MEMIC Safety Blog

Seven Key Slicer Errors to Avoid

 Posted by Peter Koch

I never realized just how dangerous a meat slicer could be; but 20 years later I can still see the scar.  According to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industry, between 2000 and 2004 more than 700 workers were injured while using a meat slicer.  I guess I was ahead of my time.  While working for a small family owned restaurant I committed one, well more than one, of the seven key slicer errors, and in an instant, became a statistic.

Seven Key Slicer Errors:

1. Operating the slicer with the blade guard removed.
2. Leaving the slice thickness set to anything but zero when not in use.
3. Pushing the food into the blade with your hand.
4. Slicing pieces that are too small for the food pusher.
5. Cleaning the slicer with the blade spinning.
6. Cleaning the slicer with the power cord plugged in.
7. Taking your eyes off the slicer when it is in operation.

For me it was #5 and #7.  My penance was eight stitches and nerve damage to my left pinky finger.  Not a good trade off for what little time was saved.

This is by no means a complete list. However, to avoid injury when using or cleaning the meat slicer always:

1. Read the user manual and complete required training before operating the slicer.
2. Inspect the equipment to ensure all safety devices and parts operate smoothly and efficiently.
3. Pressure the product being sliced with the weight handle/food pusher Use the slicer in manual mode before selecting automatic.
4. Follow all manufacturer and company instructions for cleaning the slicer.
5. Set the slice thickness to zero when finished slicing and before cleaning.
6. Turn off AND unplug slicer before cleaning.
7. Wear cut resistant gloves when operating or cleaning.

Remember, before your start; take a MEMIC Minute for slicer safety.  Check out these links on slicer safety and PPE:

• Meat Slicer Safety – WorkSafe BC
• Protecting Young Workers – OSHA
• Cut resistant gloves – NH Bragg
• Cut resistant gloves – Dyneema
  

Pocket and Utility Knife Safety

 Posted by Tony Jones

As the emergency room physician sighed he said, “You’re lucky, you didn’t cut nerves or tendons.”  I was sitting on the emergency department stretcher getting ready for stitches in my hand.  I had been in a hurry, absorbed in the task, and cut toward myself on the last inch or so of opening an almost indestructible package.  I ended up with a deep laceration between my thumb and forefinger. 

I thought these tips might be a good reminder for all of us considering the prevalent use of pocket and utility knifes in businesses of all kinds.

1. Dull knives slip.  Know how to properly sharpen or replace the knife blade.
2. Use the right tool for the task.  It’s a cutting tool not a screwdriver or a mini pry bar.
3. Do not hold items freely in your hand while cutting.  Use a stable surface or cutting board and both hands while cutting.
4. Do not set the knife down with the handle or blade over the edge of the resting surface.
5. You can cut yourself severely while attempting to catch a falling knife.  It is a safer to pick it up from the floor or ground.
6. Do not store your knife with other tools or in large catch all drawers.
7. Never carry an open knife.  When not in use, close it or retract the blade.  Place it safely in a tool pocket or a sheath. 
8. When using the cutting blade, make sure to cut away from yourself.  Never cut in the direction of your body or your hand.  
9. When closing the blade into the handle use the palm of the hand on the back side of the blade with your fingers clear.
10. Use a “safety knife”  that has a guard or stop that prevents bodily injury if the knife slips. 

Check out the following resources online for more information:

Safetyknife
Safetytoolboxtopics

Preventing Slips and Falls

 Posted by Peter Koch

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2010 294,620 employees suffered injuries from slips, trips, or falls.  Of these, 221,100 were from falls to the same level or slip or trip events. 

The National Floor Safety Institute or NFSI  reports : 

• Slips and falls are the leading cause of workers' compensation claims and are the leading cause of occupational injury for people aged 15-24 years.
• Compensation & medical costs associated with employee slip/fall accidents is approximately $70 billion annually (National Safety Council Injury Facts 2003 edition).

All slips and falls are preventable with a little planning and forethought.  Since we may have little control of the surface we tread upon, slip and trip avoidance depend heavily on YOU.  Your attention to your surroundings, what you have on your feet, and what you’re doing in the moment are all critical.

