March 2008
Monthly Archive
Wed 26 Mar 2008
There has been 2 recent, serious incidents and deaths involving cranes. OSHA compliance is for cranes and derricks is found at 29 CFR part 1926.550. Here is a link to an ABC news video describing recent crane incidents including the “The Big Blue” crane incident in Milwaukee.
The Crane Certification Association of America in Vancourver, WA purpose is to promote crane safety, improve the certification profession and address the subject of crane safety in governmental forums.
In fulfilling its purposes, the Association shall have the following objectives:
- To develop and/or promote educational information for increasing the knowledge and capabilities of the membership.
- To develop and/or disseminate information and materials that will carry out the purposes of the Association and serve the public.
- To provide and/or support forums for the interchange and acquisition of professional knowledge among its members.
- To foster liaison with governmental agencies that implement such other programs and projects that are consisted with the purpose of the Association.
- To conduct its affairs in a manner that will reflect the standards, purposes and objectives of the Association.
- Provide testing for practicing crane surveyors.
- Provide a professional designation to all members who successfully pass the Certified Crane Surveyors (CCS) test.
Another association which promotes safety is the CMAA Crane Manufacturers Association of America. The CMAA is part of of the OSHA Alliance Program.
Here is a link to an 8 minute video about crane safety provided by OSHA and The Department of Labor.
Thu 20 Mar 2008
According to Prevent Blindness America, 90 percent of all eye injuries are preventable simply by wearing the proper eye protection. The organization has designated March as Workplace Eye Health and Safety Awareness Month to encourage workers in all industries to protect their eyes now to ensure healthy vision in the future.
“Our vision is something that so many people take for granted until it’s damaged,” said Daniel D. Garrett, senior vice president of Prevent Blindness America. “We hope to encourage employers and employees to make sure that eye protection is on the ‘to do’ list every day.”
Most eye injuries occur in production, transportation and service industries. OSHA requires employers to provide a safe work environment. In fact, the group states that eye and face protection must be provided whenever necessary to protect against chemical, environmental, radiological or mechanical irritants and hazards. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that eye injuries total more than $300 million annually in lost production time, medical expenses and worker compensation.
“Not only does practicing eye safety at work make good business sense, most importantly, it is integral in ensuring the health of employees, which is any company’s most valuable asset,” Garrett said.
Prevent Blindness America recommends the following tips to promote safety in the workplace:
Safety eyewear must have “ANSI Z87″ clearly marked on all glasses or goggles and should be worn at all times whenever eye hazards are present.
Workers should know where the nearest eyewash station is at their job site and how to use it.
Employers should be notified immediately if safety hazards are discovered.
Employees should have regular eye exams to make sure their vision is adequate to do their jobs safely.
Those who already have reduced vision should ask their employers if prescription glasses or goggles can be provided.
Prevent Blindness America offers several free fact sheets and brochures to safety managers and consumers. Employers may also request information on the Wise Owl safety education program by calling 1-800-331-2020 or visiting the workplace section of http://www.preventblindness.org/
Mon 17 Mar 2008
Why should business owners care about safety, and what does safety excellence look like? Responding to those questions, OSHA, Abbott, and The Center for Business and Public Policy at Georgetown University teamed to create “The Business Case for Safety,” a presentation designed for the business community. Started as an outgrowth of the organizations’ work together on an Illinois health care initiative, the project evolved and is now offered as a downloadable workshop on OSHA’s Web site at http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/success_stories/compliance_assistance/abbott/abbott_casestudies/index.html.
The program is comprised of 70 slides that managers and business leaders can use to make the case that safety is not only the right thing to do but that it is also good business, adding a competitive advantage while improving employee morale and efficiency, company productivity, and access to global markets. The presentation includes various short case studies, figures, and flowcharts that show the many ways an emphasis on safety and health can contribute to an organization’s strategy and enhance its reputation while also helping to control costs across the board.
