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April 2022 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for April 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. Leading vs. Lagging Indicators: [Video] Justin Deflumeri, MS, GSP, Owner of Optimal Safety Inspections, joined us to chat about leading vs.lagging indicators. Justin also shares fun stories on how he often makes safety fun and more engaging. (23:38)
  2. Are You Ready to Lead Safety Differently? [Audio] Pamela Walaski, Senior Program Director, Specialty Technical Consultants Inc., (16:29)
  3. The 4 Areas Safety Professionals Need to Focus On: Article by Safeopedia.
  4. Recordkeeping News for High Hazard Industries: Article by Safex.
  5. Work zones are a sign to slow down: Article by Ohio BWC.
  6. Study links heavy alcohol use to hundreds of millions of missed workdays a year: Article by Safety + Health Magazine.
  7. NFPA 70B: April 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. FY23 News Coming Soon! News regarding the upcoming program year starting July first (FY23) will be announced in May.
  2. May is Mental Health Awareness Month! We’re asking members to help promote mental health throughout the month of May. We’ve created several free campaign resources including a poster that you can print and display at your facility. For the resources, see link below.
  3. Mental Health Awareness Campaign Resources: We created this Mental Health Awareness Campaign in order to help employers fight back by giving them the tools to easily promote mental health awareness and well-being to their employees.
  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.

Mental Health Awareness Podcasts:

  1. Mental Health Checkups. Most of us complete an annual checkup with our family doctor as a preventative measure for our physical health but how many of us do the same for our mental health? Clinical Consultant, Kelly Younkins, shares her idea of annual “mental health checkups” that could revolutionize the mental health industry! (27:02)
  2. Let’s Talk About Depression. Kelly Younkins, a Clinical Consultant and a Clinical Supervisor for Family & Community Services, Inc., joins us to talk about depression for Mental Health Awareness Month. (29:47)
  3. Let’s Talk About Anxiety. Kelly Younkins, a Clinical Consultant and a Clinical Supervisor for Family & Community Services, Inc., joined us to talk about anxiety for Mental Health Awareness Month. (30:10)

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.

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.

April 2021 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for April 2021!

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. How Stress Affects Anxiety & Rest: Joshua Hill, Therapist at Preferred Care Counseling, joined us to chat about how stress affects anxiety, rest, health, performance and more! 
  2. Rig It Right or It Will Be Wrong (Live): This is a live recording of our Virtual Safety Council meeting on Thursday, February 11, 2021. The topic was Rig it Right or it Will be Wrong and it was presented by Al Abel, Lifting Specialist, Mazzella Lifting Technologies. Click here for a copy of the slideshow used or the handout mentioned. Click here for an abridged audio version on our podcast.
  3. May 3, 2021 – National Safety Stand-Down Event
  4. May 19, 2021 – Free Hearing Screening. Provided by UH Portage Medical Center.
  5. Fall Protection Equipment: April Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  6. Ohio BWC Distance Learning in May 2021
  7. [Health Talk] Heart Disease Prevention (Live): This is a live recording of a public service announcement presented by UH Portage Medical Center at our Virtual Safety Council meeting on Thursday, February 11, 2021, on Zoom.
  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. FY22 Info Coming Soon! We’re expecting an announcement from the Ohio BWC in early May. We’ll send a mass email out once we have the official information. Please stay tuned!
  2. May 13, 2021 – Safety Considerations for Robots in Manufacturing, presented by Mark Eitzman, Safety and Project Manager, Integrated Mill Systems.  Sponsored by 1-888-OhioComp.

COVID-19 RESOURCES:

  1. OSHA’s COVID-19 F.A.Q.’s
  2. Ohio Dept of Health COVID-19 Dashboard
  3. Portage County Health District’s COVID-19 Page
  4. CDC COVID-19 Page
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Fall Protection Equipment: April 2021 Safety & Hygiene Corner

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Question:  When do I take my fall protection equipment out of service?

