The Institute of Medicine (IOM) has released a new report, Preventing Transmission of Pandemic Influenza and other Viral Respiratory Diseases: Personal Protective Equipment for Healthcare Personnel, Update 2010 (2011). This report provides a progress update on a 2008 IOM report that responded to a NIOSH request for the IOM to investigate the urgent need to address concerns regarding effective personal protective equipment for use by healthcare personnel in an influenza pandemic.
How to Prepare for OSHA Adoption of the GHS for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
This means that virtually every chemical label, MSDS (soon to be called “safety data sheet”), and written hazard communication plan must be revised to meet the new standard. Worker training must be updated so that workers can recognize and understand the symbols and pictograms on the new labels as well as the new hazard statements and precautions on SDSs.
Theses dramatic changes will also impact other OSHA standards such as Flammable and Combustible Liquids, Process Safety Management (PSM), Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER), Fire Prevention and Protection, Occupational Exposure to Hazardous Chemicals in Laboratories, and many of the chemical-specific OSHA standards such as the Lead Standard.
At this live webcast, you will learn:
- GHS standards OSHA is adopting
- How the new standards differ from current requirements
- How to implement the changes
- Expected timetable for GHS implementation
Cary, North Carolina 24-Hr and 40-Hr HAZWOPER Courses
Courses for HAZWOPER training will be offered in March at Environmental Resource Center’s Cary, North Carolina office.
Personnel who are expected to stop, contain, and clean up on-site releases are required to have 24 hours of initial training. Personnel who are involved in cleanups at waste sites—including Superfund sites, RCRA corrective action sites, or even voluntary cleanups involving hazardous substances—must have 40 hours of initial classroom instruction.
Satisfy your training requirements by attending a comprehensive class that provides in-depth instruction on how to perform emergency response activities. Topics include hazard recognition, spill control and containment, worker protection, and waste site activities such as site characterization, waste handling, and decontamination. You will have the opportunity to apply your training during a hands-on simulated incident response.
Advertising Opportunities Available
Environmental Resource Center is making a limited number of advertising positions available in the Safety Tip of the Week™, the Environmental Tip of the Week™, and the Reg of the Day™.
New OSHA Rule on Procedures for Handling Nuclear and Environmental Retaliation Complaints
Similar to other whistleblower provisions, these regulations not only allow workers to file complaints in writing, but also orally and in other languages. This approach improves access to the complaint-filing process for workers who may have difficulty submitting written complaints. Additionally, workers will receive copies of documents submitted by the employer in response to their whistleblower complaints, subject to applicable privacy and confidentiality laws.
“Silenced workers are not safe workers,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “Changes in the whistleblower provisions make good on the promise to stand by those workers who have the courage to come forward when they believe their employer is violating an environmental or nuclear safety law.”
The rule covers workers who voice concerns related to nuclear and environmental safety or security under clean air and water, safe drinking water, solid waste, and toxic substances, among others. OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of these nuclear and environmental statutes and 14 other statutes protecting workers who report violations of various airline, commercial motor carrier, consumer product, financial reform, health care reform, pipeline, public transit, railroad, maritime, and securities laws.
New Guidance Helps Small Businesses Comply with Cranes and Derricks Rule
OSHA published the rule in August 2010 to address the number of worker injuries and deaths associated with the use of cranes and derricks in construction. The rule also addresses technological advances in equipment since the old rule was issued in 1971.
“Over the past four decades, we’ve continued to see a significant number of worker injuries and deaths from electrocution, crushed-by and struck-by hazards while performing cranes and derricks operations,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Dr. David Michaels. “This guide will help employers understand what they must do to protect their workers from these dangerous, sometimes fatal incidents.”
The small business guide is divided into chapters that correspond to sections of the standard. This guide accompanies other OSHA compliance materials on crane-related topics available on the agency’s Web site including a PowerPoint overview, Web chat transcript, Webinar, list of frequently asked questions, and fact sheets.
Brief Video Training Dramatically Boosts Hands-only CPR Attempts
Each year, almost 300,000 people suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the United States. Survival rates from these events tend to be extremely low. However, research has shown that bystander CPR can double—even triple—survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
In the United States, bystanders attempt CPR only about 26% of the time, according to Bentley J. Bobrow, M.D., lead author of the study and clinical associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine in the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, Arizona, and the University of Arizona Emergency Medicine Research Center.
“Chest compression-only CPR, also known as hands-only CPR, has been shown in studies to be at least as effective as standard CPR with mouth-to-mouth ventilation for adult primary cardiac arrest victims,” Bobrow said. “And because of its simplicity, hands-only CPR may be quicker and easier for lay rescuers to learn, remember and perform than conventional CPR.”
