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OSHA’s latest eToolCompanies that use forklifts in their workplaces have a new resource to help keep their employees safe on the job. The Powered Industrial Trucks eTool is the latest Web-based training tool unveiled by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The eTool focuses on forklifts commonly used in general industry and provides a review of potential hazards along with a summary of key OSHA requirements and industry-recommended practices for forklift operations. Also included are four modules examining the different types of forklifts, safe operating practices, how workplace conditions can affect operation, and operator training. OSHA developed the tool with input from the Industrial Truck Association, and other Alliance Program participants, including the International Association of Foundation Drilling, Altec Industries, American Foundry Society, Association of Equipment Manufacturers, American Forest and Paper Association and Pulp and Paper Safety Association, Integrated Waste Services Association, and Precision Metalforming Association.
More buckling up than everThe National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that more Americans are buckling up than ever before, with 83% of vehicle occupants using seat belts during daylight hours. In 2007, 82% used seat belts. NHTSA estimates that 270 lives are saved for every 1% increase in belt use. The agency says a contributing factor for such historically high seat belt use is high-visibility law enforcement efforts, such as the “Click-It or Ticket” campaign. According to the latest statistics, 84% of passenger car occupants are buckling up. Even more people, 86%, are buckling up in vans and SUVs, while pickup truck occupants buckled up 74% of the time. Seat belt use increased or remained level in every region of the country, with the highest use being reported in the West (93%), and the lowest in the Midwest and Northeast (79%). The South reported 81%. States with primary belt laws — which allow citations for a seat belt violation alone — are averaging about 13 percentage points higher for seat belt use. (88% vs 75% for states without primary laws). NHTSA also reports that belt use on expressways is now an estimated 90% while belt use on lower-speed surface streets remains at 80%.
State’s occupational illnesses decreaseNearly 4,000 Connecticut workers reported on-the-job related illnesses in 2006, a 22% decrease from the year before, but still higher than the national average. A report from UConn’s Occupational and Environmental Health Center shows Connecticut had an overall illness rate of 27.7 per 10,000 workers compared with the national average of 24.6. Connecticut's higher rates of hearing loss and repetitive trauma injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome and tendonitis contributed to the state's higher overall illness rate. Connecticut scored lower than the national average for respiratory conditions, poisonings and skin disorders. Workers in the manufacturing sector reported the highest number of occupational illnesses (60.3 per 10,000 workers), mainly due to repetitive trauma. Education and health professions tied with the information sector for the next highest rate of illness at 40.3 Lost-time musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), which includes strains and sprains, stayed about the same as the year before, but Connecticut's rate of 54.1 per 10,000 workers is 40% higher than the national MSD rate of 38.6
New WC benefit rate tablesTables for determining the workers’ compensation benefits for Connecticut workers injured between October 1, 2008 and September 30, 2009 are now available. These tables can be obtained from:
Rapid Print and Copy
Phone: 860-584-8218
The cost for the tables through Rapid Print are as follows: $18.97 ($17.90 plus $1.06 sales tax) if picked up $25.33 ($17.90 plus $6.00 shipping and handling plus $1.43 sales tax) if ordered by mail. A check or purchase order should accompany an order by mail The tables are also posted on the Workers’ Compensation Commission Web site.
Builder fined for fall-related hazardsA Massachusetts-based construction contractor is facing nearly $215,000 in proposed fines chiefly for fall-related hazards at a Milford, Conn construction site. The citations and fines follow OSHA inspections begun in April after OSHA inspectors on two separate occasions observed fall hazards while driving by the jobsite. The contractor’s employees were seen working without required fall protection on the roof of the structure being built, and on the raised forks of a powered industrial truck -- situations that exposed the workers to potential falls of 13 to 15 feet. The actual inspection uncovered a number of other fall-related hazards as well, including lack of fall protection for employees working on a scaffold, lack of scaffold training, inadequate roof and scaffold access, using a materials hoist as a ladder and ladders of insufficient height. Inspectors also found lack of eye protection for employees using nail guns, unguarded saws, and a lack of fire extinguishers. OSHA issued the contractor three willful citations, with $168,000 in fines; five repeat citations, with $30,900 in fines, and eight serious citations, with $15,900 in fines. The builder had previously been cited for fall hazards at jobsites in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.
