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SAFETY DEPARTMENT INC. DELIVERS "FORTUNE 500" SAFETY TRAINING
Pittsburgh, PA - The Safety Department, Inc. delivered "OSHA-10" training to a group of Fortune 500 managers from around the country. The day-and-a-half seminar was conducted at the Sheraton Station Square on Pittsburgh's South Shore. Topics ranging from Fall Protection to Personal Protective Equipment were covered. More than 100 managers were in attendance. CHINA DELEGATION VISITS PITTSBURGH
Pittsburgh, PA - The Safety Department, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based safety consulting firm, hosted a group of government officials from the Chinese province of Shandong. The purpose of the visit was to exchange ideas and methodologies on workplace safety. The meeting, arranged by representatives of the Peoples' Republic, provided the group an opportunity to discuss a wide range of occupational safety issues currently faced by companies engaged in international business. Topics for discussion included American safety management systems, as well as the function of local governments and governmental agencies in workplace safety. Foremost on the agenda was establishing an ongoing partnership in workplace safety and a collaboration for future safety projects.
SAFETY DEPT. PARTICIPATES IN INVESTIGATION
Pittsburgh, PA - Pittsburgh-based consulting firm, The Safety Department, Inc., was solicited by an ABC Television affiliate to examine ongoing alcohol use during the workday at a local construction site. Managing Director Sam Church advised WTAE's investigative team regarding OSHA regulations, as well as the practical implications of alcohol consumption on the job. The entire report, including Sam's on-camera interview, was recently aired locally and nationally.
Fort Atkinson, WI - In an interview with Contractor Tools & Supply Magazine, Sam Church, managing director of The Safety Department, Inc., answers questions about the proper way to educate new employees about OSHA and company safety. For a complete text of this brief instructional “Q & A” session, please click on the article title “Teaching new employees about OSHA and general safety. ”
Cincinnati, OH -
OSHA
Proposes $2.78 Million Penalty for Employee Death OSHA ANNOUNCES "TARGETED" INSPECTION PLAN
Washington,
DC - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has
announced its site-specific targeting (“SST”) plan that will focus on
approximately 4,000
“high-hazard” worksites for unannounced
comprehensive safety inspections. Public Hearing on OSHA PPE Standards Washington, DC - OSHA announced it will hold a public hearing regarding its plan to update personal protective equipment (“PPE”) design standards. The announcement was made in the Federal Register. Those who wish to present testimony must notify OSHA in writing of their intention to do so. Parties requesting more than 10 minutes for presentations must submit the full text of their testimony and all documentary evidence. Submissions of notices of intention to appear may be made electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the federal eRulemaking Portal. Hard copy (non-electronic) submissions must be sent in triplicate to the OSHA Docket Office, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, DC, 20210; telephone (202) 693-2350. If the written submission is ten pages or fewer, parties may FAX to (202) 693-1648. For more information, visit www.osha.gov .Washington, DC - BLS Data: "Slight Decline in 2006 Workplace Fatalities"The number of workplace deaths in the United States dropped slightly, possibly reaching an all-time low, according to initial data compiled by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 5,703 work-related fatalities were reported in 2006, a decrease from 5,734 in 2005. BLS said the 2006 total, which will be revised in April, is the lowest since they began the survey in 1992. Also, the actual rate of fatal injuries dropped to 3.9 per 100,000 workers, from 4.0 in 2005. OSHA administrator Edwin G. Foulke Jr. said the figures demonstrated progress: “We believe our initiatives are working, however, even one fatality is one too many. We remain committed to helping all employers protect their most valuable resource – their employees.” • Fatalities in the construction industry increased 3 percent, for 1,226 of the total injuries in 2006 - the most of any industry sector.• Fatal workplace falls (809 fatalities) increased 5 percent in 2006 after a significant decrease in 2005. • The number of workplace deaths among employees younger than 25 fell 9 percent. • Fatal injuries among individuals 55 and older were somewhat higher in 2006.
OSHA IDENTIFIES WORKPLACES with HIGHEST INJURY RATES
Washington,
DC - OSHA alerted approximately 13,
000 employers throughout the country that their injury rates are significantly
higher than the national average. He is encouraging them to take steps to
address safety hazards in their workplaces. In a letter this month to those
employers, OSHA explained that while their rates were higher than most other
businesses in the country, the notification was simply a proactive step to
encourage employers to take steps now to reduce the rates and improve safety and
health for their employees.
