Pre- 2020 Headlines

Webinar—Getting a Grasp on Controls for Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards, 1/16/2020

On 1/16/2020 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will host the “Getting a Grasp on Controls for Slip, Trip, and Fall Hazards” webinar.

This webinar focuses on the importance of addressing slips, trips, and falls (STFs) in the workplace. This webinar describes regulatory standards and additional consensus standards aimed at reducing STF incidents. It also discusses causal factors for STFs, as well as control measures and best practices to prevent these incidents from occurring.

This presentation is beneficial to personnel wanting to learn more about preventing STFs in the workplace. Attendees should have a basic understanding of control measures for STF incidents prior to this webinar. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include:

• Safety managers and specialists

• Facility managers

• Safety committee members

• Supervisors.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link here to register for this FREE webinar.

CTC a Member of ISO Technical Advisory Group, includes 2 SMCX staff

As of October 2019, Concurrent Technologies Corporation serves as a sitting member of an American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) Technical Advisory Group (TAG). The ASSP TAG is member of the U.S. seat to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 283 on Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) Management. The ISO TC consists of more than 75 countries across six continents.

Two DoD SMCX team members will serve as CTC’s representatives. Brandon Hody, CTC Safety and Occupational Health Professional, serves as the primary representative to the TAG; and Lori Schroth, CTC Senior Safety and Environmental Professional, serves as the alternate. Hody and Schroth serve as subject matter experts, assisting with the review and approval of draft guidance and standards developed and published by ISO TC 283.

Their efforts place CTC in a position to contribute to the overall advancement of OH&S management for the future, as well as demonstrate CTC’s capabilities in the OH&S field and operation of the DoD SMCX.

Holiday Season Safety

As you deck the halls this holiday season, be fire smart. A small fire spreads to a Christmas tree can grow large very quickly. Although Christmas tree fires are not common, when they do occur, they are dangerous.

On average, 1 of every 52 reported home Christmas tree fires resulted in death. Remember, artificial isn’t necessarily better either! It's easy for any tree, real or artificial, to catch fire when decorators overload electrical sockets with lights.

Both Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) have materials with a number of helpful hints and reminders: https://www.usfa.fema.gov/prevention/outreach/holiday.html and https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/ChristmasTreeSafetyTips.pdf

The North Carolina Consumers Council wrote an article about the differences between live and artificial trees as it relates to lowering your fire risk: https://www.ncconsumer.org/news-articles-eg/christmas-tree-safety-live-vs-artificial-trees.html.

Image courtesy of FEMA website.

Preventing Cold Stress, OSHA 19 NOV 19 QuickTakes Repost

Preventing Cold Stress

OSHA 19 NOV 19 QuickTakes Repost: “Make sure you are properly protected from cold stress and other winter weather hazards.”

OSHA offers a number of informational resources on their Winter Weather page, available at: https://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/index.html. This site includes articles, tips, and plans for such topics as cold stress, preventing slips on snow and ice, hazards/precautions, and cold weather preparedness.

Excerpt courtesy of OSHA, image courtesy Shutterstock free to use imagery.

Webinar—Meet the Feb 15 Deadline: Initiate the Annual VPP Self-Evaluation Today, 12/19/2019

On 12/19/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will host the “Meet the Feb 15 Deadline: Initiate the Annual VPP Self-Evaluation Today” webinar.

This webinar focuses on completing an annual Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Programs (VPP) self-evaluation. This webinar discusses the purpose of the evaluation, requirements to complete the evaluation, tips to effectively complete each section, and when it is due. In addition, this webinar provides examples of complete and incomplete examples in the evaluation

This presentation is beneficial to personnel wanting to learn more about completing an annual VPP self-evaluation. Attendees should have a basic understanding of completing an annual self-evaluation and self-evaluation expectations prior to this webinar. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include:

Safety specialists and managers
VPP points of contact (POCs)
Personnel with additional safety and health (S&H) responsibilities
Industrial hygiene team

Please click the ‘Registration’ link here to register for this FREE webinar.

BLS Releases 2018 Injury and Illness Data Read

BLS Releases 2018 Injury and Illness Data

The BLS has published the non-fatal injury and illness data from 2018. You can view the data at the following link: https://www.bls.gov/iif/oshsum.htm. Data regarding fatal injuries and illnesses in 2018 is scheduled for release on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at 10:00 AM EST.

In private industry, there were a total of 2,834,500 recordable injuries and illnesses, with just over 900,000 resulting in days away from work. Some of the trending (on the rise) injuries and illnesses for 2018 include sprains, strains, and tears; back injuries; and slips, trips, and falls.

If you are pursuing OSHA VPP approval, remember you can only compare your TCIR/DART rates to data from the last three years. With the release of 2018 data, you can no longer use 2015 data for comparisons.

