Safety Net | March 2022

THE SAFETY NET CO N SU LT

MARCH 2022

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DESIGN

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ENGINEER

IT’S ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST. •

CONSTRUCT

VOLUME 16 ISSUE 03

New Year, New Solutions 02.03.2022 | EHS Today - Nicole Stempak

SAFETY FIRST. Austin employees have worked 4,698,738 hours without a Lost Time Accident through 01/2022.

FOCUS ON SMALL, LASTING CHANGES TO IMPROVE YOUR OUTLOOK. This year, I’m not making a New Year’s resolution to eat

need to see what works for me and what doesn’t, though I expect those will change over time as I learn how to tame my inbox.

out—and it’s not because of a lack of willpower.

LOOK AT BOTH THE FOREST AND THE TREES.

Vaguely worded resolutions don’t allow us to make

It’s easy to get so focused on doing something a certain

measurable progress, nor do they set parameters for

way that you forget all the other possibilities. That’s why it’s

success, according to experts. Furthermore, resolutions

important to zoom in and out on your situation.

healthy or lose weight. Those kinds of resolutions rarely work

connected to external factors like societal expectations or pressures aren’t as successful as intrinsic motivations in the long term. In other words, make sure you’re eating steamed broccoli and riding the bike for yourself, because you want to. Otherwise, you probably will stop after a couple months.

As we approach a third year of a global pandemic, it’s understandable if you are in despair. All too often, I find my thoughts leading me in a downward spiral. It’s during these moments that my significant other must gently remind me that worrying about something I don’t have control of is a poor use of my time and energy.

As a result, I have decided to focus on changing what is in

For example, it often feels like hours or a whole day can slip past me, and I haven’t touched the tasks I wanted to focus on. I made myself more cognizant of when that feeling arises, then analyzed it. Was it because I let myself be distracted? Was it because I had unrealistic expectations for the day? Was it because I didn’t set clear boundaries?

This exercise has helped me honestly assess my behaviors.

I’ve decided I must check-in with myself throughout the day to manage expectations versus reality. Based on my conclusion, I may need to make myself unavailable, shorten my to-do list or block off time to tackle a task.

my control. It feels like we have surrendered so much of our

BE OPEN TO CHANGE.

lives and, to a certain extent, our identity to the pandemic.

COVID-19 has certainly prompted lots of changes, but we

With seemingly everything defined and affected by

may not like all of them. Still, it’s important to acknowledge

COVID-19, thinking about what I want to do differently is an

those changes and allow yourself time to process or

emboldening thought, one that has filled me with a sense

respond to them.

of energy and excitement.

For example, that could be something as banal as caving

I have identified some common themes from what I have

into my cravings and eating a cinnamon raisin bagel for

read, though there is plenty of disagreement, too. I’m trying

breakfast instead of my usual heart-healthy oatmeal—

to put those recommendations and advice to good use.

and not beating myself up for eating carbs first thing in

Here’s what I’m focused on doing differently in 2022:

the morning. It’s fine because it was delicious, and food is

IDENTIFY WHAT MAKES ME FEEL BAD, THEN SET A GOAL THAT WILL MAKE ME FEEL BETTER.

meant to be enjoyed.

It’s like thinking in reverse. You isolate the problem and then identify specific actions you can take to arrive at a more positive outcome.

For example, I noticed my energy level drops and anxiety level spikes every time I check my email. I had to work through why that is. I realize that I thankfully don’t anticipate or fear receiving some negative news. Rather, the sheer volume of emails that I need to read, respond to and act on is a source of stress.

I’m trying out a couple techniques, including setting up a Trello board and creating task-based Outlook folders. I’ll

I used to have a rigid routine, including what I ate for breakfast. That no longer works for me. Instead, I let myself focus on what I need at that moment and acknowledge that can change from day to day or even hour to hour. It can be difficult to not adhere to a routine, but I’m finding joy in asking myself whether something still serves me and adjusting accordingly.

