NEWS from
®
July—December, 2016
info updates...
• The U.S. Coast Guard warns
the key to survival in summer
recreational water accidents
is your life jacket
• OSHA mandates that workers’
exposure to respirable
crystalline silica will be
limited in the future
• Obesity costs workers
$2,646 – $4,789
annually in lost
work, medical
expenses
• Companies must
revisit confined space rescue
procedures to meet
scheduled requirements
Medcor Inc.
P.O. Box 550
McHenry, IL 60051
www.medcor.com
Avoid danger in and on the water
Life Jackets provide
safety and security
by Gregg Cognac
Physician Assistant/Director of Clinical Affairs
For nearly 90 million Americans, boating continues to be a
popular recreational activity. From coast to coast, and everywhere
in between, people are taking to the water and enjoying time
together boating, sailing, paddling, and fishing.
While most boaters know they’re required to have a U.S. Coast
Guard-approved, wearable life jacket on board for every person
on their boat, this doesn’t mean they wear them.
It’s tempting not to wear a life jacket while on the water,
especially when you want to get some sun, you think you’ll get
too hot, or you think you’re a strong swimmer. But whether you’re
going fishing or just enjoying a ride on the boat, there’s never an
excuse not to wear a life jacket.
Why is not wearing a life jacket dangerous?
According to U.S. Coast Guard statistics, drowning is the
number one cause of death for recreational boaters each year. In
fact, 78% of all fatal boating accident victims drowned and, of
these, 84% were not wearing a life jacket.
Boating safety advocates recommend that all boaters and
passengers not only have a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket,
but ‘Wear It!’ at all times while boating. Your life jacket is the
most important piece of boating safety gear.
Fortunately, today’s life jackets are more comfortable, more
attractive, and more wearable than styles of years past.
Do you have the right life jacket?
Select the right style
Life jackets are designed for a boater’s recreational water
activity. A life jacket may be inherently buoyant – using foam or
other buoyant materials to stay afloat – or inflatable – providing
buoyancy when inflated by relying on CO2 cylinders.
Be sure each life jacket is U.S. Coast Guard-approved and
appropriate for the water activity by checking the label printed on
the inside of the life jacket.
With the onset of warm weather and vacations, friends
and families are planning ways to enjoy the summer sun.
Frequently, that involves days spent on or in the water.
To avoid possible tragedy, the U.S. Coast Guard recommends that everyone, adults and children alike, wear
approved life jackets.
How to care for your life jacket
Refer to your owner’s manual for specific maintenance
requirements. Remember the following:
• Use properly
• No rips, waterlogging or mildew
Make sure it fits
• Dry after use
You don’t want your life jacket to be too large or too small. A
snug fit is a proper fit. Remember, life jackets for adults do not • Hand wash in mild detergent
work for children.
• Store in a dry place when not boating
1. Make sure the life jacket is properly fastened.
3. Hold your arms straight up over your head.
This information in this article was adapted from The North
American Safe Boating Campaign. To learn more about life
jackets and boating safety go to:
4. Ask a friend to grasp the tops of the arm openings and
gently pull up to be sure it won’t slip off.
http://www.safeboatingcampaign.com/about/
http://bdept.cgaux.org/wp/?page_id=1032
2. All straps, buckles or zippers are secure.
Page 2 Apr-June, 2016
Crystalline silica:
by Bob Bower
Director of Operations
OSHA has issued a final rule to curb
lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease and kidney disease
in America’s workers by limiting their
exposure to respirable crystalline silica.
The rule is comprised of two standards,
one for Construction and one for General
Industry and Maritime.The Final Rule is
projected to provide net benefits of about
$7.7 billion annually.
About 2.3 million workers are
exposed to respirable crystalline silica
in their workplaces, including 2 million
construction workers who drill, cut,
crush, or grind silica-containing materials
such as concrete and stone, and 300,000
workers in general industry operations
such as brick manufacturing, foundries,
and hydraulic fracturing, also known as
fracking. Responsible employers have
been protecting workers from harmful
exposure to respirable crystalline silica
for years, using widely-available equipment that controls dust with water or
a vacuum system.
OSHA acts to protect
workers from exposure
The U.S. Department of Labor first
highlighted the hazards of respirable
crystalline silica in the 1930s, after a wave
of worker deaths.
The department set standards to limit
worker exposure in 1971, when OSHA
was created. However, the standards are
outdated and do not adequately protect
workers from silica-related diseases.
Furthermore, workers are being exposed
to silica in new industries such as stone or
artificial stone countertop fabrication and
hydraulic fracturing.
A full review of scientific evidence,
industry consensus standards, and
extensive stakeholder input provide the
basis for the final rule, which was proposed
in September 2013.
The rule-making process allowed OSHA
to solicit input in various forms for nearly
a full year. The agency held 14 days of
public hearings, during which more than
200 stakeholders presented testimony, and
accepted over 2,000 comments, amounting
to about 34,000 pages of material.
In response to this extensive public
engagement, OSHA made substantial
changes, including enhanced employer
flexibility in choosing how to reduce
levels of respirable crystalline silica, while
maintaining or improving worker safety.
Both standards contained in the final rule
took effect on June 23, 2016, after which
industries have one to five years to comply
with most requirements, based on the
following schedule:
Construction will have until June 23,
2017, one year after the effective date,
while General Industry and Maritime will
have until June 23, 2018, two years after
the effective date.
