Print this articleLaws, 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.
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.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported yesterday that a total of 5,488 fatal work injuries were recorded in the United States in 2007, a decrease of 6 percent from the 5,840 fatal work injuries reported for 2006. While these results are considered preliminary, this figure represents the smallest annual preliminary total since the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program was first conducted in 1992. Final results for 2007 will be released in April 2009.
Thirty States reported lower numbers of fatal work injuries in 2007 than in 2006, 19 States and the District of Columbia reported higher numbers, and one State was unchanged.
Based on these preliminary counts, the rate of fatal injury for U.S. workers in 2007 was 3.7 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, down from the final rate of 4.0 per 100,000 workers in 2006, and the lowest annual fatality rate ever reported by the fatality census.
The four occupations with the highest fatality rates were:
Key findings of the 2007 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:
Thirty States reported lower numbers of fatal work injuries in 2007 than in 2006, 19 States and the District of Columbia reported higher numbers, and one State was unchanged.
Based on these preliminary counts, the rate of fatal injury for U.S. workers in 2007 was 3.7 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, down from the final rate of 4.0 per 100,000 workers in 2006, and the lowest annual fatality rate ever reported by the fatality census.
The four occupations with the highest fatality rates were:
- Fishers and related fishing workers with a fatality rate of 111.8 per 100,000 workers
- Logging workers (86.4)
- Aircraft pilots and flight engineers (66.7)
- Structural iron and steel workers (45.5)
Key findings of the 2007 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries:
- The number of fatal falls in 2007 rose to a series high of 835--a 39 percent increase since 1992 when the CFOI program was first conducted.
- Transportation incidents, which typically account for two-fifths of all workplace fatalities, fell to a series low of 2,234 cases in 2007.
- Workplace homicides rose 13 percent to 610 in 2007 after reaching a series low of 540 in 2006.
- The number of fatal workplace injuries among protective service occupations rose 19 percent in 2007 to 337, led by an increase in the number of police officers fatally injured on the job.
- Fatal occupational injuries incurred by non-Hispanic Black or African American workers were at the highest level since 1999, but fatal work injuries among Hispanic workers were lower by 8 percent in 2007.
OSHA announced yesterday in the Aug. 19 Federal Register that it is accepting public comments on a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and training standards. The proposal clarifies that when an OSHA standard requires an employer to provide PPE, such as respirators, or training to employees, the employer must do so for each employee subject to the requirement. Each employee not protected may be considered a separate violation for penalty purposes.
"We want employers to understand the importance of complying with OSHA’s PPE rule for each and every one of their employees," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "Without question, providing PPE for all employees will reduce costs, save money and, most importantly, save lives."
The proposed rule affects OSHA’s general industry, construction, and maritime standards. In many cases, OSHA combines separate violations of a single requirement in a standard into a single penalty. However, under the instance-by-instance penalty policy, OSHA may propose a separate penalty for each specific violation where the employer demonstrates a flagrant disregard for safety and health.
The proposed rule makes clear that failure to provide appropriate PPE or training may result in per-instance penalties in appropriate cases. The proposed rule does not add new compliance obligations, nor are employers required to provide any new type of PPE or training. The amendments merely clarify that a separate penalty may be assessed for each employee not provided the required PPE or training.
The agency will accept public comments on the proposed rule until Sept. 18. Interested parties may submit comments electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal; by sending three copies to the OSHA Docket Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-2625, Washington, DC 20210; or by FAX at (202) 693-1678 if the comments and attachments do not exceed 10 pages. Comments must include the Agency name and Docket Number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2008-0031).
"We want employers to understand the importance of complying with OSHA’s PPE rule for each and every one of their employees," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. "Without question, providing PPE for all employees will reduce costs, save money and, most importantly, save lives."
The proposed rule affects OSHA’s general industry, construction, and maritime standards. In many cases, OSHA combines separate violations of a single requirement in a standard into a single penalty. However, under the instance-by-instance penalty policy, OSHA may propose a separate penalty for each specific violation where the employer demonstrates a flagrant disregard for safety and health.
The proposed rule makes clear that failure to provide appropriate PPE or training may result in per-instance penalties in appropriate cases. The proposed rule does not add new compliance obligations, nor are employers required to provide any new type of PPE or training. The amendments merely clarify that a separate penalty may be assessed for each employee not provided the required PPE or training.
The agency will accept public comments on the proposed rule until Sept. 18. Interested parties may submit comments electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal eRulemaking Portal; by sending three copies to the OSHA Docket Office, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-2625, Washington, DC 20210; or by FAX at (202) 693-1678 if the comments and attachments do not exceed 10 pages. Comments must include the Agency name and Docket Number for this rulemaking (Docket No. OSHA-2008-0031).
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), representing 32,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professionals, provided a statement for the record to the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions’ Subcommittee on Employment and Workplace Safety for their hearing held July 29 titled “Dangerous Dust – Is OSHA doing enough to protect workers?” ASSE urged caution in moving ahead to address hazardous dust risks legislatively without developing a deeper understanding of current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, their enforcement by OSHA, and the approach taken through national consensus standards.
The ASSE statement said, following the February 2008 combustible dust explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, that killed 13 workers and injured 40, it understands the urge to find a legislative solution, as reflected in the “Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008” (HR 5522) introduced by House Committee on Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller. ASSE supports much in Chairman Miller’s approach, including the bill’s assurance that any new OSHA rule concerning combustible dust will not be less effective than the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) voluntary consensus standards.
Several other issues related to managing combustible dust should also be addressed by the legislation, ASSE said. Most important is the lack of adequate OSHA’s resources to conduct inspections, which contribute to missing dangerous workplaces by OSHA and can result in inspections that are hurried or done without an adequate basis in training. ‘If only 50 of OSHA’s 1029 inspectors had “extensive dust training,’ as Assistant Secretary for OSHA Edwin Foulke, Jr., told 60 Minutes recently, ‘then a bill requiring more standards without the adequate capability to enforce them will not be adequate to address this hazard when workers’ lives are at stake.’
