Summer 2018 Issue 5
THE OF
IN THE
WORKPLACE
ALSO INSIDE: n Understanding the Impacts of a Hot Car n Safety Conference Review n Safety Month
wisconsinsafetyvoice.org
Wisconsin Safety Council Safety Forum
October 2, 2018 Radisson Hotel and Conference Center Green Bay, WI
Get ready for a 1-day event packed with safety courses covering manufacturing, construction and food processing.
Early Bird rates available through September 4 $225 for members / $275 for non-members
Register today at wisafetycouncil.org Interested in being a speaker at the event? Contact Janet Metzger at jmetzger@wisafetycouncil.org
Summer 2018 Issue 5
THE OF
IN THE
WORKPLACE
Page 10
6 N AT I O N A L SA F E T Y C O U N C I L 1 of 4 Hot Car Deaths Occur at Work 8
A N N UA L SA F E T Y & H E A LT H C O N F E R E N C E Safety Conference Takes Over Wisconsin Dells
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C OV E R STO RY The Dangers of Fatigue in the Workplace
1 3 SA F E T Y M O N T H Wisconsin Safety Month Celebrated in June 14
W S C S E E N & H E A R D Table of Contents | wisconsinbusinessvoice.org
Summer 2018
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Practicing Safety Year-Round
SAFETY VOICE WISCONSIN
SAFETY VOICE President/Publisher Kurt Bauer
Managing Editor Nick Novak
By Janet Metzger WSC Executive Director
Art Direction/Production
S
Janet Metzger, Amy Artuso, Nick Novak, Chevon Cook, Kim Drake
afety, safety and safety. It is important to practice what you preach and always do what you say you will do. Wisconsin Safety Council recognized the month of June as Safety Month and in doing so; we received a proclamation from Gov. Scott Walker. During the month of June, we ran a month-long campaign highlighting the various realms of safety including emergency preparedness, wellness, falls and driving. While the importance of safety was continually stressed on different themes each week during the month of June, we should emphasize the importance of safety all year round. There is still more work to be done to ensure everyone stays safe in both the workplace and at home. Our team has been busy preparing for our upcoming events and regrouping from our annual safety conference in the Dells this past April. Our sold-out conference brought in keynote speakers— Captain Keith Colburn from Deadliest Catch and Lori Schneider, Founder of Empowerment Through Adventure—from across the United States highlighting the importance of safety on the sea and in the mountains. Each of the speakers shared anecdotes on safety and how it applies to their lives in both personal and workplace settings. This conference set the stage for a few of our upcoming events including the Worker’s Compensation Symposium on September 13 and the Safety Forum on October 2. The Worker’s Compensation Symposium on September 13 at The Edgewa-
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Kyle Pankow
Contributing Writers Advertising Sales
Nick Novak, nnovak@wmc.org
ter Hotel in Madison provides human resource professionals, employers, insurers and health care providers with pertinent information related to legal and compliance assistance for employment laws and regulations. Additionally, the symposium features a section on the opioid epidemic and how to deal with this in your workplace. Not too far away on October 2, we will be hosting a Safety Forum in Green Bay. At this forum, there will be three tracks each highlighting food safety, manufacturing and construction, higher in-depth training, a professional development course, an exclusive breakfast and tour of Lambeau Field the day prior, a keynote presentation from Richard Hawk, the world’s leading expert of making safety fun, and much more! Seating for this event will be limited. I look forward to working with each of you and making safety a priority in whatever you do. I hope each of you can join us at our upcoming events and remember to stay safe out there! n
wisconsinbusinessvoice.org | From the Executive Director
Wisconsin Safety Voice is published quarterly by Wisconsin Safety Council. WSC is Wisconsin’s leading provider of safety training and products in the state, serving members of all sizes and every sector of the economy. WSC is a program of the WMC Foundation. WSC 501 E. Washington Avenue Madison, WI 53703 tel.: 608.258.3400 wsc@wisafetycouncil.org Follow us:
WiSafetyCouncil Wisconsin Safety Council @WiSafetyCouncil
2018 Worker’s Compensation Law Symposium & Best Practices •OSHA Regulation Updates •Labor Law Changes NEW
September 13 The Edgewater 1001 Wisconsin Place Madison, WI 53703
REGISTER ONLINE: www.wisafetycouncil.org COURSE HIGHLIGHTS • OSHA’s new requirements • A complete review of coverage under the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Act and Federal FMLA • Analysis of employee benefit eligibility and claim administration
