Welding Smoke

Welding, particularly the “smoke” (i.e., fumes and gases) produced during welding operations, presents many health hazards. Welding smoke is a mixture of very fine particles (fumes) and gases. Many of the substances in welding smoke, such as chromium, nickel, arsenic, asbestos, manganese, silica, beryllium, cadmium, nitrogen oxides, phosgene, acrolein, fluorine compounds, carbon monoxide, cobalt, copper, lead, ozone, selenium, and zinc, can be extremely toxic. Welding smoke can be generated from sources, such as the base material being welded or the filler material that is used, the coatings and paints on the metal being welded, and chemical reactions that result by the action of ultraviolet light from the arc and from heat. The individual components of welding smoke can affect just about any part of the body, including the lungs, heart, kidneys, and central nervous system.

The following provides general information on the health hazards of welding smoke.

Short-Term (Acute) Health Effects Created by Welding Smoke

Exposure to metal fumes, such as zinc, magnesium, copper, and copper oxide, can cause metal-fume fever. Symptoms of metal-fume fever may occur 4 to 12 hours after exposure, and include chills, thirst, fever, muscle ache, chest soreness, coughing, wheezing, fatigue, nausea, and a metallic taste in the mouth.

Welding smoke can also irritate the eyes, nose, chest, and respiratory tract, and cause coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, bronchitis, pulmonary edema (fluid in the lungs) and pneumonitis (inflammation of the lungs). Gastrointestinal effects, such as nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, cramps, and slow digestion, have also been associated with welding smoke.

Some components of welding fume (e.g., cadmium) can be fatal in the short term. Ultraviolet radiation given off by welding reacts with oxygen and nitrogen in the air to form ozone and nitrogen oxides. These gases can be fatal at high doses, and lower doses can cause irritation of the nose and throat and serious lung disease. Ultraviolet rays given off by welding can react with chlorinated hydrocarbon solvents, such as trichloroethylene, 1,1,1-trichloroethane, methylene chloride, and perchloroethylene, to form phosgene gas. Exposure to even a very small amount of phosgene may be fatal. The early symptoms of exposure usually take 5 or 6 hours to appear and include dizziness, chills, and coughing.

Long-Term (Chronic) Health Effects Created by Welding Smoke

Studies of welders have shown that they have an increased risk of lung cancer, and possibly cancer of the larynx (voice box) and urinary tract. Welders may also experience a variety of chronic respiratory (lung) problems, including bronchitis, asthma, pneumonia, emphysema, pneumoconiosis (refers to dust-related diseases), decreased lung capacity, silicosis (caused by silica exposure), and siderosis (a dust-related disease caused by iron oxide dust in the lungs).

Other health problems that appear to be related to welding include heart disease, skin diseases, hearing loss, chronic gastritis (inflammation of the stomach), gastroduodenitis (inflammation of the stomach and small intestine), and ulcers of the stomach and small intestine. Welders exposed to heavy metals, such as chromium and nickel, have also experienced kidney damage.

Welding also poses reproductive risks to welders. Studies have found that welders, and especially welders who have worked with stainless steel, had poorer sperm quality than men in other types of work. Several studies have shown an increase in either miscarriages or delayed conception among welders or their spouses. Possible causes include exposure to metals, such as aluminum, chromium, nickel, cadmium, iron, manganese, and copper; gases, such as nitrous gases and ozone; heat; and ionizing radiation that is used to check the welding seams.

Welders who perform welding or cutting on surfaces covered with asbestos insulation are at risk of asbestosis, lung cancer, mesothelioma, and other asbestos-related diseases.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Latex Allergies – Recommendations for Employers and Workers

Latex allergies have become a major occupational health problem, rising to epidemic proportions in highly exposed healthcare workers and other populations with significant exposures. Latex allergy can be prevented. Employers should adopt policies to protect workers from undue latex exposures. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that employers and workers take the following steps to minimize latex exposure and allergy in the workplace.

Employers

Provide workers with education programs and training materials about latex allergy.

Use appropriate barrier protection when handling infectious materials. If latex gloves are chosen, provide workers with reduced protein, powder-free gloves to reduce exposure to allergy-causing proteins (antigens).

Ensure that workers use good housekeeping practices to remove latex-containing dust from the workplace. Identify areas (e.g., upholstery, carpets, ventilation ducts, and plenums) contaminated with latex dust for frequent cleaning. Make sure that workers change ventilation filters and vacuum bags frequently.

