THE SAFETY NET L O C A T I O N C O NCSO U LNTSI NUGL T
AUGUST 2022
D• ESIGN D & EESNIGGI NNE E R I N•G
E SGI GI N N -EBEURI L D ED N
IT’S ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST. R UNCSTTI R OU NC & TC O N T R A C T I N G • C O N SCTO
VOLUME 16 ISSUE 08
Hot Weather WeeklySafety.com
SAFETY FIRST. Austin employees have Heat-related deaths and illness are preventable, yet the CDC reports that more than 700 people die from extreme heat every year in the United States.
worked 4,992,656 hours without a Lost Time Accident through 7/2022.
Getting too hot can make you sick. The main things affecting our body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather are: High humidity. When the humidity is high, sweat won’t evaporate as quickly, and this keeps the body from releasing heat as fast as it should. Personal factors. Age, illness, dehydration, heart disease, poor circulation, sunburn, and drug and alcohol use can play a role in whether a person can cool off enough in very hot weather. When it’s hot outside, and especially during heat waves, it’s important that everyone take measures to stay cool, remain hydrated, keep informed, and take care of those that need a little extra help. When temperatures rise, reduce risks by taking the following precautions: • Stay indoors, in an air-conditioned area, as much as possible. If your home is not air-conditioned, spend
• Avoid using the stove or oven to cook, when possible, to keep temperatures down inside the house. • Cover windows that receive the bright morning or afternoon sun. • If you take prescription diuretics, antihistamines, moodaltering or antispasmodic drugs, check with a doctor about the effects of sun and heat exposure. When it’s hot, it’s important to drink more fluids, regardless of how active you are. • Drink plenty of water throughout the day. Don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink. • If your doctor limits the amount you drink or has you on water pills, ask how much you should drink while the weather is hot. • Avoid drinks with caffeine, alcohol, or a lot of sugar. • Consume sports drinks with electrolytes during activities that cause heavy sweating.
more time in air-conditioned public facilities, like a
During the hottest days, those who are at the highest risk
shopping mall or public library.
include people 65 and older, infants and young children,
• Do not rely on a fan as the main cooling device during periods of extreme heat. Fans may provide temporary comfort, but when temperatures get high, they may not prevent heat-related illness. • Eat light meals more frequently throughout the day and avoid hot and heavy meals.
and people with chronic medical conditions. Pets also need extra care in hot weather. • Check in on family members and neighbors who are elderly,house-bound or may be reluctant to ask for help. • Keep kids cool and hydrated.
• Avoid dressing babies in heavy clothing or wrapping them in warm blankets. • NEVER leave infants, children, or pets in a parked car, even if the windows are cracked open. • Never let children play in an unattended vehicle. Teach
• Drink more water than usual and don’t wait until you are thirsty to drink more. • Wear loose, lightweight, light-colored clothing, a hat, and sunglasses. • Avoid sunburn because it slows the skin’s ability to cool
them a vehicle is not a play area and keep car keys
itself. Wear sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher and continue
out of a child’s reach. If a child is missing, quickly check
to reapply it according to the package directions.
all vehicles, including the trunk. • If they are outside, make sure pets have plenty of cool water and access to comfortable shade.
• Know the signs of heat-related illnesses so you can respond quickly. • At the first signs of heat illness, which might include
During hot weather, plan outdoor activities during morning
dizziness, nausea, headaches, muscle cramps, or similar,
or evening hours to avoid being outside during the hottest
move to a cooler location to rest and slowly drink a
hours of the day. If you are outside during hot, midday
cool beverage. Seek medical attention immediately if
weather, take the following precautions:
you do not begin to feel better.
• Take frequent breaks and rest often in the shade. • Pace your activity by starting slow and increasing the intensity gradually.
Heat Cramps Move to a cooler location. Remove excess
Heat Stroke Call 911 or seek immediate medical care.
clothing. Drink chilled water, a sports drink containing
Cool down the body with whatever methods are available
electrolytes, or other nonalcoholic beverage without
until medical help arrives.
caffeine. Seek medical attention if cramps last more than an hour. Heat Exhaustion Move to a cooler location and lie down. Remove excess clothing. Take a cool bath. Drink chilled water, a sports drink containing electrolytes, or other nonalcoholic beverage without caffeine. Seek medical attention if symptoms worsen or last more than an hour.
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How to Prevent Injuries and Deaths Due to Natural Disasters 6.15.2022 | EHS Today by Gabe Grifoni Safety technology is more important than ever in the face
climate change. As warehouse workers face more risks than
of climate change.
ever in the logistics industry, how can operations managers
Rain or shine isn’t just the motto for mail carriers in the U.S.
keep their teams safe while minimizing disruptions?
