July 22, 2011 by Austin Cushing.

With temperatures soaring into triple digits, the hazards of the heat are numerous. Dehydration from oversweating means that workers must frequently drink water or electrolytes to rehydrate. Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can occur as body temperature rises due to the temperature. Heat rashes can form due to skin irritation from excesesive sweating. Heat cramps can cause muscle pains due to heavy exercise in hot weather. With all of these hazards from the heat, one might assume that a quick dip in very cold water or stepping into a walk-in freezer might be a good way to beat the heat. This is not as good an idea as it sounds.

While cool compresses and immersion in cool water are a good way to cool down quickly, one must be careful; too much of a temperature shift can cause a cold shock response, as veins abruptly constrict to retain body heat to prevent cold blood from reaching your heart. This can be very hazardous to your health, and can even cause organ failure and death in extreme cases.

So what can you do to beat the heat? First, make sure to drink plenty of water and consume more sodium than usual, as water and salts are drained from the body when you sweat. If your job requires working in the heat - for example, construction workers or warehouse crew - a cooler/dispenser with a push-button spigot, filled with ice and water or electrolyte drink made from powdered mix, can be every bit as vital a safety investment as a hard hat or a high-visibility vest. You may also want to invest in cooling vests and other heat stress gear to help keep you cool without causing extreme temperature shifts that can be hazardous.

Do you work in an industrial cooler or freezer? Don’t be tempted to skip your freezer wear just because it’s hot outside! Wear insulated gloves, freezer vests, and freezer boots when working in these icy environments, and remove them as soon as you leave. It may be tedious, but maintaining a consistent body temperature will ensure that you don’t suffer from shock when you go in or come out.

Maintaining your health in the heat can be a serious challenge. However, with the right work equipment to keep you cool, and adequate hydration to replenish what sweat takes away, you should be able to manage this summer, no matter what your workplace and the weather have to throw at you.

Posted in Industrial, American Work Safety, Alerts, Articles | No Comments »

July 8, 2011 by Austin Cushing.

Law enforcement officers executing a search warrant face unique challenges. In most cases, they are not welcome and must gain forcible entry as quickly as possible before vital evidence can be destroyed or disposed of. For this reason, law enforcement officers engaged in dynamic entry activities typically use tools meant specifically to break down, cut
through, or pry apart obstacles that might impede them from conducting a thorough search. Thus, tactical entry kits are a common sight among search teams when resistance is expected.

A good, sturdy pair of bolt cutters are a vital asset to a tactical entry team. Padlocks, security chains, barbed wire, and chain link fences are often used to keep people out, but a sturdy pair of bolt cutters will let police search teams in. The best models include heat treated, hardened cutting edges to give them the best chance against sturdy bolts, and are designed specifically to not conduct electricity so that even electrified fences can be dismantled with relative ease.

Breaking down doors and other obstacles, or breaking into secured areas, is another common impediment to searching an area thoroughly. In these situations, the best tactical tool for quick entry is a combination of two separate tools - an axe head for cutting and a sledge head for smashing - into a single tool called a maul. The resulting tool is light enough to be easily carried, but tough enough to break open most obstacles.

Rounding out the tactical tool set, a good prybar or Hallagan tool allows the tactical entry specialist to breach a door or padlock that cannot or should not be broken or cut. These tools can be safely wedged or hammered into position, then pulled or hammered to pry apart or break open locked or jammed doors, sealed containers, and other obstructions with relative ease. They are preferably non-sparking and non-conductive so as to be usable in areas where a fire or electrical hazard exists.

A tactical backpack kit combines these three tools into a single unit that can be worn on the back, where the tools are easily accessible when needed but do not occupy the hands when idle. They allow search operations to be carried out efficiently and quickly, reducing the risk to officers and civilians. Every search team should have at least one tactical backpack kit ready to go when dynamic entry is authorized.

Posted in Law Enforcement, Correctional, Police and Security, American Detention Supplies, Uncategorized | 1 Comment »