The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced a new Regional Emphasis Program in four Southeastern states aimed at protecting poultry industry workers.

According to OSHA, poultry workers are twice as likely to suffer serious injuries and six times more likely to get sick on the job than other private sector workers. The Regional Emphasis Program will prompt employers in Alabama, Florida, Georgia and Mississippi to protect their employees from the musculoskeletal disorders and ergonomic stressors that disproportionately affect those who work in the poultry industry.

"The Regional Emphasis Program is designed to reduce employee exposure to crippling injuries, such as musculoskeletal disorders, and to ensure the industry records all occupational injuries and illnesses accurately," said Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA's regional administrator in Atlanta.

Last year, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi ranked first, third and fifth, respectively, among the nation's largest chicken producers, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report. Together, they yielded 18 of the 51 billion pounds of chicken produced in the U.S. in 2014.

Starting October 26, the first three months of the program are designated as an education period. During this time, OSHA will share health and safety information with employers, associations and workers in a series of outreach activities. This period gives employers and workers a chance to solidify their familiarity with OSHA regulations and get into compliance.

After the education period, OSHA will begin its targeted enforcement phase. For the remaining nine months of the program, federal investigators will conduct on-site inspections at poultry processing facilities, reviewing poultry processing production operations, working conditions, recordkeeping, chemical handling and safety and health programs to ensure compliance. Unless extended, the program will last until October 25, 2016.

For industry-specific compliance solutions that can help your business achieve OSHA compliance, contact Safety Advantage today.

An Illinois contractor and subcontractor face fines totaling more than $70,000 for exposing roofers to dangerous asbestos hazards.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) found Continental Contractors and subcontractor Local Roofing to be in violation of 20 serious health and safety violations at a worksite.  Employees were inappropriately demolishing, removing and replacing a commercial building's roofing system in Chicago.

OSHA cited the companies for failing to:

• Conduct an exposure assessment for asbestos
• Establish a respiratory protection program
• Use engineering controls to clean up material likely to contain asbestos
• Train workers on asbestos hazards
• Provide personal protective clothing.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring mineral fiber whose strength and durability made it a popular building material until it was discovered to have dangerous health effects on those who worked with it. Today, asbestos is a known human carcinogen that and can cause chronic lung disease as well as lung and other cancers. Because the symptoms or cancer may not appear until up to 20 years after exposure, the likelihood of repeated exposure is extremely high.

"No worker should be exposed to this potentially life-ending substance without being trained and provided protective equipment," said Angeline Loftus, OSHA's area director for the Chicago North office.

OSHA health and safety standards protect workers from asbestos by establishing a Permissible Exposure Limit to which all employers must adhere. To ensure no one is exposed above these limits, employers must not only assess and monitor worksites for present asbestos hazards, they must adhere to OSHA-recommended engineering controls and work practices to reduce exposure. If these limits prove not effective enough at reducing levels, employers must supplement these efforts with proper respiratory protection for employees.

In the case of Continental and Local, none of the above standards were met, even though OSHA identifies roofing as a material presumed to contain asbestos.

Safety Advantage's contractor safety programs can help keep you up to date with OSHA regulations. For more information, contact us today!

As autumn threatens to give way to winter, safety managers have a new health hazard to consider: cold stress. Cold stress occurs when heat leaves the body quickly, a process that can be exacerbated by cold temperatures and increased wind chill. Their exposure to these types of conditions make those who work outside, such as agricultural or construction workers, especially susceptible to the following types of cold stress:

• Hypothermia: Hypothermia occurs when a person's body temperature drops below 95 degrees. While mild symptoms of hypothermia include shivering, severe hypothermia is marked when shivering stops and the person becomes confused, slurs his speech and suffers from reduced heart and respiratory rates.
• Frostbite: Frostbite describes the situation in which a person's body tissue freezes. Frostbite can even strike when thermometers indicate temperatures above freezing, as wind chill can contribute to the freezing of tissue. Signs of frostbite include numbness, reddened or grayed skin and hardening of tissue. In some cases, frostbite may result in amputation.
• Trench (or "immersion") foot: Trench foot is a nonfreezing injury to the foot that is caused by continued exposure to a cold and wet environment. Symptoms include redness, swelling, numbness and blistering.

