Bunsen and Lab Safety Awareness

     Today marks the 200^th birthday of Robert Bunsen. Robert Bunsen is best known for the Bunsen burner though he has made many contributions to science. Bunsen made his biggest impact to the scientific world during his study of spectroscopy , the study of the rays in light, leading him to invent the Bunsen-Kirchoff spectroscope.  Using the spectroscope he eventually discovered the elements, cesium and rubidium (Source: www.wisegeek.com). 

Cartoon depiction of a bunsen burner

     To celebrate Bunsen’s birthday and his contributions to science, SafetySkills™ is featuring the Laboratory Safety series. The series is available at http://www.safetyskills.com/laboratory-safety. The series features Basic Laboratory Safety, Chemical Hygiene Safety and Hexavalent Chromium Safety.  

     If Bunsen had watched these courses, he may have obtained safety skills that could help prevent laboratory catastrophes. In 1838 when Bunsen was studying cacodyls, a compound made with arsenic, the substance nearly poisoned Bunsen and an explosion in his lab sent a sliver of glass in his one eye causing him to lose sight in the damaged eye.  Let’s honor Bunsen by practicing safe laboratory skills. For more information on other safe work practices, please visit www.safetyskills.com for a complete listing of all our course offerings. 

Seeing Eye to Eye with PPE and Workplace Eye Wellness Month

        According to the National Safety Council, March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month. Prevent Blindness America, the nation's leading volunteer eye health and safety organization, states that more than 2,000 people injure their eyes at work each day. About 1 in 10 injuries require one or more missed workdays to recover from. Of the total amount of work-related injuries, 10-20% will cause temporary or permanent vision loss. (Source: www.preventblindness.org)

        The eye is the one of the most easily damaged parts of the body, yet 78 percent of eye injuries are due to a lack of protective eye wear. To show how strongly SafetySkills™ feels about this specific type of injury, we are featuring our Personal Protective Equipment course at http://www.safetyskills.com/personal-protective-equiptment/occupational-health-and-safety/personal-protective-equipment.

Screen shot from SafetySkills™ Personal Protective Equipment Course

  
        “It is much easier to prevent an eye injury rather than healing from one,” said Trey Greene, CEO of noodleStream.com. “Our SafetySkills™ Personal Protective Equipment course is a quick and informative way to ensure the safety of your workers.”

100th Anniversary of the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire Sparks Fire Safety Awareness

       Friday March 25 2011 marks the 100^th anniversary of the tragic Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. The infamous fire claimed the life of 146 garment workers on the upper floors of a New York City sweatshop. The outcome of this horrific event helped to inspire the labor movement and shape the regulations of new fire safety and building codes.

The charred interior of the Triangle Shirtwaist Company in New York, March 25, 1911. The building - which had no sprinklers, only one fire escape, and locked doors - was a deathtrap for 146 workers.  (Cornell Univ./Kheel Center)

 

       Although, fire safety has improved immensely from 100 years ago it is still an unfortunate occurrence in the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 174 fatal injuries due to fires and explosions in 2008, 18 of which were in the oil and gas industry.  To honor this tragedy’s importance on the birth of workplace safety regulations, SafetySkills™  features a free online course at http://www.safetyskills.com/basic-fire-safety. This fire safety course will teach employees and individuals how to stay safe in a fire emergency. Viewers will learn their responsibilities in a fire emergency, how to identify different alarm signals, evacuation routes, procedures and fire extinguisher use.  Let’s make this one part of history that does not repeat itself.

Can the Gulf of Mexico Handle Another Oil Spill?

       The Gulf of Mexico hasn’t seen the last of the oily waters that have plagued the Louisiana coast. On Friday, March 18^th 2011; an oil spill was discovered off the coast of Louisiana’s Grand Isle. Privately owned Houston based company Anglo – Suisse Offshore Partners (ASOP) accepted responsibility for the spill on Tuesday March 24^th but were “surprised” that the 5 gallons they claimed to of leaked from an abandoned well 30 miles off shore could have caused the miles – long slick. ASOP announced on Tuesday, March 22 that they have successfully plugged the well and have agreed to assist in the cleanup of the area.

A worker helping clean up the Gulf shoreline

        Due to the environmental concerns that plague the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and other areas, SafetySkills™  has created a free online oil spill cleanup course at http://www.safetyskills.com/oil-and-gas/environmental-performance/oil-spill-worker-safety.  This free online oil spill cleanup course details possible hazards associated with oil spill cleanup work, and hazardous waste training specifically in the U.S. Gulf Coast region. This training is based on materials developed by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, together with OSHA, which focus on the necessary hazard awareness and safety training for all oil spill workers. This course is designed for all individuals who will participate or are already participating in oil spill cleanup work, and who will have minimal contact oil with spill products.