Articles

Gas Detection Equipment

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Workplace safety is one of the most important factors that any business owner needs to think about, and ensuring that employees are fully protected against any chemicals or hazardous gases that they might come into contact with during their work. In many industrial environments, there are risks of staff coming into contact with a number of gases that can cause physical harm and even poisoning, and with this in mind, providing gas detection equipment for employees who might be at risk is a key responsibility facing modern industrial companies.

There are a number of options open to a business that is looking for gas detection equipment for staff, and choosing the right product for your needs will often be dictated by the kind of gases that might be present in a work area. Identifying any potential risks is important to ensure that staff are able to wear appropriate protection such as gas masks or breathing equipment in areas where noxious gases are present.

The most important factor to consider when choosing gas detection equipment for your staff is to select units that offer the quickest possible response time, the most accurate results, and of course, the widest possible range of detection to ensure that they are able to find any potential problems as quickly as possible and take appropriate action. The equipment needs to be easy to use so that staff can check the situation one handed if necessary, and must also be robust enough to resist any damage so that it continues to function well whenever it is called upon.

Red Hill Supply offers a choice of gas detection equipment to suit your needs. One of the products that the company offers is the MSA Solaris Multigas Detector. This hand held device is designed for individual use, and can be worn. With an easy to hear 100dB audible alarm, high intensity LED lights, and also a vibrating alarm to ensure that the user is given immediate notification of any gases being present, the user will be able to receive appropriate warnings in almost any industrial environment. This will allow the user to put on their protective gear if necessary. The Solaris features a one touch calibration, and will warn the user if a number of different gases including Hydrogen Sulfide and Carbon monoxide are present. It will also emit a warning if high levels of oxygen or combustible gases are foun

Industrial Safety Supplies

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Keeping safe in the workplace is an absolute priority, and should be the abiding concern of any industrial employer. Notwithstanding the potential harm that can come to one of your employees in the event of an accident at work, the monetary cost of compensating a member of staff who was not properly protected with the correct industrial safety supplies is enough to put many firms out of business permanently.

With protecting your business and workforce such a vital part of modern business, finding an industrial safety supplies stockist that you can trust to offer excellent value for money and great customer service is essential, so welcome to Red Hill Supply. We offer a comprehensive range of safety gear for all industrial situations, from protective clothing through to everything that you need in order to clean up after a chemical spill and eye wash kits.

This web site has been designed with ease of use in mind, and we have grouped all items in similar groups so that you can easily find all the safety equipment that you need for your business easily, before ordering online with our secure check-out facility, and fast delivery.

Getting the best rated industrial safety supplies to guarantee the best practice health and safety standards in your workplace is one of the most important considerations for any employer or site manager. With this in mind, Red Hill Supply has compiled a thorough range of equipment for all situations to ensure maximum protection from most situations.

Our range includes everything that the modern workplace needs: we have a vast selection of protective eyewear including safety glasses, safety goggles, and full face masks along with a number of different eye wash stations to allow you to completely fulfil your responsibilities when it comes to employee safety.

We offer clothing and masks rated appropriately for the kind of industry you are in, and thanks to the helpful descriptions associated with all the products on the site, you will find it a simple matter to choose the correct industrial safety supplies that you need in order to stock your workplace correctly in order to ensure maximum safety for all your staff.

No matter what your needs are, whether you are a small business or a multi national concern, you will find the most comprehensive range of safety clothing, masks, hearing protection, and more at Red Hill Supply. Simply add the items you want to buy to the shopping cart, and then place your order securely online, and we will do the rest, letting you get on with running your business safely.

Eye Wash Stations

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Eye wash stations are essential part to any business strategy to maintain a safe workplace. In any environment where there is a risk of foreign bodies or chemicals getting into the eyes of staff, such as an industrial setting or factory, it is absolutely essential that the management of the facility do all that they can in order to maintain the highest levels of safety and protection for their employees. Although any staff who are in any way at risk of coming into contact with dangerous chemicals or loose grit and debris should wear appropriate safety goggles or safety glasses, accidents do happen, and having eye wash stations in place to deal with any eventuality will enable your staff to be protected in the event of an accident. This will reduce your liability in the event of an accident, but more importantly, will do a great deal to minimize the chances of an employee suffering any long term damage to their eyes as a result of an accident.

