subject: Safety Consultants Role In Today [print this page] Painters typically encounter a variety of potentially hazardous work during their typical work day. A Certified Industrial Hygienist is needed to identify all of the potential health and safety issues that the painter might encounter. Each operation, job, and work activity must be scrutinized, investigated, and evaluated for perils. Some of these obstacles might seem very apparent such as paint thinner which can be combustible, flammable, or toxic; while other hazards may not be as apparent such as confined spaces and exposure to mold.
A Safety Consultant will develop procedures for selecting and utilizing personal protective equipment (PPE) for each employee. Proper maintenance should also be outlined to ensure the equipment is operating correctly so it is able to effectively perform its role. It is not uncommon for an Industrial Hygienist to select the proper equipment and the employee does not fully utilize the equipment because they do not understand all of the potential hazards that are in their work environment. Training is essential to educate the employees to take the proper precautions and for a comprehension of why it hazardous.
An effective Industrial Hygienist is responsive to the different environments and trained to view working environments in a sensitive way to identify the multitude of opportunities to improve the working conditions. Safe Practices might be as simple as clearing clutter and instituting procedures for reporting hazards. The employees are exposed to the environments day in and day out and are a great resource to utilize for maintain safe operating conditions.
Industrial Hygienist must be called in periodically to review the working conditions and insure that all safety procedures are being followed. The Certified Industrial Hygienist can also ensure that any new employees are being adequately trained on all the current safety precautions. Any employee that has an unused PPE on their exit interview should not be rewarded for taking unnecessary risk that could endanger themselves and other workers.
The working environment for painters is required to be tested by Industrial Hygienist according to OSHA regulations. The manner in which they test is by taking air samples within the booth and having tests conducted on the air monitors that the painter wore throughout their shift. These tests can help determine if adequate measures are being taken to protect the employee against unnecessary exposure. If not, the Industrial Hygienist would have the data needed to recommend a solution for creating a safer environment by adding ventilation or limiting exposure time of each worker.
Therefore it is essential to get in contact with a Certified Industrial Hygienist to act as a Safety Consultant, and that person will analyze each working environment for the various hazards that might be present. Frequent visits ensure safer working environments for all employees and essential procedures are in place for potential hazards. To find a Certified Industrial Hygienist in your area, click here.
