TOLEDO, Ohio, May 31, 2019 – SSOE Group (www.ssoe.com), a global project delivery firm for architecture, engineering, and construction management, is proud to announce that they have been recognized for their safety accomplishments by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) and Safety Council of Northwest Ohio. The BWC and the Safety Council of Northwest Ohio presented their 65th annual safety recognition awards on Wednesday, May 15, 2019. Read more
It’s the season for picnics, parties, and fireworks! Practicing common sense will make the festivities more enjoyable for you and those around you. Here are a few reminders about heat, food, alcohol, and firework safety to prevent sickness and injury, and help keep the fun going all summer long. Read more
Your body depends on water to survive. Every organ, cell, and tissue in your body needs water to work properly. Your body uses water to regulate its temperature, remove toxic substances, and help the absorb essential nutrients. Read more
Warmer weather and longer days are beckoning us to get out and be active. Your inner child may be telling you to run, jump, and play — but is your body ready? If you haven’t exercised in a while you can increase your risk for injury during physical activity. It’s important to have a realistic idea of your body’s condition. Your body may not be able to function the way it did ten years ago, three years ago, or even last season if you haven’t been staying regularly active. Here are few suggestions to help prevent injury during physical activity. Read more
Summer Time!! Yes folks, It’s that time again! Time for warm weather, grilling and picnics, water activities, travel, and outdoor fun! If you practice common sense and safety in all of your activities you will keep you looking good, feeling good, and you won’t miss out on any of the fun. Read more
The American Cancer Society (ACS) advises everyone to get their hats, sunglasses, and sunscreen ready for the long, hot summer. Many of the 3.5 million yearly cases of skin cancer could have been prevented by using sun protection and avoiding indoor tanning. The ACS urges everybody to “Slip! Slop! Slap! & Wrap®.” Read more
On average, more than 700 people die in crashes that occur in construction and maintenance work zones. This includes more than 100 workers at these road construction sites.
When traveling through construction zones, remember…we’re all in this together. Read more
Many people are concerned about the possibility of a public health emergency such as a natural disaster, act of terrorism, or disease outbreak. You can take steps now to help you prepare for an emergency and cope if an emergency happens. To help you prepare, we’ve provided step-by-step actions you can take beforehand to protect yourself and your loved ones. Read more
According to OSHA…An Electrical Hazard can be defined as a serious workplace hazard that exposes workers to burns, electrocution, shock, arc flash / arc blast, fire, or explosions. By identifying these hazards, and understanding how they happen, we can take steps to protect ourselves. Read more
What is SPA? Safe Plan of Action, or SPA, is an easy to follow system that is designed to reduce injuries by providing a method for analyzing the task at hand, and then making a safe plan that eliminates the potential safety hazards associated with that work to be performed. Read more
The following attributes and characteristics are the result of a nearly 10 year study and countless hours of personal interviews with employees who have worked their entire careers injury free. Read more
This winter has been particularly harsh with the cold and snow. Your car needs to be mechanically fit and you need to be mentally prepared when you travel. Read more
Winter weather is here and walking on snow and ice covered sidewalks cause a substantial number of falls for pedestrians. Wet or icy surfaces, uneven pavement, glare, and poor visibility all increase the risk for falls and injury. A minor fall may only result in bruised pride, however the potential is always there for serious injuries, such as broken bones or even fatal injuries. Read more
Fall is here. Here are some reminders during yard cleanup… Read more
Every year, thousands of people are impacted by severe weather and natural disasters, such as Earthquakes, Tornadoes, Thunderstorms, Floods, Hurricanes, and Ice or Snow Storms. We can’t control when or where disaster will strike, however, we can be prepared by knowing what to do Before, During, and After a severe weather event. Read more
The fact is, most eye injuries cause permanent damage. It takes just one incident to suffer permanent damage or blindness. Proper eye protection can keep you safe. Read more
Any worker exposed to hot and humid conditions is at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, including new workers, temporary workers, or those returning to work after a week or more off. All workers are at risk during a heat wave.