The presentation makes the case that safety cannot be treated separately from strategic and financial goals of an organization. Covering everything from ergonomic improvements in manufacturing to fleet safety, the case studies illustrate how strong safety and health programs correlate with profitability. “Safety is not an expense–it is an investment,” the program concludes.
Fri 14 Mar 2008
MARK YOUR CALENDARS!! The 20th Annual Chicagoland Safety and Health Conference will be held September 15 - 18, 2008, at NIU Naperville!
The 20th Annual Chicagoland Safety and Health Conference is scheduled for September 15 - 18, 2008, at Northern Illinois University’s Naperville Campus on 1120 E. Diehl Road. Four days of offerings include special pre-conference programs, cutting-edge break out topics, exemplary keynote speakers, and large vendor exhibit hall!
If you are a safety, health, environmental or disaster preparedness specialist, you will benefit from professionals who present the hottest topics needed for your work success. The conference is planned jointly by three ASSE Safety Engineer Chapters, several OSHA Area Offices, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity-On Site Safety and Health Consultation Program, the American Society of Industrial Hygiene Chicago Association, Northern Illinois University and the National Safety Education Center.
Also back this year by popular demand: the VPP/SHARPS “Conference within a Conference”!
New this year: Advanced Training Technique Topics!
Be sure to visit the website at www.chisafetyconf.org for conference details and session topics as they become available.
Thu 13 Mar 2008
Fall Protection Seminar
When:
Tuesday March 25th
8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Registration starts at 7:30am
Where: Eigerlab
605 Fulton Avenue
Rockford, Illinois 61103
Early Registration: $75.00
At Door: $100.00
Registration Contact:
John Vaughan
Fax: 815.633-6609
Email:
midwestsafety@t6b.com
Phone: 815.633-6609
Fall protection is a complicated issue and one of the most important
faced by an employer or worksite supervisor. With over 100,000
reported incidents per year, falls from heights almost always result
in serious injury.
In the construction industry, falls are the number one cause of
worker death. In any industry, not having fall protection can have
serious consequences.
When it comes to fall protection, there is no margin for error. Every
day, workers risk their lives to accomplish elevated tasks that are
essential to the development and operation of our world. From
1992-2000 there were over 3,400 deaths due to falls from heights.
The key to effective fall protection training is practical, hands-on
experience. At the end of the session, you will be able to:
1. Discuss the causes of falls and when fall protection is
required: why the OSHA Standard at 4 feet, 6 feet, or 15 feet.
2. Identify categories of fall protection.
3. Determine how to select fall protection, anchorage, body
support, and connectors.
You’ll also enjoy the experience of our hands-on demonstrations
when DBI/SALA’s mobile demonstration vehicles show drop-tests
and force measuring instruments to demonstrate arresting forces
workers would experience during a fall.
Get Registered Today!
Wed 12 Mar 2008
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has posted a new Combustible Dust Safety and Health Topics Web page at www.osha.gov/dsg/combustibledust/index.html to help employers address hazardous combustible dust and provide recommendations to prevent and control these hazards.
“Fires and explosions resulting from combustible dust can pose a significant danger at the workplace,” said Assistant Secretary for Occupational Safety and Health Edwin G. Foulke Jr. “This new safety and health topics page is part of a long-term, ongoing program in OSHA to address these hazards and assure safe and healthful working conditions.”
Certain combustible substances, when divided into a dust-like form and suspended in air, can become explosive. Industries that have combustible dust include food (for example, candy, sugar, spice, starch, flour and feed), grain, tobacco, plastics, wood, paper, pulp, rubber, furniture, textiles, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, dyes, coal, metals (for example, aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium and zinc) and fossil fuel power generation. Combustible dust may have been a cause of an explosion at a Georgia sugar refinery plant. An OSHA Safety and Health Information Bulletin at www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib073105.html reminds employers of the dangers associated with combustible dust and encourages employers to address such hazards at their worksites. OSHA has in place many relevant standards to address combustible dust hazards – including requirements for hazard communication, housekeeping, emergency action plans, ventilation and hazardous locations.