Image courtesy of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), https://www.bls.gov/.

November is National Running Safety Month

November is National Running Safety Month and this year its ‘Run Smart. Run Bright.’ Be prepared. Be aware. Be safe. Be together

Occurring every year in November, this month-long campaign features local educational events and highlighted merchandise designed to ensure that running remains a fun and safe activity. National Running Safety Month and its ‘Run Smart. Run Bright.’ campaign gives runners simple tips and equipment that can help increase their visibility and awareness on the local roadways as well as their protection against the elements.

“November is a pivotal time for safety education, when daylight savings ends and runners are forced to get in their miles in at night. In addition, we want to ensure that running with listening devices doesn’t limit awareness to potential danger. Running at all times of the year should be both fun and safe.” - Terry Schalow, Executive Director of the Running Industry Association (RIA)

You can find more information at https://runsafetymonth.com/.

Additional information about how to stay safe while running at night is available at https://www.injinji.com/blog/4-essential-tips-for-running-safer-at-night/.

Image courtesy of https://runsafetymonth.com/.

New Army SOH Star sites

In the second half of Government Fiscal Year 2019 (April–September 2019), the United States Army recognized eight (8) new Army Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Star sites and four (4) sites Recertified Army SOH Star sites.

Joint teams of Army Medical Command (MEDCOM) and SMCX personnel conducted on-site assessments including the development of an evaluation worksheet detailing the continued implementation and sustainment of the Army Safety and Occupational Health Management System (ASOHMS) at world-class level at each of these sites.

The new Army SOH Star sites include Public Health Activity (PHA)-Guam, Ft Eustis McDonald Army Health Clinic, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR), United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID), Bassett Army Community Hospital, Fort Richardson Dental Clinic CMD, Public Health Command (PHC)-Pacific, and United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM).

The recertified sites include Irwin Army Community Hospital, Ft Drum Guthrie Ambulatory Health Clinic, United States Army Medical Materiel Agency (USAMMDA), & Blanchfield Army Community Hospital.

Webinar—The Latest International Standard: Introduction to ISO 45001, 11/21/2019

On 11/21/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will host the &ldquoThe Latest International Standard: Introduction to ISO 45001” webinar.

This webinar provides an overview of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 45001, Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSMS). The webinar covers the importance of the ISO 45001 standard, details related to implementation and the benefits of ISO 45001, and discusses key points for successfully implementing the OHSMS criteria at your organization.

This presentation is beneficial to personnel wanting to learn more about ISO 45001 criteria. Attendees should have a basic understanding of ISO standards and OHSMSs prior to this webinar. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include:

S&H professionals
Organizational leaders
Workers wanting an overview of the OHSMS requirements

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this FREE webinar.

Research on Leading Indicators by The Campbell Institute

The Campbell Institute has always made the measurement of leading indicators a key area of interest. Define, Align, Refine, and Design your leading indicators with help from their research: https://www.thecampbellinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Campbell-Institute-An-Implementation-Guide-to-Leading-Indicators.pdf

The Campbell Institute also realizes more organizations are recognizing the correlation between wellbeing and safety. Take a look at your employees’ wellbeing and some leading indicators to help measure it too: https://www.thecampbellinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Campbell-Institute-Beyond-Safety-Leading-Indicators-for-Health-and-Wellbeing.pdf

Image retrieved from the Campbell Institute at: https://www.thecampbellinstitute.org/research/

Pedestrian Safety Walking Tips

A group of children from The Learning Haven are participating in a safety program. In a discussion about all kinds of safety issues, their teacher, Ms. Carey Davis, asked the class to come up with things they could think of where safety would be important, in an effort to teach the kids how safety is important in everyone’s lives in order to protect ourselves and others and to reinforce how safety issues surround us in everything we do.

One of her students, Anne, brought up the topic of pedestrian safety and even provided an example she found online: https://www.oasisfinancial.com/tips-for-pedestrian-safety-walking-safety-rules/.

This webpage from OASIS Financial, Tips for Pedestrian Safety: Walking Safety Rules, provides a series of tips and advice to keep yourself safe as a pedestrian, topics such as facing traffic, walking single file, and making sure you are visible.

Workshop—Documenting Job Hazard Analyses that "WOW" Safety Professionals, 10/29/2019

On 10/29/2019 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “Documenting Job Hazard Analyses that "WOW" Safety Professionals” workshop.

This workshop provides information on the importance and purpose of a JHA and shows some examples of JHAs completed by DoD worksites. In addition, the workshop includes activities to take a step-by-step approach in completing a JHA, assisting in breaking down tasks, identifying hazards, and determining control measures.

