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Dan Abbotoy
July 01, 2024

Good morning! Happy 4th of July, we hope you and your loved ones enjoy some quality, safe time together.

THIS WEEK’S TIPS

This week’s safety upgrades:

NSC’s New Report
OSHA Recordable Case Study
MSD Injury Prevention

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This Weeks Professional Development Tip

“Complex Problem-Solving” — Made Simple.

SAFETY KNIGHTS COMMUNITY
Are You Missing Out?

FAMILYSAFETY
4th of July Safety Tips for the Family.

As the 4th of July approaches, the excitement of barbecues, parades, and fireworks fills the air. The National Safety Council (NSC) urges everyone to enjoy fireworks at professional public displays rather than using them at home, as even legal fireworks are not without significant risks. Each year, thousands of people, including many children and young adults, sustain injuries serious enough to require medical attention due to fireworks-related incidents. Most injuries result from amateurs using professional-grade, homemade, or illegal fireworks, but even small firecrackers and sparklers can cause severe harm. Additionally, fireworks are responsible for an average of 19,000 fires annually.

For those who choose to use legal fireworks, the NSC provides essential safety tips:

Do not allow young children to handle fireworks.
Older children should use fireworks only under close adult supervision.
Avoid using fireworks while impaired by drugs or alcohol.
Wear protective eyewear when using or standing near fireworks.
Do not hold lit fireworks in your hands or light them indoors.
Use fireworks away from people, houses, and flammable materials.
Light one device at a time and maintain a safe distance.
Do not re-light or handle malfunctioning fireworks.
Soak spent and unused fireworks in water before discarding them.
Keep a bucket of water nearby for extinguishing fireworks.

Sparklers, often used by young children, are particularly dangerous. They burn at about 2,000 degrees, hot enough to melt some metals, and can easily ignite clothing. Sparklers account for over 25% of emergency room visits for fireworks injuries, and nearly half of these injuries involve children under 5 years old. Safer alternatives include glow sticks, confetti poppers, and colored streamers.

Related: How Loud Are Fireworks?

TECHNOLOGY
2024 Tech Saves Lives.

The National Safety Council (NSC) released a new report highlighting the critical role of technology in reducing workplace hazards and fatalities. The report, “Safety Technology 2024: Examining Trends in Technology Solutions Used to Reduce Serious Injuries and Fatalities in the Workplace,” notes that 2022 saw nearly 5,500 fatal work injuries, marking a 6 percent increase from the previous year.

Launched in 2019 with funding from the McElhattan Foundation, NSC's Work to Zero initiative focuses on educating employers about safety technologies. An updated 2023 report assesses the evolution of these technologies and their impact on workplace safety. Katherine Mendoza, NSC’s Senior Director of Workplace Programs, emphasized the importance of continually assessing industry risks and finding appropriate technological solutions to prevent injuries and save lives.

Key findings from the report include increased risks such as fatigue, heavy equipment operation, and working at heights, with fatigue identified as the top risk. Concerns over workplace violence have also risen significantly. Since 2020, there has been a notable increase in the adoption of risk management software, proximity sensors, and drones. Despite barriers like resource constraints, privacy concerns, and the need for better understanding of current technologies, 83 percent of employees are open to using new safety technologies.

For more details access to the full report, can be found here.

PRESENTED BY DISASTER EXPO USA
Are You Prepared?

Why Attend Disasters Expo USA?

Collaborative Space: A premier event for disaster and emergency management professionals.
Expert Exchange: Thousands of experts share ideas, information, technology, and services.
Strengthen Community: Focus on fortifying the international community against disasters and extreme weather.

Why We Host Disasters Expo USA

Vulnerability Awareness: Addresses threats from seismic events and extreme weather in the U.S.
Comprehensive Strategies: Highlights the importance of preparing, responding, and recovering from disasters.
International Unity: Unites the global disaster management community to enhance resilience.

Discover Groundbreaking Solutions

Exhibition Hall: Features hundreds of suppliers and service providers.
Innovative Products: Showcases the latest innovations in disaster management and emergency response.
Engage with Experts: Opportunity to interact with the minds behind revolutionary products.

Esteemed Keynote Lineup

Expert Insights: Presentations from top professionals in disaster response and related fields.
Diverse Topics: Covers sustainability, space exploration for disaster prep, and emergency services training.
Informative Sessions: Keynotes that provide valuable and enriching information.

Comprehensive Seminar Sessions

Wide Range of Topics: Seminars on disaster preparedness, response, and recovery.
Valuable Knowledge: Suitable for government agency members, small business owners, and industry enthusiasts.
Inspirational Content: Sessions designed to offer valuable insights and inspiration.

Unlimited Networking Opportunities

Professional Connections: Meet thousands of professionals from the disaster management industry.
Collaborations and Advice: Opportunities for professional collaborations and shared advice.
Endless Possibilities: Build lasting connections that can enhance your career.

Who Visits?