ADA amendments broaden employee protectionsChanges to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2009, greatly expand what “disabled” means under the law and limit how claims can be challenged. President Bush signed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 in September, after Congress approved it with bipartisan support. The Act effectively reverses several U.S. Supreme Court cases that were thought by lawmakers to interpret the ADA too narrowly. Among other things, the new amendments:
The act authorizes the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to issue binding regulations and interpretive guidance, which are expected sometime in 2009. The ADA covers all employees and job candidates of businesses with 15 or more employees.
UI weekly benefit increasesThe state Department of Labor has announced that the maximum unemployment insurance benefit will increase to $519 per week from the current $501, effective Oct. 5. The new rate applies to claims filed for the benefit year starting on or after October 5, 2008. Individuals who established a claim prior to the October 5 date and who have been collecting unemployment insurance are not affected by the increase. The weekly dependency allowance for each dependent, at $15 with a maximum of $75, remains unchanged. By law, any increase to the maximum weekly benefit is limited to $18 a year or 60% of the average manufacturing wage for the year ending June 30. The statutory limitation kept the increase this year to $18.
Change in maximum WC benefitsThe state Workers’ Compensation Commission has announced that the maximum weekly compensation benefit for total disability and decedents’ dependents will go to $1,141 for injuries occurring on or after October 1, 2008. The maximum weekly benefit for partial disability (incapacity) will be $892. The weekly benefit for total disability is equivalent to the average weekly earnings of all employees in the state, as determined by the State Labor Commissioner. The benefit for partial disability is equivalent to the average weekly earnings of production and related workers in manufacturing in the state. For more information, go to http://wcc.state.ct.us/memos/2008/2008-02.htm.
Reminder: EEO-1 due 9/30Covered employers are reminded that the EEO-1 report summarizing employees by job category, race and gender is due by Sept. 30. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) made a number of changes to the form, including new categories for race and ethnicity, for the report that was due in Sept. 2007. Although employers were not required to re-survey their workforce last year using the new race/ethnicity categories, many did. For the 2008 report, employers must re-survey if they have not done so already, preferably by asking employees to self-identify. The EEO-1 report must be filed annually by private employers with 100 or more employees and by federal contractors with 50 or more employees and a single federal contract worth $50,000 or more. Instructions are included with the form.
Backup care valued as benefitNinety-nine percent of employees who have used backup care sponsored by their employer think it’s an important employee benefit, according to a new survey, while 89% say just knowing the benefit is available reduces their stress. Backup care acts as a “safety net” for employees who have caregiver responsibilities, providing temporary care for children, the elderly and other loved ones when an employee’s regular caregiving arrangements are not available. The survey results also showed 78% of employees believe using the backup care increases their productivity at work; 77% say being offered the backup care benefit makes them more loyal to their company; 71% would have missed work without it. The survey included responses from 1,200 employees who had used backup care services through Work Options Group, a Colorado-based company that specializes in the provision of corporate-sponsored backup care. According to Work Options, a growing number of companies are adding backup care to their suite of benefits. Over the past year, the number of companies offering a backup care program through the group has increased 30% and the company anticipates scheduling 450,000 hours of backup care during 2008. The company has scheduled 184,000 hours of backup care during the first six months of 2008, a 90% increase over the same time period in 2007.
DOL recovers $7M in wages
Gov. Rell has announced that the state Department of Labor (DOL) recovered nearly $7 million in unpaid wages for workers in Connecticut during the fiscal year that ended June 30. The DOL’s Division of Wage and Workplace Standards recovered $3.2 million after 3,234 workers complained they were not paid wages owed to them. The division also recovered $1 million by enforcing the state’s prevailing wage laws and returned $2 million more to workers unpaid for overtime or the minimum wage. Another $58,000 was recovered in back pay owed to service workers hired by private contractors for work on state property. The unit handled more than 25,000 telephone and written inquiries during the past fiscal year and provided outreach services to businesses and schools to ensure that laws were fully understood. For the latest information about a range of wage and hour issues, don’t miss CBIA’s Wage and Hour Conference, Tuesday, Oct. 21, North Haven Holiday Inn. To register visit the CBIA store online or contact Lise Cliche at lise.cliche@cbia.com or at 860-244-1977.
