Safety Net May 2019

The Safety Net L O C AT I O N C O N S U LT I N G

DESIGN & ENGINEERING

DESIGN-BUILD

IT’S ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST. CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTING

MAY 2019

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 5

Join the National Safety Stand-Down | To Prevent Falls in Construction May 6 -10, 2019

Fatalities caused by falls from elevation continue to be a leading cause of death for construction employees, accounting for 366 of the 971 construction fatalities recorded in 2017 (BLS data). Those deaths were preventable. The National Safety Stand-Down raises fall hazard awareness across the country in an effort to stop fall fatalities and injuries.

What is a Safety Stand-Down?

A Safety Stand-Down is a voluntary event for employers to talk directly to employees about safety. Any workplace can hold a stand-down by taking a break to focus on “Fall Hazards” and reinforcing the importance of “Fall Prevention”. Employers of companies not exposed to fall hazards, can also use this opportunity to have a conversation with employees about the other job hazards they face, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall and other job hazards they see.

Who Can Participate?

Anyone who wants to prevent hazards in the workplace can participate in the StandDown. In past years, participants included commercial construction companies of all sizes, residential construction contractors, sub- and independent contractors, highway construction companies, general industry employers, the U.S. Military, other government participants, unions, employer’s trade associations, institutes, employee interest organizations, and safety equipment manufacturers.

Partners OSHA is partnering with key groups to assist with this effort, including the National Institute

SAFETY FIRST.

for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA), OSHA approved State Plans, State consultation programs, the Center

Austin employees have

for Construction Research and Training (CPWR), the American Society of Safety Engineers

worked 2,732,714 hours

(ASSE), the National Safety Council, the National Construction Safety Executives (NCSE), the U.S. Air Force, and the OSHA Training Institute (OTI) Education Centers.

without a Lost Time Accident through 3/2019.

How to Conduct a Safety Stand-Down and FAQ’s Companies can conduct a Safety Stand-Down by taking a break to have a toolbox talk or another safety activity, such as conducting safety equipment inspections, developing rescue plans, or discussing job-specific hazards. Managers are encouraged to plan a standdown that works best for their workplace anytime. If you plan to host a free event that is open to the public, see OSHA’s Events page to submit the event details and to contact your Regional Stand-Down Coordinator.

3. Consider reviewing your fall prevention program. This will help provide a more effective stand-down.

What types of falls could happen:

» Falls from ladders

» Falls from a roof

» Falls from a scaffold

» Falls down stairs

» Falls from a structural steel

» Falls through a floor or roof opening

» Falls through a fragile roof surface

Certificate of Participation Employers will be able to provide feedback about their Stand-Down and download a Certificate of Participation following the Stand-Down.

Share Your Story With Us If you want to share information with OSHA on your Safety Stand-Down, Fall Prevention Programs or suggestions on how we can improve future initiatives like this, please send your email to oshastanddown@dol.gov. Also, share your Stand-Down story on social media, with the hashtag: #StandDown4Safety.

What needs improvement? Is your program meeting its goals? Are you experiencing fatalities, injuries or near misses? Are employees aware of the company’s fall protection procedures?

What training have you provided to your employees?

Does it need revision?

What equipment have you provided to your employees? Is better equipment available?

4. Develop presentations or activities that will meet your needs. Decide what information will be best for your workplace and employees. The meeting should provide information to employees about hazards, protective methods and the company’s safety policies, goals and expectations. Hands-on exercises (a worksite walkaround, equipment checks, etc.) can increase retention.

5. Decide when to hold the stand-down and how long it will last. Decide if the stand-down will take place over a break, a lunch period, or some other time.

6. Promote the stand-down. Try to make it interesting to employees. Some employers find that serving snacks increases participation.

Suggestions to Prepare for a Successful Stand-Down 1. Try to start early. Designate a coordinator to organize the stand-down. If you have multiple work sites, identify the team that will lead the stand-down at each site.

