If your organization has hazardous materials in the workplace, there is a site you might want to bookmark and become familiar with.   The Department of Health and Human Services has as part of it’s webpage a report on carcinogens.   The report identifies agents, substances, mixtures, and exposure circumstances that are known or reasonably anticipated to cause cancer in humans.   Since the Hazard Communication standard  is one of the most often sited parts of OSHA, this site may help you inform your employees about carcinogenic substances you have in your workplace.

On June 10 added eight substances, including the industrial chemical formaldehyde, to its Report on Carcinogens.  The report identifies chemicals and biological agents that may cause cancer in humans. According to HHS, research shows high exposure to formaldehyde increases the risk for certain types of cancer, such as nasopharyngeal, sinonasal and myeloid leukemia.  Formaldehyde is used to make resins for household items, as a preservative in medical laboratories and in consumer goods such as hair straightening products. In fact, after receiving complaints from hair stylists, OSHA in April issued an alert about hair smoothing products that may release formaldehyde despite being labeled “formaldehyde-free.”  The other substances added to the list were aristolochic acids, captafol, cobalt-tungsten carbide (in powder or hard metal form), certain inhalable glass wool fibers, o-nitrotoluene, riddelliine and styrene.

“Workers who dig or excavate trench­es are at risk of death if they enter an unprotected trench and the walls col­lapse. However, hazards associated with trench work and excavation are well defined and preventable. The OSHA standard for excavation and trenching, known as 29 CFR* 1926 Subpart P, de­scribes the precautions needed for safe excavation work.

There is no reliable warning when a trench fails. The walls can collapse sud­denly, and workers will not have time to move out of the way. Even though small amounts of dirt may not seem treacherous, a single cubic yard of dirt can weigh more than 3,000 pounds, which can fatally crush or suffocate workers [Deatherage et al. 2004]. Even small, solid pieces of dirt can cause se­rious injuries.”

This is the first few lines from a new Workplace Solutions from NIOSH on Trench Cave-Ins, Preventing Worker Deaths from Trench Cave-ins.

NIOSH has produced many Workplace Solutions brochures available to the business community on a variety of safety topics. Many of these publications are free when ordering them from NIOSH. Our federal government at work.

OSHA has established a new National Emphasis Program for the primary metals industries, targeting workers’ exposures to metal dusts and fumes, carbon monoxide, lead, silica, noise and heat hazards, according to the agency’s directive, which is dated May 19.

These establishments are involved in extracting and refining metals from rocks containing iron, lead, nickel, and tin, among other elements. Some manufacture nails, insulated wires and cables, steel piping, and copper and aluminum products.

OSHA said this became a concern from its review of data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries and data from past OSHA inspections. The directive says the NEP was developed “because of the seriousness and frequency of these problems.”

“Workers who are not properly protected from the hazards of metals refining are at increased risk of serious, potentially deadly health effects,” said Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. “OSHA’s new enforcement program will raise awareness of the dangers of exposure to metals and other chemicals so that employers can correct hazards and comply with OSHA standards.

April is National Distracted Driving Month

Each day, more than 16 people are killed and more than 1,300 people are injured in crashes involving a distracted driver. Distracted driving is driving while doing another activity that takes your attention away from driving; these activities can increase the chance of a motor vehicle crash.

There are three main types of distraction:

• Visual—taking your eyes off the road;
• Manual—taking your hands off the wheel; and
• Cognitive—taking your mind off what you are doing.

Distracted driving activities include things like using a cell phone, texting, eating, drinking, and talking with passengers. Using in-vehicle technologies (such as navigation systems) and portable communication devices can also be sources of distraction. While any of these distractions can endanger the driver and others, texting while driving is especially dangerous because it combines all three types of distraction.

How big is the problem?

• In 2008, nearly 6,000 people died in crashes involving a distracted driver and more than 500,000 people were injured.
• The proportion of drivers reportedly distracted at the time of a fatal crash has increased from 8 percent in 2004 to 11 percent in 2008.
• When asked whether driving feels safer, less safe, or about the same as it did five years ago, more than 1 in 3 drivers say driving feels less safe today. Distracted driving—cited by 3 out of 10 of these drivers—was the single most common reason given for feeling less safe today.