Majority say they are underpaid
When asked to say how they personally feel about their pay, 51% of Americans believe they are underpaid for the work they do, 46% feel they are paid the right amount, and 3% feel they are overpaid. In the Gallup poll of nearly 600 employed adults, some groups of Americans were more likely than others to say they are underpaid. Only 38% of those making $75,000 or more a year say they are underpaid, compared with 62% of those making less than $75,000. Somewhat surprisingly, the difference between men and women on this measure is much smaller, with 47% of men and 55% of women saying they are underpaid. The poll found little difference by race or by education in perception of being underpaid. Fifty-one percent of both whites and nonwhites say they feel underpaid. Similarly, 49% of those with high school educations or less say they are underpaid, compared with 52% of those with at least some college education. PPE penalties clarifiedThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a proposed rule to clarify the penalties that may be imposed for failing to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) and train employees. The proposal makes clear that when an OSHA standard requires an employer to provide PPE and training, the employer has a separate compliance duty to each covered employee. Each employee not protected or trained may be considered a separate violation for penalty purposes. The proposed rule affects OSHA’s general industry, construction and maritime standards. It does not add any new compliance obligations for employers. The agency will accept public comments on the rule until September 18.
Fatal workplace injuries declineA total of 5,488 fatal injuries at work were recorded in the U.S. in 2007, a decrease of 6% from the 5,840 reported for 2006, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The figure represents the smallest annual total since BLS began conducting its Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries program in 1992. In addition to the decline in overall number of fatalities, the rate declined to 3.7 fatal work injuries per 100,000 workers, the lowest annual fatality rate in recorded OSHA history. Other key census findings:
OSHA offers hurricane cleanup assistance
OSHA will be offering the full resources of the agency to assist in protecting the safety and health of workers responding in the wake of Gulf Coast hurricanes. After the storms move on, the danger remains— especially for those involved in cleanup and recovery, says OSHA. Cleanup after a storm of any magnitude can be particularly dangerous, and employers and employees need to take the proper precautions to avoid serious injury. OSHA’s hurricane recovery Web site includes QuickCards and fact sheets on dozens of different employee hazards or hazardous situations, including information on flood cleanup, chain saws, heat stress, and dangers from molds and fungi. The agency is also providing public service announcements to area television and radio stations informing listeners on topics such as flooding, electrical hazards, chain saws and fall hazards. Employers with specific questions can call OSHA’s toll-free helpline at 866-4-USA-DOL (866-487-2365).
Change in maximum WC benefits
The state Workers’ Compensation Commission has announced that the maximum weekly compensation benefit for total disability and decedents’ dependents will go to $1,141 for injuries occurring on or after October 1, 2008. The maximum weekly benefit for partial disability (incapacity) will be $892. The weekly benefit for total disability is equivalent to the average weekly earnings of all employees in the state, as determined by the State Labor Commissioner. The benefit for partial disability is equivalent to the average weekly earnings of production and related workers in manufacturing in the state. For more information, go to http://wcc.state.ct.us/memos/2008/2008-02.htm.
New guide: ADA and performance standards
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has issued a question-and-answer guide addressing how the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to a wide variety of performance and conduct issues. The new guide makes clear that employers can apply the same performance standards to all employees, including those with disabilities, and emphasizes that the ADA does not affect an employer’s right to hold all employees to basic conduct standards. At the same time, employers must make reasonable accommodations that enable individuals with disabilities to meet performance and conduct standards. The guide presents actual cases and specific scenarios that the EEOC has learned about from employers and employees, explaining when and how performance and conduct standards should be applied and the appropriate role of reasonable accommodation. Other topics addressed include issues related to attendance, dress codes, drug and alcohol use, and the circumstances in which employers can ask questions about an employee’s disability when performance and conduct problems occur.
