Rooftoppers and The Toronto Star
Published February 1, 2012Early yesterday morning I was sitting at my kitchen table reading The Toronto Star as per my daily habit. Unlike most days, however, the front page was notlittered with the usual murder trial, hockey star or international crisis. Instead it was a picture of a young man dangling from high a top a skyscraper. Rooftopping in Toronto the headline read and the article went on to tell the exploits of photographers who take great risks to take pictures from dangerously high buildings with no safety systems in place.
Now, I am a lover of art – and usually anytime a major newspaper takes an interest in the arts I am the first one applauding, but I cannot say that I felt even remotely good about this story. This story had my stomach in knots.
You see, all week long I go out and tell students and employees alike that no risk is worth their life. I tell horrific stories and show gruesome pictures of people injured at work and I try to raise the profile of workplace safety in our culture.
This is not an easy task. To begin with, most young people think they are invincible; and truth be told many “mature” workers also have a certain degree of bravado that makes them vulnerable to workplace accidents. So, everyday I am debunking the myth that safety is a topic for wimps and green thumbs.
And unfortunately, it is news articles like these - glorifying risk - that make my job even more difficult.
Throughout our culture, there are all kinds of jobs that are risky. Mining, for instance, is a high-risk industry – this does not mean however that those in this industry just throw all precaution to the wind because “there’s gold somewhere in there”. No, instead we expect them to take every step necessary to ensure that this is safest possible industry. My problem with The Toronto Star highlighting these pictures is not that “rooftopping” is dangerous – it is that it is un-necessarily dangerous. It is almost as if the genre only got press because it was so dangerous.
The caption under one of the pictures read as follows: “My scariest moment happened just after I took this shot ... There was a moment when I thought, ‘This is it, I'm not going to survive.'” This caption really summed up the recklessness of The Star; trying to beautify lack of safety. If we are every going to turn the tide and make an impact on safety culture in Canada, we need to stop praise unnecessary risk. Instead, le
t’s ask ourselves, how do we make Canada a place a safer place to work and live?!
Top Five Safety Resolutions for 2012
Published January 23, 2012
In 2010, more than 3.9 million workplace injuries and illnesses were reported, many of which were preventable. No significant changes to these statistics are expected for 2011. With the new year now in full swing, Cintas Corporation, a supplier of first-aid and safety products, today identified the top five safety resolutions for 2012 to help safety professionals improve the health and wellness of their workplace.
"Workplace accidents result in lost productivity and excessive injury costs, directly impacting both workers and a business' success," said Tom Lally, Director of Training and Compliance, First Aid & Safety, Cintas. "Following these resolutions will enable safety professionals to take their business beyond compliance and build a safer work environment in 2012."
The top safety resolutions for 2012 include:
-- Perform regular audits of workplace safety initiatives: Benchmark safety programs to establish a baseline of performance. Once this has occurred, regularly audit the program to ensure it is working. Solicit feedback from employees and work with third-party organizations to pinpoint areas that work well and/or need improvement.
-- Set a zero-injury goal: Studies show that workplaces with higher employee engagement programs are less likely to have accidents and that reducing the frequency of incidents allows worker productivity to remain high. To achieve a culture of safety, create prevention programs that exceed compliance regulations. Engage employees in the safety process by having them lead committees and facilitate safety audits.
-- Offer training classes that engage employees: Blended training programs that incorporate adult learning principles with traditional and technology-mediated learning is more likely to capture the attention of employees, and in turn, be more successful. In addition to adjusting meeting formats, focus the content of safety meetings on topics of interest to employees.
-- Raise awareness of leading causes of workplace injuries: Overexertion from excessive lifting, falling objects and slip and fall injuries are among the most common reported workplace incidents. Ensure that employees understand the conditions that lead to common injuries and the potential hazards associated with not following protocol. For example, to reduce slip and fall incidents, train personnel to clear excess liquid and objects from the floors immediately.
