IOA Risk Services

It’s hurricane season- Time to think about your business continuity plans

Although a disaster could affect your company at any time, the beginning of the hurricane season is a great time to further develop your Business Continuity, Contingency Planning & Disaster Recovery plans.

Developing a business continuity plan is an essential and unavoidable task. Although the creation of a sound plan may be a complex undertaking, it pays huge dividends in the event of an emergency. A great success story comes from one of our partners. In 2004 their Human Resources department would have lost the personnel records of over 1500 of their employees after a flood. Fortunately the vulnerability of their key business records was identified, and beginning the previous year they had digitized their paper records.

So what exactly is a Business Continuity Plan? In plain language, a Business Continuity Plan is how an organization prepares for future incidents that could jeopardize their core mission and their long-term competitiveness. These potential incidents include local incidents like building fires, regional incidents like hurricanes and national incidents like pandemic illnesses.

To start to develop or improve your plans follow these three basic steps.

Conduct Business Impact Analysis

The first step in a sensible business continuity process is to consider the potential impacts of each type of problem. After all, you cannot properly plan for a disaster if you don’t know the likely impacts on your business/organization.

A business impact analysis is essentially a means of systematically assessing the potential impacts resulting from various (unavailability) events or incidents

You should ask yourself “What do I do when we cannot use our facility?” or “What can I do now to better prepare my business unit to respond when our facility is unavailable?”  Why it is unavailable isn’t the issue. It could be as a result of a fire, tornado or massive power outage. Consider that your offices and all of the resources you have available for day-to-day operations are no longer available.

The business impact analysis is intended to help you understand the degree of potential loss (and various other unwanted effects) which could occur. This will cover not just direct financial loss, but other issues, such as reputation damage, regulatory effects, etc.

Develop Plan

Creation of a living business continuity plan is far from a trivial exercise. Every aspect of the plan must be carefully managed to ensure that it does not fall short when most needed.

Having stated this however, it is equally true that the creation of a plan is often made far more difficult than actually necessary.

Essentially your plan must describe what you are going to do in the event of an emergency and what you are going to do to limit your losses?

For example, how will you communicate with your employees and the press? How will you notify your customers and key vendors? How will you ensure that you have what you need to operate if something happens? This includes business information, records, statements, and so on.

In this plan you must also define who will be responsible for what, how will you train your staff and employees, in addition you must define how will you update and distribute the plan.

Plan implementation, maintenance and testing

Having developed your business continuity plan, it is sensible to actually implement it and to perform an overall audit... not just initially, but at regular intervals. This helps ensure that it remains current, and that it stands up to rigorous examination. This should also cover all the plan's supporting contingency arrangements.

Various options are available. A common approach is to 'brainstorm' the plan, via intensive meetings and workshops.  Another is to hire specialist consultants - recognized experts in the field.

Please feel free to contact Safety Links if you need any assistance developing or evaluating your plan. Whether you are entirely new to business continuity management, or whether you have an established contingency plan already in place, we can help!

For professional assistance, give us a call at 407-353-8165 or email at info@transportins.net to start your business continuity plan.

diesel exhaust fumes

Diesel Exhaust Is a Carcinogen says World Health Organization

While previously classified as a "probable" carcinogen, the World Health Organization’s (W.H.O.) International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) has finally confirmed that diesel exhaust is a carcinogen and that it is associated with an increased risk for lung cancer.

diesel exhaust fumesConsidering that the last time diesel was put into discussion, in 1989 and now finally classified as a carcinogen, it’s a big deal for everyone who is in anyway exposed to it or anyone who's workplace forces them to be in a environment wiith high diesel exhaust fumes.

A study done by researchers from the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France analyzed 12,300 miners for several decades starting in 1947. Discoveries concluded miners heavily exposed to diesel exhaust had a higher risk of dying from lung cancer. The U.S. however, still does not fully recognize it as a carcinogen, claiming that new engines are far less dangerous with exposure of fewer fumes.

"It's on the same order of magnitude as passive smoking," said Kurt Straif, director of the IARC department that evaluates cancer risks. "This could be another big push for countries to clean up exhaust from diesel engines."

The mission of the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) is to coordinate and conduct research on the causes of human cancer and the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, and to develop scientific strategies for cancer control.

IOA Risk Services

Let’s Not Overlook the Young Workers!

CareerSafe Online, an organization dedicated to promoting and educating young workers in the secondary and post-secondary levels on safety, has announced “National Young Worker Safety Day” on June 25. This is a smaller part of the larger safety campaign “A Million Safer: A Young Worker Safety Initiative” which its ultimate goal is to help 1,000,000 students attain OSHA training by December of 2015.

