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Request a FREE Voltgard® Electrical Safety Brochure |
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Every single facility has a need for electrical safety. Let the Voltgard® electrical safety experts show you how we can keep you safe and compliant.
There are several regulatory standards that necessitate the use and testing or replacement of in-service rubber insulating equipment to protect workers from electrical hazards. OSHA workplace rules make the use of rubber insulating equipment mandatory, even when the smallest potential of contact (with 50 volts AC or higher) exists.
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These rubber goods must be periodically tested to ensure the products maintain their integrity when exposed to a full range of voltages. Regardless of the heavy fines, serious injuries and deaths that occur from electrical incidents, compliance continues to remain an issue. What's even more shocking is that many workers are not using rubber insulating equipment because they simply don't know they need it.
The reality is that EVERY SINGLE FACILITY HAS A NEED FOR ELECTRICAL SAFETY - whether the company is a larger facility with building engineers overseeing distribution, or a smaller facility with maintenance staff working around floor or wall sockets. There are quite a large number of possible end users. As such, awareness is paramount. Not only about the requirements for use, but also about the requirements for in-service use, inspection and testing of electrical protective equipment. Let the Voltgard® electrical safety experts show you how we can keep you safe and compliant!
Click here to request your FREE Voltgard® electrical Safety brochure today to learn more about the greater need for electrical safety in the industrial workplace, the standards for compliance, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) and answers about the in-service testing process for rubber insulating products and how Voltgard® is uniquely qualified to deliver on ALL of your safety needs.
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EHS Goes High Tech with IIot Tools |
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We’ve been hearing a lot about “Industry 4.0.” It describes the
fourth industrial revolution, which includes cyber-physical systems, the
Internet of Things (IoT), cloud and cognitive computing, wearables, and more.
As part of Industry 4.0, “Safety 4.0” is a term that defines the current state
of safety technology and processes, as well as the specific ways EHSQ
management systems are advancing with the help of digitalization.
In the future, Industry 4.0 and Safety 4.0 will not require
manual gathering of data from the workforce. With the right device, hub, and
platform ecosystem, monitoring of the safety management system will be done in
real-time or near real-time. Safety 4.0 is the key to advances we are making as
we help EHS professionals in their digital transformation of safety. It’s about
process, engagement, culture, and mobilizing data, and we are only beginning to
understand the potential ahead of us.
In this Insight Report, you will learn:
- How to leverage the safety process with IIoT
- How wearables are contributing to workplace safety
- How you can drive and deliver the EHSQ performance you
desire
- How to use technology to lower production costs
Click here to download the report.
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Introducing the NEW Saftgard.com - The Smart, Simple and Speedy Way to Shop for Safety Online Today! |
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Saf-T-Gard is pleased to announce that our all-new, totally-updated website (www.saftgard.com) is ready for prime time! We’ve seamlessly merged the e-commerce capabilities of saftgard.net with the corporate and informational proficiencies of saftgard.com into one, overarching website that showcases the following features and benefits:
- Sleek new design
- Enhanced product content and imagery
- Improved functionality, including predictive, “smart” search engine, guided navigation as well as faceted product category search and responsive design for use on your PC, smart phone or tablet
- Enriched My Account features, including the ability to access your Saf-T-Gard account to review ALL past orders, view invoices, create a “Wish List” of favorites that conveniently stores items for later reference and a hyper-friendly user interface with the features you expect, like “Save for Later” and “Saved Carts” tools to simplify the ordering/reordering process
- AND SO MUCH MORE
All this aside, Saf-T-Gard never loses sight of the fact that the first P in PPE is “personal”. We want to do business the way you want to do business – whether it’s by phone, fax, e-mail, online or in person! However, we invite you to spend a few minutes at www.saftgard.com, register for an account to enable online ordering, and let us know what you think. We are confident that you will pleased with the new user experience.
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OSHA Enforcement and Compliance Increases in 2019 to Keep America's Workforce Safe
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The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health
Administration’s (OSHA) fiscal year (FY) 2019 final statistics show a
significant increase in the number of inspections, and a record amount of
compliance assistance to further the mission of ensuring that employers provide
workplaces free of hazards.