-- Implement a first-aid cabinet: Having a first-aid cabinet in the workplace ensures emergency response can occur quickly in the event of an injury or illness. Cabinets provide a centralized location for bandages, aspirin and antibiotic ointment so employees know where to go should an accident occur. This also makes it easier to maintain inventory and keep track of items that need restocking.
"By developing engaging training programs and implementing attainable goals, safety professionals can create a safe work environment that protects workers and the company's bottom line," added Lally. "A successful workplace is one that views safety as a top priority year after year."
For more information on Cintas first-aid and safety products, go to http://www.cintas.com/FirstAidSafety/.
About Cintas
Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types. Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom supplies, promotional products, first aid and safety products, fire protection services and document management services to approximately 900,000 businesses. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol CTAS, and is a component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index.
Related Past Posts:
A Century Of Safety Captured In New ASSE Film
Workplace Safety, Have You Learned From The Past
OSHA's New Severe Violator Program and Increased Penalties
Summary Of Last Week’s Major OSHA Citations
Published January 23, 2012
American Marazzi Tile Cited For 25 Violations ($318,000)
Curt Manufacturing Cited For Lack Of Machine Guarding ($105,000)
OSHA's Dallas Area Office initiated an investigation on July 13 at the company's Clay Road facility as part of the agency's Site-Specific Targeting Program, which directs enforcement resources to workplaces with higher-than-average injury and illness rates.
"This company knowingly failed to implement necessary safety and health programs to protect employees from coming into contact with moving parts of machinery and prevent hearing loss," said John Hermanson, OSHA's regional administrator in Dallas. "It's the employer's responsibility to know the hazards and safeguard workers from these hazards in order to provide a working environment free of injuries and illnesses."
Three willful violations involve failing to establish and maintain a hearing conservation program for workers exposed to noise levels exceeding 85 decibels; provide the required machine guards for exposed belts, pulleys, chains and sprockets; and establish a lockout/tagout program for energy sources to protect workers from the unexpected start up of machinery. A willful violation is one committed with intentional knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or with plain indifference to employee safety and health.
Twenty-one serious violations involve failing to provide personal protective equipment, provide confined space training, provide machine guarding to prevent workers from coming into contact with rotating parts, develop energy control procedures for machines with more than one energy source, provide fire extinguisher training, properly store oxygen and acetylene cylinders, develop a bloodborne pathogens program and train employees on hazardous chemicals used in the facility. 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 is for failing to post a copy of the hearing conservation standard in the workplace. 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.
OSHA has placed American Marazzi Tile in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program, which mandates targeted follow-up inspections to ensure compliance with the law. Initiated in June 2010, the program focuses on recalcitrant employers that endanger workers by committing willful, repeat or failure-to-abate violations.
"Failing to have proper machine guarding in the first place, and to cease operating the power press brake in order to correct safety discrepancies following the injury of a worker, demonstrate a complete lack of regard for employees' safety and health," said Mark Hysell, OSHA's area director in Eau Claire. "OSHA is committed to protecting workers on the job, especially when employers fail to do so."
The willful violation carries a proposed penalty of $70,000. A willful violation is one committed with intentional, knowing or voluntary disregard for the law's requirements, or plain indifference to employee safety and health.
Five serious safety violations with proposed penalties of $35,000 involve failing to develop, document and use hazardous energy control procedures for machines with multiple energy sources; conduct annual inspections of those procedures; ensure lockout devices were affixed to energy isolating devices by authorized employees; provide point-of-operation guarding on a band saw and tube bender; and provide hand tools that permit easy material handling and prevent workers from placing their hands in machine danger zones. 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 involve failing to provide information to workers voluntarily using respirators and failing to evaluate a potential permit-required confined space. 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 injury.
The citations may be viewed at http://www.osha.gov/ooc/citations/CurtManufacturingLLC_97672_01-13-12.pdf*.
