Équipements de protection

Méthode de mesure de la pénétration des nanoparticules à travers les gants

Maryse Gagnon — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:16:00 GMT

Avec l'essor prévu des nanotechnologies, les risques d'exposition aux nanoparticules, déjà présents en milieu de travail, augmenteront de façon exponentielle. La contamination par voie cutanée a fait l'objet de peu de travaux et certains croient qu'elle est sous-évaluée. Il semble aussi que, dans certains cas, des taux préoccupants de nanoparticules puissent traverser les vêtements de protection, en particulier les gants de laboratoire. L'équipe de recherche vise à élaborer une méthode de caractérisation de l'efficacité de la protection des matériaux des gants contre les nanoparticules dans des conditions simulant celles des milieux de travail. Cette activité fournira aussi des données sur l'imperméabilité de quelques-uns de ces matériaux à certaines nanoparticules, ce qui permettra de formuler des recommandations préliminaires sur le choix de gants protégeant contre les risques d'exposition. Ces connaissances fourniront une base pour la création de matériaux offrant une résistance accrue à la pénétration des nanoparticules dans des conditions typiques d'utilisation en milieu de travail. Elles favoriseront aussi l'acquisition d'une expertise dans le nouveau domaine qu'est la protection contre les nanoparticules.

Source : http://www.irsst.qc.ca/-publication-irsst-methode-de-mesure-de-la-penetration-des-nanoparticules-a-travers-les-gants-r-734.html

Falling short in workplace safety

Maryse Gagnon — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 18:21:00 GMT

An analysis of falls in the construction sector
Falls from height and falls on the same level are a significant cause of harm in the construction sector. It is estimated that nearly one-third of serious harm accidents in construction result from slips, trips, or falls, either from height or on the same level.
Falling Short in Workplace Safety analyses 340 serious harm investigation files related to falls in the construction industry in 2007 to 2009. The accidents represented in this study include nine fatal accidents. The key findings of the analysis are presented here. These findings represent situations where accidents occurred, rather than practices across the entire construction sector.

Source : http://www.dol.govt.nz/publications/research/falling-short-workplace-safety/

Development of new footwear sole surface pattern for prevention of slip-related falls

Maryse Gagnon — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 18:50:00 GMT

In this study, a new rubber surface pattern for a footwear sole was developed to prevent slip-related falls. This pattern shows a high static coefficient of friction (SCOF) and a high dynamic coefficient of friction (DCOF) when sliding against a liquid contaminated surface. A hybrid rubber block, in which a rubber block with a rough surface (Ra = 30.4 μm) was sandwiched between two rubber blocks with smooth surfaces (Ra = 0.98 μm), was prepared. The ratio of the rough surface area to the whole rubber block surface area r was 0%, 30%, 50%, 80%, and 100%. The coefficient of friction of the rubber blocks was measured when sliding against a stainless steel plate with Ra of 0.09 μm contaminated with a 90% aqueous solution of glycerol. While the SCOF increased with an increase of the rough surface area ratio r, the DCOF during steady-state sliding decreased with an increase of the rough surface area ratio r. The rough surface area ratio of 50% achieved a SCOF value around 0.5 or more and a DCOF value greater than 0.5. Furthermore, the difference in the value of the SCOF and DCOF was the smallest for the rubber block with r of 50%. The results indicated that the rubber block with r of 50% would be applicable to a footwear sole surface pattern to prevent slip and fall accidents on contaminated surfaces.

Source : Yamaguchi T, Umetsu T, Ishizuka Y, Kasuga K, Ito T, Ishizawa S, Hokkirigawa K. Safety Sci. 2012; 50(4): 986-994.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2011.12.017

Travaux et interventions en hauteur

Maryse Gagnon — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:18:00 GMT

Prévenir les risques de chutes
La prévention des risques de chutes de hauteur ne concerne pas que le BTP. Même si ce secteur continue de représenter les risques les plus significatifs d'un point de vue statistique, les travaux sur charpentes, toits, pylônes, échafaudages, passerelles, escaliers... représentent autant d'activités à risques.
Les chutes avec dénivellation constituent en effet la seconde cause d'accidents du travail mortels, après ceux liés à la circulation routière. Si le BTP et le secteur des travaux neufs restent très exposés, de nombreux autres secteurs sont également concernés à travers les activités de "fonctionnement" : interventions d'usage, maintenance, travaux de nettoyage, etc.
Pour être le plus efficace possible, la prévention des risques de chutes doit faire l'objet d'une analyse a priori lors de la conception des lieux et situations de travail, ainsi que d'une analyse des postes et des modes opératoires pour les travaux neufs et d'installation, comme pour les travaux de fonctionnement ou de maintenance.

