651.481.9787 Contact Us

CHESS

Complete Health, Environmental & Safety Services, inc.

bwadmin

Have a safe Fourth of July

by

We want to wish you a safe Fourth of July.   To keep it that way, remember these tips:

Wear sunscreen and a hat.

Use insect repellent.  Don’t tease bees and wasps (good advice especially for kids–that’s how I got stung several times; when my brother and cousin were teasing a nest).

Don’t attempt to relight fireworks that do not go off.  Approach them with caution and douse with water.

Don’t let children play with fireworks.  There should always be adult supervision, especially for teenagers.

Designate a sober driver or call a cab if partaking in alcoholic beverages.

Don’t leave food made with mayonnaise or eggs out in the heat.   Put them on ice and if food sits out for several hours–toss it.

Wear a helmet when biking (bicycle or motorcycle).

Enjoy the holiday!

Safety Tip: Lawn Mowing

by

Whether at work or at home, when mowing the lawn where eye protection and closed toe, sturdy footwear.   The most common injuries are eye injuries from debris flying up and foot injuries from mower blades.

For more information on this or other safety issues, contact CHESS at carkey[at]chess-safety.com or 651-481-9787.

Confined Space Hazard Alert

by

Jabin Lakes, a Middletown, Ohio Public Works employee, was killed on May 7 from lack of oxygen when he opened a manhole cover, in preparation for sending a camera into the sanitary sewer line in front of Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. Jabin Lakes had no plans to enter the sewer, but was kneeling at the edge, preparing to insert the remote camera. He passed out and fell some twenty feet into the hole.

The coroner’s office reported that Lakes died from a lack of oxygen, not from the fall itself. Three Middletown firefighters who were trying to rescue Lake were injured, but survived. The firefighters thought they were rescuing a fall victim, and did not monitor the air in the confined space prior to entering, nor did they wear self-contained breathing apparatus.

Evidently, a plume of nitrogen gas shot upward when the manhole cover was removed. Nitrogen displaces oxygen, and can cause unconsciousness in less than a minute. There are no warning properties.

The source of the nitrogen appears to have been leaks from pipes running from a nearby Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. plant to an AK Steel Corp. plant.

Take Home Messages:

  • If you’re opening a manhole, even if you are not entering, test the air.
  • Don’t stand directly over a manhole opening until the air has been tested
  • Business operations in the area can cause hazardous atmospheres in the sewers.

For more information about this incident or needed confined space precautions, see the contact information at the CHESS website.

Safety Tip: Heat Stress

by

To avoid heat stress: take frequent breaks; wear light colored, loose fitting clothing; drink plenty of water (one cup every 15 minutes); avoid caffeinated drinks and heavy meals; and use cooling fans where possible.

For more safety ideas or help with your safety programs and training, contact CHESS at 651-481-9787 or send us an email at carkey(at)chess-safety.com

OSHA Fatalities

by

In 2008 there were 65 work related fatalities in Minnesota.  While that number is down from 2007, that is still 65 people who never went home to their families.  Transportation related accidents make up the highest percentage of work related fatalities; usually around 45%.  Contacts with objects and equipment make up about 40% of fatalities.  Following those exposures to harmful substances or environments, falls and assaults/violent acts make up the rest of the cause of workplace fatalities in Minnesota.

MN OSHA generally does not investigate fatalities or accidents involving traffic accidents, airplane crashes, mining and small family farms and self-employed people with no employees.  Traffic accidents are usually investigated by law enforcement, aircraft accidents by NTSB and mining by Mine Safety and Health Administration.

Citations for fatalities where OSHA determines the employer causes or contributes to the fatality start at $25,000.

Of the 36 construction fatalities between 2005 and 2009, eight involved willful citations – employers knowingly putting their employees in harm’s way.

Safety Tip: Emergency Exits

by

We are starting something new at CHESS:  every Monday we will post a short safety tip.  Feel free to use it as a safety reminder with your employees.

Safety Tip for this week:  Make sure you know where they exits are for your workplace.  Most of us are used to using one door to come into and leave work.   What if that exit is blocked by a fire?  What are the other ways out of your building?

For more safety ideas or help with your safety programs and training, contact CHESS at 651-481-9787 or send us an email at carkey(at)chess-safety.com

Trenches, Excavations and Fatalities

by

A recent presentation by MN OSHA reviewed hazards associated with trench work and three trench-related fatalities.  There has been at least one trench fatality per year in Minnesota.  In the last four years, there have been five fatalities in trenches – two of which involved employees installing a water line in frozen ground. 

Some things to keep in mind when working in or around trenches:

  • Competent person must inspect the trench or excavation every day.
  • Competent person must have authority to stop a job if it isn’t safe.
  • Frozen soil is not protection against collapse.  Soil has to be treated the same regardless of how hard it is to dig.
  • Any water in the trench will decrease the integrity of the walls.
  • Using a trench box offers the greatest level of protection, although shielding and proper sloping is allowed.
  • Nearby roadways may contribute vibration to the soil, reducing its integrity.
  • Employees must be trained on hazards of their work, how to identify soil, what is an adequate protective system and other hazards with their job.

Safety Training Materials Available

by

OSHA sponsors the Susan Harwood Training Grants every year.  They recently posted training materials on the grant website. 

According to the website:

OSHA provides training and education programs for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in their workplaces through Susan Harwood Training Program grants. Grants are awarded to nonprofit organizations to support the conduct of these training and education programs.

Many Harwood grantees develop training materials and products that address workplace safety and health hazards as a part of their grant activities. In an effort to make these products available to a broader audience for training or self-development, OSHA is posting these training materials on the Harwood Web page where they may be accessed and downloaded at no charge. As additional training products become available, OSHA will post them on this site.