The 13,000 sites are listed alphabetically, by state, on OSHA's website at: http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_10.html. This list does not designate those earmarked for future inspection. The sites listed are those in states covered by federal OSHA; the list does not include employers in those states and U.S. territories that operate OSHA-approved state plans covering the private sector.
OSHA HAZARD COMMUNICATION INITIATIVE Washington, DC - OSHA announced a new initiative for hazard communication, consisting of compliance assistance and enforcement components. It is aimed at improving the quality of hazard communication and helping employers and employees comply with the Hazard Communication Standard. The HazComm Standard, adopted 20 years ago, regulates some 650,000 hazardous chemical products and more than 30 million American workers. A fact sheet, available on OSHA’s website, provides more details on the initiative. See www.osha.gov
TOP TEN WAYS to REDUCE WORK COMP FRAUD
Philadelphia - According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB), workers compensation fraud contributes significantly to the annual $30 billion insurance fraud problem. According to Bureau, these ten steps can help prevent fraudulent claims: 1. Employee
awareness campaigns challenge misperceptions. Workers compensation fraud is not
a victimless crime, and perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the
law. Make employee awareness a part of your corporate culture. Use posters,
employee newsletters, and other notices to ensure that employees know that
workers compensation fraud is a serious crime and they can anonymously report
suspected workers compensation fraud. Provide workers with your updated workers
compensation fraud reporting notice at least once a year. 2. Conduct
thorough background checks. Reduce the risk of workers compensation fraud by
thoroughly screening prospective employees. Has this person previously filed a
fraudulent workers compensation claim, or been convicted of other types of
fraud? Devoting the resources to thorough background checks on the front end
lessens the risk of fraudulent claims. 3. Install video
equipment in the workplace. A visual record can help support legitimate workers
compensation claims while weeding out bogus injuries. Additionally, the
installation of cameras and video surveillance equipment has been proven to
deter fraud and other crimes in the workplace across the board. 4. Implement a
rapid and timely workplace injury response plan. Who is in charge when an injury
occurs? Your response plan should include the following: immediately
recommending a medical facility for treatment; securing the description of
accident and injury; reporting the occurrence immediately to your administrator;
preserving any workplace evidence; securing the names of any witnesses; and, if
possible, taking statements from the injured worker and witnesses and securing a
photograph of the area. It is important to create and clearly communicate to all
employees the accident reporting procedures prior to accidents actually
happening. This will ensure that timely and proper procedures are followed when
an accident occurs. 5. Implement a
comprehensive workplace safety program. Make workplace safety a priority by
conducting regular safety awareness seminars. Use posters, flyers and
newsletters to stress safety procedures, and reward workers for achieving safety
milestones. A truly safe workplace makes it that much harder to persuade someone
that a fraudulent workers compensation claim is a legitimate one. 6. Know how your
organization's claims are handled. Are claim representatives and adjusters
properly trained to detect fraud indicators "red flags," which suggest a claim
may not be legitimate? Do they receive ongoing fraud awareness training? Your
organization benefits when they do, since such training can reduce the incidence
of fraud. 7. Know the role
of your insurer's Special Investigation Unit (SIU). Suspect claims are referred
to your insurer's SIU representatives for potential fraud investigation. These
specialists are trained to investigate signs that a claim may be fraudulent, and
after 8. Pay attention
to worker scuttlebutt. Following a workplace injury, and throughout the claims
process, rumors often circulate among employees. Sometimes rumors are grounded
in fact. Paying attention to worker scuttlebutt can help in investigating a 9. Know the
contents of your insurer's fraud fighting toolbox. Does your Third Party
Administrator maintain professional memberships in organizations that provide
ongoing education and training as well as access to indexes and databases that
can help pinpoint fraud? A well-equipped fraud-fighting toolbox can decrease
your odds of becoming the victim of fraudulent claims. 10. Utilize the resources of your insurer. If your insurer is committed to fighting workers compensation fraud, they'll be able to demonstrate that commitment. Talk to their SIU about developing your own in-house program aimed at decreasing fraudulent claims. Customer awareness education is just one of the resources your insurer can bring to the table. HOUSE APPROVES "EMPLOYER-FRIENDLY" OSHA The U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation that would make "employer-friendly" changes to OSHA. If passed by the U.S. Senate, employers would be granted more time to challenge OSHA citations. They would also gain the ability to recoup attorney fees if disputed citations are dismissed. Under the new legislation, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission would grow from three to five members. Knowledgeable sources report that the bills are not expected to pass in the Senate. Pending legislation in committee in the Senate would instead expand OSHA worker protections.
