BWC News & Updates

News, announcements, events, and safety information provided by the Ohio BWC.

Temporary Workers: October 2019 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Question: What are the employer responsibilities to protect temporary workers?

Answer: There is a joint responsibility of the host employers and the staffing agency.

While the extent of responsibility under the law of staffing agencies and host employers is dependent on the specific facts of each case, staffing agencies and host employers are jointly responsible for maintaining a safe work environment for temporary workers – including, for example, ensuring that OSHA’s training, hazard communication, and recordkeeping requirements are fulfilled.

OSHA could hold both the host and temporary employers responsible for the volatile condition(s) – and that can include lack of adequate training regarding workplace hazards. Temporary staffing agencies and host employers share control over the worker, and are therefore jointly responsible for temporary workers’ safety and health.

OSHA has concerns that some employers may use temporary workers to avoid meeting all their compliance obligations under the OSH Act. Therefore, it is essential that both employers comply with all relevant OSHA requirements.

A key concept is that each employer should consider the hazards it is in a position to prevent and correct, and in a position to comply with OSHA standards. For example: staffing agencies might provide general safety and health training, and host employers provide specific training tailored to the particular workplace equipment/hazards.

  • The key is communication
  • Staffing agencies must ensure that they are sending workers to a safe workplace. They also must verify that the host has fulfilled its responsibilities for a safe workplace.
  • Ignorance of hazards is not an excuse.
  • And, just as important: Host employers must treat temporary workers like any other workers in terms of training and safety and health protections.

OSHA has updated their page on responsibilities and temp workers

https://www.osha.gov/shpguidelines/communication.html

https://www.osha.gov/temp_workers/

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Push & Pull Motions: September 2019 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Question: Our company frequently moves materials on carts and manual pallet jacks.  Should we be concerned with the amount of force that an employee must exert to push or pull these items?

Answer:  Yes, pushing and pulling tasks do present a risk of a workplace injury to the low back and shoulders.  OSU published an objective set of guidelines for pushing and pulling that was funded by BWC.  These guidelines set limits of push and pull forces and are expected to be protective of both the low back and shoulders.  BWC published this information on our website and contains a web interface to estimate biomechanical risk of a push/pull task.

All you need is a force gauge and a tape measure to get started.  If you need help, contact your BWC Ergonomist.  They will come to your worksite to measure the push/pull forces and determine if the biomechanical risk is within the guidelines to protect your workforce from a low back or shoulder injury.

To learn more and to use the web interface, go to https://www.bwc.ohio.gov/employer/programs/safety/PushPullGuide/PushPullGuide.aspx.

 

Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Tick Bite First Aid: June 2019 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Question: What is the first aid for a tick bite?

Answer:   Most tick bites are painless and cause only minor signs and symptoms, such as redness, swelling or a sore on the skin. But some ticks transmit bacteria that cause illnesses, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. In general, to transmit Lyme disease a tick needs to be attached for at least 36 hours. Other infections can be transferred in a few hours or even a few minutes says the Mayo Clinic.

First Aid:

  • Remove the tick promptly and carefully.Use fine-tipped forceps or tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Gently pull out the tick using a slow and steady upward motion. Avoid twisting or squeezing the tick. Don’t handle the tick with bare hands. Experts don’t recommend using petroleum jelly, fingernail polish or a hot match to remove a tick.
  • If possible, seal the tick in a container.Put the container in a freezer. Your doctor may want to see the tick if you develop new symptoms.
  • Wash your hands and the bite site.Use warm water and soap, rubbing alcohol, or an iodine scrub.

When to seek emergency care: Call 911 or your local emergency number if you develop:

  • A severe headache
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Paralysis
  • Heart palpitations

When to contact your doctor

  • If you can’t completely remove the tick.
  • The rash gets bigger.
  • You develop flu-like signs and symptoms. You think the bite site is infected.  You think you were bitten by a deer tick.

 

Brought to you by Ohio BWC safety consultants.