"All employers have a general duty to provide employees with a workplace free from recognized hazards likely to cause death or serious physical harm."

Mandate of OSH Act of 1970 Section 5(a)(1)

I will start out by saying overall; a lot of us spend more time with coworkers then our own family. When you think about it, we spend 8 to 10 hours a day with these people, 5 to 7 days a week; there's LOADS of potential there for violent acts (physical or otherwise). That was meant lightheartedly, but in all seriousness, we can spend seemingly TOO much time with our coworkers. You may ask, “Why is this relevant to me?” Well, the answer lies in the statistic that the most common motive for job-related homicide is robbery; it accounts for 85% of workplace violence deaths. How many times have you taken the last donut in the box? Have you ever stolen someone’s stapler? Many of us have seen the aftermath of what can happen if so! Also, according to the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS), in America, 2 million assaults and threats of violence occur annually at work. The most common type of workplace crime was assault (average of 1.5 million a year).

3 facts we, as workers, should be aware of.

1. Nearly 2 million Americans report they've been victims of violence at work.
2. In 2010, 1-in-9 workplace fatalities were homicides.
3. Homicide is the most common cause of workplace fatalities in women.

The way OSHA states it, workplace violence can strike anywhere, and no one is immune. Some workers though, are at an increased risk. Workers that exchange money with the public (banking, retail workers); deliver passengers, goods, or services (taxi drivers, couriers); or work alone or in small groups, during late night or early morning hours (utility employees, service installers), etc.

Other occupations at greatest risk include police, detectives, sheriffs, gas station workers, and security guards. In the NCVS study, retail sales workers were the most numerous victims, with 330,000 being attacked each year.

Protecting Yourself/Your Employees?

In most workplaces where risk factors can be identified, the risk of assault can be prevented or minimized if employers take appropriate precautions. According to OSHA, the best protection employers can offer is to establish a zero-tolerance policy toward workplace violence against or by their employees. This policy should cover all workers, patients, clients, visitors, contractors, and anyone else who may come in contact with company personnel. OSHA believes that a well written and implemented Workplace Violence Prevention Program, combined with engineering controls, administrative controls and training can reduce the incidence of workplace violence in both the private sector and Federal workplaces.

Nothing can guarantee that an employee will not become a victim of workplace violence, however, learning to recognize, avoid, or diffuse potentially violent situations by attending personal safety training programs and supervisors to any concerns about safety or security and report all incidents immediately in writing can help reduce the odds.

3 strategies to implement:

1. Handheld metal detectors. Facts: A Detroit hospital found that after implementing these for 6 months; 33 handguns, 1,324 knives, 97 mace-type sprays were found/confiscated.
2. Utilizing ID badges/color-coded passes/limiting access to certain floors. Facts: A New York City hospital implemented this strategy and reduced violent crimes by 65%.
3. A database that identified those with a history of violence. Facts: A veteran's hospital in Oregon found that this action reduced violent attacks by 91.6%.

OSHA encourages employers to develop additional methods as necessary to protect employees in high risk industries.

In closing, if you stay vigilant in knowing your employees, you can take preemptive measures and action that may prevent an occurrence of workplace violence. 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) partnered to designate March 3-9, 2013, as National Severe Weather Preparedness Week, and is calling upon all Americans to Be a Force of Nature.

Safety Training Services, Inc. is committed to Being a Force of Nature and pledges to do so by: knowing our risk, taking action, and being an example for our families and community by sharing the steps we took. Because we live in an area prone to floods, severe thunderstorms, snow, etc., the recent severe snow and weather reminded us that this weather can strike anywhere and at any time.

Just last year, there were more than 450 weather-related fatalities and nearly 2,600 injuries. Each time severe weather threatens we hear stories of ordinary Americans who do the extraordinary to save loved ones – a mother protecting her children by shielding them from flying debris, a homeowner opening up his storm shelter to neighbors, neighbors helping a senior in a wheelchair get to a safe shelter, individuals ensuring friends are aware of the current watch or warning in their area. 

For those with seniors and people with disabilities, this disaster preparedness guide is a free resource that shares valuable information about their safety and mobility in case of a natural disaster.

Tornadoes struck approximately 46 states, caused over $1.6 billion in damage and nearly 70 fatalities. There were more than 935 tornadoes in 2012, with 206 in April alone. While April and May are peak months, tornadoes happen all year round.

Building a Weather-Ready Nation requires that every individual and community take action because severe weather knows no boundaries and affects us all. Be a Force of Nature by making a public pledge to be prepared at ready.gov/severe-weather.

