Ensuring Safety and Health for all Women in Construction

Wilmington, Del - OSHA has combined forces with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Chapter 96 to launch an alliance program to ensure safety and health for all women in construction.

The alliance will provide a local chapter to ensure current information; guidance and training resources are available to both the employees and employers. "This alliance aims to elevate awareness of safety and health hazards, particularly as these relate to construction site work activities," said Domenick Salvatore, director of OSHA's Wilmington Area Office.

This program not only focuses on the safety for women in construction but will also promote construction safety and health to the Annual Block Kids Program. OSHA has ongoing efforts to ensure that employers maintain the health and safety of their employees. With over 470 alliances nationwide OSHA is continuing their efforts.

Employee Fell 24 feet from a Roof

HARTFORD, Conn - OSHA has proposed $113,200 in fines for a West Hartford roofing contractor. The fine was proposed after an employee fell 24 feet from a roof on November 17, 2008. the company did not supply fall protection and used an aluminum ladder to access the roof. The ladder did not reach three feet ab above the edge of the roof, as OSHA requires. The ladder was not secure and was only 14 inches from an electric power line that was in use.

"This case is a graphic example of what can happen when basic, commonsense and legally required safeguards are ignored," said C. William Freeman III, OSHA's area director in Hartford. "Equally troubling was the placement of the aluminum ladder next to a live power line. This set-up left workers just inches away from death or disabling injuries." (OSHA.com)

The inspection found three "willful" citation with $105.00 in fines as well as three serious citations, with $8,200 in fines. These violations were all basic and should have been guidelines required by OSHA.

Swine Flu Claims Another Person in the US.

The swine flue has claimed another person in the US. Due to the swine flu "scare" has many businesses looking to implement policies and procedures regarding pandemic.

Employers as well as employees need to be aware of and follow the following precautions to ensure a safe workplace:

*If you are ill-stay home
*Frequently wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds
*Keep from touching your nose, mouth and eyes.
*Use tissue to cover your mouth and nose when you are coughing or sneezing
*Avoid close contact with other employees (if you must shake hands you need to wash hands directly afterwards)
*Keep all surfaces clean with disinfective wipes or sprays (telephones, computers, equipment, kitchen counters and tables)
*Do not share office equipment. If you must use other employees equipment use disinfective wipes or sprays prior to use and after
*Limit group meeting- use email, text, phone of video meetings
(OSHA.com)

It is important that employees as well as employers keep the office aware of preventive measures.

Collapse of a Wood Shoring System

Jackson, Miss - OSHA has assessed $175,000 in penalties to two construction companies. The penalties are regarding the November 2008 collapse of a wood shoring system at new medical towers addition in Miss.
Eight employees of the two above mentioned companies were injured when the second story floor collapsed while they were pouring concrete. After OSHA's evaluation there were "two willful violations with penalties of $140,000 and five serious safety violations with $33,000 in penalties." (OSHA.com) The framework was not erected or braced to support the work that needed to be completed. The other violations include; failure to train staff, provide drawings on site during the first two weeks of construction and vertically align tiered shores, and the shoring equipment had not been inspected prior to erections.
When a citation is given the company has 15 business days to address the issues and/or request an informal conference with OSHA's are director.

Protect Against Electrical Hazards

There are ways to prevent electrical accidents from occurring. The first priority must be a safe working environment. OSHA.com gives the following examples of safe work practices:
deenergizing electric equipment before inspection or repair,
keeping electric tools properly maintained,
exercising caution when working near energized lines, and
using appropriate protective equipment.
Employers should have a safety program implemented to help measure and control electrical hazards. The program should state OSHA requirements and regulations as well as the individual business' safety set up. Every employee has the right to a safe work environment. "To assist employers and employees in developing effective safety and health programs, OSHA published recommended Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines( Federal Register 54(18):3904–3916, January 26, 1989). These voluntary guidelines can be applied to all work sites covered by OSHA.

Please see OSHA.com for safety requirements for general industry and construction electrical safety.

General Industry: Subpart S of 29 CFR Part 1910, in Sections 1910.331–1910.335
Construction: Subpart K of 29 CFR Part 1926.416 to 1926.417

OSHA - Rulemaking on Combustible Dust Hazards

Washington -OSHA has established an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding Combustible Dust Hazards. The focus of the meetings are to receive suggestions/comments on upgrading regulatory methods, recognize issues regarding the hazards, communication and defining combustible dust.

Per OSHA more than 130 people have been killed and more than 780 injured due to combustible dust explosions, since 1980. The largest explosion happened on February 7, 2008 at an Imperial Sugar Co. plant in Georgia where 14 people were killed in the dust explosion. OSHA has defined combustible dusts as, "solids finely ground into fine particles, fibers, chips, chunks or flakes that can cause a fire or explosion when suspended in air under certain conditions. Types of dusts include metal (aluminum and magnesium), wood, plastic or rubber, coal, flour, sugar and paper, among others." (OSHA. com)

OSHA is attempting to be proactive, regulate and create new standards for combustible dust.

