Newsletter 25th Edition

Good morning! Today’s the big Solar Eclipse day. We hope you’re ready to handle any of the safety challenges today may bring!

THIS WEEK’S TIPS

This week’s safety upgrades:

• New Research Chronic Workplace Harassment and Heart Disease

• OSHA Alert for Food Processing

• Workplace Greif Support

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This Weeks Professional Development Tip

• A lot of kids grew up playing sport: 9 lessons from sports that lead to success in the workplace

SAFETY KNIGHTS COMMUNITY
Celebrate You’re Wins!

WORKPLACE SAFETY
Amazon Losing Injuries Like a Lost Package?

Amazon reported a decrease in its warehouse injury rate for the second consecutive year in 2023, signaling progress according to the company's safety data. However, critics argue that Amazon's measurement of worker safety doesn't provide the full picture, contending that employees still face significant risks of injury.

The recordable incident rate at Amazon improved by 8% from 2022 to 2023, with the company reporting 4.7 injuries per 200,000 working hours globally. Despite this improvement, concerns remain, particularly regarding Amazon's injury rate compared to industry averages.

While Amazon positions itself as aligned with industry peers and even boasting a lower injury rate in some cases, labor advocacy groups challenge this assertion. They argue that Amazon's sheer size skews the average injury rate, making direct comparisons misleading. According to analysis, removing Amazon from the calculation significantly lowers the industry average, indicating that Amazon's injury rate remains notably higher.

Moreover, scrutiny extends to the types of injuries reported, with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) comprising a significant portion of Amazon's recordable injuries. Critics highlight ongoing concerns about the working conditions that contribute to these injuries, suggesting that Amazon's reported improvements may not accurately reflect the reality for workers.

Further skepticism arises regarding Amazon's lost time incident rate, which measures injuries and illnesses resulting in time away from work. While this rate has also shown improvement, critics question its reliability, citing allegations of pressure on employees to return to work prematurely, potentially skewing injury reporting.

Federal safety regulators have previously raised concerns about Amazon's approach to injury reporting and workplace safety. Allegations of discouraging injury reporting and improper recording have surfaced, leading to citations and legal disputes.

Despite these challenges, Amazon emphasizes its ongoing commitment to safety initiatives, including significant investments and extensive inspection efforts. However, the debate over Amazon's approach to worker safety continues, highlighting the complexities and ongoing concerns surrounding working conditions within the company's global warehouse network.

PRESENTED BY
TenForce

Did you know that over 60% of all incidents occur within the first 30 minutes of a shift due to poorly executed shift handovers? Balancing the scales between worker safety and production efficiency is a challenge for site managers and safety professionals alike.

TenForce invites you to our upcoming webinar, where we'll demonstrate how to automate critical processes for a safe shift handover. Join us online to see this lean, digital approach in action:

• Schedule shifts and create logs per production line

• Document shift events, observations, and roles digitally

• Plan, create, and automatically assign actions and production recurring tasks

• Create and plan instructions for designated topics and zones, with clear timelines

• Generate pre-filled morning or production meeting minutes, based upon events or previous shifts

• Spot incomplete tasks and missed KPIs at a glance

• Activate rule-based email notifications and automated alerts.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to streamline your shift handovers!

Register HERE

FOOD PRODUCTION
Even Wonka’s Factory Wasn’t Like This!

OSHA has issued a hazard alert targeting poultry, meat, and other food processing establishments to address the concerning number of preventable injuries and fatalities. These workplaces pose various hazards throughout food processing operations, including machinery maintenance, cleaning, and inspection tasks. Between 2015 and 2022, approximately 1,500 injuries related to food and beverage process machinery were reported, along with 400 injuries involving food slicers and mixers. The alert emphasizes compliance with regulations prohibiting individuals under 18 from certain tasks involving machinery in these establishments. Employers are urged to recognize hazards and implement corrective measures, such as utilizing machine guards, to mitigate the risk of workplace incidents and create a safer work environment.

