Volume 19 Issue 2
February 2021
starkcountysc.com
Electronic OSHA Log Reporting OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard for COVID-19 Provided by Curt Speck, President, Safety Resources Company of Ohio and SCSC Steering Committee Member
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his year’s deadline for electronically reporting your OSHA Form 300A for the 2020 calendar year is March 2, 2021. Only a small fraction of employers are required to submit their information. Employers with peak employment of 19 or fewer employees (regardless of industry), the employer is on the Non-Mandatory Appendix A to Subpart B -- Partially Exempt Industries list regardless of the size of establishment (i.e. clothing stores, insurance carriers, offices of real estate agents and brokers, grocery stores, etc.) or employers with 20-249 employee that are included in the Designated Industries for § 1904.41(a)(2) Annual Electronic Submission of OSHA Form 300A. Affected employers must complete the electronic submission even if no recordable injuries or illnesses occurred during the calendar year. OSHA has established a secure website for submission of data. No specialized software is needed for submission. Firms with multiple establishments can submit their data with one account but each establishment must be listed separately. It is allowable to use a third party to submit your information for you. Continued next page
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SCSC
Free Live Webinar
February 11, 2021 11 a.m.—12 Noon “COVID-19 Vaccine: Facts, Myths and Misconceptions" Speaker: Erin Hayden, Pharm.D, Aultman Health Foundation Join this discussion exploring the facts, myths and common misconceptions surrounding the COVID-19 vaccine. Erin will educate you on the safety, and efficacy of the vaccine. Cost: FREE, but please register by Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 3 p.m. www.cantonchamber.org/scsc-webinar See page 6 for BWC’s Distance Learning webinars for this month.
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More information about who is required to submit their information and access to the Injury Tracking Application are available on the OSHA website. In other news, President Biden signed an Executive Order on January 21, 2021 directing OSHA to consider emergency temporary standards related to COVID-19. According to the order, these standards, if deemed necessary, would be required to be issued by March 15, 2021. It is unclear exactly what this will mean for companies, but it is anticipated that it would require handwashing requirements, limited contact among workers, frequent cleaning and disinfecting of tools and surfaces, ventilation, stay at home rules, employee screening and communications procedures. Several states have already issued emergency temporary standards for COVID-19 including Michigan, Virginia, Oregon, Washington State and California. These plans could be used as models for the federal emergency temporary standard development. Virginia and California’s rules are considered lengthy and extraordinarily detailed and have attracted opposition because of the potential to be overly burdensome.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION RE: UPCOMING SAFETY COUNCIL EVENTS FOR UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS The Stark County Safety Council has is planning some great speakers and topics for the FREE safety webinars. We hope that you will join us by staying safe and engaged throughout FY21. Even though we cannot meet in person we are still available for your safety needs. Please feel free to contact Angie Glancy by email scsc@cantonchamber.org or call (330) 456-7253.
The 2021 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo (OSC21), sponsored by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation, helps businesses keep their workforce safe, healthy and productive. This year we’re offering online learning sessions and a digital expo, allowing participants to learn remotely and chat virtually with presenters and exhibitors. Learn more about expo options here. As always, attendance is FREE, and registration for the virtual event opens in December. Mark your calendar and join us. March 10-11, 2021 Now accepting expo applications! Important note: The new March 10 – 11 dates are a change from the original dates of March 31 – April 2 we announced earlier this year. For more info: www.ohiosafetycongress.com
For the latest info on COVID-19 visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov For the latest information on COVID-19s effect on BWC, email BWCCOVID19@bwc.state.oh.us.
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Safety Tip of the Month
Carbon Monoxide The Invisible Killer
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arbon Monoxide is a colorless, odorless, tasteless and a very poisonous gas. More than 450 people die each year from accidental, non-fire related poisoning. Consumer products such as generators, vehicles / equipment, furnaces, stoves, water heaters and fire places all produce Carbon Monoxide (CO). Carbon Monoxide is slightly lighter than air and will mix with the air in a room. Carbon Monoxide detectors should be used in buildings and air monitors in confined spaces. Other safety factors to consider: • Keep running equipment/vehicles away from the HVAC systems or windows on buildings/trailers and away from ventilation intake or entrances to confined spaces to avoid pulling in exhaust and CO. • When engines/tools are running in a garage keep a door open. Never use portable generators indoors, or even in garages. Keep them far away from the structure. • Do not use an oven or gas range for heating, and no grilling in the garage. Have heating systems (including chimneys and vents) inspected and serviced annually. Make sure snow, shrubs, or anything else doesn’t ever block the exhaust. Low level exposure includes flu-like symptoms (minus the fever) such as headache, fatigue, shortness of breath, nausea and dizziness. High level exposure includes those symptoms PLUS: mental confusion, vomiting, loss of muscle coordination, loss of consciousness and possible death. If you suspect someone is suffering from CO poisoning, quickly move the victim to fresh air and call the paramedics immediately. 1926.55(a) Exposure of employees to inhalation, ingestion, skin absorption, or contact with any material or substance at a concentration above those specified in the "Threshold Limit Values of Airborne Contaminants for 1970" of the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, shall be avoided.
