Our Safety Blogs

OSHA's Outreach Training Program - A New Model The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a Request For Information (RFI) to consider Online Outreach Training Program Consortiums, a new model to administer online classes for the Outreach Training Program.The consortiums would consist of three or four collaborators. A three-collaborator consortium would include OSHA, an OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center, and an online provider. Four-collaborator consortiums would add a stakeholder organization that is interested in developing and offering online outreach training to only their members (e.g. labor unions, associations, or employers). Each consortium member would have specific responsibilities under a formal consortium agreement.OSHA is requesting information and comments on the proposed model, with regard to the following topics: Modifying the current model for online delivery of outreach training; Scope of online offerings; Offerings in other languages; Roles and responsibilities of consortium members; Consortium agreement requirements; Validating online curriculum and training content; and Ensuring program management and strengthening program oversight. This RFI is an initiative by OSHA to improve its Online Outreach Training Program by requesting information and feedback on a variety of factors in order to assess whether the new model would address issues associated with the existing online model.Comments and materials may be submitted electronically at http://www.regulations.gov, the Federal e-Rulemaking Portal, or by facsimile or mail. See the Federal Register notice for more information on submission details.

ASSP Calls for Employers to Act, BLS Statistics RevealUnacceptable Injury Rates PARK RIDGE, IL - The American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) is urging employers to take measures to better protect American workers from injuries and illnesses in response to newly released data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).According to the BLS, there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2018. The number remains unchanged from 2017. Stagnant injury rates imply that incidents where workers are injured, become ill, or are harmed in any way, are occurring way too often across all industries. These statistics are a clear call to employers nationwide to review their safety and health programs and strategies.The ASSP recommends that employers implement Health and Safety Management Systems, and use holistic approaches to worker safety and well-being, such as Total Worker Health. Health and Safety Management Systems help companies create true safety cultures by continuously identifying and eliminating safety and health risks. This system shifts an organization’s focus from a compliance-based approach to risk-based programs in order to better protect worker well-being on and off the job.Total Worker Health is an approach that allows an organization to move beyond the traditional boundaries of worker health and instead view worker well-being on a broader spectrum. Total Worker Health is a system of policies, programs, and practices that integrates protection from work-related safety and health hazards, with the promotion of injury and illness prevention efforts to advance worker well-being. This strategy not only results in a sustainable benefit to worker safety and health but also has a positive impact on the organization’s financial health.The bottom line – when employers make safety and health a priority, businesses save money, eliminate injuries and, most importantly - save lives.

OSHA Issues $1.6M in Penalties to Illinois Silicone Manufacturer After Deadly Plant Explosion Waukegan, IL - The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has cited AB Specialty Silicones LLC for 12 willful federal safety violations and issued $1,591,176 in penalties. OSHA has placed the silicone chemical products manufacturer in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program after four employees suffered fatal injuries in an explosion and fire at the company’s Waukegan, Illinois plant. Being classified under this program subjects the company to closer regulatory scrutiny and remedial measures.According to OSHA, on May 3, 2019, an explosion occurred at the plant while 9 employees were on the premises. Investigations conducted by OSHA uncovered a multitude of safety problems associated with the AB Specialty Silicones plant. Investigators determined that electrical equipment in the production area of the plant did not comply with the electrical standards set forth by OSHA and was not approved for hazardous locations. The company also used forklifts powered by liquid propane to transport volatile flammable liquids and operated these forklifts in areas where employees handled and processed volatile flammable liquids and gases, creating the potential for ignition.OSHA provides resources on electrical safety and safe use of forklifts when working with hazardous materials. Employers must comply with the safety and health standards set forth by OSHA and other federal agencies, such as the appropriate use of electrical equipment and forklifts when handling flammable liquids. These measures are critical to preventing fires, explosions, and other incidents that can seriously or fatally injure workers.AB Specialty Silicones LLC has 15 days to appeal against these citations and penalties.

