OSHA Confirms the Effective Date of the Direct Final Rule to Update its Standards Based on National Consensus Standards
     The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced that it has issued a notice to confirm the effective date of its direct final rule on updated OSHA standards based on National Consensus Standards. In the direct final rule, OSHA is eliminating several references to consensus standards that have requirements which duplicate or are comparable to other OSHA rules. It also removes a reference to American Welding Society standard A3.0-1969 ("Terms and Definitions"). Additionally, the direct final rule updates standards such as 29 CFR part 1910, subpart H ("Hazardous Materials"), 29 CFR part 1910, subpart Q ("Welding, Cutting and Brazing"), 29 CFR part 1910, subpart R ("Special Industries").
     This direct final rule, published in the December 14, 2007, Federal Register (72 FR 71061) was effective March 13, 2008.

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OSHA Notifies Workplaces with High Injury and Illness Rates
     The Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health has notified 14,000 employers nationwide that their injury and illness rates are considerably higher than the national average. In a letter sent last month to those employers, Assistant Secretary Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. explained that the notification was a proactive step to encourage employers to take action now to reduce rates and improve safety and health conditions in their workplaces. OSHA identified businesses with the nation's highest rates of workplace injuries and illnesses through employer-reported data from a 2007 survey of 80,000 worksites (this survey collected injury and illness data from calendar year 2006). Workplaces receiving notifications had 5.4 or more injuries resulting in days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer (DART) for every 100 full-time employees. Nationally, the average U.S. workplace had 2.3 DART occurrences for every 100 employees.

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OSHA Implements RSS Feeds For Its Communications Products
     The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has implemented Really Simple Syndication (RSS) Feeds to provide OSHA customers a personal, direct channel for receiving the latest news and information from the OSHA Web site. RSS is a web-based technology used by businesses, organizations and government to publish frequently updated content. OSHA news releases are the first RSS feed to be provided to stakeholders. The RSS Reader regularly checks for new content from OSHA's Web site and provides the user with a headline that links to the new posting and a short description. To receive OSHA's RSS feeds, users can download an RSS Reader or use a Web-based RSS Reader.

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NIOSH Supports and Funds State-based Occupational Health Updates
     NIOSH has been supporting state-based occupational health surveillance activities for many years, recognizing that states have lead authority for public health practice, including legal mandates for health surveillance. These programs have achieved many successes linking surveillance data to disease and injury prevention. State-based occupational health surveillance programs have formed an organization under the umbrella of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), called the Occupational Health Surveillance Workgroup. NIOSH has provided funds to CSTE to support the activities of the Workgroup.
     A major project undertaken by the Workgroup has been the development of 19 “Occupational Health Indicators” (OHIs) that can be used to measure the baseline health of working populations and changes that take place over time. These definitions and a standardized methodology for their calculation were compiled in a document, Occupational Health Indicators: A Guide for Tracking Work-Related Health Conditions and Their Determinants. Thirteen states’ data for the 19 OHIs and comparison national data have been published in Putting Data to Work: Occupational Health Indicators from Thirteen Pilot States for 2000, and, for OHI data through 2003, on the Web.

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Making the Business Case for Safety
     OSHA and Abbott Laboratories worked together with the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business to develop a PowerPoint® presentation and case studies that communicate the business value and competitive advantages of an effective safety and health program. These case studies are based on publicly available information from OSHA. These case studies were prepared by the OSHA and Abbott Alliance in coordination with Georgetown University, McDonough School of Business. Participation in an Alliance does not constitute an endorsement of any specific party or any party’s products or services. These case studies were prepared as the basis for class discussion in the "Business Value of Safety." The product names and companies listed in these studies do not constitute an endorsement by OSHA of their products and services.

Click here to download an interesting PowerPoint presentation.

From NIOSH - Expanding Our Understanding of the Psychosocial Work Environment
     There is broad recognition that the psychosocial environment at work can affect physical and mental health as well as organizational outcomes such as work performance and effectiveness. This has been the focus of publications, recommendations and conferences developed by the NORA Organization of Work Team). Past research across several disciplines has revealed that gender- and race-related factors such as values, biases, harassment, discrimination, and lack of support for work-family balance can affect physical and mental health. However, these features of the work environment have rarely been included simultaneously with the study of other workplace conditions. Thus, knowledge is still very limited about correlations among them, as well as about potential confounding and interactions. This document is targeted to occupational safety and health researchers interested in evaluating the role of discrimination, bias and work-family issues in occupational injuries and illness. It will also be of interest to other health researchers interested in questions of the impact of workplace discrimination and bias on health.
     To develop this compendium, the researchers at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, through a contract with NIOSH, scanned the formal literature broadly to identify and disseminate information on measures used by researchers to assess the following domains:

• racism and racial/ethnic prejudice
• sexism and sexual harassment
• gender and racial discrimination
• work-family integration and balance
• support for diversity in the workplace/workforce

Click here to download the report.

