Electical Contractor

Recently, OSHA released some startling statistics: it only takes one second to hit the ground from a height of 16 feet, and more than half of the fatal falls in construction are from heights of less than 25 feet. So a fall can happen in a blink of an eye and can be serious.

From marking equipment and conductors at the factory to field-marking with signs where electrical hazards exist, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of marking requirements in the National Electrical Code (NEC).

Ergonomics and work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are hot-button topics in workplace safety.

One may encounter many different types of electric vehicles on a job site or at the workplace—e.g., forklifts, pallet trucks, golf carts and even Segways. They all run on batteries that must be periodically recharged, a process that has many safety considerations.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) first issued its Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) in 1983. It was designed to ensure employees receive information about the health and physical hazards of the chemicals in their workplace and about how to protect themselves.

Safety awareness shouldn’t be intermittent. It is something every person, regardless of profession or industry, should keep in mind. Each May, the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) campaigns to raise awareness of electrical safety by sponsoring National Electrical Safety Month.

Plato, the Greek philosopher, had it right almost 2,500 years ago. He is widely credited for the quote, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” When it comes to arc flashes, many creative methods have been developed out of necessity to reduce or eliminate these potentially deadly hazards.

Carbon monoxide (CO) gas is an ever-present fact of life these days. It’s found anywhere combustion occurs. It presents no threat in small amounts. But in large amounts, it can be very dangerous—even deadly. Because of the danger, it’s important to know some basics about CO.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) causes 13 percent of workplace fatalities, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA receives about 400 reports of workplace deaths from cardiac arrest annually.