All posts by totalsafetyadmin

Middle East, News, Respiratory Protection, US

OSHA issues warning about dangerous chemical

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued a warning about methylene chloride. OSHA released the hazard alert after a worker died following exposure to the chemical.

The warning came in the middle of August and provided an overview of what employees and employers should be on the lookout for. The individual who passed away was a temporary painter working alone and using paint stripper to remove the bathtub coating in an apartment bathroom.

To do so, the worker poured the paint stripper into the tub and began scraping. The bathroom, which was on the smaller side, only had one window available. Two hours later, the tenant arrived and found the worker slumped over unconscious and called 911. The worker was transported to the hospital, where the coroner determined he died from asphyxiation with acute methylene chloride toxicity.

Additionally, between 2000 and 2015, 17 workers died after they were exposed to high levels of methylene chloride while using paint stripping products. The substance is harmful enough that OSHA has developed guidelines for workplaces to follow when employees are around the substance.

What caused this?

As OSHA stated, when refurbishing a bathtub, any exposure to methylene chloride is considered dangerous. The risks magnify more so if the bathtub is located in a space with little to no outside ventilation available. Areas without proper indoor ventilation can also become dangerous for workers.

This recent incident was not the first time the deceased experienced a similar incident. After the first time, however, the employer did not take the necessary precautions to train, educate or enforce work standards regarding exposure to methylene chloride.

When paint stripping products are used in areas with little to no ventilation, chemicals build up and eventually reach a point that will severely harm a nearby worker. For example, the vapors from the paint stripper start to build up and eventually reach harmful levels that no one should be inhaling. The worker OSHA cited had a blood/methylene chloride level of 89 micrograms per milliliter.

Essentially, the paint worker was exposed to levels considered Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health, which is a designation implemented by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.

“Any exposure to methylene chloride is considered dangerous.”

What is methylene chloride?

Methylene chloride is a colorless liquid that is found in many common substances, particularly used in the construction and manufacturing industries. Even regular homeowners might unknowingly interact with the volatile chemical, which is found in some of the following supplies and processes:

  • Paint stripping
  • Paint remover
  • Pharmaceutical manufacturing
  • Metal degreasing and cleaning
  • Film base manufacturing

If employers and employees aren’t careful, they can easily find themselves overwhelmed by the toxic chemical, which they can be exposed to either by inhalation or skin contact. Per OSHA regulations, the permissible exposure limit during an eight-hour period is 25 parts methylene chloride per million parts of air.

Exposure to airborne chemicals is to not exceed 12.5 ppm. Employers are required to always inform workers about potential dangers if exposure levels exceed the limitations put forth by OSHA.

When exposed to the chemical, workers may feel:

  • Dizziness
  • Fatigue
  • Nausea
  • Numbness
  • Weakness

At larger quantities, individuals will feel:

  • Suffocation
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Coma
  • Death

What employers can do

Employers have a responsibility to ensure their workers are in the safest conditions possible. When it comes to dealing with harmful chemicals, everyone at the work site should be informed of the standard requirements, in addition to practices to increase the safety levels.

Workers who handle substances containing the harmful chemical will need to be trained about the hazards and how to ensure protective measures are in place.

“Personal air respirators can be used in areas where ventilation is subpar.”

They will have to remind employees to check the conditions of the site beforehand for any problem areas, such as inefficient ventilation. Even so, companies should also provide the supplies necessary for safety while also monitoring the conditions the job is to be performed in.

Personal air respirators can be used in areas where ventilation is subpar. Furthermore, personal protection equipment will help guard against methylene chloride exposure to the skin.

Employers can take one further step by encouraging the use of products that provide an alternative to methylene chloride. For example, water-based and vegetable-based products represent a much safer approach to completing tasks like paint stripping, especially if the job entails working in a small space.

After the death of a worker, the dangers of methylene chloride can’t go unnoticed. Employers and workers have to work in tandem to ensure conditions are safe for the job. Companies can also visit OSHA for more information about the dangerous substance.

Middle East, News, Training, Compliance & Certification, US

New OSHA rule delayed

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Organization has delayed the implementation of parts a new rule that were supposed to go into effect Aug. 10.

The rule, officially known as Improve Tracking of Workplace Injuries and Illnesses, was finalized a few months ago. The objective of the rule is to prohibit employers from discouraging workers from reporting illnesses or injuries. Additionally, employers would have been asked to inform all employees of their rights with regards to reporting such information.

Another point of the ruling is to prohibit any type of retaliation against employees who would have reported injuries or illnesses while on the job.

