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MIOSHA Goals for FY 2014-2018 Strategic Goal #1: Help assure improved workplace safety and health for all workers, as evidenced by fewer hazards, reduced exposures, and fewer injuries, illnesses and fatalities. 1.1 Reduce by 15% the rate of worker injuries and illnesses in high-hazard industries: • Beverage & Tobacco Product Mfg. (312) • Primary Metal Mfg. (331) • Fabricated Metal Product Mfg. (332) • Machinery Mfg. (333) • Transportation Equipment Mfg. (336) • Support Activities for Transportation (488) • Warehousing and Storage (493) • Hospitals (622) • Nursing & Residential Care Facilities (623) • Accommodations (721) 1.3 Reduce the number of worker injuries, illnesses and fatalities in construction by focusing attention and resources on the most prevalent types of workplace injuries and illnesses. 1.2 Reduce by 15% the rate of worker injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in workplaces experiencing high rates or with targeted hazards or exposures not covered by Emphasis 1.1. 1.3B Reduce injuries and illnesses in the construction industry by 1% a year over the five years (5% total for five years). 1.3A Decrease fatalities in the construction industry (NAICS 23) by 2% a year (10% total for 5 years) by focusing on the four leading causes of fatalities: • Falls • Electrocutions • Struck-by • Crushed-by/caught-between Strategic Goal #2: Promote employer and worker awareness of, commitment to, and involvement with safety and health to effect positive change in the workplace culture. 2.1 Promote safety and health management systems (SHMS) during 100% of MIOSHA visits. Evaluate the SHMS during MIOSHA visits. Sixty percent (60%) of the employers in general industry that receive a subsequent MIOSHA visit will have a fully implemented SHMS or will have improved their SHMS. SHMSs will be promoted during all MIOSHA visits. General industry and construction establishments that are subject to a MIOSHA visit (programmed/comprehensive inspection or consultation hazard survey) will have a SHMS evaluation. 2.2 Increase awareness of and participation in the MIOSHA Training Institute (MTI). Increase Level 2 certificate holders by 10% each year by marketing the MTI to targeted groups. 2.3 Increase participation in MIOSHA cooperative programs. The following cooperative programs will increase participation by 15 new MVPP awards/10 renewals; 10 new MSHARP awards/10 renewals; 30 new CET Awards (Silver, Gold, & Certificate of Recognition); initiate 5 new Michigan Challenge Programs; 5 new Alliances/10 renewals, and 5 new Partnerships. 2.4 Communicate the benefits of workplace safety and health through initiatives and communication with employers and employees. Strategic Goal #3: Strengthen public confidence through continued excellence in the development and delivery of MIOSHA’s programs and services. 3.1 Foster a culture of integrity, inclusion, teamwork, and excellence to strengthen confidence in the delivery of MIOSHA services. 3.1A Internal. Implement strategies that nurture collaboration among all MIOSHA team members to enhance effective communication and staff development. 3.1B External. Ninety-five percent (95%) of employers and workers who provide customer service feedback rate their overall MIOSHA intervention(s) as useful in identifying and correcting workplace safety and health hazards. 3.3A Identify and assess information technology (IT) related needs within the agency and make recommendations to improve technology use and incorporation into the agency processes. 3.3B Assess options to provide new and better ways to deliver MIOSHA information and services to the public and other agencies through the use of information technology such as the Internet and mobile technologies and make appropriate recommendations to agency administration and staff to implement the improvements. 3.2 Respond effectively to legal mandates so that workers are provided full protection under the MIOSH Act and improve MIOSHA selected services. 3.2A Respond to 97% of complaints within 10 working days of receipt by MIOSHA. 3.2B Ensure that 95% of non-contested cases have abatement complete within 60 workdays of last abatement due date. 3.2C Respond to 95% of all Freedom of Information Act requests within 5 days. 3.2D Establish a priority and a deadline for all standards assigned promulgation. Promulgate 100% of standards required by OSHA within six months and 80% of the other standards within deadlines established by an annual standards promulgation plan. 3.4 Connect MIOSHA to industry by increasing collaboration and communication to create collective ownership for workplace safety and health. The 10 commandments of workplace safety 1. Always be responsible for the safety of yourself and others. 2. Always remember all accidents are preventable. 3. Always follow company rules, regulations and procedures. 4. Always assess the risks, Stop and think. 5. Always be proactive about safety. 6. Always deter from situations you’re not trained to handle. 7. Always manage the lift. 8. Always Be prepared. 9. Always practice good housekeeping. 10. Always take the safest path, never take shortcuts. Complete article can be found at http://www.safetyrisk.net/the-10-commandments-of-workplace-safety/ Follow these Top 10 Workplace Safety Tips: 1. Design a safe work area. Safety should be planned into your work areas from the start. How machines are positioned, where materials are staged, how product flows from one process to the next. Designing the work area with safety as a primary concern will result in a safe, efficient and productive workplace. 2. Maintain a clean work area. The most productive work areas are clean, neat and organized. Not only will you remove many hazards from a work area by keeping it clean, but you will also provide a more productive work environment for your employees. 3. Involve your employees in the safety planning. There is no one on your staff who knows more about the potential dangers on your production floor than the employees themselves. Get their input and follow their suggestions to engineer safety into their work areas instead of relying upon personal protection equipment to safeguard their health. 4. Provide clear work instructions. Make sure your employees know precisely what you expect of them by providing thorough training and clear, written instructions. Although they should be made aware of safety concerns, an effective safety program extends well beyond a list of things not to do. When you document your work processes, make sure that you include basic safety instructions that each worker reads and acknowledges. 5. Focus your safety efforts on the most likely problems. The most frequent safety violations are not the most catastrophic, they’re typically those that are smaller but more likely to occur. Strained backs from using poor lifting techniques or refusing to use lift assist equipment; Cuts from exposed edges or poorly shielded equipment; Injuries that would have been prevented if the employee were wearing their personal protection equipment. Although it’s necessary to plan for major safety concerns, your greatest impact will come from eliminating the small safety violations that contribute the most frequent injuries. 6. Encourage your employees to bring safety deficiencies to management’s attention. Safety is everyone’s concern and your employees should be actively encouraged to bring any type of safety concern to management’s attention. Then it’s your responsibility to act on their concerns and eliminate the safety deficiency. If you don’t, you’ll lose the trust of your employees and incur potentially severe liabilities. In the long run, it’s cheaper to fix safety problems than to ignore them. 7. Watch and learn how each employee performs their job. Even though you may have documented proper procedures for each work station, different workers may perform even the same job with undocumented variations. Watch how your employees perform their jobs to see if they’re following procedures, if they’re taking shortcuts that could reduce safety, and even to learn if they’re performing tasks in an improved manner that should be adopted by other operators. 8. Maintain all machinery in good working order. As your machines age and wear, your operators may make modifications of their own to maintain productivity. As the business owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure that you have a routine maintenance program in place so that your machines perform as well as they can and as safely as they can. 9. Avoid unnecessary hazards. Check your workplace frequently with a discerning eye to identify any new equipment or materials that could pose a potential safety hazard. Identify any changes and evaluate them for potential safety concern. 10. Revisit your safety guidelines every year. Nothing stays the same in your workplace. Your staff changes, your machines age or are replaced with new machines, and your plant layout may even change. Every change means that your previous safety guidelines may not be sufficient anymore and need to be revisited and modified to reflect your changing environment. Complete article can be found at http://talentalley.com/2010/02/16/top-10-workplace-safety-tips/ Five Minute Safety Talk No.23 "Safe Work Habits" CONSULTATION EDUCATION & TRAINING DIVISION A nineteenth century author wrote, "Habit is the deepest law of human nature." Most of us would probably agree with that. Humans are quite often influenced by habit. Habit and job safety are closely related. If you form safe work habits, it's a big plus for safety. A national publication recently listed eight of the most common human elements involved in job safety. All are associated with habits, to some degree. Recognition of hazards was one of the elements mentioned. By constantly being on the lookout for hazards, you enhance your own safety. In watching for hazards you must consider not just the obvious ones, but also hazards which might suddenly appear through some action of another employee or chain of unusual circumstances. Indifference was another of the human elements listed. An individual might know the correct procedures for doing his or her particular job, and just ignore them. Or there might be persons who don't know safety procedures and just leave it at that, rather than finding out what they are. Daring behavior is another obvious human element that can lead to a job accident. Working without guards and taking shortcuts are examples of daredevil tactics. Horseplay is in the same category. Setting a poor example also can lead to trouble. The actions of all of us have an influence on the safetymindedness of other workers, particularly newcomers. If a veteran employee is involved in an unsafe act of the job, a new worker might observe it and be swayed to adopt the same practice. Another weak link in the chain of safety is someone who is impulsive or always in a hurry. Haste is a trait that often leads to accidents. We are using our time foolishly if we don't take time to be safe. Temper falls into the same category, as it usually flares up on the job in the form of impatience. Training, or lack of it, is also a safety factor. The supervisor is responsible for training an employee to do a job safely. However, as employees, we have to be responsible enough to ask questions if we don't understand instructions, or are in doubt about procedures. Also, it's very basic to safety that hazardous situations be called to the attention of the supervisor. One of the eight human elements listed by the author was work habits. 0f course, that is really the point of our talk. We do our jobs from day to day, and in the process, good work habits are formed. But so are unsafe habits, unless we make an effort to break them. Some habits good or bad, are formed early in the job, while others develop naturally as time goes on. A person might incorporate unsafe habits into the job and continue them for a long time before a mishap occurs. Other people might not be so fortunate. They could learn quickly how an unsafe act can catch up with them unexpectedly. Gambling with the law of averages is a bad bet. First and foremost, the purpose of all safety efforts is to prevent accidents and injuries to human beings. As human beings, we all have the inclination to choose the easy method of doing something, or the fastest way to do it, without regard to safety. By doing things the correct way, we gradually form safe work habits that carry through into our daily work, and this is one of the best safety devices available. To request consultation education and training services, call: 517-322-1809. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation Education & Training Division 7150 Harris Drive, Box 30643 Lansing, MI 48909-8143 517-322-1809 MIOSHA-CET-23 (Rev. 1/04) Small Business Handbook Small Business Safety and Health Management Series OSHA 2209-02R 2005 Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthy workplace for their employees. OSHA’s role is to promote the safety and health of America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. About this Handbook This handbook is provided to owners, proprietors and managers of small businesses by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Labor. For additional copies of this publication, write to the U.S. Government Printing Office, (GPO), Superintendent of Documents, Mail Stop SDE, 732 N. Capitol Street, NW, Washington, DC 20401, or call the OSHA Publications Office at (202) 693-1888, or fax (202) 693-2498 for ordering information. Please note that the entire text of the Small Business Handbook is available on OSHA’s website at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/ osha2209.pdf. The handbook should help small business employers meet the legal requirements imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (the Act), and achieve an in-compliance status before an OSHA inspection. An excellent resource to accompany this information is OSHA’s Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines, (54 Federal Register 3904-3916, January 26, 1989), also available on OSHA’s website. This handbook is not a legal interpretation of the provisions of the Act and does not place any additional requirements on employers or employees. Employers cannot be cited under the General Duty Clause in Section 5(a)(1) of the Act for failure to follow recommendations in this handbook. The materials in this handbook are based upon Federal OSHA standards and other requirements in effect at the time of publication and upon generally accepted principles and activities within the job safety and health field. They should be useful to small business owners or managers and can be adapted easily to individual establishments. It is important to point out that 24 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands operate their own OSHA-approved safety and health programs under Section 18 of the Act. While the programs in these State Plan States may differ in some respects from Federal OSHA, this handbook can be used by employers in any state because the standards imposed by State Plan States must be at least as effective as Federal OSHA standards. A list of states that operate their own safety and health programs can be found on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov. Material in this publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested but not required. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request by voice phone (202) 693-1999 or teletypewriter (TTY) (877) 889-5627. Please Note: The small business employer seeking information on procurement or contracting with the Department of Labor or OSHA should contact the Department of Labor’s Office of Small Business Programs, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room C2318, Washington, DC 20210. Small Business Handbook Occupational Safety and Health Administration U.S. Department of Labor OSHA 2209-02R 2005 U.S. Department of Labor www.osha.gov Contents PREFACE Office of Small Business Assistance Cooperative Programs State Plans Office of Training and Education OSHA’s Website Safety and Health Add Value 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 INTRODUCTION: The Value of a Safety and Health Management System A Profit and Loss Statement Developing a Profitable Strategy for Handling Occupational Safety and Health 6 6 6 A FOUR-POINT WORKPLACE PROGRAM: The Basis of a Plan Using the Four-Point Program MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT AND EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT WORKSITE ANALYSIS HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES, SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS Documenting Your Activities Safety and Health Recordkeeping INJURY/ILLNESS RECORDS EXPOSURE RECORDS AND OTHERS 8 8 8 9 9 10 11 11 11 12 STARTING A SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Creating a Plan Decide to Start Now Designating Responsibility Ask for Help Organize the Workplace Start Gathering Specific Facts About Your Situation Establish a Four-Point Safety and Health Program Develop and Implement Your Action Plan 13 13 13 13 14 14 15 15 SELF-INSPECTION Self-Inspection Scope Self-Inspection Checklists EMPLOYER POSTING RECORDKEEPING SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM MEDICAL SERVICES AND FIRST AID FIRE PROTECTION PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING GENERAL WORK ENVIRONMENT WALKWAYS FLOOR AND WALL OPENINGS STAIRS AND STAIRWAYS ELEVATED SURFACES EXITING OR EGRESS - EVACUATION EXIT DOORS PORTABLE LADDERS HAND TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT PORTABLE (POWER OPERATED) TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT ABRASIVE WHEEL EQUIPMENT GRINDERS POWDER-ACTUATED TOOLS MACHINE GUARDING LOCKOUT/TAGOUT PROCEDURES WELDING, CUTTING AND BRAZING COMPRESSORS AND COMPRESSED AIR 17 17 18 18 18 18 19 19 20 20 21 21 22 22 22 23 23 24 24 24 25 25 26 27 28 COMPRESSORS/AIR RECEIVERS COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS HOIST AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS - FORKLIFTS SPRAYING OPERATIONS ENTERING CONFINED SPACES ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL EXPOSURE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES COMMUNICATION ELECTRICAL NOISE FUELING IDENTIFICATION OF PIPING SYSTEMS MATERIALS HANDLING TRANSPORTING EMPLOYEES AND MATERIALS CONTROL OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES BY VENTILATION SANITIZING EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING TIRE INFLATION 28 29 29 29 30 30 31 32 33 34 35 37 37 37 38 38 38 39 39 ASSISTANCE IN SAFETY AND HEALTH FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OSHA Assistance OSHA’S OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE ON-SITE CONSULTATION OTHER COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS (VPP) OSHA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (OSPP) OSHA ALLIANCE PROGRAM States with Approved Plans OSHA Publications Other Sources of Assistance VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS PARTICIPANTS’ ASSOCIATION (VPPPA) SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH) WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CARRIERS AND OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND EMPLOYER GROUPS TRADE UNIONS AND EMPLOYEE GROUPS THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL AND LOCAL CHAPTERS PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONSULTATION YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY FINANCING WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT ADDITIONAL WEB PAGES OF INTEREST TO SMALL BUSINESSES 40 40 40 40 41 42 42 42 42 42 43 43 43 44 44 44 44 44 44 44 45 45 45 Appendix A: Overall Action Plan Worksheet 46 Appendix B: Model Policy Statements 48 Appendix C: Codes of Safe Practices 49 Appendix D: OSHA Job Safety and Health Standards, Regulations and Requirements 50 Appendix E: 51 Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA) OSHA Regional Offices OSHA’s Non-Retaliation Policy 52 inside back cover 4 PREFACE American employers and workers want safe and healthful places in which to work. They want everyone on the job to go home whole and healthy each day. Determined to make that dream possible, OSHA is committed to assuring – so far as possible – that every working man and woman in the nation has safe and healthful working conditions. OSHA believes that providing workers with a safe workplace is central to their ability to enjoy health, security and the opportunity to achieve the American dream. OSHA seeks to cut unnecessary rules, regulations and red tape. It is eliminating thousands of pages of outdated regulations and continues to rewrite standards in plain English. OSHA is paring down its regulatory agenda so that it more accurately reflects realistic goals that best serve the needs of American employers and employees. Confronted by the realities and demands to keep pace with the workforce and problems of the future, OSHA is developing new strategies to reduce occupational fatalities, injuries and illnesses. Coupled with strong, effective and fair enforcement, OSHA strives to provide improved outreach, education and compliance assistance to America’s employers and employees. Office of Small Business Assistance OSHA wants to provide quality service to our small business customers. In October 2002, OSHA created the Office of Small Business Assistance to provide small business direction, to facilitate information sharing and to help in finding and achieving regulatory compliance. The office also works to educate small businesses on using up-to-date tools and materials, and facilitates opportunities to comment on OSHA’s regulatory agenda. The Office of Small Business Assistance maintains OSHA’s specialized small business web pages found at http:// www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/index.html. The Office of Small Business Assistance can be contacted by telephone at (202) 693-2220 or by writing to: Director, Office of Small Business Assistance, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Room N-3700, Washington, DC 20210. Cooperative Programs Years of experience show us that voluntary collaborative relationships between OSHA, the private sector and other government entities lead to improved safety and health. As a result, OSHA continues to expand its cooperative programs which currently include the free and confidential Consultation Program, the Voluntary Protection Programs, the Strategic Partnership Program and OSHA’s newest addition, Alliances. For a more detailed description of each of these programs, please see pages 40- 42. Small businesses are encouraged to investigate the full array of cooperative programs offered by OSHA. Participation can be on an individual company basis or through an industry association. Detailed information on each program is also available on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov, by contacting any OSHA office, or by calling (800) 321OSHA. State Plans OSHA has important partnerships with the 24 states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands that operate their own OSHA-approved safety and health programs. State workplace safety and health programs frequently lead the way in developing innovative approaches to making America’s workplaces safer and healthier. States that operate their own worker safety and health plans must provide worker protection that is “at least as effective as” the Federal program. However, because their standards and other procedures may vary, businesses should become familiar with their state regulations and agencies. See OSHA’s website for a list of State Plan States. Office of Training and Education OSHA’s Office of Training and Education provides training and instruction in all facets of occupational safety and health. OSHA’s Training Institute, located in Arlington Heights, IL, provides training for OSHA compliance safety and health officers as well as for the general public and safety and health staff from other Federal agencies. In addition to OSHA’s Training Institute, there are 32 additional education sites located throughout the country. These OSHA education centers operate in conjunction with universities, colleges and learning centers to conduct OSHA courses for the private sector and other Federal agencies, making safety and health training and education more accessible OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 5 to those who need it. There are tuition fees for private sector students. For more information about OSHA’s Training Institute, OSHA’s education centers, or to obtain training catalogs with course schedules, write the OSHA Training Institute, 2020 South Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005 or call (847) 297-4810. The information is also fully accessible on the Internet at www.osha.gov. OSHA’s Website OSHA has made every effort to continuously expand and improve its website. OSHA’s extensive website provides employers and employees with practical, easy-to-understand and up-to-date guidance on regulations, compliance assistance and learning how to identify and control hazards. Each OSHA cooperative program has individual web pages describing program elements and highlighting successes of the participants. Several pages are devoted to small business, technical links, news items, publication lists and an inventory of compliance assistance tools, including expert advisors and eTools. eTools are “stand-alone” interactive, web-based training tools on occupational safety and health topics. Regulations, standards, directives and interpretations relating to OSHA can be found as well. There is a Spanish version of the OSHA website, and many posters and some publications are also available in Spanish. OSHA’s web pages include MyOSHA, which allows users to create their own personalized OSHA web page with customized content and links. Quick Start is another tool on OSHA’s Compliance Assistance web page that allows the user to identify many of the major OSHA requirements and guidance materials that apply to their individual workplaces or industry sectors. Through its website, OSHA invites citizens to email questions that can be routed to appropriate agency officials for response. Any communication conducted via the “Contact Us” link on the OSHA website is considered an informational exchange rather than an official communication with the Department of Labor. For an official response to a question or concern, inquiries should be submitted in writing. If you would like to receive regular updates from OSHA about new programs, tools, best practices and other useful information, subscribe to the agency’s e-news memo, QuickTakes. QuickTakes is issued twice monthly to subscribers and is always available online. You can subscribe to OSHA’s QuickTakes at www.osha.gov. Safety and Health Add Value Addressing safety and health issues in the workplace saves the employer money and adds value to the business. Recent estimates place the business costs associated with occupational injuries at close to $170 billion–expenditures that come straight out of company profits. When workers stay whole and healthy, the direct cost-savings to businesses include: ■ lower workers’ compensation insurance costs; ■ reduced medical expenditures; ■ smaller expenditures for return-to-work programs; ■ fewer faulty products; ■ lower costs for job accommodations for injured workers; ■ less money spent for overtime benefits. Safety and health also make big reductions in indirect costs, due to: ■ increased productivity; ■ higher quality products; ■ increased morale; ■ better labor/management relations; ■ reduced turnover; ■ better use of human resources. Employees and their families benefit from safety and health because: ■ their incomes are protected; ■ their family lives are not hindered by injury; ■ their stress is not increased. Simply put, protecting people on the job is in everyone’s best interest–our economy, our communities, our fellow workers and our families. Safety and health add value to businesses, workplaces and lives. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 6 INTRODUCTION: The Value of a Safety and Health Management System A Profit and Loss Statement Developing a Profitable Strategy for Handling Occupational Safety and Health As a small business owner, you are, by nature, a risk taker. You wager your business acumen against larger, perhaps more heavily financed corporate groups and other free-spirited, self-employed individuals like yourself. There is excitement and challenge in such a venture, but to succeed you need good management information, an ability to be a good manager of people and the intelligence and inner strength to make the right decisions. Thousands of workers die each year and many, many more suffer injury or illness from conditions at work. But how often does an owner or manager like you actually see or even hear about work-related deaths, serious injuries or illnesses in the businesses with which you are familiar? How often has your business actually sustained this type of loss? In most small businesses, the answer is rarely. For this reason, many owners or managers do not understand why there is controversy about the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), job safety and health standards, inspections, citations, etc. But others have learned why. Unfortunately, they have experienced a loss. These owner/managers will tell you that it is too late to do anything once a serious accident happens. They have learned that prevention is the only real way to avoid this loss. Reducing losses is a goal that you as an owner or manager share with us in OSHA. While we may see this goal in a slightly different light, it remains a common bond. We have learned from small employers, like you, that you place a high value on the well-being of your employees. Like many small businesses, you may employ family members and personal acquaintances. And, if you don’t know your employees before they are hired, then chances are that the very size of your workplace will promote the closeness and concern for one another that small businesses value. Assuming that you are committed to safe and healthful work practices, OSHA wants to work with you to prevent all losses. We believe that, when you make job safety and health a real part of your everyday operations, you will not lose in the long run. Investing in safety and health activity now will better enable you to avoid possible losses in the future. Nobody wants accidents to happen in his or her business. A serious fire, a permanent injury, or the death of an employee or owner can cause the loss of profit or even an entire business. To prevent such losses, you don’t have to turn your business upside down. You may not have to spend a lot of money, either. You do need to use good business sense and apply recognized prevention principles. There are reasons why accidents happen. Something goes wrong somewhere. It may take some thought, and maybe the help of friends or other trained people, to figure out what went wrong, but an accident always has a cause–a reason why. Once you know why an accident happened, it is possible to prevent future incidents. You need some basic facts and perhaps some help from others who already know some of the answers. You also need a plan–a plan to prevent accidents. Not all dangers at your worksite depend on an accident to cause harm, of course. Worker exposure to toxic chemicals or harmful levels of noise or radiation may happen in conjunction with routine work as well as by accident. You may not realize the extent of the exposure or harm that you and your employees face. The effect may not be immediate. You need a plan that includes prevention of these health hazard exposures and accidents. You need a safety and health management system. It is not difficult to develop such a plan. Basically, your plan should address the types of accidents and health hazard exposures that could happen in your workplace. Because each workplace is different, your program should address your specific needs and requirements. There are four basic elements to all good safety and health programs. These are as follows: 1. Management Commitment and Employee Involvement. The manager or management team leads the way, by setting policy, assigning and supporting responsibility, setting an example and involving employees. 2.Worksite Analysis. The worksite is continually analyzed to identify all existing and potential hazards. 3. Hazard Prevention and Control. Methods to pre- OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 7 vent or control existing or potential hazards are put in place and maintained. 4.Training for Employees, Supervisors and Managers. Managers, supervisors and employees are trained to understand and deal with worksite hazards. Regardless of the size of your business, you should use each of these elements to prevent workplace accidents and possible injuries and illnesses. Developing a workplace program following these four points is a key step in protecting you and your workers’ safety and health. If you already have a program, reviewing it in relation to these elements should help you improve what you have. Following this four-point approach to safety and health in your business may also improve efficiency. It may help you reduce insurance claims and other costs. While having a safety and health plan based on these four elements does not guarantee compliance with OSHA standards, the approach will help you toward full compliance and beyond. It will certainly give you a way to express and document your good faith and commitment to protecting your workers’ health and safety. This approach usually does not involve large costs. Developing a health and safety protection plan does not have to be expensive and generally does not require additional employees, especially in smaller businesses. Safety and health can be integrated into your other business functions with modest effort on your part. The key to the success of a safety and health plan is to see it as a part of your business operation and to see it reflected in your day-to-day operations. As you implement the plan and incorporate it into your business culture, safety and health awareness will become second nature to you and your employees. The next section provides short descriptions and illustrations of each element. Since most employers, like you, are pressed for time, these descriptions will assist you in getting started on your own approach. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 8 A FOUR-POINT WORKPLACE PROGRAM: The Basis of a Plan The Four-Point Workplace Program described here is based upon the Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines issued by OSHA in January 1989. (For a free copy of the guidelines, go to OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov, write to OSHA Publications, U.S. Department of Labor, P.O. Box 37535, Washington, DC 200013-7535, or call (202) 693-1888.) Although voluntary, these guidelines represent OSHA’s policy on what every worksite should have in place to protect workers from occupational hazards. The guidelines are based heavily on OSHA’s experience with its Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP), which recognize excellence in workplace safety and health management. For more information on these guidelines and OSHA’s cooperative programs, contact OSHA’s Office of Small Business Assistance, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-3700, Washington, DC 20210, (202) 693-2220. assets you have. Their safety, health and goodwill are essential to the success of your business. Having them cooperate with you in protecting their safety and health not only helps to keep them healthy–it makes your job easier. Here are some actions to consider: ■ ■ ■ Using the Four-Point Program As you review this publication, we encourage you to use the Action Plan Worksheet in Appendix A to jot down the things you want to do to make your workplace safe for your employees. Noting those actions as you go along will make it easier to assemble the total plan you need. MANAGEMENT COMMITMENT AND EMPLOYEE INVOLVEMENT As the owner or manager of a small business, your attitude toward job safety and health will be reflected by your employees. If you are not interested in preventing employee injury and illness, your employees will probably not give safety and health much thought either. Therefore, it is essential that you demonstrate at all times your personal concern for employee safety and health, and the priority you place on them in your workplace. Your policy must be clear. Only you can show its importance through your own actions. You can demonstrate the depth of your commitment by involving your employees in planning and carrying out your efforts. If you seriously involve your employees in identifying and resolving safety and health problems, they will bring their unique insights and energy to achieving the goals and objectives of your program. The men and women who work for you are among the most valuable ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Post your policy on worker safety and health next to the Job Safety and Health Protection Poster where all employees can see it. (See Appendix B, Model Policy Statements.) Hold a meeting with all employees to communicate your safety and health policy, and discuss your objectives for safety and health. Make sure that your support is visible by getting personally involved in the activities that are part of your safety and health program. For example, personally review all inspection and accident reports and ensure that followup occurs when needed. Ensure that you, your managers and your supervisors follow all safety requirements that apply to all employees, even if you are only in an area briefly. If, for instance, you require a hard hat, safety glasses and/or safety shoes in an area, wear them yourself when you are in that area. Take advantage of your employees’ specialized knowledge and encourage them to buy into the program by having them make inspections, conduct safety training, or investigate accidents. Make clear assignments of responsibility for every part of your safety and health program, and make sure everyone understands them. The more people who are involved, the better. A good rule of thumb is to assign safety and health responsibilities in the same way you assign production responsibilities. Make it a special part of everyone’s job to work safely. Give those with safety and health responsibility enough people, time, training, money and authority to get the job done. Don’t forget your safety and health program OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 9 after you make assignments; make sure the job gets done. Recognize and reward those who do well and correct those who don’t. ■ ■ At least once a year, review what you have accomplished in meeting your objectives and reevaluate whether you need new objectives or program revisions. Institute an accountability system where all personnel will be held accountable for not following work rules designed to promote workplace safety and health. ards. The checklists (at pages 18-39) provide a starting point. Your state consultant can assist you in establishing an effective system. ■ ■ WORKSITE ANALYSIS It is your responsibility to know what items or substances you have in your workplace that could hurt your workers. Worksite analysis is a group of processes that helps you make sure that you know what you need to keep your workers safe. For help in getting started with these processes, you can call on your state on-site Consultation Program and have an experienced health and safety professional visit your workplace for free and confidentially. Locations for each state are listed on OSHA’s website. Also, OSHA’s booklet, Job Hazard Analysis, may be helpful. (See OSHA Publications at page 42 for ordering information.) Here are some actions to consider: ■ ■ ■ ■ Request a consultation visit from your state on-site Consultation Program covering both safety and health to get a full survey of the hazards that exist in your workplace and those that could develop. You can also contract for such services from expert private consultants if you prefer. Establish a way to get professional advice when you make changes to procedures or equipment, to ensure that the changes are not introducing new hazards into your workplace. Find ways to keep current on newly recognized hazards in your industry. Periodically review with employees each job, analyzing it step-by-step to see if there are any hidden hazards in the equipment or procedures. Set up a self-inspection system to check your hazard controls and evaluate any new haz- ■ Make sure your employees feel comfortable in alerting you or another member of management when they see things that look dangerous or out of place. Learn how to conduct a thorough investigation when things go wrong. This will help you develop ways to prevent recurrences. Extensive information can be found on OSHA’s website under “Accident Investigation” in the index. Review several years of injury or illness records to identify patterns that can help you devise strategies to improve your safety and health program. Periodically review several months of experience to determine if any new patterns are developing. HAZARD PREVENTION AND CONTROL Once you have identified your existing and potential hazards, you are ready to implement the systems that prevent or control those hazards. Your state Consultation Program can help you do this. Whenever possible, hazards should be eliminated. Sometimes that can be done through substitution of a less toxic material or engineering controls. When you cannot eliminate hazards, systems should be established to control them. Here are some actions to consider: ■ ■ ■ Set up safe work procedures based on an analysis of the hazards in your workplace and ensure that employees understand and follow them. It is a good idea to involve employees in the analysis that results in those procedures. (See Appendix C, Codes of Safe Practices.) Be ready to enforce the rules for safe work procedures. Ask your employees to help you establish a disciplinary system that will be fair and understood by everyone. Where necessary, ensure that personal protective equipment (PPE) is used and that your employees know why they need it, how to use it and how to maintain it. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 10 ■ ■ ■ ■ Provide for regular equipment maintenance to prevent breakdowns that can create hazards. Ensure that preventive and regular maintenance are tracked to completion. Plan for emergencies, including fire and natural disasters. Conduct frequent drills to ensure that all employees know what to do under stressful conditions. Ask your state consultant to help develop a medical program that fits your worksite. Involve nearby doctors and emergency facilities by inviting them to visit your workplace and help you plan the best way to avoid injuries and illness during emergency situations. Ensure the ready availability of medical personnel for advice and consultation on matters of employee health. This does not mean that you must provide health care, but you must be prepared to deal with medical emergencies or health problems connected to your workplace. To fulfill the above requirements, consider the following: ■ ■ ■ Develop an emergency medical procedure to handle injuries, transport ill or injured workers and notify medical facilities. Posting emergency numbers is a good idea. Survey the medical facilities near your place of business and make arrangements for them to handle routine and emergency cases. Cooperative agreements may be possible with nearby larger workplaces that have on-site medical personnel and/or facilities. first aid. First-aid supplies must be readily available for emergency use. Arrangements for this training can be made through your local Red Cross chapter, your insurance carrier, your local safety council, and others. ■ ■ ■ An effective accident prevention program requires proper job performance from everyone in the workplace. As an owner or manager, you must ensure that all employees know about the materials and equipment they work with, known hazards and how to control the hazards. Each employee needs to know that: • no employee is expected to undertake a job until he or she has received job instructions on how to do it properly and is authorized to perform that job. Also, • no employee should undertake a job that appears unsafe. You may be able to combine safety and health training with other training, depending upon the types of hazards in your workplace. Here are some actions to consider: ■ Ensure that your procedure for reporting injuries and illnesses is understood by all employees. Perform routine walkthroughs of the worksite to identify hazards and to track identified hazards until they are corrected. If your business is remote from medical facilities, you are required to ensure that adequately trained personnel are available to render Consider retaining a local doctor or an occupational health nurse on a part-time or asneeded basis for advice on medical and first aid planning. TRAINING FOR EMPLOYEES, SUPERVISORS AND MANAGERS ■ ■ Check battery charging stations, maintenance operations, laboratories, heating and ventilating operations and any corrosive materials areas to make sure the required eyewash facilities and showers are operational. ■ Ask your state consultant to recommend training for your worksite. The consultant may be able to conduct training while he or she is there. Make sure you have trained your employees on every potential hazard that they could be exposed to and how to protect themselves. Then verify that they really understand what you taught them. Pay particular attention to your new employees and to employees who are moving to new OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 11 jobs. Because they are learning new operations, they are more likely to get hurt. ■ ■ Train your supervisors to understand all the hazards faced by the employees and how to reinforce training with quick reminders and refreshers, or with disciplinary action if necessary. Make sure that your top management staff understand their safety and health responsibilities and how to hold subordinate supervisory employees accountable for theirs. Documenting Your Activities Document your activities in all elements of the Four-Point Workplace Program. Essential records, including those legally required for workers’ compensation, insurance audits and government inspections must be maintained as long as the actual need exists or as required by law. Keeping records of your activities, such as policy statements, training sessions, safety and health meetings, information distributed to employees, and medical arrangements made, is greatly encouraged. Maintaining essential records also will demonstrate sound business management as supporting proof for credit applications, for showing “good faith” in reducing any proposed penalties from OSHA inspections, for insurance and other audits, and aid efficient review of your current safety and health activities for better control of your operations and to plan improvements. Safety and Health Recordkeeping Records of sales, costs, profits and losses are essential to all successful businesses. They enable the owner or manager to learn from experience and to make corrections for future operations. Records of accidents, related injuries, illnesses and property losses can serve the same purpose, if they are used in the same way. The primary purpose of OSHA-required recordkeeping is to retain information about accidents that have happened to help determine the causes and develop procedures to prevent a recurrence. INJURY/ILLNESS RECORDS OSHA rules for recording and reporting occupational injuries and illnesses affect 1.4 million establishments. Small businesses with 10 or fewer employees throughout the year are exempt from most of the requirements of the OSHA recordkeeping rules, as are a number of specific industries in the retail, service, finance, insurance and real estate sectors that are classified as low-hazard. Detailed information about OSHA recordkeeping rules can be found at http://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/index.html or refer to 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1904 for the specific exceptions. OSHA recordkeeping can help the small business employer evaluate the success of safety and health activities. Success can be measured by a reduction or elimination of employee injuries and illnesses during a calendar year. The OSHA recordkeeping system has five steps: 1. Obtain a report on every injury or job-related illness requiring medical treatment (other than basic first aid). 2. Record each injury or job-related illness on OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) using the instructions provided. 3. Prepare a supplementary record of occupational injuries and illnesses for recordable cases on OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report). 4. Every year, prepare an annual summary using OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses). Post it no later than February 1, and keep it posted until May 1. A good place to post it is next to the OSHA Workplace Poster. 5. Retain these records for at least five years. Periodically review these records to look for any patterns or repeat situations. These records can help you to identify high-risk areas that require your immediate attention. Basic OSHA recordkeeping requirements address only injuries and illnesses, so you might consider expanding your own records to include all Occupational Safety and Health Administration 12 incidents, including those where no injury or illness resulted. This information may assist you in pinpointing unsafe conditions and/or procedures. Safety councils, insurance carriers and others can assist you in instituting such a system. The employer is required to report to OSHA within eight hours of the accident, all work-related fatalities or multiple hospitalizations that involve three or more employees. Even if your business is exempt from routine recordkeeping requirements, you may be selected by the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) or a related state agency for inclusion in an annual sample survey. You will receive a letter directly from the agency with instructions, if you are selected. EXPOSURE RECORDS AND OTHERS In addition to injury/illness records, certain OSHA standards require records on the exposure of employees to toxic substances and hazardous exposures, physical examination reports and employment records. As you identify hazards, you will be able to determine whether these requirements apply to your workplace. Your records should be used in conjunction with your control procedures and with your self-inspection activity. They should not be considered merely as bookkeeping. OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES STARTING A SAFETY AND HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM: Creating a Plan You can use this handbook to create a basic plan of action for starting a safety and health management system at your business. The action plan described in this section provides the most direct route to getting yourself organized to complete the Four-Point Program outlined in the previous section. Decide to Start Now The time to start your safety and health management system is now. You have a better picture of what constitutes a good safety and health program. Now you can address the practical concerns of putting these elements together and coming up with a program to suit your workplace. Hopefully, you have been taking notes for your action plan as you reviewed the preceding description of the Four-Point Program. You should now be ready to decide what you want to accomplish and to determine what steps are necessary to achieve your goals. Next you need to determine how and when each step will be done and who will do it. Your plan should consider your company’s immediate needs and provide for ongoing, longlasting worker protection. Once your plan is designed, it is important to follow through and use it in the workplace. You will then have a program to anticipate, identify and eliminate conditions or practices that could result in injuries and illnesses. If you have difficulty deciding where to begin, a phone call to your state Consultation Program will help get you started. A state consultant will survey your workplace for existing or potential hazards. Then, if you request it, he or she will determine what you need to make your safety and health program effective. The consultant will work with you to develop a plan for making these improvements and to keep your program effective. Whether you choose to work with a consultant or to develop your program yourself, many publications are available from your state on-site Consultation Program or from OSHA that spell out in greater detail the steps you can take to create an effective safety and health program for your workplace. The rewards for your efforts will be an efficient and productive workplace with a low level of loss and injury. Designating Responsibility You must decide who in your company is the most appropriate person to manage your safety and health system. Who can ensure that the program will become an integral part of your business? In many cases it will be you, the owner. Sometimes it will be a plant manager or key supervisor. It could even be an engineer, personnel specialist, or other staff member. Whoever you choose should be committed to workplace safety and health, have the time to develop and manage the program, and be willing to take on the responsibility and accountability that goes with operating an effective program. The individual will need your full cooperation and support, but the ultimate responsibility for safety and health in your workplace rests on you. Ask for Help Federal occupational safety and health law allows a state to develop and operate its own occupational safety and health program in place of the Federal OSHA program. It is possible that the regulatory aspect of the law (setting of mandatory minimum standards and conducting inspections of workplaces) is being operated by your state government as opposed to Federal OSHA. One of the first things to learn is which branch of government, Federal or state, has current jurisdiction over your business. If you are not sure what agency is responsible for administering workplace safety and health in your state, contact the nearest OSHA Area Office to find out. (See www.osha.gov). You will need certain Federal OSHA publications (or comparable state publications) for use in your safety and health activities, such as: ■ ■ Job Safety and Health Protection - OSHA 3165. You must display the Federal or state OSHA poster in your workplace. This poster is also available in Spanish (Job Safety and Health Protection OSHA 3167). OSHA standards that apply to your business. You need to have a copy of all OSHA standards that apply to your type of business available for reference. (See Appendix D.) Occupational Safety and Health Administration 13 14 Standards are the regulations that OSHA uses to inspect for compliance and should be the baseline for your inspections in determining what to do when hazards are identified. Most businesses fall under OSHA’s General Industry Standards. If you are involved with construction or maritime operations, you will need the standards that apply to these classifications. (In states with state-run occupational safety and health programs, use the appropriate state standards.) ■ ■ Recordkeeping requirements and the necessary forms. Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. You may want a copy of this legislation for reference. vey should focus on evaluating workplace conditions with respect to safety and health regulations and generally recognized safe and healthful work practices. It should include checking on the use of any hazardous materials, observing employee work habits and practices, and discussing safety and health problems with employees. See the SelfInspection Checklists (at pages 18-39), to help you get a good start on creating this initial survey. 