What are the risk factors?

• Some activities—such as texting—take the driver’s attention away from driving more frequently and for longer periods than other distractions.
• Younger, inexperienced drivers under the age of 20 may be at highest risk because they have the highest proportion of distraction-related fatal crashes.

How can distracted driving be prevented?

• Many states are enacting laws—such as banning texting while driving—or using graduated driver licensing systems for teen drivers to help raise awareness about the dangers of distracted driving and to keep it from occurring.
• On October 1, 2009, President Obama issued an executive order prohibiting federal employees from texting while driving on government business or with government equipment.
• In January 2010, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration enacted an interim ban that prohibits commercial vehicle drivers from texting while behind the wheel. In March 2010, a proposed rule was announced that would make that ban stronger and more durable.
• The Department of Transportation recently launched a national campaign to encourage the public to get involved in ending distracted driving.   Put It Down focuses on the key messages that drivers can’t do two things at once, and everyone has a personal responsibility to pay attention while behind the wheel.

Recently I was working on updating our respiratory program, and training that both the employee and supervisor could easily understand and still meet OSHA 1910.134. How fortunate that on February 12, 2011 the DOL came out with a new training video.

The 33-minute video explains the major components of a respiratory protection program including fit-testing, medical evaluations, training, and maintenance. The video also discusses the difference between respirators and surgical masks, and features a segment on common respiratory hazards found in healthcare settings, including airborne infectious agents that cause diseases such as tuberculosis, pandemic influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), chicken pox, and measles.

Demonstrations also show how respirator use helps protect workers from exposure to airborne chemical hazards such as formaldehyde and glutaraldehyde, which are used commonly in hospital laboratories to preserve tissue samples for medical analysis. These toxic substances can cause eye and nasal irritation, headaches, asthma, and other symptoms. Additionally, formaldehyde is a carcinogen and has been linked to nasal and lung cancer, with possible links to brain cancer and leukemia.

“Employers can’t rely on respirators providing the expected protection if they don’t train their workers on how to use them properly,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “This video is an important training tool that teaches proper respirator use and discusses employers’ responsibilities under OSHA’s respiratory protection standard.”

Intended for both employers and employees, the 33-minute video covers the main components of a respiratory protection program, the difference between respirators and surgical masks, and common respiratory hazards in health care settings – including airborne infectious agents that cause diseases such as tuberculosis, according to an OSHA press release.

The official start of winter this year is not until December 21, but it won’t be long before we gets hit with an onslaught of ice, snow, and limited visibility that makes driving difficult and at times nearly impossible. To arrive at your destination safely, you’ll need to take precautions and be particularly patient during treacherous winter weather.

When weather conditions deteriorate, too many motorists skid off the road or crash because they were driving too fast for conditions. “The posted speed limits are for dry pavement, and those speeds may be hazardous when there’s ice or snow on the road. The slogan ‘Snow Means Slow’ also applies to four-wheel drive and other heavy duty vehicles, which need ample distance for stopping on slippery roads, just like other vehicles.

This time of year, visibility can be poor, and it will be much worse if you don’t remove all frost, ice and snow on your vehicle’s windows. “Clearing a small patch on a windshield or rear window is not sufficient. You must be able to see in all directions at all times to avoid crashes. Clearing snow and ice from the lights, hood and roof also helps improve visibility and safety.