Are parking lot injuries recordable?In a recent interpretation letter, OSHA responded to an employer’s request for guidance on the recordkeeping requirements involving parking lot injuries. The employer described two instances in which employees commuted from home to work and parked their personally owned vehicles in the company controlled parking lot. Each of the employees stumbled while exiting their vehicles, fell onto the parking lot surface, and sustained knee injuries. The employer asked OSHA whether the two cases were recordable. The agency instructed the employer to record the injuries if they meet the other recording criteria in Section 1904.5 (medical treatment, days away from work, etc.) The recordkeeping regulations let employers exclude cases where an employee is injured in a motor vehicle accident occurring in a company parking lot while commuting to work, said OSHA. But that exception is limited to accidents involving moving vehicles, and neither of the described scenarios involved a moving vehicle.
Update on West Nile VirusThe State Mosquito Management Program has announced that mosquitoes trapped in Fairfield, Glastonbury, Stratford, West Haven, and Wethersfield have tested positive for West Nile Virus (WNV). These are the first WNV-positive mosquitoes identified in these five towns this year. To monitor WNV, the state maintains a network of 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 municipalities. Mosquito traps are set every ten days at each site on a rotating basis. So far this summer, positive mosquitoes have been identified in 16 towns—Bridgeport, Darien, East Haven, Greenwich, Hamden, Hartford, Milford, New Haven, Norwalk, Stamford, Stonington, plus the five most recent towns. A resident of Sherman, who became ill during June, tested positive for WNV infection. The increasing level and spread of WNV-infected mosquitoes is cause for concern, says the state Department of Health. It is important for everyone to take steps to avoid mosquito bites while outdoors. For tips on workplace precautions, go to http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib082903b.html.
WC mileage rate increasesThe mileage reimbursement rate for all work-injury related travel expenses incurred on or after Aug. 8, 2008, is now 58.5 cents per mile. The rate increase applies to all claimants, regardless of injury date, and coincides with the federal mileage reimbursement rate. More about mileage reimbursement rates.
Reporting bloodborne pathogen exposuresAlthough rates of underreporting are difficult to ascertain, studies estimate that high percentages of workers do not report all bloodborne pathogen exposures. According to the National Institute for Safety and Health (NIOSH), employees give many reasons for not reporting exposures. They do not think they will get an infection from the exposure; they were not wearing the proper personal protective equipment; or they are embarrassed by the exposure incident. NIOSH advises employers to encourage their employees to report possible exposure incidents as soon as possible. First, it allows an employer to provide prompt medical assessment and treatment, helping to protect employees, their families, and the public. Second, by documenting exposures an employer can identify causes and prevent them from occurring again. This keeps workers on the job, reducing costs in the long run. Employers should establish a policy that all potential exposures must be reported, then tell employees about the policy, the steps being taken to implement it, and how they can help. More tips from NIOSH.
Third-largest fine in OSHA historyThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued citations proposing penalties of more than $8 million following a sugar refinery explosion and fire that killed 13 employees and hospitalized 40 others in February. The proposed penalties against the Imperial Sugar Co. and two of its affiliates represent the third-largest fine in the agency’s history. OSHA inspectors found large accumulations of combustible sugar dust in workrooms, on electrical motors, and other equipment at the facility where the explosion occurred and later at a second facility owned by Imperial. The investigation also determined that officials at the company were well aware of these conditions, but took no action reasonably directed at reducing the obvious hazards. According to Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health Edwin Foulke Jr., the company disregarded its employees’ safety by placing them in an extremely dangerous work environment. Worse, said Foulke, a month after the explosion and fire the company had done little to ensure abatement of the combustible dust hazards at its other plant. If OSHA investigators had not inspected and posted an imminent danger notice regarding areas at the second plant, the same thing could have happened again. Imperial countered by saying federal guidance on industrial dust accidents is "woefully inadequate” and the industry needs clear new standards for addressing the hazards. There has been a poor understanding of the hazards of combustible dust throughout the industry, as well as within OSHA itself, according to the company. The citations include 108 instances of willful violations related to the combustible dust hazard, including the failure to clean up dust and not using appropriate equipment or safeguards where combustible dust is present. OSHA also has issued 10 citations for other willful violations, 100 citations for serious violations, and four citations for other-than-serious safety and health violations. The company has 15 business days to contest the citations and proposed penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
EPA announces new pesticides ruleThe Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced new safety measures for soil fumigant pesticides to increase protections for agricultural workers and “bystanders,” people who live, work or otherwise spend time near fields that are fumigated. Soil fumigants are pesticides that, when injected or incorporated into soil, form a gas that permeates the soil and kills a wide variety of soil-borne pests. Fumigants are used on a range of crops, primarily potatoes, tomatoes, strawberries, carrots, and peppers. The new rules apply to the pesticides methyl bromide, chloropicrin, dazomet, metam sodium, and metam potassium. According to EPA, when fumigants dissipate from the soil, workers or bystanders who are exposed may experience eye or respiratory irritation, or more severe and irreversible effects, depending on the fumigant and level of exposure. Among the new requirements:
EPA is allowing 60 days for public comments on implementation of these measures and will refine the measures as needed. More information.