An Eye Wash Station is a wall mounted facility where all the equipment necessary to rinse debris or spray from the eyes is kept. All staff should be aware of

PAPR Masks

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

For complete respiratory protection in an environment where there are hazardous airborne chemicals or particles to contend with, wearing an appropriate face mask and filter system is absolutely essential for any worker. Of course there is a drawback with wearing a regular face mask for hard physical work, and that is that it is really hard work having to breathe through an air filter, making work more tiring, and causing fatigue to set in much more quickly.

By opting for one of the latest PAPR masks (Powered Air Purifying Respirators) over traditional variants, there are a number of outstanding benefits to be had. The first and most immediately obvious one of these is that instead of the worker having to work hard to breathe through a filter, the battery powered air pump attached to the PAPR masks drives air through a comprehensive filter system, and delivers it straight into the face mask. The air is cool in the PAPR mask because of the length of the pipe allowing turbulence to settle away, and depending on the filter used in the system almost all particles can be removed.

The next major benefit for workers using a PAPR mask when working is that because all the heavy components - the motor and filters - are contained within a belt mounted unit, the mask itself is much lighter than a regular model. This makes it much more comfortable to wear for long periods of time, and also reduces the amount of muscle fatigue felt by wearers when they are using the PAPR mask.

There are a variety of different PAPR

Automated External Defibrillators

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Respirator Masks

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Under circumstances where a person is likely to be exposed to a workplace environment with gas or airborne material, protection is essential. There are a huge variety of different respirator masks available to suit different conditions, and to ensure that staff are safe, it is necessary to understand which type of respirator mask is required for which situations, in order to provide the best possible protection.

Respirator masks fall into 3 basic categories, which are used under different circumstances, and require different training and precautions to be taken. Essentially, the 3 main types of respirator masks are SCBA (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus), PAPR (Powered Air Purifying Respirators), and finally Escape Breathing Devices.

Self Contained Breathing Apparatus or SCBA respirator masks are used in industrial circumstances where the user needs access to a guaranteed safe air supply. The name: Self Contained Breathing Apparatus means that the equipment provides a micro environment which is cut off from any external pollutants or chemicals. SCBA respirator masks are made up of two components. A large tank of air is worn on the back and connected to an airtight respirator mask which is worn over the head.

The tank of air, which is under high pressure, will usually provide enough air for up to an hour, but larger versions are available which last for longer. The SCBA respirator mask is needed under circumstances where there is not a safe air supply available, and where the operator must be provided with a safe supply of air to allow them to survive.

Essentially an industrial SCBA respirator mask is identical to the equipment worn by a diver,

SCBA Mask Cleaning

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

SCBA respirator masks are an important safety device employed in the workplace today. They are used by anyone from fire departments to hazardous industrial applications. Basically, anywhere a person needs a self-contained source of fresh breathable air. SCBA stands for Self Contained Breathing Apparatus and they are used in environments where the air is not suitable to breath and cannot be filtered such as particulate matter like paint spray. The SCBA masks provides the wearer a self contained environment with fresh air delivered to the respirator mask from an air tank. However, one overlooked maintenance item is SCBA mask cleaning. This safety gear is often worn by different people and can become quire dirty and unsanitary. Bacteria, bodily fluids, soot and toxic substances all build up and contaminate your respirator equipment. Cleaning is an extremely important task that must be completed in order to maintain safe equipment.

Cleaning your SCBA mask and gear is a relatively simple process and can prolong the life of your respirator mask. SCBA masks are generally used in dirty environments that filled with dirt and other contaminants. Your first step is to clean the dirt and grime that has accumulated on the mask, hoses and tank. First remove the filters, cartridges or tanks. Now take apart the respirator mask by removing diaphragms and air hoses. (Remember to inspect and replace any broken or defective parts.) Wash all the parts in warm water with a mild soap or detergent and scrub away any dirt or contaminants that may have collected on the respirator gear. Then rinse with running water.

The next step is to clean the SCBA gear with a disinfecting agent. There are different methods for this. The first and probably easiest is to just use a bleach solution. Just mix 1 milliliter of bleach to 1 liter of water. Iodine also is effective using approximately the same proportions. There are also commercially available cleaners available for sale as well. (It is recommended that you check to see if the manufacturer approves of their use on your particular SCBA mask.) Once the solution is mixed correctly, the equipment needs to be placed in it. Immersion is the best way to sure that all of the SCBA gear is disinfected. Simply submerge the equipment for at least 2 minutes in the disinfecting agent you are using and then rinse thoroughly in running water. Rinsing is very important after this process because the disinfecting agent can cause skin irritation if it is not completely removed from the SCBA mask and equipment. After being thoroughly rinsed, dry all the components and reassemble. Now check and make sure all components are functioning properly and safely.<

Fall Arrest Harness

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

If you are working in an elevated position, and there is even the slightest risk of falling, then it is important to maximize your safety in order to reduce the chance of getting injured through falling. Despite the fact that anyone who works in a high or raised position will always take precautions against falling, having a fall arrest harness will protect against the risk of falling entirely, and offer a high level of protection from injury under a variety of different conditions.