2. The second major activity is to assess your existing safety and health program and identify areas that work well and those that need improvement. You should gather as much information as you can that relates to safety and health management in your workplace. You should include the following in this review: ■ Organize the Workplace Poor housekeeping can contribute to low morale and sloppy work. Most safety action programs start with an intensive cleanup campaign in all areas of the workplace. Get rid of unecessary items; provide proper waste containers; store flammables properly; make sure exits are not blocked; mark aisles and passageways; provide adequate lighting, etc. Get everyone involved and impress upon employees that you want to make your workplace safer, more healthful and more efficient. ■ ■ Start Gathering Specific Facts About Your Situation Before making changes in your safety and health operations, you should gather information about the current conditions and business practices that comprise your safety and health program. This information can help you identify problems and determine what is needed to solve them. Your workplace assessment should be conducted by the person responsible for your safety and health management system and/or a professional safety and health consultant. The assessment consists of two major activities: 1. A comprehensive safety and health survey of your entire facility will identify any existing or potential safety and health hazards. This initial sur- ■ Safety and health activities. Examine ongoing activities as well as those tried previously, company policy statements, rules (both work and safety), guidelines for proper work practices and procedures, and records of training programs. Equipment. List your major equipment, what it is used for and where it is located. Special attention should be given to inspection schedules, maintenance activities, and plant and office layouts. Employee capabilities. Make an alphabetical list of all employees, showing the date hired, their job descriptions, and experience and training. Accident and injury/illness history. Review first-aid cases and workers’ compensation insurance payments and awards, and review your losses. Compare your insurance rate with others in your group. Give special attention to recurring accidents, types of injuries, etc. After gathering facts, see if any major problem areas emerge such as interruptions in your normal operations, too many employees taking too much time off due to illness or injury, too many damaged products, etc. General help with this kind of problem identification can often be obtained from compensation carriers, local safety councils, trade asso- OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 15 ciations, state agencies, major suppliers or similarly situated businesses in the same industry. If you discover a major problem, see what can be done to solve it. Once a problem is identified, you can work on the corrective action or a plan to control the problem. Take immediate action and make a record of what you have done. Even if you find no major problems, don’t stop there. Now it is time to develop a comprehensive safety and health program to avoid any major problems in the future. Establish a Four-Point Safety and Health Program The success of any workplace safety and health program depends on careful planning. This means that you must take the time to analyze what you want to accomplish and develop an action plan in order to attain your goals. From this standpoint, you can design a step-by-step process to take you from the idea stage to an effective safety and health management system. The best way to create a safe and healthful workplace is to institute the Four-Point Program discussed at page 8 of this handbook. Establish your management commitment and involve your employees. No safety and health program will work without this commitment and involvement. The first step is to designate a person to be responsible for your safety and health program. Involve your employees as widely as possible from the beginning. They are most in contact with the potential and actual safety and health hazards at your worksite and will have constructive input on the development of your program. The ultimate success of your safety and health program will depend on their support. Make sure your program assigns responsibility and accountability to all employees in your organization. A good safety and health program makes it clear that each and every employee, from you through the supervisory levels to the line worker, carries responsibility for his or her part of the program. Make safety and health duties clear and hold every individual accountable for his or her safety- and health-related duties. Refer to the recommended actions to take in the Worksite Analysis paragraph at page 9. These will help start your program off on the right track. You will be building the foundation for a successful safety and health program. Establish and regularly conduct a worksite analysis. A successful safety and health program depends on an accurate identification of all the hazards and potential hazards in your workplace. This is an ongoing process that includes routine selfinspections. Create systems and procedures to prevent and control hazards identified through your worksite analysis. OSHA standards can be helpful because they address controls in order of effectiveness and preference. The hierarchy of controls is engineering, administrative, work practice and PPE. Whenever feasible, engineering, administrative or work practice controls should be instituted even if they do not eliminate the hazard or reduce exposure. Use of such controls in conjunction with PPE will help reduce the hazard or exposure to the lowest practical level. Where no standard exists, creative problem-solving and consultant resources may help you create effective controls. The basic formula for controlling workplace hazards, in order of preference, includes: ■ ■ ■ ■ Eliminating the hazard from the machine, the method, the material or the facility. Abating the hazard by limiting exposure or controlling it at its source. Training personnel to be aware of the hazard and to follow safe work procedures to avoid it. Prescribing PPE for protecting employees against the hazard and ensuring that they not only use it, but that they know how to use it correctly. Establish and provide ongoing training for employees, supervisors and managers to ensure that everyone at your worksite can recognize hazards and how to control them. These points are crucial to a safe and healthful workplace for you and your employees, making it more difficult for accidents to occur and for workrelated health problems to develop. Develop and Implement Your Action Plan Developing an action plan to build a safety and health program around the four points can serve as a “road map” to take your program to where you Occupational Safety and Health Administration 16 want it to be. An action plan tells you what has to be done, the logical order in which to do it, who is responsible and where you want to be when you finish. It describes problems and solutions, but is not ironclad. An action plan can and should be changed to correspond with changes in the workplace. A good action plan has two parts: 1. A list of major changes or improvements to make your safety and health program effective. Each item should be prioritized, have a target date for completion and identify who is responsible for implementation. 2. A specific plan to implement each major change or improvement, including what you want to accomplish, the steps required, who will be assigned to do what and a schedule for completion. A worksheet to help you design an overall action plan and describe specific action steps appears in Appendix A. Once a plan is established, put it into action, beginning with the highest priority item. Ensure that it is realistic, manageable and addresses the steps you have planned for that item. A detailed description of the steps required will help you keep track of your progress. Keep in mind that you can work on more than one item at a time and that priorities may change as other needs are identified or as your company’s resources change. Open communication with your employees is crucial to the success of your efforts. Their cooperation depends on them understanding what the safety and health program is all about, why it is important to them and how it affects their work. The more you do to involve them in the changes you are making, the smoother your transition will be. Putting your action plan into operation at your workplace will be a major step toward implementing an effective safety and health program. Remember, a safety and health program is a plan put into practice. Keep your program on track by periodically checking its progress and by calling on a state consultant when you need assistance. Any good management system requires periodic review. Take a careful look at each component of your safety and health program to determine what is working well and what changes are needed. Once again, a state consultant can assist you in this area. Any necessary improvements can be turned into new safety and health objectives for the coming year. Developing new action plans to implement these improvements will continue progress toward an effective safety and health program, reduce your safety and health risks, and increase efficiency and profit. Remember that it is important to document your activities. The best way to evaluate the success of your safety and health program is to have documentation of what you have done, which provides guidance on how you can make it work even better. Technical assistance may be available to you as a small business owner or manager through your insurance carrier; your fellow businesspeople; suppliers of your durable equipment and raw materials; the local safety council; and many local, state and Federal agencies, including the state on-site Consultation Programs and closest OSHA Area Office. Establishing a quality safety and health management system will take time and involve some resources, but you should be pleased with the results. Employees will feel reassured because of your commitment to their safety and health on the job. You may save money through increased productivity and reduced workers’ compensation insurance costs. You may gain increased respect in your community. The tangible and intangible rewards for a solid safety and health program far outweigh the cost of an accident, injury or workplace fatality. OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 17 SELF-INSPECTION The most widely accepted way to identify hazards is to conduct safety and health inspections because the only way to be certain of an actual situation is to look at it directly from time to time. Begin a program of self-inspection in your own workplace. Self-inspection is essential if you are to know where probable hazards exist and whether they are under control. This section includes checklists designed to assist you in self-inspection fact-finding. The checklists can give you some indication of where to begin taking action to make your business safer and more healthful for all of your employees. These checklists are by no means all-inclusive and not all of the checklists will apply to your business. You might want to start by selecting the areas that are most critical to your business, then expanding your self-inspection checklists over time to fully cover all areas that pertain to your business. Remember that a checklist is a tool to help, not a definitive statement of what is mandatory. Use checklists only for guidance. Don’t spend time with items that have no application to your business. Make sure that each item is seen by you or your designee and leave nothing to memory or chance. Write down what you see or don’t see and what you think you should do about it. Add information from your completed checklists to injury information, employee information, and process and equipment information to build a foundation to help you determine what problems exist. Then, as you use the OSHA standards in your problem-solving process, it will be easier for you to determine the actions needed to solve these problems. Once the hazards have been identified, institute the control procedures described at page 9 and establish your four-point safety and health program. Self-Inspection Scope ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Your self-inspections should cover safety and health issues in the following areas: ■ Processing, Receiving, Shipping and Storage – equipment, job planning, layout, heights, floor loads, projection of materials, material handling and storage methods, training for material handling equipment. ■ Building and Grounds Conditions – floors, walls, ceilings, exits, stairs, walkways, ramps, platforms, driveways, aisles. Housekeeping Program – waste disposal, tools, objects, materials, leakage and spillage, cleaning methods, schedules, work areas, remote areas, storage areas. Electricity – equipment, switches, breakers, fuses, switch-boxes, junctions, special fixtures, circuits, insulation, extensions, tools, motors, grounding, national electric code compliance. Lighting – type, intensity, controls, conditions, diffusion, location, glare and shadow control. Heating and Ventilation – type, effectiveness, temperature, humidity, controls, natural and artificial ventilation and exhausting. Machinery – points of operation, flywheels, gears, shafts, pulleys, key ways, belts, couplings, sprockets, chains, frames, controls, lighting for tools and equipment, brakes, exhausting, feeding, oiling, adjusting, maintenance, lockout/tagout, grounding, work space, location, purchasing standards. Personnel – training, including hazard identification training; experience; methods of checking machines before use; type of clothing; PPE; use of guards; tool storage; work practices; methods for cleaning, oiling, or adjusting machinery. Hand and Power Tools – purchasing standards, inspection, storage, repair, types, maintenance, grounding, use and handling. Chemicals – storage, handling, transportation, spills, disposals, amounts used, labeling, toxicity or other harmful effects, warning signs, supervision, training, protective clothing and equipment, hazard communication requirements. Fire Prevention – extinguishers, alarms, sprinklers, smoking rules, exits, personnel assigned, separation of flammable materials and dangerous operations, explosion-proof fix- Occupational Safety and Health Administration 18 tures in hazardous locations, waste disposal and training of personnel. ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Maintenance – provide regular and preventive maintenance on all equipment used at the worksite, recording all work performed on the machinery and by training personnel on the proper care and servicing of the equipment. appropriate information concerning employee access to medical and exposure records and Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs) been posted or otherwise made readily available to affected employees? signs concerning exit routes, room capaci❏ Are ties, floor loading, biohazards, exposures to xray, microwave, or other harmful radiation or substances posted where appropriate? PPE – type, size, maintenance, repair, age, storage, assignment of responsibility, purchasing methods, standards observed, training in care and use, rules of use, method of assignment. the Summary of Work-Related Injuries and ❏ IsIllnesses (OSHA Form 300A) posted during the Transportation – motor vehicle safety, seat belts, vehicle maintenance, safe driver programs. RECORDKEEPING First-Aid Program/Supplies – medical care facilities locations, posted emergency phone numbers, accessible first-aid kits. Evacuation Plan – establish and practice procedures for an emergency evacuation, e.g., fire, chemical/biological incidents, bomb threat; include escape procedures and routes, critical plant operations, employee accounting following an evacuation, rescue and medical duties and ways to report emergencies. months of February, March and April? occupational injuries or illnesses, except ❏ Are minor injuries requiring only first aid, recorded as required on the OSHA 300 log? employee medical records and records of ❏ Are employee exposure to hazardous substances or harmful physical agents up-to-date and in compliance with current OSHA standards? employee training records kept and acces❏ Are sible for review by employees, as required by OSHA standards? arrangements been made to retain ❏ Have records for the time period required for each Self-Inspection Checklists These checklists are by no means all-inclusive. You should add to them or delete items that do not apply to your business; however, carefully consider each item and then make your decision. You should refer to OSHA standards for specific guidance that may apply to your work situation. (Note: These checklists are typical for general industry but not for construction or maritime industries.) EMPLOYER POSTING the required OSHA Job Safety and Health ❏ IsProtection Poster displayed in a prominent location where all employees are likely to see it? emergency telephone numbers posted ❏ Are where they can be readily found in case of emergency? employees may be exposed to toxic ❏ Where substances or harmful physical agents, has specific type of record? (Some records must be maintained for at least 40 years.) operating permits and records up-to-date ❏ Are for items such as elevators, air pressure tanks, liquefied petroleum gas tanks, etc.? SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM you have an active safety and health pro❏ Do gram in operation that includes general safety and health program elements as well as the management of hazards specific to your worksite? person clearly responsible for the safety ❏ Isandonehealth program? you have a safety committee or group ❏ Do made up of management and labor representatives that meets regularly and reports in writing on its activities? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 19 you have a working procedure to handle ❏ Do in-house employee complaints regarding safety and health? your employees advised of efforts and ❏ Are accomplishments of the safety and health program made to ensure they will have a workplace that is safe and healthful? you considered incentives for employees ❏ Have or workgroups who excel in reducing workplace injury/illnesses? employees have had an exposure incident ❏ Ifinvolving bloodborne pathogens, was an immediate post-exposure medical evaluation and follow-up provided? medical personnel readily available for ❏ Are advice and consultation on matters of employees’ health? ❏ Are emergency phone numbers posted? fully supplied first aid kits easily accessible ❏ Are to each work area, periodically inspected and replenished as needed? MEDICAL SERVICES AND FIRST AID ❏ Is there a hospital, clinic, or infirmary for medical care near your workplace or is at least one employee on each shift currently qualified to render first aid? all employees who are expected to ❏ Have respond to medical emergencies as part of their job responsibilities received first aid training; had hepatitis B vaccination made available to them; had appropriate training on procedures to protect them from bloodborne pathogens, including universal precautions; and have available and understand how to use appropriate PPE to protect against exposure to bloodborne diseases?* *Pursuant to an OSHA memorandum of July 1, 1992, employees who render first aid only as a collateral duty do not have to be offered pre-exposure hepatitis B vaccine only if the employer includes and implements the following requirements in his/her exposure control plan: (1) the employer must record all first aid incidents involving the presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials before the end of the work shift during which the first aid incident occurred; (2) the employer must comply with post-exposure evaluation, prophylaxis and follow-up requirements of the Bloodborne Pathogens standard with respect to “exposure incidents, ” as defined by the standard; (3) the employer must train designated first aid providers about the reporting procedure; (4) the employer must offer to initiate the hepatitis B vaccination series within 24 hours to all unvaccinated first aid providers who have rendered assistance in any situation involving the presence of blood or other potentially infectious materials. first aid kits and supplies been approved ❏ Have by a physician, indicating that they are adequate for a particular area or operation? an eye-wash station or sink available ❏ Isforthere quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body in areas where corrosive liquids or materials are handled? FIRE PROTECTION your local fire department familiar with your ❏ Isfacility, its location and specific hazards? have a fire alarm system, is it certified ❏ Ifasyou required and tested annually? have interior standpipes and valves, are ❏ Iftheyyouinspected regularly? have outside private fire hydrants, are ❏ Iftheyyouflushed at least once a year and on a routine preventive maintenance schedule? fire doors and shutters in good operating ❏ Are condition? fire doors and shutters unobstructed and ❏ Are protected against obstructions, including their counterweights? ❏ Are fire door and shutter fusible links in place? automatic sprinkler system water control ❏ Are valves, air and water pressure checked periodically as required? the maintenance of automatic sprinkler sys❏ Istems assigned to responsible persons or to a sprinkler contractor? sprinkler heads protected by metal guards ❏ Are if exposed to potential physical damage? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 20 proper clearance maintained below sprinkler ❏ Isheads? portable fire extinguishers provided in ❏ Are adequate number and type and mounted in readily accessible locations? fire extinguishers recharged regularly with ❏ Are this noted on the inspection tag? employees periodically instructed in the ❏ Are use of fire extinguishers and fire protection procedures? PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING ❏ Has the employer determined whether hazards that require the use of PPE (e.g., head, eye, face, hand, or foot protection) are present or are likely to be present? hazards or the likelihood of hazards are ❏ Iffound, are employers selecting appropriate and properly fitted PPE suitable for protection from these hazards and ensuring that affected employees use it? both the employer and the employees ❏ Have been trained on PPE procedures, i.e., what PPE is necessary for job tasks, when workers need it, and how to properly wear and adjust it? protective goggles or face shields provid❏ Are ed and worn where there is any danger of flying particles or corrosive materials? approved safety glasses required to be ❏ Are worn at all times in areas where there is a risk of eye injuries such as punctures, abrasions, contusions, or burns? employees who wear corrective lenses ❏ Are (glasses or contacts) in workplaces with harmful exposures required to wear only approved safety glasses, protective goggles, or use other medically approved precautionary procedures? protective gloves, aprons, shields, or other ❏ Are means provided and required where employees could be cut or where there is reasonably anticipated exposure to corrosive liquids, chemicals, blood, or other potentially infectious materials? See the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030(b), for the definition of “other potentially infectious materials. ” hard hats required, provided and worn ❏ Are where danger of falling objects exists? hard hats periodically inspected for dam❏ Are age to the shell and suspension system? appropriate foot protection required where ❏ Isthere is the risk of foot injuries from hot, corrosive, or poisonous substances, falling objects, crushing, or penetrating actions? approved respirators provided when need❏ Are ed? (See 29 CFR 1910.134 for detailed information on respirators or check OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov). PPE maintained in a sanitary condition ❏ Isandallready for use? food or beverages consumed only in areas ❏ Are where there is no exposure to toxic material, blood, or other potentially infectious materials? against the effects of occupation❏ Isal protection noise provided when sound levels exceed those of the OSHA Noise standard? adequate work procedures, PPE and other ❏ Are equipment provided and used when cleaning up spilled hazardous materials? appropriate procedures in place to dispose ❏ Are of or decontaminate PPE contaminated with, or reasonably anticipated to be contaminated with, blood or other potentially infectious materials? GENERAL WORK ENVIRONMENT ❏ Are all worksites clean, sanitary and orderly? work surfaces kept dry and appropriate ❏ Are means taken to assure the surfaces are slipresistant? all spilled hazardous materials or liquids, ❏ Are including blood and other potentially infectious materials, cleaned up immediately and according to proper procedures? combustible scrap, debris and waste ❏ Isstored safely and removed from the worksite promptly? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 21 all regulated waste, as defined in the OSHA ❏ IsBloodborne Pathogens standard (29 CFR 1910.1030), discarded according to Federal, state and local regulations? accumulations of combustible dust rou❏ Are tinely removed from elevated surfaces including the overhead structure of buildings, etc.? combustible dust cleaned up with a vacuum ❏ Issystem to prevent suspension of dust particles in the environment? metallic or conductive dust prevented from ❏ Isentering or accumulating on or around electrical enclosures or equipment? covered metal waste cans used for oily or ❏ Are paint-soaked waste? all oil and gas-fired devices equipped with ❏ Are flame failure controls to prevent flow of fuel if pilots or main burners are not working? paint spray booths, dip tanks, etc., cleaned ❏ Are regularly? the minimum number of toilets and wash❏ Are ing facilities provided and maintained in a clean and sanitary fashion? ❏ Are spilled materials cleaned up immediately? changes of direction or elevations readily ❏ Are identifiable? aisles or walkways that pass near moving ❏ Are or operating machinery, welding operations, or similar operations arranged so employees will not be subjected to potential hazards? adequate headroom provided for the entire ❏ Islength of any aisle or walkway? standard guardrails provided wherever ❏ Are aisle or walkway surfaces are elevated more than 30 inches (76.20 centimeters) above any adjacent floor or the ground? bridges provided over conveyors and sim❏ Are ilar hazards? FLOOR AND WALL OPENINGS floor openings guarded by a cover, a ❏ Are guardrail, or equivalent on all sides (except at stairways or ladder entrances)? toeboards installed around the edges of ❏ Are permanent floor openings where persons may pass below the opening? ❏ Are all work areas adequately illuminated? pits and floor openings covered or other❏ Are wise guarded? all confined spaces been evaluated for ❏ Have compliance with 29 CFR 1910.146? (Permitrequired confined spaces.) skylight screens able to withstand a load ❏ Are of at least 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms)? glass in windows, doors, glass walls, ❏ Isetc.,thesubject to possible human impact, of sufficient thickness and type for the condition of use? grates or similar type covers over floor ❏ Are openings such as floor drains designed to WALKWAYS aisles and passageways kept clear and ❏ Are marked as appropriate? wet surfaces covered with non-slip mate❏ Are rials? holes in the floor, sidewalk, or other walk❏ Are ing surface repaired properly, covered, or otherwise made safe? ❏ Is there safe clearance for walking in aisles where motorized or mechanical handling equipment is operating? ❏ Are materials or equipment stored in such a way that sharp projections will not interfere with the walkway? allow unimpeded foot traffic or rolling equipment? unused portions of service pits and pits ❏ Are not in use either covered or protected by guardrails or equivalent? manhole covers, trench covers and similar ❏ Are covers, and their supports designed to carry a truck rear axle load of at least 20,000 pounds (9,072 kilograms) when located in roadways and subject to vehicle traffic? floor or wall openings in fire-resistant con❏ Are struction provided with doors or covers compatible with the fire rating of the structure and Occupational Safety and Health Administration 22 provided with a self-closing feature when appropriate? STAIRS AND STAIRWAYS standard stair rails or handrails on all stair❏ Do ways have at least four risers? all stairways at least 22 inches (55.88 cen❏ Are timeters) wide? stairs have landing platforms not less than ❏ Do 30 inches (76.20 centimeters) in the direction of travel and extend 22 inches (55.88 centimeters) in width at every 12 feet (3.6576 meters) or less of vertical rise? stairs angle no more than 50 and no less ❏ Do than 30 degrees? stairs of hollow-pan type treads and land❏ Are ings filled to the top edge of the pan with solid material? step risers on stairs uniform from top to ❏ Are bottom? ❏ Are steps slip-resistant? stairway handrails located between 30 ❏ Are inches (76.20 centimeters) and 34 inches (86.36 centimeters) above the leading edge of stair treads? ❏ Do stairway handrails have at least 3 inches (7.62 centimeters) of clearance between the handrails and the wall or surface they are mounted on? doors or gates open directly on a stair❏ Where way, is a platform provided so the swing of the door does not reduce the width of the platform to less than 21 inches (53.34 centimeters)? stairway handrails capable of withstanding ❏ Are a load of 200 pounds (90.7 kilograms), applied within 2 inches (5.08 centimeters) of the top edge in any downward or outward direction? stairs or stairways exit directly into any ❏ Where area where vehicles may be operated, are adequate barriers and warnings provided to prevent employees from stepping into the path of traffic? stairway landings have a dimension meas❏ Do ured in the direction of travel at least equal to the width of the stairway? vertical distance between stairway land❏ Isingsthelimited to 12 feet (3.6576 meters) or less? ELEVATED SURFACES signs posted, when appropriate, showing ❏ Are the elevated surface load capacity? surfaces that are elevated more than 30 ❏ Are inches (76.20 centimeters) provided with standard guardrails? all elevated surfaces beneath which peo❏ Are ple or machinery could be exposed to falling objects provided with standard 4-inch (10.16centimeter) toeboards? a permanent means of access and egress ❏ Isprovided to elevated storage and work surfaces? required headroom provided where neces❏ Issary? on elevated surfaces piled, stacked, ❏ Isormaterial racked in a manner to prevent it from tipping, falling, collapsing, rolling, or spreading? dock boards or bridge plates used when ❏ Are transferring materials between docks and trucks or railcars? EXITING OR EGRESS - EVACUATION all exits marked with an exit sign and illu❏ Are minated by a reliable light source? the directions to exits, when not immedi❏ Are ately apparent, marked with visible signs? doors, passageways or stairways that are ❏ Are neither exits nor access to exits, but could be mistaken for exits, appropriately marked “NOT AN EXIT, ” “TO BASEMENT, ” “STOREROOM, ” etc.? exit signs labeled with the word “EXIT” in ❏ Are lettering at least 5 inches (12.70 centimeters) high and the stroke of the lettering at least l/2inch (1.2700 centimeters) wide? ❏ Are exit doors side-hinged? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 23 ❏ Are all exits kept free of obstructions? at least two means of egress provided ❏ Are from elevated platforms, pits, or rooms where the absence of a second exit would increase the risk of injury from hot, poisonous, corrosive, suffocating, flammable, or explosive substances? there sufficient exits to permit prompt ❏ Are escape in case of emergency? special precautions taken to protect ❏ Are employees during construction and repair operations? ❏ Is the number of exits from each floor of a building and the number of exits from the building itself appropriate for the building occupancy load? exit stairways that are required to be sepa❏ Are rated from other parts of a building enclosed by at least 2-hour fire-resistive construction in buildings more than four stories in height, and not less than 1-hour fire-resistive construction elsewhere? ramps are used as part of required exit❏ Where ing from a building, is the ramp slope limited to 1 foot (0.3048 meter) vertical and 12 feet (3.6576 meters) horizontal? exiting will be through frameless glass ❏ Where doors, glass exit doors, storm doors, etc., are the doors fully tempered and meet the safety requirements for human impact? EXIT DOORS doors that are required to serve as exits ❏ Are designed and constructed so that the path of exit travel is obvious and direct? ❏ panic hardware is installed on a ❏ Where required exit door, will it allow the door to open by applying a force of 15 pounds (6.80 kilograms) or less in the direction of the exit traffic? doors on cold storage rooms provided ❏ Are with an inside release mechanism that will release the latch and open the door even if the door is padlocked or otherwise locked on the outside? exit doors open directly onto any ❏ Where street, alley, or other area where vehicles may be operated, are adequate barriers and warnings provided to prevent employees from stepping into the path of traffic? doors that swing in both directions and ❏ Are are located between rooms where there is frequent traffic provided with viewing panels in each door? PORTABLE LADDERS all ladders maintained in good condition, ❏ Are joints between steps and side rails tight, all hardware and fittings securely attached, and moveable parts operating freely without binding or undue play? non-slip safety feet provided on each metal ❏ Are or rung ladder, and are ladder rungs and steps free of grease and oil? employees prohibited from placing a lad❏ Are der in front of doors opening toward the ladder unless the door is blocked open, locked, or guarded? employees prohibited from placing lad❏ Are ders on boxes, barrels, or other unstable bases to obtain additional height? Are windows that could be mistaken for exit doors made inaccessible by means of barriers or railings? exit doors able to be opened from the ❏ Are direction of exit travel without the use of a key or any special knowledge or effort when the building is occupied? a revolving, sliding, or overhead door pro❏ Ishibited from serving as a required exit door? employees required to face the ladder ❏ Are when ascending or descending? employees prohibited from using ladders ❏ Are that are broken, have missing steps, rungs, or cleats, broken side rails, or other faulty equipment? employees instructed not to use the top ❏ Are step of ordinary stepladders as a step? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 24 portable rung ladders are used to gain ❏ When access to elevated platforms, roofs, etc., does the ladder always extend at least 3 feet (0.9144 meters) above the elevated surface? ❏ Are employees required to secure the base of a portable rung or cleat type ladder to prevent slipping, or otherwise lash or hold it in place? portable metal ladders legibly marked with ❏ Are signs reading “CAUTION - Do Not Use Around Electrical Equipment” or equivalent wording? employees prohibited from using ladders ❏ Are as guys, braces, skids, gin poles, or for other than their intended purposes? employees instructed to only adjust exten❏ Are sion ladders while standing at a base (not while standing on the ladder or from a position above the ladder)? ❏ Are metal ladders inspected for damage? the rungs of ladders uniformly spaced at ❏ Are 12 inches (30.48 centimeters) center to center? HAND TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT all tools and equipment (both company ❏ Are and employee-owned) used at the workplace in good condition? ❏ tool cutting edges kept sharp so the tool ❏ Are will move smoothly without binding or skipping? tools stored in a dry, secure location ❏ Are where they cannot be tampered with? eye and face protection used when driving ❏ Ishardened or tempered studs or nails? PORTABLE (POWER OPERATED) TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT grinders, saws and similar equipment pro❏ Are vided with appropriate safety guards? power tools used with proper shields, ❏ Are guards, or attachments, as recommended by the manufacturer? portable circular saws equipped with ❏ Are guards above and below the base shoe? circular saw guards checked to ensure that ❏ Are they are not wedged up, leaving the lower portion of the blade unguarded? rotating or moving parts of equipment ❏ Are guarded to prevent physical contact? all cord-connected, electrically operated ❏ Are tools and equipment effectively grounded or of the approved double insulated type? Are hand tools, such as chisels, punches, etc., which develop mushroomed heads during use, reconditioned or replaced as necessary? ❏ ❏ Are worn or bent wrenches replaced? appropriate handles used on files and sim❏ Are ilar tools? employees aware of hazards caused by ❏ Are faulty or improperly used hand tools? appropriate safety glasses, face shields, ❏ Are etc., used while using hand tools or equipment Are broken or fractured handles on hammers, axes and similar equipment replaced promptly? that might produce flying materials or be subject to breakage? jacks checked periodically to ensure they ❏ Are are in good operating condition? tool handles wedged tightly into the heads ❏ Are of all tools? effective guards in place over belts, pul❏ Are leys, chains and sprockets on equipment such as concrete mixers, air compressors, etc.? portable fans provided with full guards or ❏ Are screens having openings 1/2 inch (1.2700 centimeters) or less? hoisting equipment available and used for ❏ Islifting heavy objects, and are hoist ratings and characteristics appropriate for the task? ground-fault circuit interrupters provided ❏ Are on all temporary electrical 15 and 20 ampere circuits used during periods of construction? pneumatic and hydraulic hoses on power❏ Are operated tools checked regularly for deterioration or damage? ABRASIVE WHEEL EQUIPMENT GRINDERS rest used and kept adjusted to within ❏ Is1/8theinchwork(0.3175 centimeter) of the wheel? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 25 the adjustable tongue on the top side of the ❏ Isgrinder used and kept adjusted to within 1/4 inch (0.6350 centimeters) of the wheel? side guards cover the spindle, nut and ❏ Do flange and 75 percent of the wheel diameter? bench and pedestal grinders permanently ❏ Are mounted? goggles or face shields always worn when ❏ Are grinding? the maximum revolutions per minute (rpm) ❏ Israting of each abrasive wheel compatible with powder-actuated tools inspected for ob❏ Are structions or defects each day before use? powder-actuated tool operators have and ❏ Do use appropriate PPE such as hard hats, safety goggles, safety shoes and ear protectors? MACHINE GUARDING a training program to instruct employ❏ Iseesthere on safe methods of machine operation? there adequate supervision to ensure that ❏ Isemployees are following safe machine operating procedures? the rpm rating of the grinder motor? fixed or permanently mounted grinders ❏ Are connected to their electrical supply system with metallic conduit or other permanent wiring method? each grinder have an individual on and ❏ Does off control switch? each electrically operated grinder effectively ❏ Isgrounded? new abrasive wheels visually inspected ❏ Are and ring tested before they are mounted? dust collectors and powered exhausts pro❏ Are vided on grinders used in operations that produce large amounts of dust? splash guards mounted on grinders that ❏ Are use coolant to prevent the coolant from reaching employees? ❏ Is cleanliness maintained around grinders? POWDER-ACTUATED TOOLS employees who operate powder-actuated ❏ Are tools trained in their use and required to carry a valid operator’s card? each powder-actuated tool stored in its own ❏ Islocked container when not being used? at least 7 inches (17.78 centimeters) ❏ Isbya10signinches (25.40 centimeters) with bold face type reading “POWDER-ACTUATED TOOL IN USE” conspicuously posted when the tool is being used? powder-actuated tools left unloaded until ❏ Are they are ready to be used? a regular program of safety inspection ❏ Isof there machinery and equipment? all machinery and equipment kept clean and ❏ Isproperly maintained? sufficient clearance provided around and ❏ Isbetween machines to allow for safe operations, set up and servicing, material handling and waste removal? and machinery securely placed ❏ Isandequipment anchored to prevent tipping or other movement that could result in personal injury? a power shut-off switch within reach ❏ Isof there the operator’s position at each machine? electric power to each machine be locked ❏ Can out for maintenance, repair, or security? the noncurrent-carrying metal parts of ❏ Are electrically operated machines bonded and grounded? foot-operated switches guarded or ar❏ Are ranged to prevent accidental actuation by personnel or falling objects? manually operated valves and switches ❏ Are controlling the operation of equipment and machines clearly identified and readily accessible? ❏ Are all emergency stop buttons colored red? all pulleys and belts within 7 feet (2.1336 ❏ Are meters) of the floor or working level properly guarded? all moving chains and gears properly ❏ Are guarded? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 26 splash guards mounted on machines that ❏ Are use coolant to prevent the coolant from reaching employees? methods provided to protect the operator ❏ Are and other employees in the machine area from hazards created at the point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks? machine guards secure and arranged so ❏ Are they do not cause a hazard while in use? special hand tools are used for placing and ❏ Ifremoving material, do they protect the operator’s hands? revolving drums, barrels and containers ❏ Are guarded by an enclosure that is interlocked with the drive mechanism so that revolution cannot occur unless the guard enclosure is in place? arbors and mandrels have firm and secure ❏ Do bearings, and are they free from play? provisions made to prevent machines ❏ Are from automatically starting when power is restored after a power failure or shutdown? ❏ ❏ Are machines constructed so as to be free from excessive vibration when the largest size tool is mounted and run at full speed? If machinery is cleaned with compressed air, is air pressure controlled and PPE or other safeguards utilized to protect operators and other workers from eye and body injury? fan blades protected with a guard having ❏ Are openings no larger than l/2 inch (1.2700 centimeters) when operating within 7 feet (2.1336 meters) of the floor? saws used for ripping equipped with anti❏ Are kickback devices and spreaders? radial arm saws so arranged that the cut❏ Are ting head will gently return to the back of the table when released? LOCKOUT/TAGOUT PROCEDURES all machinery or equipment capable of move❏ Isment required to be de-energized or disengaged disconnect for equipment does ❏ Ifnotthealsopower disconnect the electrical control circuit, are the appropriate electrical enclosures identified and is a means provided to ensure that the control circuit can also be disconnected and locked out? the locking out of control circuits instead of ❏ Islocking out main power disconnects prohibited? all equipment control valve handles pro❏ Are vided with a means for locking out? the lockout procedure require that stored ❏ Does energy (mechanical, hydraulic, air, etc.) be released or blocked before equipment is locked out for repairs? appropriate employees provided with indi❏ Are vidually keyed personal safety locks? employees required to keep personal con❏ Are trol of their key(s) while they have safety locks in use? that only the employee exposed ❏ Isto ittherequired hazard can place or remove the safety lock? that employees check the safety ❏ Isof ittherequired lockout by attempting a startup after making sure no one is exposed? employees instructed to always push the ❏ Are control circuit stop button prior to re-energizing the main power switch? there a means provided to identify any or all ❏ Isemployees who are working on locked-out equipment by their locks or accompanying tags? a sufficient number of accident prevention ❏ Are signs or tags and safety padlocks provided for any reasonably foreseeable repair emergency? machine operations, configuration, or ❏ When size require an operator to leave the control station and part of the machine could move if accidentally activated, is the part required to be separately locked out or blocked? equipment or lines cannot be shut down, ❏ Iflocked out and tagged, is a safe job procedure established and rigidly followed? and blocked or locked out during cleaning, servicing, adjusting, or setting up operations? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 27 WELDING, CUTTING AND BRAZING ❏ Are only authorized and trained personnel permitted to use welding, cutting, or brazing equipment? ❏ compressed gas cylinders regularly exam❏ Are ined for obvious signs of defects, deep rusting, Does each operator have a copy of and follow the appropriate operating instructions? black for inert gas and air hoses? pressure-reducing regulators used only for ❏ Are the gas and pressures for which they are intended? circuit (no-load) voltage of arc welding ❏ Isandopen cutting machines as low as possible and not in excess of the recommended limits? or leakage? care used in handling and storage of cylin❏ Isders, safety valves, relief valves, etc., to prevent damage? precautions taken to prevent the mixture ❏ Are of air or oxygen with flammable gases, except at a burner or in a standard torch? ❏ red used to identify the acetylene (and other ❏ Isfuel-gas) hose, green for the oxygen hose and Are only approved apparatuses (torches, regulators, pressure reducing valves, acetylene generators, manifolds) used? cylinders kept away from sources of heat ❏ Are and elevators, stairs, or gangways? it prohibited to use cylinders as rollers or ❏ Issupports? empty cylinders appropriately marked and ❏ Are their valves closed? signs posted reading “DANGER, NO ❏ Are SMOKING, MATCHES, OR OPEN LIGHTS, ” or the equivalent? wet conditions, are automatic controls ❏ Under for reducing no-load voltage used? grounding of the machine frame and safety ❏ Isground connections of portable machines checked periodically? electrodes removed from the holders ❏ Are when not in use? required that electric power to the welder ❏ Isbeitshut off when no one is in attendance? fire extinguishing equipment avail❏ Isablesuitable for immediate use? the welder forbidden to coil or loop welding ❏ Iselectrode cable around his body? wet machines thoroughly dried and tested ❏ Are before use? work and electrode lead cables frequently ❏ Are inspected for wear and damage, and replaced when needed? cylinders, cylinder valves, couplings, regu❏ Are lators, hoses and apparatuses kept free of oily or greasy substances? ❏ Is care taken not to drop or strike cylinders? regulators removed and valve-protection ❏ Are caps put in place before moving cylinders, unless they are secured on special trucks? cylinders without fixed wheels have keys, ❏ Do handles, or non-adjustable wrenches on stem valves when in service? liquefied gases stored and shipped valve❏ Are end up with valve covers in place? employees trained never to crack a fuel ❏ Are gas cylinder valve near sources of ignition? a regulator is removed, is the valve ❏ Before closed and gas released? ❏ Are cable connectors adequately insulated? the object to be welded cannot be ❏ When moved and fire hazards cannot be removed, are shields used to confine heat, sparks and slag? fire watchers assigned when welding or ❏ Are cutting is performed in locations where a serious fire might develop? combustible floors kept wet, covered with ❏ Are damp sand, or protected by fire-resistant shields? personnel protected from possible electri❏ Are cal shock when floors are wet? precautions taken to protect combustibles ❏ Are on the other side of metal walls when welding is underway? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 28 used drums, barrels, tanks and other con❏ Are tainers thoroughly cleaned of substances that could explode, ignite, or produce toxic vapors before hot work begins? ❏ employees exposed to the hazards created ❏ Are by welding, cutting, or brazing operations proDo eye protection, helmets, hand shields and goggles meet appropriate standards? tected with PPE and clothing? made for adequate ventilation in ❏ Isanda check where welding or cutting is performed? working in confined places, are environ❏ When mental monitoring tests done and means provided for quick removal of welders in case of an emergency? using compressed air for cleaning, do ❏ When employees wear protective chip guarding and PPE? safety chains or other suitable locking ❏ Are devices used at couplings of high-pressure hose lines where a connection failure would create a hazard? compressed air is used to empty con❏ Before tainers of liquid, is the safe working pressure of the container checked? compressed air is used with abrasive ❏ When blast cleaning equipment, is the operating valve a type that must be held open manually? compressed air is used to inflate auto ❏ When tires, are a clip-on chuck and an inline regulator preset to 40 psi required? COMPRESSORS AND COMPRESSED AIR compressors equipped with pressure relief ❏ Are valves and pressure gauges? compressor air intakes installed and ❏ Are equipped so as to ensure that only clean, uncontaminated air enters the compressor? air filters installed on the compressor ❏ Are intake? compressors operated and lubricated in ❏ Are accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations? safety devices on compressed air systems ❏ Are checked frequently? a compressor’s pressure system is re❏ Before paired, is the pressure bled off and the system locked out? signs posted to warn of the automatic ❏ Are starting feature of the compressors? belt drive system totally enclosed to pro❏ Isvidetheprotection for the front, back, top and sides? employees strictly prohibited from direct❏ Are ing compressed air towards a person? employees prohibited from using highly ❏ Are compressed air for cleaning purposes? compressed air is used to clean clothing, ❏ When are employees trained to reduce the pressure to employees prohibited from using com❏ Are pressed air to clean up or move combustible dust if such action could cause the dust to be suspended in the air and cause a fire or explosion hazard? COMPRESSORS/AIR RECEIVERS every receiver equipped with a pressure ❏ Isgauge and one or more automatic, springloaded safety valves? the total relieving capacity of the safety ❏ Isvalve able to prevent pressure in the receiver from exceeding the maximum allowable working pressure of the receiver by more than 10 percent? air receiver provided with a drain pipe ❏ Isandevery valve at the lowest point for the removal of accumulated oil and water? compressed air receivers periodically ❏ Are drained of moisture and oil? all safety valves tested at regular intervals ❏ Are to determine whether they are in good operating condition? ❏ Is there a current operating permit? inlet of air receivers and piping systems ❏ Iskeptthefree of accumulated oil and carbonaceous materials? less than 10 pounds per square inch (psi)? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 29 COMPRESSED GAS CYLINDERS ❏ Are cylinders with a water weight capacity over 30 pounds (13.6 kilograms) equipped with a means to connect a valve protector device, or with a collar or recess to protect the valve? cylinders legibly marked to clearly identify ❏ Are the type of gas? compressed gas cylinders stored in areas ❏ Are protected from external heat sources such as flame impingement, intense radiant heat, electric arcs, or high-temperature lines? cylinders located or stored in areas where ❏ Are they will not be damaged by passing or falling objects or subject to tampering by unauthorized persons? cylinders stored or transported in a man❏ Are ner to prevent them from creating a hazard by tipping, falling, or rolling? cylinders containing liquefied fuel gas ❏ Are stored or transported in a position so that the safety relief device is always in direct contact with the vapor space in the cylinder? valve protectors always placed on cylin❏ Are ders when the cylinders are not in use or connected for use? all valves closed off before a cylinder is ❏ Are moved, when the cylinder is empty and at the rated load of each hoist legibly marked ❏ Isandthevisible to the operator? stops provided at the safe limits of travel ❏ Are for trolley hoists? the controls of hoists plainly marked to ❏ Are indicate the direction of travel or motion? each cage-controlled hoist equipped with an ❏ Iseffective warning device? close-fitting guards or other suitable de❏ Are vices installed on each hoist to ensure that hoist ropes will be maintained in the sheave grooves? all hoist chains or ropes long enough to ❏ Are handle the full range of movement of the application while maintaining two full wraps around the drum at all times? guards provided for nip points or contact ❏ Are points between hoist ropes and sheaves permanently located within 7 feet (2.1336 meters) of the floor, ground, or working platform? employees prohibited from using chains or ❏ Are rope slings that are kinked or twisted and prohibited from using the hoist rope or chain wrapped around the load as a substitute for a sling? the operator instructed to avoid carrying ❏ Isloads above people? INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS - FORKLIFTS completion of each job? low-pressure fuel gas cylinders checked ❏ Are periodically for corrosion, general distortion, cracks, or any other defect that might indicate a weakness or render them unfit for service? the periodic check of low-pressure fuel ❏ Does gas cylinders include a close inspection of the cylinders’ bottoms? HOIST AND AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT overhead electric hoist equipped with a ❏ Islimiteachdevice to stop the hook at its highest and lowest point of safe travel? each hoist automatically stop and hold ❏ Will any load up to 125 percent of its rated load if its actuating force is removed? employees properly trained in the use of ❏ Are the type of industrial truck they operate? only trained personnel allowed to operate ❏ Are industrial trucks? substantial overhead protective equipment ❏ Isprovided on high lift rider equipment? the required lift truck operating rules post❏ Are ed and enforced? lighting provided on each indus❏ Istrialdirectional truck that operates in an area with less than 2 footcandles per square foot of general lighting? each industrial truck have a warning ❏ Does horn, whistle, gong, or other device that can be clearly heard above normal noise in the areas where it is operated? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 30 the brakes on each industrial truck capable ❏ Are of bringing the vehicle to a complete and safe stop when fully loaded? the parking brake of the industrial truck ❏ Does prevent the vehicle from moving when unattended? industrial trucks that operate where flam❏ Are mable gases, vapors, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers may be present approved for such locations? ❏ Are motorized hand and hand/rider trucks designed so that the brakes are applied and power to the drive motor shuts off when the operator releases his or her grip on the device that controls the truck’s travel? industrial trucks with internal combustion ❏ Are engines that are operated in buildings or enclosed areas carefully checked to ensure that such operations do not cause harmful concentrations of dangerous gases or fumes? safe distances maintained from the edges ❏ Are of elevated ramps and platforms? employees prohibited from standing or ❏ Are passing under elevated portions of trucks, whether loaded or empty? unauthorized employees prohibited from ❏ Are riding on trucks? operators prohibited from driving up to ❏ Are anyone standing in front of a fixed object? arms and legs kept inside the running ❏ Are lines of the truck? loads handled only within the rated capac❏ Are ity of the truck? trucks in need of repair removed from ❏ Are service immediately? SPRAYING OPERATIONS ventilation provided before spray❏ Isingadequate operations are started? ventilation provided when spray❏ Isingmechanical operations are performed in enclosed areas? mechanical ventilation is provided dur❏ When ing spraying operations, is it so arranged that it will not circulate the contaminated air? area free of hot surfaces and at ❏ Isleastthe20spray feet (6.096 meters) from flames, sparks, operating electrical motors and other ignition sources? portable lamps used to illuminate spray ❏ Are areas suitable for use in a hazardous location? respiratory equipment provided ❏ Isandapproved used when appropriate during spraying operations? solvents used for cleaning have a flash ❏ Do point to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (deg. F) or more? ❏ Are fire control sprinkler heads kept clean? “NO SMOKING” signs posted in spray ❏ Are areas, paint rooms, paint booths and paint storage areas? the spray area kept clean of combustible ❏ Isresidue? spray booths constructed of metal, ❏ Are masonry, or other substantial noncombustible material? spray booth floors and baffles noncom❏ Are bustible and easily cleaned? infrared drying apparatus kept out of the ❏ Isspray area during spraying operations and is the spray booth completely ventilated before using the drying apparatus? the electric drying apparatus properly ❏ Isgrounded? lighting fixtures for spray booths located ❏ Are outside the booth with the interior lighted through sealed clear panels? the electric motors for exhaust fans placed ❏ Are outside booths or ducts? belts and pulleys inside the booth fully ❏ Are enclosed? ❏ Do ducts have access doors to allow cleaning? ❏ Do all drying spaces have adequate ventilation? ENTERING CONFINED SPACES confined spaces thoroughly emptied of ❏ Are any corrosive or hazardous substances, such as acids or caustics, before entry? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 31 valved off and blanked or disconnected and separated before entry? equipment such as salamanders, torches, furnaces, etc., in a confined space, is sufficient air provided to assure combustion without reducing the oxygen concentration of the atmosphere below 19.5 percent by volume? all impellers, agitators, or other moving ❏ Are parts and equipment inside confined spaces combustion-type equipment is used ❏ Whenever in a confined space, are provisions made to all lines to a confined space that contain ❏ Are inert, toxic, flammable, or corrosive materials locked out if they present a hazard? either natural or mechanical ventilation pro❏ Isvided prior to confined space entry? appropriate atmospheric tests performed ❏ Are to check for oxygen deficiency, toxic substances and explosive concentrations in the confined space before entry? illumination provided for the work ❏ Isto adequate be performed in the confined space? the atmosphere inside the confined space ❏ Isfrequently tested or continuously monitored during work? ensure the exhaust gases are vented outside of the enclosure? each confined space checked for decaying ❏ Isvegetation or animal matter which may produce methane? the confined space checked for possible ❏ Isindustrial waste which could contain toxic properties? the confined space is below ground and near ❏ Ifareas where motor vehicles will be operating, is it possible for vehicle exhaust or carbon monoxide to enter the space? there a trained and equipped standby ❏ Isemployee positioned outside the confined space, whose sole responsibility is to watch the work in progress, sound an alarm if necessary and render assistance? standby employee appropriately trained ❏ Isandtheequipped to handle an emergency? employees prohibited from entering the ❏ Are confined space without lifelines and respiratory equipment if there is any question as to the cause of an emergency? respiratory equipment required if ❏ Istheapproved atmosphere inside the confined space cannot be made acceptable? ❏ Is all portable electrical equipment used inside confined spaces either grounded and insulated or equipped with ground fault protection? compressed gas bottles forbidden inside ❏ Are the confined space? gas welding or burning is started in a ❏ Before confined space, are hoses checked for leaks, torches lighted only outside the confined area and the confined area tested for an explosive atmosphere each time before a lighted torch is taken into the confined space? ❏ If employees will be using oxygen-consuming ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROLS ❏ Are all work areas properly illuminated? employees instructed in proper first aid ❏ Are and other emergency procedures? hazardous substances, blood and other ❏ Are potentially infectious materials, which may cause harm by inhalation, ingestion, or skin absorption or contact, identified? employees aware of the hazards involved ❏ Are with the various chemicals they may be exposed to in their work environment, such as ammonia, chlorine, epoxies, caustics, etc.? employee exposure to chemicals in the ❏ Isworkplace kept within acceptable levels? a less harmful method or product be ❏ Can used? area ventilation system appropriate ❏ Isforthethework work performed? spray painting operations performed in ❏ Are spray rooms or booths equipped with an appropriate exhaust system? employee exposure to welding fumes con❏ Istrolled by ventilation, use of respirators, exposure time limits, or other means? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 32 welders and other nearby workers provid❏ Are ed with flash shields during welding opera- employees’ physical capacities assessed ❏ Are before they are assigned to jobs requiring heavy work? tions? and other vehicles are used in build❏ Ifingsforklifts or other enclosed areas, are the carbon monoxide levels kept below maximum acceptable concentration? there been a determination that noise lev❏ Has els in the facilities are within acceptable levels? steps being taken to use engineering con❏ Are trols to reduce excessive noise levels? proper precautions being taken when han❏ Are dling asbestos and other fibrous materials? caution labels and signs used to warn of ❏ Are hazardous substances (e.g., asbestos) and biohazards (e.g., bloodborne pathogens)? wet methods used, when practicable, to ❏ Are prevent the emission of airborne asbestos fibers, silica dust and similar hazardous materials? engineering controls examined and main❏ Are tained or replaced on a scheduled basis? vacuuming with appropriate equipment ❏ Isused whenever possible rather than blowing or sweeping dust? grinders, saws and other machines that ❏ Are produce respirable dusts vented to an industrial collector or central exhaust system? all local exhaust ventilation systems de❏ Are signed to provide sufficient air flow and volume for the application, and are ducts not plugged and belts not slipping? provided, used and maintained wherev❏ Iser PPE required? there written standard operating proce❏ Are dures for the selection and use of respirators where needed? ❏ all water provided for drinking, washing and ❏ Iscooking potable? all outlets for water that is not suitable for ❏ Are drinking clearly identified? Are restrooms and washrooms kept clean and sanitary? employees instructed in the proper man❏ Are ner for lifting heavy objects? heat is a problem, have all fixed work ❏ Where areas been provided with spot cooling or air conditioning? employees screened before assignment to ❏ Are areas of high heat to determine if their health might make them more susceptible to having an adverse reaction? employees working on streets and road❏ Are ways who are exposed to the hazards of traffic required to wear bright colored (traffic orange) warning vests? exhaust stacks and air intakes located so ❏ Are that nearby contaminated air will not be recirculated within a building or other enclosed area? equipment producing ultraviolet radiation ❏ Isproperly shielded? universal precautions observed where ❏ Are occupational exposure to blood or other potentially infectious materials can occur and in all instances where differentiation of types of body fluids or potentially infectious materials is difficult or impossible? FLAMMABLE AND COMBUSTIBLE MATERIALS combustible scrap, debris and waste ❏ Are materials (oily rags, etc.) stored in covered metal receptacles and promptly removed from the worksite? storage practiced to minimize the risk ❏ Isof proper fire, including spontaneous combustion? approved containers and tanks used to ❏ Are store and handle flammable and combustible liquids? all connections on drums and combustible ❏ Are liquid piping, vapor and liquid tight? all flammable liquids kept in closed con❏ Are tainers when not in use (e.g., parts cleaning tanks, pans, etc.)? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 33 bulk drums of flammable liquids grounded ❏ Are and bonded to containers during dispensing? storage rooms for flammable and com❏ Do bustible liquids have explosion-proof lights and mechanical or gravity ventilation? petroleum gas stored, handled ❏ Isandliquefied used in accordance with safe practices and standards? “NO SMOKING” signs posted on liquefied ❏ Are petroleum gas tanks and in areas where flammable or combustible materials are used or stored? liquefied petroleum storage tanks guarded ❏ Are to prevent damage from vehicles? all solvent wastes and flammable liquids ❏ Are kept in fire-resistant, covered containers until they are removed from the worksite? used whenever possible rather ❏ Isthanvacuuming blowing or sweeping combustible dust? firm separators placed between containers ❏ Are of combustibles or flammables that are stacked one upon another to ensure their support and stability? fuel gas cylinders and oxygen cylinders ❏ Are separated by distance and fire-resistant barriers while in storage? fire extinguishers selected and provided ❏ Are for the types of materials in the areas where they are to be used? Class A - Ordinary combustible material fires. Class B - Flammable liquid, gas or grease fires. Class C - Energized-electrical equipment fires. ❏ Are appropriate fire extinguishers mounted within 75 feet (22.86 meters) of outside areas containing flammable liquids and within 10 feet (3.048 meters) of any inside storage area for such materials? extinguishers free from obstructions or ❏ Are blockage? all extinguishers serviced, maintained and ❏ Are tagged at intervals not to exceed one year? all extinguishers fully charged and in their ❏ Are designated places? sprinkler systems are permanently ❏ Where installed, are the nozzle heads so directed or arranged that water will not be sprayed into operating electrical switchboards and equipment? safety cans used for dispensing flammable ❏ Are or combustible liquids at the point of use? all spills of flammable or combustible liq❏ Are uids cleaned up promptly? storage tanks adequately vented to pre❏ Are vent the development of excessive vacuum or pressure as a result of filling, emptying, or atmosphere temperature changes? storage tanks equipped with emergency ❏ Are venting that will relieve excessive internal pressure caused by fire exposure? rules enforced in areas involving storage ❏ Are and use of hazardous materials? HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL EXPOSURE employees aware of the potential hazards ❏ Are and trained in safe handling practices for situations involving various chemicals stored or used in the workplace such as acids, bases, caustics, epoxies, phenols, etc.? employee exposure to chemicals kept within ❏ Isacceptable levels? eye-wash fountains and safety showers ❏ Are provided in areas where corrosive chemicals are handled? all containers, such as vats, storage tanks, ❏ Are etc., labeled as to their contents, e.g., “CAUSTICS”? all employees required to use personal ❏ Are protective clothing and equipment when handling chemicals (gloves, eye protection, respirators, etc.)? flammable or toxic chemicals kept in ❏ Are closed containers when not in use? chemical piping systems clearly marked as ❏ Are to their content? corrosive liquids are frequently handled ❏ Where in open containers or drawn from storage vessels or pipelines, are adequate means readily Occupational Safety and Health Administration 34 available for neutralizing or disposing of spills or overflows and performed properly and safely? standard operating procedures established ❏ Are and are they being followed when cleaning up chemical spills? ❏ Are respirators stored in a convenient, clean and sanitary location, and are they adequate for emergencies? ❏ PPE used and maintained whenever neces❏ Issary? there written standard operating proce❏ Are dures for the selection and use of respirators Are employees prohibited from eating in areas where hazardous chemicals are present? where needed? a respirator protection program, ❏ Ifareyouyourhaveemployees instructed on the correct usage and limitations of the respirators? Are the respirators National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)approved for this particular application? Are they regularly inspected, cleaned, sanitized and maintained? hazardous substances are used in your pro❏ Ifcesses, do you have a medical or biological employees complain about dizziness, ❏ Do headaches, nausea, irritation, or other factors of discomfort when they use solvents or other chemicals? there a dermatitis problem? Do employees ❏ Iscomplain about dryness, irritation, or sensitization of the skin? you considered having an industrial ❏ Have hygienist or environmental health specialist evaluate your operation? combustion engines are used, is car❏ Ifboninternal monoxide kept within acceptable levels? vacuuming used rather than blowing or ❏ Issweeping dust whenever possible for cleanup? materials that give off toxic, asphyxiant, ❏ Are suffocating, or anesthetic fumes stored in remote or isolated locations when not in use? HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES COMMUNICATION a list of hazardous substances used in ❏ Isyourthereworkplace and an MSDS readily available for each hazardous substance used? a current written exposure control plan ❏ Isforthere occupational exposure to bloodborne pathogens and other potentially infectious materials, where applicable? monitoring system in operation? you familiar with the threshold limit values ❏ Are or permissible exposure limits of airborne contaminants and physical agents used in your workplace? appropriate control procedures been ❏ Have instituted for hazardous materials, including there a written hazard communication pro❏ Isgram dealing with MSDSs, labeling and employee training? for a hazardous substance ❏ Is(i.e.,eachvats,container bottles, storage tanks, etc.) labeled with product identity and a hazard warning (communication of the specific health hazards and physical hazards)? safe handling practices and the use of respirators and ventilation systems? possible, are hazardous substances ❏ Whenever handled in properly designed and exhausted booths or similar locations? you use general dilution or local exhaust ❏ Do ventilation systems to control dusts, vapors, gases, fumes, smoke, solvents, or mists that may be generated in your workplace? ventilation equipment provided ❏ Isforoperational removal of contaminants from production grinding, buffing, spray painting, and/or vapor degreasing? there an employee training program for haz❏ Isardous substances that includes: ■ ■ an explanation of what an MSDS is and how to use and obtain one; MSDS contents for each hazardous substance or class of substances; ■ explanation of “A Right to Know”; ■ identification of where an employee can see OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 35 ■ ■ the written hazard communication program; ■ location of physical and health hazards in particular work areas and the specific protective measures to be used; and ■ details of the hazard communication program, including how to use the labeling system and MSDSs. the employee training program on the ❏ Does bloodborne pathogens standard contain the ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ an accessible copy of the standard and an explanation of its contents; a general explanation of the epidemiology and symptoms of bloodborne diseases; an explanation of signs, labels and color coding. ❏ Are employees trained in: ■ ■ following elements: ■ information on post-exposure evaluations and follow-up; and ■ ■ how to recognize tasks that might result in occupational exposure; how to use work practice, engineering controls and PPE, and their limitations; how to obtain information on the types, selection, proper use, location, removal, handling, decontamination and disposal of PPE; and who to contact and what to do in an emergency. an explanation of the modes of transmission of Bloodborne Pathogens; an explanation of the employer’s exposure control plan and the means by which employees can obtain a copy of the written plan; an explanation of the appropriate methods for recognizing tasks and the other activities that may involve exposure to blood and other potentially infectious materials; an explanation of the use and limitations of methods that will prevent or reduce exposure, including appropriate engineering controls, work practices and PPE; information on the types, proper use, location, removal, handling, decontamination and disposal of PPE; an explanation of the basis for selection of PPE; information on the hepatitis B vaccine; ELECTRICAL you require compliance with OSHA stan❏ Do dards for all contract electrical work? all employees required to report any obvi❏ Are ous hazard to life or property in connection with electrical equipment or lines as soon as possible? employees instructed to make preliminary ❏ Are inspections and/or appropriate tests to determine conditions before starting work on electrical equipment or lines? electrical equipment or lines are to be ❏ When serviced, maintained, or adjusted, are necessary switches opened, locked out or tagged, whenever possible? portable electrical tools and equipment ❏ Are grounded or of the double insulated type? electrical appliances such as vacuum ❏ Are cleaners, polishers, vending machines, etc., grounded? ■ ■ information on the appropriate actions to take and persons to contact in an emergency involving blood or other potentially infectious materials; an explanation of the procedure to follow if an exposure incident occurs, including the methods of reporting the incident and the medical follow-up that will be made available; extension cords have a grounding con❏ Do ductor? ❏ Are multiple plug adaptors prohibited? ground-fault circuit interrupters installed ❏ Are on each temporary 15 or 20 ampere, 120 volt alternating current (AC) circuit at locations where construction, demolition, modifications, Occupational Safety and Health Administration 36 alterations, or excavations are being performed? all temporary circuits protected by suitable ❏ Are disconnecting switches or plug connectors at the junction with permanent wiring? ❏ Do you have electrical installations in hazardous dust or vapor areas? If so, do they meet the National Electrical Code (NEC) for hazardous locations? exposed wiring and cords with frayed or ❏ Are deteriorated insulation repaired or replaced promptly? ❏ clamps or other securing means provided ❏ Are on flexible cords or cables at plugs, recepta- Are flexible cords and cables free of splices or taps? cles, tools, equipment, etc., and is the cord jacket securely held in place? all cord, cable and raceway connections ❏ Are intact and secure? or damp locations, are electrical tools ❏ Inandwetequipment appropriate for the use or location or otherwise protected? the location of electrical power lines and ❏ Iscables (overhead, underground, under floor, other side of walls, etc.) determined before digging, drilling, or similar work is begun? metal measuring tapes, ropes, hand-lines ❏ Are or similar devices with metallic thread woven into the fabric prohibited where they could come in contact with energized parts of equipment or circuit conductors? use of metal ladders prohibited where ❏ Isthetheladder or the person using the ladder could come in contact with energized parts of equipment, fixtures, or circuit conductors? all disconnecting switches and circuit ❏ Are breakers labeled to indicate their use or equipment served? disconnecting means always opened ❏ Are before fuses are replaced? all interior wiring systems include provi❏ Do sions for grounding metal parts of electrical raceways, equipment and enclosures? all electrical raceways and enclosures ❏ Are securely fastened in place? all energized parts of electrical circuits and ❏ Are equipment guarded against accidental contact by approved cabinets or enclosures? access and working space provid❏ Isedsufficient and maintained around all electrical equipment to permit ready and safe operations and maintenance? all unused openings (including conduit ❏ Are knockouts) in electrical enclosures and fittings closed with appropriate covers, plugs, or plates? electrical enclosures such as switches, re❏ Are ceptacles, junction boxes, etc., provided with tight-fitting covers or plates? disconnecting switches for electrical ❏ Are motors in excess of two horsepower able to open the circuit when the motor is stalled without exploding? (Switches must be horsepower rated equal to or in excess of the motor rating.) voltage protection provided in the con❏ Istrollowdevice of motors driving machines or equipment that could cause injury from inadvertent starting? each motor disconnecting switch or circuit ❏ Isbreaker located within sight of the motor control device? each motor located within sight of its con❏ Istroller or is the controller disconnecting means able to be locked open or is a separate disconnecting means installed in the circuit within sight of the motor? controller for each motor that exceeds ❏ Istwothehorsepower rated equal to or above the rating of the motor it serves? employees who regularly work on or ❏ Are around energized electrical equipment or lines instructed in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)? employees prohibited from working alone ❏ Are on energized lines or equipment over 600 volts? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 37 NOISE ❏ an ongoing preventive health program ❏ Isto there educate employees in safe levels of noise, Are there areas in the workplace where continuous noise levels exceed 85 decibels? exposures, effects of noise on their health and the use of personal protection? work areas where noise levels make ❏ Have voice communication between employees difficult been identified and posted? ❏ fueling operations, is there always metal ❏ Incontact between the container and the fuel tank? fueling hoses designed to handle the spe❏ Are cific type of fuel? employees prohibited from handling or ❏ Are transferring gasoline in open containers? open lights, open flames, sparking, or arc❏ Are ing equipment prohibited near fueling or transfer of fuel operations? Are noise levels measured with a sound level meter or an octave band analyzer and are records being kept? engineering controls been used to ❏ Have reduce excessive noise levels? Where engineering controls are determined to be infeasible, are administrative controls (i.e., worker rotation) being used to minimize individual employee exposure to noise? smoking prohibited in the vicinity of fueling ❏ Isoperations? fueling operations prohibited in buildings ❏ Are or other enclosed areas that are not specifically ventilated for this purpose? fueling or transfer of fuel is done ❏ Where through a gravity flow system, are the nozzles self-closing? approved hearing protective equipment ❏ Is(noise attenuating devices) available to every employee working in noisy areas? you tried isolating noisy machinery from ❏ Have the rest of your operation? use ear protectors, are employees prop❏ Iferlyyoufitted and instructed in their use? employees in high noise areas given peri❏ Are odic audiometric testing to ensure that you have an effective hearing protection system? IDENTIFICATION OF PIPING SYSTEMS nonpotable water is piped through a ❏ When facility, are outlets or taps posted to alert employees that the water is unsafe and not to be used for drinking, washing, or other personal use? hazardous substances are transported ❏ When through above-ground piping, is each pipeline identified at points where confusion could introduce hazards to employees? pipelines are identified by color painted ❏ When bands or tapes, are the bands or tapes located FUELING employees prohibited from fueling an ❏ Are internal combustion engine with a flammable liquid while the engine is running? fueling operations performed to minimize ❏ Are spillage? spillage occurs during fueling opera❏ When tions, is the spilled fuel washed away completely, evaporated, or are other measures taken to control vapors before restarting the engine? fuel tank caps replaced and secured before ❏ Are starting the engine? at reasonable intervals and at each outlet, valve, or connection, and are all visible parts of the line so identified? pipelines are identified by color, is the ❏ When color code posted at all locations where confusion could introduce hazards to employees? the contents of pipelines are identified ❏ When by name or name abbreviation, is the information readily visible on the pipe near each valve or outlet? pipelines carrying hazardous substances ❏ When are identified by tags, are the tags constructed of durable materials, the message printed Occupational Safety and Health Administration 38 clearly and permanently, and are tags installed at each valve or outlet? pipelines are heated by electricity, ❏ When steam, or other external source, are suitable warning signs or tags placed at unions, valves, or other serviceable parts of the system? securing chains, ropes, chockers, or slings ❏ Are adequate for the job? provisions made to ensure that no one is ❏ Are below when hoisting material or equipment? MSDSs available to employees handling ❏ Are hazardous substances? MATERIALS HANDLING there safe clearance for equipment through ❏ Isaisles and doorways? aisleways permanently marked and kept ❏ Are clear to allow unhindered passage? motorized vehicles and mechanized equip❏ Are ment inspected daily or prior to use? vehicles shut off and brakes set prior to ❏ Are loading or unloading? containers of liquid combustibles or flam❏ Are mables, when stacked while being moved, always protected by dunnage (packing material) sufficient to provide stability? dock boards (bridge plates) used when ❏ Are loading or unloading operations are taking place between vehicles and docks? ❏ ❏ Are trucks and trailers secured from movement during loading and unloading operations? Are dock plates and loading ramps constructed and maintained with sufficient strength to support imposed loading? ❏ chutes equipped with sideboards of suffi❏ Are cient height to prevent the materials being Are hand trucks maintained in safe operating condition? handled from falling off? chutes and gravity roller sections firmly ❏ Are placed or secured to prevent displacement? provisions made to brake the movement ❏ Are of the handled materials at the delivery end of rollers or chutes? pallets usually inspected before being ❏ Are loaded or moved? safety latches and other devices being ❏ Are used to prevent slippage of materials off of TRANSPORTING EMPLOYEES AND MATERIALS employees who operate vehicles on public ❏ Do thoroughfares have valid operator’s licenses? seven or more employees are regularly ❏ When transported in a van, bus, or truck, is the operator’s license appropriate for the class of vehicle being driven and are there enough seats? vehicles used to transport employees ❏ Are equipped with lamps, brakes, horns, mirrors, windshields and turn signals, and are they in good repair? transport vehicles provided with handrails, ❏ Are steps, stirrups, or similar devices, placed and arranged to allow employees to safely mount or dismount? employee transport vehicles equipped at ❏ Are all times with at least two reflective-type flares? a fully charged fire extinguisher, in good ❏ Iscondition, with at least a 4 B:C rating maintained in each employee transport vehicle? cutting tools or tools with sharp edges ❏ When are carried in passenger compartments of employee transport vehicles, are they placed in closed boxes or containers that are secured in place? employees prohibited from riding on top ❏ Are of any load that could shift, topple, or otherwise become unstable? CONTROL OF HARMFUL SUBSTANCES BY VENTILATION the volume and velocity of air in each ex❏ Ishaust system sufficient to gather the dusts, fumes, mists, vapors, or gases to be controlled, and to convey them to a suitable point of disposal? hoisting hooks? OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 39 exhaust inlets, ducts and plenums de❏ Are signed, constructed and supported to prevent collapse or failure of any part of the system? clean-out ports or doors provided at inter❏ Are vals not to exceed 12 feet (3.6576 meters) in all horizontal runs of exhaust ducts? two or more different operations are ❏ Where being controlled through the same exhaust system, could the combination of substances involved create a fire, explosion, or chemical reaction hazard in the duct? adequate makeup air provided to areas ❏ Iswhere exhaust systems are operating? source point for makeup air located so ❏ Isthattheonly clean, fresh air, free of contaminants will enter the work environment? two or more ventilation systems serve ❏ Where a work area, is their operation such that one will not offset the functions of the other? clean change room with a separate storage facility for street and protective clothing provided? employees required to shower and wash ❏ Are their hair as soon as possible after a known contact with a carcinogen has occurred? equipment, materials, or other items are ❏ When taken into or removed from a carcinogen-regulated area, is it done in a manner that will not contaminate non-regulated areas or the external environment? TIRE INFLATION tires are mounted and/or inflated on ❏ Where drop center wheels or on wheels with split rims and/or retainer rings, is a safe practice procedure posted and enforced? each tire inflation hose have a clip-on ❏ Does chuck with at least 2.54 inches (6.45 centime- SANITIZING EQUIPMENT AND CLOTHING ❏ employees are required to change from ❏ When street clothing into protective clothing, is a Is required personal protective clothing or equipment able to be cleaned and disinfected easily? employees prohibited from interchanging ❏ Are personal protective clothing or equipment, unless it has been properly cleaned? machines and equipment that process, ❏ Are handle, or apply materials that could injure employees cleaned and/or decontaminated before being overhauled or placed in storage? employees prohibited from smoking or ❏ Are eating in any area where contaminants are ters) of hose between the chuck and an in-line hand valve and gauge? the tire inflation control valve automati❏ Does cally shut off the air flow when the valve is released? tire restraining device such as a cage, rack, ❏ Isoraother effective means used while inflating tires mounted on split rims or rims using retainer rings? employees prohibited from standing ❏ Are directly over or in front of a tire while it is being inflated? present that could be injurious if ingested? Occupational Safety and Health Administration 40 ASSISTANCE IN SAFETY AND HEALTH FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OSHA Assistance OSHA’S OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE OSHA created the Office of Small Business Assistance to help small business employers understand their safety and health obligations, access compliance information, provide guidance in regulatory standards, and to educate them about cost-effective means for ensuring the safety and health of worksites. OSHA’s Office of Small Business Assistance can be contacted by telephone at (202) 693-2220 or by writing to the U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-3700, Washington, DC 20210. ON-SITE CONSULTATION Using the free and confidential on-site consultation service largely funded by the Federal OSHA, employers can find out about potential hazards at their worksites, improve their occupational safety and health management systems, and even qualify for a one-year exemption from routine OSHA inspections. The service is delivered at your workplace by state governments using well-trained professional staff. Most consultations take place on-site, though limited services away from the worksite are available. Primarily targeted for smaller businesses, this safety and health Consultation Program is completely separate from OSHA’s enforcement efforts. It is also confidential. No inspections are triggered by using the Consultation Program and no citations are issued or penalties proposed. Your name, your firm’s name and any information you provide about your workplace, plus any unsafe or unhealthful working conditions that the consultant uncovers, will not routinely be reported to the OSHA enforcement staff. Your only obligation will be to commit to correcting serious job safety and health hazards discovered -- a commitment that you are expected to make prior to the actual consultation visit. If hazards are discovered, the consultant will work with you to ensure they are corrected in a reasonable timeframe agreed upon by all parties. Getting Started. Since consultation is a voluntary activity, you must request it. Your telephone call or letter sets the consulting machinery in motion. The consultant will discuss your specific needs and set up a visit date based on the priority assigned to your request, your work schedule and the time needed for the consultant to prepare adequately to serve you. OSHA encourages a complete review of your firm’s safety and health situation; however, if you wish, you may limit the visit to one or more specific problems. Opening Conference. When the consultant arrives at your worksite for the scheduled visit, he or she will first meet with you in an opening conference to briefly review the consultant’s role and the obligations you incur as an employer. Walk-through. Together, you and the consultant will examine conditions in your workplace. OSHA strongly encourages maximum employee participation in the walk-through. Better informed and alert employees can help you identify and correct potential injury and illness hazards in your workplace. Talking with employees during the walkthrough helps the consultant identify and judge the nature and extent of specific hazards. The consultant will study your entire workplace, or only those specific operations you designate, and discuss applicable OSHA standards. The consultant also will point out other safety or health risks which might not be cited under OSHA standards, but which nevertheless may pose safety or health risks to your employees. He or she may suggest and even provide measures such as selfinspection and safety and health training that you and your employees can apply to prevent future hazardous situations. A comprehensive consultation also includes: (1) appraisal of all mechanical and environmental hazards and physical work practices; (2) appraisal of the present job safety and health program or help in establishing one; (3) a conference with management on findings; (4) a written report of recommendations and agreements; and (5) training and assistance with implementing recommendations. Closing Conference. The consultant will then review detailed findings with you in a closing conference. You will learn not only what you need to improve but what you are doing right, as well. At that time you can discuss problems, possible solutions and abatement periods to eliminate or control any serious hazards identified during the walk-through. In rare instances, the consultant may find an “imminent danger” situation during the walkthrough. In that case, you must take immediate action to protect employees. In certain other situa- OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 41 tions–those that would be judged a “serious violation” under OSHA criteria–you and the consultant must develop and agree to a reasonable plan and schedule to eliminate or control that hazard. The consultant will offer general approaches and options to you. He or she may also suggest other sources for technical help. Abatement and Follow-through. Following the closing conference, the consultant will send you a detailed written report explaining the findings and confirming any abatement periods agreed upon. The consultant may also contact you from time to time to check your progress. You, of course, may always contact him or her for assistance. Ultimately, OSHA does require hazard abatement so that each consultation visit achieves its objective–effective employee protection. If you fail to eliminate or control identified serious hazards (or an imminent danger) according to the plan and within the limits agreed upon or an agreed-upon extension, the situation must be referred from consultation to an OSHA enforcement office for appropriate action. This type of referral is extremely rare. Benefits. Knowledge of your workplace hazards and ways to eliminate them can only improve your own operations–and the management of your firm. You will get professional advice and assistance on the correction of workplace hazards and benefit from on-site training and assistance provided. The consultant can help you establish or strengthen an employee safety and health program, making safety and health activities routine rather than crisisoriented responses. In many states, employers may participate in OSHA’s Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). This program is designed to provide incentives and support to smaller, high-hazard employers to develop, implement and continuously improve effective safety and health programs at their worksite(s). SHARP provides recognition of employers who have demonstrated exemplary achievements in workplace safety and health, beginning with a comprehensive safety and health consultation visit, correction of all workplace safety and health hazards, adoption and implementation of effective safety and health management systems, and agreement to request further consultative visits if major changes in working conditions or processes occur that may introduce new hazards. Employers who meet these specific SHARP requirements may be removed from OSHA’s programmed inspection list for one year. The on-site consultants will: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ help you recognize hazards in your workplace, suggest general approaches or options for solving a safety or health problem, identify kinds of help available if you need further assistance, provide you with a written report summarizing findings, assist you in developing or maintaining an effective safety and health program, provide training and education for you and your employees, recommend you for a one-year exclusion from OSHA programmed inspections, once program criteria are met. The on-site consultants will not: ■ ■ ■ issue citations or propose penalties for violations of OSHA standards, report possible violations to OSHA enforcement staff, guarantee that your workplace will “pass” an OSHA inspection. For a list of consultation projects in each state, see the OSHA website at www.osha.gov/dcsp/ smallbusiness/consult_directory.html. OTHER COOPERATIVE PROGRAMS Information about OSHA’s different cooperative programs is available from any OSHA Regional Office, OSHA Area Office, or by contacting OSHA’s Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs at the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, Room N-3700, Washington, DC 20210, phone (202) 693-2200. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 42 VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS (VPP) OSHA’s VPP provide an opportunity for labor, management and government to work together cooperatively to further the goal of providing effective safety and health protection in the workplace. The VPP grant recognition to worksites that provide or are committed to providing effective protection for their employees through implementation of systematically managed safety and health programs. The Star Program is for worksites that have at least one year’s experience with an effectively implemented safety and health program. The Merit Program is for worksites working toward an effectively implemented program. The Star Demonstration Program is for worksites with programs at Star quality but with some aspect of their program that requires further study by OSHA. All participants work in partnership with OSHA and provide models for OSHA and for their industries. OSHA STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM (OSPP) OSPP is designed to enable groups of employers, employees and employee representatives to partner with OSHA and enter into an extended, voluntary, cooperative relationship in order to encourage, assist and recognize efforts to eliminate serious hazards and achieve a high level of worker safety and health. OSHA ALLIANCE PROGRAM Alliances are goal-oriented written agreements between OSHA and organizations to work together to prevent workplace injuries and illnesses. Organizations include employers, employees, labor unions, trade or professional groups, educational institutions and government agencies. Alliances focus on one or more of the following goals: training and education, outreach and communications, and promoting the national dialogue on occupational safety and health. States with Approved Plans The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health programs. OSHA approves and monitors state plans and provides up to 50 percent of an approved plan’s operating costs. Twenty-four states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands currently operate approved state plans. These state plans operate under authority of state law and are required to be, in structure and performance, “at least as effective as” the Federal OSHA Program. Although many states have adopted standards and procedures identical to Federal standards, states may have different or additional requirements parallel to those described in the Federal program. To determine which set of standards and regulations apply to you, you need to know whether you are covered by a state plan or subject to Federal OSHA. Please visit http://www.oshaslc.gov/fso/osp /index.html, call the OSHA Area Office nearest you, or (800) 321-OSHA to obtain this information. If you are subject to state enforcement, the OSHA Area Office will refer you to your state office which can provide all relevant information, such as whether the state is using the Federal standards, information on the poster and recordkeeping requirements, and special services available to small businesses. The state office also can provide you with further assistance, including directing you to the free, on-site consultation services described above. See the list of OSHA-approved state plans at www.osha.gov. OSHA Publications A single free copy of the following materials can be obtained from the OSHA Area or Regional Office, or contact the OSHA Publications Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, N-3101, Washington, DC 20210, or call (202) 693-1888, or fax (202) 693-2498. Access to Medical and Exposure Records – OSHA 3110 All About OSHA – OSHA 3302 Asbestos Standard for the Construction Industry – OSHA 3096 Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) – OSHA 3120 Employee Workplace Rights – OSHA 3021 Employer Rights and Responsibilities Following an OSHA Inspection – OSHA 3000 (Spanish version 3195) Hand and Power Tools – OSHA 3080 OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 43 For further information on any OSHA program, contact your nearest OSHA Area or Regional Office or call (800) 321-OSHA. How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations – OSHA 3088 Job Safety and Health Protection Poster – OSHA 3165 Other Sources of Assistance Job Hazard Analysis – OSHA 3071 Model Plans & Programs for the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens and Hazard Communications Standards – OSHA 3186 Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act – OSHA 2001 Personal Protective Equipment – OSHA 3151 Servicing Single-Piece and Multi-Piece Rim Wheels – OSHA 3086 The following publications are available from the U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO), Superintendent of Documents, Washington, DC 20402, phone toll-free (866) 512-1800, fax (202) 5122250. Include GPO Order Number and make checks payable to Superintendent of Documents. All prices are subject to change by GPO. Hazard Communication: A Compliance Kit – OSHA 3111 Order No. 029-016-00200-6. Cost: $21.00 VOLUNTARY PROTECTION PROGRAMS PARTICIPANTS’ ASSOCIATION (VPPPA) The VPPPA is a private organization made up of VPP participant companies. The VPPPA has members in most states where the Federal OSHA program operates and in many states where state plans are in force. The VPPPA is willing to provide information, outreach, and mentoring to help worksites improve their safety and health programs. Chapters of the national association have been formed in most OSHA regions. Members of these chapters also are willing to provide the kind of assistance provided by the national organization. To contact your regional chapter of the VPPPA, call or write the OSHA Regional Office listed in the back of this publication for the address and telephone number of the chapter in your region. To contact the VPPPA national organization, please call (703) 761-1146 or write to the following address: Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association 7600 East Leesburg Pike, Suite 440 Falls Church, VA 22043 (703) 761-1146 Construction Industry Digest – OSHA 2202 Order No. 029-016-00212-0. Cost: $8.00 Materials Handling and Storing – OSHA 2236 Order No. 029-016-00215-4. Cost: $3.75 Internet—There is an enormous amount of compliance assistance information on OSHA’s website that can be useful to the small business owner, found at http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/compliance_ assistance/index.html. OSHA standards, interpretations, directives and additional information are also available at http://www.osha.gov/ and http://www.osha-slc.gov/. CD-ROM—A wide variety of OSHA materials, including standards, interpretations, directives, and more, can be purchased on CD-ROM from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Superintendent of Documents, phone toll-free (866) 512-1800. Emergencies—For life-threatening situations, call (800) 321-OSHA. Your call will be directed to the nearest OSHA Area or state office for help. SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTERS The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) administers the Small Business Development Center Program to provide management and technical assistance to current and prospective small business owners. There is a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with more than 1,000 service centers across the country. SBDC assistance is tailored to the local community and the needs of individual clients and designed to deliver up-to-date counseling, training, and technical assistance. Services could include helping small businesses with financial, marketing, production, organization, engineering, and technical problems. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 44 NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (NIOSH) NIOSH is a research agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (OSHA is a regulatory agency in the U.S. Department of Labor). NIOSH conducts research and makes recommendations to prevent work-related illness and injury. NIOSH has produced a useful guide, Safety and Health Resource Guide for Small Businesses, with telephone numbers, e-mail and Internet addresses, and mailing information to enable small businesses to contact government agencies, private organizations, consultants, and others who can help with occupational safety and health issues. The NIOSH toll-free phone number is (800) 356-4674, and its website address is www.cdc. gov/niosh. WORKERS’ COMPENSATION CARRIERS AND OTHER INSURANCE COMPANIES Many workers’ compensation carriers, as well as many liability and fire insurance companies, conduct periodic inspections and visits to evaluate safety and health hazards. Managers of small and medium-sized businesses need to know what services are available from these sources. Contact your carrier and see what it has to offer. TRADE ASSOCIATIONS AND EMPLOYER GROUPS Because of the increase in job safety and health awareness resulting from OSHA activities, many trade associations and employer groups have put a new emphasis on safety and health matters to better serve their members. If you are a member of such a group, find out how it is assisting its members. If you are not a member, find out if these groups are circulating their materials to nonmembers, as many do. TRADE UNIONS AND EMPLOYEE GROUPS If your employees are organized, set up some communications, as you do in normal labor relations, to get coordinated action on hazards in your business. Safety and health is one area where advance planning will produce action on common goals. Many trade unions have safety and health expertise that they are willing to share. THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL AND LOCAL CHAPTERS The National Safety Council (NSC) has a broad range of information services available. If you have a local chapter of the NSC in your area, you can call or visit to see how you can use materials pertaining to your business. If there is no chapter nearby, you can write to: National Safety Council 1121 Spring Lake Drive Itasca, IL 60143-3201 PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS The following professional associations are an additional resource that may be able to provide assistance to you: American Society of Safety Engineers 1800 East Oakton Street Des Plaines, IL 60018-2187 American Industrial Hygiene Association 2700 Prosperity Avenue Suite 250 Fairfax, VA 22031-4319 American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists 1330 Kemper Meadow Drive Cincinnati, OH 45240 SPECIFIC MEDICAL CONSULTATION Talk to your local doctors or clinics for advice on workplace medical matters on a consulting basis. Contact your local Red Cross chapter for assistance in first-aid training. If you cannot identify a local chapter, call (800) 667-2968 or write to: American National Red Cross National Headquarters Safety Programs 2025 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY Many local or university libraries contain information on specific safety and health subjects per- OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 45 taining to your business. These materials are usually in reference rooms or technical subject areas. Ask your librarian what is available. The library may be able to obtain materials for you through inter-library loan, purchase, etc. Two basic publications of the National Safety Council will give you many sources of technical information. The Accident Prevention Manual for Industrial Operations is a basic reference book for all safety and health work. The second book, Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene, contains excellent information on toxic materials and recommended health and hygiene practices. Both of these references list other sources at the end of each chapter that may help you in solving specific problems. Interest rate information on SBA loans may be obtained from any SBA office. They fluctuate but are generally lower than you can obtain elsewhere. You may wish to consult your own bank. It pays to shop around for loans. Don’t forget to check with your accountant at income tax time, since safety and health improvements can often be expensed or depreciated. ADDITIONAL WEB PAGES OF INTEREST TO SMALL BUSINESSES (Internet websites change frequently; these listings may not be current.) http://www.firstgov.gov A website for all agencies of the Federal government. FINANCING WORKPLACE IMPROVEMENT The SBA is authorized to make loans to assist small businesses with meeting OSHA standards. Because SBA’s definition of a “small” business varies from industry to industry, contact your local SBA field office to determine whether you qualify. A helpful hint: if you decide to apply for an SBA loan, experience indicates that most delays in processing SBA/OSHA loans are because applications (1) do not adequately describe each workplace condition to be corrected and identify one or more OSHA standards applicable to the condition to be corrected, or (2) do not provide a reasonable estimate of the cost to correct each condition. In most cases, safety hazards can be corrected without financial assistance. Health hazards may be more costly to correct. The age and condition of the building and equipment are major factors to be considered. http://www.sba.gov The U.S. Small Business Administration’s home page. http://www.businesslaw.gov Legal and regulatory information for small businesses by state. http://www.regulations.gov A site to enable small business owners to find all Federal regulations that are open for comment, to read them and to submit their views. http://www.assistancecenters.net/ For help with understanding environmental regulations that relate to the operation of your business. http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/index.html This Internal Revenue Service website offers industry- and profession-specific tax information and guidelines. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 46 Appendix A: Overall Action Plan Worksheet Major Action Steps to be Taken Priority (Assign each Step a Number) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Projected Completion Date Actual Completion Date Action Steps 47 Description of Action to be Taken: Specific Steps Required Persons Assigned 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Projected Problems/ Actual Completion Delays Completion Date Encountered Date 48 Appendix B: Model Policy Statements The following statements provide examples that can be used or modified by employers to help prevent employee injury and illness. “The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 clearly states our common goal of safe and healthful working conditions. The safety and health of our employees continues to be the first consideration in the operation of this business. ” “Safety and health in our business must be a part of every operation. Without question it is every employee’s responsibility at all levels. ” “It is the intent of this company to comply with all laws. To do this we must constantly be aware of conditions in all work areas that can produce injuries. No employee is required to work at a job he or she knows is not safe or healthful. Your cooperation in detecting hazards and, in turn, controlling them is a condition of your employment. Inform your supervisor immediately of any situation beyond your ability or authority to correct. ” “Our safety and health program will include: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ “The personal safety and health of each employee of this company is of primary importance. The prevention of occupationally-induced injuries and illnesses is of such consequence that it will be given precedence over operating productivity whenever necessary. To the greatest degree possible, management will provide all mechanical and physical facilities required for personal safety and health in keeping with the highest standards. ” “We will maintain a safety and health program conforming to the best practices of organizations of this type. To be successful, such a program must embody the proper attitudes toward injury and illness prevention on the part of supervisors and employees. It also requires cooperation in all safety and health matters, not only between supervisor and employee, but also between each employee and his or her co-workers. Only through such a cooperative effort can a safety program in the best interest of all be established and preserved. ” “Our objective is a safety and health program that will reduce the number of injuries and illnesses to an absolute minimum, not merely in keeping with, but surpassing, the best experience of operations similar to ours. Our goal is zero accidents and injuries. ” ■ Providing mechanical and physical safeguards to the maximum extent possible. A program of safety and health inspections to identify and eliminate unsafe working conditions or practices, to control health hazards, and to comply fully with the safety and health standards for every job. Training all employees in good safety and health practices. Providing necessary personal protective equipment and instructions for its use and care. Developing and enforcing safety and health rules and requiring that employees cooperate with these rules as a condition of employment. Investigating, promptly and thoroughly, every accident to find out what caused it and to correct the problem so that it won’t happen again. Setting up a system of recognition and awards for outstanding safety service or performance. ” “We recognize that the responsibilities for safety and health are shared: ■ ■ ■ The employer accepts responsibility for leadership of the safety and health program, for its effectiveness and improvement, and for providing safe conditions. Supervisors are responsible for developing the proper attitudes toward safety and health in themselves and in those they supervise, and for ensuring that all operations are performed with the utmost regard for the safety and health of all personnel involved, including themselves. Employees are responsible for compliance with all rules and regulations and for continuously practicing safety while performing their duties. ” OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES 49 Appendix C: Codes of Safe Practices This is a suggested code. It is general in nature and includes many types of small business activities. It is intended only as a model that you can customize to describe your own work environment. General Policy 1. All employees of this firm shall follow these safe practice rules, render every possible aid to safe operations, and report all unsafe conditions or practices to the supervisor/employer. 2. Supervisors shall insist that employees observe and obey every rule, regulation, and order necessary to the safe conduct of the work and take such action necessary to obtain compliance. 3. All employees shall be given frequent accident prevention instructions. Instructions, practice drills, and articles concerning workplace safety and health shall be given at least once every _____ working days. 4. Anyone known to be under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs shall not be allowed on the job while in that condition. Persons with symptoms of alcohol and/or drug abuse are encouraged to discuss personal or work-related problems with the supervisor/employer. 5. No one shall knowingly be permitted or required to work while his or her ability or alertness is impaired by fatigue, illness, or other causes that might expose the individual or others to injury. 6. Employees should be alert to see that all guards and other protective devices are in proper places and adjusted, and they shall report deficiencies. Approved protective equipment shall be worn in specified work areas. 7. Horseplay, scuffling, and other acts that tend to endanger the safety or well-being of employees are prohibited. 8. Work shall be well planned and supervised to prevent injuries when working with equipment and handling heavy materials. When lifting heavy objects, employees should bend their knees and use the large muscles of the legs instead of the smaller muscles of the back. Back injuries are the most frequent and often the most persistent and painful type of workplace injury. lines in a manner not within the scope of their duties, unless they have received instructions from their supervisor/employer. 10. All injuries shall be reported promptly to the supervisor/employer so that arrangements can be made for medical and/or first-aid treatment. Firstaid materials are located in ____________; emergency, fire, ambulance, rescue squad, and doctors’ telephone numbers are located ___________; and fire extinguishers are located at ___________. Suggested Safety Rules ■ ■ ■ ■ Do not throw material, tools, or other objects from heights (whether structures or buildings) until proper precautions are taken to protect others from the falling object hazard. Wash thoroughly after handling injurious or poisonous substances. Gasoline shall not be used for cleaning purposes. When using a ladder, always face the steps and use both hands while climbing. Use of Tools and Equipment ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Keep faces of hammers in good condition to avoid flying nails and bruised fingers. Files shall be equipped with handles; never use a file as a punch or pry. Do not use a screwdriver as a chisel. Do not lift or lower portable electric tools by the power cords; use a rope. Do not leave the cords of tools where cars or trucks will run over them. Machinery and Vehicles ■ ■ ■ Do not attempt to operate machinery or equipment without special permission unless it is part of your regular duties. Loose or frayed clothing, dangling ties, finger rings, etc., must not be worn around moving machinery or other places where they can get caught. Machinery shall not be repaired or adjusted while in operation. 9. Workers shall not handle or tamper with any electrical equipment, machinery, or air or water Occupational Safety and Health Administration 50 Appendix D: OSHA Job Safety and Health Standards, Regulations and Requirements OSHA has four separate sets of standards: General Industry (29 Code of Federal Regulations [CFR] 1910), Construction (29 CFR 1926), Maritime Employment (29 CFR 1915-1919), and Agriculture (29 CFR 1928). OSHA has regulations on posting and other administrative matters in 29 CFR 1903 and on recording and reporting of injuries and illnesses in 29 CFR 1904. The OSH Act also has a general duty clause, section 5(a)(1), 29 U.S.C. 654(b)(1), which provides that: (a) Each employer – – (1) shall furnish to each of his employees employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees. A recognized hazard is a danger recognized by the employer’s industry or industry in general, by the employer, or by common sense. The general duty clause does not apply if there is an OSHA standard dealing with the hazard, unless the employer knows that the standard does not adequately address the hazard. General Industry, Maritime, and Construction OSHA standards are available at www.osha.gov. After you have obtained a copy of the current standards, identify those that apply to your business by a process of elimination. Read the introduction to the subpart heading, and then analyze the possible hazards in terms of your workplace, your equipment, your materials and of your employees. For example, if you are engaged in retail trade or service and you do not have compressed gases, flammables, or explosives on your premises, you can eliminate Hazardous Materials (Subpart H) as not applying to your business. If you have any questions in determining whether a standard is applicable to your workplace, you may contact the nearest OSHA Area Office for assistance. Staff there should be able to answer any questions you may have about standards and provide general guidelines on methods of implementation in your workplace. Small businesses are encouraged to participate in the development of standards. OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES Appendix E: Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act of 1996 (SBREFA) In 1996, Congress passed the Small Business Regulatory Enforcement Fairness Act, or SBREFA, in response to concerns expressed by the small business community that Federal regulations were too numerous, too complex and too expensive to implement. SBREFA was designed to give small businesses assistance in understanding and complying with regulations and more of a voice in the development of new regulations. Under SBREFA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and other Federal agencies must: ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Produce Small Entity Compliance Guides for some rules; Be responsive to small business inquiries about compliance with the agency’s regulations; Submit final rules to Congress for review; Have a penalty reduction policy for small businesses; and Involve small businesses in the development of some proposed rules through Small Business Advocacy Review Panels. Commenting on Enforcement Actions Under a law passed by Congress in 1996, the Small Business Administration (SBA) has established an SBA Ombudsman and SBA Regional Fairness Boards to investigate small business complaints about Federal agency enforcement actions. If you are a small business and believe that you have been treated unfairly by OSHA, you may file an electronic comment/complaint with the SBA Ombudsman over the Internet at: http://www.sba.gov/ombudsman/comments/commentform1.html Or you may contact the SBA's Office of the National Ombudsman by: ■ Toll-Free Phone: (888) REG-FAIR (734-3247) ■ Fax: (202) 481-5719 ■ E-mail: [email protected] ■ Mail: Office of the National Ombudsman U.S. Small Business Administration 409 3rd Street, S.W., MC2120 Washington, DC 20416-0005 To view the SBREFA Act in its entirety, please visit the following web link: http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/sbrefa.html For more information on SBREFA the following web links may prove helpful: http://www.sba.gov/ombudsman/ http://www.sba.gov/ombudsman/dsp_overview.html http://www.sba.gov/ombudsman/dsp_faq.html http://www.sba.gov/advo/ http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/is_oshapanel.html NOTE: Filing a complaint with the SBA Ombudsman does not affect any obligation that you may have to comply with an OSHA citation or other enforcement action. Nor does it mean that you need not take other available legal steps to protect your interests. Occupational Safety and Health Administration 51 52 OSHA Regional Offices Region VIII (CO, MT, NO, SO, UT,* WY*) 1999 Broadway, Suite 1690 PO Box 46550 Denver, CO 80202-5716 (720) 264-6550 Region I (CT,* ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*) JFK Federal Building, Room E340 Boston, MA 02203 (617) 565-9860 Region II (NJ,* NY,* PR,* VI*) 201 Varick Street, Room 670 New York, NY 10014 (212) 337-2378 Region IX (American Samoa, AZ,* CA,* HI,* NV,* and Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands and American Samoa) 90 7th Street, Suite 18-100 San Francisco, CA 94103 (415) 625-2547 Region III (DE, DC, MD,* PA, VA,* WV) The Curtis Center 170 S. Independence Mall West Suite 740 West Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309 (215) 861-4900 Region X (AK,* ID, OR,* WA*) 1111 Third Avenue, Suite 715 Seattle, WA 98101-3212 (206) 553-5930 Region IV (AL, FL, GA, KY,* MS, NC,* SC,* TN*) 61 Forsyth Street, SW, Room 6T50 Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 562-2300 Region V (lL, IN,* MI,* MN,* OH, WI) 230 South Dearborn Street Room 3244 Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 353-2220 Region VI (AR, LA, NM,* OK, TX) 525 Griffin Street, Room 602 Dallas, TX 75202 (972) 850-4145 Region VII (IA,* KS, MO, NE) Two Pershing Square 2300 Main Street, Suite 1010 Kansas City, MO 64108-2416 (816) 283-8745 * These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety and health programs and cover state and local government employees as well as private sector employees. The Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Virgin Islands plans cover public employees only. States with approved programs must have standards that are identical to, or at least as effective as, the Federal OSHA standards. Note: To get contact information for OSHA Area Offices, OSHA-approved State Plans and OSHA Consultation Projects, please visit us online at www.osha.gov or call us at 1-800-321-0SHA. Contact Information The most complete and current information and email addresses for OSHA Regional and Area Offices and the state Consultation Projects can be found on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov/html/ oshdir.html or by contacting: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration Directorate of Cooperative and State Programs Office of Small Business Assistance 200 Constitution Ave., NW Washington, DC 20210 (800) 321-OSHA OSHA HANDBOOK FOR SMALL BUSINESSES OSHA’s Non-Retaliation Policy The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a long-established policy that information inquiries received by the agency regarding safety and health regulations or other safety-related subjects shall not trigger an inspection. This policy is outlined in OSHA Instruction CPL 02-00-103 (CPL 2.103), Field Inspection Reference Manual, Section 5 - Chapter I, B.4.b. The exact wording is: Employer Contacts. Contacts for information initiated by employers or their representatives shall not trigger an inspection, nor shall such employer inquiries protect them against regular inspections conducted pursuant to guidelines established by the agency. Further, if an employer or its representatives indicates that an imminent danger exists or that a fatality or catastrophe has occurred, the Area Director shall act in accordance with established inspection priority procedures. While exceptions to this policy exist, such as the presence of an imminent danger or the occurrence of a fatality, OSHA policy is to provide assistance to help employers prevent and reduce workplace fatalities, illnesses and injuries. Hazards in the Food & Beverage Industry It is generally assumed that the injuries incurred in the food and beverage industry are relatively inconsequential. However, facts show that two million workers employed in these operations do have dangerous jobs. Food service operations have accident and illness rates as high as industries that are commonly thought of as being hazardous places to work. These operations, like any other, present a number of hazards that can result in accidents, injuries and illnesses. Stressful and hazardous work environments in the food and beverage industry lead to bruised knuckles and minor cuts that reduce production rates and heighten production errors. Human error frequently results from working under hot, noisy and extremely fast-paced conditions which are ever present in many food and beverage operations. Sprains and strains account for most lost-time injuries. Floor surfaces, knives, hot water, containers, metal stock and conveyors were the primary causes of all injuries. More than 30 percent* of the injuries resulted from slips (not falls) and overexertion. The average lost workdays per injury amounted to 17.9. However, of all the accident causes, the greatest number of average days lost were caused by cutting and slicing machines. The average was 167.7 days lost per injury. The food and beverage industry, on a national scale for occupational injury and illness incidence rates, ranks last and worst, respectively, in the incidence of lost workdays. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, eight out of every 1,000 workers in food processing jobs reported cases of occupational illnesses, with three cases involving lost workdays. Health problems consisted of skin diseases and disorders, respiratory problems, poisoning and disease from physical agents. Nationally, the highest rate of injury was observed in the meat product operations. Nonpowered, (knives, etc.) and electric hand devices resulted in cuts, wounds, amputations, electrocutions, tenosynovitis, falls and strains. The high injury rates found in the beverage manufacturing operations were from material handling strains, wet work areas and misuse of chemicals. Because of the dangers involved in the food and beverage industry, it is essential that accident safety records are properly taken and are analyzed by safety personnel so meaningful accident prevention methods can be established. *Study conducted by the Industrial Commission of Ohio. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration Consultation Education & Training Division 7150 Harris Drive, P.O. Box 30643 Lansing, Michigan 48909-8143 For further information or to request consultation, education and training services call (517) 322-1809 or visit our website at www.michigan.gov/miosha CET- 0108 (Rev. 8/00) 1 TI P S H E E T O N E Preventing Burns from Hot Stuff Stove Tops, Ovens, Broilers, Grills Make the Workplace Safer Provide grills and other hot surfaces that have built-in guard bars, so workers won’t accidentally touch them. Follow Safe Work Practices DID YOU KNOW? Workers under 16 are not allowed to bake, and they can only do light cooking with electric or gas grills that do not involve cooking on an open flame. Avoid overcrowding on the range tops. Set pot handles away from burners, and make sure they don’t stick out over the edge of the range. Adjust burner flames to cover only the bottom of a pan. Don’t fill pots too full, to avoid boiling over. Lift pot covers back safely to protect yourself from steam. Use tongs to lower food into boiling water. Get help when moving or carrying a heavy pot of simmering liquid. Never leave hot oil or grease unattended. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Use potholders, gloves, or mitts when checking food on the stove, placing food in boiling water, or reaching into ovens and broilers. Never use wet material (like a damp towel) as a potholder. Deep Fryers Make the Workplace Safer Provide fryers that dump used grease automatically. Provide fryers that lower food automatically into the hot oil. Use splash guards on fryers. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 1 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:20:51 AM 2 T I TI P PS HSEHEETE TO N E Follow Safe Work Practices Dry off wet food and brush off ice crystals before placing the food in the fryer basket. Wet foods splatter and cause steam. Fill fryer baskets no more than half full. Raise and lower fryer baskets gently. Do not stand too close to hot oil, or lean over it. Keep beverages and other liquids away from fryers. Don’t strain hot oil or carry it. Wait until it is cool. Follow directions when adding new fat or oil. Cover fryer oil when it’s not in use. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Use potholders, gloves, or mitts. Never use wet material (like a damp towel) as a potholder. Microwave Ovens Make the Workplace Safer Provide ovens that turn off when the door is opened. Check seals on microwave oven doors periodically. Follow Safe Work Practices Do not use metal containers, foil, or utensils in a microwave oven. Open containers carefully after removing them from the microwave, to allow steam to escape. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Use hot pads, potholders, gloves, or mitts when removing items from the microwave. FO R M O R E I N FO R MATI O N Workers can also be burned when they slip or trip. They may fall against or touch a hot surface. Look at Tip Sheet: Preventing Injuries from Slips and Falls. W O S HTE P tipsheets.indd 2 Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program 5/23/05 10:20:51 AM 1 TI P S H E E T T W O Preventing Cuts from Sharp Stuff Knives Make the Workplace Safer Provide knives that are the right size and type for each job. Provide box cutters for opening boxes. Provide proper storage for knives (counter racks, wall racks, or storage blocks). Allow workers enough time to work safely. Follow Safe Work Practices Keep knives sharp. Dull knives are unsafe. Never leave knives soaking in water. Place a damp cloth under your cutting board to keep it from slipping. DID YOU KNOW? Workers under 16 are not allowed to bake, and they can only do light cooking with electric or gas grills that do not involve cooking on an open flame. DID YOU KNOW? Workers under 18 are not allowed to use, clean, take apart, or assemble large electrical appliances, such as automatic slicers and bakery machines. If you are interrupted while cutting, put the knife down in a flat, safe place. Pass a knife to another person by laying it on a counter, or pass with blade pointed down. Let a falling knife fall. Step back. Warn others. Never try to catch the knife. Carry and store knives in sheaths or protective cases when possible. When cutting, tuck in fingers on the hand that’s holding the food. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment If you’re doing a lot of cutting, wear cut-resistant gloves that cover the wrists, fit well, and have sturdy, tightly-woven seams. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 3 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:20:53 AM 2 T I TI P PS HSEHEETE T W O Slicers, Grinders, Food Processors Make the Workplace Safer Equip large electrical appliances with machine guards. Keep cords, plugs, outlets, housings, and blades in good repair. Keep electrical outlets free of cracks and grease to avoid short circuits. Place electrical equipment away from water. Follow Safe Work Practices Before using a machine, make sure guards are in place. Keep hands, face, hair, clothing, and jewelry away from moving parts. Always use lockout/tagout procedure when cleaning or repairing electrical equipment. A machine is locked out if a special locking mechanism is used so no one can turn it on, often at the plug or power circuit. In addition, it must be tagged out, which means that a written warning is attached to the power source telling people not to remove the locking mechanism or turn on the power. Keep floors dry near electrical equipment and outlets. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Wear cut-resistant gloves, goggles, sleevelets, and arm protectors when operating equipment. Glass and Dishware Make the Workplace Safer Designate one clearly-marked trash can for broken glass and sharp can lids. Store glasses, bottles, and dishware away from areas with a lot of foot traffic. Store glasses in racks. Don’t stack them directly on top of each other. Follow Safe Work Practices Use heavy-duty plastic or metal scoops for food or ice, not drinking glasses. Don’t use chipped or cracked glasses or dishware. When cleaning up broken glass, use a dustpan and broom. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Wear gloves and goggles if necessary when cleaning up broken glass. Wear gloves or use a towel when removing lids from glass jars. W O S HTE P tipsheets.indd 4 Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program 5/23/05 10:20:53 AM 1 TI P S H E E T TH R E E Preventing Injuries from Slips and Falls Moving Around Safely Make the Workplace Safer Provide enough work space to avoid collisions. Provide proper storage so walkways and work areas are kept free of clutter. Keep electrical cords out of walkways. Have enough outlets so extension cords are not needed. Maintain carpets in good condition. DID YOU KNOW? Employers are required by law to give workers protective equipment and clothing if it’s needed. Some employers provide safe shoes with non-skid soles as part of the work uniform. Lay out the dining room and kitchen without tight or blind corners to avoid collisions. Have non-slip surfaces and handrails on stairs. Follow Safe Work Practices Don’t move too quickly. Don’t carry items too tall for you to see over. Warn other workers when walking behind them. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Wear non-skid, waterproof shoes with low heels. Lace and tightly tie your shoes. Don’t wear over-sized or baggy pants that could cause you to trip. Spills and Clean-up Make the Workplace Safer Have non-slip stable floor mats in good condition in areas that could get wet. But remember that moving heavy mats can cause back injuries. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 5 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:20:55 AM 2 T I PTISPH ESEHTE ETH T REE Follow Safe Work Practices Clean up spills immediately. Clean floors regularly so grease does not build up. Use a clean mop with approved floor cleaners. Use warning signs to keep people off wet floors. Falls When Reaching or Climbing Make the Workplace Safer Provide enough ladders and footstools of the right size and keep them in good condition. Have good lighting in work areas, and in delivery and storage areas. Set up work areas to limit the need for reaching and climbing. For example, keep the most frequently used items on accessible shelves. Follow Safe Work Practices Never use a box, cart, or other equipment to reach for objects. Use a ladder or footstool. W O S HTE P tipsheets.indd 6 Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program 5/23/05 10:20:55 AM 1 TI P S H E E T F O U R Preventing Injuries from Ergonomic Hazards Lifting and Carrying Make the Workplace Safer Design the workplace so workers have enough space to move safely when lifting and carrying. Provide smaller bus pans and trays. Reduce the need for lifting and carrying. Provide hand trucks and other lifting devices, and keep them in good condition. Install a garbage chute. DID YOU KNOW? Ergonomic hazards are caused by poor design of the workplace and equipment. They produce wear and tear on the body. They can cause pain and injury to the hands, arms, neck, back, and other parts of the body. Provide training in safe lifting methods. Follow Safe Work Practices 1. Plan your lift before you start Don’t try to carry more than you can handle. Make extra trips if necessary or ask for help. Don’t overload trays or pans. Use gloves if necessary. Make sure you have a clear path to where you are carrying the load. 2. Lifting Get as close as possible to the load before lifting. Lift with your legs, not your back. Keep your head up, back straight, and bend at your knees. Don’t lift with your hands only. 3. Moving the load Keep the load close to your body. Look where you are going. Don’t lift if you can’t see over the load. Move your feet instead of twisting your body. 4. Lowering When setting the load down, let your leg muscles carry it down. Be sure your fingers and toes are clear before setting the load down. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 7 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:20:57 AM 2 T I PTISPHSEHE ET EFTO U R Bending, Reaching Make the Workplace Safer DID YOU KNOW? Provide storage for heavy items on lower shelves to avoid reaching. Provide ladders and footstools of the right size, and keep them in good condition. Redesign drive-through windows so workers don’t have to stretch to serve customers. Follow Safe Work Practices Don’t bend or reach to get a heavy or awkward item. Ask for help to lift and move it properly. Experts say back belts are not effective in preventing back injuries, and in some cases may increase the chance of back injury. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends that employers not rely on back belts to protect workers, but instead set up an ergonomics program that includes workplace assessment, hazard reduction, and worker training. Don’t reach above your shoulders. Never use a box, cart, or other equipment to reach for objects. Use a ladder or footstool. Push carts instead of pulling them, where possible. Repetitive Movements Make the Workplace Safer Install tables and chairs permanently so they don’t have to be set up and taken down daily. Provide floor mats to protect against constant impact with hard surfaces. Rotate tasks, especially those that require using the same motion over and over. Provide mechanical equipment to do repetitive tasks where possible. Follow Safe Work Practices Often take a few moments to stretch, especially if you spend a lot of time carrying loads, bending, reaching, or repeating the same motion. Use good posture. When walking or standing for long periods, use floor mats, take breaks, and rotate tasks if possible. When sitting for long periods, make sure your lower back is supported, take breaks, and rotate tasks if possible. W O S HTE P tipsheets.indd 8 Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program 5/23/05 10:20:57 AM 1 TI P S H E E T F I V E Preventing Injuries from Robberies and Assaults Basic Security Measures Make the Workplace Safer Post emergency telephone numbers. Post laws against assault, stalking, and violent acts. Have good lighting in the workplace. Have good lighting and security in parking lots and other areas where people go alone at night. DID YOU KNOW? Workplace violence is one of the leading causes of death on the job. Most violent acts in the workplace are committed by outsiders, not by workers. Have more than one exit workers can reach in case of emergency. Schedule at least two people per shift, especially at night. Train workers on what to do in case of robbery, crime, or a potentially violent situation. Set up a reporting process for violent incidents and threats. Don’t require servers to wear revealing or sexy uniforms. Follow Safe Work Practices Keep background noise down so people will be aware of any problem. Use the “buddy system” when walking to public transportation and parking areas. Make sure back doors are locked at night. Workers should still be able to exit easily. Handling Cash Make the Workplace Safer Leave a clear, unobstructed view of the cash register area from the street. Post signs that the cash register only contains a small amount of cash. Store larger amounts of cash in a drop safe. Follow Safe Work Practices Don’t count cash in front of customers. Use the “buddy system” during cash drops. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 9 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:20:59 AM 2 T I TI P PS HSEHEETE TF I V E Security Systems Make the Workplace Safer Have working locks and alarms kept in good condition. Have a way to communicate with the police or security personnel, like a “panic” button or silent alarm. Provide surveillance cameras and/or mirrors. W O S HTE P tipsheets.indd 10 Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program 5/23/05 10:20:59 AM 1 TI P S H E E T S I X Planning for Emergencies on the Job Every workplace should have a plan for dealing with different kinds of emergencies. All workers should be trained on what’s in the plan, and what they should do. A plan should answer all the questions below. E XIT A N D E S C A P E P L A N S What is the escape plan for fires, floods, earthquakes, and chemical spills? Where are emergency exits located and how do you open them? Where should you go if there is an evacuation? Is there a designated meeting area? F I R E E XTI N G U I S H E R S How does the fire alarm system work, and how should you respond? Where are fire extinguishers located? How do you operate fire extinguishers properly? Everyone who is expected to use a fire extinguisher must be trained. OTH E R E M E R G E N C Y E Q U I P M E NT Where are emergency eye wash stations and safety showers located (if any)? Where are first aid kits located? Which workers on each shift are trained in first aid? Unless a hospital is nearby, at least two trained people should be available. IF SOMEONE IS INJURED Who should be notified of an injury? Who is designated to provide first aid? What procedures should be followed to get medical care? Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 11 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:21:01 AM TI P S H E E T S E V E N Dealing with Injuries 1 on the Job Every workplace should have a plan for handling injuries. The plan should spell out how workers should report injuries, and how to get help promptly. It should designate staff to provide first aid, and explain how to contact medical personnel if needed. What if I get hurt on the job? • Tell your supervisor right away. • Get emergency medical treatment if needed. • Your employer is required by law Follow Safe Work Practices to provide workers’ compensation Train designated staff on each shift to provide first aid for cuts. benefits, including medical care Make sure everyone knows who is designated to provide for your injury and payments if first aid. you lose wages for more than 3 days. Your employer must give you Know the dangers of contact with another person’s blood, a claim form. Fill it out and return and take appropriate precautions. Blood can carry organisms it to your employer. that cause diseases like Hepatitis B, or AIDS. Cuts Exposure to Blood Follow Safe Work Practices Make sure only designated, trained staff provide first aid. If trained staff are not available, keep away from blood. Hand the victim a towel or bandage to apply to the wound. Make sure workers know how to report an incident where there is exposure to blood. They should also know how to get a medical evaluation, and how to get a Hepatitis B vaccination if they want one. Have a system to record and evaluate incidents where there was exposure to blood. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Have first aid kits, gloves, and other protective equipment available for staff designated to provide first aid. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program tipsheets.indd 12 W O S HTE P 5/23/05 10:21:02 AM 2 T I PTISPH ESEHTE ESTE V E N Burns Follow Safe Work Practices Train designated staff on each shift to provide first aid for burns. First aid is the best way to minimize the damage caused by a burn. Make sure everyone knows who is designated to provide first aid. Do not apply ointments, sprays, antiseptics, home remedies, butter, or grease to burns. If over 15% of the body is burned, give appropriate first aid. Call 911, or follow the restaurant’s procedures to get the person to a doctor or hospital immediately. Use Protective Clothing and Equipment Have first aid kits, gloves, and other protective equipment available for staff designated to provide first aid. First Aid for Burns and Shock 1st Degree Burn: A burn injuring only the outside layer of skin. 2. Protect the burned area by covering with a clean cloth. Treatment: Apply cold water to the burned area. 3. Treat for shock. Treatment: 1. Immerse the burned area in cold water or apply a clean cloth soaked in ice water until pain subsides. A person in shock will be cold, pale, sweating, and may pass out. Treatment: Do not give any fluid or drugs. Follow the steps below. 2. Blot dry and apply a clean dry cloth or bandage. Send to a doctor if necessary. 1. Maintain an open airway. Restore breathing and circulation if necessary. 3rd Degree Burn: A burn that destroys all layers of skin. 2. Call 911, or follow the restaurant’s procedures to get the person to a doctor or hospital immediately. 4. Call 911, or follow the restaurant’s proce2nd Degree Burn: dures to get the person to a doctor or hospital A burn that injures the layer of skin beneath the immediately. surface. Blisters usually form. Shock: Treatment: Do not put ice or ice water on the burn. Do not remove clothes that are stuck to the burn. Follow the steps below. 1. Maintain an open airway. Restore breathing and circulation if necessary. W O S HTE P tipsheets.indd 13 3. Have the victim lie down with feet elevated, unless this would hurt them more. 4. Cover the person to keep them warm. Rest aurant Super visor Safet y Training Program 5/23/05 10:21:03 AM Youth Worker Safety Restaurant/Fast Food Industry In late spring and early summer, many high school and college youth start summer jobs. Restaurants and other eating and drinking businesses employ more than 421,000 people in Michigan and 11.6 million nationwide. Nearly 30 percent or approximately 125,000 of Michigan restaurant industry employees are under 20 years of age. Many teens' first work experience is in the restaurant industry. In fact, more than one in four adults found their first job in the restaurant industry. This fact sheet helps identify potential hazards and provide solutions to specific activities within the restaurant industry. Work Environment: Primary Hazards and Solutions: Activities Serve food Bus tables and clean up Drive-thru service Food Preparation/Cooking Work at cash register Slippery Floors Wear sturdy non-slip, footwear; water proof in wet areas Use non-slip mats when provided Use caution signs on wet floors Activities That May Be Restricted Power driven meat slicers and grinders (Under 18) Power-driven bakery equipment, including mixers (Under 18) Contact with hazardous substances, chemicals, explosives or radioactive substances (Under 18) Driving and work as an outside helper (pizza delivery, etc.) (Under 18) Selling, serving, or furnishing alcoholic beverages (Under 18) Baking or cooking, except at servicing center (Under 14-15) Primary Hazards and Solutions: Lifting and Carrying Heavy Objects Get help lifting; use your legs, not your back Avoid twisting while lifting Don’t overreach Use wheeled carts to serve food or transport objects Sharp Objects-Knives, Graters, Shredders, or Slicers Wear steel mesh or kevlar gloves when cutting Let a falling knife fall Store sharp knives in racks or sheaths Use broom or dust pan to clean up broken glass Deep Fat Fryers, Hot Liquids or Heated Surfaces Do not stand too close or lean over hot oil Do not spill water or ice into hot oil Wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants Use oven mitts or pot holders for hot items Wait until oil is cool to move container Electrical Shock from Damaged Electrical Cords or Faulty Appliances Do not plug in electrical equipment with wet hands Do not use frayed cords or defective equipment Primary Hazards and Solutions: Primary Hazards and Solutions: Cleaning Chemicals Ask for training before using chemicals Read labels before using Wear personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves and eye protection Workplace Violence Don’t count cash or close till in front of customers Ask supervisor what to do in an emergency Have emergency telephone numbers handy Do not resist during an attempted robbery Prolonged Standing Wear shoes with well cushioned instep and soles Use foot rest bar or stool to continually shift weight from one foot to the other Use anti-fatigue mats when provided Carbon Monoxide from Car Exhaust in Drive-Thru Keep the drive-thru window closed as much as possible, to limit exposure to exhaust Use fan when provided Exposure to Temperature Extremes Wear cool, comfortable, breathable clothing like cotton Request a break from the hot environment if needed, to allow your body to cool down Drink plenty of water in hot environments Observe safety procedures or wear protective equipment (such as gloves or protective aprons) Noisy Environments Fit drive-thru headsets properly to your head Don’t turn head-set volumes up excessively high Other Job Safety Issues: Follow workplace training and procedures Do not perform the work if you have not been trained to do the job Report potential hazards Read and follow all warning signs and postings When unsure, ask questions Keep your work area clean Employers must be aware that certain work activities are restricted for workers under the age of 18 by the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Career and Technical Education. For more information, visit the Michigan Department of Education website at: www.michigan.gov/mde. Or contact: Consultation Education & Training (CET) Division Michigan Occupational Safety & Health Administration 7150 Harris Drive, PO Box 30643, Lansing, Michigan 48909-8143 517-322-1809 or www.michigan.gov/miosha Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) www.youth2work.gov LARA is an equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids, services and other reasonable accommodations are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. MIOSHA/CET #0163 (Revised 05/23/13) Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in Wholesale and Retail Trade Establishments Summary Employees in Wholesale and Retail Trade (WRT) establishments suffer high rates of slip, trip, and fall (STF) injuries. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recommends measures to ensure a safe workplace and prevent injuries. Description of the Problem WRT includes employees engaged in wholesaling merchandise—that is, preparing, distributing, and selling merchandise in retail operations, and services related to those activities. More than 21 million employees work in the wholesale and retail industries. STFs are the second most common cause of lost-workday injuries in general industry and can cause back injuries, sprains, strains, contusions, fractures, severe head injuries, paralysis, and even fatalities. STFs are the third most common cause of lost-workday injuries in WRT establishments. Seventy-five percent of the total STF injuries in WRT occur on the same level [BLS 2010; UWSP 2010]. Slips occur as a result of low friction between the shoe and walking surface; trips occur when a person’s foot contacts an object or drops to a lower level; and falls can result from either a slip or trip [UWSP 2010]. Among other risk factors, WRT employees must frequently handle and move materials, putting them at higher risk for STF injuries. Employees in retail operations have a higher incidence rate of STF injuries than private industry employees overall. Employees in grocery stores and establishments where meat is handled are at particular risk, with a 75% greater than average industry rate for all other private industries combined (28.3 vs. 16.1 per 10,000 employees) [BLS 2010; Anderson and Mulhern 2010]. Risk Factors The following risk factors have caused slips, trips, and same-level falls in the workplace [CDC 2011; NIOSH 2010; Anderson and Mulhern 2010; ISSA 2008; NFSI 2009; UWSP 2010]: Figure 1. Spilled liquid on a floor that may cause slips. Boxes/containers may obstruct vision (See Figure 2). Poor lighting affects visibility. Walking surfaces that are in disrepair, have protruding nails and boards, or changes in floor height may cause STFs. Contaminants on the floor, walking surface irregularities, and tripping hazards such as clutter, cords or hoses, on walking surfaces lead to most STF injuries in the workplace. Workplace Factors Spills on walking surfaces may cause slippery surfaces (See Figure 1). Ice, snow, or rain can create outdoor slipping hazards and can be tracked indoors. Loose mats or rugs may result in tripping. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Work Organization Factors Fast work pace can be a factor, as an employee might feel rushed and work at a faster than normal work pace, thus risking injury. and tripped over a pallet jack behind him (a pallet jack is used to lift and move pallets). He fell backwards, landing on his wrist, resulting in a fracture and missed work. A sales employee wearing sandals walked from the wet outdoors into the warehouse, slipped, and landed on an elbow, resulting in a sprained shoulder. An auto detailer slipped outdoors on the ice and fell on his head, suffering brain injury. Recommendations Most STF incidents can be prevented with proper attention to the three categories of risk factors: workplace, work organization, and individual. The following steps are recommended to prevent injuries related to slips, trips, and same-level falls. Employers Figure 2. Carrying materials may obstruct view and cause slips, trips, and falls. Work tasks that involve handling liquid or greasy materials may cause slippery surfaces. Individual Factors Planning and Workplace Design [NIOSH 2010; Anderson and Mulhern 2010; NCDOL 2010; ISSA 2008; OBWC] Develop a written STF prevention policy that specifies both employer and worker responsibilities. (See NIOSH 2010 for an example of developing an STF prevention plan.) Ensure that aisles and passageways are free of clutter and other tripping hazards. Provide proper lighting in all areas indoors and outdoors to reduce shadows, dark areas, and glare so that trip hazards or surface irregularities are clearly visible. Replace burnt out light bulbs promptly. Age may affect balance, as the risk of same-level falls increases with age. Employee fatigue may contribute to slips and trips. Failing eyesight/use of bifocals may prevent employees from seeing walking surfaces clearly. Inappropriate, loose, or poor-fitting footwear may cause a worker to trip. Smooth or worn soles may cause a worker to slip. If electrical cords are used on a regular basis, install outlets so that cords do not cross walkways. In grocery stores, ensure that water from produce spray misters is directed onto produce, and is not spraying onto the floor. In grocery stores, provide customers with plastic bags and paper towels for wet produce to prevent it from dripping water onto the floor. Provide clean up supplies (paper towels, absorbent material, “wet floor” signs, etc) at convenient locations in the facility. Provide umbrella bags to prevent rain water from dripping onto the floor. Select flooring material according to the work to be done in the area. Use flooring with a static coefficient of friction of more than 0.5 for high-risk areas. A higher static coefficient of friction is safer and can be increased by wearing slip-resistant shoes and keeping floor surfaces clean and dry. Mats are used to provide slip-resistant walking surfaces by absorbing liquid and removing dirt, debris, and liquid from shoes. Provide water-absorbent mats near entrances and other areas where water, ice, or snow may drip or be tracked onto the floor. Mats should be large enough so that several footsteps fall on the mat and clean contaminants off the shoes Standards Standards provide guidance for maintaining safe walking and working surfaces (including stairs) and preventing slip, trip, and fall hazards. These include Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulation 29 CFR 1910.22(a) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards [2006, 2007]. The National Floor Safety Institute [2009] has issued an ANSI standard on testing procedures and devices to measure the wet static coefficient of friction of common hard-surface floor materials. A static coefficient of friction measures a surface’s resistance to friction, or the friction between the shoe and the floor [OBWC n.d.] Case Studies Several case studies were provided by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation: An employee was removing stacks of cardboard from a pallet. As he picked up the cardboard, he stepped back before the shoes contact the flooring beyond the mat. If there is water around or beyond the mat, it means that the mat is not large enough or is saturated and needs to be replaced. Training [ISSA 2008] Train employees to identify STF hazards and how to prevent STFs by using safe cleaning procedures, including placing caution signs and/or cones around the site to warn other employees and visitors to avoid wet walking surfaces. Make sure employees know whom to call to report hazards and whom to call for clean-up or repair. Footwear [Anderson and Mulhern 2010; ISSA 2008] Slip-resistant shoes are an important component of a comprehensive STF prevention program. Staff that work on wet or contaminated walking surfaces should wear slip-resistant shoes. Choose footwear that is resistant to oil, chemicals, and heat. Employees Material handling [Anderson and Mulhern 2010; UWSP 2010] Ensure that the walkway is unobstructed before transporting large materials that might block your vision. Walk with caution and make wide turns at corners. Push (rather than pull) carts to allow a better line of sight. Housekeeping [NCDOL 2010; ISSA 2008; UWSP 2010] Clean floors and work surfaces as soon as they become wet. Inspect refrigerated and freezer cases for water leakage onto the floor surfaces; place absorbent strips and waterabsorbent mats on the floor until the unit is repaired. Place warning signs in wet floor areas and remove them promptly when the floor is clean and dry. Use no-skid waxes in slippery areas, and use soap that does not leave slippery residue. During wet or oily processes, maintain drainage and provide false floors, platforms, or nonslip mats. (False floors are elevated floors usually 2 to 4 inches above the structural floor designed to provide a surface for safe transit). Clean only one side of a passageway at a time to allow room for passing. Keep passageways clear at all times, and mark permanent aisles and passageways. For purposes of one-time use, tape or anchor electrical cords to floors if they cross walkways. Acknowledgments This document was prepared by Vern Anderson, Susan Afanuh, and Jennifer Bell of NIOSH. Case study information was provided by the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. References Anderson VP, Mulhern B [2010]. Don’t let costly slip and fall injuries trip you up. Chain Store Age March:40−43. ANSI [2006]. Standards for the provision of slip resistance on walking/working surfaces. New York: American National Standards Institute, ANSI A1264.2−2006. ANSI [2007]. Safety requirements for workplace walking surfaces and their access: floor, wall and roof openings, stairs and guardrail systems. American National Standards Institute. ANSI/ASSE A1264.1-2007. BLS [2010]. Incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, private industry, 2010 http:www.bls.gov/iif/oshwc/osh/case/ostb2832.pdf CDC [2011]. Nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses among older workers—United States, 2009. MMWR 60(16):503−508. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/ mmwrhtml/mm6016a3.htm CFR. Code of Federal regulations. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, Office of the Federal Register. http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_ document?p_table=STANDARDS&p_id=9714 ISSA [2008]. Safety and health portal—slips, trips and falls in the workplace. Lincolnwood, IL: ISSA−The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association. http://www.issa. com/?id=shp_slips_trips_falls_in_the_workplace NCDOL [2010]. Slips, trips, and falls fact sheet. Raleigh, NC: North Carolina Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Division. www.nclabor.com/osha/etta/A_ to_Z_Topics/SlipsTrips.pdf NFSI [2009]. Web site of the National Floor Safety Institute. Southlake, TX: National Floor Safety Institute. http://www.nfsi. org/the_problem.php and http://www.nfsi.org/standards.php NIOSH [2010]. Slip, trip, and fall prevention for healthcare workers. DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2011-123. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2011-123/ OBWC [no date]. BWC Safety Grant Best Practices: reducing slip and fall injuries in restaurants: one company’s experience. Columbus, OH: Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. UWSP [2010]. Preventing injuries from slips, trips and falls. Stevens Point, WI: University of Wisconsin, Safety and Loss Control Office. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health 4676 Columbia Parkway Cincinnati, OH 45226–1998 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 For More Information More information about the Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector and the National Occupational Research Agenda can be found on the NIOSH Web site: http://www.cdc.gov/ niosh/programs/wrt/ To obtain information about other occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at Telephone: 1–800–CDC–INFO (1–800–232–4636) TTY: 1–888–232–6348 ■ E-mail: [email protected] or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNews by visiting www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews. Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. In addition, citations to Web sites external to NIOSH do not constitute NIOSH endorsement of the sponsoring organizations or their programs or products. Furthermore, NIOSH is not responsible for the content of these Web sites. Safer • Healthier • PeopleTM This document is in the public domain and may be freely copied or reprinted. NIOSH encourages all readers of the Workplace Solutions to make them available to all interested employers and employees. As part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, NIOSH is the Federal agency responsible for conducting research and making recommendations to prevent workrelated illness and injuries. All Workplace Solutions are based on research studies that show how worker exposures to hazardous agents or activities can be significantly reduced. Preventing Slips, Trips, and Falls in Wholesale and Retail Trade Establishments DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2013−100 October 2012 Five Minute Safety Talk No. 2 "Safe Housekeeping" CONSULTATION EDUCATION & TRAINING DIVISION Most of you probably have house cleaning responsibilities at home. For some of you, it's a regular weekly chore. Whatever the case may be, you'll agree that good housekeeping practices are important at home. However, what we sometimes overlook is that good housekeeping is a key duty on the job, too. The orderly arrangement of work areas is vital to the safety of all workers, regardless of whether they are involved with machines and tools or with appliances and furniture. It's a fact that approximately 6,000 persons are killed on the job annually in the United States, and an estimated 19,500 in home accidents. Seventeen percent of the on-the-job deaths are caused by falls, many of which result from just plain poor housekeeping practices. Falls often result from tripping over loose articles such as tools left in aisle ways and work areas. Wet spots on the floor, or trash and other articles left in stairways also take their toll. During periods of rain and snow, you know what happens when you and the kids track water into the house from outside. Tracked-in water is a serious problem at work, too. Wet spots cause slips and falls. They should be cleaned up immediately, regardless of who was responsible for their being there. We have trash receptacles placed in several strategic areas, so there is no excuse for waste paper, pop bottles, or other materials being thrown on the floor. You'd better get in close for a sure shot at the trash barrel. A word of caution. If a bottle should be broken on the floor, don't attempt to pick up the glass with your bare hands, Wear gloves or sweep up the pieces. The same procedure should be used for cleaning up nails and other sharp objects. Let's face it. It is just a lot easier to do your job when your work area is kept neat. Keep your tools and equipment off the floor and stored in the proper places. This not only reduces tripping hazards, but protects the equipment you use to earn a living with. Did you ever go to your closet at home to get your golf clubs and have to pull them out from under some other articles? Things start falling all over. It's a mess. But before you blow your cool, stop and think. "How many times have I left stuff piled on top of the golf clubs when I was in a hurry looking for something else in the closet?" The same principles apply when storing materials or equipment on the job. Take time to make the piles neat. It's unsafe to stack them too high and, if possible, it's best to keep them away from other equipment or articles that are used often. We have to be a lot like a quarterback, keeping our eyes open for changes in the defense or certain other telltale moves of opposing players. On the job, we should keep a lookout for danger signals—loose flooring, articles out of place, or other unsafe conditions. These things should be corrected immediately, or notify me and I'll see that they're taken care of. In closing, I'd like to emphasize that we're all dependent on each other for safety. It's up to each of us to hold up our end of the deal. When each of us keeps their own area in order, the whole plant is a safer place to work. To request consultation education and training services, call: 517-322-1809. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation Education & Training Division 7150 Harris Drive, Box 30643 Lansing, MI 48909-8143 517-322-1809 MIOSHA-CET-2 (Rev. 1/04) Tool Box Talk Housekeeping: Keep the Jobsite Cleaned Up! Newsletter Date Special points of interest: Keep cords out of walkways. Pay special attention to trip hazards around ladders and stairs. Watch for slippery conditions and fix them before somebody gets hurt. Housekeeping seems minor, but leads to many accidents and injuries. It is far easier to work safe in a clean, organized jobsite. Keep work areas clear of debris that creates a tripping hazard. Walkways to the work area must be clear. At least a 3 foot wide path. Pay special attention to stairways, doorways, entrances and ladder access areas. Keep them clear of debris and trip hazards. No material or tools stored on stairs and landings. Route electrical cords to the side of walking paths and keep them out of doorways to avoid damage to the cord and trip hazards. Nails in scrap lumber must be bent over or removed. Floors, platforms, stairs, and landings must be free of ice, or other slippery conditions. Stack materials safely. No higher than 2 pallets high and keep it level. Have adequate number of trash cans, and regularly dispose of the trash. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation, Education & Training Division 7150 Harris Drive, Box 30643 Lansing, MI 48909-8143 COMPUTER ERGONOMICS Ergonomics involves arranging, adapting, and adjusting your work environment to promote comfort and efficiency. Practicing good posture is also very important. Are you comfortable at your workstation? Review the items below to see if you can add to your comfort and efficiency. SCREEN EYE COMFORT Keep the top of the screen at or just below eye level, approximately 16 - 22 inches away. Reduce glare by controlling light from uncovered windows. Set computer at right angle to a window. Adjust inside lighting or reposition computer to eliminate glare. A glare screen might assist. Frequently refocus eyes on objects far away. Uncorrected vision problems can cause eye strain; see your doctor! CHAIR Learn the adjustments on your chair. Keep back supported, feet flat on floor or use foot rest, if needed. Knees at approximately 90° when seated, with lower legs perpendicular to floor. Legs should be able to move freely under your desk. ORGANIZE WORK AREA Keep most frequently used items such as telephone and calculator within easy reach. KEYBOARD Place keyboard at a height so wrists are straight and elbows approximately 90°. A wrist rest may provide additional support to wrists. Maintain a light touch on the keyboard. EXERCISE Warm-up before work by doing simple exercises. Micro-breaks throughout the day can help energize the body and relieve muscle tension. DOCUMENT HOLDER COMMUNICATION/TRAINING Place document holder and screen at the same height and distance. CHANGE POSITIONS Frequently shift positions to release tension on body. MIOSHA Consultation Education & Training (CET) Division (517) 322-1809 www.michigan.gov/miosha MIOSHA/CET #0104 (Revised 06/10) Employee involvement in the equipment selection process, communication between employee and supervisor, user friendly software, and training can help maintain stress levels and provide for a productive work environment. How to Lift Safely Preventing back injuries is a major workplace safety challenge. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than one million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries account for one of every five workplace injuries or illnesses. Further, one-fourth of all compensation indemnity claims involve back injuries, costing industry billions of dollars on top of the pain and suffering of employees. Moreover, though lifting, placing, carrying, holding and lowering are involved in manual materials handling (the principal cause of compensable work injuries) the BLS survey shows that four out of five of these injuries were to the lower back, and that three out of four occurred while the employee was lifting.1 In order to prevent back injuries, follow these safe lifting tips2: PART I - Basic Lifts Plan Your Move • Size up the load and make sure your path is clear. (Note: Lifting loads heavier than about 50 pounds will increase the risk of injury.) • Do not attempt to lift the load alone if it is too heavy or awkward. GET HELP! • Keep the load close to your body. • Use your thigh and leg muscles, not your back, as you lift in one smooth movement. Principles of Lifting • Have feet shoulder width apart, with the load between them. • Get a firm grip on the load. • Keep your arms and elbows close to your side. • Bend your knees and hips keeping your back straight. Safe Carrying • Keep a good grip on the load. • Keep the load close to the body. • Keep loads at a reasonable height so you can see where you are going. • Pivot with your feet – don’t twist your back when carrying loads. Lower Material Slowly and Smoothly • Use the lifting principles but in reverse. • When lowering a load onto a deep shelf, put it on the edge of the shelf and push it into place. • Push rather than pull. o If a person pulls while facing in the direction of travel, the arm is stretched behind the body, placing the shoulder and back in a mechanically awkward posture, increasing the likelihood of injury. o Research demonstrates that people can usually exert higher push forces than pull forces. • Pull rather than carry. PART II – Modified Lifts Two-Person Lift • Both persons should be about the same height. • One person takes charge of the lift, so that you are working together not against each other. • Lift together, walk in step and lower the load together. Golfer’s Lift Use the golfer’s lift to pick up light, small loads when you can’t bend your knees or get close to the object. • Swing one leg straight out behind you. • Keep your back straight while your body leans forward. • To help support your body, place one hand on your knee or on a nearby solid object. One-Person Lift – Sacks • Stand at one end of the sack. • Lift it to an upright position. • Straddle the load. Place one hand under the bottom of the sack and use the other to hold the sack against your body. • Bend the knees and lift the sack onto a platform. • Stand as close to the lifting platform as possible. • Bend the knees until the load can be balanced onto your shoulder. • Straighten up in one smooth movement. • If the sack is small, place it in a box with handles and carry. Sources: 1 Back Injuries-Nation's #1 Workplace Safety Problem. Fact sheet OSHA 89-09, U.S. Department of Labor. 2 Safe Lifting and Carrying. Industrial Accident Prevention Association, May 2008 Five Minute Safety Talk No. 1 "Safe Lifting Techniques" CONSULTATION EDUCATION & TRAINING DIVISION Can you think of even one job or occupation where you never have to lift an object? I can't. Lifting of objects can range from very light objects such as a piece of paper, a pin or a pen to very heavy objects like loads of boxes. Lifting is very much a part of our every day jobs. And, because it is something we do so often, we tend to do it without thinking, or at least we do until we strain a muscle, or worse, hurt our backs. Lifting incorrectly can result in a variety of injuries. Back strain is a very common one. It results from over-stretching certain muscles, but it can be avoided by practicing safe lifting techniques. A hernia is another injury associated with lifting. A hernia does not generally result from a single lifting effort. It is usually the result of continued extreme exertion, especially done contrary to the structure of body. Don't underestimate the importance of being in good physical condition. Years of poor posture, overeating, lack of exercise, stress and improper lifting can catch up with you. Learn how your back works and what you can do to keep it strong. Ask for your physician's recommended stretching, warm-up, and reconditioning exercises; then practice them regularly. Safe lifting plays an important role in keeping your back healthy. Although there doesn't seem to be just one right method to lift an object, there are lifting techniques that take strain off the low back area. These techniques have several steps in common. They recommend you "size up the load". That is, look it over. Decide if you can handle it alone or if you need help. When in doubt, ask for help. Moving a box or other object that is too heavy for one person is not worth strained and sore back muscles. You should also "size up the area." Look over the area where you are carrying the object to, and make sure it is clear of obstacles before beginning to carry the object. For that period of time spent lifting, the load becomes a part of your body. You support and propel the object while it is attached to you. This attachment should be firm and sure. Get a good grip. Attaching yourself to a load will change your balance. To keep this change of balance to a minimum, keep the load close to your body, to your normal center of gravity between the legs, between the shoulders. Good foot position allows you to keep your balance and bring into play the full power of your leg muscles. Leg muscles are more powerful and more durable than back muscles. Let your leg muscles do the work. Again, footwork is important once you avoid twisting your upper body. Use your feet to change direction. Don't twist your body. Twisting compounds the stress of the lift and affects your balance. When you have someone helping you lift an object, teamwork becomes important. If you're going to be carrying the load to another point, both of you should decide in advance how it is to be handled. Check the route and clearance. One person should be the leader and be in a position to observe and direct the other. Lifting and lowering should be done in unison. Don't let the load drop suddenly without warning your partner. Everyone has a way of lifting that seems most natural. Examine yours to see if you are using lifting techniques that reduce strain on your lower back. As the employee making the lift, you're being counted on to make lifts that are safe and comfortable for you based on the items we've discussed: Stay in shape Size up the load; ask for help, if needed Get a good grip Keep the load close Keep your balance with footwork Let your leg muscles do the work Don't twist your body Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation Education & Training Division 7150 Harris Drive, Box 30643 Lansing, MI 48909-8143 517-322-1809 MIOSHA-CET-1 (Rev. 1/04) VIDEO DISPLAY TERMINAL AND OFFICE ERGONOMICS CHECKLIST ORGANIZATION OF WORK AREA SPACE YES NO 1. Work surface and work area large enough to hold materials and equipment and perform required tasks ............................................................................................................................. 2. Storage space adequate for copies, handbooks, documents, and notebooks ........................................... 3. Area under desk free of obstructions ....................................................................................................... 4. Area under work surface provides sufficient depth, height, and width for legs to move about freely ................................................................................................................... JOB AIDS AND EQUIPMENT POSITIONING 1. Job aids, tools and materials placement allows efficient flow of work ................................................... 2. Items used frequently (telephone, calculators, etc.) within easy reach without extensive body movement .......................................................................................................... 3. Document holder available and positioned to avoid frequent eye and head movement........................................................................................................................................ 4. Cables and cords positioned to prevent tripping ..................................................................................... 5. Headset available for high volume telephone use ................................................................................... BODY POSTURE FOR SEATED POSITION 1. Lower back support ................................................................................................................................. 2. Thighs approximately horizontal............................................................................................................. 3. Lower part of leg approximately vertical ................................................................................................ 4. Keyboard height allows forearms and wrists to be in a neutral (straight) position ................................. 5. Monitor at least 12-18" away from worker ............................................................................................. 6. Top of monitor screen approximately eye level ...................................................................................... 7. Mouse positioned to allow forearm and wrist to be in a neutral position ............................................... 8. Feet rest flat on floor, or footrest provided, when needed....................................................................... 9. No prolonged forward bending ............................................................................................................... 10. Minimum amount (or infrequent) bending or twisting of the back, head, or neck ................................. MIOSHA/CET #0103 (Revised 07/10) CHAIR CHAIR FEATURES YES NO 1. Stable with five point base (safe from tipping over) ............................................................................... 2. Castors appropriate for safe mobility on floor surface ............................................................................ 3. Swivels .................................................................................................................................................... 4. Seat dimensions ....................................................................................................................................... 5. a) Seat pan 15" - 19" deep .................................................................................................................... b) Seat pan minimum 18.2" wide ......................................................................................................... Has armrests ............................................................................................................................................ a) Good fit for user ............................................................................................................................... b) Clearance under work surface for arm rests ..................................................................................... 6. Rounded front edge to avoid thigh pressure ............................................................................................ 7. Padded seat .............................................................................................................................................. 