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Ventilation is one of the central pillars of confined space safety. Fumes, vapors, and volatile organic compounds accumulate and create an atmosphere that is not conducive to breathing. And I think we can all agree that breathing is a central pillar of living. OSHA calls ventilation one of the most important engineering controls available to maintain a safe work environment. We agree. And we've got a number of smart ways to accomplish replacing the atmosphere of your toxic environme …

PETZL Professional safety gear is constantly in high demand. As a result, their equipment rarely goes on sale. For a limited time, save 25% on Petzl products from August 26th through September 8th only at PK Safety. Sale prices are reflected on PKSafety.com and don't require a discount code. All around the world, energy and network towers exist need servicing by tower climbers. Some types of projects these climbers work on include antenna installation, changing light bulbs and routine i …

Every year, approximately 30 million people in the United States are occupationally exposed to hazardous levels of noise according to OSHA. Since 2004, the Bureau of Labour Statistics has reported nearly 125,000 workers have suffered significant, permanent hearing loss. Surgery and hearing aids can only help with hearing loss, not correct it. OSHA's permissible exposure limit (PEL) is 90 dBA for all workers for an 8 hour day. For each additional 5 dBA, the exposure time is cut in half. NIOS …

Contact with objects" incidents are the 3rd highest cause of death in the workplace. When it comes to a defense against falling tools, people often rely on hard hats, tool nets, and toe boards. In the last annual Bureau of Labor Statistics report, 52,260 workers were struck by falling objects. That's just the incidents that were reported to OSHA, the real number is likely much higher. Since the year 2000, Python Safety has been addressing the need for protection against falling objects. …

We wanted to take a few minutes to talk about our Confined Space Entry Contractor’s Kit. This is perfect for folks doing occasional confined space work who don’t want to make a big investment in equipment. The Kit meets all relevant OSHA standards but won’t break the bank. It comes with a BW MAX XT II 4-Gas Monitor. It’s one of our best sellers for confined space entry. The MAX XT has an internal pump and a hose attachment that allows you to pull air samples from the space you’re abou …

Wristlets are deployed when there is no other way to get a rescuer or victim out of a confined space. Most often this is because the entry is too narrow or restricted to allow retrieval with a regular harness and a D-ring attachment. Wristlets must be used carefully because they can put so much strain on a persons joints and muscles. This can be painful and may cause injury, but in an emergency they can be an excellent rescue tool. Wrist straps are also used for horizontal extr …

Protecting your hands is critical when performing confined space work. But what is the best way to keep them from harm? Is there a possibility of contamination or chemical exposure as well as sharp edges? Do your safety gloves allow you to perform rope access work? Unfortunately, there is no one type of glove that covers every situation. You will need to understand what hazards your confined space offers before you can know how best to protect your hands. We've put together a few gui …

For safe entry of a permit-required confined space (PRCS), OSHA designates roles for key persons involved in the procedure.  Workers trained in these responsibilities are the only ones who should be involved in these potentially hazardous tasks. Workers' roles vary depending on the amount of training and experience they have working in confined spaces.  The first role we will discuss is that of the Attendant.  The duties described in OSHA standard 1910.146 require an Attendan …

The simple definition of a confined space is an area that is large enough for a worker to enter and work, but that is tough to get in and out of and isn’t designed for regular occupancy. With a definition like that, there are so many spaces that would qualify - under the sink, an attic crawl space, the shed that houses an air compressor. While all of them qualify as a confined space, not all of them will be classified as a permit-required confined space (PRCS). OSHA has copious files re …

What is a confined space permit? A confined space permit is a piece of paper that documents and acknowledges work and safety procedures when entering permit-required confined spaces. Our definition of Confined spaces are large enough for a person to enter, but have restricted means of exit. This might be a tank, a tunnel, a sewer or some other industrial space. There is usually only one restrictive (smaller than a doorway) way in or out, and it is not designed for continuous occupancy. Lack o …