It is very important to watch out for each other during extreme heat. Simple overheating and dehydration can quickly become dangerous. Here is what to look out for and what actions to take. Read more
It’s the season for picnics, parties, and fireworks celebrations! Please remember that practicing a little common sense makes the festivities more enjoyable for you and those around you. Here are a few reminders about food, alcohol, and firework safety to prevent sickness and injury, and help keep the fun going all summer long. Read more
Whether it’s at a construction site, in the factory or manufacturing plant, or in the office, our common spaces can become crowded at times. Avoid collisions or near misses in the workplace. Not only will these tips keep you safe, they are common courtesy. Read more
As the weather warms up it is likely that we will be working outdoors, side-by-side with some potentially hazardous insects. Here are some samples of bothersome bugs that could result in serious health hazards. Read more
Moving machinery is everywhere! Construction equipment, production machinery, process equipment, transportation devices such as automobiles and bicycles, home shop and yard equipment, and even office photocopiers contain moving parts to be avoided. Read more
About 26 construction workers die each year from using aerial lifts. More than half of the deaths involve boom-supported lifts, such as bucket trucks and cherry pickers; most of the other deaths involve scissor lifts. Read more
Winter weather is here and walking on snow and ice covered sidewalks cause a substantial number of falls for pedestrians. Wet or icy surfaces, uneven pavement, glare, and poor visibility all increase the risk for falls and injury. A minor fall may only result in bruised pride, however the potential is always there for serious injuries, such as broken bones or even fatal injuries. Read more
The holidays are fast approaching and so is the need to prepare and protect yourself during the hazardous winter driving ahead. Your car needs to be mechanically fit and you need to be mentally prepared for the travel ahead of you. Read more
Falls from portable ladders (step, straight, combination and extension) are one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities and injuries. Take a few minutes to review ladder safety and to make a Safe Plan of Action before your next climb. Read more
The effects of a lightning strike can be devastating.
In Wisconsin in 2007, a 75-year-old man was killed by a lightning strike while waiting out a storm under a pine tree during a morning golf game. The lightning struck his golf bag while he was holding on to one of his clubs, killing him instantly. Read more
Part of a Safety Always culture is to be safe at work, home, and play. School is starting up and we want to remind everyone about taking extra precautions while traveling. Our kids need to be kept safe also! When driving behind a bus, allow a greater following distance than if driving behind a car. Read more
In the United States there are two regulatory agencies that can cite employers for not properly protecting employees. Both agencies fall under the United States Department of Labor; Occupational Safety and Health Association (OSHA), and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA). These regulatory agencies are responsible for enforcing the safety and health laws to protect employees. Read more
The main hazard: electricity is difficult to assess because you cannot directly see it. The only way to identify electricity’s presence is to properly use the right tools; a meter, or proximity detector. Only qualified persons should work directly with electricity. Even working indirectly with electricity, or around electrical systems requires you to be competent.
Do you have the skills and abilities to work around electricity? What about directly? So, what does OSHA say? Read more
As a part of our Construction Safety Talk Series, we discussed how electrical hazards expose workers to burns, electrocution, shock, arc flash / arc blast, fire, or explosions. Accidents involving electricity can be fatal. To prevent electrical incidents, every time you enter a job site remember to: Read more
Stay Out – Stay Alive is a national public awareness campaign aimed at warning children and adults about the dangers of exploring and playing on active and abandoned mine sites. Each year, dozens of people are injured or killed in recreational accidents at abandoned quarries, mines, and pits while exploring on mine property.
The men and women employed in our nation’s mines and quarries are trained to work in a safe manner. Explorers do not have the same skills as the mine workers and are susceptible to dangerous situations. For trespassers, hazards are not always apparent: Read more
Any worker exposed to hot and humid conditions is at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, including new workers, temporary workers, or those returning to work after a week or more off. All workers are at risk during a heat wave.
