Safe Workplace and Safety News

On March 4, the American Industrial Hygiene Association(AIHA) participated in the "OSHA Listens" public meeting. The all-day, live webcast addressed issues posed by the agency, and featured input from numerous stakeholders, including AIHA, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), representatives of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and ordinary citizens who lost family members due to worksite accidents.

In February, AIHA held its own virtual town hall meeting to solicit comments and suggestions from individual members and AIHA Volunteer Groups and Local Sections. The results of the AIHA meeting and member input are detailed in the document "'OSHA Listens' Public Input on Key Issues Facing the Agency," which was submitted to OSHA on Feb. 10.

AIHA's comments include responses to nine questions put forth by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) in anticipation of the forum. Input from AIHA members consists of ideas that both support OSHA’s health and safety program and highlight areas where the agency can improve its agenda. Noteworthy comments from AIHA include:

• Further outreach by OSHA outside of compliance that communicates significant heath
and safety issues in different industries.

• Greater involvement of NIOSH in OSHA’s strategic planning and research on emerging
hazards and issues.

• Address issues such as the Globally Harmonized System (GHS), nanotechnology, safepatient handling, and control banding.

• Promote better partnerships with professional associations, such as AIHA, that have
stake in the success of the agency’s agenda.

• Create a federal advisory committee composed of labor, industry, small business, and professional associations that looks at the rule-making process and offers suggestions on how it can be improved.

• Make the updating of Permissible Exposure Limits (PELs) a top priority, and require
written health and safety programs contain a selection of the appropriate PELs for the specific industry.

The period in which written comments can be submitted ends March 30, and OSHA will make the transcripts of the meeting available after 30 days. The AIHA document "'OSHA Listens' Public Input on Key Issues Facing the Agency," can be found in the Government Affairs section of the AIHA website at www.aiha.org.

Related Past Posts:
Material Handling Safety Training
An Idea For Promoting Health and Safety
How To Stay Off OSHA's Radar

Labels: Industrial Health, OSHA, osha information

OSHA is proposing to revise its Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting (recordkeeping) regulation by restoring a column on the OSHA Form 300 to better identify work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). The rule does not change existing requirements for when and under what circumstances employers must record musculoskeletal disorders on their injury and illness logs.

Many employers are currently required to keep a record of workplace injuries and illnesses, including work-related MSDs, on the OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses). The proposed rule would require employers to place a check mark in a column for all MSDs they have recorded.

The proposed requirements are identical to those contained in the OSHA recordkeeping regulation that was issued in 2001. Prior to 2001, OSHA's injury and illness logs contained a column for repetitive trauma disorders that included noise and MSDs. In 2001, OSHA separated noise and MSDs into two separate columns, but the MSD column was deleted in 2003 before the provision became effective. OSHA is now proposing to restore the MSD column to the OSHA Form 300 log.

"Restoring the MSD column will improve the ability of workers and employers to identify and prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders by providing simple and easily accessible information," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "It will also improve the accuracy and completeness of national work-related injury and illness data."

For more information, view OSHA's proposal at: http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=21314. This notice will be published in the Jan. 29 edition of the Federal Register.

Interested parties may submit comments on the proposed rule electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the federal e-rulemaking portal; or by mailing three copies to the OSHA Docket Office, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW, Washington, DC 20210; or by fax at 202-693-1648 if the comments and attachments do not exceed 10 pages.

Comments must include the agency name and docket number for this rulemaking (Docket Number OSHA-2009-0044). The deadline for submitting comments is March 15. OSHA will hold a public meeting on the proposed rule March 9.

Labels: Industrial Health, OSHA

A new training video from OSHA shows the difference between respirators and face masks. It also discusses how a face mask is used to prevent the spread of flu. This video is available on YouTube at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovSLAuY8ib8

Labels: hospital safety, Industrial Health, PPE, Safety Training, safety videos

Any good proof is based upon assumptions: if the assumptions are good, the proof is valid. If the assumptions are bad, then the proof is worthless, or as writer Angelo Donghia puts it, "Assumption is the mother of screw-up."

In the world of personal protective equipment, bad assumptions are hazardous and can result in injury — or worse. Unfortunately, despite 25 years of solid regulation, some persistent bad assumptions are very widespread in Hearing Conservation Programs (HCPs). A new white paper identifies six of the most common bad assumptions about hearing protection for noise-exposed workers. Perpetuated unchecked, these assumptions torpedo an otherwise healthy Hearing Conservation Program, and leave the door open for hearing loss among workers exposed to hazardous noise.

The white paper titled, "Best Practices in a Hearing Conservation Program: US Airways," details how the merger between US Airways and America West led the newly formed company to enhance its occupational Hearing Conservation Program.

The white paper examines how, in the time since America West merged with US Airways to become the number four carrier in the United States, the new US Airways endeavored to consolidate and enhance its corporate safety program — and specifically its Hearing Conservation Program.

The white paper identifies and discusses the best practices of an occupational Hearing Conservation Program including:

* Involving employees in the hearing protection device process.
* Making audiometric testing accessible to all employees.
* Using motivational materials to support employee understanding of the Hearing Conservation Program.

"The program was developed by combining the strongest and most effective elements of each of the two original airlines’ programs. The result is a lesson in best practices management," said Renee S. Bessette, COHC, Marketing Manager, Howard Leight/Sperian Hearing Protection, LLC.

"All workers have a role in making a Hearing Conservation Program successful. By educating employees about noise-induced hearing loss, hearing safety and hearing protection devices, and by making the knowledge regarding the program and its components accessible, the company is able to not only strengthen its Hearing Conservation Program but improve overall personal safety awareness in the workplace as well," she said.

To download the new white paper, click here: "Best Practices in a Hearing Conservation Program: US Airways,”.

Labels: Industrial Health, PPE, Transportation Safety

Business Insurance reports about an increasing concern among employers about increased OSHA regulation. The article reports:

"Fueling some concerns was a proposal last week by the Department of Labor and OSHA to require that employers report worker musculoskeletal disorders, known as MSDs, as part of their Form 300 injury logs.

Employer organizations said they fear that the increased MSD reporting could set the stage for mandatory workplace ergonomics standards."

Read the article here.

Labels: Industrial Health, safety politics, safety regulations, workplace injuries

I should call this post "odds & ends." I run into all sorts of interesting information that I usually don't have time to write about. Today I thought I'd pass on links, without any additional comments, to a few other blogs and news stories.

Worker Still In Court 27 Years Later For Little Toe Injury

Can An Employer Enforce A Dress Code?

Chris Goulart Challenges the Value of Safety Training

OSHA Costs Me Money - It's Part Of Doing Business

Labels: Industrial Health, Safety Training

On Monday OSHA issued citations to Cambria Contracting Inc. for 11 alleged willful violations of the OSHA construction asbestos standard for failing to train and protect its workers at a Buffalo jobsite. The Lockport, N.Y., demolition contractor faces a total of $484,000 in proposed penalties.

"These significant penalties reflect the fact that this employer, an asbestos contractor with extensive knowledge of the OSHA standards that govern asbestos removal and handling, chose not to follow these standards and put its workers, including young, inexperienced college students, in harm's way," said acting Assistant Secretary for OSHA Jordan Barab.

OSHA found that several Cambria Contracting workers, who were cleaning up debris at the former AM&A department store warehouse on Washington Avenue, had not been trained in asbestos hazards and how to protect themselves. The workers also lacked proper respirators and protective clothing, and had not been informed of the presence of asbestos at the site. In addition, the employer failed to determine the asbestos exposure level and to establish a regulated work area for asbestos removal and handling. It also did not use vacuums with HEPA filters to collect debris but used methods to move debris with asbestos-containing material that typically can cause asbestos to be released into the air.

OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for worker safety and health.

"This employer knew that training and other safeguards, which are well-known in the industry, were required, yet chose not to provide them," said Robert Kulick, OSHA's New York regional administrator. "That is unacceptable and needlessly placed the health of these workers at risk."

