BWC Safety Update - September 2020

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation sent this bulletin at 08/31/2020 04:05 PM EDT

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Division of Safety & Hygiene’s September webinars

BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene (DSH) continues our series of free webinars covering

a variety of workplace safety topics. Below is a list of dates and topics, including a link to

Sept. 1 – Temporary Workers: Health and Safety Issues for Staffing Companies

Sept. 8 – Safely Manage Contractors in YOUR facility (Replay)

Sept. 15 – Avoiding Hazard Communication Program Mistakes

Sept. 22 – What’s Wrong with That? A Look at Real Fire Hazards!

Sept. 29 – Heat Stress?? Cold Stress??? You’ve Got to Love Ohio, Right?

DSH safety experts conduct the webinars. Each webinar lasts about one hour.

Learn more and register for any of the September webinars here.

New Home Office Setup Video

We’ve added a new instructional video to our YouTube page! Ergonomics consultant Brad Ridenour shows viewers how to safely set up a computer workstation at home with items you already have on-hand.

BWC sending more face coverings to Ohio employers

At its Aug. 21 meeting, the BWC Board of Directors approved Governor Mike DeWine’s request to send another round of face coverings to Ohio employers to reduce the spread of COVID-19. We have shipped 20.6 million masks to 197,000 Ohio employers since late May as part of Protecting Ohio’s Workforce — We’ve Got You Covered. In a second round, we will begin this fall sending approximately 23 million masks to employers, who will not be billed for the items. The funding will come from our Division of Safety & Hygiene at no impact to the division’s safety services and grant programs. We are working to purchase as many of these masks as possible from manufacturers making them here in Ohio.

NIOSH/CDC News

NIOSH Blog Post

This National Institute of Safety and Health (NIOSH) Science Blog entry has information to assist employers’ efforts to reduce employee stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. This blog is part of a series of blogs by the NIOSH Healthy Work Design (HWD) and Well-Being Program on pandemic-related issues.

Carpool Safety

If you carpool to work, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has an infographic to help you prevent the spread of COVID-19 amongst your co-riders.

Hazard Communication for Disinfectants Used Against Viruses

This new webpage reviews information on the health hazards of cleaning products used against viruses. The page has information on health hazards and recommended protective equipment needed to protect individuals using these products. This information is required under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Hazard Communication Standard, also known as the “Right to Know Law” [29 CFR 1910.1200].

OSHA News

Stand Down for Safety

OSHA’s 7th Annual National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction takes place Sept. 14-18. As falls accounted for 320 construction fatalities in 2018, this voluntary event gives employers a chance to talk directly to employees about fall hazard awareness and prevention. Learn more and find resources for your event at OSHA’s Safety Stand-Down website.

Masks and Carbon Dioxide

OSHA updated its frequently asked questions to include information on mask use and carbon dioxide.

Other News

Bureau of Labor Statistics – Beyond the Numbers

The July issue of Beyond the Numbers reports on 50 years of occupational safety and health data. The report describes the reduction in the incidence rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses among private industry workplaces from a rate of 10.9 cases per 100 full-time equivalent workers in 1972 to 2.8 cases in 2018. The article is also available as a PDF.

Proper Care for Flame-Resistant/Arc-Rated Clothing Webinar

Safety+Health Magazine and Bulwark FR are offering a free webinar from 1 to 2 p.m. Sept. 10. The webinar will cover proper techniques and offer tips on caring for and maintaining flame and arc-rated clothing, including information on industrial and at-home laundering procedures. To sign up for this webinar, please visit the Taking Care of My FR webinar page.

Required OSHA Training Webinar

Lancaster Safety Consulting, Inc. is offering a free webinar from 2 to 3 p.m. Sept. 16. The webinar will cover the who, when, and what of required OSHA safety training. To sign up for this webinar, please visit the What Safety Training Does OSHA Require? webinar page.

New NFPA Fact Sheets

The National Fire Protection Association continues to create new fact sheets with tips to safely reopen. Building and Life Safety Issues for Tents aims to help restaurants and other businesses creating outdoor seating with these temporary structures to consider egress and occupancy, location and placement, and fabric flammability. Building and Life Safety Issues for Safely Reopening Schools covers evacuations and drills, building modifications, and hand sanitizer placement and storage.

New K-12 Tabletop Exercise Toolkits

The Ohio Emergency Management Agency (EMA) has added two new tabletop exercise kits for K-12 schools. One kit prepares school staff and first responders for a hazardous material release near a school and the other for responding to active aggressors. Download all Ohio EMA’s tabletop exercise toolkits from their website.

Coping with Stress During the COVID-19 Pandemic Flyer

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has created a flyer that provides tips on reducing stress and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also includes information on contacting the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline in addition to the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline. To download the flyer, please visit SAMHSA’s publications page.

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio and serves 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,800 employees and assets of approximately $28 billion, BWC is the largest state-run insurance system in the United States. Our mission is to deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.