Information, in English and Spanish, is available on a variety of topics ranging from work zone safety, workplace violence, ergonomics, falls and amputation hazards.

OSHA Changes Inspection Penalties

by

On April 22nd, OSHA released information about their Severe Violator Enforcement Program. As we have noted in prior blogs, OSHA has been working on a new penalty structure.  According to the press release:

“For many employers, investing in job safety happens only when they have adequate incentives to comply with OSHA’s requirements,” said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Dr. Michaels. “Higher penalties and more aggressive, targeted enforcement will provide a greater deterrent and further encourage these employers to furnish safe and healthy workplaces for their employees.”

OSHA still wants to recognize companies for making a good faith effort and ease the burden on small businesses.  Here are some of the changes:

History:  OSHA will look at a 5 year history, rather than 3 year. This is for “high gravity serious, willful, repeat and failure to abate” citations. If there is no prior history of similar violations in the last 5 years, a company is eligible for a 10% reduction in fines. If there is a prior history, fines may go up 10%.

Size: 

  • For employers with 1-25 employees, a 40% reduction may apply
  • For employers with 26-100 employees, a 30% reduction may apply
  • For employers with 101-250 employees, a 10% reduction may apply

Quick Fixes:  15% reduction if an employer fixes a hazard during the inspection

Good faith effort: no changes (up to a 10% reduction)

Minimum penalties:  The minimum penalty for a serious violation goes up to $500.  If reductions bring the amount below $500, the minimum will apply (so we won’t see $170 penalties any more).

Posting violation:  If OSHA has previously given an employer safety posters and they are not posted, a $250 penalty will apply.

The Area Director will still have authority to decide if reductions will be allowed.  The maximum she or he can apply during an informal conference is 30%, without obtaining approval from the Regional Administrator.  The Area Director can offer an additional 20% reduction for companies under 250 employees, if the employer “agrees to retain an outside safety and health consultant.”

Some high gravity serious violations will no longer be grouped–each violation will have its own citation and penalty.

Final penalties will be calculated on a serial basis.  So, rather than add up all of the discounts and apply that, the reductions will be applied one at a time.  That means that under the old system, if a company was entitled to a total of 70% reduction (history, good faith, quick fix, and size), a $5000 penalty would be reduced to $1500.  Under the new calculations, a $5000 penalty will be reduced to $2275.

OSHA’s goal is to make clear to employers the importance of safety and to significantly impact employers who show a disregard to safety.

For more information on safety consultants, assistance with inspections and improving your safety program, please contact us at CHESS.

The Economics of Safety

by

Edward Lotterman, the economics columnist for the St. Paul Pioneer Press, had a column in yesterday’s paper on the economics of safety.  While his specific example was mine safety, his comments, about why safety regulation is warranted, apply to all workplaces.

Lotterman says:

The arguments against government regulation parallel those by Milton Friedman in arguing that government regulation of food and drug safety makes society worse off. ” 

He goes on to say that the underlying assumption for the no-regulation argument is that all parties – employers and employees in mines, in this case – have enough information about all of the costs, and that “no third parties will be harmed..”  

But Lotterman points out that that isn’t true here (he calls it a “market failure”).  The families of the miners who died are sharing the costs.  The community which sends out firefighters and rescue personnel share the cost.

The mining company reportedly didn’t want to shut down production to correct any problems – a market decision.  How much production have they lost now, though?  How long until they are back to running at the same capacity, with people of the same expertise as those they lost?

Regulations are far from perfect.  Given our druthers, we’d prefer to see companies operate safe workplaces because it makes economic and moral sense to do so.  The economic value of a safe workplace has been proven, time and again.  But, as with this mine, the values aren’t  additions to the bottom line, but costs not incurred.  Those are harder to measure and easier to ignore.  Until such time as the accountants use models to factor in those not-yet-incurred costs, regulations are a necessary substitute.

Bike Helmets

by

With this unseasonably warm weather, many of us are experiencing spring fever. Biking, scooter and motorcycle season is upon us. The Minnesota Safety Council are offering bicycle helmets below retail costs.

The Minnesota Safety Council recently put out this information:

Keep Safe This Spring with Bike and Scooter Helmets!
With unseasonably high temps in the forecast this week, we all know bike and skating season is almost here! Keep your employees, your family and yourself safe with our ASTM, ANSI, and CPSC-approved bike ($12.99) and skate/scooter ($15.99) helmets — at well below retail price! While helmets can’t prevent crashes and falls, they do reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and brain injury by 88%. If all bikers wore helmets, one death could be prevented every day and one head injury would be prevented every four minutes! Many of our members are already thinking ahead by offering our helmets to their employees for safe recreation this spring. For more information on our helmets or group purchase program, contact Steve at 800-444-9150/651-228-7326 or steve.rauh@minnesotasafetycouncil.org.

Many cities in Minnesota have similar promotions. Keep your eyes open for deals like this – and let your coworkers and employees know. Check your family’s helmets for damage, wear, and fit. If in doubt, replace it!

Protecting America’s Workers Act

by

Assistant Secretary of Labor/OSHA Director Dr. David Michaels recently testified to the US House of Representatives regarding increasing OSHA penalties.  The Act, referred to as PAWA, is designed to strengthen OSHA and cover more employees.  According to the House Committee on Education & Labor’s website,  some of the things it will do:

  • Cover more employees, including state and local public employees.  In Minnesota, since we have a state-run program, these employees are already covered.
  • Cover airline and railroad employees.
  • Improves whistleblower protections.  Employees have the right to refuse work that they believe is hazardous and that they have reported to their employer.  Employers cannot retaliate against an employee for this or for filing a complaint with OSHA.
  • Provides more rights to the family of a worker killed on the job.
  • Increases penalties.  OSHA’s press release on this gives a good argument for increased fines:

    “Environmental laws carry much heavier penalties than penalties under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. For example, in 2001 a tank of sulphuric acid exploded at a Delaware oil refinery, killing employee Jeff Davis, whose body literally dissolved in the acid. The OSHA penalty was only $175,000. Yet in the same incident, thousands of dead fish and crabs were discovered, allowing an Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act citation of $10 million.”

