Important Confined Space Entry Statistics

Important Confined Space Entry Statistics

Confined Space Statistics

According to the NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health), about 2.1 million workers enter permit-required confined spaces annually and about 60% of the confined space deaths are unauthorized rescuers. 29% of the unauthorized rescuers were supervisors.

Lack of Proper Equipment/Preparation

Training for safe confined space entry is lacking for many companies. Often times, a third party contractor is brought in to provide a safety seminar or short training. This is simply not an adequate amount of training to properly prepare workers for rescue procedures and confined space entry.

Confined space deaths are the leading causes of multiple-fatalities in the workplace. The reason for this is typically a lack of information about the confined space, and then when things go wrong, the would-be rescuers are woefully unprepared for the rescue. Not only is their equipment either lacking or ill-maintained, but there is typically little training in the way of rescue procedures and safely using such equipment. One of the most important aspects of preparation is having a set contingency plan should something go wrong. Time is of the essence in these situations and in many situations, the person in need of rescue is temporarily immobilized or unconscious.

Most Common Causes of Death in Confined Spaces

One of the most common and dangerous confined space hazards is a toxic atmosphere. A toxic atmosphere is any area in which there is a significant danger to the person entering without protective gear of supplemental clean air. These airborn hazards can cause confusion and loss of consciousness. One example is loss of consciousness due to lack of oxygen—which is a hazard that is not immediately obvious, thus more dangerous. This could be avoided by being able to quickly access permit data online.

A toxic atmosphere typically refers to poisonous gasses or hazardous substances that have been left behind or have made their way there through seepage. A particularly dangerous atmosphere is one that has been enriched with oxygen, thus making the atmosphere highly flammable should any combustible objects or substances be lying around. Of all of the atmosphere related deaths, the vast majority of them were attributed to hydrogen sulfide or carbon monoxide poisoning.

Lastly, a simple but overlooked hazard is merely heat. If the space is not well ventilated and temperatures are exceedingly high then the loss of consciousness by fainting or heat-stroke can occur, especially when you consider how most gear is not particularly good at regulating temperatures.

Safety Sense Management System

Statistics such as these deeply influenced the creation and maintenance of our product, the Safety Sense Management System. With Safety Sense, workers can quickly gain access to permit-required confined space information. Information such as what type of atmosphere is present in the space, if there are any hazards and what hazards are present. Arming yourself with information is key to preventing any workplace injury or fatalities. For example, knowing a permit-required confined space has no ventilation and high temperatures will allow workers to plan their trips better. What gear to take, how long they are allowed to stay there before exiting as well as establish a rescue protocol or contingency plan in case things go wrong.

Even more importantly, Safety Sense will aid you in being OSHA compliant and filling out all the necessary paperwork electronically. Not only will this tool make information dissemination among your team faster and safer, but it also can help save the lives of other crews who can access this information online should you find any new developments in a confined space.

For more information on Safety Sense, submit a form on our contact page or give us a call at (888)-610-7767!

What is a Confined Space Entry Program?

What is a Confined Space Entry Program?

A confined space entry program (CSEP) is a program that is intended to control a confined space by moderating employee entrance into these spaces which require a permit. This is necessary not only to remain compliant with OSHA but also to protect employees on a day to day basis. There are a couple of components to a proper confined space entry program, let’s take a look at them.

What Does an Entry Supervisor Do?

Every confined space entry program requires an entry supervisor to function properly. The entry supervisor is the person who must decide is the present entry conditions are acceptable enough for an employee to go inside. Because the entry supervisor is ultimately judging whether a confined space is safe or not, it stands to reason that this employee must be well versed in the basics of confined spaces. They must have a good grasp on the general requirements of what constitutes a confined space, the permit system as well as what permit vs non-permit requires spaces are and much more. It is a position with a lot of responsibility, therefore this individual must be highly experienced and diligent with checking available permit data for any confined spaces in the work area. If proper safety conditions are not met, the entry supervisor has the power to terminate access to the space.