OSHA’s enforcement activities reflect the Department’s continued
focus on worker safety. Federal OSHA conducted 33,401 inspections – more
inspections than the previous three years – addressing violations related to
trenching, falls, chemical exposure, silica and other hazards.
In FY19, OSHA provided a record 1,392,611 workers with training
on safety and health requirements through the Agency’s various education
programs, including the OSHA Training Institute Education Centers, Outreach
Training Program and Susan Harwood Training Grant Program. OSHA’s compliance
assistance programs have helped small businesses address safety and health
hazards in their workplaces. In FY19, OSHA’s no-cost On-Site Consultation
Program identified 137,885 workplace hazards, and protected 3.2 million workers
from potential harm.
“OSHA’s efforts – rulemaking, enforcement, compliance assistance
and training – are tools to accomplish our mission of safety and health for
every worker,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor for
Occupational Safety and Health Loren Sweatt. “I am proud of the diligent, hard
work of all OSHA personnel who contributed to a memorable year of protecting
our nation’s workers.”
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers
are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their
employees. OSHA’s role is to help ensure these conditions for America’s
working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing
training, education and assistance. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.
The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote,
and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the
United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable
employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.
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Saf-T-Gard®
Reflect-A-Gard® RG-2005 Vests Deliver Visible Safety and Savings |
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Save as much as 68% on Saf-T-Gard® Reflect-A-Gard® RG-2005 Class 2 Hi-Viz Breakaway Safety Vests now through March 31, 2020.
Saf-T-Gard can help keep you seen and safe on the job in the
Reflect-A-Gard® RG-2005 Class 2 Hi-Viz Breakaway Safety Vests with features and benefits that include the following:
- Fluorescent lime polyester mesh fabric offers high visibility and breathable comfort
- Two (2) horizontal and two (2) vertical 2” reflective stripes deliver ANSI/ISEA-107 Class 2 Level 2 compliance
- The vest is designed to separate harmlessly from the body in the event that it gets caught
- The five (5) breakaway points include two (2) on the shoulders, two (2) on the sides and one (1) in the center
- One (1) inner pocket at left chest for convenient storage and transportation of work materials
- Hook-and-loop closure provides easy on/off and comfortable, secure fitting
- Available in sizes Large-5XL
- Sold individually or 50 each/case by size
- $3.25/each or $112.50/case of 50 each by size ($50 minimum order)
- Save 31% more per vest when you order by the case
Click here to shop the RG-2005 Vests online, or call customer service at 1-800-548-GARD (4273) today for more information or to place an order.
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Celebrating 100 Years of the Hard Hat
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This year marks the 100th anniversary of the invention of the
hard hat. The hard hat is one of the most recognizable pieces of safety
equipment in the world. Hard hats were first worn by construction workers
beginning in the 1920s. Over the years, hard hats have come to symbolize the
strength of the construction industry and its workers.
Hard hats are designed to protect workers from head injuries due
to falling objects or overhead hazards by reducing the intensity and
distributing the pressure of impacts to the head. The E.D. Bullard Company, in
San Francisco, California, was the first manufacturer to develop and sell hard
hats that were used by some miners and laborers. At the time, Bullard referred
to their product as the “Hard Boiled®” hat. In the early 1930s, electricians in
Boston, Massachusetts, also began wearing hard hats. By the mid-1930s, construction
of the Golden Gate Bridge began, and all workers were expected to wear hard
hats [Carpenter et al. 2019].
During the ensuing 40 years, hard hats of various shapes and
materials reached the market. These included hard hats made of steel, aluminum,
canvas and resin, Bakelite®, and fiberglass. In each case, these hats were
advertised as light, resilient, and cool while protecting the worker. In the
1960s, hard hats made of plastics such as polyethylene were sold. In the 1970s,
when OSHA and NIOSH were created under the OSH Act, the use of hard hats was
regulated as part of the head protection standard, and hard hat use
significantly expanded [OSHA 2019]. As demand increased, more manufacturers
produced hard hats, including MSA, Honeywell, 3M, and Kask [Rosenberg et al.
2010].