In order to raise awareness, the new campaign focuses on calling all the country’s mayors to participate in this initiative in efforts to lower injuries and fatalities in the workplace. Within the age demographic, every two minutes one young worker is injuried in the workplace and every five days, one young worker is killed. Eighty percent of this statistic comes from high school-aged workers.

Municipalities are encouraged to learn more and get involved. If you would like to find out more about National Young Worker Safety Day, visit http://www.skillsusa.org/ or http://www.careersafeonline.com/ to make a difference.

IOA Risk Services

OSHA Wants Nominators for Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee

The Whistleblower Protection Advisory Committee or WPAC, the new committee that will work with the Secretary of Labor and the Assistant Secretary of Occupational Safety and Health is seeking nominations for its membership. The committee will focus on anything that relates to the fairness, efficiency, effectiveness, and transparency of OSHA’s whistleblower protection activities.

Once gathered, all twelve members are to have the following roles:

  • Four management representatives who are employers or are from employer associations in industries covered by one or more of the whistleblower laws;
  • Four labor representatives who are workers or from worker advocacy organizations in industries covered by one or more of the whistleblower laws;
  • One member who represents the State Plan states; and
  • Three public representatives from colleges, universities, non-partisan think tanks, and/or other entities, that have extensive knowledge and expertise on whistleblower statutes and issues.

Other non-voting members from other Federal Government agencies will also take part in the committee with jurisdiction over statues with whistleblower provisions.

To submit nominations, visit HERE.

For more information on the WPAC, visit HERE.

 

nano-particles

Working Safely With Nanomaterials

Recently, the topic of working safety with nanomaterials has been gathering more attention. According to The International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 229, the definition of a nano-object is a material with one, two, or three external dimentions in the 1- to 100 nm size range. When arranged as a group, they are called nanomaterial. Basically, nano-particles are so small that they are able to penetrate cell membranes, integrate into larger molecules and sometimes even interfere with cell processes. This is expecially of concern when it could possibly be found in everyday cosmetics or grooming products that are highly under-regulated.

nano-particles

Resources with safety suggestions and methods for handling nanomaterial for research and development, however, are now easier to find. One of them by NIOSH, has been published as a public document with suggestions on engineering control and was created to be meant as an addition to an already established laboratory safety procedures and a chemical hygiene plan. A very thorough and easy to follow explanation of methods and suggestions, the main subjects to safely working with nano-particles in the document are as listed:

  1. Risk Management- This includes the below hazard identification, exposure assessment, and exposure control.
  2. Hazard Identification- Determining the type of danger a particle entails is part of this section. Also consider whether nanoparticles are hazardous by inhalation, dermal exposure, or ingestion.
  3. Exposure Assessment- Identifying different ways of potential exposure through tasks done also help to safely prevent danger. Dustiness, process, and quantity, duration, and frequency of tasks can influence the level of danger when exposed.
  4. Exposure Control- Some recommendations on control include elimination or substitution, isolation and engineering controls (such as containment or ventilation), administrative controls (employee training, labeling, storage), personal protective equipment (clothing, respirators, etc.), local exhaust ventilation,
  5. Other Considerations- This includes scenarios such as fire control and explosion to spills management.

To view the full PDF document, visit http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2012-147/pdfs/2012-147.pdf.

IOA Risk Services

Top Risk Assessment Mistakes

Here is an interesting risk assessment article found in EHS Today. Lyon and Bruce Hollcroft, CSP, ARM, CHMM are directors of risk control at Hays Companies and were present at this year’s ASSE Safety 2012 Conference on June 5 at the Colorado Convention Center.

According to the duo, the following lists the top 10 mistakes when a risk assessment done:

  1. Failing to perform a formal risk assessment.
  2. Failing to define the purpose and scope of the assessment.
  3. Failing to understand organization's acceptable risk level.
  4. Failing to assemble the best team possible to perform the risk assessment.
  5. Failing to use the best risk assessment technique.
  6. Failing to be objective and unemotional during the assessment.
  7. Failing to identify hazards and see combined whole-system risk.
  8. Failing to consider the hierarchies of controls or prioritize by risk.
  9. Failing to perform risk assessment during the design/redesign stage.
  10. Failing to communicate before, during and after the assessment.

"Figure out what you can share and share it," Hollcroft said. "Failure to communicate is a huge shortcoming when we conduct risk assessments."

To view the original article from EHS, visit http://ehstoday.com/safety/news/inadequate-risk-assessments-0607/.

pedestrian yield sign

Metro Orlando Ranks #1 In Pedestrian Deaths Nationwide

A study by the Transportation for America's Dangerous by Design named the Metro Orlando area the deadliest for pedestrians in the country. On average, one pedestrian is killed every week.

pedestrian yield sign

Consequently, collaborative efforts between Bike Walk of Central Florida, local governments, law enforcement, and health groups including Orlando Health and the Winter Park Health Foundation have led the start of the “Best Foot Forward” safety campaign.