It is very important to watch out for each other during extreme heat. Read more
During thunderstorms no place outside is safe. If you can hear thunder, lightning is close enough to strike. Some workers are at greater risk than others. People who work outdoors in open spaces, on or near tall objects, with explosives, or with conductive materials such as metal have a greater exposure to lightning risks. Read more
Summer’s Here! It’s finally here at last! The season for warm weather, grilling and picnics, water activities, travel, and outdoor fun! Practicing common sense and safety will keep you looking good, feeling good, and you won’t miss out on any of the fun. Read more
According to OSHA, Fall Hazards are defined as: Anything at your work site that could cause you to lose your balance or lose bodily support and result in a fall. Fall Hazards led to 349 construction worker deaths in 2014 (40% of construction site fatalities).
By identifying these hazards, and understanding how they happen, we can take steps to protect ourselves. Read more
According to OSHA, Struck-By Hazards are defined as: Injuries produced by forcible contact or impact between the injured person and an object or piece of equipment. By identifying these hazards, and understanding how they happen, we can take steps to protect ourselves. Read more
According to OSHA, Caught-In or -Between Hazards are defined as: Injuries resulting from a person being squeezed, caught, crushed, pinched, or compressed between two or more objects, or between parts of an object. By identifying caught-in or -between hazards, and understanding how they happen, we can take steps to protect ourselves. Read more
“Sign, sign, everywhere a sign” is a great song from Five Man Electrical Band that puts into perspective our attitude about the overabundance of signage everywhere we go. Today we really do have signs for everything; signs that tell us what do and how to do it, where to go and how to get there, where we can’t go, what we have to wear, what will harm us and where to go if we get harmed…
But do we really pay attention to them?
This clutter of cultural communication is a direct result of our need for it, and we do need to pay attention. Read more
If you hear thunder, then lightning is close enough to strike you – immediately move to safe shelter. A safe shelter is a substantial building or inside an enclosed, metal-topped vehicle. Stay in safe shelter at least 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder.
Indoor Lightning Safety Tips
Read more
Consider this: you walk out to your car and you see that one of your tires is flat. You immediately think that the flat tire is the problem. That is incorrect. The fact that your tire is flat is NOT the problem. The fact that your tire is flat is the condition. The problem is that you no longer have enough air in the tire which has caused it to go flat. Read more
Driving while texting or talking on the phone is considered more dangerous than driving intoxicated at .08 BAC (Blood Alcohol Content) – thus the term “InTEXTicated” driving. InTEXTicated drivers tend to have a slower response time than other impaired drivers. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driver inattention is the leading factor in most crashes and near misses. Nearly 80% of crashes and 65% of close calls involve a driver’s lack of attention within three seconds before the event. Read more
March is “Eye Safety Month”, which serves as a timely reminder that we need to protect our eyes at all times. Interestingly, most eye injuries occur to people who are performing their regular jobs. In addition, most eye injuries occur to workers who are either not wearing the correct eye protection for the job or to those who are not wearing any eye protection. The obvious conclusion is that most, if not all, eye injuries can be prevented simply by wearing the proper eye protection for the job being performed. Read more
Stepladders can be a quick and easy way to extend your reach, however, every time you use a stepladder there is a risk for permanent injury or death. Those hazards can be greatly reduced by following good safety practices.
Eliminate the Common Hazards by:
Read more
Attention drivers…school buses are back on the road! Now is a good time to review laws and safety tips regarding school buses and students. Did you know that school buses are one of the safest forms of transportation? According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, riding a school bus is 13 times safer than riding in a car and 10 times safer than walking to school. Let’s work to keep it that way! Read more
Arc Flash is a sudden release of electrical energy or fireball that is caused by a short circuit in electrical equipment. That fireball can release dangerous levels of thermal energy with temperatures over 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The rapid expansion of gases and temperatures, or pressure waves, during an arc-flash incident can send shrapnel, molten metal, tools, and other objects through the air at speeds over 700 mph. Add to that a sound pressure of 165dB (decibels) and an arc-flash incident can be the equivalent of a small explosion. Arc flash incidents can result in a loss of life, serious potential career ending injuries (including burns, loss of eyesight, and hearing that require extended recovery time), and extensive property damage. Read more
According to the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission there are nearly 75,000 lawn mower injuries each year which require emergency room visits. Riding mowers account for half of all injuries, including 100 fatalities. Half of the injuries happen to children under the age of 15.