    The administration is working to find ways to work with small businesses and make the penalties proportional.

Stay tuned…

For more information on this, or assistance with your safety programs and compliance, call us at 651-481-9787.

Respirator Basics – and a downloadable poster for your workplace

by

Respirators are designed to protect the user from breathing air contaminated with dusts, fumes or other harmful substances.  Filtering facepieces, commonly called dust masks, are one type of respirator.  These masks, which always have two straps, meet certain standards. If the mask has only one facepiece and is not marked with N95 or a NIOSH approval number, it is a nontoxic particle respirator – not useful for much other than cleaning your garage. Nontoxic particle masks do not offer any effective level of protection against contaminated air. 

Respirators, including filtering facepieces (two-strap dust masks), are only useful if they fit correctly. If they don’t, contaminants will leak in.

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a poster on how to put on and take off filtering facepieces (disposable respirators).  It’s available in both English or Spanish. While the poster’s focus is on health care providers (which is why the respirator is blue and the poster emphasizes handwashing), its basic points apply to all users.

If you have questions about respirators, respirator programs, fit testing or other safety related questions, please call us at 651-481-9787.

$1.4 million fine for confined space fatality

by

In early January, OSHA levied a $1.4 million fine against a Texas company following an employee fatality. While the size of the fine is notable (we are expecting to see more of these large fines), the cause of the fatality deserves notice.

According to the press release, in July 2009, “an employee cleaning a tank was killed in an explosion when an altered piece of equipment ignited flammable vapors inside the tank.” The investigators found that electrical equipment should not have been used inside the tank due to the presence of flammable and combustible vapors. We have seen similar issues when electrical equipment (such as radios and heat lamps) are used inside paint booths or prep stations, or near open-faced paint booths.

Since the employees were working inside a tank, it also demonstrates the importance of using confined space permits, monitoring air quality in confined spaces and making sure hot work (grinding, welding) is only done in appropriately controlled environments.

This employer had previously had two other fatalities—not at this specific facility, but others that the company owns. According to the press release: “The fatality was the third death in less than a year at this employer’s facilities; two hydrogen sulfide exposure-related deaths at a related facility, Port Arthur Chemical & Environmental Services LLC (PACES), occurred in December 2008 and April 2009.” Employers with multiple facilities can be cited for similar violations, regardless of the location.

For more information on confined spaces, handling OSHA inspections or other safety issues, please contact CHESS at 651-481-9787.

ECHO: Emergency Community Health Outreach

by

How do you communicate emergency information to employees if they are not proficient in English?  ECHO Minnesota is a website designed to “ensure that people with limited English proficiency receive life-saving health and safety information–in some of the languages they understand best.”

ECHO provides information by phone (for February it is on fire and carbon monoxide, and hand washing), television, by email and on the internet.  Information is provided in Spanish, Hmong, Somali, Lao, Khmer, Vietnamese, Russian, Arabic, Oromo and English.  People can sign up for emergency notifications and to receive general information.

This is a free service offered as a collaborative effort of many organizations and public entities. The website has free promotional items available to help you spread the word–to your employees, neighbors, through community organizations, etc.

Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Compliance Calendars

by

From the MPCA Small Business Enterprise publication:

Get your 2010 compliance calendar and keep proper records


Compliance calendars make it easier for you to keep proper environmental compliance records. The calendars contain recordkeeping logs for records required by federal and state rules and permits, along with pollution prevention tips.

Calendars have been tailored for the following sectors: hot mix asphalt, sand and gravel, aboveground storage tanks, dry cleaning, vehicle repair, and construction stormwater. A limited number of free paper copies are available. The calendars are also available for download here.

Visit Department of Labor’s YouTube site

by

The Department of Labor has its own YouTube site. They have posted information about meetings held by the Department on everything from COBRA, speeches made by Secretary of Labor Solis, people with disabilities and hiring of veterans. There are also videos posted on respirators, including respirator safety and the difference between N95 particulate filtering facepieces and surgical masks.

Some of the videos are also available in Spanish.

For more information on this, respirators or other safety issues, please contact CHESS at 651-481-9787.

Don’t waste your waste

by

A new year has begun and you may decide it is time to clean up and get rid of things you are not using.  You know, all those old computer components, half empty bottles that are collecting dust, etc.  Before you throw things away you must determine first if it is really waste and second if the items are regular waste, solid industrial waste, regulated waste and hazardous waste.

Waste isn’t waste if it can still be used.  Can the computer components be donated?  Can your vendor take back the half-empty containers.  Vendors will often take back partially used aerosol cans or those  with broken nozzles.  For other things that could still be used, consider posting it on the Materials Exchange list.

If you aren’t sure who will take your waste, there are two good resources:

Rethink Recycling has a “Resourceful Waste Management Guide” that provides lots of useful information on “how to recycle or dispose of items from electronics to paper to food waste.”  

Ramsey County recently updated their hazardous waste vendor list.  This lists vendors who service the Twin Cities metro area. 

For more information on classifying and handling waste, see the MPCA website or contact CHESS at 651-481-9787.

How NOT to deal with an employee who calls OSHA

by

(Or, how to lose your car to the Federal Government)

Employees who file a complaint about safety with OSHA are protected under the law from retaliation.

A company in New Jersey found out the hard way.  Brocon Petroleum in New Jersey terminated an employee in retaliation after they suspected he had contacted OSHA, triggering an OSHA inspection.  Employees have the right to contact OSHA and cannot be disciplined or punished for doing so.