But an official memo from OSHA has pushed back the implementation date to Nov. 1, 2016 to oversee even more community outreach. The ruling had drawn strong opinions about its overall effectiveness.

Until then, OSHA deputy assistant secretary Dorothy Dougherty wrote that the organization will be working with companies and developing educational materials for later distribution.

What was the rule?

In the middle of May 2016, OSHA issued a final rule to improve the tracking of injuries and illnesses in the workplace. The majority of the rule is due to be implemented Jan. 1, 2017.

When fully implemented, employees will be required to electronically submit illness and injury information already required to keep on site. Once this information is transferred, OSHA stated it would then analyze it to help the organization more effectively utilize compliance and enforcement resources.

Additionally, some of the information submitted will subsequently be posted online. OSHA believes that by making some data publicly accessible, it will further encourage employers and employees to take safety seriously and improve the conditions of work  sites.

By posting this information, researchers, job seekers and the general public will be able to develop a better understanding of companies and the dangers involved in certain lines of work. Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for OSHA, stated on the organization’s website that the rule will also help researchers utilize big data methods to make working conditions even safer.

“Our new rule will ‘nudge’ employers to prevent work injuries to show investors, job seekers, customers and the public they operate safe and well-managed facilities,” Michaels also added.

Construction workerThe delayed OSHA rule would have encouraged workers to file injury claims online.

Free from retaliation

The final rule also looked at the issue of retaliation by employers. In some instances, workers may feel uneasy reporting illnesses or injuries out for fear of the repercussions. To facilitate the transfer of injury or illness information to OSHA, the final rule specifically looked at anti-retaliation measures.

Before the phase-in was delayed, Aug. 10 was supposed to mark the start of when employers would inform workers of their right to report injuries, as Employee Benefit Advisor pointed out.

Employees were to also be informed of the proper procedure for reporting injuries while having access to non-redacted records.

With regards to the anti-retaliation rule, the decision to delay it may have been partly due to several Texas employer groups filing a lawsuit against OSHA. But as Bloomberg BNA noted, confusion also exists between the OSHA rule and some internal policies companies already have in place.

“The final rule also looked at the issue of retaliation by employers.”

For example, organizations may offer safety incentives if there are no workplace injuries. However, OSHA’s rule states it would specifically go after such safety incentives if they feel employees are being discouraged from actively filing reports.

Employee Benefits Advisor explained some of these programs could result in after-hour parties or even prizes such as a brand new television. In an interview with the publication, Shontell Powell, an associate attorney based in Washington D.C., said many individuals don’t agree with OSHA’s viewing of these types of programs.

What companies can do

Until the rule becomes fully implemented, organizations continue to maintain their record-keeping procedure. OSHA will notify companies of what to do when the time is appropriate.

In the coming weeks and months, employers and employees should also take the time to understand the final rule in its entirety. Above all, employees need to remember the best safety practices for the job at hand.

Medical Management, News

How workers can protect themselves against Zika

Since the spring of 2015, the Zika virus has spread throughout the Americas.

From South American countries such as Brazil to the shores of Florida, the Zika virus has infected an estimated 5,548 people in U.S. territories, and 1,825 people in the continental U.S., according to The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While much of the attention has been focused on individuals who may travel and vacation in areas affected by Zika, concerns also remain for workers now that the virus is spreading locally through some parts of the country.

Employees in all industries will have to take the necessary precautions to ensure they don’t contract the virus, which may cause severe complications for a family trying to conceive.

OSHA’s response

In early August, the U.S. Occupation Safety and Health Administration published a blog post that provided an overview of the Zika virus and how workers can protect themselves.

OSHA stated that it’s up to workers and their employers to ensure everyone takes the necessary precautions to guard against the spread of Zika. Workers who find themselves outdoors in areas where the virus is known to be, in affected labs or involved with mosquito-control tasks, will all have to follow OSHA’s guidelines.

Additionally, the summer travel season is still in full effect. Workers and upper management who find themselves traveling to Zika-affected areas will also have to protect themselves.

Construction workers.No matter the jobsite, workers will have to protect themselves from mosquitoes.

Protection measures

Workers will need to use insect repellent that contains a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency registered active ingredient. The EPA recommended workers always follow the instructions found on spray canisters. In addition to never spraying any of the repellent indoors, workers are advised to avoid spraying over cuts, irritated skin or wounds.

Along with repellent, workers will also need to wear the appropriate clothing. According to OSHA, workers will want to cover all parts of their body, including:

  • Neck
  • Legs
  • Hands
  • Arms
  • Ankles

Pants, long-sleeve shirts or coats and gloves are just a few examples of the clothing that will come in handy while at a worksite. To help better protect the face and neck, hats with mosquito netting are a must.

