OSHA Random Inspection Study Proves Increase in Safety

A new study shows that random safety inspections improve the workplace instead of leading to layoffs and large expenses. The common argument with random inspections has been that the high cost of compliance leads to layoffs and bankruptcy.  According to Science, a top scientific journal, most safety regulators don't inspect companies at random and instead typically focus on those that have accidents or where workers have filed complaints. Afterward, injury rates tend to revert back to whatever they were before the incident occurred, even without an OSHA inspection. Based on these facts, researchers could infer that the inspection played a bigger role in the reduction of injuries than it actually did.

On the other hand, if OSHA finds incomplete records of on-the job accidents and injuries, better record keeping will be enforced and this could bring up more accidents and injuries to be reported.  To provide an unbiased report on whether random inspections are positive or negative, economists David Levine of the University of California, Berkeley, and Matthew Johnson of Boston University studied workplaces that have been inspected between 1996 and 2006. They examined workers compensation claims 4 years before and 4 years after an inspection as well as companies that weren’t inspected in the same time frame.

Based on the study, results show that there was a decline of 9% in injuries reported after the inspection in comparison with companies of the same time frame that were not inspected. The cost of the injuries reported fell by 26%. Investigators also used reports provided by financial data provider Standard & Poor to determine that the random inspections have no effect on employment, total earnings, sales and company longevity.

OSHA estimated that in 2012, they will inspect 41,000 workplaces. The random selection of the company is done in the following order of priority – Imminent danger situations, fatalities and catastrophes, complaints, referrals, follow-ups and planned or programmed investigations.  Be proactive in preparing for random audits with up-to date and accurate reports and hazard communication plans. 

SafetySkills offers online safety training courses to help the employer and employees commit to a safety compliant workplace. The OSHA Reporting and Record Keeping course will provide general awareness level training of  OSHA's general requirements for injury and illness reporting and record keeping, identification of OSHA's definitions relating to its reporting and record keeping regulations, OSHA's required reporting forms, the types of incidents OSHA requires to be reported and, finally, OSHA's record keeping requirements. The Hazard Communication course will cover the hazards of potential chemical exposure, types of hazards, Material Safety Data Sheets, chemical detection methods, how chemical hazards are controlled, and how the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) will affect the HAZCOM standard.

For more information on SafetySkills and the online safety training courses offered, please visit SafetySkills.com

OSHA Proposes New Limits on Silica Exposure

In August 2013, OSHA announced a proposed rule that would lower the worker exposure to crystalline silica. This deadly dust often occurs in common workplace operations such as construction work involving cutting, sawing, drilling and crushing of concrete, brick, rock and stone. Silica can also be found in glass manufacturing and sand blasting. Worker can inhale the dust from particles in the air. Repeat exposure can cause fatal lung diseases including silicosis and lung cancer.

Prior to the new proposed rule, the guidelines of the exposure limit dated to the 1960s. Since then, numerous studies have shown an increase of lung cancer among silica-exposed workers. A 2012 federal study demonstrated that a growing number of workers in the energy industry were increasingly at risk of being exposed to silica dust due the recent domestic oil and gas boom brought on by hydraulic fracturing.  This study also found that hydraulic fracturing workers were exposed to 10 times the current permissible level of silica. The new proposed rule would limit the exposure to crystalline silica to 50 micrograms per cubic meter in the workplace. OSHA is estimating that if adopted as a standard, its proposed rule would save nearly 700 lives and prevent 1,600 new cases of silicosis annually.

Until a final silica standard is issued, there are several OSHA standards that employers are required to comply with that can help protect workers exposed to silica dust.  For example:

• General Safety and Health Provisions Standard (1926.20) addresses the employee’s general right to a safe workplace.
• Gases, Vapors, Fumes, Dusts and Mists Standard (1926.55(a)) lists the airborne levels of substances that would make a workplace hazardous.
• The Ventilation Standard (1926.57) must be consulted for specific requirements about removing silica dust from a worker’s breathing zone.
•  For worker training requirements about silica hazards, the Hazard Communication Standard (1926.59) applies, which is identical to 1910.1200.
• If respirators are required on-the-job, then employers must comply with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard (1926.103), which is identical to 1910.134.