Home builders slam new ergo standardThe National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) has expressed “strong disappointment” with the recently published ergonomics standard ANSI A10.40. Passage of the standard was spearheaded by the American Society of Safety Engineers. In describing its objections to the standard, NAHB pointed to a section that suggests cutting drywall into three-foot pieces -- which would not fit on the framing used by nearly all architects, designers and builders. NAHB also said that the standard would not help reduce workplace injuries because it does not provide information on how to be safe. Instead of providing specific workplace safety instructions, the standard suggests that employers examine activities that involve “force,” “pushing,” or “lifting.” A group known as the Construction Employers Coalition has filed and lost an appeal challenging the standard’s adoption. In addition to NAHB, the coalition includes the Associated General Contractors of America, Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc., the American Subcontractors Association, and the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. NAHB says there are numerous existing resources to assist residential employers in preventing soft-tissue injuries. More information.
Be “Red Cross Ready”If there was something you could do to protect yourself and your loved ones, save yourself time and money and help create a stronger Connecticut, would you do it? As the leader in disaster preparedness and response for more than 125 years, the American Red Cross knows from experience that people who prepare ahead of time can do just that. But while 96% of Americans agree that it’s important to prepare for a disaster, only seven percent have taken the necessary steps to do so, according to recent American Red Cross polls. As September – National Preparedness Month – approaches, the American Red Cross in Connecticut is encouraging everyone to take three simple actions to get “Red Cross Ready” for disasters and other emergencies:
Taking these basic preparedness actions can better prepare you for a variety of disasters from a power outage to a hurricane. Visit the Red Cross’s free, online education module. where you can download a disaster supplies kit shopping list and emergency contact card and learn how to create a family disaster plan. This information is also available as a brochure or community presentation by contacting your local Red Cross Chapter. Find your chapter by visiting www.ctredcross.org or calling 1-877-287-3327.
Working safe in summer heatThe hot days of summer are here, and employees who work outdoors could face the potential dangers associated with overexposure to heat.The most serious heat-related disorders are heat stroke and heat exhaustion, says OSHA. Symptoms include confusion; irrational behavior; loss of consciousness; hot, dry skin; and abnormally high body temperature. A person can reduce the effects of working in summer heat by drinking cool water, reducing physical exertion, wearing appropriate clothing and taking regular rest periods in a cool recovery area.OSHA has several free resources that offer advice on how to stay healthy while working outside:
These resources and others can be downloaded from OSHA’s Publications Page or ordered from the agency’s publications office at 202-693-1888. For more information on heat stress, visit the Web sites of The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
NIOSH seeks asbestos commentsThe National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has issued for public comment a revised draft strategic research document, Asbestos Fibers and Other Elongated Mineral Particles: State of the Science and Roadmap for Research. The new draft substantially revises an earlier version issued in 2007. Its purpose is to identify major areas of controversy about occupational exposure and toxicity issues related to asbestos fibers and other EMPs and to recommend a research framework for resolving those areas. The revised draft does not include any new recommendations for exposure limits or other policy issues. Specifically, NIOSH is seeking comment on the following changes to the draft document:
Also of special interest to NIOSH are comments on the new content in the document:
Comments should be sent by Sept. 30, 2008 to NIOSH via e-mail; by fax to the NIOSH Docket Office at 513-533-8285; or by mail to NIOSH Mailstop: c-34, Robert A. Taft Laboratory, 4676 Columbia Parkway, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226.
