Author: portagecsc

Keyboard Ergonomics: July 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Click here to view with graphics.

Q: Is there a recommended way of typing or using my keyboard to prevent sore wrists?

A: Yes.  Keep your wrists straight and use a soft wrist rest or keep your wrist from leaning or resting on a hard surface.  Avoid bending wrist when using keyboard.   The goal is to keep neutral posture, arms should be parallel, not resting on anything.

Also, consider frequent rest breaks and stretches to prevent aches and pains.

Others tips for avoiding injury include, maintain proper posture, set up your workstation correctly, pay attention to the position of your hands, monitor your technique.

The BWC has ergonomists that can come to your facility or consult with you virtually to help you though issues like these or other workstation set up concerns.  Please contact your safety council liaison to get you connected.

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Driving Safety Forward with Kindness (Live)

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zqb8j-125261e

Episode 256: Bryan McWhorter, Lead Safety Advisor for Safeopedia, presented to our safety council on how valuing people can improve your safety performance. Bryan is also a noted speaker and the author of several books on various topics including Lean, workplace safety and more. Check out his author’s page on Amazon for more info.

For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today!

June 2022 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for June 2022!

Our goal for the newsletter is to connect our members to relevant safety resources, all linked together in one convenient location every month. We hope you find this resource useful and valuable!

Please share with your colleagues!

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. Heat Stress: Warning Signs & Prevention: [Audio] Joe Barney, Compliance & Training Officer from The Great Lakes Construction Co. stayed over with us to recap his presentation on how to prevent heat related illnesses & injuries at work! (7:25)
  2. [Safety Talk] Tornado Safety Tips. [Audio] Here’s some safety tips from Ready.gov on how to prepare for and survive a tornado! (4:34)
  3. 5 Easily Overlooked Safety Risks Every Workplace Should Address: Article by Safeopedia.
  4. TESTING CHAINSAW CHAPS | Everything you need to know: A short video by Ally Safety. (6:24)
  5. Trench Safety – Trench Inspection: A short video by the Ohio BWC. (3:26)
  6. Safety from the ground up: Article by Ohio BWC.
  7. Be a safety lookout: Article by Safety + Health Magazine.
  8. Loading Powered Industrial Trucks: June 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  9. Ohio BWC Distance Learning: March-June 2022.
  10. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Podbean, Stitcher, & TuneIn/Alexa! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  1. FY22 Virtual Program has ended! Our last FY22 virtual meeting was last week on June 9th. FY22 will officially be over on the 30th and FY23 officially begins on July 1st.
  2. The Rebate is Back!!! Renew or enroll by July 31st to qualify for the rebate. Click here to learn how to join now or here for rebate qualifications.
  3. In-Person Meetings/Luncheons Restart July 14th! Starting July 14, 2022, the Portage County Safety Council will meet in-person every second Thursday, 11:30am-1:00pm, at The Ravenna Elks, located at 776 E. Freedom St in Ravenna, OH. Lunch will be $20 for members, $25 for non-members.
  4. FY23 In-Person Sponsorships are Now Available! Sponsorship of a Portage County Safety Council meeting is a cost-effective way to get your business noticed! Follow the link for more info.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

Portage County HSEMA Earns “Stormready” Designation From National Weather Service  

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13, 2022 

CONTACT: Contact Ryan Shackelford, Director, Portage County Homeland Security and Emergency Management, 330-297-3607, rshackelford@portageco.com

PORTAGE COUNTY HSEMA EARNS “STORMREADY” DESIGNATION
FROM NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE  

RAVENNA—The National Weather Service of the National Oceanic and Administration has designated Portage County as “StormReady,” a program aimed at preparing cities, counties and towns across the nation with communication and safety tools necessary to save lives and property. 

The county earned the recognition based on work by the Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management to achieve a standard of disaster preparedness set by NOAA and the NWS. 

“We have been working toward this goal as one more step to making Portage County resilient and ready for any emergency or disaster that comes our way. All of us contribute to a StormReady Portage County,” said Ryan Shackelford, director of PC HSEMA. 

Raelene Campbell, an NWS official with the Cleveland office, presented an official placard, posters and a certificate with the StormReady logo to EMA staff on Thursday at a ceremony in the county Emergency Operations Center. The placard will be displayed in the EOC entrance at the agency facility in Ravenna on Infirmary Road. 

“StormReady communities must stay freshly prepared because the designation is valid for only four years and then must be renewed. Portage County is one of 30 counties in Ohio to receive this distinguished honor. Congratulations on a job well done,” Campbell said in her remarks. 

A voluntary program created in 1998 by NWS, StormReady provides clear-cut advice to local officials and emergency managers that would improve their local hazardous weather operations. 

StormReady uses a grassroots approach to help communities develop plans to handle all types of extreme weather—from tornadoes to winter storms. To be officially StormReady, a community must:  

  • Establish a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center 
  • Have more than one way to receive severe weather warnings and forecasts and to alert the public 
  • Create a system that monitors weather conditions locally 
  • Promote the importance of public readiness through community seminars 
  • Develop a formal hazardous weather plan, which includes training severe weather spotters and holding emergency exercises. 

For timely information during severe weather or other events please visit the Portage County EMA Facebook and Twitter accounts at Portage Prepares as well as download the Portage County Emergency Management App to your Android or Apple smart phones.  

Portage Prepares: https://www.portagecounty-oh.gov/portage-prepares
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PortagePrepares
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PortagePrep
Find the Portage County Emergency App at: Google Play and Apple App store.  

Loading Powered Industrial Trucks: June 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Q: Does OSHA require inspections of the flooring of trucks, trailers, and railroad cars by Powered Industrial Truck Operators prior to loading and unloading operations?

A: Yes. OSHA states in 1910.178(m)(7) “Brakes shall be set, and wheel blocks shall be in place to prevent movement of trucks, trailers, or railroad cars while loading or unloading. Fixed jacks may be necessary to support a semitrailer during loading or unloading when the trailer is not coupled to a tractor. The flooring of trucks, trailers, and railroad cars shall be checked for breaks and weakness before they are driven onto.”

The condition of the trailer’s floor can severely impact the forklift’s ability to maneuver. Check to make sure the trailer has the weight-bearing capacity to hold the combined weight of its load plus the forklift weight. Also, check the trailer walls and ceilings for damage that could compromise the vehicle’s integrity. Lastly examine the cross members of the undercarriage for missing pieces, excessive corrosion, or permanent deformation.

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Making Safety Personal

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-jxzn5-123c5bf

Episode 254: Safety compliance can often fall short because the messaging is too broad or the communications from management are not relevant or relatable to employees. In this excerpt from episode 253, Nicholas Coia, Industrial Safety Consultant from the Ohio BWC, talks about how employers can improve compliance by making safety personal.

For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today!