Safety Matters® Resource Center

Safety Training

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4 Tips for Safety Orientation & Beyond

New workers tend to have the most accidents. Try these 4 tips from Magid for better safety orientation and learn how new employee feedback can improve your safety program.
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By M.B. Sutherland, Sr. Safety Writer, Magid

Training is important for everyone. But we all know the newbies are the ones who need it most.

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Icon of an injured and bandaged finger with blue drop of blood

Why Do New Workers Get Hurt More?

Obviously, a worker with years of experience is going to be more proficient than someone who just started in their trade. But learning on the job can be riskier than you might think.

Lack of Experience

The Institute for Work & Health in Toronto reported that “workers who had been in a job a month or less had three times the risk of a lost-time injury as those who had been in a job for over a year.” And later analysis found that this higher level of risk continues through a worker’s entire first year.

High Risk Tolerance

Another big factor is lack of experience in understanding and evaluating risk. Lack of experience in their current job and perhaps in general may cause new employees to underestimate the consequences or likelihood of an accident and take unnecessary risks.

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Icon of a safety manager training employees

How to Protect New Workers

These facts may not be surprising to seasoned safety professionals, but they do suggest that we might need to train our newer workers differently – giving them more reinforcement and follow-up even after they complete their required safety orientation training.

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4 Tips to Help New Workers Stay Safe

Tip 1: Recognize Safe Practices!

Positive feedback is just as important as correction. As you walk your facility or job site, be sure to take a few extra minutes to observe the newbies doing their jobs. Give them a small reward, even if it’s just a “nice job!” when you see them following safety rules. Knowing they’re doing something right boosts their job confidence and reinforces good safety habits.

Tip 2: Have a formal check-in 30 days after they start.

New workers tend to pick up bad habits from others. They may have learned in training that they always need safety eyewear in the plant, but if they see their coworkers pushing safety glasses up for certain tasks, or forgoing them entirely, they’re more likely to do the same. Review the rules with them after a month on the job to prevent normalization of deviance.

Tip 3: Require in-house competency testing and schedule announced observances.

Before you let your newbies start working unsupervised, make them show you the right ways to follow their safety rules. In-house competency testing may be required by OSHA for certain jobs, but it’s a good idea to make it the rule for any safety protocol. Even when a worker demonstrates post-training competency, it’s important to schedule announced observances as they go through their first year and beyond. Watching them doing their job in what they believe is the safest way can give you crucial information about where they may need more training.

Tip 4: Follow up after a few months on the job.

New workers can be a valuable source of information to find any gaps you may have in your training program. Follow up at their 30-day check-in to ask what they’ve learned on the job and what they wish they’d been taught in their first weeks. Then add these lessons to new worker training to benefit the next group.

Keep your newbies injury-free on the job. Make sure they’re equipped, not just with the right gear, but with the right knowledge to stay safe!

Send safety reminders directly to your workers with fun safety training videos.

GIVE ME VIDEOS

 

Making the Most of your Safety Reminders

Safety training isn’t a one-and-done event. It’s a dynamic and constant process of reminding workers about previous lessons and pointing out new hazards that may appear on the job. A network of safety reminders that use different methods of communication is the best way to keep safety on every worker’s mind.
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid

Safety training isn’t a one-and-done event. It’s a dynamic and constant process of reminding workers about previous lessons and pointing out new hazards that may appear on the job. A network of safety reminders that use different methods of communication is the best way to keep safety on every worker’s mind.

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Use these tips to reinforce your safety messages!

1. Conduct Both Announced and Unannounced Safety Inspections

Your everyday coaching is a good opportunity for spontaneous correction and praise. But it can be just as important to do announced observances as well. If your workers know that they’re about to be evaluated, they may review their safety rules and discover they haven’t been doing all they should, creating a valuable learning opportunity. Additionally, watching workers doing their job in what they believe is the safest way can give you crucial information about where they need more training.

2. Rotate Safety Reminders

Your workers may be aware of safety reminder posters you have posted around your workplace. But if they see them in the same location every day, your reminders will start to blend into the landscape over time. Make a schedule to rearrange posters once a month or even once a week to keep reminders visible and on your workers’ minds.

3. Bring in Outside Experts

Think about inviting a safety professional, physical therapist, or athletic trainer to talk to your workers. You can bring them in during training or toolbox talks to go over specific topics such as utilizing better ergonomics or showcasing the differences between different kinds of safety equipment. Sometimes a special event with an unfamiliar face can make lessons more memorable.

4. Have your Workers Enforce Safety Reminders

If your workers are inspired to think constantly about their own safety as well as that of their teammates, they can serve as a second set of eyes and ears at your worksite for safety hazards. Encouraging everyone to make team safety their business helps your company maintain a vibrant and supportive safety culture even in your absence.

5. Empower and Reward your Workers

Use the power of empowerment to reward workers who keep themselves and their coworkers safe. Whether they’re reminding their teammates to be safe, actively mentoring new workers, or bringing safety hazards to your attention, you can recognize them for their efforts and reward them with perks like gift cards, vacation days, or better parking spots to create a precedent for positive reinforcement in the future.