A Fall Arrest Harness is quite simple. It is a full body harness that is worn by a worker in an exposed position where there is a risk of falling. The fall arrest harness is attached to the building or framework that is being used, and if the worker should slip from their position, they will only drop to the end of the strapping, rather than falling all the way to the floor.

The Fall Arrest harness is the key component in the entire system that comprises a personal fall arrest system. It must be designed to be both comfortable and wearable, and be easy enough to wear to ensure that wearing it does not make the user more awkward and put them at greater risk of slipping and falling. The harness is connected to an anchor point using a connecting strap or rope with some give. This ensures that if the wearer falls from their position, they will be protected from a hard landing that might injure them.

One of the most important considerations when using a fall arrest harness is ensuring that it is worn properly. If the harness has not been tightened up and fitted to t

Zoll Defibrillators

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

One of the most important responsibilities that any employer has is to look after the well being of their staff. In order to ensure that employees are completely protected at all times, especially in an industrial environment where accidents can happen. In the event that a staff member suffers from a heart attack or similar condition, having the appropriate equipment in place is important. Zoll defibrillators are among the best quality of these essential devices, and are vital in the modern world.

The Zoll story began back in 1953 when the founder of the company, Doctor Paul M Zoll MD devised an all new method of internal cardiac pacing. Over the next few years, the Zoll Corporation began to experiment with external pacing systems in the form of the first Zoll defibrillator.

A machine like the Zoll defibrillator works to restart the natural rhythm of a heart that is in shock or failing through the administration of an electric shock. This treatment stabilizes the heart, and gets it working properly once more. Provided that the shock is administered as promptly as possible, survival rates are much higher.

The concept of the Zoll defibrillator was refined over the next 30 years, and became an increasingly versatile and powerful. Gradual changes in the system to make it a more usable tool for medical professionals resulted in the creation of the automated external defibrillator – a device that could be deployed by any suitably trained user.

One of the most important aspects of helping a patient with heart problems is to give treatment as quickly as possible. The faster a person receives treatment for their heart problem, the higher the likelihood of their survival. In the past, many people who might otherwise have survived a heart attack died because of the time it took to administer the shock. The delay in getting the patient to hospital in order to receive defibrillation treatment meant that the survival rate was lower than it could be. With an automated system that had been programmed to deliver the shock at a precisely measured level, anyone with basic training would be able to carry out the treatment.

Since the introduction of the first Zoll automated external defibrillator, the company has now developed a comprehensive range of different products to meet all t

Portable Eye Wash Station

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

One of the most common industrial accidents is a member of staff getting a foreign body or splash of liquid in their eye during a workplace process. While this kind of incident is entirely avoidable under most circumstances, accidents do happen, and it is in responding to these events that preparation is most important. The quicker a person who is distressed by having a chemical or object in their eye is treated, the more likely they are to make a complete recovery, and with this in mind, providing the means for all staff to cope with such an eventuality is absolutely essential. While it is always important to have the equipment to rinse an eye mounted throughout the workplace, having a portable eye wash station available as well ensures that staff who have accidents can be treated quickly and effectively with a minimum of fuss.

A portable eye wash station can be moved to any point in the workplace quickly to ensure that whoever has had the accident can be treated as fast as possible to ensure that the minimum of fuss and pain. The unit is also ideal for use in an environment where it is not practical to install a fixed and plumbed in system, perhaps a low traffic area of the facility, or other place where installing a fixed station would not be cost effective.

An eye wash station is used in order to rinse any contaminant out of an eye where it could be causing pain or damage. The most important thing when choosing the right portable eye wash station is to ensure that it provides the proper protection for staff, and allows you to get the most effective relief for anyone who has been injured.

The key to providing the best possible relief to anyone who needs to have their eyes rinsed to remove a contaminant is to provide a constant supply of wa

Emergency Eye Wash Station and ANSI Requirements

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Providing a safe and well protected working environment for staff is a key responsibility of any business, and there are numerous legal requirements that must be taken into consideration with regard to safety equipment. Ensuring that all regulations are kept to is important in minimizing any exposure to claims of negligence, so whenever you purchase any safety equipment such as an emergency eye wash station, its compliance with the relevant laws must be checked and confirmed.