8. Lumbar support in backrest ..................................................................................................................... 9. Guidance/training for users describing how to make adjustments .......................................................... CHAIR AJUSTABILITY 1. Chair allows user to assume different postures ....................................................................................... 2. Seat height adjusts between 16" - 20.5" .................................................................................................. 3. Adjustable armrests ................................................................................................................................. 4. Adjustable height of backrest .................................................................................................................. 5. Backrest adjustable forward/backward.................................................................................................... 6. Adjustments easily made from seated position ....................................................................................... ENVIRONMENT 1. Lighting adequate for tasks ..................................................................................................................... 2. Display screen free of glare and reflections ............................................................................................ 3. Screen at right angle to windows............................................................................................................. 4. Screen character brightness at a comfortable level ................................................................................. 5. Room temperature constant between 70 - 73Β ........................................................................................ 6. Noise level: 7. a) Less than 55 dBA in task areas requiring intense concentration. .................................................... b) Less than 65 dBA in routine task areas ............................................................................................ c) Environment free from distracting high noise levels (from printers, copiers, etc.) ......................... Environment free of hot or cold areas, e.g. under desks, in corners, etc. ................................................ OSHA Releases New Safe Patient Handling Brochure by Jennifer Hilliard Published On: Jun 16, 2014 Citing the continued prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in nursing and personal care facilities, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has released an updated Safe Patient Handling brochure. The 2-page brochure extols the benefits to providers and workers of a safe patient handling program. According to the agency, such programs have been shown to reduce exposure to injuries related to manual lifting by up to 95%. This can reduce health care worker injuries and related lost work time. Other benefits include: •More satisfying work environment and professional status. •Improved nursing recruitment and retention. •Increased patient satisfaction and comfort. •Decreased patient falls and pressure ulcers. •Reduced costs associated with injuries. In the brochure, OSHA outlines the 6 elements of a successful safe patient handling program: •Commitment from management at all levels - management support, resources and consistent communication are vital to ensuring that employees at all levels understand the importance of safe patient handling. •A safe patient handling committee that involves frontline workers - inclusion of frontline employees is essential to the design, implementation and evaluation of the program. •Hazard assessment - high risk units, areas and tasks should be addressed, evaluating such factors as types of nursing units, the physical environment of patient care areas, existing equipment and the utilization of such equipment. •Technology and prevention through design - Manual lifting should be minimized (and eliminated when feasible) through the utilization of specialized lifting equipment and lift teams. •Education and training - such efforts should be geared toward the assessment of hazards, selection and use of the appropriate patient lifting equipment and devices, and review of evidence-based practices for safe patient handling; it should also include training on when and how to report injuries. •Program evaluation - evaluation is necessary to ensure long-term success of any safe patient handling program. The brochure also contains a list of additional resources on the topic of safe patient handling practices. record serious injuries and illnesses that are work-related and meet other general criteria on the OSHA 300 Log. Information from the 300 Log and the 301 form can be used to identify tasks and jobs with higher risks of injury, to monitor trends and to gauge the effectiveness of intervention efforts. Whistleblower Protections Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act employees may not be retaliated against for reporting a work-related injury or illness (29 U.S.C. 660(c)). Employers must ensure that no employee is discriminated against for exercising his or her rights, including reporting potential hazards, symptoms or work-related injuries. The Free OSHA On-site Consultation Program: A Valuable Resource for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program Through the OSHA On-site Consultation Program, OSHA provides free and confidential safety and health advice to small and medium-sized businesses committed to improving workplace safety and health. On-site consultation services are separate from enforcement and DO NOT result in penalties or citations. Additional Resources: yy Occupational Safety and Health Administration www.osha.gov yy National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/safepatient yy The Veterans Health Administration www.va.gov/health yy The Joint Commission www.jointcommission.org yy Service Employees International Union (SEIU) http://tinyurl.com/seiuOSH yy American Nurses Association www.nursingworld.org; www.anahealthyworkenvironment.org Common Beliefs vs. Facts About Safe Patient Handling Programs “Mechanical lifting is not as safe and comfortable for patients as manual lifting.” FACT: Once patients realize the ease and comfort of modern mechanical lifts, they will be more likely to accept them. Mechanical lifts are safer for both patients and healthcare workers. Under the OSHA law, employers have the responsibility for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their workers. Workers have the right to working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm. For questions, or to get information or advice, to order publications, or to file a confidential complaint, contact OSHA at 1-800-321OSHA (6742), or go to www.osha.gov. “Training and use of proper body mechanics (including use of back belts) is effective in preventing job-related injuries.” FACT: Research shows that relying on “proper” body mechanics (including use of back belts) is not, by itself, an effective way to reduce injuries. There is no such thing as safe manual lifting of a patient. “You don’t need to worry about patient-handling injuries if your workers are healthy and never had a problem.” FACT: Manual lifting can cause micro-injuries to the spine. Although workers may not feel the effects immediately, cumulative micro-injuries can result in a debilitating injury. Experts recommend that lifts be limited to 35 pounds or less. Good health and strength may actually put workers at increased risk because their peers are much more likely to seek their assistance when manually lifting patients. For more information on safe patient handling legislation in states and other resources, visit www.osha.gov/SLTC/nursinghome. Safe Patient Handling “It is much faster to manually move patients.” FACT: If equipment is located conveniently, accessing it will not take a long time. It is often more time-consuming to round up a team of workers to manually lift a patient than to get safe patient handling equipment. Preventing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Nursing Homes “Manual lifting is less expensive than mechanical lifting.” FACT: Costs associated with back injuries in the healthcare industry are estimated to be $20 billion annually. Research shows the use of assistive technology such as mechanical lifts reduces injuries to workers and lowers costs associated with workers’ compensation, lost productivity, and turnover. OSHA 3708 - 02/2014 www.osha.gov Disabling Injuries Nurses and other healthcare workers face many safety and health hazards in their work environments. In fact, healthcare workers experience some of the highest rates of non-fatal occupational injuries and illnesses of any industry sector. Injuries & Illnesses Resulting in Days Away from Work, 2012 Cases per 10,000 Full-time Workers 237 Nursing & Residential Care Facilities 114 Retail Safe patient handling programs reduce the risk of injury for both healthcare workers and patients while improving the quality of patient care. Use of lifting equipment is essential to a successful safe patient handling program and has been shown to reduce exposure to manual lifting injuries by up to 95%. yy More satisfying work environment and professional status; yy Improved nursing recruitment and retention; 106 Manufacturing yy Increased patient satisfaction and comfort; 52 Professional & Business Services 0 yy Decreased patient falls and pressure ulcers; and 50 100 150 200 250 Data Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics In 2012, injuries and illnesses reported for nursing and residential care workers were significantly higher than those in construction, and 2-3 times higher than in retail or manufacturing. Almost half of the injuries and illnesses reported for nurses and nursing support staff were musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). Rates of MSDs for nursing assistants (225.8) were almost four times as high as the average for all workers (37.8). MSDs affect the muscles, nerves and tendons. Workrelated MSDs (including those of the neck, upper extremities and low back) are a leading cause of lost workday injuries and illnesses for healthcare and social assistance workers, particularly in nursing homes and residential care facilities. Examples of MSDs include muscle strains and low back injuries, rotator cuff injuries (shoulder problems), and tendinitis. Research has identified that the risk factors for MSDs include the repeated and forceful movements associated with patient care such as lifting, transferring, and repositioning. Program Evaluation: Regular program evaluation within the environment of care is critical to the success of the program. Establish evaluation procedures necessary to assess the effectiveness of the safe patient handling program and to ensure its continuous improvement and long-term success. Credible data sources, including the OSHA Recordkeeping Log 300, and forms 301 and 300A, can be used to track and analyze injuries and trends related to the ongoing implementation of the program. Benefits of Safe Patient Handling In addition to reducing healthcare worker injuries and related lost work time, safe patient handling programs have other benefits, including: 143 Construction Work-related MSDs can be prevented. Safe patient handling programs employ the use of mechanical equipment and other elements to reduce the number and severity of work-related MSDs. yy Reduced costs associated with injuries. Elements of a Successful Safe Patient Handling Program The elements of a successful safe patient handling program include: Commitment from Management at All Levels: Gaining management support, as well as assembling a team for a safe patient handling program, are critical to program success. Management can provide visible support by consistently communicating the importance of safe patient handling; assigning roles for various aspects of a safe patient handling program to appropriate managers, supervisors, and other employees; and providing appropriate resources for implementing and sustaining the program over time. A Safe Patient Handling Committee that Involves Frontline Workers: To design and implement a safe patient handling program, as well as to evaluate and sustain the program into the future, the frontline (nonmanagerial) employees who provide direct care to patients should be well-represented on the safe patient handling committee. Hazard Assessment: Address high-risk units, areas, and patient-handling tasks. Hazard evaluation should consider factors such as types of nursing units, the physical environment of patient care areas, and existing equipment and its utilization. It is important to consider characteristics of the patient population such as level of patient mobility and cognition. Technology & Prevention Through Design: Implement methods to control hazards such as lifting, transferring, and repositioning patients. Manual lifting should be minimized in all cases and eliminated when feasible. For example, a “zero-lift“ program or policy minimizes direct patient lifting by using specialized lifting equipment and transfer tools. Establish safe patient handling policies that are based on patients’ physical and medical conditions and the availability of lifting equipment and lift teams. Select appropriate lifting equipment in accord with the hazard assessment, and install and maintain lifting devices according to manufacturer recommendations. The best proactive approach is through proper design of the work environment, including incorporating health hazard controls into the design of facilities during construction and remodeling. Education & Training: Provide sufficient education and training so that each worker understands the elements of the safe patient handling program and how to participate. The education and training of healthcare workers should be geared toward the assessment of hazards, selection and use of the appropriate patient lifting equipment and devices, and review of evidencebased practices for safe patient handling. Training should include when and how to report injuries. OSHA Emphasizes the Importance of Safe Patient Handling Programs Reducing the number of musculoskeletal disorders in healthcare workers is a priority for OSHA. The agency revised its Guidelines for Nursing Homes, Ergonomics for the Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disorders and launched an educational outreach and enforcement program to address hazards specific to nursing homes. OSHA promotes a safety culture of prevention of harm for both patients and workers through Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. Use the OSHA 300 Log for Recordkeeping In addition to a thorough worksite hazard analysis, the OSHA 300 Log can be a useful tool to assess the health and safety needs of facilities and to evaluate the effectiveness of specific interventions and overall safe patient handling programs. The OSHA Recordkeeping Rule (29 CFR 1904) requires healthcare facilities to Safe Patient Handling Programs Effectiveness and Cost Savings P rior to establishing a comprehensive safe patient handling program, your administrators will probably want to get a full picture of the costs and benefits. This document gives administrators a business case for investing in safe patient handling programs, policies, and equipment, based on real-life findings from hospitals across the United States that have successfully implemented these programs. Many nurses and nursing assistants suffer from work-related musculoskeletal disorders and pain. Nearly 50 percent of injuries and illnesses reported in 2011 among nurses and nursing support staff were musculoskeletal disorders. U.S. Department of Labor www.osha.gov • (800) 321-OSHA (6742) OSHA 3729 - 09/2013 According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics data, workers in hospitals suffer injuries and illnesses at nearly twice the national average rate. Hospitals had an incidence rate of 6.8 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers in 2011, compared with 3.5 per 100 in all U.S. industries combined.1 The incidence rate for injuries and illnesses resulting in days away from work, measured across all industries and occupations nationwide, was 1.2 per 100 full-time workers in 2011.1 The incidence rate for these injuries among nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants across the healthcare industry was nearly four times that, at 4.4 per 100 full-time workers.2 Nearly 50 percent of the reported injuries and illnesses among nurses and nursing support staff in 2011 were musculoskeletal disorders. Nursing assistants suffered more of these disorders in 2011 than any other occupation, while registered nurses ranked fifth.2 Patient handling injuries can be very costly to hospitals. According to one large national survey drawn from 53 healthcare systems with roughly 1,000 hospitals in all 50 states, patient handling injuries accounted for 25 percent of all workers’ compensation claims for the healthcare industry in 2011.3 On average, a workers’ compensation claim related to patient handling cost $15,600, and wage replacement accounted for the largest share of this cost ($12,000).3 In terms of wage replacement, patient handling injuries are among the most expensive type of hospital worker injuries.3,4 In addition to these direct and highly visible costs, there are numerous indirect and less visible costs from patient handling injuries—difficult to measure, but with a very real impact on a hospital’s finances and resources. These include employee turnover, training, overtime, incident investigation time, productivity, and morale. Patient safety, satisfaction, and recovery times may also be affected if workers are injured during patient handling and repositioning. These indirect costs can increase the total cost of patient handling injuries by two to four times.5,6 For example, a number of studies have tried to estimate the cost of replacing a nurse who leaves the profession, factoring in the costs associated with separation, recruiting, hiring, productivity loss, and orientation and training. These studies place those costs in the range of $27,000 to $103,000 per nurse.7 CARING FOR OUR CAREGIVERS Safe Patient Handling Programs: Effectiveness and Cost Savings Safe patient handling investments pay for themselves quickly. Investments in safe patient handling can include permanent or portable lifts, transfer sheets and other equipment, training on equipment use and maintenance, implementation of a “minimal lift” policy that eliminates manual handling whenever possible, and/or a dedicated “lift team” that travels through the hospital moving patients with proper equipment. While the costs for instituting such programs can be significant, several studies have shown that the initial capital investment in safe patient handling policies, programs, and equipment can be recovered in fewer than five years.8,9,10,11 The map below shows some examples reported from safe patient handling case studies across the country: Examples of Safe Patient Handling Cost Savings Sacred Heart Medical Center, a 432-bed tertiary care facility in Oregon, saved $305,000 over a two-year period and reported that “the lifts actually paid for themselves in 15 months.”12 After investing $800,000 in a safe lifting program, Stanford University Medical Center saw a five-year net savings of $2.2 million. Roughly half of the savings came from workers’ compensation, and half from reducing pressure ulcers in patients.16 Northwest Texas Healthcare System, a 404-bed acute care facility and medical center, instituted a minimal lift policy and reported that it nearly recouped the cost of its three-year program within one year.5 The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, a 725-bed comprehensive tertiary care academic medical center, reduced its workers’ compensation costs by more than $475,000 and recovered its initial investment in a safe patient handling program within three years.13 Kaleida Health Network, the largest healthcare provider in western New York, invested $2 million in a comprehensive safe patient handling program in 2004 and realized a full return on investment within three years. By 2011, the five hospitals within the network (with 70 to 511 beds each) had saved $6 million in patient handling injury costs.14 After creating a culture of safe patient handling, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, a 520-bed acute care teaching hospital in New Jersey, reported that it met and exceeded its return on investment goal of 155 percent within 30 months.15 The Veterans Health Administration Patient Safety Center introduced safe patient handling programs in 23 high-risk units (with 20 to 60 beds each) in seven Southeast facilities. The cost-benefit analysis showed a net savings of $200,000 per year, and the initial capital investment was recovered in approximately four years.9, 11 2 Safe Patient Handling Programs: Effectiveness and Cost Savings Safe patient handling is effective in reducing worker injuries and lost time. Hospitals with successful safe patient handling programs have found they can significantly reduce the number of employee injuries and lost work days from injuries. For example, injury rates were significantly lower after safe patient handling programs were introduced in 23 high-risk units across seven Southeast Veterans Health Administration facilities. The injury rate fell from 24.0 per 100 workers per year to 16.9, a 30 percent reduction.9,11 Safe patient handling has been associated with not only fewer injuries but also a decrease in the severity of injuries. In the following examples, hospitals reduced injury rates and severity by implementing various safe patient handling improvements: • Statistically significant reductions in both frequency and severity of injuries were seen after 31 rural community hospitals in Washington implemented a “zero lift program” that replaced manual lifting, transferring, and repositioning of patients with mechanical lifting or use of other patient assist devices. The frequency of patient handling injury claims decreased from 3.88 per 100 full-time equivalents to 2.23, a 43 percent reduction. Total incurred loss per claim decreased by 24 percent.17 • Nine hospitals and one nursing home participated in a program to introduce lift teams in their facilities in an effort to reduce injuries associated with lifting patients. All facilities reported reductions in back injuries due to lifting patients. The lift teams successfully reduced back injuries by 69 percent, the incidence rate by 62.5 percent, and lost work days by 90 percent. Healthcare costs per back injury were reduced by 88 to 95 percent.18 • After establishing lift teams to perform patient transfers and repositioning tasks, Tampa General Hospital in Florida reduced its patient handling injury rate by 65 percent. Its rate of patient handling injuries among registered nurses was reduced by 71 percent. The hospital also realized a 90 percent reduction in lost work days, an 84 percent reduction in modified duty days, and a 92 percent reduction in workers’ compensations costs.19 Minimal lifting replaces manual lifting, transferring, and repositioning of patients with mechanical lifting or other patient assist devices. • Three years after introducing a minimal lift program, Franklin Square Hospital Center in Baltimore, Maryland, saw the number of patient handling injuries decrease by more than 70 percent.20 The consultants hired to implement the program, including all equipment purchased and staff training, had guaranteed a three-year decrease of 60 percent in patient handling staff injuries or a refund of the percentage of the difference. • Two years after creating a culture of safe patient handling, Englewood Hospital and Medical Center in New Jersey saw a 57.1 percent reduction in workplace injuries and an 80.5 percent reduction in lost work days.15 3 Safe Patient Handling Programs: Effectiveness and Cost Savings Safe patient handling saves on the bottom line. Hospitals that implement a safe patient handling program substantially reduce their costs associated with patient handling injuries. For example: • Three years after the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics implemented a comprehensive safe patient handling program, workers’ compensation costs fell from $559,610 to $84,880 (an 85 percent reduction). Lost work days decreased by 76 percent, from 2,881 days to 529 days. Replacing injured employees for the 2,352 lost work days that would have been expected to occur prior to implementing the safe patient handling program is equivalent to hiring nine full-time registered nurses, at an estimated cost of about $600,000.13 • Workers’ compensation costs associated with patient transfer decreased by 99.8 percent after one chronic care hospital in Canada implemented a zero lift program.8 • Tampa General Hospital saw a 92 percent reduction in workers’ compensation costs for patient handling injuries after establishing its lift teams. The Level 1 trauma center’s workers’ compensation costs as a percentage of total payroll decreased from 1.14 percent in 1999 to 0.09 percent in 2012.19 • After purchasing mechanical patient lifts, a small community hospital in a suburb of St. Louis, Missouri, saw a decrease in annual workers’ compensation costs from $484 to $151 per full-time equivalent.21 Indirect cost savings, such as those associated with registered nurse turnover, can also be substantial. For example, a small acute care satellite facility in South Carolina implemented a minimal lift program to promote safe patient handling and to improve retention of experienced nurses (defined as those older than 46). Before implementing the program, registered nurse turnover averaged 10 percent. Turnover was cut in half, decreasing to 5 percent during the pilot program. This reduction saved the facility $170,000 in one year.22 Patients also benefit. The quality of patient care improves when safe patient handling programs are implemented.23,24 Patients have fewer falls, skin tears, and pressure ulcers, which can cost the hospital money and lower their Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores. Mechanical and other safe lift equipment increases patient mobility, which can reduce patients’ length of stay. Studies have also shown that patients feel significantly more comfortable and secure when a mechanical transfer device is used.13,19,22,25,26,27,28,29 All of this results in an enhanced sense of dignity, leading to increased patient satisfaction. Careful implementation is required to achieve the full benefits of safe patient handling programs. These are just a few of the business reasons to invest in safe patient handling solutions to ensure that patients are handled with care and dignity. Overwhelming evidence suggests not only that safe patient handling is a wise investment that can reduce worker injuries, but that having policies, procedures, and products that enhance safe patient handling can be good for a hospital’s bottom line. To achieve the fullest possible benefit, however, hospitals need to consider more than just what type of equipment to buy. Successful safe patient handling programs also involve a comprehensive assessment of the nature of patient and worker needs; full support from administration and key managers; employee involvement; policies that encourage the safest techniques for handling patients; the right amount of equipment that is right for the job; adequate, convenient storage and maintenance of equipment; education and training; and ongoing evaluation and improvement. Without these, your hospital’s culture may not be ready to embrace the new program, putting your investment at risk. For more information on ways to build a safety culture that focuses on patient and worker safety together, see some of the safety and health management system resources at www.osha.gov/dsg/hospitals. 4 Safe Patient Handling Programs: Effectiveness and Cost Savings To establish a business case for your facility, you will need to determine: 1. How much your facility spends on patient handling injuries (i.e., workers’ compensation claims) every year. 2. An indirect cost multiplier to cover additional costs associated with injuries, such as temporary staffing and overtime, turnover, and reduced productivity. You may also wish to include quantifiable data on savings due to improved patient care in the form of fewer falls, skin tears, and pressure ulcers. Estimates for indirect costs vary. The literature supports multiplying the cost of workers’ compensation claims by two to four to estimate the total cost of patient handling injuries.5,6 3. The projected cost of your safe patient handling program, which includes your initial investment in equipment and installation, operation and maintenance (including replacing expendable supplies), and training. 4. The percent reduction in patient handling injury costs that you expect to see over time as a result of your safe patient handling program. You should consider your costs and benefits over multiple years. Several studies have shown that the initial capital investment in safe patient handling policies, programs, and equipment can be recovered in fewer than five years. 8,9,10,11 __________ 1 Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2012. News release: Workplace injuries and illnesses—2011. See www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/osh_10252012.pdf. These data cover all ownership types. 2 Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2012. Table 18. In Economic News Release: Nonfatal Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Requiring Days Away from Work, 2011. See www.bls.gov/news.release/archives/ osh2_11082012.htm. These data cover all ownership types. 3 on Risk Solutions. 2012. 2012 Health Care Workers Compensation Barometer. See www.aon.com/attachments/risk-services/2012-HC-WorkersComp_Barometer_Report_Abridged.pdf. Additional A information about workers’ compensation claims related to patient handling was provided by the authors to OSHA in 2013. 4 National Council on Compensation Insurance. 2013. Hospital workers’ compensation claims for policy years 2005–2009. Data provided to OSHA. 5 Hunter, B., M. Branson, D. Davenport. 2010. Saving costs, saving health care providers’ backs, and creating a safe patient environment. Nursing Economic$. 28(2): 130-134. 6 ssociation of Occupational Health Professionals in Healthcare. 2011. Beyond Getting Started: A Resource Guide for Implementing a Safe Patient Handling Program in the Acute Care Setting. See A www.aohp.org/aohp/Portals/0/Documents/AboutAOHP/BGS_Summer2011.pdf. 7 Li, Y., and C.B. Jones. 2012. A literature review of nursing turnover costs. Journal of Nursing Management. 21(3): 405-418. (Dollar amounts presented in the text are in 2013 dollars. This is the range of the values presented in the studies calculated in 2013 dollars using the medical care portion of the consumer price index.) 8 Garg, A. 1999. Long-Term Effectiveness of “Zero-Lift Programs” in Seven Nursing Homes and One Hospital. University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. Contract Report No. U60/CCU512089-02. 9 Nelson, A., M. Matz, F. Chen, K. Siddharthan, J. Lloyd, and G. Fragala. 2006. Development and evaluation of a multifaceted ergonomics program to prevent injuries associated with patient handling tasks. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 43: 717-733. 10 Nelson A.L., J. Collins, H. Knibbe, K. Cookson, A.B. de Castro, and K.L. Whipple. 2007. Safer patient handling. Nursing Management. 38(3): 26-33. 11 S iddharthan, K., A. Nelson, H. Tiesman, and F. Chen. 2005. Cost-effectiveness of a multifaceted program for safe patient handling. Advances in Patient Safety: From Research to Implementation. 05-0021-1(3): 347-358. 12 Yordy, A. 2011. Case study: Sacred Heart Medical Center. The Hastings Center Report. 41(1): 25-26, 52. 13 S tenger, K., L.A. Montgomery, and E. Briesemeister. 2007. Creating a culture of change through implementation of a safe patient handling program. Critical Care Nursing Clinics of North America. 19(2): 213-222. 14 Lancman, R., K. L. T. Wright, and R. Gottfried. 2011. Safe Patient Handling in New York: Short Term Costs Yield Long Term Results. See assembly.state.ny.us/comm/WorkPlaceSafe/20110527a/index.pdf. 15 Cadmus, E., P. Brigley, and M. Pearson. 2011. Safe patient handling: Is your facility ready for a culture change? Nursing Management. 42(11): 12-15. 16 Celona, J., E. Hall, and J. Forte. Making a business case for safe handling. Presented at the 2010 West Coast Safe Patient Handling and Movement Conference. September 2010; San Diego, California. As cited in: Gallagher, S. M., W. Charney, and L.D. McGinley. 2010. Clinical nursing education series: Rethinking lift teams. Bariatric Times. 7(11): 18-23. 17 Charney, W., B. Simmons, M. Lary, and S. Metz. 2006. Zero lift programs in small rural hospitals in Washington state: Reducing back injuries among health care workers. AAOHN Journal. 54(8): 355-358. 18 Charney, W. 1997. The lift team method for reducing back injuries: A 10 hospital study. AAOHN Journal. 45(6): 300-304. 19 T ampa General Hospital. 2013 update to data that appeared in: Kutash, M., M. Short, J. Shea, and M. Martinez. 2009. The lift team’s importance to a successful safe patient handling program. Journal of Nursing Administration. 39(4): 170-175. 20 Hinton, M.V. 2010. Establishing a safe patient handling/minimal lift program. Orthopaedic Nursing. 29(5): 325-330. 21 Li, J., L. Wolff, and B. Evanoff. 2004. Use of mechanical patient lifts decreased musculoskeletal symptoms and injuries among health care workers. Injury Prevention. 10(4): 212-216. 22 Knoblauch, M.D., and S.A. Bethel. 2010. Safe patient-handling program “UPLIFTS” nurse retention. Nursing. 40(2): 67-68. 23 Facility Guidelines Institute. 2010. Patient Handling and Movement Assessments: A White Paper. 2010 Health Guidelines Revision Committee Specialty Subcommittee on Patient Movement. See www.fgiguidelines.org/pdfs/FGI_PHAMA_whitepaper_042810.pdf. 24 The Joint Commission. 2012. Improving Patient and Worker Safety: Opportunities for Synergy, Collaboration and Innovation. See www.jointcommission.org/assets/1/18/TJCImprovingPatientAndWorkerSafety-Monograph.pdf. 25 Owen, B.D. 2000. Preventing injuries using an ergonomics approach. AORN Journal. 72(6): 1031-1036. 26 Owen, B.D., K. Keene, and S. Olson. 2002. An ergonomic approach to reducing back/shoulder stress in hospital nursing personnel: A five year follow up. International Journal of Nursing Studies. 39: 295-302. 27 Pellino, T.A., B. Owen, L. Knapp, and J. Noack. 2006. The evaluation of mechanical devices for lateral transfers on perceived exertion and patient comfort. Orthopaedic Nursing. 25(1): 4-10. 28 Zhuang, Z., T.J. Stobbe, J.W. Collins, H. Hsiao, and G.R. Hobbs. 2000. Psychophysical assessment of assistive devices for transferring patients/residents. Applied Ergonomics. 31(1): 35-44. 29 Howard, N. 2010. Patient handling: Fact vs. fiction. American Nurse Today. 5(7): 32-34. This document is advisory in nature and informational in content. It is not a standard or regulation, and it neither creates new legal obligations nor alters existing obligations created by OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act. 5 Strains, Sprains, and Pains in Home Healthcare: Working in an Uncontrolled Environment http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2010/04/16/homehealthcare/ April 16th, 2010 12:45 pm ET - Traci Galinsky, PhD, and Garrett Burnett, MS, MBA You hope the discharge planner was a good one. You hope the doors aren’t too narrow for the wheelchair and the bed is higher than knee-level. Even then, as likely as not, your work area will be the size of a crawlspace and strewn with clutter and medical equipment. Welcome to life as a home healthcare provider. In 2007, America’s 896,800 home healthcare workers reported a staggering 27,400 injuries.1 Some of these resulted from unintentional needlesticks, latex allergies, and violence against providers. However, the most common injuries were sprains, strains, and other musculoskeletal injuries related to lifting and moving patients. The rate of patient lifting injuries in 2007 was 20.5 per 10,000 healthcare workers.2 In homes, the lifting equipment and adjustable beds that are often available in hospitals are conspicuously absent. Also, nurses, aides, hospice care workers, and other in-home care providers tend to work alone. Moving a patient without help, in cramped quarters, and without assistive equipment is a recipe for injury. In fact, research indicates that if any caregiver is required to lift more than 35 pounds of a patient’s weight, assistive devices should be used for the transfer.3 Ergonomic Assistive Devices Here are just a few examples of equipment that can be used to improve safety for workers and patients: • • • • A hoist should be used for lifting patients who don’t have enough strength to stand and walk on their own. A rolling toileting and showering chair can reduce six transfers (from bed to wheelchair to toilet to wheelchair to bathtub to wheelchair to bed) to two (from bed to chair and back to bed). Grab bars, adjustable beds, and raised toilet seats can improve leverage and prevent the need for awkward and unsafe postures. Slip sheets and other friction-reducing devices cut back on the effort needed to move a patient. Recommendations The work environment shifts drastically from home to home and conditions fall outside the control of both employer and worker. However, there are methods for reducing musculoskeletal injuries. The best of these is prevention through ergonomics designing work tasks so that they aren’t beyond workers’ strength and abilities. In healthcare, ergonomics involves using equipment and methods to decrease strain and increase safety when lifting and moving patients. Employers • • • • Consult with a professional in patient-care ergonomics to determine when assistive devices are necessary and to provide training on proper use of the equipment. Provide ergonomics training for workers. Evaluate each patient-care plan to determine whether ergonomic assistive devices or more than one care provider are needed. Reassess the training, the care plan, and the assistive devices once installed and in use by the caregiver. Workers • • Use ergonomic assistive devices if they are available. When it’s not possible to avoid manual patient handling: o Stand as close to the patient as possible to avoid reaching, bending and twisting. To avoid rotating the spine, make sure one foot is in the direction of the move. o Keep your knees bent and feet apart. o Use gentle rocking motions to move a patient. o When pulling a patient up from an adjustable bed, lower the head of the bed until it is flat or down. Raise the patient’s knees and encourage the patient to push. o Don’t stand in one place. Move around the patient’s bed so you can position yourself in a safe posture rather than stretching, bending, and reaching. In applying these recommendations, keep in mind that workers can be injured from lifting too much weight, regardless of whether they use proper body mechanics. Nurses and other home healthcare providers should not have to fear becoming patients themselves; however, many safeguards may appear prohibitive because of cost, organizational inertia, lack of training, the difficulty of using devices, resistance from families, and so forth. It is important for employers, workers, patients and families to work together to try to overcome these problems. Resources – Ergonomics in Home Healthcare Employers and workers should gather as much information as they can about ergonomics in home healthcare, starting with the resources listed below: • • • • • NIOSH Hazard Review: Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare Preventing Back Injuries in Healthcare Settings Safe Lifting and Movement of Nursing Home Residents Parsons, KS, Galinsky, TL, Waters, TR. Suggestions for preventing musculoskeletal disorders in home healthcare workers part 1: lift and transfer assistance for partially weight-bearing home care patients, Home Healthcare Nurse 2006 Mar; 24(3):158-164. Parsons, KS, Galinsky, TL, Waters, TR. Suggestions for preventing musculoskeletal disorders in home healthcare workers part 2: lift and transfer assistance for non-weight-bearing home care patients, Home Healthcare Nurse 2006 Apr; 24(4):227-233. Please share the information in this blog with any home healthcare providers you know, including friends and family members who provide care for their loved ones. As always, leave your comments, safety tips, and thoughts on safety roadblocks. Look for future home healthcare blog entries on latex allergies, bloodborne pathogens and needlestick injuries, stress, and violence. Dr. Galinsky (Captain, U.S. Public Health Service) is a research psychologist in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. Mr. Burnett is a health communications specialist in NIOSH’s Education and Information Dissemination Division. References 1, 2. NIOSH Hazard Review: Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare, NIOSH Publication No. 2010125. January 2010.3. Waters TR, When is it safe to manually lift a patient, American Journal of Nursing, 2007. SAFE PATIENT HANDLING Rates of musculoskeletal injuries from overexertion in healthcare occupations are among the highest of all U.S. industries. Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) show that in 2011, the rate of overexertion injuries averaged across all industries was 38 per 10,000 full time workers. By comparison, the overexertion injury rate for hospital workers was twice the average (76 per 10,000), the rate for nursing home workers was over three times the average (132 per 10,000), and the rate for ambulance workers was over six times the average (238 per 10,000).1The single greatest risk factor for overexertion injuries in healthcare workers is the manual lifting, moving and repositioning of patients, residents or clients, i.e., manual patient handling. Most of the patient handling which occurs in health care settings is performed by nurses and support staff such as nursing aides and orderlies. The most recent data available from the BLS (2010) show that within the health care industry, workers in these occupations suffered the most lost-time cases of general musculoskeletal pain (11,960) and back pain (4,700).2 Rising obesity rates in the United States3 increase the physical demands on caregivers, and the aging of the workforce likely contributes to the problem; recent data indicate that the average age of a registered nurse in the U.S. is approximately 44 years. Nursing work demands have also been strained by an ongoing shortage of nurses which is projected to reach 260,000 unfilled nursing positions by the year 2025 in the US.4 Occupational safety and health programs have fostered research to identify injury risk factors and safety interventions to prevent injuries during patient handling. Evidence-based research has shown that safe patient handling interventions can significantly reduce overexertion injuries by replacing manual patient handling with safer methods guided by the principles of “Ergonomics.” Ergonomics refers to the design of work tasks to best suit the capabilities of workers. In the case of patient handling, it involves the use of mechanical equipment and safety procedures to lift and move patients so that health care workers can avoid using manual exertions and thereby reduce their risk of injury. At the same time, patient handling ergonomics seeks to maximize the safety and comfort of patients during handling. This web page contains links to multiple resources for further information on safe patient handling. Sources: 1 BLS Table R8. Incidence rates for nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work per 10,000 full-time workers by industry and selected events or exposures leading to injury or illness, private industry, 2011. Adobe PDF fileExternal Web Site Icon 2 BLS Table R9. Number of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work by occupation and selected natures of injury or illness, private industry, 2010. Adobe PDF fileExternal Web Site Icon 3 Flegal, KM, Carroll, MD, Ogden, CL, Curtin, LR.[2010] Prevalence and Trends in Obesity Among US Adults, 1999-2008 JAMA. 2010;303(3):235-241 4 Buerhaus, PI, Auerbach, DI, Staiger, DO, [2009] The Recent Surge In Nurse Employment: Causes and Implications, Health Affairs July/August 2009 vol. 28 no. 4 w657-w668. NIOSH Health Care and Social Assistance Program (HCSA) and the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) “Healthcare and Social Assistance” (HCSA) is one of many occupational sectors studied by U.S. federal agencies such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).Guided by NORAidentified research priorities, the mission of the NIOSH HCSA research program is to eliminate occupational diseases, injuries, and fatalities among workers in this sector. Much of this research focuses on safe patient handling. Collaboration among partners in government, industry, and academia has provided a great deal of information on safe patient handling through publications, conferences, and safety training programs. To date, most of the research has focused on the handling of “average-sized” patients in institutional settings such as hospitals and nursing homes. Continued research in these and other settings such as home health care and emergency response, and with obese and morbidly obese (“bariatric”) patients is needed. The research-based evidence gathered thus far has led to the development of safe patient handling standards, and ongoing legislation to enact laws requiring or promoting the use of safe patient handling programs in health care settings. For all NIOSH publications, credits and the complete article go to: http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/safepatient/ Preventing Back Injuries in Health Care Settings http://blogs.cdc.gov/niosh-science-blog/2008/09/22/lifting/ September 22nd, 2008 9:00 am ET - Administrator Healthcare workers often experience musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) at a rate exceeding that of workers in construction, mining, and manufacturing.1 These injuries are due in large part to repeated manual patient handling activities, often involving heavy manual lifting associated with transferring, and repositioning patients and working in extremely awkward postures. The problem of lifting patients is compounded by the increasing weight of patients to be lifted due to the obesity epidemic in the United States and the rapidly increasing number of older people who require assistance with the activities of daily living.2,3 Direct and indirect costs associated with back injuries in the healthcare industry are estimated to be $20 billion annually.4 Additionally, nursing aides and orderlies suffer the highest prevalence (18.8%) and report the most annual cases (269,000) of work-related back pain among female workers in the United States.5 In 2000, 10,983 registered nurses (RNs) suffered lost-time work injuries due to lifting patients. Twelve percent of nurses report that they left the nursing profession because of back pain.6 As our nursing workforce ages (average age 46.8 years) and we face a critical nursing shortage in this country (an expected 20% shortage by 2015 and 30% by 2020), preserving the health of our nursing staff and reducing back injuries in healthcare personnel is critical. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a comprehensive research program aimed at preventing work-related MSDs with major efforts to reduce lifting injuries in healthcare settings. NIOSH’s research with diverse partners has already made great strides in developing and implementing practical intervention strategies, with further progress expected. The first research effort was a comprehensive lab and field study to identify safer ways to lift and move nursing home residents by removing the excessive forces and extreme postures that can occur when manually lifting residents. Historically, the caregiver has used his or her own strength to provide manual assistance to the resident. NIOSH conducted a large field study to determine if an intervention consisting of mechanical equipment to lift physically dependent residents, training on the proper use of the lifts, a safe lifting policy, and a preexisting medical management program would reduce the rate and the associated costs of the resident handling injuries for the nursing personnel in a real world setting.7 During the 6-year period, from January 1995 through December 2000, 1,728 nursing personnel were followed before and after implementation of the intervention. After the intervention, there was a significant reduction in injuries involving resident handling, workers’ compensation costs, and lost work day injuries. When injury rates associated with patient handling were examined, workers’ compensation claims rates per 100 nursing staff were reduced by 61%; Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordable injury rates decreased by 46%; and first reports of employee injury rates were reduced by 35%. The initial investment of $158,556 for lifting equipment and worker training was recovered in less than 3 years on the basis of post-intervention savings of $55,000 annually in workers’ compensation costs and potentially more quickly if indirect costs (lost wages, cost of hiring and retraining workers, etc.) are considered. This is significant given that cost is an often cited barrier to purchasing lifting equipment. Another advantage of lifting equipment is the reduction in the rate of assaults on caregivers during resident transfers—down 72%, 50%, and 30% on the basis of workers’ compensation, OSHA recordable incidents, and the first reports of injury data, respectively. More information on this study can be found in the NIOSH publication Safe Lifting and Movement of Nursing Home Residents. Based on the successes achieved in the long-term care industry, NIOSH is undertaking a sixyear longitudinal research study to evaluate the effectiveness of a “best practices” safe patient handling program at two large acute-care hospitals in the United States. Another major study demonstrating success in reducing back injuries to health care workers was funded by NIOSH through a cooperative agreement. The study examined the long-term effectiveness of a safe lifting program with the primary objective to reduce injuries to healthcare workers resulting from manual lifting and transferring of patients.8 The safe lifting programs, which used employee management advisory teams (participatory-team approach), were implemented in seven nursing homes and one hospital. The eight facilities varied in the available number of beds and number of nursing personnel. In this study, manual lifting and transferring of patients was replaced with modern, battery operated, portable hoists, and other patient-transfer assistive devices. Ergonomics committees with nearly equal representation from management and employees selected the equipment and implemented the safe lifting programs. Injury statistics were collected post-intervention for 51 months and were compared with 37 months of preintervention data. The results were compelling. The number of injuries from patient transfers decreased by 62% (range = 3979%), lost work days by 86% (range = 5099%), restricted workdays by 64% (96% decrease to 17% increase), and workers’ compensation costs by 84% (range = 5399%). Overall, the eight facilities experienced decreases of 32% in all injuries, 62% in all lost work days, 6% in all restricted work days, and 55% in total workers’ compensation costs. The program produced many intangible benefits including improvements in patient comfort and safety during transfers and patient care. The nursing personnel perceived that their backs were less sore and that they were less tired at the end of their shifts. More pregnant and older workers were able to perform their regular duties and stay on the job for a longer period. Despite the obvious advantages to using lifting equipment, schools of nursing continue to teach, and nurses’ licensure exams9 continue to include, outdated and unsafe manual patient handling techniques. This is due in large part to outdated books and curricula which promote unsafe patient handling practices. To address this, a team of experts from NIOSH, the American Nurses Association, and the Veterans Health Administration developed and evaluated an evidence-based training program on safe patient handling for educators at schools of nursing. The study found that when using the curriculum, nurse educator and student knowledge improved significantly as did the intention to use mechanical lifting devices in the near future.10,11 The curriculum module, which won the 2008 National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Partnership Award, is ready for broad-scale dissemination across nursing schools to reduce the risk of MSDs among nurses. Looking ahead: Beginning in 2009, NIOSH will conduct a project aimed at improving safety while lifting and moving bariatric patients. In healthcare settings, the term “bariatric” is used to refer to patients whose weights exceed the safety capacity of standard patient lifting equipment (300 lbs), or who otherwise have limitations in health, mobility, or environmental access due to their weight/size.12 Compared to the non-obese population, obese individuals require more frequent and extensive healthcare due to obesity-related health problems, and healthcare personnel are encountering hospitalized and critical-care bariatric patients on an increasingly frequent basis.13,14,15 In the extreme, such patients can weigh over 1,200 pounds. The upcoming NIOSH project will evaluate bariatric patient handling practices at multiple hospitals, including intervention programs and health/safety outcomes, in order to identify and promote evidence-based best practices. We all have a vested interest in taking care of those who help take care of us and our families when we need medical attention. It is likely that the implementation of the research presented here will significantly reduce injuries and illnesses for healthcare workers and increase the quality of patient care. In turn, reducing MSDs among nurses may help address the critical issues of nurse recruitment and retention. As we contemplate further research, we would like to hear about your experiences with lifting equipment and practices in medical settings. Additionally, your thoughts about retooling student nursing curriculum as well as your opinions on state laws regulating safe patient handling and movement would be appreciated. —Jennifer Bell, PhD; Jim Collins, PhD, MSME; Traci L. Galinsky, PhD; Thomas R. Waters, PhD, CPE Dr. Bell is a research epidemiologist in the Analysis and Field Evaluations Branch in the NIOSH Division of Safety Research. Dr. Collins is (Captain, U.S. Public Health Service) is the Associate Director for Science for the NIOSH Division of Safety Research. Dr. Galinsky (Captain, U.S. Public Health Service) is a research psychologist in the NIOSH Division of Applied Research and Technology. Dr. Waters is a research safety engineer in the Division of Applied Research and Technology. Caring for the Caregiver in Nursing and Residential Care Facilities Jenelle K. Thelen Industrial Hygienist Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division MIOSHA Lansing, Michigan 517-322-1809 www.michigan.gov/miosha Objectives • Review of 2012 Injury and Illness Data • Review the OSHA/MIOSHA National Emphasis Program (NEP) for Nursing and Residential Care Facilities. • Describe specific types of facilities covered by the NEP • Identify the hazards • Review MIOSHA outreach and enforcement activities. 1 Injuries of Healthcare Workers “OSHA recently took notice when it came to our attention that that one in every five U.S. workers injured in the private sector is a healthcare worker.” “These workers should not be forced to risk injury while caring for others.” “It is not acceptable for these workers to continue getting hurt at such high rates. “ Remarks by Dr. David Michaels Assistant Secretary of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) Seventh EU/US Joint Conference on Occupational Safety and Health Brussels, Belgium July 11, 2012 2012 National Rates 2 2012 Michigan Injury and Illness Cases Chart 1 Distribution of Total Injury and Illness Cases by Industry Division Michigan, Private Sector 2012 (Total Cases 105,500) 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 Michigan Injury and Illness Cases Total Recordable Case Rate (per 100 employees) 3 Incidence rates of nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses Total Recordable Case Rate (per 100 employees) NAICS 623 = Nursing and Residential Care OSHA National Emphasis Program (NEP) • Federal OSHA instruction April, 2012 • MIOSHA adopted with no changes Oct, 2012 • Purpose: implements programmed inspections of: ▫ Nursing care facilities ▫ Residential intellectual and development facilities ▫ Continuing Care Retirement Communities (Only Assisted Living with onsite care facilities) 4 Hazards Included in the NEP • Most prevalent source of employee injury: ▫ Musculoskeletal/Ergonomic stress ▫ Workplace violence (assaults by residents or others) ▫ Slips, trips, falls • Bloodborne pathogens (most frequently cited standard) • Tuberculosis: ▫ Per CDC, among facilities at highest risk for exposure. ▫ Due to case rate among > 65 age group. • Note - There are no MIOSHA standards that specifically address: ▫ Ergonomics ▫ Workplace Violence ▫ Tuberculosis Nursing and Residential Care 2011 Michigan Cases 8% Overexertion and bodily reaction (42%) 42% 2% Violence and other injuries by persons or animal (21%) 3% Falls, slips, trips (20%) 21% Contact with object, equipment (8%) 20% Transportation incidents (4%) Exposure to harmful substances or environments (3%) All other (2%) 21% 5 Nursing and Residential Care 2012 Michigan Cases Overexertion and bodily reaction (45%) 2% 2% 9% Violence and other injuries by persons or animal (22%) 20% 45% Falls, slips, trips (20%) Contact with object, equipment (9%) Exposure to harmful substances or environments (2%) All other (2%) 22% Frequently Cited Standards Occupational Health • Bloodborne Infectious Diseases (Part 554) • Hazard Communication (Part 92/430) • Medical Services and First Aid (Part 472) • Personal Protective Equipment (Part 33/433) • Asbestos (Part 305) Occupational Safety • General Provisions (Part 1) • Floor and Wall Openings, Stairways and Skylights (Part 2) • Portable Ladders (Part 4) • Fire Exits (Part 6) • Electrical Safety-Related Work Practices (Part 40) • Powered Groundskeeping Equipment (Part 54) Administrative for all Industries 0 Recording and Reporting of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (Part 11) = Both Occupational Health and Safety Standard 6 #1 Overexertion – Ergonomic Hazards • Resident handling ▫ Mobility and lift assist requirements noted in care plan? ▫ Failure to use lifts and lift devices Lack of training Time constraints Too few devices Employee fails to recognize the need to use • Material handling ▫ Laundry ▫ Kitchen ▫ Maintenance High Risk Activities • Transfers: ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ in or out of bed from a bed to a wheelchair wheelchair to a toilet from a bed to and from a shower chair • Repositioning while in bed 7 Other High Risk Activities • • • • • • • Lifting food trays above shoulder level or below knee level Collecting waste Pushing heavy carts Bending to remove items from a deep cart Lifting and carrying when receiving and stocking supplies Bending and manually cranking an adjustable bed Removing laundry from washing machines and dryers Benefits to Safe Lifting Benefits for Employers • Reduced number and severity of staff injuries • Improved resident safety • Reduced cost: ▫ Workers’ compensation medical and indemnity costs ▫ Overtime or contract worker ▫ Recruitment and Training Benefits for Caregivers • Reduced risk of injury • More energy at the end of the work shift • Less pain and muscle fatigue on a daily basis Benefits for Residents • • • • Improved quality of care Improved resident safety and comfort Reduced risk of falls, dropping, friction burns, dislocated shoulders Reduced skin tears and bruises 8 Using Lift Devices • Essential to reduce employee injury • Consider new products ▫ Improved quality and usability of lift devices ▫ Different types of products • Reduced risk of resident falls and skin tears • Bariatric considerations Process for Protecting Workers • • • • • • • Provide Management Support Involve Employees Identify Problems Implement Solutions Address Reports of Injuries Provide Training Evaluate Ergonomics Efforts 9 #2 Violence: Highest Risk Industries 1. Healthcare and social services: ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Psychiatric facilities Hospital emergency departments Community mental health clinics Drug abuse treatment clinics Pharmacies Community-care facilities Residential facilities and Long-term care facilities. 