The Rising Popularity of Safety Helmets?on the Jobsite Hard hats have?come a long way since shipbuilders would cover their hats with tar to create a layer of protection from tools and objects falling from ships.?Today, the hard hat has become an iconic symbol to represent the construction industry.?Hard hats?are?typically?made?of polyethylene?and?additional?accessories such as shields, visors, hearing?protection and lights can be attached.?OSHA?requires?that?head protection must be worn whenever working in an area with potential injury to the head from falling objects.?Signs reading, “Hard Hat Required,” welcome each worker?to the?site, where every individual is wearing one, regardless of?their?trade or the task they are doing. And while hard?hats?have?typically?been?the longstanding?go-to?choice?for protection?against permanent, life-changing injuries or death,?more and more,?they?are being replaced by safety helmet. These helmets,?derived from the ones used in?extreme sports such as rock climbing or even?whitewater?rafting,?attach?more closely?on the?head?and?have?built-in chin straps.?This?‘helmet revolution’?has?some?safety managers?looking beyond the typical hard hat when?choosing?the best protective headgear to fit?their?crews’?needs while keeping them safe?on the job. The Importance of Head Protection Advancements in PPE can be invaluable for workers,?their?employers and?insurance companies.?With no shortage of ways to get injured on a jobsite, head protection is essential to defend against falling objects?such as?tools and debris,?fixed objects such as pipes or?electrical hazards,?and trips, slips?or falls. Yet, despite it being?a well-known fact that head protection is crucial to workplace safety,?head injuries continue to be one of the most?frequent?injuries on the job. The most common head injuries include concussions, head contusions, brain hemorrhage, hematoma and skull fractures. Remote Medical International (RMI) states most head injuries within the construction and manufacturing industry are caused by slips and falls. According to OSHA, in 2016, 38 percent of all fatalities in the workplace were caused by falls, making it the leading cause of fatalities in the workplace. Will a Face Shield Protect You From the Coronavirus? Face shields have been used in healthcare settings for a while now, but they’ve become a staple for medical personnel who have to intubate patients with COVID-19. Face shields are often worn during a wide variety of medical procedures. This includes surgeries or any procedure where bone fragments, blood or other bodily fluids could get into the eyes, nose and mouth. A face shield is simply a curved plastic or Plexiglas panel attached to a headband that can be worn over the face. It should fit securely so there isn’t a gap between the band and the forehead. The shield should also extend beyond the chin. “Because they extend down from the forehead, shields protect the eyes as well as the nose and mouth,” says pediatric infectious disease specialist Frank Esper, MD. The coverage that face shields offer is ideal since the new coronavirus can enter the body through those points. We provide many protective products. Are face shields effective? A 2014 study showed that when tested against an influenza-infused aerosol from a distance of 18 inches away, a face shield reduced exposure by 96% during the period immediately after a cough. The face shield also reduced the surface contamination of a respirator by 97%.“It protects you, the wearer,” Dr. Esper says. “But if you cough, because the face shield is away from your face, those droplets can still get out better than if you have a mask on.” Are face shields good for everyday use? CDC does not recommend wearing face shields for normal everyday activities or as a substitute for cloth face coverings. However, some people may choose to use a face shield when they know that they’ll be in sustained close contact with others. In these cases, it’s best to wear a mask underneath the face shield and maintain physical distancing when possible. This will help minimize the risk of infection since face shields have openings at the bottom. Safety Glasses and Protective Eyewear Eye protection means more than just wearing the contact lenses or glasses you may use for vision correction. The type of eye protection needed will depend on what you are doing, from attending public protests to playing paintball. Your regular eyeglasses do not protect your eyes from impact, debris or damage. In fact, some eye glasses can shatter if damaged, causing even more eye injury. Protective eye wear should be made from polycarbonate material because it resists shattering and can provide UV (ultraviolet light) protection. For most repair projects and activities around the home, it's enough to wear safety glasses that meet the criteria set by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). For many work situations, that same protection is enough, but there are important exceptions. Sports eye protection should meet the specific requirements of that sport. The sport's governing body may set and certify these requirements. The American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) may as well. In some cases, both organizations may be involved. At Home: Safety Glasses, Goggles and Other Protective Eyewear Every household should have at least one pair of ANSI-approved protective eyewear. You should wear it when doing projects or activities that could create a risk for eye injuries at home. Choose protective eyewear with "ANSI Z87.1" marked on the lens or frame. This means the glasses, safety goggles or face shield meets the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z87.1 safety standard. You can buy ANSI-approved protective eyewear from most hardware stores nationwide. You should use eye protection if the activity involves: Hazardous chemicals or other substances that could damage your eyes upon contact Flying debris or other small particles that could hit participants or bystanders Projectiles or objects that could become projectiles and fly into the eyes unexpectedly Bottom line: use common sense, especially if there are children around. You should protect them and set an example by making a smart choice. Hearing Protection Devices and Solutions Millions of workers are exposed to