SPANISH ADDED to CSB WEBSITE The Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board has added a Spanish-language screen of CSB news on its website, http://www.csb.gov. Click on "En Espańol."
NIOSH WEB PAGE for TRENCHING & E XCAVATIONNIOSH has posted a new page for trenching and excavation on its website. Trenching and excavation hazards caused at least 542 construction fatalities between 1992 and 2001. The page includes links to NIOSH "FACE" reports and links to other safety information resources such as OSHA. Access the page at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/trenching.
CONSTRUCTION WORKER SURVIVES NAILS in SKULL According to the Associated Press, a construction worker is expected to make a full recovery after a workplace fall left six nails in his head. The worker, Isidro Mejia, was injured when he fell from a roof, striking a co-worker who was holding a nail gun. As a result of the impact, the gun discharged. Three of the nails entered Mejia's brain while one entered his spine. Miraculously, none caused permanent damage to the brain or spinal cord.
AIR FRESHENERS CAUSING HEALTH "STINK" EPA researchers have discovered that a potentially harmful smog can form inside rooms through reactions between air-fresheners and ozone. The reactions can generate formaldehyde, a known carcinogen, as well as related compounds that are believed to cause respiratory issues.
FATAL EXPLOSION Investigation continues into the cause of a fatal explosion and fire at the West Pharmaceutical Services factory in Kinston, North Carolina. Three employees died and more than 25 others were injured. At the time of the incident, about 130 people were in the facility. North Carolina's governor commented, “I am absolutely amazed that we didn’t have a hundred people killed.”
Following up on interviews with more than 100 witnesses, experts suspect that the explosion originated in an area where a synthetic rubber compound (polyisoprene) was processed. Oils and fillers are added to the rubber during the process, which could produce substantial quantities of dust. A concentration of ignitable dust could have created the detonation.
Investigators from OSHA, The Chemical Safety Board (“CSB”) and the FBI are attempting to piece together the activities leading up to the explosion that destroyed the factory where syringe plungers and IV equipment were made. The site had been inspected and cited last October, according to OSHA. The $10,000 original fines were reduced to about $9,000 last month. Problems with portable fire extinguishers, hazardous waste operations, and electrical systems were the basis of the citations. The cause-finding effort is expected to take between six and twelve months. MORE FUNDS for SPANISH-SPEAKING WORKERS The President has asked Congress for $450 million to fund OSHA for outreach to Latino workers. According to OSHA, the budget request includes more than $2.2 million in new funding earmarked for outreach to non-English-speaking workers. The Assistant Labor Secretary (for OSHA) remarked, “This administration recognizes the value of safety and health in America’s workplaces. At a time when the nation is tightening its belt, the president has not only proposed a budget increase but has specifically allocated money for new programs to reach those most in need of OSHA’s assistance.”
If granted, the proposal would provide OSHA an additional $7.2 million for compliance assistance and outreach, including the new multilingual initiative. The fatality rate among Spanish-speaking workers rose 11 percent. The funds will allow the agency to expand current offerings and to introduce new programs.
Other new compliance assistance covered in the funding package includes a special outreach to small businesses and expansion of OSHA’s voluntary compliance and other partnership programs. The budget reflects a continued emphasis on enforcement, with an increase of $4.2 million for enforcement activities. The funds would allow the agency to continue targeting workplaces with the highest injury, illness and fatality rates. More than 37,000 inspections are scheduled this year, with the same number planned for fiscal 2004.
OSHA STILL SERIOUS ABOUT ENFORCEMENT Although some have questioned it recently, OSHA is serious about enforcement these days. The agency came down hard on a manufacturer inspected under its “site-specific targeting program.”
Following an inspection that began in August and concluded early in January, OSHA proposed penalties of $133,500 against New Venture Gear of New York, LLC. The company manufactures transfer cases for 4-wheel drive vehicles. OSHA cited the New Venture for 32 alleged violations. Located in East Syracuse, New York, New Venture is alleged to have exposed employees to numerous hazards, including unguarded machinery and electrical hazards. The OSHA Area Office in Syracuse issued 27 serious citations ranging from failure to provide fall protection on aerial lifts, to failure to guard floor openings, and not maintaining dry floors. Three alleged repeat violations were issued as well.
