Posts Tagged ‘emedco’

Is it time to refresh your facility’s outdoor space?

August 4, 2011

Have you been spending more time outside at your workplace? I know I have.  Living in Buffalo, we get a bad reputation for harsh winters.  Possibly due to that, once it warms up outside, I need to get out and spend time in the sun.  So when I am on a break at work, I tend to sit on one of our benches.

We have 3 picnic tables so that people can enjoy their lunches while enjoying the fresh air.  Another area has park benches under the trees if it’s too hot.  And, for those days when it’s windy and cold, we put up a shelter with a bench inside.

Take a fresh look at your outside gathering space.  Does it need a refresh?  Is it missing a table to eat at?  Maybe you need some ash/trash receptacles or garbage cans.  Talk to your facility maintenance department about adding some of these items to help make your breaktime more relaxing.  Enjoy the sun and warmth – before you know it, winter will be here!

-BDust

A closer look at chemical hazard communication

July 26, 2011

Chemical right-to-know laws are an important part of safety in any workplace. These laws ensure that employees and visitors are aware of potential hazards that could result from chemicals or other substances used or stored within a facility. These laws not only apply to exposure inside a workplace. They also require that people are made aware of any chemicals that they may be exposed to in their daily living by businesses or other organizations.

There are many ways to mark potential chemical hazard in and outside of the workplace.

Chemical safety labels easily stick to containers or cabinets housing potentially hazardous chemicals. They provide instant awareness to individuals at the point of contact with the chemical.  Chemical panels are also an effective way to communicate hazard information – but in a big way. They can be attached to tanks and large storage areas for easy identification. You can also display chemical information using MSDS stations or posting wall charts in your facility. These can serve as great reference points or storage locations for all of your facility’s MSDS information.

If you are looking for more information about chemical right to know, such as news or regulations, I found the site www.chemicalright2know.org to be very useful.

Posted by Christie

Safety scoreboards: A great way to track safety in your workplace

July 13, 2011

Everyone wants to create and maintain a safe workplace – we understand it’s important. To accomplish this, many companies have formal systems in place to track workplace injuries and accidents.

The problem is that  oftentimes the tools we use to track workplace accidents and information about the incidents are not available to all employees. While the small details may not need to be shared, it’s important that all employees are made aware that an accident has occurred and  reminded of any safety information that could have prevented that injury.

One way to communicate this information to employees is with safety scoreboards.

You may or may not be familiar with safety scoreboards, so I’ll explain. A safety scoreboard is a device used to publicly display safety and performance statistics or information in your workplace. It is a visual and immediate way to inform employees of information like consecutive days without an accident or progress toward production goals. You can also use the moving message boards featured on some scoreboard to communicate specific safety messages.

Scoreboards can come in all shapes and sizes and have a varying number of features. Depending on your needs, you can choose an electronic scoreboard that has features like working lights to indicate safety status; a counter that displays safety statistics like accidents or units produced; and/or moving message boards with your company’s safety information. If you don’t need all of those features, you can choose a write-on or dial-a-day scoreboard that allows you to manually track safety information.

(Note: If you purchase an electronic scoreboard it is always good to ensure it is UL listed.)

Some scoreboard suppliers will even let you customize a scoreboard with your own personalized message, features and tracking devices. So take some time and think about what safety goals or information you want your employees to focus on. Then, choose a scoreboard most appropriate for your workplace. You have lots of options.

Posted by Christie

Spring Cleaning (better late than never)

July 7, 2011

It’s amazing how good you feel after working your butt off to clean and organize a room.  My husband and I had lost sight of the basement floor and counter-top and spent a day with the kids tidying up, throwing out and organizing what was left.  Everything has found a place back on sturdy shelving except for the smaller art supplies and it made me think about what systems are available.

I’ve decided that the best approach is to use a stacking bin system.  This will allow me to customize the size of the bins to what needs to go in them.  And I can color-code the bins based on what’s in them.

My experience at home can be translated to most facilities.  For example, our kit assembly department uses bins on a rolling shelving rack.  This helps them work more efficiently allowing them to have only the parts they need on the workbench.

I hope this gives you a little boost in attempting to clean up your workspace.  Trust me – I felt more productive afterward.  I am sure you will too!

-BDust

Identify safety issues in your workplace

June 13, 2011

I recently read a great article in The Houston Chronicle  discussing four useful steps companies can take to identify safety and security issues in their facility. These steps can really help you take a proactive approach to your company’s safety, helping you avoid accidents and injuries down the road.

Step 1: Get OSHA Involved – Seeing as OSHA is the main organization responsible for enforcing safety-related rules, they are a great resource to point out potential safety hazards. Consider consulting with an OSHA inspector or scheduling a visit with one to review your facility and identify any potential safety hazards.  An OSHA inspector can also provide you with safety inspector for your facility.

Step 2: Practice good record keeping – Keeping good records in important. You should keep records of all accidents and injuries that require at least one day off of work. This will help you identify common injuries in your workplace so you can take the necessary steps to prevent future injuries of the same kind.

Step 3: Hold regular safety training meetings – Most companies have annual safety training meetings. In addition to these meetings, consider holding additional sessions or workshops to keep workplace safety on the minds of employees and get regular feedback on your safety program. You might also want to consider holding drills to make sure everyone is prepared in case of an emergency.

Step 4: Involve employees in work-place walk throughs – Have employees walk through the facility with the safety supervisor or safety team and identify possible workplace hazards or safety improvements. The people that work in the workplace day in and day out are great resources and know their areas better than any one else.

In being proactive about facility and employee safety, companies can reduce accidents and the overall cost of doing business. Consider these four steps as you develop or look to improve your safety program.

Posted by Christie


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

%d bloggers like this: