The first week of April is National Asbestos Awareness Week.  Asbestos has been banned in 40 countries, but not the United States. It is a naturally occurring mineral and was once considered to be a miracle mineral.  Its flame resistant properties have been realized for thousands of years – evidence of use in pottery and chinking of log homes dating back to 3000 BC in Scandinavia and written documentation of use in the Roman Empire.  The Romans used asbestos table cloths and threw them in the fire to remove food particles so that the table cloth would be clean for the next customer! 

First century Pliny the Elder and Strabo, a geographer, recognized that people who worked with asbestos died at an early age.  Now we know that asbestosis and mesothelioma are only two of the deadly diseases caused by exposure to asbestos.  The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization (ADAO) was founded by asbestos victims and their families in 2004.   ADAO seeks to give asbestos victims and concerned citizens a united voice to raise public awareness about the dangers of asbestos exposure. ADAO is the largest independent organization dedicated to preventing asbestos-related diseases through education and legislation. ADAO’s mission includes supporting global advocacy and advancing asbestos awareness, prevention, early detection, treatment, and resources for asbestos-related disease.  For more information visit www.asbestosdiseaseawareness.org or contact Vanessa Keel at 678-797-2415.

Topic of the Month… Prevention of Cuts & Lacerations

With Spring time around the corner, many of us are gearing up for our outdoor activities.  With most of these outdoor activities comes an increased potential for hand and arm cut injuries.  Before you begin these operations, please take a few moments to assess your job tasks to determine what protective equipment is required.  Typically, cuts rank as the third most frequently occurring occupational injury and most are preventable.  There are a variety of causes that can contribute to these injuries.  They include:

How do we prevent Cuts? 

• Train employees to use established safety procedures.
• Maintain proper machine guarding.
• Use Lockout/Tagout Procedures.
• Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
• Proper tool use and maintenance.
• Good Housekeeping.

Of course, one of the most common sources of cuts is the use of knives and other cutting tools, therefore:

• Inspect tools before use.
• Keep work area clear.
• Maintain control of the tool.
• Cut away from your body; keep your body out of the line of fire. 
• Secure the item being cut.
• Use a sharp blade; a dull blade requires greater force which increases the hazard.
• Dispose of all blades in a sharps container.
• Never use a cutting blade as a screwdriver or pry bar.
• Don’t leave exposed blades unattended.
• Store cutting tools properly.
• Only use knives with a blade locking device.
• Wear gloves; use the right glove for the job. 
• NEVER wear loose fitting gloves around rotating equipment.

With a little preparation these injuries are preventable!  Let’s work together to make Georgia a safer place to work.

If you have any questions or need any further information please contact Karmen Binion at 678-797-2460.

DOAS Risk Management Services Division Loss Control Office.