This workshop is beneficial to personnel wanting to learn more about developing and documenting a hazard analysis. Attendees should have a basic understanding of hazard analysis prior to this workshop. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include:

Safety management system (SMS) points-of-contact (POCs)
Safety staff
Supervisors
Employees tasked with helping to develop JHAs

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this workshop.

Webinar—Confined Space Rescue – Unsuccessful without a Group Effort, 10/17/2019

On 10/17/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “Confined Space Rescue – Unsuccessful without a Group Effort” webinar.

This webinar focuses on reviewing and improving your confined space rescue process, reviews the components of a confined space rescue plan, and discusses each of those components in detail. It covers key stakeholders involved in confined space rescue, confined space rescue techniques, PPE and rescue equipment, and training and drill requirements. Throughout this webinar, we will describe strategies to evaluate and improve your confined space rescue process.

Personnel wanting to learn more about evaluating the confined space rescue process may benefit from this presentation. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: Confined Space Program Manager, Confined Space Trainers, Safety and Industrial Hygiene Staff, Emergency Response & Rescue Personnel, and Authorized Confined Space Entrants, Attendants, & Entry Supervisors.

Attendees should have a basic understanding of confined spaces and rescue drills prior to this webinar.

Article—Schools Have Hazards Too: Continuing the Quest to Make Schools Safer

Along with a colleague from Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (Elliot Laratonda), Dr. Lori Schroth, Brandon Hody, Chris Chaffin, and Jimmy Culpepper co-authored the featured article in the September 2019 Public Risk Magazine, titled “Schools Have Hazards Too: Continuing the Quest to Make Schools Safer”.

Introduction: “You likely remember this: The alarm sounds. Classmates rejoice. You walk, nearly skip, through the halls single-file. You and your classmates gather outside for a glorious break from math… We have all experienced fire drills in school. Safety in primary and secondary schools is vital to protect not only students, but also school leaders, faculty, support staff, and visitors against hazards and violence; nevertheless, there is room for improvement.”

You can read the full article here.

You can get additional information about Public Risk Magazine and the Public Risk Management Association at: https://primacentral.org/content.cfm?sectionid=33.

SMCX FY20 Webinar & Workshop Schedule

Did you know the SMCX offers FREE webinars & workshops? You can view the full FY20 schedule of webinars and workshops here.

Our webinars and workshops cover various safety and health topics, especially those related to safety management systems! We use your feedback and survey input to select our topics to ensure they are relevant to you!

WEBINAR/WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS:

Free!
Interactive
Stories from subject matter experts
Live Q&A session
Best practice sharing
On-demand document downloads
Recordings available

To view and register for any or all sessions, click here.

Webinar—How to Create a Safety Awards Program that Lasts, 9/19/2019

On 9/19/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “How to Create a Safety Awards Program that Lasts” webinar.

This webinar focuses on the components of an effective safety awards program in a safety management system (SMS). This webinar provides ideas and suggestions to promote new or existing safety awards programs. In addition, it covers personnel roles and responsibilities and strategies to evaluate the program’s effectiveness.

Personnel wanting to learn more about developing new or improving existing safety awards programs may benefit from this presentation. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: Leadership of all levels (e.g., supervisors, managers, Command staff), SMS points-of-contact (POC), and Safety staff.

Attendees should have an intermediate understanding of safety awards programs prior to this webinar.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

OSHA Leading Indicators web page

OSHA created a Leading Indicators web page, available at https://www.osha.gov/leadingindicators/.

OSHA’s new publication #3970, “Using Leading Indicators to Improve Safety and Health Outcomes,” describes what leading indicators are and the benefits of using them. The publication offers guidance on using leading indicators for data you are already collecting, controlling identified hazards, and improving elements of safety and health programs.

Excerpt and image courtesy of OSHA.

SMCX to present at Annual National VPPPA Safety & Health Conference, 2019 Safety+ Symposium

The SMCX will present two briefings at the Annual National Voluntary Protection Programs Participants' Association, Inc. (VPPPA) Safety & Health Conference, the 2019 Safety+ Symposium, scheduled for August 27–30, 2019 at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center in New Orleans, LA.

For more information on available workshop descriptions, visit: https://www.vpppa.org/symposium/symposium-workshops

Information regarding Safety+ is available on the VPPPA website at: http://www.vpppa.org/national-symposium/national-symposium-information

The DoD SMCX is working with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness (OUSD P&R), Force Safety and Occupational Health and other Service/Agency to organize a series of DoD-only breakout sessions to take place in conjunction with the Safety+ National Symposium.

Image retrieved from the VPPPA at: http://www.vpppa.org/national-symposium.

SMCX gears up to support DoD agencies with ISO 45001 assessments

In addition to VPP and ANSI Z10 implementation, the SMCX stands ready to support organizations with ISO 45001 assessments to help prepare them for third party certification assessments.

