Safety Training

Safe-Teen: Avoiding Hazards on the Job

2007-06-11T10:33:00.000-04:00

Safe-Teen: Avoiding Hazards on the Job

Familydoctor.org reports that 70,000 teens get injured on the job and even had to undergo emergency treatment. Worse, 70 teens die because of job-related injuries, such as unsafe equipment, stressful conditions, and lack of safety training or supervision.

Considering these, every teen should realize that they face real, life-threatening risks while in the workplace. For instance, for those working in the food service industry, Familydoctor.org cites hazards such as slippery floors, sharp objects, and hot surfaces, like grills, stoves, and pans. For those doing office work, poor computer workstation design can cause repetitive movement injuries. Teens who work in retail stores may also experience injuries from heavy lifting. On the other hand, they could be exposed to unsafe conditions like robberies and other violent crimes.

It is important that teens know the possible hazards they may encounter while working so they can avoid getting hurt.

Safety Training - West Nile virus threatens outdoor workers

2006-09-15T09:29:00.000-04:00

West Nile virus, which is spread to humans through the bite of infected mosquitoes, can cause severe symptoms from a single bite – from high fever and neck stiffness to coma, tremors, vision loss and paralysis.

Outdoor workers face the greatest risk, including farmers, foresters, landscapers, roofers, painters and construction workers.

The mosquito threat is greatest in the summer, and continues through September, as long as the weather stays warm.

NIOSH provides employers with the following tips on protecting workers:

* provide training that describes how the virus is transmitted.
* stress the importance of reporting all work-related injuries.
* provide a medical surveillance system that monitors the symptoms.
* provide workers with protective clothing and repellents.
* reduce worker exposure to mosquitoes by not having them work outdoors when mosquitoes are most active.
* eliminate as many standing sources of water as possible to decrease the mosquito population.

Groundskeeping and outdoor workers also face other types of occupational risks. Keep them safe by learning more about Coastal's safety training programs.

Safety Training - Hearing loss from chemicals

2006-09-14T09:14:00.000-04:00

Noise is the workplace hazard normally associated with occupational hearing loss. But health and safety researchers are giving increased attention to a lesser-known threat to normal hearing – ototoxins.

Industrial Hygiene News reports that ototoxins are chemicals that can damage the auditory nerve and cochlear hair cells in the inner ear, with routes of exposure through inhalation, ingestion, and skin absorption. When ototoxic chemicals enter the bloodstream, they can be circulated to the ear and lead to mild hearing loss or profound deafness.

The work activities where noise and ototoxins combine include painting, printing, construction, manufacturing of metal, leather, and petroleum products and fueling vehicles and aircraft.

The following control strategies have been recommended by various U.S. agencies:

* Perform task-based assessments of individual worker exposure to ototoxic chemicals using personal air sampling devices and/or skin and surface samplers.
* Take steps to reduce potential ototoxin exposures through inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption.
* Conduct yearly audiograms for workers exposed to ototoxins when Airborne and dermal exposure levels are high.

For more information on the combined effects of chemicals and noise, see the NIOSH Topic Page at NIOSH.

Safety Training - Columbus Steel receives OSHA fine

2006-09-13T09:43:00.000-04:00

OSHA issued citations against Columbus Steel Castings Co. yesterday for two repeat and 59 serious violations of federal workplace safety and health standards, resulting in a $257,500 penalty.

OSHA personnel opened an investigation at the steel casting and manufacturing facility in March based on injury and illness data reported by the business and following receipt of complaints and two accidents earlier this year. As a result, OSHA found that Columbus Steel Castings Co. had failed to correct hazards involving missing or inadequate standard guardrails and inadequate guarding of vertical belts that posed a risk to workers. In each case, OSHA issued repeat violations based on an October 2003 investigation that found the same or similar hazards, which were cited and certified as corrected by the company.

The 59 serious citations issued by OSHA covered a variety of hazards including confined spaces; lockout/tagout issues; problems with overhead cranes and forklifts; electrical hazards; inadequate machine guarding; and the improper storage of oxygen and fuel gas cylinders.

The Columbus, OH facility has been inspected four times since 2003, including a fatality investigation that year. The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to appeal before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Aerial work platforms

2006-09-12T13:52:00.000-04:00

Manlifts and scissor lifts, if used correctly, provide quick and safe access to work areas that at one time could only be reached from scaffolding or a crane's manbasket. These lifts are important tools, but there are right and wrong ways to use them safely.

According to Toolboxtopics.com, the most important tip to remember before operating any aerial lift platform, is always read and follow the manufacturer's safety and operation manual. This information must be kept on the rig, and can usually be found in a PVC tube that's tied to the machine's frame or rails.

Other safe operating procedures for manlifts and scissor lifts include:

• Always check for overhead obstructions before driving or elevating the platform.
• Refuel tanks only when the unit is turned off. If battery powered, the batteries should be charged only in a well ventilated area, away from any open flame.
• Prior to each shift a safety inspection should be completed by the operator; this includes both a visual inspection and a function test.
• Elevate the platform only when it is on a firm, level surface.
Scissor lifts are efficient one-direction lifts. They provide a solid surface to work from, but always remember:
• Guardrail, midrails and toeboards must be in place. The toe board can be omitted at the door.
• The platform must be equipped with a mechanical parking brake that will hold the unit securely on any slope it is capable of climbing. The brake should be tested periodically.
• Never use the lift's rails, planks across the rails, or a ladder, to gain additional height.
Unique hazards for manlifts: Manlifts can move in more than a single direction, increasing the risk of mishaps, so it's important to remember the following:
• When ever working out of a manlift, a full body harness must be worn, and properly attached to the basket. A sudden jolt has thrown people from manlifts, before they could react.
• Always maintain a safe distance from debris piles, drop-offs, floor openings, etc.
• Never drive the manlift when it is elevated above the limit the manufacturer considers safe. Each piece of equipment will state what the maximum extension can be while being driven.

Avian flu preparedness

2006-09-11T10:58:00.000-04:00

In the event of an Avian flu pandemic, businesses will play a key role in protecting employees’ health and safety as well as limiting the negative impact to the economy.

Pandemicflu.gov offers a contingency plan with six separate areas of consideration, including how companies should plan for the impact of a pandemic on your employees:

• Forecast and allow for employee absences
• Implement guidelines to modify the frequency and type of face-to-face contact
• Encourage and track annual influenza vaccinations
• Evaluate employee access to and availability of healthcare services
• Evaluate employee access to and availability of mental health and social services
• Identify employees with special needs and incorporate their requirements into your preparedness plan

To review the other steps in the plan, go to: http://www.pandemicflu.gov/plan/businesschecklist.html

Fall protection tips

2006-09-08T10:51:00.000-04:00

Want a quick lesson on fall protection? OSHA’s New Fall Protection Quick Card provides helpful tips to prevent falls on the ground and on ladders, including:

* Identify all potential tripping and fall hazards before work starts
* Inspect fall protection equipment for defects before use
* Secure and stabilize all ladders before climbing
* Use handrails when you go up and down stairs
* Practice good housekeeping – keep cords, welding leads and air hoses out of walkways or adjacent work areas.

For a complete look at the Quick Card, go to: http://www.osha.gov/Publications/fall_protection_qc.html

Emergency planning for small businesses

2006-09-07T16:12:00.000-04:00

September is National Preparedness Month, the time to focus on the job of getting prepared for the naturally-occurring or man-made disasters. Small business must focus on emergency planning, because 25 percent of them do not reopen following major disasters, according to the Institute for Business and Home Safety.

In an effort to protect the city’s 65,000 small businesses from earthquakes, fires, electrical outages, severe storms, hazardous material spills, tsunamis and acts of terrorism, The San Francisco Small Business Commission offered these helpful tips, which businesses everywhere can follow:

* Protect critical systems such as computers and telephone equipment from failure or attack by installing surge protectors and antivirus software
* Assemble and store emergency supplies
* Provide for emergency backup power and lighting
* Identify and post evacuation routes and assembly areas
* Develop an emergency communication plan – assess alternate communication systems
* Establish a notification plan and emergency contact list
* Conduct regular exercises with employees to review emergency procedures
* Establish an emergency training plan -- orient employees to your specific recovery plans and provide staff training in first aid and CPR

Vibration hazards

2006-09-06T10:13:00.000-04:00

Vibrations caused by power tools, vehicles and heavy equipment expose six million workers to whole-body and hands-transmitted vibration, which can cause vascular, neural and musculoskeletal disorders, according to NIOSH.

A study by Loughborough University in England produced a long list of sources of occupational vibration – from power and impact tools to vehicle seat dynamics and steering wheel vibration (for the complete list, go to: http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/hu/groups/noisevib).

The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety says employers can measure vibration with accelerometers and frequency analyzers. They can protect workers from vibration by providing them with appropriate tools and vibration-absorbing materials like gloves. The can train their employees on safe work practices, such as employing a minimum hand grip, avoiding continuous exposure and maintaining sharpened cutting tools. They should encourage employees to consult doctors at the first sign of vibration disease.

Safety audits for Labor Day

2006-09-05T13:45:00.000-04:00

The American Society of Safety Engineers is recommending that employers commemorate Labor Day by conducting a companywide safety audit as part of their efforts to protect workers, according to Business & Labor Reports.

“A safety audit is a tool occupational safety, health and environmental practitioners use to assess workplace hazards and risk and make recommendations for reducing them in an effort to prevent accidents, injuries and illnesses,” ASSE president Donald S. Jones said. “With more than 5,000 people dying each year from on-the-job accidents and four million suffering from workplace injuries and illnesses, we must continue to work diligently to protect our workers.”

Safety audits are part of a safety management system that monitors safety and health performance, as well as compliance with OSHA and other regulatory standards. Each component of the total system is included: management policy, operating procedures, emergency procedures and training. The aim is to disclose the strengths and weaknesses, with the objective of minimizing loss through accidents. The outcome of the audit will be a report, followed by an action plan, which must be monitored. The audit will be carried out by a competent team that is independent from the company.

Office safety

2006-08-31T10:35:00.000-04:00

Everyone knows about the dangerous work environments in heavy industry, but few understand the risks in everyday office environments that result in more than 400,000 injuries per year.

Workers should learn to avoid these common hazards to stay safe and healthy in the office, according to Toolboxtopics.com:

* Musculoskeletal strains and sprains associated with material handling: Never lift objects that are too heavy to handle and lift objects from the floor using the proper lifting mechanics.

* Stress and strain associated with sitting and VDT use: Arrange your desk or work station so that your arms, wrists, legs, back and neck can be maintained in a comfortable "neutral" position, with proper back support.

* Injuries that result from slips, trips, and falls: Never run in the office and beware of electrical cords or phone cords that could be a tripping hazard.

* Hand injuries from cuts, scrapes, smashes, and punctures: Use a letter opener when opening envelopes and boxes, and a staple puller when removing staples from documents.

* Avoid stress by staying organized, taking breaks and relaxing your body.

Gloves for first responders

2006-08-30T09:01:00.000-04:00

What kind of gloves should first responders to major natural disasters like Hurricane Katrina wear?

A report in Industrial Hygiene News says exposure to pathogenic microorganisms from injured victims and the flood waters around New Orleans required heavy duty nitrile gloves, because nitrile provides chemical resistance to petroleum hydrocarbons.

After the flood waters in the Gulf Coast receded, the cleanup efforts changed, requiring a different set of protective gear for cleaning debris. General purpose, heavy duty work gloves and cut-resistant gloves with abrasion resistance were worn by responders.

When relief efforts moved into the rebuilding phase, another hazard needed to be addressed. Mold is a major concern for rebuilding homes that contained flood waters, so nitrile gloves were worn again for removing mold contaminated building materials.

Protecting workers’ hands from contaminants is an important part of any clean-up or response effort. Workers should follow the standards set by organizations such as the National Fire Protection Association to select the appropriate glove for the specific task at hand.

Airport ground worker safety

2006-08-29T09:42:00.000-04:00

The safety of airport ground workers was considered during a recent three-day conference of the airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration, but recent reports in the Washington Post and the Confined Space blog suggest the workers aren’t safe and not much is being done about it.

The Post reported four workers killed or seriously injured this year, including one who was sucked into the engine of a Continental jet and another who was struck by a baggage cart at the Detroit airport.

The most common injuries result from heavy lifting, with 4.53 injuries and fatalities per 100 workers in 2004 according to Bureau of Labor statistics.