According to the OSHA news release, US marshals seized the car of Brocon Petroleum’s president after the company failed to pay the employee the back wages due him as determined in a consent judgement.

As noted in OSHA’s press release, detailed information on employee whistleblower rights, including fact sheets, is available on OSHA’s website here.

Employers should encourage employees to bring their safety concerns to management first.  That also means employers must listen to employees and work to address safety concerns and hazards.  For more information on this, setting up safety training, safety programs and a safety communications program, please contact CHESS.

Remember Cold Safety Practices

by

Daylight is getting longer everyday, and the chickadees are singing courting songs. However, winter is not over, and we will still be seeing single digit temperatures. Minnesotans have many advantages over the southern states suffering cold: most of us have mastered the penguin shuffle for walking on ice, and our cities and state are well equipped to handle ice, slippery roads, and snow. BUT, it is still important to protect yourself and your employees from the cold.

OSHA has published a “cold stress pocket card” that we like. Check it out.

MN OSHA Safety Lines available

by

Minnesota OSHA publishes a quarterly newsletter.  The January 2011 edition is now available on Minnesota OSHA’s website.  You can also subscribe to receive email notification of when Safety Lines is published.

Highlights of this issue include:

  • Ken Peterson is named the new commissioner of Department of Labor and Industry.
  • MNOSHA visisted 2691 workplaces in 2010, finding 5,534 hazards.
  • Safe patient handling requirements went into effect this week (as of January 10 facilities must minimize manual handling of patients).
  • OSHA 300 logs:  there is an explanation of injuries that might be compensable under workers’ compensation but not recordable on the OSHA log.
  • 2009 injury and illness survey statistics are summarized.

Out With the Old and In With the New: Employment Law Changes from 2009

by

Employment Law Changes from 2009

A CHESS Tournament guest post by Deb McGahey, HR Options

For most employers, 2009 was a busy year monitoring all of the employment law changes that were enacted throughout the year. As I started to write this article, I soon realized that I could be writing a mini novel if I tried to cover all of the nitty gritty details regarding the most important changes during 2009. Hopefully the following recap, with related links, will re-educate or remind you of changes that may need to be on the top of your HR “to do” list in 2010.

Ledbetter Fair Pay Act
Source: Society of Human Resource Management

The Act makes it easier for employees who have experienced pay discrimination to seek redress. Key provisions of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act include:

  • Changes application of statute of limitations. By making the time clock re-start each time an employee receives a paycheck, and potentially even when a retiree receives an annuity check, the Ledbetter Act will allow individuals to bring discrimination claims potentially many years after an alleged act of discrimination occurred. Employers will be liable for earlier management decisions for which there may be no records.
  • Expands plaintiff field. The Ledbetter Act will allow, not just an employee who was discriminated against, but, other individuals who were “affected” by an act of pay discrimination to file claims. Thus, the new law may allow family members, including spouses and children, and potentially others to become plaintiffs in discrimination suits over an employee’s pay.
  • Amends other civil rights statutes. The Ledbetter Act will extend the statute of limitations for filing claims for all protected classes of employment law, including gender, age, color, disability, race, religion and national origin.

Suggested guidelines to help support your pay practices may include the following: document and communicate your compensation philosophy; ensure proper record retention regarding performance appraisals/performance reviews; offer better oversight and review of merit increases and provide management with a structured increase process; conduct an internal audit of pay for similar positions.

MN Unemployment Insurance Updates

A number of changes have been made for consideration of benefits to former employees.

  • Federal Emergency Unemployment Compensation State Extension
  • Base Period Definition Change
  • Reemployment Assistance Training
  • Changes to Qualifications for Receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits

For details see this document from UI.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The Americans with Disabilities Act applies to companies with 15 or more employees. The definition of what constitutes a disability changed substantially in 2009; those changes are noted in Section 12102 of regulation.

The complete act is posted here.

Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Two of the major changes to the FMLA were the addition of Military Leave under FMLA and clarifying the definition of a serious health condition. There are two types of leaves under the Military Leave:

  • Military Caregiver (up to 26 weeks of unpaid leave during a single 12 month period)
  • Qualifying Exigency (up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave during a 12 month period) for events that may arise out of the fact that the employee’s spouse, son, daughter or parent is on active duty or has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty.

An FMLA fact sheet regarding Military Leave and all of the details of Military Caregiver and Qualifying Exigency has been made available from the department of labor wage and hour division.

Additional FMLA related documents can be found here.

Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA)

The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act is designed to prohibit the improper use of genetic information in health insurance and employment. The Act prohibits group health plans and health insurers from denying coverage to a healthy individual or charging that person higher premiums based solely on a genetic predisposition to developing a disease in the future. The legislation also bars employers from using individuals’ genetic information when making hiring, firing, job placement, or promotion decisions. As an employer, you should ensure that you have the most recent law posters that include the new GINA guidelines. In addition, you should add language to your EEO policies preventing discrimination based on genetic information.

I-9

A new I-9 form and a handbook for employers were made available in August of 2009.

The Handbook for Employers includes comprehensive instructions for completing Form I-9.

———————————————-
As an employer it is important to not only understand key changes that may impact your business, but to also ensure compliance by updating your handbook, policies, forms and required posters.

Deb McGahey has over 20 years of experience in Human Resources and is the founder and principal consultant for HR Options. She has helped clients with the development of handbooks, policy and procedure manuals, development of compensation structures, benefit renewals and acting as an interim head of HR. Deb can be reached at 952.240.9257.

Dramatic Rescue at Farmington Grain Silo – why it shouldn’t have happened

by

Another Confined Space Problem – but not a fatality

On February 4, news providers in the Twin Cities reported the dramatic eight-hour rescue of a man in Farmington (Minnesota) trapped past his chest in a silo filled with corn. Due to the careful efforts of a number of emergency responders, the man was pulled out – safe and alive.