The SMCX conducted a crosswalk of other Safety Occupational Health Management Systems to include OSHA VPP, ANZI Z10, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 14001. This crosswalk helps ensure organizations meet all criteria to help organizations with successful implementation and third-party certifications of their selected SOHMS.

Webinar—Addressing Common Errors in S&H Training Management, 8/15/2019

On 8/15/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “Addressing Common Errors in S&H Training Management” webinar.

This webinar focuses on strategies to improve safety and health (S&H) training management and your organization’s safety management system (SMS) and also provides an overview of S&H training expectations for your SMS, the steps you should have in place for an effective training process, and common errors in S&H training management.

Personnel wanting to learn more about refining the S&H training process in their SMS may benefit from this presentation. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: Training managers, Supervisors, S&H trainers, SMS points of contact (POCs), and S&H staff.

Attendees should already have an S&H training process in place and an intermediate understanding of S&H training requirements prior to this webinar.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

Safe + Sound Challenges You to Find and Fix Hazards in the Workplace

Safe + Sound is a year-round campaign to encourage every workplace to have a safety and health program. Organizers include OSHA, NIOSH, VPPPA, ASSP, AIHA, and CPWR. The week of August 12–18, 2019 is set aside as a national event to celebrate organization commitment to safety. Information on how you can participate is available at: https://www.osha.gov/safeandsoundweek/.

Image courtesy of OSHA.

Are you prepared to respond to the threat of a hurricane?

OSHA 17 JUL 19 QuickTakes Repost: “Hurricanes and tropical storms can create a variety of hazards for workers. Preparing for weather-related emergencies plays a vital role in ensuring that employers and workers have the necessary equipment to stay safe when severe weather strikes. OSHA's Hurricane Preparedness and Response page provides information on creating evacuation plans and supply kits and reducing hazards for hurricane response and recovery work.”

OSHA offers a number of informational resources on their Hurricane Preparedness and Response page, available at: https://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/hurricane/.

Excerpt and image courtesy of OSHA.

Workshop—OSHA Recordkeeping: One Step at a Time, 7/30/2019

On 7/30/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “OSHA Recordkeeping: One Step at a Time” workshop.

This 90-minute workshop focuses on injury and illness recordkeeping, providing information on how to accurately determine the work-relatedness of a case and enter it on OSHA Forms 301, 300 and 300A. In addition, the workshop includes activities, such as classifying injuries and illnesses from investigation documentation, calculating days away from work, and resolving common entry errors for OSHA recordkeeping requirements.

Personnel wanting to learn more about accurately documenting injuries and illnesses on OSHA Forms 300 and 300A may benefit from this interactive workshop. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: OSHA record keepers, Safety and health (S&H) managers, Safety & Occupational Health Staff.

Attendees should have a basic working knowledge of OSHA recordkeeping regulations prior to this workshop.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this workshop.

Did You Know the SMCX Offers Free Webinars & Workshops?

WEBINAR/WORKSHOP HIGHLIGHTS:

Free!
Interactive
Stories from subject matter experts
Live Q&A session
Best practice sharing
On-demand document downloads
Recordings available

To view and register for upcoming webinars and workshops click here.

Keeping Workers Safe from Heat Hazards

As the long hot summer continues, many employees are exposed to heat on the job in both indoor and outdoor environments. OSHA offers a number of training and prevention resources on their Occupational Heat Exposure page, available at: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/heatstress/prevention.html

Image courtesy of OSHA.

Webinar—OSHA Recordkeeping 101, 7/18/2019

On 7/18/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “OSHA Recordkeeping 101” webinar.

This webinar covers the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recordkeeping requirements, focusing on injury and illness (I&I) reporting requirements and proper recordkeeping on the OSHA Forms 300 and 300A. In addition, the webinar differentiates between OSHA recordable and non-recordable cases.

Personnel wanting to learn more about OSHA recordkeeping may benefit from this presentation. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: OSHA record keepers, Safety management system (SMS) points of contact (POCs), Safety and health (S&H) specialists, and safety technicians.

Attendees should have a basic understanding of recordkeeping requirements prior to this webinar.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

OSHA Emergency Preparedness and Response Page

Natural disasters can create a variety of hazards for workers. OSHA’s Emergency Preparedness and Response pages provide information on how to prepare and train for these emergencies.

Check out the OSHA pages at: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/

Image courtesy of OSHA.

June is National Safety Month

June is National Safety Month, as celebrated by the National Safety Council (NSC) and thousands of organizations and companies across the nations. The NSC has a dedicated website with information and free materials to share with your organization available at https://www.nsc.org/work-safety/get-involved/national-safety-month/?kbid=62750.