The Post reports that working conditions increase the risk of injury. “They fix planes and load and unload heavy bags in sweltering heat and frigid cold and do their jobs amid the deafening roar of aircraft engines. They must avoid stepping in oil slicks and watch out for baggage carts whizzing by.”
Meanwhile, they may not be protected by OSHA regulations, since OSHA is prevented from enforcing its regulations if working conditions are regulated by another Federal agency, such as the FAA, Confined Space says.

Paul Kempinski, director of ground safety for the International Association of Machinists & Aerospace Workers District 141 union, urges government agencies to more rigorously monitor ground operations. "Something needs to be done sooner,” he says. “Someone needs to be in charge of oversight."

OSHA announces new respiratory protection standard

2006-08-28T09:05:00.000-04:00

New assigned protection factors (APFs) for respiratory protection programs are being incorporated into OSHA’s respiratory standard, the agency announced Wednesday.

APFs are numbers that indicate the level of workplace respiratory protection that a respirator or class of respirators is expected to provide to employees when used as part of a respiratory protection program. An APF table is included in the final standard to guide employers in the selection of air-purifying, powered air-purifying, supplied-air and self-contained breathing apparatus respirators.

Employers must follow these new requirements and use APFs to select the appropriate type of respirator based upon the exposure limit of a contaminant and the level of the contaminant in the workplace. Employers select respirators by comparing the exposure level found in the workplace and the maximum concentration of the contaminant in which a particular type of respirator can be used.

Construction safety training orientation

2006-08-24T09:48:00.000-04:00

The construction industry suffers from one of the highest accident rates, with over 2,000 fatalities a year, according to OSHA, prompting a call within the industry for greater safety training.

Wconline.com, a walls and ceilings site, advocates safety orientation programs for contractors that communicate company procedures to employees before they set foot on the job site. The programs should also provide information on applicable regulatory requirements.

Many of the basic items in its suggested safety orientation program are specific to the construction industry, including:

• Guidelines for using and inspecting company-specific tools, equipment, machinery and vehicles.
• Using company tools and equipment for personal use
• Using personal tools on your job sites
• Using other contractors’ tools and equipment
• Allowing other contractors to use your tools and equipment
• Applicable OSHA regulations: personal protective equipment, scaffold, ladder, fall protection, electrical, fire protection, confined spaces, trench safety, heavy equipment safety
• Machinery/vehicle safety requirements
• Manual lifting, moving and carrying
• What to do with damaged, worn-out, unsafe tools and equipment

15-passenger van safety

2006-08-23T09:46:00.000-04:00

One of the main reasons for 15-passenger rollover accidents, which caused over 1,000 fatalities in a recent three year period, is driver inexperience. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that only experienced drivers should operate the vans on a regular basis because of the significant design and handling differences from other passenger vehicles.

The NHTSA says drivers can prevent rollover crashes by:

* braking properly – 15-passenger vans require additional braking time
* avoiding conditions that lead to loss of control – never be under the influence of drugs or alcohol and always be well rested and attentive
* drive cautiously on rural roads – rollovers frequently occur in rural areas when vans strike a ditch or embankment or run onto soft soil
* know what to do if the wheel drops off the roadway – gradually reduce the speed and steer back onto the road when it is safe to do so
* properly maintain your tires – worn tires can cause vans to slide sideways on wet pavement

PPE of utmost importance to emergency responders

2006-08-22T13:14:00.000-04:00

A recently released RAND Corp. study proposes improved personal protective equipment to protect emergency responders from the chemical, biological and physical hazards following the collapse of large buildings.

The study was conducted after hundreds of emergency workers were permanently disabled from exposure at Ground Zero after the World Trade Center collapsed on 9/11.

“The most challenging risks emergency responders need protection from are hazardous chemicals they could inhale,” said Henry Willis, a RAND researcher. “The hazards following the collapse of a large multi-story building are larger and more uncertain, and the duration of the response is much longer than usual.”

The guidelines recommend that:
* air-purifying respirators should be available to emergency responders; the respirators use cartridges, weigh less and last longer than standard firefighter gear that uses an air tank
* responders who will be treating victims or handling human remains should wear gloves, clothing and eye and face protection to protect themselves from bloodborne pathogens.
* individuals without respiratory protection who are exposed to the dust cloud from a building collapse should be removed from the site and given medical treatment.
* responders without protective equipment should not be allowed to enter hazardous areas on a building collapse site.

Wear your gloves!

2006-08-21T09:44:00.000-04:00

Your hands should be protected whenever you are cutting, painting, welding or handling sharp metal, chemicals, needles or blood samples. It’s very important to wear the right glove for each specific task.

OSHA has added hand safety to its standard on personal protective equipment, requiring workers to wear appropriate protection whenever their hands are exposed to hazards. It lists guidelines for employees to follow when selecting the proper gloves.
Employees can choose from the follow glove materials:

* cotton
* leather
* rubber
* metal mesh and other new fibers known as Kevlar, Spectra, and Vectran

There are advantages and disadvantages to each kind of glove. Make sure you know which kind you need for the work you do. Make sure the gloves fit properly and inspect them each time you wear them, because damaged gloves are responsible for about 50 percent of hand injuries.

OSHA fines poultry processing plant for safety violations

2006-08-18T15:27:00.000-04:00

OSHA has cited Gold Kist for allegedly exposing workers to serious and repeated safety hazards at its Russellville, Ala., poultry processing plant. The agency is proposing penalties totaling $143,000.

OSHA issued 21 serious safety citations with proposed penalties of $90,000. The citations were associated with blocked and improperly marked exits; unsafe floor conditions; inadequate personal protective equipment; insufficient machine guarding; and numerous other safety hazards.

The company also received two repeat violations with penalties totaling $50,000 for failure to keep conveyor belt work areas free from fall hazards and other unsafe conditions.

The action comes amidst growing government concern about meat and poultry industry safety. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that 14.7 out of 100 industry workers are injured on the job, with workers suffering from physically demanding, repetitive work on production lines that move very quickly while they are wielding knives or other cutting instruments. They frequently work in extreme temperatures in close quarters with limited training and insufficient safeguards.

A report by OMB Watch, a Washington research organization, faults OSHA for setting voluntary ergonomic guidelines for the meat and poultry industry that are unenforceable and “a far cry from the real health and safety protection needed.”

New Web site helps companies prepare for emergencies

2006-08-17T11:49:00.000-04:00

The Federation of American Scientists (FAS) has launched a website with resources to help businesses prepare for an emergency, saying the government's website (ready.gov) contains inaccurate and incomplete information, according to Business & Legal Reports.

The FAS says the government's ready.gov includes generic advice, repetitive details, unnecessary lengthy descriptions, and insufficient information for people with disabilities.

The FAS's new site, Reallyready.org, attempts to provide better and clearer information to individuals with disabilities, businesses, and families.

The site includes a plan for continuity, an emergency response plan, and other emergency preparedness and response information to help business prepare for a variety of situations, such as natural disasters, nuclear threats, and pandemics.

Safety resources for Hispanic employees

2006-08-16T16:25:00.000-04:00

In an effort to protect Hispanic employees, the EPA and OSHA have developed Spanish language Web resources.

Huracanes is the EPA’s Spanish language hurricane preparedness Web site that provides businesses with information on how they can minimize injury and property damage during the hurricane season.

Capsules de Salud y Seguridad is OSHA’s Spanish language newsletter that presents a cross section of information on workplace health and safety issues, particularly those affecting Hispanic workers.

To see Huricanes, go to http://www.epa.gov/espanol/huracanes.htm

To see the OSHA newsletter, go to http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/spanish/index.html

OSHA releases fire service manual

2006-08-15T11:22:00.000-04:00

Fire Service Features of Buildings and Fire Protection Systems is a new OSHA publication that will help increase the safety of building occupants and emergency responders by streamlining fire service interaction with building features and fire protection systems.

Fire service operations take place in stressful and time sensitive environments. Decisions are often made in unfamiliar settings and without vital information, such as what is burning, where the fire is spreading, or the location of occupants. Poorly located fire hydrants, inaccessible fire department connections, confusing zone information, unmarked valves, or improperly designed standpipes are examples of features that can slow fire service operations. Delays, however brief, can dramatically affect an operation and its outcome.

OSHA’s new manual explains how fire service operations can be influenced by different building features. The manual includes chapters and narratives on building and site design, sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, fire department connections, fire alarm and communications systems, as well as various firefighting systems.

The manual can be used by company safety managers and fire service organizations to increase fire safety and decrease injuries to responding and operating fire service personnel. Employee occupants as well as fire service employees will benefit from the safer working conditions. The manual will also help in response to other emergencies, such as hazardous materials releases, emergency medical care, non-fire rescues and terrorist events.

The new booklet can be downloaded from the publications page of OSHA’s web site, www.osha.gov, or by calling OSHA's publications office at (202) 693-1888.

Preparing for hazardous materials spills

2006-08-14T09:13:00.000-04:00

Any company that stores, uses or transports hazardous materials must be prepared for chemical spills.

Industrial Hygiene News reports that when a spill occurs, employees should first assess the risk surrounding the situation, from the volume of the spilled material to the hazard and physical properties, the location of the spill and the level of ventilation.

Then, cleanup specialists must be used to remove the spilled material safely. A HAZWOPER-trained team must manage the spills.

Federal regulations require employees to be trained to properly manage the spills. From 24 to 40 hours of classroom training plus hands-on instruction in practical spill response techniques is suggested, with refresher training mandated by OSHA. Managers also recognize the need for frequent drilling to maintain team readiness.

Bureau of Labor releases 2005 workplace fatality statistics

2006-08-11T11:23:00.000-04:00

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its annual workplace fatality data yesterday, reporting that 5,702 fatal work injuries were recorded in the U.S. in 2005, down one percent from 2004 at a rate of 4.0 per 100,000 workers.

Fatal highway incidents remained the most frequent cause of death, accounting for 1,428 deaths, a quarter of the fatalities, up two percent from 2004. Fatalities resulting from exposure to harmful substances or environments rose seven percent, with heat exposure the major reason. There were 767 fatal falls, a seven percent decline from 2004.

Other key findings include:

* The private construction industry accounted for 1,186 fatalities, the most of any industry.
* Fatalities in transportation and warehousing, agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting increased.
* Fatalities among workers under 20 years of age increased 18 percent.
* Fatalities among Hispanic workers increased two percent.
* There were 29 workplace fatalities attributable to hurricanes.

For the complete BLS report, go to: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cfoi.toc.htm.

OSHA fines two Florida companies following workplace fatalities

2006-08-10T10:31:00.000-04:00

OSHA has fined two South Florida companies for safety violations, proposing penalties of $154,800 against Aleluya Roofing Co., Miami, following a fatal construction accident, and $52,250 against Sun Terminals, Fort Lauderdale, after a fatal accident at Port Everglades.

The fatality at Aleluya occurred on Jan 25, when an employee fell from the roof of a six-story building in Miami and was impaled on the pickets of a wrought-iron fence. The worker had been on a trolley hoist that lifted up, causing the machine and the employee to fall to the street below.

OSHA fined the company $70,000 for failure to comply with the manufacturer’s operating specifications for the trolley hoist. An additional penalty of $44,000 was issued because the fire exits were closed and blocked on four separate occasions. Other citations came for failure to provide fall protection and train employees to recognize fall hazards.

At Sun, a March 25 accident resulted in the death of a longshoreman who was struck by an elevated container that pushed him, crushing his head against a steel support beam. The company was sited for 21 violations totaling $51,750, including exposing employees to being struck and crushed by an overhead cargo container; failing to train employees in proper safety procedures and failing to train supervisors in accident prevention.

Arc flash study announced

2006-08-09T10:09:00.000-04:00

A multi-year initiative by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Fire Protection Association on arc flash hazards and how to protect electrical workers from them was announced last week.

The U.S. Department of Labor cites arc flash as causing an inordinate number of electrical worker deaths and serious injuries, with one company reporting 80 percent of its electrical injuries resulting from art flash burns.

More than 2,000 test protocols are planned for the research project, which will measure thermal energy transfer, the toxicity of gases released and energy radiated at infrared, visible, ultra-violet, x-ray and other wavelengths.

The program will yield many dividends, from improving worker safety to helping companies boost operating efficiency and lower workers’ compensation costs. It will also help electrical equipment manufacturers develop safer products.

Corporations have contributed $1.25 million for the project and more donations are being solicited. Contact IEEE at 732-562-3817 or NFPA at 617-984-7400 for information.

