Addy the Environmentalist in Training

When you have employees working in dangerous environments like workshops or factory settings, you need to make sure you have taken all the necessary steps for keeping them safe. Here are three ways to monitor your facility and make sure your workers aren't being put in unnecessary danger:

Particulates: Watch Out for Dangerous Matter in the Air

One thing you need to look for, especially if you work with spray paints, liquids, chemicals, or dust, is particulates. Particulates are larger than air molecules, but they can still be breathed into the lungs. Unfortunately, these particulates can be dangerous to humans and could cause medical problems later in life and irritation to the lungs now. 

If your facility works with particulates, then you're likely required to follow the Environmental Protection Agency's Method 5. This is the determination of particulate matter emissions for stationary sources, and it reviews the ways you are meant to clean the air in your facility to prevent injury from particulates. 

Some things you need to do include:

1. Keeping a clean filter
2. Running the EPA Method 5 test for particulates in the air
3. Making sure any leaking tubing or pipes are repaired. 

Tripping and Falling Hazards: Watching Where You're Walking

Another thing you need to monitor in your facility are potential tripping hazards. While tripping or falling may not seem serious, if someone trips and hits their head or collides with someone working with dangerous materials, the chance of injury can be high. To prevent these injuries:

• Take time between shifts to clean the floors; use sweepers, brooms, and other cleaning tools to make sure there are no slick spots, stray materials, or damaged floor tiles that could cause tripping.
• Monitor the floor during work hours. If something is spilled, make sure to mark the area as potentially hazardous.
• Clean up all broken materials, dust piles, or spills as soon as possible. 
• Remind workers to monitor their surroundings to prevent injury; if they see a hazard, they should report it. 
• Don't allow horseplay; working in an industrial environment is dangerous without workers fighting or playing around heavy equipment. 

Poor Lighting: Light Up Your Room To Prevent Injury

One of the last things you can do to prevent injury is to make sure your facility is light enough. Skylights and fluorescent lighting can be used to brighten up any facility. Using enough light allows for easier reading and sharper vision, so your workers know when something is dangerous or out of position. 

These tips can help you make your workplace safer. Try them, and you may be pleased at the results.