What is a Confined Space Attendant?

The entry supervisor has a lot to consider and macro-manage in regards to looking over permits and determining what hazards a space may present. They have to look at the big picture for a space and what challenges are present for employees as well as how work may be impeded. This person may have to overlook several spaces at a work site and so for each individual confined space, a confined space attendant becomes necessary to take some of the monitoring duties from the supervisor.

While the supervisor CAN and sometimes will perform these duties; the attendant takes on the responsibilities of the supervisor and is tasked with monitoring entry into spaces. It is their duty to relay any information from the entry supervisor to the entrants. Attendants serve a critical function to the team for these reasons, they come into contact with the entrants the most and also are in communications with the entry supervisor. So their function is the glue which keeps the team together. Should any accidents or injuries occur on site in a space, it is their job to call in rescue personnel.

The Confined Space Entrant

The last and arguably most important part of the CSEP is the entrants themselves! Without these daring individuals, the work would not get done. Before entering a permit-required confined space, the entrant must gain authorization from the attendant or directly from the supervisor. As per OSHA Confined Space standards, the entrant must understand the hazards associated with entry as well as any hazards particular to that space. They must be well versed in the usage of any equipment required for entry. The most important ability an attendant must have is knowing the proper procedures and manner by which they should communicate with the attendant. All confined space entrants should understand or have some idea by which they can exit the space should contact be cut off and they are on their own. While rescue personnel can be called in, having a self-rescue contingency is important as well.

Safety Sense Management System

Safety Sense management system

Each of these valuable team members has many more duties than what we’ve discussed. There are numerous safety regulations that must be complied with to maintain the safest work protocols as possible. In order to assist in that aim, we created the SafetySense Management System. SafetySense is a cloud-based software that can deliver lightning quick access to permit data and any related information regarding a confined space. It also provides additional tracking data such as building information, descriptions and even photos of the spaces if they are available. With our software, your CSEP will be a lot quicker and safer in dealing with confined spaces on the work site.

Our tool is fully OSHA compliant and your entry attendant will be able to complete the attendant worksheet electronically to save time but also download/upload any documents necessary for the confined space entry procedure. To learn more about this life saving tool, visit our contact page here.

Most Common Construction Site OSHA Violations

Most Common Construction Site OSHA Violations

According to OSHA, out of the 4674 worker fatalities in 2017, 20.7% of them were in construction and 166 of them are due to improper confined space entry. That works out to about 1 in 5 deaths being in construction. Construction is one of the most dangerous jobs ordinary Americans can work, but it does not have to be. With proper compliance with OSHA standards, hundreds of lives could be saved every year. OSHA states that eliminating the top four most common violations in construction would save an estimated 582 lives per year. It does not help that OSHA health inspections in construction were only 1/3 of what they had performed in other industries. By the CPWR’s (Center For Construction Research and Training) findings, the inspections only accounted for less than seven percent of total inspections.

Here are the most common OSHA workplace violations in construction

Fall Protection

Falls, they account for nearly 40% of all total deaths in construction. Fall-related deaths are increasing in 2019. The CPWR cites in its main findings that the post-recession boom of construction jobs is outpacing the current implemented plans on information dissemination regarding safety. Smaller companies that are cropping up are failing to comply to OSHA standards or making simple mistakes that result in fall-related deaths due to negligence. Such mistakes are simple safety errors regarding equipment or objects in the environment. Here are a few tips to avoid falls at work:

  1. Wear a harness and make you are fastened properly.
  2. Take advantage of any guard rails or equipped lifelines—they are there to help stabilize you.
  3. Any equipment you are using to mitigate fall damage should be inspected upon use.
  4. Lastly, do not ignore any openings or obstructions on the path. Take the time to cover these or clear them out instead of cutting corners (literally) to save time by working around them.

Construction workers erect the buildings we see day to day, it is only natural that falling is the most common cause of workplace injury or fatality. If a majority of workplace deaths are fall deaths, then it stands to reason that scaffolding safety is perhaps the first and most obvious place to enact safety protocols.