Curt Manufacturing specializes in the manufacture of towing components and employs approximately 430 people.
Related Past Posts:
OSHA Citations - Week Of January 8th
We Received Your Comments And Suggestions
Published January 9, 2012
Last week I asked what you had learned about safety in 2011. We got email! And it covered more than just what was learned in 2010.
Thank you for your suggestions for improving the Workplace Safety Blog. You'll notice that starting this week we are including images in most of the posts. Also, there was a comment thanking me for including both sides when we report on an OSHA citation. This is something I started about two weeks ago and I'll try to do it more often, when there is publicly available information from the company.
One of the themes running through several emails was that of a culturally diverse workplace. Workers from some cultures, such as Indonesia for example, may be reluctant to report safety hazards. In their culture saying something that might embarrass a superior is not acceptable. Other cultures have a macho attitude that can result in workers "showing off" their "manhood" by taking risks. Young workers may have an attitude of "it can't happen to me."
These cultural differences need to be addressed with training for managers and supervisors. They need to know about cultural differences and how to communicate with and lead the people who work for them.
In my previous post I forgot to mention that I'd like to quote from the emails you send. Unless you otherwise tell me not to, emails I receive this week and after may be quoted in this blog. Please let me know if I can use your company name when I identify who I'm quoting. Otherwise I'll just use first names.
Send your comments about:
- what you learned (about safety) in 2010
- any comments you have about safety
- any solutions you have to a safety problem
- any comments about this blog
Send them to: duralabelpro@gmail.com.
Pictures are also welcome, if you have something that can be better said using a picture.
Of course, you can also add your comments directly to any post by click on the "Add Comment" link at the bottom of each post.
Thank you!
Steve
The Safe Workplace Blog
Thank you for your suggestions for improving the Workplace Safety Blog. You'll notice that starting this week we are including images in most of the posts. Also, there was a comment thanking me for including both sides when we report on an OSHA citation. This is something I started about two weeks ago and I'll try to do it more often, when there is publicly available information from the company.
One of the themes running through several emails was that of a culturally diverse workplace. Workers from some cultures, such as Indonesia for example, may be reluctant to report safety hazards. In their culture saying something that might embarrass a superior is not acceptable. Other cultures have a macho attitude that can result in workers "showing off" their "manhood" by taking risks. Young workers may have an attitude of "it can't happen to me."
These cultural differences need to be addressed with training for managers and supervisors. They need to know about cultural differences and how to communicate with and lead the people who work for them.
In my previous post I forgot to mention that I'd like to quote from the emails you send. Unless you otherwise tell me not to, emails I receive this week and after may be quoted in this blog. Please let me know if I can use your company name when I identify who I'm quoting. Otherwise I'll just use first names.
Send your comments about:
- what you learned (about safety) in 2010
- any comments you have about safety
- any solutions you have to a safety problem
- any comments about this blog
Send them to: duralabelpro@gmail.com.
Pictures are also welcome, if you have something that can be better said using a picture.
Of course, you can also add your comments directly to any post by click on the "Add Comment" link at the bottom of each post.
Thank you!
Steve
The Safe Workplace Blog
Are There Rules On Lone Worker Safety In The U.S.?
Published January 9, 2012
A lone worker (LW) is defined as an employee who performs an activity that is intended to be carried out in isolation from other workers, without close or direct supervision.
What do you think?
Are there standards, rules and regulations are there in the U.S. that specifically protect lone workers? A quick search of the OSHA web site turned up nothing. Are lone worker standards needed? Or are existing standards requiring safe work practices sufficient?