What’s frustrating about this story isn’t the incredible work done by the fire departments. It’s that it happened at all. Any type of bin holding loose material is a known hazard. The material can form an apparently solid crust across the top, hiding voids below. Step down onto that crust, and you’ll quickly be engulfed by the material. OSHA considers these spaces permit-required confined spaces and mandates that anyone enter them take steps to avoid just this kind of near-tragedy.

Should I swap my chair for an exercise ball?

by

I have recently been asked about use of exercise balls at work stations.  Exercise balls require that abdominal muscles be engaged.  They are fine for short periods of time (an hour a day, maybe), but should not be used for extended periods (so, no ball chairs).  If you get distracted and do not engage the abdominal muscles, you can lose your balance.  If you use the ball for too long your muscles will fatigue.

Another concern with them is the height issue.  They are not adjustable like a chair, so the height likely will not be appropriate for the workstation.  If the recommendation to use one comes from a physical therapist or MD they need to also address the other issues (height, trip hazard, etc.).  If the height is right for the work surface and it can easily be stored out of the way and only used for short periods of time, then the use of the exercise ball for sitting might be acceptable.  Those are a lot of ifs.

At home, most people are not required to be at their desk or computer for extended periods, as they would be at work.  That is why they are better suited for home use.

55+ Driver Improvement Courses

by

I recently received a notice about driving classes for folks 55 years old and older.  The classes are being offered through the Minnesota Highway Safety Center:

The mission of the Minnesota Highway Safety and Research Center is to provide educational activities which prevent financial loss, human trauma and to promote the safe and efficient operation of the highway transportation system.

The 4 hour refresher class is $20 per person; the full 8 hour classes are $24 per person, which seems very reasonable.  Classes are being offered between now and mid-April at sites around the Twin Cities area.

The class schedule is here, and the class description page is here. To register call 1-888-234-1294.

Students may be eligible for insurance discounts.  Please consider sharing this information with your employees (if any are over 55).

Tips for Safe Use of Space Heaters

by

Winter has clearly descended on Minnesota and with is the increased use of space heaters, both at work and at home.    Space heaters can be beneficial, but they are also a fire hazard.  Here are some tips on how to use these safely.

1. Read the manufacturer’s information and warning labels before using.

2. Do not use space heaters in wet areas ,such as wash bays, bathrooms, kitchens, or outdoors, unless they are specifically designed for those areas.

3. Keep flammable and combustible objects away from space heaters.  Do not use them near drapes or curtains, flammable materials (such as solvents, gas) or by trash bins or scrap paper bins.

4.  Check the plug.  You should check the plug for damage or bent prongs before using the heater.  Unplug it at night.  Pull the plug out from the wall by securely grasping the plug itself–do not pull from the cord.

5. Keep the heater on a flat, level surface.  Don’t place it on top of a chair or other furniture.

6. As with any electrical cord, do not run the cord under carpet, rugs, or doorways.

7.  Plug the cord directly into an outlet, not a power strip or extension cord.  Space heaters draw a lot of power and could overheat if not plugged directly into the wall outlet.

8.  Purchase space heaters with tip-over protection–they will shut off automatically if they tip, reducing the chance of a fire.

If you use a gas or kerosene powered heater make sure you keep it well tuned and have a working carbon monoxide detector.

Please contact the CHESS team if you have any questions about this or other safety issues.

CHESS wishes you safe passages

by

As Christmas and the New Year approach, more people will be out on the road, setting off on vacation and traveling to visit friends and family.  We wish for you to arrive safe and come back home safe.  If you are driving, remember to prepare:

– make sure your car is in good condition and tires are properly inflated.

– fill your window washer fluid

– start off with a full tank of gas (if you are stranded, you do not want to be low on fuel, so you may want to fill up more often)

– make sure cell phones are fully charged

– bring a survival kit–some water, food (granola bars or protein bars, candy), blanket and flash light

– check road conditions

Remember, to enjoy your holiday, you must arrive.  Better to be late and safe, than not make it at all.  Stay safe out there.

If you have questions about this or other safety issues, please contact CHESS at 651-481-9787.

OSHA’s Regulatory Priorities

by

OSHA has posted its regulatory priorities.

There’s action where little has existed before.  Some of these items have been on the list for years and years (crystalline silica’s standard, especially for construction, actually requires an analytical method no longer used).  There’s a step towards acknowledging ergonomics, with the proposed rule on recordkeeping.  Airborne infectious diseases have never been addressed by OSHA.  The movement there is quite justifiably a baby step (a Request for Information), and we have some doubts about the right way to address that issue from a rulemaking perspective.  The big one, in terms of its far-reaching effect, is GHS – the Global Harmonization System.  That will change the way labels and MSDSs look.  It isn’t likely to have major changes for chemical end users.

Hidden Hazards: Restrooms and Locker rooms

by

While restrooms should not be a hazardous place, there are several things you should check for:

1.  Is this a high traffic area?  We have heard of head injuries from employees coming out of the restroom quickly, only to run into someone or something.  Opening doors quickly, without verifying that there is no one on the other side, can pose a hazard to someone on either side of the restroom door.

2.  Where are the paper towels or hand dryers in relation to the sink?  If you have to walk across the room to dry your hands, you will likely drip water on your way.  Placing the towels or dryers right next to the sink will reduce the chances or slips and falls on wet floors.

3.  Do you have a sanitizer or room freshener that sprays periodically?  If so, check the height of the deodorizer.  You do not want it spraying someone in the face or eyes.  If people don’t expect it, it can be startling, so place it in a spot that is less likely to surprise people.