What can you do to Prepare?

Knowing your risk, taking action and being an example by sharing your knowledge and actions through your social network are just a few steps you can take to be better prepared and assist in saving lives.

Know Your Risk: The first step to becoming weather-ready is to understand the type of hazardous weather that can affect where you live and work, and how the weather could impact you and your family. Every state in the United States has experienced tornadoes and severe weather, so everyone is exposed to some degree of risk. Check the weather forecast regularly and visit ready.gov/severe-weather to learn more about how to be better prepared and how you can protect your family during emergencies.

Pledge and Take Action: Be a Force of Nature by taking the Pledge to Prepare at ready.gov/severe-weather. When you pledge to prepare, you will take the first step to making sure that you and your family are prepared for severe weather. This includes filling out your family communications plan that you can email to yourself, putting an emergency kit together, keeping important papers and valuables in a safe place, and getting involved.

Obtain a NOAA Weather Radio, and check to see if your cell phone is equipped to receive Wireless Emergency Alerts and sign up for localized alerts from emergency management officials. Stay informed by having multiple sources for weather alerts - NOAA Weather Radio, Weather.gov, and Wireless Emergency Alerts. Subscribe to receive alerts at www.weather.gov/subscribe.

Be an Example: Once you have taken action and pledged to Be a Force of Nature, share your story with your family and friends. Create a video and post on a video sharing site; post your story on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, comment on a blog, or share through any other social media site. Technology today makes it easier than ever to be a good example and share the steps you took to help us achieve the vision of a Weather-Ready Nation.
Join us today and pledge to prepare for the severe weather in our area.

Information on the different types of severe weather such as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flooding is available at www.weather.gov and ready.gov/severe-weather or the Spanish-language web site www.listo.gov.

During their 2012 fiscal year (which ran from October 2011 through September 2012), federal OSHA conducted almost 41,000 workplace safety and health inspections. Very interestingly enough, it seemed as though companies didn’t take the hint from the previous year in that the top cited violation is not only still number 1, but actually increased from fiscal year 2011. Below, you find the top 10 citations they handed out to companies for 2012 and further down you may be interested to see the previous year’s top 10 as well.

OSHA’s Top 10 for 2012

1. Fall Protection--General Requirements (1926.501) 7,250 violations (No change)
   

2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 4,696 violations (Up 1)
   

3. Scaffolding (1926.451): 3,814 violations (Down 1)
   

4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,371 violations (No change)
   

5. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,310 violations (Up 3)
   

6. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 2,097 violations (Up 4)
   

7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 1,993 violations (No change)
   

8. Electrical--Wiring Methods (1910.305): 1,744 violations (Down 2)
   

9. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 1,572 violations (Down 4)
   

10. Electrical--General Requirements (1910.303): 1,332 violations (Down 1)

OSHA’s Top 10 for 2011

1. Fall Protection--General requirements (1926.501): 7,139 violations
    
2. Scaffolding (1926.451): 7,069 violations
    
3. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 6,538 violations
    
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 3,944 violations
    
5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 3,639 violations
    
6. Electrical--Wiring Methods (1910.305): 3,584 violations
    
7. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 3,432 violations
    
8. Ladders (1926.1053): 3,244 violations
    
9. Electrical--General Requirements (1910.303): 2,863 violations
    
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 2,748 violations

Don't become a statistic!

So what should you do, now armed with this knowledge? Well, first thing is get up and simply take a look around your office/plant/factory. Do you see any of these standards violated? In the safety world, if you think you have a problem....chances are you do! If you do not know you have violations or do not know how to look for them, that's perfectly understandable--you are not alone. This is where Safety Training Services can help!

Your next step should be to identify these issues. Have you found them to be problems in training (or lack thereof)? Or retraining (annual refresher courses)? Unsatisfied with previous training/trainers? Remember, ignorance is bliss....until you get a visit from OSHA. We will train (and/or retrain) you and your employees on OSHA compliance & other safety-related courses. Our site or yours, our hands-on courses will provide you with appropriate training to keep you safe and trained consistent to OSHA requirements.

Maybe your issue is equipment? Whether you need new, used, rentals, servicing or just to figure out what equipment to use for a specific job, speaking to one of our professionals in our Technical division will help you find the right tool for the job in whatever capacity necessary. 

Or simply contact our safety consulting division at (219) 554-2180 and found out how we will help identify problems and conduct a safety-related gap analysis for your company. 

February is the month dedicated to raising awareness about heart disease. This blog post is dedicated to increasing knowledge about prevention, educating ourselves on the dangers of, and to helping get on track to better heart health!