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News You Can Use

Fighting Fatigue in the Workplace - FREE 60-Minute Webinar
    Americans are sleeping less and working more, which takes a serious toll on today's workforce. A newly released poll by the National Sleep Foundation reveals that Americans are sleeping less and working more and this takes a serious toll on people’s professional and personal lives. The poll found 3 out of 10 respondents report falling asleep or becoming very sleepy at work in the past month and that 28% said that daytime sleepiness interferes with their daily activities. Worse yet, 36% of respondents had nodded off while driving in the past month and another one-third say they only get a good night’s sleep a few nights per month.
     Does this growing trend describe you and your fellow employees? If so, you are invited to attend this FREE 60-minute webinar on April 14, 2008, to learn more about doing a better job of managing fatigue in our increasingly sleep-deprived society, at home and in the workplace. Gain insight into this growing problem and learn practical tips that can be applied to any workplace from expert presenters.

Click here for free registration.

Sponsored by the National Safety Council

Rules of Thumb Use
     People are doing it everywhere -- on the train, at the mall, in the restaurant, at the airport, and in meetings. Just about everywhere you look you will see people talking or texting on very small cell phones, busily typing messages with their thumbs on their handheld computers and personal organizers or scrolling through music on portable media players.
     As electronics get smaller, more portable and therefore more heavily used, we may be risking injury from overuse of wrists, fingers, and thumbs that we use to operate and type on these miniature keyboards. Repeating these tasks for hours at a time may cause painful repetitive strain injuries. Although there are no national statistics on how many people suffer from these types of injuries, some ergonomic experts feel there is cause for concern given the number (tens of millions) of handheld electronic devices on the market, and the heavy, extended use of them. The American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) recently re-issued an alert to raise awareness of the potential risks. People who combine prolonged grips with repetitive motion on small buttons and awkward wrist movements are susceptible to carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis and other hand, wrist and arm ailments. It is important to take preventative measures. The ASHT released a list of guidelines and exercises to help users of portable electronics avoid these types of injuries.

Click here to download the full report.

Source: American Society of Hand Therapists.

Survey Shows Americans Lack Critical Facts about Maintaining Eye Health
     Most Americans do not know the risks and warning signs of diseases that could blind them if they don't seek timely detection and treatment, according to recent findings of the Survey of Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to Eye Health and Disease. This survey was sponsored by the National Eye Institute, one of the National Institutes of Health, and the Lions Clubs International Foundation. Seventy-one percent of respondents reported that a loss of their eyesight would rate as a 10 on a scale of 1 to 10, meaning that it would have the greatest impact on their day-to-day life. However, only eight percent knew that there are no early warning signs of glaucoma, a condition that can damage the eye's optic nerve and result in vision loss and blindness.
     Fifty-one percent said that they have heard that people with diabetes are at increased risk of developing eye disease, but only 11 percent knew that there are usually no early warning signs. Only 16 percent had ever heard the term "low vision," which affects millions of Americans. Low vision is vision loss that standard eyeglasses, contact lenses, medicine, or surgery cannot correct, making everyday tasks difficult to do. Simple tasks like reading the mail, watching TV, shopping, cooking, and writing become challenging.
     Hispanic respondents reported the lowest access to eye health information, knew the least about eye health, and were the least likely to have their eyes examined among all racial/ethnic groups participating in the survey. Forty-one percent of Hispanics reported that they had not seen or heard anything about eye health or disease in the last year, compared with 28 percent of Asians, 26 percent of African-Americans, and 16 percent of Caucasians.
     The findings reinforce the critical need to educate the public about common eye diseases, such as glaucoma, diabetic eye disease, and age-related macular degeneration.

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NFPA Report Identifies Cooking As Leading Cause of Home Fires
     Cooking was involved in an estimated 146,400 home structure fires in the United States in 2005, according to a National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) report released today. Cooking fires accounted for 40 percent of the home structure fires in 2005, and these cooking fires resulted in 480 deaths, 4,690 injuries, and $876 million in direct property damage. According to the report, cooking equipment left unattended was a factor in ignition in 38 percent of home structure fires for 2002-2005. Unattended cooking was the leading contributing factor in home cooking fires, followed by combustibles too close to a heat source, and equipment being unintentionally turned on or not turned off. Cooking was also the leading cause of home fire injuries, accounting for 36 percent of home structure fire injuries in 2005. These injuries were especially likely to occur during attempts to fight the fire. In home structure fires involving cooking equipment for 2002-2005, 59 percent of injuries occurred while fighting the fire, compared to 35 percent of injuries in all other types of home structure fires.

NFPA offers the following safety tips.

• Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
• If you are simmering, baking, roasting, or boiling food, check it regularly, remain in the home while food is cooking, and use a timer to remind you that you’re cooking.
• To prevent cooking fires, you have to be alert. You won’t be if you are sleepy, have been drinking alcohol, or have taken medicine that makes you drowsy.
• Keep anything that can catch fire – potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, boxes, food packaging, towels or curtains – away from your stovetop.
• Keep the stovetop, burners and oven clean.
• Keep pets off cooking surfaces and nearby countertops to prevent them from knocking things onto the burner.
• Wear short, close fitting or tightly rolled sleeves when cooking. Loose clothing can dangle onto stove burners and can catch fire if it comes in contact with a gas flame or electric burner.