Answer: Fall protection and fall rescue equipment shall be taken out of service when:

  • Involved in a fall or impacted
    • An inspection reveals that it may no longer serve the required function,
    • The equipment shows signs of damage or wear
    • The required inspection interval has been exceeded, or
    • The equipment is past the manufacturers service life

All fall protection and fall rescue equipment that has been inspected and determined to be damaged and no longer adequate for service shall be tagged “DO NOT USE” or destroyed to prevent use.

*Provided by the Ohio BWC safety consultants.

April 2020 Newsletter

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Welcome to our monthly newsletter for April 2020!

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!

COVID-19 Related:

SAFETY RESOURCES:

  1. How Stress Affects Workplace Safety. Is stress really a safety concern? In this episode, Mike & Nic chat about stress before & during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it significantly impacts your workforce, even in regards to safety! (22:52)
  2. [Safety Talk] Tornado Safety Tips. Here’s some safety tips from Ready.gov on how to prepare for and survive a tornado! (4:34)
  3. [Safety Crash Course] JSA & JHA Basics (Live). This is a live recording of the 4th of 4 Safety Crash Course – Part 1 presentations at our monthly workplace safety luncheon on February 13, 2020. The topic was JSA & JHA Basics and it was presented by Debbie O’Connell, Regional Account Manager, 1-888-OhioComp. Click here to view the power point. (11:41)
  4. [Safety Crash Course] Forklift Safety Basics (Live). This is a live recording of the 3rd of 4 Safety Crash Course – Part 1 presentations at our monthly workplace safety luncheon on February 13, 2020. The topic was Forklift Safety Basics and it was presented by Robert Campbell, Safety Coordinator, Viking Forge Corporation. Click here to view the power point. (8:58
  5. [Safety Crash Course] PPE Basics (Live). This is a live recording of the 2nd of 4 Safety Crash Course – Part 1 presentations at our monthly workplace safety luncheon on February 13, 2020. The topic was PPE Basics and it was presented by Twilla Watson, Human Resources Manager, Hess Print Solutions. Click here to view the power point. (5:50) Listen/Download via Google Drive.
  6. [Safety Crash Course] Lockout Tagout Basics (Live). This is a live recording of the first of four Safety Crash Course – Part 1 presentations at our monthly workplace safety luncheon on February 13, 2020. The topic was Lockout Tagout Basics and it was presented by Renee Onesti, Director of Engineering & Maintenance, Kent Elastomer Products, Inc. Click here to view the power point. (8:38)
  7. April’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  8. Respirator Fit-Testing Guidelines: April’s Safety & Hygiene Corner.
  9. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, Stitcher & You Tube! local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  1. COVID-19 Program Updates: The latest program updates from the PCSC as a result of COVID-19. More info coming soon!
  2. Event Cancellations: All PCSC events have been cancelled through June 2020.
  3. Get Outside Campaign:This campaign is aimed at improving worker health & wellness by highlighting local parks & trails while promoting the benefits of spending time outdoors! This page contains links to free campaign tools and related resources to help you, your company and/or community to promote & improve health & wellness. Click here to listen to the official campaign launch!

WORKPLACE WELLNESS:

  1. How to Take Care of Your Mental Health During COVID-19. Jennifer Parmenter, Clinical Counseling Supervisor at Family & Community Services, Inc., in Kent, OH, called in to give us some tips on how to take care of ourselves and our mental health during the COVID-19 crisis! (28:37)
  2. Staying Active at Home During the Lockdown. Leslee Keegan of I’m Power Fitness Center in Ravenna, OH, called in to give us tips on how to stay active at home during the COVID-19 lockdown! Check out her Facebook page for more info today! (12:31)
  3. How Stress Affects Workplace Safety. Is stress really a safety concern? In this episode, Mike & Nic chat about stress before & during the COVID-19 pandemic and how it significantly impacts your workforce, even in regards to safety! (22:52)
  4. [Get Outside] 2020 Campaign Launch!Are there advantages of spending more time outdoors? Should employers implement a #GetOutside campaign to their employees? Join Mike & Nic as they answer these two questions and chat about the Portage County Safety Council’s new Get Outside Campaign with Portage Parks! Follow the campaign link to download a free campaign poster or flyer today! (16:36)

 

 

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

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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.

