A study of workers compensation claims across 38 states shows the average cost of a fall for roofers and carpenters is more than double the average cost of all other occupational classifications.

The OSHA study, which looked at data from 2005-2007, found the average cost of falls from elevation at $106,000 for roofers, $97,000 for carpenters and less than $50,000 for all other industries.

A fall from elevation is considered any fall from a height greater than 6-feet not involving scaffold or ladder.

In addition to looking at cost of falls from height the study reviled the average cost of falls from ladders and scaffolding was $68,000 for roofers and $62,000 for carpenters.

To limit these types of incidents OSHA requires companies to have in place comprehensive training programs on fall protection and ladder usage.

Here at Safety Services we offer affordable training solutions to meeting these government requirements.

Call 877-201-8923 for more info.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration officials are looking into an explosion at an Edmond, Okla., piping company that injured four on Thursday.

The morning explosion sent three of the injured workers to two nearby hospitals. One victim suffered third-degree burns and was sent to an intensive care unit. The other three, one of whom was sent home without hospitalization, suffered first-degree burns. No significant property damage was reported.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigates any workplace incident that results in the hospitalization of two or more workers or that results in fatality. They have six months to complete their investigation. NOV Tuboscope’s parent company, National Oilwell Varco, says they will cooperate with the investigation.

Edmond Fire Maj. Kelly Lewis told the  Edmond Sun that no secondary fire resulted from the explosion at the facility. A kerosene space heater  ignited a cloud of  polymer dust that was released while workers were working on machinery resulting in the explosion.

OSHA regulations demand temporary space heaters in the workplace be approved for commercial use by a recognized safety testing laboratory. Further, they should be placed away from combustible materials, and have a tip-over switch to ensure it will turn off automatically if knocked over.

As the year begins, it is a good time to review the safety precautions and procedures of your business. A thorough risk assessment of a work site involves the identification of hazards like space heaters around flammable material or where flammable material may. Safety Services Company manuals walk thorough hazard identification and risk assessment to help ensure any work site is safer than the standards.

Ever since man picked up a rock more than 2 million years ago and used it break apart wood, bone and other objects the hammer was destined to become an integral tool in the construction of human society.

Yet despite more than 2 million years of experience using hammering devices, mankind still suffers from hammer related injuries at a rate as high as any other hand tool.

Why?

Improper use, selection and maintenance

However, by following the advice in this article you and your employees can help prevent hammer related injuries in the workplace.

Hammer Selection

There is no such thing as a “universal” hammer. Each hammer is designed for a specific job and using the improper hammer can increase the probability of an injury.

The following is a look at a few of the more popular hammers and their intended usage.

Ball Pein Hammer-For riveting, center punching and bending or shaping soft metal. Choose a size to match the task.

Hand Drilling Hammer-The only hammer to use with star drills, masonry nails, steel chisels and nail pullers. Easy to handle; packs plenty of punch.

Rawhide Mallet-For use in furniture assembly, shaping soft sheet metals or any task that requires non-marring blows.

Brick Hammer-Designed for cutting and setting bricks or blocks, and for chipping mortar.

Shingling Hatchet- Used  for installing shakes and shingles. Handy gauge pin sets exposed length of shingle. Milled and crowned face sets nails cleanly.

Wallboard Tool-Multi-purpose tool scores wallboard, makes cutouts and sets nails with a perfect dimple.

Curved Claw or Nail Hammer-For use with finishing nails only. Choose 16 or 20 oz. weights for general carpentry; lighter weights for model work or fine cabinetry.

Straight Claw or Rip Hammer-For use with non-hardened, common or finishing nails only. Choose weights from 20 to 32 oz. for framing and ripping.

Remember when selecting a hammer to always use the appropriate weight so that only a natural swing is required. Let the weight of the hammer do the work.

Hammer Safety

Hammers injuries can be caused by trying to strike too heavy a blow with a lightweight hammer, by using a damaged hammer and by using the wrong style of hammer for the task.

These injuries can range from minors cuts and scrapes to possible broken bones of even damaged eyes.

Follow these tips to prevent hammer injuries.