Periodically screen high-risk workers for latex allergy symptoms. Detecting symptoms early and removing symptomatic workers from latex exposure are essential for preventing long-term health effects.

Evaluate current prevention strategies whenever a worker is diagnosed with latex allergy.

Workers

Use non-latex gloves for activities that are not likely to involve contact with infectious materials (e.g., food preparation, routine housekeeping, maintenance, etc.).

If latex gloves are chosen, use powder-free gloves with reduced protein content. Such gloves reduce exposures to latex protein and thus reduce the risk of latex allergy (though symptoms may still occur in some workers). So-called hypoallergenic latex gloves do not reduce the risk of latex allergy; however, they may reduce reactions to chemical additives in the latex (allergic contact dermatitis).

Use appropriate work practices to reduce the chance of reactions to latex. When wearing latex gloves, do not use oil-based hand creams or lotions (which can cause glove deterioration) unless they have been shown to reduce latex-related problems and maintain glove barrier protection. After removing latex gloves, wash hands with a mild soap and dry thoroughly.

Take advantage of all latex allergy education and training provided by the employer: Become familiar with procedures for preventing latex allergy. Learn to recognize the symptoms of latex allergy, such as skin rashes; hives; flushing; itching; nasal, eye, or sinus symptoms; asthma; and shock.

If symptoms of latex allergy develop, avoid direct contact with latex gloves and other latex-containing products until you can see a physician experienced in treating latex allergy.

If you have latex allergy, consult your physician regarding the following precautions: (1) avoid contact with latex gloves and other latex-containing products, (2) avoid areas where you might inhale the powder from latex gloves worn by other workers, (3) tell your employer and your healthcare providers (e.g., physicians, nurses, dentists, etc.) that you have latex allergy, (4) wear a medical alert bracelet, and (5) carefully follow your physician’s instructions for dealing with allergic reactions to latex.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Manual Materials Handling

This checklist is designed to be a tool to quickly identify potential problems with manual materials handling tasks. Additional risk factors may exist that are not accounted for in this checklist.

It is common practice to follow up checklist observations with more precise techniques to confirm problem risk factors. A “No” response indicates potential problem areas that should be investigated further.

Question	Yes	No
Are the weights of loads to be lifted judged acceptable by workers?
Are lifting tasks analyzed so that materials are moved manually over minimum distances?
Is the distance between the object load and the body minimized?
Are walking surfaces level, wide enough, clean, and dry?
Are objects easy to grasp, stable, and able to be held without slipping?
Are there handholds on the objects?
When required, do gloves fit properly?
Is the proper footwear worn?
Will there be enough room to maneuver while lifting the load?
Are mechanical aids used in lifting the load, whenever possible?
Are working surfaces adjustable to the best handling heights?
Does material handling avoid movements below knuckle height and above shoulder height?
Does material handling avoid static muscle loading?
Does material handling avoid sudden movements during handling?
Does material handling avoid twisting at the waist?
Does material handling avoid extended reaching?
Is help available for heavy or awkward lifts?
Are high rates of repetition avoided by job rotation, self-pacing, or sufficient pauses?
Are pushing or pulling forces reduced or eliminated?
Does the worker have an unobstructed view of the task?
Are workers trained in correct handling and lifting procedures?

 

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Small Business – Benefits of a Safety Program

Implementing an accident prevention program will allow a small business to learn, first hand, that the cost of accident prevention is far lower then the cost of accidents. Recent estimates place the business costs associated with occupational injuries at close to $171 billion in expenditures that come straight out of company profits. According to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), businesses can reduce injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent, and save as much as 5 percent of a company’s total profits, by implementing health and safety programs.

An effective workplace safety and health management system will allow the small business owner to:

Recognize and remove hazards from the workplace;

Protect workers from injury, illness, or loss of life; and

Cultivate informed and alert employees who take responsibility for their own and their coworkers’ safety and for worksite safety as a whole and Improve employee morale.

An increased understanding of workplace hazards and remedies will put managers in a better position to:

Comply with federal and State safety and health requirements; and

Become more effective at their jobs, and Increase productivity rates and assure product quality.

An exemplary workplace safety and health management system is “good business sense” that also makes financial sense. When workers stay healthy, the direct cost-savings and bottom line improvements include:

Lowered workers’ compensation insurance costs through lowered injury and illness rates;

Reduced medical and indemnity expenditures through reduced lost workdays;

Reduced expenditures for return-to-work programs, overtime, and lowered costs for job accommodations; and

Fewer faulty products and limited equipment damage and product losses.