2. Think about asking your subcontractors, owner,

7. Hold your stand-down. Try to make it positive and interactive. Let employees talk about their experiences and encourage them to make suggestions.

8. Follow up. If you learned something that could improve your fall prevention program, consider making changes.

architects, engineers or others associated with your project to participate in the stand-down.

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Move More and Live Longer HealthDay | 4.12.19

If you’re a couch potato, get moving.

Your life could depend on it.

Researchers say replacing 30 minutes a day of sitting with physical activity could cut your risk of premature death by nearly half.

They examined 14 years of data on inactivity and activity with more than 92,500 people in an American Cancer Society study.

Among those participants who were least active (less than 17 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous physical activity), replacing 30 minutes of sitting with light activity was associated with a 14 percent reduced risk of premature death.

“These findings suggest that the

included watching TV (39 percent)

And the least active people who

replacement of modest amounts of

and reading (20 percent).

replaced their sitting with a half-hour a

sitting time with even light physical activity may have the potential

The study has several limitations,

day of moderate to vigorous physical activity had a 45 percent reduced risk

to reduce the risk of premature

of early death, the study found.

death among less active adults,�

There were similar, but smaller benefits, among participants who were already moderately active.

Those more active people who replaced 30 minutes of sitting with light physical activity had a 6 percent reduced risk of premature death, while those who logged a half-hour of moderate to vigorous physical activity lowered their risk by 17 percent.

For those considered the most active -- people who already get in more than 38 minutes a day of moderate to vigorous activity -- sitting less and moving more were not associated with a reduced risk of early death.

study author Erika Rees-Punia and colleagues said in an American Cancer Society news release.

Rees-Punia is a postdoctoral fellow at the organization.

researchers noted. It relied on selfreported physical activity and sitting time, and it lacked information about activities of daily living, such as cleaning, self-care and cooking that are common among older adults. In addition, participants were predominately white and educated,

The study noted that regular,

and may not represent the general

moderate- to vigorous-intensity

U.S. population.

activity is associated with a lower risk

The findings were published online

of heart disease and certain cancers.

And more amounts of sedentary time is associated with a higher risk of disease and death.

Participants with high amounts of moderate or vigorous physical activity were leaner, more educated and less likely to be smokers. For all participants, sitting time largely

March 21 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

More information: The U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute offers a guide to physical activity. https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/ educational/lose_wt/phy_act.htm Source: American Cancer Society

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Highway Work Zone & Signs, Signals & Barricades OSHA.gov | 4.4.19

Overview Highway, road, street, bridge, tunnel, utility and other workers for the highway infrastructure are exposed to hazards from outside and inside the work zone. Falls, electrical, struck-by and caught-between are the common hazards found in this type of work. Guidance for the set-up of work zone signs, barricades, flagging, etc. are found in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).” The MUTCD is referenced in 1926 Subpart G. • Federal Highway Administration.

U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) contain links to their statistics and related information.

• Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule.

Provides the text of the final rule that updated and broadened 23 CFR 630 Subpart J and informational materials.

The Work Zone Safety and Mobility Rule (Rule) was published on September 9, 2004, in the Federal Register. All state and local governments that receive federal-aid funding were required to comply with the provisions of the rule no later than October 12, 2007.

The Rule updates and broadens the former regulation at 23 CFR 630 Subpart J to address more of the current issues affecting work zone safety and mobility. The

• Work Zones The safe and efficient flow of traffic through work zones is a major concern to transportation officials, industry, the public, businesses and commercial motor carriers. The FHWA Work Zone Management Program is working to “make work zones work better” by providing transportation practitioners with high-quality products, tools and information that can be of value in planning, designing and implementing safer, more efficient and less congested work zones.

• National Work Zone Awareness Week Highway work zones are hazardous both for motorists who drive through the complex array of signs, barrels and lane changes, and for workers who build, repair and maintain our streets, bridges and highways.

Continue reading to learn about highway work zone deaths.

Reducing Highway Fatalities • Current Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices.

2009 edition, (December 2009).

• Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD).