The same could be said for warehouse workers. In the
CLIMATE CHANGE AND WEATHERRELATED DANGER
supply chain world, they’re an important link in the chain to make sure goods get from point A to point B. Any disruption can cause major delays and problems. That’s exactly what happened to an Amazon warehouse in Edwardsville, Ill., after it was struck by a tornado last December. Amazon said workers at the warehouse had little time to prepare when the National Weather Service declared a tornado warning on Friday night. The tornado arrived soon after, collapsing both sides of the warehouse and caving in its roof. Luckily everyone was able to make it to a safe shelter. OSHA inspectors looked into whether workplace safety rules were followed, and ultimately issued a Hazard Alert Letter to Amazon, requiring the online retailer to review its severe weather emergency procedures. The incident raises a big issue in warehouse safety. In today’s current climate, warehouse workers face not only increasing pressure from supply chain delays and worker shortages, but also natural disasters exacerbated by
What happened in Edwardsville wasn’t a one-off event. Unfortunately, we’ll only see an increased amount of risk for workers trapped in the warehouse with rising tornado storms, hurricanes, fires, and more as climate change’s effects make our environment less habitable and more dangerous. As the temperature of the earth continues to steadily rise over time, it makes extreme weather more frequent and/or severe. This increases the annual probability of events that are more intense than manufacturing assets are constructed to withstand, increasing the likelihood of supply chain disruptions. Tornado activity is increasing throughout the Southeast and in the southern portion of the Midwest. Research also shows tornadoes are also clustering on fewer days in the year, so that days with many tornadoes are becoming more common. While it is difficult to prove a direct cause of climate change as the culprit, the data show increasing
amounts of tornadoes in regions throughout the year, and a new epicenter of tornadoes forming in the Southern United States.
PREPAREDNESS TRAINING When it comes to disasters, there’s no chance of a proper response if you and your staff aren’t well trained. Further,
It’s not just tornadoes that are a concern; the probability of
poorly prepared staff risk the chance of making a disaster
a hurricane of sufficient intensity to disrupt semiconductor
worse. There should always be a clear emergency chain
supply chains may grow two to four times by 2040. And,
of command set up before any problems occur. Each
the probability heavy rare earths production is severely
department should have both an appointed leader and
disrupted from extreme rainfall may increase two to three
a backup who will be responsible for gathering employees
times by 2030.
to the appropriate place. The meeting location should be
In the wake of the growing evidence that climate change-
known and agreed upon ahead of time, and a staff count
related natural disasters are on the rise, there needs to be
needs to be taken by each section head when the group
a demand for new guidelines that prioritize worker safety.
arrives at the predetermined location.
What has worked in the past might not work tomorrow,
Each employee should be trained and tested on what
and it’s imperative to act now in order to protect workers
the emergency plans are for evacuating the building.
from what happened at Amazon with clear action plans,
Warehouse managers should keep multiple copies of
depending on the particular weather threats of an area.
these plans visible throughout the facility, and staff should
CONSTRUCTION
be reminded frequently of where they need to go and
Whether it’s to protect against a hurricane or tornado,
preparedness isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it type of plan. Make
buildings need to be fortified for high force winds. A common form of damage during tornadoes is doors being ripped off, allowing high winds to enter the warehouse and cause further destruction to machinery, inventory and structural components. Installing doors that can withstand very high winds can help companies avoid this problem. Large, flat roofs are most prone to being damaged or torn from a building, so bracing the roof can help it stay secure. And, in areas like California, earthquakes are a major concern. To keep inventory secure during an earthquake, rack storage should be bolted to the ground and seismicrated, meaning it’s been specifically tested for durability in times of ground motions often caused by earthquakes. Barriers on the front and back of rack shelving such as wire mesh can prevent falls during earthquakes. Flooding from heavy rainfall and hurricanes can cause numerous types of damage throughout a warehouse. Not only can it destroy inventory, but it can also negatively impact forklift engines, cause persistent moisture that can lead to mold growth, and damage electrical systems. The first step in preventing flood damage is to keep the interior of the warehouse dry. Drainage pipes can be fitted with
what they need to do. Most importantly, emergency a point of revisiting the procedures, especially if you work in a warehouse with high turnover in employees or seasonal staff. It’s important to revisit, reevaluate and make sure everyone knows what to do and where to be in different emergency situations.