Get FREE posters to work into your rotation!

TAKE ME THERE

 

Lockout Tagout Training - 4 Steps to Safety

Teaching your workers about lockout tagout protocols includes hazards they might not realize are important in their work environment. Read about some common examples and download a FREE safety training presentation for your training library from Magid.
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid


When machines and equipment need to be repaired or maintained, lockout tagout (LOTO) devices are a literal lifesaver for worker safety. But accounting for different workers, machines, and responsibilities in your facility or job site can make the number of topics you need to cover during a safety training complicated and time-consuming. You can simplify the process by including training topics that touch on the purposes of procedures and hazards during lockout tagout operations so your workers will know what to do if they encounter them on the job. Take a look at these four frequent topics that you can focus on in your next safety training and download our free Lockout Tagout Training Class!

 111   WHAT IS LOCKOUT TAGOUT?

One of the most cited mistakes that leads to an OSHA violation for lockout tagout protocols is not providing general training to workers who fall outside the authorized or affected worker categories.

In addition to authorized and affected worker roles, create a training program for the rest of your employees so they can understand basic lockout tagout concepts. You can focus on topics such as:

  • How lockout tagout devices work
  • Why they are used
  • Why workers should not use machines or equipment with lockout/tagout devices on them
Image of lockout/tagout tagsImage of lockout/tagout tags

222  HOW TO USE LOCKOUT TAGOUT DEVICES

Since many lockout devices can look like ordinary padlocks, workers may be tempted to use them for locking up cabinets or toolboxes. Similarly, they might use the wrong tagout device such as using an information tag rather than a “Do Not Operate” tag for maintenance or service work.

While these mistakes seem harmless to an average worker, highlight the importance of using only easily identifiable LOTO devices when needed. Your safety trainings should stress that lockout devices are designed for controlling energy sources during maintenance or service work only. Even though a lockout device can look like an ordinary padlock, the right LOTO devices allow workers to instantly recognize a potential hazard in LOTO situations. Another way to reiterate this is to provide lockout and tagout devices during training sessions and ask workers to assemble them in front of you and the rest of the team. Paired together, your people will know what their lockout and tagout devices will look like, how they work, and when to use them properly.

Image ofman looking at lockout/tagout tagImage ofman looking at lockout/tagout tag

333  HOW TO RECOGNIZE DIFFERENT LOCKOUT TAGOUT SITUATIONS

To simplify protocols, some workers may mistakenly treat every machine or piece of equipment in their work area the same way, regardless of different energy sources. However, job sites have set protocols with different rules for each machine that are designed to keep workers safe in various situations. For example, if more than one authorized worker is working on a machine at the same time, a group lockout device is needed to incorporate all authorized workers’ lockout devices.

When covering your job site or facility’s written lockout tagout policy, emphasize to authorized employees that it is their responsibility to properly lock and maintain energy isolation during maintenance or service. Be sure to explain differences in lockout tagout rules and why they’re important. This includes using different locks and tags for different types of machines and energy sources as well as refraining from duplicating keys for a single lockout device.

Image of hands holding a lockout/tagout tagImage of hands holding a lockout/tagout tag

444  HOW TO IDENTIFY &  ISOLATE ALL ENERGY SOURCES

Even if only one source of energy controls the machine or equipment being serviced, certain machines or equipment can have separate circuits or contain built-up kinetic energy or gravity (such as freight on an escalating conveyor belt) that needs to be safely released.

Take your workers on a tour of their work environment after a training session or toolbox talk. Encourage them to point out sources of hazardous energy that they would need to lock out, tag out, and account for, such as electrical outlets, valves, and engines. Make sure to point out not so obvious examples of hazardous energy, too, like items suspended on a conveyor belt.

Image of edge testingImage of edge testing

While this only scratches the surface of lockout tagout training topics, focusing on these tips during your safety training can help you make sure every authorized, affected, and nearby employee stays safe during maintenance and repair.

Download our FREE lockout tagout safety training presentation to add to your training library!

Train Workers to Maximize Scaffolding Safety

Whether your workers are operating multiple stories in the air or closer to the ground, working on scaffolds comes with a number of potential dangers. Slip, trip, and fall hazards. Falling objects. The scaffold collapsing or overturning. It’s a lot to be aware of for your workers as well as yourself. But you can address these types of hazards and instill safe work practices by following the 4 P’s of Scaffolding Safety.
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid


Whether your workers are operating multiple stories in the air or closer to the ground, working on scaffolds comes with a number of potential dangers. Slip, trip, and fall hazards. Falling objects. The scaffold collapsing or overturning. It’s a lot to be aware of for your workers as well as yourself. But you can address these types of hazards and instill safe work practices by following...

1.  Present  Safe Work Practices

Start from the ground up and show your workers safe work practices through training presentations, safety videos, and training activities that utilize auditory, visual, and tactile learning types. Mention specific information about the type of scaffold they’ll be using (whether it’s a supported, suspended, or mobile scaffold) and what to look for when inspecting the scaffold prior to use. Teach important questions to think about during the inspection like:

  • Are platforms flat, level, stable, and in good condition where planks are not broken or damaged?
  • Are guardrails set up and in good condition?
  • Are uprights, ledgers, and bracings undamaged — not cracked, bent, dented, twisted, or rusted?