Fatal and serious injuries have a common theme where the riding mower tips over and the victim falls under or is run over by the mower. Young children are in this category. Find a safe activity to spend quality time with the youngsters after the mowing is finished. A few minutes of fun riding is not worth the risk of permanent injury or death. Read more
Don’t let a 3 second distraction become a lifetime of regret! The time it took to read the title of this safety tip, only 3 seconds, is the same length of time for distractions that precede 80% of automobile crashes and 60% of near misses. You may consider yourself to be an attentive and safe driver, however, those 3 seconds can be the precious time that allows you to prevent or avoid an accident — regardless whether it is your distraction or someone else’s.
A safe driver is not necessarily someone who has been lucky enough to avoid being involved in an accident. Rather, a safe driver is a courteous and defensive driver who looks out for others, avoids distractions, and is always on alert to anticipate and respond to potential traffic situations. Safe drivers share the road so that they do not become part of, or contribute to, a preventable accident. Read more
I’ll bet your first thought is that this will be another safe driving tip! Well……..Yes and No!
In reality the “Stay Alert! Stay Alive” mantra should guide all our activities regardless if we are driving, working, or at home. Read more
Wear non-skid footwear that is appropriate for the weather and conditions. Shoes with smooth soles and higher heels provide less surface area and less traction on slippery surfaces. You might consider purchasing clip on cleats that will provide good traction on ice and snow. Read more
What does this mean? All members of a group support each individual member. They all have a common goal and work together to reach that goal. Read more
Fireworks: Every year there are more than 9,000 fireworks related injuries treated in emergency facilities. Even simple fireworks such as sparklers burn at around 1800° F and that causes many injuries especially to youngsters. Fireworks are dangerous and best left to the professionals who will put on a display that is far superior to anything individuals could hope to achieve. The best way, and safest way, to enjoy fireworks is to find a good vantage point for a public display and to just sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. Read more
A review the OSHA stats regarding fatalities readily highlights trends on how workers are being hurt and killed. In fact in the latest report, five of the first seven incidents listed, show workers who died from some sort of fall. It is important to remember here that non-work related injuries and fatalities often mirror the OSHA statistics. Read more
When packing and making plans for a road trip or vacation, don’t forget to include “Safety” in all your preparations and activities. Vacations offer time to escape from everyday concerns and provide time to rest and rejuvenate our bodies and minds. However, many of the hazards associated with everyday life will also follow you on your travels, so be sure to include “Safety” in all your plans. Read more
Are you getting ready to take on some construction work around the house? Building a deck? Installing a fence? New mail box? Even a simple job like planting a tree in your yard can jeopardize your safety. Many energized power and utility lines are buried just a few feet under the ground. Digging, trenching or excavating without knowing where the utility lines are buried could be costly – and fatal. Read more
What does March Madness and safety have in common? Stop and think about your favorite winning sports team. How do they do it? Do they have a superstar that will always carry the team? Sometimes but not likely! Consistently winning teams are made up of individual players who all maintain a high level of intensity and share a collective mind-set that they will not be defeated, and that tis how they succeed as a team. Every team member puts in the hard work and practice that gives them the confidence and ability to make the winning plays when the game is on the line. Read more
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), thousands of people are blinded each year from work related eye injuries. Nearly 60% of those injuries occurred to workers who were not wearing the proper eye and face protection. In fact, not wearing the proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) to protect your eyes is like throwing darts with your eyes as the intended target. Would you actually do this? I don’t think so! Read more
Proper glove use is crucial to helping prevent hand injuries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), 70% of workers who experienced hand injuries were not wearing gloves. Many workers who were wearing gloves and sustained injuries were not wearing the proper gloves for the job. Read more