Further, ASSE advised that, due to the complex technical and policy issues involved, Congress should require OSHA to address the issue through negotiated rulemaking, which mirrors the voluntary consensus-building process used by industry and the occupational safety and health community to address combustible dust.
ASSE also expressed concern over setting unrealistic dates for OSHA to issue an interim final standard within 90 days of enactment followed by a final standard within 18 months. The complexities posed by the current statutory obligations under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Small Business Regulatory Fairness Act (SBRFA) and the required regulatory and economic impact analyses lead ASSE to conclude that completion of a final rule within 24 months is a more realistic goal. Reasonably more time would allow Congress working with OSHA and the occupational safety and health community to address what may be the key underlying difficulty with the current regulatory approach to combustible dust. With 17 different OSHA regulations impacting combustible dust risks, it is reasonable to expect difficulties in employers’ efforts to establish a cohesive and effective combustible dust hazard management program in a workplace.
ASSE noted the 17 existing OSHA standards in place to address combustible dust hazards in addition to Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act (General Duty Clause) : 1910.22, housekeeping; 1910.38, emergency action plans; 1910.94, ventilation; 1910.119, process safety management; 1910.132, personal protective equipment; 1910.146, permit-required confined spaces; 1910.157, portable fire extinguishers; 1910.165, employee alarm systems; 1910.176, handling materials – general; 1910.178, powered industrial trucks; 1910.263, bakery equipment; 1910.265, sawmill operations; 1910.269, electric power generation, transmission, and distribution; 1910.272, grain handling facilities; 1910.307, hazardous (classified) locations; and 1910.1200, hazard communication.
While no simple answer to the complexities involved in managing combustible dust exists, a more organized, comprehensive approach by OSHA is needed to facilitate compliance. ASSE’s primary concern is that an answer to the current difficulties involving combustible dust risk management be based on sound science and done in a way that affords all stakeholders due process, without any undue delay.
Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the largest and oldest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment.
The ASSE statement said, following the February 2008 combustible dust explosion at the Imperial Sugar refinery in Port Wentworth, Georgia, that killed 13 workers and injured 40, it understands the urge to find a legislative solution, as reflected in the “Combustible Dust Explosion and Fire Prevention Act of 2008” (HR 5522) introduced by House Committee on Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller. ASSE supports much in Chairman Miller’s approach, including the bill’s assurance that any new OSHA rule concerning combustible dust will not be less effective than the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) voluntary consensus standards.
Several other issues related to managing combustible dust should also be addressed by the legislation, ASSE said. Most important is the lack of adequate OSHA’s resources to conduct inspections, which contribute to missing dangerous workplaces by OSHA and can result in inspections that are hurried or done without an adequate basis in training. ‘If only 50 of OSHA’s 1029 inspectors had “extensive dust training,’ as Assistant Secretary for OSHA Edwin Foulke, Jr., told 60 Minutes recently, ‘then a bill requiring more standards without the adequate capability to enforce them will not be adequate to address this hazard when workers’ lives are at stake.’
Further, ASSE advised that, due to the complex technical and policy issues involved, Congress should require OSHA to address the issue through negotiated rulemaking, which mirrors the voluntary consensus-building process used by industry and the occupational safety and health community to address combustible dust.
ASSE also expressed concern over setting unrealistic dates for OSHA to issue an interim final standard within 90 days of enactment followed by a final standard within 18 months. The complexities posed by the current statutory obligations under the Administrative Procedure Act, the Small Business Regulatory Fairness Act (SBRFA) and the required regulatory and economic impact analyses lead ASSE to conclude that completion of a final rule within 24 months is a more realistic goal. Reasonably more time would allow Congress working with OSHA and the occupational safety and health community to address what may be the key underlying difficulty with the current regulatory approach to combustible dust. With 17 different OSHA regulations impacting combustible dust risks, it is reasonable to expect difficulties in employers’ efforts to establish a cohesive and effective combustible dust hazard management program in a workplace.
ASSE noted the 17 existing OSHA standards in place to address combustible dust hazards in addition to Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act (General Duty Clause) : 1910.22, housekeeping; 1910.38, emergency action plans; 1910.94, ventilation; 1910.119, process safety management; 1910.132, personal protective equipment; 1910.146, permit-required confined spaces; 1910.157, portable fire extinguishers; 1910.165, employee alarm systems; 1910.176, handling materials – general; 1910.178, powered industrial trucks; 1910.263, bakery equipment; 1910.265, sawmill operations; 1910.269, electric power generation, transmission, and distribution; 1910.272, grain handling facilities; 1910.307, hazardous (classified) locations; and 1910.1200, hazard communication.
While no simple answer to the complexities involved in managing combustible dust exists, a more organized, comprehensive approach by OSHA is needed to facilitate compliance. ASSE’s primary concern is that an answer to the current difficulties involving combustible dust risk management be based on sound science and done in a way that affords all stakeholders due process, without any undue delay.
Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the largest and oldest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment.
Research published in the latest edition of Communication Currents has found that:
"The availability of safety information and the willingness of individual workers to seek it out play an important role in safety. In the workplace, employees have to believe that there is reliable and useful safety information available before they can be expected to seek it and act on it. This is important because workplace injuries and fatalities have many ramifications beyond individual suffering."
The articles points out ways that organizations can effectively communication safety information:
1. Organizations should make the safety information personal by using first-line supervisors to deliver safety-related messages, both in word and by example.
2. Safety messages should be simple and to the point.
3. Positive safety behaviors should be encouraged and safety messages should focus on how to initiate safety behavior.
4. Safety messages should be delivered through more than one medium.
The complete article is available on the Communication Currents web site.
"The availability of safety information and the willingness of individual workers to seek it out play an important role in safety. In the workplace, employees have to believe that there is reliable and useful safety information available before they can be expected to seek it and act on it. This is important because workplace injuries and fatalities have many ramifications beyond individual suffering."
