Monthly Archives: June 2013

Safety Signage

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Twitt

OSHA has set very specific guidelines for safety signs and tags. The basics for these guidelines can be found in Standard 1910.145. It is important to keep in mind, however, that these are just the basic guidelines and that interspersed within many other standards are additional requirements specific to those safety hazards. So when you review your safety signs, first check them against 1910.145, then against the specific standard relevant to that business specific operation or safety device.

Standard 1910.145 describes in detail the color, dimensions, and design requirements for most signs you will post throughout your facility. This standard was created so that anyone who sees the signs, especially in an emergency situation, will know what they mean. Standardizing signage allows anyone to understand the signage at any facility. It was also created to help guide business owners and safety teams in determining where to place signs and which signs are applicable in which situations. Danger signs, for instance, are used to denote immediate danger. Caution signs, on the other hand, are used to warn against potential hazards. It is still up to you and your staff to determine which hazards at your facility fall into which category.

It is also important to ensure that each sign is in the correct place. Having the right signs in the wrong places can not only be a severe threat to employees, but can also get you significant fines and citations from OSHA. If you are unsure of where to properly place your signs or if your signs are still up to code, it is important to have your facility audited to ensure compliance.

If you have any questions about specific signs, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about safety signage, please leave a comment.

Preventative Maintenance: A Simple Way to Save Money

Posted on by
Twitt

Preventative maintenance on machinery and equipment is an easy way to save some serious money on repair and replacement costs. It is also a fantastic way to ensure compliance with safety regulations, helping business owners avoid unnecessary fees from OSHA and from litigation brought on by employees.

In order to see the full benefits of preventative maintenance, it is important for a business owner to create a preventative maintenance plan and include it in the company Safety and Health Management System. This ensures that any individuals involved in the safety and welfare of your staff will be aware of the required maintenance procedures, and can help enforce said policies. It is also important to include regular, formal training for all employees so that they understand their role in the maintenance of machinery.

As for creating the plan, it is important to catalog each item in your facility, noting who uses it, how often, and for what purpose. Then, you need to learn the required maintenance for each item, including the frequency, based upon the current use. Finally, a schedule of maintenance must be created and placed onto a placard which can be left at the machine and updated daily to validate that the scheduled maintenance is complete.

With these easy steps, any business can run more efficiently and save business owners a substantial sum of money in repair, replacement, and work place injury costs. If you have any questions about how a formal preventative maintenance plan could help your business, please contact me. And please feel free to leave a comment if you have anything to add.