• Changes to labor laws • Fraud detection and prevention • The relationship of worker’s compensation to other employment laws such as the ADA, state and federal family and medical leave laws, and other state and federal laws
1 of 4 Hot Car Deaths Occur at Work By Amy Artuso Senior Program Manager, Occupant Protection, National Safety Council
W
e have all heard the stories or seen the news reports: a child, forgotten in a car, suffers heatstroke and dies. Each instance is a terrible tragedy but, sadly, one which has become predictable. On average, 37 children die each year in the U.S. as a result of pediatric vehicular heatstroke (PVH). In the past 20 years, more than 750 children have died this way. Twenty-five percent of all hot car deaths happen in a workplace parking lot. No doubt, many of us hear about these deaths and wonder how a parent could ever forget their child in the car. We imagine only irresponsible, neglectful parents could do such a thing and that it could never happen to us. Reginald McKinnon felt this way until he experienced every parent’s nightmare for himself. On March 8, 2010, he took his daughter, Payton Lyn, to a doctor’s appointment before work, intending to drop her off at daycare on the way to his office. Tragically, he returned to work after the appointment and forgot his daughter was sleeping in the car. Reginald had to wrestle with how he could have possibly forgotten his daughter, a reality dozens of families reckon with each year. The sad truth
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is that this can happen to people of all backgrounds, no matter how attentive and loving they are as parents. A new report from the National Safety Council sheds light on how these deaths can happen and what we can do to stop them. In some cases, especially when we are particularly busy, tired or out of our daily routine, our minds can simply shift into autopilot and go about our regular schedule. This can result in a parent forgetting their child in the car, but it isn’t the only explanation. Too often, parents or caregivers purposely leave a child in a vehicle, wrongfully assuming it is safe to do so for a short amount of time. In still other cases, children gain access to a vehicle on their own, suffering heatstroke. On average, the temperature inside a vehicle rises by 19 degrees in only 10 minutes and a child can die once his or her core body temperature reaches 107 degrees Fahrenheit. For parents and caregivers, it is crucial to make a habit out of looking in the rear seat before leaving your vehicle and creating reminders so that you don’t forget your child. Place your phone, your purse or even your left shoe in the back with them – anything that will remind you to open the rear door and check. We also need
wisconsinbusinessvoice.org | National Safety Council
to always keep our vehicles locked so that children cannot access them on their own. These steps can help prevent these deaths, but we must also raise awareness of the risks of vehicular heatstroke. Too few of us understand that it is never okay to leave your child alone in the car, not even for a minute. There are no safe time periods and there are no exceptions. Only 21 states have laws to protect children from being left unattended in cars, but heatstroke can happen in any state during any month of the year, even when the outside temperature is as low as 57 degrees Fahrenheit. One death is too many. There have already been more than a dozen this year. Take action now to protect your child, educate others and advocate for better laws to keep our children safe. n
UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACTS OF A
HOT CAR
37 CHILDREN IN THE UNITED STATES DIE EACH YEAR FROM PEDIATRIC VEHICULAR HEATSTROKE
SINCE 1998, 8 CHILDREN HAVE DIED IN WISCONSIN DUE TO PEDIATRIC VEHICULAR HEATSTROKE
CARS CAN BECOME TOO HOT FOR CHILDREN IN TEMPERATURES AS LOW AS
57°
25%
OF DEATHS FROM PEDIATRIC VEHICULAR HEATSTROKE HAPPEN IN WORKPLACE PARKING LOTS
CAR TEMPERATURE CAN RISE 20 DEGREES IN JUST 10 MINUTES
National Safety Council | wisconsinbusinessvoice.org
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Safety Conference Takes Over Wisconsin Dells T he 76th Annual Safety & Health Conference and Expo was one for the books this April with a record-breaking attendance of over 2,000 attendees. It was sold out. Not to mention, the keynote speakers were top notch, including Deadliest Catch’s Captain Keith Colburn and Founder of Empowerment Through Adventure Lori Schneider. They each shared their own experiences as their adventures ranged from safety on the water to safety on land. No simple measure can be overlooked in either of these arenas or in the safety profession in general. Further, the conference brought in entertainment by Angels & Outlaws, offered over 56 professional development courses, recognize the 12 Corporate Safety Award achievers and much more. First, Deadliest Catch’s Captain