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.

Let’s first talk about some important facts about heart disease. This is information from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Every year, about 600,000 people die of heart disease in the United States; that’s about 1 in every 4 deaths!
• As stated earlier, heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women. In fact, in 2009, more than half of the deaths due to heart disease were in men.
• The most common type of heart disease is coronary heart disease (CHD); it kills more than 385,000 people annually.
• About 935,000 Americans have a heart attack in a year. Of that number, 610,000 of these are an individual’s first heart attack. That means that 325,000 happen in people who have already had a heart attack (we will talk about prevention in a moment).
• Coronary heart disease alone costs the United States $108.9 billion each year. This total includes the cost of health care services, medications, and lost productivity.

Let’s talk about warning signs and symptoms, because early action is very important. Do you know the symptoms? Help you or your loved ones prevent death or serious injury by knowing these warning signs:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach
• Shortness of breath
• Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats

Many sudden cardiac deaths occur outside a hospital. This suggests that many people with heart disease don't act on early warning signs. Remember the adage, “Knowledge is Power.” As knowing these, acting fast, and acting EARLY can reduce these unsettling statistics. Most recognize chest pain as a symptom of a heart attack, but knowing all major symptoms and knowing to call 911 when someone is experiencing a heart attack is what saves lives.

About half of Americans have at least one of the three key risk factors for heart disease. But what are they?

High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and smoking.

Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices can also put people at a higher risk for heart disease. Here are 5 examples:

• Diabetes
• Overweight & obesity
• Poor diet
• Physical inactivity
• Excessive alcohol use

So after some of this staggering data, where’s the silver lining? How do you protect yourself/your loved ones? Well, I do have good news for you!

The good news is that you can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol to reduce your risk of heart disease. Here are 4 ways you can do this (in no particular order):

1. Consult a doctor; follow their instructions and stay on your medications.
2. Eat a healthy diet that is low in salt; low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol; and full of fresh fruits and vegetables.
3. Take a brisk 10-minute walk, 3 times a day, 5 days a week.
4. Don't smoke. If you already do, quit as soon as possible. For tips on quitting, visit smokefree.gov or cdc.gov/tobacco.

Have a great February, remember what we’ve learned today, and don’t forget to comment if you have anything to add and subscribe to our STS Blog and ‘Like’ STS on Facebook for more relevant safety news and information!

Very interesting infographic to check out! Take a look at the deadliest jobs as well on the right side!

Biohazards?! That sounds like something out of a science fiction movie or better left to somebody in a white coat in a lab somewhere, right?

WRONG!

Biohazards are anything of biological origin that can cause harm to humans. So, although you WOULD find these things in a laboratory or in a sci fi flick, you also become contaminated with them on a pretty regular basis even at your workplace. 

Ask yourself these questions....

"Did anyone sneeze around me today and NOT cover their nose/mouth?"

"Have I flown in an airplane recently?"

"How often are the door knobs cleaned in your workplace bathroom?"

"Has a co-worker asked you to assist putting a Band-Aid on?"

If the answer to any of these questions is "Yes." then chances are, you were exposed to a biohazard or biohazardous material(s). "Bio" means life and "hazard" is something potentially dangerous. 

In an era of biohazards, first aid training is a must. Of course we see the need for trained responders, first aid kits and AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) in the workplace, but do you know how to wrap a gauze bandage? Do you see the need to wear disposable gloves? Despite causing serious or lethal disease and sometimes death, bloodborne pathogens and other biohazards command little attention from most people. 

Bloodborne pathogens are pathogenic microorganisms that are present in human blood and can be transmitted and cause disease in humans. These pathogens include, but are not limited to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV). These are examples addressed by the OSHA Bloodborne Pathogens standard 29 CFR 1910.1030. Malaria (mosquito-borne infectious disease) and syphilis (sexually transmitted infection) are also caused by bloodborne pathogens. Body fluids (other than blood; saliva, urine, etc.) may also transmit diesases. Many of these diseases are infectious and should be addressed not only for your health but to prevent the spread of infection to others in the workplace and beyond.

There are six common ways in which infectious agents spread:

So how to avoid we avoid spread of infectious disease? Well, the simplest answer is to maintain good hygiene (wash hands/body), be aware of the proper PPE for dealing with biohazards, and to remember to always sterilize/disinfect your working area and equipment.

But for a more clear, concise idea of how to keep safe from bloodborne pathogens as a first responder, we will now discuss the 9 best practices for doing so.