These continue to be challenging times. Our individual situations may be different, but we all need to be kind to ourselves, give ourselves grace and do what we can to feel better about ourselves. Focusing on what we can do rather than what we can’t is one way to start.

Four Steps to Stay Safe and Operational During the Winter 01.28.2022 | EHS Today by Don Shelly In preparing for a major winter storm, the key areas to focus on are human safety, facility limitations, and transportation and utility restrictions.

Major winter and ice storms, much like the polar vortex surge that impacted a majority of the U.S. in February 2021, can cause great economic impacts and business disruptions, yet many businesses don’t have plans in place to mitigate their impacts. As the days get shorter, planning for severe winter weather should be a top priority for environmental health and safety decision makers.

The impacts from cold weather events will vary greatly depending on where your business is located and how frequently you experience below-freezing temperatures. Whether you begin to see negative effects at 32°F or 10°F, extreme temperatures create operational difficulties, safety concerns and financial losses for businesses in the cold season.

Winter weather can also present difficulties in forecasting, not only because episodes of cold temperatures can cover large areas, but also because precipitation, and the form it takes, is very sensitive. Precipitation can take the form of rain, sleet, freezing rain, or snow, and the conditions in which these form can create dangerous ice. All of these are dependent on temperature, which itself can fluctuate depending on the level of cloud cover, speed or direction of wind, and humidity in the atmosphere. This volatility in precipitation contributes to the uncertainty surrounding an upcoming cold front, making it hard to get advanced forecasts of the kind of precipitation to expect. Even though a major cold event can be identified seven to 10 days in advance, it’s not until one or two days before impact that the track, timing and strength of the cold front can be confirmed.

Every year, in anticipation of an upcoming cold season, businesses should develop a Winter Weather Response Plan that outlines what areas of a business are at risk from individual weather elements. Here are four steps to prepare for and safely mitigate the operational impacts of severe winter events.

1. OBTAIN AN APPROPRIATE TEMPERATURE FORECAST Your definition of “extreme temperatures” will vary depending on the vulnerabilities of your organization. Accurate weather intelligence is critical in knowing what actions to take in response to severe cold events. Having timely access to this information is essential for preparedness. Temperature forecasts should advise on: • How cold it will get.

• How certain is the forecast.

• How long it will last.

• How widespread the event will be.

• How soon will the front arrive.

• Other weather elements to expect, such as wind and precipitation (snow, ice, sleet).

Once the weather event parameters are known, the response team can start the actions of their response plan.

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2. KNOW YOUR BUSINESS AND ITS WEATHER SENSITIVITIES In preparing for a potentially impactful winter weather event, the key areas most businesses will need to consider will likely fall within three main categories: human safety, facility limitations, and transportation and utility restrictions. The level of impact and response within these areas varies from business to business, which is why it is imperative to know the specific vulnerabilities present within your organization.

Employee safety is always number one. It’s essential for a business to ensure safe working conditions for employees in all professional environments. In winter this means providing a heated workspace. When monitoring the temperature, remember wind chill and elevated work sites can be colder than the thermometer might read. If staff are required to work outside, a heated break space should be provided where employees can warm up when needed.

It also includes providing access to sufficient and adequate PPE—cold stress can cause hypothermia, frostbite, and trench foot, all of which can having long-term effects. Outdoor work areas have the additional risk of slipping and falling in snow or ice, so these areas must be properly assessed before and immediately following any inclement weather. To combat dangerous environments, temporary walkways and salt can be used to form stable surfaces for outdoor workers.

How will cold weather impact your facilities? Preventing operational downtime requires the infrastructure of a business to remain functional in a freeze. Things to consider include: • Is there temperature-sensitive equipment, machinery, technology, or processes that will fail or become dangerous to use below a certain temperature?

• Are there structural weaknesses to buildings that may be impacted by heavy snow or strong winds?

• Are there pipes that might freeze shut?