Most of the safety standards that a business should adhere to are set out by ANSI – the American National Standards Institute. This not for profit organization was set up in 1918 in order to promote business competitiveness in an ethical and understanding way, so that quality of life for staff was improved at the same time as profitability. One of the key areas where ANSI has had an impact is in pushing through a number of requirements for employers, such as the responsibility of having an emergency eye wash station on hand in dangerous environments in order to protect staff in the event of an accident,

The ANSI requirements for emergency eye wash stations are straightforward, and designed to make their use as efficient as possible, as well as ensuring that their use is properly monitored. They state that the emergency eye wash station must be within a 10 second walk of wherever the hazard is, and that they are present in all areas where caustic or hazardous substances such as acid, solvents and other chemicals are present. The location of the unit should be clearly marked with an easily visible sign, and access should be simple.

In terms of the actual operation of the emergency eye wash station, the unit needs to be capable of delivering a continuous flow of eyewash at a rate of 0.4 gallons per minute for a minimum of 15 minutes and be able to be started in one second by an injured person. The injured person must be able to operate the device “hands free” so that they are able to hold both of their eyes open as they flush out their eyes using the emergency eye wash station.

With both fixed and portable emergency eye wash stations available, choosing the right one can be a difficult issue, as both have their own specific advantages and disadvantages. Plumbed in systems need to be regularly checked, and weekly cleaning must take place in order to prevent bacteria that

Eye Wash Solution or Just Tap Water?

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

When you come to set up your emergency eye wash station in order to protect the sight of your employees, apart from considering which particular system is best for you, it is also very important to think about exactly which kind of liquid you are going to use. While many users rely only on water to wash foreign objects and chemicals from the eyes of an accident victim, plenty of evidence points towards special eye wash solution providing a much better result.

Unlike water which is pH neutral, eye wash solutions are formulated to match the slightly acid status of the eye. Like the rest of the body, the tears of a person have a slightly acid pH value in their natural state. By balancing the eye wash solution against this figure, it is more attuned to the body’s needs. The solution is able to enhance the action of the tears in flushing the eye, and will work in harmony with the body’s own natural defenses, rather than causing additional physical stress. The eyes are very sensitive, and can be easily harmed. While washing away the contaminant, it is wise to use something that is as close to the body’s own natural systems as possible, and this is where saline that has been specially formulated to match the pH of tears is perfect.

The results of a number of medical tests that have been carried out in the last few years to examine the efficacy of eye wash solutions compared to plain water were remarkable. A test that was done by the ophthalmology team at Louisiana State University found that when eyes were flushed using ordinary tap water, the top 3 layers of the corneal epithelial (the protective layer that covers the delicate areas of the eye) were damaged when tap water was used to flush the eye. When a pH balanced buffered saline eye wash solution was used, the damage was minimized. The additional damage caused by the water could jeopardize the healing process, and certainly resulted in a longer time passing before the damage was completely healed.

Although water that is delivered through the mains system is clean enough to drink, and is treated by the water company to ensure that there are a minimum number of contaminants in it; there are still many things present. Unlike eye wash

First Aid Stations Can Save Lives

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

For all workplace injuries, whether they are minor scrapes, or more serious, the first priority should always be to give initial treatment aimed at stabilizing the condition of the person, and doing whatever is possible to minimize the effects of what has happened. Although most minor workplace injuries need to be treated with no more than a band aid, it is essential that a fully equipped first aid station is in place within easy reach of staff so that if a more serious incident takes place, proper treatment can be administered by appropriately trained staff as quickly as possible.

Most of the first aid stations that you can purchase for the workplace contain a much wider variety of treatment kits and supplies than you would see in a domestic first aid kit, and this is so that it is possible to treat the much wider range of injuries that can happen in a busy industrial environment. In addition to this, a range of treatments for ailments such as aches and pains, stomach problems, and other minor conditions are also included in the kits to make them an effective solution to many of the day to day problems that affect staff, and can impact on their productivity.

Some of the most comprehensive and well stocked workplace first aid stations are produced by North Safety Products. With a focus on providing the highest quality medication in tamper proof single dose packages, and a wide enough range of bandages and dressings to treat most injuries effectively, their products provide the right mix of value and quality to ensure that your staff are able to treat most occurrences simply and effectively.

One of the most important

Eye Wash Bottles are Great Secondary Eye Wash Stations!

