Workers and Fatigue

In dealing with safety you learn that there are hazards out there that are recognized, but there is no actual rule that covers the hazard.  This is true about sleep and the workplace.  There is no OSHA rule that covers fatigue, etc. that comes from lack of sleep to working unusual shifts.

According to OSHA, extended or unusual work shifts may be more stressful physically, mentally, and emotionally.  Non-traditional shifts and extended work hours may disrupt the body’s regular schedule, leading to increased fatigue, stress, and lack of concentration. These effects lead to an increased risk of operator error, injuries and/or accidents.

Fatigue is a message to the body to rest. If rest is not possible, fatigue can increase until it becomes distressing and eventually debilitating. The symptoms of fatigue, both mental and physical, vary and depend on the person and his or her degree of overexertion.

Some examples include:

• Weariness,
• Sleepiness,
• Irritability,
• Reduced alertness, lack of concentration and memory,
• Lack of motivation,
• Increased susceptibility to illness,
• Depression,
• Headache,
• Giddiness, and/or
• Loss of appetite and digestive problems.

OSHA recommends that when there is a choice, managers should limit the use of extended shifts and increase the number of days employees work. Working shifts longer than 8 hours will generally result in reduced productivity and alertness. Additional break periods and meals should be provided when shifts are extended past normal work periods. Tasks that require heavy physical labor or intense concentration should be performed at the beginning of the shift if possible. This is an important consideration for pre-emergency planning.

In addition managers and supervisors should learn to recognize signs and symptoms of the potential health effects associated with extended and unusual work shifts. Workers who are being asked to work extended or irregular shifts should be diligently monitored for the signs and symptoms of fatigue. Any employee showing such signs should be evaluated and possibly directed to leave the active area and seek rest.

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training Evergreen Safety Council

Continental Mills, Inc. Cooks Up a Winning Safety Trend

Evergreen Safety Council is proud to recognize Continental Mills, Inc. as the 2015 recipient of the John D. Spellman Safety Award. 

Continental Mills, a manufacturer of premium dry-mix baked goods led by their Krusteaz® brand pancake, muffin, and cookie mixes, as well as their Ghirardelli® brownie mix, operates four manufacturing and distribution centers with corporate offices in Tukwila, WA.

Continental Mills, Inc. was chosen for the award because over the past eight years they achieved an 87% reduction in injury incident rates.  Though they started with an incident rate that was already well below the national average, further decreases since 2014 have moved them to a “Best in Class” ranking in their industry. The award was presented to Continental Mills on
June 24th, 2016.

Continental Mills employed a company-wide strategy led by Bob Toohey, CSP, Senior Manager of EHS, to improve their safety systems including:

• a goal of 100% employee involvement with program ownership by operations leaders,
• use of internal safety systems audits for continuing improvement, and
• establishing a “Risk Predictions” model and campaign for employee use on multiple levels in planning safe daily work.

John Heily, CEO & Chairman of the Board at Continental Mills stated “We are very proud of the recognition we have received from the Evergreen Safety Council for promoting a culture of safety in the workplace.  This recognition truly belongs to the 800 Continental Mills employees that make a safe workplace environment a reality.  We will continue to invest, collaborate, train, and listen to our workforce, and strive to achieve our preferred future which is having an accident free environment.

The annual John D. Spellman Safety Award was created in 2006 to recognize ESC members that have demonstrated outstanding safety achievements or have shown they are actively pursuing and reinforcing a positive safety culture in their workplace.  The award also recognizes Governor John D.
Spellman. King County’s first elected County Executive and Washington’s 18th Governor, Governor Spellman has also been a member of ESC’s Board of Directors for more than 35 years and has served as Chairman of the Board since 1998.

Family-owned Continental Mills, Inc. began operating in 1932 and produces more than 500 products under several breakfast, baking, and snack brands. Continental Mills headquarters is located in Tukwila, WA and employs 800 people between the Corporate office and four manufacturing facilities in Washington, Kentucky, Illinois and Kansas.  CM products are sold through retail, foodservice, and club store channels throughout the United States.