The United Kingdom has specific legislation and standards that are relevant to Lone Workers and their Employers. Common practices used by companies to manage the personal safety of their Lone Workers are:
Past Posts:
The Fight Over Silca Dust Exposure
Employer OSHA Obligations
Protecting Roofing Contractors
What do you think?
 |
| Janitorial and maintenance staff may frequently be lone workers. |
The United Kingdom has specific legislation and standards that are relevant to Lone Workers and their Employers. Common practices used by companies to manage the personal safety of their Lone Workers are:
- Conducting Risk Assessments
- Documenting a Lone Worker Policy
- Implementation of a Buddy System
- Lone Worker Training
- Conflict Management Training
- Use of monitoring systems and equipment (Panic Alarms, Mandown (fall/impact) Detectors, Pendant Trackers)
Past Posts:
The Fight Over Silca Dust Exposure
Employer OSHA Obligations
Protecting Roofing Contractors
Posted in Food Manufacturing Safety, OSHA, OSHA News, Workplace safety | 
OSHA Citations, OSHA ReviewsWyoming AFL-CIO Calls For Sweeping Changes To Improve Safety
Published January 9, 2012 |
| Casper, Wyoming |
"An epidemiologist's yearlong study of Wyoming's grim record as one of the worst states for deadly workplace accidents has produced a scathing assessment: Employers consistently fail to enforce safety rules while telling their employees to just 'get the job done.'"
Business Week magazine reported: "Wyoming's overall workplace death rate was more than three and a half times the national average in 2010 and has ranked worst in the nation five of the past 10 years"
"Ignored safety rules correlated with 96 percent of the 62 deaths in Wyoming's petroleum industry from 2001-2008, when objects struck or crushed 16 of 32 workers killed on drilling rigs and 17 of the 25 oil and gas workers killed in vehicle accidents weren't wearing seat belts."
On Friday a pree release from the Wyoming State AFL-CIO and SAFER, released through the Equity State Policy Center, called for sweeping changes in Wyoming to improve worker safety. The press release stated:
Wyoming must make sweeping legislative, agency, policy, and cultural changes to ensure the safety of its workers.
Dr. Timothy Ryan, then the state epidemiologist, extensively documented Wyoming's appalling workplace safety record in his December 19th report to Governor Matt Mead. Wyoming had the nation's highest or second highest workplace fatality rate in the country for eight of the nine years between 2001 and 2009. In 2010 there were 34 workplace fatalities in Wyoming, a 78% increase from 2009.
Dr. Ryan's report also points out the failure of state and industry leaders to take the carnage seriously and do something about it.
"It's high time that state government and the Legislature quit playing games with the lives of workers in Wyoming," said Wyoming State AFL-CIO Executive Secretary Kim Floyd.
"Eight years of being worse or second-worst in death-on-the-job is proof that there's a problem in Wyoming that needs to be remedied," he added. "They need to step up to the plate."
Another year has passed but Dr. Ryan's report offers only more of the same palliatives, calling for continuing data collection and monitoring, along with more encouragement of industry efforts to reform itself – efforts that industry itself admits have failed.
"That Wyoming lacks a strong culture of safety should be obvious to anybody familiar with our State's abhorrent workplace safety record," said Mark Aronowitz, lead attorney for SAFER, the Spence Association For Employee Rights. "What we urgently need is a renewed commitment to safety with on-the-ground changes, from the highest levels of our state government down to individual work sites."
The state must use its legal power and moral authority to force industry to adopt the fundamental changes required to, as Gov. Mead says, "… get workers in Wyoming home safely at the end of the day."
Wyoming must:
- Empower OSHA, enabling it to hire more inspectors to not only increase courtesy inspections, but to conduct both scheduled and surprise inspections and subsequently fine and penalize companies violating safety laws. Mandatory inspections should be required following any accident requiring hospitalization;
 |
| Coal mine in Wyoming |
- Increase penalties and fines for employers and employees who discourage reporting of injuries to avoid increases in Workers Compensation premiums, to protect safety bonuses, or for any other reason;
- Make company injury records public. MSHA does this. General contractors, worksite owners, and workers, especially those working in ultra and extra hazardous industries, deserve to know whether their sub-contractors, independent contractors, and employers have instilled or rejected a culture of safety.
