October 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

A twice monthly e-news product with information abo ut workplace safety and health



### In This Issue

 OSHA calls for corrective action to state

- run occupational safety and health programs to keep workers safe

 Solis announces OSHA and Department of Transportati on partnership to combat distracted driving

 Michaels promises improvements in OSHA's Whistleblo wer Protection Program

 Michaels speaks at international occupational healt h and safety conference

 OSHA awards $2.75 million in targeted safety and he alth training grants

 OSHA targets high hazard worksites for inspection

 Frame manufacturer fined nearly $230,000 for combus tible dust and other hazards

 Refinery fined more than $165,000 for violations th at could have led to explosion

 Company fined more than $135,000 for exposing worke rs to hazards including lead poisoning

 OSHA Alliance promotes shipbuilder safety

 Engineering company recognized for corporate

- wide commitment to worker safety and health

 Electronic engineering company achieves significantinjury and illness reduction through OSHA's free On

- site Consultation Program

 Workplace safety and health subject of Pennsylvania governor's conference

 Job openings



### OSHA calls for corrective action to state-run occup ational safety and health programs to keep workers safe OSHA announced Sept. 28 the conclusion of its speci al evaluation of state-run occupational safety and health programs under the a gency's jurisdiction. The Enhanced Federal Annual Monitoring and Evaluation reports pr ovide detailed findings and recommendations on the operations of state-run OSHAprograms in 25 states and territories. The enhanced review was initiated afte r a 2009 special OSHA report on Nevada's program, prompted by numerous construction -related fatalities in Las Vegas, identified serious operational deficiencies in thatstate.

"Our goal is to identify problems in state-run prog rams before they result in serious injuries or fatalities," said OSHA Assistant Secret ary David Michaels. "While we found many positives in the state programs, we also found defi ciencies including concerns about identification of hazards, proper classification of violations, proposed penalty levels, and failure to follow up on violations to ensure that w orkplace safety and health problems are corrected."

Reportsfor each of the 25 states are now available on OSH A's Web site. States will have 30 days to provide a formal response, including a d etailed corrective action plan for addressing findings and recommendations. Each state 's formal response will be public information and available online as soon as it is r eceived. See the news release for more information on the reports, including examples of s tates that have adopted standards and procedures exceeding federal OSHA's requirements. S ee the State OSH Plans page of OSHA's Web site for more information on these progr ams. 

### Page 1 of 6 OSHA Quick Takes

-- Octoboer 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

9/29/2011 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt10012010.html

### Solis announces OSHA and Department of Transportati on partnership to

combat distracted driving OSHA and the U.S. Department of Transportation are joining forces to combat distracted driving. Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis announce d this partnership, which will focus on prohibiting texting while driving, at a Sept. 21 DOT summit

.
"It is imperative that employers eliminate financia l and other incentives that encourage workers to text while driving," Solis said in a news release . "It is well-recognized that texting while driving dramatically increases the ri sk of a motor vehicle injury or fatality."

Motor vehicle crashes are a leading cause of worker fatalities. OSHA is launching a multi-pronged initiative to help prevent further av oidable injuries and deaths. The initiative will include an employer education campaign launche d during " Drive Safely Work Week ," Oct. 4- 8. During this week, OSHA will publish a Web page t hat will include a video message and an open letter to employers from OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels. Michaels will call on employers to prevent occupationally re lated distracted driving, with a special focus on prohibiting texting while driving.

OSHA is also partnering with key organizations to h elp reach out to employers, especially small business employers, to combat dist racted driving and prohibit texting while driving. In addition, OSHA is placing a special emp hasis on reaching out to young workers, collaborating with other Labor Department agencies as well as stakeholders and alliance partners. When OSHA receives a credible complaint t hat an employer requires texting while driving or organizes work so that texting is a prac tical necessity, the agency will investigate and where necessary issue citations and penalties t o end this practice.

Go to the OSHA homepage Oct. 4 to visit OSHA's new distracted driving Web page.



### Michaels promises improvements in OSHA's Whistleblo wer Protection Program OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels issued a statement Sept. 16 responding to a U.S. Government Accountability Office report on OSH A's Whistleblower Protection Program.

"With our available resources, OSHA is working hard to ensure that whistleblowers are protected from retaliation," Michaels said. "We arein the process of a top-to- bottom review of OSHA's whistleblower protection program. The obj ective is to identify any weaknesses and inefficiencies in the program and improve the w ay we conduct this very important activity. In addition, we have hired additional per sonnel in the past year in an effort to more efficiently process cases."

"OSHA has already begun taking action on items reco mmended in the GAO report," Michaels said, "such as requiring all investigatorsand their supervisors to complete mandatory investigator training over the next 18 mo nths, setting strategic goals and performance measures for the whistleblower program, and providing new equipment to field staff."

OSHA enforces the whistleblower provisions of 19 la ws protecting employees who report violations of various securities, trucking, airline , nuclear, pipeline, environmental, railroad, public transportation, workplace safety and health, consumer product safety, health care reform, and financial reform laws. Detailed informa tion on worker whistleblower rights, including fact sheets, is available online at www.whistleblowers.gov

.


