Why do you need safety glasses??

YOU only have TWO eyes...

Always SECURE your ladder....

Load Securement

Nothing like having your load well secured...

LOL

Safe Food Handling

Preparing for a Weather Emergency

Severe weather events can mean power outages, floods, and other problems that can affect the safety of food. Knowing what to do before and after a weather event can help you reduce your risk of illness. By following these guidelines, you can also minimize the amount of food that may be lost due to spoilage.

Especially in storm - prone areas, power outages can be a common problem. Power outages can occur at any time of the year and it may take from a few hours to several days for electricity to be restored to residential areas. Without electricity or a cold source, food stored in refrigerators and freezers can become unsafe. Bacteria in food grow rapidly at temperatures between 40 and 140 °F, and if these foods are consumed, people can become very sick.

Steps to follow to prepare for a possible weather emergency

* Keep an appliance thermometer in the refrigerator and freezer. An appliance thermometer indicates the temperature in the refrigerator and freezer. In the case of a power outage, it can help determine the safety of the food.
* Make sure the freezer is at 0 °F or below and the refrigerator is at 40 °F or below.
* Freeze containers of water ahead of time for ice to help keep food cold in the freezer, refrigerator, or coolers after the power is out. Freeze gel packs for use in coolers.
* Freeze refrigerated items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately — this helps keep them at a safe temperature longer.
* Plan ahead and know where dry ice and block ice can be purchased.
* Have coolers on hand to keep refrigerated food cold if the power will be out for more than 4 hours.
* Group food together in the freezer - this helps the food stay cold longer.
* Store food on shelves that will be safely out of the way of contaminated water in case of flooding.


Steps to follow after the weather emergency

* Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature.
* The refrigerator will keep food safe for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) and the door remains closed.
* Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, soft cheeses, milk, eggs, leftovers, and deli items after 4 hours without power.
* Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40 °F or below when checked with a food thermometer.
* Never taste a food to determine its safety!
* Obtain dry or block ice to keep your refrigerator and freezer as cold as possible if the power is going to be out for a prolonged period of time. Fifty pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot full freezer for 2 days.
* If the power has been out for several days, check the temperature of the freezer with an appliance thermometer. If the appliance thermometer reads 40 °F or below, the food is safe to refreeze.
* If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. If the food still contains ice crystals, the food is safe.


If Flooding Occurs

* Drink only bottled water that has not come in contact with flood water. Discard any bottled water that may have come in contact with flood water.
* Discard any food that is not in a waterproof container if there is any chance it may have come in contact with flood water. Food containers that are not waterproof include those with screw-caps, snap lids, pull tops, and crimped caps.
* Discard wooden cutting boards, plastic utensils, baby bottle nipples, and pacifiers that may have come in contact with flood water.
* Undamaged, commercially prepared foods in all-metal cans and retort pouches (for example, flexible, shelf-stable juice or seafood pouches) can be saved. Follow the "Steps to Salvage All-Metal Cans and Retort Pouches" in the publication Keeping Food Safe During an Emergency at: www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/
keeping_food_ Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp
* Thoroughly wash all metal pans, ceramic dishes, and utensils that came in contact with flood water with hot soapy water. Sanitize by boiling them in clean water or by immersing them for 15 minutes in a solution of 1 tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of drinking water.


To Remove Odors from Refrigerators and Freezers
If food has spoiled in a refrigerator or freezer and odors from the food remain, they may be difficult to remove. The following procedures may help but may have to be repeated several times.

* Dispose of any spoiled or questionable food.
* Remove shelves, crispers, and ice trays. Wash them thoroughly with hot water and detergent. Then rinse with a sanitizing solution (1 tablespoon unscented, liquid chlorine bleach per gallon of water).
* Wash the interior of the refrigerator and freezer, including the door and gasket, with hot water and baking soda. Rinse with sanitizing solution as above.
* Leave the door open for about 15 minutes to allow free air circulation. For more information about removing odors, see www.fsis.usda.gov/PDF/Removing_Odors_from_ Refrigerators_and_Freezers.pdf (PDF Only)


When in Doubt, Throw it Out!

