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Dan Abbotoy
September 09, 2024

Good morning! "Deterrence itself is not a preeminent value; the primary values are safety and morality.”

— Herman Kahn

THIS WEEK’S TIPS

This week’s safety upgrades:

New OSHA Dashboard
Diesel Exhaust Warning
New Workplace Injury Opioid Data

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This Weeks Professional Development Tip

11 Tips for Dealing With Change at Work

SAFETY KNIGHTS COMMUNITY
Test Your Knowledge.

Gas Detection Technology

You are using a standard 4-gas meter to detect the presence of methane (CH4) in the environment. Your meter is equipped with a catalytic bead LEL sensor, which is calibrated to methane (CH4). If you had a 30% methane/70% air mixture, do you know what your LEL sensor would show on the display at standard temperature and pressure?

a) 30% of the LEL

b) 30% methane concentration

c) OL (Over Limit)(or equivalent)

d) It would not detect methane

NIOSH
NIOSH Survey- Positive Impact of Respirators on Workers’ Safety Climate.

In a recent survey by NIOSH, healthcare workers who were provided with reusable respirators during the COVID-19 pandemic reported a more positive safety climate at their workplaces. The survey, conducted between October 2021 and November 2022, revealed that workers who received respirators and training rated their workplace safety at 4.06 out of 5, compared to 3.85 for those who didn’t. Additionally, those familiar with their employer’s respiratory protection program rated safety at 4.11 compared to 3.84 for those unaware of it.

NIOSH observed Respiratory Protection Week from September 3-6, offering tips for managing personal protective equipment (PPE) stockpiles. In addition, NIOSH is focusing on awareness for fungal diseases from September 16-20, with resources for preventing histoplasmosis and coccidioidomycosis (valley fever) in the workplace.

Several new NIOSH reports were released, including:

A Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) report on a manufacturing worker in Kentucky who died after falling from pallets and a truck driver struck by a runaway tire.
A fact sheet on respiratory protection for chimney sweeps, an underserved group in terms of workplace safety resources.
A firefighter fatality report detailing the line-of-duty death of a firefighter who fell into a basement after a floor collapse at a modular home fire.

OSHA GAMES
Gamify Your Trainings.

Let's be honest: Your workers are tired. When you sit them down to view a PowerPoint, they're more likely to fall asleep than retain information. Plus, now that football is back on, they're probably checking their rosters. Sure, the ole PowerPoint checks your compliance box, but gamification is the secret weapon to training retention.

Wouldn't it be cool if you could turn your training into an interactive game of FamilyFeud or Jeopardy? Now you can!

Check it out Here: https://oshagames.com/

OPIOID OVERDOSE
Workplace Injuries Tied to Opioid Deaths.

A Massachusetts Department of Public Health report covers opioid-related overdose deaths among injured workers between 2011 and 2020. Key findings include:

Of 4,304 injured workers who died, 17.2% (741) suffered fatal opioid overdoses, compared to 12.7% among all working-age residents.
Most injured workers who died from opioid overdoses were male (87%), aged 25-44, and more likely to work in physically demanding jobs like construction.
Back sprains, strains, and lacerations were more common injuries among those who overdosed, highlighting a link between injury, pain management, and opioid use.

Demographics & Occupation:

Injured workers who died from opioids were predominantly male (87%) and younger (55.8% between 25 and 44 years old).
A significant portion worked in construction and extraction jobs (28.2%), a higher percentage compared to those who died from other causes.
Workers in food preparation also had a higher percentage of opioid overdose deaths (6.8%) compared to those who died from other causes (4.4%).

Injury Details:

Workers who overdosed on opioids were more likely to have experienced back sprains or strains (16%) and lacerations or punctures (10%) than those who died from other causes.

Data Sources:

The report relied on data from the Public Health Data Warehouse, linking workers' compensation claims with death certificate data to analyze fatal opioid overdoses among injured workers.

These findings indicate a pressing issue with opioid overdoses among injured workers, particularly in physically demanding roles.

OSHA
New Dashboard, who this?

OSHA's new video introduces its Severe Injury Report data dashboard, which tracks work-related inpatient hospitalizations, amputations, and eye losses. This dashboard, updated monthly with a six-month delay, covers about half of U.S. workers and excludes State Plan data. It provides detailed narratives about each severe injury, including its source and the affected body parts. OSHA's goal with this dashboard is to help workers and employers understand how severe injuries occur in their industry and to utilize available resources to prevent such injuries in the workplace.

3motionAI
Your Ergo Solution.

Overexertion is costing companies $12.49 BILLION each year and feeding into a much larger problem! That’s why we’ve partnered with 3motionAI to enhance workplace safety with their Risk Flashlight solution. Together, we’re empowering EHS professionals to tackle these costly problems at the root, building a safer, more equitable workplace.

Steps to Take:

1. Learn more about 3motionAI: Read, here

2. Show company leadership how you can protect the bottom line.

3. Earn the respect you deserve by making a real impact.

NEWS
Your Virtual Water Cooler

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