"Asbestos is well recognized as a health hazard since inhalation of asbestos fibers may lead to lung cancer and other diseases," said Arthur Dube, OSHA's Buffalo area director. "As exposures frequently occur during renovation and demolition work, we strongly urge contractors to ensure that their workers are adequately trained and protected against asbestos hazards."

Detailed information on asbestos is available on OSHA's Web site at: http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/index.html and http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/asbestos/construction.html.

Cambria Contracting has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and proposed penalties to comply, meet with OSHA or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The inspection was conducted by OSHA's Buffalo Area Office; telephone 716-551-3053.

Labels: asbestos, Industrial Health, OSHA Citations, Safety Training

OSHA has issued a guidance document, Best Practices for Protecting EMS Responders During Treatment and Transport of Victims of Hazardous Substance Releases, that addresses adequate training and personal protective equipment for emergency medical services responders who assist victims of hazardous substance release incidents.

This document, a companion to OSHA's Best Practices for Hospital-Based First Receivers, advises that employers provide, at a minimum, awareness level training to EMS responders. Workers receiving awareness-level training are not permitted to rescue or treat contaminated patients, but are responsible for notifying authorities if they suspect hazardous substances at a scene. Operations-level training teaches EMS responders skills for entering hazardous areas and caring for contaminated individuals.

"Healthcare workers, including EMS personnel, play a critical role in a community's emergency response program," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Emergency workers who protect the lives of victims at dangerous incidents should not risk becoming victims themselves because they lack proper training and protective clothing."

The guidance document helps employers to determine the type of training and PPE needed by anticipating the EMS responder's role in a worst-case scenario, identifying hazards associated with the responder's assigned duties, and developing an emergency response plan detailing safe accomplishment of those duties.

Labels: Free Safety Guides, Industrial Health, OSHA

The Time Online (UK) reports that a disgruntled employee of the high-security Kaiga nuclear power plant, on the west coast of India, "spiked the office drinking water with a radioactive isotope." The result is that 55 workers were treated after drinking tritium. The article stated:

"The crime came to light when workers at the plant took urine tests after a shift, a week ago. Two are still in hospital and the rest have been discharged."

"But while the short-term dangers can be contained, the long-term risks are far greater: health hazards linked to contamination include an increased occurrence of cancer and genetic abnormalities in the children of those exposed, making the poisoning an act that will have repercussions for years."

The person responsible has not been identified. There are 15 people who have been identified as possible suspects.

Read the entire article here.

Labels: Industrial Health, Nuclear Power Safety

Today's issue of Construction Magazine includes an article with the Top Seven Tips
For Effectively Managing OH&S. Although written for the construction industry these are excellent tips for any workplace.

The seven top tips are:

1. Understand your responsibilities
2. Consult your workers
3. Identify, assess and control risks
4. Inform, train and supervise
5. Manage incidents and injuries
6. Keep records
7. Monitor, review and improve

To get the details read this article online at: Seven OH&S Management Tips

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, safety management

Yesterday's edition of the Kansas City Star includes an article titled "Obesity becomes a workers’ comp complication". It describes situations in which workers were injured had weight loss surgery paid for by worker's comp.

One of the examples in the article states:

"...the Oregon Supreme Court said an employer must pay for surgery for an employee who suffered a workplace knee injury — not for knee replacement but for a weight-loss procedure. Decisions like those are causing employment law attorneys and human resource consultants to send an alert..."

Read the entire article here.

Labels: hazard prevention, Industrial Health, Workers' Comp

An article in the online edition of National Underwriter reports on a recent study done by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) that shows the Workers Compensation costs for obese workers exceed those for other workers by up to a level of being 5.3 times more costly. The article reports that:

..."obese claims are 2.8-times more expensive than non-obese claims at the 12-month maturity, but this cost difference climbs to a factor of 4.5 at the three-year maturity and to 5.3 at the five-year maturity."

Read the complete article on the National Underwriters web site.

The NCCI announce about the study reports:

"There is increasing evidence that obesity contributes to the cost of medical care in workers compensation, and that this contribution is significant in magnitude. For instance, a recent study of workers compensation claims of Duke University employees shows that, for the morbidly obese, the medical costs per 100 full-time equivalent employees are nearly seven times as high as for employees of recommended weight. "

More detailed information, and a complete report on the study is available on the NCCI web site.

Past Blog Postings:
Obesity Rates Take Toll On Employers
Preventing Worker Foot Injuries
Older Workers Mean Greater Safety & Productivity

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, Workers' Comp

Preparedness planning for the H1N1 flu is the focus of a special meeting of the OSHA's Federal Advisory Council on Occupational Safety and Health (FACOSH). The meeting will be held Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Washington, D.C.

Participants will discuss recommendations in a draft report provided by the FACOSH Emerging Issues Workgroup on federal agency pandemic influenza preparedness planning for the federal workforce. The workgroup will present findings from its analysis of lessons the agency learned from the Spring 2009 H1N1 influenza outbreak.

The meeting will be from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., in Room N-4437 B/C/D, U.S. Department of Labor, Frances Perkins Building, 200 Constitution Ave., N.W., Washington, D.C., 20210.

The committee advises the Secretary of Labor on occupational safety and health issues related to the federal workforce, including advice on how to reduce the number of injuries and illnesses. FACOSH members also recommend methods for establishing and maintaining effective occupational safety and health programs in each federal agency.

For general information, contact Francis Yebesi, OSHA Office of Federal Agency Programs, at 202-693-2122 or e-mail ofap@dol.gov. Press inquiries should be directed to Jennifer Ashley, OSHA Office of Communications, at 202-693-1999. Individuals who need special accommodations should contact Veneta Chatmon, OSHA Office of Communications, at 202-693-1999.

H1N1 influenza is a virus similar to regular seasonal influenza and is spread from person to person through coughing or sneezing from an infected person. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. The preparedness planning currently underway for the H1N1 influenza builds upon the preparedness planning the agency conducted after the 2005 avian influenza.

Labels: Industrial Health, OSHA

Ethylene oxide exposure levels and monitoring requirements are addressed in OSHA's recently published Small Business Guide for Ethylene Oxide. The guidance document helps employers understand the ethylene oxide (EtO) standard and explains how to monitor the air quality in workplaces where EtO is processed, used or handled.

The document includes clarification of the various types of EtO exposure monitoring, lists and explains the exposure levels used by OSHA and provides an outline of what employers should do when monitoring shows EtO exposure levels exceed the allowable limits.

"Because ethylene oxide cannot be detected by sight or smell, workers can be exposed to dangerous levels and not realize it," said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. "Understanding OSHA's EtO standard is vital to ensuring that employers know how to measure exposure levels so that workers are not exposed to potentially serious illnesses."

The odorless, colorless EtO gas is widely used in hospitals to sterilize surgical equipment. Among other common products, EtO also is found in antifreeze, detergents, adhesives and spices. Short-term exposure to EtO can cause difficulty breathing and nausea, among other symptoms. Long-term exposure can cause more severe conditions such as damage to the nervous system and cancer.

Labels: Industrial Health, OSHA, osha information

The Idaho Supreme Court ruled last week that a records clerk's claim for worker's comp. benefits would not be allowed because she failed to show that her employer had actual knowledge of her injury.

Idaho law requires that a psychological injury resulted in "violence to the physical structure of her body" and that the employer knew about the physical injury. A former records clerk was investigated for a payroll discrepancy and suffered PTSD as a result. Two years later the psychiatrist who diagnosed her found physical brain damage as a result of the PTSD. However, the court denied the claim because her employer was not aware of the physical damage.

Read the complete story in Risk and Insurance Online magazine.

Previous Blog Posts
OSHA Identifies High Risk Workplaces
OSHA Reminds Employers To Post Injury and Illness Summaries
Older Workers Mean Greater Safety & Productivity

Labels: Industrial Health, Workers' Comp

SafetySkills™ Direct makes six of their training courses available free to groups of 100 or fewer employees. It is called the Basic Safety Awareness Series. It consists of six environmental health and safety courses. Safety Skills Direct states that they make these courses available for free to help small businesses protect their employees from common workplace injuries.