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Keith Colburn, sponsored by Mercury Marine, dived into the principles of safety that apply at sea and beyond. The biggest message he offered that applied to him and his crew was not the objective of catching crab, but making sure that everyone makes it home safely at the end of the day. While safety for him and his crew can abruptly turn dangerous in a matter of seconds, he reminded everyone that your best day could turn into one of your worst if you are not practicing preventative measures and overlooking safety precautions to get the job done quicker. It was an honor welcoming Captain Keith to the state of Wisconsin for the first time. He was even welcomed by some of Wisconsin’s finest winter weather in April. Next, Lori Schneider, sponsored by Mayville Engineering Company, an
wisconsinbusinessvoice.org | Annual Safety & Health Conference
inspiring woman blew the curtains off the stage with her exciting entrance. She reenacted a climb in full gear with the intermittent melody of harsh weather playing in the background. Her jaw dropping entrance had attendees at the edge of their seats anticipating what was next. As she removed her gear, she began to reveal the stories, challenges and obstacles she faced when climbing each of the seven summits. While this is no small challenge for anyone, Lori serves as an inspiration to us all as she suffers from multiple sclerosis, but continues with a positive attitude and determination to withstand anything in her way. She highlighted the important aspects of anticipating problems so you can limit casualties, train for obstacles, learn from the best and when all else fails, to improvise. She
became the first person in the world with MS to conquer Mt. Everest and complete all Seven Summits. Twelve companies were recognized for their efforts and commitment on receiving a Wisconsin Corporate Safety Award. These companies included Husky Energy Superior and Rhinelander Terminals, Gusmer Enterprises, Inc., Nucor Cold Finish Wisconsin, Oshkosh Defense, LLC – North Plant, Linetec, NextEra Energy Point Beach Nuclear Plant, Lakehead Painting Company, Inc., Bassett Mechanical, The Boldt Company, ITU Absorb Tech, Colony Brands and Husky Energy – Superior Refinery. WSC Executive Director Janet Metzger has also visited each of the locations to present them with a Corporate Safety Award flag in addition to their trophy. We sincerely appreciate your enthusiasm and positivity throughout the conference and your continued commitment to improving safety and making sure it is a priority where you go. We have big things in store for our conference next year and we hope all of you can join us again. n
Above. Attendees at the Conference Reception after Day 1. Left. Captain Keith Colburn of the TV show Deadliest Catch delivers his keynote speech on risk mitigation. Below. Lori Schneider discusses overcoming obstacles safely in both business and in life.
Annual Safety & Health Conference | wisconsinbusinessvoice.org
Summer 2018
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THE OF
IN THE
WORKPLACE By Chevon Cook WSC Safety Manager
10 Summer 2018
wisconsinbusinessvoice.org | Cover Story
W
orkplace fatigue has been a silent condition that is rapidly emerging as a significant concern in today’s workplace. Organizations find themselves demanding employees to produce high outputs of productivity, efficiency and quality. As a result, more and more employees are expected to work longer hours, often combined with some kind of shiftwork schedule. These conditions – along with several others – have led to many workers suffering from workplace fatigue, often on a regular basis. These workers are often unable to get the rest they need and, in some cases, deal with extreme exhaustion. The lack of sleep can easily lead employees to experiencing a higher rate of injuries, illnesses, and even deaths while performing workplace duties. Fatigue is the state of feeling very tired, weary or sleepy. The causes of fatigue usually result from insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety. According to an article titled Causes and Consequences of Occupational Fatigue: Meta-Analysis and Systems Model*, even poor social interactions with co-workers can lead to fatigue. The effects of fatigue can have a negative impact on worker performance. The most common effects of worker fatigue include: • A reduction in an employee’s productivity. • A reduction in an employee’s ability to make sound decisions. • A reduction in an employee’s reaction time • An employee’s inability to stay awake. • An increased tendency to take risks.