The Web page also features a link to the National Emphasis Program on Combustible Dust (www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=3729) that provides information on compliance with existing standards, an understanding of the hazard, and methods of abatement and collection of data for analysis. The new page also incorporates information on directives as well as OSHA and national census standards.
Fri 7 Mar 2008
Posted by Allan under
Safety ,
Compliance ,
The Compliance Resource Center ,
Health ,
Training ,
Hazardous Materials ,
OSHA ,
PPE ,
Hazardous Waste ,
Bloodborne Pathogens ,
Record Keeping[2] Comments
The US department of labor estimates that 5.6 million workers risk exposure to bloodborne pathogens, including human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV), while on the job. An OSHA Standard Bloodborne Pathogens (1910.1030) Training Program is essential for any person who may be “reasonably anticipated” to face contact with blood and other potentially infectious materials as the result of performing their job duties. Professions at risk include, but are not limited to, healthcare professionals, educators, cosmetologists, tattoo artists, and construction workers. Industries whose employees have contracted infection from bloodborne pathogens while on the job run the risk of an OSHA citation up to $70,000 for facilities not in full compliance with bloodborne pathogens standard.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has recently begun to strictly enforce the bloodborne pathogens standard. Facilities not in full compliance with the standard, including failure to provide proof of OSHA standard bloodborne pathogens training to all employees, have received up to 70,000 dollars in fines.
A Bloodborne Pathogen program should include, but not be limited to:
- Exposure Control
- Methods of Compliance
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Housekeeping
- Regulated Waste Control
- Communication of Hazards to Employees
- Recordkeeping
It is the employers’ responsibility to train and inform their employees about hazards in the workplace. It is also the responsibility of the employer to pay for all PPE necessary to keep the employee safe.
The Compliance Resource Center provides training and polices and procedures for Bloodborne Pathogens Programs and other OSHA and DOT compliance.
Tue 4 Mar 2008
“Assuring the safety and health of working men and women are the foundations of our respective organizations,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. on forming new alliance with Safety and Health Professional certification Organizations.
“OSHA is pleased to join with BCSP, CCHEST, and ABIH as we collaborate to develop products, programs and resources that will advance safety and industrial hygiene competency in the workplace.” added Foulke.
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently formed a new Alliance with the Board of Certified Safety Professionals (BCSP), the Council on Certification of Health, Environmental and Safety Technologists (CCHEST) and the American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH). The groups will work collectively to help enhance the education and expertise of safety professionals and industrial hygienists, as well as promote the value of safety and health accredited certifications.
In addition, the Alliance will produce materials and programs that promote the benefits of achieving safety and health certifications. Alliance representatives will collaborate to distribute information to employers and employees through print and electronic media, conferences, meetings and other events.
“BCSP is pleased to join with CCHEST and ABIH in signing our Alliance with OSHA,” stated BCSP President Paul Adams. “As credentialing organizations dedicated to advancing professional expertise, we share a common goal with OSHA in helping safety, health and environmental practitioners promote safe and healthful workplaces. Through this Alliance, BCSP will work with our partners to promote the education, training and skills needed by professionals entrusted with protecting American workers, and to reach out to and encourage their certification.” BCSP is a nationally and internationally accredited peer certification board that awards the Certified Safety Professional certification.
CCHEST President Kevin Moorhead acknowledged, “We are excited to work with OSHA through the Alliance with BCSP and ABIH. Each of our organizations has one goal in mind, and that is to help advance safety through certification, training and education so that safety becomes a way of life for everything we do on the job and also at home. By working together we can achieve a higher level of safety performance.” Formerly known as the ABIH/BCSP Joint Committee, CCHEST certifies individuals as occupational health and safety technologists, construction health and safety technicians, and safety trained supervisors.
ABIH provides certification for the industrial hygiene profession and promotes high standards for those serving public health interests. “Promoting advanced knowledge in health and safety through this Alliance will improve the conditions in workplaces across the United States and help to ensure that workers’ health is protected,” said Lynn O’Donnell, ABIH executive director.