Scaffolding

When dealing with scaffolding, first ensure that all scaffolds are fully planked and do not have gaps or awkward portions jutting out which could potentially trip workers. You trust your life to scaffolds, so be sure to inspect them before use every single time. Scaffolds are not storage areas, do not overload scaffolding with materials that could cause splintering or fracturing which could create uneven terrain.

Ladders

You would think something as one dimensional as a ladder would not be the cause of so many violations, but it is perhaps the simplicity and the sheer utility of the ladder which lends itself to that. Ladders are used in simple actions where you need that bit of extra reach. In many instances where something quick and minor needs to be done, many workers will forego the diligence to grab the right ladder for the job and instead will utilize a ladder that is not the appropriate size for the job. In many instances, workers will use a shorter ladder than what they require and will mistakenly believe that simply having someone brace the bottom will be satisfactory for safety. This could not be far from the truth, as the person on the ladder will be stepped up too high or standing on top of the ladder itself causing a fall due to loss of balance.

Eye, Face, and Head Protection

Protective headgear is incredibly important no matter where you are. It is even more important if you are entering a permit-required confined space, where unsuspecting workers may be entering a low oxygen atmosphere and become dizzy or lightheaded—even pass out and sustain fall damage in that manner.

SafetySense Management System

The SafetySense Management System is an easy to use cloud-based application that allows workers and supervisors to have access to work permit information without compromising security. The software will also allow you to view tracking data that contains any building information or photos of confined spaces. SafetySense Is used primarily to view and track changes to work permits and their related confined spaces. Being able to quickly find and assess this data is critical for workplace safety and safeguarding the lives of your workers. Visit our contact page or call us at 888-610-7767 to get your own cloud-based workplace safety solution.

Health and Safety Management System

Health and Safety Management System

Creating a safe place to work should be the #1 goal of any employer, manager, project manager, or supervisor. Above everything else – including job completion – the safety of your fellow workers should trump all other aspects of the project. Plus, workers will work harder and smarter, knowing that the company that they work for actually cares; an unsafe work environment not only endangers your workers, it sets you up for liability, employee discontent, and a lack of peace-of-mind.

For an effective health and safety management system to be implemented, there are a couple of things to think about when planning new policies. In this article we’ll take a look at some of the key aspects of an effective safety protocol.

Implementing a Safety Plan

Deciding to use a safety management system shows that health and safety are at the core of your business’ principles. Developing and utilizing proper safety protocols, while having a safety management system in place, will make reporting, planning, and implementing work permits and other procedures a breeze. To ensure that everything goes according to plan and that no one gets hurt, you must make sure that workers are always supervised, appropriately trained, and always comply with the instructions and procedures that are set in place.

  1. What is Your Safety Plan?

Are you properly displaying and checking confined work space permits? Are your safety data sheets easy to access to inspectors and employees alike? Do you have a record of all trained and untrained employees in a particular skillset? Knowing is half of the battle.

  1. Safety Procedures

All employees should be properly briefed on all procedures and policies regarding safety within your company. On-boarding training and continued training should not be taken lightly; in many of the industries we work with, a few mistakes can have potentially lethal consequences. Your training and safety procedures should be thoroughly explained to each new employee, with an emphasis on re-training. Training can include the procedures for the company itself, the procedures for the location your employees are operating in, and the rules for the individual site. While extensive training is necessary for each and every employee, make sure that the level of training corresponds with the level of danger each individual employee faces.

  1. Monitor the Worksite

Project managers and supervisors should be adept at spotting potential safety hazards, such as hazardous atmospheric conditions, chemical spills, and unattended machinery. This is why there are so many regulations and procedures, such as lock-out/tag-out and confined space permitting. Due to previous incidents throughout the history of construction and manufacturing, these procedures are implemented for a reason. The safe monitoring of employees is an essential job function of any manager or supervisor.