9/11 rescue workers suffered severe lung injuries

2006-08-08T10:09:00.000-04:00

New York City firemen and emergency personnel exposed to dust from the collapse of the World Trade Center experienced a decrease in lung function capability equal to 12 years of age-related decline during the year following the 9/11 disaster, according to a study by the American Thoracic Society.

From the very start of the rescue and recovery effort, fire department personnel were exposed to airborne pollutants, including pulverized building materials and combustion products.

The study found that 13.7 percent of the rescue workers experienced early high intensity exposure to the dust by arriving the morning of 9/11 and being present during the collapse of the North and South Towers. About 67.8 percent had intermediate intensity exposure by arriving on the two days following the collapse and nearly 16 percent had low intensity by arriving on or after the third day.

While the study focused on arrival times to determine the severity of injury, it also cited the lack of protective equipment as a major hindrance. “The problem could have been solved with early and well-trained use of simple respiratory protective equipment,” the study found. “Let us be better prepared for future disasters in many ways, including institution of plans to protect emergency responders from unnecessary occupational exposure to irritant dusts.”

OSHA’s hexavalent chromium fact sheet

2006-08-04T14:30:00.000-04:00

In February, OSHA issued a new standard to lower the permissible exposure limit for hexavalent chromium from 52 to 5 micrograms per cubic meter of air (1910.1026).

Now, OSHA offers a Fact Sheet that provides companies with information about the health effects of hexavalent chromium.

The fact sheet discusses the major sources of hexavalent chromium; how it can harm employees; how it affects the skin; and how employees can be exposed to it.

The fact sheet also lists the steps OSHA has taken to protect employees from the health hazards of hexavalent chromium, from limiting the time they can be exposed to it to monitoring the workplace, providing the appropriate PPE and making medical examinations available to employees.

To see the fact sheet, go to: http://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/data_General_Facts/hexavalent_chromium.pdf

Off-the-job safety stressed

2006-08-03T11:47:00.000-04:00

A survey conducted by the National Safety Council found that Americans feel safer at home than at work, but the opposite is actually true.

The June survey of more than 400 workers found that 31 percent believe they are safer at home, 62 percent feel equally safe at home and work, and only 5 percent feel they are safer at work. But statistics show that in 2004 about 5,000 died and 3.7 million suffered injuries at work, while 44,100 died and 6.8 million were injured off-the-job.

“Home is not the safe haven we think it is,” said Alan C. McMillan, president/CEO of the NSC. “With more than half of all accidental deaths occurring in homes and communities, we have a greater challenge protecting the public from injuries while off the job than in America’s workplaces.

Many companies have instituted off-the-job safety programs and recorded reduced injuries as a result. “Ultimately, employers should strive to establish a corporate culture of safety that transcends the workplace to include the safety and health of their employees in all aspects of their lives,” McMillan said.

Construction noise demands hearing protection

2006-08-02T10:36:00.000-04:00

Noises at construction sites from jack hammers, dump trucks, cement mixers, electric saws, welding machines, sledgehammers and drills can easily exceed the OSHA limit of 90dBA.

Industrial Hygiene News reports that construction employees frequently don’t wear hearing protection, because the devices are uncomfortable, they don’t have access to them or haven’t been trained to wear them properly.

“Training can help make construction workers aware that many activities on the work site have potentially hazardous noise levels and once they lose their hearing, it does not come back,” says Jeffrey Birkner, VP technical services at Moldex-Metric.

He suggests that employers and employees choose the right hearing protection, ranging from disposable and reusable ear plugs to semi-aural devices (banded products) and ear muffs.

Choosing the right device depends on the construction site. Sites with low frequency noise should use ear muffs. Maintenance of the devices is also important, with dirty sites demanding easy to care for devices, such as ear plugs or hearing bands. Another important factor is how the hearing protection interacts with other PPE, such as hard hats, eye protection and welding hoods. It should not interfere with the other devices.

Safety directors should evaluate the situation to determine the devices that are needed and supply all employees with them.

OSHA called on to create standard for butter flavoring chemical

2006-08-01T14:44:00.000-04:00

Is popcorn a safety hazard? It is when you consider diacetyl, the chemical used to make artificial butter flavor for the popular snack, is responsible for at least three deaths and 200 injuries to workers who breathed it and contracted a lung disease.

Last week, the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union and the Teamsters union formally asked OSHA to immediately issue an emergency temporary standard that would set a maximum for exposure to diacetyl and require employers to provide workers with respirators.

OSHA has no enforceable standard for diacetyl, but permits the establishment of emergency temporary standards if employees face grave danger from exposure to substances for which no standards exist.

The lung disease the workers contracted, bronchiolitis obliterans, has been labeled “popcorn workers lung,” but it affects other workers in the food industry, since diacetyl is used to add butter flavor to a variety of foods.

About 60,000 workers in the two unions that brought action work in plants that use diacetyl. And there may be over one million non-union workers who also work in them.

OSHA refused to consider a new regulation that would protect workers from exposure to diacetyl despite urging by OSHA scientists to take further action. Now, Cal/OSHA is considering the unions’ request.

California heat wave kills three employees

2006-07-31T09:39:00.000-04:00

California’s searing heat wave, which has claimed more than 100 lives, according to The New York Times, has also been responsible for three work-related deaths that Cal/OSHA is investigating.

A 67-year-old driver for MJ’s Pizza in Santa Rosa was found in his vehicle suffering from heat stroke on July 24. His identity has not been released.

Two other heat-related deaths occurred to workers on July 19 and 20. In Bakersfield, 38-year-old Joaquin Ramirez, an employee of Raul Hidalgo Lawn Services, died after only three days on the job. He was loading grass clippings onto a truck when he collapsed. In Fresno, Benadino Gomez, who was working for Valley Pool and Plastering, died while working in 109º temperatures.

Heat-related deaths last summer prompted California to enact emergency heat illness prevention regulations, which haven’t been finalized, but will become the nation’s first mandatory precautions to protect outdoor workers from heat illness. The regulations, geared toward protecting California agricultural workers, will provide them with:

• Provision of water: Drinking water needs to be provided in sufficient quantity at the beginning of the work shift to provide one quart (four cups) per employee per hour for the entire shift.
• Provision of shade: Employees suffering from heat illness or in need of a preventative recovery period must be provided with shade for a period of no less than five minutes.
• Training: Employees and supervisors must be trained on how to recognize, prevent and respond to heat illness, its early symptoms, and risk factors for its occurrence.

Working with sulfuric acid

2006-07-27T14:41:00.000-04:00

Sulfuric acid, widely used in the chemical, metal plating, printing and other industries, is a corrosive chemical and explosive hazard that can severely burn the skin and eyes, possibly leading to blindness. Breathing sulfuric acid can irritate the nose and throat, with repeated exposure causing lung damage.
Toolboxtopics.com says that when working with sulfuric acid, eye and face protection is essential, but it’s not enough to wear safety glasses. You should wear chemical-type goggles and a face shield. Protective clothing should include an acid-resistant long apron and gloves. When working with large quantities, you should wear an acid-resistant rain-suit and high-top boots, with the pant leg extending over the top of the boot.
In case of contact, you must wash the acid off the body quickly. Start washing and as you do so, remove all acid-wet clothing. Keep the water flowing. In cases where there are severe burns, shock may set in. If this occurs, treat for shock by placing victim on his back and keeping him warm. Call immediately for medical help. Do not apply any ointments, oils or other treatments to the burned area.
If acid is swallowed, it burns tissues all the way down to the stomach. Do not induce vomiting, which will cause additional burns as it comes up. Never give anything to an unconscious person but, if the victim is conscious, the acid should be immediately diluted. Provide milk, preferably mixed with egg whites. If this isn't available, give as much water to drink as possible.

Heat Stress

2006-07-26T10:42:00.000-04:00

As the summer continues, heat stress remains a severe problem, with workers experiencing a range of heat related problems, from heat rash to heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

There are a number of procedures for eliminating heat stress injuries for outdoor workers, and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers these guidelines:

* permit only those workers acclimatized to heat to perform the more strenuous tasks
* provide additional workers to perform the tasks
* provide cool rest areas near 76º F in hot work environments
* workers should drink 5 to 7 ounces of fluids every 15-20 minutes to replenish the fluids they release through sweat
* protective clothing helps to prevent the transfer of heat from the air to the body, but the clothing must not interfere with the evaporation of sweat; the proper type of clothing depends on the specific circumstances, but can include reflective clothing

How to wear and care for hard hats

2006-07-25T11:47:00.000-04:00

More than 70,000 workers will become disabled this year because of head injuries, according to Safety Alert for Supervisors, but proper use of hard hats can prevent them.

Employees are responsible for their hard hats and must inspect them before they wear them. They should check the cradle and headband for wear and tear and replace them when necessary. They should also check the shell for cracks and scratches and never attempt to fix a shell with glue or tape.

Any time a hat receives a heavy blow, it should be replaced. And it should be replaced after being dropped from a significant height.

To maintain the hat’s performance, wash it once a month with warm, soapy water and steam clean the strap.

There should be an inch-and-a-quarter of space between your head and the shell, which is important to the hat’s ability to protect you. Don’t store anything there and don’t wear anything under the hat except cold-weather lining, when necessary.

The fit of a hat is also important. The straps should be snug, not tight. The hat shouldn’t tilt or slide.

NYC hospital receives OSHA fine for formaldehyde exposure

2006-07-24T10:57:00.000-04:00

A New York City hospital's alleged failure to protect workers from exposure to formaldehyde has resulted in $112,500 in fines from OSHA.

New York Hospital of Queens was cited for two alleged willful and three alleged serious violations of health and safety standards following an inspection by OSHA's Queens district office, which began Dec. 15 in response to an employee complaint. The complaint concerned possible overexposure to formaldehyde for pathology assistants and oral pathology residents working with specimens stored in containers filled with formalin, a preservative that contains formaldehyde.

The hospital did not promptly monitor employees' exposure to formaldehyde after they reported signs, symptoms or respiratory conditions consistent with exposure and did not ensure that all employees who worked with formaldehyde were provided proper training.

"Exposure monitoring and employee training are key tools for identifying and addressing formaldehyde hazards before they affect workers," said Richard Mendelson, OSHA's area director for Queens, Brooklyn and Manhattan. "The hospital knew these safeguards were required and did not implement them even after employees displayed exposure symptoms."

The willful citations, carrying $99,000 in proposed fines, were for failure to promptly monitor employees with exposure to, and provide training for employees having exposure to, formaldehyde.

Serious citations were for failing to repeat initial exposure monitoring when there were changes in personnel and control measures, failing to provide medical surveillance for overexposed employees and failing to inform employees of the results of exposure monitoring. Proposed fines totaled $13,500.

Formaldehyde is a colorless, strong-smelling gas often used as a preservative in medical laboratories. A suspected human carcinogen, it has been linked to nasal and lung cancer, with possible links to brain cancer and leukemia. Acute exposure is highly irritating to the eyes, nose and throat. Long-term exposure to low levels may cause respiratory difficulty and skin irritation.

New York Hospital of Queens has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to request and participate in an informal conference with OSHA or to contest the citations before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Beware of summer jobs for teens

2006-07-10T09:20:00.000-04:00

With upwards of four million teens finding jobs this summer, the National Consumer League warns them to work safe jobs. NIOSH estimates that 230,000 teen workers will be injured on the job this year with 60-70 fatalities.

Many teens are working in unsafe conditions without proper training or supervision. Too many are injured or killed on the job because they are performing tasks that are prohibited by federal or state labor laws. Some are injured and killed because they are performing tasks that should be prohibited for minors.

NCL annually compiles the five worst teen jobs, based on government statistics and reports, and this year’s five are:

* Agriculture: fieldwork and processing
* Construction and work in heights
* Outside helper: landscaping, groundskeeping and lawn service
* Driver/operator: forklifts, tractors and ATVs
* Traveling youth crews (door to door sales)

Working teens should know child labor laws and protections in the workplace. Employers must commit to full compliance with child labor laws and remain vigilant for safety in the workplace.

