MEMIC Safety Blog

Time for a Tick Check

 Posted by Peter Koch


Do you recognize these symptoms?   Fever, chills, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, joint aches, and a red bulls-eye like rash.  These can be symptomatic of tick borne illness such as Lyme disease. 

If you work outdoors either for your job or just around the yard at home chances are good that you have already pulled a tick from yourself or a pet this year. While they are not as annoying as the mosquitoes or black flies, their bite can be more threatening to your health by transmitting bacteria which cause illnesses such as Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lyme disease.

The instances of Lyme disease are on the rise in the New England states.  Don’t believe it’s a problem?  Just look at these numbers:  221% . . .270% . . .497%.  They represent the increase in Lyme disease incidence rates between 2005 and 2009 for Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont respectively.  You can check out the incident rates for all states here:  Lyme Disease Incident Rates.

Ticks don’t fly or jump, but grab hold of their hosts from blades of grass, leaves, or abundant leaf liter then climb to find suitable place to feed. The State of CT, in their publication Tick Bite Prevention, provides the following recommendations for preventing tick borne illness.

1)  Wear lighter colored clothing
2) Wear long pants and tuck your pants into your socks
3) Wash and dry clothing – ticks can’t survive an hour in a hot dryer
4) Carefully inspect the body and remove any attached ticks
5) Carefully inspect your pets and remove ticks
6) Use repellants (see the State of CT publication on Tick Bite Prevention for a list of effective repellants)

A key step in prevention of tick borne illness, especially if you work in the woods or areas with high tick populations, is self inspection and early removal.  According to the CDC, early removal of a tick, within 24 hours of attachment, can dramatically reduce the chance of Lyme disease. 

For more tips on prevention check these resources:  CDC, Tick Bite Prevention and the American Lyme Disease Foundation.

So take a MEMIC Minute this summer and check for ticks.

Spring Clean Up: Chainsaw Awareness

 Posted by Andy Wood

With the snow banks melting in the Northeast comes the requisite spring clean-up around the property. If your facility includes even a little wooded property, that clean-up will most likely include some quality time with your chainsaw. Regardless of your skill level, it’s critical that you are aware of the hazards you will face and have the skills to manage them successfully; or recognize that you don’t and obtain additional resources from your employer. These resources may take the form of gear upgrades, more help, or additional training.

The OSHA standard for logging operations (1910.266) sets the baseline standards for all chainsaw operations.  It is very specific about training, supervision, and operational guidelines. Some very practical information is available on their website, specifically the Logging ETool.

For basic chainsaw operation, I’ve divided the necessary information into three categories. MEMIC has developed webinars and guiding documents for each of these topics. All are available on the Safety Director at www.memic.com.

1. A full compliment of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
2. A saw maintained in serviceable condition.
3. Some baseline knowledge of industry standards which address: hazards, ergonomics, saw control and physics. (Refer to the Logging ETool referenced above.)

Specific hands-on training should be attended and operations closely supervised in regards to the most hazardous chainsaw operations, tree felling, and storm damage clean-up.

If you consider the tools and equipment you’ll use during outdoor projects, I think you’d agree that the chainsaw may create the greatest hazard. Take the time to get it right as the stakes are high when the accident involves a chainsaw, trees under tension, and gravity.

Traffic Work Zone Safety

 Posted by Hartley Webb

With the sudden appearance of warm spring weather we are already seeing another sign of the season:  road repair, street and parking lot sweeping, and highway cleanup crews.  Transportation incidents are the leading cause of death in the workplace, so take a minute to read over these tips if your employees are exposed to motor vehicle traffic. 

Some employers feel that placing a worker wearing a reflective vest in a traffic zone is acceptable rather than using other exposure control methods.  Employers should control traffic risks by:

1. Eliminating the hazard.  Can the work be done when there is no vehicle traffic?
2. Evaluating engineering controls.  For example, can barriers be used to separate workers from all moving traffic?
3. Implementing administrative controls.  Ensure adequate training and strict work rules are enforced.  Keep workers out of the direct traffic lane when possible, and ensure they are alert and attentive to all moving vehicles including construction equipment.
4. Lastly, use personal protective equipment (PPE) such as retro-reflective clothing, hard hats, and safety toed boots.    

Flaggers must be effectively trained, certified, and supervised in order to prevent improper traffic flagging techniques.  These can be caused by inadequate training, a low willingness to follow training objectives, or failure to properly supervise.  Following the guidelines provided by the US Department of Transportation’s publication “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” (MUTCD Part 6) is critical for proper work zone setup.   Check out this resource here:  MUTCD

OSHA provides a “Quick Card” for Work Zone Traffic Safety that can found online -  Work Zone OSHA Quick Card.   Finally, the Center for Disease Control is a great resource for additional training documents and information regarding highway work zone safety.  Check their website at CDC Highway Work Zones.

OSHA Recordkeeping: When Is Treatment First Aid?

 Posted by Donna Clendenning

Have you ever wondered if an injury is recordable on your OSHA 300 log?  If so, I recommend that you go straight to the OSHA website (www.OSHA.gov, Section 1904.7(b)(5)(ii)).

