Use Child Car Seats Properly

Car crashes are the leading cause of injuries and deaths to children in the United States.  The main reason is that children are not properly restrained in a car seat or, even worse, are not in any type of restraint at all.  Every state has laws requiring children to be correctly restrained in a car seat usually until they are 7 years old or close to that age.  Most states require booster seats after this age until they reach a certain weight and/or height. 

According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) in its Traffic Safety Facts publication, “Child safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and by 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars.”  However, even though car seats are used, often times they are not properly installed and the child’s safety is still in jeopardy.

To avoid confusion and ensure the well-being of your child, the NHTSA offers the following recommendations:

• Select a car seat based on your child’s age and size, and choose a seat that fits in your vehicle and use it every time.
• Always refer to your specific car seat manufacturer’s instructions; read the vehicle owner’s manual on how to install the car seat using the seat belt or LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children, which has been required in almost all cars and on child safety seats since September, 2002); and check height and weight limits.
• To maximize safety, keep your child in the car seat for as long as possible, as long as the child fits within the manufacturer’s height and weight requirements.
• Keep your child in the back seat at least through age 12.

If you aren’t sure that your child’s car seat is properly installed, you may visit a child car seat inspection station.  A certified technician will inspect the car seat and show you how to properly install and use it.  Many stations perform this service free of charge.  Click here to find the inspection station closest to you.

You may also register your car seat with the NHTSA by completing and sending the Child Safety Seat Registration Form.  Your form will be forwarded to the manufacturer.  This will allow you to be notified in the event of a recall of your car seat.

To learn more about child car seat safety, you may check the following links for additional safety tips and information:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/LATCH

http://www.babycenter.com/baby-car-seat-car-safety

http://www.nhtsa.gov/Safety/CPS

The charts were updated to help workers safely service single-piece and multi-piece rim wheels

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has revised its tire servicing materials to address current hazards in the industry and help workers safely perform maintenance on large vehicle tires.

The revised materials address OSHA’s Materials Handling and Storage standard that protects workers who service single-piece and multi-piece rim wheels. Following recent talks with representatives from tire, rubber, and wheel manufacturers, OSHA determined a need for new materials with updates from sources such as the Tire Industry Association.

The updated information, available in a portable manual or as three poster-sized charts, is easier to access and use. OSHA’s revised “Multi-piece Rim Matching Chart” provides an updated list of current and obsolete components, and the old “Demounting and Mounting Procedures for Truck/Bus Tires” chart is now expanded into two charts that deal individually with tubeless and tube-type tires.

“These updated materials will provide readily accessible information on how to prevent worker injuries and deaths from tire-servicing incidents,” said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA. “The new format and easy access will simplify compliance with the standard by helping employers provide their workers with vital servicing information.”

The revised tire charts are available for download on OSHA’s Publications page.

For Immediate Release
Contact: Diane Hurns, 847-768-3413, dhurns@asse.org  

ASSE Announces Release of New Roadway Work Zone Safety Standards

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Des Plaines, IL (January 5, 2010) — In an effort to address transportation-related incidents, which are still the number one cause of on-the-job deaths, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced the approval of a new voluntary consensus standard, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ASSE A10.47-2009 “Work Zone Safety for Highway Construction”.
 

The A10.47-2009 standard is aimed at protecting workers from injuries and illnesses that result from working in work zones, establishing safe work practices in highway work zones, and preventing vehicle crashes in highway work zones. A work zone is an area of a highway with construction, maintenance/repair or utility work activities. The standard covers workers engaged in construction, utility work, maintenance, or repair activities on any area of a highway.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), out of a total of 5,071 workplace deaths in 2008, 2,053 people died in transportation-related incidents, 1,149 of those deaths were on highways and 322 of those workers died from being struck by a vehicle.

“OSHA has few standards that cover work zone safety,” said A10.47 Subcommittee Chair Scott Schneider, CIH. “The Federal Highway Administration is focused on safety for motorists and workers but also on reducing delays to the traveling public. Work zone safety standards also vary by State. The A10.47 standard is intended to fill the gap and to help contractors develop best practices to protect the safety and health of road construction workers.

Schneider added, “Each year, many construction workers are killed in work zones. They are run over by motorists, backed over by construction vehicles and electrocuted by overhead power lines. This standard deals with this wide range of hazards. Following it could save many of these lives.”

ANSI approved the standard on November 24, 2009 and the effective date is set for February 24, 2010.

The standard will be available soon for purchase. For more information, contact ASSE customer service at 847-699-2929 or e-mail customerservice@asse.org.

ASSE serves as the secretariat for the A10 Accredited Standards Committee on construction and demolition operations. The A10 voluntary consensus standards serve as guides to contractors, labor and equipment manufacturers in the construction and demolition industry.

Founded in 1911, the Des Plaines, IL-based ASSE is the largest and oldest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Its more than 32,000 occupational safety, health and environmental professional members lead, manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor, health care and education. For more information please go to www.asse.org.

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We are excited to announce that Advanced Safety & Health’s Louisville Kentucky office is now a certified provider of the National Safety Council Flagger training course for Kentucky employers.

Course Information: The flagger course is a combination of lecture, visual presentations, and outdoor exercises lasting approximately four hours. This program follows the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD). A written examination will be administered at the conclusion of the course. In accordance with Kentucky Transportation Cabinet requirements, only those individuals who have completed the entire Basic Work Zone and Flagger Course may be tested. Individuals who successfully complete the course and exam will qualify and receive a two (2) year certification to flag on Kentucky roadways.

Course Objective:

• Recognize the need to use specific equipment when performing flagging responsibilities.
• Correctly execute the basic Stop/Proceed/Slow directions.
• Set up a flagger station in such a way as to maximize their own safety and the safety of the crew and road users.
• Perform emergency flagging.

Contact us at (502) 240-6910 to register for a class or have us bring the class to you.

Note: While this program meets FHWS (Federal Highway Administration) and OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) requirements, it may not be approved in some states due to State Department of Transportation requirements. This program does meet Kentucky Department of Transportation requirements for Flaggers.

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In 2004, work-related injuries and illnesses per 100 full-time workers averaged 7.4 in the truck transportation and warehousing industry, the most current information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.In comparison, for the entire private sector, the rate of injuries and illnesses was 4.8 per 100 full-time workers.

Transportation and material-moving occupations accounted for the largest number of fatal work injuries of any major occupational group — 1,490 fatalities, up from 1,393 in 2003.The fatality rate for this group rose from 16.7 fatalities per 100,000 in 2003 to 17.5 in 2004.   In addition, motor vehicle operators recorded two-thirds of the fatal work injuries, up 5 percent from 2003. Material-moving occupations, such as forklift operators, recorded the second-highest total of 271 fatalities, up 8 percent from 2003.

Workers in these industries primarily are at risk of injury from transportation incidents, overexertion, being caught in or struck by equipment, falls and assaults. Another common health hazard is the inhalation of vehicle emissions.These statistics demonstrate the need for transportation, distribution and warehousing operations to have a solid accident-prevention program in place.   

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