Posts Tagged ‘hearing protection’

Protective Wear Signs

May 17, 2010

Eye, hearing, head and other protective wear injuries often can be prevented by using the proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and having signage around your facility. Personal protective signs remind your employees about required equipment and are eye-catching to help deter unnecessary accidents and lost-time injuries.

Emedco has a very large selection of Protective Wear Signs to suit your needs. Choose from various OSHA headers and wordings that are geared towards the type of protection that is required in the work area, facility or jobsite. Select from 8 materials (aluminum, steel, plastic, foam adhesive, adhesive vinyl, magnetic, 2-Way or 3-Way) in three sizes (7”x10”, 10”x14” or 14”x20”).

  • Eye Protection Signs- OSHA 1910.133 states: “Protective Eyewear is required for any job that exposes workers to flying objects, glare, liquids or hazardous radiation.”
  • Hearing Protection- OSHA 1910.95 states: “Hearing Protectors must be available to all workers exposed to 8-hour TWA noise levels of 85dB or above.”

Remember to ask for the Duroshield Lifetime Guarantee- your best defense against fading, graffiti and chemicals.  Make Emedco your One-Stop PPE Safety Source- Your Way, Today, Guaranteed!

Submitted by: Donna Kolody

Hearing Protection and Understanding the Noise Reduction Rating (NRR)

February 26, 2010

Hearing protection prevents hearing loss in loud workplaces, saving your employees’ hearing, lost work, time and money. Don’t risk damaging your employees hearing ability, let them know that you put their safety first!

To better understand the type of hearing protection you should buy, the Environmental Protection Agency defines Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) as the measurement, in decibels, of how well a hearing protector reduces noise. The higher the NRR number the greater the noise reduction. When dual protectors are used, the combined NRR provides approximately 5 – 10 decibels more than the higher rated of the two devices. For example, using disposable ear plugs (NRR of 29 decibels) with ear muffs (NRR 27) would provide a Noise Reduction Rating of approximately 39 decibels.

Excessive noise is defined as 85-90 decibels or more over an 8 hour period.
Examples of noise levels considered dangerous by experts are: a rock concert, firearms, lawnmower, firecrackers, headset listening systems, motorcycles, tractors, power tools and industrial machinery. All can deliver sounds over 90 decibels and some up to 140 decibels.

Painful:
150 dB = Rock Concerts at Peak
140 dB = Firearms, Air-Raid Siren, Jet Engine
130 dB = Jackhammer
120 dB = Jet Plane Take-off, Amplified Music at 4-6 ft., Car Stereo, Band Practice

Extremely loud:
110 dB = Machinery, Model Airplanes
100 dB = Snowmobile, Chain saw, Pneumatic Drill
90 dB = Lawnmower, Shop Tools, Truck Traffic, Subway

Very loud:
80 dB = Alarm Clock, Busy Street
70 dB = Vacuum Cleaner
60 dB = Conversation, Dishwasher

Moderate:
50 dB = Moderate Rainfall
40 dB = Quiet room

Faint:
30 dB = Whisper, Quiet Library

Emedco has a full line of hearing protection that includes: disposable and reusable earplugs (corded or uncorded), earmuffs and banded hearing protectors. Also, choose from a large selection of Hearing Protection Signs. Your Way, Today, Guaranteed!

Additional Info:

Method for Calculating and Using the NRR

Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention

Submitted by: Donna Kolody/Emedco

What is the value of Safety?

February 16, 2010

We can’t seem to escape hearing about accidents everywhere we turn and are always looking for helpful tips such as: safety at work , safety at home , safety on the road, in the air, at sporting events like the Olympics, etc.  No matter the setting, the message is loud and clear:  SAFETY IS PRICELESS!

Take the workplace injury or fatality for example- when that injured or killed person is someone we know… a co-worker, loved one or friend, it hits much closer to home. We rally to support them but have to continually ask the tough questions:

1)     Was safety top of mind by the organization and employee?

2)     Could it have been prevented?