2.  Prepare  The Worksite

Before the day gets underway, spend some time getting the jobsite and your team’s equipment ready for the tasks ahead.

  • Ensure that scaffolds are set-up according to the manufacturer’s instructions and inspected by a qualified inspector before every work shift in addition to after installation
  • Whether a scaffold is approved as safe for use or deemed unfit for operations, ensure scaffold tags are prominently displayed at each entrance point
  • Be aware of the manufacturer’s instructions regarding the maximum weight allowed on the platform. Calculate the weight of your workers as well as any materials that will be on the scaffold to make sure the total load is within the maximum limit.
  • Rope off areas and put up warning signs where objects can potentially strike a worker if they fall from a platform. You can also install mesh screens or covers to prevent debris from going over guardrails or toe boards at higher levels.

3.  Plan  With Your Team

Before their shift begins, call your crew together for a toolbox talk to discuss any relevant safety hazards they may encounter that day. For example, if the plan calls for your crew to drop debris or materials from their platform into a chute to quickly dispose of it, designate someone as a spotter to ensure no workers are in danger of being struck by falling objects.


4.  Provide  The Right PPE

Give your workers all the PPE they’ll need to stay safe during their time on and around the scaffold. This may include:


Download our  FREE Scaffolding Safety Training  to teach your workers safe work practices!

Safety Culture

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5 Steps to Creating a Safety Culture

One of your biggest challenges as a Safety Manager may be creating a culture of safety throughout your organization. Making it a company-wide effort instead of just “your job” can be an uphill battle, but it’s a policy that will pay off in the end.
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By M.B. Sutherland, Sr. Safety Writer, Magid


Whether you already have company-wide buy-in or if you’re just beginning to introduce the idea, maximize your success by including these 5 steps in your safety culture planning:

Manager Building a Safety Culture WorkplaceManager Building a Safety Culture Workplace

1. Define Safety Responsibilities

  • From the top down, make sure everyone understands policies, goals, and the vision for your safety culture. Being clear at the outset can make a big difference down the line.
  • Document and share your safety procedures. Don’t soft sell safety. Rules are rules.
  • Delegate responsibilities. Empower workers to be your extra eyes and ears on the plant floor and ask people from different parts of your organization to walk the project or plant floor and make safety recommendations.

2. Make Your Safety Culture Workplace a Team Effort

3. Enforce Accountability

  • Educate workers on the importance of reporting accidents and injuries. Remind them that you can’t learn from a mistake if you don’t know about it.
  • Create a process that holds everyone accountable.
  • Color-code PPE by job to increase compliance. For example, different colored hard hats can differentiate a worker’s role and his/her level of training such as first aid training or the ability to drive a forklift.

4. Understand Your Processes

  • Evaluate your current processes and PPE with your workers to make sure you’re doing everything in the best way possible.
  • Understand the challenges and hazards your workers face. Keeping everyone involved is key at this stage of improving safety culture.
  • If an incident happens, make sure you identify the root of the issue. Keep lines of communication and an understanding of accountability top of mind for everyone.

5. Celebrate Safety Culture Workplace Success!

Download FREE Safety Reminder Videos to Maximize Efficiency and Safety

10 Safety Committee Ideas for Better Results

Most Safety Managers know that safety committees are a good idea, and many states actually require them by law. But is your committee doing all it can and should be doing? Here are Magid's top 10 ideas to start improving today!
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By Shannon Chalfant, Staff Writer, Magid

Most Safety Managers know that safety committees are a good idea, and many states actually require them by law. But is your committee doing all it can and should be doing? If you answered No, you’re not alone. A poll by Safety & Health Magazine found that only 32.6% of their readers said their safety committees were effective.

Here are our top 10 ideas to start improving today!

Nine small squares arranged in a big square, top left square is dark blue

1. Review Your Safety Committee Purpose

The purpose of a safety committee is to regularly bring employees from all levels of your organization together to improve, communicate, and promote workplace safety. Make sure everyone on your committee:

  • Understands their role
  • Understands the importance of what they’re doing
  • Feels empowered to make recommendations for improvements

Take some time at your next meeting to review and clarify your safety mission and goals.

Three dark blue silhouettes with one person in front, two in back

2. Include the Right People in Your Safety Committee

An effective safety committee should be a representation of your company, including a mix of:

  • management
  • salaried employees
  • hourly employees
  • stakeholders from different departments

Having a good mix of viewpoints can reveal different ideas and opinions and helps you anticipate any potential resistance. Including managers helps you to get decisionmakers on board and bought in early for any new ideas.

Dark blue square with a white checkmark on it

3. Make Time for Safety Committee Meetings

Don't squeeze committee meetings into your schedule. Carve out time for safety meetings and commit to them. Whether it's the first Monday of the month or the last Friday of the quarter, pick a day and stick to it so everyone knows it's a time that's important to your goals and mission!