The articles points out ways that organizations can effectively communication safety information:
1. Organizations should make the safety information personal by using first-line supervisors to deliver safety-related messages, both in word and by example.
2. Safety messages should be simple and to the point.
3. Positive safety behaviors should be encouraged and safety messages should focus on how to initiate safety behavior.
4. Safety messages should be delivered through more than one medium.
The complete article is available on the Communication Currents web site.
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.
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.
The OSHA Region VI office in Dallas, Texas, has established a Regional Emphasis Program covering employees in the construction industry who perform crane operations. The program conducts safety inspections of workplaces in Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and sites in New Mexico that are under federal OSHA jurisdiction.
"This Regional Emphasis Program (REP) was established as an enforcement initiative for the inspection of cranes used in construction, with the goal of preventing serious and fatal injuries to employees working on and around cranes," said Regional Administrator Dean McDaniel. "The REP will address various hazards associated with cranes, including but not limited to, being struck by objects, electrocution, crane tip-over, being caught in or between machinery, and falls. Past inspection evidence indicates these hazards are the leading causes of accidents where cranes are used in the construction industry."
The emphasis program is intended to supplement existing OSHA targeting programs, focusing additional resources as necessary to monitor job sites, promote compliance, and promote awareness of safety and health hazards during construction activities involving cranes. OSHA will utilize a number of tools to address this issue, including enforcement, outreach, training, on-site consultation, partnerships, alliances and the agency's Voluntary Protection Programs.
Under OSHA's construction crane standard, 29 C.F.R. 1926.550, there is a general requirement for employers to inspect construction cranes prior to each use, during use and annually. OSHA also has specific standards that apply to different types of cranes. The OSHA standard requires that employers conduct tower crane inspections prescribed by the manufacturer.
For more information contact OSHA area offices in the region: Austin, Texas, 512-374-0271; Baton Rouge, La., 225-298-5458; Corpus Christi, Texas, 361-888-3420; Dallas, Texas, 214-320-2400; Fort Worth, Texas, 817-428-2470; Houston North, Texas, 281-591-2438; Houston South, Texas, 281-286-0583; Little Rock, Ark., 501-224-1841; Lubbock, Texas, 806-472-7681; Oklahoma City, Okla., 405-278-9560. OSHA's Region VI also has two district offices: El Paso, Texas, 915-534-6251 and San Antonio, Texas, 210-472-5040.
"This Regional Emphasis Program (REP) was established as an enforcement initiative for the inspection of cranes used in construction, with the goal of preventing serious and fatal injuries to employees working on and around cranes," said Regional Administrator Dean McDaniel. "The REP will address various hazards associated with cranes, including but not limited to, being struck by objects, electrocution, crane tip-over, being caught in or between machinery, and falls. Past inspection evidence indicates these hazards are the leading causes of accidents where cranes are used in the construction industry."
The emphasis program is intended to supplement existing OSHA targeting programs, focusing additional resources as necessary to monitor job sites, promote compliance, and promote awareness of safety and health hazards during construction activities involving cranes. OSHA will utilize a number of tools to address this issue, including enforcement, outreach, training, on-site consultation, partnerships, alliances and the agency's Voluntary Protection Programs.
Under OSHA's construction crane standard, 29 C.F.R. 1926.550, there is a general requirement for employers to inspect construction cranes prior to each use, during use and annually. OSHA also has specific standards that apply to different types of cranes. The OSHA standard requires that employers conduct tower crane inspections prescribed by the manufacturer.
For more information contact OSHA area offices in the region: Austin, Texas, 512-374-0271; Baton Rouge, La., 225-298-5458; Corpus Christi, Texas, 361-888-3420; Dallas, Texas, 214-320-2400; Fort Worth, Texas, 817-428-2470; Houston North, Texas, 281-591-2438; Houston South, Texas, 281-286-0583; Little Rock, Ark., 501-224-1841; Lubbock, Texas, 806-472-7681; Oklahoma City, Okla., 405-278-9560. OSHA's Region VI also has two district offices: El Paso, Texas, 915-534-6251 and San Antonio, Texas, 210-472-5040.
When responding to or fighting a fire, firefighters are in a dangerous situation. They know they are in a dangerous situation, yet firefighters do not always follow the proper safety procedures. An article in yesterday's issue of Fire Rescue 1 magazine looks into this behavior and presents conclusions that are useful to all of us.
The article states:
The article states:
"Working safely makes sense. Firefighter death and injury statistics don't. Within the fire service, activists are well aware of the issues. They have created programs for defensive driving, seat belt awareness, safety officer training, wellness, and a host of others. The programs are internationally supported and recognized. But still death and injury statistics are relatively unchanged. How can that be the case? We have the information we need to prevent many of these situations so what is in the way?"
"One would think that the chance of serious injury or death would be enough to motivate safe practices. Since the stats prove this isn't always the case, we have to explore other reasons for failure to comply with safety recommendations. That brings us to the idea of workplace culture and whether proactive attitudes toward safety planning and action are automatic."
Read the entire article online. It is titled: A Workplace Culture Based on Safety.The following is a press release from OSHA:
FREEHOLD, N.J. -- The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against Exclusive Decorators Inc.; Interiors Furniture, LLC; and its vice president, Garrett Ney, on behalf of an employee who was terminated in violation of the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.
The complaint alleges that the employee was terminated after complaining to the employer about the lack of ventilation in the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) previously had cited the employer for ventilation violations. OSHA conducted an inspection of the worksite in response to a complaint about safety and health practices.
The former employee filed a complaint with OSHA alleging retaliation by the defendants in violation of Section 11(c) of the OSH Act. OSHA investigated the complaint and determined it had merit. After being notified of OSHA’s findings, the defendants refused to reinstate the employee to the same or a substantially equivalent position of employment, and declined to pay back wages or other employment benefits.