Luckily, even when conditions are cold, there are steps every employer can take to prevent employees from developing cold stress. Just like when working in extremely warm temperatures, employers should slowly acclimate their employees to working in cold conditions. During shifts in the cold, employers should be sure to closely monitor workers for signs of cold stress, as well as regularly schedule breaks for them in warm areas. Once on the worksite, employers or site safety managers can also use engineering controls, such as space heaters, to keep workers warm.

One of the most important things employers can do is to train their employees on preventing cold stress. When they get out into the field, employees should:

• Know how to recognize the symptoms and monitor themselves and their co-workers for them
• Drink warm, sweetened liquids
• Dress properly. Appropriate dress includes layers of loose-fitting clothing, insulated hats, gloves and jackets and insulated and waterproof boots.

For more information on construction site safety, contact Safety Advantage today.

Nail guns are used at residential construction sites around the country to boost productivity. And while they allow operators to drive nails more efficiently compared to those using hammers and nails, nail guns also cause tens of thousands of injuries every year.

One study, reported by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, found that two out of every five residential carpenters had experienced a nail gun injury in a four-year period. As often as they occur, these injuries are rarely reported or given medical attention. In an effort to reduce the risk these otherwise helpful tools pose to construction employees, integrate these best practices into your workplace safety program:

• Use nail guns with a full sequential trigger. Residential carpenters are at twice the risk of nail gun injury when using contact triggers compared to sequential triggers. The full sequential trigger reduces the risk of unintentional nail discharge and double fires. At a minimum, provide full sequential trigger nail guns for work where lumber needs to be held in place by hand.
• Train nail gun operators. Make sure both beginners and experienced crew members receive training. In addition to reviewing the differences between the different types of triggers and the main causes of injury, perform hands-on training with the specific nail guns that will be used on the job. This gives employees a chance to handle the nailers and receive feedback on their technique.
• Provide personal protective equipment. In addition to wearing safety shoes, which OSHA requires on all residential construction sites, employees must provide hard hats, high-impact eye protection and ear protection to their employees at no cost.
• Administer first aid and medical treatment. Encourage your employees to seek medical attention immediately after a nail gun injury, no matter how small the injury may initially appear. Research suggests that 1 out of 4 nail gun hand injuries can involve some type of structural damage such as bone fracture.

For more tips like this, or for professional safety management services that can drive safety awareness and compliance at your worksites, contact Safety Advantage today.

Advancing in your construction career hinges upon your ability to bring tremendous value to your employer, as companies tend to reward and protect employees who can deliver higher quality work for a lower cost. One of the best ways to boost your value, research suggests, is to become certified for your skills. 

A McGraw Hill SmartMarket report revealed 71 percent of surveyed companies reported that having certified employees increased the competitiveness of their firm and its ability to win contracts. Asked more specifically about certified workers, more than three quarters of firms responded that certification gives employees valuable, job-applicable knowledge and more job opportunities.

How exactly does pursuing certification have such a positive impact? By providing third-party verification of the skills that employees list on their resumes, workers increase their employers' and clients' confidence in them.

Not only do employers gain from the increased confidence of their clients or the marketability of their workforce, but employers also benefit from the increased productivity of certified workers. For example, those with health and safety training are more likely to recognize, avoid and amend hazardous situations, reducing lost time and money due to injury or lawsuits. Certified employees are more likely to complete jobs on time and with less overhead, two very good things for construction employers.

At the end of the day, putting those who pay the construction firms at ease proves especially beneficial. Knowing their project is being managed by a certified professional affords clients peace of mind that can result in additional contracts and referrals down the road.

To sign up for the most comprehensive construction safety class in Houston, contact Safety Advantage today.

{Looks great man!}

The nation's largest home decor retailer has been fined once again. This year alone, its penalties for health and safety violations now totals more than $2.25 million. Following Ashley Furniture's third failed health and safety inspection of 2015, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the company one willful, five repeated and two serious citations and penalties of $431,000. 

OSHA found Ashley Furniture failed to protect its workers from dangerous, moving machine parts and neglected to implement procedures that would prevent machines from starting unintentionally when operators changed blades, cleaned machines and cleared jams. The company also failed to have machine operators use locking devices to prevent unexpected machine movement, a procedure known as lockout or tagout. This violation is among OSHA's most frequently cited and often results in death or permanent disability.