Head Protection

Assessing the Need for Personal Protective Equipment: A Guide for Employers Small Business Safety Management Series U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA 3151 1997 Head Protection When do my employees need head protection? You must provide head protection for your employees if: Objects might fall from above and strike them on the head; They might bump their heads against fixed objects, such as exposed pipes or beams; or They work near exposed electrical conductors. What should I look for in head protection? In general, protective helmets, or hard hats, should Resist penetration by objects, Absorb the shock of a blow, Be water resistant and slow burning, and Come with instructions explaining proper adjustment and replacement of the suspension and headband.
Hard hats require a hard outer shell and a shock-absorbing lining. The lining should incorporate a head band and straps that suspend the shell from 1 to 1 1/4 inches (2.54 cm to 3.18 cm) away from the user's head. This design provides shock absorption during impact and ventilation during wear. As with devices designed to protect eyes, the design, construction, testing, and use of protective helmets must meet standards established by ANSI. Protective helmets purchased after July 5, 1994, must comply with ANSI Z89.1-1986,(7) whereas, those purchased before this date must meet the ANSI Z89.1-1969 standard.
What types of head protection are available? Hard hats are divided into three industrial classes: Class A. These helmets are for general service. They provide good impact protection but limited voltage protection. They are used mainly in mining, building construction, shipbuilding, lumbering , and manufacturing. Class B. Choose Class B helmets if your employees are engaged in electrical work. They protect a gainst falling objects and high-voltage shock and burns. Class C. Designed for comfort, these light-weight helmets offer limited protection. They protect workers from bumping against fixed objects but do not protect against falling objects or electric shock. Look at the inside of any protective helmet you are considering for your employees, and you should see a label showing the manufacturer's name, the ANSI standard it meets, and its class. Figure 2 shows the basic design of hard hats.
How do I choose the correct protective helmets from among the different types? Each kind of protective helmet is designed to protect against specific hazards. By completing the hazard assessment outlined above, you will identify the specific workplace hazards that pose a threat to your employee's head. I have purchased new hard hats that meet the ANSI requirements. Have I fulfilled my responsibility to protect my employees' heads? No. Issuing appropriate head protection to employees is a major first step, but you must make sure that the hard hats continue to provide sufficient protection to your employees. Do this by training your employees in the proper use and maintenance of hard hats including daily inspection of them. If your employees identify any of the following defects, remove the hard hats from service: The suspension system shows signs of deterioration such as: Cracking Tearing Fraying The suspension system no longer holds the shell from 1 inch to 1 1/4 inches (2.54cm - 3.18cm) away from the employee's head. The brim or shell is cracked, perforated, or deformed. The brim or shell shows signs of exposure to heat, chemicals, ultraviolet light, or other radiation. Such signs include: Loss of surface gloss Chalking Flaking (a sign of advanced deterioration) Could employees wearing hard hats and working at elevations create a potential hazard for the employees working below? To protect employees working below, you must provide chin straps for the protective helmets worn by employees working at higher elevations, whether in an aerial lift or at the edge of a pit. The chin straps should be designed to prevent the hard hats from being bumped off the employees' heads. Can I require employees to cut their hair if it is long enough to get tangled in machinery? Long hair (longer than four inches) can be drawn into machine parts such as chains, belts, rotating devices, suction devices, and blowers. Hair may even be drawn into machines otherwise guarded with mesh. Although you need not require your employees to cut their hair, you must require them to cover and protect their hair with bandanas, hair nets, turbans, soft caps, or the like. These items, however, must not themselves present a hazard. Once I have selected helmets to protect my employees' heads, how do I make sure they use them properly? Train your employees to use the hard hats. Checklist D will help you instruct your employees to use and care for the head protection you provide. Click here. How do I make sure that the hard hats I provide will be kept in good condition? You must train your employees to maintain and care for the head protection. Your training communicates the importance of wearing head protection and taking proper care of it. Important information you will want to consider when training employees on how to care for their hard hats includes the following: Paints, paint thinners, and some cleaning agents can weaken the shell of the hard hat and may eliminate electrical resistance. Consult the helmet manufacturer for information on the effects of paint and cleaning materials on their hard hats. Keep in mind that paint and stickers can also hide signs of deterioration in the hard hat shell. Limit their use. Ultraviolet light and extreme heat, such as that generated by sunlight, can reduce the strength of the hard hats. Therefore, employees should not store or transport hard hats on the rear-window shelves of automobiles or otherwise in direct sunlight. Also, instruct employees to clean the protective helmets periodically by: Immersing for one minute in hot (approximately 140o F, or 60o C) water and detergent, Scrubbing, and Rinsing in clear hot water.