Gearing Up For Safety

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Better safe than sorry, they say. After doing the same thing for so long with no problem or injury, lot of folks can be lulled into compla-cency. You’ve been doing something for years

and haven’t hurt yourself yet, so why worry about anything so stupid as safety? It only has to happen once for your life to change.

While a lot of safety is in is wearing the right gear, there’s more to it than that. Nearly every product or prodecure has some practices that will help you

get through the day unscathed. While it may add a few min-utes to the job, you’ll

be happy and healthy for the next project.Safety Month wasn’t too long ago, so a lot of dif-

ferent agencies sent us tips on how to make sure that what goes up…well you know the rest. And who is more concerned for your safety than an insurance company? The less it pays out, the happier they are.

Zurich North America, a global insurance firm with American quarters in Schaumberg, IL, shared the sobering news that that more than 80,000 construc-tion workers suffer an injury on job sites each year across the United States. Many times painters face the same challenges as far as painting and working in high and hard to reach places. It’s easy sometimes to rig up some structure to get there—but think before you walk that plank!

“Life is far too valuable not to make safety the top priority on job sites,” said Eric Lambert, national customer solutions director at Zurich North America. “Any single incident is one too many. It’s impor-tant for all of us in the industry to take the time to collectively raise the awareness of construc-tion safety.”

Whether you’re a company of one or five hundred and one, Zurich recommends following these six safety tips to help reduce falls:

1) Assess site hazards to deter-mine the appropriate equipment needed for a job.

2) I nve s t i n proper equipment, ensuring it’s used appropriately and with caution.

3) Inspect and

remove any fall exposures while securing materials so they don’t fall.

4) Train employees on fall protection and equipment inspection, having accountability in place for ignoring safety precautions.

5) Document safety-training activities and non-compliance with protocols.

6) Before starting work, discuss the day’s tasks, required tools and potential hazards.

“Falls from heights are a major concern on con-struction sites, ranking as the leading cause of death in the industry,” said Scott Rasor, head of construc-tion at Zurich North America. “More than 200 U.S. construction workers are killed each year from falls. Taking some time to bring safety front and center is important for our industry.”

Feel free to call this company for more information, or to talk about insurance. zurich.com

Seeing is BelievingSometimes dealing with the fallout first hand can

change your mind about the importance of safety pro-cedures. Yvette Rubenzer is director of marketing at Gardner-Gibson, APOC and Sun Paints & Coatings; she relayed some experience with accident victims in a previous position. Trite-sounding or not, life can change in an instant. It’s not trite when it’s your life or the life of someone you love. Or your boss’s life, love him or not, and you’re looking for work. Everyone needs to be careful. When you have an accident, she pointed out, it can affect more people than just you.

“I oversaw development of a safety video that incor-porated interviews with cowork-ers either directly involved in or affected by on the job acci-

dents,” she said. “One involved a coworker recounting how his family’s life changed when he was a teenager because his father fell off of a platform on the job. The platform wasn’t that high, but he fell at just the right angle to became completely disabled, including loss of significant brain function. Dad needed around the clock care.

No more play-ing bal l with Dad.

No more

by Jerry Rabushka, Editor

3M photo.

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Job safety matters, all day longGearing Up For Safety

fishing. Everything changed.”We know that being safe doesn’t always mesh

with being comfortable, and that can lead people to take risks. “Another worker sought comfort over safety by shortening the sleeves on his fire retardant uniform,” she recalled. “An errant splash of the chemicals he worked with left him with significant burns between the tops of his gloves and the bottom of his sleeves

“I’m not suggesting we need to only take concrete coating jobs that allow us to stay flat on the ground, and wear a hazmat suite from head to toe,” she continued. “Just make sure to read manufacturer warnings regarding safety precautions and use recommended safety equipment. Be cognizant of the things around the workspace and avoid hazards or make adjustments as needed to stay safe. You, your family and your friends will be glad you did.” gardner-gibson.com

An Easy FixFortunately most accidents on

the job aren’t fatal or horrifying, but they can still slow you up. The unkindest cut of all, as Shakespeare put it, is often purely accidental. The blade goes into your hand instead of the wood, you run your hand over some splinter or shard, you cut your lip on the soda can. It’s pretty darn distracting trying to keep the red out of the blue paint.

“Whether from pounding a nail, drilling, sanding, or cutting wire, minor cuts and scrapes, and even more serious wounds like a gash, are expected. And if you're on site, full medical care may not be readily accessible—which is why everyone needs to have something on-hand that can stop bleeding fast and protect the wound,” say the folks from Life Science Plus, a company

devoted to innovative wound care. Out of the operating room and onto your job site

comes BloodSTOP, which can help you stop bleeding

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and get back to painting. Initially developed for use by surgeons in the operating room, BloodSTOP is available for sale nationwide and is proven to stop bleeding faster and promote healing much better than a ban-dage, says the company. It comes in a small band-aid sized box. It can’t hurt to have it on the job, because you never know when you’ll

need it...most folks don’t go to work and plan to get cut.