However, outdoor workers who may be helping with construction or simply spend large parts of their day in the sun might worry about the still-lingering summer conditions. In high temperatures and levels of humidity, certain pieces of clothing might seem problematic.

To ensure workers are not only protected from the Zika virus but also the weather, OSHA recommended wearing loose-fitting and lightweight shirts and pants. All pieces of clothing, however, should follow standards and regulations put in place by OSHA and the employer.

Furthermore, workers will still need to follow the best practices of drinking a good amount of water, taking breaks in shaded areas and watching out for co-workers. Doing so will help ensure workers are protected from Zika and the dangers of the summer heat.

Further worker actions

Workers can also take more actions to protect themselves from Zika. Common symptoms of the virus are mild, although the CDC stated most individuals affected will not display any symptoms. But conditions to look out for are:

  • Fever
  • Rash
  • Headache
  • Muscle pain
  • Red eyes

But the severity of Zika lies with those trying to build a family. According to the CDC, Zika has been linked with babies born with microcephaly. Babies with the birth defect are born with smaller heads and they may also have brains that will not develop normally.

“Zika has been linked with babies born with microcephaly.”

Zika can be transmitted sexually, and workers should talk to their supervisors about job assignments during certain timeframes. It must be noted that the CDC believes a woman who is not pregnant at the time of contracting Zika will not pass it on to her child.

For the remainder of the summer, workers and employers have to take the necessary precautions to guard against the Zika virus. Repellent and the appropriate clothing will go a long way toward protecting workers.

Employers may also have to give some flexibility to workers who are concerned about Zika and starting a family. While the virus itself will eventually leave the system, it may cause irreversible birth defects in newborns.

Equipment and Technologies, Flare Services, News, US

Global Safety and Compliance Leader Total Safety Partners with Era to Expand UAS Capabilities

HOUSTON TX – (August 8, 2016) – Total Safety U.S. Inc., the world’s premier provider of industrial inspection and integrated safety solutions, today announced the further expansion of its commercial unmanned aerial systems (UAS) solutions and an exclusive alliance and collaboration agreement with Era Group Inc., a leading helicopter transport operator.

Total Safety was one of the original 24 companies approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to use UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) for commercial purposes in February 2015. The company initially employed UAVs to inspect flare stacks, which typically burn in excess of 2000°F and would have otherwise required an interruption of operations or manned aircraft to enable inspection. Since that time Total Safety has expanded its UAS solutions to include additional sensory technology that allows for an expanded variety of inspections and site surveys.

A Critical and Cost-Saving Addition to Inspection, Compliance and Repair

By leveraging the world-class aviation, multiple aerial platforms, and sensory technologies offered by Era, Total Safety will now be able to safely and economically add expanded flight operations, technology, and data processing capabilities to our already robust UAS based solutions at – chemical plants, refineries, pipelines, tank batteries, drilling and production sites (whether onshore or offshore), midstream facilities and to other industrial and manufacturing environments. In addition, the new alliance will allow for UAVs to be deployed for post incident response and disaster recovery efforts.

“UAVs provide one of the most important technological breakthroughs we have seen in compliance and safety,” said Total Safety Senior Vice President of Business Development Darrell Whitley, “because remote aerial systems allow us to get close to potentially dangerous environments without endangering people and they allow us to do it less expensively than ever before.

“Plus, UAVs can dramatically enhance the data obtained from traditional inspections, surveys, mapping and imagery efforts for compliance,” he added.

Use of UAS can reduce liability, increase safety, reduce manpower, improve analysis of mechanical and structural integrity, provide georeferenced and time-stamped records for regulatory compliance, and facilitate timely – variance and anomaly analysis.

Expert Teams, Expert Collection, Top Quality Data

Based on the client’s and FAA requirements, Total Safety and Era will assign a two to three-person flight team to each project consisting of experts in aviation, safety and inspection. A customized platform is designed around sensor and software packages for optimized collection of HD still imagery, HD video, thermal imaging, forward looking infrared (FLIR) for leak detection and repair, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), 3D mapping, geo-referenced or point-cloud modeling, and seamless transfer to CAD-enabled tools.

About Total Safety

Total Safety®, a Warburg Pincus portfolio company, is the world’s premier provider of integrated safety and compliance services and the products necessary to support them, including gas detection, respiratory protection, safety training, fire protection, compliance and inspection, comprehensive flare services, industrial hygiene, onsite emergency medical treatment/paramedics, communications systems, engineered systems design, and materials management. It operates from 150 locations in 21 countries to ensure the safe Wellbeing of Workers Worldwide (W3). For more information about Total Safety and its unwavering commitment to safety, visit www.totalsafety.com.

