OSHA August News

OSHA News for August

This month’s PowerPoint is Bridge Safety. Several standards apply, but not many look at the issues that come up in building bridges. I have had a chance to inspect many in the last three years.

30% worker workers are afraid to report a safety issue. This is troubling and seems high in my experiences. What works to break the barriers? Reward reporting of issues. I see many companies get issues brought up by asking the workers and managers.  Opportunities for Improvement, Find and Fix action cards, Safety reporting boards work. Suggestion boxes do not work. Top places get 50% suggestions. Average places 10%.

http://www.nsc.org/MembershipDocuments/Methodology-Employee-Perceptions-Workplace-Safety-Survey.pdf

I will be teaching OSHA recordkeeping and Bloodborne at the Chicagoland Safety Health and Environmental Conference is being held September 18-22, 2017 at the Naperville campus of Northern Illinois University.  This once a year premier training event provides timely and expert training for OSHA/EPA compliance, general safety, industrial hygiene, environmental management and professional development.  Each year since 1988, hundreds of people attend the conference.  The 2016 conference drew over 400 people from 17 states and 89 Illinois communities.  Register NOW at the website www.chisafetyconf.org

September will be a busy month with every day booked but one.

Enjoy the Labor Day!

John

OSHA News

1) OSHA revised the new online whistle blower form

The updated form, available in English and Spanish, prompts individuals through a series of questions, such as:

Have you suffered an “adverse action”?

When did you suffer the most-recent adverse action?

Why do you believe you suffered the adverse action(s)?

Each question leads users to another question, until the form is complete. OSHA said that one new feature of its reporting system is the addition of pop-up boxes to the complaint form with information about various agencies for individuals who respond that they engaged in protected activity that may be addressed by an agency other than OSHA.

https://www.osha.gov/whistleblower/WBComplaint.html

2) The proposed organizational name change to the American Society of Safety Professionals passed by membership vote.  After verifying ballots, 4,918 votes were received out of 35,138 eligible for a return rate of 14%. 74% (3,651) of votes are in favor, 26% (1,267) opposed.

3) OSHA Review Commission appointed new members.

https://www.bna.com/senate-confirms-worker-n73014462830/

4) Security breach shuts down OSHA electronic reporting application

http://www.businessinsurance.com/article/20170816/NEWS08/912315224/Security-breach-shuts-down-OSHA-electronic-reporting-application

5)   Loren Sweatt was appointed as the new Deputy Assistant Secretary of Labor at the Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA). For the past 15 years, she served in the U.S. House of Representatives as a Senior Policy Advisor on the Committee on Education and the Workforce, where she worked with OSHA and the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) on workplace safety issues.

Sweatt holds a BA in Political Science from Texas Christian University and an MBA from Marymount University.

http://www.aggman.com/loren-sweatt-osha-deputy-assistant-secretary-of-labor/

6)  OSHA removes deaths on home page.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/08/25/osha-worker-deaths-website-242034

7) The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to extend the employer's responsibility to ensure crane operator competency and enforcement for crane operator certification to Nov. 10, 2018.

https://www.constructionequipment.com/osha-extend-crane-certification-deadline

8) Retired Columbus OH OSHA inspection Rick Burns passed away Saturday after a long illness. Visitation will be Wednesday, September 6 at 2-4 and 6-8. Funeral is Thursday at 11. All will take place at Eagle Rock Church 6810 Blacklick-Eastern Rd NW, Pickerington, OH 43147

Other Major News Stories.

1) Mom, help me,” he begged, steam hissing in the background. “Mom, I’m burning.”

Reporters then spoke with 11 power plant experts and operators from across the country, all of whom said working at the bottom of a slag tank with the boiler online is dangerous. Some plants ban the practice, they said.

http://www.tampabay.com/projects/2017/investigations/tampa-electric/big-bend-hellfire-from-above/

2) Overall positivity in urine drug testing among the combined U.S. workforce in 2016 was 4.2 percent, a five percent relative increase over last year’s rate of 4.0 percent, and the highest annual positivity rate since 2004 (4.5%).

http://www.questdiagnostics.com/home/physicians/health-trends/drug-testing

3) Intuition and safety? "the study concluded that while confidence in your own intuition may have some bearing on how your gut instincts kick in, “the predictive validity is likely low and may lead to frequent misjudgements."

