The first "P" in "PPE" stands for "Personal", and never before has safety been more personal than it is now with the outbreak of COVID-19 affecting the lives and livelihoods of everyone.

No one understands this better than Saf-T-Gard International, Inc. After all, safety is rooted in our name. So when it comes to your workers' safety, you can trust that Saf-T-Gard has everything you need to get back to work worry free, including the following:

• N95 Respirators
• KN95 Respirators
• Hand Sanitizers
• Touchless Thermometers
• Splash Shields
• Face Masks
• Windex and Fantastik Disinfectant Cleaners
• Gloves
• COVID-19 Safety Signs
• COVID-19 Floor Signs
• Workplace Partitions
• UV Light Sanitizing Wand
• And so much more

We've been bringing workers home safely for more than 80 years, and we can do the same for you!

Click here to shop our selection of COVID-19 Safety Essentials to Keep Your Business Running online, or call customer service at 1-800-548-GARD (4273) today for more information or to place an order or with any additional questions on how we can assist you in your worker safety program.

Don’t test your luck when exposed to arc flash and electrical safety hazards. Test your rubber gloves for continued safety, compliance and savings with the Voltgard^® Test Lab!

Rubber gloves must be tested every six (6) months according to ASTM-F496 and to protect against loss time, costly damage, legal liability, increased insurance premiums and hefty regulatory fines.

Saf-T-Gard is uniquely qualified to service all of your arc flash, electrical safety and dielectric testing needs with its Voltgard^® Test Lab – The largest, independent, NAIL4PET-accredited test lab in the United States for the complete testing and recertification of rubber insulating gloves for continued use – all to applicable ASTM standards, including:

• Insulating Gloves
• Insulating Sleeves
• Insulating Blankets
• Insulating Line Hose
• Insulating Covers
• Dielectric Overshoe Footwear
• Insulating By-Pass Jumpers
• Portable Grounding Jumpers
• Hot Sticks & Live Line Tools
• Insulating Plastic Guards
• Insulating Hand Tools
• Rubber Insulating Matting

In addition to stocking the largest inventory of new rubber goods, Saf-T-Gard also offers a comprehensive selection of head-to-toe Personal Protective Equipment, Facility Safety, First Aid and Arc Flash and Electrical Safety to accommodate all of your safety needs for whatever the job requires! Visit www.saftgard.com today to learn more!

Cross-contamination risk is a major concern in the food supply chain. The transfer of potentially deadly bacteria, viruses or other toxic substances can have catastrophic outcomes, so minimizing the likelihood through adherence to solid food safety practices is essential.

These risks are especially prevalent in processing environments including meat production, wherein the base product is a common carrier of bacteria, and therefore demands that adequate preventative measures be in place.

Despite the prevalence of potential hazards at every step in the chain, most instances of cross contamination are entirely preventable provided a thorough quality system that incorporates good manufacturing practices is in place. That system should incorporate provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) including suitable hand protection. Click here to watch the video and learn more on how to prevent cross contamination.

Remember the stone ages when we all just went around spitting in each other’s faces like a bunch of angry alpacas? That’s so 2019 BC (Before COVID).

Most of us understand by now that covering your mug is the way to go, but it can be tough to decipher between all of the options available. At the end of the day, not everyone needs a N95 – but everybody needs something.

So how do you choose which face mask is best for you? Click here to read a recent blog post on face coverings by Ergodyne to learn more.

Saf-T-Gard supplies a comprehensive selection of Ergodyne seasonal protection. Click here to shop them online, or call customer service at 1-800-548-GARD (4273) today for more information or to place an order.

The safety harness is the main component of a personal fall arrest system. Before purchasing a harness, you should be aware that everything, from harness construction to webbing type and position, varies between harnesses and their manufacturers. Purchasing a harness that is complicated to put on or uncomfortable will reduce the likelihood that your workers will wear it.

Click here to read the Honeywell Miller white paper to make the right choice for the harness your workers will be willing to use.

Saf-T-Gard carries a wide range of Honeywell Miller fall protection products, including harnesses, lanyards, self-retracting lifelines, anchorage points and fall protection accessories. Click here to shop them online, or call customer service at 1-800-548-GARD (4273) today for more information or to place an order.

Cost avoidance is defined by any action taken in the present that prevents incurring greater costs in the future. For example, routinely investing in machine safety to remain in compliance with safety regulations is a form of cost avoidance.

Unlike immediate cost savings, cost avoidance measures are not reflected in financial statements or annual budgets. They are nevertheless important to a company's profitability. When cost avoidance is not exercised, companies can face several potentially catastrophic expenses.

These include:

• Lost time wages and lost customers due to production constraints
• Increased worker's compensation rates
• Medical bills
• OSHA fines
• Litigation and settlements

These costs can be unrecoverable and cannot be forecast due to the large number of unknown and unpredictable factors that can contribute to an incident. Despite this, machine safety is often seen as an expense rather than an investment. It is not a product or solution a factory can use to generate sales, so it does not positively impact the bottom line. It is, instead, a way to protect your assets (including your employees) from future adverse consequences. This article will break down each of these five (5) expenses that can be incurred when cost avoidance is not executed for machine safety.

Lost Time Wages and Lost Customers

Lost time wages and lost customers go hand in hand. When an accident occurs, the company is responsible for maintaining the employee’s wages in order to minimize the impact of the incident on their life. This means the company will maintain payroll without the positive result of meeting the customer's need.

To avoid losing a customer, then, other trained workers need to do overtime to compensate for the decline in production rates. This also requires additional administrative time to manage shifting responsibilities, priorities and training.

Worker's Compensation Rates

Worker's compensation is a type of business insurance that provides coverage for medical expenses, lost wages, and rehabilitation costs for employees who have suffered from a work-related injury or illness. This type of insurance is compliance-driven, but also protects employers from lawsuits.

Some insurance companies encourage machine safety by offering lower rates to companies that implement it. Be sure to research this option to help reduce this recurring expense, as well as avoiding increased premiums due to filed claims.

Medical Bills

Medical bills are a variable that is not always fully considered by the insurance companies. There is potential for post-accident in-network versus out-of-network costs, increased deductibles, emergency transport, and service fees – all depending on where the accident took place. The company is typically tasked with the direction of the medical care but challenged with not creating additional inconvenience and decreased comfort for the affected employee.

OSHA Fines

OSHA reports that machine safety is one of the top 10 most violated regulations in the industry. OSHA standards are meant to ensure a safe environment for workers. Too often, however, these rules are ignored until there is a need to react to a negative event. This is usually met with fines ranging from thousands to millions of dollars, depending on the severity of the violation.

Litigation and Settlements

Litigation and settlements are the most expensive and the ugliest portion of the cost avoidance formula. Companies want to take care of their employees, but when an accident occurs they often shift to a defensive position. This requires support of an internal legal team or an external law firm focused on job-related accidents. Consultations, payroll for fact finding, and negotiations are all time-sensitive costs that add up quickly. Court costs and associated expenditures may be incurred if negotiations are unsuccessful.

Ultimately a settlement of some sort will be paid out for pain and suffering for the employee and their family. This is an undesirable outcome that negatively affects the company's bottom line.

Machine Safety Cost Avoidance

Cost avoidance is important to secure the profitability of any facility. The benefits of investing in machine safety more than outweigh the initial costs. 

 To ensure the costs are calculated properly for funds appropriation, be sure to work with a qualified turnkey safety guarding company. These companies can provide education, recommendations for required safety upgrades, and full designs and quotes. They can also help you create and implement your machine safety plan. It is a small cost for a rich future.