Flu is Already on the Move!

Flu is reported in Kentucky to be widespread according to the CDC and state health officials. Liberty Elementary School in Oldham County, KY was closed for two days on September 25 and September 28 because approximately 40% of the students were absent with flu like symptoms. The CDC is already reporting an earlier occurrence and higher rate of flu when compared to last year.

What is a Pandemic?

A pandemic is a global disease outbreak and is caused by a new virus for which there is no immunity or immediately available vaccination. It is easily spread from person-to-person by breathing droplets from someone with the disease who coughs or sneezes. It is also spread by touching a surface with the virus on it, such as a faucet, a door knob, a handle or switch on machinery, a telephone, and other surfaces and then touching your own mouth, nose, or eyes.

How Could a Pandemic Affect My Company?

An outbreak of the flu in your workplace can have serious effects on your business. Of course there are lost work days and lower productivity to consider, but there are other less obvious factors, such as health insurance ramifications due to increased claims, disability insurance claims, unexpected overtime for employees picking up the work for sick co-workers, low employee morale, loss of overall business and income, and many more.

A pandemic is predicted to affect up to 40% of the workforce. Could your business continue to operate with up to 40% of its employees absent for several weeks either because they are ill, they are caring for family members, or their children’s schools are closed? Absenteeism will be a critical issue.

During a pandemic, some of your customers may not require your products or services resulting in economic loss. A severe pandemic is predicted to generally reduce a company’s revenue by 8%. The global economy on the whole could be affected with disruptions in travel, food production and distribution, transportation, financial markets, etc. Would your company survive such a pandemic?

How Can My Company Prepare?

There are several steps that can be taken now to prevent or lessen the threat of the flu in your workplace.

• Communicate or establish your influenza preparedness plan.
• Conduct an exercise of your plan to see if it needs modifications to be effective.
• Allow sick workers to stay home whenever possible without fear of losing their jobs.
• Pay for flu (available now) and/or H1N1 (available in October) for your employees, but do not force anyone to do so.
• Post notices on bulletin boards reminding employees to wash their hands and cover their mouths when they cough. These are two of the most important actions that anyone can take to prevent transmitting the flu virus.
• Keep meetings in enclosed rooms to a minimum.
• Provide disinfectants, such as antibacterial wipes or gels, available by machines shared with others, in rest rooms, by telephones, in receptions rooms, and other common areas.
• Have facial tissues available through the workplace.
• Provide gloves, respirators, or other appropriate PPE.
• Educate your employees on the symptoms of the flu through posters http://www.cdc.gov/flu/freeresources/2009-10/pdf/take3_poster.pdf or information in employees’ paychecks.
• Develop or revise flexible leave policies to allow workers to stay home to care for sick children and other family members or to care for children who must stay home because schools are closed.

What are the Components of a Preparedness Plan?

All businesses are encouraged to have a workable plan to protect against disruptions caused by absenteeism, delivery of products, loss of business, etc. that will ensure the continuity of the business. Here are some excellent sources to help you develop your plan:

http://pandemicflu.gov/professional/business/businesschecklist.html

http://www.flu.gov/professional/business/toolkit.html

http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/toolkit/questions.htm

U.S. Chamber of Commerce H1N1 Business Preparedness Guide

Top Stories

Trade Release
Sept. 30, 2009
Contact: Office of Communications
Phone: 202-693-1999

OSHA issues proposed rule to adopt the Globally Harmonized Hazard Communication System

WASHINGTON - A proposed rule to align the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) with provisions of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS) will be published in the September 30 Federal Register.

The current HCS requires chemical manufacturers and importers to evaluate the hazards of the chemicals they produce or import and provide information to subsequent users. The current standard requires all employers to have a hazard communication program for workers exposed to hazardous chemicals. The program includes materials such as container labels, safety data sheets, and employee training.

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.

