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Double Standards for Safety

People will think of safety precautions at home more than they will at work. This double standard can be the cause of many accidents on the job.

Very often some people will;
  • Keep the safety in place on the gun, but remove the guard from a saw at work?
  • Go to great lengths to protect the lens of a favorite camera, but complain about wearing safety goggles?
  • Open the switch to replace a fuse at home, but on the job attempt to do it live?
  • Be extra cautious when traveling by plane, but think nothing of riding a basket on a crane hook?
  • Yell “fore” on the golf course, but never give a warning signal at work?
  • Criticize the condition of the neighbor’s power mower, but think nothing of using defective tools at work?

There is no such thing as a right time and a wrong time to use safety pre-cautions and sound judgement. You should always think “Safety” and apply it to whatever situation you find yourself in.

Chances are some of the examples above remind you of yourself at times or someone you know. There should be no double standards for safety. Preventing accidents on the job or at home, there is no difference in the importance. Think of the precautions that you take at home and consider how you can better improve your safety precautions when it comes to your job.

No matter where you are, no matter what you are doing, Safety should be the first thing on your mind. Work consciously to eliminate the double standards of safety.
U.S. Department of Labor
Issues Frequently Asked Question and Answer Confirming N95 Respirators Protect Against the Coronavirus


Yes, an N95 respirator is effective in protecting workers from the virus that causes COVID-19. "N95" refers to a class of respirator filter that removes at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) particles from the air. Some people have mistakenly claimed that since the virus that causes COVID-19 is approximately 0.1 microns in size, wearing an N95 respirator will not protect against such a small virus. That mistaken claim appears to result from a misunderstanding of how respirators work.

When an infected person expels the virus into the air by activities like talking, coughing, or sneezing, the airborne particles are composed of more than just the virus. The virus is part of larger particles that are made up of water and other materials such as mucus. These larger particles are easily trapped and filtered out by N95 respirators because they are too big to pass through the filter. This is called mechanical filtration. But mechanical filtration is just one of the ways that respirator filters keep particles from passing through the filter. An electrostatic charge also attracts particles to fibers in the filter, where the particles become stuck. In addition, the smallest particles constantly move around (called "Brownian motion"), and are very likely to hit a filter fiber and stick to it.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) tests respirators using particles that simulate a 0.3 micron diameter because this size particle is most likely to pass through the filter. If worn correctly, the N95 respirator will filter out at least 95% of particles this size. An N95 respirator is more effective at filtering particles that are smaller or larger than 0.3 microns in size.

The N95 respirator filter, as is true for other NIOSH-approved respirators, is very effective at protecting people from the virus causing COVID-19. However, it is important for employers and workers to remember that the respirator only provides the expected protection when used correctly. Respirators, when required, must be used as part of a comprehensive, written respiratory protection program that meets the requirements of OSHA's Respiratory Protection standard. The program should include medical evaluations, training, and fit testing.
SAFETY PROFESSIONALS:
Brandon Black - (515) 577-5198 or Brandon@IowaCSSI.com 
Michael Messer - (319) 572-3595 or Michael@IowaCSSI.com
Mark Wieland - (515) 577-7622 or Mark@IowaCSSI.com
New WORKSAFE Projects:
 D.W. Zinser Company, Inc.
-Seashore Hall Raze Demolition

Graham Construction Company
-Stewart Memorial Community Hospital
- Metro Waste Authority MRF

Hy-Vee Construction
-Mt. Ayr Hy-Vee

Koester Construction
- Des Moines Municipal Service Center - Phase 2
- Central Iowa Shelter Services

Miron Construction
- U of I Soccer Complex

Mohr Construction Services
- APEX Dental Clinic

Peters Construction Corporation
- Locke at Tower Park

Todd & Sargent
- Curtis Farm - Feed Mill and Grain Science Complex

Universal Climate Control, Inc.
- Campus Recreation & Wellness CNTR Replace PoolPak AHU's
WORKSAFE is a partnership between Master Builders of Iowa and Iowa OSHA, with safety services provided by Construction Safety Specialists, Inc. For more information on the WORKSAFE program or for safety inquiries, please contact one of the CSSI safety professionals at info@iowacssi.com

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