  1. Report In

Everyone should be held accountable, at all levels. Managers should take each and every infraction as a learning employee. Managers should let current employees know what they look for when identifying a hazard, and how control measures are implemented. Employees should also know how the risk level of each hazard is identified and assessed. The more that everyone knows about proper preventative action, the better.

factory at night lit up

Safety Sense Management System

Our cloud-based safety management system allows for the management and proper storage of pertinent safety information and data. Safety Sense Management system is used for:

  • Work related permits, such as confined space and hot-work
  • Confined space entry pre-plans and rescue procedures
  • Safety data sheets (SDS)
  • Automated training expiration emails
  • Work place hazards, such as slips, trips, falls, and atmospheric hazards
  • Roles-based training records
  • Atmospheric monitoring data repository / data retention
  • The ability to store terminated permits on the secure cloud database

We support a multitude of industries that utilize the above items. A few of these industries include construction, manufacturing, insurance, oil and gas, emergency response, government and municipalities, rail, healthcare, and terminal/bulk facilities.

Work permit data has never been easier to access than with the SafetySense Management System. We simplify your permitting and training paperwork by going digital. We leverage technology to maintain an up-to-date list of employees, training records, data repositories, and safety procedures.

To find out what our safety management system can do for you, call us at (888) 610-7767 or visit our contact page today.

Confined Space Safety Tips

Confined Space Safety Tips

Confined spaces can be one of the most dangerous places to be in a work environment. Confined spaces are not designed for continuous human occupancy due to the nature of their function and chemicals often used in the area. While most confined spaces are large enough for individual workers to enter and perform certain job functions, restricted means of entry and movement pose numerous safety problems to un-trained individuals.

Examples of a Confined Space

A few examples of confined spaces can include pipelines, duct work, equipment housings, access shafts, tunnels, pipes, storage bins, tanks, sewers, chimneys, fuel tanks, vessels, manure pits, vats, silos, hoppers, aircraft wings, truck and rail tank cars, and chemical plants. Due to the work being done, atmospheric hazards may be present due to the locations, contents, or construction means or materials. Continuous human occupancy is not what confined spaces are designed for; rather, regular maintenance is required but should be exercised with extreme caution. Workers can sustain serious physical and chemical injury or even death if proper precautions are not taken.

Working in a Confined Space

confined space safety tipsAvoiding all injury and possible negative outcomes should be the goal of every team and project manager that works near a confined space. All steps during this safety process should be taken with equal importance; this includes permitting, designating the confined space, atmospheric monitoring, proper safety equipment, and more. Here are a few tips for any worker that is entering a confined space:

• Maintain contact with the worker inside the confined space at all times. The worker inside the confined space should have access to immediate contact with another member of the team whenever they are performing work in the space.
• Check for atmospheric contaminants and other hazardous elements in the environment. This can include toxic gases, chemicals, and unsafe levels of dust and air contaminants. All necessary checks should be completed before anyone enters the confined space. Many toxic gases cannot be detected via smell, which is why it is important to get the proper instrumentation required to measure levels of dangerous gases.
• Make sure that the environment has proper ventilation or forced ventilation. Displacing gases and contaminants in a confined environment is an essential piece of the puzzle, so equipment like ventilation systems may be necessary.
• Personal protective equipment – which can include HAZMAT suits, protective gear, fire pants, air filters, Kevlar gloves, etc. – is highly dependent on the given situation; figure out what possible hazards may be present, then plan accordingly.
• Make sure there is a proper rescue protocol in place. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst; the right equipment and personnel are necessary in the event of an emergency situation, so your team should always be prepared for a rescue situation.
• Proper lighting in a confined space is essential, as almost all confined spaces will lack natural light. The person operating in the confined space should be able to do their job comfortably without fear of bodily injury or harm due to a lack of visibility.
• Use a management service such as Safety Sense, that allows for the storage of work place hazard information, work-related permits such as confined spaces, and confined space entry pre-plans and rescue procedures.

