MEMIC Safety Blog

Forklift Battery Charging

 Posted by John DeRoia

Many workplaces use powered industrial trucks to move material throughout the facility.  Battery powered lifts are becoming more common in many small to medium sized businesses.  Let’s discuss some of the safety aspects related to the battery maintenance/charging process.

Maintaining batteries, by adding water or acid, requires appropriate protection. Chemical-resistant gloves, aprons, eyewear, and face protection are required according to OSHA 29 CFR 1910.133(a)(1),

"The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation."

Face protection must meet the ANSI Z87.1-1989 specifications or be proven equally effective. Indirect or non-vented safety goggles should be worn.  Face shields are considered as secondary eye protection only. An eye wash and shower are other required pieces of equipment that must be in or near a battery charging area per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.151,

"...where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use."  The eye wash and shower must be within 10 seconds of the hazard and on the same level and shall be clearly identified with proper signs and lighting.

Batteries release highly explosive oxygen and hydrogen gases when they are charging. Due to this "out gassing" effect, charging stations should be located in well-ventilated areas.  General or local ventilation can be provided by a fume hood or an exhaust fan. If an on-board charging system is used, the industrial truck itself should be parked in a location where there is adequate ventilation.  It is also appropriate to prohibit smoking or  open flames in the charging area.

More detailed information can be found in the OSHA Powered Industrial Truck standard (29 CFR 1910.178) and in your fork lift Owner’s Manual. 

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!

Do Your Employees Work on "Live" Electrical Parts?

 Posted by Eric Grant

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 70E 2009 Updates & 2012 Edition

Few topics in the safety training world generate as much confusion and emotion from trainers and trainees as the arc flash protection requirements of NFPA 70E. I personally have found myself in a room full of engaged participants as they learn the requirements of NFPA 70E, often for the first time.  I remember the "buzz" that was created from the 2009 update.  Safety Professionals were told OSHA would increase inspections/citations regarding NFPA 70E, so the requests for program development, implementation, and training began to rise dramatically. NFPA 70E has seen eight (8) updates since 1979 with the 9th update planned for 2012.

The following is a summary of the Report on Proposals for NFPA 70E.  You can download a copy of this report (244 pages) for free and/or purchase the NFPA Standards by visiting www.nfpa.org.

• Addition of the word "inspection".  This requires protective measures for inspection duties along with installation, demolition, operations, and maintenance.
• Arc Rated (AR) will replace the term Flame Resistant (FR).  Not all FR clothing has been tested for electrical arcs.
• Retraining shall be provided at least every three years.
• A new section that defines excavation work.
• Tables that clarify AC & DC systems.
• Revisions to the current equipment labeling requirements and specific requirements for the labels themselves.
• Hearing protection requirements.
• Adding an Arc Flash Boundary to an existing table.
• Additional PPE requirements (i.e., a sock hood when working in a Hazard/Risk Category 2 area.)

While writing this blog, an internet search produced multiple articles on NFPA 70E, the 2009 update, and the proposed update for the 2012.  For more information about NFPA 70E visit the MEMIC Safety Director at www.memic.com .

Have a great 2012!

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?

Lift-Gates can help or they can hurt; choose safety

 Posted by Tony Jones

Recently an incident involving a delivery truck lift-gate resulted in an employee suffering an amputated great toe. The employee’s foot was caught in the pinch point between the lift-gate and the body of the truck while loading for a delivery. 

It seemed lift-gate safety might be a worthy subject for a safety blog subject.  An internet search reveals numerous lawyer advertisements for lift-gate and general work related injuries, accident case studies, and safety recommendations for lift-gate use. Clearly, accidents involving lift-gates, while not necessarily frequent, can be very costly to workers, employers, and manufacturers.

I’ll break down the significant information into four parts for your review: equipment considerations, pre-operations, operations, and special considerations.

Equipment Safety Considerations

• Self-leveling lift-gates are available that keep the load level to prevent dropped cargo.
• Consider a lift-gate with a remote control that can be operated while standing on the gate or on the ground, whichever is better in the current circumstances.
• Consider lift-gate cart-stops, these devices pop up from the lift-gate surface and prevent cargo from rolling off.
• If you are purchasing a new truck with a lift-gate, tell your vendor that you want the truck body floor, crash plate, sill, and liftgate to form a uniformly flat surface so freight will roll easily in and out of the truck.
• Know the weight of your freight and lift-gate capacity. Do not overload. Over-buy capacity when purchasing a lift gate. If your carrier requires 2,500 lbs capacity, buy 3,000 or more. It gives you some good margin.

