Thursday, December 9th, 2010
A young worker was doing his job shoveling hot asphalt into a backhoe scoop. He slipped, fell and was buried in scalding asphalt by a dump truck. The young man was trapped and burned to death in 570 degree asphalt. A coworker was severely burned trying to rescue him. The penalty for a fall should not be death.
Life did not end by accident. Don’t let it end as one.
Thursday, December 2nd, 2010
America’s strong work ethic and dedicated workers is what built this country. Americans respect hard work and those who toil to support their families. Too often the reward for hard work is death. In an effort to remember workers’ deaths, injuries, and promote safety these tragedies will be memorialized to keep worker safety as a priority. (If you have a worker, safety tip, or thought to be included in this feature then please write us.)
Woodchipper Horror: The academy award winning movie “FARGO” shocked us with a convict shoving his co-con’s leg into a woodchipper while blood and flesh spewed onto the snow. The scene was repeated in real life when a maintenance worker was tangled in a tree limb while shoving it into a woodchipper.
Remember: WORKING WITHOUT SAFETY IS A DEAD END JOB.
Friday, November 5th, 2010
The Number One OSHA Violation in for the second year is Scaffolding. There are more scaffolding violations, citations, serious injuries and deaths than any other work related injury. Scaffolding Accidents, Falls, and Injuries are forseeable and preventable. The Scaffolding Standards are not complicated. The following are summary highlights of OSHA’s scaffolding standard.
For a complete understanding consult OSHA Requirements for Scaffolding at Section 1926.451. The section is understandable and should be read by persons working on and around scaffolding. There are numerous Guides and Safety Pamphlets available on line, through your Safety Supervisor for Foreman or contact this website for references. Company Safety Manuals should include Scaffolding Requirements for workers using scaffolding. Safety meetings must include scaffolding if used at work
Scaffolding Safety is for the worker. If you work around scaffolding do not rely on the erectors or Safety Person for scaffolding safety. Understand scaffolding safety, inspect for hazards and bring them to the attention of supervisors. You know the saying: An ounce of prevention…
Thursday, October 14th, 2010
This month, October 2010, OSHA released the Top 10 OSHA Violations by Contractors. There is a direct correlation between the this list and work related injury activities. OSHA’s Top 10 Violations for 2010 look a lot like 2009 and 2008.
1. Scaffolding
5. Ladders
10. Machine Guarding
It is important to keep in mind that these are not ‘employee errors’ or prompted by workers, trial lawyers, or unions. These are violations by contractors and employers who refuse to conform to OSHA Standards and repeat the same violations over and over again. Worker related injuries will continue until the cost to contractors is greater than the cost to comply with OSHA Safety Regulations. Workers’ Compensation benefits are down as are premiums so this is no incentive. Civil lawsuits, increased monetary penalties and criminal sanctions will increase contractors’ safety for workers.
Safety is the number one concern for the American Worker. What is the number one conern for the American Contractors based on these figures?
Tuesday, September 28th, 2010
The Department of Labor, Unions, and contractors have recently touted fewer deaths and reduced accidents in the work force as evidence of effective accident prevention. However, it is misleading and self aggrandizing to attribute these statistics to contractor’s safety awareness. OSHA accurately reported the reason for the downturn in accidents.
The devil is in the details.
The truth is that the work place has become an even more dangerous place to be in the past 5 years.
Construction projects are down. Contractors have shut their doors. The construction industry is down along with the economy. Home sales are down. Construction work hours are down.
OSHA documents daily deaths in the work place. Even with the industry down turn, serious injuries and being in mangled on the job have not slowed according to construction safety magazines.
So, what is this dichotomy of work accidents and deaths declining but reported deaths, accidents, and OSHA Citations still showing an increase?
The number one concern for workers in the United States is not wages. It is not work hours or even benefits.
THE NUMBER ONE CONCERN for American Workers is safety.
Why is their concern safety if work deaths and accidents are down significantly? Aren’t American Workers getting what they wanted in reduced accidents and a safer work place? No. Workers continue to be concerned about work safety because they know that it is not getting safer but more dangerous in the work place.
Work accidents and deaths are down because man hours are down with this recession. As a percentage of work hours, work accidents have increased. Economists and business statisticians tell us that in a recession when workers are laid off, businesses become more efficient and production increases. This may be true in some instances but what is clear is that in a recession the first thing to go is safety programs and safety concerns. The work place becomes more dangerous.
Do not let your eagerness to work and earn blind you to safety. Safety is and should continue to be your NUMBER ONE concern.
Saturday, September 4th, 2010
Working in the heat can adversely effect your body temperature control system. The body usually cools itself by sweating. However, lack of water, no shade, high temperatures and humidity prevent efficient heat release. Sustained high body temperatures will damage the brain, vital organs, and cause death.
Employers and contractors refused to voluntarily provide relief and have fought simple, inexpensive ways to help the worker in the heat like available drinking water and shade.
In August 2010 Cal/OSHA adopted some much needed but still inadequate heat relief for a worker in the hot summer sun.
85+SHADE UP: The contractor must have shade available close to the work.
95+HIGH HEAT WARNING: Contractor’s supervisor available to observe workers, and specifically supervise for signs of heat illness,take action and available shade, and water. This requires extra heat precautions.
WATER: Easily available, fresh, pure, and cool at all times. This is an important easy way to avoid heat illness. Most Americans are dehydrated. Sitting at home watching TV all day the normal body uses over 10 cups of water. Coffee and alcohol dehydrate your body and don’t count. At a minimum follow the 8 oz X 8 times a day water rule. Check with your Dr. for your weight, age, and height water requirements.
TRAINING: Increased training for awareness and precautions.
The new standards are inadequate but a step in the right direction. Bottom line here is that you must be aware of the heat to take the precautions available including shade, water, and rest.
Saturday, September 19th, 2009
Seven states now have laws that require construction workers to complete the OSHA 10-hour construction safety course before they can work on certain construction projects. The states with an OSHA law in effect are Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, New York, Missouri and effective January 1, 2010, Nevada. Of these states, only Nevada will require construction workers to complete the OSHA course before working on any construction. The other states only require OSHA training on publicly funded projects. The OSHA 10-hour construction safety course was developed by the federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) as a voluntary safety course to teach workers about the hazards of construction work and the regulations that apply to worksites. The OSHA 10-hour course can only be taught by instructors who are authorized by OSHA to conduct this training. Some large construction companies have their own authorized OSHA trainer on staff. There are also private safety consultants that conduct this training for a fee to companies or group.