Mobile Work Permit Data

Mobile Work Permit Data

At SafetySense, we understand the importance of easy access to work permit data at any time of the day, no matter where you are. Our management system is an easy-to-use, cloud-based application that is user friendly; our system allows our users to access work permit data, SDS sheets, and more without compromising data integrity or safety.

Access SDS Sheets Online

We handle all types of data: SDS, lockout/tagout, permit issuance, archiving work, hot work, CS, LOTO, trips and falls, training records management, and atmospheric work hazards are just a few of the forms that can be accessible using our software.

We simplify the permitting process and provide a consistent and organized source of data for you and your team. Based on your input, our Management System allows easy access to employee information, users with current confined space training, entry work permits, and more.

MSDS Database and OSHA Safety Data Sheets

Access MSDS database and OSHA with ease. SafetySense was developed by safety professionals that have years of experience in various manual labor sectors. Our team includes firefighters, manufacturing professionals, certified safety professionals, and many, many other professionals from a wide range of industries. Don’t fall behind on your permits or documentation as it relates to a permit required confined space.

work permit and data

Three of the most common issues we find with companies and their records are:

  • Printed permits have options that are not needed and have a box for every hazard available. This can create an air of ambiguity, which can pose a safety hazard for yourself and your staff.
  • Drawers and filing cabinets belong in the 1990’s. Rarely used or updated, thousands of documents create confusion and take up an unnecessary amount of space. You won’t have to worry about illegible writing, transcription errors, or other nuisances that come with paper documentation.
  • Many companies report having difficulties tracking revisions or changes to permit work history as it relates to confined spaces and hot work.

Hot Work Permit Online

If you need to access hot work permits online and are done with paper documentation, SafetySense is your go-to for an internet and cloud-based data solution. We support various industries such as commercial construction, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, public utilities, airports, hospitals, power generation, government entities, and more.

You don’t ever have to feel the fear of improper documentation or permitting again. Easily accessible and state-of-the-art, SafetySense assures you that you that each worker is authorized to work in confined spaces and is currently up to date on their training and safety regulations. Our software allows you to create workplace hazard analysis, safety data sheets, roles based training records, atmospheric monitoring data repository, pre-plans, and work permits with ease. You’ll feel confident knowing that no minor detail is overlooked. Please contact us at (888) 610-7767 if you have any questions regarding our service.

Common Safety Hazards in the Workplace

Common Safety Hazards in the Workplace

In the modern workplace, there are many hazards that workers are exposed to on a daily basis. This is why following safety protocols are vitally important to the success and safety of your business. Knowing the most common hazards and educating your employees can help protect them from a bad day on the job.

Electrical Hazards

When performing hot work, your workers will often be exposed to high currents and electricity. Make sure that all exposed wires and cable are out of reach, labeled, and protected. There should not be open wires with current if it is not necessary. Eliminating the risk of electrocution is a mandatory step in any safety protocol. Never overload an outlet, only use approved equipment, do not use electrical equipment or appliances near water or wet surfaces, and inspect cords and equipment regularly. You should also not run electrical cords through public/pedestrian areas unless there is proper signage. The last thing you want is a slip-and-fall lawsuit due to improper precautionary measures.

Chemical Hazards

When using dangerous solutions or chemicals, there are a few measures that employees need to take. If working with a chemical that has hazardous fumes, proper air flow and ventilation should be a priority. A standard operating procedure (SOP) should address the safe use and handling, proper disposal, and proper equipment required to perform a work function safely. SDS sheets for chemicals are also extremely important. Everything in a chemical storeroom should be properly secured and labeled to prevent spills and confusion.