Contact:  Scriven Hoefs, (325) 650-6469 or email shoefs@totalsafety.com

About Era Group

Era Group is one of the largest helicopter operators in the world and the longest serving helicopter transport operator in the U.S. In addition to servicing its U.S. customers, Era Group also provides helicopters and related services to third-party helicopter operators and customers in other countries, including Brazil, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, India, Spain, Suriname and the United Kingdom. Era Group’s helicopters are primarily used to transport personnel to, from and between offshore oil and gas production platforms, drilling rigs and other installations.

Contact: Andrew Puhala, (713) 369-4646; or visit Era Group’s website at www.eragroupinc.com

Middle East, News, Training, Compliance & Certification, US

How fit and training are essential to hearing protection

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration estimates 30 million people in the U.S are exposed to hazardous noise levels in their workplace. Despite being a highly preventable occupational health concern, hearing loss will still affect thousands of workers every year because of dangerous workplace noise levels..

Hearing loss can manifest as a temporary change in a worker’s hearing, such as ears feeling “stuffed up” or a ringing, also known as tinnitus. While short-term hearing loss can go away after a few minutes or hours, occupational noise levels can also result in long-term hearing damage that cannot be fixed with surgery or a hearing aid.

In addition to the physical and psychological stress hearing loss can cause, workers whose hearing has been damaged may experience reduced productivity or have increased difficulty with communication, which can contribute to workplace accidents and injuries. Auditory warning systems will also become less effective if worker hearing is impaired.

There are many warning signs a workplace may be too loud and impairing safety. These may include workers hearing a ringing or humming in their ears when they leave work or even temporary hearing loss. If employers or managers notice workers need to shout to be heard by a coworker who is an arm’s length away, this is another indication noise protection is needed.

Fit is essential in noise protection
While employers can utilize both administrative controls and personal protection equipment to reduce the risks of hearing loss, it’s important to maintain attention to detail when utilizing either of these methods.

As Safety + Health magazine reported, poorly fitting earplugs are a major cause of inadequate hearing protection for workers. Speaking with the magazine, Brad Witt, director of hearing conservation at Honeywell Industrial Safety in San Diego, said it’s essential that employers not only provide ear plugs but ensure those earplugs are doing their job of stopping hearing loss.

“Poorly fitting earplugs are a major cause of inadequate hearing protection.”

“The trend has definitely moved from ‘wear it’ to ‘wear it correctly’ – and then verifying that correct fit,” Witt said. “Documentation of proper fit of a hearing protector is powerful information in the hands of the employee to confirm what a good fit feels and sounds like, and also valuable information for the employer in focusing training efforts on the right people to reduce liability for hearing loss.”

OSHA requires hearing protection for any employee who has lost hearing ability or experienced a standard threshold shift, defined as loss of hearing in either ear of 10 decibels, since their last hearing test. Employers should then provide workers with a selection of at least one variety of hearing plug and one variety of hearing muff. A person trained in properly fitting hearing protectors should work with each individual employee to determine which size and type protector is most suitable for the working environment. This determination should factor in comfort as well as protection.

Employers must also have hearing protectors reevaluated whenever a change in working conditions may affect the equipment’s performance.

Proper training promotes safety
OSHA requires a hearing conservation protection program be implemented by employers in general industry whenever worker noise exposure is equal to or greater than 85 decibels for eight hours or in the construction industry when exposures exceed 90 decibels for eight hours. However, OSHA also noted that workers who understand the reasons for hearing conservation programs are more motivated to wear their protectors and take audiometric tests.

“Workers who understand the reasons for hearing conservation are more motivated to wear their protectors.”

Speaking with Safety + Health magazine, Kelly Bailey, director of safety, health and environment for Birmingham, Alabama-based Vulcan Materials Co., said employers must create a workplace culture that values hearing safety. Vulcan, which implemented audiometric testing years before the practice was required by OSHA, has been recognized nationally for its success in reducing hearing loss at its worksites.

In addition to testing, Vulcan also supplies workers with sound-level meters and encourages them to test noise levels throughout the workplace. This empowers all employees, not just safety personnel, to protect the hearing of everyone on the jobsite.

“We have hourly employees that are doing sound-level meter testing, and if they find a piece of equipment, immediately they can go after it themselves – before the safety and health guy may even know it’s happening,” Bailey explained to the magazine. “We have a lot of people contributing to reducing noise.”