SafetySkills online safety training courses can assist you and your company with the proper awareness level safety training. The silica awareness course addresses standard 1926.55 and will demonstrate to the learner the health effects associated with crystalline silica exposure, and measures that can be taken to eliminate or minimize crystalline silica exposure on the job. The hazard communication course assists the employer in meeting OSHA standard 1910.1200 and complies with the December 2015 GHS final implementation. The respiratory protection course covers the general requirements for respiratory protection which is outlined in 29 CFR 1910.132 and some of the training requirements of 29 CFR 1910.134. 

Hearing Protection in the Workplace

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that four million workers go to work each day in damaging noise. Ten million people in the U.S. have a noise-related hearing loss. Twenty-two million workers are exposed to potentially damaging noise each year. Occupational hearing loss is the most common work related illness in the United States. Approximately 22 million U.S. workers exposed to hazardous noise levels at work, and an additional 9 million exposed to ototoxic chemicals. An estimated $242 million is spent annually on worker’s compensation for hearing loss disability.

NIOSH recommends removing hazardous noise from the workplace whenever possible and using hearing protectors in those situations where dangerous noise exposures have not yet been controlled or eliminated. Over the past few decades, much has been learned about the implementation of hearing loss prevention programs. The CDC recommends that the eight components of a successful hearing loss prevention program include: 1) noise exposure monitoring, 2) engineering and administrative controls, 3) audiometric evaluation, 4) use of hearing protection devices, 5) education and motivation 6) record keeping, 7) program evaluation, and 8) program audit.

In addition to your company’s specific workplace hearing prevention plan, SafetySkills offers a Hearing Conservation online safety training course. This course is designed to fulfill annual hearing conservation and protection training requirements created by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA. This course will help you to understand the effects of noise; the purpose, advantages, and disadvantages of various types of hearing protection; selection, fitting, and how to care for protectors; and the purpose of audiometric testing. When the course has been completed, you should be able to identify the definitions of ‘noise’ and ‘noise levels,’ and recognize the causes of hearing loss and the measures created by OSHA to prevent it. You should also be able to recognize the common personal hearing protection devices and their advantages and disadvantages, and recognize the basic requirements of audiometric testing and their purposes. This course is also available in Spanish.

The Hearing Conservation online course can be part of a company-wide training initiative or taken by individuals who are looking for some additional training outside of their workplace. After successful completion of the course, you will be able to print out a certificate of completion.

For more information about SafetySkills and other safety training topics, please visit us at https://safetyskills.com.

Personal Protective Equipment - PPE Care and Maintenance

Protective clothing has numerous standards depending on the wearer’s industry. While personal protective equipment, or PPE’s, purpose is to protect the wearer from chemical, physical and biological hazards, it is important to know that no single combination of protective equipment and clothing is capable of protecting you against all hazards. OSHA states that protective clothing should be used in conjunction with other protective methods. For example, engineering or administrative controls to limit chemical contact with personnel should always be considered as an alternative measure for preventing chemical exposure. The use of protective clothing can itself create significant wearer hazards, such as heat stress, physical and psychological stress, in addition to impaired vision, mobility, and communication. In general, the greater the level of chemical protective clothing, the greater the associated risks. For any given situation, equipment and clothing should be selected that provide an adequate level of protection.

PPE can ultimately save the wearer’s life is used properly. It is important to maintain proper care and upkeep of your company’s PPE for continuous wear and protection.

Some tips and considerations are:

• Cleaning and care instructions are provided with each piece of PPE and should be carefully followed. For example, modern fog resistant eye protection will be scratched and quickly rendered useless if cleaned by wiping with paper towels.
•  As an employer, you are obligated by regulatory standards to ensure that PPE is maintained in clean and sanitary condition.
• Modifications should not be made to PPE without the procedure being approved by the manufacturer.
•  Each employee should be required to perform a visual “quick check” on PPE before each use. This is especially true for chemical protective clothing, hardhats, fall protection, respirators and visibility garments.
• Some PPE, such as respirators, fall protection, and hardhats should be inspected by someone other than the user at least once per year.
• All PPE should be stored properly. Eye protection, respirators, and hearing protection require clean dust tight containers. These could be zip lock bags, pouches or cabinets. Goggles, face shields etc. should never be left hanging unprotected and dirty.
•  A company sponsored laundry program should be considered if the employees work in toxic materials that leave PPE heavily contaminated at the end of the day.
•  It is important to institute a well communicated company policy on when to replace and when to repair a piece of PPE.