Fire

With any type of hot-work or electrical work, your employees should be trained on the protocol in the event that a fire breaks out. Knowing what to do in case of a fire can be the difference between life and death. Evacuation plans, prevention, and the location of fire extinguishers should be well-known information among all of your employees.
grinder and powertools

Confined Spaces

Lock out and tag out procedures are incredibly important and can save lives. Assessing a confined space and determining the proper safety protocol is necessary. Many of these spaces are not designed for prolonged periods of human interaction and can include vaults, pits, manholes, tunnels, equipment housings, ductwork, pipelines, tanks, and vessels. A confined space, as defined by OSHA, can include: contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere; contains material that has the potential to engulf an entrant; has walls that converge inward or floors that slope downward and taper into a smaller area which could trap or asphyxiate an entrant; or contains any other recognized safety or health hazard, such as unguarded machinery, exposed live wires, or heat stress.

Work Permit Data Solution

The SafetySense Management System is a user friendly, secure, easy-to-use cloud-based application which allows for the client and their contractors to have access to work permit data without compromising data integrity. Let SafetySense Management work for you in handling the job of training records management, data repository for: Lockout/Tagout, SDS, Rescue Pre-plans, Permit Issuance / Archiving Work related permits (CS, hot-work, LOTO), Work place hazards (atmospheric, trips & falls), Atmospheric monitoring data repository and much, much more.

Construction Safety Tips

Construction Safety Tips

Construction sites can be a very dangerous place for anyone to be. Taking care of your workers, establishing proper safety protocols, and educating everyone on the possible dangers they may face while on the job is something that every responsible employer should do to ensure the safety of their workers. To keep the workplace a safe environment, follow these tips to make sure everyone gets home safe.

  1. Be Wary of Crowded Work Areas

For jobs that require large machinery, many work areas become crowded with workers watching the operation. This can include large trucks and machinery such as cranes and tankers. People on the work site often gather to watch; however, there is no reason to crowd around a work area and increase unnecessary exposure to serious injury.

Workers on the ground should remain far from large machinery when in operation, especially when the equipment is dangerous. Steel mills are a prime example: make sure no one is ever underneath one while in operation. The operator is not responsible for people crowding around a proposed work site! A manager should always prevent a crowd from gathering.

  1. Ladders, Stairs, and High Places

If your workplace has workers that frequently climb stairs, attend high places, or climb ladders, you need to make sure to take proper precautions. Check for worn, weak, loose, damaged, and otherwise broken spots, equipment, and stairs. Avoid these areas and inform a higher-up or foreman immediately if you see one of these spots. Ladders and stairs should always be kept dry, uncluttered, and clean and metal ladders should never be used in wet or rainy conditions.

As a rule of thumb, if you want to reach a high area, make sure the ladder you are using is at least 3 to 4 feet higher to allow yourself or a worker room to maneuver. Safety features like guardrails, toe boards, control line systems, and warning lines are also necessary precautions. Never try to overreach on a ladder or show off; it only takes one small mistake to result in a workplace injury.

  1. Equipment Loading and Unloading

When unloading or unloading equipment, there is always a possibility for human error. Make sure the loading ramps are on-center and balanced and straight and cleared. In case of an emergency or equipment rolling back on the ramp, make sure you have ample room to escape in the case of a mishap. A spotter should always be used when operating machinery like a forklift or when loading equipment into a truck.

  1. Personal Protective Equipment

PPE can include safety goggles, steel gloves and steel-toed shoes, fire pants, and other safety accessories. If you are operating in an elevated area, make sure to wear a safety harness and rubber, non-skid footwear. A breathing mask or ventilator should also be worn when dealing with hazardous chemicals in an enclosed space.

  1. Getting in and out of Equipment

One of the most overlooked but leading causes of injuries occurs when a worker is getting in and out of heavy machinery or equipment. Make sure to avoid hopping up or down and make deliberate movements when exiting machinery, ask for a hand if necessary, make sure you have proper grip on a foothold or handhold, and always check equipment such as boots and gloves for mud or chemicals when entering a vehicle.

mining excavator machine

Workplace Safety Management System

SafetySense was developed and created by Safety Professionals! This program was not created by web developers with zero safety experience, it was created by safety professionals who have made their living in Safety.  Our team includes Certified Safety Professionals (CSP’s), as well as Firefighters, Manufacturing professionals, and other subject matter experts! With decades of safety experience, we have seen it all! Unfortunately, we have also seen many industries fall behind on their permits and documentation as it relates to Permit Required Confined Space. Three of the most common issues that we see are…

