FY23 Rebate Program Changes

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On May 2, 2022, the Ohio BWC officially announced that the FY23 Rebate Program has returned and will be in person! With that being said, they’ve cut back and simplified the requirements so I think you’ll be happy about that! For more information, please see the highlights listed below or see the attached flyer for more details.

FY23 Updates/Changes:

  • CEO Credits will no longer be required.
  • Semi-annual reports will no longer be required.
  • External Training Credits will now include BWC Virtual Training (not online classes or webinars).
  • All employers will now qualify for the 2% Participation Rebate except for self-insured companies & state agencies.
  • Performance Bonus has been eliminated.
  • We will start meeting in person again at the Ravenna Elks, 11:30am-1:00pm, on every 2nd Thursday of the month, starting July 14, 2022. 

More information will be coming soon!

Thank you all for staying with us throughout the pandemic and our virtual programming! With your support we were able to continue to expand our programming and provide you with quality safety education and resources even though we went all through that tough time together. We look forward to doing the same for FY23!

OSHA Heat Stress Standard: May 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Q: Does OSHA currently have a heat stress standard?

A: Not at this time, but they will use the General Duty Clause to issue citations.

On October 27, 2021, OSHA published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for Heat Injury and Illness Prevention in Outdoor and Indoor Work Settings in the Federal Register. With this publication, OSHA is beginning the rulemaking process to consider a heat-specific workplace standard. A standard specific to heat-related injury and illness prevention would more clearly set forth employer obligations and the measures necessary to more effectively protect employees from hazardous heat. The ultimate goal is to prevent and reduce the number of occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities caused by exposure to hazardous heat.

The publication of the ANPRM initiated a public comment period allowing OSHA to gather information, diverse perspectives and technical expertise on issues that might be considered in developing a heat standard. These issues include the scope of a standard, heat stress thresholds for workers across various industries, heat acclimatization planning, and heat exposure monitoring, as well as the nature, types, and effectiveness of controls that may be required as part of a standard.

The publication of this ANPRM has no impact on OSHA’s current enforcement policies.

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Let’s Talk About PTSD

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-du69q-120d579

Episode 249: Kelly Younkins, a Clinical Consultant and a Clinical Supervisor for Family & Community Services, Inc., joined us to talk about PTSD for Mental Health Awareness Month. 

Free Mental Health Awareness Campaign resources are now available! Click here to download the free campaign poster (11×17).

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

Please note: this interview was recorded on March 10, 2022. 

April 2022 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for April 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. Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: [Video] Justin Deflumeri, MS, GSP, Owner of Optimal Safety Inspections, joined us to chat about leading vs.lagging indicators. Justin also shares fun stories on how he often makes safety fun and more engaging. (23:38)
  2. Are You Ready to Lead Safety Differently? [Audio] Pamela Walaski, Senior Program Director, Specialty Technical Consultants Inc., (16:29)
  3. The 4 Areas Safety Professionals Need to Focus On: Article by Safeopedia.
  4. Recordkeeping News for High Hazard Industries: Article by Safex.
  5. Work zones are a sign to slow down: Article by Ohio BWC.
  6. Study links heavy alcohol use to hundreds of millions of missed workdays a year: Article by Safety + Health Magazine.
  7. NFPA 70B: April 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  8. Ohio BWC Distance Learning: March-June 2022.
  9. 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. FY23 News Coming Soon! News regarding the upcoming program year starting July first (FY23) will be announced in May.
  2. May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We’re asking members to help promote mental health throughout the month of May. We’ve created several free campaign resources including a poster that you can print and display at your facility. For the resources, see link below.
  3. Mental Health Awareness Campaign Resources: We created this Mental Health Awareness Campaign in order to help employers fight back by giving them the tools to easily promote mental health awareness and well-being to their employees.
  4. Next Virtual Meeting – April 28, 2022: Ohio EPA’s Regulations – What You Need to Know to Stay Out of Trouble,  presented by Dan Sowry, Assistant Environmental Administrator, Ohio EPA.

Mental Health Awareness Podcasts:

  1. Mental Health Checkups. Most of us complete an annual checkup with our family doctor as a preventative measure for our physical health but how many of us do the same for our mental health? Clinical Consultant, Kelly Younkins, shares her idea of annual “mental health checkups” that could revolutionize the mental health industry! (27:02)
  2. Let’s Talk About Depression. Kelly Younkins, a Clinical Consultant and a Clinical Supervisor for Family & Community Services, Inc., joins us to talk about depression for Mental Health Awareness Month. (29:47)
  3. Let’s Talk About Anxiety. Kelly Younkins, a Clinical Consultant and a Clinical Supervisor for Family & Community Services, Inc., joined us to talk about anxiety for Mental Health Awareness Month. (30:10)

Let’s Talk About Anxiety

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-etpre-12032d1

Episode 248: Kelly Younkins, a Clinical Consultant and a Clinical Supervisor for Family & Community Services, Inc., joined us to talk about anxiety for Mental Health Awareness Month. 

Free Mental Health Awareness Campaign resources are now available! Click here to download the free campaign poster (11×17).

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

Please note: this interview was recorded on March 3, 2022. 

NFPA 70B: April 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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What is NFPA 70B?

We’ve all heard of OSHA. Everyone knows who they and you’ve probably heard about NFPA 70E.  But what about NFPA 70B?  OSHA is the WHAT, and NFPA is the HOW.  NFPA 7OE is the comprehensive standard that establishes best electrical safety practices on how to protect workers from electric arc flash and arc blast exposure and resulting potential injury and death.

NFPA 70B is the much-forgotten Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance.  NFPA 70B details preventive maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communication systems and equipment — such as those used in industrial plants, institutional and commercial buildings, and large multi-family residential complexes — to prevent equipment failures and worker injuries.  Proper maintenance is absolutely essential to the safety of your facility and your employees.

If this is all new to you, or you need to brush up on your facility’s electrical maintenance.  The BWC has an upcoming Course:

Date: May 23-25, 2022

Electrical Safety Maintenance (NFPA 70B) – Practices for Electrical

Description: This course provides students an overview into electrical safety audit procedures. Instruction will focus on  analyzing work practices following applicable codes and standards.

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Mental Health Checkups

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-9m5tt-11e859e

Episode 246: Most of us complete an annual checkup with our family doctor as a preventative measure for our physical health but how many of us do the same for our mental health? Clinical Consultant, Kelly Youngkins, shares her idea of annual “mental health checkups” that could revolutionize the mental health industry! Please note: this interview was recorded on March 17, 2022.  For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today!

[Powered Industrial Trucks] Aftermarket Safety Enhancements (Live)

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https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-kf5eh-11d6d80

Episode 245: Have you looked into aftermarket enhancements to help improve safety at your facility but aren’t sure where to start? Matt Mohler, Director of Facilities & EHS Manager at Delta Systems, Inc., in Streetsboro, OH, highlights a few products that you may want to consider. This is an excerpt from episode 242, click here to listen to his full presentation.  For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today!