Bobrow and colleagues conducted a study of 336 adults without recent CPR training and randomized the participants into four groups:
- No training (control group of 51 participants)
- Ultra brief video (UBV): watched a 60-second video (95 participants)
- Brief video (BV): watched a five-minute video (99 participants)
- Brief video with practice (BVP): watched an eight-minute video with a practice training session using a manikin (91 participants)
They then tested the participants’ ability to perform CPR during an adult out-of-hospital cardiac arrest simulation. About half of the trained participants underwent testing immediately and half after two months. They found that nearly a quarter (23.5%) of the untrained group did not attempt any CPR vs. less than 1% (0.7%) from all the training groups combined. Trained subjects in the immediate and delayed evaluation groups were significantly more likely to attempt CPR compared to untrained subjects.
All training groups had significantly higher median compression rates compared to the control group (62 compressions-per-minute). In the immediate testing group, the median rates of compressions-per-minute were: UBV (96), BV (95), and BVP (99.5). In the delayed testing group, the median compression rates were: UBV (94), BV (92.5), and BVP (90).
All trained groups had significantly greater median compression depth compared to the untrained group (30 mm). In the immediate testing group, the median compression depths were: UBV (41 mm), BV (42 mm), and BVP (48 mm). In the delayed testing group, the media compressions depths were: UBV (43 mm), BV (42.5), and BVP (46). The ideal compression depth is 38 mm or greater.
There were no significant differences in the median compression rate and median compression depth between participants tested immediately or tested two months later.
“This is the first controlled, randomized investigation evaluating the effectiveness of ultra-brief video training for teaching hands-only CPR to the lay public,” Bobrow said. “Given that the ultra-brief video training in our study is only 60 seconds, the CPR performance results are striking. “This finding has enormous public health implications because of the documented hesitancy of untrained rescuers to even attempt CPR and because it is known that any bystander resuscitation attempt improves outcomes compared to no CPR.”
DOT and Consumer Reports Launch Partnership to Fight Distracted Driving
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Consumer Reports announced a new partnership to educate parents, teachers, and teens about the dangers of distracted driving. Consumer Reports released the results of a new poll that shows younger drivers are more likely to use handheld devices while driving—and less likely to view them as a danger.
Copies will be distributed to schools and volunteer groups by the National School Safety Coalition. The DOT and Consumer Reports are sending a public service announcement to TV stations nationwide, and the guide will be highlighted in a Consumer Reports video to air in retail stores across America in April, where it is expected to reach as many as 100 million people.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood joined Jim Guest, the president of Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, at the organization’s headquarters to discuss the risks of distracted driving at a panel discussion by safety experts representing schools, families, and law enforcement. LaHood is the first member of a Presidential Cabinet to visit the Consumer Reports HQ in Yonkers, New York.
Secretary LaHood said, “Distracted driving has become a deadly epidemic on America’s roads, and teens are especially vulnerable because of their inexperience behind the wheel and, often, peer pressure,” Secretary LaHood said. “Behind the statistics are real families who have been devastated by these tragedies. We’re pleased to be working with Consumer Reports to raise awareness and help communities fight this problem.”
Guest said, “It only takes a moment of distraction to cause a tragedy. No text or call is worth a life. We know that educating people about the risk of distracted driving works. This partnership is devoted to spreading the word about the dangers of distracted driving and specific steps you can take to make a difference.”
A new, nationally representative survey by Consumer Reports National Research Center showed how widespread distracted driving is, especially among younger drivers:
- 63% of respondents under 30 years old reported using a handheld phone while driving in the past 30 days, and 30% of them texted while driving during the same period. That compares with 41% and 9%, respectively, of respondents who were 30 or older.
- Among the under-30 respondents, only 36% were very concerned about the problem of distracted driving, and only 30% felt it was very dangerous to use a handheld phone.
- 64% of respondents overall said they had seen other drivers texting using a handheld device in the past 30 days. 94% had observed drivers talking on a mobile phone and 58% had seen a dangerous driving situation related to a distracted driver in the past month.
- 78% of respondents overall said they had reduced or stopped behaviors related to distracted driving. Of that group, 66% said they did so because of reading or hearing about the dangers.
Secretary LaHood also unveiled the latest video in the DOT’s “Faces of Distracted Driving” series on Distraction.gov, featuring Miss South Dakota, Loren Vaillancourt, who has been speaking to teens about the dangers of distracted driving since her brother was killed by a distracted driver in May 2009.
The free brochure “Distracted Driving Shatters Lives” produced by DOT and Consumer Reports recommends six steps for parents:
- Set a good example by putting down your phone while driving.
- Talk to your teen about the risks and responsibilities of driving and the danger of dividing their attention between a cell phone and the road.
- Establish ground rules for not texting or talking on a handheld device while behind the wheel.