Dark blue steering wheel

4. Let Others Drive the Meeting

As a safety expert, you may find it difficult to take a back seat in your safety meetings. Though it may sound a little strange, it’s important not to be too active. Instead, serve as a coach or as a resource to the group so members feel free to speak up and be creative. Your role should be more about coordinating management and supporting employees.

Dark blue clipboard

5. Conduct a Group Safety Audit

Ask your safety committee to review your documented safety processes and procedures as a group to determine if there's a clearer way to communicate safety policies to front-line workers. If you don't have documented safety procedures, start creating them! Splitting up areas or processes to document might be a good way to get a new safety committee off the ground.

Dark blue shoeprints

6. Have Your Safety Committee Walk the Plant or Jobsite

Ask your entire safety committee to walk the plant floor or jobsite and note safer, more efficient ways to get the job done including things like signage recommendations, PPE suggestions, and lighting improvements. Include outside experts to fill in gaps that might exist in your committee's expertise like an ergonomist or a professional safety assessor

Dark blue stick figure running to the right

7. Give Your Safety Training a Trial Run

Use your safety committee as an audience to test your safety training materials and solicit suggestions. Periodic training reviews help keep your information timely and accurate. Check out additional sources of safety training classes and materials to keep your library fresh and up to date. 

Two circles overlapping to create a Venn diagram

8. Look for Blended Safety Training Opportunities

As a group, brainstorm ways you might start to combine two or more forms of delivering information—for example, a combination of classroom instruction and an independent, self-paced online course. A University of Tennessee study showed that a blended learning program reduced both the time and the cost of training by more than 50%. The same study showed a 10% better result in learning outcomes compared with traditional training. You can even introduce fun safety training videos to help certain lessons stick.

Dark blue trophy icon

9. Create a Safety Reward Program

Since you’ll have a mix of front-line workers and experienced managers in the same room, work together to create a rewards program that will motivate your employees and spark enthusiasm while helping to reduce injuries. Rewards can range from free PPE gear to paid days off to gift cards and even lottery tickets.

Dark blue illuminating light bulb

10. Keep Ideas Fresh

Once you've tapped the safety committee for their ideas and suggestions, consider rotating members. This opens your committee up for new viewpoints and experiences on an ongoing basis.

Remember to review this Top 10 periodically to avoid stagnation. Keeping ideas fresh is key to the kind of continued safety improvements that make your committee and your safety program effective now and for the long haul.

Download Safety Training Presentations to use in your next safety committee meeting!

 

6 Ways to Reduce Work Stress for Safety Managers

It’s hard to build a safety culture when you’re tearing your hair out. Being responsible for the safety of your employees is a huge job in the best of times. Add in high turnover rates along with a looming recession and remaining supply chain issues and your stress level may be off the charts. Meanwhile, cuts and lacerations, arc-flash, slips, trips, and falls, and all the hazards you normally deal with are still part of the job. How can you keep your sanity with all you have to do? Try these six tips!
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid

It’s hard to build a safety culture when you’re tearing your hair out. Being responsible for the safety of your employees is a huge job in the best of times. Add in high turnover rates along with a looming recession and remaining supply chain issues and your stress level may be off the charts. Meanwhile, cuts and lacerations, arc-flash, slips, trips, and falls, and all the hazards you normally deal with are still part of the job. How can you keep your sanity with all you have to do? Try these six tips!

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Stress Relievers to Make Your Job Easier

1. Plan Time to Plan

No matter what else is going on in the world, your company’s leaders expect production as usual and your customers are still looking to get their orders filled. That doesn’t mean you have to start putting out fires the moment you arrive for the day. Take ten minutes first thing in the morning to clear your head and organize and plan your schedule for the day or even for the week. Use digital calendars and planner apps to keep you organized and block out time when you need it. There’s nothing wrong with a planning meeting you schedule with yourself!

2. Reassess Your Routines and Schedules

Time is the biggest constraint for most safety managers. Carve out some time to audit your work schedules and daily routines to find inefficiencies. Although reworking larger operations can be a massive investment of time and energy, making smaller changes can be a fast and easy way to cut out redundant tasks and find opportunities to delegate.

3. Delegate Tasks to Your Employees

You can’t do it all yourself. Delegating tasks to some of your best employees will free up your time and give you more breathing room in your busy schedule. Your safety committee is a good place to find enthusiastic employees who want to make your workplace safer and perhaps even move up the ladder to take on more responsibility. Find your safety leaders and leverage them to reduce your own stress!

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Stress Relievers for Safety Professional Wellness

4. Monitor your Stressors

Never forget that you’re just as human as your employees! Chronic stress can lead to symptoms like anxiety and high blood pressure as well as unhealthy coping habits like overeating. If you recognize situations that cause stress symptoms like headaches, stomachaches, anger, or frustration, take a moment to consciously note what set that stress in motion. Over time, you may be able to recognize these stressors when they occur so you can figure out how to change what’s causing them. For example, if you find yourself stressing every time you need to remind employees to wear their safety glasses, you can think about implementing new mentoring or training programs or even posting more safety reminders to take some of the pressure off of you.

