Safety Net | June 2024

THE SAFETY NET

WATER

Employers should provide cool water for workers to drink. Proper hydration is essential to prevent heat-related illness. For those working two hours or more, also provide access to additional fluids that contain electrolytes.

For short jobs, cool potable water is sufficient. Workers should be encouraged to drink at least one cup (8 ounces) of water every 20 minutes while working in the heat not just if they are thirsty.

For longer jobs that last more than two hours, employers should provide electrolyte-containing beverages such as sports drinks. Workers lose salt and other electrolytes when they sweat. Substantial loss of electrolytes can cause muscle cramps and other dangerous health problems. Water cannot replace electrolytes; other types of beverages are needed. Water or other fluids provided by the employer should not only be cool, but should also be provided in a location that is familiar to the workers, near the work, easy to access, and in sufficient quantity for the duration of the work.

Workers should be aware that use of certain personal protective equipment (e.g., certain types of respirators and impermeable clothing) can increase the risk of heatrelated illness.

Workers should not rely on feeling thirsty to prompt them to drink. They should be reminded to drink on a regular basis to maintain hydration throughout their shift and beyond.

REST

When heat stress is high, employers should require workers to take breaks. The length and frequency of rest breaks should increase as heat stress rises. In general, workers should be taking hourly breaks whenever heat stress exceeds the limits shown in Table 2 under Determination of Whether the Work is Too Hot section on the Heat Hazard Recognition page.

Breaks should last long enough for workers to recover from the heat. How long is long enough? That depends on several factors including environmental heat (WBGT) and the worker’s physical activity level, as well as the individual worker’s personal risk factors. The location of the breaks also matters. If workers rest in a cooler location, they will be ready to resume work more quickly. Breaks should last longer if there is no cool location for workers to rest. Some workers might be tempted to skip breaks. In hot conditions, skipping breaks is not safe! Employers should

make sure that workers rest during all recommended break periods.

Both NIOSH and ACGIH have recommendations on appropriate lengths of work and rest cycles as a function of the workload and the WBGT (ACGIH 2017, NIOSH 2016)

SHADE

Workers should be given a cool location where they can take their breaks and recover from the heat.

Outdoors, this might mean a shady area, an airconditioned vehicle, a nearby building or tent, or an area with fans and misting devices.

Indoors, workers should be allowed to rest in a cool or airconditioned area away from heat sources such as ovens and furnaces.

PREVENTING HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES

When the body heats up faster than it can cool itself, mild to severe illnesses may develop. It’s important to recognize the symptoms of heat-related illnesses and understand how to prevent, control and respond to their effects.

Air temperature, humidity and clothing can increase the risk of developing heat-related illnesses. So can age, sex, weight, physical fitness, nutrition, alcohol or drug use, or pre-existing diseases like diabetes.

HOW CAN YOU PREVENT OR CONTROL HEAT-RELATED ILLNESSES?

• Drink water - Drink small amounts of water frequently, about a cup every 15-20 minutes. (Alcohol increases the loss of body fluids.)

• Limit exposure time and/or temperature - Try to schedule hot jobs for cooler times of the day or cooler seasons of the year. Take rest breaks in cool areas. Add more workers to reduce workload or reduce the workday.

• Acclimatization - Gradually adapting to heat will reduce the severity of heat stress.

• Engineering controls - Mechanize heavy jobs or increase air movement with fans or coolers.

• Wearing loose, lightweight clothing - Clothing can affect heat buildup.

• Salt tablets should not be used - Taking salt tablets can raise blood pressure, cause stomach ulcers, and seriously affect workers with heart disease.

Someone with a mild reaction to heat may have a rash called “prickly heat” or painful muscle spasms, called heat

cramps, during or after activity. A mild reaction may also include fatigue or dizziness. You may notice a change in physical or mental performance and an increase in accidents. A person with a moderate reaction or heat exhaustion, will have some or all of the following symptoms: excessive sweating, cold, moist, pale or flushed skin, thirst, extreme weakness or fatigue, headache, nausea, lack of appetite, rapid weak pulse, or giddiness and if not properly treated, the victim may collapse.

Anyone with mild or moderate symptoms should be moved to a cool, shaded place with circulating air. They should lie down and, if conscious, be given small sips of cool water at frequent intervals. If symptoms continue, a doctor should be called.

