You CAN Reduce Your Work Comp Premiums

Posted on June 17, 2013

Workers’ compensation insurance can be one of the largest employee-related expenditures for many businesses.  Some companies see their premiums increase each year because accidents, many times the same types of accidents, continue to occur.  By developing and implementing an effective plan, this trend can be reversed and your workers’ compensation costs greatly reduced.

The following steps have proven to be successful to many organizations in decreasing the severity and frequency of accidents and their associated expenses:

Have an active accident prevention program.  An accident prevention program involves identifying the cause(s) of accidents and developing and implementing corrective actions to prevent future occurrences.  This can be a simple process or become very involved, depending on the nature of your business and the types of accidents you are having.  Once your program has been developed, it must be communicated effectively to your employees.  Your program will not be successful unless your employees understand and support it and realize that the program is totally backed by the management team.

Investigate all accidents/incidents.  Investigation is an integral part of any accident prevention program.  Until you know why and how accidents happen, you will not be able to prevent them from recurring.  All accidents should be investigated, even if they do not result in claims.  The supervisor or manager and the injured employee should be interviewed.  If there were any witnesses, you will want to talk with them as well. The accident scene should be thoroughly examined so that you fully understand why the accident occurred. The investigation should be documented and the documentation retained. Your investigations should focus in three areas:  physical conditions, behaviors, and programs/training.

Develop corrective actions.  Once you fully understand the details of why and how an accident happened, you will be able to address the cause and develop conclusions on prevention of future accidents.  This could be a simple decision on your part or require a team to decide on the best course of action.  For instance, the work process may need to be changed or equipment may need to be modified.  You should move quickly on developing your corrective actions.  Most employees like to know their company cares about them – your decisive leadership in accident prevention will positively affect employee morale.

File accident reports quickly.  As soon as your employee has obtained any needed initial medical care, complete the First Report of Injury form and file it with your insurance carrier.  The insurance carrier will evaluate the claim and follow any continuing medical treatment so that the employee may return to work as soon as possible.  Accident reports should always be completed by the employer, never by the employee.  If you are not sure an accident is truly work-related or if it was caused by another party like a subcontractor, be sure to let your work comp carrier know.  It is the insurance carrier’s job to make the final determination in cases such as this.

Stay in contact.  You need to remain involved with a claim after it is filed and in contact with the employee during their absence.  By frequently talking with the employee and providing updates on their claim, they will feel that you are interested in their health and well-being.  Keep in touch with the insurance carrier to ensure that the claim is being handled properly and in a timely manner; this will also help you spot any errors.  It may also be necessary for you to work with the employee’s doctor.  You need to know how the employee’s recovery is progressing and that they are receiving proper medical care.  If the employee experiences any difficulties with medical care, payment of medical bills, or other problems resulting from the injury, you may need to function as a liaison to assist them.  If an employee is able to work while recovering, you need to be sure that they observe any restrictions given by the doctor and that they return for follow-up appointments as needed.

Establish a relationship with a medical provider.  It will be very helpful for you to find a physician or medical clinic that specializes in occupational medicine.  They understand the demands of a workplace and the importance of getting your employees back to work.  It is a good idea for the doctor to visit your workplace and become familiar with your processes and jobs.  Whenever there is a non-life threatening injury, your company should send your employees to the same doctor for treatment whenever possible.  Your business and employees will benefit by developing a good relationship with an occupational medical provider.  Be sure to check your state’s work comp laws regarding medical treatment as they may specify the use of a designated medical network or have other requirements.

Develop a transitional return-to-work program.  Before the employee is completely recovered, they may be able to work on a restricted or what is commonly referred to as light duty basis.  Depending on the doctor’s advice, the employee could work in another job or work their current position with restricted duties, such as no heavy lifting.  If they are able to perform the essential duties of a position without causing a hardship in the workplace, they should be allowed to return to work.  Lost time incidents have a negative effect on insurance premiums, so returning someone to work as soon possible can have a positive impact on the outcome of the claim.  To best take advantage of a return-to-work program, you will need to identify the jobs or tasks where employees may work with restrictions, which should be done prior to injuries occurring.