The site-specific initiative targets OSHA inspections of employers with high rates of lost workday injuries and illnesses. New Venture was previously inspected in 1999 under a similar program and was issued citations that carried a proposed penalty of more than $100,000. The U.S. Secretary of Labor stated, “OSHA standards are aimed at keeping the workplace safe and healthy. This employer placed workers at risk by not eliminating hazards that had been pointed out more than two years ago.” OSHA says employers can be proactive in avoiding similar enforcement action by becoming familiar with the site-specific program, and by learning what types of citations have been issued to similar businesses with comparable hazards.
More information about the site-specific program is available on OSHA’s website: click here.
AMPUTATION PREVENTION TARGETED
OSHA CRANE INITIATIVE The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has launched a special initiative to focus more resources in assuring safe crane operation at construction sites in the Chicago area.
Do You Suffer from “Inattention Blindness” ? Does talking on a cell phone while driving create a dangerous distraction? This has been a very “hot” topic since the inception of cell phones. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “driver distraction” is a contributing factor in 20-30% of all accidents. One NHTSA survey reported that about 75% of all motorists used their phones while driving. As of 2005, there were about 165 million cellular phones in use in the United States.
A recent study by University of Utah researchers claims that cell phone use while driving significantly interferes with drivers’ attention to their surroundings. The researchers have labeled this supposed phenomenon “inattention blindness,” which they describe as, “the inability to recognize objects encountered in the driver’s visual field.” The findings are published in the March issue of The Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied. Selected portions of the study are featured in the February/March issue of the National Safety Council’s Injury Insights.
Previously, these researchers had reported that talking on cell phones while driving leads to measurable decreases in driver performance. They maintain that diminished driver performance occurs even with hands-free cell phones. They argued that cell phone conversations created much higher levels of distraction than listening to the car stereo. Therefore, they contend that banning hand-held cell phone use, but permitting hands-free devices, does not address the problem. The problem, allegedly, is that phone conversations turn attention away from the "external environment" toward “an internal, cognitive context” (i.e., the phone conversation). It is unclear how the researchers differentiate this form of distraction from that created by conversations with on-board passengers. Perhaps they advocate banning of car-pooling, also?
ANTI-GLARE DRIVING TI PSWhether your employees operate company vehicles or not, share the following tips with them to help reduce year-round driving dangers caused by glare:
· Drive defensively and leave ample following distance to ensure adequate reaction time. · Lower visors as needed, to help block some of the reflected light.· Avoid using high-gloss vinyl cleaners on dashboards.· Keep windshields clean and the wiper fluid reservoir full.· Turn on headlights in bad weather to improve visibility for oncoming drivers.· Wear polarized sunglasses to reduce glare.OSHA ENFORCEMENT ACTIONS Atlanta - Preventing falls, particularly at construction sites across the Southeast, is the goal of a special emphasis program announced by OSHA. According to OSHA statistics, 33 percent of all fatal workplace accidents in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi were caused by falls, and 70 percent of these fatal falls occurred at construction sites. During that period, OSHA's southeastern area offices investigated 83 fatalities involving falls; 58 of which were in the construction industry. B oston - Failure to supply fall protection to workers at an Andover, Mass., job site has resulted in $42,000 in proposed fines against a local roofing contractor, following an accident in which a roofer fell 37 feet to his death from a building at 44 Lowell Junction Rd.
Boston- A cofferdam collapse in southeastern Massachusetts that seriously injured a worker has resulted in OSHA proposing $191,100 in fines against a Boston-based contractor. D allas - Failure of the Pasadena Tank Corp. to protect workers from fall hazards resulted in the death of a worker at a Houston construction site and has led the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to issue citations against the company, with proposed penalties totaling $258,000. OSHA cited the company, headquartered in Houston, with six alleged willful and serious safety violations. OSHA began its investigation when an employee, who was repairing the rooftop of a storage tank, fell 56 feet to the ground when the rooftop collapsed.Haleyville, AL - Repeated failures of a Haleyville, Ala., door manufacturing plant to protect its workers from machine hazards contributed to the death of an employee may cost the company $102,000 in proposed OSHA fines. Houston - An Olshan Foundation Repair Co. employee in Houston was electrocuted during a tunnel excavation beneath a residence undergoing a foundation repair. OSHA cited the company with alleged safety and health violations and proposed penalties totaling $148,500. Talladega, AL - A Talladega underground utility contractor has agreed to pay $73,000 in OSHA penalties after being cited for exposing employees to trenching hazards. |
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