hearing hazards every year, and even though OSHA regulations and NIOSH recommendations in the U.S. specify hearing protection, occupational hearing loss is still the number one reported worker illness in manufacturing. Moreover, noise-induced hearing loss is permanent and irreversible, but avoidable with the help of proper hearing protection and other measures. Here we will explore some hearing protection devices (HPD) and other steps that can be taken to help protect workers’ hearing in a wide variety of industries. Earplugs When workers are exposed to loud noise, earplugs can offer low-cost, effective hearing protection. These are soft foam or elastic plugs worn inside the ear canal to help block out hazardous sounds. Earplugs come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes so there are many choices for workers. With the right fit and insertion techniques, earplugs can provide adequate protection for many types of noisy situations. Disposable foam earplugs are the most widely used type of HPD. The soft foam is rolled into a tightly compressed cylinder then inserted into the ear so that it conforms to the unique shape of ear canal. They are relatively low price per pair and can result in a high noise reduction when worn correctly. Push-to-Fit earplugs are soft foam tips with a flexible stem where there is no need to roll down the foam tips before inserting into the ears. This works well for employees who have difficulty rolling and inserting disposable foam earplugs and can even be inserted when hands are dirty or when wearing gloves. Reusable earplugs are washable with flexible, elastic flanges attached to a stem and can be reused multiple times and therefore replaced less, potentially resulting in lower long-term cost. The elastic material doesn’t absorb moisture and works well in wet conditions or when employees perspire heavily. You Shouldn't Ignore These Warning Lights if They Show Up on Your Car's Instrument Cluster Cars today have lots of bells and whistles. If you are used to driving an older car, some of the new warning lights can seem confusing. While there are indeed new warning lights that have been added with new technology, many haven't changed over the decades. Ignoring these warning lights, which are there to alert you to a potential problem, can leave you stranded or cause further costly damage. THERMOMETER OR TEMPERATURE LIGHT The thermometer or temperature light should be an indication for you to immediately pull over and turn off your engine. If your thermometer light is illuminated, your engine is overheating and serious damage could result. The problem can be anything from a stuck thermostat, a coolant leak, a malfunctioning temperature sensor or even too much oil in the engine. If your car is overheating and you have sufficient coolant, you can turn your heater on to maximum to help cool the engine just enough to make it to a safe place. Continuing to operate an engine that may be overheating can cause serious damage to the vehicle, damage that might cost more to repair than buying a replacement vehicle. OIL LIGHT An oil warning light should also be taken very seriously. It means your oil level in the engine is low or that the oil pump is not circulating oil properly and at the correct pressures. In either case, engine damage is likely to occur and the vehicle should be inspected to determine the cause of the problem. You may have a minor oil leak, a malfunctioning oil pressure sensor, restricted oil passages, an improper oil level, or a number of other mechanical issues. BATTERY LIGHT If the battery light comes on, it means that your alternator is not charging the battery sufficiently. The car might still run, but it probably won't run for very long. Keeping the vehicle running with an insufficient charge can discharge your battery, leading to a vehicle stall and no power to restart the engine. Batteries that discharge, even a little, run the risk of damage. CHECK ENGINE OR SERVICE ENGINE SOON LIGHT This light is a little bit of a mystery. It can be anything from a loose gas cap to a damaged catalytic converter. There's no way of really having any idea of what the problem is without having the vehicle diagnosed by a professional. And you should have the problem repaired. Most problems that trigger this light also cause a drop in power and a reduction in gas mileage. If this light indicates a problem in your emissions system and your bumper-to-bumper warranty is expired, you may qualify for free repairs under the federal emissions warranty. You should be OK to drive with the light on, but you should still have it checked out as soon as possible. If the problem is only temporary (e.g. loose gas cap), the light will go out on its own after a few ignition cycles. If this light is flashing, pull over and turn the engine off immediately. A flashing light indicates a problem that can potentially cause serious and costly damage to the engine or emissions components. BRAKE LIGHT Brakes are important to safe vehicle operation. Most of the time this light indicates an electronic problem in the braking system, but it can also indicate low brake fluid. Have this problem checked soon because your braking ability may be compromised. If the problem is due to brake fluid leaking into electronics components, you run the risk of a fire that can happen long after you turn off and park your vehicle. AIRBAG LIGHT The airbag light being illuminated means that there is a problem with the airbag system in your vehicle. One or more of the airbags may not function in the event of a crash. This should be checked as soon as possible. The problem is usually related to an electrical problem, such as a bad sensor or a corroded or broken wire. Replacement of the air bag itself may be needed, but it is not a very common repair. TIRE PRESSURE LIGHT If your tire pressure light is on, one or more of your tires may be critically low (or high) in pressure. The tolerances vary between manufacturers, but the light indicates that at least one of the tires is off by at least 25% from the target pressure or from the other tires. You probably picked up a nail somewhere, which is relatively easy and inexpensive to fix. Or you could be looking at a faulty tire pressure sensor inside the tire. In any case, you should be checking your tire pressure regularly.