The free courses include:

Basic Fire Safety
Basic Electrical Safety
Intro to HAZCOM
Flu Symptoms and Prevention Strategies
Flammable and Combustible Liquids
Material Handling
Walking and Working Surfaces

“We’re in the business of protecting employees. If we can help prevent an injury, and help small businesses stay in compliance with OSHA – we’ve done our job. But we hope that you will love our free courses so much that the next time you need training you’ll immediately think of SafetySkills,” said Trey Greene, President and CEO of noodleStream.com.

Courses have various lengths and include quizzes throughout the course material. An incorrect answer on a quiz triggers a review of the related material and a repeat of the quiz question. After successful completion of a course participants can print a personalized certificate.

SafetySkills™ Direct is for small businesses with 100 or fewer employees to train. For larger companies, SafetySkills™ Enterprise has advanced reporting features and also allows for course customization. For more information and to see demo courses visit the Safety Skills web site at: http://www.safetyskills.com.

Previous Related Posts
Free Online Safety Training
OSHA Academy - Free Online Safety Training
Material Handling Safety Training

Labels: HSE, Industrial Health, Safety Training

The nation’s first standard to protect workers from the spread of airborne diseases was approved Monday by California’s Office of Administrative Law and filed with the Secretary of State. It is known as the Aerosol Transmissible Disease (ATD) standard. It is designed to protect workers in healthcare and related industries from the spread of diseases such as tuberculosis, measles, influenza, and other pathogens spread by coughing and sneezing. The standard becomes effective on August 5.

“This first in the nation standard is a milestone in workplace safety,” said Department of Industrial Relations Director John C. Duncan. “It is designed to protect employees who are likely to come in contact with transmittable diseases which is especially significant due to recent events such as the H1N1 swine flu outbreak. I applaud the efforts of our Cal/OSHA program for once again being on the leading edge of worker safety.”

The new ATD standard will be added to the California Code of Regulations as Title 8, section 5199, and will cover health care and related workplaces that typically treat, diagnose, or house individuals who may be ill such as hospitals, clinics, nursing care facilities, correctional facilities, and homeless shelters. It will also cover emergency responders, who often are the first point of contact of the health care system with patients who can transmit disease.

Designed to protect workers with duties that increase their risk of exposure to infectious diseases, the ATD standard requires health care employees and others at increased risk to develop exposure control procedures and train employees to follow them. Employees must be made part of the process by involving them in the periodic review and assessment of these procedures. Basic exposure precautions such as source control, hand hygiene, and cleaning and decontamination procedures are a fundamental part of the standard.

Currently there are no specific requirements outlining the responsibilities for employers to address aerosol transmissible diseases as a workplace safety hazard for their employees.

“The ATD standard provides guidance on how to protect employees from exposure to diseases that are well known, like TB, and those that are novel, like what we have just experienced with the recent appearance of H1N1 flu,” said Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh. “This standard provides a set of safety practices and precautions tailored to the level of healthcare-related service provided by the employers covered, so they can respond in an organized and intelligent fashion to situations ranging from day-to-day management of a potentially infectious patient to emergency surges that may be brought on by a pandemic. The standard is designed not only to protect healthcare workers, but the functionality of the healthcare system itself, since the system cannot run without them. ”

Also accompanying the ATD standard is the Zoonotic Disease standard, which addresses employees working around animals where many infectious diseases originate. The standard requires employers to control workplace exposures to infectious diseases in animals such as Hantavirus, monkey pox, anthrax, avian influenza, and bovine tuberculosis.

For more information about the ATD and Zoonotic Disease standard visit or web site at www.dir.ca.gov/DOSH.

Labels: hospital safety, HSE, Industrial Health

A worker's habits outside the workplace affect their safety and health in the workplace. An article in the Business Ledger points out that two-thirds of American's are overweight, and employers are impacted by these employee's weight-related injuries and illnesses.

The article points out that researchers have "found the worker’s compensation claim rate for the heaviest employees to be twice that of the recommended-weight workers. The number of lost workdays was almost 13 times higher, medical claims costs were seven times higher, and indemnity claims costs were 11 times higher among the heaviest workers. "

It then recommends ways to control and reduce weight-related safety and healthcare costs.

You can read the Business Ledger article here.

Safeway is becoming highly recognized for its approach to improving employee safety and reducing health care costs, and also improving safety. For example, Safeway found that an "obese employee can require 10 times the number of doctor visits in a year than someone of healthy weight." The created a health program that rewarded employees for improving their health. This is how an article in the Wall Street Journal described Safeway's program:

"The result was Safeway's "Healthy Measures" program, which is voluntary. Employees are tested for smoking, weight, blood pressure and cholesterol. Every area they 'pass' results in a reduction in their premium, of as much as $1,560 for a family, a year. Those who fail but prove progress can get refunds. Safeway complements this with an intense culture of health: weight-loss tips, fitness competitions and smoking cessation programs."

Read the Wall Street Journal article.

Labels: Industrial Health, safety management

With young people starting summer jobs and import skill many of them need to be taught is how to lift objects. Also, as the workforce grows older, and more easily injured, this is something we need to keep fresh in the minds of our regular workforce. So for this holiday weekend we present two videos about lifting. One historic, the other current. But no matter the age of the video, the message is the same.

This is a short video (40 seconds) from 1966 that shows the proper posture for picking up objects.


This video (2:47) provides detailed, step-by-step instructions for evaluating, picking up and carrying an object.

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, Safety Training

The California Farmer magazine reports that CAL/OSHA (California OSHA) has "adopted two standards that are the first in the nation to protect workers from zoonotic aerosol transmissible pathogens (communicable diseases)."

Read the California Farmer article here.

The new regulations apply to people who have contact with live animals, or animal products. The regulation states:

"every employer who has employees with occupational exposure to animals or untreated animal products, byproducts or wastes that may be a source of exposure to zoonotic aerosol transmissible pathogens shall establish, implement, and maintain effective procedures for control of zoonotic diseases."

Labels: hazardous materials, Industrial Health

The following was issued by Dupont for World Day for Safety and Health at Work:

As organizations mark World Day for Safety and Health at Work today, safety leaders at DuPont share 10 ways individuals can personally reduce injuries at work. World Day for Safety and Health at Work is an international campaign to promote safe, healthy and decent work.

"You can’t be safe if your workplace is unsafe, but even a safe workplace will not keep you from harm if you do not take personal responsibility," said Jim Weigand, vice president and general manager of DuPont Safety Resources, the company's consulting and training business that has worked with thousands of organizations globally to improve workplace safety. "The vast majority of injuries are due to the unsafe actions of people.”

Here are 10 reminders for individuals to help prevent injuries:

1. Be aware. Being aware of your surroundings, potential hazards and your fellow colleagues is one of the best ways to prevent injuries. Distractions cause accidents. Anticipating versus reacting will help keep you safe and bring you home to your family.
2. Think it through. Before you start a task take a couple of minutes to think through what you’re about to do. Do you know the correct procedure, the protective equipment required, and the potential hazards to you and to others?
3. Address unsafe actions and conditions when you see them, for your safety and the safety of others. Don’t be afraid to speak up when you see something unsafe – you could be preventing an injury.
4. Use personal protective equipment as prescribed. The proper gloves, glasses, clothing, shoes and respirators are an important part of keeping you safe, but only if they are used and worn as intended. And they are your last line of defense, not a substitute for removing a hazard.
5. Be aware of your body position. Move your body in the right way. Keep out of the way of hazards, such as moving equipment and sharp objects. Using the right gloves is important, but gloves do not protect hands from being crushed or punctured. And don’t forget that repetitive motions can cause injuries.
6. Use the right tool for the right job. The proper tools and equipment help you avoid hazards and prevent risk. For example, when you’re using a ladder, make sure the ladder is set properly to prevent it from tipping. Be careful not to overreach. And have another person assist you when necessary.
7. Follow procedures for safe work. It may take a little extra time, but shortcuts put you at risk. Locking-out machinery and using guards helps keep you safe from moving parts. Don’t cut corners and by-pass these important safeguards.
8. Stay in shape. Keeping your core muscles in shape – whether you have a desk or physical job -- is important to prevent injuries. Core muscle strength helps maintain balance, flexibility and strength. Take a few moments to stretch, make sure you know the limitations of your body and maintain good posture.
9. Watch your step. Ice, water, and spills are the most common causes of slips, trips and falls. And steps can be particularly dangerous, so make sure you always use a handrail.
10. Practice safe driving. Many people get hurt driving on the job by not obeying traffic laws. And distractions such as cell phones are responsible for the rising number of automobile accidents. Visit the April is Driving Safety Month webpage or click here to watch a video for more information.