It’s important for employers to remember hearing loss is a lagging indicator of a danger at the workplace. It may take years of exposure before permanent hearing loss is detected, so it’s important to be proactive in establishing hearing conservation programs.

Confined Space Safety, Fire Protection, Middle East, News, Training, Compliance & Certification, US

Ignoring combustible dust hazards can lead to hefty fines and high risks for injury

An upstate New York manufacturer has been issued nearly $200,000 in potential fines after an investigation by the Occupational Health and Safety Administrations found workers were exposed to uncorrected explosion hazards and recurring fire and fall hazards..

“Combustible dust is an explosion hazard that can affect many industries.”

The Albany Area OSHA Office uncovered the violations in a follow-up investigation after the manufacturer failed to verify it had corrected hazards uncovered in a previous inspection. Inspectors identified several new and recurring hazards, including:

  • Unmanaged combustible dust
  • Fire and explosion risks related to conveyor equipment
  • An inoperable spark detection/fire suppression system
  • Fire extinguishers that had not been annually inspected or kept in fully charged and operable condition.
  • Accumulations of combustible wood dust and shavings on rafters and other surfaces.
  • Piles of wood dust and shavings on floors that create fire, slip, trip and fall hazards

All told the violations resulted in $197,820 in potential fines. Albany Area Director Robert Garvey noted the violations were especially concerning because the combustible dust had led to a significant fire that occurred in the plant’s production area since OSHA’s previous inspection.

Understanding the combustible dust hazard
Combustible dust is an explosion hazard that can affect many industries. As OSHA explained, any combustible material can burn rapidly when in dust form. When the dust is suspended in air, it may, under the right concentration and conditions, become explosive. This can be true even for materials that do not burn in larger pieces, such as aluminum or iron.

This hazard is common in industries including construction, chemical manufacturing, furniture, textiles, fossil fuel power generation, recycling operations and metalworking. However, given the wide range of materials that can become combustible in dust form, employers across all sectors need to be aware of the risks. Common combustible materials include:

  • Baking ingredients including sugar, spice, starch and flour
  • Agricultural products such as feed, grain and tobacco
  • Plastics
  • Wood, paper and pulp
  • Rubber
  • Pesticides
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Dyes
  • Coal
  • Metals, especially aluminum, chromium, iron, magnesium and zinc

Combustible dust is also a concern because of the high occurrence of explosions and related injuries. From 1980 to 2005, the U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board identified 281 combustible dust incidents that contributed to 119 work site fatalities, 718 injuries and extensive damage to several industrial facilities.

“Combustible dust is also a concern because of the high occurrence of explosions and related injuries.”

As OSHA noted, combustible dust fires and explosions are caused by a combination of factors. In addition to the presence of a combustible material in small form, there must also be an ignition source and oxygen in the air. For an explosion to occur, the dust particles must be dispersed in a sufficient quantity and concentration, and the dust cloud must be confined so that it cannot disperse.

If the dust cloud is ignited within a confined or semi-confined area, such as a building, it will burn very rapidly and may explode. This presents a powerful threat to worker safety as the explosion is likely to result in fires, additional explosions, flying debris and possibly collapsing building components. The initial explosion may also release additional combustible dust into the air, resulting in a second fire or explosion. In many instances, the secondary explosion is more destructive than the primary explosion due to an increase in the quantity and concentration of combustible dust.

How to control the risks of combustible dust
In order to control the potential for a combustible dust fire, employers must first begin with examining their facilities for potential hazards related to dust explosions. This can be done by identifying:

  • All materials at the work site that may become combustible when finely divided;
  • Processes that use, consume or create combustible dusts;
  • All areas where combustible dusts may accumulate;
  • Any processes, machines or other means that may disperse the dust in the air, such as a fan
  • Potential ignition sources

When identifying combustible dusts that may be present at the job site, employers can consult the International Code Council’s International Fire Code and National Fire Protection Association’s Uniform Fire Code. The NFPA also offers specific standards relating to combustible dust, including standards 654 and 484. Employers should also be aware variables including particle size, shape and moisture content can affect the combustibility of a material.

“Employers must first examine their facilities for potential hazards related to dust explosions.”

Employers should also determine if electrical equipment in areas of the facility potentially containing combustible dust will require special electrical equipment classification. In these instances, special equipment or wiring methods may be necessary to reduce the risk of ignition of dust from sparking. OSHA offers additional guidance in its Electrical standard as does NFPA 70 and 499.