Pre-Operations

• Maintain the lift-gate according to manufacturer's instructions.
• Read the lift-gate operator's manual and follow the directions. Pay special attention to the safety warning decals. Make sure the decals are in place and legible.
• Visually inspect the lift-gate daily as part of the vehicle’s trip inspection and report any deficiencies. Maintain lift-gate per manufacturer's instructions. Do not use the lift-gate if there are signs of abuse, or it fails to operate properly.
• Before running the lift-gate loaded, run it empty through its full range as a "pre-trip" to verify that it will provide a good landing area for the freight that will be rolled off it.

Operations

• Before freight is loaded, put the right wheels or devices under or on it for safe handling. Use the cart's wheels and handles to better control the item. Use a Johnson bar to put a pallet jack, tripod dollies, or platform dollies under the item.
• Secure top-heavy loads with strapping preventing the item from tipping or rolling off the end.
• Consider a ratchet strap into your E-track at the rear and on both sides of the truck. Run it outside the truck to the end of the lift-gate and use it like a seat belt around the item to keep it upright and on the gate.
• Consider a hand winch secured to a load bar inside the truck and run a strap around the item. Push the item out of the truck onto the gate, while controlling the exit by winching out slack.
• Personnel should not ever attempt to put a piece of freight in motion that is beyond their ability to control once it starts moving. Get extra help if you need it.   
• If crews are in a hurry to get a lift-gate load off the truck, take that as a sign of a problem.  If rushed, workers can become distracted. Workers should be focused on the lift-gate zone, without distraction, at all times.
• Workers should be trained to keep an escape plan in mind. Be prepared to run or jump out of the way to keep from getting hurt yourself. Never... Never... Never sacrifice yourself for the freight.
• Set the vehicle brakes and wherever possible, operate the lift-gate on a level surface.
• Work out communication and routines between co-workers, including a “ready” signal without which the gate is not started.
• If you have by-standers, insist that they must keep their distance.

Special Safety Considerations

• Never use the lift-gate for any purpose other than to lift or lower cargo from the truck (i.e., never use as a personnel lift).
• Keep hands and feet clear of all pinch points. There is, in fact, a huge shear or pinch point exposure, during lift-gate operations. Take particular note of where the lift-gate and the truck bed meet. Feet and hands are particularly vulnerable, during raising and lowering of the liftgate.
• If you are unloading curbside on a busy street use safety cones to block the lane and create safe space in which to work. Wear reflective safety vests. Use truck flashers and safety lights to mark off the edges of the liftgate.
• Make sure the platform is not slippery (e.g., oil, rain, ice or snow). If raining, cover the freight, with a waterproof tarp wrapping it around the freight like you would a furniture pad or shrink wrap. Secure the covering with large rubber bands used by household goods movers. Knowing the shipment is dry allows personnel to take time for cautious use of the gate.

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/ .

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. 

Crossing the T’s and Dotting the I’s in OSHA Training for General Industry

 Posted by Greg LaRochelle

Figuring out the “who, what, and when” on OSHA safety training requirements can be a challenge for employers, especially for small businesses that typically don’t have a full-time safety person on staff.  General industry employers are broadly defined as places of business that is static in nature and not including the agriculture, construction, and maritime industries.  Failure to provide workers with adequate safety training can result in violation of Part 1910 standards with monetary penalty and, worse yet, could lead to catastrophic injury. 

Sorting out the “who” for safety training is fairly straightforward with regard to employees who can be affected by exposure to hazards on the job.  The “what” and the “when” can be a little more difficult to decipher.  As an aid to help employers cross the T’s and dot the I’s with OSHA training requirements, MEMIC has created a table compiling a list of standard titles that indicate when training is required along with a reference to the specific standard’s section on training.  Here's a sample with a partial list:  

For the more complete listing as well as more information on training, MEMIC customers can log onto the MEMIC Safety Director resource library at http://www.memicsafety.com/digital_library/  Type the key word "training" into the search field.  Currently, there are 45 results stemming from this word query so a little scrolling is needed.  You can refine the search to narrow the results, but you may be interested in perusing all the “training” hits just to see what’s available.  So take advantage and get a jump start on your safety training and compliance needs.

 

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.