Here’s a worthwhile page from OSHA aimed at the cleaning industry, including both front-line workers in cleaning and maintenance and suppliers of cleaning products and services.

It includes links to info on health and safety standards, common hazards and related solutions, implementing a health and safety program and more.

Image © Roman Milert – Fotolia.com

Let’s “paws” for a quick reminder that aside from the occasional birthday cake, there is no place for candles in most workplaces. Churches, restaurants, yes. Your workplace? Think about the hazard that you’re introducing.

Happy 65th Birthday, Smokey Bear! Hope you have no plans to retire! Who else would keep the real time wildfire map up to date?

Take a simple but vital lesson from a story that I just read. I’ll accept it as true because the writer says he saw photographs related to it.

A police officer is chasing an armed robber. The thief pitches his gun. The cop’s shoestring comes loose. He trips on it, hits his head and is knocked out. The criminal circles back, takes the officer’s gun and kills him.

It’s a tragic tale with a common-sense reminder for workers: No shoes, slip-resistant or not, protect against falls if a shoelace is flapping loose. Knot them good.

Image © Lisa F. Young – Fotolia.com

Here’s the list. Bravo.

Related post:

How to feel if a loved one’s death or injury follows shoddy safety training

“Love it or hate it, you remember it.”

You’ll hear those words in this MSNBC story about a company with an unusual name.

• The memorable part of the name consists of two three-letter words
• The name relates to a barnyard animal in a roundabout way
• The name is sometimes considered politically incorrect
• But a lot of people get a big kick out of the name
• The company is best known at industrial sites
• Though more and more, its products are popping up in other settings as well

New Pig? Not in this case, though all of the above apply.

Many Piggers admire this other company and watch it with interest. Its original name was HVLS Fans, but it became much better known as … something else.

Image © Elenathewise – Fotolia.com

One of our sharp-eyed Pigger programmers, Greg Hill, spotted a PIG® Spill Kit in a 95-Gallon Overpack in a photo taken inside the heavily-guarded Cheyenne Mountain, home to part of NORAD (North American Aerospace Defense), which keeps an eye on the sky for nuclear missiles and other threats—but also tracks Santa Claus around the world on Christmas night.

See the Spill Kit there in the foreground? Compare it to the photo below. It’s a style that we haven’t sold in a while. I guess that means that there haven’t been any emergency spills in that section of NORAD recently—but the site operators are standing ready. They’re good at that.

Ah, county fair season.

I’m leaving work early today—right after a Pigalog® photo shoot—to find me a ferris wheel and some Deep-Fried Oreos.

In Kansas, that is. My nephew’s working the Douglas County Fair.

Below is some video of him last year in Virginia. He’s the one who’s called “lively” and is slathered with Wesson and then surrenders to the little girl.

Yes, surrendered to. He knew which cutie he wanted to catch him from the moment all those kids flooded through the gate. You’ve heard of a swan dive? What you see in this video is a swine dive.

UCLA has a plan for improving lab safety about 7 months after a deadly accident served as a wake-up call and prompted attention including our post.

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SkillTV is offering prizes for the best photos of kids coming in contact with maintenance.

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How toast is manufactured.

Lots of us face temperature issues indoors at work: It’s too hot, it’s too cold …

Here’s how we cope, according to a survey just released by the International Facility Management Association (the link opens a PDF):

Here are categories where we have related products:

Supplemental clothing

Okay, just kidding. But we do sell those.

Block or redirect vents

We have HVAC Diffuser Filters and Deflectors for you.

Tamper with or adjust thermostat

We have ways to constrain who can adjust the thermostat.

Thermostat Protector – 2.5″ W

Thermostat Protector – 5.5″ W

Thermostat Protector – 8.5″ W

Other

Yes, the survey notes that one way that hot office workers cool off is a “small wading pool under the desk to paddle the feet.” It’s hard to imagine a facility where this would be the best solution, but hey, our smallest PIG® Containment Pool would be perfect!

Feet image © VladGavriloff – Fotolia.com

The email below (shared with permission, name of customer and company withheld, emphasis carried over from the original) set all of New Pig oinking. We’re happy to have satisfied this customer and this site; it’s what we aim for with every customer contact!

Good afternoon.

Please see that this feedback is circulated to your staff members.

In the past 6 months, I have worked with New Pig to order a variety of spill containment supplies for our manufacturing plant. My experience has been extremely positive thus far, for the following reasons:

1) GREAT product selection – anything related to spill supplies, I have been able to find on your site

2) GREAT product quality – from what I have seen, everything appears to be durable and trustworthy. I am glad to have it in the plant.

3) Very reasonable pricing – the values are very similar to what we would pay for similar products from in-city

4) Very good lead times – we have had the shipments within 1 week without exception. (And sometimes within only 2 days!)

5) INCREDIBLE, PHENOMENAL, and NOTHING-LESS-THAN-AMAZING CUSTOMER SERVICE!!! In the last 6 months, I have placed between 15 and 20 phone calls to your people, and in all but 1 case, I have received accurate answers to my questions over the phone! In the other case, I was called back promptly.

When wondering what protective gloves and suits would be best, I sent some of our MSDSs to your technical staff, and they assisted me in selecting the exact suits / gloves we needed for our application / chemicals. Your people are VERY knowledgeable, and VERY friendly, CONSISTENTLY!

Finally, your money-back guarantee is unbeatable. We had a spill pallet that was ordered incorrectly, which had unfortunately – by the time we realized it – been used. Your customer service reps were still willing to refund the money, even though they could not take back the pallet! INCREDIBLE! UNHEARD OF!!

No lie: NewPig is THE BEST company (overall) that I have EVER DEALT WITH, in either my personal or professional life!! I look forward to opportunities to dial 1-800-HOT-HOGS!!! I MEAN THAT!!

I am recommending your company to everyone I meet who uses spill supplies. I am EXTREMELY impressed, and look forward to many future dealings with New Pig! (Notable mention to Jennifer and James in the technical department, who have been helpful on numerous occasions). Your people are worth any reward / recognition you are able to give them.

Many thanks again!

Most sincerely,

Facilities Engineer