http://wtop.com/education/2017/07/intuition-study-research/

4) KISSIMMEE, Fla. — Two police officers were killed and two wounded in nighttime shootings in two Florida cities where the officers were responding to suspected drug activity and reports of a suicide attempt, police said Saturday.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/2-police-officers-killed-4-others-injured-in-3-shootings-in-florida-and-pennsylvania/

5) . The pilot of the Bell 407 helicopter, Lt. H. Jay Cullen, 48, of Midlothian, and Trooper-Pilot Berke M.M. Bates, 40, of Quinton, died at the scene of the crash southwest of Charlottesville

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/2-virginia-officers-killed-helicopter-crash-near-charlottesville-are-mourned-n792146

6) MINNEAPOLIS, MN — An 81-year-old janitor has been confirmed as the second victim killed after a school building collapsed in an explosion Wednesday, an incident that injured several others.

http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/minneapolis-grade-school-explosion-leaves-two-missing-n788916

7) 10 sailors missing in Navy Ship crash.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/uss-john-mccain-collides-merchant-ship-singapore-search/story?id=49327836&cid=share_facebook_widget

8) 2 PA workers killed by gas at power plant.

http://pittsburgh.cbslocal.com/2017/08/30/worker-killed-at-bruce-mansfield-power-station/

9) Teen kills two librarians in NM.

http://www.easternnewmexiconews.com/story/2017/08/28/news/shooter-reported-at-clovis-library/153711.html

10) The widow of a Boeing Co. worker who died after falling from an elevated platform at the company's 787 campus in North Charleston has been awarded $8.8 million in a wrongful death trial held in federal court in Charleston. A jury on Thursday found Georgia-based SAR Automation was liable in the March 18, 2013, death of 38-year-old Summerville resident David Priester Jr., who fell from a mobile platform while working at the Dreamliner assembly plant.

http://www.postandcourier.com/business/federal-jury-awards-million-in-wrongful-death-of-boeing-co/article_e2491fd0-89b2-11e7-9970-772e6e7f68f2.html

OSHA Citations last month

TX 1204690.015 A-1 Electric Ltd AMARILLO 07/19/2017 $63,375.00 General Duty (providing safe workplace), Personal protective equipment, Electric circuit safeguards

MO 1207003.015 KAW SERVICES PLEASANT VALLEY 07/17/2017 $84,927.00 Respiratory protection, Confined spaces, Electrical equipment

PA 1213130.015 Professional Building Systems, Incorporated MIDDLEBURG 07/17/2017 $43,458.00 Scaffolding, Fall protection

GA 1204760.015 Pilgrim's Pride Corporation CARROLLTON 07/14/2017 $83,110.00 Walking-working surfaces, Fire exit routes, HIghly hazardous chemicals

LA 1211276.015 Forterra Pipe & Precast, LLC NEW ORLEANS 07/14/2017 $50,700.00 Fall protection, Confined spaces, Lockout/Tagout

TX 1203878.015 Eddy Packing Co., Inc. YOAKUM 07/14/2017 $128,562.00 Highly hazardous chemicals, Fall protection, Scaffolding, Personal protective equipment, Respiratory protection, First aid

KS 1209600.015 Fuller Industries LLC. GREAT BEND 07/13/2017 $68,448.00 Highly hazardous chemicals, Process hazard analysis

TX 1211911.015 Cherry Crushed Concrete, Inc. FRESNO 07/13/2017 $62,740.00 Lockout/Tagout

TX 1231350.015 Tower Extrusions, LTD WYLIE 07/13/2017 $52,511.00 Lockout/Tagout, Machine guarding, Ladders

OH 1223334.015 MAUMEE ASSEMBLY & STAMPING, LLC MAUMEE 07/12/2017 $166,225.00 Machine guarding, Mechanical power presses

CT 1222632.015 RegalCare at Torrington TORRINGTON 07/10/2017 $65,190.00 Bloodborne pathogens, Annual summary of injuries and illnesses

CA 1204558.015 Crenshaw Manufacturing, Inc. HUNTINGTON BEACH 07/10/2017 $142,715.00 [no violations linked]

FL 1202728.015 MAXON GROUPE, LLC MIAMI 07/10/2017 $60,840.00 General Duty (providing safe workplace), Dive team training, First aid kit, Dive equipment inspection, Dive procedures, Life jackets, Protective systems for excavations

IL 1208317.015 Pentair Flow Technologies, LLC* NORTH AURORA 07/10/2017 $52,512.00 Lockout/Tagout, Machine guarding, Electrical equipment safeguarding, Personal protective equipment