For workplace training on the hazards present, the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE, please view these online safety training courses – Personal Protective Equipment, Personal Protective Equipment for Oil and Gas Personnel and Flame Resistant Clothing for the Oil and Gas Industry.

If you would like more information on SafetySkills and the course library of over 300 OSHA compliant course topics, please visit us at SafetySkills.com.

Emergency Preparedness Week

The National Safety Council (NSC), announced that this week, June 16 - 22, is Emergency Preparedness Week as part of their National Safety Month. This week focuses on encouraging safe behaviors to prevent injuries and deaths in an emergency. Emergencies can include fires, natural disasters and terrorist hazards.

The NSC recommends that families have a plan in case of an emergency and practice it at least twice a year. A survival kit is also an important factor in any emergency plan. Emergency preparedness kit should include:

• One gallon of water per person, per day for three days
• Three days worth of non perishable food and a can opener
• Battery powered radio
• First aid kit
• Tool kit
• Moist towelettes and garbage bags for sanitation
• Plastic sheeting and duct tape
• Cell phone and portable charger

To be better prepared for emergencies, find out what kinds of disasters, both natural and man-made, are most likely to occur in your area and how you will be notified. Methods of getting your attention vary from community to community. One common method is to broadcast via emergency radio and TV broadcasts. You might hear a special siren, or get a telephone call, or emergency workers may go door-to-door. Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) send free informational text messages to WEA-enabled cell phones within range of an imminent and dangerous local situation, severe weather event, or AMBER emergency. You do not need to register to receive WEA notifications. You will automatically receive alerts if you have WEA-capable phone and your wireless carrier participates in the program. To find out if your mobile device is capable of receiving WEA alerts, contact your mobile device carrier or visit CTIA The Wireless Association.

Another good way to be prepared is to think about where you and your family frequent and check with the locations about their site-specific emergency plans. If none are in place, consider volunteering to assist in developing one. If you think ahead of a crisis, you will be better prepared to reunited with your family.

If you are an employer, make sure that your workplace has a building evacuation plan and make sure this plan is practiced regularly. If there isn't a plan in place, visit ready.gov/business for more information on how to develop one. The SafetySkills online safety training course, Emergency Action Plans for Office Employees can provide employees with the knowledge and skills needed to understand emergency action plans and some protective actions that can be taken in different types of emergencies. Other helpful courses for workplace safety include, Fire Safety, Emergency Response, Basic First Aid and Severe Weather and Outdoor Work.

For more information about all of the SafetySkills online safety training courses, please visit us at SafetySkills.com.

Construction's Fatal Four

In the construction industry, OSHA states that there are 4 main causes of worker deaths per year. These "fatal four" are comprised of falls, struck by object and caught-in / between and electrocution. OSHA estimates that eliminating the Fatal Four would save 410 workers lives in America per year. Currently OSHA found that 85% of all citations are related to these four construction hazards.

According to OSHA, falls from heights are the leading cause of fatalities in construction, while falls on the same level are one of the leading causes of injuries. The SafetySkills Fall Protection course fulfills some of the requirements of a training program as outlined in 29 CFR 1926.503. The fulfilled requirements include: nature of fall hazards in the work area, the use and operation of guardrail systems, personal fall arrest systems, and safety net systems. This can be used to supplement company specific training and provide employees with a general knowledge of fall protection systems and fall hazards that exist in the workplace.