• When using a hammer ensure proper clearance from fellow workers.
• Keep your work area clean and free from debris.
• Use hammers or mallets with insulated handles for work on or around exposed energized parts. The hammer should feel balanced and under control as you grip the handle.
• Wear proper eye protection.
• When pulling nails or prying material apart, make sure the claw of the hammer is in the proper position and the right leverage is applied.
• Never use anything other than a hammer to drive nails into material (i.e.… rock, brick, back of a tool).
• Avoid handles with sharp edges which can cut off circulation to your finger during long periods of use. Handles should be shaped to fit your hand comfortably.
• Use hammers with cushioned handles to  help absorb vibration, impacts, or squeezing pressure.
• Keep floors clean and dry to prevent accidental slips with or around dangerous tools.
• When hammering make sure you can easily reach your work without straining muscles.
• Make sure that you have secure footing and good balance while using a hammer. Use a vise, clamps, or other means to secure the piece you are striking.

Hammer Maintenance

One of the greatest hazards of hammer use is improper maintenance. As an employer it is your responsibility toensure the safe condition of the tools your employees use.

To ensure this safety you should train employees on how to properly maintain their hammers. To further enhance this training you should have employees sign off at least once a week that their equipment is in proper working condition.

Consider the following when crafting a hammer maintenance program.

• Hammers with loose, splintered or cracked handles are susceptible to having the head fly off during use.
• Use tool boxes or tool chests to keep hammers and tools organized.
• Hang larger tools on pegboards and never leave hammers or tools strewn about your work area.
• Replace broken equipment immediately. Make repairs only if you are qualified.
• Make sure you examine each hammer and tool before using.

Workers’ compensation costs per claim for Louisiana grew at a double-digit rate in recent years, the fastest growth among all states in a new study by Cambridge, Mass.-based Workers Compensation Research Institute (WCRI).

The 16-state study, CompScope™ Benchmarks for Louisiana, 12th Edition, reported that costs per claim rose 11 percent per year from 2007 to 2009 with increases involved in all key cost components – medical, indemnity (payments for lost wages), and expenses per claim.

WCRI speculated that this rapid growth may reflect some impact from the recession, although it noted that the recession’s effects appear to have been less severe in Louisiana than in other states in part due to the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery.
The study said that indemnity benefits per claim rose nearly 11 percent per year in Louisiana during the period, a faster growth rate than in other study states during these observable recession years.

The main driver in the growth of indemnity benefits per claim was an increase in the average duration of temporary disability of nearly two weeks.

Medical payments per claim also grew faster in Louisiana during the period than in other study states — 26 percent compared to about 16 percent in the typical study state. These costs were among the highest of the 16 study states, 14 percent higher than typical.

The study noted that state officials and system stakeholders view medical treatment guidelines enacted in 2009 as a step toward possibly improving medical care for workers and reducing costs to employers and insurers.

Another factor in the higher medical payments per claim is that Louisiana has the highest prescription payments per claim.

Among other key findings, benefit delivery expenses per claim in the state were among the highest of the states studied, especially defenses attorney payments. Louisiana also had higher-than-typical average medical cost containment expenses and medical-legal expenses.

Along with its final report on three accidents that left five dead and three injured in a Tennessee metals plant, the U.S. Chemical Safety Board called on the Occupational Health and Safety Administration to develop and publish a combustible dust standard that includes coverage for metal dusts.

The Hoeganaes powdered metal plant in Gallatin, Tennessee was the site of one elevator accident and two flash fires during 2011. Following the accidents, regulators undertook a series of investigations into workplace safety at the facility. In the report, the regulatory body cites the explosive quality of fine metal powders as a significant factor in all three accidents.

Along with the report, the regulatory body issued a number of safety recommendations including one to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration that encouraged OSHA to “Ensure that the forthcoming OSHA Combustible Dust Standard includes coverage for combustible metal dusts including iron and steel powders.”

While no OSHA standard exists that specifically covers the type of dust responsible for the accidents at the plant, CSB points to a number of National Fire Protection Association standards that could have prevented the fires if they were followed. “The three accidents at the Hoeganaes facility were entirely preventable,” CSB Chairperson Rafael Moure Eraso said, pointing out that while plant officials were aware of the hazards posed, “the company did not institute adequate dust control or housekeeping measures.”

Eraso added that while the explosion hazards of combustible dusts are widely known, they are often not included on material safety data sheets. The CSB last month joined OSHA’s support to aligning the existing hazard communication standard with the United Nation’s Globally Harmonized System for Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. Both regulatory agencies support adding an “unclassified hazards” category to the system, which would include hazards like those posed by combustible dust.

