BWC News & Updates

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

Respirator Fit-Testing Guidelines: April’s Safety & Hygiene Corner

/ portagecsc

Question: Can you explain the Temporary Guidance for Respirator Fit-Testing in Healthcare from OSHA?

Answer: OSHA has issued temporary enforcement guidance for respirator fit-testing in healthcare during COVID-19 outbreak

This guidance is aimed at ensuring healthcare workers have full access to needed N95 respiratory protection in light of anticipated shortages.

OSHA recommends that employers supply healthcare personnel who provide direct care to patients with known or suspected coronavirus with other respirators that provide equal or higher protection, such as N99 or N100 filtering facepieces, reusable elastomeric respirators with appropriate filters or cartridges, or powered air purifying respirators.

This temporary enforcement guidance recommends that healthcare employers change from a quantitative fit testing method to a qualitative testing method to preserve integrity of N95 respirators. Additionally, OSHA field offices have the discretion to not cite an employer for violations of the annual fit testing requirement as long as employers:

  • Make a good faith effort to comply with the respiratory protection standard;
  • Use only NIOSH-certified respirators;
  • Implement strategies recommended by OSHA and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for optimizing and prioritizing N95 respirators;
  • Perform initial fit tests for each healthcare employee with the same model, style, and size respirator that the employee will be required to wear for protection from coronavirus;
  • Tell employees that the employer is temporarily suspending the annual fit testing of N95 respirators to preserve the supply for use in situations where they are required to be worn;
  • Explain to employees the importance of conducting a fit check after putting on the respirator to make sure they are getting an adequate seal;
  • Conduct a fit test if they observe visual changes in an employee’s physical condition that could affect respirator fit; and
  • Remind employees to notify management if the integrity or fit of their N95 respirator is compromised.

The temporary enforcement guidance is in effect beginning March 14, 2020 and will remain in effect until further notice.   Appropriate respiratory protection is required for all healthcare personnel providing direct care of these patients. For additional guidance, see COVID-19 Hospital Preparedness Assessment Tool, https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/hcp-hospital-checklist.html.

 

Workers’ Memorial Day – A tribute to workers in Northeast Ohio – Saturday, May 2 at Progressive Field

/ portagecsc

A message from the Ohio BWC…

Workers’ Memorial Day is observed every year on April 28. It is a day to pay tribute to those workers who have died on the job and to acknowledge the suffering experienced by their families and communities. The day also marks a rededication to the fight for safety and healthful workplaces for all workers.

Please join us on May 2, 2020 for a day of remembrance and celebration with a 3 p.m. ceremony at Gateway Plaza, located at 2301 Ontario Street in Cleveland between Progressive Field and Rocket Mortgage Field House. Discounted Cleveland Indians tickets are available to purchase.

Co-sponsored by OSHA, Construction Employers Association, Cleveland Building & Construction Trades Council, and Marathon.

For more information, contact Kayla Flowers, Industrial Hygienist, Cleveland OSHA at 216-447-4169. Click here to view the flyer.

 

Free BWC Classes at the North Canton Office this Spring

/ portagecsc

The following classroom classes are not PCSC events but do qualify for up to 1 safety council eternal training credit.*

Free BWC Classes at the North Canton office:

  • Hazard Communication Half-day Workshop – March 5
  • Controlling Workers’ Compensation Costs – March 18
  • Powered Industrial Trucks: Developing a Training Program Half-day Workshop – March 19 AM
  • Violence in the Workplace – March 19 PM
  • Restaurant and Food Service Safety Workshop – March 23 AM
  • Ergonomics:  Developing an Effective Process – April 1
  • Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Refresher – April 14

Click here for more info.

Trenching Hazards: March’s Safety & Hygiene Corner

/ portagecsc

Question: I am hearing a lot about trench & excavation hazards recently.  Besides cave-ins, is there any other hazards I should be aware of?

Answer: Many construction workers are injured and killed in trench and excavation collapses each year.  Although collapsing is the major hazard with trenches and excavations, there are others that you should be aware of, as well.

