Why Must Fire Extinguishers Be Routinely Maintained

OSHA Mission

The mission of OSHA is to save lives, prevent injuries and protect the health of America's workers. The OSH Act states that workers have the right to a safe workplace and that it is the employer's responsibility to provide safe and healthy workplaces.

OSHA Standards

OSHA Standards are rules that describe the methods that employers must use to protect their employees from hazards. THese standards limit the amount of hazardous chemicals workers can be exposed to, require the use of certain safe practices and equipment, and require employers to monitor hazards and keep records of workplace injuries and illnesses.

OSHA Employer Responsibilities

Your employer must follow OSHA's standards. This means that your employer is responsible for providing you, the worker, with training required by OSHA standards a workplace free of recognized hazards, medical exams when required by OSHA standards, and access to your exposure and medical records. Additionally, your employer must keep records of illnesses and injuries, not discriminate against workers exercising their rights, post OSHA citations and abatement notices, and provide and pay for PPE.

OSHA Worker Responsibilities

You, the worker, must follow occupational safety and health standards and rules that apply to your workplace. You have the right to: a safe and healthful workplace, knowledge of hazardous conditions, information on any injuries or illnesses in your workplace, complain or request hazard correction from your employer, training as provided in the OSHA standards, hazard exposure and medical records, the ability to file a complaint with OSHA, participate in an OSHA inspection, and freedom from retaliation for exercising your safety and health rights.

OSHA Inspections

OSHA enforces standards through inspections, prioritizing the most dangerous workplaces. Inspections follow a standard process, consisting of an opening conference, a walkthrough, and a closing conference. Workers have the right to participate in the inspection to point out safety and health issues in the workplace. They also have the right to participate in any meetings related to the inspections and can object to the date set for the violation to be corrected and be notified if their employer files a contest.

OSHA Reports and Complaints

The first action to report a safety hazard should be to contact your team leader, supervisor, manager, safety committee, etc. You may file a report online, in person, by fax or mail, or after a phone conversation. Serious hazards almost always result in a site inspection, as do complaints that are written, signed, and submitted to the OSHA area or State Plan Office. Complaints that are submitted online, over the phone or are not serious hazards will be resolved over the phone. It is recommended that all forms be fully completed and signed.

OSHA Whistleblowing

It is illegal for your employer to use disciplinary, incentive, or drug testing programs to prevent you from reporting any job safety and health hazards. If you have been punished or discriminated against for using your rights, you must file a complaint with OSHA within 30 days of the alleged reprisal for most complaints.

OSHA Resources

There are many resources available to workers who want to find out more information about safety or health issues both inside and outside of their workplace. These include, but are not limited to: safety data sheets (SDSs), labels and warning signs, NIOSH, health care providers, and OSHA.

Slips, trips, and falls

Poor housekeeping creates additional slip and trip hazards. Employers are responsible for maintaining the work area, but you have a responsibility to follow your employer's guidelines. In some cases, the work area has some slip and trip hazards which cannot be removed, and workers must use the correct footwear and be aware of their surroundings in order to remain safe.

Employer Fall Protection

Your employer is responsible for providing working conditions which are free from fall dangers, including keeping floors and work areas in a clean and sanitary condition. Your employer is also required to provide PPE at no cost to you and to train you about the job hazards in a language you can understand.

Ladders

Employers must keep ladders in good condition for their workers to use and must also ensure that their workers use the ladders correctly.

Fixed Ladders

Fixed ladders are permanently attached to a structure, a building, or equipment. Your employer is required to have ladder safety or personal fall arrest systems for fixed ladders that extend more than 24 feet, and any worker ascending these ladders must be a qualified climber with additional training.

Portable Ladders

Just because ladders are found both at work and at home, doesn't mean they're safe. BE sure to use ladders safely by choosing the right ladder for the job, tying the top and bottom of the ladder to fixed points when necessary and keeping your hands free and always maintaining three points of contact with the ladder while climbing. Remember to never use the top of a step ladder as a step.

Wall Opening

A wall opening is an opening in a wall or partition that is at least 30 inches high and 18 inches wide and through which persons may fall.