Some injuries resulting in first aid care are not recordable. But what is considered first aid?  OSHA has developed a list of fourteen first aid treatments that are not recordable on the OSHA 300 log. The complete list from the OSHA website is as follows:

1. Using a nonprescription medication at nonprescription strength.
2. Administering tetanus immunizations.
3. Cleaning, flushing, or soaking wounds on the surface of the skin.
4. Using wound coverages such as bandages, Band-Aids, gauze pads, etc... or using butterfly bandages or Steristrips.
5. Using hot or cold therapy.
6. Using any non-rigid means of support, such as elastic bandages, wraps, or non-rigid back belts.
7. Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim.
8. Drilling of a fingernail or toenail to relieve pressure or draining fluid from a blister.
9. Using eye patches.
10. Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab.
11. Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation, tweezers, cotton swabs or other simple means.
12. Using finger guards.
13. Using massages.
14. Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress.

OSHA states “this list is comprehensive, i.e. any treatment not included on this list is not considered first aid for OSHA recordkeeping purposes.”  This OSHA information regarding first aid and recordability should help you answer the question “Is it first aid or is it medical care?”

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!

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?

The Cleanup: Don't let Irene do more damage

 Posted by Peter Koch

In the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, here in the Northeast, property cleanup is at the top of everyone's to-do list.  Make sure to take the time to conduct job hazard analysis for the cleanup tasks and determine if you have the internal resources and skills to complete the cleanup safely.

Storm cleanup is one of the most dangerous tasks that can be performed with a chainsaw, placing the operator and fellow workers in challenging and unpredictable environments.  Unstable elements in the canopy (including as widow makers and spring poles), not to mention uneven ground and exposed root systems are all real hazards for the chainsaw operator.  Experience and highly developed skills are the last lines of defense for the chainsaw operator.

Mechanical logging reduces the exposure to many hazards that the manual logger has limited ability to control.  If your chainsaw operators are occasional users with limited experience and training, or your internal resources are unable to meet the demands of extensive storm cleanup, sub-contracting with a reputable logging company will transfer the risk and protect your most valuable resource, your employees.

If some level of cleanup at your operations is to be done with a chainsaw, you should complete a job hazard analysis which will help you review hazards and controls with your operators. For a sample job hazard analysis form, go to MEMIC Safety Director, or try this link to the OSHA website.

Young workers, old story: Too many injuries

The special health section in Monday's Boston Globe featured a cover story about an issue important to every parent and, hopefully, every employer: workplace safety for young workers, particularly teenagers.

We know that inexperienced workers are twice as likely to be hurt at work as experienced employees. And, of course, by their very nature, teenagers are inexperienced. Couple that with the fact that they are often hired to do jobs with inherent danger and you have a potential tragedy.

What's the answer? Well, in part, it's training and supervision. And yet, this is reported in Elizabeth Cooney's story from the Globe:

When researchers from the Teens at Work Project interviewed 208 teens under age 18 who had been injured at work from 2003 through 2007, about half said they had no safety training. About 15 percent said there was no supervisor on site when they were hurt. Almost a quarter said they had no work permit.

This is inexcusable. If you have teen workers, make sure they get the training they need. And if you're a parent of a teen worker, ask them about safety. Have they been trained? Is someone supervising them when they are engaged in potentially dangerous tasks?

Work teaches lots of valuable lessons, but if the lesson comes from a workplace injury, its price is too high.

Drink to Your Health (and Safety)!

 
Posted by Peter Koch

Water seems so ordinary that we may forget how vital it is.  Between 40% and 60% of our body’s mass is made up of water, and nearly every major function of the body requires it.  Water regulates body temperature, carries nutrients and oxygen to cells, aids in digestion, and also cushions joints, organs, and tissues.

It was Ben Franklin who once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” but he wasn’t thinking about hydration.  Better to bump the prevention to 64 ounces of water on a hot day and you’ll be in the ballpark.  An article by the Mayo Clinic , offers three common ways to calculate the amount of water you need to consume in an average day:

• Replacement approach  – Replace what you lose through normal body functions (about 2 liters or a little more than 8 cups)
• 8x8 – Consume eight 8-ounce glasses or 64 ounces of water a day as a rule of thumb
• Dietary recommendations – Consuming 9 to 13 cups of total beverages a day is recommended by the Institute of Medicine

It stands to reason that working in hot and humid environments can increase the rate our body uses and loses water. So when the temperature or your activity level rises, increase your overall fluid intake accordingly. On hot days and during periods of extended activity, our body also loses certain minerals through metabolism and sweat. Alternating between water and electrolyte replacement/sports drinks during the day can help maintain good hydration.

But when that’s not enough, you should be aware of dehydration indicators that merit immediate attention:

• Cessation of sweating (your body is not producing sweat even though you are exercising heavily and/or it is hot)
• Excessive weakness or fatigue (you feel more weak or tired than you should)
• Lightheadedness or dizziness 
• Cramping
• Pale or flushed skin 
• Chills (you may feel cold even though it is hot outside)
• Nausea
• Incoherence (you feel “out-of-it” – you do not understand what someone is saying)

If you experience any of these symptoms when you are working, get out of the heat and report immediately to your supervisor. And don’t forget to look out for your co-workers. After all, not everyone reads what we write here!

More information of proper hydration can be found through the following web links:

• Stay Hydrated..Stay Safe!
• ACSM Clarifies Indicators for Fluid Replacement
• How Much Water Should I Drink

Enjoy the summer and stay cool. And hydrated.