• How long can the facility withstand certain temperatures? (2 hours at 20°F might not have the same impacts as 24 hours at 32°F.) Based on the answers to these questions, certain preparatory measures must be taken. This could include draining unused or unnecessary water lines, or protecting critical equipment with additional insulation or warming the area. Knowing your vulnerabilities is the first step to preparing for them, maintaining operations through an event, and knowing when it’s time to shut down or dial back.

Consider supplier and utility limitations. Many businesses rely on utility providers, suppliers and contractors for daily functioning. Receiving and delivering goods and services can become risky if roads and regular routes are impacted by ice. Keep drivers informed of road conditions and have alternate routes ready for deliveries, if possible.

It is also a good idea to monitor for power outages. Most utility companies offer online tracking maps for current power outages. If your business service provider is able to track the probability of a power outage based on the weather conditions, you may be able to pre-position generators for emergency power.

Should road conditions make it too dangerous to travel, safety managers should have enough emergency supplies on-site to last through an event, and should update journey management protocols to prepare company vehicles, as employees could temporarily get stuck away from the main facilities.

3. DEVELOP AN ACTION PLAN BASED ON OPERATIONAL TEMPERATURE THRESHOLDS Once the vulnerabilities have been identified, a comprehensive response plan can be developed, ideally for all business risks. The most effective weather response plans consider the forecasted weather conditions, the probability of the worstcase scenarios (i.e., lowest possible temperatures or highest wind speeds), the stages and timing of the developing weather, and the amount of time needed to safely execute any mitigation efforts. Responding to winter weather threats requires additional flexibility—reflected by an adaptable response plan that includes: An Activator: A threat alert temperature or precipitation alert that rolls responses into action. The activator may need to consider the probability of the cold weather event. The chosen temperature alert will depend on the restrictions highlighted in Step 2 above.

A Timeline Tool: To identify response plan actions and when they should be implemented. This should include alerts for the forecasted arrival of the front, severity of the storm and probable impacts. The timeline should also review the duration of possible impending scenarios and provide options to cope with each. Safety managers would likely respond to a two-hour freeze differently than a 10-hour freeze, as each impacts a business differently. The goal for this timeline tool is to count down to the event’s impact, ensuring each preparedness action is implemented at the right time.

Seeking Meteorological Advice: Meteorologists can monitor precise site locations and forecast the level of impact a business can expect from a weather threat. This forecast should tell you the expected type of precipitation and temperatures, which is critical information for your response. Guidance from a weather intelligence partner factors into the timeline tool, as that information should be obtained before managers and executives need to make decisions. These services can customize alerts for a business based on their specified temperature thresholds up to seven days in advance.

The timing of a cold front is crucial to the timing of a freeze, and the arrival of cold weather will influence when the coldest temperatures will be reached. There is also the possibility of several freeze and thaw patterns occurring throughout the event, which may need to be factored into a business’s coping plan.

4. PRACTICE THE PLAN Until a procedure is set in motion, it is difficult to predict its shortfalls. Practicing a response plan will show employees what to expect in the event of severe winter weather. Each employee has the opportunity to go through the motions and fully understand their responsibilities in that situation, so they can be prepared for the real event. Drills can highlight unforeseen problems with facilities and transportation, or gaps in procedures. This is the opportunity to improve preparedness planning and ensure all members of a business are informed and ready to act.

Every year, there’s a good chance of volatile winter weather patterns. Even in some more temperate areas of the country, businesses need to plan for intense cold snaps, snow accumulation and variable forms of precipitation. Using the steps above, safety managers can prepare for winter and mitigate operational downtime for their businesses, ensuring people and places remain safe.

How COVID-19 is Impacting Construction Workers 01.01.2022 | EHS Today by Nicole Stempak Now, more than ever, construction workers need mental health support.

Construction workers already struggles with addiction, overdose and suicide. Now, data shows how workers’ mental health have fared during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) took a deep dive into feelings of anxiety and/or depression in the January 2022 edition of its Data Bulletin.

Anxiety and depression have worsened during the pandemic, based on data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 2011 to 2018 and 2020, which focused on self-reported symptoms, patterns and changes during the pandemic.