For more information, visit:
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/worldday/index.htm.

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Emphasis On Reducing Lead Exposure

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety

An article in Abeceder/Independent Minds discusses recent research that indicates that adult ADHD may be a factor in workplace safety. The article opens with the following statement:

"Some people just seem to be accident prone. Well now that we understand more about childhood attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) maybe we should be asking what happens to those children when they grow up and go to work, and what about the undiagnosed adults currently in the workforce."

The research showed that: "Based on the extra sick leave the staff with ADHD took and their lower work performance, the researchers estimated that each staff member with ADHD was costing their employer $4336 a year in lost revenue."

Read the complete article here.

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, safety statistics, Safety Training, workplace safety

Liberty Mutual has made available a free online system for calculating the percentage of the population that can perform a specified lifting, lowering, pushing or pulling task.

The "Liberty Mutual Manual Materials Handling Tables" can be used to perform ergonomic assessments of lifting, lowering, pushing, pulling, and carrying tasks with the primary goal of supporting ergonomic design interventions.

The online calculator is available here.

Labels: Free Safety Guides, Industrial Health, safety management

"Workplace safety processes must be in place at all times," American Society of Safety Engineers’ (ASSE) President Warren K. Brown, CSP, ARM, CSHMM, of Fairborn, Ohio, said today. "hey are even more critical during business downturns."

Brown is referring to recent reports of some companies cutting safety processes hoping to reduce costs.

"If companies believe they will save money by reducing or ignoring safety for their workers, customers and communities they do business in, they are mistaken," Brown said. "The ongoing positive results are in and have been for companies that have a strong safety culture and continually invest in and implement effective safety processes. Not only does their bottom line benefit positively, but their company reputation stays intact, employees stay safe and healthy reducing health care, workers comp, training and turnover costs not to mention keeping customers, the communities they do business in, vendors and employees happy. Safety is good business."

Members of the 97-year-old ASSE -- occupational safety, health and environmental professionals located worldwide -- caution employers against cutting back on workplace safety in time of economic difficulty.

President-Elect of the ASSE South Carolina Chapter Laura Comstock said, "Some safety related purchases and testing can be deferred, but other purchases, such as those for employee personal protective equipment (PPE) like hardhats, safety glasses and respirators, are critical to operations."

It is especially important for companies to show support for their employee safety during challenging economic times, she notes. "Employee morale may be low and employees may be carrying additional workloads, such as working additional hours or doing unfamiliar tasks due to cutbacks," she notes.

Comstock added, "In order to remain viable long-term, a company must maintain a solid safety process even through difficult times. The most successful companies in the long term also have the strongest safety performance."

"We realize these are tough times, but during economic down-turns, employers seeking to cut expenses may target variable operating costs such as travel, training and safety," Brown said. "Money cut from safety processes now could have an enormous cost later; this can be from injury and health care costs, fines, lost production time, employee morale, or worst of all, employee injury or even death. There are better and smarter ways to protect the bottom line."

The South Carolina ASSE chapter suggests employees can also take measures to help companies save money such as by: following safe working procedures and practices to prevent injuries, related downtime and expenses such as costly fines; by properly using, cleaning and caring for protective equipment such as hardhats and respirators; reusing gloves whenever possible for as long as possible; and by keeping track of safety glasses and reusable hearing protection.

Investing in safety pays and contributes positively to a company’s bottom line. Businesses spend about $170 billion a year on costs associated with workplace injuries and illnesses and pay almost $1 billion every week to injured employees and their medical providers. In addition, a recent investment firm study in Australia showed valuation links between workplace safety and health factors and investment performance. It found that companies who did not adequately manage workplace safety issues underperformed those that did.

Comstock also reminds employers, "When considering training reductions, some safety related training is driven by regulation, is time sensitive and cannot be delayed. Safety training related savings can be generated by streamlining and implementing simple solutions including using online or electronic safety training services, rather than face-to-face classroom safety training."

"We need to work together during these difficult times, but reducing or ignoring workplace safety should not be a strategic or budget option," Brown said. "The costs – both tangible and intangible – are far too high and hard to recoup."

Labels: ASSE, Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, workplace safety

Researchers from Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and two other institutions have described a major step toward creating a universal personal decontamination system for almost any toxic or hazardous chemical.

(In the photograph to the right LLNL chemical engineer William Smith holds a decontamination system currently used by the military -- called Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion -- in the green packet and a sponge from the system. LLNL's Forensic Science Center evaluated 30 different decontamination materials for removing gross chemical contamination from surfaces, including the nonwoven dry wipe material with an activated carbon core sandwiched between two absorbent layers shown in the plastic package.)

The scientists have reported on the development of a layered wipe that can be used to rapidly decontaminate people and equipment exposed to a wide range of military and industrial chemicals, including the blister agent sulfur mustard. These wipes could assist in saving the lives of soldiers and civilians.

Their research results are described in an article slated for online publication today in the American Chemical Society journal, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, a bi-weekly publication.

Under a study conducted by LLNL’s Forensic Science Center, researchers evaluated 30 different decontamination materials for removing gross chemical contamination from surfaces.

The study results showed that a nonwoven dry wipe material with an activated carbon core sandwiched between two absorbent layers turned in the top performance. It is designed by researchers at The Institute of Environmental Health and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech University.

The decontamination system currently used by the military – called Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion (RSDL) – is effective for a small subset of industrial chemicals and chemical warfare agents.

However, according to LLNL chemical engineer William Smith, one of the study’s co-authors, “By combining the existing military decontamination system with this wipe, there is promise for treating nearly every chemical. You’re in much better shape using both technologies than with either one alone.”

The Lab’s Forensic Science Center evaluated existing and novel materials for their chemical decontamination capabilities. They looked at the ability of the combined system – the TIEHH-developed layered wipe followed by use of RSDL -- to absorb sulfur mustard, a toxic liquid that causes skin blistering, as well as four other chemicals – sulfuric acid, nitric acid, methylparathion and phosphorous trichloride.

The Forensic Science Center studies found:

* The newly developed fabric exhibits excellent resistance to corrosive chemicals and minimizes vapor hazards after decontaminating toxic chemicals;

* The layered wipe can absorb a large volume of most liquids, while maintaining its integrity;

* The fabric is flexible so that it conforms to the surface being cleaned

The next steps for advancing the decontamination system, in Smith’s view, are to conduct field trials of the wipe and RSDL used in conjunction to evaluate their usability, and to test the two systems’ efficacy with other chemical agents and industrial chemicals.

The project was funded by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in 2004 and has been managed by the Technical Support Working Group, a joint venture between the U.S. State Department and the military.

Other LLNL researchers who co-authored the study include chemists Carolyn Koester and Adam Love, and former Laboratory employee Garrett Keating.

Labels: hazard prevention, hazardous materials, Industrial Health, PPE

"A recent survey conducted by Kimberly-Clark Professional found that 89% of safety professionals polled have observed workers failing to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when they should have been. This is the third consecutive year that the Kimberly-Clark survey has revealed a high rate of PPE noncompliance. In 2007, 87% of respondents said they had observed PPE noncompliance in the workplace, while 85% answered yes to this question in 2006."

The above is from the blog for Today's Facility Manager magazine.

The following is the press release from Kimberly-Clark:

U.S. workers are risking workplace injuries by not complying with important safety procedures, according to a survey released today by Kimberly-Clark Professional. The survey found that 89 percent of safety professionals polled at the 2008 National Safety Council (NSC) Congress have observed workers failing to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) when they should have been.

