December 2008
Monthly Archive
Wed 31 Dec 2008
The WorkLife Initiative is the NIOSH response to the 2004 Steps to a Healthier US Workforce Symposium. That Symposium, organized by NIOSH with over 20 co-sponsors and 50 supporters, reviewed the science, economics, and current practices coordinating health protection and health promotion to improve the health of workers. Symposium participants called on NIOSH to continue to show leadership in promoting research, policy, and practice in these areas.
The first major NIOSH action in the Initiative was to issue a RFA to establish Centers of Excellence. The awards for the two new Centers for Excellence to Promote a Healthier Workforce were announced in late 2006. Each Center will receive $1 million for five years through a cooperative agreement to establish trans-disciplinary research, education, and translation programs to facilitate the integration of health protection and promotion in the workplace. The grant recipients are Dr. Laura Punnett for the Center for the Promotion of Health in the New England Workplace, at the University of Massachusetts at Lowell and Dr. James Merchant for the Healthier Workforce Center for Excellence at the University of Iowa. The Center at the University of Massachusetts Lowell will evaluate several models for integrating health promotion with occupational ergonomic and mental health interventions with a strong emphasis on worker involvement. The University of Iowa Center will investigate the effects of different integrated health protection and health promotion programs tailored to meet the needs of three different work environments. NIOSH will work with these Centers and our other partners to improve the worklife of workers through implementation of this important Worklife Initiative.
Tue 30 Dec 2008
Shock, electrocution, arc flash, and arc blast are responsible for one worker death per day and 3,600 disabling injuries per year on average in the United States. Now NFPA 70E–the Standard developed for OSHA–is revised to address safety gaps and increase electrical worker protection, while helping companies comply with OSHA 1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1926 Subpart K. Major changes recognize new hazards and address safety gaps.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) protects personnel and can significantly reduce the risk of injury in an arc flash. To help electrical engineers calculate incident energy–the vital first step in determining the correct type of PPE for a given task–revised Annex D consolidates all equations, adds new tables, and offers more options to detailed calculations.
Improved work practices reduce risks.
•A new requirement for Fire Rated clothing for H/R Category 1 precludes the use of cotton clothing. This change reduces the risks for second-degree thermal burns.
•An expanded Table in Article 130 covers added tasks such as thermographic imaging, and new equipment including arc-resistant switchgear.
•Added Article 350 provides first-time requirements for the protection of electrical personnel in R&D labs.
•A new exception verifies that 240 V and less power systems fed by a single transformer less than 125 kvs no longer require an arc flash hazard analysis.
•Expanded requirements for multi-employer relationships address potential areas of oversight.
•New recordkeeping requirements for training and safety program audits answer OSHA’s need for records.
Annexes expand knowledge about electrical safety.
•Understand the Hazard/Risk evaluation procedure with clarification and sample worksheets in Annex F.
•Evaluate layering of PPE with new Annex M–Layering of Protective Clothing and Total System Arc Rating
•Follow safe work practices with new Annex N–Example Industrial Procedures and Policies for Working Near Overhead Electrical Lines
Engineers, designers, risk managers, maintainers, safety directors, contractors, and owners need the 2009 NFPA 70E to improve worker safety and avoid citations, rising insurance fees, and increased workman’s comp costs.
Mon 22 Dec 2008
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Employee exposure to wet floors or spills and clutter that can lead to slips/trips/falls and other possible injuries.
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Possible Solutions
- Keep floors clean and dry [29 CFR 1910.22(a)(2)]. In addition to being a slip hazard, continually wet surfaces promote the growth of mold, fungi, and bacteria, that can cause infections.
- Provide warning signs for wet floor areas [29 CFR 1910.145(c)(2)].
- Where wet processes are used, maintain drainage and provide false floors, platforms, mats, or other dry standing places where practicable, or provide appropriate waterproof footgear [29 CFR 1910.141(a)(3)(ii)].
- Walking/Working Surfaces Standard requires [29 CFR 1910.22(a)(1)]: Keep all places of employment clean and orderly and in a sanitary condition.
- Keep aisles and passageways clear and in good repair, with no obstruction across or in aisles that could create a hazard [29 CFR 1910.22(b)(1)]. Provide floor plugs for equipment, so power cords need not run across pathways.
- Keep exits free from obstruction. Access to exits must remain clear of obstructions at all times [29 CFR 1910.36(b)(4)].