5. Give Yourself a Break

When you feel the stress building, take a moment to step back and re-center your focus. Get up and stretch or walk around to get your blood flowing and switch your focus for a short while. Even closing your eyes and concentrating on your breathing for a few moments can slow your heartbeat and stabilize your blood pressure to help you think more clearly when you return to the task at hand.

6. Establish Boundaries

Establish boundaries to start or end your day on a controlled, focused note. Listen to music, your favorite sports radio, or a book on tape during your commute instead of thinking about work. After work, avoid checking your phone during dinner or family time so you can maintain a firm barrier between your work life and your home life, when possible.

Save yourself some time with our FREE,
ready-to-download safety training resources!

GIVE ME THE FREE STUFF

 

 

Safety Tips from Safety Managers

Safety Managers - who knows safety better than you do? Nobody! That’s why sometimes there’s no better source for safety tips and ideas than a fellow safety professional. Get dozens of helpful tips on a wide variety of safety topics that Magid has gathered just for you.
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid


IMPROVE YOUR JOBSITE SAFETY CULTURE WITH SAFETY'S MANAGERS' SECRETS!

As a safety professional, you spend a lot of time thinking about new and better ways to keep your workplace safety culture in top shape. Not only do you read safety magazines, watch safety videos, and keep up on the latest OSHA regulations, but you eat, sleep, and breathe the safety of your work teams. Who knows safety better than you do? Nobody! That’s why sometimes there’s no better source for tips and ideas than a fellow safety manager!

We’ve taken some of the best advice shared with us through the years from safety professionals just like you and distilled it to create Magid’s Safety Managers’ Secrets Resources Page. There you’ll find dozens of helpful tips on a wide variety of safety topics.

FROM SAFETY TRAINING …

 “I walk around the facility carrying ping pong balls with eyes on them. Whenever workers aren’t wearing their safety glasses – I give them an “eye” as a friendly reminder to put on their gear. It’s a fun way to enforce safety.”
— Nathan, Safety Manager, Manufacturing & IT


...TO SELECTING PPE…

 “Consider consolidating. We had too many gloves for workers to choose from and folks were wearing the wrong glove for some applications. We solved the problem by limiting the number of styles. We started with a higher base cut level, cut A4 instead of A2, to ensure that even if workers are wearing the wrong glove, they’ve still got enough protection on for any application in the facility.”
— Mark, Safety Manager, Metal


...TO WORKER ENGAGEMENT

 “We encourage our workers to take their PPE home with them so they can implement their safety training outside of work…We had an employee who experienced a laceration incident at home. He was wearing his PPE when it happened and it saved him from what would have been a severed finger…That experience helped reinforce for him the importance of the proper safety equipment…”
— Jason, Safety Manager, Manufacturing & IT

Do you have a tip or safety hack that’s helped you over the years? Share it below and it may end up on our Safety Managers’ Secrets page! We share all secrets anonymously with just first name, title, and industry unless you’d like the kudos…in which case we’ll be happy to credit you!

 

PPE: Choosing & Using

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The Hidden Costs of an Eye Injury

Did you know that eye safety violations in the workplace are on the rise? The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that workplace eye injuries cost about $300 million a year. Yet OSHA’s Top Ten Safety Violations for 2018 included a new entry in its top ten:
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By M.B. Sutherland, Sr. Safety Writer, Magid

Did you know that eye safety violations in the workplace are on the rise? The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates that workplace eye injuries cost about $300 million a year. On top of that, OSHA’s Top Ten Safety Violations for 2022 reported 1,401 violations for "Violations for Personal Protection and Lifesaving Equipment Related to the Use of Eye and Face Protection," making it the 9th most frequently cited workplace safety standard:

#9

Violations for Personal Protection and Lifesaving Equipment Related to the Use of Eye and Face Protection.

 

Improving Eye Safety

As a safety manager, you’re well-versed in the consequences of injuries. But if you’re going to convince both workers and upper management to prioritize eye safety, it may help to break down the real costs – both direct and indirect – of an eye injury. Because it’s not just bad news for one person or department. An eye injury or eyesight loss costs everyone.

Icon of an eye with an arrow in the pupil

Direct Costs of an Eye Injury

Employers

Employers take a hit to the budget in:

  • workers’ compensation,
  • health care costs,
  • lost productivity, and
  • possibly time spent finding and training a replacement.
ProPublica estimates that the average maximum compensation in the United States for losing an eye is about $96,700. Depending on your state, that number can vary from as low as $22,800 in Minnesota to $261,525 in Pennsylvania and even as much as $301,870 for federal workers.

 

 

Employees

The injured worker takes a hit to the bank account if he or she ends up on temporary or permanent disability. Typically just 60 to 70 percent of salary, these benefits often pay far less than the salary your worker and their family are used to counting on to pay their bills.

 

An icon of an eye depicting indirect in the pupil

Indirect Costs of an Eye Injury

Employers

A little harder to recognize is the added cost to the employer that has nothing to do with money. Seeing a fellow worker badly injured takes a toll on your team that you can’t really measure. Workers’ compensation isn’t usually granted for PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) or other suffering for bystanders. But you’ll still pay in productivity and possibly even lost employees if your workers are traumatized by witnessing or being indirectly involved in a serious accident.