To avoid accumulation of combustible dust, the NFPA offers several recommendations for employers, including but not limited to:

  • Keeping dust out of process equipment or ventilation systems that may spread it to other areas of the facility;
  • Using dust collection systems and filters;
  • Utilizing surfaces that minimize dust accumulation;
  • Conducting regular inspections and cleaning to discover and remove dust residues;
  • Using only cleaning methods and machines that do not generate dust clouds and are specifically designed for dust removal
  • Developing and implementing a formal system for hazardous dust inspection, testing, housekeeping and control
  • Allowing OSHA inspectors full access to all areas of the facility to check for hazards

Ignition controls should also be introduced to lower the risk that dust accumulations lead to fire or explosion. In addition to using proper electrical equipment and wiring methods, employers should eliminate common ignition sources such as static electricity, smoking, open flames and sparks from areas with combustible dust. Additionally, employers must look at risks presented by industrial trucks, cartridge activated tools, heated surfaces and heating systems and isolate these machines from combustible materials when applicable. All equipment must also be properly maintained as malfunction may contribute to sparking.

Employers are also advised to create systems that will control any damage and reduce the risk of injury if an explosion or fire does occur. OSHA recommends several processes, including:

  • Isolating combustible dust from the rest of the work site through barriers or distance
  • Adding deflagration venting to areas containing combustible dust
  • Installing pressure relief venting on equipment
  • Using spark/ember detector systems and sprinkler or other extinguishing or specialized suppression systems

Finally, OSHA requires all employees exposed to combustible dust be trained to recognize and prevent the associated hazards. Employees should be empowered to recognize unsafe working conditions and taking preventative action or alert management.

Medical Management, Middle East, News, Training, Compliance & Certification, US

Stress on the job can impact workplace safety

Many people experience stress on the job at some point in their careers. However, the problem may be more pervasive and dangerous than some employers realize.

According to a recent poll from NPR News, 43 percent of working adults say their job negatively impacts their stress levels, eating and sleeping habits and weight. While the poll found 25 percent of workers surveyed said their employers offer health or wellness programs in the workplace, 40 percent said the programs were "fair" or "poor."

Additionally, 22 percent of participants said something at their job was harmful to their health, including chemicals and contaminants. This number was higher for construction workers, with 43 percent saying they had health concerns about their workplace. Construction and outdoor workers were also the second highest ranking group for reporting negative impacts of stress in the workplace on their personal health.

The study concluded many workers experience higher levels of stress due to being overworked. This may include working long shifts, overtime and not taking vacation or paid time off even when available. Many workers also work when feeling ill even when they have sick days available. In these instances, 28 percent of workers said they work when sick because there is not enough staff to cover for them when they are absent from work.

How stress impacts safety
According to  Safety + Health magazine, stress can also contribute to an increase in workplace accidents. Speaking with the magazine, Dr. David Spiegel, medical director of the Stanford Center on Stress and Health, said there is a direct correlation between an increase in worker stress and an increase in workplace accidents.

"It's very clear that a big proportion of safety problems are due to human error, and some of that is related to stress," Spiegel said.

Safety + Health magazine reported some of this can be related to stress coping mechanisms – such as alcohol or medication, which even when not consumed during work hours, can impact worker health or reaction time. However, stress can also contribute to distraction. A stressed worker is more likely to be thinking about his or her stress source and be less focused on the task at hand, the magazine noted. Poor attention can lead to accidents and injury.

Other job stressors that can lead to fatigue and inattention, and correspondingly accidents and injury, include excessive workload, fear of being laid off, unreasonable performance demands and infrequent breaks.

How employers can address workplace stress
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health offers training resources for employers to help them recognize worker stress and address the issue. When analyzing the work site for common stress sources, NIOSH advises employers to look to:

  • The design of tasks: Including heavy workload, infrequent breaks, hectic routines or long hours
  • Management style: Such as poor communication, unrealistic expectation and disrespect for workers' families or personal lives
  • Interpersonal relationships: Workers should not experience harassment or isolation in the workplace
  • Work roles: Including conflicting, unclear or unrealistic job expectations or responsibilities
  • Career concerns: Job insecurity, poor training, and lack of career growth can all contribute to stress

Safety + Health added there are many warning signs of stress on the job that employers should not ignore, including:

  • Fatigue
  • Low morale
  • Anxiety
  • Irritability or short temper
  • Alcohol or drug use
  • Changes in  appetite
  • Frequent headaches
  • Fighting in the workplace
  • Difficulty concentrating

Not addressing stress early can be costly for both employer and employees. NIOSH found the long-term impacts of stress can lead to increased incidents of cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, psychological disorders and impaired immune systems. For employers, stress even in the short term can affect health care cost and employee retention and absenteeism. NIOSH noted workers who had to take leave for stress-related issues needed an average of 20 days off before returning to the job.