"We find it disheartening that people continue to put themselves at risk by failing to wear PPE when undertaking hazardous tasks," said Randy Kates, general manager of the safety business for Kimberly-Clark Professional. "Despite the importance of PPE, there is still an unacceptably high rate of noncompliance in the workplace."

This is the third consecutive year that the Kimberly-Clark survey has revealed a high rate of PPE noncompliance. In 2007, 87 percent of respondents said they had observed PPE noncompliance in the workplace, while 85 percent answered yes to this question in 2006.

Given the high rate of noncompliance over the past three years, it is not surprising that when asked to name the top workplace safety issue in their facilities one third of respondents cited worker compliance with safety protocols. Next was insufficient management support and/or resources for health and safety functions (27 percent). Under-reporting of workplace injuries and illnesses was third (14 percent), followed by training a multilingual, multicultural workforce (7 percent) and escalating worker compensation costs (5 percent).

Is the Economy a Factor?

One potential explanation for continuing problems with compliance could be the economy. Thirty-four percent of respondents said the economy had affected worker safety training programs or resources. Fifty-nine percent said it had not. Of those who said the economy had impacted safety training or resources, the survey found that:

• 63 percent said it had led to less money for education and training.
• 42 percent said it had resulted in reduced personnel to handle safety training tasks.
• 33 percent said the faltering economy had led to business concerns taking precedence over safety concerns.

This year’s survey also polled safety professionals about the steps they have taken or intend to take to encourage greater PPE compliance. The top response was "improving existing education and training programs," followed by "purchasing more comfortable PPE." Increased monitoring of employees was third, followed by tying compliance to individual performance evaluations and purchasing more stylish PPE.

"Work-related injuries in the U.S. cost more than $50 billion a year," said Kates. "Our research has shown that comfort and style are major drivers for compliance with PPE protocols. In the current economic climate it is more important than ever to invest in PPE that workers will want to wear."

Focus on Environmental Sustainability

The environment was another topic covered in this year’s survey. Fifty-nine percent of respondents reported that their companies had formal corporate sustainability goals, while 22 percent said they did not. (Twenty percent said they did not know the answer to this question.)

Respondents from companies with corporate sustainability goals were asked what their facilities were doing to become more environmentally responsible. The top choice was reducing the waste generated by a facility’s processes. It was followed by:

• Reducing energy consumption.
• Reducing the waste associated with supplies and other items that they purchased.
• Reducing water consumption.

All respondents were asked what their facilities had done to encourage or require suppliers to assist them in becoming more environmentally responsible. The top selection was increasing the amount of recycled content in the products supplied to them (39 percent). Tied for second place were: reducing packaging materials for the products supplied to them and having suppliers "demonstrate or state/warrant that they have environmentally responsible business practices" (29 percent). Close behind was delivering more products at one time to reduce fuel usage (27 percent).

Only 6 percent of respondents said environmental responsibility was not a major concern for their organizations. (For this question, respondents were allowed to select more than one answer.)

Health Concerns

When asked if they were concerned about the potential health and safety issues for their workers posed by oil, grease, heavy metal residues or toxic elements on re-usable rental shop towels, 63 percent of respondents answered yes. This compares with 73 percent of respondents answering yes to the same question in 2007.

When asked what might encourage them to switch from re-usable rental shop towels to
disposable wipers, the survey found:

• 35 percent of respondents cited concerns about the health and safety issues
mentioned above.
• 28 percent chose a closed loop solution for disposable wipers, in which used wipers
are recycled or converted to energy and diverted from landfills.
• 10 percent were concerned about water pollution from laundering re-usable rental
shop towels.
• 29 percent said they did not use rental shop towels.

Safety Philosophy

This year respondents were asked to describe their personal safety philosophy from a list of choices. Two responses tied for first place: "Safety doesn’t cost it pays" and "Organizations must create safety based cultures" (43 percent each). Only 10 percent selected the statement "Safety begins and ends at the top" and just two percent chose "Safety is a pain, but so is my boss."

"These results did not surprise us," said Scott Gaddis, global safety leader for
Kimberly-Clark Professional. "Workplace safety must be managed like every other strategic business objective that is important to an organization’s success."

Survey Methodology

The survey was undertaken at the NSC Congress in Anaheim, Calif., on September 23,
2008. The survey questionnaires were filled out by 153 safety professionals who reported being responsible for purchasing, selecting or influencing the purchase or selection of, or compliance with, PPE. The respondents included safety directors and managers, industrial hygienists, environmental managers and purchasing professionals. For full survey results, visit www.kcprofessional.com/us/mkt/2008nscpressrelease .

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, safety management, Safety Training, workplace safety

Nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses among private industry employers in 2007 occurred at a rate of 4.2 cases per 100 equivalent full-time workers—a decline from 4.4 cases in 2006.

Similarly, the number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses reported in 2007 declined to 4 million cases, compared to 4.1 million cases in 2006. The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rate among private industry employers has declined significantly—by 0.2 cases per 100 workers—each year since 2003, when estimates from the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) were first published using the 2002 North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

Key findings of the 2007 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses

• The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rate in 2007 (4.2 cases per 100 workers) was the lowest among private industry employers since 2002, when recordkeeping requirements were revised. The decline is similar to that seen from 1972 to 2001, prior to the recordkeeping revisions.


• Incidence rates and numbers of cases for injuries and illnesses combined declined
  significantly in 2007 for several case types: total recordable cases; cases with days away from work, job transfer or restriction; cases with days away from work; and cases with job transfer or restriction. The incidence rate and number of cases for other recordable cases remained relatively unchanged.


• Both the incidence rate and the number of injuries alone declined significantly in 2007 compared to 2006—5 percent and 2 percent, respectively.


• The incidence rate and the number of illnesses alone each declined significantly in 2007 compared to 2006—mainly the result of declines among skin diseases and disorders and all other illness categories, which accounted for 89 percent of the decline in illness cases.


• The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rates declined among 5 of the 19 private industry sectors: agriculture, forestry, fishing & hunting; mining; construction; manufacturing; and health care and social assistance—in 2007 and remained statistically unchanged in the remaining 14 industry sectors.


• Manufacturing was the only industry sector over the decade spanning 1998 to 2007 in which the rate of job transfer or restriction cases exceeded the rate of cases with days away from work.


• The total recordable case injury and illness incidence rate was highest among mid-size establishments (those employing between 50 and 249 workers) and lowest among small establishments (those employing fewer than 11 workers) compared to establishments of other sizes.


• Similar to 2006, 14 detailed industries, each reporting at least 100,000 injury and illness cases, combined to account for nearly 1.8 million cases (45 percent) of the 4 million total cases reported nationally in 2007. General medical and surgical hospitals (NAICS 6221) reported more injuries and illnesses than any other industry in 2007—more than 253,500 cases.

The overall decline in the total recordable case (TRC) incidence rate among private industry employers in 2007 was driven primarily by declines among all goods-producing industry sectors: agriculture, forestry, fishing & hunting; mining; construction; and manufacturing together reporting 111,500 fewer cases compared to 2006.

Comparatively, while not a statistically significant increase, service industry sectors together reported nearly 29,000 more cases in 2007 than a year earlier. Health care and social assistance was the only service industry sector to show a decline in the TRC rate, falling from 5.8 to 5.6 cases per 100 workers between 2006 and 2007.

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) released a study on illness and injuries resulting from Total Releases Foggers, commonly known as bug bombs. This one caught my attention because I was asked about this subject last week and I didn't have the answer.

The study is available at: CDC TRF Study. Here is the introduction to the report:

Total release are pesticide products designed to fill an area with insecticide and often are used in homes and workplaces to kill cockroaches, fleas, and flying insects. Most TRFs contain pyrethroid, pyrethrin, or both as active ingredients. TRFs also contain flammable aerosol propellants that can cause fires or explosions.

The magnitude and range of acute health problems associated with TRF usage has not been described previously. This report summarizes illnesses and injuries that were associated with exposures to TRFs during 2001--2006 in eight states (California, Florida, Louisiana, Michigan, New York, Oregon, Texas, and Washington) and were investigated by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation (CDPR) and state health departments participating in the SENSOR-Pesticides program.