Standard Railing

A standard railing consists of a top rail, a mid rail, and posts. The height from the upper surface of the top rail to the floor level is 42 inches. Mid Rail height is one-half as high as the top rail (21 inches).

Standard Toeboard

A standard toeboard blocks an opening along the base/floor of stairs or other walking or working surfaces where materials or body parts might otherwise inadvertently fall through. It should be 4 inches high, with not more than 1/4 inch clearance above the floor.

Guardrails

Guardrails prevent falls by acting as barriers along open sides of stairways, platforms, and other hazards involving floor or wall openings. Your employer is responsible for installing and maintaining any guardrails where you work. Any staircase extending more than 4 steps is required to have a handrail in order to allow you to maintain 3 points of contact while walking along the stairs. Stairs should not be used as a storage area, and you should never carry heavy items while using stairs.

Scaffolds

The main causes of deaths and injuries on scaffolds are falls, being struck by objects, electrocution, scaffold collapse, and bad planking.

EAPs

An EAP documents what should be done during different types of emergencies. Having a plan in place means that it's less likely injuries or damage will occur during an emergency. It also provides information on post-emergency plans and communication. Every employee should be trained on the plan and know their individual responsibilities.

Fire Prevention Plan

Having a fire prevention plan means that because advance planning has taken place, any emergencies should result in few injuries and damage. Fire prevention plans have required elements and they must exist in a written format which employees can be trained on. Understanding the risks and hazards associated with fires assists in preventing accidents occurring in the first place.

Evacuation

While many different types of emergencies require evacuation, the decision to evacuate is dependent on factors such as of the extent or location of the emergency or even the type of building in which it is occurring. Your employer should have a plan in place regarding the expected evacuation plans or fire fighting expectations and ensure that all employees are aware of both evacuation plans and what to do once the emergency has passed.

Shelter in Place

During a natural disaster, such as a tornado or during a man-made event, such as when chemical, biological, or radiological contaminants are released, sheltering-in-place is recommended. During such events, you should follow recommended safety precautions, such as sealing up vents, windows, and doors, seeking refuge in a windowless, interior room, keeping in communication, and monitoring the ongoing situation.

Evacuation Plans

In order to ensure safe and timely evacuation in an emergency situation, exit routes must follow strict criteria. Exit routes must be adequately signposted, exit to an outside area, be unlocked, be sufficiently large, as well as being sufficient for the number of people needing to exit during an emergency.

Class A

Ordinary combustible material fires (such as wood, cloth, paper)

Class B

Flammables/liquids, gases, greases

Class C

Electrical, energized electrical equipment

Class D

Combustible metals (such as magnesium, titanium, zirconium, NA2+ and K+)

Class K

Combustible cooking media/vegetable or animal oils and fats

Fires/Fire Extinguisher

Fires are classified into five different categories depending on what is burning. There are four types of fire extinguishers. The type of fire extinguisher used to fight a fire depends on the type of fire being fought. THere is a standard set of steps to be followed when using a fire extinguisher to fight a fire. Fire extinguishers must be routinely maintained if they are to remain effective.

BE SAFE

Burns
Electrocution

Shock
Arc Flash
Fire
Explosions

Electrocution Hazards

There are several types of electrical hazards, all of which can cause injury or death. For this reason, you need to be aware of the dangers involved with working around electricity.

Power Lines

In almost all cases, touching power lines or coming into contact with energized sources will result in severe injuries or death

Protecting workers from Electrical Hazards

OSHA's standards require your employer to ensure that lighting, equipment, motors, machines, appliances, switches, controls and enclosures are constructed and installed to minimize electrical dangers.

Protection from Electrical Hazards

There are several ways in which you can be protected from electrical hazards. These are using tools and power cords safely, understanding how a GFCI can protect you, and following lockout/tagout procedures.

Workplace Accidents

There are both direct and indirect costs for any workplace accident. Direct cost can sometimes be easier to detect, as they include fees and other bills which can be calculated in invoices. However, indirect costs, such as absenteeism, decreased productivity, and poor customer relations can have a financial impact on the workplace as well.

