On the job site, the safety of workers
is the first priority.
But rules and regulations aren't
always memorable or exciting. And getting the message to the workers who need
it can be tough when the message is full of dry statistics and warnings.
The Department of Labor and the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently co-sponsored the
“Workplace Safety and Health Challenge,” in which application developers
competed to create outstanding software tools that teach workers to recognize
and prevent worksite hazards. One thing these apps have in common is that they
all make the safety message accessible, interesting, and sometimes even fun.
Three of the winners were the USW Chemical Safety app, Working Safely
is No Accident and Ergonomics iOS.
The
USW Chemical Safety app. If you have an iPhone and you work with chemicals,
this is one app that you ought to check out. USW Chemical Safety is an
easy-to-use tool to keep you safe from exposure to toxic chemicals. It accesses
the New Jersey Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) database for information
about health hazards, personal protective equipment, and workplace exposure limits.
It also lets you browse the electronic version of the National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards. USW Chemical
Safety can even deliver contact information for OSHA and United Steelworkers
district offices.
Working Safely is No Accident.
To raise awareness among young people about their right to a safe work
environment, the University of Tennessee Construction Industry Research ad
Policy Center and the Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering teamed
up to create this app. It includes a lighthearted interactive game that
estimates the likelihood of specific workplace accidents compared to other
events, such as dating a supermodel . It comes with tips on how to avoid these
accidents (but, unfortunately, no tips on how to date the supermodel).
Ergonomics.
Ergonomics is an iOS app that functions as your office wellness watchdog. It
helps you manage your wellness, health, and, consequently, your productivity
while at work. Use it for setting up office equipment such as your table,
chair, and the desktop computer and its peripherals. You'll also get valuable suggestions for
simple stretching exercises and reminders to take frequent breaks to prevent
musculoskeletal stress and injury.
Here are some other workplace safety training and apps that
you might use to stay OSHA complaint on the job.
Sound
Level Meter. This Android app is a real “tool” in the old sense of the
word. Once downloaded to your smartphone, use it to measure noise levels in
your workplace. The readout is in decibels (dB) and is displayed against a
reference for safe noise levels. It's handy for safeguarding against unhealthy
noise levels in the office or in the factory. Note: Very high noise levels
(above 100 dB) won’t register on the Sound Level Meter because of the inherent
limitation of smartphone microphones.
Cargo
Decoder. Want to know what the tanker that just pulled in is carrying? Just
tap in the four-digit number on the tanker’s DOT placard into your Cargo
Decoder app and relevant data from the Emergency Response Guidebook will be
displayed. This unique workplace safety tool is especially useful for emergency
responders and hazardous materials workers who might need quick access to
information. To make things quick and easy, Cargo Decoder supplements keypad
input with voice command and swipe functionality.
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