How Safe Is Your Industry?
     Frequently Cited OSHA Standards is a query tool which allows the user to determine the most frequently cited Federal and State OSHA standards for a given SIC code. The SIC code may be determined by accessing the online SIC Manual The user can list the most frequently cited Federal or State OSHA standards for a specified 2, 3 or 4-digit Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code. The SIC may be specified at the 2, 3, or 4-digit level. A SIC division letter (e.g., D is Manufacturing) may also be entered. A selection list for SIC Division or Major Group level data will be provided if the SIC selection field is left empty. All Industry groups will be selected by entering the word ALL in the SIC selection field.

Click here to try it!

Comment Period Extended for Electric Power Transmission Rulemaking
     OSHA is extending the written comment period by 90 days on updating the standard for the construction of electric power transmission and distribution installations. The extension was published in the Oct. 12 Federal Register. The notice extends the period for written comments on the proposed rule to Jan. 11, 2006. OSHA extended the comment period to grant interested parties more time for a thorough review and response to the proposal. Additionally, the informal hearing originally scheduled for Dec. 6, 2005, will now be held on March 6, 2006; the extension reopens the period for interested parties to file notices of intent to appear at that hearing. The purpose of the revision is to make the rule consistent with the revised general industry standard.

Click here for more information.

NIOSH Updates Safety and Health Topic:  Allergies and Prevention of Occupational Asthma
     Designed as a resource for individuals interested in the prevention of occupational asthma (OA), this site can be used by a variety of individuals. It is designed to provide a background to the work being conducted in the field of OA prevention. It will give occupational health researchers the ability to quickly identify gaps in current knowledge, to judge which interventions appear most effective and which should be examined for their use in additional studies, and to find basic information on study designs used in research on the prevention of OA. Additionally, policymakers will be able to quickly prioritize prevention research goals.
     This site consists of two sections: a text primer on the prevention of OA and a set of query tables with details about the studies described in the primer.

Click here for more details.

OSHA Training Institute Education Centers
     The OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center program was initiated as an extension of the OSHA Training Institute, which is the primary training provider of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. OTI targets Federal and State compliance officers and State consultation program staff, but also provides training for private sector personnel and Federal personnel from agencies other than OSHA on a space available basis. However, during the 1980s, the number of requests for training from private sector personnel and Federal personnel from agencies other than OSHA increased substantially and the demand eventually exceeded the capacity of the OSHA Training Institute.

Click here to find an Education Center near you and search course schedules. 

OSHA Offers On-Line Fire Safety Advisor
     The OSHA Fire Safety Advisor addresses employer responsibilities under the OSHA general industry standards (29CFR1910) which cover the majority of workplace types. Employers of workers engaged in construction, agriculture, and marine industries are covered by other OSHA regulations and their obligations are not addressed by this Advisor.
     Fire safety is also regulated by other authorities at the federal, state and local levels. Compliance with these other regulations is not addressed by this Advisor. The Advisor will ask you a series of questions designed to find policies and practices which make a particular standard applicable.
     Following the session, the Advisor will identify OSHA standards and any specific passages that are applicable to your situation. In addition, the Advisor will list the questions asked during the session and your responses.

Click here for more information.

NIOSH Safety and Health Topic - Noise and Hearing Loss Prevention
     Guide to choosing the hearing protection product that is right for you (or your workers) includes simple to understand descriptions of the basic types of industrial hearing protection devices available.

• Expandable foam ear plugs
• Pre-molded, reusable ear plugs
• Canal caps
• Earmuffs

Click here for more information,

NFPA: Rising Energy Costs May Trigger More Heating Fires

Click here to download a free executive summary (PDF, 32 KB) of this report.