Other Recommended Good Work Practices:
- Ensure spills are reported and cleaned up immediately.
- Use no-skid waxes and surfaces coated with grit to create non-slip surfaces in slippery areas such as toilet and shower areas.
- Use waterproof footgear to decrease slip/fall hazards.
- Use only properly maintained ladders to reach items. Do not use stools, chairs, or boxes as substitutes for ladders.
- Re-lay or stretch carpets that bulge or have become bunched to prevent tripping hazards.
- Aisles and passageways should be sufficiently wide for easy movement and should be kept clear at all times. Temporary electrical cords that cross aisles should be taped or anchored to the floor.
- Eliminate cluttered or obstructed work areas.
- Nurses station countertops or medication carts should be free of sharp, square corners.
- Use prudent housekeeping procedures such as cleaning only one side of a passageway at a time, and provide good lighting for all halls and stairwells, to help reduce accidents.
- Provide adequate lighting especially during night hours. You can use flashlights or low-level lighting when entering patient rooms.
- Instruct workers to use the handrail on stairs, to avoid undue speed, and to maintain an unobstructed view of the stairs ahead of them even if that means requesting help to manage a bulky load.
- Eliminate uneven floor surfaces.
- Promote safe work in cramped working spaces. Avoid awkward positions, and use equipment that makes lifts less awkward.
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Mon 15 Dec 2008
Save the Planet and Win launched its new environmental website and social network that lets everyone lower their carbon footprint, help reduce global warming, and participate in a worldwide collective — while having some fun and winning prizes and cash along the way.
At Save the Planet and Win, people can calculate, monitor, and reduce their own carbon footprint by participating in free green and social marketing promotions, in addition to the option of purchasing verified carbon offsets at the site’s Carbon Offset Store. Save the Planet and Win represents the first Voluntary Personal Carbon Registry (VPCR) in the United States.
Save the Planet and Win also features a Carbon Collective — where members can join friends, family, and co-workers to track the total carbon reductions achieved by the collective. Other social aspects of the site include the ability to share sustainable solutions, post every day tips (and videos) for reducing carbon emissions, and talk about the issues with a community of green-minded folks.
The new website rewards both the planet and its members. There are multiple chances to win, including a weekly sweepstakes and Click Green and Win promotions. Members watch a green-focused message from one of Save the Planet’s sponsors and in return the sponsor makes a points donation to the member’s account. Points can be used to purchase carbon offsets to achieve carbon neutrality, donated toward a social cause (ranging from reforestation projects in Mexico or the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative), or members can choose to cash in their points for actual dollars.
“We know that global climate change is having and will have an enormous impact on the earth — from rising sea levels, flooding, and increased storm activity to a rise in diseases like malaria and major changes in ecosystems and habitats. However, at an individual level, the concept of combating this trend can seem quite overwhelming,” said Luis Daniel Prestamo, COO at Save the Planet and Win.
“Save the Planet and Win makes the important work of fighting global warming, such as reducing greenhouse emissions and investing green projects, more understandable and personal for each of us. The website uses the power of community to help encourage everyone to make seemingly small changes in their daily lives that can have a big impact on the earth. By sharing our green accomplishments, we can increase environmental awareness, inspire others to make a difference, and become inspired ourselves,” Prestamo continued.
In 2007, the United Nations’ Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) concluded that the evidence of a warming trend is “unequivocal” and that human activity is “very likely” the key contributor for the warming that’s already been observed. The report found that we have to cut our greenhouse emissions by 85% by the year 2050 in order to stabilize the earth’s atmosphere and avoid the worst impacts of global warming.
Sign up at http://www.savetheplanetandwin.com/ and encourage your friends, family, and co-workers to join your efforts to combat global warming. You’ll be helping to make the planet a healthier and safer place for us all — and there’s no reason you can’t have some fun, win some cash, and meet some great people at the same time.
About Save the Planet and Win
Reducing carbon emissions is serious stuff, but it doesn’t mean you can’t have fun doing it. Save the Planet and Win is committed to finding fun and creative ways to increase environmental awareness and reduce carbon emissions. They’re the first carbon offset group that goes full circle for consumers — do something small for the earth, help on a global scale, and get something back in return. At Save the Planet and Win, it’s about being earth friendly, while being consumer-friendly as well. For more information, visit http://www.savetheplanetandwin.com/.