Meanwhile, OSHA has announced findings from a second inspection of Dean Sausage Co. Inc. in Ayyalia, Alabama, revealing recurring workplace safety hazards similar to those identified in a 2022 inspection. The agency proposes penalties totaling $116,153, citing seven repeat violations related to inadequate lockout/tagout procedures and insufficient machine guarding. Additionally, Dean Sausage allegedly failed to maintain clear exits, implement a hazard communication program for hazardous chemicals, and provide necessary worker training. Two serious violations were also cited for lacking lockout/tagout procedures, particularly concerning a machine's bread cutter. This inspection follows a previous one in 2022, where Dean Sausage was cited for 14 violations and faced over $37,000 in proposed penalties. With 85 employees at its Attalla facility, the company produces meat products distributed across the southern U.S. OSHA retains the right to contest the allegations and penalties.

In a separate incident in Alabama, OSHA investigated a fatality at a Cullman manufacturing plant, where a 38-year-old worker died after being caught inside a molding machine. The agency found that the employer, Cullman Casting Corp., failed to follow safety protocols, leading to the tragic accident. Despite a production supervisor's attempt to adjust a plastic film on the mold machine, the worker was pinned between moving components when the machine cycled. OSHA determined that the employer neglected to de-energize and lockout the automated molding machine during maintenance and cleaning, a preventive measure that could have averted the fatality.

PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALTH
Are You Doing Enough?

The University of Illinois Chicago conducted a study suggesting a correlation between chronic workplace harassment and increased risks of coronary heart disease, arthritic/rheumatic conditions, and migraines. Surveying nearly 5,000 UIC employees over several years, researchers found that around two-thirds reported experiencing harassment on the job, with nearly half facing sexual harassment. Those subjected to chronic harassment faced significantly higher odds of developing coronary heart disease, arthritic/rheumatic conditions, and migraines. Additionally, a considerable portion reported high blood pressure and a small percentage suffered heart attacks due to harassment. The study underscores the importance of organizational antiharassment policies in safeguarding worker health and emphasizes the need for strengthening and enforcing such policies.

Support Employees Experiencing Grief

The U.S. Surgeon General's Framework for Mental Health & Well-being in the Workplace underscores the significance of ensuring employee security and safety, recommending employers prioritize enabling adequate rest, supporting mental health, and fostering physical and psychological workplace safety. Despite this, Mercer's 2024 Global Talent Trends report reveals that only half of organizations offer training specifically aimed at fostering psychological safety, despite it being considered crucial by thriving employees.

Grief, highlighted as one of the most universally challenging topics, often receives limited support in the workplace. Many employers provide only a few bereavement days, which can be insufficient for employees experiencing profound loss. To address this gap, companies can adopt best practices to support employees dealing with grief effectively.

Rebecca Soffer, bestselling author and cofounder of Modern Loss, shares insights into these best practices. She emphasizes the importance of companies acknowledging and respecting employees' experiences of grief, whether due to personal loss or anticipatory grief related to a loved one's terminal illness. Employers should adopt policies that recognize the validity of all forms of grief, from the loss of a family member to the death of a beloved pet.

Moreover, companies should offer flexibility and support to employees navigating grief. This can include providing additional bereavement leave beyond the standard allotted days, offering counseling services or support groups, and creating a compassionate and understanding work environment where employees feel comfortable expressing their emotions and seeking support.

Ultimately, by prioritizing support for employees dealing with grief, companies can foster a workplace culture that values empathy, compassion, and employee well-being, ultimately contributing to a more resilient and emotionally healthy workforce.

Resource: Construction Wellbeing-Evidence Based Mental Health Resources

Related: The Boeing Leadership Shakeup Is A Cautionary Tale In Psychological Safety

WEBINARS
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NEWS
Your Virtual Water Cooler

• OH&S Announces 2024 Industrial Hygiene Award Winners

• How safety responsibilities extend beyond the workplace

• World of Work stakeholders voice support for the pandemic accord, highlighting workers’ rights and needs during pandemics

• California Regulators Investigate Sutter Health Over Unreported Assault on Psychiatry Worker

• Hose Manufacturer Again Accused of Worker Safety Violations

• The hidden costs of workplace injuries

• OSHA Finalizes Rule Letting Unions Join Job Site Inspections

• Workplace Loneliness: A Silent Pandemic CEOs Need To Pay Attention To

• How AI is Transforming Workplace Safety: The Role of Ethics and Responsibility

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