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Workplace Bullying May Be More Harmful than Sexual Harassment
     Workplace bullying, which can include belittling comments and persistent criticism, appears to inflict more harm on employees than sexual harassment, said researchers presenting their findings March 8 at the International Conference on Work, Stress and Health in Washington, D.C. “As sexual harassment becomes less acceptable in society, organizations may be more attuned to helping victims, who may therefore find it easier to cope,” said lead author M. Sandy Hershcovis, Ph.D., of the University of Manitoba. “In contrast, non-violent forms of workplace aggression such as incivility and bullying are not illegal, leaving victims to fend for themselves.”
     The authors reviewed 110 studies conducted over 21 years that compared the consequences of employees’ experience of sexual harassment and workplace aggression. Specifically, the authors looked at the effect on job, co-worker and supervisor satisfaction; stress, anger and anxiety levels; and workers’ mental and physical health. Job turnover and emotional ties to the job also were compared.
     The authors distinguished among different forms of workplace aggression. They identified incivility as rudeness or discourteous verbal and non-verbal behaviors. Bullying included persistently criticizing employees’ work; yelling; repeatedly reminding employees of mistakes; spreading gossip or lies; ignoring or excluding workers; and insulting employees’ habits, attitudes or private life. Interpersonal conflict, meanwhile, encompassed behaviors involving hostility, verbal aggression and angry exchanges.

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Source: Occupational Hazards Magazine
 

Beware the Sliding LOTO Program
     Ask point-blank what has slid during a LOTO operation at your facility. You may cringe at the answers. Severe burns from steam. Electric shock. Death when a machine cycles and a worker is caught and mangled. Burns. Destroyed and or disrupted lives of family. Damaged or destroyed equipment. Lost productivity. Add to all of these those dollars by the thousands that are paid out in worker’s compensation claims. Yet every day, somewhere, there is a lockout/tagout program beginning to slide that will result in some employee’s being injured or production’s being adversely affected. Every employer who has in place a lockout/tagout program wants to believe it is used consistently and by each affected employee. The reality is, for every employee who knows about LOTO, there is probably at least one who takes shortcuts or is not particularly interested in following it to the letter.

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Source: Occupational Health & Safety Magazine
 

Focus on Disaster Preparedness

Business Continuity - What Are the Costs?
     How quickly your company can get back to business after a terrorist attack, a tornado, a fire, or a flood often depends on emergency planning done today. While the Department of Homeland Security is working hard to prevent terrorist attacks, the lessons of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing and the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks demonstrate the importance of being prepared. When you also consider that the number of declared major disasters nearly doubled in the 1990's compared to the previous decade, preparedness becomes an even more critical issue. Though each situation is unique, any organization can be better prepared if it plans carefully, puts emergency procedures in place, and practices for emergencies of all kinds.
     America's businesses form the backbone of the nation's economy; small businesses alone account for more than 99% of all companies with employees, employ 50% of all private sector workers and provide nearly 45% of the nation's payroll. If businesses are READY to survive and recover, the nation and our economy are more secure. A commitment to planning today will help support employees, customers, the community, the local economy and even the country. It also protects your business investment and gives your company a better chance for survival.
     Ready Business outlines commonsense measures business owners and managers can take to start getting ready. It provides practical steps and easy-to-use templates to help you plan for your company's future. These recommendations reflect the Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Standard (NFPA 1600) developed by the National Fire Protection Association and endorsed by the American National Standards Institute and the Department of Homeland Security. It also provides useful links to resources providing more detailed business continuity and disaster preparedness information.
     Business continuity and crisis management can be complex issues depending on the particular industry, size and scope of your business. However, putting a plan in motion will improve the likelihood that your company will survive and recover. The following information is a good start for small- to mid-sized businesses. Companies that already have their emergency plans in place can continue to help create a more robust sustainable community by mentoring businesses in their own supply chain and others needing advice.

Preparing makes good business sense. Get ready now. Click here for more information.

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BE Prepared Informed Safe Visit www.saftgard.com/2besafe

1. TAKE A DEEP BREATH - Air-purifying respirators do not supply oxygen and must not be used in atmospheres with less than 19.5% oxygen.  Be sure rather than be sorry.
2. WHAT THE FLOCK? - Chemical-resistant nitrile, neoprene, and rubber gloves are available with comfortable cotton flock linings that can absorb perspiration.
3. ABSOLUTELY SHOCKING - If your maintenance staff works on potentially energized circuits, they need low voltage rubber insulating gloves.
4. DON'T FALL FOR THIS - OSHA requires a personal fall arrest system be used anytime a worker is working 6 feet or more above a lower level.
5. CAN IT - Safety cans are available in a variety of materials and sizes for safe transfer of hazardous liquids.

Want more information on any of this month's Saf-T-Tips?  E-mail us for a prompt reply.

Seamless String Knit Gloves Offer 2 Green Benefits

1. Produced from reclaimed/recycled textile materials purified and reprocessed by a proprietary technology.
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