FY22 Membership Renewal

/ portagecsc

PCSC Members:

The time has come to renew for FY22 and it’s still only $100/year for each company to join! To renew, simply complete the attached 2021 Portage County Safety Council Flyer or the FY22 Work from Home Form (either will work) and send it back with payment (mail a check or use the credit card form & email back to us).

Here’s what you’ll get in the upcoming program year!*

  • 16 Live Online Training Sessions (virtual meetings) with On-Demand Access to Video Recordings
  • 5-hour Manufacturing Safety Course
  • Safety Mastermind Group
  • Free Admission to 2 Statewide “Mega Meetings” (online safety summits)
  • Bonus workplace safety & health video & audio content throughout the program year

I look forward to another great program year!

Celebrating FY21!!!

/ portagecsc

PCSC Members & Community Partners:


As most of you know, FY21 is coming to an end on June 30th and FY22 starts on July 1st. Since it was a rough year for so many due to the pandemic and it was our first year going virtual, I thought it would be encouraging to reflect & celebrate what we’ve accomplished together as a safety council.

FY21 Accomplishments (July 1, 2020-Present):

  1. Virtual Meetings: 19 meetings held on a semi-monthly basis.
  2. On-Demand Video Recordings/Training:30 videos total! Includes 11 bonus videos with over 8-hours of additional workplace safety & health content not included in our semi-monthly virtual meetings.
  3. Safety Mastermind: We were the first and only Ohio safety council to host a safety mastermind group! This small group course was made up of 6 one-hour sessions focusing on accident investigations and was well received.
  4. Podcasts: 36 episodes downloaded in 45 states & 43 nations, totaling almost 16 hours of original workplace safety, health & community content!
  5. Overcoming Stress Campaign: Published 6.5 hours of video content to help employers and employees overcome stress! Does not include audio versions published on our podcast.
  6. Get Outside Campaign: Over 700 campaign posters/flyers downloaded and 14 podcast episodes produced to help promote active lifestyles & worker health.

As you can see, we accomplished much together! Thank you for your continued support and participation in the Portage County Safety Council! Let’s continue to work to make Portage County a safer & healthier place to work and live!

Domestic Violence & Workplace Violence Awareness

/ portagecsc

Did you know?

  • “The Department of Labor notes that27% of all violent events in the workplace are tied to some form of domestic violence.” – ALICE Training.com
  • ” 21 percent of full-time employed adults said they were victims of domestic violence and 74 percent of that group said they’ve been harassed at work.” – SHRM
  • Portage County law enforcement agencies received well over 1,000 domestic violence calls last year!

Domestic violence happens everywhere and victims come in all ages & genders! Donya Buchanan & Amy Kelly of Safer Futures joined us to chat about domestic violence and give us a snapshot of how often it happens in the Portage County area!

COMMUNITY AWARENESS WALK – JUNE 26 Safer Futures will be hosting their 1st Annual “Shine a Light on Domestic Violence” Community Awareness Walk on Saturday, June 26, 2021, 6pm-9pm, at Sunny Lake in Aurora. Click here for more info.


Feel free to share with friends & colleagues!

Shine a Light on Domestic Violence

/ portagecsc

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-zp4ng-105d7da

Episode 209: Domestic violence happens everywhere and victims come in all ages & genders! Donya Buchanan & Amy Kelly of Safer Futures joined us to chat about domestic violence and give us a snapshot of how often it happens in the Portage County area. Click here to watch the video. Click here for more info on their 2021 Community Awareness Walk. For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today! Sponsored by UH Portage Medical Center.

Nail Gun Injuries: June 2021 Safety & Hygiene Corner

/ portagecsc

Question: What can I do to reduce the potential for nail gun injuries in the workplace?