Facilities take steps to stop using hazardous chemicals

2006-06-30T09:59:00.000-04:00

Across the country, 14,000 chemical plants, manufacturers, water utilities and other facilities store and use hazardous substances that can injure or kill employees or residents if suddenly released. To make matters worse, the facilities have become terrorist threats, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

But a survey by the Center for American Progress has found that many of these facilities have stopped using the chemicals, which promotes safety for employees and their communities. The survey found that:

* 284 facilities in 47 states have switched to less hazardous chemicals or moved them to safer locations
* facilities reported replacing gaseous chlorine, ammonia and sulfur dioxide, among other chemicals
* as a result of these changes, at least 30 million people no longer live under the threat of a major toxic gas cloud from these facilities

Despite this progress, thousands of facilities that could switch to safe alternatives haven’t done so. Several thousand water treatment plants still use chlorine gas. The CAP believes that removing such hazards should be a national priority, but no federal law or regulation requires hazardous chemical facilities to use readily available alternatives.

Manufacturer fined for hand amputation accident

2006-06-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

A partial hand amputation at a Manchester, CT airplane parts manufacturing plant has resulted in OSHA fines totaling $167,500 that were issued last week.

Smith's Aerospace Components Inc. was cited for seven alleged repeat and five alleged serious violations of safety standards following an inspection by OSHA's Hartford area office that began Feb. 21, when a worker lost a thumb and part of a finger in an unguarded hydraulic press. The inspection found several instances where this press and other machines either lacked guarding to prevent employee contact with moving parts or guarding mechanisms had been bypassed, rendering them ineffective.

"The lack of effective guarding exposes employees to just this type of serious crushing injury," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford. "This plant has been cited for similar violations in the past, which warrants the citations and fines."

The alleged repeat violations included failure to provide adequate fall protection, failure to correct defective lifting slings, unguarded grinders and failure to inspect mechanical power presses.

The alleged serious violations included failure to provide adequate machine guarding, failure to use lockout/tagout procedures and failure to mark the lifting capacity of two portable jacks used to support die press beds. OSHA issues a serious citation when death or serious physical harm is likely to result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The company was cited by OSHA for similar hazards in 2004 and 2005 and was fined $116,000 in 2004.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to participate in an informal conference with the OSHA area director or to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Hand tool safety

2006-06-27T16:47:00.000-04:00

Hammers, wrenches, screwdrivers and other hand tools look harmless, but they cause eight percent of all workplace compensable injuries, according to Toolboxtopics.com. Hand tools that cut or move metal and wood can cause cuts, abrasions and amputations. Hand tools that are used the same way all day long can cause repetitive motion injuries. Hand tools that create flying chips of wood or metal can cause eye injuries. And hammers that fall from ladders can cause broken bones.

Workers can avoid these injuries by following these safety procedures:
• Use the right tool for the job.
• Don't use broken or damaged tools.
• Cut in a direction away from your body.
• Make sure your grip and footing are secure when using large tools.
• Carry tools securely in a tool belt or box. Don't carry tools up ladders.
• Keep close track of tools when working at heights. A falling tool can kill a co-worker.
• Pass a tool to another person by the handle; never toss it to him or her.
• Use the right personal protective equipment (PPE) for the job.
• Select ergonomic tools for your work when movements are repetitive and forceful.
• Always keep your tools in top condition. A dull blade or blunt point can lead to injury.
• Store tools properly when you stop work.

Workplace safety for pregnant women

2006-06-26T13:07:00.000-04:00

The American Society of Safety Engineers celebrated Mother’s Day recently by providing solutions to create a safe workplace for pregnant women.

The ASSE suggests workplace design changes to help women whose balance, reach distance and lifting capability change with pregnancy.

• Use material handling equipment to reduce the need to lift, lower, push, pull or carry heavy materials
• Reduce the weight of objects that must be handled
• Keep floor surfaces dry and free of debris
• Provide a workplace with features that can be adjusted to accommodate the needs of pregnant women
• Provide safety/ergonomics training

Arkansas construction company receives OSHA fine following worker fatality

2006-06-22T08:56:00.000-04:00

Crossland Construction Co. is facing OSHA penalties of $63,000 for alleged safety violations following the death of a worker who fell from a roof in December 2005.

OSHA cited Crossland Construction Co., Rogers, AR, with four alleged serious and one repeat violation of safety standards following a comprehensive inspection prompted by the death of a worker during construction of a metal warehouse at a Rogers' construction site. Crossland is a general contractor and employs about 600 workers.

"The worker who died laid decking on the roof, stepped on some insulation and fell through to the concrete below,” said Paul Hansen, OSHA's area director in Little Rock, Ark. “Had the company followed OSHA-controlled decking-zone standards, this tragedy could have been prevented."

The four serious citations were issued for failing to ensure that personal fall-arrest systems were used by employees working from the boom or basket of an aerial lift; failing to train employees to recognize and avoid scaffold hazards and failing to ensure that the controlled decking zone-partitioning off a safe section to work-boundaries were properly designated, marked and enforced. A serious violation is one in which there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

The company has 15 working days from receipt of the citations to comply, request and participate in an informal conference with OSHA's Little Rock area director or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

OSHA launches program to prevent injuries in New England cut stone products industries

2006-06-20T10:04:00.000-04:00

OSHA has launched a new outreach and enforcement effort aimed at preventing and reducing injuries, illnesses and fatalities among workers in New England's cut stone products industries.

The program will focus on workplaces that cut, shape, finish, handle or distribute granite, marble and other natural or engineered stone products. The industry, primarily made up of smaller employers, has grown rapidly in the past few years, prompted by increased demand for countertops and other stone products. At the same time, fatality and injury rates have increased, with six New England fatalities since August 2004, five of them crushed by stone slabs.

Hazards to which industry workers can be exposed are crushing by improperly stored or handled stone slabs; silicosis and other lung diseases from exposure to airborne concentrations of silica caused by grinding and cutting; amputation hazards from unguarded machinery; musculoskeletal injuries from using pneumatic tools; and hearing loss from noise overexposures.

Over the next two months, OSHA offices in New England will conduct outreach activities to inform industry employers and employees of the program, promote their awareness of the hazards common to their workplaces and provide information on possible abatement methods. Employers will be encouraged to schedule free safety and health audits.

Those employers who take no action will be placed on a primary list for random, unannounced OSHA enforcement inspections. Those who use the safety consultation service and take steps to correct any hazards found will be put on a secondary inspection list.

Ladder safety

2006-06-19T13:32:00.000-04:00

More than 547,000 people were treated for injuries related to ladder use in 2004, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, but according to physicians and the American Ladder Institute many injuries can be avoided.

Start by inspecting the ladder before using it. Don’t use ladders that are broken or bent, don’t make a temporary repair to a ladder and don’t use a ladder covered by grease, oil, mud or other slippery materials.

When moving a ladder, you should carry a single or extension ladder parallel to the ground. Hold the side rail in the middle of the ladder so you can balance the load.

When setting up a ladder, make sure it will not hit electrical wires, tree limbs or other obstructions when it is extended. To ensure that the ladder is stable, place the feet on firm, even ground.

The bottom of the ladder should be 1 foot away from the wall for every 4 feet that the ladder rises. If you are going to climb onto a roof, the ladder should extend 3 feet higher than the roof. The upper and lower sections of an extension ladder should overlap to provide stability.

Before climbing a ladder, make sure the locks are secured and the bottom and top of the ladder rails are on firm surfaces.

• Face the ladder while climbing and stay in the center of the rails. Grip both rails securely while climbing. Do not lean over the side of the ladder.
• On single or extension ladders, never stand above the third rung from the top and never climb above the point where the ladder touches the wall or vertical support.
• Never stand on the top rung of any ladder.
• Don't overload a ladder; it is meant to be used by only one person at a time.
If you fall from a ladder, calmly assess the situation and determine if you are hurt. Get up slowly. If an injury has occurred, call for assistance.

Workers’ compensation claim

2006-06-16T11:14:00.000-04:00

The Indiana Supreme Court recently awarded $85,800 to a man who waged a nearly 12-year court battle for workers' compensation after an attack by a grouchy coworker left him with serious back injuries.

According to court records, Anthony Farmer was attacked by fellow employee Wynn Swindel on Sept. 1, 1994, as Farmer clocked in and Swindel clocked out. Farmer greeted Swindel, who then shoved Farmer into machinery, seriously injuring his back. Farmer won a lawsuit against Swindel, but then had to fight for workers' comp claim against his employer, DePuy, a maker of orthopedic products.
DePuy argued the incident was not work-related, terming it "horseplay." The state Supreme Court disagreed, awarding Farmer $78,000 in workers' comp, plus an additional 10 percent.

"Farmer’s injuries were incurred while he was performing services for DePuy, and Swindel's loss of control and unprovoked attack does not change that," the court's decision states.

Chainsaw safety

2006-06-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

In a recent period, forest workers who operate chainsaws suffered the highest fatality rates, 160 per 100,000 workers, compared with 26 per 100,000 for miners, according to Bureau of Labor statistics.

Chain saw safety starts with the proper PPE, according to Toolboxtopics.com: hard hats to protect from falling timber, cut resistant chaps, slip resistant footwear, safety glasses, ear muffs and hand protection.

Equipment maintenance is also essential. Workers should sharpen, lubricate and adjust the chain to maintain good cutting ability. They should inspect sprockets and replace them when worn. They should make sure chain brakes are installed and in good working order. And they should always shut off the saw before setting it on the ground for maintenance or at the end of a cut.

Employees must also practice safe cutting practices. Remove all snags before felling a tree and before proceeding with limbing and bucking. Never cut limbs with the saw crossing in front of the body. Keep the saw moving in the same plane as the trunk of the tree, with the feed and body behind the plane. Avoid cutting with the saw at or above shoulder height.

Hurricane preparation

2006-06-09T13:36:00.000-04:00

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted that 13 to 16 named storms will occur during the 2006 hurricane season, which started June 1, with eight to ten becoming hurricanes and four to six major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or stronger.

An Ad Council survey conducted last October says that only 39 percent of companies have a hurricane disaster plan in place.

What should companies do? The recent American Society of Safety Engineers preparation list includes these key steps:

* Do a risk assessment – learn the emergencies that could impact your company
* Institute emergency planning – determine the staff, materials, procedures and equipment to keep your organization running
* Develop a continuity of operations plan – in case your facility is inaccessible
* Define procedures – determine individual responsibilities and train workers to provide emergency assistance
* Coordinate with others – including first responders, emergency managers, community organizations and utility providers
* Conduct employee planning – make sure your employees can recover after a disaster, return to work and re-establish their routines

Occupational vibration

2006-06-08T09:26:00.000-04:00

Two types of occupational vibration that affect eight to 10 million U.S. employees can cause severe injuries. Segmental vibration, which occurs from vibrating pneumatic, electric, hydraulic or gasoline-powered hand tools, leads to disorders of the upper limbs. Whole body vibration, transmitted from the seats or platforms of vehicles, can cause a loss of vehicle control and musculoskeletal disorders of the spinal system.

Segmental vibration can be controlled by the use of low-vibration tools and proper tool upkeep. Employers must provide suitable equipment for employees to use and maintain it correctly.

Whole body vibration can be controlled by:

• using vehicles with suspension systems that minimize vibration
• using air-ride seats
• using good work practices, including allowing workers to take rest breaks and not lift objects after prolonged exposure to vibrations
• making workers aware of the signs and symptoms of whole body vibration back problems and the need to see safety mangers and health care providers if the symptoms occur

Bucket truck safety

2006-06-07T09:34:00.000-04:00

Bucket trucks provide aerial access to hard to reach locations, but they also cause accidents that result in 26 fatalities per year, according to the Bureau of Labor. Deaths occur from falls after lifts are struck by vehicles, cranes or crane loads, when a lift suddenly jerks, or from electrocutions when overhead power lines contact the bucket.

Bucket truck operators must be trained to use them properly and comply with the OSHA standard for aerial lifts (1926.453). Worker training should include:

* pre-start walk around inspection – before traveling to the worksite, perform a visual inspection of the vehicle and its lift system as outlined in the operator’s manual
* work clothes and PPE – operators may be required to wear hard hats, steel toed shoes, eye protection and electrical gloves and should inspect fall arrest equipment for wear and tear
* pre-planning – preplan the route of travel to avoid overhead obstructions
* on the job – park the truck on level ground, install wheel chocks, never exceed the rated lift capacity, watch the overhead and bottom line, never sit on the edge of the bucket and keep feet firmly on bucket floor
* prevent tip-overs – don’t drive with the lift platform elevated; don’t exceed vertical or horizontal reach limits
* electricity in the air – maintain safe distances from overhead power lines

OSHA announces Targeted Inspection Plan for 2006

2006-06-07T09:07:00.000-04:00

OSHA announced last week that its 2006 site-specific targeting program will focus on approximately 4,250 high-hazard worksites that will receive comprehensive inspections over the coming year.

