Why you should always wear Safety Goggles in these 6 Classes

Using safety goggles while you are dealing with experiments in science glass is essential for a safe, active learning environment. However, choosing the right goggles and using them in the right way is critical to ensure the lab experience is a good as well as a safe one.

Are you looking for safe, reliable and affordably safety goggles, glasses and so much more? Contact L&A Safety, your one stop shop for all your safety clothing and equipment. Contact us today on 021 552 0665 or visit one of our branches in Milnerton, Robertson or Vredenburg.

Science labs and classes aren’t that dangerous, but when you’re working with strong chemicals, fast moving objects and other foreign materials, there is a high chance of accidents and injuries. Different labs and science classes have different risks depending on the types of experiments performed and the equipment used…

Biology. Dissections may need sharp instruments that could cause cuts and hazardous bodily fluid spills. Preservation chemicals used on tissue cultures can also be toxic.

Chemistry. Strong chemicals and chemical reactions can create fumes, splashes and dust that can irritate and damage your eyes. Dropping test tubes, beakers and flasks can also create dangerous shards of glass.

Anatomy. Students in more rigorous anatomy classes may encounter human bodily fluids or may be growing dangerous cultures that could cause infections and injury when in contact with your eyes.

Physics. These classes may use rolling, falling or thrown objects to measure different physical laws, and eye protection is necessary to safeguard against this.

Earth Systems. Studying ecology, geography, and other Earth sciences may lead to experiments with sharp objects, toxic plants, or other items best kept safely away from the eyes.

Geology. Advanced geology may break rocks to examine their strata and sharp objects and rock dust can irritate or injure eyes.

Damage to your eyes does not heal as easily as damage to other parts of your body like your hands. So, make sure you take the proper precautions and wear your safety goggles.

3 Ways wearing PPE can sometimes expose you to hidden dangers

If you want to protect yourself from dangers in the workplace you need to wear Personal Protection Equipment (PPE)! Whether you work in a factory, construction site or laboratory, you always need to wear the correct PPE to avoid injuring yourself or exposing yourself to anything dangerous.

For affordable PPE, including safety wear and equipment, visit L&A Safety’s website or pop into one of their stores in Cape Town, Robertson or Vredenburg.

If you’re not careful, there can be a negative side to wearing PPE, especially if you use it improperly…

It can give you a false sense of security

A false sense of security can be dangerous and even deadly! Just because you are wearing your PPE doesn’t mean you cannot be harmed, accidents can still happen. Workers who wear PPE and believe they are completely protected can be careless when it comes to handling chemicals, electricity and other dangerous objects.

It can create hazards

PPE doesn’t fit everyone the same, it is not one size fits all, so you need to wear the PPE that is specifically designed for your work. If you wear the wrong PPE protection or the incorrect size then you are putting yourself in harm’s way.

Pre-contact vs. point-of-contact

PPE protects workers during point-of-contact hazards, such as exposure to ultraviolet light or contact with dangerous acid. Yes, PPE improves worker safety by reducing the risk of injury, but it doesn’t eliminate the hazard! Pre-contact controls are essential to improving worker safety as they eliminate hazards completely.

PPE includes hard hats, helmets, safety boots, gloves and masks as well as hearing protection and so much more – always wear the correct PPE and plan out your PPE program carefully.

6 Tips for Farmers to Protect their Hearing

Farmers are often exposed to high levels of noise which can extremely harmful. Fortunately noise exposure can be controlled in a variety of ways. 

Here are 6 helpful tips agricultural workers can use to protect their hearing…

Reduce noise levels. When you are purchasing new equipment always ask about the sound levels first and pick the quietest option to reduce noise levels.

Perform equipment maintenance. Fix engines that have noisy mufflers, lubricate bearings and replace any parts that are worn out to reduce the noise levels and improve overall farming operations.

Remove yourself from the noise. Try to use motorized equipment that has enclosed cabs to reduce your exposure to high levels of noise.

Always use the proper PPE. Use the correct hearing protection when you’re working in a noisy environment – take a look at the wide range from L&A Safety and place your order today!

"HIGH NOISE ZONE". Always have signage anywhere there is a risk of exposure to high levels of noise and have hearing protection close by!

Limit exposure. Reducing the amount of time you are exposed to noise can limit its harmful effects.

If you’re a farmer of work in the agricultural industry be sure to use these 6 tips and always wear the correct hearing protection!

3 reasons why PPE is a must in the Mining Industry

There are many potential hazards and risks that you may come across while working on mining work sites. It is vital for employees to wear the correct safety equipment and PPE as well as follow the safety protocols to protect their health and safety.

Here are some 3 reasons why protective clothing and equipment is so important:

 - Get noticed. Employees who wear high visibility gear are much more likely to be seen by other people. This is especially important if employees are working near machinery or a road.

- Protect their skin. Protective clothing is specifically designed to protect employees’ skin from cuts, grazes or any other injury.

- Barrier to the elements. Employees are often required to work in extreme conditions such as rain, high winds, cold and extreme heat.

The types of protective equipment used in the mining industry includes safety goggles, steel-toed boots, safety helmets, long-sleeved shirts, long trousers, high visibility vests, ear plugs and hats.

Businesses are required to train their employees on the appropriate way to wear protective equipment and how to use it correctly.

Organisations must also ensure anyone visiting the workplace wears the appropriate protective equipment where necessary. It’s then essential to inform any visitors of safety procedures and alert them of potential hazards.

But, where can you buy this clothing? It is important to purchase the right personal protective clothing for each specific situation to protect employee’s health and safety. It would be a good idea to check out landasafety.co.za, where they have a wide range of personal protective equipment.

Wearing protective clothing when working in the mining industry won’t stop accidents from happening, but it can greatly reduce the risk of injuries and health problems.

3 Shocking Workplace Eye Injuries that can occur if you don't wear Eye Protection!

Wearing eye and face protection in the workplace is important, especially when there is a high probability that you can prevent the injury from occurring by wearing the correct PPE.

How do eye injuries happen?

> Striking / scraping injuries. Majority of injuries to the eyes happen when tiny particles or objects strike the eyeball or scrape it. This can be caused from a variety of materials including dust, dirt, cement, metal, wood, etc. Large objects can also strike or scrape your eyes, causing blunt-force trauma.

> Penetration injuries. Nails, staples, wood and metal are all dangerous objects that can go through the eyeball and result in serious injuries such as permanent blindness.

> Chemical / thermal burn injuries. Chemicals and cleaning products are common causes of burn injuries to the eyes. Thermal burns often occur due to using a welder without the proper protection, these burns can seriously damage the eyes!

For most eye protection requirements, the average safety glasses will do just fine and they generally have side shields to protect from flying objects. While safety glasses can protect your eyes from hazards, they do not offer your eyes complete protection like safety goggles do. Safety goggles offer a seal against the fact that protects the eyes from dangerous objects as well as contaminants and chemicals!

Are you looking for eye protection protects that are affordable as well as reliable? At L&A Safety we offer a wide range of PPE, including safety glasses and safety glasses! Give us a call on 021 552 0665, email tish@landasafety.co.za or pop into one of our stores in Milnerton, Vredenburg or Robertson.

7 Essential Reasons why you should Wear Steel Toe Boots at Work

Are you sure that you’re wearing the correct PPE, including protective footwear for the environment that you’re working in? If not, you need to know why it is so important for you to be wearing steel toe boots in the workplace.

L&A Safety offers reliable PPE, such as work boots, hard hats, safety goggles and so much more - all at prices that everyone can afford! Give us a call on 021 552 0665 or pop into one of our stores in Cape Town, Vredenburg or Robertson.

Here are the 7 essential reasons why you should be wearing steel toe boots at work…

1 – Protects you from falling objects

You never know when something is going to fall from a height and land on your feet, especially if you work at a construction site.

2 – Protects you from punctures & cutting hazards

Stepping on a sharp object can cut through the sole of your shoe and seriously injure your feet, so can dropping something sharp.

3 – Protects you from electrical hazards

Steel toe boots can also prevent electrical injures, such as electrical shocks from standing water and the build-up of static.

4 – Stops you from slipping & falling

Falls are the most common way to injure yourself at work. Make sure the wear the right steel toe boots which will provide grip to prevent slipping, tripping and falling.

5 – Stops you from feeling fatigued

Comfortable and supportive work boots mean your feet will feel happy, and this in turn means that your work day will be a lot better and you’ll feel less fatigued.

6 – Protects you from extreme weather conditions

Protect your feet from the most extreme temperatures as well as keep them dry with a sturdy, comfortable pair of steel toe work boots.

7 – Compulsory in the workplace

A lot of workplaces require the correct PPE to be worn at ALL times, especially in a construction site. Avoid being fired or seriously injured by wearing the correct steel toe boots as well as the correct PPE.

Although it may seem like a mission to wear PPE all the time, it is vital that you do for your own protection. Wearing steel toe boots will protect your feet from the most dangerous hazards as well as keep you comfortable throughout the day.

Machinery in the Workplace – 5 Vital Safety Tips you need to know!

Machinery in the workplace is there for a reason, to finish tasks in a timely and effective manner, however it needs to be handled in the correct way. Machinery is capable of causing serious injuries and in some cases, even fatalities, this is why it is so important to know how to use the machinery properly.

Here are 5 vital workplace safety tips to ensure machine safety in the workplace…

> Always have the correct guarding on all the machinery. Machine guarding is crucial when it comes to protecting workers from dangers such as rotating parts, flying objects, sparks, etc.

> Always wear the right PPE for the job. Operating machinery or even just standing close to a machine requires you to wear the correct safety equipment and gear. There are no exceptions – safety equipment should ALWAYS be worn! L&A Safety offers affordable, high-quality PPE in Cape Town, Vredenburg and Robertson - give L&A Safety a call on 021 552 0665 or email tish@landasafety.co.za

> Always avoid interfering with machinery. While a machine is on and operating, NEVER interfere with it or the worker operating it. Touching moving parts of a machine can easily result in a serious injury or even a fatality.

> Never operate machinery you have not had training for. All machines in the workplace require training in order to operate it. If you ever try to use machinery that you have not had all the correct training for you could put yourself as well as others at risk.

> Never get in the way of machinery. Machines are unpredictable, so the best thing to do is to steer clear of any machines that are unloading or loading. Machines can malfunction which can result in an injury or fatality.

Machines are great in the workplace when it comes to completing difficult tasks; however it is for your own safety that you are always aware of how to stay safe around them.