Researchers compared prevalence of anxiety and/or depression across worker demographics, socioeconomic status and certain health indicators. They noted that because of survey methodology changes in 2020 and fewer respondents during the pandemic.

Still, the findings are concerning: • In 2020, 14.3% of NHIS respondents reported they had feelings of anxiety and 5.9% had feelings depression.

• Between 2019 and 2020, 42.9% of workers reported feeling more anxious and/or depressed, including 37.3% who felt more anxious and 18.4% who felt more depressed.

• More than a third (36.3%) of respondents considered themselves not in very good or excellent health, and 27.8% were uninsured.

• Nearly one in five (19.2%) of workers who drank heavily throughout the past year reported anxiety and/or

• Prevalence of anxiety and/or depression was highest

depression compared to those who didn’t (15.1%).

in workers who were ages 18-34 years old (17.9%)

• Workers who used prescription opioids in the past year

compared with other age groups.

• Anxiety/depression was also more common among certain categories of respondents: females (23.6%), non-

were more likely to report anxiety and/or depression compared to those who didn’t (38.8% versus 13.6%).

• In 2020, 7.9% of survey respondents reported they lived

Hispanics (18.1%) and those living in the Midwest or West

below the poverty threshold. Prevalence of anxiety and/

(more than 19%).

or depression was slightly higher in workers with a family

• Those who reported good, fair or poor general health were more likely to report anxiety and/or depression than those with excellent or very good health (18.6% versus 13.4%).

income below the poverty threshold (18.4%) versus those at or above poverty (15.1%). However, anxiety and/ or depression was lower in blue-collar workers (13.2%) versus white-collar jobs (21.4%).

Read more findings and access support resources here.

March is National Ladder Safety Month 02.15.2022 | Weeklysafety.com American Ladder Institute (ALI) has declared March as National Ladder Safety Month. This movement is dedicated to ladder safety awareness in an effort to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities.

The American Ladder Institute (ALI) is a not-for-profit association dedicated to promoting safe ladder use. The ALI is comprised of members from the US and Canada who are ladder manufacturers and manufacturers of ladder components.

ALI is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved developer of ladder safety standards.

Every year, over 100 people die in ladder-related accidents, and thousands more suffer disabling injuries. Mark your calendar to join the American Ladder Institute (ALI) in observing National Ladder Safety Month, designed to raise awareness of ladder safety and to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities.

EVERY STEP MATTERS: FROM STEP STOOLS TO EXTENSION LADDERS, MAKE SURE YOU’RE PUTTING THE RIGHT FOOT FORWARD. National Ladder Safety Month in March 2022 will focus on these four key themes: • Week One: Choosing Your Ladder • Week Two: Safety Before the First Step (Inspection and Set Up) • Week Three: Safety While Climbing • Week Four: Safety at the Top

THE GOALS OF NATIONAL LADDER SAFETY MONTH ARE TO: • Increase the number of ladder safety training certificates issued by ALI • Increase the frequency that ladder safety training modules are viewed on www.laddersafetytraining.org • Lower the rankings of ladder-related safety citations on OSHA’s yearly “Top 10 Citations List” • Decrease number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities • Increase the number of in-person ladder trainings • Increase the number of companies and individuals that inspect and properly dispose of old, damaged or obsolete ladders

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Ladder accidents are preventable, but without better safety planning and training and continuous innovation in product design, we will continue to see far too many fatalities. Please join ALI and its members in sharing this message with the world.

To learn more about National Ladder Safety Month, including how your company can participate, visit the American Ladder Institute’s ladder safety month website at laddersafetymonth.com.

