SAFETY BLOG

Workplace Safety in Question

The construction industry has suffered another workplace accident that has taken a man's life on Monday, October 12.  A construction worker in Philadelphia was working from a mobile lift platform when it toppled over while performing construction work on a church roof.  National news is reporting that it was believed the platform rolled over a sidewalk grate which became unstable and caused the lift to become unbalanced, thus falling over with the employee in the basket.  It is believed the boom on the lift was fully extended at the time of the accident and the worker fell approximately 125 feet.

Once again workplace safety will be examined to determine if this construction accident could have been avoided.  The safe utilization of mobile platform lifts is regulated by OSHA standards.  While the details of this accident are still sketchy, we must assume that an adequate safety assessment of the days work may have identified potential hazards to the stability of the lift.  How many more workers are we going to lose in this country before workplace and construction safety is taken seriously?

Medical & First Aid Preparedness 

Ensuring a safe workplace takes diligence and commitment.  Unfortunately, even with the best planning accidents do occur in the workplace.  Employers must establish emergency protocols so that all accident victims receive timely and qualified first aid and medical treatment.  OSHA sets standards for medical and first aid preparedness in the workplace for construction and general industries.  Conforming to government compliance in this area, such as providing OSHA approved first aid kits, is something all employers must do, but there are also behind-the-scenes issues that must be taken into consideration to provide employees with the most efficient post-accident care.

First and most importantly, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in the workplace and on job sites saves lives!  OSHA only mandates that construction and general industry employers have certified first aid specialists on site when there are no hospitals, clinics or reasonable medical care nearby.  The standards make no mention of CPR or AED training.  Heroic Safety Solutions recommends that all employers have at least two employees on any work site that are certified in first aid, CPR, and AEDs, and equipping each work site with the appropriate calibrated equipment.  The immediate availability of these resources to severely injured employees may be the difference between life and death.

Second, employers should designate emergency contact personnel to meet responding safety forces.  The faster emergency medical treatment arrives to treat an accident victim, the greater the chances of a successful recovery for that victim.  Responders often arrive to very large work complexes to realize that they are no where near the patient and cannot find anyone who has knowledge of the incident location.  This will delay urgent care.  Employers should designate personnel to meet responders in specific locations.  The location, nature of the accident and number of victims should be relayed to the emergency dispatcher during the initial 911 call.  Choose contact locations that can be easily identified from the street.  The contact personnel should be knowledgeable of the site layout and accident details.  The more information the paramedics can gather before arriving to the patient the less time the patient will have in receiving difinitive care.

It is always recommended that employers keep emergency data sheets on every employee in case of a workplace emergency.  These files should be managed by a human resource manager and must be kept confidential (by law) to protect the employees privacy, but access should be available in a timely manner.  Employers cannot mandate employees submit such information, but should stress the importance of this resource to paramedics and ask that employees volunteer to take part in data submittal.  One way to improve employee confidence in this program is to have employees seal their report in a tamper-proof envelope before submittal.  Ask employees to update their records annually.  During emergencies, these data sheets can supply paramedics with essential information that will lessen the responders' on-scene time.  Recommended information for these sheets is as follows:

• Employee name, birth date and address
• Name and phone number of employee's emergency contact
• Any chronic illnesses or medical conditions
• Any medications the employee takes
• Any and all allergies the employee has (including latex allergies)
• Blood type if known
• The name of the employee's physician and hospital of choice if applicable
• Any other pertinent information that the employee thinks is relevant to the report

Lastly, employers can develop an emergency incident form for the contact personnel to complete while waiting for emergency services.  This should be a standardized form that is readily available in a moments notice.  A fill-in-the-blank template is recommended and the form should be concise enough to be completed in under three minutes.  The emergency incident form and the employee's sealed emergency data envelope should be relayed to the paramedics by the contact person.  Recommended information for this form is as follows:

• How many victims are there?
• Is this incident a result of a traumatic event?
• If so, how did the accident occur?
• i.e., fall
• Brief but pertinent accident details
• i.e., fell from an 8 foot ladder and hit head on concrete
• Are there any hazards still surrounding the victim?
• i.e., energized equipment or toxic chemicals
• If not a traumatic event, what was employee doing prior to incident?
• Briefly describe events, signs and symptoms
• i.e., loading a truck then began complaining of chest pain
• If a chemical related incident, are MSDS sheets available to responders?

These three accident preparedness techniques can save lives in your workplace.  Remember, your employees are your most valuable asset.  Their safety is always the first priority!

Be safe out there!