Per the NSC site National Safety Month “…focuses on reducing leading causes of injury and death at work, on the road and in our homes and communities. We provide downloadable resources highlighting a different safety topic for each week in June. Topics for 2019 are Hazard Recognition, Slips, Trips and Falls, Fatigue and Impairment.”

Image courtesy of National Safety Council (https://www.nsc.org/).

Webinar—What to do When Leaders Leave: Strategies for Maintaining Your SMS, 6/20/2019

On 6/20/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “What to do When Leaders Leave: Strategies for Maintaining Your SMS” webinar.

This webinar focuses on the actions that organizations may take to maintain and improve the safety management system (SMS) when leadership changes occur and will also discuss best practices for assisting new leaders transition into the organization.

Personnel wanting to learn more about handling change when new leaders start at an organization may benefit from this presentation. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: SMS POCs, Safety staff, and Union leaders.

Attendees should have an intermediate understanding of leadership expectations in a safety management system prior to this webinar.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

Get Ready for Summer – Work/Rest Schedules

Summer is quickly approaching! As the heat increases, you need to think about how to reduce the risk of heat stress among your employees. NIOSH has information on setting up your own work/rest schedule.

Check it out at: https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/UserFiles/works/pdfs/2017-127.pdf

Image courtesy of NIOSH.

Learn About Creating Your Own Employee Perception Survey

Two of the SMCX safety professionals, our very own Brandon Hody and Lori Schroth, will present a session at the ASSP’s Professional Development Conference in New Orleans. Their session is titled “Thoughts, Feelings, and Opinions: Gauging Employee Perceptions”, schedule for June 10 at 2:00 PM EDT. They will walk through the steps to pull together your own survey and talk about how to use the results to improve your safety management system. If you are going to this conference, consider attending this session, or at least stop by and say “hi.”

For additional information on this conference, visit: https://safety.assp.org/.

Share the Road – May is Motorcycle Safety Month

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) posted motorcycle safety information to remind drivers and motorcyclists to share the road and be alert.

The NHTSA asks motorcyclists to review this information before getting on a motorcycle:

Make sure you are properly licensed
Practice operating the motorcycle
Wear the proper protection
Ride responsibly
Be alcohol and drug free

Details on motorcycle safety can be found at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycle-safety.

Did You Know that May is National Electrical Safety Month?

Electrical safety is important at home and the workplace. Consider emphasizing electrical safety during self-inspections, safety talks, and other trainings in May. Use this month as an opportunity to look at electrical-related programs and practices to see if they align with safety and health regulations.

You should take a few moments at home as well to see if you have any electrical hazards and ensure your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors are functional. Refer to ESFI for home-related resources to help you: https://www.esfi.org/electrical-safety. The NFPA also has a resourceful checklist: https://www.nfpa.org/-/media/Files/Public-Education/Resources/Safety-tip-sheets/Electrical_Safety_Tips.ashx?la=en

You can also use the ESFI Electrical Safety Self-Assessment to determine if your workplace safety program covers your electrical hazards. To take this assessment, visit: https://www.esfi.org/electrical-safety-self-assessment.

Webinar—Rooftop Safety: What You NEED to Know, 5/16/2019

On 5/16/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “Rooftop Safety: What You NEED to Know” webinar.

This webinar focuses on rooftop fall hazards and recent updates to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) walking-working surfaces regulations. It also covers the requirements for protecting employees working on low-slope roofs, common rooftop fall protection controls, and best practices for fall protection.

Personnel who may benefit from this presentation are those wanting to learn more about fall protection on rooftops. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: • Facilities and maintenance staff • Fall protection program manager(s) • Safety staff • S&H committees • S&H inspection teams.

Attendees should have an intermediate understanding of fall protection and the work performed on rooftops prior to this webinar.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar..

May is Motorcycle Safety Month

May is Motorcycle Safety Month. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) statistics, motorcyclist deaths occurred 28 times more frequently than fatalities in other vehicles, based on 2016 fatal crash data. To keep motorcyclists safe, The NHTSA urges everyone to “share the road and be alert, and we're reminding motorcyclists to make themselves visible, to use DOT-compliant motorcycle helmets, and to always ride sober.”

NHTSA has a Motorcycle Safety website with additional information available at: https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/motorcycle-safety.

Summer is Nearly Here – Learn How to Work Safely in Trenches

Trenching activities become more prevalent as the warmer weather approaches, but are your employees prepared to trench safely? Remember the key words – slope it, shore it, shield it.

Pass this information along to your employees to keep them safe from collapses.

Read more about available resources at: https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/trenchingexcavation/solutions.html.

OSHA Announces National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls May 6–10, 2019

OSHA is encouraging and inviting employers and workers to participate in the 4^th annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, scheduled for the week of May 6–10, 2019. The weeklong outreach event encourages employers and workers to pause during the workday to discuss fall hazards and how to prevent them. Falls are the leading cause of death in the construction industry, accounting for 37 percent of fatalities industry-wide. For resources on fall prevention visit OSHA's webpage.