The list of worksites comes from injury and illness data drawn from a survey of 80,000 employers in 2005.

The employers on this year’s list reported 12 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in days away from work for every 100 workers. Employers with slightly lower rates (between 7 and 12 injuries) will be placed on a secondary list for possible inspection.

OSHA will randomly select about 175 workplaces that reported low injury and illness rates to review the actual degree of compliance with OSHA requirements.

“Our targeted inspection program maximizes the effectiveness of our inspection resources to those workplaces with the highest safety and health hazards,” said OSHA administrator Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. “This program gives us the opportunity to focus our enforcement efforts where it will have the most benefit for workers and employers.”

Teen restaurant work safety

2006-06-01T15:41:00.000-04:00

With summer approaching, many teens will get jobs that provide much needed spending money – and the risk of serious injury. An average of 64 workers under the age of 18 died from work-related injuries each year from 1992 to 2002, according to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and in a recent year 84,000 teens were injured at work.

Many teens will work in restaurants and OSHA has created Teen Worker Safety in Restaurants, an eTool that provides a “menu” of safety tips for all kinds of restaurant work. The hazards and potential safety solutions for each position are featured, including:

* Servers – serving food while assuming awkward positions can lead to back, neck and shoulder strains and sprains; employees should: avoid awkward postures while carrying trays, plates and beverages; limit the number of plates carried; use both hands to carry large items; carry plates with elbows close to the body to lessen arm and back strain; balance the load evenly, placing heavier items in the center of the tray; get help moving tables and chairs.

* Cooks -- cooks are at risk of burn injuries while cooking with deep fat fryers and may be exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning from malfunctioning exhaust systems on portable fryer units; employees should: use caution when working around hot oil; get trained in the proper use and maintenance of the deep fat fryer; wear all protective equipment for preparing hot items; use the correct grease level and cooking temperatures for the deep fat fryer; keep stove surfaces clean to prevent grease flare-ups; keep floor surfaces clean and dry to prevent slipping.

Drug testing

2006-05-30T11:42:00.000-04:00

What does drug abuse cost the American workplace?

• Increases the number of reportable on-the-job accidents by 50 percent or more
• Turnover is 30 percent higher
• Absenteeism is 10 percent higher
• Drug abusers are responsible for 30 percent or more of total losses related to job site theft and up to 60 percent of cash theft
• An estimated 10-14 percent of the American workforce abuses drugs and costs the economy $140 billion per year

Organizations need to be proactive to protect themselves against employee drug abuse by creating an effective drug testing program.

You can establish a program by clearly communicating your drug-free workplace policy to every employee. Then name a medical review officer who will monitor the program and promote an employee assistance program.

You must determine how you are going to drug test and when. Most organizations test post accident and pre-employment but random testing has proven to be a significant deterrent and can be implemented in conjunction with pre-employment and post-accident testing.

The federal government and most states support drug-free workplace programs, but there are differences in statutes, so check your state’s guidelines before starting a program. The key is to have a well-documented and well-communicated policy that is applied in a fair, unbiased manner. (adapted from an article in Industrial Hygiene News)

OSHA first-aid guide

2006-05-26T09:25:00.000-04:00

In response to the 4.3 million workplace injuries and illnesses in 2004, 1.3 million resulting in days away from work, OSHA has released a first-aid guide to help employers treat injured employees.

The Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program is intended for first-aid workers, which any company not located next to a hospital or clinic must have, according to OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.151.

The guide focuses on first aid training programs, which should be individualized to the workplace. The training should enable employees to develop hands on skills for quick response to emergency situations. It should provide information on responding to life threatening emergencies, including performing rescue breathing, treating airway obstruction and performing CPR. Training should also be provided for non-life threatening emergencies, such as wounds, burns, eye injuries and musculoskeletal injuries.

To see the guide, go to http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3317first-aid.pdf.

New Hexavalent Chromium standard enacted

2006-05-24T11:38:00.000-04:00

On Feb. 28, OSHA issued a new regulation for occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium that takes effect at the end of this month. The standard will protect employees in the chemical industry from exposure to a chemical that causes lung cancer, nasal septum ulcerations, skin ulcerations and allergic reactions.

The new standard lowers the permissible exposure limit from 52 to 5 micrograms of Cr(VI) per cubic meter of air as an 8-hour time-weighted average. The standard also includes provisions relating to preferred measures for controlling exposure, respiratory protection, protective work clothing and equipment, hygiene areas and practices, medical surveillance, hazard communication and record keeping.

When engineering and work practice controls aren’t enough to maintain the low level of chromium, the rule requires companies to supply employees with respirators as supplementary protection. Companies must also provide PPE to employees, including gloves, aprons, coveralls, foot coverings and goggles.

Alliance to Reduce Workplace Hazards for New England's Carpenters

2006-05-23T13:13:00.000-04:00

Reducing and preventing occupational hazards for carpenters throughout New England is the goal of an alliance announced last week between OSHA and the New England Carpenters Training Fund.

The alliance will focus on reducing and preventing exposure to a variety of construction safety and health hazards through training for NECTF members that will focus on scaffolding, trenching, fall protection, electrical safety and struck-by and caught in/between hazards.

OSHA and NECTF will share information on best practices and effective approaches, promote and encourage NECTF members' participation in OSHA's cooperative programs, and encourage NECTF regional council members to build relationships with OSHA's area and regional offices to address safety and health issues.

"This alliance is an excellent opportunity to reach out to carpenters throughout the region to help them identify and eliminate the most common and dangerous hazards they can encounter in their workplaces," said Marthe Kent, OSHA's New England regional administrator.

Machine Safety

2006-05-22T10:55:00.000-04:00

Misused machines can cut off fingers or punch through flesh, causing career-ending disabilities as well as severe pain and suffering.

Employees must avoid the point of operation, where the work of the machine, including pressing, cutting, punching and boring takes place; and the power train, where energy is transferred through moving parts like gears, shafts, belts, cables and hydraulic or pneumatic cylinders.

In addition to avoiding the power train and point of operation, employees should always:
• Make sure machines are anchored securely to prevent "walking," tipping, excessive vibration or other movement that could be hazardous.
• Never reach blindly into areas that may contain energized parts.
• Be sure there is enough lighting to clearly see all points of operation.
• Keep conductive items -- watches, rings, steel wool, belt buckles -- away from exposed electrical parts.
• Never plug or unplug electrical equipment with wet hands.
• Follow all lockout/tagout procedures.
• Always wear the proper protective equipment for each job.

Small businesses are safer, study shows

2006-05-19T08:49:00.000-04:00

Small businesses with fewer than 100 workers, which employ 55 percent of American workers, have been thought of as the highest risk for fatalities, but a Rand Corp. study released this week challenges that theory.

The report, based on the analysis of 17,000 workplace deaths between 1992 and 2001, says the highest fatalities occur at small worksites within medium sized businesses with 20 to 999 employees.

Small single site business are actually safer, because the owner is on the premises to watch over employees. “An on-site owner feels more responsibility to try to avoid injuring workers than a hired manager would,” said John Mendeloff, a professor of public policy at the University of Pittsburgh, who led the study.

Some policymakers have argued that the burden of health, safety and environmental regulations fall too heavily on small businesses, which have less ability to keep up with regulatory requirements. These results suggest that the safety records of single establishment firms may justify lighter regulatory intervention. OSHA may focus more effort at middle-sized firms that have small establishments, because they present the highest fatality risks.

Accident investigation

2006-05-17T09:32:00.000-04:00

How can companies prevent tomorrow’s accidents? By investigating accidents that occur today. Successful investigations uncover the cause of an accident so that you can correct safety problems and prevent future accidents.

According to Business & Legal Reports, successful accident investigations take place immediately after the accident, determine the facts and causes and recommend corrective action. The investigations must specifically determine: what happened and when; where it happened and who was involved; how and why did it happen; and, how can we keep it from happening again.

Your employees can help the investigation by:

* Reporting all accidents right away.
* Writing down all the information about the accident as soon as it occurs.
* Not disturbing the scene of the accident, because it can help investigators determine what happened.
* Lending their expertise to the investigation, if they have special knowledge about the equipment or procedures involved.
* Encouraging co-workers to cooperate in the investigation.
* Joining with co-workers and management to implement corrective measures and follow new safety rules.

Hazcom vs. Hazmat vs. Hazardous waste

2006-05-16T10:09:00.000-04:00

Are you familiar with the different hazardous materials terminology?

The term HAZCOM refers to the OSHA Hazard Communication Standard, which requires that employees receive training about the chemicals they use in their work.

The term HAZMAT is used when discussing the transport, clean-up, transport, use or disposal of hazardous materials. It can also be used in connection with emergency response to a hazardous materials accident and the protective clothing worn during the response, as in “HazMat suit”.

HAZARDOUS WASTE is a contaminated chemical or by-product of a production process that must be disposed of in accordance with the Environmental Protection Agency. This could include small amounts of chemicals such as parts washing solvents in a machine shop, or large amounts of construction by-products.

HAZWOPER refers to training that deals with hazardous waste operations and emergency response to chemical spills or releases. HAZWOPER training alerts your employees to the dangers of hazardous substances and their role in responding to them. It is essential for any employee that works around hazardous materials.

Back injury prevention

2006-05-15T13:49:00.000-04:00

Most of you have probably heard that in order to lift safely, you must lift properly. "Bend your knees not your back," and "don't twist as you lift" is good advice, but there are many other actions you can take to help you lift properly, according to Toolboxtopics.com:

* Get as close to the load as possible. The further the load is from the center line of your body, the greater the strain imposed on your back.
* Avoid picking up heavy objects placed below your knees. Try to see that heavy objects are placed and stored above knee level and below shoulder level.
* Keep your back straight. Don't bend at the waist when reaching to lift an object. Keep the natural arch in your lower back, which distributes the load evenly over the surface of spinal disks.
* Glue your hand to your thigh. If you carry a load in one hand, place your free hand on the outside of your thigh and mentally "glue" it into position. This will help you maintain correct back alignment rather than lifting and tilting to one side.
* Tighten your stomach muscles. This technique helps prevent your spine from twisting.
* Stretch and loosen up before work. A few minutes of stretching can warm up cold stiff muscles and tendons and help you avoid injury. All professional athletes know this -- "industrial athletes" should too!

Avoiding rollovers

2006-05-11T13:27:00.000-04:00

The risk of rollover crashes in 15 passenger vans increases when five or more passengers ride in the van. When more passengers climb in, the vehicle’s center of gravity moves higher and further rearward, which increases the vehicle’s propensity to oversteer and decreases its lateral stability. As a consequence, the rollover risk is increased, especially during emergency maneuvering or high speed driving.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following recommendations for 15 passenger van driving:

* Operators should be highly experienced and fully trained.
* When not all seating positions are occupied, seats forward of the rear axle should be occupied first.
* Reduce speed in bad weather, avoid distractions and do not drive when tired.
* Do not transport cargo on the roof, which further raises the center of gravity and increases the rollover risk.
* Everybody buckle up. Nearly 80 percent of rollover fatalities occurred to passengers not wearing seat belts and 91 percent of belted passengers survived rollovers in a recent ten year period.

Contractor receives OSHA fine for trench cave-in

2006-05-10T13:51:00.000-04:00

A Wakefield, Mass., contractor faces $27,000 in OSHA fines following a trench cave-in at a Hingham jobsite that injured a worker.

On Nov. 28, 2005, an employee of Nardone Inc. was installing a drainage pipe in a 13-foot deep trench when its unprotected sidewall collapsed, burying him up to his chest. The accident took place at Ridgewood Crossing, a housing development under construction in Hingham.

"While it's fortunate this worker was not killed, this incident illustrates the force and weight with which a trench's unprotected walls can collapse onto workers before they have a chance to react or escape," said Brenda Gordon, OSHA's southeastern Massachusetts area director. "The hazard of working in an unprotected trench was clearly recognizable, yet nothing was done to prevent it. This accident should not have happened."

OSHA's inspection found that the trench wall was not shored, sloped at a shallow angle or otherwise protected against collapse. Piles of excavated soil were stored near the trench's edge and no ladder was present in the trench to provide safe entry and exit. In addition, employees were not trained to recognize trenching hazards and the trench was not inspected by a competent person with the knowledge to spot hazards and the authority to correct them.