According to a 2015 Industrial Psychiatry Journal publication on fatigue management in the workplace, there are three categories an employer must take into consideration when trying to assess workplace fatigue within their organization. A worker’s physical load include factors such as repetitive motions, forceful exertions and awkward postures. The mental load incorporates irregular work hours, job demands and
The causes of fatigue usually result from insufficient sleep, prolonged mental or physical work, or extended periods of stress or anxiety.
coworker relationships. The environmental load tends to be overlooked, and includes factors such as temperature, noise, light levels and vibration. The more categories employees have to deal with – and the more factors they are exposed to within each category – the greater
chance for employees to experience workplace fatigue. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration firmly believes that worker fatigue greatly increases the risk for workplace injuries and illnesses. Injury rates are 18 percent higher during evening shifts and 30 percent greater during night shifts, when compared to day shifts. Employees required to work extended shift schedules (e.g. 10- or 12-hour shifts) have over a 16% increased risk of a motor vehicle crash during their commute home from work. Studies on some of our history’s industrial disasters—such as the nuclear incidents at Chernobyl and Three Mile Island, the 2005 Texas City BP oil refinery explosion and Challenger space shuttle explosion—showed that decreased alertness from worker fatigue was a contributing factor leading to the events. The costs employers face when choosing not to address workplace fatigue is also astonishing. According to the National Safety Council, workplace fatigue costs employers an estimated $136 billion annually in health-related lost productivity. The silver lining is more and more employers are realizing two key elements: 1. Fatigue is a safety issue, and employers need to take part in tackling the problem. 2. Employers are in an ideal position to educate employees on how to avoid fatigue-related safety incidents. How can an organization overcome workplace fatigue? There are many methods an organization can
Cover Story | wisconsinbusinessvoice.org
Summer 2018 11
utilize. Some of the most common methods used include: • Examining staffing issues such as workload, work hours, understaffing and worker absences. • Making schedules consistent. • Ensuring workers have at least two consecutive days off. • Arranging schedules to allow frequent opportunities for rest breaks and nighttime sleep. • Making adjustments to the work environment such as lighting, temperature and physical surroundings to increase alertness. • Budgeting hotel stays for employees driving long hours for work. • Providing worker education and training addressing worker fatigue. The National Safety Council also advises businesses to incorporate a fatigue risk management system (FRMS) into their overall safety and health management systems. A FRMS can assist businesses with developing key defenses against workplace fatigue, such as bal-
ancing workload and staffing, shift scheduling, training for employees on fatigue, workplace design and monitoring fatigue in workers. Organizations that do not wish to invest in a complex management
Employees required to work extended shift schedules (e.g. 10- or 12-hour shifts) have over a 16% increased risk of a motor vehicle crash during their commute home from work. system can still find ways to address fatigue with employees. Discussions during shift meetings, toolbox talks, safety committee meetings, etc. can help to mitigate workplace fatigue. Wisconsin Safety Council shares the National Safety Council’s passion to educate and inform everyone on the effects of workplace fatigue, as well as tips on how to manage this potentially deadly exposure. Through breakout sessions, public trainings
and private consulting services, WSC works hard to ensure employers and employees alike have the tools and information needed to overcome the challenges associated with workplace fatigue. Workplace fatigue has become more of a concern to organizations as well as employees. Awareness of this exposure amongst employers is increasing, but positive actions needs to take place before we can start to see improvements. The next time an employee is found dozing off during their shift, keep some of these mitigation techniques in mind. By incorporating even a few techniques into a safety and health management system, employers should see great reductions in workplace fatigue, and great increases in employee productivity and morale. n To schedule a private, customized training with Chevon, please call Wisconsin Safety Council at 608258-3400.