Safety and health also make big reductions in indirect costs, due to:

Increased productivity and higher quality products; and

Increased morale, better labor/management relations, and reduced turnover.

Employees and their families benefit from safety and health because:

Their incomes are protected;

Their family lives are not hindered by injury; and

Their stress is not increased.

And, small business employers who operate an exemplary safety and health management system may be eligible for the benefit of recognition by the State and OSHA through participation in the Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Upon receiving SHARP recognition, the business will be exempt from programmed inspections during the period that your SHARP certification is valid. Information on SHARP may be found by going to the OSHA Web site (osha.gov) and searching for SHARP.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Ergonomic Issues – Sitting at a Desk

Over the last decade, workers have increased the amount of time they spend sitting at a desk, watching television, or using a computer to nearly 12 hours per day, according to a Harris poll conducted by the America On the Move Foundation. All together, this extensive length of time can put an individual at risk of back pain, particularly if they sit with poor posture, leg cramps, or tense muscles. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), individuals should keep their bodies in a neutral position where joints are naturally aligned to reduce the risk of stress and strain on the muscles, tendons, and skeletal systems and help prevent development of a musculoskeletal disorder (MSD). OSHA recommends the following:

To achieve a neutral body position:

Choose a well-padded chair that supports your back (especially your lower back), and allows your thighs to be parallel with the floor.

Keep your hands, wrists and forearms in-line and roughly parallel to the floor.

Keep your head in-line with the torso and at a level, balanced position (or just slightly forward).

Keep your elbows close to your body, bent at a 90- to 120-degree angle.

Keep your shoulders relaxed and upper arms hanging naturally next to your body.

Keep your feet flat on the floor or supported by a footrest.

To mitigate back pain resulting from sitting at a desk:

Move Around Often. According to the Mayo Clinic, your body can only tolerate being in one position for about 20 minutes before it starts to feel uncomfortable. About every 15 minutes, stand, stretch, walk around, or change your position for at least 30 seconds.

Reduce Repetitive Movements. Reduce unnecessary movements as much as possible by keeping items you use often within arm’s reach and using tools, such as a phone headset, to reduce repetitive movements.

Position The Computer Monitor Properly. According to OSHA, the monitor should be placed directly in front of you, but at least 20 inches away, the top of the screen should be at or below your eye level, and it should be perpendicular to any window in the room to reduce glare.

Look Away Often. Focusing on a computer screen for too long can lead to dry eyes and eye fatigue. Change your focus often by looking at a point in the distance, and blink regularly to keep your eyes moist.

Use A Document Holder. It should be at the same height and distance as your computer monitor.

To reduce stress, create a healthy work environment, and reduce back pain:

Keep Your Desk And Work Area Clean. Keyboards, phones, and other office equipment are breeding grounds for germs. Desks themselves can even harbor more bacteria than a toilet seat!

De-clutter Your Desk. Save yourself this mental strife by taking a few minutes each day to go through papers. Throw away those you don’t need and file those you do.

Don’t Keep Junk Food At Your Desk. Junk food can make you feel sluggish, tired or guilty. Instead, keep a supply of healthy snacks nearby to satisfy your hunger such as cut-up vegetables, a few nuts, fresh fruit, or a hard-boiled egg.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Electrocution

Researchers from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) believe electrocution fatalities, burns, and other serious injuries from electricity can be prevented. This handout provides safety recommendations addressing electrocution issues at construction sites.

Metal Ladders – The use of portable metal ladders near energized overhead power lines is a major cause of electrocutions on jobsites. From 1992 through 1998, nearly four times as many construction workers were electrocuted in incidents involving ladders than in incidents involving scaffolds, NIOSH researchers report. Many electrocutions happen when workers set up or relocate ladders near overhead power lines. If non-conductive fiberglass ladders had been used instead, or if safe working clearances had been maintained, these deaths might have been prevented. Recommended actions include:

Employers and workers should comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation prohibiting the use of portable metal or conductive ladders for electrical work or in locations where they may contact electrical conductors.

Employers should fully inform workers about the hazards of using portable metal (including aluminum) ladders near energized power lines.

To assure protection of anyone working near electrical power lines, employers should make arrangements with the power company to de-energize the lines or cover the lines with insulating line hoses or blankets.