As a result, Nardone Inc. was issued one willful citation and fined $21,000 for the lack of cave-in protection. The other conditions resulted in the issuance of four serious citations, with $6,000 in fines. OSHA defines a willful violation as one committed with an intentional disregard of, or plain indifference to, the requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act and regulations. A serious citation is issued when death or serious physical harm are likely to result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

OSHA standards require that all excavations five feet or deeper be protected against collapse.

The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations on May 3 to contest them before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Lockout vs. tagout

2006-05-09T11:47:00.000-04:00

Lockout and tagout are the two methods for controlling hazardous energy and lockout is preferable because it is more secure. Locks provide a physical restraint and cannot be removed without a key, while tags can be removed or ignored by someone who is unaware of what they mean.

OSHA prefers lockout and says tags can only be used in two situations: when locks cannot be used and when the employer can demonstrate that a tagout system will provide full employee protection. Additional safeguards can be implemented for tag outs, such as blocking a control switch or removing valve handles to reduce the possibility of accidentally starting equipment.

When the tagout procedure is used, workers must understand the limitations of the tags:

* Tags are only warning devices, they do not provide physical restraints, like locks.
* It is easier to bypass or ignore a tag or remove it without authorization.
* Tags may not be effective unless they can be read and understood by all affected workers.
* Tags can fall or be knocked off unless they are securely attached.

Forearm support

2006-05-08T13:12:00.000-04:00

Providing forearm support prevents musculoskeletal disorders of the upper body and reduces upper body pain resulting from computer work, according to an April study in the British Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

A padded board, attached to the front edge of a worker’s desk with a support that is placed under the meaty part of the worker’s forearm, positions a computer user’s arm in a way that releases tension in the shoulder muscle. The study shows that the use of the board reduces neck, shoulder, hand, wrist and forearm pain.

The study also tested a trackball, a large ball installed next to the computer keyboard that replaces the mouse. The study found that it reduced worker discomfort in some cases, but for others it was hard to use.

David Rempel, the study’s author and director of the ergonomics program at San Francisco General Hospital and professor of medicine at University of California San Francisco, said, “Based on these outcomes, employers should consider providing employees who use computers with appropriate forearm support and training.”

North American Occupational Safety and Health Week

2006-05-05T08:59:00.000-04:00

OSHA, the American Society of Safety Engineers and the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering kicked off North American Occupational Safety and Health Week which aims to increase public awareness on the importance of workplace safety for young workers. The event, which began April 30 and runs through May 6, supports OSHA's Alliance with ASSE to advance a culture of prevention while sharing best practices and technical knowledge.

"This is the perfect opportunity to focus on our efforts to help our most vulnerable workers-young people-many of whom will begin their first jobs this spring or summer," said Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. "Together, we will address ways to provide youth, their parents and their employers with the tools they need to protect our next generation of workers."

Held each May, NAOSH Week is a joint venture among the United States, Canada and Mexico that raises awareness of occupational safety among employers, employees and the public. The goal is to focus the attention of employers and employees on occupational safety and the importance of preventing injury and illness in the workplace.

The NAOSH Week activities complement OSHA's recently announced Teen Summer Job Safety Campaign, a multi-year project to increase awareness about workplace hazards, and provide possible solutions to those hazards, for young workers and their parents.

Hotel housekeepers suffer persistent injuries

2006-05-03T09:35:00.000-04:00

A NIOSH study released last week shows that hotel housekeepers suffer from persistent pain and injury.

The study, based on the records of more than 600 housekeeping employees at over 60 hotel properties over a recent seven year period, shows that 91 percent experienced workplace pain and faced an injury rate of 10.4 percent, compared with 5.6 percent for other hotel workers. Housekeepers faced a 61.4 percent higher risk of injury than other workers.

“Work like hotel room cleaning has been shown over and over again to increase the risk of musculoskeletal disorders in hotel housekeepers,” said Laura Punnett, an occupational epidemiologist at the University of Massachusetts and one of the authors of the report. “The prevalence of lower back pain and related symptoms is unusually high.”

Hotel housekeeping workloads and the physical demands of the work have increased significantly in recent years as hotels have upgraded and introduced new room amenities, like luxury beds with heavy mattresses, triple sheeting and heavy duvets. “After the hotel put in the heavier beds and linens, the pain became more severe,” said Leticia Caballos, a housekeeper at Glendale Hilton in Los Angeles.

Re-injured workers in Kansas endangered by new law

2006-05-01T09:56:00.000-04:00

Re-injured workers in Kansas face reduced benefits if a bill approved by the legislature becomes law.

The law would relieve employers from providing coverage for workers who reinjured a pre-existing condition.

The law is supported by employers and the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, who don’t believe workers should be paid for injuries not attributable to their current job, although one employer wondered how this could be determined. “Can we have a physician do an analysis and make a professional determination of whether a percentage of that injury was a pre-existing condition?” Gus Rau Meyer, president of Rau Construction Co., told the Kansas City Business Journal.

Gov. Kathleen Sebelius opposes the bill, but hasn’t said whether she’ll veto it. She said the state’s worker’s comp premium rates are already the eighth lowest in the nation.

In 1993, the state abolished a fund that paid out reinjury claims, and since then employers have felt they’re unfairly forced to pay for treatment or disability benefits based on injuries not attributable to their jobs. “There are too many times when an injury doesn’t even occur on a job site or a portion of the injury is attributable to the aging process,” said Sen. Karin Brownlee, R-Olathe. “In those circumstances, it should not be the responsibility of the employer to pay 100 percent of the indemnity to the employee.”

Defective air packs

2006-04-28T16:19:00.000-04:00

Air packs produced by CSE Corp. didn’t work properly during the Sago, WV mine disaster, contributing to the deaths of 12 miners there, according to Randal McCloy, the sole survivor, who recounted the experience in a letter to the victims’ families yesterday, the Associated Press reported.

McCloy said that at least four of the self-contained self-rescue devices, or SCSRs, which are intended to give miners an hour’s worth of oxygen while they escape or find a pocket of clean air, failed to work, forcing the miners to share the working packs.

At least two miners who escaped the blast said their air packs weren’t working either. “There’s going to have to be some design changes for them,” one of them told the AP.

CSE didn’t comment on the packs yesterday but the International Coal Group said that “federal investigators did not note any defective SCSRs and all appeared to be in working order.”

The Bush administration is reviewing air packs and other safety equipment used in the mines.

Death on the job

2006-04-27T11:38:00.000-04:00

The AFL-CIO has released its 14th annual Death on Job report, providing a national and state by state profile of workplace fatalities.

The report lists 5,559 workplace deaths due to traumatic injuries in 2003, a slight increase from 5,534 in 2002.

The construction sector had the highest fatality rate (1,126), followed by transportation and warehousing (805) and agriculture (707).

The number of workplace homicides increased for the first time since 2000.

In 2003, 4.4 million injuries and illnesses were reported in private sector workplaces, a slight decrease from 4.7 million in 2002.

Fatalities among Hispanic workers rose 48 percent between 1992 and 2003, while overall workplace fatalities dropped 11 percent. Hispanic men have the greatest overall risk of fatal occupational injury of any race/ethnicity group.

OSHA notifies employers of high injury, illness rates

2006-04-26T10:19:00.000-04:00

OSHA notified approximately 14,000 employers last week that their injury and illness rates are higher than average and that it will assist them in fixing the hazards.

“Our goal is to identify workplaces where injury and illness rates are high and to offer assistance so they can reduce occupational injuries and illnesses,” said OSHA administrator Edwin G. Foulke, Jr.

OSHA identified the companies through employee reported data from a 2005 survey of 80,000 worksites. The workplaces identified had 6.0 or more injuries resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity or job transfer for every 100 full-time workers. The national average was 2.5 for every 100 workers.

Employees notified by OSHA also received a list of the most frequently violated OSHA standards for their specific industry and were offered the agency’s help in turning the numbers around through free health and safety consultation services provided by OSHA through the states.

The list does not designate those earmarked for any future inspections. An announcement of targeted inspections will be made later this year.

The 14,000 sites are listed alphabetically, by state, on OSHA's web site at: http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/foia/hot_12.html.

OSHA fines Florida company for safety violations in association with fatal accident

2006-04-25T09:57:00.000-04:00

In action taken last week, OSHA fined Gencor Industries, an Orlando based manufacturer of asphalt production equipment, $68,400 for a fatal accident that occurred when an overhead hoisting hook and plate clamp failed and caused the unsupported metal to fall and pin an employee against a cylinder.

"This tragic event could have been prevented if the company had followed required safety rules and inspected the lifting equipment daily for signs of fatigue," said Les Grove, OSHA's Tampa area director.

OSHA cited the company for failing to inspect slings and fastenings each day for damage and defects; keep employees clear of suspended loads; and assure that slings were securely attached to loads.

In all, the company received 28 serious citations. Other alleged safety violations included: failing to provide employees with eye protection during cutting and welding operations and fall protection while working in aerial baskets at heights 10 to 14 feet above ground; exposing workers to amputations from unguarded machinery and electrocutions from damaged or improperly installed electrical equipment; and failing to implement lockout-tagout procedures to ensure that energized equipment was rendered inoperable during servicing and repair.

The company has 15 working days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the OSHA Review Commission.

Standing worker safety

2006-04-24T13:43:00.000-04:00

Working in a standing position on a regular basis can cause sore feet, swelling of the legs, varicose veins, general muscular fatigue, low back pain and stiffness in the neck and shoulders, reports the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety. Such complaints are common among salespeople, machine operators, assembly-line workers and others whose jobs require prolonged standing.

The basic principles of good job design for standing work are:
• Change working positions frequently so that working in one position is of a reasonably short duration.
• Avoid extreme bending, stretching and twisting.
• Pace work appropriately.
• Allow workers suitable rest periods to relax.
• Provide instruction on proper work practices and the use of rest breaks.
• Allow workers an adjustment period when they return to work after an absence for vacation or illness so they can gradually return to a regular work pace.

Staggering injury costs!

2006-04-21T09:14:00.000-04:00

The lifetime cost of injuries occurring in a single year in the U.S. is an estimated $406 billion in medical expenses and productivity losses, according to a study released yesterday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nearly $80.2 billion is attributed to medical expenses and $326 billion to lifetime productivity losses for the almost 50 million injuries that required medical treatment.

The actual costs of injuries may be greater, because police services, caregiver time and cost for pain and suffering are not included.

The study also found that males account for 70 percent of the costs of injuries, due to higher fatality rates and the magnitude of their lost wages. Motor vehicle accidents are responsible for 22 percent of injury costs and fall injuries for 20 percent.

“The financial and economic impact of injuries in the U.S. is serious,” says CDC director Dr. Julie Gerberding. “However, by expanding our science-based injury prevention programs, we can drastically reduce these costs and help people live longer and healthier lives.”

Protection from poisonous plants

2006-04-20T10:11:00.000-04:00

With the warm weather approaching, outdoor workers will have to make a special effort to avoid poison ivy, oak and sumac. Approximately 85 percent of the general population develops a rash from the allergic reaction to these poisonous plants. The rash starts within 12 to 48 hours after contact and can be acute or chronic. Chronic or long term exposure increases the severity of the symptoms, which can lead to a recurrence of rashes and permanent scarring.

Employees should be trained to recognize the plants and know how to avoid them. They should wear protective clothing and gloves. Upon exposure, they must wash thoroughly with soap and water and remove all contaminated clothing for washing. They can apply barrier cream to exposed skin. Employers should keep rubbing alcohol accessible to remove the oily resin up to 30 minutes after exposure.

Chemical accident assessed

2006-04-19T09:18:00.000-04:00

A lack of planning and proper hazard analysis caused the 2004 runaway chemical reaction and toxic vapor cloud release at MFG Chemical in Dalton, GA, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board reported last week.

The accident, which forced 200 families to evacuate their homes and required 154 people to be decontaminated and treated for chemical exposure, occurred when a runaway chemical reaction rapidly pressurized a 4,000 gallon chemical reactor, releasing allyl alcohol and allyl chloride into the atmosphere.

“MFG did not adequately plan for scaling up the reaction from the laboratory to full production volume or evaluate how much heat the reaction would produce,” said CSB lead investigator John Vorderbrueggen. “If MFG had followed the good engineering and safety practices described in federal regulations, this accident would likely not have occurred.

