SafetyBlog

A counterweight is an important part of many industrial forklifts. Depending on the loads with which they are used, they may require one or more counterweights. Forklifts are used to lift and transport heavy loads. Some of them are rated for 5,000 pounds, whereas others are rated for 10,000 pounds or more. When using a forklift to lift and transport heavy loads, you should consider the counterweight.What Is a Forklift Counterweight?A forklift counterweight is exactly what it sounds like: a weigh …

Did you know that May is National Electrical Safety Month? Sponsored by the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI), it's designed to raise awareness to common electrical hazards. Regardless of whether you work as a professional electrician, you should participate in National Electrical Safety Month. Doing so will lower your risk of injury.Be Gentle When Removing Plugs From OutletsNever tug or forcefully pull plugs from wall outlets. If you need to remove a plug, gently pull it directl …

Are you thinking about buying a nail gun? Nail guns offer a faster and more efficient way to drive nails into wood. As you may know, they are power tools that shoot nails. Rather than manually hammering nails into wood, you can use a nail gun. There are different types of nail guns, however. While they are all designed to quickly drive nails into wood, they don't use the same method of operation.PneumaticThe most common type of nail gun is pneumatic. Pneumatic refers to the use of air. Like all …

Have you heard of material handling devices? They've become increasingly common in recent years. According to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), nearly 2 million workers sustain an MSD in any given year. Of those injuries, about 600,000 workers require time off as a result of the MSD. Material handling devices, however, can protect workers from MSDs.What Are Material Handling Devices?Material handling devices are products that are designed to help workers lift and/or …

A hard hat is an essential form of personal protective equipment (PPE) for many occupations. Construction workers and utility workers, for instance, typically wear them. Hard hats offer a physical barrier of protection that lowers the risk of head injury. While they may seem self-explanatory, though, there are several things you should and shouldn't do when wearing a hard hat.Do Wear ForwardYou should wear a hard hat forward. In other words, the bill should point in the same direction that you a …