One of the oldest helmets ever discovered was found in Grave Circle B, just outside the Bronze Age citadel of Mycenae, and dates to around the 17th Century BCE. It’s known as a Boar’s Tusk Helmet and it was created using slivers of ivory attached to a leather cap and padded with felt. It would have provided less protection than a metal helmet, obviously, but it was better than nothing out on the battlefield. Scholars estimate that because it would have taken forty to fifty boars to produce just one helmet, perhaps it was more of a status symbol or means of identification than a serious piece of personal protective equipment.

No one expects to be in a vehicle accident and most people are not prepared for one when it happens. If it’s a work-related vehicle accident, the way that you respond immediately after will determine not only whether the incident is contained and all parties are kept safe, but also whether you or your business is exposed to further expense and liability. That's why it's critical to have a step-by-step post-collision plan prepared in advance and to make sure you and your workers are regularly trained on it. Knowing what steps to take (and what order to take them in) can make the entire experience safer and keep you and your workers compliant with Department of Transportation regulations. 

As you may know from previous pieces, I was a police officer in the Los Angeles County area for eight years, from 2005 until 2013.  In that time, nationwide, approximately 1,349 officers lost their lives in the line of duty. Would it surprise you to know that 568 of those occurred due to automobile collisions or being struck by vehicles on the road? In my time as a first responder, cars killed more cops than guns.

Some of these deaths were tragically unavoidable, but many occurred because it's tough to see cops wearing dark clothing at night, standing on black asphalt.

It's no secret that wearing the right fire retardant (FR) clothing is becoming an essential precaution in a growing number of industries, but how should you properly care for flame resistant garments? While many industrial launderers would like you to believe that FR clothing needs special laundering services, it’s not true; home laundering is just as safe and much more cost-effective.

Incorrectly laundering FR clothing can compromise the FR performance so you should always follow the detailed laundering and care instructions provided by the garment manufacturer. Here are three common FR laundering practices that will help you properly care for your FR clothing.