"Every employee should be free to exercise his or her rights under the law without fear of termination or retaliation by their employers," said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York. "The Labor Department is committed to protecting those rights."
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the complaint seeks to reinstate the employee; secure compensatory damages, lost back pay and punitive damages; and require the company to post a notice in a prominent place for 60 days that explains employee rights under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
Exclusive Decorators Inc. specializes in manufacturing and installing wood cabinets and furniture.
OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the OSH Act and 15 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail and securities laws. Detailed information on employee whistleblower rights, including fact sheets, is available online at: http://www.osha.gov/dep/oia/whistleblower/index.html.
FREEHOLD, N.J. -- The U.S. Department of Labor has filed suit against Exclusive Decorators Inc.; Interiors Furniture, LLC; and its vice president, Garrett Ney, on behalf of an employee who was terminated in violation of the whistleblower provisions of the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act.
The complaint alleges that the employee was terminated after complaining to the employer about the lack of ventilation in the workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) previously had cited the employer for ventilation violations. OSHA conducted an inspection of the worksite in response to a complaint about safety and health practices.
The former employee filed a complaint with OSHA alleging retaliation by the defendants in violation of Section 11(c) of the OSH Act. OSHA investigated the complaint and determined it had merit. After being notified of OSHA’s findings, the defendants refused to reinstate the employee to the same or a substantially equivalent position of employment, and declined to pay back wages or other employment benefits.
"Every employee should be free to exercise his or her rights under the law without fear of termination or retaliation by their employers," said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York. "The Labor Department is committed to protecting those rights."
Filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the complaint seeks to reinstate the employee; secure compensatory damages, lost back pay and punitive damages; and require the company to post a notice in a prominent place for 60 days that explains employee rights under Section 11(c) of the OSH Act.
Exclusive Decorators Inc. specializes in manufacturing and installing wood cabinets and furniture.
OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of the OSH Act and 15 other statutes protecting employees who report violations of various trucking, airline, nuclear power, pipeline, environmental, rail and securities laws. Detailed information on employee whistleblower rights, including fact sheets, is available online at: http://www.osha.gov/dep/oia/whistleblower/index.html.
"Labor officials said Friday they were investigating whether a rash of early season heat waves had caused the deaths of a record number of California workers by summer's peak.
Despite an enforcement push to protect employees toiling in the searing conditions outdoors, 12 people have died of possible heat-related causes in the first seven months of this year alone, according to the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health."
The above is from an article in The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.
Half of the fatalities were in agriculture, with the other half at construction sites, in oil fields, while hauling chemicals and working at a warehouse.
California recognized the potential for heat related fatalities early in the year. Health and safety inspectors have be conducting increased inspections, as well as running an increased number of workshops for farm labor contractors.
An article in Saturday's Los Angeles Times goes into more detail and points out that just providing adequate drinking water and shade for rest breaks will make a difference.Occupational Health and Safety magazine reports that:
"Nevada OSHA began following the decking and netting portions, as well as the placement of shear connections before they are installed, of Subpart R of federal OSHA's steel erection standard rather than the federal agency's Compliance Directive CPL 02-01-034 for those issues."
Nevada OSHA feels that Subpart R is more effective in preventing fall injuries.
Read the article here.
"Nevada OSHA began following the decking and netting portions, as well as the placement of shear connections before they are installed, of Subpart R of federal OSHA's steel erection standard rather than the federal agency's Compliance Directive CPL 02-01-034 for those issues."
Nevada OSHA feels that Subpart R is more effective in preventing fall injuries.
Read the article here.
An article in The Independent (United Kingdom) stimulated some thoughts about a subject I had not considered previously. The article is called "The End of Playtime?" Here are the opening paragraphs:
"Play time is over for children, with up to half of youngsters banned from climbing trees, playing conkers or riding their bikes by over-protective parents who are terrified that they might get hurt.
"Play time is over for children, with up to half of youngsters banned from climbing trees, playing conkers or riding their bikes by over-protective parents who are terrified that they might get hurt.
ICM research for Play England shows that half of seven to 12-year-olds are banned from climbing trees. Four in 10 were banned from playing in their local park or recreational area without an adult present and one in three cannot ride a bike without parental supervision."
What does children's playtime have to do with workplace safety?
Children's playtime does more for children than just being a source of fine. During playtime children learn life skills. If kids are kept from challenging situations during playtime, they will not learn skills they need later in life.
I remember, when I was very young, that I climbed a tree and fell out of the tree. There where no broken bones but it was a lesson about gravity that I've remembered for 50 years. I didn't become afraid of heights, but when I was working as an engineer on new power plant construction during my "invincible years" (late teens and early twenties) I was always sure to use the proper safety equipment when working in high places.
The result of children are being protected from all possible harm is that we'll see new workers coming to the workplace without the "fear" and knowledge they would have gotten from playtime. They will not have the safety skills learned in the safe environment of a playground. Skills they will then need to learn them in the workplace.
As safety professionals this is a trend we need be aware of and be prepared to identify and address in our workplaces.
Here is another quote from the article:
'The research shows that children need to experience challenging play in order to develop important life skills and to better manage risk and challenge in their daily lives,' she said."
Note: This article mentions the sport of "conkers". See our previous post about safety and the game of conkers.
There once was a nail without a job.
He'd done his duty proudly for years.
Then one day it was taken from him.
He was sure someone would notice and put him back to work.
But no one did.
Hope turned to despair.
Finally he decided he would be ignored no longer....
This innocent sounding introduction leads to serious head injury in a safety video titled "Nail" produced by the Extreme Group, in Halifax, Canada. It is one of three videos showing how safety hazards that are ignored can result in injury.
You can view all three videos at:
http://www.extremegroup.com/work/42
The Extreme Group, along with the Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia , Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Worker's Compensation Board of PEI took home a Bronze Lion in the Product and Service, public health and safety category for the "Nail" television commercial at the 2008 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.
He'd done his duty proudly for years.
Then one day it was taken from him.
He was sure someone would notice and put him back to work.