Part VI: Standards and Guides for Traffic Controls for Street and Highway Construction, Maintenance, Utility and Incident Management Operations, 1988 edition, Revision 3, September 3, 1993.

• Highway Work Zone Safety.

changes to the regulation encourage the broader

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health

consideration of the safety and mobility impacts of

(NIOSH) Workplace Safety & Health Topics provides

work zones across project development and the

resources for workers in highway construction work

implementation of strategies that help manage these

zones that are exposed to risk of injury from the

impacts during project delivery.

movement of construction vehicles and equipment within the work zones, as well as from passing motor vehicle traffic.

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• Building Safer Highway Work Zones: Measures to

expertise of numerous individuals and organizations who

Prevent Worker Injuries from Vehicles and Equipment.

are intimately involved with highway construction. By

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

bringing together partners from all parts of the industry

(DHHS), National Institute for Occupational Safety and

to discuss prevention of these injuries, NIOSH hoped to

Health (NIOSH).

improve our understanding of the hazards faced by highway workers, raise the industry’s awareness of these

To better understand these injury risks, NIOSH reviewed

hazards, and initiate discussion among all concerned

the current literature on highway safety, analyzed

about measures that can reduce these hazards.

data on worker fatalities in the highway and street

The material presented in this document does not

construction industry, and held a workshop with

constitute an all-inclusive checklist. Rather, it is a listing

individuals from government, labor, industry, academia

of interventions from which contractors, contracting

and state departments of transportation. During the

agencies and other entities may choose those most

workshop, participants were asked to discuss measures

appropriate to their situations and needs. More than 50

that could be taken by employers, manufacturers,

individuals participated in the workshop, and more

and government and research agencies that would

than 30 individuals and organizations reviewed prior

reduce or eliminate these hazards. This document

drafts of this document. Each of their contributions is

draws on the collective knowledge, experience, and

sincerely appreciated.

Welcome to OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign OSHA QuickTake | 4.17.19 FALLS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CONSTRUCTION. In 2017, there were 366 fatal falls to a lower level out of 971 construction fatalities (BLS data). These deaths are preventable.

Since 2012, OSHA has partnered with the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) - Construction Sector on the Fall Prevention Campaign to raise awareness among workers and employers about common fall hazards in construction, and how falls from ladders, scaffolds and roofs can be prevented.

PLAN ahead to get the job done safely When working from heights, employers must plan projects to ensure the job is done safely. Begin by deciding how the job will be done, what tasks will be involved, and what safety equipment may be needed to complete each task.

When estimating the cost of a job, employers should include safety equipment and plan to have all the necessary equipment and tools available at the construction site. For example, in a roofing job, think about all of the different fall hazards, such as holes or skylights and leading edges, then plan and select fall protection suitable to that work, such as personal fall arrest systems (PFAS).

PROVIDE the right equipment Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds and safety gear.

Use the right ladder or scaffold to get the job done safely. For roof work, if workers use personal fall arrest systems (PFAS), provide a harness for each worker who needs to tie off to the anchor. Make sure the PFAS fits, and regularly inspect it for safe use.

TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely Every worker should be trained on proper set-up and safe use of equipment they use on the job.

Employers must train workers in recognizing hazards on the job.

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Enforcement OSHA QuickTake | 4.4.19 Ohio Company Faces $1.3 Million in Penalties after Willfully Exposing Workers to Hazards Dowa THT America Inc. was cited for exposing workers to atmospheric, thermal, electrical and mechanical hazards while they performed maintenance inside heat-treating furnaces. The company was cited for 25 violations of confined spaces, fall, machine guarding, respiratory, chemical and electrical safety and health standards. Dowa THT faces $1,339,596 in penalties and has been placed in the Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

California Fines Contractor after Worker Seriously Injured in Fall California OSHA issued four citations and $75,750 in penalties to Accurate Comfort Systems Inc. after a worker suffered serious injuries in a fall from a 12-foot-high work area. Inspectors determined that the company allowed workers to stand on the ladder’s top cap and failed to ensure the ladder was secured and extended to the appropriate distance. The company was previously cited for these violations in 2017.