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12 Summer 2018
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Wisconsin Safety Month Celebrated in June By Kim Drake WMC Communications & Marketing Manager
J
une is nationally recognized across the country as Safety Month. With this, Gov. Scott Walker proclaimed June as Safety Month in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Safety Council joined other states across the nation to spread awareness throughout the month on four items pertaining to safety including emergency preparedness, wellness, falls and driving. The first week of June emphasized emergency preparedness as a theme. During this week, WSC recognized the importance of having an emergency kit at home, in your car and at work. Some items we recommended to include in this kit were water, non-perishable food items, hand-cranked or battery-powered flashlights, full first aid kit, duct tape and a whistle. The second week focused on the importance of wellness. According to the National Safety Council, the cost of unintentional injuries to Americans and their employees exceeds $867 billion annually and 70 million Americans suffer from a sleep disorder. While these numbers are significant, we recommend you take time to reflect on your own wellness and encourage you to sleep between 7 to 9 hours each night, mix in breaks throughout your day to keep your
blood flowing and if you are physically able, use the stairs instead of an elevator. The third week of June Safety Month highlighted the leading injury both on and off the job: falls. While these injuries are preventable, you should be aware of slip, trip and fall hazards in your workplace. Keep in mind common office furniture and materials that pose an increased risk for injury at work and what you can do to help mitigate your risk of injury from falls. Some recommendations
include avoid standing on rolling chairs, clear areas of boxes, obstacles or cords, implement carpeted surfaces instead of sold surface flooring and actively engage with your coworkers to share your ideas to improve safety at your place of work. Lastly, the final week of safety month emphasized safety items related to driving. The National Safety Council noted 94 percent of motor vehicle crashes involve human error. This staggering number should serve as a great reminder that when you are behind the wheel your behavior, actions and decisions can all have an impact on not only your safety, but also others you share the road with. While safety was stressed and centered on four themes during the month of June, we can all do more to ensure safety is a top priority in our everyday lives. Whether you are in your place of work or at home, remember the importance of safety and be aware of the preventative measures you can take to proactively avoid preventable injuries and deaths. Thank you to everyone who participated in safety month. Our goal is to make Wisconsin the safest state in the nation to work, live and play. n
Safety Month | wisconsinbusinessvoice.org
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WSC Executive Director presented Oshkosh Defense with a Corporate Safety Award at the 76th Annual Safety & Health Conference and Expo
The Boldt Company received a Corporate Safety Award for a record high of 11 times. In the photo, they received their Corporate Safety Award flag from WSC Executive Director on June 22, 2018.
Governor Scott Walker declared June as Safety Month. The Wisconsin Safety Council team holds the proclamation from the governor and recognized safety as a priority throughout June.
Wisconsin Safety Council Executive Director Janet Metzger hosted the first Lunch & Learn series on Opioids in the Workplace discussing the importance of this epidemic.
Deputy Josalyn Longley and Retired Deputy Cindy Holmes joined WSC providing Active Shooter Training. This was WSC’s first Active Shooter Training offered on-site.
Aaron Huebner of Scientific Labs, Willie Henning of Chippewa Valley Technical College and Norman Floerke of Schoeps Ice Cream Co. Inc. received their Advanced Safety Certificates during the month of May.
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wisconsinbusinessvoice.org | WSC Seen & Heard
2018 SAFETY TRAINING Chapter of
The Wisconsin Safety Council, a division of WMC, is Wisconsin’s leading provider of safety training and programming. WSC offers training throughout the year at locations across the state or training at your facility.
WISAFETYCOUNCIL.ORG JULY 18 Incident Investigation: Root Cause Analysis
OCTOBER 1 Lift Truck Operator Train-the-Trainer
JULY 19 Kick Start: Who is Looking Out for Temps
OCTOBER 2 Safety Forum
JULY 23-25 Supervisor’s Safety Development Program
Confined Spaces Train-the-Trainer
AUGUST 2 Lift Truck Operator Train-the-Trainer
OCTOBER 5 Lock Out/Tag Out Train-the-Trainer
AUGUST 6-9 Fundamentals of Industrial Hygiene (FIH) AUGUST 13-16 Principles of Occupational Safety & Health (POSH)
OCTOBER 5
OCTOBER 8-11 Safety Management Techniques (SMT) OCTOBER 17 RCRA Compliance for Hazardous Waste Generators OCTOBER 17 DOT Hazmat Transportation Refresher
AUGUST 21 Lunch & Learn: HazCom
NOVEMBER 8 Ergonomics: Managing for Results
SEPTEMBER 11-12 OSHA 30hr General Industry - Part 1
NOVEMBER 15 Safety Inspections
SEPTEMBER 13 Worker’s Compensation Law Symposium
DECEMBER 13 Team Safety
SEPTEMBER 17-18 OSHA 30hr General Industry - Part 2 All training sessions are located at WSC's Madison location.
Empower Tomorrow From cyber risks to a multi-generational workforce, how are you keeping up-to-date with today’s critical risk and health topics? Our Full Picture webinars bring you insights from Aon’s industry leaders about the latest trends, issues, and solutions impacting the world of risk and people. Visit aon.com/fullpicture to learn more or contact Rob Fleming at 920.431.6288 or robert.j.fleming@aon.com.
Upcoming Events | wisconsinbusinessvoice.org
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PRIVATE CLASSES Let the Wisconsin Safety Council train your staff at YOUR location!
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Contact WSC for more information on private training sessions at 608.258.3400 or wsc@wisafetycouncil.org.