Seat Belts Save Lives

 

Sobering statistics from Vision Zero ND, a North Dakota state initiative to promote traffic safety, show that we've got a long ways to go with seat belt use.

Here's just a few of their numbers:

69% of North Dakota motor vehicle fatalities in 2022 were not wearing a seat belt.

Back in 2019, there were enough fatalities due to not wearing seat belts that every 11 days one unbelted vehicle occupant died in the state of North Dakota.

Over the ten year period of 2010-2019, seat belt use in North Dakota was consistently lower than the national rate.

Remember that your seat belt use doesn't just affect you -- if things go really wrong, it can affect your family, friends, and everyone you associate with.

This heartbreaking story of the Nelson family attests to this reality. Buckle up for the ones you love.

It's all in your head: Hard hats vs. Safety helmets

Back in December, OSHA announced they were switching from hard hats to safety helmets for their own compliance officers to better protect them from hazards on the job. They also released a publication detailing the differences between the two and why employers might want to consider making the switch too (spoiler alert: they did not mandate the switch, but they did make some good arguments that direction).

Hard hats have been the 'meat and potatoes' of workplace PPE for many years, and for some it might be hard to consider a change. But here's some solid points that might make you consider safety helmets instead.

1. Chin straps.

For working at heights or with potentially awkward positioning, chin straps can help ensure the safety helmet stays on and doesn't become a falling projectile and hazard for someone below.

2. Vents

Safety helmets can incorporate vents that allows heat to dissipate inside the helmet, allowing them to cool easier.

3. Integration of accessories such as hearing protection, eye protection, or communication systems

While there are a few systems now that can be used with hard hats as well, integration is currently more advanced for safety helmets.

Whatever your company decides for head protection, make sure you're evaluating the risks and choosing the head protection that most appropriately addresses those risks.

From the publication mentioned above, OSHA outlines the following categories of head protection (this applies to both hard hats and safety helmets):

"Two Types (impact) and three Classes (electrical) of head protection are recognized.

Type I head protection offers protection from blows to the top of the head.

Type II head protection offers protection from blows to the top and sides of the head.

Class G (General) head protection is designed to reduce exposure to low voltage conductors and are proof tested at 2,200 volts (phase to ground).

Class E (Electrical) head protection is designed to reduce exposure to higher voltage conductors and are proof tested at 20,000 volts (phase to ground).

Class C (Conductive) head protection is not intended to provide protection against contact with electrical hazards."

 

If you have any questions about which head protection is most appropriate for your employees, feel free to reach out to TT&S.

 

Inspect the Uninspected: Fall Protection Basics

This week is National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, which is a perfect opportunity to remind all our member company employees about the basics of fall protection.

 

This one is easy to remember. You don't need to be working up very high to need fall protection. In 2018 the Center for Construction Research found that 11.7% of fatalities from falls were from heights between 6 and 10 feet. Another 19.7% of fatalities occurred from falls between 11 and 15 feet high. That's not even taking into account serious injuries, which could impact you for the rest of your life.

(If you're working under "general industry" rather than "construction," you'll need fall protection at only four feet or higher, so keep that in mind as well!)

 

 

Fall protection systems have three components, which must all be in good condition for the system to work. You can have the best-rated harness and lanyard in the world, but if you clip off onto a corroded, flimsy anchor.... you're not in fall protection anymore. Make sure all components are available and in good condition before proceeding with work at heights.

If you've never inspected your harness or lanyard, here's a great tutorial to get you started:

 

This one goes out to supervisors as well as employees. If a task involves working at heights, it's important to plan the task from start to finish before anyone takes the first step off the ground. Anyone working at heights also needs to be trained to do so before they don a harness for the first time.

As always, please feel free to reach out to TT&S for any fall protection training needs or questions. We'd be happy to help.