TECHNOLOGY Another prevention element to implement is updated technology that enables efficient communication to workers at risk in the warehouse. Equipping the workforce with up-to-date mobile, wearable devices with optimized communication and emergency alerts can help provide the workers with more time to react to dangerous weather situations. Investing in platforms that allow management to have a bird’s-eye-view of the location of each worker will provide operations with more efficient ways to get workers to safety and ensure no worker is unaccounted for in the warehouse. With proper mobile devices, workers can also communicate with management and loved ones to ensure proper safety and receive emergency plans and directions instantly in the event of a natural disaster.
non-return valves, and doors and ventilation spaces can
Warehouse preparedness is never a bad investment, but
be equipped with guards that can minimize water seeping
with climate change trending the way it has been, it’s
through from the outside. Electrical installations and fuse
become a pressing need, no matter what part of the
boxes should be elevated so there’s no chance they’ll
country you live in.
be submerged. Also, forklifts and other vehicles at your warehouse can be stored on elevated loading bays or another lifted space to protect them from water damage.
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How Prevention through Design Improves Worker Safety in the Electrical Workplace 7.6.2022 | EHS Today The goal of PtD is to make electrical infrastructure safe for
also becoming common for PtD approaches to attempt
all workers, throughout the entire lifecycle of a facility.
to solve for uncertainty, in that the actual safety of a
Safety is a constant state of mind on the job floor and in
technology or use of a product largely depends on the
the workplace, often woven into a company’s culture. Safety begins with design-first thinking. Safety by design is an achievable intervention that improves worker health
behavior of workers in and during the process. Nowhere is this more prevalent than in the responsibility for electrical workplace safety.
and safety.
With Prevention through Design, new technologies and
Designing to eliminate or avoid hazards altogether, before
products attempt to reduce human exposure to hazards as
any exposure happens in the workplace, is also the top priority in the hierarchy of risk controls common to industry safety professionals. Known as Prevention through Design (PtD), it includes all efforts to envision and eliminate hazards to workers in facilities, the processes and procedures, as well as the tools, equipment, products and new technologies that come in contact with the people in the workplace. Today, just about every manufacturing process has a multitude of inherent safety risks, so it’s important to identify and minimize potential hazards from the very beginning. It’s
much as possible to achieve higher levels of safety. When looking to eliminate the problem, there are times when it’s best to design for the safety of the user. This requires design engineers to work closely with and understand the needs of safety managers as well as qualified electrical operators and maintenance workers who use the products and devices daily. The goal of PtD is to make electrical infrastructure safe for all workers throughout the entire lifecycle of the facility, which necessitates designing for safety during normal plant operations and routine maintenance but especially—and probably most importantly—for abnormal service and repair situations.
SAFER AND MORE PRODUCTIVE WORKPLACES
PREVENTING HAZARDS BY DESIGN
Within the arena of electrical safety in the workplace,
infrastructure suppliers to create even better methods
product development by way of PtD is achieving safer
of identifying and verifying de-energized electrical
workplaces while simultaneously increasing productivity.
equipment that conform to the NFPA 70E standards. Every
Several PtD product innovation examples include
safety manager’s top priority is to provide a workplace
permanently mounted voltage indicators, voltage portals,
free from serious safety and health hazards, ensuring that
data access ports, infrared (IR) windows for thermal
the workplace is fully in compliance with all applicable
inspection and absence of voltage testers. The process of
standards, rules and regulations to maintain safety in their
de-energizing and verifying equipment is in an electrically
manufacturing facility.
safe work condition before beginning work can prevent electrical incidents.
Today, safety managers are challenging electrical
It is important to establish and promote designing for safety and begin to incorporate PtD products that protect workers
A study found that the most common work task leading
into the overall plant safety program. Most importantly,
to arc-flash injury was replacing fuses without turning off
when safety is addressed in the design process, it is more
the power and verifying that the fuses were de-energized.
effective and can prove to be a more economical safety
The data also indicated that there may have been a lack
play in the long run for the facility. When the benefits
of training and judgement by those injured, underscoring
of PtD can improve worker productivity, create faster
the need for emphasis on creating an electrically safe
maintenance and less downtime, then the facility—and
work condition that includes that process of voltage
everyone in it—wins.
testing before beginning work. Because this process occurs frequently in the workplace, it is worthwhile to examine whether it can be optimized using PtD methodology.
The safety culture is changing and the responsibilities for safety will be shared across the facility among its workers. Preventing hazards by design is a priority for facility
The PtD case for electrical safety can be easily made. It
owners and the team responsible for maintaining safety
has been well documented that using PtD principles is one
management standards. Thanks to PtD, new technology,
of the most effective and reliable methods of protecting
such as AVTs, will continue to play a major role in electrical
workers from electrical hazards. The point remains: thinking
hazard reduction strategies in plants that achieve improved
about safety in the design phase for all tasks that occur
safety and productivity for workers responsible for
through the lifecycle of a product can be more easily
electrical energy.
