|
BWC Safety News
BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene has got you covered!
BWC’s Division of Safety and Hygiene (DSH) has shared a new promotional video highlighting the safety programs, services, and resources that DSH offers to help you create a safe and healthy workplace for your people at no additional cost. Watch the video today or contact us at bwc.ohio.gov or 1-800-644-6292 to learn more.
Connect with us electronically
Did you know that BWC has the option to sign up for electronic notifications? After creating an e-account, log into My Policy page to sign-up for eNotices. When you request eNotices, you can subscribe to our monthly newsletter, BWC eNews, and receive notice of your invoices electronically. My Policy page also has the option to securely upload policy documents such as address changes, cancellations and premium audit documentation. After logging in, you will see the Upload Documents option on the top left of the page.
New Article by BWC and NIOSH
Reliability and Validity of an Employer-Completed Safety Hazard and Management Assessment Questionnaire
New Safety Talks and Sample Written Program Templates
Managing Shift Workers Safety Talk
Hot Work Hazards in the Oil and Gas Industry Safety Talk
Lone Worker Safety Talk
Measuring Safety Performance Safety Talk
Employee Safety Committee Safety Talk
Confined Space Sample Written Program
See BWC’s Safety Talks page for a complete list of talks that are available for print and download. Download customizable templates from BWC’s Written Safety Program Templates page.
BWC Webinars in May
5/10/2022: Breathing Air Quality in the Workplace 11am-12pm
5/12/2022: Safe Patient Handling – Is your facility following the guidelines? 1:30-2:30pm
5/19/2022: What You Need to Know Concerning EPA and Safety for the Construction Industry 1:30-2:30pm
BWC Virtual Training in May
Machine Guarding Thursday, May 5, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Emergency Preparedness Planning Half-day Workshop, May 10, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Respiratory Fit Testing Monday, May 9 - 11, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 1:35 p.m.
Hazard Communication Half-day Workshop, May 12, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Electrical Safety in the Workplace through Insight and Implementation of NFPA 70E, May 17 - 18, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Electrical Safety Maintenance (NFPA 70B) — Practices for Electrical, May 23 - 25, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 1:35 p.m.
Controlling Workers Compensation Costs May 24 - 25, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 12:45 p.m.
Hazard Material and Waste Shipping/Reporting Requirements May 31, 2022 9:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.
BWC Library Question of the Month A question received by the library over the past month with our response.
Question:
Are there any formal standards, requirements, or guidance for double/dual hearing protection in noisy work environments?
Answer:
OSHA does not have any formal requirements for the use of double/dual hearing protection (wearing two forms of hearing protection at the same time). However, The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) states the following on its Reducing Noise Exposure: Personal Protective Equipment page: “Workers exposed to any single impulse noise level that exceed 140 dBA those whose 8-hour TWA exposures exceed 100 dBA should wear double hearing protection (i.e., they should wear earplugs and earmuffs simultaneously).”
NIOSH repeats the same information on pages 5 and 61 of its Occupational Noise Exposure publication:
- Page 5: “Workers whose 8-hr TWA exposures exceed 100 dBA should wear double hearing protection (i.e., they should wear earplugs and earmuffs simultaneously).”
- Page 61: “When a worker’s time-weighted noise exposure exceeds 100 dBA, both earplugs and earmuffs should be worn. It is important to note that using such double protection will add only 5 to 10 dB of attenuation [Nixon and Berger 1991]. Given the real-world performance of hearing protectors [Berger et al. 1996], NIOSH cautions that even double protection is inadequate when TWA exposures exceed 105 dBA.”
If you need help with your hearing protection program, including noise-reducing personal protective equipment (PPE), contact BWC Safety Consultants. Consultation services are free for those with a BWC policy. Find out more on our website.
If you have question related to occupational safety and health, email the library at library@bwc.state.oh.us.
|
|
OSHA News
National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls in Construction
Falls are the leading cause of deaths in the construction industry. More than 200 construction workers die from falls each year. May 2-6, 2022 is the National Safety Stand Down to prevent Falls in Construction. The goal of this campaign is to prevent fatal falls from roofs, ladders, and scaffolds.
Fall Protection Expert Q&A Panel Webinar (Part 3) May 3, 2022 2:00 p.m.
This event, taking place during the 9th annual Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in Construction, continues an ongoing series of Fall Protection Expert Q&A Panels with members of the ASSP/ANSI Z359 Committee. Panelists review information on how to use the Z359 fall protection standards, and answer questions about fall safety on construction job sites. You can register and submit a question at this link.
National Emphasis Program on Outdoor and Indoor Heat Hazards
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has launched a National Emphasis Program (NEP) to protect millions of workers from heat illness and injuries. The NEP began taking effect on April 8, 2022. Through the program, OSHA will conduct heat-related workplace inspections before workers suffer completely preventable injuries, illnesses or, even worse, fatalities. OSHA Instruction - Directive CPL 03-00-024 and an NEP Fact Sheet explain the program in detail.
New OSHA Publication
Farm work around manure storage structures can be deadly. Workers may be exposed to toxic gasses, fires, explosions, and other hazards. Working Safely Around Manure Storage Structures has information about the types and characteristics of manure storage structures as well as tips on safe work practices and rescue operations.
|
|
|
NIOSH/CDC News
National Occupational Injury Research Symposium
NIOSH is hosting the National Occupational Injury Research Symposium (NOIRS) featuring discussions on emerging issues in occupational safety along with cutting-edge occupational injury research findings from leading experts. The three-day event takes place online May 10–12 from 12–4 p.m. EDT. A poster session is May 11 from 4–5 p.m. EDT. Register for this free event.
|
|
Other News
Forklift Compliance Webinar
Join OH&S on May 4 at 2:00 p.m. EDT for a free Forklift Compliance: Inspection Requirements, Training, and FAQs webinar. The webinar will cover the scope of OSHA’s PIT standard, training (who, when, what and by whom), inspections, maintenance, attachments/modifications, operational issues, mancages/personnel platforms, and more.
Hand Safety Webinar
Join OH&S on May 25 at 2:00 p.m. EDT for a free Tips and Tricks for Improving your Hand Safety Program webinar. The webinar will cover the tricks of the trade to improve your hand safety program, increase compliance, and achieve worker buy-in.
Special Journal Issue on Total Worker Health®
This special issue of the open-access International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health addresses the topic of "Worker Safety, Health, and Well-Being in the USA".
Positive drug tests for U.S. workers at highest level in 20 years
Quest Diagnostics yearly report on the results of drug testing in 2021 showed a positive test rate that was the highest in 20 years. Marijuana positivity rate was 3.9% for all workers, the highest ever recorded.
Positive drug tests for U.S. workers at highest level in 20 years: annual index | 2022-03-31 | Safety+Health (safetyandhealthmagazine.com)
Don't let life's pressure build up!
Life keeps us busy, but don't let that be an excuse to not keep an eye on your blood pressure! Our blood pressure changes throughout the day, but when it stays high for long periods of time, this can be an issue. Unhealthy lifestyle choices such a smoking, can contribute to high blood pressure. High blood pressure can increase our risks for heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes. Keep your blood pressure in check by getting regular physical activity, managing stress, and eating a healthy diet. For more information, click here. #BWCWellness
The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.
|
|
|
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.
Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio, serving 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,600 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.
|
|
|
|
|