Hazard communication standards and material safety data sheets change as hazards are recognized and regulations change, and it is up to businesses to respond promptly to remain in compliance with these changes. Safety Services Company helps businesses of all sizes with their hazard communication documentation and training to support workplace safety and be 100% compliant with all applicable regulations.

For more information call 877-397-9450.

The United States Department of Occupational Health and Safety (OSHA) recently released a white paper affirming their belief that requiring all employers to maintain an Injury Illness Prevention Program (I2P2) will lead to both a decrease in occupational injuries and death and a cost savings for employers.

To substantiate these claims the paper pulls from multiple studies to illustrate the cost of workplace injury and effectiveness of I2P2 programs.

Highlighted studies pointing to the cost of injury, death and illness include a study by the Liberty Mutual Research Institute stating the most disabling workplace injuries in 2008 cost employers $53 billion.

A second study by the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI), estimates the annual workers’ compensation benefits paid for all compensable injuries and illnesses in 2009 at $58 billion (National Academy of Social Insurance, 2011). NASI further reports the total costs paid by employers for workers’ compensation increased from $60 billion in 2000 to $74 billion in 2009.

In terms of savings OSHA both looked at independent studies and examined the injury and illness prevention programs in eight states where the state had either required a program or provided incentives or requirements through its workers’ compensation programs.

In researching state programs OSHA found reductions in injury and illness from 9 to 60 percent by implementing an I2P2.

A few examples of state programs and their effectiveness include:

• Alaska which experienced a 17.4 percent decline injuries after requiring an I2P2
• California which experienced a 19 percent decline in injuries after requiring an I2P2
• Colorado which employers witnessed cumulative annual reduction in accidents of 23 percent and a cumulative reduction in accident costs between 58 and 62 percent.
• Hawaii which witnessed a net reduction in injuries and illnesses of 20.7 percent.

Currently thirty-four states require or encourage employers to implement I2P2 programs.

The basic elements of these programs are management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard prevention and control, education and training, and program evaluation and improvement.

Each element is important in ensuring the success of the overall program, and the elements are interrelated and interdependent.

OSHA began working on requiring employers to maintain an I2P2 in 2010. However, OSHA Director David Michaels told a house subcommittee in November 2011 that he was unable to provide a timeline for future activity on I2P2. Considering that some of the pushback from Congress has surrounded the I2P2 proposal in particular, the standard’s progress may depend on the as-yet undecided federal FY 2012 budget.

If you would like more information on purchasing an I2P2 program call 877-201-8923.

Read OSHA’s entire white paper below.

 
 
OSHAwhite Paper January 2012 Safety Manual

According a study by American researchers nearly 40 percent of police officers in the U.S. and Canada are robbed of sleep, which could lead to occupational injuries or potential risks to public safety.

Officers “were more likely to report . . . making errors or committing safety violations due to fatigue; having uncontrolled anger toward a citizen or suspect; incurring citizen complaints; having absenteeism; or falling asleep during meetings,” according to the study conducted by  researchers at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, an affiliate of Harvard Medical School.

“Untreated sleep disorders can adversely affect the health and safety of law enforcement officers, and could pose a risk to the public,” said Dr. Charles A. Czeisler, chief of the Division of Sleep Medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Of the 4,957 police officers from the U.S. and Canada took part in the study 40 percent were found to have at least one sleep disorder.

“A large proportion of police officers in our sample showed a positive sleep disorder screening result, which was associated with adverse health, safety, and performance outcomes,” the study said.

The study followed up with officers on their job performance during a two year time frame. The researchers found 22 percent of those studied reported a higher risk of expressing uncontrolled anger, 43 per cent admitted to serious administrative errors and 63 per cent reported safety violations. Meanwhile, study participants reported occupational injury (22 per cent), falling asleep at the wheel (51 per cent), absenteeism (23 per cent) and increased citizen complaints (35 per cent).

According to Cameron Mustard, president of the Toronto-based Institute for Work & Health much if the findings can be related to evening shift work after midnight, which  affects normal sleeping patterns leading to a “higher risk of poor performance at work” and work-related injuries.

A New Brunswick Walmart and one of its supervisors are facing charges for a breach of safety regulations leading to the death of a 17-year-old employee.

The victim, Patrick Desjardin, was electrocuted while using a floor buffing and polishing machine on the wet floor of a garage at the Wal-Mart in Grand Falls, N.B.

