If you talk about safety 24/7, here is an article to share with your employees.

U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 380,000 home structure fires per year during 2003-2007.

These fires caused an annual average of

• 2,840 civilian fire deaths,
• 13,160 civilian fire injuries, and
• $6.4 billion in direct damage.
• 92% of all structure fire deaths resulted from home fires.
• On average, eight people died in U.S. home fires every day.

Causes and Circumstances of Home Fires

Details from the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Incident Reporting System show that in 2003-2007:

• Cooking equipment was the leading cause of home structure fires

and home fire injuries.

• Smoking was the leading cause of civilian home fire deaths. Heating

equipment ranked second in home fire deaths overall, but was the

leading cause of fire deaths in one- or two-family homes

Almost all homes have at least one smoke alarm, but almost two-thirds of reported home fire deaths in 2003-2007 resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms.

Kitchens were the leading area of fire origin.

Ø      41% of home structure fires started in the kitchen. These fires

caused 36% of civilian home fire injuries.

Ø      15% of home fire deaths also resulted from kitchen fires.

Ø      8% of reported home fires started in the bedroom. These fires

caused

Ø      24% of home fire deaths and 21% of home fire injuries.

Ø      4% of home fire deaths started in the living room, family room, or

den.  These fires caused 23% of home fire deaths and 10% of the home

fire injuries.

Ø      Fires confined to chimneys or flues accounted for 6% of all reported

home fires. These fires caused very few casualties

No one knows how or when a disaster will strike. But everyone should be prepared. A disaster is a sudden event that causes great harm to people and property. The disaster might be severe weather, such as a hurricane or a tornado. Or it might be a flood, an earthquake, or a volcano.

Disasters can also be caused by people. A large fire might threaten an entire community.

Chemicals might spill from a truck. A terrorist attack might threaten air, water, or personal safety. Being prepared starts with having a conversation. Household members need to talk about the kinds of things that can happen where you live. Develop a family communication plan and assemble disaster supply kits that are stored in an identified place in the home. If a disaster does strike, go to an inside room of your home, or to the room with the fewest windows. Bring your disaster supply kit with you. Listen to a battery-powered radio for news and instructions.

Sometimes household members are away from home during a disaster. Or emergency officials might advise you to leave your home. In either case, you and your loved ones will need a place to meet. Pick a friend or relative’s house outside your neighborhood. Be sure to pick this place before a disaster strikes so you can be prepared. Also, memorize the phone number of a relative that lives out of state. Use it if you become separated from your loved ones. Let that relative know where you are so your loved ones can find you.

Your communication plan should include:

• Places in and out of your town, where you and your family could meet.

• Phone numbers of in-town contacts.

• An address and phone number of someone out of town (this could be a friend or relative).

• You can write this information on a card that each family member keeps with them. Help your children feel safe.

• Discuss and learn together about the different types of weather that can affect your area.

• Tell your children that you or another grownup will be there to help if something happens. Talk about how a relief worker, firefighter, police officer, teacher, neighbor or doctor might help.

• Put a list of emergency numbers by each telephone in your home. Tell you children what each number is for. You should also list the work and cell phone numbers of family members.

FEMA has a site, www.Ready.gov which is devoted to emergency planning.  FEMA’s motto is:

1. Get a Kit
2. Make a Plan
3. Be Informed

There are many disasters happening throughout the US.  BE PREPARED!

Recently, NFPA published a study by John R. Hall, Jr. on TheTotal Cost of Fire in the US. To see the complete paper click on the link provided.

The core of the total cost of fire was $134.2 billion in 2007. Other cost components that have been estimated only in one-time special studies may add about $42.3 billion to the total. Human losses, which many people resist converting to dollar equivalents, would add $42.5 billion in 2007 if valued along the lines discussed in this report. And the value of the donated time of volunteers is very roughly estimated as $128 billion, using the rough bases of valuation discussed here.