"Workers risked amputation injuries each time they serviced the machinery," said Mark Hysell, OSHA's area director in Eau Claire, Wis. "Ashley Furniture failed to implement required safety procedures to protect machine operators until after OSHA opened its inspection. The company must make immediate, enforceable safety improvements at its facilities nationwide."

This January, the agency cited Ashley Furniture for 38 safety violations, resulting in more than $1.75 million in penalties, after an inspection of its Arcadia, Wis. plant. The investigation found workers experienced more than 1,000 OSHA recordable work-related injuries in the previous three and a half years. OSHA defines a recordable injury as one that requires medical treatment beyond first aid, or results in death, lost work hours, restricted work or a job transfer.

Just five months later, OSHA proposed penalties of $83,200 and placed the company in its Severe Violator Enforcement Program (SVEP) after investigating an Ashley Furniture employee amputation that took place in March. As a result of the SVEP designation, Ashley's facilities in California, Pennsylvania, Mississippi and North Carolina are all currently under investigation. 

Looking to improve your company's attitude toward workplace safety? Contact Safety Advantage today to design a behavior based safety program that can transform your worksite's safety environment. 

Before they began working on the inside of a railcar, Nebraska Railcar Cleaning Services checked its air quality and found  there was a serious risk of an explosion. Rather than heed this warning, however, the company sent two of its employees, aged 41 and 45, inside the car anyway without monitoring the air for explosive hazards or providing them  with respirators or emergency retrieval equipment. 

Moments later, an explosion ripped apart the railcar and blew off its escape ladder, killing the two men and injuring a third.  

Following the fatal April 2015 explosion, the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) launched an investigation at the employers' Hickory Street, Pierce Street and South 30th Street sites in Omaha, Neb., where they found seven egregious willful, three willful, two repeated, 20 serious, and one other than serious safety and health violations. The company now faces $963,000 in penalties and has been placed in the agency's Severe Violator Enforcement Program.

"Our hearts go out to the families of these workers, whose deaths were so senseless and preventable," said Dr. David Michaels, assistant secretary of labor for occupational safety and health. "This isn't the first time this employer put its workers' lives at risk, but OSHA will do everything in our power to ensure it is the last."

The egregious willful violations involve multiple instances of failing to properly monitor air quality in railcars, which qualify as confined spaces because they are large enough for workers to enter and perform certain jobs, such as cleaning and maintenance, but are not designed for continuous occupancy. OSHA safety guidelines require that employers evaluate confined spaces for air quality and other hazards prior to workers entering the area and then monitor conditions while they're inside. Additionally, the company failed to fit-test employees who were required to use respirators in railcars.

On top of the OSHA health and safety citations, The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is also currently investigating allegations that the company improperly disposed of hazardous waste.

Preventing incidents like this depends on more than simply identifying a addressing hazards, it requires a cultural shift. For help designing and implementing a behavior based safety program at your workplace, contact Safety Advantage today. 

While lead-based paints are no longer allowed in U.S. residences, lead-based products are still widely used in the construction industry. In construction, lead is frequently used for roofs, cornices, tank linings and electrical conduits. It's also used as well as to prevent rust on steel bridges, railways and ships. Despite its popularity on construction sites, lead exposure can be extremely dangerous to workers. 

Lead is most commonly absorbed into the body by inhalation. When workers breathe in lead as a dust, fume or mist, their lungs and upper respiratory tract absorb it into the body. When absorbed in high enough doses, lead can be toxic.  Chronic overexposure can result in severe damage to the central nervous system, particularly the brain, as well as to the blood-forming, urinary and reproductive systems. Even after just a few days, however, acute lead overexposure can cause acute encephalopathy, a condition affecting the brain that can develop quickly into seizures, coma or even death. 

Because of the prevalence of lead used to inhibit rust on steel structures, workers involved in abrasive blasting, welding, cutting or burning on these structures are at the highest risk of lead exposure. Other high-risk employees include those involved in:

• Iron work
• Demolition
• Commercial painting
• Lead-based paint abatement
• Heating and air conditioning maintenance and repair
• Plumbing
• Electrical work
• Carpentry, such as renovation and remodeling.