The SMCX encourage sites to participate in this event; include your contractors, vendors, suppliers, and customers; and let your Regional OSHA office know of your participation by registering your events through the OSHA website at https://www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown/resources.html.

Picture courtesy of OSHA.

Workshop — Calculating TCIR/DART Rates, 4/23/2019

On 4/23/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “Calculating TCIR/DART Rates” workshop.

This workshop focuses on calculating workplace injury and illness rates, such as total case incidence rate (TCIR) and days away, restricted, and transferred (DART) rates. This workshop: provides the formulas used to calculate rates, shows how to extract information from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Form 300, and demonstrates how to retrieve published industry average rates for NAICS codes through the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The workshop also shows how to compare workplace rates against BLS industry averages to measure success in your safety management system (SMS).

Personnel who will benefit from this presentation are those wanting to learn more about how to calculate workplace injury and illness rates, specifically TCIR and DART rates. Attendees should have a basic understanding of OSHA injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirements and mathematic rate calculations prior to this workshop. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation include: Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) staff, SMS points of contact (POCs)m and others with assigned responsibilities for injury/occupational illness rate information.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

Webinar—How to Lead a Great Safety Culture, 4/18/2019

On 4/18/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EDT, the SMCX will host the “How to Lead a Great Safety Culture” webinar.

This webinar focuses on actions leaders and employees at all levels can take to establish and maintain a strong safety culture. It also illustrates how different personnel play vital roles in creating and maintaining a great safety culture, and how the organization’s safety management system establishes and maintains those roles.

Personnel who may benefit from this presentation are those wanting to learn more about how employees at all levels can help lead a great safety culture, including leadership (e.g., Upper Management and Command Staff), middle managers, first line supervisors, non-supervisory employees, safety Staff, and SMS Points of Contact (POCs) or Champions.

April is National Distracted Driving Month

April is National Distracted Driving Month. Annually, over 3,000 deaths and 400,000 injuries are directly attributed to distracted driving in the United States. It is estimated distracted driving is a leading cause in 1 out of every 4 automotive crashes in the United States.

Distraction.gov is the official United States government website for distracted driving. This website has a continuously updated news ticker with links to articles, laws, and news stories about distracted driving. It also has informational pages specific to teens, parents, educators, employers, and community groups.

The National Safety Council (NSC) has a website with additional information available at: https://www.nsc.org/road-safety/get-involved/distracted-driving-awareness-month

“CE-SOHMS: Moving Safety from a Checklist to a Culture” USACE LRL Louisville newsletter article

A recent issue of Falls City Engineer, the United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Louisville District (LRL) bi-monthly newsletter, includes an article titled, “CE-SOHMS: Moving Safety from a Checklist to a Culture”.

This article describes some of the successes USACE LRL Louisville personnel witnessed within their District as they began their journey of implementing the Corps of Engineers Safety and Occupational Health Management System (CE-SOHMS), the USACE-wide program focused on improving and increasing employee safety across the District. It also describes several actions taken to date in beginning CE-SOHMS implementation, such as sharing successful corrective actions for slips, trips, and falls, and outlines some of the upcoming plans in the queue, such as establishing an Executive Safety Council and an Employee Safety Committee.

A copy of the article, provided courtesy of USACE LRL Louisville leadership, is available to read in the SMCX file repository here.

USACE Europe integrating CE-SOHMS into the Mission

USACE Europe is enhancing their exceptional safety culture with CE-SOHMS implementation as part of their mission to move into a system of continuous improvement as they strive to become a World Class organization. CE-SOHMS implementation will ensure that safety becomes a part of the way the organization functions in their business process to manage risks proactively with Leadership Support and all employees actively participating. This business management approach will enhance NAUs’ ability to deliver quality projects on time, within budget and ensure the success of current and future missions.

A copy of the article, provided courtesy of USACE NAU Europe leadership, is available to read in the SMCX file repository here.

Webinar—Tips About Root Cause Analysis You Can’t Afford to Miss, 3/21/2019

On 3/21/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will host the “Tips About Root Cause Analysis You Can’t Afford to Miss” webinar.

This webinar will review causal factors and root causes, and focuses on investigative techniques to determine the root causes of injuries, mishaps, and near-misses. It will also discuss how to differentiate between poor and adequate mishap investigation through properly identifying root causes

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

22nd Annual Region III VPPPA Conference, 4/30–5/2/2019, “What We Do Today Can Change A LIFE Tomorrow”

The 22nd Annual Region III VPPPA Conference is right around the corner, scheduled for Tuesday, April 30^th–Friday, May 2nd 2019 at the Dover Downs Hotel and Casino in Dover, DE. The theme of this year’s conference is, “What We Do Today Can Change A LIFE Tomorrow”

Keynote Speakers are Doreen Welsh, “Ninety Seconds to Impact (The Miracle on the Hudson)” and Dr. Story Musgrave, USMC/NASA Astronaut.