Contributed by Tom Odegaard, President/Executive Director Evergreen Safety Council

Safety Violations Can & Will Get You Fined

A Washington State roofing company  has been repeatedly cited for several safety violations, and most notably for fall protection violations by the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). 

Recently fined $427,000 for exposing workers to fall hazards without adequate fall protection, the company was also cited for failing to effectively train workers in how to use fall protection systems or equipment.  This is considered a “serious” violation, with a penalty of $7,000 alone.  A serious violation exists in a workplace if there is a substantial probability that worker death or serious physical harm could result from a hazardous condition.

“Falls from heights are completely preventable, and yet they’re a leading cause of worker fatalities and hospitalizations in our state,” said Anne Soiza, assistant director for L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health.  “We’re hopeful that this will lead to proper fall protection practices for all of their workers, all the time, going forward.”

Save lives and your bottom line.

Are you concerned that your company may not be up-to-date on state regulations and required training?

We can help.  Evergreen Safety Council experts can provide customized safety training at your site or ours.

Our consultants can also help with:

• Developing written safety programs,
• Safety audits and inspections,
• Assist with OSHA/L&I citation abatement, or
• Serve as safety advisors for projects

For more information, please contact Stephanie at (800) 521-0778 or Stephanie@esc.org.

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

Preparing for the Big One

A region-wide exercise to test the emergency response to a major disaster in the Cascadia Subduction Zone

Science points to a large magnitude earthquake happening along the Cascadia Subduction Zone, the 800-mile fault line that runs from California to the Island of British Columbia, on average once every 200 to 500 years. That means we may be about due.

A 9.0 magnitude earthquake along this fault, and the resulting tsunami, is the most complex disaster scenario that emergency management and public safety officials in the Pacific Northwest could face. Cascadia Rising was an emergency simulation exercise that happened this past June 7th -10th to address such a disaster.

Federal officials estimated more than 20,000 people were involved in the four day disaster drill, representing various federal agencies, the U.S. military, and state and local emergency response managers from Washington, Oregon and Idaho, Native American Tribes and emergency management
officials in British Columbia.

Simulating the massive earthquake and tsunami was a way of testing plans and procedures and is an invaluable way to tell what worked and what didn’t. Some of the major lessons learned? How important information sharing and good communication are, as well as the need to address key resources like fuel and food.

Did you know?

  
September is National Preparedness Month. Sponsored by FEMA, it encourages Americans to take steps to prepare for emergencies in their homes, businesses, schools, and communities. Take part and get more resources at www.ready.gov/get-involved  and community.fema.gov.

This Ongoing Operation Can Reduce Accidents and Hazards, and Improve Morale

With the changing times of the season there usually is some “safety” week dealing with any sort of safety issue.  Well there is one safety issue that we feel needs to be addressed all the time and that is Basic Housekeeping.

Effective housekeeping will eliminate some workplace hazards and help get a job done safely and properly.  Poor housekeeping can frequently contribute to accidents by hiding hazards. If the sight of debris, clutter and spills is accepted as normal, then other more serious health and safety hazards may be taken for granted.

Housekeeping is not just cleanliness.  It includes keeping work areas neat and orderly; maintaining halls and floors free of slip or trip hazards; and removing of waste materials (e.g., paper, cardboard) and other fire hazards from work areas.  It also requires paying attention to important details such as the layout of the whole workplace, aisle marking, the adequacy of storage facilities, and maintenance.  Good housekeeping is also a basic part of accident and fire prevention.

Effective housekeeping is an ongoing operation: it is not a hit-and-miss cleanup done occasionally.  Housekeeping order is “maintained” not “achieved.”  Cleaning and organization must be done regularly, not just at the end of the shift.  Integrating housekeeping into jobs can help ensure this is done regularly.

The final addition to any housekeeping program is inspection. It is the only way to check for deficiencies in the program so that changes can be made.  Consider documentation and using checklists for inspecting offices and manufacturing facilities to track progress.

Contributed by Eric Tofte, Director of Training Evergreen Safety Council