Adding these all together produces a total value affected by fire - lost to fire, spent to avoid or deal with fire, or donated to avoid or deal with fire - of $347 billion, or about 2.5% of U.S. gross domestic product.

It should be clear by this point that most of the analysis supporting these estimates is soft and has wide bands of uncertainty. Nevertheless, the conclusion that fire has a tremendous impact on the way the U.S. uses its scarce resources is indisputable.

It also is clear that we have a dual interest in reducing U.S. fire losses – which include human losses that are among the highest per capita in the industrial world – and in seeking ways to achieve equivalent fire safety at lower costs, since the growth in total cost of fire has been led not by the fire losses but by the other cost components. This provides a clear indication of need for product innovations or other programs (e.g., educational) that can improve fire safety at the same or lower costs. It also shows the need for improved methods (e.g., models) for calculating fire performance and costs, so the implications of different choices can be considered and judged more comprehensively.

First aid in the era of biohazards

by Lisa J. Burns, Q.S.S.P.

10 best practices to keep responders safe

Everyone sees the need for trained responders, first-aid kits and automated external defibrillators at the workplace. But what about the simple cut that bleeds enough to require a gauze bandage? Does the responder — or just a nearby helpful employee — see the need to wear disposable gloves? Bloodborne pathogens and other biohazards command little attention from most people, yet can cause critical illnesses and sometimes eventual death.

Defining the danger
Bloodborne pathogens are microorganisms (bacteria or viruses) carried in the blood that can be transmitted and cause disease in other people. Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) are two examples that are addressed by the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogen standard 29 CFR 1910.1030. Malaria and syphilis also are caused by bloodborne pathogens. Other body fluids also may transmit these and other diseases.

Infectious disease such as the H1N1 flu virus is a workplace concern that employers must address.

Transmission
Unbroken skin generally acts as a barrier to bloodborne pathogens. However, microorganisms can enter through any damaged or broken skin such as acne, sunburn, blisters, open sores, cuts or abrasions. They also may be transmitted through mucous membranes, including those of the eyes, nose or mouth.

Infectious diseases such as the H1N1 flu virus are primarily transmitted through airborne body fluids emitted with coughs and sneezes, and breathed in by others in the immediate vicinity. They also are transmitted when a hand used to cover the mouth then touches faucets, doorknobs and other surfaces from which it is later picked up by others.

OSHA first-aid regulations
Emergency medical services and first aid that general industry employers must provide are described in OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.151. The standard recommends kits and supplies that are compliant with the minimum guidelines established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) in Z308.1-2009. It also incorporates other standards and measures by reference, such as 29 CFR 1910.1030, which deals with bloodborne pathogens.

OSHA’s 29 CFR 1910.1030 standard requires limiting employee exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials. It specifies that training and personal protective equipment must be provided for employees who can be “reasonably anticipated” to face possible contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials on the job.

The standard, issued in 1991, was updated in 2001 in response to the Needlestick Safety and Prevention Act, and can be found at http://www.osha.gov, along with FAQs and various letters of interpretation issued over the years since then.

Best practices
Following the best PPE practices recommended below will help keep first responders safe from bloodborne pathogens and other infectious material.

1. “Universal precautions.” Treat every situation as potentially dangerous. OSHA’s universal precautions require that all human blood or other potentially infectious materials be considered hazardous.

2. Hand protection. Before donning gloves, cover any cuts or sores on your own hands with a bandage. Inspect the gloves and if the material is thin, doubleglove to provide another layer of protection. Do not use torn or punctured gloves, no matter how miniscule the damage might be. When removing used gloves, pull them off from the cuff, turning them inside out so the outside of the gloves do not touch your bare skin. Dispose of them in a designated biohazard bag. Immediately scrub your hands thoroughly, including under nails — and any other potentially contaminated skin — with nonabrasive soap and running water at hand-washing facilities that employers must provide in readily accessible areas.