Consider the following areas when planning for prevention or analyzing a slip/fall event:

1)  The surface,
2)  The awareness or behavior,
3)  The footwear,
4)  The environment.

It is usually awareness/behavior that contributes the most to a slip or fall occurrence, but the best attack on slip and fall hazards is a combined evaluation of these four areas.

The following is a checklist and mnemonic when evaluating slip and fall hazards and developing a plan for preventing them.

• Condition and lighting of the surface and pathway
• Condition of the Footwear
• Surface Encumbrances (obstacles, fluids)
• Pitch and Condition of Stairs
• Location and Condition of Handrails
• Relevance of Pathway
• Behavior/Condition of the Worker
• Pace of Work in/around Pathway

This is not necessarily a complete list of areas to evaluate, so don’t limit yourself when trying to develop a plan for prevention or in post incident analysis.

So Take a MEMIC Minute and remember, ALL slip and fall events are PREVENTABLE!

Be Ready for Winter Driving

 Posted by Dave Darnley

Since today is the first official day of winter it is time to think about winter driving challenges and the condition of our vehicles. 

Check your vehicle to make sure your tires are in good condition and properly inflated (and never mix radial tires with other tire types).  The legal minimum tread depth is only about 1/3 of what is really needed for proper performance on snow.  Your defroster system and windshield wipers will see extra duty so be sure they are in good working order.  Keep a snow brush and ice scraper handy along with an extra gallon of windshield washer fluid. Include an emergency kit with first aid supplies, flashlight, blanket, and reflective triangles.  

If driving in mountainous regions the best advice is to stay off the roads; however, if travel is required you may also want to carry tire chains (check local laws first), sand, and a shovel. If driving in remote areas or on divided highways with limited exits, you should consider carrying a sleeping bag, boots and warm clothing.

Lastly, drive with extra caution when weather and driving conditions change, and use your seat belt every time you get in to your vehicle.  Check out the following links for more information concerning winter driving.

Clear Roads Winter Driving Campaign

Maine Department of Labor's Winter Driving Tips

Hang Up and Drive

 _{^{Posted by Randy Klatt}}

On Tuesday December 13, 2011, the National Transportation Safety Board recommended a nationwide ban on all portable electronic devices (PED’s) for all motorists.  The NTSB came to its recommendation after investigating a multi-vehicle crash in Gray Summit, MO that involved a driver who was texting. The crash, which occurred on Aug. 5, 2010, killed two people and injured 38 including children in two school buses.  The National Safety Council (NSC) made this recommendation many months ago and was quick to endorse this NTSB vote.

It is clear that drivers are frequently distracted by electronic devices.  Naturally this creates a safety concern not just for the distracted driver, but for everyone else on the road, in cross walks, and in construction work zones.  The NSC estimates 1.3 million crashes, or 23 percent of all crashes, involve distracted drivers using cell phones. “Quantifying crashes and fatalities involving cell phone use while driving is challenging due to several factors such as a driver’s unwillingness to admit the behavior and lack of witnesses. Additionally, cell phone use currently is not consistently captured on police reports. We are able to develop an estimate of crashes based on risk and exposure, but the problem could be much larger than we estimate,” says Janet Froetscher, NSC President and CEO. 

The links below offer the latest information concerning this topic.  If your employees drive as part of their work routine, then it is time to review your fleet plan and consider eliminating this risk.   

National Safety Council

National Transportation Safety Board Fact Sheet

Cellphone Driving Ban: Good Idea?

Chemical communication: Revised OSHA regs in September

 Posted by Greg LaRochelle

OSHA is in the final rule stages of revising its Hazard Communication Standard -- commonly referred to as the “Right-To-Know” regulation -- to align with the United Nations’ Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS).  While the GHS itself is not a standard or regulation, it is a system that defines and classifies chemical hazards adopting a standard set of rules for communicating physical, health, and environmental hazards through a uniform format.  

The purpose of GHS is to promote efficiency between countries and government agencies in disseminating chemical hazard information to users.  For example, in the U.S. manufacturers and importers of chemicals are required to comply with multiple sets of regulations from agencies such as OSHA, the Environmental Protection Agency, Department of Transportation, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission.  The benefits of GHS include improving worker health and safety, facilitating trade, reducing costs, and enhancing emergency response to chemical incidents.