In severe cases of heat illness, a heat stroke may result. The victim’s face is flushed red and their skin is hot and dry with no sweating. They develop a severe headache with deep, rapid breathing. They have a very high fever and may become delirious. They may become unconscious, have convulsions, or lapse into a coma. This condition is fatal unless emergency medical treatment is obtained. Immediately call for medical help. In the meantime, get them out of the hot environment. Loosen clothing and pour water over the entire body. Get air circulating around the body.

Recognizing the warning signs and symptoms of heatrelated illnesses and using preventive and control measures can reduce the frequency and severity of heat illness while increasing worker productivity.

Safety Week May 6th through May 10th

Several Austin employees from Blue Origin, SAMT and Leo project successfully completed an OSHA 30-hour class on May 2, 2024.

Russ Kussack, Jose Socias, John Czagas, Lewis Roberson, Mikaela Morales, Anne Burns, Jeremy Rentschler, John Bueno, and Mackenson Jules

On Monday, May 6, 2024, the Irvine Office held in-person Personal Safety and Security Consultation Presentation with Threat Mitigation Officer Rick Gramer of the Irvine Police Department, and he also did a security walk-through of our building. In this training, we learned the importance of developing a plan, and the 9-1-1 Emergency System.

On Wednesday, May 8, 2024, the Irvine Office held in-person Fire Safety Training with Jillian Cole of the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA), where we learned about the different types of fires, how they are caused, and how to put out a small fire using the PASS method.

Pull the pin. Aim the nozzle at the base of the fire. Squeeze the trigger. Sweep side to side.

We also had videos and information available for Disaster Preparedness for both home and office and Drowning Prevention, provided by OCFA. We then had a game the following week (to give everyone time to watch all of the videos, including the inperson training) to test the knowledge that we learned with a made-up game that was a combination of Jeopardy and Bingo, with the goal of getting Bingo in the shape of an “S” for safety.

Fire Extinguisher Training. From left to right: Melinda Veregge, Jillian Cole (OCFA), Alexander Gibson, Christopher Ganiere, Deborah Chavez, Kevin Nguyen, Debra Johnston Jett McCormick, Christian Simafranca, Cathy Nolan, Sonya Maldonado, Lawrence Ha, Jeff Rowe, Anushri Vachhani, Eric Marx and Antoine Kaaikati.

L3 Harris Project LEO and SAMT - Palm Bay Florida

Acousti’s safety manager (Tim Sousa) our framing and drywall contractor talked to the about the importance of “see something – say something”.

The “Fall Tech provided fall protection training to the LEO and SAMT project teams, followed by a project lunch for all the craft.

Connecting the Dots Between Construction Safety and Labor Trends

04.19.2023 | SafetyStart

These days the job market in the construction industry is different than what we’re used to. The number of available workers in the labor pool has shrunk, employee mobility seems to have skyrocketed, and companies appear to be gun-shy about firing workers.

In a recent article for Occupational Health & Safety magazine titled “Construction Safety in the Atypical Wake of Worker Turnover”, safety columnist Ray Prest takes a look at the labor market for construction jobs and concludes that it could have some major ramifications for organizational safety:

There are substantial safety issues at play. More than ever, job vacancies are filled with folks who are new to the construction industry or to the type of work that your company does. Numerous studies have shown that a lack of experience is correlated with a heightened risk of injuries and other incidents. It also increases the number and severity of human factors in the workplace, as the loss of experienced employees can affect team cohesion and communication, leading to more ambiguity and confusion.

It’s a challenge that is likely to persist into the near future, and the effects on EHS outcomes may be felt for years to come.

Prest notes that the best course of action is, unsurprisingly, to offer a full suite of safety training to new hires as quickly as possible. But that’s not always an option, and it isn’t guaranteed to deal with any issues with safety culture or morale that may stem from labor challenges.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other options. These include improving supervisors’ safety capabilities , offering human factors training, focusing more on using workers’ happiness levels to improve safety and generally demonstrating care, as well as implementing low-cost best practices such as construction toolbox talks .

The article notes that many of these measures can reduce employee turnover, which will both mitigate the overall problem as well as reduce the expense and effort associated with worker churn. As Prest puts it, “it’s a lot easier, and cheaper, to train-to-retain employees than it is to replace them over and over again.”