Scaffolds – NIOSH suggests that employers ensure workers check the scaffold’s distance from overhead power lines, vertical clearance between the ground and any sagging power lines, scaffold height and weight, wheel condition, obstacles, ground slope, or changes in elevation that may alter clearance distance and other ground or floor conditions. Deaths have occurred when erecting, moving, or working from metal or conductive scaffolds near overhead power lines and while working from scaffolds while using conductive tools or materials near overhead lines. Recommended actions include:

Employers should comply with current OSHA regulations for working with scaffolds near energized power lines.

Employers should train workers in the hazards associated with scaffolds and power lines. Place special emphasis on avoiding inadvertent contact with energized power lines. Inform workers about the hazards of erecting, moving, or working from scaffolds near overhead power lines or other energized circuits. Emphasize that most overhead high voltage lines are not insulated – if there is any doubt, workers should not assume lines are insulated.

Employers should conduct daily hazard surveys at each jobsite before starting work, then implement appropriate control measures and training to address identified hazards.

Workers should not use electrically conductive tools or materials in situations where they may contact overhead power lines.

Employers should keep all unauthorized persons away from the area.

A worker should monitor the clearance between power lines and the scaffold. If a scaffold is to be moved in the vicinity of overhead power lines, a competent worker should be assigned to observe the clearance and warn others if the minimum clearance distance is not maintained.

Employers should establish emergency procedures in case a scaffold contacts a power line.

Cranes – According to NIOSH, an average of 15 electrocutions occur each year from contact between cranes, or similar boomed vehicles, and energized overhead power lines. Among those especially at risk are workers handling taglines or crane loads, workers who are in contact with the crane, and operators who leave the crane cab. NIOSH sources recommend that crane workers who are around power lines must be trained and reminded of regulations designed to keep them safe. Recommended actions include:

Workers must comply with applicable OSHA regulations, including those that require workers and employers to consider all overhead power lines to be energized until the owner of the lines or the electric utility indicates that they are not energized, and they have been visibly grounded.

Before beginning work near power lines, employers should notify the owners of the lines or their authorized representatives and tell them the type of equipment (including length of boom), and date, time, and type of work involved. Request their cooperation to de-energize and ground the lines or to help provide insulated barriers. Consider de-energizing the lines, whenever possible, as the primary means of preventing injury.

Workers should evaluate job sites before beginning work to determine the safest areas for material storage, the best placement for machinery during operations, and the size and type of machinery to be used.

Workers should know the location and voltage of all overhead power lines at the jobsite before operating or working with any crane.

Employers should designate workers to observe clearance during crane operation, and not give these workers any other duties or responsibilities.

Employers should evaluate other work methods that do not require the use of cranes.

Get Prompt Emergency Care – Regardless of how a worker comes into contact with high- or low-voltage electric energy, electrocution victims can be revived if immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or defibrillation is provided within approximately four minutes of the electrocution, followed by advanced cardiac life support within approximately eight minutes. Recommended actions include:

Employers should ensure that no one who works with or around electric energy is working alone – use a buddy system and have both workers trained in CPR.

Employers should ensure that everyone who works with or around electrical energy is familiar with emergency procedures that should include knowing how to de-energize the electrical system before rescuing or beginning CPR on a worker who remains in contact with an electrical energy source.

Employers should ensure that CPR and first aid is immediately available at each jobsite so prompt care (within four minutes) can be provided.

Employers should work out provisions at each jobsite to provide advanced cardiac life support – within eight minutes, if possible – generally by calling an ambulance staffed by paramedics. Ensure that signs are posted giving the correct emergency number to call and that workers are educated regarding what information to relay once the call is made.

Co-workers should not attempt to rescue a victim until they are sure that the victim is not in contact with a source of electrical energy. To do otherwise merely results in rescuers becoming victims, too.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Drug-Free Workplace Program – Steps to Minimize Legal Problems

Employers who want to establish a drug-free workplace program often find themselves faced with many different federal, State, and local laws. Employers can take several simple and practical steps to help avoid legal problems. The following ten steps are offered by the Division of Workplace Programs (DWP), in the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

1. Consult a lawyer whenever you introduce a new drug-free workplace policy or make alternations to an existing policy. The American Bar Association and most State Bar Associations offer free legal referral services that can help you locate a qualified employment lawyer in your area.
   
2. Make sure that your drug-free workplace policy clearly stipulates what the penalties for policy violations will be. If your policy includes a drug testing program, spell out exactly who will be tested, when they will be tested, and what will happen to employees who test positive.
   
3. Make sure that every one of your employees receives and signs a written copy of your drug-free workplace policy. Verbal agreements and unsigned agreements have little legal standing.
   