Caught in or between fatalities caused 3% of the deaths in construction for 2011. Struck by Fatalities make up 10% of the total deaths in construction. These hazards are often created when working around heavy equipment. Some common examples of Caught-in and caught-between injuries include: trench or excavation collapse, hand or foot caught in rotating equipment like augurs, rollers or wheels, unguarded moving parts in machinery, turned over vehicles, accidents during equipment or machinery maintenance, and accidents involving rigging used to lift or pull heavy materials. Upon completion of the SafetySkills Struck By/Caught Between online safety training course, the Learner will have displayed the ability to recognize common stuck by/caught between hazards associated with work in the construction industry and their recommended safe work practices. This course provides an overview of 29 CFR 1926.20.

OSHA states that about 5 workers are electrocuted every week and electrocution courses 12% of worker deaths each year. It takes very little electricity to cause harm. The primary causes of electrocution are contact with overhead power lines, contact with live circuits in panels, poorly maintain cords and tools and lightning strikes. The SafetySkills Electrical Safety online safety training course covers topics related to basic electric safety as outlined in 1926.403, 1926.404, 1926.416, and 1926.417. This course focuses on the construction industry and is not intended for qualified workers, who according to OSHA’s definition is a person knowledgeable in the construction and operation of the electric power generation, transmission, and distribution equipment involved.

Be Prepared for Hidden Dangers this Winter

As winter is kicking it into high gear it's important to be aware of the added risks that weather causes on and off the job. Winter risks aren't always directly associated with snow and ice. Here are a few hidden dangers to keep in mind this winter season.

• Heart Attack and Strokes - There are an estimated 53% more heart attacks in the winter than in the summer. This is true for all parts of the country, even those that do not receive any snow. It's the cold not just the snow that causes the heart to work harder.
• Electrocution due to downed power lines or downed objects in contact with power lines - Strong winds that often accompany winter storms can knock down trees, telephone poles and power lines. Ice can build up on utility poles and power lines and can disrupt communication and knock out power for days.
• Roof Collapse under Weight of Snow - The greatest danger of collapse due to snow load is to buildings with flat roofs. Buildings with flat roofs do not allow the snow to slide off. Pitched roofs can hold more weight and have a greater tendency for snow to slide off or allow the melted water to run off.
• Chimney Fires - Over time, creosote, the sticky residue from burning wood, can build up causing a potentially fiery situation. Birds nests and fallen leaves can also cause blockages, forcing smoke back into your home. When your chimney is not in use, make sure the flue is closed securely to cut back on drafts and wasted energy.
• Frozen Pipes - Without proper insulation, frozen pipes could leave you water-less or even fighting with a burst pipe. Make sure that any exposed pipes are insulated. Additionally, make sure to seal up any holes in the home near pipes that allow frigid winds to blow around them.
• Car Battery Failure and Tire pressure - Cold weather can impair an aging battery's ability to start your car, especially in below freezing temperatures. Car batteries should be replaced every 3 years. Cold temperatures also effect the level of your tire pressure. The change in atmospheric pressure cause tires with plenty of air in the summer to deflate slightly in the winter.
• Hypothermia - Hypothermia occurs when your body loses heat faster than it is able to produce it. Warning signs of hypothermia include increased shivering, slurred speech, impaired judgement, poor muscle coordination and in some cases even death. When having to be outside for long periods of time, it is important to dress appropriately. Wear several layers of loose fitting, lightweight clothing. Make sure to prepare with a outer jacket that repels water and protect your face and hands with hats, gloves and scarves.

SafetySkills is a leading provider for online safety training. To further protect yourself and employees this winter season, be sure to check out our Cold Stress in the Workplace course or Hazardous Driving Conditions.

Employers Responsible for Providing Safe and Healthful Workplaces

Under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) Act of 1970, "Employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to ensure these conditions for America's working men and women are enforced by setting standards, providing training, education, and assistance."   

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is continuing their alliance to promote safe work practices in environments involving hazardous chemicals. The renewed alliance will increase awareness of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals.

"More than 32 million workers are exposed to 650,000 hazardous chemical products in American workplaces,"  said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels.

