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Category: Hygiene News
Posted by: swisher

When we hear the word "hygiene," most of us think of things like hand washing and personal grooming. But in the industrial and manufacturing setting, the practice of good hygiene goes well beyond these important but basic steps. The goal behind any hygiene practice while on the job is to improve safety by preventing exposure to harm, whether that means contact with germs, chemicals or other noxious agents.

There are a number of fundamental practices that can significantly reduce this exposure potential, saving individual workers from possibly catastrophic consequences and protecting businesses form loss of human resources, loss of productivity and loss associated with litigation.

1) Be familiar with the protocol for handling hazardous materials and responding to exposure – Don't wait for an emergency to read the MSDS – familiarize yourself with the correct response procedures before hand to minimize potential damage.

2) Wash immediately in the event of contact with any hazardous or potentially hazardous material – Even if no symptoms are apparent, it is imperative that anyone exposed to possibly harmful substances take immediate precautions after contact with eyes, skin or clothing. Refer to the MSDS for specific procedures in response to splashes.

3) Keep areas where hazardous materials are stored clean – Disorder is one of the leading causes of accidental spills and exposure. A well-ordered facility is far less likely to experience unintended environmental release of harmful substances.

4) Clean spills properly – Be sure to know how spills of varying substances should be treated – or have resources handy with appropriate information. Make sure that the material used to clean spills are also treated with the proper care and elimination procedures.

5) Properly maintain work clothes – Keeping your uniform and gear clean and in good condition minimizes the likelihood that skin can come in contact with harmful contaminants, and well-maintained articles are less likely to get caught in machinery or otherwise present a safety hazard.

6) Keep contaminated clothing separate from other laundry – This is a common-sense step that is all-too-often overlooked for the sake of expediency or to minimize laundering costs. The consequences, including cross-contamination and, in the case of some chemical exposures, spontaneous combustion, can be far more costly and wasteful. In some cases, specialized laundry services may be required.

7) Smoke, eat and drink only in designated areas – These areas should be well away from areas containing hazardous substances. Because certain potentially dangerous materials can be present in the environment where they are used – on surfaces and in the air – the act of eating, drinking or smoking can compound exposure.

8) Do not wear contact lenses when working with vaporous materials – Contacts are made of absorbent material and can draw contaminants from the air. This can produce eye irritation or more significant consequences.

9) Wash thoroughly after working with any hazardous substances – This minimizes the possibility that immediately undetected contamination has the opportunity to worsen or spread.