To help prevent these employees from being exposed to toxins, employers can implement a variety of engineering controls designed to reduce lead hazards. One method is to use exhaust ventilation systems such as high-efficiency particulate air vacuums to collect and exhaust toxic fumes or particles. Another way to reduce lead inhalation or ingestion hazards resulting from working with lead-based paint is to encapsulate it with a material that bonds to the surface, such as acrylic or epoxy coating. The most effective way to control this risk, however, is to simply choose alternate materials and chemicals that do not contain lead for construction projects.

If employees must work with lead products, their employers must provide personal protective equipment at no additional cost. Appropriate protective clothing and equipment to limit exposure on construction sites includes:

• Coveralls or other full-body work clothing
• Gloves, hats and shoes or disposable shoe coverlets
• Vented goggles or face shields with protective spectacles or goggles
• Welding or abrasive blasting helmets
• Respirators.

For help creating a site specific safety plan that can reduce your employees' risk of chemical exposure, contact Safety Advantage. Our construction safety programs equip safety professionals with the skills and knowledge they need to develop compliance solutions. To learn more, or to sign up for a health and safety training course, visit our website today. 

Every autumn, communities call upon contractors to prepare their trees for winter's whipping winds. Dead or overhanging tree limbs can pose safety risks to both buildings and their residences if brought down in a storm, leading home and property owners to schedule visits from tree removal professionals. 

If your work involves cutting trees, either seasonally or year-round, you undoubtedly rely on a chainsaw. One of the most efficient and productive portable power tools in the industry, chainsaws can also be one of the most dangerous if used improperly. To reduce your risk of injury, as well as boost your productivity, heed these safety procedures next time you work with a chainsaw:

Before you begin

Before turning your saw on, check to make sure the controls, chain tension and all bolts and handles are functioning and adjusted properly. When adding fuel to your chainsaw, make sure you are at least 10 feet away from any possible source of ignition, which can include damaged power lines or spark-throwing construction activities. 

While you work

One of the most basic, yet nonetheless important, ways to avoid an accident with a chainsaw is to maintain a secure grip and solid footing while operating the tool. No matter where the branch you are cutting may be, never cut directly overhead. It is always better to reposition yourself to find a better angle than to risk being struck by a falling limb. If you will be carrying the saw from one cutting location to another over a distance of more than 50 feet or over hazardous terrain, always turn off the engine or engage the chain brake. 

For help designing a site specific accident prevention plan, Safety Advantage's certified safety consultants can help. Contact us today to get started. 

As residents across the Eastern Seaboard work to recover from the impact of Hurricane Joaquin earlier this month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) urges them to keep their safety in mind. 

"Recovery work should not put you in the hospital emergency room," said Kurt Petermeyer, OSHA's regional administrator in Atlanta. "A range of safety and health hazards exist following storms. You may minimize these dangers with knowledge, safe work practices and personal protective equipment. OSHA wants to make certain that all working men and women, including volunteers, return home at the end of the workday."

Storm and hurricane cleanup often involve restoring electricity, communications and water and sewer services to affected residential areas, which can put relief workers at risk of distinct hazards. Other hazards accompany demolition activities, debris cleanup, tree trimming, roadway and bridge repair, hazardous waste operations and emergency response activities. 

While these cleanup activities are often necessitated by a storm's strong wind, areas affected by flooding have their own unique cleanup challenges. These may include dam and levee repair, removing floodwater from structures and repairing downed electrical wires in standing water. In addition, workers and residents taking defensive action to protect structures or coordinate evacuations may encounter other hazards such as rapidly rising streams and moving water. 

With this myriad of hazards in mind, only workers provided with the proper health and safety training, equipment and experience should conduct cleanup activities.

Those who can help should heed the following protective measures to ensure their safety:

• Evaluate the work area for hazards
• Employ engineering or work practice controls to mitigate hazards
• Use personal protective equipment
• Assume all power lines are live
• Use portable generators, saws, ladders, vehicles and other equipment properly
• Follow safety precautions for traffic work zones.

For a site specific safety plan that can keep employees safe at your workplace, contact Safety Advantage LLC today.