Mon 8 Dec 2008
Sure, OSHA has been more “business-friendly” in the last eight years. But it hasn’t been a paper tiger. New statistics on the agency’s citations and penalties for fiscal year 2008 show just the opposite. And with a new administration in January, OSHA is set to issue even more fines.
What’s tripping up companies when OSHA inspectors visit?
These are the top 10 most frequently cited standards in fiscal year 2008 (Oct. 2007 through Sept. 2008):
1.Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related topic page]
2.Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related topics page]
3.Hazard communication standard, general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [related topic page]
4.Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related topic page]
5.Respiratory protection, general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [related topic page]
6.Electrical, wiring methods, components and equipment, general industry (29 CFR 1910.305) [related topic page]
7.Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related topic page]
8.Ladders, construction (29 CFR 1926.1053) [related topic page]
9.Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212) [related topics page]
10.Electrical systems design, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.303) [related topic page]
OSHA assessed the highest penalties for these standards in fiscal year 2008 (October 2007 through September 2008):
1.Fall protection, construction (29 CFR 1926.501) [related topics page]
2.Scaffolding, general requirements, construction (29 CFR 1926.451) [related topic page]
3.Electrical, hazardous (classified) locations (29 CFR 1910.307) [related topic page]
4.Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout), general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [related topic page]
5.Excavations, requirements for protective systems, construction (29 CFR 1926.652) [related topics page]
6.Machines, general requirements, general industry (29 CFR 1910.212) [related topics page]
7.General duty clause (Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act)
8.Powered industrial trucks, general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [related topic page]
9.Walking-working surfaces, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.22) [related topic page]
10.Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals (29 CFR 1910.119) [related topic page]
This information is for all types of industries combined in states where federal OSHA conducts safety inspections. You can search for most frequently cited violations in your industry or a state that has its own OSHA program here.
Thu 4 Dec 2008
The workplace should be one place an employee can expect to feel safe. Maintaining a safe workplace should, therefore, be a primary goal of any business owner. The easiest way for an employer to prevent injuries in the workplace (and the associated costs that inevitably come with them) is to ensure that every eventuality is considered, and appropriate safety measure are put in place. The twelve Workplace Safety tips below are a good start.
Workplace Safety Tips:
1. Encourage your employees to maintain a clean and tidy workspace. This will have the dual effect of improving safety AND productivity by removing any potential hazards or distractions from your working area.
2. When working with heavy machinery, use specially constructed guards and engineering solutions combined with PPE (personal protective equipment) to protect your employees from injury.
3. Recognise employees that conform to the safety standards that are set, and ensure appropriate discipline is handed out to employees that flout these rules.
4. Give clear work instructions. Make sure your employees know the right way to do what is expected of them. Include safety instructions in every procedure you write.
5. While you should consider every aspect of your workplace safety, you should focus on the most common problems for your particular workplace first and foremost. You should keep a log of any workplace accident, which will allow you to identify and solve the most pressing issues.
6. Try to care for your employees more than your profits. If a machine is unsafe shut it down. If an expensive repair job is required, or a project delayed because of this, then so bet it. Better that than and injured employee.
7. Spend time getting to know the details of the work your employees do. Even if you once did that job, it is likely it is done differently by different people. By knowing the details of your employees daily work routine, you can help to ensure it is done safely.
8. Do not wait for your machinery or work tools to become defective before repairing them. Many times employees get into dangerous situations by having to compensate for a machine defect or wear. In the case of wear, it may have occurred so gradually that they think it is normal. Regular maintenance of your equipment will ensure optimum safety and productivity.
9. Ensure unavoidable hazards (such as wet floors or hot surfaces) are clearly labelled.
10. Ensure your workplace is well lit, allowing your workers to see what they are doing and reducing eye strain, which can be damaging over time.
11. Ensure your workplace is well ventilated, ensuring a fresh supply of oxyggen and removing any contaminents from the air.
12. Ensure optimum visability in your workplace. If possible, keep areas open and opsticles at eye level and above to a minimum. In some cases, however, reduced visability will be unavoidable. This can be improved with the use of observation equipment, such as cameras or convex mirrors, which can provide wide angle views on blind turns caused by tall obsticles. These safety mirrors are also useful as security mirrors, reducing shoplifting by providing better overall visibility on the shop floor.