and falls? Most of the suggestions in this article can be used on the job and at home.

SLIPS occur when there is too little friction between a person’s feet and the walking surface. Many factors can cause a slip. Ice, oil, water, cleaning fluids, and other slippery substances are probably the most obvious causes. However, the flooring may be inappropriate-perhaps it is a slick material-or the person who slips may not be wearing proper shoes. To prevent slips, avoid walking in areas that pose slipping hazards if at all possible. Always promptly clean up spills of slippery substances. Better yet, prevent the spills in the first place. If an area is a chronic problem, re-route foot traffic in order to avoid it. If flooring is a problem, contact your supervisor to consider replacement or coating with a non-slip surfacing material. Be sure you have and use footwear that is appropriate for the surface you walk on and the work you do.

TRIPS occur when a person’s foot contacts an object and they are thrown off balance. The main cause of tripping is obvious–anytime something is in a walkway it could cause someone to trip. Another culprit is an object that projects into the walkway–perhaps material stored low on a shelf. Prevention of trips is simple but does require diligence. Keep objects that could cause someone to trip out of the way. Report uneven flooring and check the lighting.

FALLS can be caused by a number of things. Slips and trips frequently result in a fall. Falls also occur for other reasons. Improper use of ladders and scaffolding can result in a fall-usually a very serious one. Falls also happen when people climb objects without using fall protection equipment. Don’t risk serious injury by taking shortcuts. If you are working on a ladder, scaffold, or other elevated platform, make sure you know the requirements for using them safely. Always use fall protection equipment when it is required.
Proper lighting is another area to check to help avoid a slip or trip. Turn on the light before walking into a room. Don’t walk in the dark. Replace burned out bulbs or tubes. When moving from areas of different light intensity, give your eyes a chance to adjust before proceeding.

In walkways or aisles, dispose of waste properly and replace equipment in an orderly manner. Close cabinet doors and drawers.

Always use handrails on stairs and take just one step at a time. Report any broken or loose steps on stairs or ladders.

Slips, trips, and falls cause numerous injuries every day. But they are among the easiest hazards to correct. Take the time to look around your worksite for these hazards and work to prevent them. Take care not to cause any slip, trip, or fall hazards as you go about your daily activities. Don’t let a slip, trip, or fall keep you from enjoying all that life has to offer.

Cold Stress

 Protecting Against Hypothermia

When your body temperature drops even a few degrees below normal (which is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit), you can begin to shiver uncontrollably, become weak, drowsy, disoriented, unconscious, even fatally ill. This loss of body heat is known as "cold stress" or hypothermia. Persons who work outdoors, or who enjoy outdoor activities should learn about how to protect against loss of body heat. The following guidelines can help you keep your body warm and avoid the dangerous consequences of hypothermia.

Dress In Layers

Outdoors, indoors, in mild weather or in cold, it pays to dress in layers. Layering your clothes allows you to adjust what you're wearing to suit the temperature conditions. In cold weather, wear cotton, polypropylene, or lightweight wool next to the skin, and wool layers over your undergarments. In warm weather, stick to loose-fitting cotton clothing. For outdoor activities, choose outer garments made of waterproof, wind resistant fabrics such as nylon. And, since a great deal of body heat is lost through the head, always wear a hat for added protection.

Keep Dry

Water chills your body far more rapidly than air or wind. Even in the heat of summer, falling into a 40 degrees lake can be fatal in a matter of minutes. Always take along a dry set of clothing whenever you are working (or playing) outdoors. Wear waterproof boots in damp or snowy weather, and always pack raingear (even if the forecast calls for sunny skies)

Take A Companion

The effects of hypothermia can be gradual, and often go unnoticed until it's too late. If you know you'll be outdoors for an extended period of time, take along a companion. (At the very least, let someone know where you'll be and at what time you expect to return.) Ask your companion to check you frequently for overexposure to the cold--do the same for your companion. Check for shivering, slurred speech, mental confusion, drowsiness, and weakness. If either of you shows any of the above signs, get indoors as soon as possible and warm up.

