Eye Safety

According to NIOSH each day about 2000 U.S. workers have a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. About one third of the injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments and more than 100 of these injuries result in one or more days of lost work. The majority of these injuries result from small particles or objects striking or abrading the eye. Examples include metal slivers, wood chips, dust, and cement chips that are ejected by tools, windblown, or fall from above a worker. Some of these objects, such as nails, staples, or slivers of wood or metal penetrate the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision. Large objects may also strike the eye/face, or a worker may run into an object causing blunt force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket. Chemical burns to one or both eyes from splashes of industrial chemicals or cleaning products are common. Thermal burns to the eye occur as well. Among welders, their assistants, and nearby workers, UV radiation burns (welder’s flash) routinely damage workers’ eyes and surrounding tissue.

In addition to common eye injuries, health care workers, laboratory staff, janitorial workers, animal handlers, and other workers may be at risk of acquiring infectious diseases via ocular exposure. Infectious diseases can be transmitted through the mucous membranes of the eye as a result of direct exposure (e.g., blood splashes, respiratory droplets generated during coughing or suctioning) or from
touching the eyes with contaminated fingers or other objects. The infections may result in relatively minor conjunctivitis or reddening/soreness of the eye or in a life threatening disease such as HIV, B virus, or possibly even avian influenza.

Engineering controls should be used to reduce eye injuries and to protect against exposures. Personal protective eyewear, such as goggles, face shields, safety glasses, or full face respirators must also be used when an eye hazard exists. The eye protection chosen for specific work situations depends upon the nature and extent of the hazard, the circumstances of exposure, other protective equipment used, and personal vision needs. Eye protection should be fit to an individual or adjustable to provide appropriate coverage. It should be comfortable and allow for sufficient peripheral vision. Selection of protective eyewear appropriate for a given task should

be made based on a hazard assessment of each activity, including regulatory requirements when applicable.

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen SafetyCouncil

Heat Illness

Summer time is coming and workers on both sides of the Cascades need to be aware of heat illness.  By now all employers should know about Washington’s Outdoor Heat Exposure rule found in WAC 296-62-095.

Working outdoors in hot weather can result in serious illness or even death.  Workers exposed to extreme heat may experience symptoms of heat-related illnesses (HRI), such as heat cramps, heat rash, heat exhaustion, fainting, heat stroke, and other symptoms.

According to DOSH heat-related illness is also linked to injuries from falls, equipment operation accidents, and other on-the-job incidents. Such incidents can happen when someone with heat stress becomes fatigued, dizzy, confused, or disoriented.

Since heat can lead to other issues and potential incidents, it is important that all of us working out-of-doors take care to avoid heat illness issues. The most important thing to do is to hydrate the night before and stay hydrated.  Drink plenty of proper fluids the night before and continue to drink fluids (i.e., water or sport drinks) throughout the day.  Remember that we not only need water, but electrolytes, which can be gained from drinking sport drinks in addition to water.

In addition to taking care of ourselves, we have to look out for our co-workers whom may suffer the effects of heat illness.  The following are from the OSHA fact sheet on heat illness.

Heat Stroke is the most serious heat-related health problem. Heat stroke occurs when the body's temperature regulating system fails and body temperature rises to critical levels (greater than 104°F).This is a medical emergency that may result in death! The signs of heat stroke are confusion, loss of consciousness and seizures. Workers experiencing heat stroke have a very high body temperature and may stop sweating. If a worker shows signs of possible heat stroke, get medical help immediately, and call 911. Until medical help arrives, move the worker to a shady, cool area and remove as much clothing as possible. Wet the worker with cool water and circulate the air to speed cooling. Place cold wet cloths, wet towels or ice all over the body or soak the worker’s clothing with cold water. 

Heat Exhaustion is the next most serious heat-related health problem. The signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion are headache, nausea, dizziness, weakness, irritability, confusion, thirst, heavy sweating and a body temperature greater than 100.4°F. Workers with heat exhaustion should be removed from the hot area and given liquids to drink. Remove unnecessary clothing including shoes and socks. Cool the worker with cold compresses to the head, neck, and face or have the worker wash his or her head, face and neck with cold water. Encourage frequent sips of cool water. Workers with signs or symptoms of heat exhaustion should be taken to a clinic or emergency room for medical evaluation and treatment. Make sure that someone stays with the worker until help arrives. If symptoms worsen, call 911 and get help immediately. 

