HSE Update - Feb. 5
Spine Health...With 16 percent of the population suffering from back pain on any given day and more than 80 percent of Americans suffering back pain at some point in their lives, we need help. That help, in part, might come from the North American Spine Society (NASS). The NASS web site is loaded with consumer help, survey information and resources. If you have people in your operation dealing with back pain, take a look at the NASS site and you might find something that will help them.
Check for By-Passed Safety Features...We're were reminded recently of the need to check during all safety inspections for safety interlocks and switches that have been by-passed or rendered ineffective in the interest of productivity. At a bottle recycling business in Edmonton, Alberta, the interlock on a bailer safety gate had been made inoperative and a 27-year old operator was crushed in the bailer. The company owner was unaware of the modification, but still had to pay a $200,000 fine.
S&H Management Systems Reduce Costs...According to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), workplaces that establish safety and health management systems reduce their injury and illness costs by 20 to 40 percent. If you'd like help implementing a safety and health managements system, call or send me an e-mail.
Room to Live...If you'd like a great video on the value of seat belts, click here to see the report by Trish Van Pilsum, a reporter for Fox 9 News/KMSP-TV, in Eden Prairie, MN. She visited junkyards and sat in the "safety bubble" engineered into cars and showed that every driver thrown from a vehicle and killed would have had room to survive if belted in. It's an outstanding piece of investigative journalism.
Economic Burden of Injury in the US...Each day, 1,301 children suffer traumatic brain injuries, 1,294 teens attempt suicide and require medical attention to prevent death, and 801 older adults sustain hip fractures, but they represent only a small portion of the people who will be injured each year in the United States. In 2000 alone, the 50 million injuries that required medical treatment will ultimately cost $406 billion. These total costs, for both fatal and nonfatal injuries, include estimates of $80.2 billion in medical care costs and $326 billion in productivity losses, which include lost wages and the accompanying fringe benefits, as well as the lost ability to perform normal household responsibilities. The Incidence and Economic Burden of Injuries in the United States examines the lifetime time costs associated with the injuries that occur in just one year. To purchase the book, download several fact sheets, see a news release or get a statistical Power Point on the subject, click here.
Exercise Only Effective Back Pain Preventer...A Finnish study has concluded that lifting training and assist devices do little to prevent back pain, but an Australian physiotherapy professor knows what does. Christopher Maher of the University of Sydney says the only known effective intervention is exercise. And, since it has other benefits beyond prevention of back pain, you get two for one, he says.
NAOSH Week Is May 4-10...Safety does pay. During North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) Week this May, ASSE, the Canadian Society of Safety Engineering (CSSE), OSHA and many OSHA alliance partners will be providing information, solutions and best practices to illustrate that safety not only is good business but also saves lives. "There are many success stories out there," explains ASSE President Michael Thompson, CSP. "During NAOSH Week, we will work to provide examples of how designing and putting into place strong safety management processes help keep employees safe, the company reputation intact and customers happy, while having a positive impact on a company's bottom line." See the NAOSH Week web site.
Exercise Benefits Shift Workers...In a related boost for exercise, Circadian Technologies (www.circadian.com) has found that exercise, not coffee, is the best way to keep shift workers alert. If a worker is nodding off in front of a control room screen, jumping on an exercise bike or treadmill for 20 to 30 minutes of moderate exercise will boost alertness, improve health and allow for better sleep at the end of the shift.
March ASSE Meeting...Gordon DeLeys, Compliance Assistance Specialist with OSHA, will be the speaker at the March 3, 2008 meeting of the ASSE. It's a good time to get all your OSHA questions answered. The meeting is held at the Green Lantern Inn, Fairport, NY and begins at 5:30 p.m. Anyone interested in occupational safety and health is welcome. Call chapter president Jay Wells at (585) 352-2832.
Responding to Employee Health Concerns Pays...A study by Liberty Mutual Research Institute has found that training supervisors to respond quickly and correctly to worker complaints about health issues can allow intervention before the complaint gets serious and allow a significant reduction in comp claims and active lost time. For a press release with more information, click here.
Understanding and Dealing With Disability...Studies show that 30 percent of workers between 25 and 65 will experience an injury or illness that will keep them out of work for three months or longer. In many cases, the impact can be huge financial debt because the cause of disability is not necessarily work-related and covered by workers compensation. To help people plan for, and deal with, long-term disability, the Council on Disability Awareness has created a web site that should serve as an excellent resource. Click here for the site.
Long Work Hours Boosts Injury/Illness Risk...Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School analyzed responses of 11,000 American youth to a survey and then looked at job records and work related injuries and illnesses. After adjusting for other factors, the researchers determined that working at least 12 hours per day increases the risk of injury or illness by 37 percent. Working 60 hours a week increases risk by 23 percent. Finally, they found that the more hours worked, the greater the risk.
NIOSH Shift Work Help...We've given you two articles on shift work issues with one solution (exercise). If you'd like lots more information and solutions for your folks who work shifts, see the NIOSH "Work Schedules: Shift Work and Long Work Hours" page here. On the page, you find publications, strategies, research reports and lots more.
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Lawrence H. "Chip" Dawson
Dawson Associates
Rochester Business Alliance Coordinating Consultant for HSE
6 Saddle Ridge Trail
Fairport, NY 14450-9584
(585) 425-1639