Registration Link: https://www.vpppa.org/education/calendar/event-details?eventID=5440

Image courtesy of VPPPA Region 3 (www.vppparegion3.org).

Three OSHA Enforcement Changes for Employers in 2019

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has plans in place to make their inspections more effective in 2019. An overview of the changes includes:

The use of drones to inspect inaccessible work areas or those with potential safety hazards.
Implementation of their random inspection list, which includes: organizations that didn’t submit their 2016 OSHA Form 300A to OSHA, organizations with high days away, restricted, and transferred (DART rates in 2016, and organizations with low DART rates in 2016.

o The inspections will focus on the following national emphasis areas: lead, ship-breaking, trenching/excavations, process safety management, hazardous machinery, hexavalent chromium, Federal Agencies, primary metal industries, and combustible dust.

An increase in the penalties organizations can be cited for safety violations.

For additional information, visit the National Law Review at: https://www.natlawreview.com/article/3-ways-osha-enforcement-will-change-employers-2019.

Reminder—Employers Must Submit 2018 OSHA 300 & 300A forms by Mar 2nd

Don’t forgot your employer duties to submit your 2018 OSHA Form 300A no later than the March 2, 2019 deadline.

On January 25, 2019, OSHA published a Final Rule amending recordkeeping regulations, removing the requirement for electronic submittal of OSHA Form 300 and OSHA Form 301. Sites must still keep and maintain the applicable OSHA Forms 300, 300A, and 301 for five years; these requirements are not changed by this Final Rule. Remember, not all establishments are covered by this requirement.

OSHA also developed an online injury tracking application (ITA) to simplify and streamline the process. The OSHA Injury Tracking Application site is located at: https://www.osha.gov/injuryreporting/.

OSHA FAQ on Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica

On January 23, 2019, OSHA published a set of Frequently Asked Questions on the topic of Occupational Exposure to Respirable Crystalline Silica (29 C.F.R. § 1910.1053).

The FAQ is available for review at https://www.osha.gov/dsg/topics/silicacrystalline/generalindustry_info_silica.html

Image courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/silica/default.html).

EHS Today Article—Good Catch or Near Miss?

The January 29, 2019 EHS Today Weekly Update included an article entitled, “Good Catch or Near Miss? Why the Answer Matters”, an excellent explanation of the differences between two different but related programs and how each has its place in a successful safety management (SMS) program.

You can find the full article at: https://www.ehstoday.com/safety/good-catch-or-near-miss-why-answer-matters.

Webinar—Documenting Your JHA/JSA, 2/21/2019

On 2/21/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will host the “Regulated Area Deficiencies and Hazard Controls: A View from the Inside” webinar.

This webinar will define Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulated areas, review deficiencies commonly found in regulated areas, and discuss potential hazard controls and regulated area practices to improve your own regulated area management. In addition, the webinar will provide information on the role of supervisors in ensuring regulated area compliance since they oversee the day-to-day operations in these work areas.

This presentation will benefit personnel wanting to learn more about managing regulated areas required for toxic and hazardous substance exposures. Attendees should have an intermediate understanding of operating regulated areas and be interested in improving regulated area management prior to this webinar.

Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: Supervisors, Safety management system (SMS) points-of-contact (POCs), Safety and health (S&H) program managers, Industrial hygienists/bioenvironmental engineers, and Safety staff.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link above to register for this webinar.

NIOSH Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool

The December 19, 2018 Synergist Weekly newsletter included a News Watch item titled, NIOSH develops tools to identify dampness, mold in buildings. This item provided a link to the American Industrial Hygiene Association (AIHA) website, stating “NIOSH has developed new tools to help employers identify and assess areas of dampness and mold in general buildings and in schools. The agency’s new Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool, which guides users through assessing all rooms in a building, provides a checklist and instructions for assessing and recording any damage related to dampness or mold and for tracking conditions through time.”

The AIHA link can be found at https://www.aiha.org/publications-and-resources/TheSynergist/Industry%20News/Pages/NIOSH-Develops-Tools-to-Identify-Dampness,-Mold-in-Buildings.aspx.

The Dampness and Mold Assessment Tool for General Buildings is available for review and use at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2019-115/default.html

Image courtesy of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov).

