On The Edge

Ever wonder how they hang banners on street light poles? Apparently this fella must have lots to do, and not much time, because he's making lots of time-saving decisions. You know ... saving time by not setting up the big orange ladder lying right there in the bed of the truck. Saving time standing on the sharp edges of the wobbly walls in the back of the truck.

 

Things like this bug me. This guy intentionally increased the danger level of what he was doing by ignoring the equipment that was at his immediate disposal. How long can it take to pull out a ladder and set it up? If you've got the proper equipment for the job, use it!  If you don't, get it! 

Dealing with Confined Spaces

Confined spaces in the workplace present unique hazards to employees who must enter them. Their function, design and restricted access have all the ingredients that can increase hazardous exposures. If you are required to work in confined spaces, you must be aware of the programs developed to identify confined spaces and access must be limited to trained authorized employees.

What is a confined space?

For a space to be classified as a confined space, it must:

• Be large enough for a person to bodily enter

• Have restricted access

• Not be designed for continuous human occupancy.

What makes a permit-required confined space?

It has one of the following additional conditions:

• Has a potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere

• Has a material that could engulf an entrant

• Has an internal configuration, such as a sloping floor or converging walls that can trap or asphyxiate an entrant.

• Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazard.

What are the atmospheric hazards?

• Oxygen level — too high (greater than 23.5 percent) or too low (less than 19.5 percent).

• Flammables — greater than 10 percent lower explosive level.

• Potential exposure to toxic contaminants that may be immediately dangerous to life and health or which may result in exposures greater than the threshold limit value.

How can a confined space be safely entered with the hazards present?

Permit status ensures necessary precautions are taken to protect employees when they enter a confined space where the atmospheric and/or physical hazards are still present. A permit will identify hazards present in the space and document that each hazard is addressed.

 

What does the permit require?

It requires trained employees who are knowledgeable of the hazards, symptoms of exposure and duties required to successfully complete the job in the confined space.

How does a worker know when a permit is needed?

• All confined spaces are considered permit-required until the agency determines otherwise

• All confined spaces need to be identified in the work place and evaluated for hazards.

• All confined spaces need to be identified with signs. If the work place contains permit required confined spaces, the employer shall inform exposed employees, by posting danger signs or by any other equally effective means, of the existence and location of and the danger posed by the permit spaces.

How do we issue a permit?

A permit is completed prior to the entry. It contains the time, date, purpose, length of entry and employees who will perform the entry and attendant activities. It states the condition of the atmosphere and steps taken to control physical hazards. The work crew or the supervisor completes the permit. If the work crew completes it the supervisor must review it.

How long is our permit valid?

A permit is issued for the length of time for one crew to perform the task.

NOTE: If the crew exits for lunch, the permit is not valid unless space is evaluated again.

Walk Safe

A few years ago, I came across this excellent "WALK SAFE" advice to workers from a heavy highway construction company. 

 

   Watch our step & use 3-point contact on ladders

   Always wear our hard hats & other required PPE

   Lift with our knees & not our back

   Keep our body clear of pinch points & crushing hazards

 

   Stay clear of overhead & underground utilities

   Alert our friends & co-workers of hazards

   Find ways to prevent falls, slips, & trips

   Eliminate hazards & injuries!

Step back 2 yards for 2 minutes and ask yourself…

• Am I focused and have I identified all the hazards?
• Do I have safe access to and from my work area?
• Am I prepared with the proper PPE including safety glasses, gloves, ear plugs, and a high visibility vest or shirt?
• Am I going to need help lifting or moving something heavy and awkward?
• Are my feet, hands, and body clear of all pinch point areas?
• Will any overhead or underground utilities be near my work?
• While doing my work, will I be exposed to a fall, slip, or trip?
• Now, I'm ready to "WALK SAFE."

The Safety Pro's Opinion Column

 

Absolutely amazing to me that investigators of the recent circus accident are focusing on the failure of a SINGLE carabiner that was used to suspend the ENTIRE 1,500 pound trapeze & performers. It was apparently rated @ 10,000 pounds. Is that a downward force or stationary rating? A trapeze certainly cannot remain stationary. There would be a tremendous pull toward the ground if the rig began to move.

 

I seem to recall from past dealings with fall protection equipment that lanyard/carabiner combinations need to be generally rated at 50,000 pounds of downward force to stop the freefall of an average person.

 

Watching NBC news, there wasn't even backup safety rigging to cover a failure of the primary rigging. It appeared that a single carabiner was all that was used. Some people need to go to jail.