4.  Some restrooms have power dryers now that use very strong blasts of air to dry hands quickly.  The problem is that they are very loud.  That won’t matter to an employee who is in and out quickly, but if you have janitorial or custodial staff who clean restrooms when people are using them, you may need to provide hearing protection.

If you have questions on this or other safety issues, please contact CHESS at 651-481-9787.

OSHA Reviews State Run Programs

by

Minnesota, along with 25 other states, has a state run OSHA program.  This means that part of the funding comes from the federal program and part comes from the individual states (it is not funded through OSHA citations, though).  Employers in Minnesota, including government entities, must comply with all federal regulations, along with some state specific programs, such as Right to Know (federally it is hazard communication), and the AWAIR program.  Federal OSHA oversees the Minnesota program, tracking and monitoring what they do.

The State of Nevada also has a state run program.  A high rate of fatalities led federal OSHA to review Nevada’s program, finding a number of serious deficiencies–OSHA inspectors not being properly trained, inspectors not citing willful and repeat violations, and failure to conduct follow up inspections.

Because of the shortcomings found in the review of Nevada’s program, OSHA will be conducting an evaluation of all state run programs.  They are looking at greater oversight and monitoring of the programs.

You can read more about Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor Jordan Barab’s comments to Congress in this OSHA press release.

If you have questions about this post, or other safety concerns, please contact CHESS at carkey@chess-safety.com or 651-481-9787.

Assistant Secretary for OSHA confirmed

by

Dr David Michaels was confirmed to be the next head of OSHA.  On December 3, 2009, the US Senate finally confirmed Dr. Michaels as the Assistant Secretary of Labor to oversee OSHA.  Dr. Michaels is coming from George Washington University where he was interim chair of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health in the School of Public Health.  He previously served as the Department of Energy’s Assistant Secretary for Environmental Safety and Health under the Clinton Administration.

Dr. Michaels authored Doubt is Their Product: How Industry’s Assault on Science Threatens Your Health.

To read more about Dr. Michaels, see his biography as a faculty member of George Washington University.

OSHA Record Keeping National Emphasis Program

by

OSHA announced a National Emphasis Program focusing on record keeping.

The National Emphasis Program allows OSHA to focus energies on investigating specific concerns, such as Process Safety Management, trenching, and now record keeping.

Inspections, focusing on high injury and illness rate industries, will include reviewing records, such as the OSHA 300 logs (log of injury and illnesses in the workplace), employee interviews and limited inspection of the physical facility.

OSHA recognizes that recordkeeping has been de-emphasized and, with input from the General Accounting Office, OSHA now wants to make sure injury information is accurate.

Acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab stated that “Accurate and honest recordkeeping is vitally important to workers’ health and safety.  This information is not only used by OSHA to determine which workplaces to inspect, but it is an important tool employers and workers can use to identify health and safety problems in their workplaces.”

The OSHA 300 log should be a current, accurate log of injuries and illnesses that require more than first aid.  Entries should be made within seven days of an injury being reported.  The summary must be signed by an executive or office of the corporation at the end of the year.  The summary must include the average number of employees and hours worked in the past year.

For more information on OSHA’s National Emphasis Programs see this page from OSHA.

For more information on OSHA recordkeeping, including the forms and instructions, go to go here.

If you would like assistance with OSHA recordkeeping, or any other safety issue, please contact us at 651-481-9787.

David Michaels nomination to head OSHA moves forward

by

Back around the end of July, President Obama nominated David Michaels, PhD, MPH, a professor at George Washington University, to be the assistant secretary of Labor, heading OSHA.  Finally today, after a long delay, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) committee approved the nomination on a bipartisan vote.  Full Senate confirmation is expected before Thanksgiving.

Dr. Michaels has a long history in public health and occupational health and safety.  He is an epidemiologist who has overseen worker health and safety in nuclear weapon facilities and has researched the health effects of occupational exposure to toxic chemicals.

Many in the health and safety field have been waiting for this confirmation so that OSHA can move forward.

If you have questions about this or other posts, or other safety issues, please contact CHESS at 651-481-9787 or through the contacts page of this website.

Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS)

by

To assist companies who conduct business throughout Europe and the rest of the world, and to make our system more uniform, OSHA is looking at the global harmonization system of classifying and labeling chemicals, otherwise known simply as GHS.

What does this mean?  A uniform method for labeling chemicals.  Easier to read data sheets. A standardized approach to hazard communication.

If this is adopted, it should make things easier. According to the OSHA press release:

“A number of countries, including the United States, international organizations and stakeholders participated in developing the GHS to address inconsistencies in hazard classification and communications. The GHS was developed to provide a single, harmonized system to classify chemicals, labels and safety data sheets with the primary benefit of increasing the quality and consistency of information provided to workers, employers and chemical users. Under the GHS, labels would include signal words, pictograms, and hazard and precautionary statements. Additionally, information on safety data sheets would be presented in a designated order.”

Minnesota has the Right to Know program, which is similar to the national hazard communication program.  Minnesota would have to adopt the federal program, at a minimum, within six months of the regulation passing.

For more information, OSHA has a Guide to Globally Harmonized System of Classifying Chemicals on their website. 

The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on GHS appeared in the September 30 Federal Register.

If you have questions about this post, or other safety concerns, please contact CHESS at carkey@chess-safety.com or 651-481-9787.

BP: OSHA’s Largest Citation

by

You may have heard it in the news recently–OSHA issued a proposed $87.4 million, along with 270 “failure to abate” citations, to BP in Texas.  A 2005 explosion at the BP Products North America facility in Texas City resulted in the death of 15 people and another 170 people sustaining injuries.  Another four employees have died in work related incidents at the facility since 2005.

OSHA conducted a follow up visit, finding BP failed to correct many safety issues.  OSHA’s prior largest proposed penalty was $21 million; the prior citation against BP.