Diverse Attendees: Attracts professionals from development, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery sectors.
Inspiring Conversations: Engage with forward-thinking startups, government officials, and industry experts.
Valuable Interactions: Discuss a diverse range of inspiring topics and make meaningful connections.

More info can be found here.

OSHA CASE STUDY
Is this an OSHA Recordable Incident?

In a recent interpretation, OSHA explained that a fatal car accident involving an employee could be classified as work-related. The incident in question involved a worker who traveled 300 miles to a customer site and stayed at a hotel for several days. Afterward, he visited a relative and stayed at another hotel. On his way back home, while following the same route he would have taken from the customer site, the worker's car slipped on an icy road, leading to a fatal crash. OSHA deemed this incident recordable because the employee was still on a business-related trip, not on a personal detour, and was returning home from a work assignment.

Incident Overview:

A worker traveled 300 miles to visit a customer and stayed at a hotel for several days.
After completing his work, the worker visited a relative, stayed at another hotel, and then started his journey home.
On his way home, using the same route he would have taken from the customer site, the worker's car slid on an icy road, resulting in a fatal crash.

OSHA's Clarification:

Work-Relatedness: The incident is considered work-related because the travel was in the interest of the employer.
Not a Normal Commute: The trip home is not deemed a normal commute as it occurred outside the worker’s usual geographic area and was after a work assignment.
Personal Detour Exception: The trip was not a personal detour from the route of business travel.

Exceptions to Work-Relatedness:

Home Away from Home: Had the incident occurred during travel between the hotel and customer site, it would be considered a commute from a “home away from home” and not recordable.
Personal Detour: If the fatal incident had occurred during a personal detour (e.g., sightseeing), it would not be recordable.

Recordability Decision:

As the worker was on a direct route from the customer site to his home at the time of the accident, the case must be recorded on the OSHA 300 log as a work-related incident.

This clarification underscores OSHA's criteria for determining work-related incidents, particularly in scenarios involving travel for work assignments.

RESEARCH
What’s in the works?

With funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program, seven collaborative programs are creating online and hands-on curricula to train workers on handling novel contaminants and emerging technologies. These programs aim to improve worker safety across various industries by developing courses, accessible tools, and promoting safe practices.

For instance, the City University of New York's program, led by Brian Pavilonis, focuses on protecting nail salon workers from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) using low-cost sensors and improved ventilation strategies. The University of Michigan's MOORE program, led by Stuart Batterman, is creating guides and courses to reduce exposure to aerosols and other contaminants in healthcare settings, emphasizing proper ergonomics for home healthcare workers.

Johns Hopkins University, led by Gurumurthy Ramachandran, is developing a curriculum on emerging technologies and contaminants, including additive manufacturing and electronic cigarettes, with a focus on vulnerable worker populations like hair salon workers.

The University of Minnesota's InTERACCT program, led by Susan Arnold, offers web-based courses and summer programs to increase diversity in industrial health fields. Purdue University's DETECT program, led by Ellen Wells, extends industrial hygiene courses online, incorporating virtual labs for a comprehensive learning experience.

At UCLA, Candace Tsai's program trains students on nanomaterials and electronic product exposures, with a focus on underrepresented populations. One project improved electronics recycling methods to reduce worker exposure. The University of Utah's BioSTET program, led by Darrah Sleeth, collaborates with multiple institutions to create cross-disciplinary training for biological hazards, enhancing digital content and marketing strategies.

Together, these initiatives are advancing the field of occupational health and safety by providing comprehensive, multidisciplinary training tailored to the unique challenges posed by emerging contaminants and technologies. By integrating hands-on and digital learning approaches, these programs are equipping a diverse workforce with the knowledge and tools necessary to mitigate risks and ensure safer working environments across a variety of industries. Through these efforts, they are not only fostering innovation in safety practices but also promoting environmental justice and health equity for all workers.

MSD INJURIES
Actionable Steps to Reduce Workplace Musculoskeletal Disorders.

To reduce job-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), the following actionable steps were highlighted during the National Safety Council (NSC) MSD Solutions Lab’s Workplace Safety Summit:

1. Job planning: Plan jobs and tasks carefully to reduce musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

2. Worksites assessments: Conduct regular worksite assessments to identify potential hazards and risks.

3. Stretching: Encourage employees to stretch regularly to reduce muscle strain.

Tips for reducing MSDs:

1. Look for simple, cost-effective solutions (the "$5 fix") that can make a real difference in preventing MSDs.

2. Engage with employees, supervisors, and other stakeholders to identify areas for improvement.

3. Join the MSD Pledge community to access information, share ideas, and network with other organizations.

Benefits of joining the MSD Pledge:

1. Access to the MSD Solutions Index, which offers information about other participants' MSD prevention efforts.

2. Opportunity to benchmark and compare safety practices with other organizations.

3. Ability to share ideas and learn from others in the community.

Along with NSC’s Research to Solutions Grant Program, these steps emphasize proactive planning, ongoing assessment, and community engagement to effectively reduce the incidence of MSDs in the workplace.

DON’T FORGET YOU DISCOUNT
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