Source : http://www.inrs.fr/accueil/produits/mediatheque/doc/publications.html?refINRS=TS725page20

American National Standard for Classification of Insulating Apparel Used in Cold Work Environments

Maryse Gagnon — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 11:56:00 GMT

ANSI/ISEA 201-2012
The contribution of clothing to maintain consistent comfortable temperatures for the wearer is an important factor in productivity, endurance and safety in performing a given activity. In cold weather particularly, a clothing ensemble must provide the required level of insulation for the comfort and protection of the wearer in the exposure environment. The clothing must maintain the level of “as new” performance reasonably throughout its expected useful lifetime.
American National Standard for Classification of Insulating Apparel Used in Cold Work Environments (ANSI/ISEA 201-2012) is a new, voluntary consensus industry standard that serves as a tool for rating insulative garments to assist wearers and protective apparel purchasers and specifiers in selecting clothing that meets their needs.

Source : http://www.safetyequipment.org/c/std201-2012.cfm

A Game Plan for These Tough Times

Maryse Gagnon — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 11:43:00 GMT

Head/face protection should be near the top of your list because it affects almost every other safety program you have on site.
Brace yourself and face the situation squarely: Few companies have a fully functional head and face protection program that will pass inspection by trained and qualified inspectors. Most facilities have bits and pieces of a program, but over the years, the various parts of program continuity have dropped into the dust as other, always urgent program needs take time and budget.

Source : http://ohsonline.com/Articles/2012/03/01/A-Game-Plan-for-These-Tough-Times.aspx

Assessment of slip resistance under footwear materials, tread designs, floor contamination, and floor inclination conditions

Maryse Gagnon — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:52:00 GMT

Slip and fall incidences are common in our daily lives. They are not only important environmental safety issues but also important occupational safety and health problems. The purpose of this study was to use the Brungraber Mark II to measure the friction so as to investigate the effects of the shoe sole, surface condition and the inclined angle of the floor and their interactions on friction coefficient. The results of the study showed the effects of all the main factors and their interactions were significant (p<0.001). Engineering designs & ergonomic interventions in slip & fall prevention should take these factors in full consideration.

Source : Li KW, Chen CY, Chen CC, Liu L. Work. 2012 Jan 1;41(0):3349-51.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22317227

Connecting components for personal fall arrest systems (PFAS)

Maryse Gagnon — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:42:00 GMT

This Standard specifies design and performance requirements, test methods, and requirements for marking and labelling individual connecting components used as part of a personal fall arrest system (PFAS). This Standard applies to components that are
(a) used in the interconnection of a complete PFAS unit in accordance with CSA Z259.10;
(b) intended to be used as the primary single link to a permanent anchorage connector; or
(c) intended to be used as a primary attachment point between two or more subsystems.

Source : http://shop.csa.ca/fr/canada/fall-protection/z25912-11/invt/27013272011/?utm_source=ohs-news-feb12&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_term=z259.12-11&utm_content=html-txt-link&utm_campaign=health&utm_language=en

Hand breakaway strength model-Effects of glove use and handle shapes on a person's hand strength to hold onto handles to prevent fall from elevation.

Maryse Gagnon — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 19:23:00 GMT

This study developed biomechanical models for hand breakaway strength that account for not only grip force but also hand-handle frictional coupling in generation of breakaway strength. Specifically, models for predicting breakaway strength for two commonly-used handle shapes (circular and rectangular handles) and varying coefficients of friction (COF) between the hand and handle were proposed. The models predict that (i) breakaway strength increases with increasing COF and (ii) a circular handle with a 50.8mm-diameter results in greater mean breakaway strength than a handle with a rectangular cross-section of 38.1 by 38.1mm for COFs greater than 0.42. To test these model predictions, breakaway strengths of thirteen healthy young adults were measured for three frequently-encountered COF conditions (represented by three glove types of polyester (COF=0.32), bare hand (COF=0.50), and latex (COF=0.74) against an aluminum handle) and for the two handle shapes. Consistent with the model predictions, mean breakaway strength increased with increasing COF and was greater for the circular than rectangular handle for COFs of 0.50 and 0.74. Examination of breakaway strength normalized to body weight reveals that modification of COF and handle shapes could influence whether one can hold his/her body using the hands or not (thus must fall), highlighting the importance of considering these parameters for fall prevention. The biomechanical models developed herein have the potential to be applied to general handle shapes and COF conditions. These models can be used to optimize handle design to maximize breakaway strength and minimize injuries due to falls from ladders or scaffolds.

Source : Hur P, Motawar B, Seo NJ. J. Biomech. 2012.
DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2012.01.013
http://www.safetylit.org/citations/index.php?fuseaction=citations.viewdetails&citationIds%5B%5D=citjournalarticle_342449_8

Breathe Safer: How to Use Respirators Safely and Start a Respirator Program

Ginette Vadnais — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Ce guide, destiné aux employeurs, superviseurs et travailleurs, renseigne sur les risques respiratoires, les types d’appareils de protection respiratoire (APR) correspondant aux différents contaminants.

