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Fall harvest is rapidly approaching, and while it’s still the sunny summer months, it’s always good to be prepared. This season is the peak of the harvest time, and there will be a lot of work to do for both large and small farms. Safety during harvest season should be the utmost priority of any landowner or business owner, so get ready for the season with these important reminders.

• Prepare grain bins and safety equipment. A great deal of grain gets harvested during the fall season. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to prepare the grain bins and silos, so they’re ready to receive the year’s harvest. Furthermore, you need to prepare the safety equipment for handling grain, including grain bin tubes and other life-saving equipment, to prevent fall harvest accidents. 
• Ensure the bins are clean and all components are working. Cleaning the bins prevents any issues from coming up later on. Checking for the bins’ structural integrity, foundations, and even its walls can ensure that it’s strong enough to handle the harvest operations and the crop it’ll hold. Make sure to check for leaks and that an access ladder is present at all times. 
• Be aware of the machines at all times. Workers in the fields need to be thoroughly aware of where the harvesting machine is and whether it’s on or off. Regardless, no one should be near the harvesting machine when it is in the field during the fall harvest. No one should also maintain the machine while it is out on the field and operational. 
• Provide workers with proper training. One of the best ways to avoid incidents is to ensure that all workers and supervisors have the proper briefing and training on their jobs. If you’ve hired more personnel for the harvest, be sure that they are appropriately trained and that they are aware of what their jobs will entail. Emphasize safety protocols and regulations to them. 
   
  The fall harvest can be an incredibly hectic but rewarding time. With the proper preparation, things should go off without a hitch.Always be mindful of the proper safety procedures during any season. Visit KC Supply to find out what equipment you might need for the fall harvest.

Heat-related illness and incidents are a prime concern in many industrial and agricultural industries, especially during the summer months. Over time, the summer season has become hotter and hotter. With that comes the substantial risk of heat-related incidents, especially for workers who do many tasks outdoors or labor indoors in enclosed, unventilated spaces.

Here are several critical ways by which you can prevent these incidents from happening at work.

• Provide adequate hydration.
  Make sure all workers have plenty of access to water or a cold drink. As much as possible, they need to keep their body temperature down and avoid the risk of overheating. Urge them to drink water or liquids frequently to prevent heat-related illness. 
• Emphasize the importance of breaks.
  After toiling long hours in the heat, workers need to take a quick break in between. Workers need to eat lunch and drink water in the shade, and take a rest before they go out there and resume their duties once again. Pacing themselves, especially during heavy labor and physically taxing tasks, is critical. 
• Require the use of sunscreen and light-colored clothing.
  Sunscreen prevents outdoor workers from getting sunburns and reduces the risk of skin cancers or melanoma. Furthermore, sunburns can affect how the body regulates its temperature and thus need to be avoided. Light-colored clothing also keeps them cool by reflecting the hot sunshine. 
• Be aware of the signs of heatstroke.
  Though heat-related illness prevention is better than a cure, it’s still important to know the signs if someone is showing symptoms of heat stroke or fainting. Workers may become disoriented, stop sweating, or collapse completely. To prevent the problem from worsening, spot and address the situation immediately, getting them the medical help they need. Heat-related illnesses are severe matters and could endanger the lives of workers. It could also come at a significant cost to any business. Avoid the risks of heat stress and be prepared for high temperatures.

  KC Supply prioritizes the safety of your workers and your team. Visit KC Supply to find much-needed safety equipment and more workplace safety tips. 

An emergency action plan (EAP) is a critical component of any safety system in an industrial plant. It’s the protocol for just about any establishment to have such a plan in case of accidents, emergencies, or high-danger situations. But in industrial settings, where there is more risk and a higher chance of serious accidents, it’s even more essential for companies to develop an EAP to ensure that everyone involved remains safe.

What is an EAP?

As defined by OSHA, an emergency action plan “covers designated actions employers and employees must take to ensure employee safety from fire and other emergencies.” While not every employer is mandated by law to create such a plan, it remains in everyone’s best interests to develop an EAP to be prepared for any situation or incident.

How do you make one?

Your emergency action plan needs to be in writing. Every employee must be briefed or given a copy of the plan for review. In case a company less than ten employees, employers may communicate this plan verbally to them.

However, the EAP needs to have fire and emergency reporting procedures as well as emergency evacuation procedures. Remember that it needs to have evacuation types and assigned exit routes that employees can proceed to. The plan must also clearly demarcate floor maps that indicate where the emergency exits are. For power plants, water plants, and other major infrastructures, The EAP must also include procedures on how to shut systems down in case of emergency.