CSB reports that the MFG accident was one of more than 170 serious reactive chemical accidents that have occurred since 1980.
“This is yet another serious industrial accident that endangered the public and resulted from an uncontrolled chemical reaction. It is vital that chemical operators properly assess the hazards and put appropriate safeguards and emergency plans into place,” said CSB chairman Carolyn Merritt.

Chronic pain

2006-04-18T09:48:00.000-04:00

From headaches to respiratory conditions to arthritis, many Americans suffer from chronic pain on the job, but often hide those conditions from employers because they fear the consequences.

“Chronic pain has been categorized as a ‘silent disorder’ in the workplace because most employees are afraid if their employers find out,” Wayne Hochwarter, management professor at Florida State University, told Occupational Hazards magazine.

Hochwarter says his research shows that chronic pain has a significant effect on the worker and the organization. It is associated with:

* more conflict on the job
* less effective communication
* an inability to focus on tasks that require sustained concentration
* less enthusiasm for the job
* fewer favorable interactions with co-workers and supervisors
* more job tension
* higher levels of depressed mood

The results also indicate that chronic pain accounts for over five hours a week of lost productivity, more than $5,000 per employee per year, and also contributes to increased absenteeism and tardiness.

He says employers must take a proactive approach to minimize the undesirable effects. “Education and communication can go a long way in reducing the stigma of chronic pain as a weakness. Organizational support may help sufferers get through the roughest days,” he says.

Evacuation plans

2006-04-17T09:32:00.000-04:00

If the aftermath of 9/11, when approximately 4,000 World Trade Center employees died but 25,000 were saved, there is a renewed emphasis on the need for viable evacuation plans.

According to OSHA, the best evacuation plans include employees in the planning process, specify what employees should do in an emergency and ensure that employees receive proper training for emergencies. After you develop a plan, review it with employees and make sure everyone knows what to do before, during and after an emergency. Keep a copy of your evacuation plan in a convenient place where employees can review it.

The evacuation plan should contain the following elements:

* preferred procedures for reporting emergencies, such as dialing 911
* a description of the alarm system to be used to notify employees to evacuate and/or take other actions
* an evacuation policy, procedures and escape route assignments so employees understand who is authorized to order an evacuation, how to evacuate and what routes to take
* procedures for employees who remain on site after the evacuation alarm sounds
* procedures to account for employees after the evacuation to ensure that everyone got out
* duties, responsibilities and names of employees assigned with rescue and medical tasks

Protecting farm workers from heat stress

2006-04-14T10:23:00.000-04:00

After three farm workers in California died from heat stroke last July, Cal-OSHA adopted a new standard, which is temporary because it was unable to devise a permanent standard in time for the most recent harvest season.

The standard requires employers to provide at least one quart of drinking water per employee per hour, access to shade for employees needing to prevent or recover from heat illness symptoms and training in prevention and response to heat illness.

The training alerts farm workers to the different types and symptoms of heat illness, the best methods for avoiding them, the procedures for reporting symptoms and the employers responsibility to respond to them.

Low injury reporting

2006-04-13T09:26:00.000-04:00

The current national surveillance system for work-related injuries and illnesses may miss two-thirds of the total number, according to a Michigan State University study, the Confined Space blog reports.

“We estimate that the number of work-related injuries and illnesses in Michigan is three times greater than the official estimate derived from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) annual survey,” says Dr. Kenneth Rosenman, the MSU researcher.

Dr. Rosenman blames the problem on employees who aren’t counted, including government employees from 26 states without OSHA coverage and self employed workers and farmers from farms with less than 11 employees.

But the blog also attributes the problem to employer negligence. “While it is illegal for an employer to refuse to list a reported injury or illness, we have seen employers use a variety of means to discourage workers from reporting injuries or illnesses,” it says. “Behavioral and safety incentive programs that reward workers who don’t report injuries are one way to keep reporting down. Disciplining ‘unsafe workers’ who report injuries is another method employers use to discourage workers from reporting injuries.”

Employers seek to keep injuries low to avoid OSHA inspections. “OSHA currently bases its inspection targeting on employer self-reporting. Low number of injuries and illnesses mean a smaller chance of being inspected,” the blog states.

Visual fatigue from small computers

2006-04-12T16:10:00.000-04:00

The increasing use of smaller work gadgets, from PDAs to laptops and cell phones, is contributing to visual fatigue and discomfort.

“The unique characteristics and high visual demands of computer work make many individuals susceptible to the development of vision-related problems,” Dr. Jeffrey Anshel, an optometrist and author of Visual Ergonomics in the Workplace, told Ergoweb.com.

A recent survey of optometrists found that more than 14 per cent of patients reported eye or vision-related symptoms resulting from computer work.

“Staring at a computer monitor or the small screens on most devices can lead to a variety of ailments, including headaches, eyestrain, blurred vision, dry and irritated eyes, neck and/or backache and sensitivity to light,” Dr. Anshel warns.

"Eye stress and strain may be caused by a combination of individual visual problems, improper viewing habits, and poor environmental conditions, such as glare, improper workstation set up, dirty screens, poor lighting and viewing angles.

"The good news is that many potential eye and/or vision problems can be reduced or eliminated by the appropriate adjustment and placement of computer monitors, lighting control, good preventive vision care habits, and regular professional eye care," Dr. Anshel says.

Construction Safety for female employees

2006-04-10T14:05:00.000-04:00

Women working in construction face the same dangers as men and are at risk for injuries from falls, lifting and being struck by objects. However many of these issues cannot be addressed the same way for women as for men.

The American Society of Safety Engineers offers the following safety tips for women construction workers:

* Since PPE is often designed for average size men, women must take special care to wear the correct size and type. Work gloves must fit properly, overly large gloves and tight gloves create safety hazards.
* Women must be properly trained to use tools and equipment that were designed for the size and strength of men. Tools like pliers, which require a wide grasp, may not be suitable for women.
* Women’s size and body build require reconsideration of techniques for lifting and material handling. For heavy lifting jobs, women should look for ways to make the lift require less force, such as using leverage or breaking the load into smaller piles.
* Women should maintain visibility at a construction site by wearing a bright reflective vest to avoid being struck by heavy machinery or vehicles.

Driver responsibility

2006-03-31T16:07:00.000-05:00

Drivers of large trucks and other vehicles involved in truck crashes are 10 times more likely to be the cause of the crash than other factors, such as weather, road conditions, and vehicle performance, according to a new study released by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

"This study makes it clear that we need to spend more time addressing driver behavior," FMCSA Administrator Annette Sandberg said. "The multitude of data now available will allow us to analyze specific areas of behavior and work with our industry and safety partners to develop an agenda on driver safety that will improve commercial motor vehicle driver performance."

FMCSA will conduct additional analysis to examine driver factors such as use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, speeding, fatigue, inattention, distractions, work environment, and unfamiliarity with the road.

Roofer exposure to silica dust

2006-03-30T10:07:00.000-05:00

Every year more than 200 U.S. workers die from silicosis, a lung disease. NIOSH has recently reported that roofers are at risk for developing sliscosis because cement tiles, which are used on roofs, contain silica and cutting, drilling or blasting the tiles creates silica dust which workers breathe in.

Roofers who experience symptoms of silicosis, including shortness of breath, fatigue, coughing and chest pain, should notify their employers and see a doctor.

NIOSH is working with contractors on engineering controls that will prevent silica dust, but in the meantime, roofers should use respirators. Employers should initiate respirator programs, which should include:

* regular air monitoring
* respirator training
* use of NIOSH approved respirators
* medical examinations for workers
* testing to make sure respirators fit
* maintenance, inspection, cleaning and storage of respirators

Eye care

2006-03-29T09:29:00.000-05:00

According to Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 36,000 on the job eye injuries occurred in 2004, resulting in $360 million in lost production time, medical expenses and worker compensation. Manufacturing and production jobs had the highest incidences, followed by installation, maintenance, repair and construction. Many of the injuries occurred after being struck by an object.

According to Prevent Blindness America, 90 percent of occupational eye injuries can be prevented by wearing the proper protection. OSHA’s Eye and Face Protection standard (1910.133) requires employers to protect employees from eye hazards, including flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, chemical gases and light radiation.

The PBA offers the following tips to promote eye safety in the workplace:

* Safety eyewear must have ANSIZ87 clearly marked on all glasses or goggles and should be warn at all times when hazards are present.
* Workers should know where the nearest eye wash station is and how to use it.
* Employees should have regular eye exams to insure their vision is adequate to do their jobs safely.
* Those with reduced vision should ask their employers for prescription glasses or goggles.

Preventing industrial fires

2006-03-28T09:37:00.000-05:00

More than 17,000 fires occur in industrial settings such as manufacturing plants every year, resulting in injuries, fatalities and huge property loss. The presence of a heat source combined with manufacturing equipment, chemicals, combustibles and flammable vapors in direct proximity to workers presents a significant level of risk, with life threatening situations arising in seconds.

Every manufacturing facility should have an Electrical Safety Program in place to prevent these life threatening situations. The following strategies should be followed to develop an ESP:

* Operate facilities in accordance with manufacturer guidelines.
* Establish operational guidelines for the use of each piece of equipment.
* Train all personnel in accordance with operating guidelines.
* Select and install emergency response equipment in all work areas.
* Establish a fire safety plan with fire extinguishers, smoke/fire alarms, exit signs, emergency lighting and sprinkler and fire suppression systems.

Welding accidents

2006-03-27T11:00:00.000-05:00

The majority of welding accidents stem from four specific hazards, according to Terry Byrd, welding product manager for Airgas, Inc., a distributor of welding safety products, who was quoted in Occupational Health & Safety magazine.

• Arc rays: produce ultraviolet infrared rays that burn the eyes and skin; workers should use magnifiers to gauge distances of the rays, so they can stay far enough away, and wear face shields with approved filter and cover plate and safety glasses
• Fumes: can be hazardous if inhaled; proper ventilation must be provided, including smoke extractors and exhaust fans; welders can wear respirators
• Electric shock: high currents can cause death; equipment must be properly maintained and grounded with no loose fittings or exposed live parts; welders should use dry insulating gloves and never touch electrodes or welding wires with bare hands
• Gas cylinders: can explode and send shrapnel flying; welders must protect the cylinder from excess heat and make sure they are insulated and never grounded; cylinders should be checked regularly for leaks and kept free of oil and other lubricants

Hand eczema

2006-03-24T10:07:00.000-05:00

Severe cases of hand eczema caused by soaps and other irritants in the workplace may lead to prolonged sick leaves, according to a study reported in Archives in Dermatology, a Journal of American Medical Association publication. Occupational hand eczema (OHE) has been recognized as the most frequent occupational disease in many Western countries.

Hand eczema or dermatitis is redness or irritation of the hands, due to irritants in soap, chemicals or detergents. It starts as a mild intermittent complaint, but can become increasingly severe, with blisters, scaling and cracking that can spread to the forearms or feet. “It has become a disease of increasing importance because of its serious consequences, such as frequent eruptions and risk of prolonged sick leave,” according to the study.

Hand dermatitis is particularly common in industries involving cleaning, cooking and catering, metalwork, hairdressing, healthcare and mechanical work.

Employees who experience OHE should:

* avoid wet-work and contact with irritants
* protect hands with vinyl gloves, which are preferable to rubber
* use emollients frequently -- apply barrier cream to all affected areas before work
* use topical steroids to reduce inflammation
* use antibiotics to treat infection

Farm safety

2006-03-23T14:14:00.000-05:00

There were 659 workplace fatalities for the agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting industries in 2004, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most farm-related accidents are caused by machinery, with tractor accidents accounting for a high rate of fatalities. Agriculture also is the most dangerous industry for young workers.

The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is providing farm-related safety and health tips to help reduce the number of agricultural injuries and illnesses that occur each year.
"Farmers should familiarize themselves with the equipment operator's manual, the best source for information for preventing tractor and farm equipment-related injuries and fatalities," said Dr. Terry Wilkinson, ASSE director of member/region affairs. "Conducting regular equipment inspections can also help prevent farm-related injuries by detecting and fixing equipment problems before use."