To minimize the dangers of winter driving, follow these safety tips:

• Always wear your seat belt even if traveling a short distance. You and your passengers absolutely need this protection even in low speed “fender-bender” collisions.
• Watch for slippery bridge decks. They ice up quicker than adjacent pavement.
• Look farther ahead than you normally do. Loss of traction and other actions by vehicles ahead of you will alert you sooner to upcoming slippery spots and other hazards.
• Brake early and correctly. It takes much longer to stop in adverse conditions.
• Don’t pump anti-lock brakes. With anti-lock brakes, the correct braking method is to “stomp and steer.”
• Don’t be overconfident about the traction of four-wheel drive vehicles, which generally won’t stop or grip the road in curves any better than two-wheel drive vehicles.
• Avoid cutting in front of trucks, which take longer than automobiles to slow down or stop.
• Leave plenty of room for snowplows. By law, you must stay back at least 200 feet from the rear of a snowplow.

MOTOR VEHICLE ACCIDENTS KILLS AND INJURES MORE EMPLOYEES/WORKERS, THAN ANY OTHER TYPE OF INCIDENT

The Different Types of Inspections carried out by OSHA

Recently the American Heart Association introduced 2 major changes in the way CPR is being taught and being done.

Hands Only

Hands-only CPR is a technique that involves simply using chest compressions on an individual who has suffered sudden cardiac arrest .  The technique involves no mouth to mouth contact and is best used in emergencies outside of hospitals where a bystander has seen another person suddenly collapse. The important part to remember here is you should see the person collapse.

If you see a person collapse and they are not breathing put one hand over the other and begin pumping on the chest just below the nipples. Pump at a rate of about 100 beats per minute.  You do not have to be certified, to perform Hand Only CPR.

Traditional CPR Change

The other big change is to traditional CPR steps. There will be a switch in the process of how to do CPR. For many years the steps have been ABC. Open Airway, give 2 Breaths and then 30 Compression of the chest.

Now the order will be giving compressions first then the breathing. Getting the blood circulating is much more important then taking the time to open the airway and give the breaths.

If you are certified in CPR the change will not be hard to make.

If you are not certified, this is a great opportunity to take a class, and have the knowledge that some day you might be able to SAVE-A-LIFE.

Look at the above diagram. How does this figure have anything to do with safety? If you have had any Six Sigma training you will recognize this as a Fishbone Cause and Effect Diagram.

Our business is now using this diagram to explore how to reduce our reported Slips, Trips, and Falls (STF). We are breaking down the root cause of the STF to its basic cause and effect. This information is helping us develop a strategy to make our employees more aware of their surroundings.

When I became a Six Sigma green belt, I never figured I would be  using the training for this purpose.Developing  a STF fishbone has helped our safety committee understand root cause analysis better, and has given us ideas to affect our reduction of the #1 reported incident to OSHA.

Give it a try. Maybe it will help your safety department get a better understanding of a root cause of any incident.

BLS occupational injury and illness numbers come from the BLS annual Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. The survey captures data from Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) logs of workplace injuries and illnesses maintained by employers. While BLS occupational injury and illness data have been the subject of scrutiny from time to time, a study released in early 2006 is the first specific research documenting missing cases in individual firms, as determined by comparisons between BLS and state workers’ compensation data. BLS provided the researchers with access to occupational injury and illness data and facilitated the research activities, which were funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. BLS is taking a number of steps to learn more about these research results, and to address any deficiencies in its survey operations.

Another researcher is currently conducting a similar study using BLS and workers’ compensation data from several States. The BLS also is interested in the details of these comparisons, such as by type of injury or demographic characteristics of the injured worker. This type of information will help to focus BLS efforts to improve survey operations. In addition, BLS is developing its own “follow-back” study to ensure the survey correctly captures the data that employers have recorded on their OSHA logs. Further research is being planned as well. BLS will update this response as more information becomes available.

Among the issues that have been raised in the past is the coverage of the BLS occupational injury and illness data. The BLS survey measures nonfatal injuries and illnesses only and excludes the self-employed; farms with fewer than 11 employees; private households; Federal government agencies; and (through 2007) national estimates for employees in State and local government agencies. National estimates for employees in State and local government became available for the first time beginning with 2008 data. Data for railroads and certain mining industries are not from the BLS survey, but are supplied to BLS from the Federal Railroad Administration and the Mine Safety and Health Administration. Data on fatal occupational injuries are collected by a separate BLS program.