Heat Cramps are muscle pains usually caused by physical labor in a hot work environment. Heat cramps are caused by the loss of body salts and fluid during sweating. Workers with heat cramps should replace fluid loss by drinking water and/or carbohydrate-electrolyte replacement liquids (e.g., sports drinks) every 15 to 20 minutes.

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council

Gravity Never Forgets - Ladder Safety

As soon as you set foot on the ladder’s first rung and pull your body off the ground, gravity is working to bring you back to earth. Therefore, ladder safety begins from the ground up.  

Proper ladder setup will help prevent slips and falls. Place the base on a firm, solid surface. Avoid slippery, wet or soft surfaces. If you must put the ladder on a soft surface, place a board under the ladder’s feet to provide firm footing. Make sure the top of the ladder has firm support as well.

Never lean a ladder against a window pane or other unstable surface. If you’re using a straight or extension ladder, the angle of the ladder is the next critical safety factor. A straight or extension ladder should be placed 1 foot away from the surface it rests against for every 4 feet of ladder height. For example, if the ladder is 4 feet high, the bottom of the ladder should be 1 foot away from the support surface.

What's wrong with this picture?

If you use a ladder to access a roof or platform, make sure the ladder extends at least 3 feet over the roof or platform edge. Be sure to securely fasten straight and extension ladders to the upper support. If you have angled the ladder properly and still have doubts about its stability, have someone hold the ladder before climbing up.

If you’re using a step ladder, be sure to open it completely before you climb. If you have to use a step ladder near a doorway, lock or barricade the door and post signs so no one will open it and knock you off the ladder.

When you climb, always face the ladder and grip the rungs of the ladder to climb, not the side rails. Never get on or off a ladder from the side unless it has been secured to prevent movement.

Never climb with equipment in your hands. Use your pockets, equipment belt, or a tool pouch and raise heavy objects with a hand line. If you forget something, always climb down the ladder to retrieve it yourself; don’t have someone toss it up to you. And never ask someone to climb up your ladder to give you supplies. It is dangerous to exceed the weight limits that a specific ladder can handle.

When you descend a ladder, practice the same safety rules. Face the ladder, keep your body square and hold on to the rungs. Lastly, step off at the bottom rung of the ladder. Never jump off of a ladder.

Before you start to haul a ladder around, evaluate the area where you’ll be working.

Ladders can be heavy and unwieldy. You can strike another person or object, or hit electrical power lines. Make the ladder as compact as possible before transporting it.

Carry it horizontally while tilting it higher in front and lower in back. If the ladder is particularly long and heavy, get a coworker to help you carry it.

Ladder safety may seem simple, but injuries occur every year. Below are some ladder safety dos and don’ts:

• Use the right ladder for the job.
• Inspect the ladder before and after a job.
• Read all warning labels carefully and follow directions before you climb.
• Clean the ladder after each use to prevent dirt buildup.
• Wear clean, dry, slip-resistant shoes and use ladders with slip resistant feet.
• Don’t stand any higher than the third rung from the top of the ladder.
• Don’t lean too far or overreach. Reposition the ladder closer to the work instead.
• Don’t use a ladder as a bridge or scaffold.
• Don’t put a ladder on a box, barrel or other object to gain additional height.
• Don’t use a damaged or unsafe ladder.

Experts also warn about ladder use in bad weather. Descend immediately if high winds, rain or other inclement weather begins. Wind force can blow you off the ladder.  Rain can make the rungs and the ground slippery. Bitter cold can make metal ladders more brittle and can cause other structural damage. If you encounter bad weather while on a ladder, do not speed up to finish the job and risk injury. Wait to finish the job until conditions are once again safe.

Remember, don’t let gravity get you down. Practice ladder safety rules every time you climb to make your work easier, faster and safer.

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council

2011 John D Spellman Safety Award Recipient Announced

Evergreen Safety Council is proud to recognize Mowat Construction as the 2011 recipient of the John D. Spellman Safety Award.

Mowat Construction receives the 2011 Spellman Award

Evergreen Safety Council (ESC) has established this annual safety award in order to recognize member organizations who have demonstrated significant improvement or achievements in their safety program.  The recipient is selected from applicants by an ESC Board of Directors committee and was presented at ESC’s Annual Membership meeting on March 28, 2012.