There has been discussion at a federal level about higher citations, more in line with those rendered by the Environmental Protection Agency, and more criminal prosecutions.  The fines against BP may be the first of the larger penalties.  Two hundred seventy “failure to abate” citations indicates egregious and negligent behavior.

To read more about the citation levied against BP, go to OSHA’s website.

Funds Available for Minnesota Businesses: Safety Grants

by

The Workplace Consultation division of the MN Department of Labor & Industry has money available for safety projects.

Workplace Consultation, the non-regulatory arm of Minnesota OSHA, sponsors matching grants for safety related equipment, up to $10,000. To be eligible, you must:

  • Be an employer in Minnesota
  • Have been in business for at least 2 years
  • Carry workers’ compensation insurance

MNOSHA doesn’t define what constitutes a safety project, other than equipment that will help improve safety for employees. This could include AEDs, security systems, new forklifts, manufacturing equipment, back-up cameras for fleets, ergonomic equipment (chairs, keyboard trays), ventilation, sprinkler systems, etc.

To submit this application you must have:

  • A quote for your project
  • A grant application
  • A survey showing the need for equipment
  • Injury log information for the prior year
  • Financial information

Complete Health, Environmental & Safety Services, Inc. (CHESS) has helped companies receive over $750,000 in grant awards.

For more information on the grants, look at:

Carbon Monoxide

by

The cold hit Minnesota hard and fast.  With it, windows and doors have been shut tight and the heat has been turned on, both at home and at our businesses.

Every year we read about someone dying from carbon monoxide poisoning–whether it is miners who haven’t survived a cave in, someone in their ice fishing house, or a family going to sleep and not waking up due to a faulty furnace.

Common sources of carbon monoxide are furnaces, running vehicles indoors and running internal combustion forklifts indoors.

Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas.  Carbon monoxide robs your body of oxygen.  High concentrations can kill.  Low concentrations can damage your heart.  Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are severe frontal headaches, a sick, flu-like feeling, and being tired.

To prevent carbon monoxide poisoning, employees should report signs of headaches and flu-like symptoms.  Especially is these go away once you are away from work.  Make sure your furnace is tuned and your ventilation system works properly.

If you are running engines indoors (vehicles, forklifts), you must check your  carbon monoxide levels.

For more information, or if you need help with safety issues, please contact us at carkey@chess-safety.com.

Fire Prevention Week: October 4-10

by

All it takes is oxygen, heat, a fuel source and a chemical reaction and you get a fire.  I heard one story today about a house that burned down when a tree hit it during a storm.  There was plenty of oxygen in the air, the fuel source was both the tree and items in the house.  Add sparks from damaged electrical, giving off heat and a chemical reaction, and all you have left is the frame of the house.

Check your fire extinguishers at work AND at home.  At home, you should at least have one in the garage and one in the kitchen.

Does everyone know how to use a fire extinguisher?  If not, find out.  Ask your fire department or fire extinguisher company if they can provide training.  See if your Chamber of Commerce or your local school would sponsor training.  You can also contact CHESS about training for businesses.

Make sure smoke detectors and sprinkler systems are serviced and working.

Know your exit routes.  Has the warehouse been rearranged?  Or the furniture at home?  How do you get out in an emergency?

How do you account for everyone (employees and family members)?  Do you have a meeting place?  Do you have emergency numbers programmed into your cell phone?

For additional information and  resources for Fire Prevention Week:

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

If you have questions about this or other safety issues, please contact us at 651-481-9787 or carkey@chess-safety.com

Lights on for Safety: October 3, 2009

by

The Alliance of Automotive Service Providers – Minnesota (AASP-MN), in cooperation with the Minnesota State Patrol, is sponsoring Lights On For Safety from 9 am to 1 pm on Saturday, October 3.

AASP-member technicians and automotive technical students will conduct a free inspection and replacement of most exterior vehicle light bulbs and headlamps and troopers will be on hand to answer traffic safety-related questions.

You are asked to bring a food donation (or cash) for the local food shelves.

For more information and a list of participating mechanical shops, go to AASP Minnesota’s website.

Food Safety

by

Is it the 24 hour bug or is it food poisoning? Mild cases of food poisoning are probably pretty common. The Department of Agriculture has recommendations for reducing the chances of foodborne illnesses:

  • Wash your hands before preparing a meal, setting the table and eating.
  • Wash you hands after handling raw meat, touching animals, diapering a baby or using the toilet.
  • Make sure foods are stored at the proper temperatures and cooked until they reach the proper temperatures (180 degrees F for whole poultry).
  • Refrigerate or freeze leftovers as soon as possible. Do not leave them out for more than an hour.
  • Throw out leftovers more than 4 days old.
  • Wash hands, cutting boards and utensils between different foods (such as vegetables and meat).
  • Never thaw food at room temperature.
  • If there is a power outage, throw out food stored in a refrigerator that has been above 40 degrees F for more than four hours.

For more information, visit the Department of Agriculture’s website.

For suspected food poisoning or any poisoning questions, call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

Tags: food, poisoning, food poisoning, poison control center, MN Department of Agriculture, foodborne illness

H1N1: Small Business Planning for the Flu

by

Planning for a Pandemic

If you’re feeling wretched, will you still come in to work? If doing so would make nearly all of your employees sick, would you still come in? And if all of your technicians were out with the flu, what would you do?

The US Department of Homeland Security has published a short guide on preparing for the flu, specifically aimed at small businesses The recommended first step: plan.

Decide how you’ll handle sick employees. Can anyone work from home? Do you have a way to discourage employees who feel sick from coming in to work? Or do your policies encourage people to work even when sick? If so, now’s a good time to reevaluate those policies.

What tasks are absolutely essential? Make plans for how to deal with those if the person responsible is home sick.