(and often more economically) addressed by design solutions rather than relying on administrative controls such warnings, labels, training, written procedures and personal protective equipment (PPE). Administrative controls and PPE, as opposed to design engineered solutions, will still protect workers from some electrical hazards, but deenergizing equipment needs to be a clear, reliable and uncomplicated process when verifying absence of voltage. While the number of fatal workplace electrical injuries has fallen over the past 20 years, the trend with non-fatal electrical injuries is less consistent. Determining voltage status before equipment is accessed and preventing direct exposure to electrical hazards can be achieved with an absence of voltage tester (AVT) that also simplifies this process by automating the voltage verification process. It’s important to point out that when establishing an electrically safe work condition, verifying the absence of voltage is only one step in the process—using an AVT is a part of the lockout/tagout process and is not intended to replace it.
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First Aid - Eye Injuries Weeklysafety.com This safety topic provides basic safety tips if someone has
A foreign object in the eye can become dangerous and it’s
experienced an eye injury.
important not to make the situation worse before the item
• First aid should be administered only by trained and
can be removed. Do not rub the eye or attempt to remove
authorized personnel who are able to provide a
an object that’s embedded in the eye.
primary assessment and basic medical aid using
• If it feels like there is something in the eye, gently flushing
accessible supplies. • Before bringing your hands to your face, or assisting
the eye may be the best course of action. • Sometimes an object can scratch your eye. This often
someone else with first aid, always wash hands with
feels as though the object is still in the eye even after it
soap and water.
has been removed. This sensation can sometimes take 24 hours to go away.
For any eye injury, seek immediate medical assistance if: • Debris in the eye cannot be removed with simple irrigation.
To help someone who thinks they have a foreign object in their eye:
• A foreign object is embedded in the eye.
1.
Wash your hands with soap and water.
• There is abnormal vision at any time.
2.
Seat the person in a well-lighted area.
• Pain, redness, or the sensation of an object in the
3.
Gently examine the eye to find the object. Pull the lower lid down and ask the person to look up. Then hold
eye persists more than 24 hours after matter is flushed
the upper lid while the person looks down.
or removed. • Chemicals have splashed into the eye. • The eye has a corneal abrasion. Remember, after providing any type of first aid:
4.
If there is a small object on the surface of the eye that is not embedded, you can assist with a gentle eye flush or have them flush their eye with clean, warm water.
A corneal abrasion is a superficial scratch on the clear,
• Wash your hands immediately.
protective “window” at the front of your eye, which is
• Properly dispose of all hazardous waste.
your cornea.
• Clean and decontaminate all surfaces after exposure
• Your cornea can be scratched by contact with dust,
to blood or bodily fluids.
dirt, sand, wood shavings, metal particles, contact lenses, or even the edge of a piece of paper.
• Corneal abrasions caused by plant matter, like a pine needle, usually require special attention because they can cause a delayed inflammation inside the eye. Signs and symptoms of corneal abrasion include:
For a minor eye injury, immediate steps you can take include: • Blink several times as this may help move small particles out of the eye. • Pull the upper eyelid gently over the lower eyelid in an
• Pain
• Redness
attempt to get your eye to produce tears, which can
• A gritty feeling in the eye
• Sensitivity to the light
help wash out any small particles. There is also a chance
• Tearing
• Headache
your lower eye lashes can brush way debris from under your upper eyelid.
If you suspect that you have a corneal abrasion, seek
If an eye flush is recommended based on the type of injury,
prompt medical attention. Left untreated, an abrasion on
there are several ways to direct a gentle stream of water
the eye can become infected and result in a corneal ulcer.
on the eye, depending on what resources are available.
• After something hits or rubs your eye that may have
• Utilize a workplace eye wash or safety shower station.
caused a corneal abrasion, gently flush the eye which may help wash out foreign particles. • Most corneal abrasions heal quickly in a few days.
• Use a sterile eyewash bottle from the first aid station or first aid kit. • With a small, clean drinking glass positioned with its rim
If there has been a chemical splash into the eye, take
resting on the bone at the base of the eye socket, pour
these steps immediately.
clean, warm water from the glass into the eye to flush
1.
Flush the eye with clean, lukewarm tap water.
out a foreign object or rinse the eye.
2.
Wash your hands with soap and water and thoroughly rinse them to make sure no chemicals or soap is left on them.
4.
Remove contact lenses. If they didn’t come out during the flush, then take them out.
5.