Answer: According to OSHA “Nail gun injuries are common – one study found that 2 out of 5 residential carpenter apprentices experienced a nail gun injury over a four-year period”. The most common injuries are puncture wounds to the hands and fingers but there can be more serious injuries and deaths that could occur using nail guns.  The following basic steps can help reduce the potential for these injuries:

  1. Consider restricting inexperienced employees to full-sequential trigger nail guns when starting out. Full-sequential firing is considered the safest option, also called single-shot firing; full-sequential is ideal for applications such as framing and carpentry, where precision is more important than fastening speed.  Full-sequential firing is slower than bump firing.  Best Practice: color-code the nail guns so that the type of trigger can be readily identified by workers and supervisors.
  2. The safety on the nail gun relies on two basic controls:  a finger trigger and a contact safety tip located on the nose of the gun.
  3. Require proper PPE for your employees such as, safety shoes high Impact eye protection, safety glasses or goggles marked ANSI Z87.1 and hearing protection
  4. Employers should ensure that their policies and practices encourage reporting of nail gun injuries. Reporting ensures that employees get medical attention and it also helps contractors to identify unrecognized job site risks that could lead to additional injuries if not addressed.
  5. Both new and experienced workers can benefit from safety training to learn about the causes of nail gun injuries and specific steps to reduce them. Be sure that training is provided in a manner that employees can understand.

Additional nail gun safety tips:

  • Follow all manufacturer’s safe operating instructions when using a nail gun, handling & storage.
  • Ensure proper training on nail guns is conducted.
  • Ensure the tool meets all applicable OSHA guarding standards.
  • They can generate noise up to 120 dBA, hearing protection is required.
  • Keep your fingers away from the trigger when not driving nails. Do not press the trigger unless you are intending to fire.
  • Do not point the nail gun at anyone, even if it is disconnected from the air supply or supposedly empty.
  • Keep hands clear of the discharge area while firing and make sure the nail gun is pointed away from your body.
  • Place the muzzle of the nail gun firmly against the work piece when firing.
  • Inspect the power source, the nails, the trigger, and safety contact before use.
  • Always conduct prior inspections of the nail gun.  Make sure the nose guard is in working order and check the air pressure before hooking it up.
  • Do not carry the nail gun by the hose or the cord or with a finger on the trigger.
  • Disconnect the tool from the air supply before clearing blockages, adjusting, handing the nail gun to another worker or leaving it unattended.

*Provided by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Ohio BWC: Distance Learning in June 2021

/ portagecsc

Click here to view the flyer.

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in June including:

              Weekly Webinars –presented live with BWC discount program & continuing education credits

  • OSHA Knocks on the Door (June 8)
  • Trenching Safety Stand Down (June 15)
  • A PERRP-spective on the Fire Chief’s Role in Compliance (June 21)
  • The fight beyond the fire: Battling carcinogens before, during and after the fireground (June 23)

Virtual classes –

  • Ergonomic Risk Factors: Understanding and  Identifying (June 1)
  • Electrical Safety in the Workplace through Insight and Implementation of NFPA 70E (June 2-3)
  • Emergency Preparedness Planning Half-day Workshop (June 8)
  • Thermal Stress (June 9)
  • Safety Series Workshop Module 4: Walking Working Surfaces and Emergency Action Plan Basics (June 17)
  • Effective Safety Teams Half-day Workshop (June 22)
  • Job Safety Analysis (June 24)
  • Safety for the Non-Safety Professional (June 29-30)

Online E-Courses

  • Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

Additional information on all June distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

[Safety Culture] Employee Engagement Creates Buy-in

/ portagecsc

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-i9tui-1052f4a

Episode 208: Ami Gignac & Katie Woodhall, Managing Partners at Sparrow Tale, chat with us about how employee engagement creates buy-in and can help shift your safety culture! This is an excerpt from e175, click here to listen to the full interview. For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today! Sponsored by UH Portage Medical Center.

[Safety Culture] The Importance of Management Buy-in

/ portagecsc

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-aerts-1049508

Episode 207: Ami Gignac & Katie Woodhall, Managing Partners at Sparrow Tale, chat with us about the importance of management commitment in regards to shifting safety culture! This is an excerpt from e175, click here to listen to the full interview. For more information about the PCSC, visit PortageCountySafetyCouncil.com today! Sponsored by UH Portage Medical Center.