OSHA sends more inspectors to NYCOSHA is taking new steps to combat the rise in construction fatalities in New York City, where 20 employees have died in construction-related accidents since January. The agency is bringing a dozen additional inspectors into the city for two weeks to inspect high-rise construction sites, cranes and other places where serious accidents have been occurring. OSHA will review its findings to gauge the impact of the additional inspections and determine what other measures might need to be taken to address what it calls a “deadly trend.” OSHA says regulators, employers, employees, unions and trade associations alike reject the idea that these lost lives are simply a byproduct of work in a dangerous industry. The agency asserts that all involved must commit to maintaining safety as the No. 1 job priority every day. In addition to enforcement activities, OSHA is pursuing other ways to emphasize to employers, employees and the construction industry the importance of safety. Since May, the agency has been sending copies of violation citations issued to employers on city construction sites to the employers’ insurance and workers’ compensation carriers, and to construction project owners and developers, in order to raise their awareness of occupational hazards. Citations involving training violations at union sites will be sent to the unions representing the workers and to their training funds. OSHA also says it plans to hold outreach meetings with unions and the construction industry to get their feedback on construction safety issues.
Have a safe tripPacking up the kids and heading out on the open road for vacation is a yearly ritual for some families. For others, this summer’s vacation may be a first-time adventure. Either way, says the National Safety Council (NSC), safety needs to be a priority before even pulling out of the driveway. Here are suggested tips:
For more information safe driving, visit NSC’s Web site at http://www.nsc.org/weekly_articles/road_trip_safety.aspx OSHA announces 2008 targeted inspectionsThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has selected 3,800 high-hazard worksites for unannounced inspections over the coming year under its 2008 Site Specific Targeting (SST) Plan. The program uses data from an annual survey of the illness and injury rates of about 80,000 employers with 40 or more employees to target worksites. Worksites that reported 11 or more injuries or illnesses resulting in “days away from work, restricted work activity, or job transfer" for every 100 full-time employees (known as the DART rate) will be placed on the program’s primary list for inspections. The list will also include sites based on a “Days Away from Work Injury and Illness” (DAWFI) rate of nine or more cases that involve days away from work per 100 full-time employees. A secondary list for possible inspection will include employers reporting DART rates of between seven and 11 or DAWFII rates of between five and nine. The national DART rate for private industry was 2.3, while the national DAWFII rate was 1.3. OSHA will also randomly inspect about 175 workplaces (with 100 or more employees) that reported low injury and illness rates in order to review their actual degree of compliance with OSHA requirements. These workplaces will be selected from industries with DART and DAFWII rates above the national average. Finally, the agency will include on the primary list some establishments that did not respond to the annual data survey.
Preventing traffic injuries: New online libraryThe National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has made available online a free library of resources from around the world on the prevention of work-related road traffic injuries and deaths.The new library presents information on “best practices,” including:
NIOSH says the library is being developed and the agency invites interested stakeholders to contribute their own materials. Information is needed on all types of occupational drivers, including those of commercial vehicles such as large trucks and buses (workers for whom driving is the primary job duty); workers who use smaller trucks or passenger vehicles provided by the employer (workers whose primary occupation is something other than “driver”); and workers who drive personal vehicles for work purposes. To contribute to the library, contact Jane Hingston at jhingston@cdc.gov.