 

Sorry for the technical rant here, but those of us who have been authorized to teach construction safety on behalf of Federal OSHA get a bit upset when things like this needlessly occur. It will be interesting to learn of the investigation outcome.

Those Locked Out Circuits Are So Inconvenient !!

Well, here’s a solution—just leave the key in the lock. That way, anyone who wants to re-energize the system for any reason whatsoever can just unlock it. Saves all the trouble of tracking down the guy with the key and finding out why the system was locked out to begin with. Lock out means that you take the key with you.

No Job Is Too Large or Small for Lockout/Tagout

If you are required to repair or maintain any machinery or equipment, or any electrical power source, start the job by locking out and tagging out all energy sources and starting mechanisms. Locking or tagging out is the only sure way to prevent other employees from accidentally activating the system.

Notify your co-workers when tagging out any piece of equipment or machinery so that they’re  aware of the situation. Schedule any maintenance or repairs ahead of time with a supervisor to avoid conflicts and any interruptions of the work.

Install your tag out or lock out at the power or ignition source. If a piece of equipment can be activated from more than one location, then additional locks or tags may be required. Make sure that the tag or lock is secure and will not blow off or fall off the machine.

Machines can still be harmful even when they are turned off. Make sure that the machine is not coasting to a stop and watch for moving parts that turn by gravity. Be careful of air or hydraulic pressure lines that have not been bled. Read the manufacturers recommendations for repairs to avoid any hidden dangers such as springs that are under a load that might accidentally be released.

Remember to remove your lock and tags after your work is complete. NEVER remove a lock or tag that has been installed by someone else. If you find a lock or tag out, contact the person who tagged that equipment out and the supervisor for further instructions. NEVER ASSUME THAT SOMEONE JUST FORGOT TO REMOVE THE LOCK OR TAG.  

Hard Hat Advice for Hard Heads

Some workers think nothing can happen because they’ve never taken a hit to their head so far. But they never know when a piece of concrete, a small rock, or a tool is going to fall ten stories and land on their head. As a matter of fact, there are very few occasions on a construction job when a hard hat should not be worn.

HARD HATS SERVE SEVERAL PURPOSES

Hard hats not only reduce the chances of serious injury resulting from failing objects, but protect you when you bump your head on things- like machinery, ductwork, ceiling tie wires and forms. Non-conductive hard hats protect you from electrical shock and burns. Never wear metal hard hats around electrical work.

HOW TO CARE FOR HARD HATS

The better care you take of your hard hat, the better care it will take of you. Here are some suggestions:

1. Properly adjust suspension systems to maintain clearance between your head and the shell of the hat.

2. Don't cut holes for ventilation. Don't heat and bend.

3. Don't substitute a "bump cap." They aren't strong enough.

4. Don't paint your hard hat.

5. Don't put anything under it except your head; this includes cigarettes, notebooks, and such.

6. Don't wear it backwards.

SOME COMMON COMPLAINTS AND THE REAL TRUTH

We sometimes hear the following complaints about hard hats. But is there any real basis for them?

"It's too heavy." (Hard hats are only a few ounces heavier than a cloth cap, but the extra protection you get is worth the extra weight.)

"It's too hot." (Measurements taken in hot weather show that the temperature under a hard hat often is cooler than it is outside.)

"It gives me a headache." (A thump on the head from something which has fallen two floors will give you a worse one. There is, however, no medical reason why a properly adjusted hard hat should cause a headache. Don't alter the suspension system or the hard hat, because you won't get the designed protection.)

"It won't stay on." (You're right, it won't in a high wind. A chin strap will solve this problem. Otherwise, you will find that a hard hat stays put no matter how much stooping or bending you have to do - if it's fitted properly.)

"It's noisy." (That’s your imagination. In fact, tests show that properly worn hard hats will shield your ears from noise to some extent.)

NO HELP UNLESS YOU WEAR IT

The hard hat is a useful piece of safety equipment. But like any other protective device, it must be properly adjusted and worn and kept in good condition to give you maximum protection.

What If ??

Some people have entirely too much faith in their co-workers. The two gents you see here are driving a grounding rod into the ground. The guy on the bottom got the raw end of the deal. Here are some “what if” questions:

What if the guy using the sledge hammer missed and bonked the holder on the head? What if he lost his balance and fell out of the backhoe bucket? What if a chip of metal broke off and flew toward the holder's face? What if the holder slipped and fell into the trench behind him? What if the holder sneezed just as hammer was coming down? 