Furthermore, the emergency action plan needs to include an employee alarm system with a distinctive alarm that will alert all employees that an emergency is taking place. They must proceed with emergency procedures.

KC Supply reminds all employers with an EAP that any changes and individual employee responsibilities regarding the plans must get communicated to all employees covered by it. This makes sure that everyone, no matter what happens, knows what to do.

Workplace safety should be a major priority of any employer. Visit KC Supply to learn more vital information about workplace safety and procedures.

Emergency planning and preparing for untoward incidences is part of workplace safety. For many companies, especially industrial ones, having the right plan and preparedness for accidents or emergencies could mean life or death. To protect both employers and employees alike, companies must carefully draft plans and procedures for such incidents.

Critical Emergency Planning Reminders

1. Brainstorm for scenarios. What could potentially go wrong in the workplace? What are situations that could result in a worst-case scenario? Brainstorming these ideas and conditions can help your company plan what to do or what equipment to prepare in anticipation of them. These could include: 

• Natural disasters 
• Fire 
• Toxic chemicals or gases
• Civil disturbance
• Explosions 
• Bodily harm

2. Create an emergency action plan. OSHA recommends that workplaces create an emergency action plan or EAP to prepare for these emergencies. At the minimum, there must be a reporting procedure, an alarm system, and evacuation policies and procedures involved. As a part of emergency planning, every employee the plan covers needs to be briefed on these procedures.

3. Install and purchase emergency equipment. Equipment such as fire extinguishers, oxygen tanks and masks, first aid kits, and other related needs concerning any expected scenarios must remain stocked in the building. Employees or staff with responsibilities in the EAP need to access these items when needed readily.

4. Train employees in medical emergency procedures. Instill basic first aid knowledge in your employees. You also want to identify which employees know CPR or have training for seizures if necessary.

5. Protect business assets. Emergency planning may include procedures on how to shut down or lock down the systems and machines. It prevents further damage from spreading and protects business assets throughout the company in these situations.

KC Supply emphasizes that emergency planning is more than just a necessary chore for any industrial company. It may make a world of difference against potentially millions of dollars in damages. And it could mean the difference between life and death.

KC Supply encourages industrial companies to equip proper safety and emergency equipment to avoid and address workplace accidents. Visit KC Supply to learn more.

Harvest safety is of utmost importance as the season begins. It’s the only surefire way to ensure that a harvest is a productive, fruitful, and uneventful one. Harvesting brings out the use of more equipment and machinery and more personnel on-site actively doing agricultural processes. There is a higher likelihood of incidents and accidents, and it remains in every farmer’s best interest to double-check any safety precautions involved in the different processes.

1. Remind all personnel to be mindful when approaching harvest equipment, even when they thinkit’s shut off. Ensure that they come forward from the front and gain eye contact with the machine’s operator before approaching.
2. Do not stay near or approach machinery when it’s running unguarded. For harvest safety, always pay attention to the machine’s movement and know where it is.
3. Do not go into any joints or pinch points in the equipment where visibility is limited. Make sure you’re where the operator can see you at all times.
4. Train (or re-train) all personnel who will be handling the harvesting equipment. Ignorance or lack of training is a significant source of incorrect equipment operation, leading to accidents.
5. Be prepared. Know what everyone is supposed to do for each step and what to do in case of incidents. Come up with checklists and emergency plans for harvest safety.
6. Keep young children away from the harvest area. If it’s completely unavoidable to have them near the perimeter, know where they are at all times.
7. Do not overexert your physical capability. Exhaustion and fatigue make you prone to human error and mistakes, leading to accidents.
8. Brush up and practice grain bin safety. At least 12 people die every year in grain bins, getting suffocated inside.
9. Do not attempt to fix or repair any piece of equipment or machinery if it breaks down or stops working in the middle of the harvest. Always make sure that the machine is off.
10. Wear well-fitting clothing that gives you the ease of movement. This keeps your actions fast, efficient and keeps clothes out of risk of getting tangled in anything.

By keeping these great harvest safety reminders at the forefront of your endeavor, any harvest should go as smoothly as possible with excellent yields and few incidents.

KC Supply Co takes workplace safety seriously, especially in the agricultural industry. Visit our website to learn more about guidelines and safety reminders.

The goal of plant maintenance is simple: to keep the business running. A manufacturing, agricultural, or industrial company simply cannot continue doing its work for the day with a faulty plant with more than one issue going around. And if good plant maintenance doesn’t get upheld, the business won’t last very long either.