The state of Nevada has been developing a bill that would set a potential precedent for construction workers and workplace safety in the United States.  Nevada has reported a rash of construction fatalities and injuries in recent months.  The Las Vegas Strip alone has had twelve construction worker fatalities in the last eighteen months, and the entire state is reporting more deaths in the last two years than in the previous ten.  State legislators are quickly trying to alter the current trends.

Assembly Bill 148 would require all private and public construction workers in the state of Nevada to show proof of safety training to their employers.  Baseline construction workers would have to prove that they have successfully completed training in areas such as fall protection, electrical safety, walking and working surfaces, etc.  The level of training reflected in the Bill appears to be similar to topics covered in an OSHA Construction 10-Hour training.  Construction supervisors in Nevada would be required to prove that they have completed a 30-hour safety training.  Workers would have fifteen days from date of hire to show proof of training to their employers or otherwise be subject to dismissal.  The bill met no opposition from the Assembly Ways and Means Committee and was sent to the floor of the House for a vote next week.

Currently there are no states that require construction workers to have safety trainings.  There are however, states that do require safety certificates for construction employees on public projects.  Assembly Bill 148 would require proof of training on all public and private projects for any and all construction workers.  The only exception to the Bill would be state Department of Transportation employees.

In a nation plagued by liabilities and lawsuits, all eyes of the states will be on the reported results of this law.  If the fatality and injury rates for Nevada decrease, which they most certainly will, do not be surprised if other states begin to develop similar proposals.

Hazard assessment cannot be stressed enough.  Every time we set foot into the workplace we must evaluate our surroundings and work operations for threats to our safety.

On Thursday April 23, two painters in Akron, Ohio were dropped off at a vacant house under renovation at 10 p.m.  The painting job was fairly straight forward, they were to paint all of the floors on the inside of the house.  The house had no electric service, and since they were going to work throughout the night, they decided to use a generator to provide electric to their portable lights.  The two men placed a gas generator in the fruit-cellar of the basement of the house.  The room that housed the generator had a small open window which the two men obviously thought would be enough ventilation for the exhaust fumes.  There were no other open windows in the entire house.  On Friday morning, the contractor arrived at the residence to check on the painters' progress and found the two men lying on the floor inside of the house.  The man immediately called 911.  When police, fire, and EMS arrived, one of the painters was declared dead on the scene and the other was barely breathing.  Carbon dioxide levels are considered hazardous at 35ppm (parts per million).  The initial levels detected by responders was over 700ppm.

This is just another tragic example of a deadly workplace accident that most certainly could have been avoided with a little fore-thought and safety planning.  Again, we must make safety in the workplace our first priority.  The following is a link to the reported story.

Fumes Suspected in Death

When it comes to running a safety program, most safety managers do not give a lot of thought to the potential dangers associated with storing and handling flammable liquids.  Whether these liquids are fuels, alcohols, or degreasers, they have the potential to start fires, explode, or cause serious health effects.  Most companies do not realize it, but there are many standards created by OSHA that regulate how flammable liquids are to be handled and stored in the workplace.  Managers should get used to the terms D.O.T. approved safety cans, bonding and grounding, and ventilation.  If one is to look into the OSHA standards for flammable liquids, they will see these terms throughout the text.  OSHA can and will give citations to companies that do not utilize flammable liquids properly.

Our recommendation is to get a basic understanding of these regulations first.  Start with a comprehensive fire safety policy and training protocol.  Then put approved safety cans and flammable liquid cabinets into service.  Once that is taken care of, start with bonding and grounding applications, and then move into more advanced control processes.  Contact a local safety expert to advise you on how to develop you policies and trainings.  Conduct a site safety assessment to locate flammable liquid hazards as well as other hazards that exist in your workplace.  Flammable liquids pose serious threats to your employees and company property.  Take control of them now.  Below is a link to an excellent article written by Gary Marcus in EHS Today.  This article gives a very basic understanding of how to safely handle and store flammable liquids.

http://ehstoday.com/fire_emergencyresponse/hazardous-materials/guide-handling-flammables-0409/

Worthington Industries presents an outside the box solution to safety programs.  An article in EHS Today by Terry Leberfinger reported that Worthington Industries has been using a radical program for increasing safety and lowering accidents and safety related costs in their workplace.  A leading diversified metals processing company with 8,000 employees and 64 facilities worldwide have been relying on their employees to define safety in the workplace.