 

Employees

The non-monetary cost for injured workers can be particularly devastating. Here too, it’s hard to measure the losses that affect entire families through:
  • pain and suffering,
  • PTSD,
  • impaired quality of life, and
  • the added burden of care that falls on loved ones.

 

Icon of an eye with a shield and check mark in the pupil

How to Prevent Eye Injuries

One of the most effective strategies you can use is to make it easy for workers to wear their safety glasses.

Before you start your next shift, make sure both you and your workers consider all the costs of risking an eye injury.

MAKE YOUR PRESCRIPTION SAFETY EYEWEAR PROGRAM EASY

 

An Evolution in ANSI Level 3 Impact Gloves

Magid engineered an evolution in impact protection that gives you solid protection and unmatched flexibility and comfort with 9 times the airflow of other ANSI Level 3 impact gloves!
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid


Level 3 impact-resistant gloves give your team the highest protection from heavy impacts and hazards that can cause crush, pinch, and caught-between injuries. But higher levels of impact protection tend to come at the expense of comfort. So Magid developed a breakthrough in high impact resistance with a one-of-a-kind impact defense system and design that can give your workers the highest degree of protection with unheard of levels of flexibility and comfort.

 

DECODING IMPACT GLOVES & ANSI/ISEA IMPACT LEVELS

What does it mean when a glove achieves Level 3 impact resistance? The ANSI/ISEA 138 Impact Glove standard test calculates the average amount of force a falling object delivers through a glove. After measuring how much force travels through to the hand, knuckle, fingers, and thumb, the lowest mean score determines the glove’s overall rating of Level 1, 2, or 3. Level 1 ratings allow an average of nine or less kilonewtons (kN) of force and can provide protection from minor bumps and bruise-causing hazards. Level 2 ratings allow an average of 6.5 kN of force or less for more serious hazards, and Level 3 ratings allow an average of 4 or less kN for protection from the most serious impacts.

To achieve impact resistance, safety manufacturers use an elastic polymer like Thermoplastic Rubber (TPR) on the back of the hand and tops of the fingers.

This polymer offers protection in two ways:

  1. Its thickness creates more distance between the impact and the worker’s hand.
  2. Its elasticity absorbs the impact by smashing or “giving” a bit.

In order to get to Level 3, it’s usually necessary to thicken traditional TPR designs, resulting in a stiffer, heavier glove that can trap heat and moisture on the hands. And while that provides workers the protection they need, it significantly contributes to hand fatigue and soreness by the end of the workday and can even make the job more difficult to do. To solve this problem, Magid engineered an incredible advancement in impact protection that gives you both solid protection and unmatched flexibility and comfort!

THE NEXT BIG THING IS HERE: A REIMAGINED IMPACT LEVEL 3 TPR DESIGN FOR UNMATCHED COMFORT & FLEXIBILITY

Picture of hands wearing Magid Level 3 Impact Gloves TRX883 pulling a hosePicture of hands wearing Magid Level 3 Impact Gloves TRX883 pulling a hose


The standard TPR flex-point design that lends flexibility to Level 1 and Level 2 impact gloves tends to be too stiff for comfort in the polymer thickness required for Level 3 impact protection. So Magid created the patented M-Power Defense System™ that’s designed in a honeycomb pattern to provide thicker deflection points, with space to flex between, giving workers more dexterity and reducing hand fatigue compared to other Level 3 Impact gloves. This groundbreaking design provides heavy-duty back-of-hand impact protection while allowing workers more natural hand movement for maximum flexibility.

Close up pictures of Magid Level 3 Impact Gloves TRX883Close up pictures of Magid Level 3 Impact Gloves TRX883


The M-Power Defense System design also includes an integrated TPR ventilation system between the honeycomb deflection points that allows up to nine times more airflow than a standard impact glove to keep your workers’ hands cooler, drier, and more comfortable.

We’re introducing this innovative design on the TRX883, Magid’s next step in the evolution of comfortable Level 3 impact gloves. The TRX883 uses Magid’s lightweight AeroDex® shell, which provides ANSI Level A8 cut resistance in a material that’s 50 percent lighter than similar gloves of the same cut level. The glove also includes Magid’s VersaTek® palm coating, which provides an amplified grip that can adapt to nearly any work environment. Together, these benefits create a glove with a unique trifecta of protection, comfort, and adaptability.

Picture of Magid Level 3 Impact Gloves TRX883Picture of Magid Level 3 Impact Gloves TRX883

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PPE: How to Get Your Money’s Worth

It can be tempting to purchase a more affordable PPE option instead of the latest innovation. But new technologies and products from Magid have multiple benefits that can make these innovations the better investment for you and your workers.
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid

Everyday, you hear about Magid’s new PPE innovations online, in trade magazines, and from fellow safety managers. The innovations sound great, but how do they stand out from more affordable PPE options? It can be tempting to go with a budget-friendly choice that still gives your workers the necessary protection. But innovative technologies and products have multiple benefits, some that may even go above and beyond what’s promised!

