Personal protective equipment

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Do you work with wet cement, paints or plaster? Maybe adhesives? These are just some of the materials that can irritate your skin because they can contain harsh substances such as hexavalent chromium, calcium hydroxide, toluene, xylene, epoxy resins and lime.

Metallic mercury is a liquid at room temperature and can readily evaporate into the air. It’s also a potent neurotoxin that, in small amounts, can cause serious health problems, according to the California Department of Public Health.

The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety describes latex as a milky sap produced by certain plants, shrubs and trees, including the commercial rubber tree Havea braziliensis. This protein substance has been identified by researchers as a major source of latex allergies.

Is the noise at your workplace harming your hearing? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 22 million workers are exposed to hazardous noise on the job every year.

Toluene is a clear and colorless liquid that turns to vapor when exposed to air at room temperature. According to OSHA, it’s often used in a mixture with other solvents and chemicals, such as paint pigments, so employees who work with paint, metal cleaners and adhesives may be at risk for exposure.

Workers in a wide variety of jobs and industries wear high-visibility safety apparel to alert others of their presence, particularly in dark or dim places. Users include utility linemen, construction workers, police officers and school bus drivers, to name a few.

Job-related foot pain and injuries can vary from mild, such as a blister caused by a work boot, to severe, such as the amputation of toes after a crushing injury.

Well-fitting, appropriate footwear is critical to keeping workers comfortable while protecting them against on-the-job injuries. The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety offers information to help make the right selection.

Making sure respirators are in proper working order is critical to ensuring they perform as intended. The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety recommends following a number of steps when caring for your respirator.

Building scaffolding for work projects can present numerous serious hazards to employees. According to OSHA, injuries related to scaffolds include falls, tip-overs, being struck by falling equipment, and coming into contact with energized power lines.