OSHA Rules to Plan for in 2014

OSHA updates are on the horizon. EHSToday.com covers the expected rules changes so you can get a head start on planning for the upcoming year. 

Twice a year, OSHA publishes a regulatory agenda as a way to keep the regulated community informed regarding upcoming activity. The latest edition was issued in July 2013 and includes a list of 26 rules in various stages of development as well as milestones scheduled for completion in 2013.

While the progress on these OSHA rules is hypnotizingly slow, it is important to stay informed because OSHA offers the regulated community the opportunity to provide feedback and input during the rulemaking process. The agency also provides extensive supporting analysis – mandated by Congress – that can help an EHS manager get a head start on assessing his or her organization's readiness for these new or changing rules. The following are summaries of three rules that OSHA is working on that should be considered when planning for 2014 and beyond.

Read the full article on EHSToday.com.

OSHA's Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers

The following is an excerpt from OSHA's Campaign to Prevent Heat Illness in Outdoor Workers.

Heat illness can be deadly. Every year, thousands of workers become sick from exposure to heat, and some even die. These illnesses and deaths are preventable.

OSHA's nationwide Heat Illness Prevention Campaign aims to raise awareness and teach workers and employers about the dangers of working in hot weather and provide valuable resources to address these concerns. Begun in 2011, the Heat Illness Prevention Campaign has reached more than 7 million people and distributed close to half a million fact sheets, posters, quick cards, training guides and wallet cards. OSHA is again joining with other federal and state agencies and non-governmental organizations to spread the word about preventing heat illness. For example, OSHA is continuing its partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Weather Service to include worker safety precautions in their Excessive Heat Watch, Warning, and Advisory Products.

The OSHA website has several resources that can be used to prevent heat illnesses:

• The Educational Resources section links to information about heat illnesses and how to prevent them. Many of these resources target vulnerable workers with limited English proficiency and/or low literacy.
• The Using the Heat Index section provides guidance to employers to develop a heat illness prevention plan.
• The Training section includes a guide/lesson plan for employers and others to use in instructing workers on heat illness.  There are links to additional resources in other languages.
• The Media Resources section includes news releases, public service announcements (PSAs), drop-in articles about heat illness prevention that you can customize to share and campaign artwork.
• The Fatality map shows locations of outdoor worker, heat-related fatalities between 2008 and 2012. It is not an exhaustive list of all worker fatalities from heat exposure. The map provides a geographic reminder that Water.Rest.Shade. are vital to providing a safe and healthful environment when working outdoors in the heat.

For the full article, more resources and information, visit OSHA's campaign website.

Safety Standards: Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA)

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was established to ensure safe working conditions by creating and enforcing workplace safety standards by providing training, outreach, education and assistance. One of the administration’s many areas of expertise is fall protection. Work-related falls are one of the most common causes of serious injuries and deaths.

For occupations that require workers to perform tasks at high altitudes, such as window cleaning, OSHA requires employers to provide working conditions that prevent employees from falling off overhead platforms and elevated workstations. Each employee
should be protected from falling 6 feet (1.8 meters) or more by guardrail systems or personal fall arrest systems, such as harnesses, safety nets or handrails. Additionally, employers must also select and provide protective equipment at no cost to workers.

Transitioning from Traditional Cleaning Techniques to Improve Safety and Profitability

In today’s marketplace, businesses are seeking any advantage to gain a competitive edge. One way to improve public perception and company reputation is to maintain a clean facility from the inside out. While cleaning the inside of the building presents its own myriad of challenges, maintaining the exterior can be a dangerous, or even deadly, endeavor. Traditional window washing methods, such as boatswain’s chairs or scaffolds, require workers to hang precariously over the side of multiple story buildings and leave them vulnerable to falls and other injuries.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), work-related fall hazards are a serious concern, resulting in over 700 deaths in 2010. Additionally, fall injuries constitute a considerable financial burden for companies. Workers’ compensation and medical costs are rising from occupational fall incidents, and according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are estimated at approximately $70 billion annually in the United Sates. These costly injuries directly impact a company’s potential for profitability.

With revenue growth driving most business models, facility managers need a solution that allows them to improve safety without impacting productivity or profitability. The evolution of automated window cleaning systems offers a solution that simultaneously meets these demands.