 

IMPORTANT: April Meeting Cancellation Notice

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PCSC Members:
We received this message this morning from the Ohio BWC…
“Effective immediately, in an abundance of caution surrounding COVID-19 and in light of the state of emergency declared by Governor DeWine yesterday, BWC advises its Ohio Safety Councils to suspend monthly meetings in March and April to minimize groups of people gathering as a measure to slow the spread of potential exposure.”
As a result, we are cancelling our April 9th monthly meeting. All members will automatically receive 1 Attendance Credit. We’ll keep you updated on any details regarding the safety council program as we receive them.
In the meantime, here’s some information regarding COVID-19 from OSHA and from the CDC.

April 2019 Newsletter

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Welcome to the 17th edition of our 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. Using Virtual Reality to Improve Safety. Can virtual reality help improve workplace safety? Eric Irwin, Founder of Speculr thinks so! We caught up with him at the 2019 Ohio Safety Congress in Columbus to discuss how he’s using virtual reality technology to help companies improve their safety performance! (11:52)
  2. Exoskeletons & Ergonomic Risk Reduction.Is Sci-Fi coming to life to help improve workplace safety? We caught up with Jason Gillette, Ph.D., Associate Professor at Iowa State University, at the 2019 Ohio Safety Congress in Columbus to discuss how exoskeletons can help reduce ergonomic risks at work! (9:10)
  3. Confined Spaces. We caught up with Glenn McGinley before his presentation at the Northeast Ohio Safety Expo to chat about confined spaces! Glenn is the Director of the Public Employment Risk Reduction Program (PERRP) at The Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation. (14:32)
  4. Crisis Communications (Live Training). This episode is a live recording of our monthly workplace safety luncheon on Feb. 14, 2019. The topic was Crisis Communications & Crisis Management and it was presented by Thom Fladung, Managing Partner at Hennes Communications. (47:20)
  5. April’s Safety Update from the Ohio BWC Library. Each edition provides up-to-date news & safety information.
  6. Tornado Safety from Ready.gov.
  7. Tornado Safety Checklist from the Red Cross.
  8. Emergency Action Plan Checklist from OSHA.
  9. Protecting Yourself While Removing Post-Disaster Debris From Your Home or Business. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)
  10. PCSC Podcasts: Our podcasts are now available on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Podbean, & Stitcher! Access local & relevant workplace safety information right through your phone! Subscribe today!

PCSC NEWS:

  • NEXT MEETING: Thursday, May 9, 2019, 11:30am-1:00pm. This meeting will be our Annual Safety Awards & CEO Day! Our keynote speaker will be Coach Frank Hall, Chardon Schools & The Coach Hall Foundation. . RSVP deadline is 12pm on Monday, May 6th.
  • The PCSC is a 2018 Safety Council of the Year Finalist! Out of 82 Ohio Safety Councils, the PCSC is ranked in the top 14! We’ll find out more next month! Keep your fingers crossed we place in the top 3!
  • The Portage County Safety Council Podcast has published over 1,000 minutes (or 17 hours) of workplace safety & health content!
  • New Podcast Archives! We’re excited to announce that new free PCSC Podcast archives are now available on our website under the “Podcasts” tab! You can now easily search for podcasts by topic, format or episode number. 

EXTERNAL TRAINING CREDIT OPPORTUNITIES:
Please Note: these are not PCSC sponsored events but do qualify for 1 external training credit for PCSC members.

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: new monthly updates for FY19 are currently available!