A well-oiled machine

The saying “a well-oiled machine” refers to everything working perfectly. This is the primary benefit of regular plant maintenance. Through careful and thorough plant maintenance, companies can ensure continuous, efficient production throughout their factory lines. Machines that can run smoothly at their total capacity are incredibly productive, and there won’t be any fear of downtime.

Time is money

The faster things get done, the more can get done during the day. And with an efficient, problem-free line of equipment, production rates can even improve, bringing more profits. Furthermore, regular plant maintenance saves a lot of repair money in the long run. Something small that seems “too troublesome” to repair now can cause a more significant breakdown later, leading to even higher operational costs after repairs.

Minimize hazards and workplace accidents

Finally, regular plant maintenance goes a long way in reducing workplace hazards. Any potentially dangerous occurrences (such as machines breaking down or malfunctioning, broken or slippery railings, and walkways, etc.) will get flagged ahead of time or prevented entirely. It reduces the likelihood of personnel and workers getting hurt.

Room for improvement

During inspections, companies may find that there are still areas where companies can make upgrades and improvements as well. Critical upgrades to better machinery or streamlining efficiency improve production and even create a higher quality product. It leads to higher quality service from the company all around.

Plant maintenance may seem like a “chore,” especially when it’s a regular occurrence. But what seems like something small now might grow into something else later. It’s better to have regular maintenance and nip any problems in the bud, and keep the production going as smoothly as possible every day.

Plant maintenance is part of overall safety and efficiency. Visit KC Supply to learn more about vital safety tips and efficiency ideas.

When fighting the dangers of combustible dust, OSHA Housekeeping Requirements have to be at the forefront of every industrial property owner’s mind. They’re there for a reason: the requirements aim to reduce significantly the risks of combustible dust igniting the property, causing severe structural damage, and potentially injuring personnel.

Creating a Combustible Dust Housekeeping Program

The primary responsibility of the employers and property owners is to determine a housekeeping program for their whole company. There must be clear boundaries on the areas, rooms, and facilities where combustible dust is produced and locations where the dust might accumulate. The housekeeping program’s goal is to eliminate the dangers of combustible dust.

Furthermore, according to OSHA Housekeeping Requirements, the programs that employers create must include how to reduce the dust accumulations on areas where they are wont to, such as floors, equipment, and many of the exposed surfaces.

The Components

A good housekeeping program should have written instructions, a clearly outlined frequency of inspections and cleaning, and the cleaning methods. It also includes dealing with spills and leaks and details of the equipment used to control the dust.

The program must identify the areas where housekeeping was of utmost priority. These involve grain elevators and the other regions with potential ignition.

The methods for removing grain spills (which cause clouds of combustible dust) must also get discussed.

It’s critical for the program to clean and inspect the aforementioned priority areas, with OSHA Housekeeping Requirements explicitly saying that companies must do these cleaning sessions daily.

Finally, the company must generate reports about any spills and leaks and resolve any issues that arise. The problems or incidents must get resolved before operations can resume.

By following these guidelines in creating a good housekeeping program that protects property and personnel from combustible dust risks, operations can continue smoothly and with as little risk as possible.

KC Supply fervently believes in putting the safety of industrial personnel at the utmost priority. Visit KC Supply to find out more about regulations that keep people safe and operations moving smoothly.

The risk of combustible dust in any industrial setting could not be overstated. Situations that may seem safe and harmless to the untrained or inexperienced eye could rapidly escalate into a devastating accident with untold property damage and harm to personnel.

An NFPA fact sheet that discusses Industrial and Manufacturing Property Structure Fires within the United States has found that approximately 10,500 structure fires happen in industrial properties in 2003-2009 alone. Knowing the ways to prevent combustible dust explosions can save lives.

• Remember the three elements for a fire.

Avoiding fire at all costs is the most critical reminder of all. Knowing the three ingredients that start a fire can effectively prevent it. A fire needs fuel, heat (ignition source), and oxygen. Two out of the three are already in a combustible dust area: the fuel (dust) and oxygen. In a place where there is plenty of dust or has an activity that creates plenty of dust, there must be no means of ignition, and temperatures must not go too high.

• A dust collector is a must.

Prevent the “fuel” part of the equation from collecting by making use of a dust collector. With suitable vacuum systems or dust collectors, the potentially combustible dust is filtered out of the air and prevents buildup. This highly reduces the risk of combustion.

• Install spark detection and suppression systems.

A single spark could cause a tremendous fire with combustible dust in the air. Spark detection and suppression systems prevent this risk. Even a spark caused by static electricity from clothes or hair could be dangerous.