But no one did.
Hope turned to despair.
Finally he decided he would be ignored no longer....
This innocent sounding introduction leads to serious head injury in a safety video titled "Nail" produced by the Extreme Group, in Halifax, Canada. It is one of three videos showing how safety hazards that are ignored can result in injury.
You can view all three videos at:
http://www.extremegroup.com/work/42
The Extreme Group, along with the Workers' Compensation Board of Nova Scotia , Workplace Health, Safety and Compensation Commission of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Worker's Compensation Board of PEI took home a Bronze Lion in the Product and Service, public health and safety category for the "Nail" television commercial at the 2008 Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival.
California's Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) Distributes Winning Teen Video Public Service Announcement to Theaters Statewide
The following is a press release from DIR. The video produced by Jose Villasenor, Jr., a high school student, is impressive. To view the video visit http://www.dir.ca.gov/youngworker/PSAcontest08.asp.
California's Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced the release of the winning video public service announcement (PSA) created by California teens, between the ages of 14-17, as part of a workplace safety contest. The PSA will be shown at theaters statewide.
"The purpose of the contest is to encourage California teens to take an active role in learning about safety and health and labor requirements in the workplace," said DIR Director John Duncan. "The contest raises much needed public awareness of workplace safety and child labor laws."
The winning 2008 PSA was created by Jose Villasenor, Jr., a student of Lindhurst High School in Olivehurst who creatively delivered his message with unique visual effects focusing on workplace safety and health.
Sponsored by DIR’s Divisions of Occupational Safety and Health and Labor Standards Enforcement, as well as the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation, the contest was opened to all California teens under 18, challenging them to create a 30-second video PSA centering on workplace safety and/or child labor laws.
Villasenor’s PSA will be aired during movie previews at Cinemark Theater in Yuba City, near his home town of Olivehurst, and at theaters through out California from June 27-July 24, which are peak months when parents and teens attend movies most frequently. The PSA will be seen on well over 60 screens averaging 370,000 monthly viewers.
Working teens must also know their employment rights on the job. Teens under 18 are required to obtain a work permit from the schools or school district; cannot perform dangerous work specified under the child labor law guidelines, and they must be paid the minimum wage of $ 8 per hour.
According to DIR’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement over $450,000 in penalties have been issued to businesses for violations of child labor laws last year. Nearly 90 percent of those fines were employers who failed to have work permits for the minors they employed.
The following is a press release from DIR. The video produced by Jose Villasenor, Jr., a high school student, is impressive. To view the video visit http://www.dir.ca.gov/youngworker/PSAcontest08.asp.
California's Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) announced the release of the winning video public service announcement (PSA) created by California teens, between the ages of 14-17, as part of a workplace safety contest. The PSA will be shown at theaters statewide.
"The purpose of the contest is to encourage California teens to take an active role in learning about safety and health and labor requirements in the workplace," said DIR Director John Duncan. "The contest raises much needed public awareness of workplace safety and child labor laws."
The winning 2008 PSA was created by Jose Villasenor, Jr., a student of Lindhurst High School in Olivehurst who creatively delivered his message with unique visual effects focusing on workplace safety and health.
Sponsored by DIR’s Divisions of Occupational Safety and Health and Labor Standards Enforcement, as well as the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers’ Compensation, the contest was opened to all California teens under 18, challenging them to create a 30-second video PSA centering on workplace safety and/or child labor laws.
Villasenor’s PSA will be aired during movie previews at Cinemark Theater in Yuba City, near his home town of Olivehurst, and at theaters through out California from June 27-July 24, which are peak months when parents and teens attend movies most frequently. The PSA will be seen on well over 60 screens averaging 370,000 monthly viewers.
Working teens must also know their employment rights on the job. Teens under 18 are required to obtain a work permit from the schools or school district; cannot perform dangerous work specified under the child labor law guidelines, and they must be paid the minimum wage of $ 8 per hour.
According to DIR’s Division of Labor Standards Enforcement over $450,000 in penalties have been issued to businesses for violations of child labor laws last year. Nearly 90 percent of those fines were employers who failed to have work permits for the minors they employed.
DIR was established to improve working conditions for California's wage earners, and to advance opportunities for profitable employment in California.
Here are some brief stories that caught my eye today...
Which OSHA Requirement Would You Toss? - This is an article in Occupational Hazards by David K. Ermer in which he proposes eliminating the requirement that MSDS's be retained for 30 years.
Occupational Health & Safety reports today that the International Labour Organization calls the declaration that came out of a meeting that preceded the 18 World Congress on Safety and Health at Work as a "'Major New Blueprint' for Global Safety". "The declaration says governments should consider ratifying the ILO Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006, as a priority, and should ensure workers are protected by an adequate system of enforced safety and health standards."
Is A Handgun Considered PPE? - The police union at Princeton University filed a complaint with OSHA because the University did not provide them with handguns they felt they needed to protect themselves. Read this Daily Princetonian article to find out how OSHA ruled. (OSHA said "no".)
New ASTM Task Group Works on Standard for Safe Handling of Annealed Glass - "Recent accidents involving annealed glass along with requests from OSHA have led ASTM International to form a new task group that will work on the development of a proposed standard guide for the safe handling of annealed glass."
Which OSHA Requirement Would You Toss? - This is an article in Occupational Hazards by David K. Ermer in which he proposes eliminating the requirement that MSDS's be retained for 30 years.
Occupational Health & Safety reports today that the International Labour Organization calls the declaration that came out of a meeting that preceded the 18 World Congress on Safety and Health at Work as a "'Major New Blueprint' for Global Safety". "The declaration says governments should consider ratifying the ILO Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health Convention, 2006, as a priority, and should ensure workers are protected by an adequate system of enforced safety and health standards."
Is A Handgun Considered PPE? - The police union at Princeton University filed a complaint with OSHA because the University did not provide them with handguns they felt they needed to protect themselves. Read this Daily Princetonian article to find out how OSHA ruled. (OSHA said "no".)