Guidance on stockpiling for pandemic fluOSHA is inviting comments from the public on its Proposed Guidance on Workplace Stockpiling of Respirators and Facemasks for Pandemic Influenza document. The proposed guidance — which supplements the existing Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for an Influenza Pandemic released last year — offers recommendations and a method for calculating what workplaces will need to stockpile respirators and facemasks. It is meant for both private and public sector employers, says OSHA, and will help them equip their workplaces with protective devices to safeguard employees in the event of an influenza pandemic. The public can submit comments electronically at www.regulations.gov, the federal e-rulemaking portal. If submitting by regular mail, three copies of the comments and any attachments should be sent to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2008-0005, U.S. Department of Labor, Room N-2625, 200 Constitution Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20210 (telephone 202-693-2350). Comments and attachments not exceeding 10 pages may be faxed to the OSHA Docket Office at 202-693-1648.
Stressed workers 4.4% less productiveStressed-out workers cost their employers more in terms of lost productivity than workers who say they have little to no stress, according to research results from Gordian Health Solutions, Inc, a national health coaching company. The company measured results from more than 65,000 employees across a wide range of industries. Respondents who said stress had a “lot of effect on their life” in the past year had an average productivity loss of 4.4%, while employees reporting “no stress” in the past year had a .7% loss rate. The three industries with the greatest productivity loss associated with high stress levels were retail (5.3%), finance (5.1%), and construction (4.7%). It is widely accepted that stressed employees cost their employers more in health care costs. Those costs, coupled with losses in productivity, are real concerns for employers, says study co-author Arthur Long. Wellness and health coaching programs that promote stress reduction and healthy lifestyles can have significant effect on the bottom line.
Final rule on sealing in underground minesThe Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) has issued a final rule to increase protections for miners who work in underground coal mines with sealed-off abandoned areas. The final rule replaces an Emergency Temporary Standard that went into effect in May 2007. The rule increases the pounds per square inch (psi) pressure that seals must be able to withstand in the event of an explosion, and adds other important safeguards. Under the rule, operators must strengthen the design, construction, maintenance and repair of seals. Operators must also sample and control atmospheres behind certain seals. Seal strength must be designed to at least 50 psi, which goes well beyond the existing requirement that the psi be greater than 20. Seal manufacturers and mine operators have six months to submit revised seal applications and ventilation plans to comply with the rule. Other provisions in the rule are effective immediately.
Report recommends OSHA, EPA improvementsOSHA and the EPA could do a better job in their processes for preparing communications materials — such as guidance, fact sheets, and brochures — that are used to provide information to regulated parties and the public, according to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The GAO examined the processes used by OSHA and the EPA from 2000 through 2007 as each agency updated information to address the potential hazards of exposure to asbestos in automotive brakes. In its report, the GAO makes the following recommendations:
Overexertion tops causes of injuriesThe Liberty Mutual Research Institute for Safety has released its annual study identifying the leading causes of the most disabling workplace injuries — that is, those in which an employee misses six or more days of work — and their cost in workers’ compensation to U.S. industry. According to the 2007 Workplace Safety Index, the top 10 most disabling injuries cost businesses an estimated $48.3 billion in 2005, the most recent year for which figures are available. The leading causes of those injuries were:
The top 10 causes remained essentially the same as in prior years. Overall, the top categories produced 87.5% of the entire cost burden of disabling work-related injuries in 2005. Just over half of the $48.3 billion in costs stemmed from the top three injury causes — overexertion (26.3%), fall on same level (13.6%), and fall to lower level (10.4%).
Wallingford facility a safety starThe U.S. Postal Service’s Wallingford post office has achieved “star” status in OSHA’s Voluntary Protection Program (VPP). The VPP recognizes worksites that are committed to effective employee protection beyond the requirements of OSHA standards and encourages cooperative relationships among labor, management, and government. The Wallingford facility, which has 98 employees, was awarded its star designation after a week-long onsite review by OSHA, which included interviews with employees and a complete tour of the worksite. It is one of 1,945 worksites in 270 industries nationwide that have earned entry into the VPP. Sixteen other Connecticut worksites, including the Danbury post office, are currently in the program. According to OSHA, VPP participants have significantly reduced fatalities, injuries and illnesses and associated cost reductions, including lowered workers’ compensation expenses. More information about the VPP.
