CITE's Workplace Safety Blog

2015 Summary Infographics

• Timeline of workplace fatalities reported to Oregon OSHA
• Oregon OSHA's top 10 construction violations
• Oregon OSHA's top 10 construction violations ranked by average penalty

Originally published by Oregon OSHA Construction Depot: https://osha.oregon.gov/pubs/newsletters/constructiondepot/OSHAConstructionDepot/2016/01/index.html

Want to hear some sobering statistics?

Sudden cardiac arrest happens to over 250,000 people a year. In addition, every 33 seconds in the United States, someone dies due to a heart-related incident.

The good news is that the survival rate can be as high as 60% in ideal circumstances. AED’s can drastically help the survival rate and are fairly straightforward to use. Having a AED in place at your business could not only save a life, but provide your employees peace of mind.

One injured after lift connects with power lines

OKLAHOMA CITY – Authorities say one person is being treated for injuries after a piece of equipment caught fire when it connected with power lines on the city’s southeast side.

Firefighters were called to the area of S.E. 31st St. and Hattie, near S.E. 29th and I-35, after receiving reports of a lift on fire.

Originally published by Oklahoma's News 4:
https://kfor.com/2013/11/18/crews-called-to-crane-on-fire-after-it-connects-with-power-lines

OSHA and Scaffold & Access Industry Association Alliance Develop Five Tip Sheets for AWP Equipment

Kansas City, Mo. - Through the OSHA and Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA) Alliance, we are proud to announce the development of five new tip sheets. Each of the tip sheets focus on key methods of using AWP equipment.AWP Jobsite Checklist, AWP Prestart Safety Checklist, Preparing AWP’s for Transport, Rescue Plans for AWPs and Selecting and Implementing a Fall Protection System for an AWP are designed to help the industry understand their responsibilities when operating, transporting and using AWP equipment.

Originally published by Scaffold & Access Industry Association (SAIA):
http://www.saiaonline.org/userfiles/file/AWP%20Prestart%20Safety%20Checklist%20.pdf

OSHA does not have a specific standard that requires the use or installation of seat belts, however, Section 5(a)(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) requires employers to protect employees from serious and recognized hazards. Recognition of the hazard of powered industrial truck tip-over and the need for the use of an operator restraint system is evidenced by certain requirements for powered industrial trucks at ASME B56.1-1993 - Safety Standard for Low Lift and High Lift Trucks. National consensus standard ASME B56.1-1993 requires that powered industrial trucks manufactured after 1992 must have a restraint device, system, or enclosure that is intended to assist the operator in reducing the risk of entrapment of the operator's head and/or torso between the truck and ground in the event of a tip-over. Therefore, OSHA would enforce this standard under Section 5(a)(1) of the OSH Act.

This is an excerpt from an OHSA "Letter of Interpretation" regarding seat belt usage in forklifts. Please keep in mind that both Oregon OSHA and Washington L&I require all operators to wear seat belts in forklifts at all times.

Originally published by OHSA:
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/1996-03-07

Salem, OR — The Oregon Occupational Safety and Health Division (Oregon OSHA) cited Munoz Construction $70,000 for not protecting its employees from falls. The fine was based on a willful violation and was the result of an inspection at a Portland apartment complex on Feb. 27, 2013. The employer appealed the citation but agreed to it following an informal conference with Oregon OSHA.

During the inspection, an Oregon OSHA inspector observed two employees working on a second-story roof standing on trusses. Neither employee was wearing fall protection. The owner was on site and said his employees were comfortable working without fall protection, even though it was available in the company trailer.

Originally published by OHSA:
https://osha.oregon.gov/news/2013/Pages/nr2013-24.aspx

Imagine this scenario: During an inspection of your facility, an OSHA compliance officer observes a worker performing his duties without safety goggles, gloves or earplugs – despite ubiquitous signage declaring that the aforementioned PPE is mandatory at all times on the shop floor.

When the compliance officer confronts the worker and reminds him of the importance of proper PPE, the worker shrugs his shoulders and replies, "I'll take my chances."

The OSHA inspector promptly pulls out a pad of paper and issues the safety scofflaw a $500 fine.

In the United States, OSHA holds employers – not employees – accountable for safety infractions, regardless of the circumstances.

But that's not the case in Alberta, Canada. At least not anymore.

EUGENE, Ore. -- A man was sent to the hospital after a boom lift-type crane toppled over near 49th and Willamette Street Friday night while a crew was working on communication lines near the Sunset Hills cemetery.

The man was unresponsive when paramedics put him in an ambulance, officials said.

Police at the scene said the man was with a crew that had been working on some communication lines for some time.

Originally published by 13 KVAL:
https://kval.com/news/local/boom-lift-tips-over-on-s-eugene-hill-man-sent-to-the-hospital

OSHA has developed a webpage to provide workers, employers, and safety and health professionals useful, up-to-date safety and health information on grain handling facilities.

Originally published by OHSA:
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/grainhandling/

What are grain handling facilities?

Grain handling facilities are facilities that may receive, handle, store, process and ship bulk raw agricultural commodities such as (but not limited to) corn, wheat, oats, barley, sunflower seeds, and soybeans. Grain handling facilities include grain elevators, feed mills, flour mills, rice mills, dust pelletizing plants, dry corn mills, facilities with soybean flaking operations, and facilities with dry grinding operations of soy cake.

During my training classes I'm always being asked for the most commonly used hand signals for hoisting operations involving cranes, forklifts or any other material handling equipment.

Here is a downloadable PDF for a chart of 19 hand signals that come straight from OSHA's 29 CFR 1926, Subpart CC standards.

Please keep in mind that whenever "Hoisting Operation" activity is being performed a copy of these charts is required to be posted on the equipment or in the vicinity where these operations are being performed.