Source: National Fire Protection Association

Make Annual Home Heating Inspections Part of Your Home Safety Checklist
     When old man winter comes to town and Jack Frost begins to paint our windows with snowflake etchings, we start up our furnaces and stoke our fireplaces, using every resource we have in the simple quest for warmth. Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) urges everyone to have a professional inspection of their home heating systems to detect carbon monoxide (CO) leaks. CO sources can also include malfunctioning stoves, ovens, clothes dryers, water heaters and space heaters, in addition to furnaces and fireplaces. Any device that burns a fuel - such as natural gas, kerosene, or wood, is a potential threat of CO poisoning.
     "Regular inspection and service is the first line of defense against CO poisoning," says John Drengenberg, UL Global Consumer Affairs Manager. "Each year, CO poisoning associated with using fuel-burning appliances kills approximately 200 people." This pro-active stance is necessary as CO poisoning is sometimes difficult to spot as it often closely mimics symptoms of the flu - another challenge we confront at this time of year.
     A professional inspector should assess chimney flues and vents for possible blockage. In addition, vents to furnaces, water heaters, boilers and other fuel-burning appliances should be looked at to make sure they are not loose or disconnected. The amount of CO in the air may quickly rise to a level that can cause illness, or even death, when malfunctioning appliances are inadequately ventilated.

Click here for the full report.

Source: Underwriters' Laboratories

Youth On The Job Factsheets
     New York Committee on Occupational Safety and Health has published six colorful factsheets concerning on-the-job safety and health for young workers. Click on any of these links.

• Youth on the Job factsheet # 1: Your Rights
• Youth on the Job factsheet # 2: Hazards at Work
• Youth on the Job factsheet # 3: Stand Up for Your Rights
• Youth on the Job factsheet # 4: Repetitive Strain Injuries
• Youth on the Job factsheet # 5: Chemical Soup
• Youth on the Job factsheet # 6: Violence at Work

Preventing Seasonal Back Aches
     Those lazy days of summer have ended and it's time to prepare your back for the upcoming fall and winter seasons. Whether it's raking leaves, shoveling snow, or cleaning out the garage, your back muscles will be strained and abused. For those not prepared, this will mean getting a backache.
     "Fortunately, with attention to proper techniques and exercise, you can help to prevent seasonal back pain," said Dr. Keith Reich, a board-certified rheumatologist and contributing editor to OurHealthNetwork.com. Here are a few tips that Reich shares with his patients who are prone to back pain:

• Do not rake, shovel, or lift heavy objects first thing in the morning. Move around a bit and "loosen up." The back is most vulnerable to injury after being at rest all night.
• Do warm-up and stretching exercises just before beginning the job.
• Try not to twist your spine. If you need to reach for something, turn your entire body, rather than twist. Twisting along with bending will severely stress the spine and back muscles.
• Do not use rakes and shovels that are too heavy for you.
• If you need to lift a heavy load, get help.
• Take frequent breaks and stretch your back in the opposite direction (lean backward).

Click here for the full report.

Source: Occupational Health & Safety Magazine

Focus on Homeland Security / Domestic Preparedness

Biological and Chemical Weapons: Arm Yourself with Information

Bioterrorism. Germ warfare. Chemical agents. All are names for a different type of warfare, one in which the enemy is microscopic and deadly.

Experts say the average U.S. resident's risk of exposure to biological and chemical agents is low. But knowing that doesn't necessarily allay your fears. You want to make sure you and your family are protected against anthrax or other bacteria, viruses and chemicals that might be used as weapons. Your first line of defense is to arm yourself with information.

Infectious disease experts say that the agents of greatest concern are the germs that cause anthrax, smallpox, plague, botulism and tularemia.

Click here for the full report.

Source: The Mayo Clinic

Key Products You Need When you need a first aid kit, will you be ready? Click here to order.

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

1. DESIGNER HEAD PROTECTION - Protective headgear is available in full brim hats, peak brim caps and low-hazard bump caps.
2. DESIGNER HEARING PROTECTION - Earplugs are available in many different materials and shapes.  Earmuffs are available with different shapes and features, both stand-alone and as cap-mounted attachments to safety caps and hats.
3. DESIGNER RESPIRATORS - Half-mask air-purifying respirators are available either maintenance-free or with replaceable filters and cartridges.  Full facepiece respirators are available with air-purifying cartridges or as components in a supplied-air system.
4. DESIGNER EYEWEAR - Protective eyewear (safety glasses) are available in a wide variety of frame colors, sizes and shapes and lens tints, sizes and shapes to fit nearly any size and shape face.
5. DESIGNER GLOVES - Many different materials, designs, sizes, shapes, textures and linings are available to virtually customize glove selection to the application.

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

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