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

When a person gets some kind of chemical or other foreign body in their eye, getting it out as quickly as possible is essential if lasting damage is to be avoided. It is an operational requirement for all workplaces where staff are at risk from these kinds of injuries to have eyewash facilities located throughout the premises so that no member of the workforce ever needs to be more than 10 seconds away from being able to flush their eyes. Of course, there are situations where it is not possible to have easy access to a fully plumbed in eye wash station, and with this in mind, many employers choose to provide a range of eye wash bottles throughout the workplace.

While a full eye wash station is still necessary to provide the full 15 minutes of flush time that is required under the ANSI safety guidelines that set out the best practices for what to do in an emergency, eye wash bottles containing an appropriate eyewash can bridge the gap between the injury happening, and the ability to provide the best possible treatment, and massively improve the chances of the person involved making a full recovery.

Eye Wash bottles contain specially prepared and purified FDA Approved eyewash solutions that can help to improve the initial treatment of an eye injury, and boost the chances of the person involved making a full recovery. The saline solution in the bottles is prepared to the highest medical standards, and has a complete isotonic balance in order to ensure that it is as close as possible to the make up of the human body. This means that there is less of a reaction to the solution when it is being administered.

In order to make administering the eyewash direct from an eye wash bottle as simple as possible, they come with a special nozzle that allows for a precisely targeted flow of liquid to be produc

Emergency Eyewash Shower and the Work Place

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

One of the greatest fears for any person who you might meet is that they could lose their sight. It is the sense that we rely on the most in our day to day lives, and the thought of being blinded accidentally without warning is a terrifying prospect. In a working environment such as a paint shop or industrial area where potentially dangerous chemicals are being used, it is absolutely essential that proper measures such as the installation of an emergency eyewash shower are taken to minimize the risk of harm in the event of a person having an accident.

If a person has been sprayed in the face with a harmful chemical of some kind, then the immediate priority must always be to flush it off the sensitive tissues of the eye as quickly as possible in order to prevent the irritation and caustic effect from doing permanent damage to the eyes. In a situation where a person needs the fastest possible decontamination of their eyes, then an emergency eyewash shower is the best possible solution, as it is able to deliver a lot of water very quickly, and ensure that the person using it is fully cleaned of any harmful chemicals that may be present.

There are a number of ANSI regulations pertaining to the use and installation of emergency eyewash showers, and these should be kept in mind when choosing the best system for your workplace. You can choose from a wide variety of different designs and models that are both concealed behind the roof for a smooth look, or exposed and easy to find. Other variants that are available include self supported stand alone emergency eye wash showers that can be positioned almost anywhere with a water supply.

ANSI regulations state that the shower head must be no more than 96 inches above the ground level however, and the shower should be easy to walk into with no steps, so in most cases, you will have to choose an exposed eye wash shower in order to meet with the guidelines.

Emergency eyewash showers must be easy to operate. The chances are that the person using them will have seriously impaired vision, and conventional controls would be a real struggle. With this in mind, almost all units feature a chain pull system to start the flow

Biohazard Kits and Industrial Spills

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

In the modern workplace, having effective safety protocols in place to handle any eventuality is essential. Through good planning, it is possible to reduce the likelihood of serious injury happening. One of the most important areas that needs to be addressed is the instigation of a PPE – a Personal Protection Equipment – biohazard kit for staff. This will provide the basic equipment that will offer complete protection from spillages and leaks.

The composition of a biohazard kit is fairly standard across all businesses, because the specific needs of each company are broadly similar. It is the responsibility of all employers to provide personal protective equipment under any circumstances where staff are likely to be exposed to hazards. The actual exposure possibilities should be fully considered, and then once this has been done, the exact composition of the biohazard kit can be determined.

When planning the exact composition of the biohazard kits that you will provide to staff, examining their working practice is essential. This observation will allow you to determine any potential risks that they are under including areas where they are not already protected. Certain factors that present danger will be relatively obvious, while others may not and only become apparent during your observation.

Of course, some of the risks that present themselves in the workplace can be handled through process changes that eliminate a specific danger, but any that cannot will need to be considered, and you will need to determine exactly what personal protective equipment should be issued to staff in order to offer them the best possible protection.

There are a few essential items of PPE that are required for a biohazard kit in order to give employees the best possible protection from any micro organisms or chemicals that could potentially cause them harm. The key to offering the best possible levels of protection is to ensure that any places where bacteria or other chemicals can get into the body are fully covered up. Any Biohazard kit should, at a minimum, provide a set of goggles to protect the eyes, a mask that can prevent inhalation of noxious substances, and gloves.