Safety and Health Program Benefits

Ultimately, the benefits of a safety and health program outweigh potential costs associated with developing and maintaining it. These benefits include preventing workplace injuries, illnesses and deaths as well as better morale, improved employee retention and improvements in service quality.

Core Elements of a Health and Safety Program

Of the core elements of successful safety and health programs, the ones which directly relate to individuals' roles are Management Leadership, Worker Participation, and Education and Training. Remember that it takes more than just workers or employers to help reduce the likelihood of workplace accidents: Every employee or employer must work together and be trained properly so that fewer injuries occur.

Multiemployer Sites

Successful safety and health programs identify, prevent or control and evaluate hazards and control methods. This involves regular inspections, incident investigations and reviews of control methods to determine whether they are effective. If a worksite includes more than one set of management and workers, safety ad health programs should include specific aspects to ensure that every worker and manager has access to the information, training, and controls they need to avoid workplace accidents.

Level A

Full-body protective clothing is gas-tight, chemical-resistant coveralls used with a supplied-air respirator of SCBA

Level B

Full-body protective clothing is chemical-resistant coveralls used with a supplied-air respirator or SCBA

Level C

Full-body protective clothing is normal work clothes or TYVEK coveralls used with an Air-purifying respirator

Level D

Normal Work clothes

Class G Hard Hat

Protect you from Falling Objects and Electrical Shocks up to 2,200 volts

Class E Hard Hat

Protect you from falling objects and electrical shocks up to 20,000 volts

Crane Slings

A sling is what is used to connect a load to a crane hook. There are three main types of slings: chain, wire, and rope and mesh. The type you select to carry a load, depends on the load precautions you can use to reduce hazards when working with slings. A competent person must inspect slings before and during use and damaged slings must never be used.

Elimination/Substitution

The most effective way of controlling a chemical hazard is to eliminate the use of the chemical completely by selecting an alternative safer chemical. OSHA has developed a step-by-step toolkit.

Engineering Controls

Engineering Controls requires a physical improvement to the workplace such as equipment to ventilate toxic fume, enclosing a work process space to confine exposure, or even automating a work process to eliminate chemical contact

Administrative Controls

You have most likely seen or experienced administrative controls in place at your work, which includes formal training, regular inspection of work processes and equipment, housekeeping rules, and standard rules to prohibit eating, drinking, smoking, chewing tobacco or gum and more. Your supervisor may also limit the amount of time you are working in a certain space.

PPE

When effective work practices and/or engineering controls are not feasible to achieve the permissible exposure limit, or while such controls are being instituted, and in emergencies, appropriate respiratory equipment must be used. In addition, gloves, safety goggles, helmets, safety shoes, and protective clothing may also be required. Your employer must select the appropriate PPE for the level of exposure.

Hierarchy of Engineering Controls

If you can eliminate chemical hazards from the work environment, that is the safest solution. If that can't be done, engineering controls can be used to protect you from exposure. Administrative controls, such as training, inspection, housekeeping and so on can be used to limit exposure. Where engineering and administrative controls are not possible or do not protect you completely, you should wear PPE to protect yourself from chemical exposure.

Noise Exposure

Noise exposure is produced by short-term or long-term exposure to loud noises from tools, equipment, and the heavy machinery. OSHA and NIOSH set an exposure limit below 85 dB. You cannot be exposed to this levels of noise for longer than an 8-house period

Extreme Temperature

You may be thinking there are plenty of outdoor working conditions where extreme temperature occurs, but many indoor environments such as a manufacturing facility or restaurant kitchen can also expose you to extreme temperatures. Exposure to extreme temperature means physical contact with hot or cold objects but also to humidity, wind speed, radiant heat or even temperatures brought on by you doing strenuous physical activity.

Impact or Vibration

Hand-held and stationary tools can transmit vibration to your body. CHainsaws, lawn mowers, hammers, tractors or heavy equipment and any large machinery can do more than just hurt your ears from noise.

Radiation

Radiation exposure is energy that travels through space such as the energy that is produced by power lines for example. Cell phones and cell phone towers also emit radiation. Some radiation you can easily be aware of such as being in a room with a black light, welding with a tool that creates a welding arc, the sun and lasers.