During 2001--2006, a total of 466 TRF-related illnesses or injuries were identified. These illnesses or injuries often resulted from inability or failure to vacate before the TRF discharged, reentry into the treated space too soon after the TRF was discharged, excessive use of TRFs for the space being treated, and failure to notify others nearby. The findings indicate that TRFs pose a risk for acute, usually temporary health effects among users and bystanders.

To reduce the risk for TRF-related health effects, integrated pest management control strategies that prevent pests' access to food, water, and shelter need to be promoted and adopted. In addition, awareness of the hazards and proper use of TRFs need to be better communicated on TRF labels and in public media campaigns.

Labels: home safety, Industrial Health

The Canadian Standards Association (CSA), a leading developer of standards and codes, is today launching a two-year pilot project to increase accessibility to CSA Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standards by offering users access to online viewing. The View Access initiative has been developed in collaboration with federal, provincial and territorial OSH governmental agencies. It will allow registered users to access OHS standards referenced in various Canadian jurisdictions and view the full content through CSA's website www.ohs.csa.ca

"Appropriate occupational health and safety practices can mean the difference between life and death," says Suzanne Kiraly, President, Standards, Canadian Standards Association. "This initiative will especially help small and medium-sized organizations improve workplace safety. By making these documents available we hope that companies will know and apply occupational health and safety standards."

CSA is a not-for-profit, membership-based association that develops standards and provides education and training to ensure standards are applied. This collaboration with government representatives for Labour is the first of its kind in CSA's history and is driven by the pressing need to improve workplace safety.

"Every year more than 1,000 Canadians die as a result of workplace injuries and disease. We can and should do more to protect the lives of workers. We need information, best practices and safer products to make a difference. CSA believes this new project will serve to raise awareness of OHS products and services and will help reduce workplace injuries and fatalities in Canada," says Kiraly.

For more than 55 years, CSA has worked with the experts to develop occupational health and safety standards to help safeguard Canadian workers. View Access is a source for employers to learn more about their rights and obligations under the law related to OHS and it provides additional resources that can help employers understand and apply OHS standards. CSA believes this type of stakeholder collaboration is fundamental to the safety of working Canadians.

Federal, provincial and territorial OSH governmental agencies are funding the development and maintenance of the initiative as a two-year pilot project and will continue to monitor the overall usage and impact in cooperation with CSA over the project period. Users can now log into the View Access website directly at www.ohs.csa.ca

About CSA

Canadian Standards Association (CSA) is a membership association serving industry, government, consumers and other interested parties in Canada and the global marketplace. As a leading solutions-based standards organization providing standards and codes development, application products, training and advisory services, CSA aims to enhance public safety, improve quality of life, preserve the environment and facilitate trade. The Canadian Standards Association is a division of CSA Group, which also consists of CSA International, which provides testing and certification services for electrical, mechanical, plumbing, gas and a variety of other products; and OnSpeX, a provider of consumer product evaluation, inspection and advisory services for retailers and manufacturers. For more information visit www.csa.ca

Labels: Canadian Safety Standards, Industrial Health, Industrial Safety

North Carolina State University offers a six part online course in Safety and Health Management Systems for Small Businesses. This self-instructional training program on can help implement an SHMS that is the following:

• Easy to develop
• Inexpensive
• Can usually be done in-house
• Reflects your way of doing business
• Based on specific needs of your workplace

The course, funded by an OSHA-sponsored Susan Harwood grant, includes the following six sections:

1. Introduction to Safety and Health Management Systems

2. Management Leadership

3. Worksite

4. Hazard Prevention & Control

5. Safety & Health Training

6. Post-Assessment

The online course is available at: http://www.ies.ncsu.edu/safetyhealthmgmt/#

Labels: Industrial Health, Safety Training

Laws, codes, rules and requirements sometimes conflict such that to obey one you most likely will break another. You can end up in a situation in which there is a potential for a lawsuit no matter what you do. Finding the middle ground can be difficult, or impossible.

Last Wednesday's Houston Chronicle has a good example. An employee of an Animal Health Clinic became pregnant. When her employer became aware of the pregnancy they took actions to protect the employee's health. The article states:

"Lisa Davila [the clinic manager] said she went through all the chemicals to identify which ones were dangerous, changed the employee's work duties to eliminate exposure to radiation or cat litter, and checked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Web site to make sure the clinic in College Station was taking the necessary precautions to keep its employee safe."

The result of Ms. Davila's actions was a lawsuit and a settlement to the employee of $15,000.

What went wrong? The manager may have violated the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, which states that you can not treat a pregnant woman any different than anyone else... even if you are trying to protect the health of that person or the baby.

You can read the article at: http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/business/sixel/5956708.html#none

I suggest also reading the comments at the end of the article. Hare2share has a reasonable suggestion for how this situation might have been handled better. Although I still think the door would have been open for a lawsuit or OSHA fine.

Labels: Industrial Health, safety management, safety politics, safety regulations

On Friday Occupational Health and Safety Magazine reported that OSHA "issued an instruction transmitting policies and procedures for implementing a National Emphasis Program to reduce occupational exposures to lead, effective immediataly."

You can read the entire article at: http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/66411/

The new directive, CPL 03-00-009, replaces CPL 02-00-130.

Labels: Industrial Health, OSHA

The Toronto Star reports that hiding workplace injuries produces financial rewards for companies.

An investigation by the Toronto Star revealed that job safety numbers are under-reported in order to cut employer costs. The article in Sunday's edition states:

"The provincial government's highly touted campaign to improve workplace safety is rewarding companies for hiding injuries and rushing the wounded back to work.

A Toronto Star investigation has found that since 2000, companies have reported thousands of seriously injured Ontarians as having missed no time off work.

Some companies pressure or bribe workers not to report major injuries at all.

Some pay the wounded full salary to do degrading make-work jobs.

Others, such as construction giant Aecon Group Inc., have lied to make injuries look less serious."

Read the entire article at: http://www.thestar.com/News/GTA/article/451322

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, workplace safety

The hot days of summer are here. Throughout the country, thousands of employees who work outdoors face the potential dangers associated with overexposure to heat. Factors such as working in direct sunlight, high temperature and humidity, physical exertion and lack of sufficient water intake can lead to heat stress.

"During the warm season, it is important to understand that exposure to heat can cause serious illness or death," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "We encourage employers and employees to take advantage of OSHA's many free resources that offer advice on how to stay healthy while working outside."

Exposure to heat can cause heat cramps and rashes. The most serious heat-related disorders are heat stroke and heat exhaustion. Symptoms include confusion; irrational behavior; loss of consciousness; hot, dry skin; and abnormally high body temperature. Drinking cool water, reducing physical exertion, wearing appropriate clothing and regular rest periods in a cool recovery area can lessen the effects of working in summer heat.

Protecting Workers from the Effects of Heat is a fact sheet explaining heat stress and how it can be prevented. The fact sheet Working Outdoors in Warm Climates provides recommendations on how to protect employees from exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) and offers information on insect-caused illnesses such as West Nile Virus and Lyme disease. Employers and employees will find more practical tips for guarding against UV radiation in Protecting Yourself in the Sun, a pocket-sized card addressing skin cancer, describing its varied forms, and suggesting ways to block UV rays.

These outdoor work-related publications and others are free and can be downloaded from the Publications page on OSHA's Web site or ordered from the publications office at 202-693-1888. More information can be found on the Web sites of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).

Labels: Industrial Health, OSHA, Safety Training

In an article for Today's Facility Manager Gary Ganson provides an overview of how to establish a health and safety plan, and have compliance with that plan. He begins by pointing out that:

"Compliance begins with commitment to a health and safety program that’s tailored to fit the company. It must blend with its operations and culture so it can help employers maintain a system that continually addresses a focus on prevention of workplace injuries and illnesses."

He then addresses the need to involve employees in health and safety policy making and he follows this with a discussion of an initial and ongoing workplace safety audit and analysis.

He goes on to talk about continually reviewing workplace health and safety to control or prevent workplace hazards.

The article concludes with a discussion about the need and value of training.

You can read the article at Today's Facility Manager.