Warmth And Understanding

The key ingredients to preventing loss of body heat are staying warm, and understanding what you can do to protect against conditions that can cause hypothermia. Hypothermia can be fatal, but it can also be prevented.

For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

Lockout/Tagout Safety

Preventing Machine Surprises

When it's time for maintenance, repairs or machine setup, simply unplugging the machine that you're working on is not enough. Many serious accidents have happened when someone thought a machine or the electricity was safely off. "Lockout/tagout" is a way to protect yourself and others.

Guaranteeing Machines Stay Off

Lockout/tagout ensures that machines and electricity remain temporarily off. Without a lockout/tagout system, there is the possibility that a machine will suddenly start up. Them someone could be cut, hit or crushed. There is also a serious danger of electrocution or the release of hazardous materials.

To prevent startups, you need to identify a machine's power sources: an electrical current, stored electricity (such as in a capacitor), stored pressure (such as compressed air), stored mechanical energy (such as in a coiled spring) or gravity.

Take Seven Steps for Lockout/Tagout

• Think, plan and check. If you are in charge, think through the entire procedure. Identify all parts of any systems that need to be shut down. Determine what switches, equipment and people will be involved. Carefully plan how restarting will take place.
• Communicate. Notify all those who need to know that a lockout/tagout procedure is taking place.
• Identify all appropriate power sources, whether near or far from the job site. Include electrical circuits, hydraulic and pneumatic systems, spring energy and gravity systems.
• Neutralize all appropriate power at the source. Disconnect electricity. Block movable parts. Release or block spring energy. Drain or bleed hydraulic and pneumatic lines. Lower suspended parts to rest positions.
• Lock out all power sources. Use a lock designed only for this purpose. Each worker should have a personal lock.
• Tag out all power sources and machines. Tag machine controls, pressure lines, starter switches and suspended parts. Tags should include your name, department, how to reach you, the date and time of tagging and the reason for the lockout.
• Do a complete test. Double check all the steps above. Do a personal check. Push start buttons, test circuits and operate valves to test the system.

When Its Time To Restart

After the job is completed, follow the safety procedures you have set up for restart, removing only your own locks and tags. With all workers safe and equipment ready, it's time to turn on the power.

For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

Eye Safety

Avoiding Eye Injuries

Of all of our senses, the one most precious perhaps is our sense of sight. Yet each year, thousands of us suffer eye injuries that impair our vision or deprive us of our sight altogether. These injuries are, to a large extent, avoidable. In fact, over 90% of all eye injuries can be prevented by following established safety guidelines and using the appropriate protective eyewear for the tasks we perform.

Recognizing Eye Hazards

Among the most common eye hazards are flying particles, a hazard typical of many machine operations such as grinding, sawing, etching, and so on. Dusts (such as wood, metal, and other airborne particles), sparks (common in welding), and fumes and splashes (from molten materials or chemicals) can all cause eye injury unless the appropriate protective eyewear is used. Harmful light rays (common in arc and electrical welding, furnace operations, and work using acetylene equipment) can cause painful eye burns unless your eyes are adequately protected. The following guidelines for on-the-job eye safety can help you save your sight--for life.

Eye Safety Checklist

1. Be alert to the eye hazards present at your worksite.
2. Wear the appropriate protective eyewear--glasses, goggles, and/or hoods, face shields and welding helmets--provided by your employer for the specific hazards you face.
3. Remember that regular eyeglasses or contact lenses will not protect you from eye hazards--if you must wear corrective lenses, you'll need to wear protective eyewear over them.
4. Check to see that your protective eyewear meets ANSI (American National Standards Institute) standards.
5. Make sure that your protective eye wear fits properly and is clean and in good condition before and after each use.
6. Replace faulty eye wear immediately.
7. Follow established safety guidelines.
8. Learn basic first-aid for eye injuries.
9. Know where all eyewash stations and emergency equipment are located.