The above statement is eye opening in the sense that so many citizens are being affected by hazardous chemical products. The Alliance program will educate workers on personal health and they will develop information sheets on health and physical hazards of chemicals. They will also focus on the elements that make Globally Harmonized System (GHS) compliant.

noodleStream.com®, the maker of SafetySkills™, is an Oklahoma based online safety training provider that specializes in hazardous chemical prevention courses. Course titles include Hazard Communication, Chemical Safety, Hazardous Waste Awareness and over 200 additional OSHA compliant courses. Training is also available in DVD format for employees without computer access. Please call us today for more information on course titles, regulations, and pricing at 888-844-3549.

SafetySkills™ New Year's Resolutions for 2012

At SafetySkills we put safety at the top of our list and we hope to inspire others to do so as well. This year we are sharing our New Year’s resolutions to provide some helpful ideas on having a safe and healthy 2012.

1. Be more energy efficient - Mother Earth needs some loving and so do our wallets. Check out this online safety training course for tips on how to be more energy efficient while saving you money.
Protect yourself at work – Let’s vow this year to be more safety conscious. No matter what field you may be in, you may come in contact with something that can be potentially dangerous if you are not wearing the proper personal protective equipment or PPE. This online course can provide helpful tips in choosing PPE and the different types to choose from.
Quit Smoking - A smoker usually at one time or another thinks about quitting smoking. Make 2012 be the first of many smoke free years. Beginning in September of this year, the FDA will require larger, more prominent cigarette health warnings on all cigarette packaging and advertisements in the United States. Give yourself a heads up on what to expect in 2012 by viewing our Carcinogen awareness course. Sometimes a visual reminder is more effective in helping people make a change.
Be a more courteous driver – We know how stressful the workday commute can be. You’ve got places to go and people to see and no one around you is moving fast enough. Here’s an idea, if everyone made the pledge to be more courteous, the rush hour commute may actually be more peaceful. Sometimes a little more quiet time is all a person needs to put them in a better mood. This road rage online safety training course can give you some preventive measures to help you from being pushed over the edge.
Focus more on the road and less on your phone – Don’t be the object of someone else’s road rage because you were not paying attention. Too many accidents occur because people are not paying attention to the road. Don’t add to the statistics and put the phone away while driving. No text or phone call is worth your life or someone else’s. The SafetySkills distracted driver course will help you identify some methods to minimizing or eliminating driving distractions.
Finish home improvement projects – It always starts out with good intentions, the measurements have been taken, all the necessary tools have been purchased and then months later the drywall is still in the exposed status you left it in. Make 2012 the year that you actually finish what you started. To help get you pumped up and ready to go safely, be sure to watch our hand and power tool safety course first before gearing up.
Clean your house more – Life has become so busy that sometimes it’s hard to clean up after yourself or others. Unfortunately you have let it go for so long that you are beginning to wonder when the camera crew from “Hoarders” is going to start knocking at your door. Don’t wait for spring to do some spring cleaning; no time is better than the present. Before you overwhelm yourself with all the cleaning options or have the sudden urge to spray all the cleaning products you have in bathtub, check out this household chemical safety course. Start 2012 off fresh, clean and safe.
Be a better listener – How many times have you been accused of not listening? If you are my husband, this occurrence happens at least once a day. My husband likes to feed me the line that it’s not that he isn’t listening he just can’t hear me because of all the loud noises he endures every day at work. Whether this is actually true for my husband or not (since he always hears me when I say how much something is going to cost), millions of people are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work every year. Protect your ears (and you relationship) by learning how to prevent hearing loss with this online hearing conservation training course (your partner will thank you later)
Travel more – According to a report by the Families and Work Institute, the average vacation time that Americans took each year averaged 14.6 days. A survey done by Expedia.com shows that workers in France earned 30 vacation days, on average, in 2011, and often used every single one of those days. The same goes for employees in Brazil and Spain, Expedia said. In the UK, workers get 25 days and they used all 25. Why let the Europeans have all the fun? Make this year the time to finally get out from behind the desk and use all those vacation days. Before you head out, make sure that your traveling is stress free with this situational travel online training course.
Take more risks – We all think about it at one point or another, we want to be daring, spontaneous and the object of our coworkers jealousy. Let this year be the year to get a little crazy. What about a tattoo? This ink on your body will show people that you are a risk taker even if it’s a little fuzzy kitten on your ankle. Make sure your do your research before diving any risky permanent ink situations. A good start may be to look into the safety regulations that legit tattoo shops have to follow so you are armed with the right questions to ask. This online safety training course is designed show tattoo artists the proper procedures necessary to prevent the spread of bloodborne pathogens.

