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Positive stop or limiting devices and multiple-overhead crane lifts : OHS information for employers and workers

Description

Explains the OHS Code requirement that an overhead crane operating on rails, tracks or trolleys be equipped with a positive stop or limiting device, or that the stop or limiting device be attached... More ≫

Description

Explains the OHS Code requirement that an overhead crane operating on rails, tracks or trolleys be equipped with a positive stop or limiting device, or that the stop or limiting device be attached to the rails, tracks or trolleys.

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Worker exposure to asbestos in the demolition and renovation industries

Description

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with unique physical characteristics including extraordinary tensile strength, poor heat conduction and resistance to chemical attack.... More ≫

Description

Asbestos is a group of naturally occurring fibrous minerals with unique physical characteristics including extraordinary tensile strength, poor heat conduction and resistance to chemical attack. For these reasons, asbestos was often used as an ingredient in a wide range of construction products. Unprotected workers can be exposed to asbestos mainly by breathing in the fibres which are released when the asbestos containing materials (ACM) are disturbed. During building demolition, asbestos fibres may be released if building materials containing asbestos have not been removed. If the building was built before 1990 there is a chance that some materials may contain asbestos.

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The effects of unusual work schedules and concurrent exposures on Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs)

Description

This Safety Bulletin deals with the adjustment of airborne exposure limits but employers must be aware that unusual work schedules may have an impact on many other aspects of health and safety on... More ≫

Description

This Safety Bulletin deals with the adjustment of airborne exposure limits but employers must be aware that unusual work schedules may have an impact on many other aspects of health and safety on the job. A change in the length of the workday will also affect allowable exposure levels for physical hazards such as noise. This Safety Bulletin explores the impact of several key factors and how these factors should be considered in the evaluation of workplace exposure.

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Use of flammable hydrocarbon mixtures as CFC and HFC substitutes in vehicle air-conditioning systems

Description

This Safety Bulletin presents the health and safety risks associated with using substitutes that consist of flammable hydrocarbon mixtures.

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Manually energizing power systems after an unplanned outage : an Alberta electric utility best practice

Description

The purpose of this Best Practice is to standardize, to the extent possible, the minimum steps that an electric utility must include in its own practices for manually energizing a power system... More ≫

Description

The purpose of this Best Practice is to standardize, to the extent possible, the minimum steps that an electric utility must include in its own practices for manually energizing a power system after an unplanned outage. This Best Practice is not meant to eliminate all manual recloses. It is intended to balance the risks to public safety resulting from a loss of power versus the potential risk of injury to non-utility workers or members of the public as a result of a manual reclose.

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Selecting hand tools

Description

Poorly designed hand tools — too heavy, poorly balanced, with a grip that is too large, the wrong shape, or slippery — can lead to injuries of the hand, wrist, forearm, shoulder, and neck. Hammers... More ≫

Description

Poorly designed hand tools — too heavy, poorly balanced, with a grip that is too large, the wrong shape, or slippery — can lead to injuries of the hand, wrist, forearm, shoulder, and neck. Hammers or pliers with bent handles keep the wrist and forearm straight to reduce injury and increase power. Pliers and cutting tools with spring-assisted jaws require less finger and hand effort to repeatedly open the jaws. Power tools with foam or rubberized grips help reduce the transfer of vibration to the hands and arms.

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Proper height of work surfaces

Description

Too high? Too low? Just right? Workers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And the tasks they perform can vary from light precision work to assembling heavy and awkward equipment. Is one... More ≫

Description

Too high? Too low? Just right? Workers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. And the tasks they perform can vary from light precision work to assembling heavy and awkward equipment. Is one workstation appropriate for every worker and every task? Ask the tall worker with neck pain, crouched over a low bench for hours. Or the short worker, who has to raise her arms and shoulders too high, making it both uncomfortable and difficult to apply much force when necessary. Ideally, work surface heights should be adjusted to accommodate different workers and different tasks.

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Guidelines for workers applying insecticides

Description

This bulletin presents safety guidelines for workers when applying insecticides.

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Anti-fatigue matting

Description

Workers who stand or sit for long periods of time should change their working position as often as possible. Floors made of concrete or other hard materials are the least comfortable to stand on... More ≫

Description

Workers who stand or sit for long periods of time should change their working position as often as possible. Floors made of concrete or other hard materials are the least comfortable to stand on for long periods of time. Anti-fatigue mats, as their name suggests, reduce the fatigue of standing by providing just the right amount of cushioning. Too much and it may be difficult to maintain balance. Too little and there is no benefit.

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Sitting and preventing back pain

Description

This Safety Bulletin is based on an article that originally appeared in the January 1999 edition of the Occupational Health and Safety Magazine.

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