In addition to this, a disposable tyvek suit that covers up the entire body, and prevents contaminants from being carried away on a person’s clothes is essential to protect the area outside the actual hazard, and when work with a pair of boots, creates a good overall level of protection, and is a major part of any biohazard kit.

Beyond the physical items of protection that are worn to cover up the body, other items that you should consider adding to a bio hazard kit include a hand held spray to decontaminate areas and ensure that chemicals and other nasties that get on the suit are properly disposed of. Carrying disinfectant and antiseptic wipes will add to the overall level of

Self Retracting Lifeline and Fall Prevention

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

On occasions where staff are working in environments where there is the potential to fall a dangerous distance, it is essential that they are given some form of protection in order to arrest their descent. In situations where they are alone, or where other staff nearby may be unable to assist them, having a self retracting lifeline that will get them back to safety is necessary so that in the event of an accident of some sort, the person is able to return to safety without assistance.

While a conventional lifeline is simply a static rope tied onto the person who needs it, and is then connected to an anchor point at the top of the area being worked on, a self retracting lifeline is contained within a spool, so that in the event of an accident, the user will only fall a short distance.

There are a number of factors to consider when selecting the right self retracting lifeline to protect the lives of your workers or yourself, and these include the strength of the cable, the braking system that is used, the actual length of the cable or rope, and also, the ease with which the system can be set up and used.

The strength of the cable used in a self retracting lifeline needs to be sufficient to support the user and the additional force of deceleration that is applied to them when they fall and stop. This figure will depend on the distance that a person actually falls, but in most cases, a figure of several times the weight of the individual is required – although as stated above, systems with a lower braking power will need less because less force is applied to the rope. In addition to the strength of the cable, it is also impo

Axial Blowers and Fresh Air

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

In order to maintain appropriate levels of air flow through an area, an axial blower is the optimal solution, and Red Hill Supply offers a comprehensive selection of industrial standard axial blowers that will be able to generate the flow of air that is required in order to fully aerate a large and confined area.

There are a number of reasons why an axial blower makes the ideal solution for providing air flow into a confined space. When choosing the correct system for your needs, there are a number of considerations that you will need to make, including to examine the amount of space that your room contains, and also the kind of use that the room has.

Having fresh air within the workplace is absolutely essential, especially in an industrial environment where you make use of any chemicals, or where the temperature might otherwise become very uncomfortable to work in. Using axial blowers in order to feed fresh and cool air through the workplace creates a much more pleasant environment, and one which is also a great deal safer by preventing high levels of fumes building up in a confined space.

The main advantages of axial blowers over other systems are in their relative simplicity and great efficiency in producing the best possible flow of air. By using a central motor that is connected directly to the fan, the amount of air that can be blown is maximized, and the actual construction is streamlined to the point where there are as few moving parts as possible within the system. Generally, axial blowers are designed to be mounted within a wall, and feature a lightweight construction that is ideally suited for mounting between the walls, and fitting flush against the surface to make them as unobtrusive as possible.

A variety of different axial blowers are available that are designed to aerate a fairly large range of spaces.

Electronic Ear Muffs

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

One of the most important things for anyone working in an industrial environment to think about is their personal protection. While some potential risks are easy to spot and protect against, other risks, such as excessive noise are not always noticed until it is too late, and the damage from the sound has been caused. Adequate ear protection is absolutely essential in the modern workplace, and it should be a priority in any environment. There are a number of different options available on the market, but from a safety point of view, the latest range of electronic ear muffs offer a wide range of benefits that make them amongst the best possible choices for your staff.

Electronic ear muffs take the basic protection offered by standard issue ear defenders, and use the latest technology to refine the system and provide a much better level of protection for hearing that is ideal for most busy modern workplaces where excessive sound might otherwise be a problem.

Ear defenders work by placing a heavy layer of soundproofing between your ears and the outside world, and this stops the loud repetitive nose of tools or factory processes from doing damage to your hearing. The problem is of course, that this same protection means that when working with ear defenders on, you are pretty much isolated from your surroundings, and work can become tiresome as a result. Many o the latest electronic ear muffs feature a number of refinements that proved some entertainment for staff, and give them the opportunity to cancel out the noise of their surroundings with the radio or other connected music system.