Always ask "What If" before you start working on a project. You just might be able to eliminate some hazards and prevent an accident.

Look Up & Around for Power Lines

Power lines carry 4,000 to 345,000 volts that can kill a worker on contact. OSHA regulations state that a minimum safe distance of 10 feet must be maintained for up to 50,000 volts. It’s the “circle of safety” rule.

 

Check out your work site. Know where power lines are located and look for lines not seen due to obstructions. Assume all lines are energized and potentially dangerous, even if they appear to be insulated.

 

When operating any type of equipment with an articulated boom, it may be difficult for the operator to judge the distance between the equipment and the power line. Weather conditions and bright or dim lighting conditions can make it even harder to judge distances.

That’s why someone on the ground watching around the operator can have a much better view of clearances. A spotter is one whose only job is to watch the operator and the position of the equipment to make sure there is a safe distance from overhead lines and other hazards.

Fallen power lines can be dangerous to anyone since they may be “live.” Stay away from downed power lines even if they’re not humming, sparking, or “dancing.” You should make a 911 call to report the location of the fallen line.

For your own safety and well-being, you must stay clear of any person or object that is in contact with a power line. If you touch that person in a rescue attempt or try to remove the object, you will become part of the ground fault and likely be electrocuted.

If you hit a power line while operating equipment, stay calm. Don’t make contact with control levers as they may be electrified. Don’t attempt to leave the equipment unless told to do so by a rescuer. Advise others to stay clear since anyone on the ground has the greatest risk of being injured.

If you have to get off the equipment due to a fire or other danger, jump clear and try to land with both feet together. Avoid touching the equipment and ground at the same time. Shuffle away keeping your feet together on the ground. It is likely that electricity is radiating through the ground around the equipment. If you run or take large steps, you increase the chance of creating a path for electricity to travel up one leg and down the other.

The Push & Pull of Material Handling

Moving wheelchairs, pushing carts, and opening and closing overhead doors are all contributors to sprains or strains. Although many of us don't handle cargo regularly, sometimes we use our bodies for leverage to maneuver objects. We would like to think that this would not produce an injury. However, you can suffer sprains or strains from overexertion when pushing or pulling.

There are three areas that things can cause injury for a push/pull task: equipment, environment and human error. Risks associated with these three areas include, but are not limited to:

1. Equipment

The right equipment for the job (size, weight, capacity and design); well-maintained equipment; removing hazards from equipment; and deciding whether or not additional equipment is needed for the job. Safe footwear like closed toes, anti-slip soles and ankle supports also may be considered.

2. Environment

The environment contributes to hazardous situations due to surface conditions: wet, dirty, dusty, uneven, unsupported, poorly illuminated, badly designed storage, temperature extremes, chemical or biological exposure.

3. Human error

The human factor is most volatile, and what we have the ability to control: human error, miscalculation of load assessment, attitude: “I can handle this without help;” fatigue, physical or mental distractions.

 

High Wire - Low IQ ?

 

This photo always caused a chuckle in my electrical safety classes.

But it does make you wonder if this fellow is working in a "hot" environment.

There are probably multiple paths to ground that would have "toasted" him instantly, producing a much different photo.

Safe Use of a Portable Ladder

There are two types of portable ladders: step ladders, and extension ladders made of wood, fiberglass or aluminum ladders. When selecting a ladder, determine the height of reach needed, the area where you will use the ladder, and the type of task to be performed. Never use an aluminum ladder where it can contact any electrical circuit.

1. When inspecting any ladder you intend to use, always check for damage to the rungs, side rails or feet; damage to the extension locks; and cracks in the wooden rungs or side rails.

2. Here’s how to properly set up an extension ladder:

• The recommended rise is 4-to-1. For example, a 12-foot ladder base should be three feet out from the bottom of the wall or structure.
• To make a ladder stable, set it on a sold base, make sure the angle is correct, and make sure the top is on a stable rest, extending at least three feet above the floor or landing.
• You should also tie off the top to a solid anchor, block the feet so they won't move, and have a erson hold the bottom to stabilize it.  

3. Always maintain three points of contact on an extension ladder:

• That means two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand on the ladder at all times. Three-point contact helps prevent injuries from slips and falls.
• Clean mud, snow and other slippery substances off your shoes before climbing.
• Put both hands firmly on the rungs before stepping onto a ladder and always climb up and down facing the ladder.
• Keep your body between the side rails and don't lean out on either side.
• Don't carry tools, equipment or materials in your hands while climbing. Use a host line and bucket or other container.