Check out OSHA's new webpage for Combustible Dust info: www.osha.gov/dsg/combustibledust/index.html.

How to Balance Work and Everyday Life to Reduce Stress

One of the leading causes of death in the US is heart disease. This is brought on by a stressful life or poor diet. Some Employers of High stress jobs are going the extra mile to inform employees how to handle the stress. Here is some information you can pass on to your employees or co-workers.

It is extremely difficult to balance your work and life at home. By learning to balance the two aspects of your life, a great amount of stress may be relieved. Working too much can end up causing fatigue, strained relationships with family and friends, and cause higher expectations to be put upon you. Here are some simple steps to help you begin to balance your work and personal life.
-Log Everything: write down everything you do for about a week, including work and outside activities. Then you can begin to see what things must be done and which ones you enjoy. Next just cut out the activities that are not necessary or do not have time for.
-Be Flexible: take advantage of the options that may be presented by your employer. You may be able to have more time by job-sharing, or working flex hours, etc.
-Be able to say No: You don’t always have to say yes. It is just fine to say no nicely when you do not have time for certain things. It is okay to say no to a co-worker who wants you to help with an extra project, etc.
-Time Management: Begin to organize your daily chores at home to free up time-make a to-do list. It will make your days off from work much more enjoyable if you aren’t running errands or doing chores all day, so find a way to work them into your weekly schedule after working. Managing your time also help you to get things done on time without panic.
-Clear Communication: this one may reduce tons of stress. Avoiding miscommunication saves so much time and energy.
-Take time for yourself: Set aside a special time during each day, maybe when you get home from work, to do something you enjoy. Usually something relaxing such as yoga or reading can help you alleviate some stress after a long day at work.
-Recreation: Set aside a night during the week to hang out with friends or your spouse. Have fun together doing something you all enjoy.
-Sleep well: Probably one of the most helpful things you can do to alleviate stress. When you are overtired, you are more likely to make mistakes at work, which could end up causing you work more hours to fix them. No one functions well on little sleep.
-Keep a support system up: Always have a friend or co-worker who you can talk to and trust.
-Professional help: If things become so overwhelming that you cannot seem to manage the stress yourself, think about seeing your doctor, counselor, or psychologist.
Learning to balance work and life is a long process. Things are constantly changing too, making it even harder to maintain that balance. Take the time to try a few of these steps and see if you feel relieved of any stress.

OSHA Reminds of Trench Collapse Protection

Boston, MA - OSHA has cited and proposed fines for a construction company in Massachusetts. The company failed to provide any protection against cave-ins for employees who were working gin a trench over 6 feet deep. The investigation began after OSHA inspectors drove by the site and saw the employees putting a drain line in back in October of last year. While watching, the inspectors found that the sidewalls of the trenches were not properly shored to protect against collapse and there was no ladder for emergency exits. The proposed fines add up to $60,000 for the lack of cave-in protection and lack of a ladder. Any excavation deeper than 5 feet must have collapse protection. The company has been given 15 days after receiving the citations in order to comply with or argue them.

Death after 10th Floor Fall

N.Y. - Almost a month ago, a worker at a construction site was killed after falling from the tenth floor of the hotel he was working on. The hotel construction took place on Park Avenue South. It is said that the new worker fell off a plywood mold and onto a sidewalk shed. He immediately went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to Bellevue Hospital, where he died. After investigation, it appears that the worker was not wearing a harness to prevent falls while working ten stories above the ground. The construction company may be receiving citations soon. A fellow worker, who found him after he fell, believes that the worker stepped outside of the protective railing into a dangerous zone where a plywood molding was missing.

Oregon OSHA releases Swine Flu Precautions

Oregon - OSHA has requested that Oregon businesses implement procedures to control the spread of swine flu.

They recommend that all businesses provide plenty of hand soap which includes cleaner and disinfectant. The hand sanitizer, if provided, should contain at least 60% alcohol. Along with keeping employees hands clean it is vital that the following items are addressed:

*All hard surfaces must be kept clean and disinfected (this should include desks, tables, doorknobs, microwaves and refrigerator handles)
*Keep the employees informed about transmission and symptoms of the illness (www.flu.oregon.gov)
*Create a contingency plan for all employees to follow should the outbreak increase.

All employers should be prepared for the reduction of hours or closing of business should the outbreak turn. Written plans, cross-training, and alternate work hours are all positive reactions to a possible outbreak. An outline for businesses to develop a pandemic influenza plan is available on the federal site, www.pandemicflu.gov, under the tab "Workplace Planning".