4. Make sure that you, and all your supervisors, receive proper training in how to detect and respond to workplace drug and alcohol abuse.
   
5. Maintain detailed and objective records documenting the performance problems of all your employees. Such records often provide a basis for referring workers to employee assistance programs.
   
6. Never take disciplinary action against a worker or accuse a worker of a policy violation simply because that employee is acting impaired. Instead, try to clarify the reasons for the employee’s impairment. If drug testing is a part of your workplace policy, obtain a confirmatory test result before taking any action.
   
7. Never accuse or confront an employee in front of his or her coworkers. Instead, try to stage all discussions someplace private, with another manager present to serve as a witness.
   
8. Never single out an individual employee or particular group of employees, for special treatment—whether it is rehabilitation or punishment. Any inconsistencies in the enforcement of your policy may lead to charges of discrimination.
   
9. Try to get to know your employees, as much as possible. This may help you more quickly identify workers who are in trouble or developing substance abuse problems.
   
10. Most important, try to involve workers at all levels of your organization in developing and implementing your drug-free workplace policy. This will reduce misunderstandings about the reasons for having a drug-free workplace program and help ensure that your policies and procedures are fair to everyone.
    

The best way for an employer to avoid legal problems is to hire an employment lawyer to help develop the workplace policy. This will help ensure that the new policy is consistent with all the required State, federal, and local laws, rules, and regulations. Employers should follow these basic steps and strive to create programs that are fair, consistent, and supported by all.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Sprains Versus Strains

Regardless of the type of work performed, from clerical duties to heavy construction, any worker may suffer a sprain or strain. This handout provides basic information on the difference between sprains and strains.

Sprains – A sprain is an injury to ligaments, which are the thick bands of fibrous tissue that connects the bones and binds joints together. Ligaments hold the skeleton together in a normal alignment. Commonly injured ligaments are in the ankle, knee, and wrist. The ligaments can be injured by being stretched too far from their normal position or by over contraction. When too much force is applied to a ligament, they can be stretched or torn and result in a sprain. The most common type of sprain is the twisted ankle. More than 25,000 individuals sprain an ankle each day in the United States.

The usual signs and symptoms of sprains include pain, swelling, bruising, instability, and loss of the ability to move and use the joint. However, these signs and symptoms can vary in intensity, depending on the severity of the sprain.

A sprain can result from a fall, a sudden twist, or a blow to the body that forces a joint out of its normal position and stretches or tears the ligament supporting that joint. Typically, sprains occur when people fall and land on an outstretched arm, land on the side of their foot, or twist a knee with the foot planted firmly on the ground. Sometimes people feel a pop or tear when the injury happens.

Strains – Strains are injuries that affect muscles and tendons, which are the fibrous bands of tissue that attach muscles to bones. Strains are a type of injury that results from trauma, such as a fall, or outside force that displaces the surrounding joint from its normal alignment. Bruising, swelling, instability, pain, weakness, and muscle spasms are common symptoms experienced after a strain occurs.

By pulling too far on a muscle (i.e., overstretching) or by pulling a muscle in one direction while it is contracting in the other direction (i.e., over contraction) can cause injuries within the muscle or tendon. Strains can also be caused by chronic activities that develop an overstretching of the muscle fibers.

Strains can be acute or chronic. An acute strain is associated with a recent trauma or injury, or it can occur after improperly lifting heavy objects or overstressing the muscles. Chronic strains are usually the result of overuse (i.e., prolonged, repetitive movement of the muscles and tendons).

Two common sites for strains are the back and the hamstring muscle. Typically, people with a strain may experience pain, limited motion, muscle spasms, and possibly muscle weakness. They can also have localized swelling, cramping, or inflammation and, with a minor or moderate strain, usually some loss of muscle function. Patients typically have pain in the injured area and general weakness of the muscle when they attempt to move it. Severe strains that partially or completely tear the muscle or tendon are often very painful and disabling

RICE Therapy – This is considered an emergency home treatment for most muscle/tendon strains, ligament sprains, suspected fractures, joint inflammation, and bruises.

(R) Rest – Reduce regular exercise or activities of daily living, as needed. Your healthcare provider may advise you to put no weight on an injured area for 48 hours. If you cannot put weight on an ankle or knee, crutches may help. If you use a cane or one crutch for an ankle injury, use it on the uninjured side to help you lean away and relieve weight on the injured ankle.

