January- Hand Safety in Recycling
Hand injuries are the number one injury classification in the Recycling Industry. This training application focuses on common types of hand injuries, their causes in recycling facilities, and how to prevent them. Higher risk areas such as automobile dismantling and shaker tables are discussed in detail. An employee gets his hand caught between a crane sling and a load. Are there risks for carpal tunnel syndrome in recycling jobs? Safety Tip: Never touch ANY type of recycling material without wearing the proper gloves.
February- Hazards of Moving Recyclable Materials
Material handling is the cornerstone of the Recycling Industry. This application discusses the hazards associated with loading, unloading and moving recyclable materials. Major hazards discussed include the intense traffic moving throughout most recycling facilities, the presence of customers on the property, and the difficulty of moving through congested areas. Specific accidents are discussed such as a worker who was stuck and injured by a vehicle backing up without a spotter. A claw crane operator tips his crane over while moving over rough terrain and the boom strikes a truck that is passing by. Two industry fatalities that occurred in 2009 are discussed in detail. Safety Tip: Blind spots are present on every piece of equipment. Everyone must watch out for each other – CONTINUOUSLY.
March- Maintenance Safety in Recycling
Maintenance activities occur in nearly every area of recycling facilities. This video details safe work practices such as Lockout, Fall Protection, Personal Protective Equipment, Confined Spaces and more as they relate to specific maintenance tasks. Maintenance workers are regularly repairing mobile equipment. Are the wheels chocked and the brakes set? A hydraulic line on a baler bursts during a repair resulting in facial injuries to a maintenance employee. How did this happen? Safety Tip: Pre-plan every maintenance task to assure that you have all the necessary equipment to do the job safely. Chock wheels and apply brakes.
April- Dealing with Hazardous Materials in the Yards
Hazardous materials are used in operating and maintaining recycling facilities, AND they often come into the facilities along with the recyclable materials. This training piece reviews traditional Hazard Communication requirements such as MSDS and warning labels. It also addresses hazardous materials that come in with the recyclables and may be missed during inspection and how to identify them. Do you know how to identify a radioactive source? Have you ever seen a steel can containing a pesticide such as deet? Safety Tip: Whenever you see wet spots on the soil or smell unusual chemical odors near recyclable storage areas, it warrants further investigation.
May- Heat Stress Hazards in Recycling
Heat exposure is a common health risk in the Recycling Industry. In this video, warning signs and how to prevent heat stress are discussed as well as specific jobs such as scrap cutting where heat can be an increased factor. An industry employee nearly died in 2009 from heat stroke. Hear his story. Safety Tip: During hot periods, try to avoid drinking only sport drinks with electrolytes. Consuming too many sports drinks can actually increase the risk for heat stress.
June- Recognizing Hazards in Recycling Facilities
Employees regularly fail to recognize and often actually create safety hazards. In this video, employees are taught how to recognize hazards in various recycling settings. There are numerous exercises where employees are asked to identify the hazards in each scene. Can a shredder in operation be a hazard to passers-by? How can a pile of bundles or shredded metal pose a threat? A tangled string of steel trimmings is strung across a roadway in the yard. What type of danger does this present? Believe it or not, this hazard actually caused a serious injury at a Midwest recycling facility. Safety Tip: Nearly everything in a recycling facility has a designated place. Make it a habit to observe your surroundings because something out of place could signal a hazard.
July- Investigating Incidents in Recycling
All incidents, whether injuries or property damage, must be investigated in order to prevent their repetition. This monthly release discusses why investigating incidents is important, the steps that are involved, and the importance of giving accurate information. A gas tank that was removed from a car explodes in the yard. How and why did it happen? An employee cuts off part of his hand while using a portable shear. What mistake did he make? Safety Tip: If you witness an incident, take a moment to write down the pertinent information. Important details can be quickly forgotten or overlooked.
August-Burning and Welding in Recycling
Burning and welding activities have resulted in numerous injuries and many fatalities in the Recycling Industry. Safe burning and welding practices are emphasized, especially the practice of CLEARLY knowing what it is that you are burning or welding. A worker welds on a car crusher which erupts into flames. How could this happen? Can you be sure that every pressurized cylinder has been rendered safe? A burning related fatality that occurred in 2009 is discussed in detail. Safety Tip: Always inspect your equipment before each use. Look for cuts in welding cables that could result in an electric shock or cracks in hoses, especially near the handles, in order to avoid leaking oxygen that could be ignited.
September- Processing Hazards in Recycling
Processing recyclable materials presents many hazards. The most common processing hazards are discussed with a goal of identifying the job components that carry risk. Specific processes are examined including sorting at intake and at the shaker tables, shredding and bailing, car dismantling and crushing, and more. What dangers are involved in using a sawsall to remove exhaust components from an automobile? Safety Tip: Every job task should have Cardinal Safety Rules that are never violated. This can greatly reduce the dangers associated with most job tasks.
October- Emergency Preparedness in Recycling
Nearly every recycling facility experiences an emergency situation at some point. This video emphasizes how to prepare for various emergencies and the steps to follow should they occur. Topics discussed include fires, tornados/hurricanes, chemical releases and more. A pressurized tank explodes injuring several employees. What should you do? Safety Tip: Once you use a fire extinguisher, IMMEDIATELY put it in the refill location and replace it with a full one.
November- Case Studies - Learning from Tragedies in the Recycling Industry
Each year, tragedies strike our industry, and nearly all of them could have been prevented. This video examines half-a-dozen tragedies to learn how and why they occurred and how they could have been prevented. A worker in the East who lost his life in a forklift accident. A worker in the North who failed to lock out a shredder. A maintenance worker who was pinched between one of the tracks and the cab on a crane under repair. These and more are examined in detail.
December- Healthy Backs and Recycling Tasks
Every job in recycling facilities has some form of physical action. Bending, lifting and performing repetitive tasks can put physical stress on the body. This application presents safe work practices and solutions that can limit injury for many job tasks in recycling facilities such as handling non-ferrous materials and dismantling automobiles. Some specific ergonomic issues are also addressed. What kinds of ergonomic challenges are present at the shaker tables? In 2009, a recycling worker dislocated his elbow. Two others suffered debilitating back injuries. How did these injuries occur and how could they have been prevented? Safety Tip: Take a minute to stretch and flex before starting a job task and reduce your chance of a muscular-skeletal injury.