  1. Trenches and excavations can be deficient of oxygen or could contain hazardous concentrations of gases like carbon monoxide. Stay out of the trench or excavation and report to your supervisor if either hazard is a possibility.
  2. Watch out for buried electrical cables that could cause injuries or electrocutions. Excavators are supposed to call local utilities before they dig, but its safest to assume that they haven’t.  If you see a cable, assume it is hot.  Get out immediately without coming into contact with it and report to your supervisor.
  3. Watch for water lines and avoid breaking them. Broken lines will cause trenches and excavations to cave in quickly.  If you see water inside a trench or excavation, get out immediately and contact your supervisor.
  4. Watch for buried gas lines and other buried hazards. They could cause injuries.  For example, a broken natural gas line could be ignited by a welding spark, torch, cigarette or other source.
  5. Be aware of falling and moving objects while working, especially when an equipment operator is lowering pipe, shoring materials or other objects into the trench or excavation. Keep well away from the process.
  6. Remember that changing weather conditions may affect the stability of the soil in a trench or excavation. When changes in weather occur, such as rain, snow, ice storms, heavy winds or extended periods of hot, dry, weather.  Stay out of the trench until it is inspected by someone with the knowledge and experience to know whether entering could be hazardous.
  7. Always maintain an accessible means of exiting the trench or excavation such as a ladder or ramp. There should be an accessible exit within 25 feet of every worker inside the trench or excavation.

Provided by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

FEB 12, 2020 – NE Ohio Trenching and Confined Space Safety Conference

/ portagecsc

This event is not a PCSC event but may qualify for up to 1 safety council eternal training credit.*

Click here to view flyer.

You and your employees are cordially invited to attend this important and lifesaving training. This is a joint project between The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Youngstown Service Office and the American Society of Safety Professionals – Northern Ohio Chapter

This high impact training will be led by experts in the excavation, trenching and confined space professions.

  • 8:00 am- Introductions
  • 8:10 am – Howland Fire Department – Incident Command
  • 9:00 am – Brian Hitt: Hitt Consulting – Permit Confined Space and Rescue
  • 10:00 am – Dana “Buck” Buchholzer: SCT – Trench Soil Characteristics
  • 11:00 am – Adam Fries: Cleveland OSHA – Trenching Requirements
  • 12:00 pm – Lunch and Networking
  • 1:00 pm – Drew Williams and Anna Bell: Great Lakes Construction- Confined Space in Regards to Excavations
  • 2:00 pm – Travis Bower: Kundel Industries – The Kundel Difference
  • 3:00 pm – Chuck Green: OHIO811 – Trench Safety
  • 3:30 pm – John Nouse: Ericson – Confined space and explosion proof products
  • 4:00 pm – Conclusion

When: Wednesday February 12, 2020:  8:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M.

Where: Avalon Inn and Resort 9519 East Market Street, Warren, Ohio 44484

Cost: $35.00 which includes breakfast and lunch

To Register On-Line Visit: https://nohio.assp.org/events/safety-conference-i-2020/

Questions:

*Must be ultimately accepted & approved by the Ohio BWC.

Ohio Safety Congress 2020

/ portagecsc

This event is not a PCSC event but does qualify for up to 1 safety council eternal training credit.

From the Ohio BWC……

Join us at OSC 2020

The Ohio Safety Congress & Expo, now in its 90th year, is the second-largest occupational safety, health, and workers’ compensation event in the U.S. Last year’s event attracted more than 8,000 attendees from Ohio businesses and government, and more than 300 exhibitors. Registration is FREE!
For three days, OSC 2020 provides world-class workplace safety and health education, in-depth workshops, live demonstrations and much more. The Expo Marketplace, with more than 300 exhibitors on hand, will be abuzz with energy throughout the event.

For a recap of last year’s event, check out the highlights in our Twitter recap and scroll through our blog recap.

Click here for more info.