  1. Companies have a difficult time tracking changes or revisions to permit work history tied to their confined spaces.
  2. Many companies are still using paper-based processes to perform assessments and storing them in drawers or filing cabinets where they are rarely updated or used. Transcription errors, illegible writing, etc., are just some of the challenges with paper permits.
  3. Companies are still using printed permits that have every hazard possible available to be checked. This creates ambiguity which introduces safety hazards into the work to be performed due to errors in the information presented on the entry permit.

If you need a cloud-based workplace safety solution, contact us today.

MSDS And SDS Sheets: What Are They?

MSDS And SDS Sheets: What Are They?

When it comes to a variety of industries and fields of expertise, some requirements may be new for you, but they are actually essential. We are talking about MSDS and SDS sheets. In general, both of them are mandatory for proper business development, and both of them have a crucial role in all startups common today. Let’s explain these two terms in a bit more detailed manner.

MSDS sheets: Material Safety Data Sheets

MSDS sheets are simple forms related to the hazardous materials which can be found on working locations. For example, if your business is related to the chemical industry, dangerous chemicals will be included in those sheets. Basically, these are data files which list all of the dangerous chemicals and hazardous elements. But, today they offer much more.

The sheets in question list the hazardous elements, but also define how to operate with them and how to prevent any issues with them. We can deduce that they are essential for the safety of all personnel and clients. As such, each project or a business which is related to hazardous chemicals, fire or etc. must have these sheets. In addition, it also specifies how to behave and how to cope in a case of emergency. Most businesses won’t be allowed to operate without these sheets.

Safety Data Sheets or SDS

SDS sheets are more focused on chemicals only. Obviously, they are essential for chemical industry and each business or project must include them. The main goal is the safety of all employees. Additionally, these sheets are mandatory for rescue plans and for determining how to operate the best in a case of severe complications or issues which may occur at a job site.

milling bits

Besides obvious information about hazard chemicals, SDS sheets are used for precautions and prevention of any problem which may occur due to chemicals which are dangerous to humans. What these sheets allow is to train the personnel to act and protect themselves and the working environment in a case of a chemical leak or etc. For the employer, they are also important for protecting the environment and successfully eliminating all issues which can do harm to it.

SDS and MSDS online

A hot work permit or both sheets we mentioned here can be obtained online. In essence, this is a simple procedure which is done via software. The software itself is fully dedicated to providing these permits and data and allows the business owners to stay focused on their main operations, without losing time looking for the sheets and getting them from officials.

Confined space rescue equipment and training will be significantly improved with the use of software in question. On the other hand, the software itself is easy to use and is cloud-based. This means that the biggest part of it won’t be even placed on your device, it will be placed on the cloud server. As such, there is no need for massive installation procedures or storage alternatives.

What is Lockout/Tagout?

What is Lockout/Tagout?

“Lockout/tagout” refers to specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities. This requires, in part, that a designated individual turns off and disconnects the machinery or equipment from its energy source(s) before performing service or maintenance and that the authorized employee(s) either lock or tag the energy-isolating device(s) to prevent the release of hazardous energy and take steps to verify that the energy has been isolated effectively. If the potential exists for the release of hazardous stored energy or for the re-accumulation of stored energy to a hazardous level, the employer must ensure that the employee(s) take steps to prevent injury that may result from the release of the stored energy.

Lockout devices hold energy-isolation devices in a safe or “off” position. They provide protection by preventing machines or equipment from becoming energized because they are positive restraints that no one can remove without a key or other unlocking mechanism, or through extraordinary means, such as bolt cutters. Tagout devices, by contrast, are prominent warning devices that an authorized employee fastens to energy-isolating devices to warn employees not to reenergize the machine while he or she services or maintains it. Tagout devices are easier to remove and, by themselves, provide employees with less protection than do lockout devices.