Source :
http://www.worksafebc.com/publications/health_and_safety/by_topic/assets/pdf/breathe_safer.pdf

Assessment of Factors Affecting the Continuing Performance of Firefighters' Protective Clothing: A Literature Review

Ginette Vadnais — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:14:00 GMT

There has been some research into the level of damage and changes to important properties of firefighters' protective clothing after exposure to conditions such as elevated temperature and ultra violet radiation. However, at this time, the results are not comprehensive enough to develop a standard procedure to estimate the remaining useful life of firefighters' protective clothing. There is also a need to develop non-destructive techniques to evaluate clothing, for most tests used to evaluate properties of clothing are destructive, and visual cues cannot completely assess the level of deterioration of the properties of thermal protective fabrics. In this paper, major factors that affect the continuing performance of firefighters' protective clothing and their effects on the service life of the clothing are reviewed. Some non-destructive methods which have been employed in different studies to evaluate the degradation of physical properties of firefighters' protective clothing are also described, along with statistical and probabilistic methods for estimating the useful life of materials. Suggestions for future research, which will assist fire departments in determining the level of damage to clothing, and estimating its remaining useful life are also discussed.

Source : Rezazadeh M, Torvi DA. Assessment of Factors Affecting the Continuing Performance of Firefighters' Protective Clothing: A Literature Review. Fire Technol. 2011; 47(3): 565-599. DOI: 10.1007/s10694-010-0188-3

http://www.springerlink.com/content/f3104146t0265722/

NIOSH Skin Permeation Calculator Updated

Ginette Vadnais — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:00:00 GMT

Through partnership with the University of Cincinnati, the NIOSH Skin Permeation Calculator has been updated with enhanced features and a new user interface. The improved calculator allows for simulation of typical occupational exposure scenarios. The calculator estimates fluxes, skin concentrations, and amounts absorbed from any size dose applied to partially or fully hydrated skin. The calculator is available on the NIOSH Web site at

Source : http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/skin/finiteSkinPermCalc.html

Respiratory Protection for Workers Handling Engineered Nanoparticles

Ginette Vadnais — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:39:00 GMT

The purpose of this blog is to provide an update on the science and rationale behind NIOSH's recommendations for the use and selection of respirators against engineered nanoparticles.

Source : http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/blog/

A fractionation of the physiological burden of the personal protective equipment worn by firefighters

Ginette Vadnais — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:29:00 GMT

Load carriage increases physiological strain, reduces work capacity and elevates the risk of work-related injury. In this project, the separate and combined physiological consequences of wearing the personal protective equipment used by firefighters were evaluated. The overall impact upon performance was first measured in 20 subjects during a maximal, job-related obstacle course trial and an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion (with and without protective equipment). The fractional contributions of the thermal protective clothing, helmet, breathing apparatus and boots were then separately determined during steady-state walking (4.8 km h(-1), 0% gradient) and bench stepping (20 cm at 40 steps min(-1)). The protective equipment reduced exercise tolerance by 56% on a treadmill, with the ambulatory oxygen consumption reserve (peak minus steady-state walking) being 31% lower. For the obstacle course, performance declined by 27%. Under steady-state conditions, the footwear exerted the greatest relative metabolic impact during walking and bench stepping, being 8.7 and 6.4 times greater per unit mass than the breathing apparatus. Indeed, the relative influence of the clothing on oxygen cost was at least three times that of the breathing apparatus. Therefore, the most efficient way to reduce the physiological burden of firefighters' protective equipment, and thereby increase safety, would be to reduce the mass of the boots and thermal protective clothing.

Source :

Taylor NA, Lewis MC, Notley SR, Peoples GE. A fractionation of the physiological burden of the personal protective equipment worn by firefighters. European Journal of Applied Physiology.2011; ePub.
DOI: 10.1007/s00421-011-2267-7
http://www.safetylit.org/citations/index.php?fuseaction=citations.viewdetails&citationIds%5B%5D=citjournalarticle_337442_8

Don’t Blow Fall Protection for the Wind Energy Industry

Ginette Vadnais — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 20:45:00 GMT

Vertical systems, harnesses, lanyards and climbing systems must be developed for the variety of fall hazards associated with tower construction, maintenance and rescue.

The world is beginning to rely more on alternative energy, making wind power one of the largest sources of new electricity generation. As wind turbines begin to dot the landscape around the country, more workers will be required to install and service these structures. More workers on the job site means fall protection equipment designers and manufacturers must anticipate and address the unique challenges this growing industry demands.

Source : http://ehstoday.com/construction/fall-protection-wind-energy-1211/