The said campaign’s strategies include a combination of three different approaches in order to relieve the issue of unfortunate pedestrian-and-driver accidents: education to the public, engineering, and enforcement. If you live in Orlando, chances are you already have noticed how unsafe or incomplete sidewalks often are. The engineering efforts will focus on building sidewalks and roadways with safer designs or providing more lighting. On the enforcement level, drivers can expect tickets of $164 if caught failing to yield to a pedestrian on a crosswalk.

Bike Walk Central Florida expects the campaign to cost about $350,000 a year. A grant from the Florida Department of Transportation application is in process in hopes of aid for funding. Federal funds of 4 million dollars are already being put to use by adding more sidewalks in the city.

Not surprisingly, the next most dangerous metro areas in the country are also in Florida. Tampa-St. Petersburg, Jacksonville, and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach followed after Orlando in that order. To view the entire list of rankings, visit http://t4america.org/resources/dangerousbydesign2011/states/worst-metros/.

IOA Risk Services

OSHA to hold meeting of Health of National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety

OSHA’s Secretary of Labor, Hilda L Solis announced a meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Health and Safety to be held on June 19 and 20 in Washington. Three new members will be appointed, and 5 re-appointed. The members appointed hold a two-year term.

Some of the topics to be discussed are the newly implemented globally harmonized system, a presentation on OSHA’s fall prevention campaign, and NACOSH’s work group reports. On June 19, injury and illness prevention programs, along with record keeping will meet at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. New effectiveness measures work group established to provide with NACOSH will be held at 3:30 p.m. EDT.To view the final agenda, visit http://www.osha.gov/dop/nacosh/nacosh.html.

Since 1970 when it was first established, NACOSH has 40 years of experience on advising the secretaries of labor and health and human services. They hold meetings twice year. After this meeting, the Advisory Committee will consist of a total of 12 members.

Since NACOSH’s meetings are public, anyone is welcomed to submit comments or requests. The entries have a 10-page limit and everything should be sent by June 11. There a several ways you can submit your comments and input:

  • Visit www.regulations.gov
  • Fax to OSHA Docket Office at 202-693-1648
  • Mail to OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2012-0019, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Ave. NW., Washington, D.C. 20210

To view additional information on the meeting, visit http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=22967.

Trust for America's Health

Florida Ranks 18th Highest In U.S. Injury Deaths According to New Report Release

Trust for America's HealthA recent study by the Trust for America’s Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) released May 22 compares injury-related deaths from state to state in America. The document, The Facts Hurt: A State-By-State Injury Prevention Policy Report, shows Florida had the 18th highest rate with 66.8 per 100,000 people suffering injury fatalities costing total lifetime of $117.7 million in medical expenses.

Nationwide, injuries are the third leading cause of death and the leading cause for Americans ages 1-44. In addition, approximately 50 million Americans are medically treated for injuries every year and 2.8 hospitalized. This in turn, sums up to $406 billion in lifetime costs for both, medical care and lost productivity.

Needless to say, the report’s purpose and conclusion emphasizes the need for states to adopt additional research-based injury prevention policies. When properly implemented and enforced, we could see injury numbers decline due to prevention.

“There are proven, evidence-based strategies that can spare millions of Americans from injuries each year”, says Jeff Levi, PhD, Executive Director of TFAH. “This report focuses on specific, scientifically supported steps we can take to make it easier for Americans to keep themselves and their families safer.”

To view the report, visit http://healthyamericans.org/reports/injury12/. To view Florida’s results, visit http://healthyamericans.org/reports/injury12/release.php?stateid=FL.

IOA Risk Services

Workplace fatalities rise in confined spaces in California

From a Napa winemaker to a paint manufacturing employee in Fullerton, seven Californians died last year while working in a confined space – an uptick in a category of workplace fatalities that are readily preventable, experts said.

“We’ve learned enough over the years that there’s no reason that people should be dying in confined spaces,” said Michael Wilson, director of the Labor Occupational Health Program at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health.

Confined spaces are enclosed areas that are hard to get in and out of, and they can present health and safety risks, such as limited oxygen supply, toxic chemical fumes, or materials or machinery that could trap workers. These spaces, such as silos or tanks, are not meant for continual employee occupancy.

Between 2008 and 2010, there were two such deaths each year.

Last year's deaths in part prompted the state Division of Occupational Safety and Health – commonly referred to as Cal/OSHA – to launch a special program in February to step up efforts on training and compliance with state and federal standards related to confined spaces.

