Canadian Occupational Safety

FEBRUARY/MARCH 2018 27 TOOLS OF THE TRADE PRODUCTS & SERVICES The latest OHS innovations and industry updates Bullard increasing visibility with AboveView hard hat Bullard has introduced a new hard hat model designed with a see-through replaceable visor to help workers see potential hazards above them. It is the only hard hat that increases a worker's upper peripheral view by more than 50 per cent, says the manufacturer. "We designed the new AboveView hard hat based on feed- back we received from our customers," says Stacey Simmons, Bullard's product manager for head and face protection. "The AboveView is an innovative design that lets workers see the hazards above them, and that's critical to staying safe." The hard hat is available with three replaceable lenses with tint options. It also features a full 360-degree brim for additional protection from the elements. The AboveView meets ANSI/ISEA Clas- sification: Z89.1, Type I, Class E and G requirements as well as CSA Z94.1-15. AboveView comes with all the standard Bullard hard hat comfort features, including three- quarter inch seamless suspension, large absorbent cotton or easy-to-clean vinyl brow pad, Flex-Gear ratchet suspension and front, side and rear vertical height adjustment settings. AboveView sits below the nape of the user's head, ensuring a secure fit and lessening the possibility of the hat falling off while working. RFID connected gloves track usage, compliance Honeywell has launched the industry's first "connected ready" electrical safety lineman gloves, which use embedded tracking technology to ensure gloves are always properly tested and certified before linemen use them for the most hazardous of electrical work. Honeywell's new Electriflex safety gloves include an optional embedded RFID tag, allowing utilities to help ensure the gloves meet safety requirements when worn by linemen working on power lines carrying up to 35,000 volts of electricity. Utilities are required to regularly test electrical gloves worn by lineman. Using the RFID-enabled gloves and Honeywell's Safety Suite software, utility companies can better track and manage their inventory, automate safety compliance reporting and better protect line workers. "These connected-ready gloves will make it easier for utilities to ensure their linemen have the right certified gloves protecting them should they grab a high-voltage wire, while they also help utilities improve efficiency through simpler and faster records management, inventory control and forecasting ability," says Kevin Pietras, marketing leader for Honeywell Industrial Safety. "The cloud-based Safety Suite will help utility safety managers make more informed judgments about when to replace equipment, monitor glove usage and educate crews around worker safety and asset management." Honey well is developing a range of Connected Worker technologies designed to improve safety and worker productivity, while allowing customers to "better leverage data to drive better outcomes and save money," it said. The RFID tag used in the new gloves is a patented, non- metallic material that permits scanning of information even when the tag is bent or stretched. Users can scan the glove and, using the software, easily and quickly access a record of manufacturing histor y, including type of equipment, class, date of manufacture, test dates and sources, insulating material composition and other information. The information can be used to generate reports and certification labels, which can be transferred in real time to a smartphone, laptop or other networked device. The data can be compiled automatically into reports, eliminating time-consuming manual audits and data logs, creating a birth-to-death history of the product that can be accessed on a smartphone or other mobile device for convenience and real-time awareness. The Electriflex line, from Salisbury by Honeywell, is notable for its flexibility, dexterity and comfort, and has been used by linemen for more than 25 years. Slice introduces Ergo-Pull technology Slice's 10558 Smart-Retracting Utility Knife introduces a fresh approach to ergonomics in the safety cutting industry. Retracting utility knives have sliders that, when pushed, expose the blade for cutting. The con- tradictory actions of pushing the slider while pulling the knife causes unnecessary strain during use. So Slice asked, 'Why not pull both the slider and the knife?' — and the 10558 Smart-Retracting Utility Knife does exactly that. The user pulls the slider button to expose the blade. The knife's blade retracts when it loses contact with the cutting surface, even if the user's finger is still on the slider button. "The invention of Ergo-Pull technology represents Slice's commitment to re-examining every aspect of cutting technology. Our ergonomic design doesn't just cover the handle's shape. It now extends to retraction mechanisms, too," says TJ Scimone, Slice founder and CEO. Testing by United States Ergonomics confirms that the Slice 10558 utility knife with Ergo-Pull reduces forearm and upper arm muscle effort, compared with standard metal-bladed utility knives. These results were consistent regardless of the orientation of cutting (horizontal or upright). Ergo-Pull results in a measurable boost to worker comfort, especially during repetitive cutting tasks, says the manufacturer, adding less muscle effort means fewer repetitive strain injuries. The ceramic blade is up to 10 times longer-lasting than steel, and it is non-conductive, non-magnetic, chemically inert, never rusts, stays sharp and is safer than metal blades, Slice says. The utility knife boasts an ambidextrous design and the blade is changed without using any tools. Speakman solves emergency shower dilemma in facilities without water Speakman has announced the introduction of the Gravityflo Emergency Tank Shower. This new safety product is designed with a 2,000-litre (528-gallon) tank to solve the compliance dilemma faced by many managers on a site with no running water or inadequate water pressure. "Some facilities present unique worker safety challenges, should the site be without plumbed water, even temporarily," says Speakman's president, Bob Knoll. "The Gravityflo Emergency Tank Shower was a made-to-order solution for a customer. Thus, we have a new emergency product that can be specified for a variety of projects where access to running water is going to be a safety concern." Applications for the new emergency tank shower include job sites without running water and environments where water may be shut off temporarily. Additionally, this emergency tank shower is an ideal unit for older facilities or sites where the pipes cannot produce the 20 gallon per minute (gpm) flow requirement. The tank shower's integral heater maintains water temperature in the tepid range of 15.5 C to 37.7 C (60 F to 100 F). It has an integrated emergency eyewash with plastic bowl with push-handle activator. The unit has heat-tracing for eye- wash and emergency shower piping, a stainless steel showerhead and is ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 certified. Engineered for demanding conditions, the Gravityflo Emergency Tank Shower also offers a number of optional component upgrades, including stainless steel bowl and support frame, treadle plate activa- tor, privacy screens, alarms and digital temperature gauges. Each tank shower comes with a three-year general mechanical warranty and a one-year electrical equipment limited warranty. The emergency shower is built to order for each customer's specific requirements.

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