Create safety awareness and involvement.  No accident prevention program is complete without an emphasis on safety awareness and involvement.  In addition to governmental regulatory standards and training, such as emergency action plans and lockout/tagout, many companies do additional training to create a higher awareness of safety.  For instance, consider conducting monthly safety training meetings on topics like proper lifting techniques or steps for hot weather protection.  You should consider forming a safety committee to assist in accident investigations and to complete monthly walk-throughs of your facility to identify safety hazards. Incorporate intense safety training into your new employee orientations.  At some businesses, new employees account for a large number of accidents.  Additionally, supervisors should be held accountable for safety on their performance appraisals.

By following these basic principles employers can see significant results in reducing the frequency of workplace injuries and improvements in worker behavior and commitment to the the overall performance of the company.   If you would ever like assistance in implementing such a program in your workplace feel free to contact us any time.

Posted in Injury Prevention, Safety Culture, Workers Comp | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

OSHA reminds inspectors to ensure exit doors are unlocked, exit routes unobstructed

Posted on June 17, 2013

Don't be caught with something like this at your facility

OSHA has reminded all compliance officers to check for adequate means of egress at all workplaces. This follows the recent disastrous fire and explosion that killed at least 119 workers on June 4, 2013, at a poultry processing plant in China.

A memorandum sent to the agency’s regional administrators and state plan designees directs field inspectors, when conducting inspections, to be mindful of whether employers have provided and maintained adequate means of egress from work areas. This includes checking that an adequate number of exit routes are provided, that the exit routes are free and unobstructed, and that exit doors are not locked. See OSHA’s Emergency Exit Routes Fact Sheet (PDF*) for more information on employers’ responsibilities to ensure that their workers are able to exit the workplace quickly and safely.

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Basic Elements of an Effective Safety Program

Posted on June 17, 2013

by Eric Lawrence

Many organizations struggle with building and maintaining an effective occupational safety and health program.  In general, employers feel that safety is an important part of their companies’ functionality, but find it a difficult juggling act when it comes down to making the program useful and sustainable.  Safety initiatives will ebb and flow depending on the company’s priorities in the short and long term.

In developing an effective safety program, commitment needs to be a priority in all facets of an organization.  The company should consider it a basic component of planning, building, and maintaining a viable business.  The fundamental aspects of a comprehensive safety plan include compliance through effective policies and leadership, incorporated with commitment at all organizational levels.

POLICIES

A comprehensive safety program starts with drafting policies that accomplish the following objectives:

  • Eliminating or reducing injuries.
  • Satisfying government compliance.
  • Meeting insurance requirements.

In addition, your safety programs must be crafted to enable your company to obtain its other goals such as efficiency, productivity, quality, and the big one – profitability.  Often, companies do not spend enough time drafting policies that can sustain these goals.

Good policies should start with defining objectives.  This should be driven from two sides: the first is accomplishing injury prevention and compliance; the second involves maintaining other company goals, such as productivity and quality.

Safety policies should be implemented to account for training requirements, both initially and refreshers when necessary.  The training administered should present not only how to accomplish the program requirements, but also why this program is important to the individual and the company.  If the reasons why a program is a priority to the employee can be effectively communicated, there will be an increased likelihood for internalizing the importance of safety in all activities.

Policies also need to set up a system of continuous improvement.  This system should incorporate setting baseline standards and achievable goals, then following up with auditing programs to regularly measure the successes and shortcomings.  Obstacles will be encountered throughout the policy implementation process.  It is important to find the correct balance between productivity, quality, and safety for the company to be successful at keeping people safe and maintaining profitability.

LEADERSHIP

Leadership provides another building block in creating an effective and comprehensive safety program.  Without effective direction, all safety initiatives will quickly move to the bottom of the priority list.  Leadership in safety should include responsibilities for all individuals in the company.  Although the responsibilities for safety may differ depending on the person’s position, the top leadership should instill safety values in all individuals to emphasize it as a personal matter.  Top executives need to set priorities and expectations dealing with safety.  Everyone should be aware of the goals, just as they would be aware of deadlines, production efficiencies, and quality control.

One of the main obstacles top management has when dealing with safety is keeping it on the priority list along with all the equally important issues they must balance.  As soon as employees realize something is not on management’s priority list, it quickly moves off their list as well.

Supervisors wear many hats in dealing with safety.  Supervisors should fulfill the role of implementing any new safety initiatives by keeping safety a top priority on a daily basis with their employees and suggesting improvements to the safety system being created.  While someone in your organization may wear the “safety person” hat, it should not mean that all safety responsibilities are shifted toward that person.  All supervisors should be responsible for effectively leading a safety program to success.  They should serve as observers of problems and enforcers of policy.  Lack of time, manpower, and understanding about safety are common obstacles supervisors face.