Choosing an Online Occupational Health and Safety Training Provider

At $23.7 Billion and a market growth approaching 35%, it is difficult to deny the compelling attributes associated with online training.   Occupational health and safety training delivered online is especially compelling because of the level of compliance-assurance that can be attained, as well as the significant ROI that so many companies have experienced.   In pursuing these benefits however, many organizations have unfortunately, experienced less than what was expected.   The problem is that along with the growth of demand, the number of providers of online occupational health and safety training has increased as well.  To ensure your organization realizes the potential benefits it’s important to ask the right questions that identify online occupational health and safety providers that provide the training content that will meet expectations.    

 

How expert are the subject matter experts?

What are the credentials of the authors of your online safety training?  Make sure the subject matter experts, are in fact, experts in the occupational health and safety subject.   Not only should they have significant experience in the subject, they should be board certified, and hold advanced degrees in a field relevant to that subject matter.   Look for individual credentials, but also, look at the level of complexity and scope of the provider company’s project history.  The subject matter experts must be involved in the safety training development process from defining the required competencies to final quality assurance.

 

What is the instructional design approach?

Just because they know the material, doesn’t mean they can teach it.   The body of instructional systems design and adult learning theory has evolved over the years and you want to be sure that the safety training content you deploy takes full advantage of the design strategies available

 

What is the content’s interactivity and media-complexity level?

Probably the most conspicuous differentiator in quality and cost between online occupational health and safety providers is level of interactivity and media complexity.  Some online occupational health and safety training providers offer content that is little more than web-based PowerPoint slides, or aging safety training videos streamed online.  Look for online safety training providers who leverage the technologies available in the web 2.0 of today, such as dynamic, variable, non-linear navigation based on learner input and intensive action scripting.  Also look for content that is engaging by making full use of non-static avatars; 3-D animations and simulations; and studio-produced audio.   

 

Can the occupational safety content be customized?

How customizable is the content?  To be effective, it is critical that the online occupational health and safety training you’ve assigned an employee be relevant to the employee.  Many occupational safety training providers promote supposedly “easy to use” customization tools which are in fact neither easy to use, nor allow for any substantive customization.  Look for a provider who will offer content that is editable in common off the shelf courseware development software, such as Adobe’s Captivate™ or Trivantis’ Lectora™.   Furthermore, make sure the safety training provider developed the content themselves, in-house.  Some providers rely on outsourcing content development, and thus will have limited capability for customizing the content.

Free Safety Course of the Month - Electrical Safety

If you haven't yet visited the SafetySkills website, then you are missing out on our free online safety training courses. Once you sign up for a free basic account with us, you then have access to 15 free safety courses focused on general industry safety topics. After completion of the course, you will be able to print out a free certificate of completion that includes your name, date and title of the course. The free account is perfect for individuals or small companies looking to train a few employees. In this month's Free Course Safety Spotlight, we are featuring Electrical Safety.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states that electrical currents exposes workers to a serious, widespread occupational hazard; practically all members of the workforce are exposed to electrical energy during the performance of their daily duties, and electrocutions occur to workers in various job categories. Many workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution.

With the free Electrical Safety online safety course, the learner will demonstrate knowledge of potential hazards associated with electrical equipment in the workplace and how to minimize or eliminate those hazards. Employees will learn how to recognize the dangers of electricity, possible electrical injuries, and how to use standard hazard controls. This course covers topics related to basic electric safety as outlined in OSHA standards 1926.403, 1926.404, 1926.416, and 1926.417.

There is no need for people to be injured at the workplace because of improper training. To take the free Electrical Safety online course or to view our other free courses, please visit us at SafetySkills.com