“The proposal to align the hazard communication standard with the GHS will improve the consistency and effectiveness of hazard communications and reduce chemical-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities,” said acting Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Jordan Barab. “Following the GHS approach will increase workplace safety, facilitate international trade in chemicals, and generate cost savings from production efficiencies for firms that manufacture and use hazardous chemicals.”

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, OSHA’s role is to promote safe and healthful working conditions for America’s men and women by setting and enforcing standards and providing training, outreach, and education. For more information, visit www.osha.gov.

Top Stories

OSHA is proposing $364,350 in penalties against Frit Car Inc. in Brewton, Ala., for alleged safety and health violations. The inspection began April 3 when four workers were overcome by vapors while working in a confined space.

The company is being cited with five willful violations with a proposed penalty of $315,000 relating to failing to have an assigned attendant outside a limited space work area; not having procedures for alerting emergency services for rescuing workers in a confined space; not having a procedure that would prevent unauthorized personnel from attempting a rescue; failing to train workers who perform work in a confined space; failing to ensure the entry supervisors verified that all the entries were known; and failing to train each member of the emergency response team in confined space rescue.

The facility is also being cited with 17 serious safety and health violations with $47,950 in proposed penalties. The safety hazards include several deficiencies in the company’s enclosed and limited space program, hazards associated with poor housekeeping, no guardrails on walkways, unsuitable eye wash and shower facilities, inoperable safety interlocks on a baler machine, no tongue guard on a bench grinder and a damaged tool. The health violations concern hazards associated with several deficiencies related to noise overexposure, the employer’s respiratory program and a damaged welding lead on the mobile service truck.

Two other-than-serious citations with a $1,400 proposed penalty are being issued to the company for recordkeeping deficiencies and not properly storing air-supplied air respirators after usage.

“This incident could have resulted in fatal consequences because Frit Car management knowingly violated OSHA safety and health standards,” said Kurt Petermeyer, director of OSHA’s Mobile Area Office.

Top Stories

Since we last reported on the swine flu (now better known as H1N1) threat in the workplace in our May 2009 Newsletter, there has been increased emphasis from the federal government for businesses to be prepared for widespread seasonal and H1N1 flu. All sized organizations are being asked to have a plan to protect their workers and to maintain the continuity of their operations.

On August 19, Department of Commerce Secretary Gary Locke, Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis, and Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano issued an OSHA National News Release stressing the need for businesses to plan and respond to the upcoming flu season. Mr. Locke said: “The President has mobilized the federal government to get America prepared. But the government can’t do it alone. For this effort to be successful, we need the business community to do its part.”

A further statement was issued by Janet Napolitano in September reiterating the importance of small business in the fight against seasonal flu and H1N1. Her letter is contained in an in depth document published in FLU.gov  entitled “Planning for 2009 H1N1 Influenza: A Preparedness Guide for Small Business” .

But the importance of the issue goes beyond protecting US workers. President Obama issued a press release  on September 17 in which he announced his stance that the US must be a leader in stopping the global spread of H1N1. As stated in the press release: “…the United States will continue to act aggressively to stop the global spread of the pandemic 2009-H1N1 influenza virus and is prepared to make 10 percent of its H1N1 vaccine supply available to other countries through the World Health Organization (WHO).”

Top Stories

The alleged failure to protect its employees from potential trenching and excavation hazards has brought Luckinbill Inc. $142,800 in proposed penalties from Federal OSHA following an investigation at two separate worksites near Drummond.

“Health and safety standards must be strictly adhered to in order to protect employees,” said David Bates, OSHA’s area director in Oklahoma City. “Excavations must be properly sloped or benched to avoid injuries and fatalities.”

OSHA’s Oklahoma City Area Office began its investigation March 30, where it found employees working inside a trench without adequate protection from cave-ins at the company’s worksite on Highway 132, north of Drummond. Workers were replacing valves and piping for water lines at depths of 8 and 10 feet in excavations that were not properly sloped to ensure that the soil would not collapse inward. OSHA cited the company with one willful violation for failing to provide an adequate protective system for employees working in an excavation 8 to 10 feet in depth and one serious violation for failing to ensure employees were wearing high visibility vests.