Why do I need to be concerned about lockout/tagout?

Employees can be seriously or fatally injured if machinery they service or maintain unexpectedly energizes, starts up, or releases stored energy. OSHA’s standard on the Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout), found in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 1910.147, spells out the steps employers must take to prevent accidents associated with hazardous energy. The standard addresses practices and procedures necessary to disable machinery and prevent the release of potentially hazardous energy while maintenance or servicing activities are performed.

Two other OSHA standards also contain energy control provisions: 29 CFR 1910.269 and 1910.333. In addition, some standards relating to specific types of machinery contain deenergization requirements—such as 29 CFR 1910.179(l)(2)(i)(c) (requiring the switches to be “open and locked in the open position” before performing preventive maintenance on overhead and gantry cranes). The provisions of Part 1910.147 apply in conjunction with these machine-specific standards to assure that employees will be adequately protected against hazardous energy.
How do I know if the OSHA standard applies to me?

hardhats

If your employees service or maintain machines where the unexpected startup, energization, or the release of stored energy could cause injury, the standard likely applies to you. The standard applies to all sources of energy, including, but not limited to: mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, and thermal energy.

The standard does not cover electrical hazards from work on, near, or with conductors or equipment in electric utilization (premise wiring) installations, which are outlined by Subpart S of 29 CFR Part 1910. You can find the specific lockout and tagout provisions for electrical shock and burn hazards in 29 CFR Part 1910.333. Controlling hazardous energy in installations for the exclusive purpose of power generation, transmission, and distribution, including related equipment for communication or metering, is covered by 29 CFR 1910.269.

The standard also does not cover the agriculture, construction, and maritime industries or oil and gas well drilling and servicing. Other standards concerning the control of hazardous energy, however, apply in many of these industries/situations.

When does the standard not apply to service and maintenance activities performed in industries covered by Part 1910?

The standard does not apply to general industry service and maintenance activities in the following situations, when:
+ Exposure to hazardous energy is controlled completely by unplugging the equipment from an electric outlet and where the employee doing the service or maintenance has exclusive control of the plug. This applies only if electricity is the only form of hazardous energy to which employees may be exposed. This exception encompasses many portable hand tools and some cord and plug connected machinery and equipment.
+ An employee performs hot-tap operations on pressurized pipelines that distribute gas, steam, water, or petroleum products, for which the employer shows the following:
– Continuity of service is essential;
– Shutdown of the system is impractical; and
– The employee follows documented procedures and uses special equipment that provides proven, effective employee protection.
+ The employee is performing minor tool changes or other minor servicing activities that are routine, repetitive, and integral to production, and that occur during normal production operations. In these cases, employees must have effective, alternative protection.

Logging Lockout/Tagout Procedures

The SafetySense Management System is a user friendly, secure, easy-to-use cloud-based application which allows for the client and their contractors to have access to work permit data without compromising data integrity. Let SafetySense Management work for you in handling the job of training records management, data repository for: Lockout/Tagout, SDS, Rescue Pre-plans, Permit Issuance / Archiving Work related permits (CS, hot-work, LOTO), Work place hazards (atmospheric, trips & falls), Atmospheric monitoring data repository and much, much more.
Using the SafetySense Management System is easy. Simply select a confined space by the unique Space ID from a drop-down list. Once the Space ID has been selected, the system retrieves all the information related to the selected space such as: Lock-out / Tag-out procedures, associated Safety Data Sheets, Rescue Pre-plans, and much more! You can easily review the information on screen, print and automatically produce the Confined Space Entry Permit.

By leveraging technology, SafetySense Management System simplifies your permitting process and provides a consistent, organized source of data. Based on user input SafetySense Management System prepares entry work permits and maintains an up-to-date list of employees / users with current confined space training. All entry permits and associated procedures documents are stored in the secure Cloud database for easy access and review at any time. The SafetySense Management System handles the job of training records management, data repository, permit issuance / permit data archiving and more.