Here are some great ways your company can participate in Ladder Safety Month to make it meaningful for your workforce: • Host a ladder safety training event • Encourage employees to earn their Ladder Safety Certificate through ALI’s ladder safety training website at laddersafetytraining.org • Contribute to the conversation on social media using the hashtag #LadderSafetyMonth • Issue a press release on how your company is participating in Ladder Safety Month • Include information about Ladder Safety Month in your company newsletter • Host a safety meeting on ladder safety • Put up ladder safety posters around the workplace • Become a National Ladder Safety Month sponsor • Sign up to receive more information from ALI on how you can participate in spreading awareness about ladder safety at work • Learn more about the importance of Ladder Safety Inspections and download a free ladder inspection checklist from Weeklysafety.com (no email or credit card required)

LADDER INSPECTION CHECKLIST Awareness campaigns, like National Ladder Safety Month, offer a great opportunity to business owners, management, and the safety team to highlight the importance and commitment the organization has to worker safety. It doesn’t take a lot of time, money or resources to participate. At minimum, consider an email from management to the staff, a brief safety meeting, or a sign on the central bulletin board.

National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction Coming in May 01.24.2022 | Safety + Health Washington — The ninth annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction is set for May 2-6.

The voluntary event is intended to prevent fall-related deaths and injuries by raising awareness of hazards. Falls from elevation accounted for 351 of the 1,008 construction fatalities recorded in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

OSHA encourages all workplaces to participate by hosting an event, which can include a toolbox talk or a safety activity such as developing rescue plans, conducting safety equipment inspections or discussing job-specific hazards. Workers can take the opportunity to share fall or other job hazards with management.

THE AUSTIN COMPANY PARTICIPATES IN THIS EVERY YEAR – MORE DETAILS TO FOLLOW.

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UTA OSHA Outreach Trainer Update 01.19.222 | University of Texas - Arlington

OSHA PENALTIES INCREASE FOR 2022

TYPE OF VIOLATION PENALTY

The U.S. Department of Labor announced adjustments

• Serious $14,502 per violation

to OSHA’s civil penalty amounts based on cost-of-living adjustments for 2022. In 2015, Congress passed the Federal

• Other-Than-Serious $14,502 per violation

Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act to

• Posting Requirements $14,502 per violation

advance the effectiveness of civil monetary penalties and

• Failure to Abate $14,502 per day beyond the

to maintain their deterrent effect. Under the Act, agencies are required to publish “catch-up” rules that adjust the level of civil monetary penalties and make subsequent annual adjustments for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. OSHA’s maximum penalties for serious and other-thanserious violations will increase from $13,653 per violation to $14,502 per violation. The maximum penalty for willful or repeated violations will increase from $136,532 per violation to $145,027 per violation.

abatement date • Willful or Repeated $145,027 per violation The Department of Labor Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Annual Adjustments for 2022 final rule became effective January 15, 2022, and the increased penalty levels apply to any penalties assessed after January 15, 2022. Visit the OSHA Penalties page for more information.

Regulatory Outlook 2022: A Change in Priorities 01.27.2022 | EHS Today by David Sparkman In 2022, OSHA will shift its emphasis from COVID-19 to other

appealed to the same court. Most of the initial business

items on its agenda.

and government reactions to the ruling view it this way.

ANALYSIS & COMMENTARY

We were not alone in seeing the writing on the wall.

In January 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court effectively struck down President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine-or-test mandate, which was to be enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In the wake of the High Court’s decision, OSHA may retreat somewhat from the headlines, but you can still expect the agency to exercise a major impact on how America’s employers manage their workforces this year.

While the Supreme Court’s ruling only dealt directly with lower appeals court injunctions, in order to maintain the stay blocking implementation, the six majority justices have found that those suing the government were likely to prevail on the merits of their case against the OSHA emergency temporary standard (ETS).

The 6 to 3 ruling may not have literally overturned the agency’s vaccine mandate, but you would have to be pretty foolish or wildly optimistic about changing the justices’ minds to pursue the case any further in the appeals court knowing what the result will be if it is again

Effective Jan. 26, OSHA officially withdrew the ETS vaccineor-test order for employers with 100 or more workers.

However, Biden has called on businesses to voluntarily implement those requirements. Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh said OSHA will use its existing powers to protect workers from COVID-19, as OSHA can still investigate and fine employers for failure to maintain a safe workplace.