OSHA Penalizes Pennsylvania Company for Worker Fatality Pennsdale, PA – A wholesale meat processing business in Lycoming county, Economy Storage Locker Co. Inc. has been penalized by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for safety violations that were found after an employee died by falling into a commercial meat grinder. The incident resulted in OSHA penalties of $49, 062 for the company.According to Lycoming County Coroner, on April 22nd, Jill Greninger, 35, of the Williamsport area, was killed instantly when she fell into a meat grinder. Williamsport Sun-Gazette reported that Greninger was standing on a set of stairs with wheels, some 6-feet off the ground. However, it is unclear if she fell into the grinder or was pulled into it as she was perhaps reaching for something in the grinder since no one witnessed the incident. Another co-worker heard an odd sound from the machine, turned it off, and called for help. Firefighters responded to the scene but the employee was already dead.According to the Pennsylvania Real-Time News, investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration were on the scene following the incident and found that the company had exposed employees to hazards by operating the grinder with an open lid where the operator had been exposed to the rotating mixer paddles.Other violations that go beyond the incident include: The rotating mixer blade on a steam kettle in the scrapple kitchen was unguarded. The rotating blade on the emulsifier in the mixer/grinder room was unguarded exposing employees to the possibility of being caught in and struck by it. The employer did not identify hazards that would require the use of personal protective equipment. Employees in the smokehouse room were not provided or required to wear appropriate eye and face protection when dispensing a corrosive sanitizing chemical. Nor was an eyewash station provided. Operators of a forklift were not provided training and evaluated on their skill to operate the equipment. Missing breakers in several panel boxes in one room and an open 220-volt fuse box in another exposed employees to an electric shock hazard. Safety-related practices were not employed when work was performed on equipment or electrical circuits. The employer did not have or implement a written hazard communications program for employees exposed to chemicals. Employees did not receive effective training on the use of various chemical products. Economy Storage Locker Co. Inc. has 15 days to appeal against these citations and penalties.

Sleep Deprivation – A Safety Hazard Did you know that sleep can mimic alcohol intoxication? A person who loses 2 hours of sleep from a normal 8-hour sleep schedule performs similarly to someone who has had 2-3 beers! It is a well-known fact that trying to drive, work, or otherwise function while influenced by a substance (or fatigue) endangers not only your own life but also those of many other people.This seems to be the perfect time to talk about this issue since this week at 2 a.m. Sunday, November 3rd, the standard time returned across most of the United States. With the time shift, it’ll be lighter earlier in the morning and darker earlier in the evening. Hopefully, you all enjoyed the extra hour of sleep accompanied by the Daylight Saving “Fall back.”However, even though November 3rd did give us an extra hour of needed sleep time, most Americans don’t get enough sleep in the first place, which makes them vulnerable to fatigue and workplace injuries. Fatigue affects every workforce, even though, there may not be obvious signs of this deadly problem. Fatigue decreases a worker’s ability to think clearly, make informed decisions, and be a safe and productive worker. In our competitive, 24/7 society, people sacrifice sleep to make time for other activities such as work or family. But many don’t realize just how much sleep deprivation or fatigue affects workplace safety and job performance. So, what is "fatigue" in an occupational setting? Several factors including too little, poor quality, or interrupted sleep over a period of time can cause fatigue. Fatigue is the body's signal that a rest period is needed. Demanding work schedules, extended work hours, and irregular shifts may disturb the body's natural sleep/wake cycle, leading to increased fatigue, stress, and lack of concentration.According to the National Safety Council (NSC), a 2014 meta-analysis of 27 observational studies estimated that up to 13% of injuries in the workplace could be attributed to fatigue. According to OSHA statistics, accident and injury rates are 18% greater during evening shifts, and 30% greater during night shifts when compared to day shifts. Research indicates that working 12 hours per day is associated with a 37% increased risk of injury. Decreased alertness from worker fatigue has been a contributing factor in industrial disasters, such as the 2005 Texas City BP oil refinery explosion, the 2009 Colgan Air Crash, the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, and nuclear accidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island.OSHA recommends the following measures to promote a restful and healthy sleep pattern: Sleep for 7-9 hours daily without disruptions; Try to sleep at the same time every day; Avoid drinks with caffeine prior to bedtime to improve sleep quality; If working evening or nights, make sure that you have slept within the last 8 hours before going to work; If napping before work, make sure that the duration is less than 45 minutes or greater than 2 hours to allow for a complete sleep/wake cycle; Make sure that the sleeping environment is comfortable, cool, dark, and quiet; Exercise regularly, eat a balanced diet, and maintain a healthy weight; and If you have difficulty sleeping, keep a sleep diary, and talk to your doctor.