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rebbel's avatar

[SFW] What safety measures do you (have to) take to do your job (safely)?

Asked by rebbel (35553points) December 29th, 2011

In my job I wear hearing protection, steel-toe shoes and sometimes a respirator (for fine saw dust).

To be able to do your work safely, are there precautions you have to take?
Wear special clothing? Goggles?
Prepare in a certain way? Put your hair in a tail?
Wear arms?

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37 Answers

harple's avatar

[LOVE the sfw tag, ha ha!]

I have to cut my nails – for playing the harp they have to be short! (Sounds rubbish otherwise, and er, bad for the strings!)

marinelife's avatar

I have to avoid poking myself in the eye with my pen.

Lightlyseared's avatar

Nitrile gloves. Eye protection and on ocasion a full face shield for when things get really messy. Different eye protection if I’m using a laser. Several different types of respirtator depending on the suspected infection of the patient and one to protect me from the fumes from chemicals. Clothing and footwear provided by employer and changed everytime I leave my work area. I have been vaccinated against a staggering range of diseases (including anthrax!). I have a little doodah that tells me how much radiation I have been exposed too and a lead apron (not sure it actually contains lead anymore but it still seems to work) to limit the exposure to various vital organs. Another doodah that clips to my top and alerts security that I need help fast if I pull it off (you would be amazed how violent people in hospitals get).

ANef_is_Enuf's avatar

Right now, nothing. When I did work it was gloves, handwashing, masks and gowns when appropriate, vaccines and TB tests… stuff like that.

rebbel's avatar

Let me guess, @harple is a…..., harpist? :-)
@marinelife is a writer?
@Lightlyseared is a surgeon?
@ANef_is_Enuf was a nurse?

Blackberry's avatar

I have to mentally prepare myself to be polite to people I don’t like. It’s harder than one would think.

JLeslie's avatar

When I worked in retail I had to wear shoes that had a back around the heal. I had to make sure I lifted as safely as possibly, bend knees, hold items close to the body. Watch where I was walking in the stock rooms, and we were not supposed to climb the shelves, but we did, shhhh.

rebbel's avatar

@Blackberry is a waiter?
@JLeslie was a shop assistant?

marinelife's avatar

@rebbel Right you are.

JLeslie's avatar

@rebbel Manager, Buyer, and Vendor Representative. People don’t realize how physical the job is even for people who are higher in the ranks.

Blackberry's avatar

@rebbel No, I work in an office, but there are some people I just don’t like talking to lol.

Bellatrix's avatar

Make sure my desk set-up is ergonomically sound.

Make sure the books/papers I have to carry are spread over more than one bag.

Not walk through the campus late at night.

Know where the exits are in case of fire.

Eureka's avatar

I don’t have to take any safety measures, but the guys who work for me keep chocolate on hand at all times, in case I slip into werewolf mode. I have flying monkeys, and I am not afriad to use them!

filmfann's avatar

I have a job that involves a lot of different functions and safety hazards. We are constantly refreshed on the guidelines and proceedures.
I wear safety glasses and boots with a steel shank.
I have to know how to climb telephone poles safely, which involves correct climbing stance, awareness of surrounding hazards, inspecting the pole for overload, electrical hazards, dryrot, termites, etc.
I have to be able to enter a manhole, which involves gas detection, proper ventilation, traffic control, proper lifting, and 100 other things.
I work with lasers, and that is a ton of coverages right there.
All things considered, it’s amazing I get anything done in a day.

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

In my last job, I washed my hands a lot and wore closed shoes. In my current job, nothing.

rebbel's avatar

@Bellatrix is a librarian?
@Eureka works in the zoo?
@filmfann is a bomb disposal worker?
@Simone_De_Beauvoir was a nurse?

Simone_De_Beauvoir's avatar

@rebbel Patient navigator for cancer patients, close though.

Bellatrix's avatar

Nope. I visit the library though.

Academic.

jerv's avatar

As a machinist, steel toes and earplugs are required at all times, as is some form of eye protection (though prescription glasses are enough).