Work to keep your employees healthy. Encourage them to get the seasonal flu vaccine, if appropriate. If they’re eligible for the H1N1 vaccine, encourage that. Provide hand sanitizers, disposable towels, hand soaps – means to encourage people to wash their hands frequently. Frequent hand washing has been shown to reduce the spread of disease. Educate your workers on preventive measures: staying home when feeling sick, keep hands away from the face, hand washing (of course), and cough etiquette (cough into your sleeve, not your hands). For a quick guide to cough etiquette, see this video.

Decide what you’ll do if the health department recommends minimizing face to face contact. Is there a way to keep employees apart from each other? That might not be a problem during work, but what about at lunch? Consider staggering lunch times or setting up additional lunch areas.

Stand-up Forklifts – Crush Hazard

by

OSHA recently investigated a fatality where a stand-up forklift operated was pinned between the horizontal shelf of pallet racking and the operator’s area of the forklift.  It appeared the operator was driving backwards, but not looking in the direction of travel.

Recommendations to reduce the chance of injury from a forklift-pallet racking incident include:

1. Modify the height of shelving so that the operator of a forklift would not strike or be able to get caught under the shelf.

2.  Install posts or bumpers to prevent the forklift from driving under or striking shelving.

3. Train and evaluate all forklift operators.

For more information and recommendations, please read the OSHA Bulletin http://www.osha.gov/dts/shib/shib072709.html

OSHA Outreach Trainer Program Watch List

by

Recent investigations found substantial and major abuses of the 10-hour OSHA course. OSHA has established strict guidelines for their OSHA Outreach Instructors. To teach the 10 or 30 hour construction or general industry course, instructors must complete a one week training, beyond pre-requisites, and a four day refresher every four years. OSHA outlines the basic and elective topics that must be covered in the course, along with the documentation that the instructor must submit and maintain.

OSHA has published an OSHA Outreach Trainer Watch List, posting trainers who have had their certification revoked or suspended.

CHESS can offer the OSHA 10 hour general industry class, customized for your company. Both Janet Keyes, CIH and Carol Keyes are authorized instructors in good standing and have held that designation for more than 5 years. For more information about a customized OSHA 10 hour course, contact Carol at 651-481-9787 or carkey@chess-safety.com

Flu Season is Approaching

by

There has been a lot of talk about the upcoming flu season, both the regular flu and H1N1 virus.  Flu season can have a big impact on employers–employees may be absent or need to work from home as they recover.  One way to protect everyone is to encourage employees to get flu shots.

Your medical provider or occupational health clinic should have the flu shot in stock now.  The H1N1 vaccine is expected a little later this fall.  Encourage employees to get their vaccinations.

Contact your occupational health clinic about setting up a flu shot day at your worksite.  For a relatively small fee, they will often come in and vaccinate employees on site–no missed time from work to go to the doctor.

For information on the H1N1 vaccination and flu status, check these websites:

http://www.health.state.mn.us/divs/idepc/diseases/flu/h1n1/vaccine/index.html

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm

If you are not working with an occupational health clinic, contact us and we can provide information about clinics in your area.

Fire Extinguisher Safety: Free Resources

by

When was the last time you had fire extinguisher training?  There are a couple of great resources on fire safety and fire extinguisher safety available for FREE on the web.  These are good to review with co-workers and with family.

For comprehensive, interactive training:  http://www.fireextinguisher.com

For a short, two minute review on extinguisher use: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLjoWjCrDqg

Remember, the time to learn how to use an extinguisher is when you don’t need it.

Personal Protective Equipment: Safety Footwear

by

Are your feet at risk? Gone slip-sliding away? Have you had foot injuries? If something drops, do your toes cringe? If so, foot protection is needed. It could be safety toed footwear, with the crush-resistant toe made of steel or of a composite plastic that’s as strong as steel, but not as cold in winter. Or it could be non-slip footwear, for wet or slippery floors. Or insulated rubber boots, for those people tramping around in wet areas. If you think you might need special footwear but aren’t sure, call us, and we can go over the options with you.

How much does safety footwear cost? Where can you get it?

Cost:  If safety footwear is required, the employer must pay a reasonable amount towards its purchase.  Allotting $100 per person for a pair of safety toes is reasonable, and allows for many choices. You might want to set up a replacement policy, such as agreeing to contribute to the cost of new shoes every two years.

Resources:

Trav’s Outfitters.  Contact Mick Lyman.   651-488-3832.

mick-travsoutfitter@hotmail.com. www.travsoutfitter.com

Hy-Test Safety Shoe Service. Contact Bill Fox 651-489-1000

bfox@htsafetyshoes.com. www.hytest.com

Shoes for Crews. 800-218-4770

www.shoesforcrews.com

Symposium: Unveiling the Mystery Behind OSHA Inspections

by

CHESS will be presenting at a symposium on Thursday, August 13 on Unveiling the Mystery Behind OSHA Inspections And Recordkeeping, Occupational Health And The Workers’ Compensation Experience Mod.

You will uncover the right strategies to help improve your company’s bottom line by:

  • Managing employee costs
  • Optimizing employee productivity
  • Medical management and prevention

A half-day interactive, educational session will be led by subject matter experts that specialize in the areas of occupational medicine, health and environmental safety and workers’ compensation.
Pre-registration is required. Cost is $69, including continental breakfast.
Register today – space is limited!

WHEN: Thursday, August 13th
7:00am Registration
7:30am – 12:00pm Session

WHERE: Ramada Plaza Minneapolis
1330 Industrial Blvd | Minneapolis, MN 55413

REGISTER (2 options):

Please include your name, company, title and phone

Option 1 via phone: (651) 842-5246
Option 2 via e-mail: rwestrum@summitortho.com

A brochure can be found here.