Confined spaces hearingOSHA has scheduled an informal public hearing this summer to receive testimony and documentary evidence on the proposed rule for Confined Spaces in Construction. The hearing is set for 10 a.m. on Tuesday, July 22 at the Department of Labor’s Frances Perkins Building in Washington, D.C. If a second or third day is needed, the hearing will begin at 9 a.m. on those days. OSHA published the proposed Confined Spaces in Construction Standard on Nov. 28, 2007, and the public was given until Feb. 28, 2008 to submit comments. Those who intend to present testimony at the hearing must notify OSHA in writing by May 21, 2008. Parties who request more than 10 minutes for their presentation at the hearing and those who will present documentary evidence must provide the agency with copies of their materials no later than June 20, 2008. More details.
Congress identifies NFL health issuesThe House Judiciary Committee has released a report recommending legislation to address health problems faced by professional football players. The report examined the types and severity of health problems suffered by current and former NFL players, focusing on the disability benefit programs and the health and safety initiatives of the NFL and NFL Players Association (NFLPA). Among the conclusions:
The report was commissioned following a 2007 hearing where former players Mike Ditka, Harry Carson, Curt Marsh and Brent Boyd detailed injuries, sustained during their playing days, that continue to hamper them today.
Seat belt use hits record highThe number of professional truckers buckling up their seat belts jumped dramatically in 2007 to a record level of 65%, says the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). While 48% of truck drivers used seat belts in 2003, this figure had improved to 59% by 2006. Currently 82% of passenger vehicle drivers wear seat belts. The DOT credits the increased use to a coalition the agency created in 2003 that increased awareness about seat belts among truck drivers, especially through its series of public service announcements that starred NASCAR drivers. Though great strides have been made, says DOT, the goal is to have 100% of commercial motor vehicle drivers wear a seat belt 100% of the time.
OSHA seeks grant applicationsThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking applications for this year’s Susan Harwood Training Grants. The program awards funds to nonprofit organizations to provide training and education for employers and employees on safety and health topics selected by OSHA. Nonprofit organizations, including community- and faith-based groups that are not state or local government agencies, are eligible to apply.
New safety video on BP explosionThree years after the explosion that killed 15 workers and injured 180 others at the BP Texas City refinery, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a new safety video that describes the causes of the accident and key safety lessons learned. Anatomy of a Disaster: Explosion at BP Texas City Refinery can be viewed for free through the CSB Web site. The accident occurred on March 23, 2005, during the startup of the BP Texas City Refinery's octane-boosting isomerization unit, when a distillation tower and attached blowdown drum were overfilled with flammable liquid hydrocarbons. Because the blowdown drum vented directly to the atmosphere, there was a geyser-like release of flammable liquid, forming a vapor cloud that spread rapidly through the area. A diesel pickup truck that was idling nearby ignited the vapor, causing a series of explosions and fires that reached occupied work trailers. The trailers had been placed too close to the isomerization unit and were not evacuated prior to the startup. The video includes a new nine-minute 3-D computer animation of the sequence of events that led to the explosion. It also covers sections describing BP's safety culture, the human-factor safety issues that contributed to the accident, and the importance of safe equipment design and trailer siting. Three outside safety experts appear in the video to offer their views of the long-term significance of the accident, which resulted in record-setting OSHA fines.
Updated WC info packetThe Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Commission’s Information Packet has been updated and is available online. The packet includes comprehensive “plain-English” information about Connecticut’s workers’ compensation system, its benefits and procedures, plus a number of sample forms. It carries a revision date of 4/8/08.
DOT targets safety on rural roadsThe DOT has announced a new national strategy to focus attention and resources on reducing deaths on the nation’s rural roads. The department’s Rural Safety Initiative will help states and communities develop ways to eliminate the risks drivers face on America’s rural roads. The campaign addresses five key goals: safer drivers, better roads, smarter roads, better-trained emergency responders, and improved outreach and partnerships. Approximately $287 million in existing and new funding is available to support the effort. The American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has already offered its support. State transportation officials want to reduce highway fatalities by half over the next two decades, notes AASHTO, so improving rural highway safety is critical to saving those lives.
OSHA notifies workplaces with
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