The Importance of Pipe Markers

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) require that pipes markers and valve tags be properly displayed to ensure safety in the workplace.  This standard is uniformly covered under both ANSI and ASME standard A13.1. 

Labels and pipe markers on pipes and valves promote safety by openly communicating the pipe’s contents, the potential hazards of the contents, and the directional flow of these contents.  This information can be vital.

For example, pipes may have HAZMAT flowing through them.  HAZMAT is a hazardous gas, solid, or liquid that can be radioactive, flammable, toxic, explosive, corrosive, or biohazardous.  If a pipe contains these hazardous materials, according to ANSI standard A13.1 2007, this pipe must be marked to inform emergency response personnel of "hazardous materials conveyed in piping systems and their hazards when released into the environment."

Pipe marking also helps managers and maintenance personnel to make good decisions, act quickly, and prevent accidents because they know what is in the system. Also, directional tape identifies what direction the pipe contents are flowing at all times.

Pipe markers should be durable and easily to read.  There are also universal color codes to make pipe contents especially easy to identify.  Yellow pipe markers identify flammable fluids, orange pipe markers identify toxic and corrosive fluids.  These pipe markers use black lettering.

Green pipe markers identify potable, cooling, boiler feed and other waters, while blue marks gaseous admixtures.  Red pipe markers identify fire quenching materials, such as Water, Foam, CO2, and Halon, while brown pipe markers identify combustible fluids.  Green, blue, red and brown pipe markers require white lettering.   Text must also be a specific size based on the size of the pipe.  The ultimate goal is for the words to be highly visible.

There are a variety of different types of pipe markers, such as self-adhesive pipe markers, snap-on pipe markers, and pipe banding tape.  

Custom pipe markers are also available to meet your exact specifications, while still complying with ANSI/ASME standards.

Proper labeling of pipes and valves can save a life.  By taking the necessary precautions, you can prevent accidents and save time.  For more information on choosing the right pipe markers for your facility, visit http://www.seton.com/splash/pipe_markers/pmark.htm

It is “Easy Being Green” In the Workplace

It seems that the world is “going green.”  On a personal and business level, people across the nation are embracing and encouraging a “green” environmentally friendly way of living. 

 

“Green?”  What do you mean?

 

“Going Green” is a term used to describe a change in daily activities and choices that promote a healthier planet by sustaining natural resources.  The green movement began in the 1970s, but the root ideas date back to the 1800s.  Today’s focus on environmentalism can be attributed to the changes in climate, worldwide weather disasters, increasing gas prices, and national catastrophes such as 9/11.

 

Al Gore’s movie, The Inconvenient Truth, led to a heightened awareness in the new Millennium.  The movie identified major problems in the world, and attributed them to environmental problems – Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, a contaminated supply of food, low resources, and overflowing landfills.  With this realization, the Green movement spread rapidly, and everyone from celebrities to business owners were inspired to “go green.” 

 

“Green” at work?  How?

 

Employees are encouraged to be more responsible by cutting electricity, saving paper, recycling, and commuting to work.  Also, there has been an increase in “greener” product offerings, such as fuel efficient cars and packaging made from recycled materials. 

 

Production of workplace safety products has also increased, made from organic or recycled materials while still meeting standards set by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as OSHA, is the government agency responsible for enforcing safety and health legislation in the workplace. 

 

For example, Seton.ca, a manufacturer of workplace safety and compliance products, offers natural and organic absorbents for spill control and response in the workplace, which are fully absorbent and non-toxic, guaranteeing that plants and animals in the surrounding area will not be harmed.

 

Seton.ca also offers a variety of other environmentally friendly products, such as recycled speed bumps, recycling containers, biodegradable tape, and glow in the dark exit signs to save energy.  For more information about the Enviro-Care product line, visit www.seton.ca.

New MUTC Regulations in Effect

New MUTC Regulations in Effect

Beginning January 17, 2009 new regulations will take effect requiring all private property with public access roads to comply with MUTCD traffic sign requirements.  Read on to learn how to avoid accidents and liability.

What is the MUTCD?

MUTCD stands for Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.  Traffic Control Devices (TCD’s) are things you see on the road everyday:  signs that clearly communicate traffic rules and guidelines.  Even though you probably don’t give them much thought, they are critical for safe and efficient roadways.

Why is the MUTCD important?

The MUTCD sets standards to ensure that traffic control devices are uniform across the nation to ensure that they are constantly visible, easily understood, and consistently recognized.  The MUTCD plays a vital role in the transportation of people and goods.  Uniform Traffic Control Devices not only increase roadway safety and decrease liability, but they also cut capital and maintenance costs for public agencies and manufacturers.

Not complying with the standards outlined in the MUTCD can result in severe consequences, such as a loss of federal aid funding, and also a large increase in tort liability.

The MUTCD is constantly amended to keep up with changing traffic needs, such as speed changes and increased congestion.  Because of the frequent changes, the MUTCD is posted online for easy access.