ASSE offers these additional safety tips:
• Develop an awareness of hazards on the farm and prepare for emergency situations including machinery entanglements, fires, vehicle accidents, electrical shocks from equipment, and adverse health effects from chemical exposures.
• Conduct meetings with employees and family members to assess safety hazards, discuss potential accident situations, and outline emergency procedures.
• Provide approved Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS). Use seat belts while the tractor is in operation on tractors equipped with a ROPS.
• Make sure guards for farm equipment are put back on after maintenance to protect workers from moving machinery parts.
• Take the necessary precautions to prevent entrapment and suffocation caused by unstable surfaces of grain storage bins, silos, wagons and other storage structures.
• Be aware that methane gas, carbon dioxide, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide can be present in unventilated grain silos and manure pits in quantities sufficient to cause asphyxiation or explosion.
• Farmers are at great risk of contracting respiratory problems due to the amount of dust and chemicals they breathe. Wearing protective equipment, including chemical cartridge masks, can prevent acute and chronic respiratory illnesses.

PCB exposure can lead to cancer

2006-03-22T10:06:00.000-05:00

Does working with Polychlorinated Biphenyls pose an occupational risk of cancer?

A NIOSH reports states that while PCB production was banned almost 30 years ago, as many as 113,000 PCB transformers and 1.33 million PCB capacitors may still be in use, so exposure risks remain for workers who repair, maintain or dispose of equipment containing PCBs.

The report follows a 1992 study with new data, confirming earlier findings of higher than expected mortality from brain cancer and melanoma among workers at an Indiana capacitor plant.

For the full report, visit www.ehponline.org/members/2005/8253/8253.html.

Ladder safety

2006-03-21T09:57:00.000-05:00

Oregon OSHA has released safety tips for storing and transporting ladders.

Storing ladders:
* Use a well-ventilated storage area
* Store wood and fiberglass ladders away from moisture, heat and sunlight; keep them away from stoves, steam pipes and radiators
* Store non-self-supporting ladders in flat racks or wall brackets that prevent them from sagging; store step ladders vertically to reduce sagging and twisting
* Keep material off ladders while stored
Transporting ladders:
* When you hand-carry a ladder, keep the front end elevated to reduce the chance of striking another person with the front of the ladder
* When transporting a ladder in a truck or trailer, make sure it’s properly supported parallel to the bed. Pad the support points with non-abrasive material such as rubber or carpeting and tie the ladder securely to eliminate chafing and road shock

Roller coasters must be locked out

2006-03-20T09:24:00.000-05:00

Does lockout/tagout apply to roller coasters? Yes, when you consider that a groundskeeper was killed when he was hit by a roller coaster that hadn’t been locked out before he began working.

Wilfredo Martinez, a 23-year-old groundskeeper, was killed at Lake Compounce, a Connecticut amusement park, in 2001, when the Boulder Dash roller coaster was on a test run. Employees frequently use padlocks to lock out the roller coaster when they are
working in the area, but groundskeepers don’t have them.

Jack Silar, an investigator for MAH Consulting, who was doing a safety inspection for Lake Compounce, said groundskeepers should have access to lockout devices “if they’re going to be in a restricted area.” A restricted area is anyplace where a person would be in danger if the ride was operating.

OSHA fined Lake Compounce $14,500 for numerous violations after the accident, stating that it “did not establish, develop and implement an energy control program for equipment, including the Boulder Dash, where unexpectedly starting equipment could cause severe injury to groundskeepers.” It also said the park did not provide sufficient training for groundskeepers working around rides.

A Lake Compounce spokesman said groundskeepers were given padlocks to lockout the roller coaster immediately after the accident occurred.

Fishing safety accelerates

2006-03-17T10:19:00.000-05:00

On December 20, 2004, the New Bedford, MA-based scallop boat Northern Edge capsized 45 miles off Nantucket, killing five of the six crew members, who could have been saved if they’d been better trained or had access to safety equipment, according to the Boston Globe.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, area fishermen, long resistant to government efforts to tighten safety laws, are embracing safety, attending training classes and inviting inspectors on board their boats for safety checks.

In the six years before the Northern Edge sinking, fewer than 100 fishermen from the New Bedford area attended safety training classes. Since then, about 500 have. The class gives fishermen practice getting into survival suits, making distress calls and using emergency flares and a life raft.

Fishermen in other areas are now organizing similar classes and the Massachusetts Fisherman’s Partnership is conducting training throughout the state.

Fishing remains one of the nation’s most dangerous professions, with 86 deaths per 10,000 workers according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “We want there to be zero deaths and fewer accidents,” said Mike Rosecrans, chief of fishing vessel safety for the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard is trying to get Congress to improve on the 1988 Vessel Safety Act, which requires most vessels to carry rescue equipment and mandates safety drills on boats. The law provides no way to insure fishermen participate in the drills and it doesn’t require safety inspections.

OSHA proposes large fine for San Antonio bakery

2006-03-08T09:39:00.000-05:00

OSHA recently cited Lone Star Bakery, San Antonio, for failing to adequately protect employees from breathing a toxic substance and proposed $78,300 in fines.

OSHA cited the company for 11 willful and serious violations following an investigation that began in September when the agency received a complaint that employees were exposed to ammonia while shutting off ammonia valves at a plant. An employee received burns.

“The company did not have an effective emergency plan in place under OSHA’s process safety management standard,” said OSHA’s Austin area director Eric Harbin. “These safeguards are designed to prevent unexpected releases of toxic, reactive or flammable liquids and gases in processes involving highly hazardous chemicals.”

Another violation was issued for failing to provide employees with proper respiratory protection when responding to an emergency involving chemical leaks. Violations were also issued for failure to: properly train employees on the operation of opening and shutting valves containing hazardous chemicals; provide adequate machine guarding on baking equipment; protect employees from electrical hazards; and properly install forklift equipment.

Lone Star Bakery, which produces baked goods such as bread and pies and employs 515 people at two plants, had 15 days from receipt of the citation to comply.

Safe practices for motor vehicles

2006-03-07T10:10:00.000-05:00

Businesses of all sizes can utilize the new American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Z15.1 Safe Practices for Motor Vehicle Operations to help reduce roadway crashes and the high costs associated with them.

The Z15.1 standard provides guidelines for developing a motor vehicle safety program for employers with one vehicle or a fleet of hundreds.

Approved by ANSI on February 15, the Z15.1 standard addresses factors that may increase the likelihood of roadway crashes, such as impaired, distracted or aggressive driving practices, in addition to providing driver requirements from qualifications and training programs to record keeping, incident reporting and data analysis. It also provides motor vehicle safety guidelines for inspections and maintenance as well as safety considerations when purchasing or modifying motor vehicles.

“The ANSI Z15.1 standard is an essential tool in establishing safe driving practices, and providing a means for employers to control the risks associated with the operation of motor vehicles,” says ASSE Council on Practices and Standards Vice President James D. Smith.

Assisting aging workers

2006-03-06T10:27:00.000-05:00

U.S. Department of Labor statistics show that workers over 64 had the lowest number of workplace injuries, but the highest fatality rate, three times higher than 25-34 year olds. Most of the fatalities were caused by vehicular accidents, falls and being struck by objects.

“Equipment, facilities and work processes can be improved to account for the limitations of the aging workforce,” says Bruce Tolgan, president of Rainmaker Thinking, a workplace research firm.

The American Society of Safety Engineers offers these measures for assisting older workers:

* Improve illumination, add color contrast
* Eliminate heavy lifts, elevated work from ladders and long reaches
* Design work floors and platforms with smooth, solid decking
* Use large video displays
* Reduce noise levels
* Install skid resistant material for flooring and stair treads
* Utilize hands free volume adjustable telephone equipment
* Increase task rotation to reduce repetitive motion strain
* Provide opportunities for practice and time to develop task familiarity

Hand hazards

2006-03-02T10:09:00.000-05:00

Over a quarter of a million employees – from machine operators to lab technicians to office assistants – suffer hand injuries every year. The injuries are caused by the use of faulty machinery or equipment, chemical burns, electrical hazards, constant repetitive motion and getting clothing or jewelry caught in the moving parts of machines.

By following established safety guidelines and using the proper PPE many hand injuries can be avoided:

* Be alert to possible unguarded pinch points
* Use push-sticks, guards, shields and other protective devices when appropriate
* Jewelry should not be worn within an arm’s length of rotating or operating machinery, tools or electrical switch areas
* Know the hazards of chemicals by reading the material safety data sheets
* When working with machinery, use proper guarding around moving equipment
* Select tools designed to keep wrists straight to avoid repetitive motion and overuse problems
* Always wear the proper PPE for the job task, including rubber gloves, electrical gloves, steel mesh gloves and cotton or canvas gloves. Make sure gloves fit properly and are rated for the specific task

Protecting poultry workers

2006-03-01T10:53:00.000-05:00

According a survey of 200 Hispanic poultry workers in North Carolina, almost half had pain in their hands or arms during the previous month and 25 percent reported other occupational illnesses or injuries over the past year.

The survey also shows that workers’ jobs require frequent awkward postures and repetitive movements; they have little control over their work and little variety in their tasks.

The solution, according to the Center for Latino Health Research at Wake Forest University, which conducted the survey, can be founded in policy changes in the poultry processing plants, including:

* advocacy groups should work with the plants to develop a culture of safety in the workplace
* companies should create safety committees that include workers to give them more control over their environment
* companies should implement a job-rotation program to increase job variety and reduce the incidence of injuries

“These policy changes can help ensure that poultry processing jobs are organized in a way that protects worker health in this vulnerable population,” says Joseph Grzywacz, an assistant professor at the Wake Forest medical school and the author of the study. The changes would help over 235,000 U.S. poultry workers, mostly in the South, 42 percent Hispanic.

Tractor safety

2006-02-28T11:43:00.000-05:00

The farm tractor is considered the farmer’s best friend by many, but it is often the agent of injury or death. Tractor injuries accounted for 16 percent of all agricultural machinery-involved injuries in North Dakota during a recent three year period and nearly 25 percent of the fatalities, according to George Maher, Agricultural Safety Specialist at North Dakota State University.

There are several types of tractor mishaps that result in injury, from by-pass starting to front end loader incidents, rearward and sideways tractor rollovers and improper hitching.

Farm operators can prevent these accidents by maintaining their tractors and adjusting them for safety. Operators should conduct pre-operation checks to insure the tractor is in good operating condition. They should wear seat belts and be familiar with tractor safety features, including ROPS (rollover protective structure), posture designed seats, lighting for hallway and field, SMV (slow moving vehicle) sign, flashing amber hazard lights and turn signals.

Don’t blame employees for unsafe behavior

2006-02-27T10:07:00.000-05:00

If you observe unsafe behaviors, you should question employees about them. “Their answers often have to do with their perceptions – or the reality – of their working conditions,” says Judith A. Erickson, a Ph.D. who has studied employee behavior. “For example, if production deadlines are stressed over safe performance, employees are going to take shortcuts to get the product out the door.”

Erickson says that when employers look at employee behavior as the main cause of injuries and accidents, they avoid the wider organizational variables that affect safety performance. The following variables should also be considered, before actions are taken against employees:

* ineffective communication
* the environment – temperature, air quality, humidity
* job complexity
* adequacy of training
* maintenance errors
* production pressures
* mental and physical capability to perform task(s)
* organizational culture

Raising the fines for mine safety violations

2006-02-24T10:05:00.000-05:00

After 26 miner deaths already this year (one less than the total of 27 deaths for all of last year), the federal Mine Safety Health Administration says it will increase fines in an effort to curb safety violations.

David Dye, the acting MSHA administrator says the current penalty structure “needs updating to strengthen incentives for compliance,” but the MSHA hasn’t reported how it will be done.

Meanwhile, President Bush asked Congress to raise the minimum penalty for safety violations to $220,000 and West Virginia lawmakers have introduced bills asking for a higher penalty structure.

Currently, safety violation fines for mine operators are notoriously low. The Sago, WV mine, where 12 miners died after a Jan. 2 explosion, was fined a total of $24,155 last year for 208 violations. The average citation was for $156.

The current penalty structure operates on a point system, with each safety violation receiving points. One hundred points merits a fine of $60,000, but 50 points results in a fine of just $878. Labor Department regulations also require mining fines to be cut by 30 percent if violations are quickly abated.
Raising the maximum fine to $220,000 would help persuade mine operators to focus on safety, but $220,000 represents “less than one day’s coal production at a small mine,” according to Tony Oppegard, the former chief prosecutor for Kentucky mines. A more effective penalty would be to close the mines, something MSHA can do by levying “pattern” violations, which permit it to close mines for 90 days for safety hazards. While the Sago mine received 18 “significant and substantial” violations in the fourth quarter of 2005, it never received a pattern violation. “MSHA is making this standard for use of 'pattern of violations' so high that it will never be used," said Mr. Oppegard.