Seek emergency care by an eye specialist, like an ophthalmologist, or other medical provider. Take the chemical container, or the name of the chemical, along to the medical facility, as this may aid in
• Get into a shower and aim a gentle stream of lukewarm water onto your forehead, over the affected eye, while holding your eyelid open. • A clean medicine dropper filled with clean, warm water can be used to irrigate the eye. If you’re wearing contact lenses, it’s best to remove the lens before or while you’re irrigating the surface of the eye with water in case there is debris stuck to the undersurface of the lens.
the treatment. 10. If available, wear sunglasses while awaiting medical care as they may help reduce sensitivity to light. Avoid making an eye injury worse! • Do not rub your eye after any kind of eye injury. This can cause further damage, especially if there is still foreign matter, or chemical residue, on or near the eye. • Do not put anything except clean water or contact lens saline rinse in the eye. • Do not use any kind of eye drops unless directed to do so by a medical professional. • Do not touch your eyeball with cotton swabs, tweezers, or other instruments. • Do not attempt to remove an object that is embedded in the eye. • Do not wear contact lenses while your eye is healing from an injury.
The information provided in this safety topic is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or formal first aid training.
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Long Night’s Journey into a New Day 6.1.2022 | EHS Today by Dave Blanchard How to protect employees who may not know how to ask for help. What mask do you wear to work every day? No, I’m not talking about a COVID face mask or a NIOSH-approved N95 respirator or any other type of PPE designed to keep contaminants out of the atmosphere. I mean the kind of mask that camouflages certain aspects of your personality from your colleagues—the kind of things that maybe your family and a few close friends know about you, or maybe even nobody else knows about you. Your job is to focus on safety, but that doesn’t necessarily translate into you feeling safe enough to share all of your hopes and fears with your co-workers. Nor should you expect—and certainly you shouldn’t insist—that your employees will share every intimate thought and feeling they have with you, either. As Longfellow once observed, everybody has a secret sorrow which the world knows not. Your job is to keep your workers safe from harm, and it’s proven to be a big enough task just to ensure their physical safety that companies assemble entire safety teams to avoid all kinds of accidents, incidents and injuries of a physical nature. But as the pandemic has shown, and as the opioid crisis showed even before COVID-19 arrived, and as the increasing withdrawal of people from the workplace even as the pandemic wanes is showing right now, the state of an employee’s mental health is just as important—maybe even more important—as their physical health. But how does a safety professional properly protect an employee’s mental well-being, particularly when you don’t even know what it is that’s threatening them? How do you protect a person from something they themselves might not even be able to identify or define? “To be safe, one must also feel safe,” points out John Dony, vice president of thought leadership at the National Safety Council. “Feeling unsafe at work is hurting people, and more must be done to combat this in a holistic way. Employers
everywhere must accept responsibility for their impact on workers on and off the clock by implementing safety policies and procedures that protect the whole person, including both physically and mentally.” In a recent study of more than 11,000 U.S. employees conducted by Mental Health America (MHA), nearly three-quarters (71%) of respondents said they find it difficult to concentrate at work due to stress and distractions of various kinds. The pandemic is no doubt a major contributor of stress and anxiety for all workers, considering that less than half (48%) responded the same way in a 2018 survey. Whatever the causes, employees are feeling overwhelmed like never before, and the situation doesn’t seem to be improving even as COVID recedes. In a Robert Half survey of 2,400 U.S. professionals, 41% said they feel more burned out now than they did a year ago. And here’s one more statistic to consider: 76% of workers report being frequently tired at work, according to a Zippia study of 1,500 U.S. workers, with stress and anxiety being the two leading causes. Imagine, then, the challenges safety leaders face knowing a significant number of their employees—many of whom work in hazardous, high-risk situations—are stressed out, burned out, distracted and overtired. Andrew Faas, founder of the Faas Foundation—a nonprofit that supports the creation of psychologically healthy, safe and fair workplaces—says there’s a need for leaders “to reduce, and ideally eliminate, the tremendous amount of unnecessary stress workers face, largely because the conditions necessary for active and positive engagement do not exist in their workplace.” The MHA’s 2022 Mind the Workplace report attempts to answer the question: How can companies meaningfully support employee mental health? The answers, as you would expect, are not quick fixes. However, they do directly address the reality of the situation: investment of time, intention and action from all levels of a company; employee empowerment; and full managerial support (see “What Can You Do?”). The main takeaway from all of these recent studies is that safety professionals don’t need a degree in mental health counseling to help keep their employees out of harm’s way, nor do they need to be mind readers who able to peer into the deepest recesses of their employees’ psyches. They just need to do what they already do best: Pay close attention to their people.