3. Eye and face protection. While providing first aid or other medical assistance as well as working in labs or while cleaning up a spill, there may be a risk of splashing or vaporization of contaminated fluids. Use goggles to protect against transmission of pathogens through your eye membranes. Use a face shield in addition to goggles to protect against splashes to your nose and mouth.

4. Body protection. In some cases, you may need to wear aprons or body shields to protect your clothing and keep blood or other contaminated fluids from soaking through to your skin. Wear shoe covers to avoid contamination of your footwear.

5. Clean up. For clean-up of blood or other body fluids from sick or injured employees, use gloves and, depending on the situation, some or all of the above-mentioned PPE. In addition, you should have available a small shovel and scraper, appropriate absorbent materials, biohazard bags, ties, germicidal towelettes — and for large areas, a mop or sponge and bucket with a solution of 1/4 cup bleach to 1 gallon of water. Some manufacturers supply complete biohazard clean-up kits that contain all the necessary supplies, including special absorbent materials that deodorize as well as bind the hazardous body substances together.

6. Deposit waste. Once clean-up is complete, deposit the waste material first in a labeled, red biohazard bag and tie it tightly. Use germicidal towelettes or bleach solution to clean the contaminated area. Then put the first bag into a second biohazard bag, and add the used towelettes or sponges, your shoe covers, gown, face mask with eye shield and, lastly gloves in the same bag, and seal it with a tie. Discard the red bag in an appropriate container for infected solid waste as required by local regulations.

7. Sharps. For any broken glass or other sharp material, use a broom with shovel or dustpan, and deposit them in appropriate boxes. Never touch them with your gloved or ungloved hands and do not put them in a biohazard bag.

8. Decontamination. Finally, wipe your hands with antiseptic hand wipes that provide rapid bactericidal action and allow them to air dry. Next, go to the nearest handwashing area and wash your hands and all potentially exposed skin thoroughly with non-abrasive soap and running water.

9. Equipment decontamination. A person trained in the appropriate procedures must decontaminate and sterilize all non-disposable equipment and tools used, such as mops, buckets and re-usable gloves, as soon as possible.

No complacency
Factory or construction site, chemical, plastics or food and beverage processing plant — no matter what the workplace — there should be no toleration of complacency when there is potential for exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other infectious disease. The effects of exposure may not be immediate, but there is a definite potential for serious illness and eventual death.

Lisa J. Burns, Q.S.S.P. Lisa is associate product manager-personal protection- Americas at North by Honeywell. She is a member of the International Safety Equipment Association and a Qualified Safety Sales Professional. Lisa can be reached at (401) 275-2608 or by e-mail at Lisa.J.Burns@Honeywell.com.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has released a new report titled Personal Preparedness in America: Findings from the 2009 Citizen Corps National Survey that offers data on the public’s thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors related to preparedness and community safety for multiple types of hazards. FEMA says the report’s findings are particularly relevant as the nation prepares for a possible pandemic flu outbreak, hurricane season, and other hazards.

Results from the national survey have important implications for the development of more effective communication and outreach strategies to achieve greater levels of preparedness and participation, the agency says. For example, the results indicate that 30 percent of Americans have not prepared because they think that emergency responders will help them and that more than 60 percent expect to rely on emergency responders in the first 72 hours following a disaster. While government will execute its functions, communications to the public should convey a more realistic understanding of emergency response capacity and emphasize the importance of self-reliance. FEMA concludes that messaging should thus speak to a shared responsibility and stress that everyone has a role to play in preparedness and response.

The survey also found that many people who report being prepared have not completed important preparedness activities or do not have a sound understanding of community plans. Of those who perceived themselves to be prepared, 36 percent did not have a household plan, 78 percent had not conducted a home evacuation drill, and 58 percent did not know their community’s evacuation routes.

Fourteen percent of respondents reported having a physical or other disability that would affect their capacity to respond to an emergency situation. Alarmingly, however, few individuals with disabilities had taken specific actions to help them respond safely in the event of an emergency, the study found. Only 27 percent had taken a CPR or first aid training and less than half (47 percent) had a household plan. Another 14 percent of survey participants indicated they lived with and/or cared for someone with a physical or other disability. Of these individuals, less than 40 percent reported taking a CPR or first aid training (36 percent and 39 percent respectively) and 53 had supplies set aside in their home.

The report notes that practicing response protocols is critical for effective execution; this is true for emergency responders and true for the public. Fewer than half the surveyed individuals (41 percent) had practiced a workplace evacuation drill, only 14 percent had participated in a home evacuation drill, and of those in school and/or with children in school, only 23 percent had participated in a school evacuation drill. And the numbers are much lower for shelter in place drills (27 percent, 10 percent, and 13 percent respectively). Drills and exercises for multiple hazards and multiple locations need to be conducted through social networks, the study found. In addition, community members need to be included more effectively in government-sponsored community exercises.

The survey results indicate that individuals’ perceived utility of preparing and their confidence in their ability to respond varies significantly by disaster type. Only 7 percent of individuals felt that nothing they did would help them handle a natural disaster, whereas 35 percent felt nothing they did would help them in an act of terrorism, such as a biological, chemical, radiological, or explosive attack. All-hazards terminology may mask important nuances relative to conveying personal preparedness guidance for specific hazards. The report thus says it is important to emphasize the survivability of manmade disasters and the relevant protective measures for these hazards.

The report notes that national leaders must be strong advocates for personal preparedness, but adds it is clear that messages specific to individual preparedness must include critical local information, such as information on local hazards, local alerts and warnings, and local community response protocols. Local social networks must also be used to support outreach and education on personal preparedness, such as neighborhoods, the workplace, schools, and faith communities. And the concepts of mutual support at the local, neighborhood level should be emphasized.

To read the survey report, go to www.citizencorps.gov/ready/2009findings.shtm.

A Confined Space Safety Policy can be divided into 9 sections.
This article briefly describes the nine parts of a comprehensive yet efficient confined space safety program.

1 - Purpose - The confined space safety policy states the requirements for the identification and safe entry into both permit required and non-permit required confined spaces.  The policy applies to areas of the workplace not designed for continuous occupancy and containing recognized serious safety or health hazards.
2 - Reference - OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146
3 - Scope - Applicable to all of the business’s employees, visitors and contractors.
4 - Administration - Variable, but generally administration of the confined space policy is by safety coordinators, supervisors, engineers and other trained managerial staff.
5 - Definitions - Can be standard, see: OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Act
6 - Descriptions -

Confined Space is an area/space where an employee: - has limited openings for entry and egress; - can bodily enter and which is large enough to perform assigned work; - could be engulfed by bulk materials; - is not intended to continuously occupy.
Non-Permit Required Confined Space is a confined space neither containing nor having the potential to contain any hazard.
Permit Required Confined Space is a confined space with: - a hazardous atmosphere or potential for it; - material that could engulf an entrant; - converging/tapering walls/floors that could entrap or asphyxiate; - a recognized hazard.
Procedures Followed For All Permit Required Confined Space Entry
- - Permit
- - Issuance - By the supervisor, mandatory for the employee, one shift in duration.
- - Cancellation - At shift end or on job completion.
- - Retention - Must be reviewed and kept. -
- - Alternate Entry/Space Reclassification - Specific ref: OSHA 29 CFR 1910.146 (c)(5)/(c)(7)
- - Pre-Entry Briefing - By permit issuing entry supervisor.
- - Contractor Notification - Outside contractor adheres to procedures - compliance must be assured.
- - Lighting Requirements - Natural, auxiliary, emergency.
- - Special Tools and Equipment - Intrinsically safe in flammable or combustible atmosphere.
- - Preparation and Hazard Control - Preventing engulfment, burns. Lockout/tagout procedures.
- - Assuring adequate ventilation.
- - Pre-Entry Atmospheric Testing - Includes employee training with testing equipment.
- - Monitor Calibration and Testing
- - Field and Manufacturer Testing.
- - Attendant Duties - Mandatory for permit required confined space entry, no other duties.
- - Entry Supervisor Duties - Trained and authorized entry supervisor.
- - Safety Equipment - PPE, non-entry rescue, rescue, general.
- - Equipment Inspection - Per manufacturer’s recommendation.
- - Handling Problems
- - Rescue and Emergency Services - Documented, available, trained, equipped.
- - Summoning Rescue Services Procedure