Calculate the Cost Benefit of New Technology

By definition, innovative PPE is designed with improved materials so in addition to providing the main benefit of better grip, lighter protection, etc., it can be significantly more durable and cost-effective than traditional options. Although you might be paying a bit more up front for something new, if the items last longer than an economy alternative, you can end up saving on total cost AND getting better protection and comfort. Let’s say you had to buy a new ladder for your home and you’re looking at a less expensive one that’s made from wood and another pricier version that’s made from fiberglass or aluminum. The wooden ladder will work great for quick projects around the house. But if you’re planning on using the ladder more frequently, the tougher material will be the better investment.

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VersaTek™
 

Magid’s VersaTek™ adaptive palm coating is a great example of a new technology in grip that has the added benefit of incredible durability. VersaTek’s coating is designed with special stabilizers that amplify your workers’ grip on objects that are wet, dry, oily, or rough. In addition to this intelligent grip that can adapt to different tasks and work environments, VersaTek also surpassed 30,000 revolutions in abrasion testing — greatly exceeding the baseline to achieve a Level 6 abrasion resistance rating.

This durability helps the glove to last longer for lower total cost of ownership in the long run. Read the table below comparing an example of a top-of-the-line and economy style glove. Even though the Top-of-The-Line Glove is almost three times more expensive, its wear time is over 15x longer, which can save you $10,000 annually.

  Top-of-The-Line Glove Economy Glove
Cost (per pair) $7.75 $2.61
Wear Time (in hours) 63.87 (~1.6 pairs in a 40-hour work week) 4.1 (~10 pairs in a 40-hour work week)
Cost (per hour) $0.12 $0.64
Annual Cost $2,487 $13,050

Boost Your Environmental Sustainability

If your economy work gloves aren’t lasting through the shift and workers are discarding their gloves a few times a day, or even just at the end of the workday, your glove usage numbers start to add up at the end of the week, month, and year. We’re all looking for ways to improve environmental sustainability, or limit excessive PPE changeover. PPE innovations made with quality materials can give workers a better experience and more protection while providing longer wear-life and service time than economy models.

Make More Efficient Work Glove Choices

Most work gloves are made for a particular environment, so work done in a completely dry environment or jobs that don’t require workers to handle both wet parts and oily parts can generally get by with one type of glove or glove coating. But for workers who switch between different environments within their shift, using a single glove style and coating specific to one or two environments will make them less efficient and may even tempt them to remove their gloves to perform some tasks, putting them at risk of injury.

Here too, new technologies like VersaTek™ - with special stabilizers to enhance performance keep multi-environment workers at maximum efficiency and safety because they can assemble small parts, pick up oily and slick items, and handle rough and heavy materials easily in the same glove. No need for your workers to change their gloves to fit the task!

Add it Up: Comfort + Compliance = Safer Workers

When your workers’ PPE feels comfortable, they’ll wear it with no complaints. But when it doesn’t feel comfortable, they might take it off to provide relief, even if it puts their hands in danger during their shift. Old glove models were often made with materials that made workers’ hands itchy, sweaty, and hot, making them uncomfortable and negatively affecting their job performance. One study even reported over 70% of hand injuries occurred because workers were not wearing their gloves.
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AeroDex® Gloves
 

Magid’s innovative AeroDex® technology keeps worker comfort in mind while meeting the highest ANSI cut protection standards. AeroDex gloves are over 50% lighter than similar gloves with equal cut protection and are available up to ANSI Cut Level A9. Along with this noticeable lightness in weight, AeroDex shells are breathable and can make your employees’ skin feel cooler as they wear them.


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DX+ Technology Gloves
 

Similarly, Magid’s lightweight, coreless, cut-resistant DX+ Technology is 30% lighter than similar HPPE, doesn’t irritate your workers’ skin, and feels cool to the touch — all while providing cut-resistance up to ANSI Cut Level A6. Coreless technology means the glove yarn has been infused with strength-enhancing microparticles, which achieve higher cut-resistance levels without becoming uncomfortable or irritating to wear.


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T-REX® Windstorm Gloves

 

Cut-resistant shells aren’t the only glove category that has been redesigned with comfortable innovations. Magid’s T-REX® Windstorm Series® impact gloves are designed with an integrated CoolMesh® venting system that enhances airflow up to 60% and helps dissipate heat. These gloves also have Magid's M-Flex Defense System®, which is designed with 130 integrated flex points so workers can flex their hands comfortably.


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M-Power Defense System
 

New impact gloves feature Magid’s M-Power Defense System™, which is designed in a honeycomb pattern for thicker deflection points as well as space in-between for dexterity. This design, rated for Level 3 Impact Protection, also has an integrated ventilation system for up to nine times more airflow to keep hands cooler, drier, and comfortable.

Analyze Your PPE Usage (With an Expert or By Yourself)

Before making a decision, it can be helpful to gather information about your jobsite’s PPE purchasing and use data. This can include:

    • Calculating your most recent PPE spend figures
    • Looking through your invoice history for costs, style numbers, sizes, and number of quantities ordered
    • Reviewing how long your workers’ PPE tends to last on average (whether by hour, shift, or day)
Once you have gathered all your data, you can get started finding the best solution for your workers. If you think you might need help in the process, consider inviting a professional safety expert to perform a safety assessment analysis on your jobsite. Professional safety experts can analyze and assess the data from your PPE spend and your employees’ PPE usage to help you determine what PPE will work best for your team, your facilities, and your budget.