New ASTM Task Group Works on Standard for Safe Handling of Annealed Glass - "Recent accidents involving annealed glass along with requests from OSHA have led ASTM International to form a new task group that will work on the development of a proposed standard guide for the safe handling of annealed glass."
Last week the Huffington Post blog had a commentary about construction injuries that pointed out:
"Last week, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to address whether OSHA is adequately enacting and enforcing construction safety rules. "
"With as many as 1,250 deaths each year, construction workers face death on the job 20 times more often than miners and 10 times more often than police officers or firefighters. While 8 percent of the U.S. workforce is employed in construction, construction workers suffer 22 percent of workplace fatalities."
With the recent crane related deaths and injuries in New York, Las Vegas, Miami and Dallas, there is a growing focus on construction related injuries and deaths, in particular crane related injuries and deaths.
If you'd like more information about tower cranes, one resource is the SMART Association web site. SMART is an association of Washington State businesses who work together to provide companies with the resources necessary to manage and control risk.
"Last week, the House Education and Labor Committee held a hearing to address whether OSHA is adequately enacting and enforcing construction safety rules. "
"With as many as 1,250 deaths each year, construction workers face death on the job 20 times more often than miners and 10 times more often than police officers or firefighters. While 8 percent of the U.S. workforce is employed in construction, construction workers suffer 22 percent of workplace fatalities."
With the recent crane related deaths and injuries in New York, Las Vegas, Miami and Dallas, there is a growing focus on construction related injuries and deaths, in particular crane related injuries and deaths.
If you'd like more information about tower cranes, one resource is the SMART Association web site. SMART is an association of Washington State businesses who work together to provide companies with the resources necessary to manage and control risk.
OSHA cites Medley, Fla., manufacturer with 12 safety violations and proposes more than $64,000 in penalties.
OSHA finds the company willfully endangered employees by ignoring fire department warning
OSHA is proposing $64,250 in penalties following an inspection of Konie Cups International's Medley, Fla., manufacturing plant, which revealed 12 alleged safety violations.
OSHA is proposing one willful violation with a $49,000 penalty. Despite an earlier warning given to the company by local fire officials, OSHA discovered during its inspection that an exit door was locked and the key not easily accessible to all employees in case of an emergency. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
The company is receiving seven serious safety violations with penalties totaling $12,750. Employee safety was at risk because liquid propane tanks were stored near an exit route and too many tanks of the explosive gas were stored inside the building. Other problems included electrical hazards, slip and fall hazards, lack of eye protection, lack of a hearing conservation program, exposing employees to amputation hazards and lack of an established lockout/tagout program to prevent machines' unintended startup.
OSHA also has cited Konie Cups International for four other-than-serious violations with proposed penalties of $2,500.
"If a fire occurred in this plant, employees could die because this employer chose to ignore basic safety precautions," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale.
The company has 15 business days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by staff from OSHA's Fort Lauderdale Area Office, 8040 Peters Road, Building H-100, telephone 954-424-0242.
OSHA finds the company willfully endangered employees by ignoring fire department warning
OSHA is proposing $64,250 in penalties following an inspection of Konie Cups International's Medley, Fla., manufacturing plant, which revealed 12 alleged safety violations.
OSHA is proposing one willful violation with a $49,000 penalty. Despite an earlier warning given to the company by local fire officials, OSHA discovered during its inspection that an exit door was locked and the key not easily accessible to all employees in case of an emergency. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health.
The company is receiving seven serious safety violations with penalties totaling $12,750. Employee safety was at risk because liquid propane tanks were stored near an exit route and too many tanks of the explosive gas were stored inside the building. Other problems included electrical hazards, slip and fall hazards, lack of eye protection, lack of a hearing conservation program, exposing employees to amputation hazards and lack of an established lockout/tagout program to prevent machines' unintended startup.
OSHA also has cited Konie Cups International for four other-than-serious violations with proposed penalties of $2,500.
"If a fire occurred in this plant, employees could die because this employer chose to ignore basic safety precautions," said Darlene Fossum, OSHA's area director in Fort Lauderdale.
The company has 15 business days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. The site was inspected by staff from OSHA's Fort Lauderdale Area Office, 8040 Peters Road, Building H-100, telephone 954-424-0242.
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
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
SEOUL, Korea, June 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Driving a safety culture across organizations, extending it beyond the workplace and keeping it top of mind with a commitment to collaboration and sharing are critical for keeping employees safe, according to a DuPont-sponsored survey of signers of the World Safety Declaration (WSD).
The survey results are the basis for the 2008 WSD Report, "Instilling a Safety Culture Across Continents: How Collaboration, Commitment and Accountability Help Organizations Achieve Measurable Results in Workplace Safety," which was issued by DuPont at the XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. The WSD was created by DuPont in 2005 to provide companies with a framework to find common ground in identifying and improving workplace safety.
Among the leading areas of progress reported by WSD signers:
and to a growing list of companies. We will continue to strive to help others to better protect their employees, their customers and their communities."
Held every three years, the World Congress brings together several thousand key leaders and influencers of workplace safety policy from industry, government and labor who present and discuss emerging safety research, trends, best practices and innovations in the workplace. Today's World Day for Safety and Health at Work was established by the International Labour Organization in 2003 to emphasize the prevention of illness and accidents at work.
For a complete copy of the 2008 World Safety Declaration Report visit:
http://www.worldsafetydeclaration.com
The survey results are the basis for the 2008 WSD Report, "Instilling a Safety Culture Across Continents: How Collaboration, Commitment and Accountability Help Organizations Achieve Measurable Results in Workplace Safety," which was issued by DuPont at the XVIII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work. The WSD was created by DuPont in 2005 to provide companies with a framework to find common ground in identifying and improving workplace safety.
