November 2018 Newsletter

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Welcome to the 12th edition of our new monthly newsletter!

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. Episode 56 – Safety Blast: Winter Walking-Working Surfaces Standard. Cari Gray, Safety Consultant Specialist for the Ohio BWC, gives us a snapshot of OSHA’s walking-working surfaces standards in regards to inclement winter weather often experienced in Northeast Ohio and beyond! (2:19)
  2. Episode 57 – Ladder Safety. Dave Dennison, Safety Specialist at Flaherty Sales (Werner Co), joins us after his presentation at the Northeast Ohio Safety Expo to discuss ladder safety! (13:42)
  3. November’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  4. Fire Extinguisher Inspections: Nov 2018 Safety & Hygiene Corner. Provided by Ohio BWC Safety Consultants.
  5. 5 Benefits Of Having A Safety Culture During An Emergency. Article provided by Ving!
  6. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, & Stitcher! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone!

WINTER DRIVING SAFETY:

  1. Episode 11 – How to Stay Safe Driving in the Winter. In this interview, Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO joins us to discuss how to stay safe driving in winter weather. (13:11)
  2. Episode 10 – Safety Talk: Winter Driving Safety. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO shares how to stay safe on the road in the winter. (7:18) This episode would make a great tool box talk!
  3. Episode 9 – How to Prepare Your Vehicle for the Winter. Vince Stropko and Lori Cook of AAA East Central NEO join us on this Safety Chat to discuss how to prepare your vehicle(s) for the winter. (11:02)
  4. Episode 8 – Safety Talk: Winter Vehicle Prep. Vince Stropko, Approved Auto Repair Rep for AAA East Central NEO, provides tips on how to prep your vehicle for that frigid Northeast Ohio winter! (3:15) This episode would make a great tool box talk!

 

PCSC NEWS:

  1. NEXT MEETING: Thursday, December 13, 2018, 11:30am-1:00pm. Our topic is The True Cost of Safety and it will be presented by Rich McElhaney, VP Safety & Risk Management, Allied Insurance Brokers/Ascinsure. RSVP deadline is 12pm on Monday, December 10th.
  2. SARA, LEPC & Company Compliance (Live): Audio from last month’s monthly meeting is now available!
  3. Certifications: 25 PCSC members completed their Mental Health First Aid certification last month! Good work & congratulations!

PROGRAM UPDATES:

  • BWC Updates: These are the power points presented by BWC Representative Nic Coia at our monthly meetings.
  • Monthly Meeting Power Points. We post them on our website after the presenters send them to us and give us permission to publish. If the speaker provides additional info, we’ll post it there as well.
  • External Training Credit Opportunities: We post them on our blog as outside organizations send them to us. A maximum of 2 external training credits are allowed per program year to help members earn the 10 minimum attendance credits required by the rebate. Please Note: ETC certificates of completion must be submitted by June 30 every year in order to qualify. Click here for ETC guidelines.
  • Rebate Participation Spreadsheet. Rebate eligible members can review how close they are to fulfilling the minimum rebate eligibility requirements by reviewing the Participation Spreadsheet which is typically updated on a monthly basis. Please Note: Updates won’t begin until the first of the year.

November 8, 2018 – SARA, LEPC & Company Compliance

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All members (including prepaid members) please RSVP online.

Greetings Safety Council Members!

Our next meeting is Thursday, November 8, 2018, 11:30am-1:00pm, at the Ravenna Elks Club which is located at 776 N Freedom St in Ravenna.  The official meeting notice is attached.

Our topic for this month is…

SARA, LEPC and Company Compliance, Ryan Shackelford, EMA Director, Portage County.

Ryan Shackelford is currently the Director of the Portage County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management. A Portage County native of Palmyra Township, Ryan served 9 years in the Air Force Reserve and obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Geography degree from Kent State University.

Prior to his current position, Ryan worked for the State of Mississippi Emergency Management Agency in the Radiological Emergency Preparedness Branch. While serving counties outside Grand Gulf Nuclear Station, he also worked in the Mississippi State Emergency Operations Center for numerous natural disasters and the Keesler AFB Emergency Operations Center during Hurricane Isaac on the Mississippi coast.

This training is ideal for safety managers, emergency preparedness and environmental compliance staff!

Please RSVP no later than 12pm on Monday, November 5, 2018.

CLICK HERE TO RSVP NOW

Please make your check payable to: “Portage County Safety Council.” Cost for lunch is still just $15/person for members and $20 for non-members (there’s a $5 fee for walk-ins including members who do not RSVP by deadline).

HOLIDAY FOOD DRIVE!!!

Please consider donating non-perishable food items to help those in need this holiday season! Receive 1 drawing ticket for a $25 restaurant gift card for every item donated! Donations will go to the Center of Hope in Ravenna.

This Meeting is Sponsored By Ving!

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Fire Extinguisher Inspection: November 2018 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Provided by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Question: How do I correctly perform a monthly fire extinguisher inspection?

Answer: First, know this monthly inspection is mandatory via OSHA and National Fire Codes.  This inspection is commonly done inhouse by an employee.  There are a variety of items you want to inspect monthly on fire extinguishers:

  • The extinguisher is properly mounted and not blocked or covered from view.
  • The extinguisher is charged (in the green) and ready for use.
  • The tamper seal is on and is holding the pin in.
  • There isn’t any physical damage to the extinguisher.
  • Nothing is blocking the nozzle (look in it)
  • The extinguisher is full by weighing it. (mandatory for CO2)
  • The nameplate is visible when you remount the extinguisher.
  • There is a valid maintenance tag on the extinguisher that the inspector signs and dates.

 

Making Ohio a Safer Place to Work

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Making Ohio a safer place to work

An article by Michelle Francisco, Safety Council Manager, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

We rely on the outstanding support of many Ohio organizations to assist in our mission to create a culture of workplace safety around the state.

Through sponsorship of more than 80 Ohio Safety Councils, educational institutions, industry associations, training providers and consulting businesses promote the importance of safe workplaces and rally businesses large and small to embrace safety as a core value within their organizations.

Ohio employers clearly value safety. Their success shows in the numbers.

Claims have fallen steadily — approximately 86,000 new claims were allowed in fiscal year 2017, down from 104,000 in 2010. The number of employers using BWC safety services grew by 70 percent since 2010. Since 2011, Ohio employers have taken advantage of BWC’s Safety Intervention Grant Program to purchase more than $77 million in tools and equipment that make their workplaces safer.

Those numbers are impressive, and so are many others:

  • A $1.5 billion employer rebate this summer followed rebates of $1 billion in 2013, 2014 and 2017.
  • The cost to purchase coverage is at its lowest point in 40 years.
  • All told, private and public employers have saved $8 billion in workers’ comp costs since 2011 through rebates, rate cuts and credits.

Those are dollars local employers are investing in their businesses and communities, all while keeping Ohio’s workforce safe and healthy.

Thank you to these organizations and every employer that participates in a safety council. We value your partnership and are pleased you have joined our effort to bring every Ohio workers home safe and healthy at the end of the day.

Ohio needs every employer to follow your lead and embrace the important role they play in keeping workers safe.

Together, we’re making Ohio a safer place to work.

Michelle Francisco

Safety Council Manager

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation