How to Stay Safe while Welding

There are many risks when welding; some of them include electric shock, inhaling toxic fumes, injuring your eyes and burns.

These risks mean that protective clothing should ALWAYS be worn during all welding operations… The correct welding protective gear includes:

Respirator / Welding Mask – There are many different types of masks to choose from, you need to buy the one that is created for the tasks you will be doing.

Ventilation – Before you start welding make sure the area has the correct ventilation. If an area is badly ventilated it can lead to plume poisoning. Should you feel you have inhaled any toxic fumes – get help right away!

Make sure your welding area is clean and check any gasses for leaks.

Eye Protection – Protect your eyes from flying debris and the effects of ultraviolet light with the right eye protection. Different types of welding means you may need types of helmets, varying from shade number, lenses and comfort.

Fire Protection – Did you know that welding sparks can cause fires? Keep a fire extinguisher close by as well as water and sand.

Protective clothing – All your skin needs to be covered when you are welding in order to protect from metal and sparks.

For all your PPE clothing and equipment, contact L&A Safety or visit on of their branches in Cape Town, Vredenburg and Robertson.

PPE in the Oil and Gas Industry

The oil and gas industry is a dangerous line of work. Every year hundreds of people die while performing oil and gas extraction while thousands others are injured.

Wearing the correct PPE is vitally important to ensure all oil and gas workers stay safe, it must be worn at all times to reduce a workers exposure to dangers. Here are three factors you need to know in order to stay safe…

HAZARDS:

Dangers can be found just about everywhere in the gas and oil industry from chemicals and building foundations to working the drill site. Because of all the dangers, employees NEED to assess the environment and match the PPE to the possible dangers. Most potential hazards are physical and health related some include: slipping and falling, explosions, fire, hand and eye injuries, hearing loss and exposure to dangerous chemicals and gases.

REQUIREMENTS:

Employees should always wear the proper PPE and take the proper safety precautions, but in the end it is the responsibility of the company or the employer to ensure a safe working environment is provided. The general PPE that should be used at all times such as eye, face and head protection as well as protective clothing and respiratory devices.

ADVANCEMENTS:

Workers often need to feel comfortable as well as protected in their PPE and advancements in PPE have really allowed workers to use their equipment with ease. In addition, uncomfortable or PPE that doesn’t fit properly can become irritating and workers would rather leave it off than wear it.

The oil and gas industry is a dangerous place – stay safe and wear the right PPE!

L&A Safety is your one stop PPE store. Visit the website or pop into one of our stores in Cape Town, Vredenburg or Robertson.

Protecting your Eyes at Work

Every year thousands of people sustain eye injuries in the work place. Of all these injuries some will lead to temporary blindness and even permanent blindness!

This is why it is so important to wear the right eye protection...

What are the most common causes of eye injuries in the work place?

> Flying objects like metal, glass, etc.
> Tools
> Particles
> Dangerous chemicals
> Harmful radiation

So, how can you do to prevent eye injuries?

> Always know the eye safety dangers at work
> Use machine guarding, work screens, etc. to get rid of the hazards before they even happen
> Use proper eye protection

The best safety eyewear protection includes:

-- Prescription safety glasses
-- Safety goggles
-- Face shields
-- Welding helmets
-- Full-face respirators

Check out the L&A Safety website for a range of eye protection PPE, or pop into one of their stores in Cape Town, Vredenberg or Robertson.

Eye injuries are common in the workplace; make sure you wear your eye protection!

Eye Protection for Farm Workers

It only takes a few simple precautions to avoid eye injuries. You only have one pair, so make sure they are protected as eye injuries can be especially painful and even cause blindness.

Eye injuries are usually from particles flying into your eyes. The eye uses it’s protection, the eyelashes, tearing and blinking to try be protected, but often they are unable to stop the particles and objects.

Farmers should wear eye protection when grinding feed, handling chemicals, harvesting crops, haying, and doing shop work such as drilling, grinding or sawing. Eye wear is also particularly important when farmers are building, demolishing or repairing structures; repairing farm vehicles and machinery; welding and cutting with torches; and working in dusty atmospheres.

If you go for a basic pair of safety glasses, there is still the chance that particles will fly into the eye from the side. Most safety glasses come with either permanent or detachable side shields to protect all sides of your eyes.

Safety goggles are also a great option to provide your eyes with protection from all angles. Goggles are especially handy when farmers are doing work such as chainsaw work, chipping, riveting, and grinding.

Goggles are a cheap option, so farm workers should keep a pair nearby when they are working with things like chemical liquids.

Face shields protect workers from heat, glare, and flying objects, but they are only considered secondary protection and must be worn with either glasses or goggles. Face shields that attach to hard hats are available for jobs that also require head protection.

For a range of PPE, including eye protection, take a look at L&A Safety's range of products! 

The Truth about PPE

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) is designed to protect employees from serious workplace injuries and illnesses caused from chemical, radiological, physical, electrical or mechanical hazards. The truth is that PPE is paramount for your protection, as it provides the last line of defence against an injury.

98% of employees said they have seen others not wearing PPE when they should have been and 30% said this happens repeatedly!

What are the top four excuses for not wearing proper PPE?

- Looks unattractive

- Too hot

- Poor fit

- Now easy accessible

Head Injuries

9% of all injuries are head injuries
84% of employees who sustain a head injuiry are not wearing head protection

Eye Injuries

50% of construction workers will suffer a serious eye injury during their career
90% of all workplace eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear

Hand Injuries

25% of all workplace accidents involve hands and fingers
Wearing gloves can reduce hand injury by 60%

Ear Injuries

25% of workers are regularly exposed to noises at or above recommended limits
99% of noise-induced hearing loss is preventable if proper hearing protection is used

Put it on! From head to toe, always make sure you have the right protection for the job! 

Looking for affordable PPE?  Visit L&A Safety's website or pop in to one of the branches in Cape Town, Vredenburg or Robertston!

What exactly is PPE?

In some careers, employers are expected to provide, replace as well as pay for personal protective equipment. You need to know that PPE is used in the event that all the measures fail to control exposure. In other words, it will only protect the wearer when he or she is putting it on. In case it fails, then an employee should not anticipate any form of protection at all.

Types of PPE

There are different types of PPE you will come across. The common types include Respirators, protective gloves, eye protection, protective clothing and Protective footwear just to mention a few of them. If you’re looking for reliable, affordable and durable PPE – contact L&A Safety or visit one of their branches in Milnerton, Robertson and Vredenburg.

In the process of making a decision about PPE, you need to ask your manufacturer, supplier or trade association the following question before making your final decision.

•  Is it suitable for your working conditions in any way?

•  How do you tell when it requires replacement?

•  Will it offer you with the required level of protection?

•  What training or maintenance practice should you undertake well?

On the other hand, employees should understand why PPE is important and how they can use the same correctly. Otherwise it will not protect them as expected. They need to find out the following:

•  Does it fit properly?

•  Is it comfortable to wear?

•  If PPE requires cleaning and maintenance, how should it be undertaken?

In conclusion, the right choice of PPE and work wear will make a whole difference as far as effective management of health is concerned. There are a wide range of items that you can choose from. Before you buy anything, ensure that you understand the latest regulation changes governing the ever evolving sector. In order to avoid accidental injuries from taking place, you need to wear PPE!

How can I protect my eyes from injury?

Eye injuries are an incredibly common thing in the workplace. Simply using the proper eye protection on the job can prevent thousands of injuries every year.

There are four things you can do to protect your eyes from injury:

- Know the eye safety dangers at your work

- Eliminate hazards before starting working by using machine guards, work screens or other controls.

- Use proper eye protection

- Keep your safety eyewear in good condition and have it replaced if it becomes damaged or broken

Protective eyewear should be selected according to the task you are performing, there are different types of eye protection, including:

Non-prescription and prescription safety glasses. Although they may look like normal glasses, they are designed to provide eye protection. Their lenses and frames are much stronger than regular glasses and they can protect against dust, chips or flying particles.

Goggles. They provide impact, dust and chemical splash protection. Like safety glasses, safety goggles are highly impact resistant. In addition, they provide a secure shield around the entire eye and protect against hazards coming from any direction.

Face shields and helmets. Full face shields are used to protect workers exposed to chemicals, heat or bloodborne pathogens. Helmets are used for welding or working with molten materials. However, face shields and helmets should NOT be used as the sole means of protective eyewear. They need to be used with safety glasses or goggles.

Special protection. Other types of protection, such as helmets or goggles with special filters can be used to protect the eyes from optical radiation and exposure. This should be used for welding or working with lasers.

Protective eyewear works best when you know exactly how to use it, and it can keep you safe from any potential eye hazards.

For a wide range of protective eyewear, contact L&A Safety, or visit one of there shops in Milnerton, vredenburg or Robertson.