“As an organization committed to building safe work environments for our clients and members, we’re particularly pleased to recognize those companies that go above and beyond in building their safety cultures,” said Tom Odegaard, Evergreen Safety Council Executive Director.  “Mowat Construction is one of those companies.”

Mowat Construction Company's highly respected and dedicated team has been delivering quality projects, safely and on time since 1964. Mowat’s drive for safety starts at the top with their Chairman, Mark Mowat, their President John Sandstrom, and their Safety Director, Bruce McGaw. With Safety as a core value and a mission of becoming the safest and most respected contractor in the West, it’s no wonder Mowat is recognized as a leader in their field.

Their safety program is based on a foundation of steady, untiring improvement and employee accountability.  “The Mowat Team is proud to receive this recognition from The Evergreen Safety Council”, said John Sandstrom, President of Mowat Construction. “Keeping people safe is paramount to our success as a Infrastructure contractor.”

The award also recognizes one of Washington’s great public servants John D. Spellman, who was King County’s first elected County Executive and Washington’s 18th Governor.  Governor Spellman has also been a member of Evergreen Safety Council’s Board of Directors for more than 30 years.  In 1989 he served as President/Executive Director during a very critical period of restructuring and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since 1998.

Evergreen Safety Council is the Northwest’s largest, independent, non-profit organization providing safety and health training and consultation services to businesses and organizations. ESC is a member of the National Safety Council and a founding member of the American Association of Safety Councils.

To learn more about safety training programs being conducted in the Greater Northwest, please view Evergreen Safety Council’s website.

Reckless Driving in a Work Zone Should Equal Jail Time

Contributed by: Eric C. Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council

This might surprise some of you coming from a moderate libertarian (go figure), but I want to start a movement for a new State law. This law would be to protect work zone workers and would be patterned from the State of Illinois Public Act 095-0587 and basically says:

Reckless homicide of a construction worker = 3-14 years in prison. Reckless homicide of two or more construction workers = 6 to 28 years in prison.

In other words, mess up driving through a work zone and go to jail. I like this, even though I am not a fan of new laws. I’ve been a target out there, and some drivers need to be slapped hard when they mess up in a work zone.

What do you think?

Check out this link to see a summary of all the states with laws that protect work zones. 

A little light reading from the CSB and NIOSH

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council

On April 13, 2011 the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has deployed a four-person team to the site of an explosion in a fireworks storage facility near Honolulu, Hawaii. According to media reports, the incident occurred in a bunker used to store confiscated fireworks at Donaldson Enterprises, Inc. on Friday April 8.

We know that every industry has its safety concerns; however the construction industry has many unique concerns. The National Institute of Occupation Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a dedicated page for construction safety. This page has excellent information on construction specific issues.

2010 John D Spellman Safety Award Recipients Announced

CONTACT: Tom Odegaard, President/Executive Director, Evergreen Safety Council

Evergreen Safety Council is proud to recognize the IMCO General Construction as the 2010 recipient of the John D. Spellman Safety Award.

Evergreen Safety Council (ESC) has established this annual safety award in order to recognize member organizations who have demonstrated significant improvement or achievements in their safety program. The recipient is selected from applicants by an ESC Board of Directors committee and will be presented at ESC’s Annual Membership meeting on January 25, 2011.

IMCO General Construction is a family corporation established in 1978 by Frank and Patti Imhof and is based in Ferndale, WA. The company is founded on the principles of hard work, dedication and commitment. After 30 years, IMCO continues to maintain a standard of excellence in safety, job quality, employee relations, and community involvement. Over the past five years, IMCO achieved zero time loss and minimal recordables, while averaging in excess of 300,000 employee hours annually. In 2010, IMCO achieved an Experience Mod Factor/rate of 0.4370, a continuation of 4 years of improvement in the rate.

Key components of IMCO’s safety program include participation by all company employees, a written accident prevention plan, extensive employee training & subcontractor safety orientations, pre-task planning through job hazard analysis (JHA), safety task assignment (STA) and a drug free workplace.

The award also recognizes one of Washington’s great public servants John D. Spellman, who was King County’s first elected County Executive and Washington’s 18th Governor. Governor Spellman has also been a member of Evergreen Safety Council’s Board of Directors for more than 30 years. In 1989 he served as President/Executive Director during a very critical period of restructuring and has served as Chairman of the Board of Directors since 1998

Evergreen Safety Council is the Northwest’s largest, independent, non-profit organization providing safety and health training and consultation services to businesses and organizations. ESC is a member of the National Safety Council and a founding member of the American Association of Safety Councils.

