In the spirit of the season, we decided to take the time to map out our favorite 7 Halloween monsters and ghoulish safety precautions they represent.
Freddy Kreuger = Workplace Fatigue
1…2… Freddy’s coming for you….Trying to stay awake when you are tired or feeling exhausted can be hard to control. Workplace fatigue is dangerous and costs U.S. businesses more than $130 billion dollars yearly.
The main contributors to workplace fatigue are:
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poor quality of sleep,
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extended work hours (over 8 consecutive hours),
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working overtime,
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having to work irregular hours, or
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working unusual hours (evening or night shifts).
There are no specific OSHA standards for extended or unusual work shifts. However, it’s important to know what causes it and how to prevent it. If not, Freddy will gladly teach you to stay awake at work!
Check out our Fighting Fatigue in the Workplace Safety Training Program
Pennywise = Confined Space
Living in the sewers and navigating through tight tunnels and pipes calls for some good understanding of confined space. Unfortunately, Pennywise is a master at it which makes it easier to work his way through Derry town.
What is confined space?
OSHA defines a confined space as:
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Being large enough for a worker to enter it and work.
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Having limited or restricted means of entry or exit
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Is not designed for continuous occupancy
Another form of confined space is “permit-required confined space.” That is described as having:
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a hazardous atmosphere,
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the potential for engulfment or suffocation,
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any layout or design that can trap a worker through converging walls or a sloped floor,
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any indication of other serious safety or health hazards,
Being trained with the standards for confined spaces will surely keep you from floating with this clown at work. In Pennywise’s case, you’ll need to know “permit-required confined space.”
Check out our Confined Space Entry Safety Training Program
Zombies = Personal Protective Equipment
As we are all aware, zombies like bbrrraaaiiinnsssss…and any body part for that matter. To keep yourself protected it’s important to implement proper PPE.
Personal Protection Equipment is any clothing or equipment that can be worn to protect you from workplace hazards. An assessment of the hazards will indicate what type of PPE you’ll need to use in your work environment, in this case maybe a full suit of armor?
Basic types of PPE:
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Eye Protection – goggles, safety spectacles, welding shields, face shields, laser safety goggles
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Head Protection – hard hats (A, B, C), bump hats, hoods …
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Respiratory Protection – surgical masks, full-face respirators, half-mask respirators,
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Hearing Protection – ear plugs (reusable and disposable)
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Hand Protection – gloves
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Foot and leg Protection – leggings, foot and shin guards, metatarsal guards, toe guards, safety shoes
Check out our Personal Protective Equipment Safety Training Program
Jack Skellington = Holiday Safety
Unlike Jack Skellington’s mischievous Christmas holiday takeover, most workplace holidays are safer in comparison. You don’t see many people dressed as a 6ft tall skeleton wearing Santa clothes and dangerously driving a sled full of horrifying gifts.
For the rest of us, there can still be holiday dangers lurking around every corner at work. When decorating your office or work environment you can face electrical hazards like damaged cords or overloading outlets that can cause a fire. Even placing cords in a busy area could cause someone to trip or fall. Using ladders to set up holiday decor, hand or power tools to secure them, and leaving behind a mess can all contribute to an unsafe work area.
Here are some training titles that can help you out before the holidays:
- Ladder Safety
- Hand and Power Tool Safety
- Electrical Safety
- Slips, Trips, Falls Safety
- Housekeeping Safety
- Winter Driving Safety
The Exorcist = infection control/BBP
Science? Superstition? Darkness? Being possessed by an evil entity can create new hazards all their own. The one scene in the Exorcist that comes to mind is the wicked vomit scene.
Bloodborne Pathogen standards apply to any workers that are exposed to human blood or other potentially infectious materials. It’s required that personal protective equipment is used to prevent contact. There should also be an Exposure Control Plan set in place to help eliminate and minimize exposure.
Bloodborne pathogens
Stands for the pathogenic microorganisms present in human blood that can cause diseases. Such as Hepatitis B (HBV), human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other infectious diseases.
Other potentially infectious materials (OPIM)
This includes human body fluids like cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, amniotic fluid, saliva (dental procedures), any fluid that is contaminated with blood, anytime there is body fluid present but you are unable to determine what it is, and more.
Check out our Bloodborne Pathogens in Industrial Facilities Safety Training Program
Frankenstein = Electrical Safety
Dr. Victor Frankenstein is known for using alchemy to bring a corpse he created to life. Although he did not disclose his techniques, it’s believed he used electricity. Some believe he used lightening brought in by a thunderstorm.
Here’s to hoping he had access to rubber insulated blankets, rubber insulated covers, rubber insulated matting, rubber insulated line hose, rubber insulated gloves, and rubber insulated sleeves that could handle the voltage and current he needed.
If not, then he faced some serious electrical danger. Electricity can cause shocks, burns, skin damage, cardiac arrest, or electrocution.
Check out our Electrical Safety Training Program
Beetlejuice = Sexual Harassment
Beetlejuice…Beetlejuice…Beetle… alright, I don’t think I want to summon this demon. He’s known as a “bioexcorsist” and claims to be the best at getting rid of the living. However, he’s also the best at making his clients feel sexually harassed and uncomfortable.
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) states that sexual harassment is any unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical harassment of a sexual nature.
There is no current federal regulation for the training of sexual harassment but it’s important to take the necessary steps to protect employees and your company.
Since Beetle… is haunting in Connecticut, he would only need the training if he had 3 or more employees. You can Learn more about Connecticut’s “Time’s Up Act” here.