Reminder—Employers Must Post 2018 Injury/Illness Summary Beginning Feb. 1

The SMCX is posting this reminder for all employers of your obligation to post a copy of your OSHA Form 300A, your summary of job-related injuries and illnesses logged during calendar 2018. Employers must post this summary every year from February 1 to April 30, displayed in a common area where notices to employees usually get posted. Businesses exempt from OSHA recordkeeping and posting requirements are those with 10 or fewer employees and those in certain low-hazard industries.

Visit OSHA's Recordkeeping Rule webpage for more information on recordkeeping requirements.

NOTE: On January 24, 2019 OSHA published a Trade Release detailing a final rule eliminating the requirement for companies and organization of 250 or more employees to electronically submit OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) information to OSHA each year. This rule does not rescind these establishments’ requirement to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses). OSHA issued this rule to avoid the risk of potentially publicly disclosing releasing sensitive information, such as descriptions of workers’ injuries and body parts affected, under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). The rule is intended to better protect personally identifiable information (PII) or data that could be re-identified with a particular worker by removing the requirement for covered employers to submit their information from Forms 300 and 301.

The final rule goes into full effect on February 25, 2019. The full OSHA Trade Release is available for review at: https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/trade/01242019.

NPPTL Issues Conformity Assessment Interpretation Notice Revision Regarding Facial Hair

In November 2018, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) issued their Conformity Assessment Interpretation Notice 2018-1005 Rev 1 regarding facial hair and the selection and use of respiratory protective devices.

NIOSH published this notice to clarify the October 2, 2006 NIOSH “Letter to all Manufacturers” titled: NIOSH Policy for Respirator Sealing Surfaces and Facial Hair. This revised notice clarifies the NIOSH definition of respirator sealing surfaces, including the primary seal, and facial stubble. This revised notice supersedes the October 2, 2006 letter and the August 2018 version of NIOSH CA 2018-1005.

You can find the entire notice at https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npptl/resources/pressrel/letters/conformityinterp/CA-2018-1005-R1.html.

Picture courtesy of http://cliparts.co/.

Improving Programs to Control Hazardous Energy

The National Occupational Research Agenda (NORA) Manufacturing Sector Council has a new website that has resources to help you improve your hazardous energy program. Resources include: links to regulatory requirements; best practice information; sample written programs; links to training materials; and templates for program audits. Check out the website at: https://www.cdc.gov/nora/councils/manuf/loto/default.html.

Picture courtesy of cdc.gov/NORA.

Workshop—Documenting Your JHA/JSA, 1/22/2019

On 1/22/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will lead a “Documenting Your JHA/JSA” workshop.

This workshop focuses on properly documenting your job hazard analysis (JHA) or a job safety analysis (JSA), provides information on the importance and purpose of a JHA/JSA, and shows some examples of JHAs/JSAs completed by DoD worksites. In addition, the workshop includes activities taking a step-by-step approach to completing a JHA/JSA, assisting in breaking down tasks, identifying hazards, and determining control measures.

Attendees should have a basic understanding of hazard analysis prior to this workshop. Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: SMS POCs, safety staff, supervisors, and employees tasked with helping to develop JHAs/JSAs.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link on the "Training" page to register for this webinar.

OSHA issues Letter of Interpretation on Clarification of Position on Workplace Safety Incentive Programs and Post-Incident Drug Testing

The November 16, 2018 issue of the OSHA QuickTakes newsletter (https://www.osha.gov/quicktakes/) includes an article titled "OSHA Issues Final Rule on Crane Operator Certification Requirements".

In this article, it notes “OSHA issued a final rule that clarifies certification requirements for crane operators. Under the final rule, employers are required to train, certify/license, and evaluate operators to safely perform crane activities. Operators can be certified based on either the crane's type and capacity, or type only, ensuring that more accredited testing organizations are eligible to meet OSHA's certification program requirements. Most requirements in the final rule will become effective on Dec. 9, 2018. The evaluation and documentation requirements will become effective on Feb. 7, 2019.”

You can read the full OSHA trade release at https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/trade/11072018. You can find the entire final rule at https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2018/11/09/2018-24481/cranes-and-derricks-in-construction-operator-qualification.

Picture: https://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt111618.html

Webinar—I Have “Nothing” to Trend, Now What?, 1/17/2019

On 1/17/2019 at 1:00 p.m. EST, the SMCX will host its first webinar of 2019, titled, “I Have ‘Nothing’ to Trend, Now What?”

This webinar defines what a trend is and explains the differences between leading and lagging indicators. The webinar focuses on how to develop an effective trend analysis program that adequately measures safety management system (SMS) performance. The webinar also provides information on how to communicate trend analysis results and how to use those results to improve your SMS.

Personnel gaining the most benefit from this presentation may include: Business analysts, S&H program managers, safety staff, SMS POCs, and others with assigned trend analysis responsibilities.

Please click the ‘Registration’ link on the "Training" page to register for this webinar.