Currently, U.S. employers using chemicals, chemical mixtures, and other hazardous substances are required under OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) to have a written program, ensure proper labeling of containers, acquire and maintain material safety data sheets, and inform employees through training on the hazards of the chemical products/hazardous substances used or encountered in their workplace.  The revised HCS will preserve these elements but adapt them to the GHS system.

For example, material safety data sheets will have a standard 16 section format as opposed to today’s variation (some having 9 sections or more) and the word “material” will be dropped.  Safety Data Sheets (SDSs) and labels will be required to have signal words such as “Danger” or “Warning” along with hazard pictograms depending upon the class and category of hazards.

OSHA’s final rule on the revised Hazard Communication Standard is scheduled to be published in September.  A two-year transition period has been proposed for training with a three-year period for full implementation.

To meet the updated standard, employers should be prepared to:

• Acquire a GHS-compliant Safety Data Sheet for each chemical in their inventory and re-label chemical containers;
• Update their written hazard communication program; and
• Train employees on changes to the standard. 

For more information on the Globally Harmonized System for Hazard Communication go to http://www.osha.gov/dsg/hazcom/global.html and http://blog.msdsonline.com/ghs-answer-center/ .

Handy Hygiene

 Submitted by: Greg LaRochelle

As a child you were probably reminded constantly to wash your hands before coming to the dinner table.  You might have grumbled on doing so with hunger pangs driving you to rush the process – a quick lather, rinse, and wipe on the hand towel, good enough, now let’s eat.

Today, hand washing is still just as important and even more critical as a preventative measure for infection control coupled with wearing disposable gloves. The germs of yesteryear remain with us with the myriad of bacteria and viruses possessing an innate and crafty ability to multiply. Their primary mission is to seek out a host organism, take up residence, and turn on their replication machinery, oftentimes at the detriment of their host’s health and welfare.  Even our own flora of skin and intestinal bacteria, bearing beneficial properties, can mount an attack and disrupt organ function when our immune system is compromised. 

And now with the prevalent use (and abuse) of antibiotics, both inside and outside of medicine over the past 60 years, the so-called bacterial “superbugs” have emerged through mutation with resistance to specific families of conventional antibiotic drugs.  What is our best defense against these superbugs? The common answer for infection control is personal protective equipment and hand hygiene (along with disinfecting contaminated surfaces). So, it’s back to the call of washing hands with soap and water, as simple as that may seem, to minimize our susceptibility to germ invasion and infection.  And what about hand sanitizers?  Alcohol-based hand sanitizers are okay when your hands aren’t visibly dirty, but are not as effective. 

While there are a number of websites that campaign for hand hygiene, the World Health Organization offers a free poster with an illustrated, eleven-step process on thorough hand cleaning.

So, no skimping to rush to the break room table—as this poster states, “Save Lives – Clean Your Hands."  

Mousing elbow? It can be prevented

 Posted by Greg LaRochelle

“Hey doc, what do you mean I have tennis elbow?  I don’t even play the game!”

 Tennis elbow or lateral epicondylitis, as clinically described, refers to a condition that results in soreness to the outside of the elbow and forearm, typically to the dominant arm.  Tennis elbow is classified as an overuse injury though the cause can stem from a sudden blow to the elbow or forceful pull of the forearm.  Commonly, micro-tears occur to the extensor forearm muscle tendon near the elbow resulting in pain and discomfort.   Pain is most pronounced when grasping objects with the palm down (pronation), shaking someone’s hand, or turning a door knob.

With a move by many employers to go “paperless”, particularly in healthcare with the implementation of an electronic medical records system, computer mouse use has increased dramatically.  Navigating through software applications with multiple windows, tabs, and dropdown menus has become extremely mouse-click intensive, setting the stage for a repetitive stress injury such as tennis elbow.  

The risk of developing this condition can be caused by the placement of the mouse on a work surface that requires an awkward extended reach.  Additionally, the size and shape of the mouse can be contributing factors depending on the size of the person’s hand as well as overall conditioning of the forearm muscles. 