At the employee level is where safety actually happens.  Employees must internalize the safety process and recognize and understand that the safe way is the only way.  For a program to be truly effective, employees must also have involvement and responsibilities in making a difference when it comes to safety.  With time, they need to take ownership and come to the realization that they benefit the most from an effective safety program.  Initially, many employees push back at safety programs because they may feel additional rules are keeping them from doing their perceived “real responsibilities” of getting production done or that enforcement is excessive.  If employees can get past the necessary evils of different procedures and enforcement, they will begin to understand that the basis for safety is to keep them from harm – everyone can go home at the end of the day and enjoy their personal lives without pain or debilitations.

COMMITMENT

Commitment is the third building block in creating an effective safety program.  This commitment should come in several forms.  Top management needs to understand what the safety objectives are and then convey the importance of accomplishing these objectives.  Top management should also communicate their vision of how they see safety fitting into the organization.

Supporting the safety program financially can sometimes be forgotten.  Some may feel that financial commitment to safety means printing up tee-shirts and providing extra time to accomplish some additional tasks.  But many times it means analyzing the potential for problems before they occur and then fixing the problem proactively.  This can be a difficult sell if it is merely the “potential” for an issue and requires forward thinking, but it will ultimately save the company money and injuries.

Supervisors need to be committed to consistency.  This consistency should be evident in the support of safety initiatives, openness to trying different approaches, and never overlooking safety in order to accomplish a short-term need or because it may be easier than doing things the right way.

Employee commitment needs to be for themselves and each other.  Everyone should think ahead before doing and look out for one another.  Employees need to understand that there is no better person to look out for their own safety than themselves.

Creating an effective safety program is much more than just creating rules and procedures.  Effective programs go further to actually change the culture of the organization.  This shift can create forward thinking and proactive approaches to their work.  Benefits of a successful program will include high employee morale, low employee turnover, reduced workers compensation premiums, and reduced overhead costs for your business.  The road to an effective safety program can be a long one, but with solid policies, positive leadership, and total commitment it can be accomplished.

Posted in Injury Prevention, Safety Culture, Safety Training, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

You Are Not OSHA Certified

Posted on June 14, 2013

Because we have several safety positions open, I’ve been screening a lot of resumes lately.  It always amazes me how many people put (in some way, shape, or form) “OSHA Certified” in their resume.  Here are a few examples:

               OSHA Certified Instructor

               OSHA Certified 500 Trainer

               OSHA Certified 501 Trainer

               Certified OSHA Consultant

               Certified OSHA Trainer

               OSHA Certified Outreach Trainer

I have also received curriculum vitae and professional profiles from other consultants claiming to be “Certified” by OSHA.  Just today, I ran across a rather bizarre video on YouTube telling folks how to get “OSHA Certified”.  I often wonder how many people get fooled by such a claim.

PEOPLE!  While other entities provide all types of certifications the Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn’t certify anything other than State OSHA Programs.

For those of you who have taken the OSHA 10 or 30, or any of the OSHA Training Institute numbered courses, the OSHA Outreach Training Program is NOT a certification program and must not be advertised as such.  OSHA clearly states that outreach trainers, students, and curriculum are not certified. The outreach trainer is “authorized” and students receive student course completion cards. OSHA goes on to say advertisements must not use any form of the word “certify” including the word “certification”, or imply that the Outreach Training Program class will result in the individual being certified. I may be wrong here, but I see resumes as a form of advertisement.  So, if you submitted a resume to my company and were wondering why you never received a call back, I would suggest you give what you sent a little looksee to determine if you told us you were “OSHA Certified”.  Because you aren’t.

I know it appears I am getting a bit testy in my old age, and that is probably true.  But you need to get it right on something as important as a resume.  Have a safe day everyone.

Dwayne Towles
President- Advanced Safety & Health, LLC

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Lack of Guarding Costs Two Fingers and Over $126 K in Fines at Cheese Factory

Posted on June 13, 2013

OSHA fines Wisconsin’s Gilman Cheese Corp. $126,700 after worker suffers amputation by unguarded machine.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited Gilman Cheese Corp. for 10 safety violations totaling $126,700 in proposed fines. A worker had two fingers amputated by an unguarded cheese packing and labeling machine at the Gilman factory. A January inspection was prompted by a referral. OSHA found that another worker suffered a similar amputation in January 2012.