Especially during our current recession, a strong safety culture starts with an organization’s senior management buy-in and unwavering commitment.  The safety, health & environmental professionals (SH & E Profession) must emphasize their important role in an organization’s overall success to help ensure steady occupational growth. They must remember the many lifesaving stories to stay inspired and promote the benefits to the person that is listening. That is the key word.

This is a topic that we can discuss for a long time so in summary, we must get and stay committed to being the best safety advocate for ourselves and our companies and must keep listening.  We all know that PPE must be provided free of charge to employees and that there are many different categories such as: safety eyewear, hearing protection, hard hats, respirators, protective apparel, gloves, ergonomic supports etc.  Emedco has a very diverse line of PPE products- Top brands, great selection at competitive prices.

Emedco is your One-Stop PPE Safety Source. Your Way, Today, Guaranteed!

What exactly is Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?

February 9, 2010

Thank you for asking! Simply put …its equipment that protects the person.

A more formal, encompassing definition from OSHA is: “Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect employees from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes, PPE includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles, coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators.”

Why care?

IT’S MANDATED BY OSHA! Employers must perform a hazard assessment in their workplace to determine what exactly requires using PPE, provide appropriate PPE to the workers and require them to use and maintain it in sanitary and reliable condition. Emedco has an extensive line of PPE products to help you comply.

So, if you are an Owner, Safety Manager, Safety Coordinator, Manufacturing Manager, Purchasing Manager, Buyer, or a host of other titles, you have the responsibility to ensure employees reduce or eliminate injuries with PPE.   Also, as an employee, you always have the option to explore and research the multitude of PPE products on the market and make suggestions to your employer.

Additional Resources:

OSHA Fact Sheet

OSHA 29 CFR 1910.132

Protective Wear Keeps Your Employees Safe and Your Company Running Strong

December 10, 2009

If you own a business you know that it is your employees that keep your business flowing smoothly and running properly. Your employees tend to become like your children in the fact that you want to keep them as safe as possible while on the job. There is no better way to accomplish this then by having your employees wear as much protective wear as possible.

Of course the protective wear that your employees will sport all depends on your type of business and fortunately there are companies like Emedco that make your safety wear solutions an absolute breeze. Here are few things that Emedco recommends and can provide for your employees to help protect them:

Hard Hats, Protective Glasses, Ear ProtectionHard Hats: First and foremast, if your employees are working in an area where there may be something that could fall on their heads, it is imperative that you provide your employees with hard hats. Emedco’s hard hats come in a wide variety of colors and styles and are made of a strong polyethylene. Best of all, their hard hats are in full compliance with OSHA standards.
Eye Protection: If your employees can’t see what they are doing they will be no good to anyone. Help them protect their eyes by supplying them with eye protection from Emedco. Their safety goggles come in many different styles and offer ANSI level protection from dust, dirt, and other debris. Many of the eye protection from Emedco do not even resemble anything safety related and look good enough to wear just about anywhere.
Hearing Protection: Though your employees may not notice it they may be having their hearing damaged by working in an environment that has a lot of loud machinery that is constantly on. Avoid any hearing loss from ever taking place by providing those closest to the source of the noise with hearing protection products from Emedco. You can choose to go with soft foam ear plugs or go all the way with personal ear muffs.
Fall Protection EquipmentBack Belts: Another great product from Emedco is their heavy duty elastic back belts. These are a must if your employees will be lifting items on a constant basis throughout the work day. The elastic back belts will help prevent nasty back strain from occurring which will keep your employees safe and in the game.

 

Safety Signs, Safety LabelsSafety Signs: Emedco also offer a wide variety of safety sigs that can be used throughout the workplace. True your employees will not wear these, but you can use the signs to mark hazardous areas and let everyone know ahead of time that caution must be taken when entering the areas. You can also have semi-custom or custom safety signs made by Emedco that will help you to accurately spell out your safety rules and regulations.

When it comes right down to it there is nothing more important than protecting your employees. Emedco can help you keep your employees as safe as possible which will help you to ensure that your business is up and running on a consistent basis.

Written by Mb


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

%d bloggers like this: