A pair of gloves is essential while working at home or in the workplace. Apart of having a pair of gloves available with you does not solve all the problems while working. To be safe with the gloves on, is an important aspect, and the main concern, so to avoid such situations one should always go for choosing the right pair of gloves. All major or minor accidents or injuries occur because the wrong glove was selected.

Here Are Some Useful Tips to Pick the Correct Working Gloves:

(1) A pair of gloves is necessary for the protection of your hands from the products you are working with. While handling some products there are chances of the hands getting injured, to avoid such instances a pair of gloves is needed.

(2) In some workplaces there are possibilities of the product being damaged or contaminated due to the touch or interaction of the bare hands. Another main motive to wear gloves is to protect the product from the user.

There are many types of gloves available today to protect against a wide variety of hazards. Here are some appropriate gloves for the hazards:

Mechanical Hazards: These hazards can be at your home or at workplace, these occur when you handle rough or sharp objects which could abrade, cut or pierce the skin, such as glass, thin metal sheet and masonry blocks. Metal mesh gloves are used to protect hands form accidental cuts and scratches. They are used most commonly by persons working with cutting tools or other sharp instruments.

Chemical Hazards: This hazard can be prevented by wearing gloves made of rubber, neoprene, polyvinyl alcohol or vinyl, etc. The gloves protect hands from corrosives, oils, and solvents. The following table is provided as a guide to the different types of glove materials and the chemicals they can be used against. When selecting chemical resistance gloves, be sure to consult the manufacturers' recommendations, especially if the gloved hand will be immersed in the chemical. Thermal Hazards - Heat or Cold: Thermal hazards come in many forms. Heat can be radiated or conducted, or it may be actual flames. Cold can be anything from cold water to frozen gases. It is important that we know the type of hazard, and the temperature involved in order to recommend suitable protection. Aluminized gloves and fabric gloves made of cotton or fabric blends are generally used to improve grip when handling slippery objects. They also help insulate hands from mild heat or cold.

Leather Gloves: These gloves are used to guard against injuries from sparks or scraping against rough surfaces. They are also used in combination with an insulated liner when working with electricity.

Aluminized Gloves: Gloves made of aluminized fabric are designed to insulate hands from intense heat. These gloves are most commonly used by persons working molten materials.

Increasingly, computer-related health injuries are a leading cause of workplace occupational hazards. Computer usage is common by a substantial part of the working environment all over the world.

There are ways to reduce computer-related health trauma, by observing safety measures to counter injuries caused by the office environment. Occupational safety measures recommend healthy use of computers so as to lessen the negative impact on human health.

Safety professionals are now advocating precautions in the use of computers that have become virtual standalone offices. Health problems caused by exposure to computers occur through cumulative trauma disorders connected with prolonged interaction on machines.

Common fatigue may be more than just physical stress. Stay on guard if symptoms persist after a night of rest or interfere significantly with work-related activities. If the problem is indeed work-related then you need to look for ways to adjust to your work environment and work towards alleviating workplace health problems.

Here are 10 easy steps to ensure a healthy work environment:

1 Counter the effect of carpal tunnel syndrome of the wrist and hand by relieving yourself of the mouse and keyboard from time to time. Take breaks to let your fingers relax and enjoy hand rubs in between.

2 You need to adjust the location of work and the angle of the machine in such a way that your body continuously maintains an unstrained and comfortable position. Your arms, forearms and shoulders should be fully relaxed.

3 More often it is the continuous exposure to the computer monitor that may be the cause of eyestrain. In this case you should always have a quality glare filter fixed on your monitor screen.

4 Work with a light screen background (dark type or images on white or pale background). You'll find it is easier on your eyes.

5 Place the monitor and source documents so that they are about the same distance from your eyes. Use a document holder immediately next to the monitor.

6 Rest the muscles of your eyes by focusing on a distant object occasionally.

7 Change your body position periodically throughout the day.

8 The position of the keyboard should be at a proper level in front of you. It is important to ensure proper elbow height that enables you to type with straight wrists.

9 It's important to be completely relaxed while working on the computer. Injuries and pain can be a problem if you remain constantly tensed as that affects the muscles of the neck and shoulders.

10 A good chair significantly reduces the risk of lower back pain or injury. An ergonomic chair provides comfortable lumbar support and allows for a variety of seated postures.

Recycling and environmental awareness is at an all time high in the World. Instead of throwing all refuse into a garbage bag for disposal to the landfill, consumers and companies are sorting out paper, plastics, and metal for recycling. Also, electronic devices such as cellular phones; computers; and televisions are being recycled to reuse precious metals as well as plastic materials. In addition, many countries have enacted laws banning certain materials from being disposed in landfills in an effort to promote recycling.

Recycling is very good for the environment, however, there are significant safety challenges facing the recycling industry. Listed below are five safety challenges for the recycling industry.

Chemical exposure: Recycling electronics components as well as metal scrap recycling typically involves separating scrap into its component metals. This may involve removing lead-containing paint, as well as separating heavy metals, precious metals, and radioactive scrap metal. These materials pose a potential health hazard to employees when they are ground/shredded, blasted, roasted, or melted and fumes or metal dusts are produced and distributed in the air. Proper work practices are needed to minimize employee exposure to these materials. Engineering control measures such as local exhaust ventilation equipped with dust collection systems are also valuable in controlling workplace and environmental exposures. In addition, periodic air sampling should be performed to verify air contaminants are below acceptable levels. Some contaminants found in this industry include: lead, cadmium, mercury, and hexavalent chromium. Noise exposure is also a concern.