One of the leading manufacturers of electronic ear muffs is Peltor, and their noise cancelling systems have been included within the technology that underpins many other headset manufacturers in order to provide the best possible sound quality when the h

Safety Lanyards

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

When staff are working in an elevated environment where there is any risk of falling and getting injured or killed, it is essential that they wear appropriate safety equipment. This should always include some kind of fall arrest system, so that if they slip or fall from a great height, they stop well before reaching the ground. The harness and safety lanyard system that is provided to staff when they are working on any form of raised platform should be properly suited to their weight in order to provide the maximum amount of protection, and to ensure that it does not fail in the event of an accident.

A safety lanyard is one of the simplest and easiest to use fall arrest systems available, and is designed to be used by a single person at a time. Quite simply, the user clips the safety lanyard onto their belt or safety harness using the karabiner supplied, and then connects the other end of the lanyard onto the frame of the platform that they are working on to secure them into place.

One of the main reasons why staff are sometimes unwilling to actually fasten themselves into place with a safety lanyard when working in an exposed environment is that they perceive the strap to be something that will get in their way, and make it more difficult for them to get the job done. Thankfully, the latest designs of safety lanyard are much more manageable, as well as being longer. This means that the user has a lot more range to work in without having to constantly disconnect and reconnect the unit every time they want to move around from one location to another as they are carrying out their task,

There are a number of different safety lanyard designs available, and although they all perform essentially the same function, the actual implementation of their design means that they all have certain benefits that they offer, and these slight refinements to the basic structure means that they are able to offer slightly different responses to an accident, as well as providing more or less convenience when in use.

One of the most popular types of safety lanyard is the Manyard Shock absorbing safety lanyard. These models come in a range of lengths and breaking strains, and include a number of refinements to make them even more effective than standard models. They include the ability to contract slightly in use to ensure that they do not trail behind the user and create a tripping hazard when in use, and when required, the stretching nature of the material means that they have a much gentler braking effect than static straps, and are less likely to cause injury to a faller because of the high levels of deceleration that are experienced otherwise. Priced competitively at around

Responder Flashlights

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

One of the best known names in flashlight production is Khoeler Bright Star, and their range of Responder Flashlights have become synonymous with the kind of quality and reliability that is required for the modern emergency services, as well as being a firm favorite amongst serious users who need a light source that they can rely on when working. Thanks to the application of high quality components, innovative design, and a genuine focus on getting the absolute maximum out of both the batteries and bulbs, Responder flashlights have become the first choice for anyone who wants to be able to trust their light source when they need to rely on it.

The Responder flashlight range encompasses a variety of different products, which have been designed to offer the best possible solution. Combining a light weight with impressive levels of power, and a hard wearing case that protects the internal components in stressful situations, responder flashlights are ideal for use when you need to be able to trust that your light will work whenever you need it.

One of the most popular models in the Responder Flashlight range is the headlamp. Featuring a 35,000 candlelight xenon bulb that provides an intense beam of pure white light, the headlamp allows the user to work hands free, and is ideally suited to use in a rescue situation. The intense light provided by the headlamp means that a member of a rescue team will be able to

Multi Gas Detectors

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

The modern industrial environment can be a challenging place to work, with many volatile chemicals in place that can cause health risks for staff who are exposed to them. It is essential that as many precautions are taken as possible to ensure that staff are protected in the event o a release of gas, and through the use of multi gas detectors, it is possible to provide staff with the equipment that they need in order to take appropriate action in the event that toxins are present.

There are a number of different multi gas detectors on the market, and all of them work in a similar way in order to inform the user of any potential risks. The detectors collect samples of the ambient air, through a sampler and pass this through a number of filters that can detect a variety of different chemicals such as carbon monoxide. Once the chemicals are detected at a predetermined level, an alarm is raised using a combination of light, sound and vibration in order to let the user know. This gives the user plenty of time to put on a gas mask or vacate the area, and increases workplace safety.

The most important factors that need to be considered when you choose multi gas detectors are that they are robust enough to stand up to the kind of punishment that they receive in an industrial setting, that they are accurate enough to detect gases when they are present without setting off false alarms, and also that the detectors are reliable enough to last through an entire shift.

MSA is one of the best known manufacturers of multi gas detectors and offer a choice of two main ranges through Red Hill Supply. The Orion multi gas detector is very much the flagship model in the range, and at $1565 per unit is a cost effective and accurate solution to your staff protection needs. Featuring an easy to use one touch calibration system coupled with a highly efficient internal pump, the Orion system has a large and easy to read display, and comes complete with a 10 foot sample line to ensure that the best possible results are obtained in order to give staff appropriate warning that they need to put on their masks for safety.