2. Late-night Retail Settings Workplace Violence 1. Type 1—Criminal Intent Violent acts by people who enter the workplace to commit a robbery or other crime—or current or former employees who enter the workplace with the intent to commit a crime. 2. Type 2—Customer/Client/Patients Violence directed at employees by customers, clients, patients, students, inmates or any others to whom the employer provides a service. 3. Type 3—Co-worker Violence against co-workers, supervisors, or managers by a current or former employee, supervisor, or manager. 4. Type 4—Personal Violence in the workplace by someone who does not work there, but who is known to, or has a personal relationship with, an employee. Feb. 11, 2014 MI case being investigated: 71 year old direct care worker in a group home slapped in the face by a resident. Found unconscious. Cause of death listed as blunt traumatic head injury. 10 Elements of an Effective Violence Prevention Program • • • • • • Management commitment Employee involvement Worksite analysis Hazard prevention and control Safety and health training Recordkeeping and program evaluation Worksite Analysis • Threat assessment team ▫ Management, employees, security, maintenance, human resources • Evaluate existing or potential hazards for workplace violence ▫ Procedures and operations ▫ Specific vulnerable locations (reception, parking lot, resident room, shower room) • Review of injury data • Implement screening survey to document experiences of employees • Evaluate effectiveness of existing security and protective measures 11 Hazard Prevention and Control Engineering controls remove or reduce the hazard: • Physical barriers between the hazard and the employee ▫ Locked doors ▫ Safe rooms and enclosures ▫ Deep counters and shatter-proof glass • Alarms or panic buttons • Mirrors to see end of hallway • Video surveillance in high risk areas (i.e. reception) Administrative Controls • Policies and procedures for employees, residents, visitors and delivery personnel • Local law enforcement involvement • Reporting and documenting all incidents • Trained response team • Control access: ▫ Facility ▫ Medication storage • Determine behavioral history for transfers • Include information related to assaultive and abusive behavior in resident care plan • Employee dress code (i.e. no necklaces/lanyards) • Remove loose (easily thrown objects) from environment • Evaluate resident specific sleep/awake times to ensure residents are not sleep deprived. 12 Workplace Violence Prevention • OSHA's "Guidelines for Preventing Workplace Violence for Health Care & Social Service Workers" resource is available online at http://www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3148/ osha3148.html. • Additional information on workplace violence is available at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/ index.html. #3 Slips, Trips and Falls Kitchen, dining, hallways, laundry, bathing areas, points of entry/egress: • Floors: wet, uneven, cluttered, poor lighting • Unguarded floor openings. • Damaged or inadequate stairways • Elevated work areas without guardrails • Inadequate aisles • Improper use of ladders and/or stepstools 13 Slip, Trip and Fall Risk Factors • • • • Environment Equipment Work Practices: processes or procedures Individual: ▫ Characteristics ▫ Habits ▫ Behavior Personal Protective Equipment Slip-resistant shoes Fall arrest equipment Safety platforms 14 Slip, trip and fall hazards: Nursing homes and Long-term care • Wet floors ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Fresh mopped areas Outside entrances Kitchen and laundry areas Bathing area Maintenance areas: Chillers, boilers, steam • Ladders • Equipment: Resident assistive equipment • Office area: drawers and cords Ladder Safety • Inspect ladder before each use. • Use only ladders in good condition and appropriate for the job. • Use the ladder properly. • Check ladder weight restrictions. WRONG 15 Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Frequently Cited Bloodborne Rules: • Exposure Control Plan • Vaccines and Post Exposure Follow-up • Information and Training • Recordkeeping • Exposure Determination • Engineering Controls • Communication of Haz • Waste Disposal • Work Practice • Protective clothing Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 4 Exposure Control Plan: • Exposure Determination • Summary of the training program. • Procedures for evaluating exposure incidents • Task specific SOP’s to include: ▫ Employee recognition of exposure ▫ Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) selection, use, maintenance, and disposal ▫ Contingency Plans • Annual Review • Employee input on medical device selection 16 Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 13 Vaccines and Post exposure: • HBV vaccination▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Free of charge Reasonable time and place Employees at risk of exposure Within 10 working days of initial assignment Employees who decline the vaccination must sign a declination form. Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 13 Vaccines and Post exposure (continued): • Document route of exposure and circumstances • Source individual testing • Source individual test results made available to exposed employee • Testing of the exposed employee • Postexposure prophylaxis • Counseling • Confidential 17 Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 15 Recordkeeping - Sharps Injury Log: • Employers required to maintain an injury and illness log (i.e., MIOSHA Form 300) must maintain a sharps injury log for the recording of injuries from contaminated sharps. • The log must be maintained in a way that ensures employee privacy and must contain, at a minimum: ▫ Type and brand of device involved in the incident, ▫ Location of the incident, and ▫ Description of the incident. Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 6 Engineering Controls: 0 Shall be used. 0 Reduce employee exposure by either removing the hazard or isolating the worker from the hazard 0 Examples include: Sharps disposal containers, Self-sheathing needles, Safer medical devices, and Needleless systems Sharps with engineered sharps injury protections Retractable Self-Sheathing 18 Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 10 Regulated Waste Disposal: • Closable, leakproof containers or bags ▫ Labeled or ▫ Color-coded • Sharps: ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Closable Leakproof Puncture-resistant Labeled or color-coded Accessible and conveniently located Not allowed to overfill • Medical waste regulatory act (DEQ rules) Bloodborne Infectious Diseases Rule 8 Protective work clothing and equipment. • Must be properly cleaned, laundered, repaired, and disposed of at no cost to employees. • Must be removed when leaving area or upon contamination. • Includes gloves; nose, mouth and eye protection (e.g., safety glasses and mask or face shields); gowns; head and shoe covers. 19 Tuberculosis • MIOSHA Compliance Directive: GISHD-COM-05-2R2, Enforcement Policy and Procedures for Evaluating Occupational Exposure to Tuberculosis (TB) • Citations would be written under Act 154, General Duty Clause. High-Burden Areas in Michigan 2006-2011 20 Skin Tests • Mantoux skin test : those with direct contact, annually. ▫ New employees - “2-step” within 2 weeks ▫ No cost to employee ▫ Repeat 6 months for high exposure • Positive skin tests: evaluated and managed ▫ Converts and those with a history Note: Current shortage (April, 2013-Present) of TB antigen for skin tests may defer testing for low-risk. CDC recommends blood testing program for high-risk until supply returns to normal levels. Follow CDC recommendations. Facilities Providing Care for Infectious TB Residents • Isolation Rooms • Increased TB testing for staff providing care • Respiratory Protection: Must comply with the MIOSHA Part 451Respiratory Protection Standard ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ NIOSH approved N-95 (minimum) Written program Medical evaluation -medically fit to wear respirator Fit-testing Respirator use, limitations, availability, maintenance and disposal. ▫ Employee training 21 TB Information and Training Michigan Department of Community Health: www.michigan.gov/tb Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Self-Study Modules: www.cdc.gov/tb/education/ssmodules/default.ht m OSHA National Emphasis Program Other Hazards of Concern • Multi-drug resistant organisms (MDROs) such as MRSA (General Duty). Are standard and contact precautions used? • Hazardous chemicals: ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ ▫ Parts 92 and 430, Hazard Communication Parts 33 and 433, Personal Protective Equipment Part 451, Respiratory Protection Part 301, Air Contaminants Expanded standards (asbestos, formaldehyde, etc.) 22 Hazard Communication (Hz Com) • Hazardous chemicals (examples) ▫ Disinfectants/Sanitizers ▫ Hazardous drugs • Focus on the following: ▫ Employee training ▫ Warning labels ▫ Access to MSDS/SDS • 2012 changes to the standard. More information provided during 11:30 AM presentation (CET Division) MIOSHA Resources CET Division • Consultation resources (no cost) • Training programs • Additional resources: ▫ Publications and media ▫ CET grants ▫ Awards programs • MIOSHA Website: www.michigan.gov/miosha 23 Summary • Review of 2012 Injury and Illness Data • Review the OSHA/MIOHSA National Emphasis Program (NEP) for Nursing and Residential Care Facilities. • Describe specific types of facilities covered by the NEP • Identify the hazards covered by the NEP • Review MIOSHA outreach and enforcement activities. • Identify resources available from MIOSHA’s CET Division. Thank you for attending For additional assistance: MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division Lansing, Michigan 517-322-1809 www.michigan.gov/miosha 24 How to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders A work-related musculoskeletal disorder is an injury of the muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, cartilage, bones, or blood vessels in the arms, legs, head, neck, or back that is caused or aggravated by work tasks such as lifting, pushing, and pulling. Symptoms include pain, stiffness, swelling, numbness, and tingling. Lifting and moving clients create a high risk for back injury and other musculoskeletal disorders for home healthcare workers. EMPLOYERS SHOULD • Develop policies to ensure all care plans determine whether ergonomic assistive devices are needed. • Provide ergonomic assistive devices (such as slide boards or gait belts) when needed. • Provide training on assistive ergonomic devices, their uses, the clinical situation requiring them, and how to order them in the plan of care. • Develop policies to assess the caregiver’s competence with the assistive devices once he or she has been trained and is using them. EMPLOYEES SHOULD • Participate in ergonomic training. • Use ergonomic assistive devices if available. –– Products such as slip sheets, slide boards, rollers, slings, belts, and mechanical or electronic hoists (to lift the client) have been designed to help healthcare workers and clients. –– Equipment such as adjustable beds, raised toilet seats, shower chairs, and grab bars are also helpful for reducing risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries. These types of equipment can allow the client to help during transfer. • Use proper body mechanics. Even when assistive devices are used during client care, some amount of physical exertion may still be necessary. –– Move along the side of the client’s bed instead of reaching while performing tasks at the bedside. –– When manually moving the client, stand as close as possible to the client without twisting your back, keeping your knees bent and feet apart. To avoid twisting the spine, make sure one foot is in the direction of the move. Using gentle rocking motions can also reduce exertion. –– Pulling a client up in bed is easier when the head of the bed is flat or down. Raising the client’s knees and encouraging the client to push (if possible) can also help. –– Apply anti-embolism stockings by pushing them on while you are standing at the foot of the bed. You can use less force in this position than standing at the side of the bed. • Notify your employer promptly of any injury in the workplace. This is one in a series of six fast fact cards developed to provide practical advice for home healthcare workers and is based on NIOSH Hazard Review: Occupational Hazards in Home Healthcare, NIOSH Pub No. 2010–125. Telephone: 1–800–CDC–INFO | TTY: 1–888–232–6348 Email: [email protected] | Web: www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/healthcare DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2012–120 February 2012 Safer - Healthier - People™ DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Preventing work-related motor vehicle crashes 2015 You can protect your employees and others on the road from being hurt or killed in motor vehicle crashes This fact sheet recommends ways you can keep workers safe when driving or riding in a motor vehicle on the job. It outlines components of a successful motor vehicle safety program. It ends with a checklist that you can use to implement the recommendations. Photo: Thinkstock Photo: Thinkstock Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death among workers in the U.S. 12,458 18,716 work-related crash fatalities between 2003 and 2012 deaths in singleor multiplevehicle crashes on public roadways Safety Program Anyone who operates a motor vehicle as part of his or her job is at risk of being involved in a roadway crash. You can help your employees stay safe by creating a Motor Vehicle Safety Program. A Motor Vehicle Safety Program can also help protect workers when they are driving for non-work reasons by promoting safe driving behaviors. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health Photo: Thinkstock Motor Vehicle 2,942 deaths in crashes that occurred off the highway or on industrial premises 3,316 pedestrian worker deaths as a result of being struck by a motor vehicle Use this fact sheet to guide you in creating a Motor Vehicle Safety Program tailored to your company. When you create your Motor Vehicle Safety Program, give special attention to the things that you know are important to your company. For example, if your company makes deliveries, scheduling work in a way that does not cause workers to feel rushed should be a top priority. Reminders about scheduling should appear in your printed Motor Vehicle Safety Program, on signs, and in correspondence. Work-related motor vehicle crashes PAGE 2 “When it comes to workplace driving, our members share a common goal – keeping their workers safe,” says Jack Hanley, Executive Director of the non-profit Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS). “By sharing standardized data, they can compare their own crash rates with their peers in similar industries, and look at what program elements other companies use. This ‘benchmarking’ helps them build and maintain successful motor vehicle safety programs.” Motor Vehicle Safety Program Component 1: Your company leaders commit to road safety Who your program covers: ❚❚ In most cases, this will be any employee or contractor who drives a vehicle owned or leased by your company, a rental vehicle, or a personal vehicle on company business. Commitment to safety means that: ❚❚ Leaders let everyone know road safety is a priority and that they are expected to drive in a safe and responsible way. ❚❚ Leaders serve as role models for road safety. ❚❚ Leaders, supervisors, and workers understand and carry out their roles and responsibilities for effective implementation of motor vehicle safety programs. ❚❚ Leaders involve workers in shaping road safety practices. ❚❚ Supervisors regularly communicate with drivers about safe driving. ❚❚ Your company collects and reviews information about its road safety performance on a regular schedule. ❚❚ If there is a crash, your company does a thorough review to see if any changes in policy or practices are needed. ❚❚ Your company and your drivers follow all local, state, and Federal laws and regulations that apply to your workplace. Motor Vehicle Safety Program Component 2: Policies to guide everyone’s actions to promote road safety Written policies and procedures should address: ❚❚ Assessment of the hazards your drivers face »» You should identify hazards associated with drivers, vehicles, and roads, and decide what steps you will take to eliminate or reduce those hazards. ❚❚ Journey management »» Can the work be done without traveling? The most effective way to prevent motor vehicle crashes is to reduce the amount of driving your workers do. »» If travel is necessary, consider safer forms of transportation such as air and rail. »» Work schedules should allow employees to obey speed limits and to follow applicable rules such as hours-ofservice regulations. »» Make sure that the driver and supervisor agree on the driver’s route, destination, and travel schedule. The driver should be able to contact his/her supervisor in case of an emergency. »» Establish procedures for reporting and investigating work-related crashes and vehicle breakdowns. »» Give employees information about road construction or closures, and bad road conditions. ❚❚ Seat belts: Require the use of seat belts at all times by all drivers and passengers. ❚❚ Preventing distracted driving »» You should ban text-messaging and the use of hand-held phones while driving. »» Your employees must know that they are not permitted to use hand-held phones, tablets, or GPS components while driving. »» You may also consider banning the use of hands-free phones. Phone conversations take the driver’s attention away from the primary task of driving. ❚❚ Preventing drowsy driving »» Your company should not require workers to drive irregular hours or far beyond their normal working hours. Most drowsy driving crashes occur between 12 to 2 am, 4 to 6 am, and 2 to 4 pm. »» You can have policies that allow workers to take a nap of less than 30 minutes or stop for the night if they are too tired to continue driving. »» You can also give workers information about good sleep habits and ways to stay more alert while driving (http://www.nafmp.com/en/; http://www.cdc.gov/ niosh/docs/2014-150/). Work-related motor vehicle crashes ❚❚ Preventing impaired driving »» Your company should consider having a policy that prohibits workers from operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, legal and illegal drugs, or prescription and over-the-counter medications that could affect their ability to drive safely. »» You can give workers information about the possible effects of prescription and non-prescription medications on their ability to drive safely. Your company’s health and wellness program may be able to help you locate and distribute this information. Motor Vehicle Safety Program Component 3: Driver selection, training and evaluation that maximizes road safety Decide who is eligible to drive for your company: ❚❚ Make sure every worker assigned to drive has a valid state driver’s license. ❚❚ Review motor vehicle records for all new employees before you assign them to a job that involves driving. ❚❚ Be aware of Federal and state limitations on driving by workers under 18. If you do have a younger worker drive for you, follow all recommendations on the NIOSH fact sheet, “Work-related motor vehicle crashes among young people” (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2013-153/). Provide driver training as soon as possible after hiring anyone whose job includes driving. ❚❚ Driver training should include behind-the-wheel evaluation of driving skills and behaviors. Photo: Thinkstock ❚❚ Provide training that is specific to the type of vehicle(s) the worker is expected to operate. Re-evaluate drivers on a regular schedule: ❚❚ Consider reviewing motor vehicle records at least once a year for every driver. ❚❚ A supervisor can do regular on-the-road evaluations of the driver. The goal of the evaluation is to help the driver learn to better recognize and respond to traffic hazards and stay focused on driving. »» The supervisor can ask the driver to describe what he or she sees, think about what is likely to happen, and describe what action he or she intends to take. The PAGE 3 supervisor should give the driver feedback, and should consider whether more training or coaching is needed. ❚❚ If your company uses in-vehicle monitoring systems to track driving performance: »» Explain to workers why the system is being put in place and how it will work. »» Use the data to improve safety, not to pressure workers to drive too fast or too long to meet production quotas. »» Make sure that drivers get timely coaching to help them correct unsafe driving behaviors. Provide periodic “refresher” driver training: ❚❚ Companies with the best road safety performance generally provide “refresher” driver training every 2 to 3 years. ❚❚ The leading companies also provide corrective training to drivers who are involved in a crash where they were at fault. Motor Vehicle Safety Program Component 4: Safe and well-maintained vehicles When buying or leasing company vehicles, you should: ❚❚ Provide vehicles that come with high safety ratings based on crash testing (http://www.safercar.gov/; http://www. iihs.org/). ❚❚ Look for advanced safety features such as lane departure warning systems, collision warning systems, rear-facing cameras, and adaptive cruise control. You should also: ❚❚ Have a program for maintaining company vehicles that follows manufacturers’ specifications. ❚❚ Instruct drivers to conduct pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections, and document that defective vehicles have been repaired. ❚❚ Provide information about proper vehicle maintenance to workers who drive their own vehicles on the job: »» Keeping tires properly inflated »» Getting needed repairs done »» Getting annual vehicle inspections done on time »» Following manufacturer’s recommendations for maintaining the vehicle Work-related motor vehicle crashes PAGE 4 Motor Vehicle Safety Program Action Items: A Checklist Component 1 Your company leaders commit to road safety ❏❏We have written policies and procedures. ❏❏We have shared the written policies and procedures with all workers. ❏❏Changes in policies and procedures are communicated to all drivers and supervisors. ❏❏Workers have a voice in shaping our road safety practices. ❏❏Leaders let everyone know road safety is a priority and that they are expected to drive in a safe and responsible way. ❏❏Leaders serve as role models for road safety. Component 2 Policies to guide everyone’s actions to promote road safety ❏❏Workloads and work schedules allow our workers to drive at a safe speed. ❏❏Workloads and work schedules allow workers to obey any applicable hours-of-service regulations. ❏❏We have a system in place to ensure that employees get information about road construction or closures, bad road conditions, or any other road hazards. ❏❏The process we use to ensure that the driver can contact a designated supervisor in case of an emergency is spelled out clearly. ❏❏We have procedures in place for reporting and investigating work-related crashes and vehicle breakdowns. Preventing distracted driving ❏❏We uphold a ban on the use of hand-held devices for texting and phone calls while driving. ❏❏We have identified the likely hazards associated with drivers, vehicles, and roads. ❏❏We have informed workers that hands-free phones and electronic devices take their attention away from the road and increase their risk of a crash. ❏❏We have decided what steps we will take to eliminate or reduce those hazards. ❏❏We have considered banning hands-free devices to make sure our drivers stay focused on driving. ❏❏We follow all local, state, and Federal laws that apply to our workplace. Preventing drowsy driving ❏❏We require the use of seat belts at all times by all drivers and passengers. ❏❏All workers can expect that they will not have to drive irregular hours or far beyond their normal working hours. ❏❏We have put in place a system for collecting information on drivers, vehicles, and incidents. ❏❏All workers know they are allowed to take a nap of less than 30 minutes or stop for the night if they are too tired to continue driving. ❏❏We review the information that we have collected on a regular schedule. ❏❏We’ve given workers information about good sleep habits and ways to stay more alert while driving. ❏❏In the event of a crash, a thorough review is done to see if any changes in policy or practices are needed. Preventing impaired driving Journey management ❏❏Before we assign a worker to make a trip by motor vehicle, we consider whether our business needs can be met without traveling by road. ❏❏The process we use to ensure that the driver and supervisor agree on the driver’s route, destination, and travel schedule is spelled out clearly. For example, “The driver must sign out in the presence of a supervisor, giving his/her route, destination, and travel schedule.” ❏❏We have considered having a policy that prohibits workers from operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol, legal and illegal drugs, or prescription and overthe-counter medications that could affect their ability to drive safely. ❏❏We have given workers information about the possible effects of prescription and non-prescription medications on their ability to drive safely. Work-related motor vehicle crashes Component 3 Driver selection ❏❏We have a system in place to review motor vehicle records for all new employees. ❏❏We have a system in place so we can know that every worker assigned to drive has a valid state driver’s license. ❏❏We understand Federal and state limitations on driving by workers under 18. Driver training ❏❏We provide driver training as soon as possible after hiring anyone whose job includes driving. ❏❏We provide training specific to the vehicle(s) that the worker is expected to operate. ❏❏We provide periodic “refresher” driver training. ❏❏We have noted all recommendations on the NIOSH fact sheet, “Work-related motor vehicle crashes among young people.” ❏❏We provide corrective training to drivers who are involved in a crash where they were at fault. Driver evaluation ❏❏We do regular on-the-road evaluations of every driver’s driving skills and behaviors and give training on any deficiencies we see. ❏❏We review motor vehicle records every year for every driver. For more information Motor vehicle safety programs and management http://www.nsc.org/Pages/nsc-on-the-road.aspx http://trafficsafety.org/nets-comprehensive-guide-to-roadsafety-download http://www.asse.org/ansiasse-z151-2012-safe-practices-formotor-vehicle-operations/ (fee applies) PAGE 5 ❏❏If we use in-vehicle monitoring systems: ❏❏We have explained to workers why the system is being put in place and how it will work. ❏❏We use the data to improve safety, not to pressure workers to drive too fast or too long to meet production quotas. ❏❏We make sure that drivers get timely coaching to help them correct unsafe driving behaviors. Component 4 Safe and well-maintained vehicles ❏❏We provide company vehicles with high safety ratings based on crash testing. ❏❏We purchase or lease vehicles with advanced safety features such as: ❏❏Lane departure warning systems ❏❏Collision warning systems ❏❏Rear-facing cameras ❏❏Adaptive cruise control ❏❏We maintain company vehicles according to manufacturers’ specifications. ❏❏We instruct drivers to conduct pre- and post-trip vehicle inspections, and we document that defective vehicles have been repaired. ❏❏We give information about proper vehicle maintenance to workers who drive their own vehicles on the job. To receive documents or other information about occupational safety and health topics, contact NIOSH at Telephone: 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) TTY: 1-888-232-6348 E-mail: [email protected] or visit the NIOSH Web site at www.cdc.gov/niosh. State traffic laws http://www.iihs.org/laws/default.aspx For a monthly update on news at NIOSH, subscribe to NIOSH eNews by visiting www.cdc.gov/niosh/eNews. NIOSH motor vehicle safety web page http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/motorvehicle/ DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 2015-111 March 2015 CDC motor vehicle safety web page http://www.cdc.gov/motorvehiclesafety/ Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes This document represents a joint effort by NETS, NHTSA and OSHA to reduce motor vehicle-related deaths and injuries in the nation's workforce. This [white paper] was funded under [Purchase Order Number B-9-4-2-3576] for the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the official position or policy of the U.S. Department of Labor. This document is not a standard or regulation, and it creates no new legal obligations. Likewise, it cannot and does not diminish any obligations established by Federal or state statute, rule, or standard. The document is advisory in nature, informational in content, and is intended to assist employers in providing a safe and healthful workplace. The Occupational Safety and Health Act requires employers to comply with hazard-specific safety and health standards. In addition, pursuant to Section 5(a)(1), the General Duty Clause of the Act, employers must provide their employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm. Employers can be cited for violating the General Duty Clause if there is a recognized hazard and they do not take reasonable steps to prevent or abate the hazard. Every 12 minutes someone dies in a motor vehicle crash, every 10 seconds an injury occurs and every 5 seconds a crash occurs. Many of these incidents occur during the workday or during the commute to and from work. Employers bear the cost for injuries that occur both on and off the job. Whether you manage a fleet of vehicles, oversee a mobile sales force or simply employ commuters, by implementing a driver safety program in the workplace you can greatly reduce the risks faced by your employees and their families while protecting your company's bottom line. Set Up a Safe Driving Program to Keep Your Employees Safe on the Road Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of death and injury for all ages. Crashes on and off the job have farreaching financial and psychological effects on employees, their coworkers and families, and their employers. You need a driver safety program: To save lives and to reduce the risk of life-altering injuries within your workforce. To protect your organization's human and financial resources. To guard against potential company and personal liabilities associated with crashes involving employees driving on company business. Your program should work to keep the driver and those with whom he/she shares the road safe. And, if necessary, the program must work to change driver attitudes, improve behavior, and increase skills to build a "be safe" culture. By instructing your employees in basic safe driving practices and then rewarding safetyconscious behavior, you can help your employees and their families avoid tragedy. Employees are an employer's most valuable assets. Workplace driver safety programs not only make good business sense but also are a good employee relations tool, demonstrating that employers care about their employees. This booklet outlines ten steps for building a driver safety program in your workplace. These steps will be useful to any organization regardless of size of the organization, type of traffic encountered, number of vehicles involved, or whether employees drive company or personal vehicles for work purposes. Also included are real-life examples of successful safety programs, key traffic safety issues to address in the workplace, instructions for calculating your organization's loss from motor vehicle crashes, and a list of resources to help you fine-tune your program. Promoting Safe Driving Practices Helps Your Bottom Line Motor vehicle crashes cost employers $60 billion annually in medical care, legal expenses, property damage, and lost productivity. They drive up the cost of benefits such as workers' compensation, Social Security, and private health and disability insurance. In addition, they increase the company overhead involved in administering these programs. The average crash costs an employer $16,500. When a worker has an on-the-job crash that results in an injury, the cost to their employer is $74,000. Costs can exceed $500,000 when a fatality is involved. Off-thejob crashes are costly to employers as well.1 The real tragedy is that these crashes are largely preventable. Recognizing the opportunity that employers have to save lives, a growing number of employers have established traffic safety programs in their companies. No organization can afford to ignore a major problem that has such a serious impact on both their personnel and the company budget. Calculate Your Costs for Motor Vehicle Crashes To understand the impact of motor vehicle crashes on your organization, use the Costs of Traffic Crashes to Employers Worksheet, found at the end of this booklet, to calculate the cost of your crashes. You may want to initially select one recent crash to illustrate the magnitude and complexity of such losses. Once you master the worksheet for one crash, you can then apply it to all the crashes experienced in a chosen time frame (e.g., annually) within your organization to characterize your crash loss profile. Once you know the costs associated with motor vehicle crashes you will realize that the costs associated with implementing a driver safety program are minimal compared to the costs of crashes to your organization. Examples abound of the positive return-on-investment (ROI) realized by companies – small, medium, and large – that have implemented well-designed safety programs for the benefit of their employees. In fact, the Liberty Mutual Insurance Company reported in 2001 that, based on its Executive Survey of Workplace Safety, 61 percent of surveyed business executives believe their companies receive an ROI of $3.00 or more for every $1.00 they spent on improving workplace safety.2 Where to Start Depending on the size of your organization, you may have access to all of the data that you need. Or you may need to work with your human resource manager, safety manager, workers' compensation representative, accountants, and medical and motor vehicle insurance representatives to obtain the numbers you'll need. Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes to Employers Worksheet Use the worksheet found at the end of this booklet to estimate the cost of a motor vehicle crash to your organization. The costs included on the worksheet will be estimates based upon the records, receipts and recall of those involved with the crash. It may be helpful to consult copies of accident reports, police reports, damage receipts, insurance claim records and payroll records. It is often very difficult to identify all costs associated with these crashes, so use the best information you have available. If your company incurred expenses not listed on the worksheet, be sure to include them. Success Stories: Workplace Driver Safety Programs in Action Many companies have already benefited from the approach to driver safety outlined in this booklet. Here's how: Nationwide Insurance - Columbus, Ohio Program: Nationwide, one of the largest insurance and financial services companies in the United States, operates a large, private motor vehicle fleet. In 1998, Nationwide developed and implemented a comprehensive motor vehicle safety program using a 10-step program as outlined in this booklet. Results: While the number of miles driven by Nationwide associates has increased by 19 percent, the organization's preventable crashes have decreased by 53 percent. The organization's total motor vehicle loss costs are down 40 percent. Charter Communications – Michigan Program: Charter Communications provides cable service to Michigan residents. With a fleet of over 650 vehicles, Charter employees drive 1.5 million miles per month. In early 2001, the company began a program to increase seat belt use among their company drivers. Charter worked with Michigan NETS to establish a corporate seat belt program and to reward seat belt use. Participation in the NETS annual Drive Safely Work Week campaign and the NHTSA "Safety Belt Award Program" were both used to support the corporate program. During this same period, Charter began a defensive driving program for employees. Results: In 2001, Charter-Michigan Region's seat belt use rate was 74 percent. In two years, they reached a 94 percent seat belt use rate and have continued to maintain that rate. They also experienced a 30 percent decrease in motor vehicle crashes during this time. General Motors Corporation - Detroit, Michigan Program: GM, the world's largest vehicle manufacturer, implemented the Safe Driving Program, "Create the Habit," for over 250,000 employees in November 1998. This comprehensive initiative provided workplace education programs and strict seat belt usage policies. An incentive program was developed to recognize and reward seat belt use. GM surveyed 90 sites each quarter. Results: GM increased employee seat belt usage from 61 percent in 1998 to 85 percent by December 2003. Ongoing awareness programs continue to promote the safety message. The Safe Driving Program is credited with saving five lives a year. Pike Industries - Barre, Vermont Program: Pike Industries, an asphalt paving company, has approximately 250 employees in Vermont. They operate the 280 vehicles (pickups, tractor-trailers, dump trucks, etc.) in the fleet. Their fleet safety program requires all new drivers to receive classroom training; each is assigned a veteran "mentor." Veteran drivers attend annual classroom training, reviewing topics that include federal regulations and accident avoidance techniques. All drivers attend weekly "toolbox" talks to discuss fleet safety topics. Results: Company drivers traveled over 2 million miles in 2003 hauling construction equipment and materials, performing construction activities (many were in highly dangerous work zones) and did not have any significant roadway incidents. Workers' compensation claims for vehicle incidents dropped from a high of 73 percent of total losses in 2001 to 2 percent in 2003. Vehicle property damage losses also followed this trend. NETS 10 Step Program to Minimize Crash Risk The 10-Step Program provides guidelines for what an employer can do to improve traffic safety performance and minimize the risk of motor vehicle crashes. Following these steps helps to ensure that you hire capable drivers, only allow eligible drivers to drive on company business, train them, supervise them, and maintain company vehicles properly. Adherence to these 10 steps can also help to keep your motor vehicle insurance costs as low as possible. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Senior Management Commitment & Employee Involvement Written Policies and Procedures Driver Agreements Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Checks Crash Reporting and Investigation Vehicle Selection, Maintenance and Inspection Disciplinary Action System Reward/Incentive Program Driver Training/Communication Regulatory Compliance These steps are from the NETS Traffic Safety Primer: A Guidebook for Employers. Step 1: Senior Management Commitment and Employee Involvement The safety of an organization's employees as they drive for work and to and from work is so important that it requires the attention of top-level management. Senior management can provide leadership, set policies, and allocate resources (staff and budget) to create a safety culture. Actively encouraging employee participation and involvement at all levels of the organization is a good practice and will help the effort to succeed. Workers and their representatives must be involved in the initial planning phase. Step 2: Written Policies and Procedures A written statement emphasizing the commitment to reducing traffic-related deaths and injuries is essential to a successful program. Create a clear, comprehensive and enforceable set of traffic safety policies and communicate them to all employees. These are the cornerstones of an effective driver safety program. Post them throughout the workplace, distribute copies periodically, and discuss the policies at company meetings. Offer incentives for sticking to the rules, and point out the consequences of disregarding them. Below are sample policies that can be adapted for use by your company. Sample Alcohol and Drug Use Policy (Name of Company/Organization) has a vital interest in maintaining safe, healthy, and efficient working conditions for its employees. Therefore, the consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs by any employee during "duty hours" is prohibited. Duty hours consist of all working hours, including break periods and on-call periods, whether on or off company premises. The consumption of alcohol or illegal drugs while performing company business or while in a company facility is prohibited. Sample Seat Belt Use Policy (Name of Company/Organization) recognizes that seat belts are extremely effective in preventing injuries and loss of life. It is a simple fact that wearing your seat belt can reduce your risk of dying in a traffic crash by 45 percent in a car and by as much as 60 percent in a truck or SUV. We care about our employees, and want to make sure that no one is injured or killed in a tragedy that could have been prevented by the use of seat belts. Therefore, all employees of (Name of Company/Organization) must wear seat belts when operating a companyowned vehicle, or any vehicle on company premises or on company business; and all occupants are to wear seat belts or, where appropriate, child restraints when riding in a company-owned vehicle, or in a personal vehicle being used for company business. All employees and their families are strongly encouraged to always use seat belts and the proper child restraints whenever they are driving or riding in any vehicle, in any seating position. Step 3: Driver Agreements Establish a contract with all employees who drive for work purposes, whether they drive assigned company vehicles or drive their personal vehicles. By signing an agreement, the driver acknowledges awareness and understanding of the organization's traffic safety policies, procedures, and expectations regarding driver performance, vehicle maintenance and reporting of moving violations. Step 4: Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Checks Check the driving records of all employees who drive for work purposes. You must screen out drivers who have poor driving records since they are most likely to cause problems in the future. The MVR should be reviewed periodically to ensure that the driver maintains a good driving record. Clearly define the number of violations an employee/driver can have before losing the privilege of driving for work, and provide training where indicated. Step 5: Crash Reporting and Investigation Establish and enforce a crash reporting and investigation process. All crashes, regardless of severity, should be reported to the employee's supervisor as soon as feasible after the incident. Company traffic safety policies and procedures should clearly guide drivers through their responsibilities in a crash situation. All crashes should be reviewed to determine their cause and whether or not the incidents were preventable. Understanding the root causes of crashes and why they are happening, regardless of fault, forms the basis for eliminating them in the future. Step 6: Vehicle Selection, Maintenance and Inspection Selecting, properly maintaining and routinely inspecting company vehicles is an important part of preventing crashes and related losses. It is advisable that the organization review and consider the safety features of all vehicles to be considered for use. Those vehicles that demonstrate "best in class" status for crash-worthiness and overall safety should be chosen and made available to drivers. For the latest information on crash test ratings and other important vehicle safety information, visit www.safercar.gov. To report a concern about a defect or problem with your vehicle, contact the NHTSA Auto Safety Hotline at: 1-888-DASH-2-DOT. Vehicles should be on a routine preventive maintenance schedule for servicing and checking of safety-related equipment. Regular maintenance should be done at specific mileage intervals consistent with the manufacturer's recommendations. A mechanic should do a thorough inspection of each vehicle at least annually with documented results placed in the vehicle's file. Personal vehicles used for company business are not necessarily subject to the same criteria and are generally the responsibility of the owner. However, personal vehicles used on company business should be maintained in a manner that provides the employee with maximum safety and reflects positively on the company. Step 7: Disciplinary Action System Develop a strategy to determine the course of action after the occurrence of a moving violation and/or "preventable" crash. There are a variety of corrective action programs available; the majority of these are based on a system that assigns points for moving violations. The system should provide for progressive discipline if a driver begins to develop a pattern of repeated traffic violations and/or preventable crashes. The system should describe what specific action(s) will be taken if a driver accumulates a certain number of violations or preventable crashes in any pre-defined period. Step 8: Reward/Incentive Program Develop and implement a driver reward/incentive program to make safe driving an integral part of your business culture. Safe driving behaviors contribute directly to the bottom line and should be recognized as such. Positive results are realized when driving performance is incorporated into the overall evaluation of job performance. Reward and incentive programs typically involve recognition, monetary rewards, special privileges or the use of incentives to motivate the achievement of a predetermined goal or to increase participation in a program or event. Step 9: Driver Training/Communication Provide continuous driver safety training and communication. Even experienced drivers benefit from periodic training and reminders of safe driving practices and skills. It is easy to become complacent and not think about the consequences of our driving habits. Step 10: Regulatory Compliance Ensure adherence to highway safety regulations. It is important to clearly establish which, if any, local, state, and/or federal regulations govern your vehicles and/or drivers. These regulations may involve, but may not necessarily be limited to the: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Employment Standards Administration (ESA) Promote Safe Driving Practices to Protect Your Most Valuable Investment – Your Employees The increasing traffic congestion on our nation's roadways wastes significant time and money, reduces productivity and promotes risky driving behavior. Employees may feel pressured to drive faster and for longer periods of time and to engage in potentially distracting in-vehicle activities to meet their job responsibilities. Engaging in unsafe driving practices affects those who occasionally drive their personal vehicles for work purposes as well as those who spend their workday driving a company vehicle. As an employer, do your part by keeping your parking lot well lighted and well maintained. Keep roadway and parking spaces properly striped, and clear of debris and snow. Install signs at parking lot exits reminding employees to buckle their seat belts and drive safely. Let your concern for their safety be their final thought as they leave your parking lot. Employers have enormous power to protect their businesses by educating their employees about safe driving practices. The safety issues described below should be addressed in an employee awareness and training program. More detailed information on Aggressive Driving, Distracted Driving, Drowsy Driving and Impaired Driving can be found beginning on page 27. Secure Materials for Transport Tools or equipment should be secured while being transported to prevent unsafe movement of materials. During a crash or when making sudden maneuvers, loose objects can slide around or become airborne, injuring the driver and any passengers. Objects that could become a hazard should be secured or stored outside the passenger compartment. Seat Belt Use Seat belts are the single most effective means of reducing deaths and serious injuries in traffic crashes. As the most effective safety device in vehicles, they save nearly 12,000 lives and prevent 325,000 serious injuries in America each year. During a crash, anyone not wearing a seat belt will slam into the steering wheel, windshield, or other parts of the interior, or be ejected from the vehicle. Distracted Driving Distracted driving is a factor in 25 to 30 percent of all traffic crashes. With hectic schedules and roadway delays, many employees feel pressured to multi-task just to keep up with their personal and work-related responsibilities. More time on the road means less time at home or at work but "drive time" can never mean "down time." Since drivers make more than 200 decisions during every mile traveled, it's critical for employers to stress that when driving for work, safe driving is their primary responsibility. Alcohol and Drug Impaired Driving Alcohol use is involved in 40 percent of all fatal motor vehicle crashes, representing an average of one alcoholrelated fatality every 30 minutes. It is estimated that three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an impaired driving-related crash some time in their life. Alcohol, certain prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and illegal drugs can all affect a person's ability to drive safely due to decreased alertness, concentration, coordination and reaction time. Businesses pay a high price for alcohol and drug abuse; alcohol is a contributing factor in 39 percent of all work-related traffic crashes. Fatigued Driving Fatigued or drowsy driving may be involved in more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. Sadly, these numbers represent only the tip of the iceberg since these crashes are seriously under-reported. These days, it's more important than ever for employees to be well rested, alert and sober on the road so that they are in a position to defend themselves from drivers who do not make the same choice. Train employees to make smart decisions when they're behind the wheel, on and off the job. Aggressive Driving Employees commuting to and from work and traveling for work purposes often find themselves caught up in bottlenecks and traffic delays, wasting their time and reducing their productivity. These situations create a high level of frustration that can spark aggressive driving behavior. The roadway is one place that being aggressive never pays. Aggressive driving acts include excessive speed, tailgating, failure to signal a lane change, running a red light and passing on the right. The best advice is to avoid engaging in conflict with other drivers and to allow others to merge. Young Drivers The 16-20-year-old population represents a significant highway safety problem. Traffic crashes are the leading cause of fatalities for teens. Historically, this group is the age group that has the lowest seat belt use rate and is the most likely to engage in risky driving behaviors that include: speeding, driving while alcohol or drug impaired and when drowsy. It is important for employers with young workers to actively promote safe driving practices. We have learned much about teen driver safety during the past decade. There are proven, specific safety benefits from a variety of best practices that are commonly referred to as "graduated driver licensing" or GDL. GDL practices have resulted in substantial reductions in crashes, injuries and fatalities for novice teenage drivers. Under Federal law, 16-year-old workers are prohibited from driving as part of their job, and 17-year-olds may drive for work only under strictly limited circumstances. Some state laws may be more restrictive than Federal laws. For more information on child labor laws visit, www.youthrules.dol.gov or www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/youth/. Reach Out to Family and Community Members Once your driver safety program is operational, consider extending it to your employees' families and members of your community. Employers are in a position to foster safe driving practices and reduce the number of traffic crashes in their communities. Employer programs not only inform employees about traffic hazards and educate them about responsible driving practices but they can create a safer roadway environment for the entire community. Four reasons for reaching out to employees' families and members of the community: Provides public relations benefits for your company. Boosts employee morale. Creates a safer driving environment for your employees, their dependents, and members of the community. Reduces employer and employee healthcare costs. Where to Go for Additional Information For more information and assistance in implementing a traffic safety program in your workplace, you can contact the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). National Highway Traffic Safety Administration NHTSA's mission is to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce traffic-related health care and other economic costs. The organization can provide technical assistance, various highway safety awareness materials, and other support for your program. For more information on highway safety programs, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov or contact NHTSA at 400 Seventh Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health NIOSH, as the national agency responsible for occupational safety and health research, is committed to reducing the toll of work-related roadway crashes on American workers. Prevention of work-related crashes poses one of the greatest challenges in occupational safety. The roadway is a unique environment. Compared with other work settings, employers' ability to control working conditions and to exert direct supervisory controls is limited. Workers may be pressured to drive faster and for longer periods and to use technologies that may lead to inattention to the driving task. The problem of workrelated crashes affects those who occasionally drive personal vehicles on the job as well as those who routinely drive commercial motor vehicles over long distances. For more information on motor vehicle occupational research visit: www.cdc.gov/niosh or contact NIOSH at 1-800-35-NIOSH or 1-800-356-4674. Network of Employers for Traffic Safety NETS is an employer-led, nonprofit, public/private partnership dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work, by reducing the number of traffic crashes that occur on and off the job. NETS provides employers of all sizes and industry types with effective programs, policies, best practices, and employer-led activities, whether an employee drives for work or to and from work. Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) is an annual campaign sponsored by NETS to promote safe driving practices for all employees. For further information on NETS, the 10-Step Program, and DSWW, visit www.trafficsafety.org or contact NETS at 1-800-221-0045. Occupational Safety and Health Administration Employers are responsible for providing a safe and healthful workplace for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure the safety and health of America's workers by setting and enforcing standards; providing training, outreach, and education; establishing partnerships; and encouraging continual improvement in workplace safety and health. Information on motor vehicle safety can be found on OSHA's website at www.osha.gov/SLTC/motorvehiclesafety/index.html. The following pages contain more detailed information on Aggressive Driving, Distracted Driving, Drowsy Driving, Impaired Driving and a worksheet, Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes to Employers. Aggressive Driving As traffic congestion continues to grow, motorists commuting to and from work and traveling for business purposes often find themselves caught up in bottlenecks and significant delays, wasting time and reducing their productivity. This situation creates a high level of frustration and can spark aggressive driving among these overwhelmed drivers. To protect against aggressive driving, remember that your primary responsibility is to drive focused and stay safe. Safety Facts for the Road A major reason for increased traffic congestion is that our highway system has not kept pace with the growing demands placed on it. Since 1970, the number of drivers increased by 64% while the roadway system increased by only 6%. Many Americans believe aggressive driving is on the rise and worry about the behavior of other drivers but admit to engaging in aggressive driving themselves. A substantial number of the 6.8 million crashes that occur each year are estimated to be caused by aggressive driving. Overly frustrated drivers are turning their cars into extensions of their homes and offices, creating a dangerous distraction on the road that fuels aggressive driving among other drivers. Drive Focused. Stay Safe. Avoid Aggressive Driving. Correct your own unsafe driving habits that are likely to endanger, antagonize or provoke other drivers. Keep your cool in traffic; be patient and courteous to other drivers and don't take their actions personally. If you think you have a problem, seek help. Look for anger or stress management classes or self-help books. Reduce your stress on the road by allowing plenty of time to reach your destination, plan your route in advance and alter your schedule or route to avoid busy roads. If despite all your planning, you're going to arrive late, accept it and avoid aggressive driving. Make every attempt to safely move out of an aggressive driver's way. If a hostile motorist tries to pick a fight, do not make eye contact and do not respond. Ignore gestures and refuse to return them. Report aggressive driving to the police. Provide a vehicle description, license number, location and the direction of travel. Are you "just driving like everyone else" or are you driving aggressively? The Nerves of Steel Survey is a national survey that reveals how Americans define aggressive driving. Is this act aggressive? Tailgating 95% Making rude gestures 91% Passing on the shoulder 90% Pulling into parking space someone else is waiting for 88% Failing to yield to merging traffic 85% Flashing high beams at the car in front of you 74% Waiting until the last second to merge with traffic on the highway 66% Changing lanes without signaling 66% Driving through a yellow light that is turning red 62% Honking the horn 53% Double parking 53% Driving 10 mph or more under the speed limit 27% The Steel Alliance, 2002. For more information on aggressive driving, contact NETS at 1-888-221-0045 or visit: www.trafficsafety.org. Distracted Driving Longer commutes, an increase in heavy traffic, the availability of in-vehicle technology are all factors that result in driver distraction. More time in your vehicle results in less time at home or on the job, causing drivers to feel the pressure to multi-task to keep up with their responsibilities. Countless distractions tempt drivers to forget that their primary responsibility is to drive focused and stay safe. Safety Facts for the Road Distracted driving is estimated to be a factor in between 25 to 30% of all traffic crashes—that's 4,000 or more crashes a day. Events inside and outside the vehicle can distract a driver. Adverse roadway and weather conditions require a driver's full attention. While taking one's eyes off the road presents obvious risks, activities that take a driver's mind away from driving are just as risky. A driver's ability to manage distractions varies widely and can change from day-to-day depending on their level of stress and fatigue. Distracted drivers fail to recognize potential hazards in the road and react more slowly to traffic conditions, decreasing their margin of safety." Research suggests that distracted driving increases the risk of rear-end and single-vehicle crashes. Do you know when you're driving distracted? Has a passenger in your car screamed or gasped because of something you did or did not do? Did you run a stop sign unintentionally? Have you slammed on your brakes because you didn't see the car in front of you stop? You do not remember driving from one place to another? Drive Focused. Stay Safe. Avoid Distracted Driving. Safe driving practices require that you constantly search the roadway ahead for situations that could require you to take quick action. Recognize that driving requires your full attention. Did you know that even the most routine activities are potentially distracting while driving? A national survey revealed the activities that distract today's drivers. NETS DISTRACTED DRIVING SURVEY Activities Drivers Engage in While Driving 96% Talking to passengers 89% Adjusting vehicle climate/radio controls 74% Eating a meal/snack 51% Using a cell phone 41% Tending to children 34% Reading a map/publication 19% Grooming 11% Preparing for work Participation in Distracting Activities While Driving for Work or for Personal Purposes 57% Personal purposes 25% Work purposes 14% Both equally 2% Don't drive for work 3% Don't know Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, 2001. For more information on aggressive driving, contact NETS at 1-888-221-0045 or visit: www.trafficsafety.org. Drowsy Driving As a driver, your number one responsibility is to get yourself and your passengers to your destination safely. When behind the wheel, you always need to be alert and focused. At 55 mph, a vehicle travels the length of a football field in 3.7 seconds. This is no time for a "mini" snooze. Being an attentive driver, and looking out for the driver who isn't, is increasingly important. Drive focused. Stay safe. Safety Facts for the Road Drowsy driving causes more than 100,000 crashes each year, resulting in 40,000 injuries and 1,550 deaths. Crashes caused by drowsy driving are often serious crashes and occur most often on high-speed rural highways when the driver is alone. Drowsy driving can happen to anyone. A recent National Sleep Foundation study revealed that one half (51%) of adults have driven while drowsy and 17% report having fallen asleep while driving within the past year. Drive Focused. Stay Safe. Avoid Aggressive Driving. Be aware of your behavior and the behavior of others on the road during the late night, early morning and mid-afternoon hours when drowsy driving crashes are most likely to occur. Plan a rest stop during these hours. Get a full night of rest before driving. If you become tired while driving, stop. A short nap (15 to 45 minutes) and consuming caffeine can help temporarily. Stop at regular intervals when driving long distances. Get out of the car every 2 hours to stretch and walk briskly. Set a realistic goal for the number of miles you can safely drive each day. Avoid taking medications that cause drowsiness. Do you know when you're driving drowsy? Some warning signs of fatigue: You can't remember the last few miles driven. You hit a rumble strip or drift from your lane. Your thoughts are wandering and disconnected. You yawn repeatedly. You have difficulty focusing or keeping your eyes open. You tailgate or miss traffic signs. You have trouble keeping your head up. You keep pulling your vehicle back into the lane. If you're tired and are in danger of falling asleep, then you cannot predict when a "mini" sleep may occur. A driver cannot react to road dangers when tired. Getting enough sleep will not only help you feel better, it can save your life. For more information on aggressive driving, contact NETS at 1-888-221-0045 or visit: www.trafficsafety.org. Impaired Driving On our congested roadways, it's more important than ever to drive with a clear head and a sharp focus. Make it a life-governing rule not to drive when you've had too much to drink. On average, a driver makes over 200 decisions per mile, so it's critical that a driver make the decision to drive alert before getting behind the wheel. Not only will you be a safer driver but you will be in a much better position to defend yourself from the driver who doesn't make that choice. Drive focused. Stay safe. Safety Facts for the Road Alcohol impaired driving accounts for about 40% of fatal crashes. About three in every 10 Americans will be involved in an alcohol-related crash at some time in their lives. Research shows that alcohol is a contributing factor in 39% of all work-related traffic crashes. Nearly 1.5 million people are arrested each year for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Two-thirds of all drivers arrested for DWI are first time offenders. A DWI/DUI conviction on a person's driving record may prevent them from getting a job, receiving a promotion or even result in a job loss. Many companies have corrective action programs that suspend company driving privileges for a DWI/DUI violation. Nine out of 10 insurance companies automatically cancel the policy of a driver convicted of a DWI/DUI violation. Consequently, the driver must find a high-risk insurance company and face substantial rate increases. Drive Focused. Stay Safe. Avoid Aggressive Driving. Alcohol involvement is highest at night (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.), on weekends and on holidays. Driving skills, especially judgment, are impaired in most people long before they exhibit visible signs of drunkenness. Celebrations are a part of our lives and sometimes they include alcohol. They should not, however, involve impaired driving: Decide who is the designated driver before the party starts. Be the kind of co-worker who will take the keys if someone has had too much to drink. If you're impaired, make the safe choice – ride with a designated driver, call a taxi, stay where you are, or call a sober friend or family member. Making the safe choice could save your life. Can you spot an impaired driver on the road? Drivers under the influence of alcohol often display certain characteristic driving behaviors. Keep these in mind to avoid a dangerous situation. Weaving, swerving, drifting or straddling the center line. Driving on the wrong side of the road. Driving at a very slow speed. Stopping without cause or braking erratically. Turning abruptly or responding slowly to traffic signals. Driving with the window down in cold weather. Driving with headlights off at night. If you spot an impaired driver, stay a safe distance from their vehicle. Alert the police that there is an unsafe driver on the road. For more information on aggressive driving, contact NETS at 1-888-221-0045 or visit: www.trafficsafety.org. Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes to Employers Worksheet Direct Costs to the Organization Workers' compensation benefits $_______________ Healthcare costs $_______________ Increases in medical insurance premiums $_______________ Auto insurance and liability claims and settlements $_______________ Physical and vocational rehabilitation costs $_______________ Life insurance and survivor benefits $_______________ Group health insurance dependent coverage $_______________ Property damage (equipment, products, etc.) $_______________ Motor vehicle repair and replacement $_______________ EMS costs (ambulance or medivac helicopter) $_______________ Vehicle towing, impoundment and inspection fees $_______________ Municipality or utility fees for damage to roads, signs or poles $_______________ Direct Total $_______________ Indirect Costs Supervisor's time (rescheduling, making special arrangements) $_______________ Fleet manager's time to coordinate vehicle repair, replacement, etc. $_______________ Reassignment of personnel to cover for missing employees (less efficient) $_______________ Overtime pay (to cover work of missing employees) $_______________ Employee replacement $_______________ Re-entry and retraining of injured employees $_______________ Administrative costs (documentation of injuries, treatment, absences, crash investigation) $_______________ Inspection costs $_______________ Failure to meet customer requirements resulting in loss of business $_______________ Bad publicity, loss of business $_______________ Indirect Total $_______________ TOTAL $_______________ 1 NHTSA [2003]. The economic burden of traffic crashes on employers: costs by state and industry and by alcohol and restraint use. Publication DOT HS 809 682. 2 Liberty Mutual Insurance Company [2001]. Liberty Mutual Executive Survey of Workplace Safety. Portable Ladder Safety Falls from portable ladders (step, straight, combination and extension) are one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities and injuries. Read and follow all labels/markings on the ladder. Avoid electrical hazards! – Look for overhead power lines before handling a ladder. Avoid using a metal ladder near power lines or exposed energized electrical equipment. Always inspect the ladder prior to using it. If the ladder is damaged, it must be removed from service and tagged until repaired or discarded. Always maintain a 3-point (two hands and a foot, or two feet and a hand) contact on the ladder when climbing. Keep your body near the middle of the step and always face the ladder while climbing (see diagram). Only use ladders and appropriate accessories (ladder levelers, jacks or hooks) for their designed purposes. Ladders must be free of any slippery material on the rungs, steps or feet. Do not use a self-supporting ladder (e.g., step ladder) as a single ladder or in a partially closed position. Do not use the top step/rung of a ladder as a step/rung unless it was designed for that purpose. Use a ladder only on a stable and level surface, unless it has been secured (top or bottom) to prevent displacement. Do not place a ladder on boxes, barrels or other unstable bases to obtain additional height. Do not move or shift a ladder while a person or equipment is on the ladder. An extension or straight ladder used to access an elevated surface must extend at least 3 feet above the point of support (see diagram). Do not stand on the three top rungs of a straight, single or extension ladder. The proper angle for setting up a ladder is to place its base a quarter of the working length of the ladder from the wall or other vertical surface (see diagram). A ladder placed in any location where it can be displaced by other work activities must be secured to prevent displacement or a barricade must be erected to keep traffic away from the ladder. Be sure that all locks on an extension ladder are properly engaged. Do not exceed the maximum load rating of a ladder. Be aware of the ladder’s load rating and of the weight it is supporting, including the weight of any tools or equipment. For more information: Occupational Safety and Health Administration U.S. Department of Labor www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA OSHA 3246-09N-05 EXCAVATION AND TRENCHING Excavations and trench cave-ins account for an increasing number of fatalities and serious injuries in construction, usually resulting from separate, yet related causes. Inadequate shoring, misjudgment of soil conditions, defective shoring materials, and failure to adjust to changing conditions surrounding excavations and trenching operations are some of the leading causes of deaths and injuries. A checklist to determine what type of shoring is needed should include such specific conditions as: Traffic, nearness of structures and their conditions, soil, ground water, water table, overhead and underground utilities, and weather. For complete trenching and shoring safety requirements, refer to MIOSHA (Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Act) Construction Safety Standards, Part 9. Remember the major causes of deaths and accidents are: • Improperly shored and sloped trenches. • Loads too near trenches. • Shocks and vibrations. • Improper or defective shoring material. • Change in soil conditions. • Improper site and trench preparations. PROPER LIFTING Another leading cause of injuries, not only in construction but all occupations, is back injuries from over-exertion due to improper lifting. To avoid back injuries, remember these two rules: BEND YOUR KNEES — USE YOUR LEG MUSCLES TO LIFT — and IF THE LOAD IS TOO BIG — GET HELP! There is a right way and wrong way to lift. Size up the load, get a good footing, and put your body close to the load. Place your feet about 8 to 12 inches apart and bend your knees to grasp the load. While bending at the knees, grasp the load, lifting gradually by straightening the legs, and keep your back straight. Always keep the load close to your body. CONSTRUCTION SAFETY Construction Safety As a construction worker, you are part of a challenging industry and part of a unique team. While working, your fellow construction workers safety will also depend on you. This brochure is provided to help you do your job safely. The seven topics covered here are only some of the conditions that could lead to accidents and injuries, but they are the LEADING SEVEN areas of accidents in the construction industry in Michigan. Remember – the SAFE WAY is the BEST WAY! If you intend to place an object on a table or bench, rest it on the edge, then slide the object above your waist, lift the object for support. Change your grip, then bend your knees again to get extra leg-muscle power for the final lift. When carrying a load, decide in advance the route you will take and check for hazards that might trip you. Use caution while changing direction with loads. Don’t twist your body, but turn it to match changes in foot direction. The Department of Labor & Economic Growth will not discriminate against any individual or group because of race, sex, religion, age, national origin, color, marital status, disability, or political beliefs. If you need assistance with reading, writing, hearing, etc., under the Americans with Disabilities Act, you may make your need known to this agency. Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth MIOSHA • Consultation Education & Training Division (517) 322-1809 • www.michigan.gov/miosha Total printed 2,500. Printing cost: $530.56. Per copy cost: $0.21. MIOSHA/CET #0119 (Rev. 2/08) A look at some common causes of accidents in the industry and How to Prevent Them SLIPS AND FALLS LADDERS SCAFFOLDING ELECTRICITY Slips and falls are the leading cause of construction accidents in Michigan, so remember these safety tips: Used in 95 percent of all construction jobs, the ladder is a simple tool that is another leading cause of construction accidents and injuries. Workers overlook the potential danger by using ladders improperly. Remember these tips: Scaffolding, in itself, cause two conditions that can lead to construction accidents and injuries – falls from elevated positions, and being struck by objects falling from scaffolds. Almost every construction worker uses powered tools or temporary electrical wiring on the job. All too often, fixing a worn cord or grounding a temporary lighting system is thought of as the electrician’s job. Unfortunately, this attitude leads to many serious accidents on the construction site – accidents that could have been avoided if workers would treat all situations involving electricity with respect, because as little as 46 volts can kill a person. An important fact to remember is that even a small shock can have serious consequences on a construction site. An improperly grounded drill can cause a worker to fall off a ladder or slip from a scaffold. Shocks from a frayed extension cord could cause carpenters to drop a circular saw on themselves or someone below. In order to avoid such experiences, and possible serious injury, construction workers should follow these few simple rules: 1) When working in wet conditions, all electrical tools must be used with a G.F.C.I. (ground fault conductor interrupter) grounded power supply. 2) Ground fault conductor interrrupters, or an assured ground program, must be used on all electric power tools. 3) Extension cords must not have frayed insulation or be fastened with staples, hung from nails, or suspended from wires. 4) All temporary lights must be equipped with non-conductive guards. • Keep walking and working surfaces clear of litter and debris. • Keep walking and working surfaces as level as possible. Faulty patching, wear, sagging supports, warped boards, and poorly constructed working surfaces are conditions to look for to eliminate slips and falls. • Grease, oil, water, dirt, and inclement weather all leave surfaces potentially dangerous. A continuous effort should be made to keep working surfaces clear and dry. • If a slip and fall condition does exist, remember this important suggestion: when crossing rough or slippery surfaces, take short steps – toes pointed out, walking on the whole portion of your foot. (The closer you come to putting your foot straight down, the less chance you have of slipping and falling). Do not make sharp turns. If a fall does start to happen, protect your head and neck from injury by looking at the spot you are about to hit. Relax, go limp, and don’t resist the fall. As you land – roll. • Inspect a ladder before use. If unsafe, don’t use it. Look for wear, loose rungs, and defects. • Don’t over reach. Move your ladder with your work. Both shoulders outside the ladder means you’re reaching too far. • Place your ladder on solid footing. If there’s a danger of the ladder moving – tie it off! If there’s a danger of the ladder being hit – barricade it. • Never use metal ladders outdoors during inclement weather or on windy stormy days. • Use a ladder that will reach the work. A ladder should reach three feet above the work level. • Use the four to one rule: For every four feet of height, move the base of a ladder one foot away from the wall. • Carry tools in proper carrying devices and keep your hands free for climbing. • When climbing, always face your ladder. Defective and unsafe ladders and improper use result in ladder accidents. Periodic inspections and continuing safety reminders are two ways to help eliminate them. All scaffolding must be guarded with safety railing when working at heights of 10 feet or more. It must be equipped with toeboards, and be adequately designed to support at least four times the anticipated weight of the workers and materials that will be working on it. Scaffolding components that are not designed to be compatible should not be mixed. Inspect all scaffolding equipment each day, before using. Never use damaged or defective equipment and avoid rusted parts as their strength is unknown. When erecting scaffolding, provide adequate sills for scaffold post and use base plates. Use adjusting screws instead of blocks when on uneven grades. Make sure you plumb and level scaffolding and do not force end braces when constructing. A recent study revealed that 54 percent of all scaffolding accidents result from problems with planking. Use properly graded and inspected lumber for planking. Inspect it daily for splits, knots, and remove damaged planking. Toeboards also must be installed to eliminate the possibility of tools and debris being kicked or pushed on people below. PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Being hit by falling objects…striking objects as you slip or fall…flying objects… and having objects roll over your feet are some of the reasons construction workers need personal protective equipment! Whether it is a hard hat, safety shoes, safety belts, ear plugs, lanyards, shields, glasses, or goggles, the rule is the same… to be protected, workers must wear personal protective equipment! The most important piece of safety equipment a construction worker can wear is the hard hat. About three percent of all disabling injuries are injuries where safety helmets could have provided a significant level of protection. A 12-inch crescent wrench from an elevation of 58 feet can strike a worker in one second at a speed of 43.5 m.p.h. Never be on the job without a hard hat! Foot injuries also account for many of construction’s on-the-job injuries. A typical foot injury is caused by objects falling less than four feet and weighing about 65 pounds. Wear foot protection! No matter what the job — your hands, eyes, legs, and arms are important. Wear personal protective equipment — it’s designed to protect YOU! FALL INJURIES PREVENTION IN THE WORKPLACE http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/falls/ Falls are a persistent hazard found in all occupational settings. A fall can occur during the simple acts of walking or climbing a ladder to change a light fixture or as a result of a complex series of events affecting an ironworker 80 feet above the ground. According to the 2009 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 605 workers were killed and an estimated 212,760 workers were seriously injured by falls to the same or lower level. The highest frequency of fall-related fatalities was experienced by the construction industry, while the highest counts of nonfatal fall injuries continue to be associated with the health services and the wholesale and retail industries. Healthcare support, building cleaning and maintenance, transportation and material moving, and construction and extraction occupations are particularly at risk of fall injuries. Circumstances associated with fall incidents in the work environment frequently involve slippery, cluttered, or unstable walking/working surfaces; unprotected edges; floor holes and wall openings; unsafely positioned ladders; and misused fall protection. Federal regulations and industry consensus standards provide specific measures and performance-based recommendations for fall prevention and protection. However, persistent unsafe practices and low safety culture across many industries define steady fall injury rates year after year. Fall injuries constitute a considerable financial burden: workers’ compensation and medical costs associated with occupational fall incidents have been estimated at approximately $70 billion annually in the United Sates [NSC 2002]. Many countries are facing the same challenges as the United States on fall injury in the workplace. The international public health community has a strong interest in developing strategies to reduce the toll of fall injuries. Successful reduction of fall injury and fatality rates requires continued concerted efforts of regulators and industry leaders, professional associations and labor unions, employers and employees, safety professionals and researchers in enhancing the work environment, implementing new effective fall prevention and protection technologies, and improving the work safety culture through continuous education of the workforce. NIOSH, as the leader in occupational safety research, plays a key role in these complex fall-injury prevention efforts. Fall-Related Research and Development Activities at NIOSH Planning and Guidance of Fall-Related Research at NIOSH The NIOSH fall-injury prevention research strategic planning and goal setting is structured throughout industry sector and cross-sector programs, and takes into consideration the magnitude or emergence of the problem as evidenced by data, immediacy of need expressed by critical stakeholders, current resources and expertise in the goal area, current research, strength of partnerships in current research, and status and momentum on the course of research-to-practice. The strategic planning process has been recently enhanced with input from the National Academy of Sciences program review. Program contact: Hongwei Hsiao, Ph.D. Protective Technology Branch (304) 285-5910; [email protected] Fall Injuries Prevention in the Workplace Resources • • • • • • Research Laboratories Fall-related Research Projects NIOSH Ladder Safety Mobile Application Publications Other Pages of Interest International Conference on Fall Prevention and Protection CDC: There’s Nothing ‘Easy’ About Falling Off a Ladder A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that falls remain a leading cause of death and nearly half of those deadly falls have been from ladders. May 2, 2014 Sandy Smith Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, and safety gear. OSHA • The Truth About Fall Fatalities and Injuries [Infographic] What’s the old saying? It’s as easy as falling off a ladder? Judging by a recent study released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is easy to fall off a ladder and it often can be deadly. The study, published in the most recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), found that falls remain a leading cause of unintentional injury mortality nationwide, and 43 percent of fatal falls in the last decade have involved a ladder. Among workers, approximately 20 percent of fall injuries involve ladders, and among construction workers, an estimated 81 percent of fall injuries treated in hospital emergency rooms involve a ladder. To fully characterize fatal and nonfatal injuries associated with ladder falls among workers in the United States, researchers Christina M. Socias, DrPH, of CDC, and Cammie K. Chaumont Menéndez, Ph.D., James W. Collins, Ph.D., and Peter Simeonov, Ph.D., of NIOSH’s Division of Safety Research, analyzed data across multiple surveillance systems: the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI), the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) and the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System–occupational supplement (NEISS-Work). Percentage of ladder fall fatalities* and nonfatal ladder fall injuries treated in emergency departments, by fall height (when documented) In 2011, work-related ladder fall injuries (LFIs) resulted in 113 fatalities (0.09 per 100,000 full-time equivalent [FTE] workers), an estimated 15,460 nonfatal injuries reported by employers that involved more than 1 day away from work (DAFW) and an estimated 34,000 nonfatal injuries treated in emergency rooms. Rates for nonfatal, work-related, emergency room-treated LFIs were higher (2.6 per 10,000 FTE) than those for such injuries reported by employers (1.2 per 10,000 FTE). “LFIs represent a substantial public health burden of preventable injuries for workers,” noted the researchers. According to the study: • • • • • • • Men and Hispanics had higher rates of fatal and nonfatal LFIs compared with women and nonHispanic whites and workers of other races/ethnicities. LFI rates increased with age, except for injuries treated in emergency rooms. Fatality rates were substantially higher for self-employed workers (0.30 per 100,000 FTE workers) than salary/wage workers (0.06 per 100,000 FTE workers). Companies with the fewest employees had the highest fatality rates. The construction industry had the highest LFI rates compared with all other industries. Across all industries, the highest fatal and nonfatal LFI rates were in the following two occupation groups: construction and extraction (e.g., mining) occupations, followed by installation, maintenance and repair occupations. Head injuries were implicated in about half of fatal injuries (49 percent), whereas most nonfatal injuries involved the upper and lower extremities for employer-reported and emergency room-treated nonfatal injuries. National Stand-Down June 2-6 Because falls are the leading cause of work-related injuries and deaths in construction, NIOSH, OSHA and the Center for Construction Research and Training are promoting a national campaign to prevent workplace falls. NIOSH also is developing innovative technologies to complement safe ladder use. OSHA has scheduled a national safety stand-down from June 2 to 6 to raise awareness among employers and workers about the hazards of falls, said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. “Falls account for more than a third of all deaths in this industry. We’re working with employers, workers, industry groups, state OSH plans, and civic and faith-based organizations to host safety stand-downs that focus on recognizing hazards and preventing falls. We are getting the message out to America's employers that safety pays and falls cost.” During the stand-down, employers and workers are asked to pause their workday to talk about fall prevention in construction, and discuss topics like ladder safety, scaffolding safety and roofing work safety. OSHA also launched an official national safety stand-down web site with information on how to conduct a successful stand-down. Afterwards, employers will be able to provide feedback and receive a personalized certificate of participation. The stand-down is part of OSHA's ongoing Fall Prevention Campaign, which was started in 2012 and was developed in partnership with NIOSH and NIOSH's National Occupational Research Agenda program. The campaign provides employers with lifesaving information and educational materials on how to plan ahead to prevent falls, provide the right equipment for their workers and train all employees in the proper use of that equipment. “We are pleased to join again with OSHA and our NORA partners to focus on fall prevention at construction sites,” said NIOSH Director Dr. John Howard. “Preventing falls in the construction industry benefits everyone, from the worker, to the employer, to the community at large. This safety stand-down serves as an important opportunity for everyone to take the time to learn how to recognize and prevent fall hazards.” For the entire article go to the below link. http://ehstoday.com/construction/cdc-there-s-nothing-easy-about-falling-ladder?page=1 FactSheet Personal Protective Equipment Personal protective equipment, or PPE, is designed to protect workers from serious workplace injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Besides face shields, safety glasses, hard hats, and safety shoes, protective equipment includes a variety of devices and garments such as goggles,coveralls, gloves, vests, earplugs, and respirators. Employer Responsibilities OSHA’s primary personal protective equipment standards are in Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Part 1910 Subpart I, and equivalent regulations in states with OSHAapproved state plans, but you can find protective equipment requirements elsewhere in the General Industry Standards. For example, 29 CFR 1910.156, OSHA’s Fire Brigades Standard, has requirements for firefighting gear. In addition, 29 CFR 1926.95-106 covers the construction industry. OSHA’s general personal protective equipment requirements mandate that employers conduct a hazard assessment of their workplaces to determine what hazards are present that require the use of protective equipment, provide workers with appropriate protective equipment, and require them to use and maintain it in sanitary and reliable condition. Using personal protective equipment is often essential, but it is generally the last line of defense after engineering controls, work practices, and administrative controls. Engineering controls involve physically changing a machine or work environment. Administrative controls involve changing how or when workers do their jobs, such as scheduling work and rotating workers to reduce exposures. Work practices involve training workers how to perform tasks in ways that reduce their exposure to workplace hazards. As an employer, you must assess your workplace to determine if hazards are present that require the use of personal protective equipment. If such hazards are present, you must select protective equipment and require workers to use it, communicate your protective equipment selection decisions to your workers, and select personal protective equipment that properly fits your workers. You must also train workers who are required to wear personal protective equipment on how to do the following: • Use protective equipment properly, • Be aware of when personal protective equipment is necessary, • Know what kind of protective equipment is necessary, • Understand the limitations of personal protective equipment in protecting workers from injury, • Put on, adjust, wear, and take off personal protective equipment, and • Maintain protective equipment properly. Protection from Head Injuries Hard hats can protect your workers from head impact, penetration injuries, and electrical injuries such as those caused by falling or flying objects, fixed objects, or contact with electrical conductors. Also, OSHA regulations require employers to ensure that workers cover and protect long hair to prevent it from getting caught in machine parts such as belts and chains. Protection from Foot and Leg Injuries In addition to foot guards and safety shoes, leggings (e.g., leather, aluminized rayon, or otherappropriate material) can help prevent injuries by protecting workers from hazards such as falling or rolling objects, sharp objects, wet and slippery surfaces, molten metals, hot surfaces, and electrical hazards. Protection from Eye and Face Injuries Besides spectacles and goggles, personal protective equipment such as special helmets or shields, spectacles with side shields, and faceshields can protect workers from the hazards of flying fragments, large chips, hot sparks, optical radiation, splashes from molten metals, as well as objects, particles, sand, dirt, mists, dusts, and glare. Protection from Hearing Loss Wearing earplugs or earmuffs can help prevent damage to hearing. Exposure to high noise levels can cause irreversible hearing loss or impairment as well as physical and psychological stress. Earplugs made from foam, waxed cotton, or fiberglass wool are self-forming and usually fit well. A professional should fit your workers individually for molded or preformed earplugs. Clean earplugs regularly, and replace those you cannot clean. Protection from Hand Injuries Workers exposed to harmful substances through skin absorption, severe cuts or lacerations, severe abrasions, chemical burns, thermal burns, and harmful temperatureextremes will benefit from hand protection. Protection from Body Injury In some cases workers must shield most or all of their bodies against hazards in the workplace, such as exposure to heat and radiation as well as hot metals, scalding liquids, body fluids, hazardous materials or waste, and other hazards. In addition to fire-retardant wool and fireretardant cotton, materials used in whole-body personal protective equipment include rubber, leather, synthetics, and plastic. When to Wear Respiratory Protection When engineering controls are not feasible, workers must use appropriate respirators to protect against adverse health effects caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors. Respirators generally cover the nose and mouth or the entire face or head and help prevent illness and injury. A proper fit is essential, however, for respirators to be effective. Required respirators must be NIOSH-approved and medical evaluation and training must be provided before use. Additional Information For additional information concerning protective equipment view the publication, Assessing the Need for Personal Protective Equipment: A Guide for Small Business Employers (OSHA 3151) available on OSHA’s web site at www. osha. gov. For more information about personal protective equipment in the construction industry, visit www.osha-slc.gov/SLTC/constructionppe/ index.html. Contacting OSHA To report an emergency, file a complaint or seek OSHA advice, assistance or products, call (800) 321-OSHA or contact your nearest OSHA regional or area office. This is one in a series of informational fact sheets highlighting OSHA programs, policies or standards. It does not impose any new compliance requirements. For a comprehensive list of compliance requirements of OSHA standards or regulations, refer to Title 29 of the Code of Federal Regulations. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. The voice phone is (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627. For more complete information: U.S. Department of Labor www.osha.gov (800) 321-OSHA DOC 4/2006 U.S. Department of Labor Program Highlights Fact Sheet No. OSHA 92-08 PROTECT YOURSELF WITH PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT Hard hats, goggles, face shields, earplugs, steel-toed shoes, respirators. What do all these items have in common? They are all various forms of personal protective equipment. Yet, data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics show: • • • • Hard hats were worn by only 16% of those workers who sustained head injuries, although two-fifths were required to wear them for certain tasks at specific locations;(1) Only 1% of approximately 770 workers suffering face injuries were wearing face protection;(2) Only 23% of the workers with foot injuries wore safety shoes or boots;(3) and About 40% of the workers with eye injuries wore eye protective equipment.(4) A majority of these workers were injured while performing their normal jobs at regular worksites. OSHA standards require employers to furnish and require employees to use suitable protective equipment where there is a "reasonable probability" that injury can be prevented by such equipment. The standards also set provisions for specific equipment. While use of personal protective equipment is important, it is only a supplementary form of protection, necessary where all hazards have not been controlled through other means such as engineering controls. Engineering controls are especially important in hearing and respiratory protection which have specific standards calling for employers to take all feasible steps to control the hazards. HEAD PROTECTION Cuts or bruises to the scalp and forehead occurred in 85% of the cases, concussions in 26%. Over a third of the cases resulted from falling objects striking the head.(5) Protective hats for head protection against impact blows must be able to withstand penetration and absorb the shock of a blow. In some cases hats should also protect against electric shock. Recognized standards for hats have been established by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). FOOT AND LEG PROTECTION Sixty-six percent of injured workers were wearing safety shoes, protective footwear, heavy-duty shoes or boots and 33%, regular street shoes. Of those wearing safety shoes, 85% were injured because the object hit an unprotected part of the shoe or boot.(6) For protection against falling or rolling objects, sharp objects, molten metal, hot surfaces and wet, slippery surfaces workers should use appropriate footguards, safety shoes or boots and leggings. Safety shoes should be sturdy and have an impact- resistant toe. Shoes must meet ANSI standards. EYE AND FACE PROTECTION Injured workers surveyed indicated that eye and face protection was not normally used or practiced in their work areas or it was not required for the type of work performed at the time of the accident. Almost one-third of face injuries were caused by metal objects, most often blunt and weighing one pound or more. Accidents resulted in cuts, lacerations, or punctures in 48% of the total, and fractures (including broken or lost teeth) in 27%.(7) Protection should be based on kind and degree of hazard present and should: 1) be reasonably comfortable, 2) fit properly, 3) be durable, 4) be cleanable, 5) be sanitary, and 6) be in good condition. EAR PROTECTION Exposure to high noise levels can cause irreversible hearing loss or impairment. It can also create physical and psychological stress. Preformed or molded ear plugs should be individually fitted by a professional. Waxed cotton, foam or fiberglass wool earplugs are self-forming. Disposable earplugs should be used once and thrown away; non-disposable ones should be cleaned after each use for proper maintenance. OSHA has promulgated a final rule on requirements for a hearing conservation program. Information on the program is available from the closest OSHA office. ARM AND HAND PROTECTION Burns, cuts, electrical shock, amputation and absorption of chemicals are examples of hazards associated with arm and hand injuries. A wide assortment of gloves, hand pads, sleeves and wristlets for protection from these hazards is available. The devices should be selected to fit the specific task. Rubber is considered the best material for insulating gloves and sleeves and must conform to ANSI standards (copies available from ANSI, 1430 Broadway, New York, NY 10018). TORSO PROTECTION Many hazards can threaten the torso: heat, splashes from hot metals and liquids, impacts, cuts, acids, and radiation. A variety of protective clothing is available: vests, jackets, aprons, coveralls, and full body suits. Fire retardant wool and specially treated cotton clothing items are comfortable, and they adapt well to a variety of workplace temperatures. Other types of protection include leather, rubberized fabrics, and disposable suits. RESPIRATOR PROTECTION Information on the requirements for respirators to control of occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, and vapors is available in 29 CFR 1910.134. Proper selection of respirators should be made according to the guidance of ANSI Practices for Respiratory Protection. REMEMBER!!! Using personal protective equipment requires hazard awareness and training on the part of the user. Employees must be aware that the equipment alone does not eliminate the hazard. If the equipment fails, exposure will occur. FOR COPIES OF OSHA STANDARDS OR CLARIFICATION Check your phone book under the U.S. Department of Labor listing for the OSHA office nearest you. FOOTNOTES: 1. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Head Injuries, Report 605, (Washington, D.C., Government Printing Office, July 1980) p. 1. 2. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Face Injuries, Report 604, (Washington, D.C., GPO, May 1980) p. 10, Table 10. 3. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Foot Injuries, Report 626, (Washington, D.C., GPO, January 1981) p. 13, Table 11. 4. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Eye Injuries, Report 597, (Washington, D.C., GPO, April 1980) p. 12, Table 9. 5. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Head Injuries, Report 605, (Washington, D.C., GPO, July 1980) p. 7, Table 6. 6. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Foot Injuries, Report 626, (Washington, D.C., GPO, January 1981) p. 13, Table 11, and p. 1. 7. U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Accidents Involving Face Injuries, Report 604, (Washington, D.C., May 1980) p. 4, Table 3, and p. 2, Table 2. This is one of a series of fact sheets highlighting U.S. Department of Labor programs. It is intended as a general description only and does not carry the force of legal opinion. This information will be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 523-8151. TDD message referral phone: 1-800-326-2577. Back to PPE Links Personal Protective Equipment What is personal protective equipment? Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to serious workplace injuries and illnesses. These injuries and illnesses may result from contact with chemical, radiological, physical, electrical, mechanical, or other workplace hazards. Personal protective equipment may include items such as gloves, safety glasses and shoes, earplugs or muffs, hard hats, respirators, or coveralls, vests and full body suits. What can be done to ensure proper use of personal protective equipment? All personal protective equipment should be of safe design and construction, and should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. It should fit well and be comfortable to wear, encouraging worker use. If the personal protective equipment does not fit properly, it can make the difference between being safely covered or dangerously exposed. When engineering, work practice, and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment to their workers and ensure its proper use. Employers are also required to train each worker required to use personal protective equipment to know: When it is necessary What kind is necessary How to properly put it on, adjust, wear and take it off The limitations of the equipment Proper care, maintenance, useful life, and disposal of the equipment If PPE is to be used, a PPE program should be implemented. This program should address the hazards present; the selection, maintenance, and use of PPE; the training of employees; and monitoring of the program to ensure its ongoing effectiveness. Personal protective equipment is addressed in OSHA standards for Construction, General Industry, Shipyard Employment, Marine Terminals, and Longshoring. OSHA requires that many categories of personal protective equipment meet or be equivalent to standards developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). How do I find out about employer responsibilities and worker rights? Workers have a right to a safe workplace. The law requires employers to provide their employees with safe and healthful workplaces. The OSHA law also prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for exercising their rights under the law (including the right to raise a health and safety concern or report an injury). For more information see www.whistleblowers.gov or worker rights. OSHA can help answer questions or concerns from employers and workers. To reach your regional or area OSHA office, go to OSHA's Regional & Area Offices webpage or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). Small businesses may contact OSHA's free on-site consultation services funded by OSHA to help determine whether there are hazards at their worksites. To contact free consultation services, go to OSHA's On-site Consultation web page or call 1-800-321-OSHA (6742) and press number 4. Workers may file a complaint to have OSHA inspect their workplace if they believe that their employer is not following OSHA standards or that there are serious hazards. Workers can file a complaint with OSHA by calling 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), online via eCompliant Form, or by printing the complaint form and mailing or faxing it to the local OSHA area office. Complaints that are signed by an worker are more likely to result in an inspection. If you think your job is unsafe or if you have questions, contact OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742). Your contact will be kept confidential. We can help. For other valuable worker protection information, such as Workers' Rights, Employer Responsibilities, and other services OSHA offers, visit OSHA's Workers' page. Five Minute Safety Talk No.8 "Personal Protective Equipment" CONSULTATION EDUCATION & TRAINING DIVISION Probably the last thing that comes to mind when you watch a pro football game is safety. It starts in the locker room before the game when the players put on their uniforms. To play the game, they must wear protective equipment, including a shock-absorbing helmet with face guard, shoulder pads, knee pads, and cleated shoes. These things can get pretty bulky and uncomfortable, especially when its 95 degrees on the field and the only shade you can get is from someone's shadow. Football is a rough game, and if a player wants to be with his family after the game instead of in a hospital, protective equipment must be worn. After all, a player is not much good to the team when sidelined with injuries. A real pro knows these things. When protective equipment is worn, chances of getting through the game without a disabling injury are much greater; therefore, chances of continuing as a successful football player and family member are greater. Next to that, a little discomfort and inconvenience is a small price to pay. Like a pro football player, you may work on a job that requires personal protective equipment; say ear muffs, hard hat, or safety shoes. This equipment can't prevent some accidents from happening. It can't prevent a drill from breaking, or stop a fellow worker from dropping a box on your foot, but it can prevent a serious injury. Take one example—in an automobile plant, an employee's feet were run over by a fork-lift truck. The worker was wearing safety shoes at the time, and the only injuries were a fractured left toe and bruises. I don't have to tell you how severe the injuries could have been had the employee been wearing regular shoes. I know such things as safety glasses, hardhats, and safety shoes may be a nuisance to put on and may seem bulky and uncomfortable at first. In fact, it's tempting not to put them on at all, unless the safety supervisor is looking. Complaints are as varied as the kinds of equipment. For Instance: "It's too heavy." "It gives me a headache. " "They hurt my eyes." "They're too hot" or "too cold," and so on. Often these are real complaints. A poorly fitted piece of protective equipment can cause headache or pain, and if it does, see your supervisor immediately to have it adjusted or refitted. Most of the time, it's just a matter of getting used to wearing particular equipment. This is a lot easier when you remember that like the football player, you stand a better chance of continuing successfully with your job and your home life if you are protected from possible serious injury by protective equipment. Instead of laying in a hospital bed wondering how they are getting along without you at work, you'll be on the job, gaining valuable experience and receiving an uninterrupted paycheck. As you become accustomed to the feeling of protection you get from wearing safety equipment, you'll discover your confidence in your ability to handle the job will grow, and with it, your chances of a pay raise or promotion. Personal protective equipment has its place in sports, construction, manufacturing, and many other fields. It is up to us to be real professionals and to recognize the role of protective equipment and take advantage of the benefits. To request consultation education and training services, call: 517-322-1809. Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration Consultation Education & Training Division 7150 Harris Drive, Box 30643 Lansing, MI 48909-8143 517-322-1809 MIOSHA-CET-8 (Rev. 6/05) www.osha.gov Personal Protective Equipment OSHA 3151-12R 2003 This informational booklet provides a general overview of a particular topic related to OSHA standards. It does not alter or determine compliance responsibilities in OSHA standards or the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. Because interpretations and enforcement policy may change over time, you should consult current OSHA administrative interpretations and decisions by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission and the Courts for additional guidance on OSHA compliance requirements. This publication is in the public domain and may be reproduced, fully or partially, without permission. Source credit is requested but not required. This information is available to sensory impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: (202) 693-1999; teletypewriter (TTY) number: (877) 889-5627. Personal Protective Equipment U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration OSHA 3151-12R 2003 Contents Introduction...4 The Requirement for PPE...5 The Hazard Assessment...6 Selecting PPE...8 Training Employees in the Proper Use of PPE...9 Eye and Face Protection...9 Prescription Lenses...10 Eye Protection for Exposed Workers...10 Types of Eye Protection...11 Welding Operations...12 Laser Operations...16 Head Protection...16 Types of Hard Hats...18 Size and Care Considerations...18 Foot and Leg Protection...19 Special Purpose Shoes...21 Foundry Shoes...22 Care of Protective Footwear...22 Hand and Arm Protection...22 Types of Protective Gloves...23 Leather, Canvas or Metal Mesh Gloves...23 Fabric and Coated Fabric Gloves...24 Chemical- and Liquid-Resistant Gloves...24 Care of Protective Gloves...29 Body Protection...29 Hearing Protection...30 2 OSHA Assistance...32 Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines...33 State Programs...33 Consultation Services...34 Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP)...34 Strategic Partnership Program...35 Alliance Programs...35 OSHA Training and Education...36 Information Available Electronically...36 OSHA Publications...37 Contacting OSHA...37 OSHA Regional Offices...38 List of Tables Table 1: Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy...13 Table 2: Construction Industry Requirements for Filter Lens Shade Numbers for Protection Against Radiant Energy...15 Table 3: Selecting Laser Safety Glass...16 Table 4: Chemical Resistance Selection Chart for Protective Gloves...26 Table 5: Permissible Noise Exposures...31 Appendix A: OSHA Standards that Require PPE...40 3 Introduction Hazards exist in every workplace in many different forms: sharp edges, falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise and a myriad of other potentially dangerous situations. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury. Controlling a hazard at its source is the best way to protect employees. Depending on the hazard or workplace conditions, OSHA recommends the use of engineering or work practice controls to manage or eliminate hazards to the greatest extent possible. For example, building a barrier between the hazard and the employees is an engineering control; changing the way in which employees perform their work is a work practice control. When engineering, work practice and administrative controls are not feasible or do not provide sufficient protection, employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to their employees and ensure its use. Personal protective equipment, commonly referred to as "PPE", is equipment worn to minimize exposure to a variety of hazards. Examples of PPE include such items as gloves, foot and eye protection, protective hearing devices (earplugs, muffs) hard hats, respirators and full body suits. This guide will help both employers and employees do the following: ■ Understand the types of PPE. ■ Know the basics of conducting a "hazard assessment" of the workplace. ■ Select appropriate PPE for a variety of circumstances. ■ Understand what kind of training is needed in the proper use and care of PPE. The information in this guide is general in nature and does not address all workplace hazards or PPE requirements. The information, methods and procedures in this guide are based on the OSHA requirements for PPE as set forth in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) at 29 CFR 1910.132 (General requirements); 29 CFR 1910.133 (Eye and face protection); 29 CFR 1910.135 (Head protection); 29 CFR 1910.136 (Foot protection); 29 CFR 1910. 137 (Electrical protective equipment); 29 CFR 1910.138 (Hand protection); and regulations that cover the construction industry, at 4 29 CFR 1926.95 (Criteria for personal protective equipment); 29 CFR 1926.96 (Occupational foot protection); 29 CFR 1926.100 (Head protection); 29 CFR 1926.101 (Hearing protection); and 29 CFR 1926.102 (Eye and face protection); and for the maritime industry at 29 CFR 1915.152 (General requirements); 29 CFR 1915.153 (Eye and face protection); 29 CFR 1915.155 (Head protection); 29 CFR 1915.156 (Foot protection); and 29 CFR 1915.157 (Hand and body protection). This guide does not address PPE requirements related to respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134) as this information is covered in detail in OSHA Publication 3079, "Respiratory Protection". There is a brief discussion of hearing protection in this publication but users should refer to OSHA Publication 3074, "Hearing Conservation" for more detailed information on the requirements to protect employees’ hearing in the workplace. The Requirement for PPE To ensure the greatest possible protection for employees in the workplace, the cooperative efforts of both employers and employees will help in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful work environment. In general, employers are responsible for: ■ Performing a "hazard assessment" of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards. ■ Identifying and providing appropriate PPE for employees. ■ Training employees in the use and care of the PPE. ■ Maintaining PPE, including replacing worn or damaged PPE. ■ Periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the effectiveness of the PPE program. ■ In general, employees should: Properly wear PPE, ■ Attend training sessions on PPE, ■ Care for, clean and maintain PPE, and ■ Inform a supervisor of the need to repair or replace PPE. 5 Specific requirements for PPE are presented in many different OSHA standards, published in 29 CFR. Some standards require that employers provide PPE at no cost to the employee while others simply state that the employer must provide PPE. Appendix A at page 40 lists those standards that require the employer to provide PPE and those that require the employer to provide PPE at no cost to the employee. The Hazard Assessment A first critical step in developing a comprehensive safety and health program is to identify physical and health hazards in the workplace. This process is known as a "hazard assessment." Potential hazards may be physical or health-related and a comprehensive hazard assessment should identify hazards in both categories. Examples of physical hazards include moving objects, fluctuating temperatures, high intensity lighting, rolling or pinching objects, electrical connections and sharp edges. Examples of health hazards include overexposure to harmful dusts, chemicals or radiation. The hazard assessment should begin with a walk-through survey of the facility to develop a list of potential hazards in the following basic hazard categories: ■ Impact, ■ Penetration, ■ Compression (roll-over), ■ Chemical, ■ Heat/cold, ■ Harmful dust, ■ Light (optical) radiation, and ■ Biologic. In addition to noting the basic layout of the facility and reviewing any history of occupational illnesses or injuries, things to look for during the walk-through survey include: ■ Sources of electricity. ■ 6 Sources of motion such as machines or processes where movement may exist that could result in an impact between personnel and equipment. ■ Sources of high temperatures that could result in burns, eye injuries or fire. ■ Types of chemicals used in the workplace. ■ Sources of harmful dusts. ■ Sources of light radiation, such as welding, brazing, cutting, furnaces, heat treating, high intensity lights, etc. ■ The potential for falling or dropping objects. ■ Sharp objects that could poke, cut, stab or puncture. ■ Biologic hazards such as blood or other potentially infected material. When the walk-through is complete, the employer should organize and analyze the data so that it may be efficiently used in determining the proper types of PPE required at the worksite. The employer should become aware of the different types of PPE available and the levels of protection offered. It is definitely a good idea to select PPE that will provide a level of protection greater than the minimum required to protect employees from hazards. The workplace should be periodically reassessed for any changes in conditions, equipment or operating procedures that could affect occupational hazards. This periodic reassessment should also include a review of injury and illness records to spot any trends or areas of concern and taking appropriate corrective action. The suitability of existing PPE, including an evaluation of its condition and age, should be included in the reassessment. Documentation of the hazard assessment is required through a written certification that includes the following information: ■ Identification of the workplace evaluated; ■ Name of the person conducting the assessment; ■ Date of the assessment; and ■ Identification of the document certifying completion of the hazard assessment. 