Among the leading areas of progress reported by WSD signers:
- Driving safety cultures across companies represents the greatest area of improvement, but continues to be an ongoing challenge as organizations strive to keep safety top of mind
- Driving line management accountability for safety was next, indicating that companies are effecting a shift in their organizations
- Reducing occupational accidents and injuries remains the bottom line focus of all safety programs.
and to a growing list of companies. We will continue to strive to help others to better protect their employees, their customers and their communities."
Held every three years, the World Congress brings together several thousand key leaders and influencers of workplace safety policy from industry, government and labor who present and discuss emerging safety research, trends, best practices and innovations in the workplace. Today's World Day for Safety and Health at Work was established by the International Labour Organization in 2003 to emphasize the prevention of illness and accidents at work.
For a complete copy of the 2008 World Safety Declaration Report visit:
http://www.worldsafetydeclaration.com
Rise in city construction deaths and accidents 'unacceptable'
OSHA is taking new steps to combat the rise in construction fatalities in New York City, where 20 employees have died in construction-related accidents since January.
For two weeks beginning today, OSHA is bringing a dozen additional inspectors into the city to conduct proactive inspections of high-rise construction sites, cranes and other places where fatalities and serious accidents have been occurring. Additionally, ongoing inspections will continue under existing local emphasis programs, or as a result of complaints, referrals or accidents.
OSHA will review its findings to gauge the impact of these additional inspections and determine what other steps might need to be taken to address this deadly trend.
"There is no one - among regulators, employers, employees, unions and trade associations - who will accept these lost lives as the byproduct of work in a dangerous industry," said Louis Ricca Jr., OSHA's acting regional administrator in New York. "We must all commit to maintaining safety as the number one job priority each and every day."
Richard Mendelson, OSHA's area director in Manhattan, added: "The number and frequency of construction-related deaths and accidents in the city, and their associated human cost, is unacceptable. We're using every available resource and tool - enforcement, outreach, education, persuasion, even peer pressure - to better identify and proactively eliminate hazards, and to compel employers and employees to do likewise."
In addition to enforcement activities, OSHA is pursuing other measures to drive home the importance of construction safety to employers, employees and the construction industry. Since May, OSHA has been sending copies of violation citations issued to employers on city construction sites to the employers' insurance or workers' compensation carriers, and to construction project owners and developers, in order to raise their awareness of occupational hazards found on city job sites. Citations involving training violations at union sites will be sent to the unions representing the workers and to their training funds.
OSHA will continue its ongoing alliance with the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), under which OSHA and DOB cross-train their inspectors and managers on each agency's construction safety standards, regulations and procedures, with a focus on the most common construction hazards likely to harm employees. OSHA also plans to hold outreach meetings with unions and the construction industry to garner their feedback on construction safety issues and elicit their support in reporting hazards and encouraging compliance with safety standards.
OSHA operates a vigorous enforcement program, conducting more than 39,000 inspections in fiscal year 2007 and exceeding its inspection goals in each of the last eight years. In fiscal year 2007, OSHA found nearly 89,000 violations of its standards and regulations.
OSHA is taking new steps to combat the rise in construction fatalities in New York City, where 20 employees have died in construction-related accidents since January.
For two weeks beginning today, OSHA is bringing a dozen additional inspectors into the city to conduct proactive inspections of high-rise construction sites, cranes and other places where fatalities and serious accidents have been occurring. Additionally, ongoing inspections will continue under existing local emphasis programs, or as a result of complaints, referrals or accidents.
OSHA will review its findings to gauge the impact of these additional inspections and determine what other steps might need to be taken to address this deadly trend.
"There is no one - among regulators, employers, employees, unions and trade associations - who will accept these lost lives as the byproduct of work in a dangerous industry," said Louis Ricca Jr., OSHA's acting regional administrator in New York. "We must all commit to maintaining safety as the number one job priority each and every day."
Richard Mendelson, OSHA's area director in Manhattan, added: "The number and frequency of construction-related deaths and accidents in the city, and their associated human cost, is unacceptable. We're using every available resource and tool - enforcement, outreach, education, persuasion, even peer pressure - to better identify and proactively eliminate hazards, and to compel employers and employees to do likewise."
In addition to enforcement activities, OSHA is pursuing other measures to drive home the importance of construction safety to employers, employees and the construction industry. Since May, OSHA has been sending copies of violation citations issued to employers on city construction sites to the employers' insurance or workers' compensation carriers, and to construction project owners and developers, in order to raise their awareness of occupational hazards found on city job sites. Citations involving training violations at union sites will be sent to the unions representing the workers and to their training funds.
OSHA will continue its ongoing alliance with the New York City Department of Buildings (DOB), under which OSHA and DOB cross-train their inspectors and managers on each agency's construction safety standards, regulations and procedures, with a focus on the most common construction hazards likely to harm employees. OSHA also plans to hold outreach meetings with unions and the construction industry to garner their feedback on construction safety issues and elicit their support in reporting hazards and encouraging compliance with safety standards.
OSHA operates a vigorous enforcement program, conducting more than 39,000 inspections in fiscal year 2007 and exceeding its inspection goals in each of the last eight years. In fiscal year 2007, OSHA found nearly 89,000 violations of its standards and regulations.
Graphic Products has started shipping their new DuraLabel PRO 300 label and sign printer. This is a high resolution, 300 dpi, high speed industrial printer. It is suitable for printing self-adhesive safety and informational signs and labels such as: arc flash labels, RTK labels, OSHA safety signs, pipe markers, tamper evident labels and more.
The unique feature of this new label printer is that it combines high resolution printing with high speed printing. In the past high resolution label printing was slow. But, by incorporating high speeding digital processing the DuraLabel PRO 300 gets labels to start coming out of the printer sooner, resulting in faster printing.
The DuraLabel PRO 300 uses the continually growing line of DuraLabel PRO supplies. From continuous vinyl in over 30 colors, to specialty supplies such as oily surface labels and low temperature tapes. They are six types of die-cut RTK labels and a unique two-color continuous vinyl tape is only available for DuraLabel PRO printers. Supplies are available for making everything from reflective parking lot signs to small shrink tube labels for wires.