The hard hat has a rich history, but its design has remained
fairly consistent over the decades, including a suspension system and outer
shell. In recent years, safety helmets, similar to those worn in mountain
climbing or ice hockey, have begun to be used on some construction sites to
improve worker protections beyond that provided by the traditional hard hat.
NIOSH is studying the performance and design of hard hats and safety helmets to
improve overall personal protection with the hope of potentially reducing the
likelihood of traumatic brain injury caused by falls and to save lives [Konda
et al. 2016; Wu et al. 2017]. NIOSH researchers are also working to improve
consensus standards that address hard hat performance.
For more safety and health related topics in construction go to
the NIOSH
Construction Safety and Health webpage.
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Give Employees the Gift of Hand Protection against Cuts, Punctures and Impacts |
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When it comes to hand protection in the workplace, is your
company playing the role of Santa Claus or The Grinch?
As an employer, you determine whether your workers have – and
use – the right hand protection that matches the hazards in your workplace. If
you have a proactive safety culture, you’re probably already giving the gift of
hand protection.
Otherwise, you’re at a high risk of a bad holiday surprise. A
hand injury can cost from $540 to $26,000, according to the National Safety
Council. Think about lost productivity, workers comp and liability insurance
costs.
Watch out for glove-supplier reps who show up with a big box of
free samples to give your employees. It might seem generous, but there’s no
guarantee those gloves meet industry standards or are appropriate to the
specific risks – impact, cut, puncture, needle stick – that each of your
workers is exposed to during various tasks.
The best manufacturers and suppliers will typically take the
time to collaborate with you in assessing those risks and offering guidance on
how the different products on the market address your workplace safety needs.
That process is important, because 70% of workers don’t wear
hand protection. And of those who do, 30% don’t wear the right kind of glove
for the task. So getting the wrong gloves is likely to just discourage them
even more.
Visit SafeHandsAtWork.org
to learn more. It’s part of ISEA’s hand protection awareness and education
campaign, launched in 2019 in collaboration with the National Waste and Recycling
Association (NWRA) and the Voluntary Protection Programs
Participants' Association (VPPPA), to help workers
and employers grasp the importance of #SafeHands.
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Season's Greetings
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Warmest wishes for a joyous and safe holiday season from all of
us at
Saf-T-Gard!
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Saf-T-Gard Catalog
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The time for better safety is now!
Click here to request a FREE copy of our current full-line Saf-T-Gard International, Inc. catalog today, and learn how to better GARD yourself with Saf-T-Gard.
Featuring more than 3,900 different line items from more than 100 different brands and 14 different product categories, this catalog is an excellent resource and provides a wealth of information to help keep you safe and productive for even the most rigorous applications!
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Watch the FREE Confined Spaces 101: What You Need to Know Webinar On Demand Today
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Join Honeywell Miller’s Fall Protection Expert, Tom Dillon, as
he walks you through dealing with confined spaces on your work site.
Learn the
questions that help determine the safest confined space equipment, the
considerations for compliance around confined space workers and hear some
real-life examples of confined space safety.
We have been helping protect the
workers for 75 years and want to make sure the future of your workers is always
safe.
Click here to register, and watch the FREE webinar on demand today.
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Closeout Corner - Don't Miss These Great Deals |
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Saf-T-Gard is making it easier than ever to save big on your favorite safety items with the "Closeout Corner" featured monthly in the Saf-T-Gardian e-Newsletter.
Click here to view the reduced pricing on all of your must-have items to take advantage of this limited-time pricing and inventory.
Be sure to check back next month for even more products and savings!
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Safety Tips |
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1. COLD IS COMING - And that means hand protection for outdoor workers
should have warm linings
2. COLD IS COMING - And that means head protection for outdoor workers
must include warm helmet liners
3. COLD IS COMING - And that means fewer hours of daylight and reduced
visibility - another reason for Hi-Viz reflective clothing
4. COLD IS COMING - And that often means icy, slippery walkways and driveways
- tungsten-carbide tipped rubber pullovers fit over any shoes or boots for
superb traction
5. COLD IS COMING - And yes, that means colds are coming, so be sure
you have enough industrial-pack cold remedy medicines on hand
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Q&A |
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Question - Can
transparent plastic materials be used for welding curtains or screens?
