Some factors to keep in mind regarding ensuring safety at a metal recycling facility. These include a hazard communication standard, fire prevention measures, and wearing the right clothing. You should also be aware of the potential dangers of exposure to toxic metals and the noise that machinery creates.
Fire Prevention
There are several ways to minimize fire risk at a metal recycling facility. The first is to have an updated fire prevention and management plan. This plan should be tailored to your business’s needs.
There are also many types of technology that you can incorporate into your operations to reduce your fire risk. Some systems send safety alerts to you or your employees, while others remotely monitor temperature and heat.
Another way to reduce fire risk is to partner with local fire departments. These officials will conduct annual walk-throughs of your business to ensure you have a proper fire protection plan.
If your metal recycling facility Sussex County, NJ lacks an effective fire prevention and management plan, you could be putting your employees, your business, and the community at risk. Using unsafe or outdated practices could cause more harm than good.
Hazard Communication Standard
A metal recycling facility must comply with a Hazard Communication Standard. This standard is a law that provides workers with the right to know about potential hazards in their workplace. It also requires the use of Safety Data Sheets.
The standard applies to all employers that manufacture, process, store, or hazardous transport chemicals. All employees must be trained on how to work with these materials safely. OSHA has proposed a new rule to update the standard.
A comprehensive hazard communication program includes employee training. Training should include how to identify and handle hazardous chemicals. Employees should also be instructed on what to do in an emergency. In addition, employees should be issued personal protective equipment such as safety glasses, hard hats, and boots.
Exposure to Toxic Metals
Metals can be released into the atmosphere, which can be transported to surface waters and groundwater. Human activities can also redistribute metals from non-metals-enriched areas to metals-enriched areas. These metals can reach water bodies through air and groundwater and release wastes from landfills and septic systems.
Many metals used in industrial activities, such as metal recycling, can be hazardous to human health. They can cause heavy metal poisoning, leading to life-threatening symptoms without treatment.
Workers at metal recycling facilities can be exposed to lead through ingestion, breathing, or eating. In addition, workers can be exposed to lead dust from their work environment. The level of exposure can be very high, especially when metals are dispersed from welding and cutting.
Noise From Machinery
Metal recycling is a process that generates a lot of noise. Besides the machinery’s noise, other occupational noise sources include impact noises, which are produced when pieces of metal are dropped into buckets or carried on conveyors. In addition, there may be sudden bursts of noise, which can be unpredictable.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in the United States has set a noise exposure standard of 85 decibels for eight hours. Workers must be placed under appropriate health surveillance if they are exposed to this noise level. Aside from this, it is also important for employers to assess the risks of working in this environment.
Similarly, it is essential to understand the potential of noise-generating machinery in the steel industry. This will enable employees to understand the potential dangers of their job and take preventative measures to minimize the effect of occupational noise.
