Section

Safety

Articles and resources on safety practices and equipment for trades and DIY work.

A safety inspector carefully inspecting a large piece of construction heavy machinery on a busy worksite, highlighting the importance of thorough checks.

How to Inspect Heavy Machinery Safely: Best Practices Guide

Even with a 50% decline in machinery-related fatality rates between 1980 and 1992, heavy equipment still caused approximately 404 deaths annually in construction from 1992 to 2010.

Ben Foster· Apr 12· 8 min
Technician safely performing machine maintenance in a 2026 workshop using lockout tagout procedures and clear safety protocols.

How Do Electrical Safety Protocols and Lockout Tagout Procedures Work in 2026?

Every year, the proper application of electrical safety protocols and lockout tagout procedures prevents an estimated 120 fatalities in workplaces across the United States.

Ben Foster· Apr 10· 6 min
A modern smoke and carbon monoxide detector mounted on a white ceiling, glowing softly, symbolizing home safety and protection against unseen dangers.

How to Install and Maintain Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors: A Complete Guide

Understanding how to install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide detectors properly is a critical aspect of property safety. This guide provides a complete overview of installation, maintenance, and common pitfalls to ensure your alarms are always functional.

Ben Foster· Apr 9· 8 min
Skilled tradespeople using ergonomic tools and proper posture in a well-designed workshop, illustrating injury prevention and productivity through applied ergonomic principles.

A Workplace Ergonomics Guide for Skilled Trades: Injury Prevention and Productivity

For skilled trades, understanding and applying ergonomic principles is crucial for injury prevention, productivity, and career longevity. This guide explores how to design workspaces, tools, and tasks to minimize physical stress and reduce musculoskeletal disorders.

Ben Foster· Apr 6· 8 min
A trade professional wearing safety glasses and gloves carefully inspects a power drill on a workbench, emphasizing safe power tool handling and maintenance practices.

How to Use Power Tools Safely: A Complete Guide to Handling and Maintenance

A comprehensive power tool safety guide is crucial for trade professionals to prevent severe injuries. Learn systematic practices, pre-use inspections, and proper PPE to mitigate risks and ensure a secure work environment.

Ben Foster· Apr 4· 8 min
Technician applying a red lockout device and "DO NOT OPERATE" tag to an electrical panel, emphasizing safety to prevent unexpected machine startup and mitigate electrical hazards.

How Lockout/Tagout Works: A Complete Guide to Mitigating Electrical Hazards

Lockout/Tagout (LO/TO) is a fundamental safety procedure designed to prevent injuries from unexpected machine energization. This guide details the step-by-step process and key considerations for mitigating electrical hazards in the workplace.

Ben Foster· Apr 3· 8 min
Diverse trade workers in a high-risk industrial environment, wearing advanced PPE, demonstrating adherence to specialized safety protocols like LOTO, ensuring workplace safety.

A Guide to Specialized Safety Protocols for High-Risk Trades

For professionals in high-risk trades, understanding specialized safety protocols and equipment is a critical component of daily survival. Adherence to these guidelines is paramount for safeguarding personnel against severe injury or fatality.

Ben Foster· Mar 31· 9 min
A professional electrician inspecting a modern electrical panel, showcasing various wiring types and safety measures, with tools and blueprints in the background, emphasizing precision and compliance.

A Comprehensive Guide to Electrical Wiring: Types, Applications, and Safety Codes

Understanding electrical wiring types is crucial for safety and functionality in any building. This guide details primary wiring types, their applications, and vital safety considerations mandated by current electrical codes.

Ben Foster· Mar 31· 7 min
A safety technician carefully applying a red lockout device and tag to an industrial machine's energy isolation point on a factory floor, demonstrating critical LOTO procedures.

How to Implement Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) Procedures: A Complete Guide

Lockout/tagout (LOTO) is a critical safety procedure designed to prevent workplace injuries from unexpected energization of machinery. This guide provides a complete, step-by-step approach to implementing effective LOTO protocols.

Ben Foster· Mar 30· 7 min
An electrician in safety gear carefully inspects a home's electrical panel, ensuring wiring compliance and preventing hazards like shock or fire, demonstrating best safety practices.

How to Follow Electrical Wiring Safety Best Practices and Regulations

Understanding electrical wiring safety best practices and regulations is crucial for preventing severe risks like electrical shock, fire, and equipment damage. This guide provides essential steps for safe electrical work, hazard prevention, and knowing when to call a professional.

Ben Foster· Mar 30· 8 min
Tradespeople and DIYers demonstrating essential safety practices and wearing proper PPE on a construction site.

Essential Safety Practices and Equipment for Tradespeople and DIYers

Brunt, a workwear company founded in 2020, has achieved over $300 million in annual sales .

Ben Foster· Aug 22· 4 min
A tradesperson wearing safety gear meticulously works on an electrical panel, demonstrating essential electrical safety practices in a professional setting.

Essential Electrical Safety Practices for Tradespeople

Every year, over 2,000 tradespeople in the US suffer non-fatal electrical shock injuries, leading to lost workdays.

Ben Foster· Aug 11· 4 min
Tradespeople on a construction site wearing essential PPE, including hard hats, safety glasses, high-visibility vests, and work boots, demonstrating workplace safety.

8 Essential PPE Items for Tradespeople

A single severe neck or back injury on a job site can cost a business over £160,000, according to PoweredNow .

Ben Foster· Aug 7· 4 min
Tradespeople collaborating on safety plans, highlighting preparedness and adherence to 2026 standards for enhanced worker protection.

