BWC News & Updates

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

August BWC Safety Classes in Canton

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There are a few Free BWC safety classes coming to the North Canton Service office in August that might benefit your company.

Please consider attending one of these ½ day classes.  See the BWC catalog for descriptions for each class.

  • Behavior-based Safety Systems Half-day Workshop – Aug 2 – 8:30AM – 12noon
  • Personal Protective Equipment Selection Criteria – Aug 8 – 8:30AM – 12noon
  • Job Safety Analysis – Aug 8 – 1 PM to 4:30PM
  • Lockout/Tagout and Safety-related Work Practices – Aug 2 – 8:30AM – 12noon
  • Machine Guarding Basics – Aug 2 – 1 PM to 4:30PM

Go to www.bwclearningcenter.com to enroll.

 

 

 

 

May “Stand‐Down” to Prevent Falls Challenge

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Click here to listen to a 2-minute podcast overview of the challenge.

What: In honor of OSHA’s “National Stand‐down to Prevent Falls” the BWC Canton/Cambridge Service Offices are hosting a Safety Council Challenge. We want to encourage every Safety Council member to perform safety training on preventing falls.

It’s easy. Training materials are linked below (or you can use your own) and all you need to do is:

  1. Perform the training to as many employees as possible (but 100% is not required to participate in this challenge)
  2. Document your attendance (keep it for your own records) and
  3. Submit the information (Click here for the form) to your safety council by Monday, June 4, 2018.
  • When: The entire month of May
  • Who: Every Profession – Industry, Healthcare, Construction, Service or any others
  • Where: Your own facility or in the field at your jobsite
  • Why: Falls are the number one reason for fatalities in Construction, but it doesn’t stop there. Every employer has a risk of employees slipping, tripping or falling. It may be the Ohio weather or the fact that all employees walk at some point during the work day. The risk is there, so the Safety Council challenge is for you to “stand‐down” and talk about it. Any employer can hold a stand‐down by taking a break to focus on “Fall Hazards” in your specific workplace and reinforcing the importance of “Fall Prevention”. It’s an opportunity for employers to have a conversation with employees about hazards, protective methods, and the company’s safety policies and goals. It can also be an opportunity for employees to talk to management about fall hazards they see.

The council with the highest member participation percentage will be presented with an award at a regular meeting!

Links to Training Materials & Resources

Click here for the May 2018 Challenge Info & Completion Form.

Strategies for reducing Slips trips and falls

Training Resources List

PCSC Podcasts Training Supplements (you can use these as tool box talks):

  • Safety Talk: The ABC’s of Fall Protection. Eric White, Construction Safety Consultant for the Ohio BWC, gives us an overview of The ABC’s of Fall Protection! (8:08) This episode would make a great tool box talk!
  • Safety Talk: Fall Protection Harness Inspections. Eric White, Construction Safety Consultant for the Ohio BWC, gives some tips on how to properly inspect fall Protection harnesses! (3:58) This episode would make a great meeting ice breaker or tool box talk!
  • Safety Talk: Slips, Trips, & Falls. Nicholas Coia, Industrial Safety Consultant from the Ohio BWC presents on how to prevent slips, trips, & falls. (4:46) This episode would make a great meeting ice breaker or tool box talk!

PCSC Podcasts Interviews (ideal for a more in-depth safety conversation):

 

Tornado Safety: May 2018 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Provided by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Q: What should I consider when selecting a Shelter-in-Place/ Tornado Shelter location at work?

We are entering tornado season which usually runs spring through summer.   Do you know where to shelter at work if there were a tornado right now?  Is the room large enough to accommodate your employees and any visitors?  What is a business required to do?

OSHA’s shelter in place guidance recommends the following:

  • Select interior room(s) above the ground floor, with the fewest windows or vents.
  • The room(s) should have adequate space for everyone to be able to sit. Avoid overcrowding by selecting several rooms if necessary.
  • Large storage closets, utility rooms, pantries, copy and conference rooms without exterior windows will work well.
  • Avoid selecting a room with mechanical equipment like ventilation blowers or pipes, because this equipment may not be able to be sealed from the outdoors.

Many businesses will use rest rooms that are on interior walls.  Interior stair wells away from windows on the lowest level will also work.   If you need assistance with your shelter in place procedure you can review the document links below.

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/eap.html

https://www.fema.gov/fema-p-320-taking-shelter-storm-building-safe-room-your-home-or-small-business

https://www.ready.gov/shelter

‘Better You, Better Ohio!” Workplace Health Program

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The following is a communication from the Ohio BWC posted here for your convenience. Click here for the full PDF.
A workplace health and wellness program offered by BWC
The backbone of a successful business is its workers, and the backbone of Ohio
is its workforce. At BWC, we take our mission to take care of Ohio’s workforce
seriously.
That’s why we’re offering Better You, Better Ohio!™ – a program designed to provide health and wellness resources and services to workers who work for small
employers (50 or fewer workers) in high-risk industries*. Better You, Better Ohio!
helps workers and their employers at no cost and through a simple, paperless
process.
How it helps employers
Employers can reap great benefits from having a healthy workforce. Healthy
employees are less prone to injury. And, when they are injured, their ability to
recover is enhanced greatly. Overall, employers with a healthy workforce have
lower workers’ compensation and health-care costs. Better You, Better Ohio! can:
  • Help prevent injuries through improved workforce health and safety;
  • Reduce absenteeism and improve presenteeism;
  • Reduce the severity of an injury;
  • Improve the recovery time from an injury;
  • Reduce time away from work due to an injury.
How it helps Ohio’s workforce
Better You, Better Ohio! gives workers a wealth of resources to help them take
ownership of their health and well-being. They can proactively pursue a healthier
lifestyle through free offerings that include:
•Health and wellness awareness, education and training;
•Health assessments and biometric screenings for better
understanding of their health and well-being;
•A member engagement website that allows them to develop health
plans and track their progress to achieve their goals;
•A state-of-the art mobile app for creating weekly action plans and
getting health tips;
•Digital coaching to help them on their journey to better health.
Better health pays off
Employers can use Better You, Better Ohio! to help manage and reduce their
workers’ compensation and health-care costs by having a healthier workforce.
Meanwhile, workers can earn financial rewards for taking steps to improve their
health and wellness such as completing a health assessment and a biometric
screening.
Even more important, with your help, we’ll improve the
health and well-being of our state’s workforce. Learn more!