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21-Gauge Work Gloves Just Got Even Better

Get ready for the thinnest and most comfortable 21-gauge gloves on the market to keep your workers protected from cuts and lacerations without getting in the way of the job. It’s a revolutionary new technology that we like to call “Thinnovation” — Magid’s 21G!
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By John Heniff, Safety Writer, Magid


Get ready for the thinnest and most comfortable 21-gauge gloves on the market! Magid's 21G is a revolutionary new technology that's so thin and comfortable, we call it "Thinnovation." And it will keep your workers protected from cuts and lacerations without getting in the way of the job.

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Picture of a hand wearing a Magid GPD412 21-Gauge ANSI A4 cut resistant work glove picking up a small screw

State of the Art Design

21G is made with Magid’s revolutionary new knitting technology, using a specially engineered fiber blend in an ultra-thin, 21-gauge construction. This combination provides lightweight strength and ANSI Level A4 cut resistance for the thinnest cut-resistant glove on the market.




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Picture of an industrial worker wearing Magid 21-Gauge ANSI Level A4 cut resistant gloves to pick up small nuts and screws

 Unparalleled Dexterity & Tactile Sensitivity

When you put it on, you feel the difference. 21G gloves are so thin and comfortable, it feels like working bare-handed, and the incredible dexterity won’t cause hand fatigue. Workers who have tried them say 21G also provides tactile sensitivity that feels as thin as a disposable glove at the fingertips. A polyurethane palm coating gives workers a reliable grip and the gloves are touchscreen compatible, so your team won’t need to take them off to operate electronics.




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Picture of an industrial worker pulling on a Magid 21-gauge ANSI Level A4 cut resistant work glove

Total Worker Compliance

21G makes handling small parts a breeze, so it’s perfect for jobs that require intricate work and high dexterity. This glove is also ideal for tasks like material handling, assembly line work, mechanical repairs, electrical contracting, or shipping & receiving. Give your workers an extra level of comfort and cut resistance that will keep them safer, happier, and more productive — with fewer recordables and compliance headaches for you.




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Safety Managers' Secrets

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Emphasize The Ripple Effect

When talking about safety, I make sure my people know, if you get injured, it’s not just you that suffers, it’s 120 families. An injury means an OSHA recordable. That means our OSHA Incident Rate goes up and that might mean we can’t have our company picnic or I can’t give promotions. So when you think about picking up that heavy box by yourself, think of everyone else!
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Shared By Ed, Safety Manager, Oil & Gas


When talking about safety, I make sure my people know, if you get injured, it’s not just you that suffers, it’s 120 families. An injury means an OSHA recordable. That means our OSHA Incident Rate goes up and that might mean we can’t have our company picnic or I can’t give promotions. So when you think about picking up that heavy box by yourself, think of everyone else!

Assign New Workers A Mentor

We put our new hires through workshops, lectures, online training courses, and other traditional forms of training, but once they complete that, they are assigned a mentor from our safety team. The mentor is responsible for showing them how to apply the training that they just completed and guide them through their first project. By implementing this program we’ve eliminated 1.5 to 2 million dollars a year in unnecessary wait time for redoing work.
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Shared By Kevin, Safety Manager, Oil & Gas


We put our new hires through workshops, lectures, online training courses, and other traditional forms of training, but once they complete that, they are assigned a mentor from our safety team. The mentor is responsible for showing them how to apply the training that they just completed and guide them through their first project. By implementing this program we’ve eliminated 1.5 to 2 million dollars a year in unnecessary wait time for redoing work.

A Little Teasing Can Save a Worker's Hearing

When I see people not wearing their hearing protection, I walk up to them and start “talking,” but I don’t make any sound. It’s a friendly reminder of what they might experience if they damage their ears!
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Shared By Sean, Safety Manager, Manufacturing & IT


When I see people not wearing their hearing protection, I walk up to them and start “talking” but I don’t make any sound. It’s a friendly reminder of what they might experience if they damage their ears!

Take PPE Home

We encourage our workers to take their PPE home with them so they can implement their safety training outside of work. We are proud to have so many employees who take safety seriously in all aspects of their lives. We had an employee who experienced a laceration incident at home. He was wearing his PPE when it happened and it saved him from what would have been a severed finger. While he has always known that the proper PPE is key to staying safe and in one piece, he says he’s a true believer now. That experience helped reinforce for him the importance of the proper safety equipment. After all, gloves are cheaper than stitches!
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Shared By Jason, Safety Manager, Manufacturing & IT


We encourage our workers to take their PPE home with them so they can implement their safety training outside of work. We are proud to have so many employees who take safety seriously in all aspects of their lives. We had an employee who experienced a laceration incident at home. He was wearing his PPE when it happened and it saved him from what would have been a severed finger. While he has always known that the proper PPE is key to staying safe and in one piece, he says he’s a true believer now. That experience helped reinforce for him the importance of the proper safety equipment. After all, gloves are cheaper than stitches!