Labels: hazard prevention, Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, Safety Training, workplace safety

Cal/OSHA Encourages Employers to Allow Workers to Acclimate During First Exposure to High Heat and Humidity

Allowing employees to acclimate to the heat is one of the best defenses against heat-related illnesses and fatalities, according to the Department of Industrial Relations’ Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DIR/DOSH), also known as Cal/OSHA.

Letting workers to adjust to changes in weather by gradually increasing their exposure and physical activity likely reduces the risk of heat-related issues.

"Our studies of heat-related illnesses and deaths indicate that acclimatization is an important factor in the prevention of heat illness," said Cal/OSHA Chief Len Welsh. "It is especially critical to be vigilant with new workers, and during our first exposure to the high temperatures such as those we are currently experiencing."

The risk of dying from heat illness appears to be highest for employees who just begin working in extreme heat as the body needs to adapt gradually to exertions in the heat and humidity. Most people adjust to the weather or acclimate within four-to-14 days of regular work levels, according to Cal/OSHA heat illness prevention data.

"It is imperative to monitor your employees at all times during hot weather and allow those who are new to working in hot weather to gradually adapt to the daily routine," said Welsh.

Raising awareness is also an important key in preventing heat illness. California Heat Illness Prevention Standards require mandatory training for employees and supervisors. Information on acclimatization, encouraging employees to continuously drink water throughout the day, and taking frequent cool-down breaks or preventative recovery periods in the shade, among other actions are included in the mandatory training.

In addition to the requirements outlined in the heat illness prevention regulations (section 3395 of Title 8), employers may consider starting the work day early and pacing work activities for their workers. Other prevention techniques include increasing the number of water and rest breaks or preventative recovery periods on hot days and encouraging the use of a "buddy system" to monitor employees in the field.

Employees who work indoors should take the same precautions as those who work outdoors in extreme heat, and follow similar measures under (section 3203 of Title 8) their employers' Injury and Illness Prevention Program.

Employers with workers near sources of heat or inside buildings with limited cooling capabilities must ensure that their Injury and Illness Prevention Program is effective and in writing. Cal/OSHA studies show effective reduction of heat illness depends on written procedures, access to water, access to cooler areas, acclimatization and weather monitoring, emergency response and employee and supervisor training.

California became the first state in the nation to develop a safety and health regulation addressing heat illness in 2005 and Cal/OSHA issued permanent heat illness prevention regulations to protect outdoor workers in 2006.

For more information on free heat illness workshops and training materials visit the Cal/OSHA Web site at http://www.dir.ca.gov/heatillness.

Labels: Industrial Health

The following is an announcement from the NIOSH blog:

Hearing protectors only work if they fit your ears and you wear them properly. An earplug that doesn't quite fill your ear canal or an earmuff with a small crack in the padding will let lots of noise into the ears through any gaps, even tiny ones.

To help you get the most from your hearing protectors, researchers at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health’s (NIOSH) Pittsburgh Research Laboratory developed QuickFitWeb, an online tool to check your hearing protection in a minute or less.

Studies of hearing protector users have repeatedly shown that the average protection values in the real world are much lower than the labeled Noise Reduction Ratings (NRR) determined in laboratories with trained and motivated subjects. Even worse, many hearing protector users get virtually no protection at all because of poor fit. It's hard to tell if hearing protectors are working well just by looking at them. A more accurate approach is to check how much they block or "attenuate" noise. Hearing protectors vary in their attenuation characteristics, with most providing a maximum of 20 to 35 decibels of noise reduction when worn correctly. Any hearing protector that's suitable for use in noisy settings will attenuate noise by at least 15 decibels.

The NIOSH QuickFitWeb test first calibrates itself to your environment and then can be used to determine whether the ear protection you are using is adequate.

Labels: Industrial Health, NIOSH

Yesterday was the beginning of the North American Occupational Safety and Health Week. The following was adapted from an announcement from the American Society of Safety Engineers.

Due to the efforts of many, millions of people go to and return home safely from work every day. However, in the U.S. alone, 5,840 workers died from on-the-job injuries in 2006 and millions more suffered workplace injuries and illnesses. These can be prevented.

During the annual North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) this May 4 – 10th, the American Society of Safety Engineers' (ASSE) along with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and 72 corporations and associations representing all industries, plus 150,000+ businesses and millions of people will provide tools, best practices and solutions on how accidents can be prevented and illustrate how safety is good business.

The 32,000 ASSE SH&E professionals work day in and day out identifying hazards and implanting safety and health advances in all industries and at all workplaces, aimed at eliminating workplace fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. Businesses who have adopted safety into their core business strategy continue to see how safety contributes positively not only to their bottom line, but to the company's brand and reputation and employee and vendor morale. Workplace safety also contributes to a reduction in health insurance and workers compensation costs and provides a safe working environment for employees and for the community they do business in. Society as a whole benefits when there are fewer accidents and on-the-job injuries increasing everyone's quality of life.

Poor Workplace Safety Costs...

· businesses spend about $170 billion a year on costs associated with occupational injuries and illnesses – it is estimated that U.S. employers pay almost $1 billion every week to injured employees and their medical care providers;

· each year families, friends, and co-workers of victims of on-the-job accidents suffer intangible losses and grief, especially when proper safety measures could have prevented worker injury or death;

· ASSE has recognized that a safe and healthy workplace positively impacts employee morale, health, and productivity; and

· a recent study done by Goldman Sachs JBWere showed valuation links between workplace safety and health factors and investment performance – they found companies who did not adequately manage workplace safety and health issues underperformed those who did -- suggesting that workplace safety and health factors have potentially greater effectiveness at identifying underperforming stocks.

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, workplace safety

The Charlotte Observer is continuing to keep the pressure on OSHA with their latest workplace H&S article. On Saturday they reported on a physicians conference last week in New York. The articles opens with this statement:

"A leading group of occupational doctors is taking the unusual step of speaking out publicly against pressure from companies to downplay workplace injuries."

"To outline their concerns, the physicians have sent a letter to federal workplace safety regulators and held a conference session in New York City on Monday. They're also planning to testify before Congress."

The article presents a series of testimonials from physicians describing instances in which they feel they have been pressured to not "treat injuries in a way that would make them reportable".

You can read the article at: http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/587539.html

Labels: electrical safety, Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, Workers' Comp

The United Kingdom's Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 takes effect next month on April 6th. This new law states:

"An organisation to which this section applies is guilty of an offence if the way in which its activities are managed or organised causes a person’s death, and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased."

In other words, under this law if there is a fatal accident there will be a police investigation and a corporation can be prosecuted for homicide. The U.K. Ministry of Justice puts it this way:

"The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act introduces a new offence, across the UK, for prosecuting companies and other organisations where there has been a gross failing, throughout the organisation, in the management of health and safety with fatal consequences."

The U.K. Health and Safety Commission (HSC) states:

"Prosecutions will be of the corporate body and not individuals, but the liability of directors, board members or other individuals under health and safety law or general criminal law, will be unaffected. And the corporate body itself and individuals can still be prosecuted for separate health and safety offences."

"The Act also largely removes the Crown immunity that applies to the existing common law corporate manslaughter offence. This is welcome, and consistent with Government and HSC policy to secure the eventual removal of Crown immunity for health and safety offences. The Act provides a number of specific exemptions that cover public policy decisions and the exercise of core public functions."

Safety and Health Practitioner magazine had an article covering this new law in last week's edition. You can read about the background and this new law at: http://www.shponline.co.uk/article.asp?pagename=features&article_id=7232

The conclusion of this article is that "the new Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is a long-awaited piece of legislation. It takes its context from well established legal principles, and targets corporate failure at senior level within an organisation, which led to the death of persons where there was an established duty of care."

"In order to deliver the duty of care, and thereby prevent a charge of corporate manslaughter, organisations should ensure the effectiveness of the own health and safety management system, proactively identify and rectify shortcomings, remain up to date with developments in health and safety legislation, good practice and guidance, and seek competent specialist advice where necessary."

What do you think? Do you think similar legislation will be enacted in the U.S.?