The Solaris Multi Gas Detector from MSA is a high quality and effective system for personal safety, and comes in a number of different configurations for ease of use. The Solaris has been designed with reliability and robustness in mind. It is a high quality tool that can monitor the environment for a wide variety of different chemicals including Carbon Monoxide and Hydrogen Sulfide, and thanks to a 100dB audible alarm, a high intensity LED display, and a vibrating warning as well, staff will be able to take appropriate action as soon as gas is detected.

Solaris multi gas detectors start from just $783.75 for the MSA 10048147 model, and come complete with everything that you need to use them includi

Protect your Lungs with a Breathing Respirator.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

You should always were some kind of respiratory protection when you are working in areas where there is dust particles or solvents being used. There are a range of products available to protect your lungs from harmful stuff in the air. Depending on the type of job you are doing, you can use anything from a disposable mask to a full face respirator.
The easiest and cheapest way to protect your lungs against fine particles like the kind a wood sander throws into the air is disposable dust mask. Disposable dust masks are inexpensive, light and comfortable to wear. The great part is when they are dirty, you just toss in the trash can and get another one. They provide adequate protection for common shop tasks and home repair jobs. For example, installing insulation in the attic or sanding some cabinets. There are two major types, single strap and two strap models. Single strap disposable masks are good for basic sanding and other minor irritants. However, if you will be working in a heavy dust environment, you will need a two strap model. These masks have thicker filters and adjustable nose pieces to insure the mask sits firmly on your face.
If you will be working around fumes, disposable masks are not enough. This is where breathing respirators come into play. You will need a reusable respirator fitted with filters rated for the types of fumes you will be exposed. Breathing respirators are made of molded neoprene rubber or silicon face mask that has one or two filters attached to it. The air is inhaled through the filters and exhaled through a one- way valve in the face mask. Respirators are made for simple woodworking all the way to hazardous fumes. The more versatile models you can screw in filter cartridges that are specialized for the type of job. Cartridges can filter out dusts,mists, vapors, gases, chemicals and combinations of the above.

Choosing a filter cartridge for your breathing respirator.

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Here is a guide for selecting the right filter cartridge for your respirator. Most manufacturers use a color coding system to help you identify the correct filter. Filters can also be used in combinations with each other. A particulate prefilter should always be used with an organic vapor filter.

Black Colored Filters – protect against organic vapors. These are generally found in solvent based lacquers and varnishes.

Green Colored Filters – Protect against ammonia gases produced by industrial cleaners.

Yellow Colored Filters – Protect against acid gases found in acid based solvents and cleaners.

Using Tools: Your Safety Gear Is As Important As Your Hardware

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:19:33 +0000

Do-it-yourself home improvement is a steadily increasing trend. Armed with a few episodes of their favorite home makeover show and an SUV to load up new tools and products, people flock to their local home improvement stores in hopes of finding ways to increase their home's value and their quality of life. Unfortunately, they may pass over the safety gear, increasing the chance that their home improvement project will end with a trip to the emergency room. For each type of project you do, there are safety precautions that you should take, whether you are a novice or an expert.

For almost any project, you will need safety glasses or safety goggles. Even if you are using hand tools, debris can fly back and hit you in the eye and destroy your vision. For power tools, they are a no brainer. If you are doing a lot of work outside, there are now safety glasses available with UV protection that double as sunglasses, so you can protect your eyes from the sun and from your project at the same time.

If your project involves painting, installing insulation, or working with any kind of chemicals, a mask will protect your lungs. For some projects, like insulation or some sanding, a mask that just blocks particles from entering your nose and mouth may be sufficient. For other projects that give off fumes, you will want a respirator mask that eliminates fumes from the air you breathe, in addition to making sure that you work with as much ventilation as possible. Also, make sure fumes have dissipated before allowing your family and pets back into the work area.

Gloves will protect your hands from scrapes, bumps, and blisters, and can also make post-project cleanup a lot easier. For jobs that involve moving materials like wood or drywall, or repetitive motions like raking or sweeping, you will probably want work gloves made from canvas or leather. For other jobs like painting or plumbing, latex or vinyl (if you are allergic to latex) gloves will keep your hands clean, and also let you keep dexterity for manipulating things in small spaces or doing detailed work.

No matter how careful and prepared you are, accidents can and do still happen. Keeping a well stocked first aid kit on hand can take care of minor injuries and help fill in the gap until emergency help arrives for larger ones.

Dana Bradley writes about Hardware Deals and Coupons and Electrical Tools.