Advance Safety Newsletter

Dec 2008-Vol 3, Issue 12

Snow Shoveling Can Be a
Pain in the Back!

OSHA Proposes Willful
Violation Due to
Combustible Dust

Our Staff is Growing!
Welcome Mark Ostbloom

KY Work Fatalities Higher
Than National Rate

Needlestick Injury Results
In Big Penalty

Properly Reporting
Needlestick/Sharps Injuries

Why'd They Do That?

About Us

Our Home Page

Training Calendar

Safety News Blog Page

Our News Page

Our "Why'd They Do
That" Photo Gallery

EKU OSHA Education Center

Federal OSHA

The spring schedule for the Louisville campus of EKU's OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Center is out. Click the image below to see when the next OSHA 500, 501, 502, 503, 510 and 511 courses are offered.

Got Dust?

Over the years, I have visited numerous employers where I have observed potential combustible dust issues. This seems to be an area that, for whatever reason, many folks have trouble in wanting or in understanding how to address. Well………heed my warning - you had better address it before OSHA does.

Did you know there is a House Bill on its way to the Senate requiring OSHA to implement a combustible dust standard? OSHA already has a National Emphasis Program on combustible dust, and they are citing employers. You might want to read the article below about a clothes hanger manufacturer who was handed a "willful" violation by OSHA for paper dust on the floor and machinery.

Take my advice: Got dust? Take action now!

Click here for a comprehensive list of links and resources involving dust.

Sincerely,

Dwayne Towles
(502) 240-6910
dtowles@AdvancedSafetyHealth.com

Are You Ready for Snow Shoveling?

Winter is Almost Here…Are You Ready for the Snow?

As the temperatures drop a little more each day, we know that winter is right around the corner. We have all heard predictions that this winter will be a hard one, with lots of snow. Typically, the first snow fall will occur and most of us dust off our snow shovels and start to clear the driveway without another thought.

The good news is that snow shoveling can be a great workout and will burn off those unwanted extra calories. The bad news is that every year people experience both fatal and non-fatal heart attacks as a result of snow shoveling. In addition, many people will injure either their backs or shoulders.

Some people are at a higher risk and should avoid shoveling (i.e. the elderly, anyone with heart disease or other related health concerns, and people with existing back problems). If proper precautions are taken, though, snow shoveling can get you off the couch for a little exercise while clearing your driveway at the same time. Here are some tips to keep you safe while shoveling:

Meet our New Safety Consultant

Welcome to Our Newest Safety Consultant - Mark Ostbloom

We are pleased to introduce the newest member of our growing staff. Mark Ostbloom is a Safety Consultant who is based in our Louisville, KY office and provides onsite safety support services, consultation, and training for our clients.

Mark has over 27 years with the Department of Defense, specializing in general and aviation safety matters. He entered the US Army in 1979 as a Communications Technician. In 1988, he became an Apache Helicopter Instructor Pilot. Mark graduated in 1992 from the US Army Safety Center as a Safety and Health Specialist. He spent the next 15 years as a safety technician with assignments all around the world. Mark retired from the army in 2007.

Before joining Advanced Safety & Health, Mark spent nearly two years with UPS as a Ground School Safety Supervisor where he was responsible for the development and delivery of air and ground safety programs and training for UPS operations.

Mark has significant experience in both General and Construction Industry Safety and Health programs along with Hazardous Waste Emergency Responder (HAZWOPER) qualification. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science in Aviation Management and will soon graduate with his Master’s Degree in Occupational Safety and Health specializing in Environmental Management.

Kentucky's Occupational Fatalities 57% Higher than National Rate

The Kentucky Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation report for 2007 is out and has recorded 112 occupational fatalities in the state of Kentucky.The following are significant findings of this annual report:

Kentucky’s occupational fatality rate is 57% above the national rate (5.8 Kentucky worker deaths/100,000 workers compared to 3.7 US worker deaths/100,000 workers).
Kentucky FACE recorded 112 work-related fatalities in 2007 and 20 of those decedents were self-employed. There were 138 work-related fatalities recorded in 2006. Note: 23 of these were due to one incident, the Comair airplane crash in August, 2006
The most frequent fatal occupational incidents occurred in the Transportation and Warehousing industry sector (28%). The decedents were killed more frequently between the hours of 2:00 and 3:59 PM and were most often between 50 and 54 years of age.
One-third (33%) of all work-related deaths were due to motor vehicle collisions. 47% of all occupational drivers were NOT wearing their seat belts when the fatal injury occurred. Semi/tractor-trailers accounted for 30% of the occupational MVC’s.
There were four occupational fatalities in the Logging Industry in Kentucky in 2007 and the most frequent external cause of death was due to being "struck by" an object (75%).
More workers in Transportation and Materials Moving occupations (30%) died in fatal work-related incidents than in any other individual occupations.
In 2007 there was a sum of 1883 Years of Potential Life Lost (YPLL) due to occupational fatalities in the State of Kentucky.
Farming, Fishing, Forestry occupations had the highest fatality rate (177 deaths/100,000 workers in Kentucky compared to the US rate of 25 deaths/100,000 workers, or seven times the national average).

To see complete report click here.

Dental Office Hit with Nearly $80,000 in Fines

Allcare Dental’s Nashua, N.H. Dental Office Faces $76,500 in OSHA Fines Following Employee Needlestick Injury

Allcare Dental has been cited by OSHA for alleged willful and serious violations of occupational health standards at its Nashua, N.H. dental office after an employee suffered a needlestick injury.

OSHA’s inspection found that the office did not provide the injured employee with no-cost, post-exposure medical evaluation and follow-up, and did not have the blood of the source individual tested, as required under OSHA’s bloodborne pathogens standard.

In addition, the office’s training program did not include the proper method of removing the capped needle from a syringe, did not explain procedures to be followed in the event of an exposure, and did not provide an opportunity for employees to ask questions about the training. The office’s exposure control program also was incomplete and not updated annually. Finally, the office did not use needles with engineered safety devices for user protection.