The justices’ decision hewed fairly closely to what we had predicted after Chief Justice John Roberts scheduled the Jan. 7 hearing back in December, including the view that OSHA had overreached its authority by following Biden’s order to issue an ETS instead of adhering to formal rulemaking procedures as required by federal law for such a sweeping rule that would have applied to 84 million Americans.

By a 5-4 margin, the court upheld a similar mandate issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) requiring approximately 76,000 healthcare facilities that accept federal money, including hospitals and longterm care, vaccinate their more than 10.3 million workers. ...continued on next page 11

Roberts and Associate Justice Brett Kavanaugh joined the

mandates other than federal OSHA’s still survive where

three liberal justices in upholding that program.

private and government employers have imposed them.

The justices determined the CMS enabling statutes give the

Some states and cities, most recently New York City, also

agency the authority to develop health standards for those

are enforcing their own vaccine requirements

participating in the programs it supervises.

for employers.

You can expect that OSHA and other federal agencies that

WHERE OSHA IS HEADING

regulate employers will persist in pressing forward with other

In other areas where OSHA is active, life goes on. There will

hot-button issues on the Biden administration’s regulatory agenda, including those initiated in 2021 before COVID-19 policy overwhelmed other priorities.

be plenty to deal with in what is already proving to be an eventful year—not the least because of a momentous midterm election this November, which could scupper Biden’s

Before the Supreme Court vaccine decision was issued,

ambitious legislative agenda. That agenda was already

OSHA announced the end of its COVID-19 ETS for

bruised and battered in 2021 and the early days of this year,

healthcare workers, which was adopted last June under

when several of his major pieces of ambitious legislation,

a separate executive order Biden signed on Jan. 21, 2021,

including the Build Back Better Act and Voting Rights Bill,

the day after his inauguration. Because any ETS order can

stalled in the split Senate.

last only six months unless renewed by the agency, the

Last year, OSHA found its limited staff resources stretched

announcement was redundant except to lay out how the agency intends to pursue the same requirements in the future.

In the process of ending the ETS requirement for healthcare workers, OSHA made a point of stating that it will continue to enforce aspects of the standard—including employer recordkeeping requirements—under the authority of the OSHA’s general duty clause while it continues working on a permanent rule to replace the ETS.

thin under pressure exerted by the demands of its responsibility for creating and enforcing not one, but two, COVID-19 ETS rules issued under direct order from Biden.

OSHA is a division of the U.S. Department of Labor and is headed by the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. Douglas L. Parker assumed that position after being sworn in Nov. 5, 2021. An attorney by trade, Parker previously served as the chief of the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health

You can also expect that OSHA and other federal agencies

(Cal/OSHA), and as deputy assistant secretary for policy

that regulate employers will persist in pressing forward

for Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) in the

with other hot-button issues on the Biden administration’s

Obama administration.

regulatory agenda, including those they initiated in 2021

Following news of his nomination, other lawyers described

before COVID-19 policy seemed to overwhelm other priorities.

Parker as being “consistently focused on the advancement of three priorities: Democratic Party politics, organized

As of press time, COVID-19 cases were surging across the

labor and occupational safety and health.” Given his

United States and the world due to the highly contagious

background, he can be expected to be a loyal foot soldier

Omicron and Delta variants. The impact has been felt

in Biden’s bureaucratic army.

throughout the supply chain and other sectors of the

In spite of the extra pressure Biden exerted on OSHA when

economy where staff shortages are arising everywhere following the virus’s rapid spread.

he demanded that it take point in advancing his civilian COVID-19 vaccine policy, the agency managed to

Workforce numbers have plummeted due to the

launch several unrelated initiatives last year that caught

advancing illness and quarantine requirements keeping

employers’ attention. One of those deals with excessive

many employees home for anywhere from five to 14 days.

heat and noise in the workplace, something the agency

This also has been blamed for the sustained supply chain

has identified as a top priority.