Winter driving can be a dangerous and challenging adventure when you have to contend with ice and snow. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and OSHA have issued an article titled “Safe Winter Driving”. The article describes ways to put the three Ps of winter driving (prepare, protect, and prevent) into motion in your daily lives. Read more
Portable fire extinguishers can help save lives and reduce property damage from small fires. In case of a fire, first sound the alarm or call 911. Remember — You should never attempt to extinguish any fire if there is a threat to your personal safety. If the fire is small and there is no heavy smoke present AND you have an escape exit available, it may be safe to use an appropriate extinguisher for that class of fire. Read more
The latest Weekly Fatality / Catastrophe Report released by OSHA for the week of August 11, 2012 highlights a disturbing trend. Out of the 26 reported fatalities, 13 were attributed to some sort of a fall. The most recent incident happened in the middle of October at a project located in Tennessee. The project was put on hold to conduct an investigation after two workers from a large construction company were killed in a fall that was caused by faulty scaffolding. Read more
The NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) have a joint web site at www.ready.gov/severe-weather with information that will help save lives by educating the public on what to do before, during, and after severe weather strikes. Last year (2011) there were more than 1,000 fatalities and 8,000 injuries caused by severe weather. While we can’t control when or where severe weather will hit, we can prepare and arm ourselves with the knowledge of what to do before, during, and after a severe weather event. Read more
The opposition! Slips, Trips, and Falls (ST&Fs) account for 20% of all work related injuries each year. Many of these injuries occur when a worker climbs in or out of heavy equipment, trucks, or trailers. Falls from portable ladders and slips on stairways are also included in these accident numbers. Inclement weather, poor housekeeping, defective equipment, rushing to get the job done, and lack of hand supports all increase the chances for injury. Most of these incidents result in injuries to shoulders, arms, backs and ankles. Read more
Swimming and other water related activities offer excellent ways to exercise, relax, and have fun. Millions of people enjoy oceans, lakes, rivers, pools, and spas throughout the year. Swimming is the 3rd most popular leisure activity in the U.S. and the most popular activity for children. Drowning accidents can happen quickly and they are highly preventable if you use the right safety precautions. Read more
Exposure to heat can cause illness and death. The most serious heat illness is heat stroke. Other heat illnesses, such as heat exhaustion, heat cramps and heat rash, should be avoided. There are precautions you should take any time temperatures are high and the job or activity involves physical work. Read more
If you love BBQ and are fixin’ to try your hand at grillin’ the best Q this side of Kansas City (or Memphis, the Carolinas, or Texas whatever your preference), following are a few safety items that will help keep your efforts safe and enjoyable.
Every year thousands of homes catch fire due to unsafe grilling practices and many people are injured from fires and burns from propane explosions and hot grills. Read more
Bees, Wasps and Yellow Jackets: Bees and wasps normally avoid human contact however, if they are disturbed or provoked, they can provide a painful sting that produces swelling, itching, hives, or even more severe reactions. If you are stung, Read more
Slips, trips and, falls are the second highest cause of accidental deaths and injuries, behind motor vehicle accidents. Each year, almost two million disabling injuries and thousands of minor injuries occur on stairways. While slips, trips and falls are the cause of numerous injuries and deaths every day, they are among the easiest to correct. Read more
The Statistics
Warmer weather has arrived! The improved weather forecast and the change to Daylight Savings Time (March 13, 2011) greatly increases the number and variety of persons and vehicles that compete for space on the roadways. A safe driver is not necessarily someone who has been lucky enough to avoid accidents. Rather they are a courteous and defensive driver who looks out for others, avoids distractions, and are always on alert to anticipate and respond to potential traffic situations. Safe drivers share the road so that they do not become part of, or contribute to a preventable accident. Read more
“Off-the-job” injuries involve employed people when they are not working. For example, a restaurant cook cuts his hand on a knife while fixing dinner at home or a truck driver who slides off an icy road while driving his car to work, hits a tree, and suffers a sprained wrist. Those injuries occurred off-the-job. Read more
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