(I) Ice – Apply an ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, 4 to 8 times a day. A cold pack, ice bag, or plastic bag filled with crushed ice and wrapped in a towel can be used. To avoid cold injury and frostbite, do not apply the ice for more than 20 minutes.

(C) Compression – Compression of an injured ankle, knee, or wrist may help reduce swelling. Examples of compression bandages are elastic wraps, special boots, air casts, and splints.

(E) Elevation – If possible, keep the injured ankle, knee, elbow, or wrist elevated on a pillow, above the level of the heart, to help decrease swelling.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Working Outdoors in Hot Weather

Outdoors work, in hot weather, presents special exposures for workers. Besides the long-term concern with skin cancer from exposure to the sun, three immediate concerns that should be addressed are heat exhaustion, Lyme disease, and West Nile Virus infection.

Heat

The combination of heat and humidity can be a serious health threat during hot weather. Workers at a beach resort, on a farm, or outdoors at a construction site should protect themselves from injury and illness due to exposure to excessive heat. Workers should consider the following precautions:

Drink plenty of water – don’t wait to get thirsty, and avoid caffeine, alcohol, or large amounts of sugar.

Wear light, loose-fitting, breathable clothing, such as clothing made of cotton.

Take frequent short breaks and stay in the shade.

Eat small meals, on a frequent basis, before and during work activity.

Be aware that equipment, such as respirators or work suits, can increase heat stress.

Lyme Disease

This illness is caused by bites from infected ticks. There is an increased risk for workers involved in construction, landscaping, forestry, brush clearing, land surveying, farming, railroads, oil fields, utility work, or park and wildlife management. Workers should consider the following precautions:

Wear light-colored clothes to make ticks more visible.

Wear long sleeve shirts, a hat, and tuck pants’ legs into socks or boots.

Wear high boots or closed shoes that cover the feet completely.

Apply tick repellants over the entire body, except the face.

Check for ticks after work and remove any attached ticks promptly with fine-tipped tweezers – do not use petroleum jelly, a hot match, or nail polish to remove ticks.

Shower after work.

Wash and dry work clothes at a high temperature.

West Nile Virus Infection

This illness is caused by bites from infected mosquitoes – while it is rare, it does happen. To protect from mosquito bites, workers should consider the following precautions:

Empty standing water in containers, discarded tires, and buckets, which can be mosquito breeding areas.

Apply insect repellent with DEET to exposed skin.

Spray clothing with repellents containing DEET or permethrin.

Wear long sleeves, long pants, and socks.

Be extra vigilant at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

Controlling Hand-Arm-Vibrations

Hand-Arm Vibration (HAV) is defined as the transfer of vibration from a tool to a worker’s hand and arm. Hand-arm vibration is caused by the use of vibrating hand-held tools, such as pneumatic jack hammers, drills, gas powered chain saws, and electrical tools such as grinders. The nature of these tools involves vibration (a rapid back and forth type of motion) which is transmitted from the tool to the hands and arms of the person holding the tool. The vibration is typically measured on the handle of tool, while in the grasp of the worker, and the amount of HAV is a function of the acceleration levels transferred to the worker.

Vibration restricts the blood supply to the hands and fingers. Signs and symptoms of vibration-induced injury, such as Reynaud’s phenomenon, start with occasional numbness or loss of color in the fingertips. This progresses to more frequent and persistent symptoms affecting a larger area of the fingers and resulting in reduction in feeling and manual dexterity.

This handout provides recommendations for managers and workers to minimize the injury risk from HAV.

Management

Train workers to recognize the warning signs of HAV.

Medically monitor workers who routinely use products associated with HAV.

Institute health care management practices ensuring early detection of hand/arm vibration disorders.

Purchase new vibration-reduced tools.

Inspect and service tools at regular intervals in accordance with manufacturer instructions.

Repair or replace tools producing high vibration levels due to wear and tear.

Workers

Wear protective clothing, such as multiple layers of gloves or anti-vibration gloves, to reduce the transmission of vibration energy to the hands and to protect the hands against exposure to cold.

In cold weather, dress adequately to keep the whole body warm since a low body temperature can make you more susceptible to HAV.

Take a 10-minute break after each hour of continuously using a vibrating tool.

Let the tool do the work by grasping it as lightly as possible, consistent with safe work practice.

Keep chisels and chainsaws sharp to reduce vibration. Using new grinder wheels will also reduce vibration.

Operate the tool at the minimum speed (and impact force) to reduce vibration exposure.

Substitute a manual tool or other process where practical.

COPYRIGHT ©2006, ISO Services Properties, Inc.