    10.  In the event of eye injury, get medical attention immediately.

For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

Confined Space Safety

Work Smart, Stay Safe
Working in a confined space may be a regular part of your job, or it may be a one-time emergency. Always think of confined spaces as dangerous. You can protect yourself. Learn their hidden hazards and use safe practices. It's the smart way to stay safe.

Few Openings
Confined spaces have few or very small openings. They're not meant for workers to stay in. Ventilation is usually poor.
Boilers, storage tanks, pipelines: they don't have to be small to be confined.

Four Dangers
There are four main dangers in confined spaces. First, there may not be enough oxygen to breathe. Rust, sewage, or chemicals can use it up. Even if there's enough oxygen when you enter, it can be used up by your presence and your work more quickly than you might think.

Second, fire and explosions can both use up oxygen quickly enough to prevent escape and cause death within minutes. Chemicals and gases can explode suddenly, from cigarettes, static electricity, sparks, or heat.

Third, in confined spaces there is the danger of poisonous ("toxic") elements in the air. They can harm your breathing and nervous system. Often, you cannot see or smell them.
Some gases, vapors and dusts can burn or smother you quickly. Others don't have obvious effects and so are especially dangerous.

Fourth, there are physical dangers such as loud noise, intense heat, and falls. These can be very hazardous in confined spaces.

Class A, B or C

• Confined spaces are classified by how dangerous they are for your health. This depends on oxygen levels, fire dangers ("flammability"), and poison dangers ("toxicity"). Class A confined spaces are very dangerous. Their oxygen levels may be low. Explosions may be likely. They may have high levels of toxic gases or chemicals.
• Class B spaces present dangers if proper safety steps are not followed. Class C spaces have possible hazards, but special work procedures are not necessary.
• Only trained people should decide whether a space is Class A, B or C.

Prepare Carefully

• Always prepare before entering a confined space, no matter how great an emergency it is. Use the right ventilation and Personal Protective Equipment. Make sure all equipment is tested and grounded.
• Cut off gas, power, steam or water lines into the confined space. Post a permit stating that you are inside.
• Have a qualified person test the air for oxygen, flammability, and toxicity. Test high, low and in the corners.
• Have at least one "buddy" outside, connected to you by lifeline. Your buddy should know cardiopulmonary resuscitation ("CPR"), first aid, and how to use safety equipment. Stay in contact with your buddy.
• Stay alert and don't smoke or eat while in a confined space.

For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com/

Safety Tips for Hand Tool Users

Almost all of us use hand tools–at work and at home. It’s estimated that about 8% of industrial accidents involve the unsafe use of hand tools (both manual and power). These accidents result from using the wrong tool for the job (or using the right tool incorrectly), failing to wear personal protective equipment, or failing to follow approved safety guidelines. The following checklist provides some basic rules for the safe use of hand tools. Take a moment to review this list, and use the tips here whenever you use a hand tool–on or off the job.
Hand Tool Rules

1. Know the purpose of each tool in your toolbox, and use each for the specific task it was designed to do.
2. Never use any tool–hand or power–unless you are trained to do so.
3. Inspect tools before each use and replace or repair if worn or damaged.
4. Clean tools after every use.
5. Keep cutting edges sharp.
6. Never test a cutting edge with your fingers–test on scrap material instead.
7. Select the right size tool for the job–don’t use cheaters.
8. When working on ladders or scaffolding, be sure that you and your tools are secure. (A falling tool can seriously injure a coworker or bystander.)
9. Carry tools correctly–never put sharp or pointed tools in your pockets.

10.When hand-carrying tools, point cutting edges away from you, toward the ground.
11.Lightly oil metal tools and store in clean, dry place to prevent rust.

12.Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as safety goggles, face shields, gloves, etc. as required.


For more information about our safety services go to http://www.endure-inc.com