Tracy Haas Depa

Former assistant editor

ARTICLES

Trends in ... wearables

‘An extra layer of protection’

In relation to the workplace, what does the term “wearables” mean? According to Safety+Health Associate Editor Alan Ferguson’s March 2019 article:

“In the safety world, ‘wearables’ can include ‘smart’ personal protective equipment, glasses with heads-up displays and hard hats with sensors. What most of these devices have in common is they give safety professionals and other employees a set of watchful eyes to help ensure the health and well-being of the workforce, particularly lone workers.”


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Trends in ... hearing protection

Avoid the hazards of ‘cumulative exposure’
Are you concerned about on-the-job hearing loss? It’s a common problem among workers in the United States. In fact, every year, roughly 22 million U.S. workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, according to NIOSH.
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Trends in ... respiratory protection

‘Be serious about it’
OSHA estimates that 5 million workers in 1.3 million workplaces are required to wear respirators. These devices protect workers from “insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors and sprays,” the agency notes, adding that compliance with its Respiratory Protection Standard “could avert hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses annually.”
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Trends in ... eye protection

Don’t overlook eye protection
Workplace eye injuries are a serious problem. According to PreventBlindness.org, more than 2,000 workers experience an eye injury on the job every day, and about 1 in 10 of these injuries require missed workdays. In addition, “of the total amount of work-related injuries, 10 (percent) to 20 percent will cause temporary or permanent vision loss,” the organization states.
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Trends in ... protective clothing

Take proactive steps
From flame-resistant beanies and shirts to high-visibility vests and overalls, protective clothing is a wide-ranging category. Here, industry insiders describe innovations in the protective clothing industry, explain where employees make mistakes and how to correct them, and offer tips on staying safe.
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Trends in ... safety signs and labels

Make your message stick
Clear messaging at the point of need – that’s what safety signs and labels must always provide, according to Jackie Hahn, market content specialist for Milwaukee-based Brady Corp. “If the identification isn’t easily visible within the area of the potential hazard, employees may not see it, which makes the sign or label useless,” Hahn said.
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Trends in ... plant safety

‘Keeping an injury-free facility’
Plant safety can mean a lot of different things: keeping a facility’s stairways slip-resistant and free of debris, or having audible warning systems for collision prevention. It can range from industrial vacuum cleaners to remove dust – reducing the potential for a dust explosion – to safety gates, safety signs and spill kits.
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