February 2006 OSHA News

Greater Illinois OSHA News             February 21, 2006

Vol. 2. No. 2 

DIOSH Day is coming!

Making and keeping the workplace healthy and safe is the focus of the 15th annual Downstate Illinois Occupational Safety and Health Day (DIOSH Day), slated for March 1, 2006, at the Peoria Civic Center.  

This year’s conference highlights safe approaches to some of industry’s toughest workplace issues, with presentations on workplace cancer prevention, injury and illness trends, safe work practices in confined spaces, and often-cited OSHA workplace violations.  

Breakout sessions on respiratory protection, lock-out/tag-out techniques, forklift safety, the hazards of hot work near petroleum storage tanks and more will provide ways to prevent tragedy.   A mini health fair will offer blood pressure and heart rate screening, glucose level testing, and other valuable health screening services.

The daylong conference opens for registration at 7:00 a.m. CST and continues with workshops and breakout sessions until 4:00 p.m.  It offers safety professionals in downstate Illinois the chance to network with hundreds of their peers and to learn about resources available to businesses and employers.

More than 50 exhibitors will join governmental and nonprofit organizations in demonstrating useful and innovative products and services designed to meet workplace safety and health goals.

Exhibit area hours are from 7:00 a.m. until 3:10 p.m. the day of the conference, which is jointly sponsored by the American Society of Safety Engineers, Central Illinois Chapter; American Industrial Hygiene Association, Prairie Section; Greater Peoria Contractors and Suppliers Association, Inc.; the Illinois Department of Labor; OSHA’s Peoria Area Office; and the Tri-County Construction Labor-Management Council.

Registration and additional information may be obtained by calling 1-877-DIOSH-DAY or by visiting the Web site at www.DIOSHDay.com        

I hope to meet many of you readers at the conference. 

Top 10 violations for General Industry – 2005 National

1. 1910.1200(e)(1)  Subpart Z - Hazard Communication- Failure to develop, implement and maintain a written hazard communication program.  Example: Employers must have a written program on the hazardous chemicals present on the jobsite, and the program must state how employees will be informed of the hazards and what the hazards are.    Total violations-2394

2. 1910.212(a)(1)  Subpart O - Machine Guarding- Failure to provide protection to employees by proper guarding of machines at these areas: point of operation, (where the work takes place), rotating parts (shafts) and areas with flying chips or sparks.  Example:  A physical barrier to prevent employees from coming in contact with the hazard, two hand operating devices to keep hands out of the work zone.   Total violations-1590

3. General Duty Clause- Failure to provide a workplace that is free from recognized hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious physical harm to employees.   Example: No magnetic restart on metal cutting machine.  Total violations-1164

4. 1910.1200(h)(1) Subpart Z - Hazard Communication- Failure to provide employees with proper training on chemical hazards in their work area and/or when a new chemical hazard has been introduced about which the employee has not received training.  Example:  Housekeeping employees must be informed of the dangers and hazards of chemicals they will come in contact with.  Total violations-1125

5. 1910.212(a)(3)(ii) Subpart O - Machine Guarding- Failure to provide proper guarding at the point of operation of the machine (area where work is actually performed).   Example:  Power presses, power saws need point of operation guards. Total violations-811

6. 1910.151(c) Subpart K- Medical and First Aid- Failure to provide eye wash and emergency showers.  Example: Eye wash for irrigation to flush dirt, debris, and/or chemicals out of eye(s).   Total violations-787

7. 1910.023(c)(1) Subpart D- Walking-Working Surfaces- Failure to provide railing on open-sided floors, platforms, and runways that are at least 4 feet above a lower level.  Example:  A guardrail system consists of the following elements: top rail, intermediate rail and toe board with posts 6ft apart (if wood) and 8ft apart (if steel or pipe).  Total violations-742

8. 1910.147(c)(1) Subpart J- Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout)- Failure to have a written program to ensure employees safely know how to isolate machines from energy sources before any maintenance or service is performed.  Example:  Employers need a written program to make sure employees know and follow their methods to ensure machines are isolated from power sources before service or maintenance is performed.  Total violations-733

9. 1910.215(b)(9) Subpart O- Abrasive Wheel Machinery- Failure to provide adequate guarding on abrasive wheels.  Example: Tongue guard shall never exceed ¼ inch distance from the wheel to the guard.   Total violations- 723

10.  1910.1200(g)(1) Subpart Z - Hazard Communication- Failure to have material safety data sheets (MSDS).  Example:  Employers must have current MSDS for all hazardous chemicals used in the workplace.  Total violations- 717

(Compiled by Dan Heinen)

Bear Kills Man

OSHA is investigating a fatality where a bear mauled a man to death at a petting zoo in Flora in February.

Man Caught in Skidsteer Arm Dies 

OSHA is investigating a fatality where a man was killed between the arms of a skid steer machine at a construction site in Kewanee.  Normally the arm would be covered with a protective screen. 

Trench Collapse in Godfrey

A worker received broken ribs when a portion of the 8 foot deep trench collapsed on him in January. The trench side had been previously dug and was not of adequate slope for Type B soil. 

30 Ton Precast Beam Falls

We are investigating the case where a 30 ton precast beam fell, just missing 2 workers in it’s path in January. The gear chain on a Mi-jack crane failed, causing the load to be released.

Competent Person, ROADCON and the OSHA 30-hour course 

The OSHA 30-hour course mandatory sections do not cover the requirements for working on road construction jobs. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) is available to be downloaded at the following address.  A competent person should be familiar with the requirements applicable to their work along or in roadways. 

http://www.osha.gov/doc/highway_workzones/mutcd/index.html

Advance Notice

Despite OSHA being 35 years old, people still have an impression that we call companies in advance for many inspections. We might call on an imminent danger or a fatality/catastrophe, but calling in advance of complaint or scheduled inspections are extremely rare. This is from the OSHA Act of 1970: 

Any person who gives advance notice of any inspection to be conducted under this Act, without authority from the Secretary or his designees, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than six months, or by both.

Pump Jack Scaffold

 

This scaffold had many problems including laying a ladder on the outrigger for a guardrail. 

(Photo by Tony Gilson)

Paint Booths

Paint booths must be cleaned on a regular basis to prevent accumulation of overspray. This booth found recently had one of the thickest accumulations of paint that we have seen. 

(Photo by Sue Ellen DeManche)

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Comments

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Comments on the newsletter should be addressed to John Newquist c/o OSHA, 2918 West Willow Knolls Rd., Peoria, IL 61614 

Peoria office - Phone (309) 589-7033. 

Fairview Heights office - Phone (618) 632-8612