crisis by thinning the ranks of trucking, airline and port

OSHA also reports that a permanent standard for heat

workers, among others.

illness prevention in outdoor and indoor work settings is

COVID-19 obviously has become a continuing crisis

in the pre-rule stage. An advanced notice of proposed

that federal, state and local governments will have to

rulemaking was issued and the period for gathering

grapple with for years to come. Keep in mind that vaccine

comments ended Dec. 27, 2021. It will be a while yet before

employers see a formal published notice of proposed

for labor union organizers and tort lawyers bent on locating

rulemaking, but it is targeted to be issued before the end of

plaintiffs they can persuade to sue their employers.

this year.

Also at the pre-rules stage are proceedings intended to

While the proposed heat standard is still in its preliminary

deal with the following issues:

stage and its final contents are not yet clear, it could require

• Revising the recommended process safety

break times and order employers to monitor employee acclimatization as well as temperatures and humidity levels in workplaces. It is believed that the standard has been developed with the view of posing a direct challenge to operators of warehouses and distribution centers where excessive heat has been a problem in the past, although companies like Amazon have been addressing it in recent years.

Read more: The Top 10 EHS Trends of 2021

management (PSM) and prevention practices needed to avoid major chemical accidents in regard to highly hazardous materials, with an emphasis on encouraging greater employee involvement.

• An update of the emergency response and preparedness standard. OSHA said it is considering the update because its current standards don’t reflect all the major developments in safety and health practices that already have been accepted by the emergency

At the end of September 2021, OSHA ordered all of its

response community and incorporated into industry

regional offices to step up inspections of facilities for

consensus standards.

heat-related complaints and whenever inspectors witness workers toiling in conditions involving excessive heat.

They were also instructed to pay attention to hot working conditions this during regular inspections. Employers can expect more of this sort of activity in 2022.

In terms of enforcing the agency’s noise hazard standard, a regional emphasis program (REP) was launched last year in OSHA’s Region 5, stepping up enforcement of noise regulations in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin. Since then, the agency added REPs in seven of OSHA’s 10 regions, including all of the U.S. east of the Mississippi and the Pacific Northwest.

In addition, the agency is working to renew an Obamaera initiative that would require employers to file their annual injury and illness logs electronically via an Internet portal. When this proceeding opens, expect fireworks for the same reasons it was controversial during the Obama

• An update of mechanical power press requirements.

OSHA gathered public comments last year and expects to wrap up its analysis of the data gathered in March.

• New guidance aimed at dealing with the prevention of workplace violence in healthcare and social assistance work settings. OSHA began gathering information in 2016, but this has advanced to the stage where the agency is performing a small business impact study before issuing a rulemaking proposal.

• A rulemaking aimed at revising upward the blood lead level standards for medical removal.

Some of these proceedings have been hanging fire at OSHA as far back as 2013, but the agency states that they are due to gain much greater visibility by appearing as formal proposed rulemakings to be announced this year, leading to the eventual adoption of final rules.

administration. The electronic forms OSHA gathers would be open to public inquiry, creating a happy hunting ground

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Reporting Incidents At Work 02.08.2022 | Weeklysafety.com Incident reporting is critical to a successful workplace safety and health program. Do your employees know how and when to submit an incident report?

ACCIDENT VS. INCIDENT In the past, the term “accident” was often used when referring to an unplanned, unwanted event. To

All workplace incidents should be reported, documented,

many, the word “accident” suggests an event that

and investigated.

was random, and could not have been prevented.

This includes any situation in which:

Since nearly all worksite fatalities, injuries, illnesses are

• An employee was injured or died • Property or equipment damage occurred • An employee became ill while at work due to a possible reaction of workplace conditions • Any other person (not an employee) was injured or became ill as a possible result of actions caused by the company or an employee • An employee was in a motor vehicle accident while driving for their job • A near-miss occurred that could have resulted in injury, death, or property damage

preventable, OSHA suggests using the term “incident” when referring to these events.

