Safety Procedures in an Industrial Environment

Industrial accidents aren't commonplace, but part of the reason they do not occur is because modern businesses are required to maintain safety standards and procedures. If best practices are used and safety measures are kept in place, accidents can be avoided in industrial environments.

OSHA

• The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, has laid out extensive regulations for maintaining health and safety in an industrial setting. OSHA regulations cover many facets of the industrial setting that potentially affect employees, general populations near a facility and the surrounding environment. Standards are subdivided into specific industries like the maritime industry and construction.

Personal Protective Equipment

• Being correctly equipped for a job will always help improve safety, given the hazards of many industrial settings. Personal Protective Equipment, or PPE, is a broad term that includes any gear necessary to safely perform a task. This may be as simple as work boots, coveralls and safety goggles. PPE also includes more-technical gear like haz mat (hazardous materials) suits or gas masks. PPE should always be fitted to the user prior to performing a hazardous task. If gear is not operating properly for the user, it causes a false sense of security.

Hazardous Substances

• Most industries use at least a few of the many chemicals with hazardous ratings. Industries that use hazardous substances are required to document all hazardous materials used or produced, and keep Material Safety Data Sheets on hand for reference to each hazardous substance found in a particular facility, even if it is only being transported off site.

Emergency Planning

• Businesses must develop a response plan in the event of an accidental release. As rare as serious accidents are, if there is not a proper plan in place, even a minor accident can become life threatening. OSHA has standards for emergency planning, which can be adapted based on the specific needs of an industry. Plans are developed based on the hazardous substances used, and on the specific natural hazards such as earthquakes or hurricanes that could lead to an accidental release of toxics or flammables.

  OSHA requires that all employees understand the response plan and their responsibilities in an emergency. No matter what duty an employee is required to perform under a business's emergency response plan, she must carry it out. Most employees in an industrial accident are simple supposed to evacuate.