2022

NFPA 70B: April 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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What is NFPA 70B?

We’ve all heard of OSHA. Everyone knows who they and you’ve probably heard about NFPA 70E.  But what about NFPA 70B?  OSHA is the WHAT, and NFPA is the HOW.  NFPA 7OE is the comprehensive standard that establishes best electrical safety practices on how to protect workers from electric arc flash and arc blast exposure and resulting potential injury and death.

NFPA 70B is the much-forgotten Recommended Practice for Electrical Equipment Maintenance.  NFPA 70B details preventive maintenance for electrical, electronic, and communication systems and equipment — such as those used in industrial plants, institutional and commercial buildings, and large multi-family residential complexes — to prevent equipment failures and worker injuries.  Proper maintenance is absolutely essential to the safety of your facility and your employees.

If this is all new to you, or you need to brush up on your facility’s electrical maintenance.  The BWC has an upcoming Course:

Date: May 23-25, 2022

Electrical Safety Maintenance (NFPA 70B) – Practices for Electrical

Description: This course provides students an overview into electrical safety audit procedures. Instruction will focus on  analyzing work practices following applicable codes and standards.

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

Free 2022 Safety Calendars by Zurich

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“The Zurich Risk Engineering Safety Calendars are not restricted to Zurich customers – we make them available to anyone who finds them useful.  They provide a ‘memory jog’ with suggested daily topics for safety discussions e.g. ‘toolbox talks’.  There are calendars for a variety of industries.”

Click here to view a list of the safety calendars provided by Zurich.

Submitted by Patric McCon, Sr. Risk Engineering Consultant, Zurich Resilience Solutions.

March 2022 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for March 2022!

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!

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. The Top 4 Levers That Will Drive Safety Forward in 2022: Article by Safeopedia.
  2. Embracing the Long View for Safety. Do you abandon your new safety strategy too soon? In this episode, Mike & Nic chat about the diffusion of innovation model and what it means for safety! Available on most podcast apps. (11:30)
  3. Drive Safe on St. Patrick’s Day. Lori Cook, Traffic Safety Advisor for AAA East Central NEO reminds us to drive safe on St. Patrick’s Day! (2:20)
  4. Situational Awareness at Work: Informative video by Career coach and corporate trainer, Chrissy Scivicque. (3:45)
  5. Testing PPE: Fun video by Ally Safety (3:48)
  6. Eye Injury Prevention Safety Fact Sheet: By The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation (DWC)-Workplace Safety.
  7. Ototoxicity: March 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  8. Ohio BWC Distance Learning: March-June 2022.
  9. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Podbean, Stitcher, & TuneIn/Alexa! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  1. No PCSC Meeting in March: There will be no regularly scheduled PCSC virtual meeting in March due to OSC22.
  2. April 13, 2022 – Statewide Mega Meeting: Hosted by the Ohio BWC. You do not need to pre-register, click link to view the flyer that contains the event link.
  3. Next Virtual Meeting – April 28, 2022: Ohio EPA’s Regulations – What You Need to Know to Stay Out of Trouble,  presented by Dan Sowry, Assistant Environmental Administrator, Ohio EPA.

COMMUNITY NEWS:

  • Problem Gambling 101: March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month so here’s a video on problem gambling.

Ototoxicity: March 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Q: What is chemical ototoxicity, and should I be worried?

A: Ototoxic chemicals may cause hearing loss or balance problems to employees who are exposed. Ototoxic chemicals can be found in certain pesticides, solvents, and pharmaceuticals. The chemicals can negatively affect how the ear functions, causing hearing loss, and/or affect balance. The risk of hearing loss is increased when workers are exposed to these chemicals while working around elevated noise levels. What are some common ototoxic chemicals? Toluene, n-hexane, p-xylene, ethylbenzene, trichloroethylene, carbon monoxide, tobacco smoke, and lead. How do I know if these chemicals are present in my workplace? Review the Safety data sheets for solvents and degreasers. Pay attention to Section 3 that lists the product’s components. What should you do if you use a product containing an ototoxic chemical? Contact a BWC Industrial Hygienist. The Industrial Hygienist can assist you in determining the noise levels at your facility, help you review Safety Data Sheets for ototoxic chemicals and ensure your employees are using proper personal protective equipment.

For more information, see Preventing Hearing Loss Caused by Chemical (Ototoxicity) and Noise Exposure | Occupational Safety and Health Administration (osha.gov)

*Brought to you by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

February 2022 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for February 2022!

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!

OHIO SAFETY CONGRESS 2022

We were invited to interview some of the top speakers to showcase their OSC22 presentations! Follow the links below to listen to each preview or listen on your favorite podcast app. Click here to learn more about Ohio Safety Congress.