Traditional safety programs start from the top and work their way down to baseline employees.  Company administrators decide where the hazards exist, create policies to manage those hazards, and implement trainings and media to enforce the policies.  Since 2001, Worthington has been working from the ground up.  The train-of-thought here is that safety programs need to be defined by those that are facing hazards and responsible for abating them.  They call it the Safe Works program.

Highlights of Safe Works:

• provides standardization and sharing of company-wide best practices
• program is rooted in employee empowerment and communication
• voluntary safety councils are made up of employees at all levels
• program focuses on developing safe behaviors and the preventing of injuries through positive reinforcement
• PPE is tried, tested, and selected by the employees themselves
• zero incidents are rewarded in a comprehensive reward program

In the seven years that Worthington has been supporting the Safe Works program they have had:

•  one-third reduction in serious injuries
• 27 percent reduction in total injuries (OSHA recordable)
• 22 percent decrease in number of worker's comp claims
• reduced cut-related injuries by 41 percent

This form of proactive, outside the box thinking is starting safety down a new path.  Congratulations to Worthington Industries to a job well done.

Read the whole article at EHS Today.  http://ehstoday.com/safety/best-practices/workplace-safety-trust-employees-0309/ 

The Department of Labor has tagged April as the Drug-Free month in the United States.  Does drug testing really increase safety in the workplace?  This is a very controversial issue in workplaces across America.  Instead of just dropping a biased opinion on my readers, I want to create a debate on this subject.  In the spirit of a good debate, I welcome any and all comments on this issue.  Tell me what you think and why you think that way.  What are your personal experiences with drug-free workplace programs and testing.

As the author of this blog post, this is where I get to give my answer to the question.  I have been teaching drug-free trainings in Ohio for years, and my answer to the question is yes, drug testing in the workplace greatly increases safety.  Here is some data to help support my position.  All of the following data is provided by the Ohio Bureau of Workman's Compensation.

• Over 40% of workplace accidents in the state of Ohio are substance abuse related.
• Substance abusers are 33-50% less productive than normal employees.
• Abusers miss an average of 3 weeks more from work a year.
• Users are 3-4 times more likely to have accidents at work and their accidents are 150% more severe than normal employees.
• There are 5 times more worker's comp claims filed by abusers than non-abusers.
• Substance abusers use 300-400% more of their employee medical benefits.
• 50-80% of theft in Ohio workplaces are related to employees abusing substances.

The statistics speak for themselves.  Substance abuse is dangerous and expensive in the workplace.  I can tell you that the initial idea of drug free workplace programs was never intended to go into workplaces, round up abusers, and fire them.  The idea has always been to identify employees who need help overcoming addiction.  Once identified by the employer, support then can be offered to that individual that will help them regain control over their lives and then become a productive, valuable, and healthy employee.

I know you are asking me, "what do you know about addiction?"  I have interacted with a lot of substance abusers over the years.  Not only am I a safety consultant, but I have been a professional firefighter and paramedic for a city fire department for 9 years.  Addiction is a physical, emotional, and sociological prison for the user.  They can no longer set and meet their own personal priorities.  The addiction becomes the priority.  All cause and effect thinking has gone by the wayside.  They no longer think about how their actions will affect themselves or their coworkers.  This creates a huge safety risk.

What about personal rights?  I hear many employees say, "what I do in my personal time is my business."  They are right, it is their business, but when it effects me on our time then it becomes my business as well.  Some substances can affect the user hours and even days after using.  I can point to tests that have been done to prove that one-time users of marijuana have failed fine motor coordination tests up to 24 hours after smoking.  When these effects are being brought into the workplace, then they are open to regulation.  I have personal rights too, and one of them is to be safe while at work.

As a firefighter, I am subjected to drug testing.  There have been years when I have been random drug tested as many as 4 or 5 times a year.  Do I have a problem with this?  Not at all.  I understand why the city is testing me.  Ask yourself if you would want your city's safety forces to be potential substance abusers?  Could you or would you rely on their abilities?  I think not.

Substance abusers are extremely dangerous in the workplace.  I believe I have laid the foundation for an excellent debate.  Lets hear what you have to say on the subject.  For more information on drug-free workplace programs visit www.dol.gov/workingpartners.  Be safe out there!

OSHA reports that falls are the most frequent cause of fatalities at construction sites and annually account for one of every three construction-related deaths.  Data provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics states there were at least 442 construction worker fatalities during 2007 as a result from falls.  This is a staggering statistic.  Contractors have to emphasize the importance of fall protection standards and fall protection systems.  Fall hazards are always a main focus of OSHA inspectors.