“This tragedy could have been prevented if Gilman Cheese Corp. ensured adequate machine guarding and lockout/tagout procedures,” said Mark Hysell, OSHA’s area director in Eau Claire. “Too often, compromised safety procedures have tragic consequences. OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job.”

Two willful violations involve failing to develop and train workers on machine-specific lockout procedures to prevent unexpected start-up and lockout machinery during servicing and maintenance, and to provide adequate machine guarding. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law’s requirements, or with plain indifference to worker safety and health.

Additionally, six serious violations involve inadequate guarding on a bench grinder and a portable grinder; lack of adequate emergency eyewash stations for workers handling corrosives; operating powered industrial vehicles without adequate training and inspections; using a flexible cord as permanent wiring; lack of an electrical safety program; and failing to provide training on bloodborne pathogens to those who cleaned equipment following the amputation. A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.

Two other-than-serious violations include obstructing a means of egress and using compressed air greater than 30 pounds per square inch for cleaning. An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.

Because of the hazards and the willful violations cited, Gilman Cheese Corp. has been placed in OSHA’s Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. Under the program, OSHA may inspect any of the employer’s facilities or job sites. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=DIRECTIVES&p_id=4503.

The current citations may be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/Gilman_Cheese_Corp_829801_06-07-13.pdf*. The company has 15 business days from receipt of the citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

Posted in Bloodborne Pathogens, Electrical, Lockout/Tagout, Machine Safety, OSHA Inspections, Powered Industrial Trucks | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Don’t Forget the December 1st Deadline for the New Hazard Communication Training

Posted on June 12, 2013

OSHA is requiring that employees be trained on the new label elements (i.e., pictograms, hazard statements, precautionary statements, and signal words) and Safety Data Sheet (SDS) format by December 1st of this year.  While full compliance with the new rule will begin in 2015, we have seen and heard from our clients that they are beginning to receive labels and SDS’s that are consistent with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS).  It is important to ensure that when employees begin to see the new labels and SDS’s in their workplace, they will be familiar with them, understand how to use them, and access the information effectively.

The list below includes the minimum required topics for the training which must be completed by December 1, 2013.

Training on label elements must include information on:

  • Type of information the employee would expect to see on the new labels, including:
    • Product identifier
    • Signal words
    • Pictogram Hazard statement(s)
    • Precautionary statement(s)
    • Name, address and phone number of the chemical manufacturer, distributor, or importer
  • How the employee might use the labels in the workplace. For example,
    • Explain how information on the label can be used to ensure proper storage of hazardous chemicals.
    • Explain how the information on the label might be used to quickly locate information on first aid when needed by employees or emergency personnel.
  • General understanding of how the elements work together on a label. For example:
    • Explain that when a chemical has multiple hazards, different pictograms are used to identify the various hazards.  The employee should expect to see the appropriate pictogram for the corresponding hazard class.
    • Explain that when there are similar precautionary statements, the one providing the most protective information will be included on the label.

Training on the format of the SDS must include information on:

  • Standardized 16-section format, including the type of information found in the various sections.
    • For example, the employee should be instructed that with the new format, Section 8 (Exposure Controls/Personal Protection) will always contain information about exposure limits, engineering controls, and ways to protect them, including personal protective equipment.
    • How the information on the label is related to the SDS.

Remember, OSHA requires employers to present information in a manner and language that their employees can understand and comprehend.

If you need assistance in preparing for December 1st training requirements compliance deadline, please contact us at Advanced Safety & Health to discuss our service options and pricing.

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Integra Health Management cited for workplace violence hazards

Posted on June 11, 2013

Employee conducting risk assessment stabbed to death

OSHA cited Integra Health Management of Owings Mills, Maryland, with two violations following an incident in December 2012 in which a service coordinator was fatally stabbed by a patient in front of the patient’s home in Dade City, Florida. The employee, who was meeting the patient for a required face-to-face hospitalization risk assessment, was overcome and stabbed multiple times after attempting to flee.  The employee had previously raised concerns about the patient, who had a criminal history of violent behavior.

A serious safety violation has been cited for exposing employees to incidents of violent behavior by a patient that resulted in death.  A serious violation occurs when there is substantial probability that death or serious physical harm could result from a hazard about which the employer knew or should have known.  One other-than-serious violation also has been cited for the employer’s failure to report a workplace fatality.  An other-than-serious violation is one that has a direct relationship to job safety and health, but probably would not cause death or serious physical harm.  The citations for the serious and other-than-serious violations carry $10,500 in proposed penalties.