4. Remember the hazards and precautions when using step ladders:

• Check for defects or damage before you use it, especially after it has been used somewhere else by other workers, or after it has been left in one place for a long time.
• Keep the area at the base of the step ladder clear. Make sure the spreader arms lock securely in the open position.
• Stand no higher than the second step from the top. Never straddle the space between a step ladder and another point.
• When standing on the ladder, avoid leaning forward, backward, or to either side. Always open the ladder fully before using it.
• Don't use an unopened step ladder as a straight or extension ladder. The feet are not designed for this use.
• Never stand on the stop step, the top, or the pail shelf of a step ladder. 
• When climbing up or down a step ladder, always face the ladder and maintain 3-point conta

5. You might you see additional hazards when using a ladder near corners where people will not see the ladder as they approach, in doorways, in areas where high winds might affect the stability and on slippery floors or on soft ground.

6. Store ladders where they will not become damaged, cause a trip hazard, fall over if vertical or fall off their racks if stored horizontally.

Keep Your Cool in Hot Weather

What makes it difficult to work in hot weather?

• Temperature of the air

• Humidity (moisture) in the air

• Amount of radiant heat (such as from the sun or a furnace)

• Air movement or velocity

 
What are the types of heat stress?

• Heat stroke

• Heat exhaustion

• Heat cramps

• Fainting

• Heat rash

It's important that everyone recognizes the symptoms of heat stress. It also is important for them to be able to get immediate emergency assistance when someone is affected by heat stress.  So,  how  can you  tell  if a person is  having a problem and what first aid should be given while waiting for emergency medical assistance?

The first form of heat stress is heat stroke. The symptoms are flushed hot skin, fever, rapid pulse, disorientation and unconsciousness. First-aid treatment includes moving the person to a cool place; loosening his or her clothing; keeping the person lying down; applying cold applications to the person’s head; sponging his or her body with cool water; and letting the paramedics take over when they arrive.

The second form of heat stress is heat exhaustion. The symptoms are pale, clammy skin; rapid, weak pulse; weakness (trouble standing or sitting); headache; nausea; and dizziness. First-aid treatment includes moving the person to a cool place and keeping them from getting chilled; loosening his or her clothing; keeping him or her lying down; giving them fluid if the person is conscious; and letting the paramedics take over when they arrive.

There are several ways to prevent heat stress, including engineering controls, such as spot and general ventilation; work practices, such as having plenty of drinking water; alternating work and rest periods; acclimatization to heat through short exposures followed by longer periods of work; and worker education.

The last three items are not as serious but should not be left untreated. These conditions are heat cramps, fainting and heat rash. If you observe any of these conditions, review the work situation and make corrections to eliminate or reduce the person’s exposures before the condition worsens. The person’s work assignment also may need to be changed.

Housekeeping Horrors

 

Does this look like the workbench in your shop? 

Do you really know where everything is?

Can you find something if you need it in a hurry?

Can you find the fire extinguisher if it's needed?

Are there containers that need to be closed and stored properly?

This mess might take a while to clean up and put everything in it's place.

The result? A safer workplace with access to the "fire point."  

Don't Get Zapped !!

Electricity is a very important part of our everyday lives at home, work and play. When everything is working properly we enjoy the effects of electricity to make our lives pleasant. When conditions go wrong, people can be exposed to the hazards associated with electricity, such as shocks. Therefore, it is important that everyone have some minimal knowledge of electrical safety. One of the most important rules is to prevent exposure to live electrical circuits.

Dangers associated with electricity include the potential for electrical shock, an electrical fire, an electrical explosion and electrically induced, unintended body motion. Common electrical hazards include:

• Not using ground fault circuit interrupters when required

• Overloading circuits

• Damaged flexible cords

• Removing grounding pins from flexible cord plugs.
 

