July 2023 Safety Update

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BWC featured items

The Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements Grants (FEEEG) Program and the School Safety and Security Grant expanded to a three-year eligibility cycle. If you have previously received either grant, you may be eligible again.

We’re accepting session proposals for the 2024 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo® through July 14. We are seeking one-hour educational sessions, panel discussions, live demonstrations, and three-hour and six-hour workshops for a variety of education tracks.

Visit BWC at the Ohio State Fair! We’ll be in the Bricker Building July 26 – August 6. Stop by to talk with BWC staff, learn about our safety grants, and register for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library of Ohio.

July BWC in person training, safety webinars, and virtual training classes

Check out our July training flyer for opportunities for you and your employees.

We’re offering an additional hazardous waste operation and emergency response (HAZWOPER) 40-hour course starting July 31. This hybrid virtual/in-person class is designed for local emergency planning committees (LEPC) members but is open to others.

Monthly safety topic

Are you prepared for summer heat? As temperatures soar, don’t forget to review your plan for preventing heat related illnesses with your workers.  Key elements of the program include heat monitoring, heat hazard assessment, heat mitigation using engineering and/or administrative controls and personal protective equipment, responding to heat emergencies, and employee training.  We have a sample program template that can help you review and revise your heat illness prevention plan. Check out these additional resources: Safety Talk, Blog.

BWC library question of the month

A question received by the library over the past month with our response. 

Question: 
My company is hiring high school students to work during the summer. Where can I find information on youth worker safety? 

Answer: 
BWC has a webpage on Youth Safety Resources.

Ohio Department of Commerce minor labor laws poster in your workplace. 

If you need help understanding youth worker safety, contact BWC’s Division of Safety and Hygiene. Consultation services are no cost for those with a BWC policy. Find out more on our website.  

Other news

Halt a hazard challenge Get a jump start on August’s Safe + Sound Week 2023. OSHA’s Halt a Hazard Challenge encourages employers and workers to identify one hazard to control in their workplace. What hazard can you find at your workplace to eliminate?

In the handbook’s May 2023 update, a new checklist was added for each of four safety and health topics that were not yet addressed: infection control, ergonomics, workplace violence, and young workers. New NIOSH dump truck safety guidance This new guidance document from NIOSH suggests that employers prepare and plan for safety, use new technologies and work site best practices, and provide training and PPE. Preventing Dump Truck-related injuries and Deaths During Construction Guidance for Employers (cdc.gov).

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

BWC's Division of Safety & Hygiene provides a variety of programs, services, and resources to help Ohio employers create a safe and healthy workplace.  

Visit bwc.ohio.gov or email BWCDSH@bwc.state.oh.us or call 1-800-644-6292. 

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 257,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,600 employees and assets of approximately $21 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit bwc.ohio.gov.