• Use specialized cleaning methods.

Suppose an ignition source is present within the work area where combustible dust is present. In that case, it’s essential to use specialized cleaning methods and systems that prevent dust from getting disturbed and therefore form clouds into the air.

• Regular inspections are necessary.

It’s not just inspecting for dust gathering at corners or nooks that may go overlooked. It’s also critical to inspect spark detection systems, suppression systems, dust collectors, and all the safety protocols that all personnel should follow. Regular checks and inspections ensure that the vital systems are in good working order and everyone is adhering to protective regulations.

Never underestimate the risks of combustible dust. It’s vital to keep in mind that it only takes one spark in a cloud of dust to create a fire or an explosion. Thus, it’s critical to be vigilant of these reminders and keep everyone in the workplace safe.

Learn more about various protective systems that can keep your industrial property safe from combustible dust accidents by visiting KC Supply.

To understand the risks of a confined space and what working in one will entail, personnel must first understand what a confined space is and why it matters.

A confined space is defined as an area with limited openings for entry and exit, with an environment that is not conducive or unfavorable towards good ventilation. Employees are not expected to remain in the space continuously or for long-term occupancy.

Typically, a person can fit into space, but there is still limited egress and entry. It’s not an area specifically designed to work in, and it’s against OSHA standards to hold workers within one for prolonged periods. Some confined spaces can be dangerous—there is the potential for workers to suffocate if it contains hazardous fumes or material that could engulf the worker.

What are good examples of a confined space?

Utility tunnels, septic tanks, grain bins, sewage tunnels, underground vaults, storage tanks, and other similar environments are good examples of confined spaces. While a worker may need to go in there to do some maintenance or make adjustments, workers should never be in them for prolonged periods and get out as soon as possible. Some confined spaces may even need specific OSHA-required permits or regulations.

What are the dangers in a confined space?

Suffocation, entrapment, oxygen deficiency, or the presence of flammable and explosive atmospheres are just some of the high risks involved with working in a confined space.

Furthermore, if the space contains flowing liquid or free-flowing solids (storage tanks and grain bins are good examples), the material can flow into the space and cause the worker within it to drown. Another significant risk is excessive heat. The temperature within a confined space could rise significantly, increasing the risk of heatstroke or cause a worker to collapse within the confined space. It would then be extremely difficult or impossible to extract them from the space.

Working in confined spaces or needing to go into one is inevitable in many industrial industries. But by understanding what the area is and the dangers it poses, workers can keep safety protocols in mind and remember why they need to abide by them.

KC Supply takes worker safety seriously, especially in confined spaces. See more safety equipment and information for industrial workers in KC Supply.

A tripod hoist’s utility and importance shouldn’t be underestimated, especially in a construction or industrial setting. This is precisely why KC Supply has chosen to spotlight this unique tool that many laypeople may not have even seen or heard of before.

What is a Tripod Hoist?

Tripod cranes, lifting hoists, and other similar hoists serve a particular purpose: they act as a stand and a means of lowering or elevate personnel who are going into confined spaces. There are three standard sizes of Lisbon Hoist in the market today. All of these hoists are renowned for their ease of use and lightweight system. They are excellent for use in bins or silos and manholes and other confined spaces that need personnel access.

• Mast-Supported Workbasket – This particular workbasket is best used with the Lisbon Powered Quad Pod system. The basket itself can carry up to 600 pounds and can even function for underwater use. The swing gate design enables personnel to enter and exit quickly.
• Manual Tripod Hoist – The manual tripod hoist is one of the most famous pieces of equipment used for industrial access to confined spaces. The Lisbon manual hoist is lightweight and portable but durable enough to carry 300 pounds of weight. It’s also incredibly flexible, with an adjustable height that makes it suitable for various uses and entry spaces.
• Powered Tripod Hoist – Finally, the powered tripod hoist (and its fellow quadpod hoist) is state-of-the-art equipment for lowering personnel into silos, manholes, and other tight spaces. The system has a sophisticated air- or electric-powered spirit hoist, a frame, wire winder, and wire rope. It even comes with optional add-on attachments such as round baskets. With its strength and flexibility, it’s useful for a variety of industrial and refinery applications.

These hoists are the most highly effective and safe method of transporting and carrying personnel for enclosed-space access. With the proper handling and use, they ensure that work continues on the job site without a hitch.

KC Supply believes in using the right tools and equipment for the job. Visit KC Supply to learn more about industrial and refinery equipment.