“This incident could have been prevented if the employer had a comprehensive, written, workplace violence prevention program to address hazards and assist employees when they raise concerns about their safety,” said Teresa Harrison, OSHA’s acting regional administrator for the Southeast.

Integra Health Management has its corporate office in Owings Mills, with service coordinator operations in Tennessee, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Florida.  The company conducts mental and physical health assessments and coordinates health care for members through community service coordinators.  Service coordinators work from their homes or in the field.

Information on workplace violence is available at http://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/index.html.

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OSHA Quiz: Is a Combination Lock Acceptable for Performing Lockout?

Posted on June 11, 2013

Scenario:  You have been hired as the new safety manager for a machine shop operation.  During the first few weeks, you are out on the plant floor with the maintenance manager reviewing the company’s energy control program.  You observe a maintenance person perform some servicing work on a piece of machinery.  You notice the lock he applies to the energy isolating device is a combination type lock and not a keyed lock.  You ask the maintenance manager about this.  To your surprise, he states that all their lockout locks are combination types, and the previous safety manager had no problem with this and in fact, supported the practice.

Question:  Is the maintenance manager correct in his belief that a combination type lock is acceptable for lockout/tagout? Or, is the company going to need to replace all the locks with keyed type locks and train all the employees about this change?

Answer:  If you read the definitions in 1910.147 (b), you will see the following:  Lockout device.  A device that utilizes a positive means such as a lock, either key or combination type, to hold an energy isolating device in the safe position and prevent the energizing of a machine or equipment. Included are blank flanges and bolted slip blinds.

 

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Mower Safety Tips

Posted on June 10, 2013

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), more than 234,000 people were treated in a clinic or emergency department, or were admitted to the hospital, for lawn mower-related injuries in 2012.  More than 17,900 of them were children under age 18, and approximately one-third of lawn mower-related injuries were serious enough to be treated in an emergency department.  Hazards most often associated with riding equipment are blade contact and loss of stability.  Based on incidents reported to CPSC, an annual average of about 90 deaths is attributed to riding mowers.  Fatal incidents have several common patterns:  the machine tips over and the victim falls under, or is run over, by the machine (incidents involving young children are in this category), or the victim is thrown from or falls off the machine.

Lawn mower injury prevention tips include:

  • Only use a mower with a control that automatically stops the mower blade whenever the handle is released.
  • Children should be at least 12 years of age before operating a push mower, and age 16 to operate a riding mower.
  • Make sure that sturdy shoes (not sandals or sneakers) are worn while mowing.
  • Prevent injuries from flying objects, such as stones or toys, by picking up objects from the lawn before mowing begins.  Anyone using a mower (or in the vicinity) should wear polycarbonate protective eyewear at all times.
  • Always turn off the mower and wait for the blades to stop completely before removing the grass catcher, unclogging the discharge chute, inspecting/repairing lawn mower equipment, or crossing gravel paths, roads, or other areas.
  • Use a stick or broom handle (not your hand or foot) to remove debris in lawn mowers.
  • Do not allow children to ride as passengers on riding mowers and keep children out of the yard while mowing.
  • Keep lawn mowers in good working condition. When using a lawn mower for the first time in a season, have it serviced to ensure that it is working correctly.

The CPSC Fact Sheet has other excellent safety tips.

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Construction Site Safety Manager Opening- Delaware County Pennsylvania

Posted on June 10, 2013

 


This will be an approximately 12- to 18-month assignment in Delaware County, PA

We have a client with a need for a construction site safety manager. Work will begin around late June or early July 2013.  This is a great opportunity to work with a premiere design/build/project management firm focusing on the pharmaceutical industry. This position reports to a Corporate Safety and Health Director. This is truly an organization with a strong safety culture and with high expectations. This individual will need strong interpersonal skills and be a “hands on”, heavily involved kind of person and able to work with sub-contractors as well as the host safety representatives. Your primary focus will be driving a proactive safety culture through the entirety of the project.  Candidates must have prior safety management experience in construction.  At a minimum, you must have completed an OSHA Construction 30. OSHA 500/502 Authorized 10 & 30 Hour trainer an added plus. The project site in Delaware County, PA (outside of Philadelphia) and will last about 12 to 18 months. Successful candidate must be able to work outdoors and be willing to work overtime and some weekends. Send resume and salary expectations to info@advancedsafetyhealth.com for consideration.

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