WHAT CAN YOU DO? Safety leaders can contribute to a mentally healthier workforce in the following ways: • Cultivate relationships built on trust and respect with employees. • Apply active listening skills and emotional intelligence in daily interactions with employees. • Provide appropriate guidance and assist employees with workload management. • Be aware of and noticing the signs of increased stress or burnout in employees. • Encourage employees to take time off when needed. Source: Mental Health America’s 2022 Mind the Workplace
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Lightning Safety When Working Outdoors 6.2021 | OSHA Fact Sheet Lightning strikes can severely injure or kill workers whose jobs involve working outdoors. Lightning is often overlooked as an occupational hazard, but employers need awareness about lightning hazards to ensure their workers’ safety. This fact sheet provides employers and workers at outdoor worksites with lightning safety recommendations from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).com
INTRODUCTION
• Logging
Lightning is a dangerous natural force. Annually in the
• Explosives handling or storage
United States, cloud-to-ground lightning occurs 20 to 25
• Heavy equipment operation
million times and over 300 people are struck by lightning. During the past 30 years, about 50 people, on average,
• Roofing
have been killed by lightning strikes every year, and many
• Construction (e.g., scaffolding)
more suffer permanent disabilities.
• Building maintenance
Precautions should be taken to prevent worker exposure
• Power utility field repair
to lightning. Employers should recognize lightning as an occupational hazard. Supervisors and workers at outdoor
• Steel erection/telecommunications
worksites should take lightning safety seriously.
• Farming and field labor
Workers whose jobs involve working outdoors in open
• Plumbing and pipe fitting
spaces, on or near tall objects, or near explosives or
• Lawn services/landscaping
conductive materials (e.g., metal) have significant exposure to lightning risks. Worker activities at higher risk for lightning hazards include:
• Airport ground personnel operations • Pool and beach lifeguarding
check NOAA weather reports (weather.gov) and radio forecasts for all weather hazards. OSHA recommends that employers consider rescheduling jobs to avoid workers being caught outside in hazardous weather conditions. When working outdoors, supervisors and workers should continuously monitor weather conditions. Watch for darkening clouds and increasing wind speeds, which can indicate developing thunderstorms. Pay close attention to local television, radio, and Internet weather reports, forecasts, and emergency notifications regarding thunderstorm activity and severe weather. Seek Shelter in Buildings: Employers and supervisors should know and tell workers which buildings to go to after hearing thunder or seeing lightning. NOAA recommends seeking out fully enclosed buildings with electrical wiring and plumbing. Remain in the shelter for at least 30 minutes after hearing the last sound of thunder. Lightning strikes tall tree.Photo: NOAA
Vehicles as Shelter: If safe building structures are not accessible, employers should guide workers to hard-
REDUCING LIGHTNING HAZARDS WHEN WORKING OUTDOORS Employers, supervisors, and workers should understand lightning risks, characteristics, and precautions to minimize workplace hazards. Lightning is unpredictable and can strike outside the heaviest rainfall areas or even up to 10
topped metal vehicles with rolled up windows. Remain in the vehicle for at least 30 minutes after hearing the last sound of thunder. Phone Safety: After hearing thunder, do not use corded phones, except in an emergency. Cell phones and cordless phones may be used safely.
miles from any rainfall.
EMERGENCY ACTION PLAN
Many lightning victims are caught outside during a storm
Employers should have a written Emergency Action Plan
because they did not act promptly to get to a safe place, or they go back outside too soon after a storm has passed. If signs of approaching thunderstorms occur, workers should not begin any task they cannot quickly stop. Proper planning and safe practices can easily increase lightning safety when working outdoors.
WHEN THUNDER ROARS, GO INDOORS! If you hear thunder, even a distant rumble, get to a safe place immediately. Thunderstorms always include lightning. Any thunder you hear is caused by lightning! NOAA advises that nowhere outside is safe when thunderstorms are in your area. OSHA and NOAA recommend that employers and supervisors follow these lightning safety best practices for workers whose jobs involve working outdoors: Check NOAA Weather Reports: Prior to beginning any outdoor work, employers and supervisors should
(EAP), as outlined in 29 CFR 1910.38 or 29 CFR 1926.35. The EAP should include a written lightning safety protocol for outdoor workers. This lightning safety protocol should: • Inform supervisors and workers to take action after hearing thunder, seeing lightning, or perceiving any other warning signs of approaching thunderstorms. • Indicate how workers are notified about lightning safety warnings. • Identify locations and requirements for safe shelters. • Indicate response times necessary for all workers to reach safe shelters. • Specify approaches for determining when to suspend outdoor work activities, and when to resume outdoor work activities. • Account for the time required to evacuate customers and members of the public, and the time needed for workers to reach safety.
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Employers should also post information about lightning
accurate than the commercial detection and notification
safety at outdoor worksites. All employees should be
systems. In some cases, simply listening for thunder
trained on how to follow the EAP, including the lightning
or watching the sky may be a better indication of a
safety procedures.
developing or nearby storm.