  1. Driving Safety Forward with Kindness. Bryan McWhorter, Safety Advisor, Safeopedia (19:15)
  2. Are You Ready to Lead Safety Differently? Pamela Walaski, Senior Program Director, Specialty Technical Consultants Inc., (16:29)
  3. Master the Art of Conflict – for Safety’s Sake! Karen Valencic, Founder of Spiral Impact and author of The Black Belt Edition of Spiral Impact: The Power to Get It Done with Grace. (28:45)
  4. Work Fatigue and Burnout: Why Exhaustion in the Workplace is Different. Emil Kresl, Director of Learning and Development, The University of Texas at Austin.
  5. Ohio EPA’s Regulations – What You Need to Know to Stay Out of Trouble. Dan Sowry, Assistant Environmental Administrator, Ohio EPA. (14:35)
  6. Managers and Supervisors as EHS Leaders – Safety is Everyone’s Job. Dianne Grote Adams, President & Owner, Safex, Inc, (13:51)
  7. The Pending Labor Shortage of 2010 is Here. Now What? Tom Mobley, Assistant Professor of Organization Leadership & Human Resources at the University of Cincinnati and the owner of Mobley HR Consulting. (22:06)
  8. Maximizing Employee Engagement. Bob Bethel, VP of HR & Learning Services, The Employers’ Association. (12:46)

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. Winter Driving Safety Tips: Article by Safex.
  2. Resolve to value safety in 2022: Article by Ohio BWC.
  3. Improving indoor ventilation ‘critical’ during cold weather, OSHA says: Article by Safety + Health Magazine.
  4. First Aid Certification Expiration: February 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  5. Ohio BWC Distance Learning: January-March 2022.
  6. Help prevent clothes dryer fires: Article by Family Safety & Health Magazine.
  7. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Podbean, Stitcher, & TuneIn/Alexa! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  1. No PCSC Meeting in March: There will be no regularly scheduled PCSC virtual meeting in March due to OSC22.
  2. Ohio Safety Congress 2022: OSC22 will be online again this year and will take place March 9-10, 2022. Follow the link for more info.
  3. April 13, 2022 – Statewide Mega Meeting: Hosted by the Ohio BWC. You do not need to pre-register, click link to view the flyer that contains the event link.
  4. Next Virtual Meeting – April 28, 2022: Ohio EPA’s Regulations – What You Need to Know to Stay Out of Trouble,  presented by Dan Sowry, Assistant Environmental Administrator, Ohio EPA.

April 13, 2022 – Safety Council Mega Meeting

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Free webinar designed for safety and human resource professionals alike

Join safety council members across the state to learn how leaders can more effectively handle the unprecedented levels of stress and pressures in today’s workplaces. 

In her keynote presentation Now What? How to Lead by Bringing Your Human to Work, bestselling author and workplace strategist Erica Keswin will explore five ways to help your company thrive.

Prepare to bring your human to work, be confident you can manage the chaos and be ready to rock the hybrid revolution!

Additional details for this webinar, which is open to the public, are found in the attached flyer. No registration required.
Erica Keswin

Wednesday, April 13
11 a.m. to 12 p.m. EST

At the scheduled date and time, click here to join this live event.

With special appearance by BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud.

Important FY23 News

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Hello Everyone!

We’re excited to announce that starting in July (FY23), the monthly in-person meetings will return to the Portage County Safety Council! We’ve definitely missed Guido’s but I can honestly say that we’ve missed seeing you all every month even more! More details will come later this year.

In the meantime, to help us serve you better, please complete this brief online Interest Form to let us know whether or not your organization will be participating in the FY23 rebate program (runs July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2023).

January 2022 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for January 2022!

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. Need to Know OSHA Recordkeeping Tips and Deadlines: Article by Safex.
  2. Oh, the weather outside is frightful – winter weather slips and falls: Article by Ohio BWC.
  3. Sharing the road with snowplows: Article by Family Safety & Health Magazine.
  4. Protect against the cold: Tips for employers and workers: Article by Safety + Health Magazine.
  5. How To Remove Snow From A Roof: Video by Ace Hardware.
  6. Ergo for Mechanics: January 2022 Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  7. Ohio BWC Distance Learning: January-March 2022.
  8. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Pandora, Google Podcasts, Amazon Music, iHeartRadio, Podbean, Stitcher, & TuneIn/Alexa! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  1. Ohio Safety Congress 2022: OSC22 will be online again this year and will take place March 9-10, 2022. Follow the link for more info.
  2. OSC22 Preview Podcast Series: We’re excited to announce that a handful of speakers will be joining us on our podcast to preview their OSC22 presentations! A new episode will be released every Monday starting January 24th until the week of the event. Simply search for the “Portage County Safety Council” on your favorite podcast app to listen any time.
  3. Workplace Wellness Month: January 2022 is our official workplace wellness month! We’ll be releasing a related podcast every week in January to help you promote health & wellness to your employees.
  4. Join today to level up in safety! 16 live virtual meetings with on-demand access, free access to 2 semi-annual statewide safety summits and more will be included in this year’s membership! IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO JOIN!!!

January is Workplace Wellness Month

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January will be our official Workplace Wellness Month!  As a part of our on-going Healthy Workers are Safer Workers Campaign, our aim is to help you promote health & wellness to your employees by providing relevant information and campaign resources.

Here’s what we’ll be offering:

  • Workplace Wellness Podcasts: We’ll be emailing out a new workplace wellness related podcast every Wednesday in January! These episodes will include interviews from local trainers such as Leslee Keagan of I’m Power Fitness Center and Chase Leonelli of Sequoia Wellness at NEOMED.
  • Live Training: The Ohio Dept of Health will be presenting at our January 13 virtual meeting on “The Impact of Prediabetes on Your Workforce.”
  • Free Campaign Resources: This page contains links to free campaign tools (such as a poster & graphics) and relevant workplace wellness resources to help your company promote & improve worker health. 
  • Engaging Your Workforce in Wellness: Engaging Your Workforce in Wellness is a 24-page toolkit promoting the benefits of employee health & wellness programs and providing employers with evidence-based strategies. 

We hope that you’ll find these free resources valuable and that you’ll help promote health & wellness with us throughout the month of January!