The Importance of Hearing Protection

Introduction

The world in which we live is becoming an increasingly noisy one, particularly in developing countries where rapid population growth and heavy industrialisation is leading to an increase in daily noise levels. This increase in noise levels may seem to some as just an accepted part of life, but unfortunately these increases, particularly in the average working environment, can lead to lasting health issues.

According to the HCN (1999) and as cited by the WHO (2004), high levels of noise can have a number of impact on the health and general wellbeing of individuals with annoyance, hypertension and hearing loss being the effects most studied.

This article will focus primarily on hearing loss as caused by long term exposure to noise in the workplace, the impacts that hearing loss can have on daily life and the measures and equipment that can be employed to minimise its occurrence. Continue reading “The Importance of Hearing Protection”

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7 Tips for Working Safely With Ladders

7 Tips For Working Safely With Ladders

Working at height can be dangerous or, in the worst case, even deadly. According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers who are six feet or more above the ground are at high risk for serious injury or death if they fall. Based on a WHO Report in 2016, falls from height are the second leading cause of accidental or unintentional injury & deaths worldwide. The study highlighted that approximately 20% of fall related injuries among construction workers involved a ladder and half of those accidents were due to people carrying items as they climbed.

Many people may not consider ladder safety to be a major issue, but the statistics clearly show that anyone working with a latter should consider the important safety aspects that may save them from injury or death. Ladders come in variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. There are portable wood ladders and metal ladders, also platform ladders, Trestle ladders, and many more. Each type of ladder has its own strengths and weaknesses and thus each may have different risk assessments and safety guidance. However, the most important thing to understand about working with a ladder is when you can use it; which is where the work is light and short, entailing no more than 30 minutes in one position. Continue reading “7 Tips for Working Safely With Ladders”

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