The DuraLabel PRO 300 is the industrial label printer that gets the job done... and gets it done right. Visit the DuraLabel PRO 300 web site for more information www.DuraLabelPRO.com
The unique feature of this new label printer is that it combines high resolution printing with high speed printing. In the past high resolution label printing was slow. But, by incorporating high speeding digital processing the DuraLabel PRO 300 gets labels to start coming out of the printer sooner, resulting in faster printing.
The DuraLabel PRO 300 uses the continually growing line of DuraLabel PRO supplies. From continuous vinyl in over 30 colors, to specialty supplies such as oily surface labels and low temperature tapes. They are six types of die-cut RTK labels and a unique two-color continuous vinyl tape is only available for DuraLabel PRO printers. Supplies are available for making everything from reflective parking lot signs to small shrink tube labels for wires.
The DuraLabel PRO 300 is the industrial label printer that gets the job done... and gets it done right. Visit the DuraLabel PRO 300 web site for more information www.DuraLabelPRO.com
I've mentioned OSHAcademy in a previous post a long time ago. But this online safety training is so good I thought I should mention i t again... and besides it's free!
OSHAcademy online courses are developed by Steven Geigle. I took many of his online safety courses when he was with the OR-OSHA, and they were excellent. He has brought those same courses to OSHAcademy, plus added many new ones.
All of OSHAcademy safety courses are free. There is a small fee if you wish to get a certificate to verify course completion. You may study online or print each module, study the material off-line, and then return to submit module quiz. The simple format, ability to study anytime and anywhere, online or off-line, with opportunity to communicate with a real instructor gives you complete control of the study process.
The following are some of the courses that are offered:
Course 700: Introduction to Safety Management Eight modules.
Course 701: Effective Safety Committees Eight modules.
Course 702: Effective Accident Investigation Eight Modules.
Course 703: Train the Safety Trainer Eleven modules.
Course 704: Hazard Analysis and Control Seven modules.
Course 705: Hazard Communication Program Six modules.
Course 706: Conducting a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) Six modules.
Course 707: Effective Safety Committee Meetings Seven modules.
Course 708: OSHA 300 Recordkeeping Seven modules.
Course 709: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Seven modules.
Course 711: Introduction to Ergonomics Five modules.
Course 712: Safety Supervision and Leadership Eight modules.
Course 716: Safety Management System Evaluation Twelve Modules
Course 720: Preventing Workplace Violence Eight modules.
Course 722: Ergonomics Program Management Eight modules.
Visit the OSHAcademy for more information (http://www.oshatrain.org/)
OSHAcademy online courses are developed by Steven Geigle. I took many of his online safety courses when he was with the OR-OSHA, and they were excellent. He has brought those same courses to OSHAcademy, plus added many new ones.
All of OSHAcademy safety courses are free. There is a small fee if you wish to get a certificate to verify course completion. You may study online or print each module, study the material off-line, and then return to submit module quiz. The simple format, ability to study anytime and anywhere, online or off-line, with opportunity to communicate with a real instructor gives you complete control of the study process.
The following are some of the courses that are offered:
Course 700: Introduction to Safety Management Eight modules.
Course 701: Effective Safety Committees Eight modules.
Course 702: Effective Accident Investigation Eight Modules.
Course 703: Train the Safety Trainer Eleven modules.
Course 704: Hazard Analysis and Control Seven modules.
Course 705: Hazard Communication Program Six modules.
Course 706: Conducting a Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) Six modules.
Course 707: Effective Safety Committee Meetings Seven modules.
Course 708: OSHA 300 Recordkeeping Seven modules.
Course 709: Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Seven modules.
Course 711: Introduction to Ergonomics Five modules.
Course 712: Safety Supervision and Leadership Eight modules.
Course 716: Safety Management System Evaluation Twelve Modules
Course 720: Preventing Workplace Violence Eight modules.
Course 722: Ergonomics Program Management Eight modules.
Visit the OSHAcademy for more information (http://www.oshatrain.org/)
This article comes from today's edition of the Dallas News. The article is about a crane accident that took place last Thursday. It states:
"Two of three workers hospitalized after a crane accident at the new Dallas Cowboys stadium have been released from the hospital, officials said today."
"Thursday’s accident happened about 2 p.m. between the stadium’s dual arches just outside the northeast end zone. The workers were assembling a crane when a cable connector “failed” on the erecting crane, which allowed the cables and some other parts to fall, according to a written statement from Manhattan Construction, the project’s contractor."
This accident is drawing attention in the news both because it is crane accident, and because it is the third "high profile" accident that has taken place during the construction of the new stadium.
Read the complete story in the Dallas News
A current article in Occupational Health & Safety magazine tackles the subject of Budgeting for the Safety Miser.
Linda Johnson Sherrard, Technical Editor of Occupational Health & Safety, writes: "I admit it, I'm a budget miser who is horrible at developing realistic needs analysis. I always hold funds to the last minute, expecting some dire happening or equipment break that needs immediate assistance. I try to obtain at least one meaningful piece of equipment or diagnostic monitoring every year and keep my resources up to date. The costs of a new safety program (or refreshing an older, established one) can be staggering: You have to section it off for several years in order to obtain the items you need."
In this short article she offers a number of bullet points for estimating your safety budget. Read the article here: http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/63420
Linda Johnson Sherrard, Technical Editor of Occupational Health & Safety, writes: "I admit it, I'm a budget miser who is horrible at developing realistic needs analysis. I always hold funds to the last minute, expecting some dire happening or equipment break that needs immediate assistance. I try to obtain at least one meaningful piece of equipment or diagnostic monitoring every year and keep my resources up to date. The costs of a new safety program (or refreshing an older, established one) can be staggering: You have to section it off for several years in order to obtain the items you need."
In this short article she offers a number of bullet points for estimating your safety budget. Read the article here: http://www.ohsonline.com/articles/63420
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).
"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).