Tradesperson Safety: 2026 Standards & Strategic Planning

Last-minute emergency safety gear purchases cost 15-40% more than planned acquisitions, reports Intrinsicallysafestore .

Ben Foster· Jun 27· 4 min
A person wearing safety goggles, gloves, and a mask while working on a home improvement project, highlighting essential protective gear.

Top 4 Essential DIY Home Improvement Safety Gear Picks

Last year, over 400,000 Americans visited emergency rooms for DIY-related injuries.

Ben Foster· Jun 9· 4 min
Split image showing AI monitoring industrial safety on one side and a worker's privacy concerns represented by shadows and question marks on the other.

AI monitors industrial safety, but ethical concerns loom.

On June 5, 2026, MindBio Therapeutics Corp.

Ben Foster· Aug 23· 3 min
An electrician in full arc flash PPE cautiously approaches a sparking electrical panel, highlighting the extreme danger of arc flash hazards.

What is Arc Flash Hazard Prevention and Protection in 2026?

At temperatures exceeding 35,000 °F (19,400 °C), an arc flash from a common 120/208V electrical panel instantly burns exposed skin and ignites flammable clothing, according to OSHA .

Ben Foster· Aug 24· 4 min
A skilled tradesperson using an ergonomically designed tool handle to prevent hand strain and improve efficiency in a workshop setting.

Ergonomic Practices for Skilled Trades: Prevent Injuries and Boost Efficiency

To prevent strain and injury, and maintain optimal hand function, tool handles like pliers or wire strippers must maintain a precise distance: 2.

Ben Foster· Aug 23· 3 min
Construction workers at a high elevation, carefully inspecting their fall protection equipment, highlighting the critical need for advanced safety protocols.

Improving Advanced Safety Protocols for Working at Heights

In 2021 alone, 372 construction workers died from falls to a lower level.

Ben Foster· Aug 22· 4 min
Tradesperson wearing full safety gear entering a confined space, with a colleague monitoring from the entrance, emphasizing safety protocols.

What are OSHA confined space regulations for tradespeople safety?

Between 2011 and 2018, 1,030 workers died in confined-space incidents, with over 60 percent of those fatalities involving would-be rescuers, according to EHSInsight .

Ben Foster· Aug 21· 4 min
A worker in protective gear meticulously applying a lockout tag to a piece of industrial machinery, symbolizing workplace safety protocols.

How Do Lockout Tagout Procedures Ensure Worker Safety?

At least 58.8% of fatal incidents reviewed did not involve lockout procedures, according to pubmed . This statistic points to a pervasive failure to even attempt these critical safety measures, leavin

Ben Foster· Aug 20· 4 min
Tradesperson in safety gear applying a lockout tag to industrial machinery, symbolizing adherence to LOTO procedures for enhanced safety.

How Lockout Tagout LOTO Procedures Ensure Tradespeople Safety

Lockout/tagout-related incidents, though accounting for only 2% of non-fatal injuries, are responsible for a staggering 7% of all workplace fatalities, according to Stacks .

Ben Foster· Aug 19· 4 min
A worker in full personal protective equipment observes a controlled arc flash event, highlighting the intense light and energy released.

What Are Arc Flash Hazards and How Can You Prevent Them?

Even a common 120/208V electrical panel can unleash an arc flash with enough energy to cause catastrophic burns, ignite clothing, and fatal injuries.

Ben Foster· Aug 16· 3 min
A visual representation of electrical fault current being safely diverted to the earth through a grounding wire, preventing damage and ensuring safety in a home.

What are electrical grounding and bonding principles for residential wiring safety?

The third prong on your electrical plug is a critical, often-ignored safety feature.

Ben Foster· Aug 9· 4 min
A family safely using kitchen appliances in a modern home, with the 2026 NEC codebook subtly represented, highlighting updated electrical safety standards.

What are the 2026 residential electrical safety practices and code requirements?

In 2021, residential electrical fires caused 295 deaths, 900 injuries, and over $1.

Ben Foster· Aug 8· 3 min
A split image contrasting a dangerous DIY electrical wiring situation with a modern, safe electrical panel, emphasizing evolving safety standards.

Evolving Electrical Wiring Safety Standards for DIYers

Using the wrong wire size for the electrical load is a common DIY wiring mistake.

Ben Foster· Aug 6· 4 min
Tradespeople and DIYers demonstrating safe ladder usage on a construction site, adhering to OSHA guidelines for stability and load.

How to Use Ladders Safely: A Guide for Tradespeople and DIYers

Self-supporting portable ladders must be capable of supporting at least four times their maximum intended load, a critical safety margin mandated by OSHA .

Ben Foster· Aug 5· 4 min
A firefighter expertly using a Class B fire extinguisher to control a grease fire in a commercial kitchen, demonstrating correct safety procedures.

Understanding Extinguishers for Class B Fires

Using water on a Class B grease fire instantly spreads flames across a wider area, turning a small emergency into an uncontrollable blaze.

Ben Foster· Aug 1· 3 min
Trades workers diligently performing their jobs on a construction site, emphasizing the essential use of various types of personal protective equipment for safety.

What Are the Key Types of Personal Protective Equipment for Trades Work?

In the last year, nearly two-thirds (64.

Ben Foster· Jul 31· 3 min
Worker wearing a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator in an industrial environment, emphasizing safety and protection.

Respirator Types: Understanding Effectiveness and N95 Superiority

The Department of State explicitly warns travelers against purchasing cloth facial coverings from sidewalk vendors, instead advising NIOSH-approved reusable respirators .

Ben Foster· Jul 30· 4 min