OSHA’s inspection at the company’s worksite on County Road NS2760, southwest of Drummond, revealed that Luckinbill employees were exposed to the same hazardous working conditions. The company was cited with one willful violation for failing to provide an adequate protective system in an excavation 8 to 10 feet in depth, and two serious violations for failing to ensure employees were wearing high visibility vests and failing to ensure that excavated soil was kept at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation.

Luckinbill Inc., headquartered in Enid, Okla., employs about 180 workers, six of whom were at the worksites at the time of the inspections.

Top Stories

OSHA has cited Pride Plating Inc. with alleged willful, repeat and serious violations following an inspection at the company’s facility in Grove. Proposed penalties total $209,000.

“Employees should not be exposed to safety and health hazards,” said David Bates, OSHA’s area director in Oklahoma City, Okla. “In this case, the significant penalty of $209,000 demonstrates OSHA’s commitment to eliminating safety and health hazards in the workplace.”

OSHA’s Oklahoma City Area Office began its investigation March 4 at the company’s facility at 2900 East Highway 10. A willful violation citation was issued for failure to perform periodic monitoring after initial monitoring indicated workers were exposed to chromium VI in excess of OSHA’s permissible exposure limit.

A citation for 10 repeat violations was issued for failure to provide safe walking surfaces, provide personal protective equipment for workers exposed to chromium, prevent workers from being overexposed to chromium VI, and properly train workers who have been exposed to chromium, caustics and corrosives used in the facility.

A serious citation noting three violations was issued for failure to provide adequate washing facilities for workers exposed to chromium VI, and failure to prohibit tobacco products in chromium-regulated areas. A serious violation means there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

OSHA also issued a notice of failure-to-abate citation to Pride Plating relating to three violations: the company’s failure to implement a respiratory program, institute a medical surveillance program for workers overexposed to chromium VI, and develop and implement a hazard communication program for workers exposed to caustics and corrosives. A failure-to-abate citation is issued when an employer has not corrected a violation for which OSHA previously issued a citation and the abatement date has passed.

Pride Plating employs about 90 workers in Grove, Oklahoma.

Top Stories

Heberle Disposal Service Inc., a Rochester, N.Y., solid waste collection company, faces an additional $304,200 in fines from Federal OSHA for failing to correct hazards cited during a 2008 inspection and for new and recurring safety hazards at its Alvanar Road worksite.

OSHA had cited the company in June 2008 for 12 serious violations. A 2009 follow-up inspection found that five of the 12 cited hazards remained uncorrected: improper transfer of flammable liquids; not ensuring employees were competent to operate powered industrial trucks; not informing and training employees about the hazardous chemicals in their workplace; allowing spark-producing equipment near flammable paint spray areas; and not determining an employee’s medical fitness to wear a respirator. These uncorrected conditions resulted in the issuance of five failure-to-abate notices carrying $288,000 in proposed fines.

“The sizable fines proposed here reflect the gravity of this employer’s ongoing failure to correct clear and recognized hazards that could result in burns, crushing injuries or death for its employees,” said Arthur Dube, OSHA’s area director in Buffalo, N.Y.

The company also has been issued three repeat citations, with $8,400 in fines, for new hazardous conditions similar to those cited in 2008: an unguarded disc grinder, an improperly adjusted work rest on a bench grinder and an ungrounded flexible power cord.

Two serious citations, with $6,000 in fines, have been issued for improper storage and dispensing of flammable liquids. Finally, the company has been issued one other-than-serious citation and fined $1,800 for not posting the OSHA citations issued from the previous inspection.

“One means by which employers can prevent the occurrence and recurrence of serious workplace hazards is through an effective safety and health management system in which they work with their employees on a continual basis to actively identify, analyze and eliminate hazardous conditions,” said Robert Kulick, OSHA’s regional administrator in New York.

Top Stories