7 - Responsibilities - Employees and Entry Supervisor - Safety Coordinators - Supervisors - Contractors
8 - Training - Initial - Refresher - Annual
9 - Revision - Annually by Safety Coordinators

These are the nine parts of a Confined Space Safety Policy.
Fleshed out details of just such a policy can be read at Confined Space Safety Policy

Every employer has a responsibility to make sure all employees have a safe and stable work environment. These employees should have access to safety equipment and information at anytime they are on the jobsite. These employees should be able to go to their superiors with fears or concerns about safety without fear of termination or retaliation. In order to accommodate employees in such a fashion, we have compiled a short and condensed version of what an employer of the construction industry should have documented and in place for emergencies or for an OSHA inspection.

Management Commitment to Safety and Health

Employers and managers should lead by example. If your employee sees a superior taking safety seriously, they will too! Assign Safety and Health Responsibilities to employees. If you involve and rotate employee responsibilities, everyone will feel important and compliant. Give the assigned employees to correct minor issues. When a subordinate is give a little more power than their position requires, they are more likely to do what it takes to keep earning your trust and respect.

Assure your employees that they may voice their concerns regarding safety without any repercussions. These employees are the front line guys and they often see the danger in a position before a manager does. Listen to what they have to say and respect their position on safety. Most state laws protect whistleblowers, so check your states regulations. Inform employees of any hazards that you are aware of. Again, it is the employer’s responsibility to safeguard their employees, so keep the lines of communication open. If you are sharing a worksite with other companies or their employees, it is your responsibility to communicate any known hazards to them. Share a safe workplace. Post the OSHA state or Federal poster where all can see it. Employees have a right to know the law.

Hazard Identification and Determination

Carefully evaluate all operations, procedures, facilities, and equipment to identify hazards to employees and others. Monitor exposure levels of noise, air quality, heat, electricity, silica or dust, and moisture. Set aside time to do routine inspections. If you create a habit of safety awareness, you will create a timeless good habit. If you have an accident, conduct an investigation. The best way to prevent history from repeating itself it to identify and address the factors that caused the accident to begin with.

Do a PPE assessment. For every position within construction, evaluate the potential dangers associated with that assignment, then create a list of personal protection equipment that should be worn while performing these tasks. Determine if it goes beyond simple protection and what precautions should be taken. Document all of your findings.

Hazard Elimination and Control

Inspect and ensure all machines and tools are in proper working order with relevant standards. Develop positive practices with workplace safety and health so that it becomes second nature. Housekeeping is a must. Jobsites should be free of debris and cleaned up daily to ensure the safety of others.

Emergency Response Planning

Develop emergency response plans for your jobsite. If you are in an industry where your jobsite changes frequently, you still need to have a response plan. These do not have to elaborate, but clear enough to communicate what needs to be done in case of an emergency. Have an emergency route to evacuate injured employees. If your jobsite is in a new development area that the emergency response team may not have access too, have in a convenient location that is easily accessible by all employees. Use established landmarks and turn by turn directions. Have a list of all the jobsite emergency contact information including any pre-existing medical conditions and allergies that emergency personnel may need to know.

Training

Employers should train employees to recognize hazards and unsafe working conditions and how to avoid them. Employers need to provide training on safe work practices, safe operation of machinery, and equipment, and how to recognize when things are not safe. Access ladders, stairways, confined space, and enclosed space entry hazards are all subjects that need to be trained and documented.

