David Pogue: 10 top time-saving
tech tips
Tech columnist David Pogue shares 10 simple, clever tips for computer, web,
smartphone and camera users. And yes, you may know a few of these already -- but
there’s probably at least one you don’t.
David Pogue is the personal technology columnist for the New York Times and a tech
correspondent for CBS News. He’s also one of the world’s bestselling how-to authors,
with titles in the For Dummies series and his own line of “Missing Manual” books.
VIEW THE VIDEO: http://www.ted.com/talks/david_pogue_10_top_time_saving_
tech_tips.html?source=email#.Ufvy30gkDnl.email
SOURCE: FILMED FEB 2013 • POSTED APR 2013 • TED2013
OSHA’s New Final Rule For Hazard
Communications In The Workplace
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) have after much review
and commentary by various parties published their new Final Rule for Hazard
Communications in the workplace. The new rules and regulations are designed to
reduce the number of workplace injuries caused by miscommunication of the nature
and extent of hazards.
Consistent System of Chemical Labeling
The OSHA guidelines will incorporate the international Globally Harmonized
System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Employers who import or
export chemicals, or who sell or buy chemicals solely in the United States, will have
a consistent system of chemical labeling and safety data sheets communicating the
hazards of the chemicals. OSHA believes the revised hazard communications, which
includes various hazards beyond chemicals, will provide a consistent approach to
hazards, making it safer for employees.
Four Major Changes to Hazard Communication Standard
The four major changes to the Hazard Communication Standard as outlined on the
OSHA website, https://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/index.html, are:
Hazard Classification: Provides specific criteria for classification of health and physical
hazards, as well as classification of mixtures.
Labels: Chemical manufacturers and importers will be required to provide a label that
includes a harmonized signal word, pictogram, and hazard statement for each hazard
class and category; precautionary statements must be provided.
Safety Data Sheets: Will now have a specified 16-section format.
Information and training: Employers are required to train workers by December 1,
2013 on the new labels elements and safety data sheets format to facilitate recognition
and understanding.
Nine Pictograms Adopted By OSHA
There are nine pictograms that OSHA is adopting from GHS. Each pictogram is
outlined in a red square standing on a point (baseball diamond shape). The center of
each pictogram is different to delineate what the hazard is. The pictograms are:
Health Hazard: A red diamond with the shoulder/head/chest silhouette with a large
asterisk like shape in the chest. This is to warn employees the product can have the
properties of, or cause, a carcinogen, mutagenicity, reproductive toxicity, respiratory
sensitizer, target organ toxicity, or aspiration toxicity.
Flame: A red diamond with a flame. This is to warn employees the product can be
flammable, pyrophonics, self-heating, emits flammable gas, self-reactive, or organic
peroxides.
Exclamation Mark: A red diamond with an explanation mark is to warn employees
the product can be an irritant (skin or eye), skin sensitizer, acute toxicity (harmful),
narcotic effects, respiratory tract irritant, hazardous to the ozone layer (nonmandatory).
Gas Cylinder: A red diamond with a cylinder. This pictogram warns the employee the
product contains gases under pressure.
Corrosive: A red diamond with two test tubes, with one test tube spilling acid on metal
and the other test tube spilling acid on a hand is to warn employees that product can
cause skin corrosion/burns, eye damage, or is corrosive to metals.
Exploding Bomb: A red diamond with an exploding bomb is to warn employees the
product can be explosive, self-reactive, or organic peroxide.
Flame over Circle: A red diamond with a flame on top of a circle is to warn employees
that the product is an oxidizer.
Environment (non-mandatory): A red diamond with a dead tree and a dead fish is to
warn employees the product is damaging to the environment including aquatic toxicity.
Skull & Crossbones: A red diamond with the skull and crossbones is to warn employees
the product can have acute toxicity (fatal or toxic).
16 Sections Required on Safety Data Sheet
A Safety Data Sheet, which must be attached to each product which has one or more of
the above pictograms, is required to have 16 sections in the following order:
Identification
Hazard(s) identification
Composition information on ingredients
First-Aid measures
Fire-fighting measures
Accidental release measures
Handling and storage
Exposure controls/personal protection
Physical and chemical properties
Stability and reactivity
Toxicological information
Ecological information
Disposal considerations
Transport information
Regulatory information
Other information, including date of preparation or last revision
OSHA’s revisions of the Hazard Communication guidelines for labeling and safety
data sheets will reduce the number of injuries and therefore the number of workers’
compensation claims. Employers are required to comply with the new system by
December 1, 2013.
We recommend for employers to review their existing system of hazard communication
and to make the necessary changes now to comply with the pictograms and the safety
data sheets required by the Final Rule for Hazard Communications. This will allow
employers the time needed to train all employees on how to recognize each pictogram
and what they will mean within your company. It will also allow employers the time
need to change their safety information sheets to comply with the standard format for
safety data sheets.
SOURCE Reduce Your Workers Compensation Insurance Coverage Costs with Timely
Information for Employers | Work Comp Roundup.