Check back often for more great safety info from Safety Training Services, Inc. And don't forget to "Like Us" on Facebook or subscribe to our newsletter for additional information on appropriate safety training!

We're finally here! Welcome back to the 4th (and final) part of Safety Training Service's web series on general office safety! If you haven't had a chance to read parts 1 through 3, you may find them here:

 Part One | Part Two | Part Three

According to OSHA, the majority of general industry accidents come in the form of slips, trips, and falls. These can result in back injuries, strains and sprains, contusions, and fractures.

OSHA also states that 15% of all accidental deaths are caused by slips, trips, and falls. In fact, they are second only to motor vehicles as a cause of fatalities. The standards for slips, trips, and falls are in the Code of Federal Regulations, under the heading "Subpart D" or 29 CFR 1910.22-30. This covers cause and prevention and included are housekeeping, ladder safety, floor openings and stairways.

Slips can occur when floors or other working surfaces become slippery due to wet or oily processes, floor cleaning, leaks, or from materials and debris left in walkways.

Trips can occur due to uneven floor or working surfaces, protruding nails and boards, from stretched carpet or bunched floor mats intended to prevent slipping, from holes or depressions in working surfaces, and from step-risers that are not uniform in height.

Falls can be a result of both slips and trips. In addition, improper ladder maintenance/use and stairways or elevated working surfaces that are not designed properly can result in a fall accident.

What can cause slips, trips, and falls? Just to name a few, ice, wet spots, grease, polished floors, loose flooring or carpeting, uneven walking surfaces, clutter, electrical cords, open desk drawers/filing cabinets, damaged ladder steps.

Two things I would like to mention, but won't spend as much time on is temperature/humidity and noise.

Lifting

If lifting is included in an employee's tasks, then the employer is obligated to teach the employee the best way to lift. You may choose to have safety training for your employees covering ergonomics and lifting limits. Ultimately employees should know how to properly lift, when to get help, and when to use mechanical means rather than manually lifting an object.

Remember for more relevant safety information, be sure to subscribe to our STS Blog & 'LIKE' us on Facebook. Feel free to leave a comment below to let us know what you think, and remember if you have any questions/concerns about your or your company's safety, you can contact Safety Training Services, Inc. by clicking the button below! 

Thank you Authority Safes for the great advice on Christmas Tree Fire Safety and Holiday Lights! For all those who celebrate the holiday of Christmas, have a SAFE one! Always be mindful of electrical and fire hazards around your tree as well--fake or not! And finally, here's the great video we posted at the end of November on Christmas Tree fire safety. Click here for video

Welcome to Part 3 of our web series on general office safety!

Emergency Exits

OSHA states that a workplace normally must have at least two exit routes (I will cover what that means in just a moment) for proper evacuation. Just so we’re clear though, as you’d expect, there are exceptions to every rule. Basically, a workplace should have as many or as little exit routes as needed to safely evacuate all employees/personnel.

Getting back to exit routes, the OSHA definition is pretty straightforward. An exit route is a continuous and unobstructed path of exit travel from any point within a workplace to a place of safety. They go on to explain that an exit route consists of three parts:

• Exit access – portion of an exit route that leads to an exit.
• Exit – portion of an exit route that is generally separated from other areas to provide a protected way of travel to the exit discharge.
• Exit discharge – part of the exit route that leads directly outside or to a street, walkway, refuge area, public way or open space with access to the outside.

Easy, right? Well also, per OSHA’s instruction, make sure to locate exit routes that are as far away as practical from each other in case one is blocked by fire or smoke.

Safety Plans

These are unfortunately many times overlooked and underutilized!

Emergency Action Plans (EAP)

Although OSHA only requires an EAP when there is an applicable standard that would require it, it is strongly recommended that all employers have one. For companies with 10 or fewer employees, you have a choice to communicate your plan orally. However, if you are more than 10 employees strong, you will not only have to write down your plan but also keep it in the workplace and make it available for employees to see/review.

You may ask yourself, “What goes into an emergency action plan?” Well, good thing, because I am going to give you a good idea right here, per OSHA:

• Procedures for reporting fires and other emergencies.
• Procedures for emergency evacuation.
• Procedures to account for all employees after evacuation.
• Alarm system to alert workers.

…just to name a few and give you an indication of what should go in. Trust me, there’s more to it, but know that essentially it is a means to keep all employees safe during an emergency and to keep some order in doing so. Make sure to review the plan and train your employees whenever the plan changes or employees responsibilities change under the plan.

Fire Prevention Plans (FPP)

As you may or may not have suspected, the same scenario is at play here as far as OSHA is concerned.