For certain tasks, I may need a respirator, face shield, goggles, kevlar gloves, welding gloves, a welding mask, or “melt gloves” which can briefly handle red-hot steel.

rebbel's avatar

@jerv is an astronaut? ;-)

YARNLADY's avatar

Remember to get up and walk around at least once an hour.
Watch out for the dog underfoot.
Keep cords out of the way and turn handles on the stove in.
Be careful around knives.
Don’t carry anything too heavy or too hot, don’t pick up anything too heavy.
Don’t stand on tables or chairs – Do use the kitchen ladder to reach the dishes.
Don’t put your hand in the clothes washer while it’s running.
Don’t reach in the oven without wearing gloves.
Watch out for shards of glass, nails, and other items on the floor waiting to cut or stab your bare feet.
Keep the house as child-safe as possible.

rebbel's avatar

@YARNLADY is a grandmother?

CWOTUS's avatar

On construction sites:
Hard hats, “sturdy” work shoes, safety glasses with side shields, hearing protection when applicable, full-body harnesses and lanyards (with permanent safety line) for work at height, work gloves when applicable.

Then we have to be aware of scaffold construction. In the US, work scaffolds are “certified” from day to day by specialists who have been trained in proper construction and support. In India… ha! – you sort of hold your breath on some of the scaffolds used there.

When working on “potentially live” equipment we use a Lock-Out / Tag-Out system to be certain that machines, electrical panels, wires, pipe lines, etc. will be safe for work and not remotely started, pressurized or otherwise energized.

For confined spaces, we make sure to have an outside “spotter”, as well as portable oxygen monitors and ventilation.

Welding and other hot / bright operations may require leather sleeves, heavy welding gloves, face shields and dark lenses. Flame or plasma cutting operations require less-dark lenses (and gloves). Grinding and abrasive cutting requires full face shields and safety goggles.

In the office:
Don’t drink too much coffee, and don’t piss off the boss.

rebbel's avatar

@CWOTUS is a construction worker obviously??

CWOTUS's avatar

No, not now. Now I work in the office. I don’t even like coffee, and I always piss off the boss.

Seaofclouds's avatar

I wash my hands a lot. I wear gloves and sometimes protective gowns, masks, and eye wear. We have special equipment for moving patients from one place to another. I have to wear non-slip, closed shoes. My hair must be kept back. I can not wear any jewelry besides my wedding rings, stud earrings, and a watch. My nails must be kept short and I can not wear nail polish. I also can not wear strong perfume or deodorant. We use safety needles that have covers that go over the needle once we are finished with it (to avoid accidents needle sticks). We use dedicated patient equipment (stethoscopes, blood pressure cuffs, thermometers, pen lights, etc.) to avoid the spread of infections.

tedibear's avatar

At one job:
Wear potholders to open the oven.
Lift heavy things appropriately.
Keep fingers out of the way of the mixer paddle or whip.
Mind the knives!
Watch out for people coming around corners announced.
Knock on the cooler door when you’re exiting.
Don’t carry too many things at once.
No rings or dangling jewelry.

At the other:
Wear closed toed shoes in case you drop a box of quarters on your foot.
Make sure space heaters are unplugged so no fires start when you’re gone.
Be alert for anything that doesn’t seem “right” whether it’s about a customer or the building.
Be able to identify anyone who walks in the door. And if you can’t, make sure you get their ID.
Know where the alarm buttons are and how they work.

ratboy's avatar

I must always have an adequate supply of condoms at hand.

rebbel's avatar

@Seaofclouds is a medical professional?
@tedibear is both a chef and a porter/guard/usher?
@ratboy is a gigolo?

downtide's avatar

I work in an office and we have silly rules (that nobody bothers to keep) about how you are supposed to sit in your chair.

tedibear's avatar

@rebbel – So close. I am a baker (not close to chef at this point) and a banker.

Dutchess_III's avatar

Can’t keep anything around that could turn into a weapon like staples, paper clips, sissors, whatever. But that’s just their rule. The guys wouldn’t do anything with them.

Funny thing is, that rule is strictly enforced with the local county jail inmates, but the state prisoners, who are in for far more serious crimes, can have anything they want, even razor blades for shaving with!

rebbel's avatar

@Dutchess_III is an innkeeper? ;-)

Dutchess_III's avatar

I was looking forward to your thoughts @rebbel! I teach High School in our local jail, but we also house inmates from the DOC around the state, so I get them too. Them’s my favorite felons in the whole world! Can’t wait to get back to work. : )

Eureka's avatar

@rebbel I run a biomedical equipment repair facility. We go into doctors, dentists, vets offices, and hospitals and work on their stuff. Never a dull moment, and most of it is a crisis.

Seaofclouds's avatar

@rebbel Yes, I’m a nurse. :)

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