Frequently issued fall protection citations include:

• No guard rails at open sided floors
• Floor opening not covered or guarded
• Wall openings not guarded
• Wire rope guard rails deflecting more than 3 inches

 The best plan of action for preventing or altogether eliminating hazardous falls includes:

• Eliminating the need to work off of the ground (ideal)
• Fall prevention systems
• Fall arrest systems
• Warning lines
• Safety monitoring
• Administration of fall protection policies

 Major aspects of OSHA 29 CFR Part 1926 Subpart M

• Fall protection must be in place for work areas 6 ft. or higher
• Walking and working surfaces must be inspected prior to work
• Surfaces must be strong enough to support workers
• Guardrails must be 42 inches (plus or minus 3 inches) above working surfaces and capable of supporting 200 pounds
• Body belts are no longer an acceptable means of fall arrest
• The employer shall provide a certified training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards

In an article posted by SFGate.com, Nevada's Assembly of Commerce and Labor Committee passed mandatory safety training for all construction workers in the state.  All base level employees will be required to have 10 hour certifications and all supervisor or management level employees will be required to have 30 hour certifications.  This focus on safety has resulted from 12 worker fatalities on the Las Vegas Strip in the past 18 months.  The bill also gives more control to regulating agencies.  This is the beginning of a nationwide focus on safety regulation.

The New York Times posted an article a few days ago about a New York construction worker who fell 10 stories to his death while renovating a Park Avenue Hotel.  As the country continues to rack up fatalities in the workplace, we will continue to see an increase in government control on job sites.  OSHA already sets standards for construction, general industry, and maritime operations.  Violations of these standards can result in heavy fines.  So how does the contractor prepare his/her business for an inevitable increase in safety training?

Start training your employees now!  Once states begin to mandate these safety trainings, the demand for safety trainers will increase.  Therefore, contractors will have to pay more for these high demand trainings.  10 and 30 hour trainings are reasonably priced during this economic depression and safety trainers are lowering their prices to get work.  Once these trainings are mandated for all construction employees, there will be drastic price increases as training schedules fill up.

Employee safety is of the utmost importance.  The cost of training employees is a drop in the bucket compared to increase in governmental control over contractors.  More control, means more stringent standards.  More stringent standards means more citations and higher fines.  Unfortunately for the safety-minded contractor, a handful of irresponsible companies have set this train in motion.  By starting your 10 and 30 hour trainings now, you will be saving later.

Contractors and construction workers must realize the extreme hazards of excavating.  OSHA reports that trenching and excavating is the most hazardous operation in the construction field.  According to the American Society of Civil Engineers, there are more than 65 fatalities per year associated with trench and excavation work.  Most accidents occur in trenches 5-15 feet deep.  Contractors must use precise planning before breaking ground on any job site.  The following factors must be considered when choosing the appropriate trench safety system;

• Soil classification
• Depth of cut
• Water content of soil
• Changes in stability due to weather and climate
• Other operations taking place in vicinity

In order for a contractor to choose the correct trench safety system, they first must be fluent with OSHA's Subpart P of 29 CFR part 1926.  The standards stated in this text provide the groundwork for excavation safety.  It is important to note that house foundations and basement excavations are exempt from the standards.  highlight's of this standard include;

• Always contact utility companies before breaking ground
• A means of egress shall be provided in excavations 4 ft. deep or more so as to require no more than 25 ft. of lateral travel to nearest egress
• No employees are allowed under loads handled by lifting or digging equipment
• Atmospheric testing must be undertaken in trenches 4 ft. deep or more if there exists a potential for a hazardous atmosphere
• Emergency rescue equipment shall be available where hazardous atmospheres exist
• All spoil and materials piles must be placed at least 2 ft. away from edge of excavations
• Employees working in excavations 5 ft. deep or more shall be protected from cave-ins by adequate protective systems outlined in OSHA's standard

The appendix section of Subpart P provides the technical data for trench safety systems.  Contact a trench safety specialist for further details on protective systems, implementation, and associated standards.

Safety is always the first priority on a construction site.  Hazards develop as soon as ground breaking operations begin.  Implementation of a sound trench and excavation safety training program is the first step in protecting your employees.  Designate a competent person to evaluate all excavations and use hazard assessment techniques to determine the identity of appropriate safety systems.  Evaluate trench safety on a daily basis using the stability factors mentioned earlier in this article.  Finally, when in doubt, never put someone in the trench!

Anytime you dig, you are excavating the dangers down below!  Do not become a statistic.  Educate yourself on trench and excavation safety.