Combustible dust explosions: Recently, there have been several combustible dust explosions in the United States. Some of these explosions have involved the recycling industry. Processes that grind combustible dust such as metals and plastics may have the potential for a combustible dust explosion. Recyclers with combustible dust hazards need adequate protective systems such as: spark detection; automatic suppression systems; and deflagration venting. NFPA 654: Standard for the Prevention of Fire and Dust Explosions from the Manufacturing, Processing, and Handling of Combustible Particulate Solids should be consulted for guidance.

Machine guarding hazards: Scrap metal and paper is commonly compacted with balers to more effectively process the material. All moving parts of the baler need to be guarded to protect against employee contact. Also, all other equipment with moving parts such as rotating belts, pulleys, as well as grinders need adequate guarding to protect employees against crushing hazards.

Lockout/tagout: As stated in recycling safety challenge #3 (machine guarding hazards), recycling involves powerful equipment with moving parts. This equipment must be routinely cleaned and serviced. It is imperative that employees do not place any part of their body into moving machinery until the equipment has been locked/tagged out.

Cutting/burning: Fires and explosions routinely occur in the recycling industry due to cutting and burning of containers still containing gasoline as well as other hydrocarbons. One example involved two employees being severely burned at a recycling facility while using a metal saw to cut into old cars. Gasoline began leaking onto the ground which was ignited by the saw. To prevent against similar incidents, a hot work permit should be issued to verify all equipment has been properly purged of flammable liquids/materials and ventilated as needed. In addition, a combustible gas meter may be needed to verify the absence of flammable vapor.

Summary

This is certainly not intended as a comprehensive list of recycling safety hazards. Other hazards, such as ergonomics, and confined spaces are also prevalent in the recycling industry..

The Top 10 Myths about Workplace Safety:

Myth # 1: Workplace Violence Is Random and Unpredictable

This type of myth is dangerous. It allows employers to deny that there is anything that can be done to address violence, and to step back from the responsibility for violence prevention. It is suggested that employers pay close attention to how an employee speaks to others in the workplace.

Myth # 2: Crazy People Commit the Most Violence

It is a fact that, since only 5% of severely disturbed individuals are actually violent, and the vast majority of those individuals are either incarcerated or hospitalized, most violence is not committed by "crazy" people.

Myth # 3: Workplace violence is a guy thing and women shouldn't worry about it.

Women share the field almost equally when it comes to being the attacker and the victim. Women are involved in workplace violence to an excessive 65% and that to in all non-fatal workplaces.

Myth # 4: Security guards and metal detectors will prevent workplace violence.

The security measures can do little to stop a determined perpetrator of a crime. In fact security guards and detection devices can do little more than cause an attacker to think more creatively.

Myth # 5: He just "snapped." We can't prevent it because there are no warning signs.

In 80% of all incidents of workplace violence, the warning signs that went unheeded. Awareness heads the list and is the easiest and most successful means for surviving a workplace violence attack. Early awareness and action can save property, lives, and money.

Myth # 6: We have insurance to cover the cost of damages: Most workers wrongly believe that they are covered completely by whatever insurance coverage is in place to protect the company. But you may find that your insurance policy may have clauses that exclude damages from certain types of actions.

Myth # 7: We have a workplace violence prevention policy so we're safe.

Most companies still do not have workplace violence plans, policies, or training programs. These companies are missing these legal critical elements, and leaving the employees to the same or greater liability issues.

Myth # 8: It will never happen here.

The truth is that workplace violence can happen in any business, at anytime, and anywhere. And, it does.

Myth # 9: The only cost we'll have to worry about is attorney fees.

Not only can your attorney's, or the police for that matter, "not" take away the damage, injuries, death, and destruction that can occur, but their fees will be the least of your problems.

Myth # 10: Verbal Threats Are "Just Talk"

Verbal threats of violence are a real warning sign, and one that cannot be ignored.

"One worker died after entering a toluene storage tank. During the rescue attempt, a fireman was killed when the tank exploded."

Confined space fatalities such as this example are a common occurrence in the workplace. According to NIOSH, during the 10 year period from 1980 to 1989, 585 separate fatal incidents occurred in confined spaces, claiming 670 victims. Unacceptable atmospheric conditions, such as toxic atmospheres or lack of oxygen, contributed to over half of the confined-space related deaths. Engulfment from loose materials, such as excavation cave-ins, contributed to approximately one-third of the fatalities. The remaining 10% of confined space fatalities were caused by drownings and engulfments in other materials (i.e., sludge and manure).

On January 14, 1993, in response to the large number of employees killed while working inside confined spaces, OSHA issued its final rule on Permit-required confined spaces – 29 CFR 1910.146. This standard contains several requirements intended to ensure employee safety while performing work in confined spaces.

The first step in implementing an effective confined space program is to conduct a facility-wide confined space assessment to identify all confined spaces.

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