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Allegro has added a new line of affordable Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) systems for welders and other industrial workers who need both eye and face protection as well as a quality respirator. The EZ Air Powered Air Purifying Respirator (PAPR) series provides outstanding protection from welding and other fumes and vapors without the need for fit testing. You, professional welders, need protection from dust, steel, manganese, stainless steel, chromium, galvanized steel, cadmium …

We get so many questions these days about how best to protect families from Ebola. We all know even basic protective clothing is in short supply because of the worldwide reaction to this frightening disease. But let's not give up all hope just yet. If you are worried about protection from infectious diseases - this is code these days for Ebola - there are simple ways to protect yourself and your loved ones from brief contact with an infected person. While sustained contact with an Ebola …

Hooray hooray it’s respirator day! There are so many to thank, air borne pathogens, asbestos and lead, don’t forget those sneaky little unseen particulates, and especially the CDC for all their hard work in making this happen. Without them, well, the N95 face mask would be just another underutilized tool in the fight to keep people safe and healthy. I’m sure that if Superman ever needed a mask (not for breathing or even a disguise, mind you. Those glasses and hairstyle are clearly a genius …

EARTHQUAKE! “A well my hands are shaky and my knees are weak I can't seem to stand on my own two feet Who do you thank when you have such luck? Oh San Andreas, I'm all shook up yeah, yeah, yeah” All Shook Up – 1957 written by Otis Blackwell, Elvis Presley. (Cleverly modified 8/2014) In the breaking dawn of August 17 th, 2014, a 6.0 earthquake struck Northern California. Major structural and property damage, as well as more than 120 people, were injured. This was the l …

In order to get out of your protective clothing without subjecting yourself to the materials you've been so careful to avoid, field decontamination procedures should be followed carefully. This process does not make the garment safe for re-use. Rather it is a way to extricate yourself from the clothing that has protected you before it is discarded. DuPont's protective Tychem garments, like their more common Tyvek hazmat coveralls are designed for limited-use applications. Even the he …

Fear of Ebola is spreading much faster than the actual virus. We've been inundated with questions over the past week about protective clothing. And since the internet is filled with the opinions of Preppers and armchair physicians weighing in on the decision to transport American aid workers infected with Ebola to an Atlanta hospital, we decided we'd weigh in with our more informed recommendations for protective equipment along with information we've gleaned from our discussions with DuPon …

The bubbling crude needs more to get it out of the ground than a shotgun these days. (If you don't get this reference, you obviously didn't watch The Beverly Hillbillies as a kid.) Heavy equipment and worker injuries seem to go hand in hand (pardon the pun). Hand injuries make up nearly 50% of incidents in the oil & gas industry. More than any other body part, injured hands and fingers create loss from worker's compensation claims, work days lost, and related costs. So how do you keep t …

Recently a construction company contacted us to ask about using a Miller Beam Anchor. They knew the anchor had the ability to provide anchorage for fall protection when used in a horizontal application. The 8816-14 from Miller is a typical beam anchor designed to provide an overhead attachment point on an I-beam or an H-beam. What they wanted to know was could they use the same product in on a vertical beam? I'll keep the suspense to a minimum. Yes. Turns out Miller is perfectly happ …

The need to be seen is especially important for workers who spend their days around moving traffic. Garbage collectors, utility workers, school crossing guards, and airport baggage handlers all fall into this category. These folks have specific safety precautions they are required to take under ANSI/ISEA 107-2004 which is the authoritative government tome on reflective and high-visibility clothing. But there are more options when meeting those standards than you might think. This series of …

ANSI Z359.1 was published in 1992 and approved a scant 15 years later. Slowly grind the wheels of progress. And ANSI Z359 is progress in terms of worker safety, even if it is going to cost more money in the short run. Greater regulation of worker safety almost inevitably means increased administrative work and expense for employers, compliance provides improved safety for workers and increased protection against litigation. Certainly these are both worthy goals, whether you're working in the …