• 10 or less employees = orally discuss FPP
• More than 10 = written plan, kept in workplace, available to employees
• Must have FPP if standard requires it
• Strongly recommended regardless of requirement

I would be remiss to not include what types of information should be found in a FPP, so here we go (Thanks again OSHA for this info)!

• List of all major fire hazards, proper handling and storage procedures for hazardous materials, potential ignition sources and their control, and the type of fire protection equipment necessary to control each major hazard.
• Procedures to control accumulations of flammable and combustible waste materials.
• Procedures for regular maintenance of safeguards installed on heat-producing equipment to prevent the accidental ignition of combustible materials.
• Name or job title of employees responsible for maintaining equipment to prevent or control sources of ignition or fires.

Again, remember to review this with your employees (especially those parts of the fire prevention plan necessary for self-protection). And you must inform your employees of any fire hazards they may be exposed to.

Any questions related to Emergency Exits, Safety/Fire Plans can be addressed through our Consulting Services--we’ve never charged for phone calls!

Remember! OSHA states that each employer must provide relative safety training to their job responsibilities prior to first task. Make sure to keep training relevant and up-to-date! Remember your annual refresher courses for any subject can keep employees proficient. Training should communicate workplace hazards and how to avoid or control hazards. Safety training (even if/when not required) should be well-documented and kept in a known spot for providing proof when necessary.

Welcome back to part 2 of our 4 part series on general office safety! If you missed out on part one, you may check it out here!

PPE (Personal Protective Equipment)

PPE is designed to protect you from hazards related to your work. Examples of PPE are hard hats, foot guards, safety shoes, leggings, glasses/goggles, shields, earplugs, respirators, gloves, vests and coveralls. OSHA requires you to complete a Hazard Assessment to determine what these hazards are, provide workers with appropriate PPE and require them to use and maintain it in a sanitary and reliable condition. 

Pictured examples of safety equipment along with other some information on safety equipment can be found (rentals & sales) through the STS Equipment Page.

SDS (Safety Data Sheets; formerly known as MSDS)

Global Harmonization changed the label from MSDS to SDS, with a permanent change that came in 2015. OSHA requires that these data sheets be available to employees for potentially harmful substances handled in the workplace. Basically, these are intended to provide the workers and also emergency personnel the information necessary to safely handle/work with said substances. This information may include physical and/or chemical data and format may differ (currently there is no official way to format SDS). Below are some examples of what information you may find on SDS.

Ladder Safety

OSHA states that falls from portable ladders are one of the leading causes of occupational fatalities and injuries.

Well, the first thing I am going to say about ladder safety is that it does not matter if you are a backyard amateur wrestler (people still do that, right?), putting up lights on the roof, cleaning your gutter, or simply photographing a rock climber, knowing and following some easy-to-remember tips can very easily make a difference in your life.

Ever heard of the three point-of-contact climb?

Chances are, a lot of you readers have heard of this concept. Essentially, it is used to keep the climber stable so that if one limb slips, they still will likely be able to keep on the ladder. 

10 Tips to Remember About Ladder Safety

1. ALWAYS read/follow the labels on the ladder. Until the climber is familiar with this information, they are not considered "adequately" trained!
2. Never jump down from a ladder/slide down the rungs. Hopefully that is common sense to you, but also remember not to climb up or down more then one rung at a time either.
3. Inspect the ladder prior to using it! What kind of environment is around? Any water? Any electrical apparatuses? And make sure if a ladder is damaged to remove it and tag it for service or replace it.
4. Make sure to select the correct ladder/size for the job. How do you know? Well the ladder must be long enough so that the climber does not use the top rung. The only exception should be if said rung/step was designed for that purpose.
5. All locks should be properly engaged on extension ladders. 
6. The maximum load rating is there for a reason! Adhere to it! And make sure to note that added tools and equipment need to be factored in, not just YOUR weight.
7. Ladder's don't care about the "buddy system." As in, only ONE climber on a ladder at a time (again, the exception is when the ladder is designed otherwise).
8. Wind/storms are BAD. Do not use ladders in such conditions.
9. Are you tired? Dizzy? Discombobulated? Accident prone? Do not get on a ladder. 
10. Lastly, ladders should be used on stable surfaces, preferably level. Make sure to secure ladder (both top and bottom) so as to eliminate the ladder falling over. And PLEASE do not set up ladders on boxes or barrels or OTHER ladders or any other ridiculously ingenious (but TOTALLY UNSAFE) thing I've seen.

<----- Don't do this ------>