WHAT IS LIGHTNING?
For situations which require advance notice of
Lightning is a giant spark of electricity in the atmosphere
thunderstorms, NOAA recommends monitoring forecasts and
between clouds or between a cloud and the ground. Lightning can occur: • Between the cloud and the ground (cloud-toground lightning) • Within and between thunderstorm clouds (intra- and inter-cloud lightning) More information here.
LIGHTNING SAFETY TRAINING Employers should adequately train all workers on lightning
radar observations from either commercial weather services or NOAA to stay informed of changing weather conditions.
IF CAUGHT OUTSIDE IN A THUNDERSTORM If you find yourself caught outside during a thunderstorm, there may be nothing you can do to prevent being struck by lightning. There simply is no safe place outside in a thunderstorm. This is why it is very important to get to a safe place at the first signs of a thunderstorm. If you are caught outside follow NOAA’s recommendations to decrease the
safety. Training should be provided for each outdoor
risk of being struck.
worksite, so that supervisors and workers know in advance
• Lightning is likely to strike the tallest objects in a given area.
where a worksite’s safe shelters are and the time it takes to reach them. Employers should train supervisors and workers to provide lightning safety warnings in sufficient time for everyone to reach a worksite’s safe shelters and take other appropriate precautions.
LIGHTNING WARNING SYSTEMS An employer’s EAP may include lightning warning or detection systems, which can provide advance warning of lightning hazards. However, no systems can detect the “first strike,” detect all lightning, or predict lightning strikes. NOAA recommends that employers first rely on NOAA weather reports, including NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards: www.weather.gov/nwr. Commercial lightning detection and notification services are available to monitor for lightning activity. These notification services can send alerts when lightning activity develops or moves to within a certain range of a work site. In addition, these commercial systems can provide mapped locations of lightning strikes from an approaching
• Avoid isolated tall trees, hilltops, utility poles, cell phone towers, cranes, large equipment, ladders, scaffolding, or rooftops. • Avoid open areas, such as fields. Never lie on the ground. • Retreat to dense areas of smaller trees that are surrounded by larger trees, or retreat to low-lying areas (e.g., valleys, ditches) but watch for flooding. • Avoid water, and immediately get out of and away from bodies of water (e.g., pools, lakes). • Water does not attract lightning, but it is an excellent conductor of electricity. For boating safety see NOAA PA 200252. • Avoid wiring, plumbing, and fencing. Lightningcan travel long distances through metal, whichis an excellent conductor of electricity. Stayaway from all metal objects, equipment, andsurfaces that can conduct electricity. • Do not shelter in sheds, pavilions, tents,or covered
storm. However, these systems cannot predict the first
porches as they do not provideadequate protection
lightning strike. Consequently, it is important to watch the
from lightning.
sky for storms developing overhead or nearby and get to a safe place prior to the first lightning strike.
• Seek fully-enclosed, substantial buildings withwiring and plumbing. In modern buildings,the interior wiring
Portable and hand-held lightning detectors function by
and plumbing will act as anearth ground. A building
detecting the electromagnetic signal from a nearby
is a safe shelter aslong as you are not in contact
lightning strike and then processing the signal to estimate
with anythingthat can conduct electricity (e.g.,
the distance to the lightning strike. These devices typically
electricalequipment or cords, plumbing fixtures,
do not detect all strikes, cannot predict the first strike,
cordedphones). Do not lean against concrete walls
cannot provide the location of a strike, and are less
orfloors (which may have metal bars inside).
OSHA STANDARDS Under the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSH Act), employers are required to provide their employees with a place of employment that “is free from recognizable hazards that are causing or likely to cause death or serious harm to employees.” The courts have interpreted OSHA’s
On-site Consultation Program services for small and medium-sized businesses, contact your nearest OSHA office, visit www.osha.gov, or call OSHA at 1-800-321-OSHA (6742), TTY 1-877-889-5627.
WORKERS’ RIGHTS WORKERS HAVE THE RIGHT TO:
general duty clause to mean that an employer has a legal
• Working conditions that do not pose a risk of serious harm.
obligation to provide a workplace free of conditions or
• Receive information and training (in alanguage and
activities that either the employer or industry recognizes as
vocabulary the workerunderstands) about workplace
hazardous and that cause, or are likely to cause, death or
hazards,methods to prevent them, and the OSHA
serious physical harm to employees when there is a feasible
standards that apply to their workplace.
method to abate the hazard. This includes lightning hazards that can cause death or serious bodily harm.