General Duty Clause - HiViz

Contributed by Sandy Paquette, Roadway Programs Trainer, Evergreen Safety Council
Did you know the Stimulus legislation included $27 million dollars for OSHA to step-up inspections of stimulus-financed projects? There were 100 new OSHA enforcement positions filled. Did you know that OSHA is beginning enforcement of the High Visibility Clothing rules using its “General Duty Clause?”

Question:
Construction employees working on highway/road construction work zones often risk being struck by traffic. Do the OSHA standards require high-visibility apparel for these construction workers?

Answer:
Road and construction traffic poses an obvious and well-recognized hazard to highway/road construction work zones employees. OSHA standards require such employees to wear high visibility garments in two specific circumstances: when they work as flaggers and when they are exposed to public vehicular traffic in the vicinity of excavations. However, other construction workers in highway/road c construction work zones are also exposed to the danger of being struck by the vehicles operating near them. For such workers, section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act, 29 U.S.C. 654(a)(1), also know as the General Duty Clause, requires similar protection. Section 5(a)(1) requires employers to provide their employees: ….employment and place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his his/her employees…..

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) rationale underlying the rule well illustrates that the industry recognizes that construction workers in highway/road construction work zones need protection against the hazard posed by moving traffic. The FHWA’s recent mandatory standard for workers on federal-aid highways shows that struck-by hazards in highway/road construction work zones are well recognized by the construction industry. Furthermore, the standard indicates that a feasible means of addressing that hazard is the wearing of high-visibility apparel.

Accordingly, high-visibility apparel is required under the General Duty Clause to protect employees exposed to the danger of being struck by public and construction traffic while working in highway/road construction work zones. Typically, workers in a highway/road work zone are exposed that hazard most of the time.

The fines can start at $7000. per ticket, so if you have several workers on foot in the work zone without high-visibility apparel you can multiply the fine by that number of employees that are not wearing it.

Hot Work

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council
So do you do hot work at your facility? Chances are you do, after all hot work is any spark producing operation such as welding, cutting, drilling, etc. As most of us know, hot work is hazardous and can be down right dangerous if done wrong, especially in and around tanks. In February of 2010 the Chemical Safety Board issued a safety bulleting entitled “Seven Key Lessons to Prevent Worker Deaths During Hot Work In and Around Tanks”

The 7 lessons are:
1. Use alternatives
2. Analyze the hazards
3. Monitor the atmosphere
4. Test the area
5. Use written permits
6. Train thoroughly
7. Supervise contractors

The overall document is about 13 pages and if you would like to read the entire bulletin, which is a good idea, it can be found at the following link.

One other point of interest is that the Chemical Safety Board has some very good information and investigation information from massive explosions which have happened in the US.

ANSI AI10.47

Contributed by Sandy Paquette, Trainer, Evergreen Safety Council
New ANSI AI10.47 Standard “Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction”
This was first purposed in 2006 and is intended to fill the gap; there are very few OSHA or ANSI standards that address road or highway construction. This A10.47 ANSI standard is one of few that cover vertically in one industry.

The 15 sections in this standard:

Scope
For all workers doing construction or repair work on any area of highway
Purpose
Prevent worker injuries and Illnesses
To establish safe work Practices and
To prevent vehicular crashes
Definitions:
Traffic Control
Flagger Safety
Run over /Back over Prevention
Equipment operator safety
Excavation Safety
Electrical Safety
Power Tools
Fall Prevention
Reduction of musculoskeletal Problems
Protection from Health Hazards
Illumination for night work
PPE
Paving Operations

Referenced Standards:
FHWA
OSHA
NCHRP 350
ANSI: standards often go beyond Federal Regulations and represent best practices

For more information on this new ANSI A10.47, go to The Work Zone Safety Clearing house at www.workzonesafety.org click on video vault to view this webinar; it runs about 44 minutes, it is free and it gives a great overview on this new ANSI Standard.

Fatality Narratives

The WA Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program publishes Fatality Narratives. These narratives are one-page reports that summarize work-related fatal incidents, list some requirements and recommendations that may have prevented the incident from occurring, and give a brief statistical summary. They are currently focusing on construction industry fatalities. These Narratives provide preliminary information about the incident to the interested community, similar to OSHA's Fatal Facts and MSHA's Fatalgrams.