"Data collection and analysis are fine, but preventing injuries and fatalities must be the primary focus of any meaningful change," Aronowitz said.
What Did You Learn In 2011?
Published January 4, 2012
With a few breaks I've been writing this safety blog for nearly six years. There are nearly 1000 safety professionals subscribing to it. As I'm sitting here this morning reviewing the past year, I'm wondering what 2011 was like for you. Based on statistics the workplace in general is becoming slightly safer. There have been a lot of changes at OSHA. The workforce is changing, becoming older in some respects, but also having an influx of young workers. Plus our employees are becoming much more diverse.
So... what was 2011 like for you? What was the one most important safety (or industrial health) lesson you learned in 2011? And please don't tell me you didn't learn anything new. When I was a softball umpire I learned that after every game I could go over it in my head and see something I could have done better. Every game I umpired I learned how to be a better umpire. Safety is much more important than softball.
So what did you learn about safety or health last year? In what ways were you able to improve your safety performance or awareness?
You can email me at: duralabelpro@gmail.com
I'll share some of the answers I get in a future blog post.
So what did you learn about safety or health last year? In what ways were you able to improve your safety performance or awareness?
You can email me at: duralabelpro@gmail.com
I'll share some of the answers I get in a future blog post.
Posted in Industrial Health, OSHA News, Safety Training, Workplace safety | OSHA Citations, OSHA ReviewsKeep Kids out of Poverty, Keep their Parents Safe on the Job
Published December 8, 2011
Today as I was driving my kids to school I came across an interesting topic on CBC Radio's "The Current". The program was talking about the 10% of people in Canada who live below the poverty line, including children.
I listened with intensity as they talked about children who will wake up this Christmas morning with no presents, My stomach was knots as I thought about my own children and the beautiful presents they will receive.
I was hit with a ton of bricks, however, when they began to discuss the reasons for people's poverty in Canada. Rob Rainer , Executive Director of Canada Without Poverty, outlined the eight groups most vulnerable to poverty - and, surprisingly - at the top of the list were people who had been injured at their workplace.
Later during the CBC program, a man called in who had been working most his life, then was injured on the job and had to go on disability. He and his family spiraled into poverty, and he didn't see much hope for recovery.
The truth is, getting injured in Canda doesn't just affect the person injured. One injury affects all of society.
Some companies have said that in these hard economic times they don't have enough margin to invest in health and safety. But the fact is, Canada doesn't have enough margin for them not to invest. By investing in health and safety, companies are investing in the very fabric of our society and a strong society makes for a strong enconomy.
We can keep more kids out of poverty in Canada, by helping to keep their parents safe on the job.
Posted in cbc, disability, ethics, OSHA News, poverty, Workplace safety | children, OSHA Citations, OSHA ReviewsFree Online Safety Training
Published November 28, 2011
Oklahoma State University offers their EHS training online,. It may be freely used by anyone. The training courses and quizzes are available for anyone to use. Documentation of course completion and certifications are only available to OSU employees only.
These online safety courses provide basic safety training. They are used for OSU employees to meet quarterly safety training requirements.
The following courses are offered:
Asbestos Awareness
Back Safety
Bicycle Safety
Bloodborne Pathogens
Compressed Gas Cylinders
Electrical Safety
Fire Extinguishers
Hazard Communication
Hazardous Materials Transportation
Lightning Safety
Lockout/Tagout
Material Safety Data Sheets
Mower Safety
Office Ergonomics
Personal Protective Equipment in the Laboratory
Safety is Everybody's Business
Scaffolds
Sun Safety
Suspicious Package Training
Walking on Ice & Snow
The OSU EHS index page for the safety training also includes links to other safety training resources on the web. Be sure to look at the lower part of the page.
The OSU EHS training web page is: http://ehs.okstate.edu/modules/
These online safety courses provide basic safety training. They are used for OSU employees to meet quarterly safety training requirements.