Answer -
Standard 29 CFR 1910.252(e)(2)(iii) states: Protection from arc welding rays.
Where the work permits, the welder should be enclosed in an individual booth
painted with a finish of low reflectivity such as zinc oxide (an important
factor for absorbing ultraviolet radiations) and lamp black, or shall be
enclosed with noncombustible screens similarly painted.
Booths and screens
shall permit circulation of air at floor level. Workers or other persons
adjacent to the welding areas shall be protected from the rays by
noncombustible or flameproof screens or shields or shall be required to wear
appropriate goggles.
In reference to the requirement
in the first sentence of the standard, the employer would be in violation if
the plastic curtain forms a booth to enclose the welder, since the curtain is
not noncombustible as required. There is no known treatment which will make
organic plastics noncombustible.
In reference to the requirement of the second
sentence of the standard, the transparent plastic welding curtain could easily
be installed to meet the ventilation requirement.
In reference to the
requirement of the third sentence of the standard, a transparent plastic screen
or shield would be permitted since it can be made flameproof as well as
sufficiently absorptive and non-reflective of the welding rays.
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Saf-T-Gard Spotlight |
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Ania Rodriguez Escobales is the Telecom Administrative
Assistant, and she joined Saf-T-Gard in April 2018.
What Ania likes about Saf-T-Gard:
"I like the professional work environment and that the
company is dedicated to results."
What makes Ania's day:
"Being able to fulfill my daily goals."
Ania's outside interests are:
"I enjoy sharing time with my family and exercising."
Anything else:
"I am from Puerto Rico, and I love the music!”
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Factoid |
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OSHA has previously maintained the position that hard hats used by
employees must be worn with the bill facing forward unless the hard hat
manufacturer certifies that the bill facing back meets current ANSI Z89.1
standards. Does OSHA still adhere to this interpretation?
Section 1926.100(a) provides: Employees working in areas where there is
a possible danger of head injury from impact, or from flying objects, or from
electrical shock and [electrical] burns, shall be protected by protective
helmets.
Section 1926.100(b) provides: Helmets for the protection of employees
against impact and penetration of falling and flying objects shall meet the
specifications contained in American National Standards Institute, Z89.1...,
Safety Requirements for Industrial Head Protection.
In 1992, OSHA
stated: ANSI only tests and certifies hard hats to be worn with the bill
forward [;] hard hats worn with the bill to the rear would not be considered
reliable protection and would not meet the requirements of 29 CFR 1926.100(a)
and (b), unless the hard hat manufacturer certifies that this practice meets
the ANSI Z89.1 requirements. This continues to be OSHA's interpretation of
this standard.
Additionally, note that a manufacturer may certify that it would
be acceptable to wear the hard hat with the bill to the rear when the hard hat
liner is turned/reversed.
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As I See It |
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It is December 2019. As the year draws to a close, it’s a time
for reflection and celebration.
While it’s easy to be distracted by the holiday
season, we need to remember that safety never takes a holiday. And that
includes on-the-job safety, at-home safety, on-the-road safety, personal safety
and safety in general.
The messages come from all corners – AAA, government,
business associations, etc., but the loudest message is that of common sense.
Staying focused and minimizing distractions are the first steps in that common
sense because distractions are the enemy of safety.
When workers are
distracted, they may take shortcuts and pay less attention to safety training
than otherwise. But safety never takes a holiday.
That’s why at this time of
year, supervisors should not let potential distractions take their toll.
Toolbox Talks for the Team are a good 5-minute safety pep talk that should be
part of every supervisor’s regular routine.
On-site safety signs should be more
than just what OSHA requires – motivational safety signs and posters definitely
have a positive impact on worker safety and reinforcing the need for safety
(ask your Saf-T-Gard representative for examples of motivational safety signs
and posters).
And if company or department year-end celebrations are planned – it’s a great time to recognize safety superstars by individual, team, or
department.
As the New Year approaches, our wishes for you all are to be
healthy, be thankful, and be safe – because we are Saf-T-Gard International
– Bringing Workers Home Safely Since 1936.
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