Recordkeeping

You must record and post injuries and fatalities. This is otherwise known as the 300-log. Maintain medical records and exposure records for all employees and past employees. You must maintain all appropriate documents and tags for abatement purposes. If you do not have these items, it could mean hefty fines.

We recently experienced 2 very powerful hurricanes, which not only left damage and destruction throughout the south, but also impacted the midwest with heavy rainfalls and flooding.  So was your company or organization emergency ready?  Many were not.

FEMA, Homeland Security, The Red Cross, along with others have materials to help you prepare for disruption of your business.

Here are some things you might want to consider:

• Back up your computer system. Make sure your computers are backed up, preferably off site, and the programs to restore your business data are current. Also, practice restoring your system. After the fact is not the time to test.
• Set up an employee call network. Get employee phone and cell numbers and break your workforce into groups. If there is a natural disaster, have one person in charge of calling everyone in their group, then reporting back to management.
• Have adequate generator capacity. Make sure you have a generator that can run your facility before a disaster strikes. Needless to say, a reliable fuel source is a must. Set it up and test it.
• Stockpile supplies. Store non-perishable food items and other essentials that may be needed after a storm, to create an environment where employees will want to come to work. If you take care of your employees after a disaster, they will take care of you.
• Train first responders on emergency procedures and then all the employees. Ensure that first responders have adequate notice to get employees to a safe area depending on the diaster.
• Secure your facility unless in the case of fire there is no time.
• Plan for after the diaster. Designate a team to assess damages and take stock of what’s happened after the danger has passed.

You can also review Compliance Resource Center articles on Emergency Prepardness:

Exit Routes and Emergency Action Plans (1910.33)

Emergency Preparedness Be Ready

Fire Prevention Plan

Communications Preparedness Tips

NFPA Evacuation Guide to People with Disabilities

There are more articles at www.thecrcenter.com.  So now is the time if you do not have a emergency plan GET ONE and the other important word is PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE.

Recently, Chuck Armstrong, Safety Manager for the City of Chicago, sent me a website to check out.  This short video http://www.hazmatsolutions.net/erg/ explains how to use an Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG).   Click on the quiz at the end of the presentation to test your knowledge.  

This video can also be used a part of a training class if your safety department is involved with hazardous materials.   

Thanks for passing this information to our readers.  If you have anything like this (which is not a commercial) let us know and we will give everyone the information to use.

It is interesting that in the 29CFR 1910, there are 2 parts that have similar, yet vastly different relationships.  Both parts deal with hazardous materials but the difference is only one (1) zero or is it?  1910 part 120 is the regulation for hazardous waste operations and emergency response, and 1910.1200 is the compliance regulation for hazardous communications. 

Hazardous communications almost always is in the top 5 of most frequently cited standards of OSHA violations.  The most common citation is for failing to have a written program 1910.1200(e) and failure to train employees 1910.1200(h).

So what does this mean?  Employers are required to have an updated MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) book on ALL hazardous chemicals/materials in the workplace.  The book should be available to all employees who work with these hazardous materials.  Each time a new or changed hazardous material enters the workplace the MSDS book should be updated.  In addition, all hazardous materials must be properly labeled with a similar 3 or 4 part hazardous label similar to the ones seen above.  Some labels include proper PPE (personnel protective equipment) to be worn when working with this hazardous material.

Another key part of the Hazardous Communication standard is the training.  The training 1910.1200(h)(3) shall include at least:

• Methods and observations to detect the presence or release of a hazardous material in the work area.
• Physical and health hazards of hazardous materials in work area
• Measures take for protection.
• Information including how to use the hazardous labels, MSDS sheets and where employees can get information.

To avoid compliance issues with the Hazcom standard, start with a hazardous materials audit and develop you policies and procedures.  Next write a Hazcom program that includes training, and then do the training.  Remember, every time a hazardous material changes or is introduced into the workplace, or a new employee is put into that environment you must train or retrain all involved.  Avoid the problems and avoid the fines.  Write the program and do the training.