The following courses are offered:
Asbestos Awareness
Back Safety
Bicycle Safety
Bloodborne Pathogens
Compressed Gas Cylinders
Electrical Safety
Fire Extinguishers
Hazard Communication
Hazardous Materials Transportation
Lightning Safety
Lockout/Tagout
Material Safety Data Sheets
Mower Safety
Office Ergonomics
Personal Protective Equipment in the Laboratory
Safety is Everybody's Business
Scaffolds
Sun Safety
Suspicious Package Training
Walking on Ice & Snow
The OSU EHS index page for the safety training also includes links to other safety training resources on the web. Be sure to look at the lower part of the page.
The OSU EHS training web page is: http://ehs.okstate.edu/modules/
What Are People Asking OSHA?
Published November 7, 2011
Here are the top ten phone questions asked of OSHA, top ten emailed questions, and top ten OSHA publications. These top ten lists are based on June 2011 activity.
The following were the top 10 safety and health topics raised in telephone calls handled by OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs:
The following were the top 10 safety and health topics raised in telephone calls handled by OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs:
- Bloodborne pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030) [Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention]
- Indoor air quality [Safety and Health Topics - Indoor Air Quality]
- Hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) [Hazard Communication - Foundation of Workplace Chemical Safety]
- Sanitation (29 CFR 1910.141)
- Powered industrial trucks (29 CFR 1910.178) [Safety and Health Topics - Powered Industrial Trucks]
- Personal protective equipment, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.132) [Safety and Health Topics - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)]
- Respiratory protection (29 CFR 1910.134) [We Can Help - Repiratory Protection]
- Ergonomics [We Can Help - Egonomics]
- Medical services and first aid (29 CFR 1910.151) [We Can Help - Medical and First Aid]
- Guarding of floor and wall openings and holes (29 CFR 1910.23) [We Can Help - Walking/Working Surfaces]
The following were the top 10 safety and health topics raised in e-mail questions handled by OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs:
- Indoor air quality [We Can Help - Indoor Air Quality]
- Sanitation (29 CFR 1910.141)
- Bloodborne pathogens (29 CFR 1910.1030) [Bloodborne Pathogens and Needlestick Prevention]
- Personal protective equipment, general requirements (29 CFR 1910.132) [Safety and Health Topics - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)]
- Ergonomics [We Can Help - Egonomics]
- Mold [Safety and Health Topics - Mold]
- Hazard communication (29 CFR 1910.1200) [Hazard Communication - Foundation of Workplace Chemical Safety]
- Medical services and first aid (29 CFR 1910.151) [We Can Help - Medical and First Aid]
- Powered industrial trucks (29 CFR 1910.178) [Safety and Health Topics - Powered Industrial Trucks]
- Foot protection (29 CFR 1910.136) [Safety and Health Topics - Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)]
The following were the 20 most frequently requested publications from OSHA:
- OSHA Poster (English) (OSHA Publication 3165) (also available as a 7 MB PDF)
- How to Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations (OSHA Publication 3088) (also available as a 251 KB PDF)
- Protecting Workers from Heat Stress QuickCard [PDF* - 3 MB] (OSHA Publication 3154)
- Construction Pocket Guide (OSHA Publication 3252) (also available as a 285 KB PDF)
- Distracted Driving – No Texting [PDF* - 250 KB] (OSHA Publication 3416)
- Personal Protective Equipment (OSHA Publication 3151) (also available as a 629 KB PDF)
- Construction Industry Digest (OSHA Publication 2202) (also available as a 631 KB PDF)
- OSHA Poster (Spanish) (OSHA Publication 3167) (also available as a 123 KB PDF)
- Health Effects of Heat Worksite Poster [PDF* - 2 MB] (OSHA Publication 3431)
- Permit-Required Confined Spaces (OSHA Publication 3214) (also available as a 20 KB PDF)