To sign up for FACE construction narratives, NEW FACE agriculture narratives, and investigation reports for this link. We encourage you to explore other material on their website.
The FACE Program is partially funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) (Cooperative Agreement No.: 3 U60 OH008487-02S1) and the Safety and Health Assessment and Research for Prevention (SHARP) Program at the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries. The contents of the Fatality Narratives are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views NIOSH.

We encourage you to use these narratives for formal or informal educational opportunities to help prevent similar incidents.

Crane Signals & Crane Safety

Contributed by Roger Hurst, Evergreen Safety Council

At the Seattle Vicinity Construction Safety Council meeting this month the subject was: Crane Signals.

I would like to thank Erich Smith, Ironworker Apprenticeship Coordinator, Gaytor Rasmussen, Seattle Tower Crane Inspection, Jim West, Safety Director of MacDonald Miller and Larry Markee, DOSH Safety Crane Compliance Specialist for an excellent program. Not only did they speak about communications between the crane operator and the signal person, but all the communications needed around a work site: clear and concise hand signals along with clear verbal communications between all involved.

The presentation brought up the WAC codes on who can become a signal person and what type of qualifications they would need. The general discussion from the attendees was how do these people get trained and to what standard.

Evergreen Safety has a new Mobile Crane Operator Training program. This is a 3 ½ day training course taught here at our training facility by Norm Nyhuis, our resident expert. After the class a NCCCO proctor administers the core exam and one or more specialty exams.

What the attendees wanted to know is by what standards the signal person or rigger should be trained. I believe in the new future you will see a NCCCO Signal person type of training for these individuals as well. If I was safety manager at a construction company I would investigate these types of courses.

We here at Evergreen Safety are the folks who have the all new Total Safety Compliance program for the training of your personnel. We can save your company money, time and the hassle of training your workers.

Four easy steps to get your program started:
1. Evergreen personnel visit your site and perform a training assessment
2. We base our fees on a per employee per month basis
3. We review and confirm your training needs
4. We track all the safety training your employees participate in and notify you when the certifications need renewal

With Total Safety Compliance, it’s that simple.

Three things...

May is National Bike Month
This month we will likely be sharing the road with a lot more bikes as people use their bikes instead of their cars to bike to work or school and to run errands. Throughout the month of May remember to Drive Nice and Share the Road.

Free Root Cause Analysis Overview Tonight
ESC partner Apollo Associated Services' seminars are a great choice for people interested in changing the way they think about problems, solutions, and the cause-and-effect relationships that must be understood before change can take place.

Stop by the Evergreen Safety Training Center tonight starting at 5:30pm for coffee and a snack, and learn how this training seminar can help your organization's safety program. Mention you read this blog and receive a free gift. (while supplies last)

Construction Safety Day in Puyallup Tomorrow
Yesterday's post emphasized the importance of training non-English speaking workers. This 1-day conference is offering training in both English and Spanish...a great opportunity to get your people safety information in both languages.

Stop by the Evergreen Safety Council booth and mention you read this blog for a free gift. (while supplies last)

Solis announces new OSHA enforcement initiatives

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training, Evergreen Safety Council
Are you really training your non-English speaking workers so they understand?

If not you may want to read this article from the April edition of the OSHA QuickTakes.

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis announced a number of major new OSHA enforcement initiatives during her April 14 keynote address at the National Action Summit for Latino Worker Health and Safety.

OSHA currently requires that training provisions under OSHA standards be provided in a language or a form that workers can understand. OSHA further requires that its Compliance Officers check and verify that workers have received the training required by OSHA standards. The Agency will expand upon this and effective on April 28 -- Workers' Memorial Day -- Secretary Solis explained, "OSHA will also assure that its Compliance Officers check and verify not only that the training has been provided, but that it was provided in a format that the workers being trained can understand."

The Secretary also announced a new pilot program where OSHA will work with local building inspectors to assure worker safety and health protection. In construction, the four leading causes of worker deaths are falls, electrocution, being crushed or caught between and being struck. Inspectors participating in this pilot program will notify OSHA when they observe unsafe work conditions leading to these four major causes of workplace fatalities.

To view Secretary Solis complete keynote address.