NIOSH encourages employers to reduce workplace stress by creating recognition systems to reward employees for good work performance. Opportunities for career development and advancement and managerial actions that are consistent with organizational values also help to lower workplace stress.

Employers can also enact administrative controls such as reducing shift length or physical demands of tasks. Stress management and other wellness programs can also be introduced to help workers cope with stress sources. NIOSH also advised employers to be flexible in work hours and tasks when workers have responsibilities or other factors in their personal lives that are creating stress.

Middle East, News, Training, Compliance & Certification, US

OSHA fees set to increase starting in August

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is placing an additional incentive on employers to follow safety regulations as fines for violations are about to go up.

Under the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015, part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, federal agencies were directed to adjust their civil monetary penalties to compensate for annual inflation rates. The act, passed last November, was designed to compensate for what Congress saw as ineffective federal penalties that were not economically severe enough to have an impact.

"A low cap on these increases together with complicated rounding rules kept many penalties from accomplishing Congress's stated goal of keeping up with inflation over time," the U.S. Department of Labor said in a statement. "Furthermore, some agencies, such as OSHA, were exempt from the 1990 law, so the agency's penalties have not increased since 1990."

"The Labor Department has issued two new interim final rules that will adjust its penalties for inflation."

To comply with the new law, the Labor Department has issued two new interim final rules that will adjust its penalties – including those from OSHA – for inflation. The first covers most civil penalties, including those assessed by OSHA as well as the Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration, Mine Safety & Health Administration, Office of Workers' Compensation Programs and Wage and Hour Division.

The second rule, issued jointly with the Department of Homeland Security, covers penalties associated with the H-2B temporary guest worker program.

What this means for employers
As Safety + Health magazine reported, the main take away for many employers is workplace safety penalties will be going up effective Aug. 1. The maximum penalty for both serious and other-than-serious violations will increase from $7,000 to $12,471. The cap for fees on willful and repeated violations, the agency's most severe penalties, will increase from $70,000 to $124,709.

"Civil penalties should be a credible deterrent that influences behavior far and wide," Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez said in a press release. Perez added penalties should keep pace with the cost of living. Fines that are too forgiving give an unfair advantage to employers who can afford to simply pay the fine and ignore safety regulations and are unfair to responsible employers, he stated.

According to The National Law Review, state OSHA agencies will also be raising their fines soon. State agencies are required to have penalties matching or exceeding the increased federal penalties in order to be in compliance with the rule that OSHA-approved State Plans must have penalties "at least as effective" as the federal penalties.

In addition to OSHA fee increases, employers in some industries could also be affected by fine increases and modernization efforts from the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs and Wage and Hour Division. OWCP has long had a penalty for failing to report termination of payments made under the Longshore and Harbor Worker' Compensation Act. However, the fee had only increased $10 since 1927. The new fee will go from $110 to $275.

WHD's penalty for willful violations of the minimum wage and overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act will increase from $1,100 to $1,894.

The new regulations will be applicable to any fines issued Labor Department agencies after Aug. 1, 2016, as long as the cited violations occurred after Nov. 2, 2015, when the Inflation Adjustment Act was passed.

Middle East, News, Respiratory Protection, US

OSHA citations emphasized importance of respiratory protection and chemical safety

A follow-up inspection from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration found that an Ohio sign manufacturing company was continuing to expose workers to respiratory, chemical and paint hazards.

This was the third time in 10 years that inspectors found multiple safety violations at the sign company. The business was cited for seven repeated and two serious health violations with proposed penalties totaling close to $47,000. The company was previously cited in 2006 and 2012. 

"A company repeatedly cited for the same hazard isn't taking the safety and health of its employees seriously," Kim Nelson, OSHA's area director in Toledo, said in a statement.

"Any hazardous chemicals stored at the worksite must be labeled."

OSHA inspectors indicated several notable safety violations in their report, including:

  • Violations of respiratory protection hazards including failing to provide medical evaluations, fit-testing and training to employees
  • Lack of training for workers on hazardous chemicals in use in the facility
  • No labeling on containers of flammable paint thinner
  • Rags contaminated with flammable liquids being left in work areas

OSHA officials noted that these citations should serve as a reminder to other companies where workers interact with hazardous chemicals, which is common in the construction sector. Protecting workers from chemical exposure is very important, and OSHA offers several guidelines to ensure employers understand its requirements. 