- Have your child sign a pledge to not use a cell phone while driving, agreeing on penalties for violating the pledge.
- Educate yourself about the problem at Distracted.gov and ConsumerReports.org/Distracted.
- Spread the word by communicating with friends and family.
According to the DOT, nearly 5,500 people in the U.S. were killed and almost half a million were injured in accidents related to distracted driving in 2009. Eighteen percent of those fatal accidents involved the use of a cell phone.
Safe & Sound Podcasts Available on iTunes
The American Industrial Hygiene Association® announced the release of Safe & Sound podcasts on iTunes. Safe & Sound is a weekly podcast from AIHA with host Craig Sorrell. The show covers safety, worker health, and general IH news, and news and events that affect AIHA members. Craig discusses science, resources where you can find out more information, how to’s, and generates thought-provoking statistics.
Started in January 2010, Safe & Sound is a great platform for members of the occupational health and safety community and the science community to discuss current products, trends, or the future of industry.
The 2011 Safe & Sound episodes are currently available on iTunes.
Imperial Aluminum Fined $76,500 for 20 Safety Violations
OSHA cited Imperial Aluminum’s Scottsboro, Alabama smelting plant for 20 safety violations following an October 2010 inspection. Proposed penalties total $76,500.
OSHA cited 17 serious safety violations, including failing to use lockout/tagout procedures of energy sources, guard open-sided floors and platforms, provide standard railings for fixed stairways, mark doorways or passages along an exit route, ensure fire extinguishers were readily available, provide machine guarding, remove a front end loader from service when repairs were needed, perform periodic inspections of crane hoists, keep aisles clear and free from debris, protect electrical conductors from abrasions, ensure unused openings in electrical panels were effectively closed and provide covers for junction boxes. A serious citation is issued when 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 also was cited for three other-than-serious violations: failing to complete OSHA 300 logs, certify a personal protective equipment hazard assessment, and document the inspection of lockout/tagout procedures. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.
“This company put its workers’ safety at risk by exposing them to a variety of hazardous working conditions,” said Roberto Sanchez, OSHA’s area director in Birmingham. “OSHA’s safety standards must be followed to avoid injuries and fatalities.”
Contractor Fined $159,000 Following Worker Death at Construction Site
OSHA cited L & K Contracting Co., in Dothan, Alabama with five safety violations following a cave-in last September at an excavation site in Enterprise, Alabama. One employee died and another was hospitalized after wet, heavy soil collapsed into a deep trench while the men were installing a sewer pipe.
“An unprotected trench can become a grave in seconds if its walls cave in on workers,” said Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA’s area director in Mobile. “In this case, the soil was saturated with water, and the company failed to take the necessary measures to effectively protect the workers against this collapse.”
OSHA issued three willful citations for the company’s failure to take adequate action to protect workers from soil that fell into the excavation, protect workers from hazards associated with water accumulation in an excavation, and ensure that workers wore appropriate personal protective equipment while in the trench. A willful violation exists when an employer has demonstrated either an intentional disregard for the requirements of the law or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
One serious citation was issued for allowing employees to work inside a trench approximately 10 feet deep without a safe means of exit from the excavation, and one other-than-serious citation was issued for failing to report the fatality to OSHA within the required eight-hour time period.
OSHA standards require that all trenches and excavations 5 feet or deeper be protected against collapse.
The company specializes in the installation of sewer lines in southeast Alabama.
L & K Contracting has been assessed $159,600 in proposed penalties for the citations and has 15 business days from receipt of both to comply, request a conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel Fined for Following Inspection of Seamless Tube Mill
OSHA cited Evraz Rocky Mountain Steel in Pueblo, Colorado alleging one repeat, five serious, and two other-than-serious violations following a safety inspection of the company’s seamless tube mill. Proposed fines total $49,900.
The repeat violation involves employee exposure to amputation hazards from rotating machine parts. A repeat citation is issued when an employer previously has been cited for the same or a similar violation of a standard, regulation, rule or order at any other facilities in federal enforcement states within the last five years. Evraz was cited for a similar hazard in July 2009.
The serious violations involve failing to properly implement a lockout/tagout program for energy sources, provide adequate guarding of belts and pulleys, provide proper storage of flammable materials and protect workers from exposure to electrical hazards.
The other-than-serious violations involve the employer’s failure to maintain fire extinguishers and material safety data sheets.
“Evraz failed to provide its employees with a safe and healthful workplace,” said John Healy, OSHA area office director in Englewood. “The hazards uncovered during this investigation are well recognized in the industry.”
Cotton Manufacturer Cited for 16 Serious Safety Violations Following Fatality
OSHA cited Parkdale America LLC in Lavonia, Georgia with 16 safety and health violations following the September 2010 death of a worker who fell from a rolling ladder while replacing the drive housing unit on a spinning machine.