7 Selecting PPE All PPE clothing and equipment should be of safe design and construction, and should be maintained in a clean and reliable fashion. Employers should take the fit and comfort of PPE into consideration when selecting appropriate items for their workplace. PPE that fits well and is comfortable to wear will encourage employee use of PPE. Most protective devices are available in multiple sizes and care should be taken to select the proper size for each employee. If several different types of PPE are worn together, make sure they are compatible. If PPE does not fit properly, it can make the difference between being safely covered or dangerously exposed. It may not provide the level of protection desired and may discourage employee use. OSHA requires that many categories of PPE meet or be equivalent to standards developed by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ANSI has been preparing safety standards since the 1920s, when the first safety standard was approved to protect the heads and eyes of industrial workers. Employers who need to provide PPE in the categories listed below must make certain that any new equipment procured meets the cited ANSI standard. Existing PPE stocks must meet the ANSI standard in effect at the time of its manufacture or provide protection equivalent to PPE manufactured to the ANSI criteria. Employers should inform employees who provide their own PPE of the employer’s selection decisions and ensure that any employee-owned PPE used in the workplace conforms to the employer’s criteria, based on the hazard assessment, OSHA requirements and ANSI standards. OSHA requires PPE to meet the following ANSI standards: ■ Eye and Face Protection: ANSI Z87.1-1989 (USA Standard for Occupational and Educational Eye and Face Protection). ■ Head Protection: ANSI Z89.1-1986. ■ Foot Protection: ANSI Z41.1-1991. For hand protection, there is no ANSI standard for gloves but OSHA recommends that selection be based upon the tasks to be performed and the performance and construction characteristics of the glove material. For protection against chemicals, glove selection 8 must be based on the chemicals encountered, the chemical resistance and the physical properties of the glove material. Training Employees in the Proper Use of PPE Employers are required to train each employee who must use PPE. Employees must be trained to know at least the following: ■ When PPE is necessary. ■ What PPE is necessary. ■ How to properly put on, take off, adjust and wear the PPE. ■ The limitations of the PPE. ■ Proper care, maintenance, useful life and disposal of PPE. Employers should make sure that each employee demonstrates an understanding of the PPE training as well as the ability to properly wear and use PPE before they are allowed to perform work requiring the use of the PPE. If an employer believes that a previously trained employee is not demonstrating the proper understanding and skill level in the use of PPE, that employee should receive retraining. Other situations that require additional or retraining of employees include the following circumstances: changes in the workplace or in the type of required PPE that make prior training obsolete. The employer must document the training of each employee required to wear or use PPE by preparing a certification containing the name of each employee trained, the date of training and a clear identification of the subject of the certification. Eye and Face Protection Employees can be exposed to a large number of hazards that pose danger to their eyes and face. OSHA requires employers to ensure that employees have appropriate eye or face protection if they are exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, potentially infected material or potentially harmful light radiation. 9 Many occupational eye injuries occur because workers are not wearing any eye protection while others result from wearing improper or poorly fitting eye protection. Employers must be sure that their employees wear appropriate eye and face protection and that the selected form of protection is appropriate to the work being performed and properly fits each worker exposed to the hazard. Prescription Lenses Everyday use of prescription corrective lenses will not provide adequate protection against most occupational eye and face hazards, so employers must make sure that employees with corrective lenses either wear eye protection that incorporates the prescription into the design or wear additional eye protection over their prescription lenses. It is important to ensure that the protective eyewear does not disturb the proper positioning of the prescription lenses so that the employee’s vision will not be inhibited or limited. Also, employees who wear contact lenses must wear eye or face PPE when working in hazardous conditions. Eye Protection for Exposed Workers OSHA suggests that eye protection be routinely considered for use by carpenters, electricians, machinists, mechanics, millwrights, plumbers and pipefitters, sheetmetal workers and tinsmiths, assemblers, sanders, grinding machine operators, sawyers, welders, laborers, chemical process operators and handlers, and timber cutting and logging workers. Employers of workers in other job categories should decide whether there is a need for eye and face PPE through a hazard assessment. Examples of potential eye or face injuries include: ■ Dust, dirt, metal or wood chips entering the eye from activities such as chipping, grinding, sawing, hammering, the use of power tools or even strong wind forces. ■ Chemical splashes from corrosive substances, hot liquids, solvents or other hazardous solutions. ■ Objects swinging into the eye or face, such as tree limbs, chains, tools or ropes. ■ Radiant energy from welding, harmful rays from the use of lasers or other radiant light (as well as heat, glare, sparks, splash and flying particles). 10 Types of Eye Protection Selecting the most suitable eye and face protection for employees should take into consideration the following elements: ■ Ability to protect against specific workplace hazards. ■ Should fit properly and be reasonably comfortable to wear. ■ Should provide unrestricted vision and movement. ■ Should be durable and cleanable. ■ Should allow unrestricted functioning of any other required PPE. The eye and face protection selected for employee use must clearly identify the manufacturer. Any new eye and face protective devices must comply with ANSI Z87.1-1989 or be at least as effective as this standard requires. Any equipment purchased before this requirement took effect on July 5, 1994, must comply with the earlier ANSI Standard (ANSI Z87.1-1968) or be shown to be equally effective. An employer may choose to provide one pair of protective eyewear for each position rather than individual eyewear for each employee. If this is done, the employer must make sure that employees disinfect shared protective eyewear after each use. Protective eyewear with corrective lenses may only be used by the employee for whom the corrective prescription was issued and may not be shared among employees. Some of the most common types of eye and face protection include the following: ■ Safety spectacles. These protective eyeglasses have safety frames constructed of metal or plastic and impact-resistant lenses. Side shields are available on some models. ■ Goggles. These are tight-fitting eye protection that completely cover the eyes, eye sockets and the facial area immediately surrounding the eyes and provide protection from impact, dust and splashes. Some goggles will fit over corrective lenses. ■ Welding shields. Constructed of vulcanized fiber or fiberglass and fitted with a filtered lens, welding shields protect eyes from burns caused by infrared or intense radiant light; they also protect both the eyes and face from flying sparks, metal spatter and slag chips produced during welding, brazing, soldering and 11 cutting operations. OSHA requires filter lenses to have a shade number appropriate to protect against the specific hazards of the work being performed in order to protect against harmful light radiation. ■ Laser safety goggles. These specialty goggles protect against intense concentrations of light produced by lasers. The type of laser safety goggles an employer chooses will depend upon the equipment and operating conditions in the workplace. ■ Face shields. These transparent sheets of plastic extend from the eyebrows to below the chin and across the entire width of the employee’s head. Some are polarized for glare protection. Face shields protect against nuisance dusts and potential splashes or sprays of hazardous liquids but will not provide adequate protection against impact hazards. Face shields used in combination with goggles or safety spectacles will provide additional protection against impact hazards. Each type of protective eyewear is designed to protect against specific hazards. Employers can identify the specific workplace hazards that threaten employees’ eyes and faces by completing a hazard assessment as outlined in the earlier section. Welding Operations The intense light associated with welding operations can cause serious and sometimes permanent eye damage if operators do not wear proper eye protection. The intensity of light or radiant energy produced by welding, cutting or brazing operations varies according to a number of factors including the task producing the light, the electrode size and the arc current. The following table shows the minimum protective shades for a variety of welding, cutting and brazing operations in general industry and in the shipbuilding industry. 12 Table 1 Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy Operations Electrode size in 1/32” (0.8mm) Arc current Minimum* protective shade <3 3-5 5-8 >8 < 60 60 - 160 160 - 250 250 - 550 7 8 10 11 < 60 60 - 160 160 - 250 250 - 500 7 10 10 10 < 50 50 - 150 150 - 500 8 8 10 Shielded metal arc welding Gas metal arc welding and flux cored arc welding Gas tungsten arc welding Air carbon (light) < 500 10 Arc cutting (heavy) 500 - 1,000 11 < 20 20 - 100 100 - 400 400 - 800 6 8 10 11 < 300 300 - 400 400 - 800 8 9 10 Plasma arc welding Plasma arc cutting (light)** (medium)** (heavy)** Torch brazing 3 Torch soldering 2 Carbon arc welding 14 13 Table 1 (continued) Filter Lenses for Protection Against Radiant Energy Operations Plate thickness inches Plate thickness Minimum* mm protective shade Gas welding: Light < 1/8 < 3.2 4 Gas welding: Medium 1/8 - 1/2 3.2 - 12.7 5 Gas welding: Heavy > 1/2 > 12.7 6 Oxygen cutting: Light <1 < 25 3 Oxygen cutting: Medium 1-6 25 - 150 4 Oxygen cutting: Heavy >6 > 150 5 Source: 29 CFR 1910.133(a)(5). * As a rule of thumb, start with a shade that is too dark to see the weld zone. Then go to a lighter shade which gives sufficient view of the weld zone without going below the minimum. In oxyfuel gas welding or cutting where the torch produces a high yellow light, it is desirable to use a filter lens that absorbs the yellow or sodium line in the visible light of the (spectrum) operation. ** These values apply where the actual arc is clearly seen. Experience has shown that lighter filters may be used when the arc is hidden by the workpiece. 14 The construction industry has separate requirements for filter lens protective levels for specific types of welding operations, as indicated in the table below: Table 2 Construction Industry Requirements for Filter Lens Shade Numbers for Protection Against Radiant Energy Welding Operation Shade Number Shielded metal-arc welding 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes 10 Gas-shielded arc welding (nonferrous) 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes 11 Gas-shielded arc welding (ferrous) 1/16-, 3/32-, 1/8-, 5/32-inch diameter electrodes 12 Shielded metal-arc welding 3/16-, 7/32-, 1/4-inch diameter electrodes 12 5/16-, 3/8-inch diameter electrodes 14 Atomic hydrogen welding 10 - 14 Carbon-arc welding 14 Soldering 2 Torch brazing 3 or 4 Light cutting, up to 1 inch 3 or 4 Medium cutting, 1 to 6 inches 4 or 5 Heavy cutting, more than 6 inches 5 or 6 Gas welding (light), up to 1/8-inch 4 or 5 Gas welding (medium), 1/8- to 1/2-inch 5 or 6 Gas welding (heavy), more than 1/2-inch 6 or 8 Source: 29 CFR 1926.102(b)(1). 15 Laser Operations Laser light radiation can be extremely dangerous to the unprotected eye and direct or reflected beams can cause permanent eye damage. Laser retinal burns can be painless, so it is essential that all personnel in or around laser operations wear appropriate eye protection. Laser safety goggles should protect for the specific wavelength of the laser and must be of sufficient optical density for the energy involved. Safety goggles intended for use with laser beams must be labeled with the laser wavelengths for which they are intended to be used, the optical density of those wavelengths and the visible light transmission. The table below lists maximum power or energy densities and appropriate protection levels for optical densities 5 through 8. Table 3 Selecting Laser Safety Glass Intensity, CW maximum power density (watts/cm2) Attenuation Optical density Attenuation (O.D.) factor 10 -2 5 105 10 -1 6 106 1.0 7 107 10.0 8 108 Source: 29 CFR 1926.102(b)(2). Head Protection Protecting employees from potential head injuries is a key element of any safety program. A head injury can impair an employee for life or it can be fatal. Wearing a safety helmet or hard hat is one of the easiest ways to protect an employee’s head from 16 injury. Hard hats can protect employees from impact and penetration hazards as well as from electrical shock and burn hazards. Employers must ensure that their employees wear head protection if any of the following apply: ■ Objects might fall from above and strike them on the head; ■ They might bump their heads against fixed objects, such as exposed pipes or beams; or ■ There is a possibility of accidental head contact with electrical hazards. Some examples of occupations in which employees should be required to wear head protection include construction workers, carpenters, electricians, linemen, plumbers and pipefitters, timber and log cutters, welders, among many others. Whenever there is a danger of objects falling from above, such as working below others who are using tools or working under a conveyor belt, head protection must be worn. Hard hats must be worn with the bill forward to protect employees properly. In general, protective helmets or hard hats should do the following: ■ Resist penetration by objects. ■ Absorb the shock of a blow. ■ Be water-resistant and slow burning. ■ Have clear instructions explaining proper adjustment and replacement of the suspension and headband. Hard hats must have a hard outer shell and a shock-absorbing lining that incorporates a headband and straps that suspend the shell from 1 to 1 1/4 inches (2.54 cm to 3.18 cm) away from the head. This type of design provides shock absorption during an impact and ventilation during normal wear. Protective headgear must meet ANSI Standard Z89.1-1986 (Protective Headgear for Industrial Workers) or provide an equivalent level of protection. Helmets purchased before July 5, 1994 must comply with the earlier ANSI Standard (Z89.1-1969) or provide equivalent protection. 17 Types of Hard Hats There are many types of hard hats available in the marketplace today. In addition to selecting protective headgear that meets ANSI standard requirements, employers should ensure that employees wear hard hats that provide appropriate protection against potential workplace hazards. It is important for employers to understand all potential hazards when making this selection, including electrical hazards. This can be done through a comprehensive hazard analysis and an awareness of the different types of protective headgear available. Hard hats are divided into three industrial classes: ■ Class A hard hats provide impact and penetration resistance along with limited voltage protection (up to 2,200 volts). ■ Class B hard hats provide the highest level of protection against electrical hazards, with high-voltage shock and burn protection (up to 20,000 volts). They also provide protection from impact and penetration hazards by flying/falling objects. ■ Class C hard hats provide lightweight comfort and impact protection but offer no protection from electrical hazards. Another class of protective headgear on the market is called a “bump hat,” designed for use in areas with low head clearance. They are recommended for areas where protection is needed from head bumps and lacerations. These are not designed to protect against falling or flying objects and are not ANSI approved. It is essential to check the type of hard hat employees are using to ensure that the equipment provides appropriate protection. Each hat should bear a label inside the shell that lists the manufacturer, the ANSI designation and the class of the hat. Size and Care Considerations Head protection that is either too large or too small is inappropriate for use, even if it meets all other requirements. Protective headgear must fit appropriately on the body and for the head size of each individual. Most protective headgear comes in a variety of sizes with adjustable headbands to ensure a proper fit (many adjust in 1/8-inch increments). A proper fit should allow sufficient clearance between the shell and the suspension system for 18 ventilation and distribution of an impact. The hat should not bind, slip, fall off or irritate the skin. Some protective headgear allows for the use of various accessories to help employees deal with changing environmental conditions, such as slots for earmuffs, safety glasses, face shields and mounted lights. Optional brims may provide additional protection from the sun and some hats have channels that guide rainwater away from the face. Protective headgear accessories must not compromise the safety elements of the equipment. Periodic cleaning and inspection will extend the useful life of protective headgear. A daily inspection of the hard hat shell, suspension system and other accessories for holes, cracks, tears or other damage that might compromise the protective value of the hat is essential. Paints, paint thinners and some cleaning agents can weaken the shells of hard hats and may eliminate electrical resistance. Consult the helmet manufacturer for information on the effects of paint and cleaning materials on their hard hats. Never drill holes, paint or apply labels to protective headgear as this may reduce the integrity of the protection. Do not store protective headgear in direct sunlight, such as on the rear window shelf of a car, since sunlight and extreme heat can damage them. Hard hats with any of the following defects should be removed from service and replaced: ■ Perforation, cracking, or deformity of the brim or shell; ■ Indication of exposure of the brim or shell to heat, chemicals or ultraviolet light and other radiation (in addition to a loss of surface gloss, such signs include chalking or flaking). Always replace a hard hat if it sustains an impact, even if damage is not noticeable. Suspension systems are offered as replacement parts and should be replaced when damaged or when excessive wear is noticed. It is not necessary to replace the entire hard hat when deterioration or tears of the suspension systems are noticed. Foot and Leg Protection Employees who face possible foot or leg injuries from falling or rolling objects or from crushing or penetrating materials should 19 wear protective footwear. Also, employees whose work involves exposure to hot substances or corrosive or poisonous materials must have protective gear to cover exposed body parts, including legs and feet. If an employee’s feet may be exposed to electrical hazards, non-conductive footwear should be worn. On the other hand, workplace exposure to static electricity may necessitate the use of conductive footwear. Examples of situations in which an employee should wear foot and/or leg protection include: ■ When heavy objects such as barrels or tools might roll onto or fall on the employee’s feet; ■ Working with sharp objects such as nails or spikes that could pierce the soles or uppers of ordinary shoes; ■ Exposure to molten metal that might splash on feet or legs; ■ Working on or around hot, wet or slippery surfaces; and ■ Working when electrical hazards are present. Safety footwear must meet ANSI minimum compression and impact performance standards in ANSI Z41-1991 (American National Standard for Personal Protection-Protective Footwear) or provide equivalent protection. Footwear purchased before July 5, 1994, must meet or provide equivalent protection to the earlier ANSI Standard (ANSI Z41.1-1967). All ANSI approved footwear has a protective toe and offers impact and compression protection. But the type and amount of protection is not always the same. Different footwear protects in different ways. Check the product’s labeling or consult the manufacturer to make sure the footwear will protect the user from the hazards they face. Foot and leg protection choices include the following: ■ Leggings protect the lower legs and feet from heat hazards such as molten metal or welding sparks. Safety snaps allow leggings to be removed quickly. ■ Metatarsal guards protect the instep area from impact and compression. Made of aluminum, steel, fiber or plastic, these guards may be strapped to the outside of shoes. ■ Toe guards fit over the toes of regular shoes to protect the toes from impact and compression hazards. They may be made of steel, aluminum or plastic. 20 ■ Combination foot and shin guards protect the lower legs and feet, and may be used in combination with toe guards when greater protection is needed. ■ Safety shoes have impact-resistant toes and heat-resistant soles that protect the feet against hot work surfaces common in roofing, paving and hot metal industries. The metal insoles of some safety shoes protect against puncture wounds. Safety shoes may also be designed to be electrically conductive to prevent the buildup of static electricity in areas with the potential for explosive atmospheres or nonconductive to protect workers from workplace electrical hazards. Special Purpose Shoes Electrically conductive shoes provide protection against the buildup of static electricity. Employees working in explosive and hazardous locations such as explosives manufacturing facilities or grain elevators must wear conductive shoes to reduce the risk of static electricity buildup on the body that could produce a spark and cause an explosion or fire. Foot powder should not be used in conjunction with protective conductive footwear because it provides insulation, reducing the conductive ability of the shoes. Silk, wool and nylon socks can produce static electricity and should not be worn with conductive footwear. Conductive shoes must be removed when the task requiring their use is completed. Note: Employees exposed to electrical hazards must never wear conductive shoes. Electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes are nonconductive and will prevent the wearers’ feet from completing an electrical circuit to the ground. These shoes can protect against open circuits of up to 600 volts in dry conditions and should be used in conjunction with other insulating equipment and additional precautions to reduce the risk of a worker becoming a path for hazardous electrical energy. The insulating protection of electrical hazard, safety-toe shoes may be compromised if the shoes become wet, the soles are worn through, metal particles become embedded in the sole or heel, or workers touch conductive, grounded items. Note: Nonconductive footwear must not be used in explosive or hazardous locations. 21 Foundry Shoes In addition to insulating the feet from the extreme heat of molten metal, foundry shoes keep hot metal from lodging in shoe eyelets, tongues or other shoe parts. These snug-fitting leather or leather-substitute shoes have leather or rubber soles and rubber heels. All foundry shoes must have built-in safety toes. Care of Protective Footwear As with all protective equipment, safety footwear should be inspected prior to each use. Shoes and leggings should be checked for wear and tear at reasonable intervals. This includes looking for cracks or holes, separation of materials, broken buckles or laces. The soles of shoes should be checked for pieces of metal or other embedded items that could present electrical or tripping hazards. Employees should follow the manufacturers’ recommendations for cleaning and maintenance of protective footwear. Hand and Arm Protection If a workplace hazard assessment reveals that employees face potential injury to hands and arms that cannot be eliminated through engineering and work practice controls, employers must ensure that employees wear appropriate protection. Potential hazards include skin absorption of harmful substances, chemical or thermal burns, electrical dangers, bruises, abrasions, cuts, punctures, fractures and amputations. Protective equipment includes gloves, finger guards and arm coverings or elbow-length gloves. Employers should explore all possible engineering and work practice controls to eliminate hazards and use PPE to provide additional protection against hazards that cannot be completely eliminated through other means. For example, machine guards may eliminate a hazard. Installing a barrier to prevent workers from placing their hands at the point of contact between a table saw blade and the item being cut is another method. 22 Types of Protective Gloves There are many types of gloves available today to protect against a wide variety of hazards. The nature of the hazard and the operation involved will affect the selection of gloves. The variety of potential occupational hand injuries makes selecting the right pair of gloves challenging. It is essential that employees use gloves specifically designed for the hazards and tasks found in their workplace because gloves designed for one function may not protect against a different function even though they may appear to be an appropriate protective device. The following are examples of some factors that may influence the selection of protective gloves for a workplace. ■ Type of chemicals handled. ■ Nature of contact (total immersion, splash, etc.). ■ Duration of contact. ■ Area requiring protection (hand only, forearm, arm). ■ Grip requirements (dry, wet, oily). ■ Thermal protection. ■ Size and comfort. ■ Abrasion/resistance requirements. Gloves made from a wide variety of materials are designed for many types of workplace hazards. In general, gloves fall into four groups: ■ Gloves made of leather, canvas or metal mesh; ■ Fabric and coated fabric gloves; ■ Chemical- and liquid-resistant gloves; ■ Insulating rubber gloves (See 29 CFR 1910.137 and the following section on electrical protective equipment for detailed requirements on the selection, use and care of insulating rubber gloves). Leather, Canvas or Metal Mesh Gloves Sturdy gloves made from metal mesh, leather or canvas provide protection against cuts and burns. Leather or canvass gloves also protect against sustained heat. 23 ■ Leather gloves protect against sparks, moderate heat, blows, chips and rough objects. ■ Aluminized gloves provide reflective and insulating protection against heat and require an insert made of synthetic materials to protect against heat and cold. ■ Aramid fiber gloves protect against heat and cold, are cut- and abrasive-resistant and wear well. ■ Synthetic gloves of various materials offer protection against heat and cold, are cut- and abrasive-resistant and may withstand some diluted acids. These materials do not stand up against alkalis and solvents. Fabric and Coated Fabric Gloves Fabric and coated fabric gloves are made of cotton or other fabric to provide varying degrees of protection. ■ Fabric gloves protect against dirt, slivers, chafing and abrasions. They do not provide sufficient protection for use with rough, sharp or heavy materials. Adding a plastic coating will strengthen some fabric gloves. ■ Coated fabric gloves are normally made from cotton flannel with napping on one side. By coating the unnapped side with plastic, fabric gloves are transformed into general-purpose hand protection offering slip-resistant qualities. These gloves are used for tasks ranging from handling bricks and wire to chemical laboratory containers. When selecting gloves to protect against chemical exposure hazards, always check with the manufacturer or review the manufacturer’s product literature to determine the gloves’ effectiveness against specific workplace chemicals and conditions. Chemical- and Liquid-Resistant Gloves Chemical-resistant gloves are made with different kinds of rubber: natural, butyl, neoprene, nitrile and fluorocarbon (viton); or various kinds of plastic: polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polyvinyl alcohol and polyethylene. These materials can be blended or laminated for 24 better performance. As a general rule, the thicker the glove material, the greater the chemical resistance but thick gloves may impair grip and dexterity, having a negative impact on safety. Some examples of chemical-resistant gloves include: ■ Butyl gloves are made of a synthetic rubber and protect against a wide variety of chemicals, such as peroxide, rocket fuels, highly corrosive acids (nitric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid and red-fuming nitric acid), strong bases, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, esters and nitrocompounds. Butyl gloves also resist oxidation, ozone corrosion and abrasion, and remain flexible at low temperatures. Butyl rubber does not perform well with aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons and halogenated solvents. ■ Natural (latex) rubber gloves are comfortable to wear, which makes them a popular general-purpose glove. They feature outstanding tensile strength, elasticity and temperature resistance. In addition to resisting abrasions caused by grinding and polishing, these gloves protect workers’ hands from most water solutions of acids, alkalis, salts and ketones. Latex gloves have caused allergic reactions in some individuals and may not be appropriate for all employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners and powderless gloves are possible alternatives for workers who are allergic to latex gloves. ■ Neoprene gloves are made of synthetic rubber and offer good pliability, finger dexterity, high density and tear resistance. They protect against hydraulic fluids, gasoline, alcohols, organic acids and alkalis. They generally have chemical and wear resistance properties superior to those made of natural rubber. ■ Nitrile gloves are made of a copolymer and provide protection from chlorinated solvents such as trichloroethylene and perchloroethylene. Although intended for jobs requiring dexterity and sensitivity, nitrile gloves stand up to heavy use even after prolonged exposure to substances that cause other gloves to deteriorate. They offer protection when working with oils, greases, acids, caustics and alcohols but are generally not recommended for use with strong oxidizing agents, aromatic solvents, ketones and acetates. 25 The following table from the U.S. Department of Energy (Occupational Safety and Health Technical Reference Manual) rates various gloves as being protective against specific chemicals and will help you select the most appropriate gloves to protect your employees. The ratings are abbreviated as follows: VG: Very Good; G: Good; F: Fair; P: Poor (not recommended). Chemicals marked with an asterisk (*) are for limited service. Table 4 Chemical Resistance Selection Chart for Protective Gloves Chemical Neoprene Latex/Rubber Butyl Acetaldehyde* VG G VG Acetic acid VG VG VG Acetone* G VG VG Ammonium hydroxide VG VG VG Amy acetate* F P F Aniline G F F Benzaldehyde* F F G Benzene* P P P Butyl acetate G F F Butyl alcohol VG VG VG Carbon disulfide F F F Carbon tetrachloride* F P P Castor oil F P F Chlorobenzene* F P F Chloroform* G P P Chloronaphthalene F P F Chromic acid (50%) F P F Citric acid (10%) VG VG VG Cyclohexanol G F G Dibutyl phthalate* G P G Diesel fuel G P P Diisobutyl ketone P F G Dimethylformamide F F G Dioctyl phthalate G P F Dioxane VG G G 26 Nitrile G VG P VG P P G F P VG F G VG P F F F VG VG G VG P G VG G Table 4 (continued) Chemical Resistance Selection Chart for Protective Gloves Epoxy resins, dry Ethyl acetate* Ethyl alcohol Ethyl ether* Ethylene dichloride* Ethylene glycol Formaldehyde Formic acid Freon 11 Freon 12 Freon 21 Freon 22 Furfural* Gasoline, leaded Gasoline, unleaded Glycerin Hexane Hydrazine (65%) Hydrochloric acid Hydrofluoric acid (48%) Hydrogen peroxide (30%) Hydroquinone Isooctane Kerosene Ketones Lacquer thinners Lactic acid (85%) Lauric acid (36%) Lineolic acid Linseed oil Maleic acid Methyl alcohol Methylamine Methyl bromide Methyl chloride* VG G VG VG F VG VG VG G G G G G G G VG F F VG VG G G F VG G G VG VG VG VG VG VG F G P VG F VG G P VG VG VG P P P P G P P VG P G G G G G P F VG F VG F P P VG VG F F P VG G VG VG F VG VG VG F F F F G F F VG P G G G G G P F VG F VG VG F F VG VG G G P VG F VG G P VG VG VG G G G G G VG VG VG G G G G G F VG VG P P VG VG G VG VG VG G F P 27 Table 4 (continued) Chemical Resistance Selection Chart for Protective Gloves Methyl ethyl ketone* G Methyl isobutyl ketone* F Methyl metharcrylate G Monoethanolamine VG Morpholine VG Naphthalene G Napthas, aliphatic VG Napthas, aromatic G Nitric acid* G Nitric acid, red and white fuming P Nitromethane (95.5%)* F Nitropropane (95.5%) F Octyl alcohol VG Oleic acid VG Oxalic acid VG Palmitic acid VG Perchloric acid (60%) VG Perchloroethylene F Petroleum distillates (naphtha) G Phenol VG Phosphoric acid VG Potassium hydroxide VG Propyl acetate G Propyl alcohol VG Propyl alcohol (iso) VG Sodium hydroxide VG Styrene P Styrene (100%) P Sulfuric acid G Tannic acid (65) VG Tetrahydrofuran P Toluene* F Toluene diisocyanate (TDI) F 28 G F G G VG F F P F VG VG VG VG VG F F P F P P F VG G G VG G F P P P VG F VG VG F P P F F VG G VG VG G P P F F VG VG VG VG G G P F G VG F VG VG VG P P G VG F P G P G VG VG G VG VG VG P P G VG F P G VG F VG VG F VG VG VG F F G VG F F F Table 4 (continued) Chemical Resistance Selection Chart for Protective Gloves Trichloroethylene* Triethanolamine (85%) Tung oil Turpentine Xylene* F VG VG G P F G P F P P G F F P G VG VG VG F Note: When selecting chemical-resistant gloves be sure to consult the manufacturer’s recommendations, especially if the gloved hand(s) will be immersed in the chemical. Care of Protective Gloves Protective gloves should be inspected before each use to ensure that they are not torn, punctured or made ineffective in any way. A visual inspection will help detect cuts or tears but a more thorough inspection by filling the gloves with water and tightly rolling the cuff towards the fingers will help reveal any pinhole leaks. Gloves that are discolored or stiff may also indicate deficiencies caused by excessive use or degradation from chemical exposure. Any gloves with impaired protective ability should be discarded and replaced. Reuse of chemical-resistant gloves should be evaluated carefully, taking into consideration the absorptive qualities of the gloves. A decision to reuse chemically-exposed gloves should take into consideration the toxicity of the chemicals involved and factors such as duration of exposure, storage and temperature. Body Protection Employees who face possible bodily injury of any kind that cannot be eliminated through engineering, work practice or administrative controls, must wear appropriate body protection while performing their jobs. In addition to cuts and radiation, the following are examples of workplace hazards that could cause bodily injury: ■ Temperature extremes; ■ Hot splashes from molten metals and other hot liquids; 29 ■ Potential impacts from tools, machinery and materials; ■ Hazardous chemicals. There are many varieties of protective clothing available for specific hazards. Employers are required to ensure that their employees wear personal protective equipment only for the parts of the body exposed to possible injury. Examples of body protection include laboratory coats, coveralls, vests, jackets, aprons, surgical gowns and full body suits. If a hazard assessment indicates a need for full body protection against toxic substances or harmful physical agents, the clothing should be carefully inspected before each use, it must fit each worker properly and it must function properly and for the purpose for which it is intended. Protective clothing comes in a variety of materials, each effective against particular hazards, such as: ■ Paper-like fiber used for disposable suits provide protection against dust and splashes. ■ Treated wool and cotton adapts well to changing temperatures, is comfortable, and fire-resistant and protects against dust, abrasions and rough and irritating surfaces. ■ Duck is a closely woven cotton fabric that protects against cuts and bruises when handling heavy, sharp or rough materials. ■ Leather is often used to protect against dry heat and flames. ■ Rubber, rubberized fabrics, neoprene and plastics protect against certain chemicals and physical hazards. When chemical or physical hazards are present, check with the clothing manufacturer to ensure that the material selected will provide protection against the specific hazard. Hearing Protection Determining the need to provide hearing protection for employees can be challenging. Employee exposure to excessive noise depends upon a number of factors, including: ■ The loudness of the noise as measured in decibels (dB). ■ The duration of each employee’s exposure to the noise. ■ Whether employees move between work areas with different noise levels. 30 ■ Whether noise is generated from one or multiple sources. Generally, the louder the noise, the shorter the exposure time before hearing protection is required. For instance, employees may be exposed to a noise level of 90 dB for 8 hours per day (unless they experience a Standard Threshold Shift) before hearing protection is required. On the other hand, if the noise level reaches 115 dB hearing protection is required if the anticipated exposure exceeds 15 minutes. For a more detailed discussion of the requirements for a comprehensive hearing conservation program, see OSHA Publication 3074 (2002), “Hearing Conservation” or refer to the OSHA standard at 29 CFR 1910.95, Occupational Noise Exposure, section (c). Table 5, below, shows the permissible noise exposures that require hearing protection for employees exposed to occupational noise at specific decibel levels for specific time periods. Noises are considered continuous if the interval between occurrences of the maximum noise level is one second or less. Noises not meeting this definition are considered impact or impulse noises (loud momentary explosions of sound) and exposures to this type of noise must not exceed 140 dB. Examples of situations or tools that may result in impact or impulse noises are powder-actuated nail guns, a punch press or drop hammers. Table 5 Permissible Noise Exposures Duration per day, in hours 8 6 4 3 2 11/2 1 1/2 1/4 or less Sound level in dB* 90 92 95 97 100 102 105 110 115 *When measured on the A scale of a standard sound level meter at slow response. Source: 29 CFR 1910.95, Table G-16. 31 If engineering and work practice controls do not lower employee exposure to workplace noise to acceptable levels, employees must wear appropriate hearing protection. It is important to understand that hearing protectors reduce only the amount of noise that gets through to the ears. The amount of this reduction is referred to as attenuation, which differs according to the type of hearing protection used and how well it fits. Hearing protectors worn by employees must reduce an employee’s noise exposure to within the acceptable limits noted in Table 5. Refer to Appendix B of 29 CFR 1910.95, Occupational Noise Exposure, for detailed information on methods to estimate the attenuation effectiveness of hearing protectors based on the device’s noise reduction rating (NRR). Manufacturers of hearing protection devices must display the device’s NRR on the product packaging. If employees are exposed to occupational noise at or above 85 dB averaged over an eighthour period, the employer is required to institute a hearing conservation program that includes regular testing of employees’ hearing by qualified professionals. Refer to 29 CFR 1910.95(c) for a description of the requirements for a hearing conservation program. Some types of hearing protection include: ■ Single-use earplugs are made of waxed cotton, foam, silicone rubber or fiberglass wool. They are self-forming and, when properly inserted, they work as well as most molded earplugs. ■ Pre-formed or molded earplugs must be individually fitted by a professional and can be disposable or reusable. Reusable plugs should be cleaned after each use. ■ Earmuffs require a perfect seal around the ear. Glasses, facial hair, long hair or facial movements such as chewing may reduce the protective value of earmuffs. OSHA Assistance OSHA can provide extensive help through a variety of programs, including technical assistance about effective safety and health programs, state plans, workplace consultations, voluntary protection programs, strategic partnerships, training and education, and more. An overall commitment to workplace safety and health can add value to your business, to your workplace and to your life. 32 Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines Effective management of worker safety and health protection is a decisive factor in reducing the extent and severity of work-related injuries and illnesses and their related costs. In fact, an effective safety and health program forms the basis of good worker protection and can save time and money (about $4 for every dollar spent) and increase productivity and reduce worker injuries, illnesses and related workers’ compensation costs. To assist employers and employees in developing effective safety and health programs, OSHA published recommended Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines (Federal Register 54 (16): 3904-3916, January 26, 1989). These voluntary guidelines apply to all places of employment covered by OSHA. The guidelines identify four general elements critical to the development of a successful safety and health management program: ■ Management leadership and employee involvement. ■ Work analysis. ■ Hazard prevention and control. ■ Safety and health training. The guidelines recommend specific actions, under each of these general elements, to achieve an effective safety and health program. The Federal Register notice is available online at www.osha.gov. State Programs The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act) encourages states to develop and operate their own job safety and health plans. OSHA approves and monitors these plans. There are currently 26 state plans: 23 cover both private and public (state and local government) employment; 3 states, Connecticut, New Jersey and New York, cover the public sector only. States and territories with their own OSHA-approved occupational safety and health plans must adopt standards identical to, or at least as effective as, the federal standards. 33 Consultation Services Consultation assistance is available on request to employers who want help in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful workplace. Largely funded by OSHA, the service is provided at no cost to the employer. Primarily developed for smaller employers with more hazardous operations, the consultation service is delivered by state governments employing professional safety and health consultants. Comprehensive assistance includes an appraisal of all-mechanical systems, work practices and occupational safety and health hazards of the workplace and all aspects of the employer’s present job safety and health program. In addition, the service offers assistance to employers in developing and implementing an effective safety and health program. No penalties are proposed or citations issued for hazards identified by the consultant. OSHA provides consultation assistance to the employer with the assurance that his or her name and firm and any information about the workplace will not be routinely reported to OSHA enforcement staff. Under the consultation program, certain exemplary employers may request participation in OSHA's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP). Eligibility for participation in SHARP includes receiving a comprehensive consultation visit, demonstrating exemplary achievements in workplace safety and health by abating all identified hazards and developing an excellent safety and health program. Employers accepted into SHARP may receive an exemption from programmed inspections (not complaint or accident investigation inspections) for a period of one year. For more information concerning consultation assistance, see the OSHA website at www.osha.gov. Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) Voluntary Protection Programs and onsite consultation services, when coupled with an effective enforcement program, expand worker protection to help meet the goals of the OSH Act. The three levels of VPP are Star, Merit, and Demonstration designed to recognize outstanding achievements by companies that have successfully incorporated comprehensive safety and health programs into their total management system. The VPPs motivate others to achieve excellent safety and health results in the same outstanding 34 way as they establish a cooperative relationship between employers, employees and OSHA. For additional information on VPP and how to apply, contact the OSHA regional offices listed at the end of this publication. Strategic Partnership Program OSHA’s Strategic Partnership Program, the newest member of OSHA’s cooperative programs, helps encourage, assist and recognize the efforts of partners to eliminate serious workplace hazards and achieve a high level of worker safety and health. Whereas OSHA’s Consultation Program and VPP entail one-on-one relationships between OSHA and individual worksites, most strategic partnerships seek to have a broader impact by building cooperative relationships with groups of employers and employees. These partnerships are voluntary, cooperative relationships between OSHA, employers, employee representatives and others (e.g., trade unions, trade and professional associations, universities and other government agencies). For more information on this and other cooperative programs, contact your nearest OSHA office, or visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov. Alliance Programs The Alliance Program enables organizations committed to workplace safety and health to collaborate with OSHA to prevent injuries and illnesses in the workplace. OSHA and the Alliance participants work together to reach out to, educate and lead the nation’s employers and their employees in improving and advancing workplace safety and health. Alliances are open to all groups, including trade or professional organizations, businesses, labor organizations, educational institutions and government agencies. In some cases, organizations may be building on existing relationships with OSHA that were developed through other cooperative programs. There are few formal program requirements for Alliances and the agreements do not include an enforcement component. However, OSHA and the participating organizations must define, implement and meet a set of short- and long-term goals that fall into three categories: training and education; outreach and commu- 35 nication; and promoting the national dialogue on workplace safety and health. OSHA Training and Education OSHA area offices offer a variety of information services, such as compliance assistance, technical advice, publications, audiovisual aids and speakers for special engagements. OSHA’s Training Institute in Arlington Heights, Ill., provides basic and advanced courses in safety and health for federal and state compliance officers, state consultants, federal agency personnel, and private sector employers, employees and their representatives. The OSHA Training Institute also has established OSHA Training Institute Education Centers to address the increased demand for its courses from the private sector and from other federal agencies. These centers are nonprofit colleges, universities and other organizations that have been selected after a competition for participation in the program. OSHA also provides funds to nonprofit organizations, through grants, to conduct workplace training and education in subjects where OSHA believes there is a lack of workplace training. Grants are awarded annually. Grant recipients are expected to contribute 20 percent of the total grant cost. For more information on grants, training and education, contact the OSHA Training Institute, Office of Training and Education, 2020 South Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights, IL 60005, (847) 297-4810 or see “Outreach” on OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov. For further information on any OSHA program, contact your nearest OSHA area or regional office listed at the end of this publication. Information Available Electronically OSHA has a variety of materials and tools available on its website at www.osha.gov. These include e-Tools such as Expert Advisors, Electronic Compliance Assistance Tools (e-cats), Technical Links; regulations, directives and publications, videos and other information for employers and employees. OSHA’s software programs and compliance assistance tools walk you through challenging safety and health issues and common problems to find the best solutions for your workplace. 36 OSHA’s CD-ROM includes standards, interpretations, directives and more, and can be purchased on CD-ROM from the U.S. Government Printing Office. To order, write to the Superintendent of Documents, P.O. Box 371954, Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7954 or phone (202) 512-1800, or order online at http://bookstore.gpo.gov. OSHA Publications OSHA has an extensive publications program. For a listing of free or sales items, visit OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov or contact the OSHA Publications Office, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW, N-3101, Washington, DC 20210. Telephone (202) 693-1888 or fax to (202) 693-2498. Contacting OSHA To report an emergency, file a complaint or seek OSHA advice, assistance or products, call (800) 321-OSHA or contact your nearest OSHA regional or area office listed at the end of this publication. The teletypewriter (TTY) number is (877) 889-5627. You can also file a complaint online and obtain more information on OSHA federal and state programs by visiting OSHA’s website at www.osha.gov. 37 OSHA Regional Offices Region I (CT,* ME, MA, NH, RI, VT*) JFK Federal Building, Room E340 Boston, MA 02203 (617) 565-9860 Region II (NJ,* NY,* PR,* VI*) 201 Varick Street, Room 670 New York, NY 10014 (212) 337-2378 Region III (DE, DC, MD,* PA,* VA,* WV) The Curtis Center 170 S. Independence Mall West Suite 740 West Philadelphia, PA 19106-3309 (215) 861-4900 Region IV (AL, FL, GA, KY,* MS, NC,* SC,* TN*) 61 Forsyth Street, SW Atlanta, GA 30303 (404) 562-2300 Region V (IL, IN,* MI,* MN,* OH, WI) 230 South Dearborn Street, Room 3244 Chicago, IL 60604 (312) 353-2220 38 Region VI (AR, LA, NM,* OK, TX) 525 Griffin Street, Room 602 Dallas, TX 75202 (214) 767-4731 or 4736 x224 Region VII (IA,* KS, MO, NE) City Center Square 1100 Main Street, Suite 800 Kansas City, MO 64105 (816) 426-5861 Region VIII (CO, MT, ND, SD, UT,* WY*) 1999 Broadway, Suite 1690 PO Box 46550 Denver, CO 80201-6550 (303) 844-1600 Region IX (American Samoa, AZ,* CA,* HI, NV,* Northern Mariana Islands) 71 Stevenson Street, Room 420 San Francisco, CA 94105 (415) 975-4310 Region X (AK,* ID, OR,* WA*) 1111 Third Avenue, Suite 715 Seattle, WA 98101-3212 (206) 553-5930 *These states and territories operate their own OSHA-approved job safety and health programs (Connecticut, New Jersey and New York plans cover public employees only). States with approved programs must have a standard that is identical to, or at least as effective as, the federal standard. Note: To get contact information for OSHA Area Offices, OSHA-approved State Plans and OSHA Consultation Projects, please visit us online at www.osha.gov or call us at 1-800-321-OSHA. 39 Appendix A OSHA Standards that Require PPE 29 CFR 1910, General Industry Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE: 1910.28 1910.66 1910.67 1910.94 1910.119 1910.120 1910.132 1910.133 1910.135 1910.136 1910.137 1910.138 1910.139 1910.157 1910.160 1910.183 1910.218 1910.242 1910.243 1910.252 1910.261 1910.262 1910.268 1910.269 1910.333 1910.335 1910.1000 1910.1003 1910.1017 1910.1029 1910.1043 1910.1096 40 Safety requirements for scaffolds Powered platforms for building maintenance Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms Ventilation Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals Hazardous waste operations and emergency response General requirements (personal protective equipment) Eye and face protection Occupational foot protection Occupational foot protection Electrical protective devices Hand protection Respiratory protection for M. tuberculosis Portable fire extinguishers Fixed extinguishing systems, general Helicopters Forging machines Hand and portable powered tools and equipment, general Guarding of portable power tools General requirements (welding, cutting and brazing) Pulp, paper, and paperboard mills Textiles Telecommunications Electric power generation, transmission and distribution Selection and use of work practices Safeguards for personnel protection Air contaminants 13 carcinogens, etc. Vinyl chloride Coke oven emissions Cotton dust Ionizing radiation Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE at No Cost to the Employee: 1910.95 1910.134 1910.146 1910.156 1910.266 1910.1001 1910.1018 1910.1025 1910.1027 1910.1028 1910.1030 1910.1044 1910.1045 1910.1047 1910.1048 1910.1050 1910.1051 1910.1052 1910.1450 Occupational noise exposure Respiratory protection Permit-required confined spaces Fire brigades Logging operations Asbestos Inorganic Arsenic Lead Cadmium Benzene Bloodborne pathogens 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane Acrylonitrile Ethylene oxide Formaldehyde Methylenedianiline 1,3-Butadiene Methylene chloride Occupational exposure to chemicals in laboratories 29 CFR 1915, Shipyard Employment Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE: 1915.12 1915.13 1915.32 1915.34 1915.35 1915.51 1915.73 1915.77 1915.135 1915.156 1915.157 1915.158 1915.159 Precautions and the order of testing before entering confined and enclosed spaces and other dangerous atmospheres Cleaning and other cold work Toxic cleaning solvents Mechanical paint removers Painting Ventilation and protection in welding, cutting and heating Guarding of deck openings and edges Working surfaces Powder actuated fastening tools Foot protection Hand and body protection Lifesaving equipment Personal fall arrest systems (PFAS) 41 Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE at No Cost to the Employee: 1915.154 Respiratory Protection 1915.1001 Asbestos 29 CFR 1917, Marine Terminals Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE: 1917.22 1917.25 1917.26 1917.91 1917.93 1917.95 1917.126 1917.152 1917.154 Hazardous cargo Fumigants, pesticides, insecticides and hazardous waste First aid and lifesaving facilities Eye and face protection Head protection Other protective measures River banks Welding, cutting and heating (hot work) Compressed air Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE at No Cost to the Employee: 1917.92 Respiratory protection 29 CFR 1918, Longshoring Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE: 1918.85 1918.88 1918.93 1918.94 1918.104 1918.105 Containerized cargo operations Log operations Hazardous atmospheres and substances Ventilation and atmospheric conditions Foot protection Other protective measures Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE at No Cost to the Employee: 1918.102 Respiratory protection 29 CFR 1926, Construction Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE: 1926.28 1926.52 42 Personal protective equipment Occupational noise exposure 1926.57 1926.64 1926.65 1926.95 1926.96 1926.100 1926.101 1926.102 1926.104 1926.105 1926.106 1926.250 1926.300 1926.302 1926.304 1926.353 1926.354 1926.416 1926.451 1926.453 1926.501 1926.502 1926.550 1926.551 1926.701 1926.760 1926.800 1926.951 1926.955 1926.1101 Ventilation Process safety management of highly hazardous chemicals Hazardous waste operations and emergency response Criteria for personal protective equipment Occupational foot protection Head protection Hearing protection Eye and face protection Safety belts, lifelines and lanyards Safety nets Working over or near water General requirements for storage General requirements (Hand and power tools) Power-operated hand tools Woodworking tools Ventilation and protection in welding, cutting and heating Welding, cutting and heating in way of preservative coatings General requirements (Electrical) General requirements (Scaffolds) Aerial lifts Duty to have fall protection Fall protection systems criteria and practices Cranes and derricks Helicopters General requirements (Concrete and masonry construction) Fall protection (Steel erection) Underground construction Tools and protective equipment Overhead lines Asbestos Standards that Require the Employer to Provide PPE at No Cost to the Employee: 1926.60 1926.62 1926.103 1926.1127 Methylenedianiline Lead Respiratory protection Cadmium 43 44 www.osha.gov Customer service is one of the top priorities of Conifer Insurance Company. Offering customized services allows Conifer to create a stronger relationship with not only our Agents but Insureds as well. Please see the below list of services we offer. Loss Prevention Loss prevention survey through Strategic Safety Inc Loss prevention recommendations Annual, monthly or 1 time loss prevention plans are tailored to a risks specific needs Loss prevention documentation Claims Handling 30 years of dedicated Workers’ Compensation claims experience In-house claims team Compassionate one-on-one claims service Realistic goals & treatment plans set for each individual claimant for all indemnity losses Annualized Auditing Audits are performed by McCurry Inc First term a physical audit is ordered to insure correct classes & payroll are being used Phone and physical audits are ordered thereafter based on prior years findings Other Special Offers Stand-alone Work Comp coverage Underwriting Support No installment fees Online credit card bill pay Check by phone bill pay