Hydraulic fracturing has until June 23,
2018, two years after the effective date for
all provisions except Engineering Controls,
which require compliance by June 23,
2021.
OSHA approved State Plans have six
months to adopt standards that are at least
as effective as federal OSHA standards.
Establishments in states that operate their
own safety and health plans should check
with their State Plan for the implementation
date of the new standards.
OSHA estimates that the rule will
save over 600 lives and prevent
more than 900 new cases of
silicosis each year.
Left: About 2.3 million workers are exposed to respirable crystalline
silica in their workplaces. Approximately 2 million construction
workers who drill, cut, crush, or grind silica-containing materials
such as concrete and stone, and 300,000 workers in general industry
operations such as brick manufacturing, foundries, and hydraulic
fracturing, also known as fracking.
Above: Respirable crystalline silica is known to contribute to lung
cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and kidney
disease in America’s workers.
Apr-June 2016 Page 3
Beyond your Waistline...
Obesity is costing you more than a lean physique
by Heather Klaus
Health and Wellness Manager
Average annual health and work-related
costs for obese women and men tally
$4,789 and $2,646 respectively.
Is there a cost to being obese?
Experts say, “absolutely.” The
costs of obesity can extend beyond
personal health. There is a lifelong
financial impact, beyond medical
bills. There are direct health costs
(medical services) and indirect costs:
value of lost work, quality of life and
insurance – all related to obesity.
According to a report from the
Department of Health Policy at
George Washington University’s
School of Public Health and Health
Services, the tangible annual health
and work-related costs of obesity for
a woman amount to $4,789 more than
a woman of average weight would
pay. For an obese man, those added
costs are $2,646 annually.
Being obese can impact insurance
rates, even more so than your age.
Prevention is key. Start making
choices that will reduce obesity. Get
moving and strengthening. Physical
activity is one way you can invest
in your long-term health. Movement
is great for your mind, body and can
promote weight loss.
Eat less processed foods, and eat
less in general. Nourish your body
with at least five servings of fruits and
veggies daily. Make meal choices to
include lean proteins and healthy fats.
Enjoy a good night’s sleep, and
manage your stress. Lack of sleep and
excess stress can sabotage weight loss
efforts.
Participate in your company’s
wellness program. Taking advantage
of company wellness perks is a way
to be proactive about investing your
wellbeing.
Seek professional support. If
you are not having success with
your weight loss efforts, look to a
professional for guidance. It does not
matter if you have been overweight
your entire life, there are changes
you can start to make at any age to
improve your health.
Companies must evaluate ‘confined space’ rescue potential
by Kevin Kelley
Executive Director
Brown Safety Services, a Medcor Company
If there was music playing in the background of the last OSHA
sub-committee meeting in 2015 regarding the new Construction
1926 Confined Space Standards, my bet is, that it was the 1965
R&B hit by Fontella Bass, “Rescue Me.”
Construction Companies that have relied, to any extent, on
911 services or local fire departments for such services are now
restricted by such standards that would make that almost impossible
for any “permit required” confined spaces. For example, you must
now evaluate a prospective rescuer’s “ability to respond in a timely
manner.” OSHA still won’t go as far as saying what is “timely”
in most cases, but in IDLH (Immediately Dangerous to Life or
Health) situations they do clearly state that rescue action must be
immediate such as listed in the standard below.
§1926.1211(a)(1). What will be considered timely will vary
according to the specific hazards involved in each entry. For example,
§1926.103—Respiratory Protection requires that employers
provide a standby person or persons capable of immediate action
to rescue employees wearing respiratory protection while in work
areas defined as IDLH atmospheres.
They also require the company to provide the potential rescuers
access to spaces and permits to develop rescue plans and even
practice rescues. While this is relatively easy for a General Industry
type of company with a fixed site and fixed resources, it could prove
much more difficult for shorter term and multi-location/region/
state construction companies that operates on much different
parameters in regards to logistics and shorter duration projects. See
the references that follow.
Page 4 Apr-June, 2016
1926.1211(a)(5) states, “Provide the rescue team or
service selected with access to all permit spaces from
which rescue may be necessary so that the rescue team or
service can develop appropriate rescue plans and practice
rescue operations.”
Hopefully, if you are depending on local fire department
service as your rescue option, you have already contacted them to
make sure they are qualified, trained, equipped, available and can
respond in such a time frame to provide the services your site and
confined space require. Finally, ensure that they know to, and how
to, contact you if they are called away to another situation, that
would make them unavailable to respond, thus forcing you to abort
your confined space operations, until they are available.
Please review the entire new Construction Confined Space
standard final rule at the following link: https://www.osha.gov/
FedReg_osha_pdf/FED20150504.pdf
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the current
“construction confined space operations” please feel free to reach
out to any of our Medcor/Brown Safety Services advocates to put
you in touch with subject matter experts, to verify that your current
“rescue team” meets all of the new OSHA standards. We are always
here, as a partner, to help keep you safe, healthy and compliant on
your work sites and to continuously add to the betterment of your
company and the safety of your associates.
So please, be diligent in evaluating the need, equipment, training,
availability and the timeliness of response of your rescue options
and be extra diligent in your decisions, as OSHA is now capable
of holding you more accountable, not only for confined spaces, but
“rescue operations” as well. And try to get the song “Rescue Me”
out of your head!
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