Tips to Keeping Employees Safe

As an employer and/or supervisor, are you responsible for bringing safety awareness into the company and reviewing workplace conditions to keep employees safe?  Whether you are the main environmental, health and safety (EH&S) go-to person or not, you have responsibilities in keeping your people safe in the workplace.  Three things you can do to keep your people safe are (1) know your employer's EH&S policies and procedures and those of the regulators, (2) lead by example in safety, and (3) listen then follow up with concerns and complaints regarding safety.

Review your company's health and safety plan on a regular basis.  This plan should be updated to comply with the current regulatory requirements.  If you don't have an updated safety plan, request your boss to update and implement one.  If you are to assume the role as the main go-to person for safety, you can start by surveying your workplace and comparing its conditions with that of best practices.  There are many resources available to show you what best practices are being used and to help keep you abreast of the changes with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), state agencies, an other regulatory bodies.  A google scan on safety will bring up a slew of safety magazines, webinars, seminars, blogs and more ways to learn about what is going on in the safety world.  Once the company's plan is updated, training should be arranged to refresh employees about the key areas of the plan and create awareness about any changes.  Train everyone, including your boss.

Be a leader in safety that workers can respect and follow.  As a manager or supervisor, it is important that you buy into the company's health and safety plan.  If you demonstrate that safety is a priority and an expectation, then most workers will follow along.  But what can you do to "walk the talk" in safety?  One example is when you walk the workplace, wear the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE).  This helps to show that you take safety seriously.  Another example is not bad mouthing the safety plan in front of workers.  If a safety issue comes up while you are working, be honest about what you know and try to handle the situation as best you can.  Contact the appropriate safety people or your EH&S consultant for assistance.  And refer to the company's health and safety plan for additional guidance.  If you continue to have issues with the plan, bring up those issues at an appropriate time, such as during manager meetings when the main EH&S professional for your organization and the owner, president or CEO can respond.  If possible, get additional training to improve your safety awareness.

As a manager or supervisor, you may be the first person hearing the concerns and complaints from your employees.  This may be when you are walking the work area and overhear a comment about PPE or engineering controls.  You can often seek out the comment and concern to address it promptly before it explodes into a major problem.  Listen to what the employee has to say, noting their concerns and needs.  Don't blow them off.  There are always ways to improve on what you are doing regarding safety.  Employees are often the ones who know best about what is working well with their equipment and what is affecting their work.  Communicate what you know.  But be honest.  If they ask a question that you don't know the answer, try to find it out or direct the employee through the appropriate channels so they can get the answers they need.  And then follow up with that employee.  This lets them know that you are listening and will gain their respect. 

By listening and encouraging comments from your employees, you are helping to create a safety culture by awareness.  You want to be honest and fair, but tough when it comes to safety.  After all, proper safety is not to be taken lightly.   

OSHA Reduces Daily Hours for 10- and 30-Hour Training to Avoid Mental Fatigue, Improve Training | EHS Today

OSHA Reduces Daily Hours for 10- and 30-Hour Training to Avoid Mental Fatigue, Improve Training EHS Today

Studies are showing the hands on training is more effective compared to lectures, slides, and boring computer training modules, but fatigue is also an issue when long class hours prevent the information from being absorbed. OSHA is taking a new step to make your squeeze on providing 10 and 30-hour training more challenging - limit your training to 7.5 hours per day. Effective immediately, training classes that exceed 7.5 hours in the day and do not meet all program content requirements will not be recognized for 10 and 30-hour outreach programs for construction, general industry and maritime, and for 16-hour disaster site worker training. The reasoning - long, mentally fatiguing classroom time might make students miss essential safety and health training.

Perchlorate regulations proposed for drinking water

In a reverse decision from 2008 preliminary determinations, the EPA has decided to regulate perchlorate under the Safe Drinking Water Act. The action of the EPA has been that of notification and will include developing and establishing a national primary drinking water regulations in the future. Certain public water systems will be required to take action when the regulation becomes final. The proposed regulation is required within 24 months and then the final regulation will be issued within 18 months of the proposal.