Given the pressures the construction industry is facing with hiring, training, and retaining staff (not to mention the looking safety issues that are outlined in the article), it seems like a wise idea to implement measures that do doubleduty in staff retention and injury prevention.

Incident Reporting

02.06.2024 | 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?

All workplace incidents should be reported, documented, and investigated.

This includes any situation in which:

• 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.

A hazard reporting program should also be in effect in every workplace. If any employee sees or has knowledge of any potentially unsafe workplace situation, they must be provided with 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

ACCIDENT VS. INCIDENT

In the past, the term “accident” was often used when referring to an unplanned, unwanted event. To many, the word “accident” suggests an event that was random and could not have been prevented. Since nearly all worksite fatalities, injuries, illnesses are 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 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 minor injury doesn’t become worse, develops into an infection, or becomes life-threatening.

• 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 of the hazard or inefficient process and 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 hazard or prevent an incident can be translated to process and production improvements.

• With completed incident reports, a company can protect themselves from undue lawsuits. Without a complete record of what actually happened, there is not much the company can provide in defense, if needed.

• 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?

All incidents, near-misses, and injuries should be reported immediately. The incident reporting process will determine the follow-up required, if any. The employee should not have to make a guess as to whether “their issue or incident” is worthy of an incident report. When in doubt, file an incident report.

HOW DO EMPLOYEES KNOW ABOUT INCIDENT REPORTING?

All employees should be trained in the incident reporting 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 read for all employees in the first week on the job. Throughout the year, 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.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER AN INCIDENT IS REPORTED?

After any incident report is submitted, it should be taken seriously. There should never be any punitive damages associated with any employee filing an incident report. Following the company reporting process, there should be an interview with the employee to ensure all the facts have been collected, the form is complete, and the nature of the incident is fully understood. The incident reporting follow-up process should include an investigation 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 because of a work-place incident, or the loss of an eye on the job. A fatality must be reported within 8 hours. Hospitalization, amputation, and eye loss must be reported within 24 hours. For more information

Lawncare Season Is Here

04.29.2024 | JJ Keller Safety Management Suite

A 36-year-old lawn mower operator was riding a zero-turn lawnmower in a residential neighborhood when it tipped over into a water retention pond, pinning and subsequently drowning the worker. OSHA investigators learned the machine’s roll-over protection system (ROPS) was not engaged while operating on a sloping embankment near the pond and the equipment was operated on a slope that exceeded the limitations defined in the equipment manual.

Landscaping is one of the highest risk industries in the service industry. A Bureau of Labor Statistics report shows 1,242 work-related fatalities occurred in the landscaping and groundskeeping industry from 2011-2022. Operating machines near water hazards, such as ponds and ditches, represents a known occupational hazard to landscape workers.

WHAT ARE THE HAZARDS?

Landscaping workers are at risk of injury from a variety of potential hazards, including exposure to chemicals, noise, machinery, lifting, repetitive motions, construction activities, and weather-related hazards. While there’s no OSHA regulation specific to the industry, landscaping and horticulture hazards are addressed in the general industry standards (29 CFR 1910 ) if work is considered maintenance

activity and in the construction standards (29 CFR 1926 ) if work is considered building activity.

A look at the top violations in NAICS code 561730, Landscaping Services, shows where employers may want to focus their safety and health efforts:

1. 1910.132 – Personal protective equipment (PPE) – general. Employers must conduct a hazard assessment, select appropriate PPE for employee use, and train employees.

2. 1910.1200 – Hazard Communication. Employees exposed to hazardous chemicals must be trained, among other requirements.

3. Section 5(a) of OSH Act - General Duty Clause . This may include heat/cold exposure and ergonomics.

4. 1926.1153 – Respirable crystalline silica. This regulation applies to occupational exposures to respirable crystalline silica in construction work and includes provisions for protection and training.

5. 910.135 – Head protection. Employees must wear a protective helmet when working in areas where there’s a potential for injury from falling objects and when working near exposed electrical conductors.

Landscaping is one of the highest risk industries in the service industry.

6. 1910.28 – Duty to have fall protection and falling object protection. Employers must provide protection and training for each employee exposed to fall and falling object hazards.

7. 1910.67 – Vehicle-mounted elevating and rotating work platforms. Employees must be trained to use powered platforms, manlifts, and vehicle-mounted work platforms.