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Job Stress: The Silent Risk We Don’t Talk About But Need to By Katie Woodhall, Managing Partner, Sparrow Tale & SCSC Vice Chairperson
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s job stress a factor of your safety program that you invest time in discussing? Take a minute and check over your safety program. What are the components of your program that make it effective? Is it that you have clear and concise policies that mitigate hazards? Timely and consistent training? Management commitment? Open channels of communication? Employee involvement? All of these things help build healthy and sustainable safety programs, but if your employees are suffering from the effects of job stress both their health and the foundation of the safety program in your organization is in danger. What is job stress? Job stress is defined as the harmful physical and emotional responses that occur when the requirements of the job do not match the capabilities, resources, or needs of the worker according to NIOSH. Without monitoring and correction, job stress can lead to poor health in workers, the risk of severe injury, and adverse effects in company performance. What causes job stress? There are two types of job stressors: physical and psychosocial. Physical stressors may include noise pollution, poor lighting needed for a particular job, poor office or job layout, and ergonomic factors like repetitive motion or bad posture. Psychosocial stressors are the more common factors of stress. They include things like harassment or bullying, conflicting or uncertain job expectations, little or no job control, poor communication, and lack of support. How can job stress impact safety? Common signs of job stress include fatigue, low morale, trouble concentrating, lack of participation, anxious behavior, and irritability. All of these factors may increase the probability of poor decision making, short cuts, or decreased motor skills. If an employee is suffering from stress, either job related or personal, the safety professional within your organization should take it seriously and let the employee know that help is available and their health and safety is of the highest priority. How do you manage with job stress? There are many ways in which a company can promote a work environment that mitigates job stress. One of the most important things that an organization can do is create a work culture that is engaging and allows for open dialogue between employees and managers. Invest time in conducting workplace analysis which can in turn help in assigning employees to tasks that match their skillset. Encourage team problem solving and personal development, this will help employees to feel a vested responsibility for each other and the business. An environment that gives employees opportunities for career advancement and praises good performance can also lessen the occurrences of job stress. Bottom line...connect with employees.
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ROBIN’S CORNER By Robin Watson, Ohio BWC Representative
Q: Does 1910.1030(g)(2)(viii) require that the person conducting bloodborne pathogens training be a health care professional? A: No. The Bloodborne Pathogens Standard, 29 CFR 1910.1030, does not specify a particular job classification for qualified trainers. 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2)(viii) does however require that the trainer be: knowledgeable in the subject matter covered by the elements contained in the training program. . . In OSHA's bloodborne pathogens compliance directive (OSHA Instruction CPL 0202-069), we state: [p]ossible trainers include a variety of healthcare professionals such as infection control practitioners, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, occupational health professionals, physician's assistants, and emergency medical technicians. Non-healthcare professionals, such as but not limited to, industrial hygienists, epidemiologists, or professional trainers, may conduct the training provided they are knowledgeable in the subject matter covered by the elements contained in the training program as it relates to the workplace. One way, but not the only way, knowledge can be demonstrated is the fact that the person received specialized training.
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Distance Learning in February 2021 Division of Safety & Hygiene BWC provides at least two webinars on different safety and health topics each month. Subject matter experts share their knowledge and provide an opportunity for participants to ask questions. These lessons engage students with a variety of interactive methodologies, including whiteboard activities, polling, and chat discussions. To obtain BWC program credit, participants must complete a short knowledge assessment within the BWC Learning Management System after the webinar and earn a passing score. The webinar host will provide further details regarding requirements for those seeking BWC program credit or CEUs during each webinar.
Webinar
Date
Time
Accident Analysis
Feb. 9
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Office Ergonomics Tips for Teleworkers
Feb. 17
1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Click here for Accident Analysis
Click here for Office Ergo Webinar Recording Replays If you miss a webinar, just search “replay” in the BWC Learning Management System. 1. Go to www.bwclearningcenter.com. 2. Log in or create a new account. 3. Type “replay” in the “Search Catalog” field and click the magnifying glass to search. 4. Review recordings of past webinars (no credits provided). .12
Virtual Training Classes As an alternative to in-person classes, which have been canceled due to the pandemic, BWC is providing a limited number of virtual classes to meet more in-depth learning needs. Virtual classes provide the opportunity for participation and interaction consistent with the BWC classroom experience. All BWC program credits associated with a normal classroom experience are available with virtual class completion. System and participation requirements are outlined in more detail in the link for more information below.
Virtual Training Class
Date
Time
Electrical Safety in the Workplace through Insight and Implementation of NFPA70E
Feb. 1-2
9:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Job Safety Analysis
Feb. 3
1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
OSHA Recordkeeping Half-Day Workshop
Feb. 10
9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Lockout/Tagout and Safety-related Work Practices
Feb. 23
1:00 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Hazard Communication Half-Day Workshop
Feb. 25
9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Online E-Courses These on-demand courses cover topics including Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101, and others. Online course times range from 30 minutes to approximately two hours and provide the ultimate in convenience for learning at your pace and at your desired time.
Click here for more information
Click here for more information
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FREE BWC SAFETY CLASSES ___________________________________________________
All BWC “in-person” classes have been cancelled until further notice. The BWC Library has a “Streaming Videos” service from “Training Network NOW”. There are approximately 260 videos that can be streamed for FREE. The videos are anywhere between 4 minutes – 20 minutes long. Please email the library at www.library@bwc.state.oh.us to set up an account to use this service.
Resources •
For the latest info on COVID-19 visit www.coronavirus.ohio.gov
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For the latest information on COVID-19s effect on BWC, email BWCCOVID19@bwc.state.oh.us.
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The BWC Library creates a monthly ‘Safety Update’ available at www.bwc.ohio.gov
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Occupational Health & Safety Administration—www.osha.gov
Your Stark County Safety Council is hoping you are well and staying safe.
Safety Council Officers & Contributing Members Chairman Katie Woodhall (kwoodhall@sparrow-tale.com)
If you have any questions, please contact Angie Glancy at scsc@cantonchamber.org or (330) 456-7253.
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Stark County Safety Council Photos From the Archives
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