June has arrived, and with it, which means it’s National Safety Month and we are all making a renewed focus on safety. While we all want to do our best in providing a safe working environment for our staff, keeping it all straight can sometimes be a challenge. When it comes to many safety items such as warning lamps, alarms and horns, fire extinguishers and high visibility garments, knowing how to choose the right option can mean the difference between life and death. Read on to learn more about each of these areas.
Warning Lamps
The SAE classifies warning laps such as beacons and strobes into three designations based on light intensity. By knowing the application the lamp will be used for, you can choose the correct light to help maintain and operate your equipment.
SAE Class 1 – These lights are the brightest options, reaching a minimum candela value of 8100. They are most often used on emergency response vehicles such as police, fire and ambulance. The high intensity of these lights make them visible in bright daylight conditions as well as more adverse conditions such as rain, snow and fog.
SAE Class 2 – Class 2 lights tend to be about a quarter of the intensity of Class 1 lights. You will typically see these lights on slow-moving service and utility vehicles.
SAE Class 3 – These lights have the lowest light output level and are typically used indoors where there is little to no ambient sunlight. The most common use of Class 3 lights is on forklifts and specialized machinery.
While these basic guidelines should get you started, it is always best to consult with your local jurisdiction to determine which light classification is appropriate for your application.
Backup Alarms and Horns
While OSHA has regulations regarding the presence and functionality of backup alarms and horns, they don’t regulate the sound level or tone. For both backup alarms and horns, the most important consideration is the sound level. You should use a sound level meter to determine the ambient noise level of the work environment and then choose an alarm or horn that is at least 10 dB louder than the ambient level. However, you don’t want to go any louder than necessary and create a noise nuisance.
OSHA states that a forklift truck is considered to be unsafe if the sound level of the backup alarm or horn has deteriorated to a level that can no longer be heard above the ambient noise in the workplace. It is important that you are regularly monitoring your ambient noise level, as well as the decibel levels of your horns and alarms, to ensure that your alarms and horns are appropriately loud.
Fire Extinguishers
Selecting a fire extinguisher isn’t as simple as walking into a store and grabbing one. With four different classes of extinguishers, knowing what types of fire you anticipate encountering will help you choose the best one.
Class A – Designed to put out fires in ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, cloth, rubber and plastic.
Class B – Used on flammable liquids such as grease, gasoline, oil, paint, solvent. If you’re putting out a flammable liquid fire, make sure you shut-off/remove the fuel source first. If you put out the fire but there is still a gas leak, a dangerous accumulation of gas can develop.
Class C – Suitable for electrically energized fires such as electrical panels, a motor or wiring.
Class D – Designed to be used on flammable metals such as magnesium and aluminum.
When selecting an extinguisher, make sure you select a size that you can comfortably lift and that you educate yourself on how to properly operate it. Most portable extinguishers are rated for more than one classification of fire, it’s important to chose one that is suitable for the types of fires you are most likely to encounter.
High-Visibility Clothing
Those bright neon clothing items aren’t a fashion choice, they’re a safety choice. These hi-vis items are designed to make the wearer more visible on the work site and around moving vehicles. The ANSI/ISEA 107-2015 standard lays out what colors, job application, reflective tape and environment different types of hi-vis clothing are suitable for.
Color – Only three colors meet the standard, fluorescent yellow-green, fluorescent orange-red and fluorescent red. Any other colors will be for fashion only.
Job Application – Class 1 gear is designed for areas where traffic speeds never exceed 25 MPH or areas that are removed from traffic altogether. Class 2 gear is used in areas where traffic speeds do not exceed 50 MPH, such as residential roadways. Class 3 gear should be worn on highways and roadways where speeds exceed 50 MPH.
Reflective Tape – Many garments will have a level rating in addition to the class rating. This applies to the reflective tape specifically. Level 2 have has a higher reflective rating than 1.
Environment – The type rating refers to the type of environment the garment was designed to be used in. Type O, or off-road gear is used for environments with no exposure to high speed traffic, such as warehouses, refineries and mines. Type R, or roadway gear is worn by workers in areas that are exposed to traffic, such as roadway construction workers, towing operators and airport ground crews. Type P, or public safety gear is most often worn by emergency responders and law enforcement.
High visibility items have a limited lifetime that varies with use, anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Contributing factors to an item’s lifespan include the type of item, type of environment it’s worn in (and for how long) and the laundering method. If you notice any of the following, it may be time to consider replacing your high visibility item: tears, noticeable fading, soils, cracking, burns, heavy abrasions or damage.
Choose TVH for all of Your Safety Equipment Needs
Whether you run a warehouse with a fleet of forklifts or employ the service techs who repair them, ensuring you have the correct safety equipment for your machines and staff will help keep everyone safe. TVH is your one-stop-shop for all of your safety equipment needs, offering a full line of warning lamps, back alarms, horns, fire extinguishers and high visibility garments. We also offer thousands of other safety products, including mirrors, indicator lights, camera systems, fall protection and PPE. For more information and to purchase, reach out to your sales representative today!
References
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/2004-08-13
https://www.nationwide.com/lc/resources/home/articles/fire-extinguisher-safety
https://fireprevention.utexas.edu/firesafety/abcs-fire-extinguishers
https://www.nationalsafetyinc.com/Assets/Hi-Vis_Standard.pdf