CA 1202885.015 Gonsalves & Santucci Inc BENICIA 07/07/2017 $61,045.00 Accident prevention program, Servicing moving machinery/equipment

CA 1214348.015 Rio Farms, LLC KING CITY 07/07/2017 $44,500.00 Servicing Multi-/Single Piece Wheel Rims

AL 1216704.015 WKW ERBSLOEH NORTH AMERICA, LLC PELL CITY 07/06/2017 $58,342.00 Lockout/Tagout, Hand protection, Confined spaces

ID 1224732.015 Miracle Tire and Total Car Care, Inc. BOISE 07/06/2017 $48,168.00 General Duty (providing safe workplace), Lockout/Tagout, Eye and face protection, Flammable liquids, Written hazard communication program

KS 1205857.015 K B Complete Plumbing Heating and Cooling SHAWNEE 07/06/2017 $43,095.00 Written hazard communication program, Protective systems for excavations, Specific excavation requirements

MA 1202160.015 Apmar USA, Inc. SPRINGFIELD 07/06/2017 $207,741.00 Occupational noise exposure, Air contaminants, Respiratory protection

MA 1205922.015 Apmar USA, Inc. SPRINGFIELD 07/06/2017 $54,380.00 Lockout/Tagout, Machine guarding

AL 1205246.015 Inzi Controls Alabama, Inc. ELBA 07/05/2017 $84,255.00 Lockout/Tagout, Machine guarding, Scaffolds

CA 1223158.015 Uni-Caps, LLC BREA 07/05/2017 $64,365.00 Work-connected fatality/injury reporting, Accident prevention program, Servicing moving machinery/equipment

HI 1235352.015 Aloha Stadium AIEA 07/05/2017 $47,000.00 Machine guarding, Eye and face protection, First aid, Walking-working surfaces

IL 1231938.015 Dealer Installations Services, Inc.  MORTON 07/05/2017 $104,572.00 Eye and face protection, Fall protection, Ladders

PA 1201133.015 Dollar General Corporation WATERFORD 07/05/2017 $59,752.00 Fire exit routes

OH 1219244.015 Ali Industries, Inc. FAIRBORN 07/03/2017 $57,040.00 Lockout/Tagout, Machine guarding

OH 1220532.015 William Pittman CINCINNATI 07/03/2017 $63,375.00 Fall protection, Ladders, Fall protection training

Safety Training at Non-Profits

CSC 30 Hour construction             Upon Request

CSC 10 Hour construction             Upon Request

CSC OSHA 500                                  Sep 11-14

CSC OSHA 510                                  in Oct

CSC Excavation Safety                    Upon Request

Recordkeeping                                Sep 18

CSC Incident investigation            Upon Request

TRMA Scaffold                                 Sep 20

CSC Crane Signal Rigging               Upon Request

CSC Confined Space                       Sep 27

TRMA Confined Space                   Upon Request

CSC GHS/Health hazards               Upon Request

CSC Fall Protection                         Upon Request

CSC Fall Protection Industry         Upon Request

CSC Work Zone MUTCD                Upon Request

CSC Job Hazard Analysis                Upon Request

CSC Machine Guarding 7100       Upon Request

CSC Emergency Planning              Sep 22

CSC Health Hazards                        Upon Request

CSC OSHA Excavation 3015           Upon Request

NIU OSHA 511                                 TBA

NIU OSHA 501                                 Upon Request

NIU OSHA 503                                 Sep 5-7, Dekalb

NIU Small Business                         Upon Request

OSHA Intro safety mgt csc            Upon Request

NIU Bloodborne                              Upon Request

OSHA 7115 Lockout                       TBA

OSHA 3115 Fall CSC                        2018

NIU is Northern Illinois University OSHA Education Center http://www.nsec.niu.edu/nsec/

CSC is the Construction Safety Council in Hillside. Www.Buildsafe.org

WDCC is the Western Dupage Chamber of Commerce http://www.westerndupagechamber.com/

TRMA is Three Rivers Manufacturers Association   www.trma.org

I usually teach only part of the 30 hour and the 500 series. I have taught 1868 people this year. I teach evenings, weekends, early mornings too      

All presentations are put on slideshare.net for free downloading. I put this presentation at this link. https://www.slideshare.net/johnanewquist/bridge-safety-2017

I use your feedback to make corrections.