 Human behavior increases the risk when working with electricity. Examples include:

• Instructions may not be followed for proper use of equipment

• People may become careless around electricity

• People may use equipment with shorted and/or ungrounded conductors

• Lockout procedures may not be used when working on equipment

 

Physical effects of contact with electrical hazards are:

• The person may suffer electrical shock

• The person may suffer a thermal burn from sudden heating or flash

• The person may fall from the sudden reaction to shock or explosion

• The person may get caught in machinery due to unexpected operation

 

You can reduce your potential for contact with electricity if you:

• Ask if appropriate codes were followed when equipment was installed

• Do not operate equipment that you suspect has an electrical hazard

• Exercise good housekeeping habits

• Report any electrical hazards

• Use appropriate personal protective equipment

• Follow the lockout-tagout program

• Are properly trained to make repairs to equipment

• Don’t remove or disable grounding measures from equipment

• Operate equipment only when you are properly trained

• Inspect the workplace on a regular basis looking for electrical hazards

• Have electrical hazards fixed in a timely manner

• Have high maintenance electrical devices on a predictive maintenance program

• Have electricians test repairs before operations resume

In summary, following job instructions, maintaining good grounds and reporting and fixing electrical hazards are good rules to follow to avoid electrically initiated hazardous working conditions. Remember, only qualified and trained employees are to make electrical diagnostics and repairs.

Safe & Sensible Chipper Operation

1. Check all safety devices and controls such as the emergency-shut off. Verify that they're working before using the chipper.

 

2. Make sure clothing is snug filling, remove loose jewelry, and tie hair back.

 

3. Head, eye, hand, and hearing protection are required when operating a chipper.

 

4. Park the equipment so it is reasonably level and at a site which provides secure footing for the operator.

 

5. Feed brush and limbs into the chipper butt end first. Never force material into the chipper. Keep your hands and feet outside the feed hopper.

 

6. Stand to the right side of the machine to allow quick operation of the feeder control bar. Turn and walk away once the feeder has grabbed the material. Never stand directly behind the infeed hopper tray.

 

7. Load short material on top of longer material that is feeding or use a longer branch to push it through the infeed hopper.

 

8. Load small raked-up material such as twigs and leaves directly into the chip truck instead of feeding it into the chipper.

 

9. Keep the area around the chipper cleaned up and free of tripping hazards.

Protect Workers with Spot Shoring

 

You may notice a lot of hard hats in the top photo. No, this wasn't a crew standing around waiting for the work to begin. During my time with ODOT, a district purchased several aluminum portable trench boxes and the vendor brought them to a equipment training site to demonstrate how easy these types of boxes are to assemble and use. There's no excuse for putting lives in danger when protective equipment like this is reasonably priced and quickly assembled on the work site.

Avoiding Backing Accidents

The number one cause of preventable vehicle and equipment accidents is generally due to backing and what the operator did or failed to do.

 

There is a higher level of responsibility on operators as vehicle size increases and visibility to the rear of the vehicle decreases. However, there are common sense backing rules which apply to all vehicles and should be followed:

 

• Avoid backing when possible. When in doubt, don't back up.
• Plan your route of travel to avoid having to back your vehicle.
• Park your vehicle in a position that allows you to pull out into traffic and not back out.
• Use all rear-view mirrors before and during backing. Use the rear window if not obstructed.
• Back slowly and cautiously, keeping the vehicle in complete control.
• If backing is unavoidable, back only as far as necessary to accomplish the intended maneuver.
• When parking a vehicle that later must be backed, the operator may place a cone behind the vehicle to maintain clearance and serve as a reminder to check behind the vehicle before backing. A flagger or spotter may be needed.

Backing trucks including pickups and other vehicles with limited or obstructed visibility to the rear:

• Sound the horn before backing. If at all possible, get someone to help you back.
• Establish eye contact with the spotter and keep them in sight at all times while backing.
• Stop immediately if you lose sight of the spotter.
• If another employee is not available you should get out of the vehicle and check for clearance and you may have to walk completely around the vehicle to do so.
• Be alert for all overhead obstructions.
• Looks are for free. Use your defensive driving skills.
• Backing safely is still your responsibility.

Backing heavy equipment:

Certain equipment operations don't fit all the backing rules. It is dangerous, for example to have a spotter for a loader filling trucks during snow and ice operations. Other examples are graders, rollers, and equipment that operate back and forth and movement is constant. In such cases the operators should use extreme care and good judgment and observe all practical backing precautions.

All equipment backup alarms are to be operational.

Your Skin In The Sun

"Beauty's but skin deep," observed a poet of Elizabethan times -- a depth, actually, of only a few millimeters. This thin, elastic covering gloves the body from scalp to sole, giving color and character to the human form. Of all the body's tissues, none is more exposed to disease and injury than the skin.