8. 1910.133 – Eye and face protection. Employees must use appropriate PPE when exposed to hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.

9. 1910.333 – Electrical - selection and use of work practices. Safety-related work practices must be employed to prevent electric shock or other injuries resulting from either direct or indirect electrical contacts, when work is performed near or on equipment or circuits which are or may be energized.

10. 1910.30 – Walking-working surfaces – training requirements. Training must be provided to employees who use personal fall protection systems and equipment such as ladders, ladder safety systems, portable guardrails, designated areas, scaffolds, safety net systems, and rope descent systems.

While regulatory requirements play a large role in employee training, it’s of note that equipment manuals – as noted in the fatal incident above – provide guidelines for safe operation and use. Employees should be trained accordingly. Some manufacturers or distributors offer training on the equipment they sell.

Welcome to OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign

05.10.2024 | OSHA.gov

FALLS ARE THE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH IN CONSTRUCTION. In 2020, there were 351 fatal falls to a lower level out of 1,008 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 that 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. S ee educational materials and resources page for posters, factsheets, and other training materials.

Knowing That Colleagues Use Mental Health Benefits May Encourage Others:

Study

05.17.2024 | Safety & Health

London — People who are aware that their co-workers are using employer-provided mental health benefits may be more likely to use them too, researchers say.

Led by Laura Giurge, an assistant professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, a team of researchers studied 2,400 workers at a Swiss multinational pharmaceutical corporation that had a peer-to-peer mental health support program.

The researchers randomly assigned the workers to watch an overview of the program. Some workers read a “mild” story about a co-worker using services to help with stress and anxiety at work. Others learned of a more “severe” case in which a colleague sought services while experiencing depression outside of work.

Findings show that the workers were 8% more likely to sign up for services after reading about the “mild” story and 6.6% more likely to do so after learning of the “severe” story.

In an article featured in the Harvard Business Review, the researchers write that the findings “illustrate the power of storytelling in encouraging seeking mental health support.”

They recommend employers normalize seeking help for mental health concerns by taking steps to destigmatize the process.

“One way to encourage employees to make use of existing mental health resources is by creating a support culture in which sharing about each other’s mental health challenges at work – no matter how small or large they are – is celebrated rather than judged,” the researchers write.

Giurge told Safety+Health the research is “currently ongoing” and hasn’t yet been published.

WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY IN ADDRESSING THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC, INCLUDING EMPLOYERS.

Naloxone Should be In Workplace First Aid Kits

05.06.2024 | EHS Today

With the FDA’s approval of naloxone as an OTC drug, workplaces now have access to a lifesaving tool. And therefore, it should be included in workplace first aid kits, says the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA). ISEA publishes the ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2021 standard.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 525 people died from overdoses at work in 2022

In a March 2024 statement, the White House challenged leaders to increase training and access to opioid overdose reversal medications, keeping the medications in first aid kits, and distributing the medications to employees and customers so they might save a life at home, work, or in their communities.

This guidance does not appear in the current ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 standard because it was revised before the FDA approved naloxone. While a new update to ANSI/ISEA Z308.1 is planned for 2025, ISEA urges workplaces to add naloxone to their first aid kits now rather than wait for new guidelines.

“We all have a role to play in addressing the opioid epidemic, including employers,” said Cam Mackey, CEO of ISEA., In a statement. “Providing access to naloxone and appropriate training at work can protect workers and possibly save someone’s life. We encourage all employers to make this change to their first aid kits now.”

The opioid epidemic has a significant impact on the labor market. An estimated 12.6% of the U.S. workforce receives an opioid prescription each year , and 75% of employers surveyed by the National Safety Council report that they have been directly affected by opioids.

Some companies and communities are already combating opioid overdoses by making naloxone available and committing to more training. For example, the Chicago Department of Aviation added Narcan to 96 automated external defibrillator (AED) cabinets at O’Hare International Airport and 32 at Midway International Airport. Also, state health officials in California have pushed to expand access to the medication, distributing millions of kits for free.

In opioid overdose emergencies, bystanders are often the first to witness or be in the presence of the person experiencing an overdose. Individuals should not be reluctant to come to the aid of others out of fear of potential litigation. According to NSC, 49 states and the District of Columbia have enacted laws that provide legal protection to individuals who administer naloxone in good faith to someone experiencing an opioid overdose.