In the blog.

In the Blog.

by Jorge Vazquez on

Most hazards found at jobsites are man made, while others were there before construction began. Those are the ones that fly, crawl and slither.Insects—Protection from bites and stings is your first defense. Some personal protection measures you can use to avoid getting stung include:Avoid swatting at flying insects. Instead, gently brush them… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

All of us have exposed ourselves to possible injury by taking shortcuts when a few extra seconds would have meant doing something the safe way. We did this as children when we jumped the fence instead of using the gate. We do it today when we cross streets between intersections instead of at corners.Many people show disregard for the fact that… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

WHY TALK ABOUT THE WEATHER?Actually, we have no control over rain, snow, sleet, wind, lightning or sunshine. But we can control what happens on our job as a result of the elements. Some of the biggest problems on construction jobs are caused by wind and lightning. Wind probably causes the most accidents; lightning can be deadly.WATCH OUT FOR… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

ANSI and OSHA do not reference a maximum service life for synthetic fiber products. ANSI and OSHA standards require that the user remove the equipment from service if it has been subject to the forces of arresting a fall. ANSI A10.32-2012 does not specify a 5-year harness and lanyard service life. It states that "fall protection equipment shall be… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Hot weather causes more fatalities than any other weather-related source. Heat waves rarely are given adequate attention but in fact, they claim more lives each year than floods, hurricanes, and tornadoes combined. Heat waves are a silent killer. Heatstroke also affects both genders equally. However, because many men were exposed to heat in the… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

WaterThe natural choice for hydration is water. It hydrates better than any other liquid, both before and during work. Water tends to be less expensive and more available than any other drink. You need to drink 4-6 ounces of water for every 15-20 minutes of work. That can add up to a lot of water! Water is the best, but it only helps you if you… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

There’s one hand tool that demands your respect over many others in the workplace, a tool that can cut you to the bone in an instant . . . the utility knife.Many workers use utility knives to cut drywall, ceiling tile, strapping, puncture shrink wrap and open packaging. But one wrong move and these blades can do serious harm.In fact, nearly 40… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Most people don’t think much about their feet, until a foot begins to hurt. Damage to even one bone, ligament, or muscle in the foot can be very painful and make it difficult or impossible for you to keep on your feet and do your job. Unfortunately, statistics tell us that work-related foot injuries are common.Foot injuries can result from:… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Accidents occur for many reasons. In most jobsites people tend to look for "things" or “people” to blame when an accident happens, because it's easier than looking for "root causes." While some factors in the workplace can play a role in causing distractions, the fact remains that more hazards result from unsafe acts than from unsafe… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

You are at risk from falling objects when you are beneath equipment, scaffolds, etc., or where overhead work is being performed. There is a danger from flying objects when power tools, or activities like pushing, pulling, or prying, may cause objects to become airborne. Injuries can range from minor abrasions to concussions, blindness, or death.… read more

by Marek Brothers on

O.S.H.A. identifies falls as one of the four leading causes of fatalities in the construction industry. This is why employees must be trained to recognize fall exposures and have the authority to take corrective actions.We have all heard the expression - ‘it’s not the fall that’s hurts but the sudden stop at the end’. Think of a fall as “...a… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

At MAREK, we rely on our employees to work as teams to build our jobs, and without teamwork, we would not be able to accomplish any of our goals. The teams that we have are generally comprised from a very diverse group, be it different trades, races, genders, religions, etc. We feel that the diversity we have throughout our organization is one of… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

 We have all experienced slipping, tripping, stumbling or falling. Usually, the only result is that you feel silly, embarrassed, and perhaps got a scrape or bruise. But falls kill 1,200 people at work a year. They are the biggest cause of accidental death in the workplace. More than 33,000 people are disabled every year from falling down… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

 Mandatory Topic:Notice to Supervisors: Mandatory Demonstration requires a Minimum of 20 minutes to effectively cover topic.You will need to demonstrate material handling with at least two different sizes of rock: refer to weight/loading information listed below that was obtained from our suppliers. You will need to demonstrate manual… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

The “War on Falls” was declared with only one thing in mind – to prevent injuries by eliminating fall exposures. Zero tolerance and suspensions are merely tools to deal with a violation after it occurs. The ultimate goal is eliminate the exposure in the first place. That can only be accomplished by each and every one of us understanding what is… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

 An active shooter is an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area, in most cases, active shooters use firearms(s) and there is no pattern or method to their selection of victims.Because active shooter situations are often over within 10 to 15 minutes, before law enforcement arrives… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Crystalline silica is a common mineral in the earth's crust, and is found in many types of rock including sand, quartz, and granite. Silica is present in both work and non-work environments, and exposure to crystalline silica dust has long been known to cause a disease called silicosis. When you inhale crystalline silica the lung tissue reacts by… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Sprains and strains continue to be one of the highest types of injuries within our company. By following a few simple rules, many of these injuries can be avoided or their severity greatly reduced. Medical evidence has shown that performing warm-up exercises before work and after breaks reduces strain and sprain type injuries.These rules are:… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

Let's take a quick test. How many basic senses do we have at birth? Name them. Is it one.... two.... four? I'm sure we all agree the answer is FIVE. These five senses are SIGHT, HEARING, TASTE, TOUCH and SMELL.If you were faced with sacrificing four of these five basic senses, which ones would you keep? Most people would keep their sense of SIGHT… read more

by Jorge Vazquez on

This zero tolerance means that certain unsafe employee actions will automatically result in suspension from work. So that employees understand what these actions are that will result in suspension, we will recap the WAR ON FALLS safety violations that will result in a minimum two-day suspension.LADDERSStanding on the top or first step of a… read more