Georgia Contractor Cited for Trenching Violations Corley Contractors Inc. faces $106,078 in penalties for exposing workers to excavation hazards while installing water and sewer lines. OSHA initiated an inspection as part of the agency’s National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation after observing workers exposed to trenching hazards.

Inspectors determined that the company failed to install a protective cave-in system inside the excavation area and provide a safe means to enter and exit the excavation.

Taking Aim at Rail Trespasser Casualties Jerry Laws | Occupational Health & Safety E-News | 4.22.19 Several numbers jumped out at me when I scanned the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) first “National Strategy to Prevent Trespassing on Railroad Property,” a February 2019 report on factors that contribute to trespassing incidents on railroad property. It was prepared in response to a U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Committee request.

FRA assembled a team of experts on the problem in October 2017. They analyzed the costs to railroads and society and found that trespass accidents during the four-year period from 2012 to 2016 cost society approximately $43 billion. The team found that 74 percent of all trespasser deaths and injuries during that four-year period occurred within 1,000 feet of a grade crossing. Even when railroad trespass violations are reported to law enforcement, the violations are rarely prosecuted, they reported—law enforcement focuses its resources on higher-priority issues, such as homicides, illegal drugs and highway crashes. FRA pointed out that community-planning decisions (such as the location of bus stops in relation to safe crossing paths) may lead to trespassing.

FRA examined trespasser casualties from November 2013 to October 2017 and identified the 10 counties where the most pedestrian trespasser casualties occurred. They’re located in just four states: Los Angeles, Calif.; Cook County, Ill.; San Bernardino, Calif.; Harris County, Texas; Broward, Fla.; Palm Beach, Fla.; Fresno, Calif.; Riverside, Calif.; Contra Costa, Calif.; and San Diego, Calif. Excluding suicides, 4,242 pedestrians were killed or injured while trespassing on railroad property nationwide during that period.

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Who Matters The Most? A Few Thoughts On Distracted Driving FDRSafety | 4.15.19

April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, meaning organizations such as OSHA, M.A.A.D, and EndDD are releasing annual studies on distracted driving. These studies include terrifying statistics on accidents, injuries, deaths, age groups most likely to be hurt, and suggestions on how to drive safer. The stats and suggestions are undoubtedly important.

As a matter of fact, we’ve even published our own list of suggestions in the past.

In talking with friends, family and coworkers, I’ve realized that while important, the above studies and “how-to’s” fail to truly resonate with most people. Everyone knows how to be safe while driving. Everyone knows to turn off the phone, keep a safe distance between cars, and all the other rules of the road. So why have distracted driving deaths continued to increase each year? Why are over 37,000 families totally devastated annually if, “everyone knows how to be safe?”

Why? Because in driving, why you want to be safe is just as important as knowing how to be safe.

I typically drive for two reasons: for work or for life. My job requires me to be on the road almost daily to get to the airport or office. Over the years, it’s safe to say I’ve logged over 1,000,000 miles in the car. Through those miles, I’ve been fortunate to be accident-free, but I also get in my car remembering why I’m driving safely -- and more importantly, for whom.

If I’m driving for work, it’s because I am going there to earn money. Money for my family, which includes my wife, two sons, daughter-in-law and beautiful little granddaughter. Keeping my family in mind, especially when I’m in the car, makes it a lot easier for me to focus on driving.

If I decide to look at my phone, make a call or eat that fast food, I’m not just putting myself at risk, I’m putting my family’s future at risk.

» That distraction could leave my wife a widow.

» It could leave my sons without their dad.

» It could leave my 2-year-old granddaughter never really knowing her Granddaddy.

As you read yet another article on distracted driving stats or listen to yet another Toolbox Talk on putting down your phone while behind the wheel, don’t think “this would never happen to me.”

Think about your why. More importantly, think about your who.