Understanding OSHA respirator use and chemical exposure rules

Under OSHA requirements, information about the identities and hazards of any dangerous chemicals at the jobsite must be available and understandable to workers. All employers with hazardous chemicals in their worksite must have labels and safety data sheets for their exposed workers, and train them to handle the chemicals appropriately.

Employers are also required to identify and evaluate the respiratory hazards of any chemical on the site. For proper safety, management should consult OSHA's permissible exposure limits (PELs) to protect workers against the health effects of exposure to hazardous substances. PELs include limits on the airborne concentrations that is permissible for these chemicals. Engineering and administrative controls, such as increased ventilation or limited exposure times, may be used to reduce worker exposure risk. If these methods are not adequate, respirators should be used.

If respirators are needed, employers can consult OSHA's eTool for instruction on selecting the right respirators and developing change schedules for gas/vapor cartridges. Employees also need to be fitted for respirators in accordance with OSHA guidelines. Additionally, the respirator's fit must be checked annually using either qualitative or quantitative methods to make sure the mask is still fitting the worker correctly. Qualitative fit testing with use subjective sensation, such as taste, irritation and smell, to gauge the respirator's effectiveness for the worker. Quantitative testing will use instruments to measure face seal leakage.

OSHA's respirator standard also includes regulations for user seal check procedures, respiratory cleaning procedures and respirator medical evaluation.

Middle East, News, Training, Compliance & Certification, US

Injury rates for new workers show importance of engaging safety training

Employers have a responsibility to provide safe working conditions for their employees. In order to keep job sites accident free, employers will often hold various safety training programs. These programs help to teach workers to recognize and reduce their risk hazards. However, a recent study has found that many of these programs may not be as effective as they could be, especially for workers who have just arrived on the worksite. 

As Safety + Health magazine reported, employees in their first month on the job are three times more likely to incur a lost-time injury than workers who have been at their job for more than a year.

According to the magazine, these workers often face higher risks because they do not fully understand safety training or how to perform their tasks properly, and are often afraid to speak up. While a lack of familiarity can be one factor, Curtis Breslin, a researcher with the Institute for Work & Health, said these workers also likely haven't fully developed their risk perception.

"They don't have the knowledge and awareness, so they're underestimating the risks," Breslin told the magazine. "It could be issues with training, maybe they're not being trained [or receiving] on-the-job, hard-knocks-type training that happens in the first or second month."

Additionally, Safety + Health magazine noted, new workers are typically inundated with lots of new information when they first arrive on the job. This may make it more difficult to retain knowledge from their safety training even if that training is conducted in a manner compliant with Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards. In fact, researchers from IWH told Safety + Health that around 80 percent of workers in a recent IWH survey could not remember their initial safety training.

This finding underscores the crucial importance of creating safety training programs for new workers that are engaging. In sectors with a higher risk for accidents and injury, including oil and gas, agriculture and construction, increasing employee engagement and information retention in safety training is especially critical.

How to create more engaging safety training
According to Occupational Health & Safety magazine, employers should utilize teaching practices used in andragogy, or adult education. Whereas children are taught to focus on the teacher or instructor, training for adults should focus on the learner, or the worker in this case.

OH&S recommended instituting engaging training programs that emphasize the benefit of following the recommendations of the training, as well as how the practices can be easily incorporated into daily work routines. For example, when workers feel as though safety practices are burdensome, they are less likely to retain the information. Training that emphasizes how following simple practices, such as wearing a respirator or other personal protective equipment, can greatly reduce the worker's risk of injury will be more effective than programs that simply present statistics or merely outline risks in a general manner.

Additionally, shorter training sessions that occur more frequently are more effective than longer ones. OH&S noted that the average listener will only retain about 20 minutes of content from a 90-minute lecture. If the training session needs to run longer due to the complexity of information being presented, it's advisable to include a 10-minute break for every hour of the session.

OSHA also recommended following the principles of adult education when creating a safety training program. In addition to wanting to know how the training will have an immediate effect on their lives, workers also benefit from being engaged in active learning, OSHA found. The agency recommends fostering active engagement in the training through learning activities, visual aids and guided practice with the equipment, if applicable.

The environment of the training session should be conducive to questions and feedback, as well. Case studies and role-playing can also be effective tools, and OSHA advised employers to be responsive to literary or language barriers that may make it more difficult for workers to follow the training.

Finally, as Safety + Health noted, safety awareness should not stop with early training. In addition to participating in safety awareness campaigns and holding ongoing sessions that review critical information, employers should foster a company culture that promotes safety and encourages workers to report safety hazards and utilize their training.