Yesterday, the agency announced that it had issued 36 citations totaling $38,895 in penalties to American Reclamation, a Southern California waste and recycling company, for various health and safety violations, including failure to follow state standards for confined space entries. Cal/OSHA spokeswoman Erika Monterroza said there are other open investigations related to confined space incidents, including one involving a Dunnigan man who was partially buried in a grain silo this month.

Garrett Brown, a senior safety engineer and subject expert on the confined space program for Cal/OSHA, noted that “there are a lot of near misses" that employers are not required to report to the agency.

“Activity flies under the radar, and it affects a wide array of industries,” Brown said. “This is a hazard found in agriculture, manufacturing, construction, wineries, oil refineries – almost every area. It also affects big and small companies.”

Robert E. Downey, owner of Orangevale-based RED Safety Consulting, said employers are not always aware of the dangers related to confined spaces.

“Generally speaking for the employers with whom I work, confined space hazards are known and acted upon,” Downey wrote in an e-mail. “But my clients are general contractors and union employers. As for other employers, you can draw the conclusion that employers and employees are unfamiliar with the definition of confined space and thoroughly unfamiliar with the hazards of confined space.”

In an investigation [PDF] completed this month, Cal/OSHA fined Vista Paint, a Fullerton paint manufacturer, $159,040 for violations related to the November 2011 death of Roberto Ramirez Magdariaga. The employee was asked to clean one of the factory’s 3,000-gallon tanks with paint remover made primarily of methylene chloride, a chemical that can be toxic if inhaled.

Magdariaga soon passed out from the fumes in the tank. His co-worker, Gary De La Pena, tried to rescue Magdariaga, but he, too, was overcome by fumes. About half an hour later, a paint maker saw Magdariaga and De La Pena sitting and lying down in the tank and presumed they were taking a break and sleeping.

When another employee went to wake up Magdariaga and De La Pena, he discovered the men were unconscious. Magdariaga died of chemical asphyxiation, and De La Pena was hospitalized.

John Long, Vista’s director of corporate environmental health and safety, said, "We take this tragedy very seriously.”

“Vista manufacturing facilities have maintained a good safety record over the past 50 years, and we are working diligently with Cal/OSHA, outside safety consultants and internal staff in reviewing all processes and training procedures in order to enhance our employees’ safety,” Long said.

California Watch has previously reported on a case involving 16-year-old Armando Ramirez, who died from exposure to hydrogen sulfide gas while cleaning a storm drain gutter at the Community Recycling & Resource Recovery facility in Lamont, near Bakersfield. Ramirez’s 22-year-old brother also died from the fumes while trying to save him.

Downey, the safety consultant, said 60 percent of deaths in confined spaces "result from would-be rescuers entering to help a fallen buddy."

In addition to a lack of awareness about the hazards in confined spaces, insufficient emergency rescue plans also are to blame for these deaths, UC Berkeley’s Wilson said. While state and federal standards require emergency rescue plans to be in place when employees are asked to enter confined spaces, it is unclear how they have been implemented.

In a recently published study, Wilson surveyed 30 Silicon Valley companies about their confined space policies. Only 19 percent of employers had their own on-site rescue teams for confined spaces, and 57 percent said they would call 911 if there was a confined space emergency.

However, based on information from eight California fire departments and 10 senior technical rescue officers from across the state, Wilson also found that firefighters typically arrive at an emergency within five to seven minutes of a 911 call, but it can take one to three hours for someone to be extricated from a confined space because these are “low-frequency, high-risk” operations in which crews avoid rushing into a dangerous situation.

“Fire departments respond quickly to confined space accidents … but on average do not enter the confined space to rescue until they are prepared, and that may take more than two hours,” Downey said.

Wilson said his research findings suggest that most California employers are out of compliance with the state's confined space regulations.

“We found really troubling practices among sophisticated Silicon Valley companies that have full-time health and safety staff," Wilson said. "What this suggests is that across the state, the practices among small and medium-sized companies are probably much worse."

As part of its new program on confined space safety, Cal/OSHA is providing additional training and consultation services to employers on this issue. As of February, all workplace inspections by the agency now include a review for confined spaces. If one is identified, inspectors look for potential violations.

There were 247 confirmed workplace-related deaths in California in 2011, according to a report [PDF] from Worksafe, an occupational health and safety advocacy organization.

 

 

This story can be viewed at http://californiawatch.org/dailyreport/workplace-fatalities-rise-confined-spaces-16276.

For more information on confined space safety training, visit https://safetylinks.net/index.php/training/safety-courses-for-all-industries/confined-space.