DURING STORMS OR HIGH WINDS, OSHA PROHIBITS:
• Review records of work-related injuriesand illnesses. • File a complaint asking OSHA to inspecttheir workplace if they believe there is aserious hazard or that their
• work on or from scaffolds (29 CFR 1926.451(f)(12));
employer is notfollowing OSHA’s rules. OSHA will keep
• crane hoists (29 CFR 1926.1431(k)(8)); and
allidentities confidential.
• work on top of walls (29 CFR 1926.854(c)). In these situations, scaffold work may continue only if a qualified person determines it is safe and personal fall protection or wind screens are provided. Crane hoists may continue only if a qualified person determines it is safe.
HELPFUL RESOURCES • Lightning Safety on the Job (weather.gov) • National Fire Protection Association (NFPA):
• Exercise their rights under the law withoutretaliation, including reporting an injury orraising health and safety concerns with theiremployer or OSHA. If a worker has beenretaliated against for using their rights, theymust file a complaint with OSHA as soon aspossible, but no later than 30 days. For more information, see OSHA’s Workers page. Lightning Fatalities - Work-Related Activities Based on 47 cases from 2006 through 2015
• NFPA 780: Standard for the Installation ofLightning Protection Systems, 2014 Edition, www.nfpa.org/ codes-and-standards/document-informationpages?mode=code&code=780 • National Lightning Safety Institute, lightningsafety.com • Transportation Research Board of the National Academies, Protecting Airport Personnelfrom Lightning Strikes, here.
CONTACT NOAA For information on lightning safety, or to obtain data,
US Lightning Fatalities 2006-2016
educational and outreach materials, and posters, visit NOAA’s lightning safety website: Lightning Safety Tips and Resources (weather. gov). Contact NOAA at wrn. feedback@ noaa.gov. Examples of data available from NOAA are provided to the right.
CONTACT OSHA For more information, to report an emergency, fatality, inpatient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye, or to file a confidential compliant, or to request OSHA’s free 15
Moving from Pandemic to Endemic 6.28.2022 | EHS Today by Adrienne Selko Preparation and risk management offer the best course of
In her work with companies large and small and in a variety
action in a post-pandemic workplace.
of industries, Walla has discovered some best practices. Her
While it’s hard to catch a moving target, employers are
advice is as follows:
starting to transition from the pandemic perspective to
• Have as few rules as possible.
the endemic one. Guidance for this forward movement came from Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, when he said on
• Change rules slowly and deliberately. • Keep it simple and easy to follow.
April 26, 2022, that he feels the U.S has passed the “acute
• Communicate the why and not just the how.
component of the pandemic phase.”
When analyzing the safety leaders that she worked with
“People are getting pandemic fatigue and are tired of the
over the past two years, Walla found that at companies
whiplash effect of having to remove safety standards, such
that are science-based, employees were very accepting of
as not wearing masks, and then having to put them back
changes that had to be made to address the pandemic.
on again,” notes Rachel Walla, owner of Ally Safety,
As these employees understood that science changes, the
a producer of safety videos. “So, now that we are in a
culture was quick to adapt to procedural changes due to
new phase, safety professionals are able to apply the
the pandemic. However, union shops had a more difficult
lessons learned during the pandemic to decide how to
time adapting to new procedures as generally they tend
move forward.”
to be more leery of management. What was universal,
Walla notes that while in many cases both employers and employees are feeling optimistic, safety professionals need to continue to be prepared for any changes. And they do
however, is that companies that took the pandemic seriously very early on did a lot better than those that, as Walla describes, “dragged their feet.”
have processes and procedures to fall back on, given their
And companies that were very clear in communicating
overall “success” in how they were able to deal with the
with their employees about what they were doing—and
pandemic and keep employees as safe as possible while
why—were very well-received. “Even if people didn’t like
continuing to operate their companies.
the rules, they understood the reasons behind the many
safety precautions and felt their employers were trying to
“Now is the time to do a full hazard assessment. It should
do the right thing,” says Walla.
be a very thorough review that is given an adequate
When safety professionals were already part of the core
amount of time. One of the critical parts of this process is
management team, things well smoothly as well. But safety professionals who worked separately from executive management were sometimes susceptible to burnout as
to determine what lessons were learned over these past two years and use that to manage the disease as we move from the pandemic stage to the endemic stage.”
there was a lack of coordination about what procedures to follow, and often the safety professionals didn’t receive the support they needed. When it comes to the question of getting the COVID vaccines, Walla feels that this issue has been more or less resolved. “As everyone now has access to the vaccine, and it looks there won’t be a federal vaccine mandate, I think the safety profession is taking a more neutral approach. People can make their own choices and then companies can decide how they want to manage that from a safety perspective.” In order to continue to be prepared for whatever strains or complications may still arise from the virus, Walla feels that preparation is the best course of action. Her advice is for companies to review their risks.
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