WESTIERN ASS0ClAltl0N

Lumber Merchants Association of Northern California warns members that the Occupational Health and Salety Administration (OSHA) standard, effective January 2, 1990, requires employers to "lockout" or "tagout" equipment such as power saws and drills used in lumber and home building sales areas bef,ore commencing major servicing and maintenance. "Tagout" (attaching a secure tag that must be removed to operate the machine) will be authorized only for equipment without lockout capability. Equipment installed alter Jan. 2 must be "designed to accept a lockout device."

The OSHA standard further requires home center retailers and other employers to establish specific procedures to prevent the accidental release of energy to hazardous machinery and to provide employees with training in the use ol the safety measures.

Among other things, the standard requires workers to be trained in the specific steps for shutting down the equipment, the placement and removal of lockout and tagout devices and testing of the machines to "verily the effectiveness of the energy control measures." In addition, employers will be required to conduct annual inspections ol the company's hazardous energy control program.

The OSHA lockout requirements apply during the "constructing, installing, setting up, adjusting, inspecting, modifying and maintaining or servicing" of equipment. The standard requires that machines be locked or otherwise dis-

MANUFACTURERS & WHOLESALERS OF LUMBER & FOREST

abled during lubrication, cleaning or "unjamming" procedures "where the employee may be exposed to the unexpected energization or startup of the equipment or release of hazardous energy."

Minor adjustments do not require lockout if other safety procedures provide sufficient protection for the worker.

Mountain States Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association found in a recent survey that salaries for lumber yard employees have increased an average of l0% during the past 2.5 years, an average annual increase of 40lo while the average cost of living increase for the region has been 2.20/0.

Survey responses from more than 220 of a total of325 locations, represent a 680/o response covering 4,200 employees and more than $62 million in total payroll.

Average beginning salaries for yard workers are at $4.95 per hour, compared to $4.55 at the end of 1987. Mid-range for yard workers is $5.89 per hour; toprange average, $6.83 per hour. Rural area yard workers earn 4.50/o less than the regional average. Urban area yard workers earn 4.5% more.

Southeast Idaho has the highest sal-

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September 1990 aries, followed by Arizona and Colorado. Wyoming has the lowest overall.

Truck driver beginning salaries average $5.49 per hour, on a regional basis, with a mid-range of $6.46 and top-range of $7.51. The variance between urban and rural areas is 5.5% below the regional average for rural and 5.50/o above for urban areas.

Inside sales personnel show a higher variance between urban and rural. Regional average hourly wage for inside sales begins at $5.74 per hour. Inside sales mid-range is $6.85 per hour, top range is $8.36 per hour. The variance between urban and rural averages 6.50/o below the regional average for rural areas and 80/o above regional average lor urban areas.

Of nearly 4,000 employees reported under medical coverage programs, 510/o have 1000/o of the premium paid by the employer. Eleven percent receive no contribution by the employer.

For dependents, 70lo receive 1000/o of the premium from the employer. More than 33% receive no contribution towards dependent medical coverage. Fewer then 480/o of all employees have any form of dental coverage.