Volume I, Issue 10
March 2014
Richland is a Host Site for the National Safety Education Center,
an OSHA Training Institute
OSHA 501: Trainer Course for General Industry
May 6 - 9 Course Fee: $800 Register Deadline: Apr 22
To register, click or visit www.niu.edu/nsec
Online vs. Classroom Learning
The buzz is online learning. Television commercials are full of online colleges and universities giving access to online options that, in some cases, provide an entire degree program. But does this apply to safety training? Do you want to put your life in the hands of someone who learned safety using the same device playing Call of Duty or Grand Theft Auto?Classroom training provides advantages over online training especially when it comes to safety. You learn through multi-sensory means. You listen to the instructor; you receive visual cues through images, handouts and/or whiteboard lists; and you participate actively in hands-on activities, case studies, and interactive discussions. You have direct access to the instructor in class. Interaction is immediate.
So ask yourself this question7when you put your life in someone’s hands, do you want that person to have learned your safety7
(a) In an interactive setting where an instructor ensures learning comprehension, or
(b) After just completing a kidnapping and carjacking mission for a digital mobster?
Reference:
Neil Kokemuller, Demand Media. “Online Learning Vs. Classroom Learning”, http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/online-learning-vs-classroom-learning-4190.html.
Did you know Richland offers training for
Aerial Lifts Confined Spaces Electrical Safety Ergonomics Excavation Safety Fall Protection HAZCOM HAZWOPER Mobile Cranes Overhead Cranes Powered Industrial Trucks
Rigging & Signaling
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~ Cranes and Derricks ~
Company Cited After Worker's Foot Is Severed
County Materials Corp. (Elderon, WI), which manufactures precast concrete products, has been cited by OSHA for 18 serious safety violations. The citations arose after a truck driver had his foot severed and femur crushed at a job site on Sept. 19, 2013. OSHA's investigation determined the incident occurred when a cable on a trolley boom crane broke, pinning the driver against a concrete riser. OSHA has proposed fines of $56,700.
Many of the violations involved OSHA's standards on cranes and derricks in construction. "Struck-by hazards are one of the leading causes of injuries for construction and transportation workers. Each day, County Materials has a responsibility to train and protect its workers from hazards that they will encounter," said Robert Bonack, OSHA's area director in Appleton. "Workers have a right to a safe workplace-one that is free from hazards that can cause serious injury."
The serious safety violations involved:
• failing to establish safe work practices when placing
precast concrete material;
• failing to inspect trolley boom cranes and wire
ropes;
• failing to equip trolley boom cranes with a crane
level indicator, boom angle, or radius indicator;
• failing to ensure materials are rigged by a qualified
rigger; and
• failing to ensure employees are trained in the safe
operation of trolley boom cranes to prevent inadvertent disconnection of the load.
Click HERE for full story
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~ Hazardous Chemicals ~
Company Cited After Worker Is Exposed to Chlorine Gas
Beck Aluminum Alloys Ltd., which operates Beck Aluminum Racine (Racine, WI), has been cited by OSHA for 13 serious violations after receiving a referral that a
Be Prepared to Save a Life! ♥ BLS for Healthcare Providers ♥ Heartsaver CPR/AED ♥ First Aid ♥ Orientation Classes ♥ Renewal Classes ♥ Employee Training ♥ Group Training eLearning Available Call (217) 875-7211 x219 for more information
worker was sickened by exposure to hazardous chlorine gas while changing cylinders. The inspection also found that company officials did not remove other workers from the area after exposure to the gas was known and failed to evaluate the danger to life and health. The violations carry proposed penalties of $77,472.
"Employers have a responsibility to provide workers with proper training and to implement procedures that protect employees from chemical hazards in the workplace," said Christine Zortman, OSHA's area director in Milwaukee. "It's unacceptable that Beck Aluminum Racine failed to develop safety procedures to prevent the release of chlorine gas during maintenance. When a release of chlorine gas occurred, the company failed to remove employees immediately from potential exposure. This can cause severe health issues related to the skin and the respiratory and central nervous systems. Exposure to high concentrations can result in death."
Thirteen serious violations were issued and involved:
• failing to establish lockout/tagout procedures to
prevent the inadvertent release of chemical energy;
• inability to estimate employee exposure during a
chlorine release;
• failing to provide training to employees performing
emergency response procedures; and
• lack of annual inspections of energy control
procedures.
Six of the citations involve violations of OSHA's respiratory protection standards, such as:
• not having a written respiratory protection program,
• failing to medically evaluate workers required to use
a respirator, and
• not providing adequate training.
Click HERE for full story
Tomorrow - your reward for working
safely today. ~Attributed to
Robert Pelton
Health and Safety Topic:
Emergency Action Plans
March brings warmer weather7and hazardous weather. Now is a good time to review your Emergency Action Plan (EAP). An EAP is a written document required by OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.38(a). The purpose of an EAP is to facilitate and organize employer and employee actions during workplace emergencies. Well-developed emergency plans and proper employee training (such that employees understand their roles and responsibilities within the plan) result in fewer and less severe employee injuries and less structural damage to the facility during emergencies. A poorly prepared plan likely will lead to a disorganized evacuation or emergency response resulting in confusion, injury, and property damage.
Putting together a comprehensive EAP that deals with issues specific to your worksite is not difficult. It involves taking what was learned from your workplace evaluation and describing how employees will respond to different types of emergencies, taking into account your specific worksite layout, structural features, and emergency systems. The commitment and support of all employees is critical to the plan's success in the event of an emergency; ask for their help in establishing and implementing your EAP.
For more information:
Have any questions or issues you would like to discuss? Contact the professionals at Richland Community College today!
Barry Schwalbe, CHMM Safety & Contract Training Coordinator
Richland Community College One College Park | Decatur, Illinois | 62521
(217) 875-7211, ext. 219 [email protected]
www.richland.edu/cpe Sign up for this newsletter! www.richland.edu/cpe/osha/newsletter