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety

Reuters reported yesterday that a one hour training session will significantly increase the use of hearing protection. The article states:

"Noise-filled occupations can lead to hearing loss, but even one hour of training could encourage more workers to take the risk seriously, new research suggests."

"In a pilot study of 23 construction workers, researchers found that a one-hour session on lowering the risk of hearing damage increased workers' use of ear plugs and similar protective equipment."

The study also showed that the training need not be given by professional trainers, but "construction company employees could be successfully trained to deliver the program to their co-workers."

Read the complete story at: Reuters Health News

Labels: hazard identifcation, Industrial Health

I just stumbled on a web site that offers a variety of free environmental, health and safety freeware. The term "freeware" typically refers to freely available software, but in this case it also includes resources such as free videos.

This web site provides a directory of environmental, safety and health related freeware. None of the software or videos are available from this web site. As a directory this web site provides links to other web sites that provide free downloads.

The software is divided into eight categories:

• DataBases and Electronic Publications
• Free EH&S Management Tools
• "Neat Stuff"
• Compliance and Reporting Software
• Investigation Remediation Software
• Training Software
• Risk Analysis Software
• EH&S Design, Operation and Maintenance Software

The "Neat Stuff" category includes things such as Free Environmental Software for Kids; Environmental Maps; Nature and Wildlife; Environmental Photographs and Clip Art; and Find Out About Pollution in Your Community.

I've not looked at any of the software yet, but that is something I will do in the future.

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, Safety Software, Safety Training

The Charlotte News & Observer is reporting today that an OSHA official says that OSHA lets employers underreport workers' injuries. The article states that Bob Whitmore, "chief of record-keeping requirements for the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, said OSHA is allowing employers to vastly underreport the number of injuries and illnesses their workers suffer."

Mr. Whitmore is claiming that inuries and illnesses are actually two to three times higher than reported in some industries.

Towards the end the article also reports that Mr. Whitmore has been on administrative leave since last July. This resulted from a confrontation with a supervisor in which, Mr. Whitmore says, "the supervisor spat on him, so he stuck his foot in the man's door and threatened, 'If you ever do that again, I'll kick your [rear].'"

What do you think?

Are injuries and illnesses being underreported, or is Mr. Whitmore just trying to stir up trouble for his employer?

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety, OSHA

Most of us don't know what a carbon nanotube (CNT) is, what types of products use them, and what hazards they may present. Wikkipedia defines a carbon nanotube as:

"Their name is derived from their size, since the diameter of a nanotube is in the order of a few nanometers (approximately 1/50,000th of the width of a human hair), while they can be up to several millimeters in length."

"Such cylindrical carbon molecules have novel properties that make them potentially useful in many applications in nanotechnology, electronics, optics and other fields of materials science. They exhibit extraordinary strength and unique electricalproperties, and are efficient conductors of heat."

An article by Michael Berger in today's online edition of Nanowerk points out that the workplace hazards of carbon nanotubes are unknown. One of the key problems is that the presence of nanotubes can not be detected. The article states:

"'In our review paper we have raised the need for a better detection platform in the CNT-affected workplace.' Dr. Peter Cumpson tells Nanowerk. 'The quickly rising industrial production of carbon nanotubes highlights the ever-increasing need to have an efficient and effective tool for the detection of nanotubes – because right now we don't. This new tool must be improved compared to the general purpose airborne particle counters that are currently employed, to allow better sensitivity and specificity to CNTs.'"

New materials are being developed at a rapid pace. We tend to focus on protection against new biological hazards, but new non-biological hazards may also be developing, or already be in the workplace.

The Nanowerk article points out that production of carbon nanotubes is "expected to approach several thousand metric tons per year. This means that the exposure to CNTs, especially by factory workers, will increase substantially over the next few years. Since the jury is still out as to the toxicity of nanotubes it appears prudent to at least develop suitable sensor technology to detect CNTs, especially in the workplace."

Labels: hazard identifcation, hazardous materials, Industrial Health

The Society for Human Resource Management reports, in an article published today, on a proposed rule issued by OSHA on December 26th concerning testing of industrial respirators (see our Dec 27th blog post). The article states that OSHA has "issued a proposed rule—Abbreviated Bitrex Qualitative Fit-Testing Protocol (ABQLFT)—that would give employers the option of deciding which 'qualitative fit-test' to use when determining whether respirators will protect workers from airborne contaminants. The proposed regulation would not change how respirators are tested but would reduce the time for each test."

What's new in this article is that it includes a response from the AFL-CIO in which they say they may have concerns about this change. The article reports that:

"The AFL-CIO has already consulted a respirator expert who has 'serious concerns' over shortening the fit-test period from 1 minute to 15 seconds, says Bill Kojola, an industrial hygienist for the AFL-CIO. The union is reviewing the regulations but has not yet taken a formal position. But the agency should take pause, especially given the potential harm to workers should the shorter test period not be sufficient to test the fit of respirator masks properly, he says."

Read the article here: http://www.shrm.org/hrnews_published/articles/CMS_024445.asp

Labels: Industrial Health, Industrial Safety

This article comes from today's issue of The Anchorage Daily News.

A business owner noticed the smell of marijuana in the company parking lot during the lunch break. At first he thought it might be coming from students at a nearby school, but he soon realized that it had to be one of his employees. All of his employees are good, valuable workers and he does not want to lose any of them. He is wondering what he should do.

This article answers his question and describes what he should do to handle this situation.

Labels: Industrial Health

The following is a press release from the University of Minnesota Center for Drug Design

Cure likely to benefit firefighters, industrial workers, victims of terrorism

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL -- University of Minnesota Center for Drug Design and Minneapolis VA Medical Center researchers have discovered a new fast-acting antidote to cyanide poisoning. The antidote has potential to save lives of those who are exposed to the chemical -- namely industrial workers, firefighters and victims of terrorist attacks.

"Current cyanide antidotes work slowly and are ineffective when administered after a certain point," said Steven Patterson, Ph.D., principal investigator and associate director of the University of the Minnesota Center for Drug Design.

Patterson is developing an antidote that was discovered by retired University of Minnesota Professor Herbert Nagasawa. This antidote works in less than three minutes -- meeting the United States Department of Defense "three minute solution" standard. The research will be featured in the Dec. 27, 2007 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.

"It’s much, much faster than current antidotes," Patterson said. "The antidote is also effective over a wider time window. Giving emergency responders more time is important because it's not likely that someone will be exposed to cyanide near a paramedic."

The antidote was tested on animals and has been exceptionally effective, Patterson said. Researchers hope to begin human clinical trials during the next three years.

The antidote is also unique because it can be taken orally (current antidotes must be given intravenously) and may be administered up to an hour prior to cyanide exposure.

Cyanide is a rapid acting toxin that inhibits cellular respiration -- it prevents the body from using oxygen. This means it rapidly shuts down many of the fundamental biochemical processes the body needs to survive. Symptoms of acute cyanide poisoning include headache, vertigo, lack of motor coordination, weak pulse, abnormal heartbeat, vomiting, stupor, convulsions, coma, and even death.

When released in an enclosed area, cyanide can be particularly deadly and impact a victim very quickly. Survivors of cyanide poisoning are also at risk of short-term memory loss and development of a Parkinson's-like syndrome.

Because cyanide occurs naturally in pitted fruits, some grasses and other foods, and the body has mechanisms to detoxify small amounts in the diet. The new antidote takes advantage of this natural detoxification pathway by providing the substance the body naturally uses to convert cyanide to non-toxic thiocyanate.

The theory and proof of concept for the research originated from Nagasawa, who has since retired from the University of Minnesota, but Patterson continues this work at the Center for Drug Design.

The study is being funded by a five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health.

The Academic Health Center is home to the University of Minnesota’s six health professional schools and colleges as well as several health-related centers and institutes. Founded in 1851, the University is one of the oldest and largest land grant institutions in the country. The AHC prepares the new health professionals who improve the health of communities, discover and deliver new treatments and cures, and strengthen the health economy.

Contact: Nick Hanson, Academic Health Center, (612) 624-2449, hans2853@umn.edu
Molly Portz, Academic Health Center, (612) 625-2640, mportz@umn.edu

Labels: Industrial Health