The good news on tennis elbow is that it’s not permanent if given prompt intervention and opportunity for adequate recovery time.  Here are some tips on avoiding tennis elbow related to computer mouse use.

1. Position the mouse close to the side of the keyboard with minimal reach.
2. Increase the mouse pointer motion speed to reduce force exertion.  The mouse properties are accessed through the computer control panel with the pointer options tab and motion (select a pointer speed) the means of adjustment. 
3. Take a micro-stretch break every half hour.
4. Alternate mouse location from the favored side of the keyboard to the opposite side (though this takes some adaptation). 
5. Learn control key shortcuts for the software application.
6. If tennis elbow has already resulted (from mouse use), replace the conventional mouse with an “in-line” design.  

For more information on controlling ergonomic risk factor exposure, consult the MEMIC Safety Director and lightly click on the Solve your Ergonomic Dilemmas! link.

Reducing Housekeeping Strains May Be Just a Drop in the Bucket

 Posted by Dan Clark

 When it comes to housekeeping workers, back and shoulder strains can be significantly decreased by, literally, a drop in the bucket. 

Housekeeping workers often work with wheeled mop buckets that, when full, can weigh 50 pounds or more.  The buckets are easily filled with dispensing systems or a hose from a sink which doesn’t place a huge physical demand on the worker.  However, considerable stress and strain is put on workers when these buckets are emptied after use.  

 Emptying the buckets, typically in a closet with limited space, places significant forces on the shoulder joints and back.  Many housekeeping workers manually lift these buckets to a sink, or other elevated drain, to empty them.  When doing so, these workers are subject to awkward postures, including lifting and twisting.

An inexpensive solution to avoid costly shoulder and back strains is a drop in the bucket.  A small electric submersible pump (priced between $80 and $100), equipped with a short piece of hose, can be set in the bucket that needs to be emptied.  Pumping the water into the sink or drain will eliminate the heavy, manual lift, twist, and awkward posture.

 Be sure that the electric pump is plugged into a ground-fault circuit and that workers are trained on the proper use of the pump.  This practice is so effective in eliminating the unnecessary, heavy lift and twist that some companies have created policies enforcing the use of these pumps by housekeeping workers. 

Hiring Practices That Make Smart “Cents” for Safety

 Posted by Greg LaRochelle

As the sluggish economy begins to heat up rendering a more favorable business climate, cost conscious employers looking to grow their workforce need to be even more vigilant to their hiring practices.  The search for a suitable fit can be an exhaustive exercise for a small business owner as well as for an HR professional in a large corporation.  Finding and hiring the right person demands that safety be at the forefront of the decision-making process.  Here’s why:

According to the Business & Legal Reports safety website, workplace injury statistics reveal that new employees are 5 times more likely to experience a lost-time injury in the first month of employment compared to the experienced worker.  Additionally, studies show that 40 percent of all workers injured on the job have been at it less than a year.  

 Given these facts, ensuring the safety of the “newbie” is of utmost importance, particularly where a business’s greatest asset is its people.  Equally, smart hiring practices and new employee safety orientation translate to preservation of the bottom line.

Proactive loss control measures in hiring should include:

• Post-offer, pre-placement physical exams, especially for physically demanding job positions.
• Written job descriptions that detail the physical aspect of the work tasks. 
• New employee orientation and training on the equipment and tools associated with the job, emergency evacuation routes, location of first-aid kits, MSDSs, and items such as fire extinguishers. 

Most occupational health providers offer pre-placement physicals for a nominal fee. These are designed to determine the functional capacity of the individual.  The written job description stipulating physical demands can also be used in determining light duty activities for an injured employee with temporary work restrictions. 

Use of an orientation checklist while showing the new hire the safety features of the workplace can serve as documentation of the facility safety tour. 

As a timesaver, MEMIC has assembled a number of training checklists including an employee safety orientation form in the on-line MEMIC Safety Director resource library.  (Note: MEMIC Safety Director requires user registration and is exclusively for MEMIC customers.) For additional resources on hiring practices, click on the Human Resources link under the bold heading Action Plans on the Safety Director’s home page.