Why is incident reporting necessary?

• Incident reporting provides a process in which the situation can be corrected in order to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

• If management is not aware of what kinds of problems are occurring in the workplace that may cause or have already caused injury or property damage, then it is impossible to create improved processes that will protect the workers.

• Prompt medical attention may be needed to ensure

A hazard reporting program should also be in effect in

a minor injury doesn’t become worse, develop into

every workplace. If any employee sees or has knowledge

an infection or become life-threatening.

of any potentially unsafe workplace situation, they must be provided a way to report the hazard to management.

To learn more about why hazard reporting is extremely necessary for the safety of the workforce, read this article: Workplace Hazard Reporting.

• When a minor incident or a near miss is ignored (not reported), the workplace is at an even greater risk for an even more serious incident to occur in the future because the hazard or inefficient process was never provided a chance to be corrected.

• Documenting all incidents allows a company to track patterns, realize trends, and discover anomalies.

• Often, a correction implemented to solve a safety

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN INCIDENT IS REPORTED? After any incident report is submitted, it should be taken

hazard or prevent an incident can be translated to

seriously. There should never be any punitive damages

process and production improvements.

associated with any employee filing an incident report.

• With completed incident reports, a company can

Following the company’s incident reporting process, there

protect themselves from undue lawsuits. Without a

should be an interview with the employee to ensure all

complete record of what actually happened, there is

the facts have been collected, the form is complete, and

not much the company can provide in defense,

the nature of the incident is fully understood. The incident

if needed.

reporting follow-up process should include an investigation

• Reporting a near miss or a minor incident is cheaper than dealing with the costs associated with a major injury, equipment failure, fatality or significant property damage.

• Feedback from incidents that are reported provides a way to encourage employee participation in the workplace safety improvement strategies.

• Incident reporting is a key habit that creates a stronger safety culture.

WHEN SHOULD AN INCIDENT BE REPORTED?

into the incident, medical care provided to the employee (if needed), corrective actions implemented immediately and preventive actions implemented as deemed necessary to prevent future incidents of the same nature.

Only then should the incident report be closed and filed. All incident reports should be saved in a secure location.

DO I HAVE TO TELL OSHA ABOUT AN INJURY OR INCIDENT THAT HAPPENS AT WORK? All employers are required to notify OSHA when an employee is killed on the job or suffers a work-related hospitalization, an amputation as a result of a work-place

All incidents, near-misses, and injuries should be reported

incident, or the loss of an eye on the job. A fatality must be

immediately. The incident reporting process will determine

reported within 8 hours. Hospitalization, amputation and

the follow-up required, if any. The employee should not

eye loss must be reported within 24 hours.

have to make a guess as to whether “their issue or incident”

For more information on reporting injuries to OSHA visit

is worthy of an incident report. When in doubt, file an incident report.

this Weeklysafety.com article: Reporting Injuries & Fatalities to OSHA. Refer to the following resources that provide more guidance

HOW DO EMPLOYEES KNOW ABOUT INCIDENT REPORTING?

on how to investigate a workplace incident.

All employees should be trained on the incident reporting

• OSHA Fact Sheet. Root Cause: The Importance of Root

process for their company. Ideally, this training is included as part of the on-boarding process for every employee.

Another approach is to have the safety manual, with incident reporting included, be required reading for all employees the first week on the job. Throughout the year,

• OSHA Incident Investigation Cause Analysis During Incident Investigation • Hosting a safety meeting on incident reporting is an excellent way to get the word out to employees about your incident reporting process and expectations.

holding periodic safety meetings on the hazard, near-miss, and incident reporting processes is always a great idea.

HOW SHOULD AN INCIDENT BE REPORTED? Every company’s incident reporting process is different.

Some companies may require employees to report directly to HR or their immediate supervisor to file a report. Others may have a very convenient online reporting system that employees can access through their company’s intranet.

Typically, and at minimum, a company should provide a standard incident report form that every employee knows how to locate and any employee can complete and submit.

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