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Exposure to heat can cause illness and death. The threat is real. Common type of heat illnesses include heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include headache, dizziness, fainting, weakness, irritability, confusion, thirst, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms of heat stroke include confusion, loss of consciousness, or seizures. Train employees to recognize these symptoms in themselves and others. To prevent heat related illnesses: • Schedule hot jobs during cooler periods of the day. • Hydrate - drink at least one pint of water per hour (recommended). • Take regularly scheduled breaks in a cool...

The hot, hazy days of summer are here. The heat can be especially harmful for those who work outdoors in direct sunlight or in hot environments, making them susceptible to heat-induced illnesses such as heat stress, heat exhaustion, or the more serious heat stroke. "Working in extreme temperatures is not only uncomfortable, it can be life-threatening," said former OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary Jordan Barab in 2016. "As we move into the summer months, it is important for workers and their employers to minimize the chances of heat-induced illnesses, and imperative that they recognize...

Location To prevent fire extinguishers from being moved or damaged, they should be mounted on brackets or in wall cabinets with their carrying handles 3-1/2 to five feet above the floor. In addition, a sign indicating the location of the fire extinguisher should be present. Inspection Fire extinguishers need to be inspected at least monthly. The inspection assures that they will operate effectively when needed. When inspecting a fire extinguisher, ask the following questions: • Is each fire extinguisher in its designated place, clearly visible, and not blocked by equipment, pallets, or other objects that could...

After December 16, 2019, all motor carriers and drivers subject to the ELD rule will be required to use electronic logging devices (ELDs) to record hours-of-service data. To help the motor carrier industry and ELD providers prepare for this important deadline, FMCSA is hosting a series of live question and answer sessions. Register for a Live ELD Q&A Session To keep these sessions as informative for the participants as possible, FMCSA is segmenting the Q&A sessions by audience. Select the most relevant session for you and register using the links below. Sessions for...

Three common types of fire extinguishers are found in most workplaces, including: • Air-pressurized water extinguishers (APW). • Carbon dioxide fire extinguishers. • Multi-purpose dry chemical extinguishers. Air-Pressurized Air-pressurized water extinguishers (APW) are commonly used on type A fires involving ordinary combustibles. They are recognized easily by their large silver container.  APW extinguishers are filled two-thirds of the way with ordinary water and pressurized with air. They extinguish the fire by cooling the surface of the fuel to remove the "heat" from the fire triangle (heat, oxygen, and fuel). APW fire extinguishers should never be...

The clock is ticking, you have one more day to amp up your advocacy for the ratification of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). Make sure your voice is heard by your members of Congress by using National Grain and Feed Association’s (NGFA) easy advocacy tool. Hundreds of your fellow NGFA members have already done so. It takes just minutes to: • Send a pre-drafted email to your members of Congress, • Tweet your senators and representative, and • Call the office of your representative and senators by using NGFA’s brief script. If you use the NGFA's web-based advocacy tool to record your efforts...

The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s agricultural advocacy, marketing and outreach team is seeking talented Kansans to serve on the Marketing Advisory Board. The mission of the KDA marketing division is to serve all Kansans through innovative programming and deliver solutions designed to create an environment that facilitates growth and expansion in agriculture while increasing pride in and awareness of the state’s largest industry — agriculture. The Marketing Advisory Board will advise the program team on a variety of topics through the following sub-programs: agricultural business development, international agricultural development/trade, From the...

The fire triangle illustrates the three elements a fire needs to ignite. These elements include: • Heat • Fuel • Oxygen A fire occurs when these elements are present and combined in the right mixture. The combination of these elements results in an exothermic reaction, or release of heat. Fires can be classified into five different types: Class A fires are defined as ordinary combustibles such as wood, paper, trash, and plastics. Class A fires are the most common type of fire encountered in the workplace. Class B fires use a flammable liquid or gas as its...

A fire involving wooden pallets can spread quickly and cause structural failure in adjacent buildings or structures. Wooden pallets most commonly are associated with warehouses, but most facilities have idle wooden pallets either inside or near storage buildings. Wooden pallets stored in protected areas, such as a storage building or under an overhand, quickly lose moisture. As a wooden pallet dries out, its edges tend to become frayed or splintered. Under this condition, an ignition source can ignite the pallet easily. Storage When pallets are stored on edge or end, they create...

A near miss is any unplanned event that did not cause injury, but could if conditions were to change. Experts estimate that there are at least 300 near miss accidents for every major injury. If near misses are reported, they can be used to identify exposure in the work environment, increase safety awareness, and prevent future incidents. Consider the following when implementing a near miss reporting program. • Create a system that allows employees to report near misses. Make near miss forms available in a common area or online. • When communicating near miss incidents,...

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