For more information visit the EPA's website on this topic at http://water.epa.gov/drink/contaminants/unregulated/perchlorate.cfm

Are You Prepared for the New GHS?

It is coming. The Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication System (GHS) drafting and comment periods are complete. Now the wait for the final rule and implementation period. The GHS will replace the Hazard Communication Program (Hazcom) and will align the US requirements for classifying and labeling chemicals with the United Nations GHS, bringing us closer to worldwide uniformity on how we manage and relate chemical information. Many businesses have already implemented policies and procedures in preparation of the new standard. Once the rule is final, you may be looking at an estimated three to five year transition period for implementing the final rule. So where are you in your preparation?

A good start to getting ready is understanding the proposed rule, which is available for viewing in pdf format or download at www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/ghs.html. Then you will want to review the status of your current chemical inventory and how your current material safety data sheets (MSDS) are organized. And don't forget to start communicating to your management and workers that changes are on the way.

There will be globally acceptable terms and symbols.  The proposed rule has a listing of all the terms. For example, MSDS will be simplified to safety data sheets, or SDS. And to increase consistency, the SDS will classify chemicals for health and physical standards based on GHS criteria that are formatted in a specific order on a 16 section document. Start weeding out your redundant and outdated documents while setting up a process for replacing new SDS when they are obtained. It is also a good time to dispose of any chemicals that are outdated and/or that you have no plans to use.

Many companies have considered shifting their MSDS organization and chemical inventory to online databases to help better manage them. You will want to determine what method for transitioning your MSDS is best for you. Maintaining a spreadsheet may be a suitable option in lieu of an online database.  Most countries are shifting their practice requires to align with the United Nations GHS, but not all. And there still may be some variance. Will you be needing a multi-regional or country-specific SDS or the ability to get SDS in other languages?

Another thing you can expect and prepare for are pictograms on labels, which are already available. And don't forget - more training.  Talk about it - communicate the new requirements for hazards and precautionary information using SDS and labels.  Communicate the differences so your workplace will be better prepared when the final rule is issued.

EPA Announces HRS Addition to Vapor Intrusion

http://www.epa.gov/superfund/sites/npl/hrsaddition.htm

The EPA is soliciting input to add vapor intrusion threats as a component to the Hazard Ranking System (HRS) for Superfund sites.  The agency will consider information gathered during the comment period and 3 public listening sessions to determine whether to issue a proposed rulemaking for a vapor intrusion component.  Feedback will be accepted for 75 days after the January 28, 2011 announcement.

EPA Requires Testing of 19 Widely Used Chemicals

The EPA is issuing a final rule under the Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA). This ruling will require manufacturers of certain chemicals to test for health and environmental effects. These chemicals are widely used in both consumer and industrial applications. Chemicals on the list are provided through the link above. You can also go to www.epa.gov/hpv/ for more information.

Managing Workers' Comp: Fatigue at Work: a Bad Sign of the Economic Times | EHS Today

Managing Workers' Comp: Fatigue at Work: a Bad Sign of the Economic Times EHS Today

This article discusses an increasing problem of fatique in the workplace. We have too much on our plates to be thinking about. With the added concerns of working, working, working, while not getting the appropriate rest and relaxation, it is no wonder that fatigue is an increasing concern for workplace accidents. The 40 hour work week should be the norm and if your job now adds increased responsibilities because of layoffs, how do you rework your new job responsibilities in the 40 hour work week. There is never going to be enough time.

Write down what you need to do during the work day and prioritize. FDR said "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." Your end result should always be kept in the back of your mind - why are you doing this? Your end result should include health and happiness. Periodically, you will have to work longer to get that project done. But if you can't get that project done in a reasonable time by staying another hour or two at the office, be flexible with your schedule. You may need to extent your deadlines and let the work be delayed another day, or even a week. Your health and happiness are too important.