The teen was discovered by another staff member and rushed to the Grand Falls General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

WorkSafeNB has laid eight charges against Wal-Mart Canada and three charges against supervisor Denis Morin, who WorkSafeNB said did not meet the standards required of a person in that position.

The combined 11 charges came after a lengthy investigation by WorkSafeNB, which the agency said is standard after workplace deaths or serious accidents.

Court proceedings are scheduled to begin Jan. 10 and could take-up to six months.

The U.S. Department of Labor recently announced the minimum hourly wage rates employers must pay H-2A workers in order to ensure wages of similarly employed U.S. workers are not adversely affected.

The H-2A adverse effect wage rates are calculated for each occupation and location using the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s annual wages rates from its regional Farm Labor Survey of nonfamily field and livestock workers.

Each year, the Labor Department publishes these rates in the Federal Register to notify employers participating in the H-2A program of their.

The rates are effective the day they are published and apply only to the H-2A program.

“Ensuring that employers participating in the H-2A program adhere to these wages helps protect the wages and working conditions of U.S. workers while providing a legal means for employers to access foreign workers with critical skills needed to help keep our economy strong,” said Jane Oates, assistant secretary of labor for employment and training. “Employers who play by the rules deserve to compete on a level playing field, and all workers deserve to work with dignity under the full protection of our laws.”

The rates are being published earlier than anticipated in order to provide growers with as much advance notice of changes as possible and to reduce application processing delays.

The amounts that employers may charge their workers for providing three meals a day and the maximum travel subsistence reimbursement that a worker with receipts may claim in 2012 will be published in a separate Federal Register notice in early 2012.

The Government of Canada released its final report to Canadians on the action it has taken to respond to all recommendations by Ms. Sheila Weatherill outlined in the Report of the Independent Investigator into the 2008 Listeriosis Outbreak.

“Food safety is a priority for this Government,” said Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz. “We continue to work with consumers, producers, industry and our provincial and territorial partners to ensure that our food safety system remains one of the best in the world.”

Action on Weatherill Report Recommendations to Strengthen the Food Safety System: Final Report to Canadians outlines the Government’s continuous work to reduce food safety risks, enhance surveillance and early detection of foodborne pathogens and illnesses, and improve emergency response.

“We have taken concrete action to improve how we detect and respond to foodborne illness outbreaks,” said Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq. “From stronger response plans with our food safety partners to using innovative technologies in our labs, we are better prepared to protect the health of Canadians.”

The Government of Canada has made significant investments to improve the food safety system. In 2009, a $75 million investment was provided to further improve Canada’s ability to prevent, detect and respond to future foodborne illness outbreaks. Budget 2010 allotted an additional $13 million annually for two years to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) to fund increased inspection capacity for meat and poultry processing facilities. Budget 2011 provided a further $100 million over five years to invest in inspector training, tools and technology, and science capacity. All of these investments build on the Government’s 2008 commitment to invest $489.5 million over five years in the Food and Consumer Safety Action Plan.

In 2009, the Government of Canada committed to act on all of Ms. Weatherill’s recommendations. The final report highlights the actions taken to strengthen the food safety system, including:

–  Identifying and fast-tracking the approval of food safety interventions

such as food additives that reduce the growth of Listeria monocytogenes

and other pathogens.

–  Hiring 170 additional full-time inspectors to increase CFIA’s presence

in federally registered meat processing plants.

–  Developing new detection methods for Listeria and other hazards in food

that reduce testing time and enable more rapid response during food

safety investigations.

–  Using innovative laboratory technologies in outbreak investigations and

expanding the outbreak detection lab network to include public health

and food safety partners across Canada.

–  Supporting national public health surveillance to improve collection,

reporting and analysis of a wide range of health information.

–  Providing Canadians, including those most vulnerable, with the

information they need to reduce the risk of a foodborne illness through

a new online food safety portal and national public information

campaigns.

–  Updating the Foodborne Illness Outbreak Response Protocol, which guides

how all levels of government work together to respond to a national or

international outbreak.

–  Ensuring that health risk assessment teams are available 24/7 to support

food safety investigations.

–  Building surge capacity in order to respond more quickly and effectively

to potential future foodborne illness outbreaks.

Everyone has a role to play in keeping our food safe, including producers, industry, government and consumers. The Government of Canada will continue to work with all players to keep food as safe as possible for all Canadians.