OSHA cited the company with one serious safety violation related to the fatality for failing to ensure the rubber feet were installed on the bottom of the mobile ladder. Five other serious safety violations include failing to guard nip points on finishing drawing machines; have an adequate drenching and eye wash station where corrosive materials were being handled; ensure fixed wiring was used instead of flexible cords; use proper chip guarding nozzles; and provide the proper electrical outlet approved for use in damp and wet conditions.
A separate health inspection revealed 10 serious violations that include allowing explosive dust to accumulate, failing to establish audiometric testing for employees, using an audiometer that had not been calibrated, failing to establish a noise training program, failing to monitor exposure to cotton dust, failing to measure the effectiveness of the dust ventilation system, exposing workers to 1.2 times the permissible exposure limit for unwashed cotton dust, failing to provide a medical surveillance program for employees exposed to cotton dust, failing to train employees on the exposure to cotton dust, and failing to post a warning sign where cotton dust limits were exceeded.
“Employers have a responsibility to ensure the equipment workers use is in good condition and does not pose a hazard, as in this tragic case,” said Bill Fulcher, director of OSHA’s Atlanta-East Area Office. “Additionally, this employer has placed other workers in danger by exposing them to unacceptable levels of cotton dust, which has long been recognized as the cause of brown lung in textile workers.”
Parkdale America is headquartered in Gastonia, North Carolina, and has facilities in South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Alabama, as well as in Mexico and Colombia.
Proposed penalties for the citations total $62,337.
Contractor Fined Nearly $123,000 for Cave-in Hazards
OSHA has issued A. Lamp Concrete Contractors, Inc., a road building contractor in Schaumburg, Illinois that engages in concrete and underground construction, one willful, one serious, and two repeat safety citations for failing to protect workers from cave-ins during trenching operations at a jobsite in Morton Grove, Illinois. The company faces proposed penalties of $122,960.
“Cave-ins are a leading cause of worker fatalities during excavations,” said Diane Turek, OSHA’s area director in Des Plaines. “A. Lamp Concrete Contractors has shown blatant disregard for OSHA’s regulations by failing to implement safety procedures at its jobsites. OSHA is committed to protecting workers when employers fail to do so.”
The willful citation, with a proposed penalty of $69,300, alleges that employees were working in a trench at a depth greater than 7 feet without cave-in protection during an inspection on October 4, 2010. A trench box that would protect workers was located near the site but not installed.
Based on the October inspection, the company was issued a repeat citation with a penalty of $29,700 for failing to provide a safe means of access and egress for employees working in an excavation. The company received an additional repeat citation with a proposed penalty of $20,000 based on an inspection that occurred September 7, 2010. In September, OSHA inspectors observed workers in a trench at a depth greater than 9 feet without adequate cave-in protection, as shoring had been partially installed but did not meet OSHA requirements.
The serious citation with a proposed penalty of $3,960 was issued for failing to provide hardhats for employees exposed to overhead hazards.
Both inspections were conducted under OSHA’s national emphasis program on trenching and excavation. The company has been inspected by OSHA 12 times since 1999, resulting in 13 citations, including six prior citations for lack of cave-in protection at various worksites.
OSHA Fines Diaz Roofing $55,800 for Fall Hazards
OSHA issued Diaz Roofing, Inc., of Madison, Wisconsin four citations for failing to provide roofers working on commercial and residential projects with fall protection. The company faces penalties totaling $55,800.
The citations are the result of an OSHA investigation conducted in December 2010 at a jobsite in Madison. One willful citation carrying $30,800 in penalties was issued after inspectors observed employees working without fall protection on a steep-sloped commercial roof at a height greater than 6 feet.
“Falls are a leading cause of injury and death in the construction industry,” said Kimberly Stille, OSHA’s area director in Madison. “Employers are responsible for knowing what hazards exist in their workplaces and ensuring that workers are not exposed to risks that could result in injury or death.”
OSHA also issued Diaz Roofing one repeat citation with a proposed fine of $19,800 for failing to provide protective eyewear to workers operating pneumatic nail guns.
Two serious citations were also issued for not utilizing a chute when employees performed the tear-off phase of the roofing process on a roof at a height greater than 20 feet and for failing to protect employees utilizing a boom lift from fall hazards. OSHA regulations require materials removed from a roof not be dropped or thrown to the ground but lowered to the ground via a covered, dust-tight chute, crane or hoist, or be carried or passed to the ground by hand. Those violations carry total penalties of $5,280.
OSHA standards require that an effective form of fall protection, such as guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems, be in use when workers perform residential construction activities 6 feet or more above the next lower level.
Prior to the inspection detailed above, Diaz Roofing had been inspected by OSHA five times since 2005, resulting in 14 prior citations.
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