Here are a few tips and trivia:

• Skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. Ultraviolet light is its leading cause. People of northern European descent, having the least amounts of melanin, are most prone. Ireland, with a fair-skinned population, has one of the world's highest rates of skin cancer, even though it does not receive especially high amounts of ultraviolet light. Basically, the darker your skin is naturally, the less likely you are to get skin cancer.
• It is ironic that tanned skin is associated with a youthful, healthy look. Steady tanning can lead to premature wrinkles, sags and discoloration.
• Sun damage is cumulative and irreversible. Once the skin is so affected, no amount of facials or moisturizers can reverse the damage, which usually does not show up until later in life.
• You might be getting only half as much skin protection from your sunscreen lotion as you think. The thickness of the sunscreen layer on your skin is the key to getting the sun protection promised on the bottle. In a clinical study, 50 people applied a variety of brands of sunscreen the way they normally would. Scientists added fluorescent coloring to the sunscreens so the thickness could be measured. Most of the sunscreen-users rubbed on their lotion only half as thick as the recommended thicknesses.
• Scars have less pigment than the rest of your skin, so they're especially vulnerable to sunburn--and prolonged redness. You should make certain to cover all exposed scars with a sunscreen with an SPF of 25 or higher.
• A simple, moderately severe sunburn damages the blood vessels to such an extent that it takes four to fifteen months for them to return to their normal condition.
• The most effective sunscreens contain the chemical agent paraaminobenzoic acid, PABA, which duplicates the action of melanin by absorbing ultraviolet rays. Products such as baby oil and coconut butter do not protect the skin from burning at all.
• In the United States, more than 500,000 new cases of skin cancer are found each year. This is why one in seven Americans can expect to get skin cancer.
• Some diuretics, antibiotics, tranquilizers, birth control pills and diabetes medications can add more salt to your sun-burn wounds. They can make you sun- sensitive. So can some medicated soaps, perfumes and "wrinkle removers". So if you use any of these medications or products, doctors advise you to take extra precautions when exposing your skin to the sun.
• In only one square inch of human skin there are 19 million cells, 625 sweat glands, 90 oil glands, 65 hairs, 19 feet of blood vessels, 19,000 sensory cells, and over 20 million microscopic animals.

Rock of Ages

Much has been published about trenching accidents and the one common theme is that in most cases, the worker or workers involved were killed or very seriously injured. This photo may be hard to believe at first glance, but it's obvious that this worker's head will not survive the weight of the "rock of ages" if it gives way.

Eye Protection Simply Put

A carpenter asked his insurance company to pay for damage to his glass eye. It had been broken when a nail he was driving flew up and struck it. When asked how he had lost his own eye in the first place, he replied: "The same way, a nail hit it."

A world of darkness awaits this man if a nail strikes his remaining good eye. He has yet to appreciate the need for eye protection. You, yourself, may find it difficult to get accustomed to wearing eye protection, but would getting accustomed to wearing a glass eye be any easier?

A SIGHT SAVER FOR YEARS
 Eye protection has been in use since the early 1900’s. And, undoubtedly, many workers have escaped serious eye injury because of it. You may personally know some fortunate individuals who saved their sight this way.

TAKE TIME TO SELECT THE RIGHT KIND
Depending on your job, you may need goggles, an eye shield, a face mask or safety glasses. All it takes on your part is a little effort to select the appropriate type and to wear it.

FOUR BASIC TYPES OF HAZARDS
Basically, there are four types of particles that cause eye injuries on the job:

1. Unidentified Flying Objects: These microscopic objects consist of dust and particles floating around in the air, generated by wind, equipment, or cleaning operations. When working in dusty conditions, wear eye protection. Even a small speck in the eye can lead to trouble.

2. Particles Resulting from Chipping, Grinding, Sawing, Brushing, Hammering or Using Power Tools: These particles move at an amazing speed and strike with the force of a bullet. Wear eye protection any time over-head operations are performed. It is advisable on some jobs to wear safety goggles under a full face shield.

3. Invisible Hazards: You can't see the injurious light rays generated by welding operations or laser beams. And their effects often are not felt until hours later. Wear the eye protection required when using such equipment. And if you happen to be working nearby, don't look in the direction of welding arcs or where a laser beam is being used.

4. Liquids: Hot liquids, such as tar or asphalt, solvents, paint, and solutions for cleaning masonry or metal, can cause serious eye injury if splashed in your face. The use of proper eye protection, possibly a full face shield, is essential when transferring liquids between containers and when using caustic or acid cleaners.

INSTANT DARKNESS
Eye injuries happen in a split second. So put on your eye protection as soon as you get to your work area. Don't blind yourself -- always protect your sight.

"THE EYES HAVE IT"

"MAKE IT STAY THAT WAY"