Chemical Hazards And Emergency Planning

February 23, 2016 by Dan Clark

Chemical hazards can lurk, unseen. The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) says we should learn from the West Fertilizer Company explosion in Texas. Listen for their study results. The CSB recently released its investigation findings into the 2013 explosion at the West Fertilizer Company in Texas. In this podcast, Dan Clark describes what caused the April 2013 chemical disaster in West, Texas. The CSB determined a combination of zoning laws, storage conditions, and lack of …

Safety Signs You Need In The Workplace

February 16, 2016 by Dan Clark

Safety signs help companies be OSHA compliant based on ANSI Z535 safety sign and tag standards. Hear about four categories of workplace safety signs. OSHA adopted sign standards from American National Standards Institute, ANSI. OSHA also incorporates sign requirements from the National Fire Protection Association, NFPA. In this three minute podcast, Dan Clark spells out the requirements for: • Hazard Warning signs: ○ Danger – White text on red background. The most serious danger. ○ …

Turkey Fryer Flames At Work

November 23, 2015 by Dan Clark

Turkey fryer disasters can happen in the workplace, not just at home. Hear how a pre-Thanksgiving jobsite cookout torched a house under construction. In this podcast, Dan Clark talks with Tim Schmerber, concrete contractor from Oregon, about a fire started by a turkey fryer. One of the crew members set up the turkey fryer in the garage of the nearly completed home. If you heard this story on The Safety Brief last year, you probably …

7 Hazards Of Oil And Gas Extraction

November 10, 2015 by Dan Clark

Oil and gas extraction can knock a worker on his butt. Or much worse. Hear about the on and off-site hazards of this high-risk job and how to avoid them. Vehicle, struck-by and fall accidents are some of the seven hazards facing oil and gas extraction workers. In this podcast, Dan Clark shares the dangers and best practices for prevention in this active sector. Also hear what OSHA and NIOSH have planned to stem the …

Wildfire Smoke Health Effects

August 25, 2015 by Dan Clark

Wildfire smoke is a creeping health hazard in the western US. Hear how to breathe safely as the smoke moves from burning forests to populated areas. The forest fire season is upon us. The winds fanning the flames also carry the resulting blanket of smoke across entire states and regions. Listen for tips on how to cope with wildfire smoke if you work outdoors, and how to keep it out of homes and businesses. TRANSCRIPT: …

Wind Energy Safety

July 30, 2015 by Dan Clark

Wind energy safety is a careful blend of fall protection, electrical hazard awareness and much more. Hear the best practices for working on wind turbines. Working 30 stories up can a challenge for a worker. Add in unpredictable weather, high voltages, fire hazards, and confined space. This dangerous combination is business-as-usual at a wind farm. In this podcast, Dan Clark describes the ways to stay safe when working on and below a wind turbine. TRANSCRIPT: …

Emergency Fire Shelters From NASA

July 28, 2015 by Dan Clark

Fire shelters for firefighters may soon withstand more heat, thanks to NASA. Testing is on now for fire shelters made with spaceship heat shield technology. Hear how two NASA engineers approached the US Forest Service about their research on protecting stuff reentering the atmosphere! Winds can shift. Forest fires and wildfires can turn on a firefighter. In this podcast, Dan Clark tells how personal fire shelters might be improved to help them, withstanding up to …

7 Tips For July 4th Safety

July 2, 2015 by Dan Clark

July 4th safety is just as important as safety at work. Use your head, and follow these seven common sense tips for using fireworks. In this podcast, Dan Clark reminds workers to follow safety procedures away from the jobsite, whether at the company picnic, while camping or at home. Fire season has come early in many parts of the country. This year, be extra careful with flames and fireworks. TRANSCRIPT: (:00) intro music and effects …

4 Steps to Flammable Liquids Safety

April 21, 2015 by Dan Clark

Flammable liquids safety can change quickly when workplace temperatures rise. Listen for four ways to avoid flashpoint fires and explosions. Find out the difference between flammable and inflammable. Hear about volatile liquid chemicals, and how their vapors can ignite at a certain flashpoint. In this podcast, Dan Clark warns of four major areas of caution: Storage, labeling, fire suppression, and ignition sources. TRANSCRIPT: (:00) intro music and effects (:04) Dan Clark: When workplace temperatures are …

9 Volt Battery Myths And Facts

March 19, 2015 by Dan Clark

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Battery myths. Can 9 volt batteries start fires, and how do you avoid them? Can 9 volt batteries fatally shock you? We peel away fiction, reveal the truth. Facilities and vehicles can burn down, all because a 9 volt battery was unsafely stored. Even partially charged batteries can put property and people at risk. Hear how to properly store and use 9 volt batteries in this podcast. Dan Clark also tells of the conflict between …