When applied to a wound, it quickly absorbs blood and other body fluids and transforms into a gel to seal the wound with a protective transparent layer. The gel creates a coagulation tower over the wound that stops bleeding and creates ideal conditions for wound healing.

It’s easy to use!1. Apply to a wound.2. Add a few drops of water to

help it adhere to the skin (water will cause gel formation which stops bleeding).

3. Cover with a bandage to help retain moisture (moisture aids the healing process to prevent scarring).

It’s also easy to find! Get it online, at most drug stores or at upscale shopping locations such as Walmart. lifescienceplus.com.

Safely SandingPower tools can add to your

strength—in other words, help you do your job faster. But anything that moves a lot faster than you do has some potential for dam-age. Mirka is a manufacturer of a dust-free sanding system that will help you sand faster and cleaner—a lot faster, and a lot cleaner. Mike Gulley, the company’s product man-ager, gave us some tips on using power tools safely.

“Any power tool can be danger-ous if both general and tool specific safety instructions are not followed carefully.” he said. “These general safety instructions apply to all power tools. Hazards involved in the use of power tools can be prevented by following some basic safety rules:

• Keep all tools in good condition with regular maintenance.

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BloodStop absorbs, as in the demonstration at left.

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• Use the right tool for the job.• Examine each tool for damage before use.• Operate equipment according to the manufac-

turer’s instructions.• Utilize the proper protective equipment.Gulley continued with the following—even if you

know all this, just like the in-flight safety card, it never hurts to review it one more time.

• Always read and understand the tool’s operator’s manual and the instructions pack-aged with any accessory item before starting any work.

• Avoid loose fitting clothes, ties or jewelry such as bracelets, watches or rings, which can become caught in moving parts.

• Gloves, eye protection, and safety footwear are recommended during use of electric tools.

• Keep your work area clean and well lit. Cluttered benches and dark areas invite accidents.

• Do not operate power tools in explosive atmospheres, near flam-mable liquids, gases, or dust. Power tools may create sparks, which may ignite the dust or fumes.

• Grounded tools (three pronged cords) must be plugged into a prop-erly grounded outlet. Never remove or cut off the grounding prong or modify the plug in any way. Do not use any adapter plugs.

• In damp locations, only plug your tool into a Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI). If the work area does not have a permanent GFCI on the outlet, use a plug-in GFCI.

• Never stand in or near water when using electric tools.

• Don’t use or leave power tools in the rain or wet conditions.

• Do not abuse the cord, carry the tool by its cord, or pull the cord to unplug it. Keep the cord away from heat, oil, sharp edges or mov-ing parts. Replace damaged cords

immediately.• If using an extension cord, the wire gauge and

length of any cord used must be able to handle the amperage of the tool. mirka.com

Layin’ it on the line: 3M answers our safety questions.

Q. How do we look at on the job safety differently than we did a decade ago?

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A. (Responses provided by Jason Lunn and Becky Schumann of 3M Safety Technical Service.) We no longer limit our focus to “on the job” safety since we now understand that unhealthy and/or risky behaviors outside of work also contribute to the individual’s total health. For example, painters on a jobsite can be work-ing with noise all around them, but not be required to wear hearing protection because it’s considered “nuisance level noise”, which is defined as noise levels below the regulatory limit. Nuisance noise has still been shown to cause elevated blood pressure, irritabil-ity, and increased levels of the stress hormone—all negatively affecting the health of those painters.

Another example is the VOC (volatile organic compound) composition of common paint products. The VOCs are the sweet smelling organic solvents that give paint its recognizable odor and, while they may not be present in hazardous concentrations,

they can be very irri-tating to workers and can lead to headaches, dizziness, and disori-entation—all negatively affecting the painter’s health. Research has shown that unhealthy workers engage in more risky behaviors and experience more inju-ries. Many workplaces now have wel lness programs, at least in part to address the fact

that stressed out, fatigued, unhappy workers are less productive, less engaged, and more likely to be injured on the job.

Also, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the workplace as well as at home has become more commonplace. People are more aware and more educated on safety than they were in the past. This movement towards wearing PPE not only on the jobsite, but also for DIY projects at home is similar to the increased usage of seatbelts and bike helmets over the years. As people become more aware and educated,

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they are more likely to engage in safer behaviors. The percentage of people who regularly wore seatbelts

in the early 80s was in the low teens. Just as recently as 2013 that number was up to 87%. Also, take a look at how many more people—both kids and adults—wear bike helmets these days, too. Kids and adults alike are much more likely to wear bike helmets than they did just a decade ago. Increased PPE usage is following that same trend. Homeowners these days are more likely to wear PPE such as safety glasses, respirators, and hear-ing protection during DIY projects than they did years ago due to the recognition that safety isn’t just a 9-5 concern at work. It’s all a change in perspective based on newer research and education.