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American Red Cross| Bloodborne, First Aid, CRS/AED 2-Year Certification Class

From left to right: Aaron Gibson, Jerry Lyzen, Brian Foss, Jaime Nanez, Mike Zaruches, Rose Sivak, Karl Mews, Lori Keener, Nancy Hatala, Hope Hayes, Tricia Cody, Brittany Scheckelhoff, Josanne Notaro, Sara Simpson, Anca Amaiei, Kyle Johnson, Amy Hewis (Not Pictured: Bonny Block).

Top 10 Causes of Most Serious Workplace Injuries Insurance Journal | 4.11.19 The annual Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index documents the Top 10 causes of the most serious workplace injuries – those causing an employee to miss five or more days from work – and ranks them by their direct cost to employers, which includes medical and lost-wage payments.

The insurer’s report also identifies the top causes of serious workplace injuries by key industries.

According to the 2019 Liberty Mutual index, the 10 most costly causes of workplace injuries and illnesses are:

INJURY CAUSE:

COST (BILLIONS):

PERCENTAGE:

Overexertion involving outside sources $13.11 23.65% Falls on same level $10.38 18.72% Struck by object or equipment $5.22 9.42% Falls to lower level $4.98 8.99% Other exertions or bodily reactions $3.69 6.65% Roadway incidents involving motorized vehicle $2.70 4.88% Slip or trip without falling $2.18 3.93%

Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects

$1.93

3.48%

Repetitive motions involving microtasks $1.59 2.87% Struck against object or equipment $1.15 2.07%

Cost of the top 10 most disabling workplace injuries

$46.93

84.66%

Total cost of the most disabling workplace injuries

$55.43

100%

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The 2019 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index is the first to also report the causes and costs of the most serious workplace injuries for eight specific industries that account for a high proportion of all workplace injuries: Manufacturing, Healthcare, Construction, Professional Services, Retail, Wholesale, Transportation & Warehousing, Leisure & Hospitality.

The top causes by key industries:

RANKING OF CAUSE OF LOSS INDUSTRY ALL INDUSTRIES CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL SERVICES MANUFACTURING

HEALTHCARE RETAIL

FIRST Overexertion, outside sources Falls to lower level

Falls, same level

Overexertion, outside sources Overexertion, outside sources Overexertion, outside sources

TRANSPORT &

Overexertion,

WAREHOUSING

outside sources

WHOLESALE LEISURE & HOSPITALITY

SECOND Falls, same level

Struck by object or equipment

Struck by object or

Overexertion,

equipment

outside sources

Overexertion, outside sources

Falls, same level

Falls, same level

Falls, same level

Falls, same level

Overexertion,

Struck by object or

outside sources

equipment

Falls, same level

THIRD

Falls to lower level

Struck by object or equipment Intentional injury by person

FOURTH Falls to lower level

Falls, same level

Roadway incidents Caught in, compressed by

Other exertions or bodily reactions Slip or trip without a fall Struck by object or equipment Repetitive motions, micro tasks

equipment Roadway incidents

Struck by object or

Other exertions or

equipment

bodily reactions

Roadway incidents

FIFTH

Other exertions or bodily reactions

Other exertions or bodily reactions Falls to lower level

Falls to lower level Other exertions or

Falls to lower level

Falls, same level

Overexertion,

Struck by object or

Struck by object or

Other exertions or

outside sources

equipment

equipment

bodily reactions

bodily reactions

James Merendino, general manager, Risk Control, National Insurance, Liberty Mutual, said the index helps employers understand the root causes of the most serious workplace injuries they face. “Only then can they effectively mitigate and manage these through work design, system controls, technology, training and strategic risk management. Insurance companies and brokers can be a key ally in these efforts,” he said.

The annual Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index is based on information from Liberty Mutual, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Academy of Social Insurance. The 2019 index is based on non-fatal 2016 injury data, with more than five days away from work. To allow for cost development, every index has been based on claims data three years prior to publication.

Congratulations!

John Mayo and Sean Allaway received Austin Quality Assurance manual training and how to complete QA / Safety Inspection Checklists in Procore.

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