Other News
Downloadable Dry Ice Safety Resources
Safety concerns with handling, transporting, and disposing of dry ice being used to transport COVID-19 vaccines is going to continue to grow in the coming months. Workers involved include packers, shippers, drivers, and medical personnel. BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene recently issued this Safety Bulletin about Handling Dry Ice Safely. Multiple organizations have recently issued guidance on this topic including Dry Ice Safety for Healthcare Professionals (CDC), Primer on Safe & Efficient Handling of Dry Ice (CISA), and Ultra-Cold Vaccine Planning Considerations (ODH). The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) also offers a free downloadable Safe Handling, Transport, & Use of Dry Ice poster.
Vaccine Distribution: CO2 [Dry Ice] Safety Challenges Webinar
Drager, a manufacturer of breathing and protection equipment, is hosting a free webinar from 2 to 3 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 21. The Vaccine Distribution: CO2 Safety Challenges webinar will cover the dangers of CO2 (released by dry ice), how it can be monitored, and precautions for keeping workers safe. The webinar will also discuss nitrogen and other Cold Chain safety challenges.
Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) 2019 Data Available
On Dec. 16, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released 2019 data for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) report. Some key findings include a total of 5,333 fatal occupational injuries, an increase in fatalities for workers over 55 (a new record for this age group), and an increase in driver/sales workers and truck driver fatalities (another record-setting statistic).
Safety Prequalification Research
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) funded a study through The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) by researchers at Northeastern University in Boston. The scientists developed and tested a new 63-item survey of construction safety policies, programs, and practices. The study's key findings indicated subcontractors with high scores on the prequalification survey had lower injury rates.
Construction Exposure Control
The CPWR COVID-19 Exposure Control Planning Tool takes you step-by-step through developing a plan to protect employees and prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the job site. The steps include what to consider when conducting a job hazard analysis for COVID-19, selecting appropriate controls, screening workers and visitors, training employees, and implementing the plan.
State of the Response Reports
The National Safety Council (NSC) has released three free reports that can be downloaded from the NSC website: The Future of World of Work, Employer Actions to Address the Pandemic, and States Actions to Address the Pandemic. The reports are based off surveys and monitoring efforts by NSC. There is also a downloadable infographic that visualizes the Employer Actions report.
FEMA National Risk Index
The Federal Emergency Management Agency developed the National Risk Index, an online mapping application that identifies communities most at risk to 18 natural hazards. The application supplies maps of natural hazard risk levels and includes data about expected annual losses, social vulnerabilities, and community resilience.
New Ohio Work Zone Dashboard
To help cut down on work zone crashes, the Ohio State Highway Patrol released a new Work Zone Dashboard providing detailed views of work zones across Ohio. Of the over 32,600 crashes in work zones in Ohio since 2015, about 38% involved workers present at the time.
The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.
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