Q. How should we look at safety differently?

A, One concept that is often over-looked is PPE compatibility. Painters don’t typically wear a single piece of personal protective equipment. They are wearing multiple pieces of PPE in addition to other accessories like hats, radios, etc. When fitting PPE, the contractor should ensure that all pieces of PPE fit properly and com-fortably while being worn together. Comfort, fit and compatibility are critically important. New PPE prod-ucts are designed and developed to fit well with other PPE and be comfortable so a painter keeps them on. If the products aren’t comfortable or don’t fit well, workers are less likely to wear them, which is a risky behavior that leads to unprotected exposures.

Q. Do you think complacency is a problem?

A. Yes, complacency is a huge problem! Small businesses (like some paint contractors) may think they’re not likely to be on OSHA’s radar for inspections and they often don’t have the expertise in-house to manage health and safety issues, so complacency can naturally set in. If management doesn’t buy into health and safety and make it a priority, its employees won’t either.

And while we often say that many DIYers have the “it won’t happen to me” mentality, it’s still true of some pro painters. Pro painters may think to themselves that they’ve “done this a

thousand times” or “this won’t take long” and feel they don’t need certain types of PPE. But keep in mind, it only takes a split second for a permanent eye injury. Even short exposure to loud noises can cause irrevers-ible hearing damage. Let’s not forget about respiratory protection. Many jobsites have limited ventilation so not wearing a respirator when using certain products can overexpose a worker in a very short time.

Questions? Contact Jason at jtlunn@mmm.com or Becky at blschumann@mmm.com. TPC

© 3M 2015. All rights reserved. 3M is a trademark of 3M.

3M helps keep you safe 365 days a year.Safety doesn’t take breaks. And there’s no time like the present to make sure you’re covered on the job site. Trust 3M to help keep you protected. Our full line of safetyproducts can help keep you safe on the job every day.Because just like you, safety works hard all year.

3M helps keep you safe 365 days a year.3M helps keep you safe 365 days a year.3M helps keep you safe 365 days a year.3M helps keep you safe 365 days a year.Safety doesn’t take breaks. And there’s no time like the Safety doesn’t take breaks. And there’s no time like the

Job security.

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Working Safely at HeightContributed by Corey Raymo, Global Category Director, Boom Lifts, JLG Industries, Inc.

Aerial work platforms (AWPs) provide painters with access to areas that might otherwise be difficult to reach. But their effectiveness is only as good as the training operators receive in their safe operation. OSHA requires that qualified experts train users of AWPs to help them recognize and handle hazards, including electrical dangers, falls, and falling objects.

Before you climbs into a lift, you should inspect the jobsite and identify potential hazards. This means looking for holes, bumps and drop-offs, slippery surfaces, and obstructions, as well as any obstructions that could impede movement of the lift, on the ground or in the air. Be especially cautious of high-voltage power lines and maintain safe approach distances (MSAD) from them as specified in the operator’s manual. Check the ground slope to be sure it meets the manufacturer’s slope limits.

A pre-operation inspection should follow to determine if the lift is mechani-cally safe. In addition to checking operating and emergency controls, safety devices such as outriggers and guardrails, and personal protective equipment, be sure to:

• Check levels of engine oil, hydraulic oil, and anti-freeze.• Check the battery for corrosion, dirt, and charge.• Check bearings and bushings for proper lubrication.• Check boom cables for proper tension.• Check steering mechanism for wear in washers and related components.• Check wear pads for signs of wear, and be certain bolts holding them are

not cutting into the boom.• Review the machine for safety decals and placards to make sure all relevant

information is available to the operator.• Consult the Operations and Safety manual for your specific lift to ensure

that you know and follow all of its unique requirements.A function test is also important to ensure the lift functions safely and to

detect any malfunctions that would prevent the machine from being put into service. Finally, make sure the machine has been regularly inspected.

Regardless of the lift you choose, make the following steps part of your safe operating practices to ensure operator safety as well as the safety of those

working on the ground:• Do not exceed the unit’s lift capacity. Include the weight of all materials and tools as part of the load.• Be sure all ground conditions can support the machine. Do not operate the lift while on trucks, trailers,

scaffolds, or other equipment.• Do not drive the lift into holes.• Do not operate the lift on a slope that exceeds the manufacturer’s slope limit.• Beware of wind. Do not elevate the lift in windy conditions.• Never operate the lift in areas with overhead power lines, overhead or underground cables, or other power

sources without first contacting the appropriate power/utility companies to ensure the lines are de-energized.• Always ensure tools are properly stowed and never

left hanging by cords from the platform.• Before operating the lift, securely fasten all railings

and gates.• Keep both feet firmly planted on the platform

floor. Do not use ladders, boxes, or steps to gain additional reach.

• During operation, keep all body parts inside the platform railing.

• Make sure personnel do not walk, work, or stand under a raised platform.

• Do not use the lift for purposes for which it is not designed.