How Do I Comply with the MUTCD?

In order to comply with the new MUTCD standard, Traffic Control Devices must be posted on all private property with public access roads.  The signs must meet regulatory height and appearance requirements.  The best way to ensure complete compliance is to purchase products from companies that specialize in meeting these regulations, such as www.seton.com.

Seton offers traffic and parking signs specially made to comply with MUTCD standards. Delivery is fast, so it’s easy to meet the January 17^th deadline.

Fire Safety in the Workplace

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as 

OSHA, is the government agency responsible for enforcing safety and health legislation in the workplace. OSHA was created in response to the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 in order to help employers provide a safe working environment for thei

r employees. Since OSHA’s establishment, injury and illness rates in the workplace have dropped 60 percent, and occupational deaths have dropped to their lowest annual number since 1992.

OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.38(a) requires that every worksite have a specific Emergency Action Plan, outlining employee and employer actions during an emergency evacuation. This prepared plan will ensure that employees are organized and well informed in these situations, which will reduce confusion, injury, and damage to the facility.

Creating an Emergency Action Plan is easy, and the benefits make it a worthwhile task. The firs

t step is to complete a Workplace Evaluation. In order to do this, imagine possible emergency situations and then assess whether your facility is properly equipped for such an event. Areas to consider include design and construction requirements for exit routes; maintenance, safeguards, and operational features for exit routes; emergency action plans; fire prevention plans; portable fire extinguishers; fixed extinguishing systems; fire detection systems; and employee alarm systems.

It is also important to envision how employees will react to various situations, and if your facility is equipped to handle diverse emergencies. Take into account the layout, structural features, and emergency systems. Consider the existing safety signs around the facility and whether they clearly identify exits and fire equipment.

OSHA requires that the plan contain minimum requirements that include a means of reporting

 fires; emergency evacuation procedures; emergency escape route assignments and procedures to be followed by employees who remain to conduct critical plant operations before they evacuate; procedures to account for all employees after an emergency evacuation has been completed; rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to perform them; and names or job titles of people who can be contacted for further information or explanation of duties under the plan.

Once your evacuation plan is created, it is easy to meet each requirement above. Seton.ca has a variety of fire evacuation signs, labels, and identification tags available to clearly mark exits and escape routes, outline evacuation procedures, identify fire safety equipment, and much more.

Visit www.Seton.ca to browse their large assortment of quality custom fire evacuation products, as well as Glow-in-the-Dark custom signs and labels, to meet all OSHA defined standards and regulations. Many safety products are available for same day shipping and ordering is quick and easy.

How to Meet OSHA Standards

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, better known as OSHA, is the government agency responsible for enforcing safety and health legislation in the workplace. OSHA was created in response to the Occupational Health and Safety Act of 1970 in order to help employers provide a safe working environment for their employees. Since OSHA’s establishment, injury and illness rates in the workplace have dropped 60 percent, and occupational deaths have dropped to their lowest annual number since 1992.

OSHA has a set of requirements that each employer must follow to comply with legislation. Employers are required to uphold or adopt the necessary practices in order to protect workers on the job. They must be well versed and compliant with standards relevant to their establishment and enforce the use of personal protective equipment in the workplace that is required for safety and health purposes.

In order to accomplish these goals, OSHA has issued standards for most workplace regulations. Current legislation covers workplace hazards, requiring the use of safety signs and identification tags to label toxic substances, harmful physical agents, electrical hazards, fall hazards, trenching hazards, hazardous waste, infectious diseases, fire and explosion hazards, dangerous atmospheres, machine hazards, and confined spaces.

There is also legislation that covers areas where there are no specific standards. In this case, employers must comply with OSHA’s General Duty Clause. Under this act, each employer must “furnish ... a place of employment which [is] free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees.”

It is vital that employers comply with all of OSHA’s standards at all times. Statistics show that almost 5,200 American workers die each year from workplace accidents. Nearly 50,000 employees die from workplace illnesses, and as many as 4.3 million people endure non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses. Occupational injuries and illnesses result in more than $156 billion per year.

These accidents and costs can easily be avoided. There are companies, such as Seton.com, that offer safety products to meet every aspectmany apsects of OSHA’s legislation. Seton has a full product line of industrial safety products, industrial security products, and facility maintenance products that can be customized to your exact specifications, guaranteed to meet OSHA standards as well as your own company needs.

It is easy to customize OSHA approved signs, identification tags, labels, safety products, security products, pipe markers, and much more with a company logo, colors, specific wording, material, and size. Seton’s Design Your Own feature allows the customer to select size, material, color and wording to customize the product online, and then instantly view it on-screen in order to proof it and make changes before placing the order. Ordering is quick and easy, and many custom products ship same day.

Visit www.Seton.com for more information, or to customize OSHA approved signs and products.