### Michaels speaks at international occupational healt h and safety conference OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels led the U.S . delegation in a Joint Conference 

### Page 2 of 6 OSHA Quick Takes

-- Octoboer 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

9/29/2011 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt10012010.htmlon Health and Safety at Work with delegates from the European Union. The intern ational group of labor representatives, employers, scientis ts and safety and health specialists met at the Sept. 22 conference in Boston to develop str ategies to improve conditions for workers on both sides of the Atlantic. Michaels emp hasized the importance of the conference in his opening keynote speech :

"We are eager to exchange ideas with the distinguis hed E.U. delegation and to work together closely to achieve vital results. I mean vital literally, because while we discuss issues within the walls of these conference rooms, out there, in the working world, lives are at stake, and we must never lose sight of the respo nsibility we have to give a voice to every working man and woman."

Delegates focused on four areas in their discussion s. They considered methods for raising awareness of existing solutions to occupati onal safety and health hazards, preserving safety and health expertise in workplace s and ensuring it is passed from generation to generation. Another area of discussio n was determining which risk factors and measurements should be used to yield an accurat e picture of workplace safety and health trends and developing performance indicatorsthat will help prevent further workplace tragedies. Conference members also discus sed ways of promoting effective and efficient workplace safety and health management sy stems and programs. The final focus area was on how to address various issues related t o chemical hazards, including respiratory protection, effective worker training p ractices, and setting exposure limits, hazard assessments, appropriate controls, and label ing guidelines for mixtures of chemicals.



### OSHA awards $2.75 million in targeted safety and he alth training grants OSHA awarded $2.75 million in Susan Harwood Safety and Health Targeted Topic Training Grants to 16 organizations , including nonprofit and community/faith- based groups, employer associations, labor unions, joint labor/ma nagement associations, colleges and universities. The grantees will provide safety and health programs that educate workers and employers in industries with high injury and fa tality rates. The primary focus is on hard to reach and vulnerable populations, such as worker s with limited English proficiency and low literacy rates, young workers and small busines s employers. Targeted Topic Training Grants are one- year grants that support the development of qualityoccupational safety and health training materials and programs for workers and employers addressing workplace hazards and prevention strategies. See the news release for more information on the latest grant recipients. As announced in the last QuickTakes, OSHA also recently awarded 45 organizations with $8 million in Susan Harwood Capa city Building Grants.

The Susan Harwood Training Grant Program helps to provide workers in high-risk industries with training about job hazards and thei r rights. This program also provides employers with crucial information about unsafe wor king conditions, mitigation strategies and their responsibilities to protect workers from on the job injuries, illnesses and deaths. OSHA's Web site offers worker safety training materials created by past Susan Harwood Grant winners that are tailored to meet the needs o f specific training audiences and are available in a variety of formats in both English a nd Spanish

.


### OSHA targets high hazard worksites for inspection OSHA issued its annual inspection plan under the Site

- Specific Targeting 2010 program in August to help the agency direct enforcement res ources to high-hazard workplaces where the highest rates of injuries and illnesses o ccur.

The SST program is OSHA's main programmed inspectio n plan for non-construction workplaces that have 40 or more workers. Establishm ents are randomly selected for 

### Page 3 of 6 OSHA Quick Takes

-- Octoboer 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

9/29/2011 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt10012010.htmlinspection from an initial list of 4,100 manufactur ing, non-manufacturing, and nursing

and personal care facilities. The plan focuses on s everal variables such as the number of injury and illness cases and number of days a worke r has to stay away from work, or the number of workers who received job transfers or wor k restrictions due to injury or illness.

In addition to SST, OSHA implements both national a nd local emphasis inspection programs to target high-risk hazards and industries . OSHA currently has nationwide emphasis programs that intensify the focus on topic s including amputations, lead, crystalline silica, shipbreaking, trenching/excavat ions, process safety management in petroleum refineries, hexavalent chromium, diacetyl , recordkeeping and combustible dust.



### Frame manufacturer fined nearly $230,000 for combus tible dust and other hazards OSHA issued 34 violations to Art Horizons Inc. and fined the picture frame manufacturer $228,320 for endangering workers at its Batesville, Miss., facility. In March, OSHA initiated a follow-up to a 2008 inspection at the company, wh ich then went by another name. In the latest inspection, compliance officers found that t he company had willfully disregarded the safety and health of its workers by allowing danger ous amounts of combustible dust to accumulate in the workplace and failing to provide proper hearing protection. Inspectors also cited the company for violations including fal l hazards, blocked exit routes, lack of an eyewash station, lack of machine guarding and inade quate emergency lighting. See the news release for more information.



### Refinery fined more than $165,000 for violations th at could have led to explosion OSHA has fined Martin Operating Partnership LP $165 ,600 and issued the company 25 citations for safety and health violations at its S mackover, Ark., oil refinery. Inspectors found that the company willfully disregarded its re sponsibility to maintain process safety information for the design of various pressure vess els at the facility. This could have led to the release of a highly hazardous chemical resultin g in a potential explosion causing multiple injuries and deaths among the 65 workers a t the refinery. Inspectors also cited the company for serious violations of other process safety management requirements. The company also failed to provide workers with require d respiratory protection and personal protective equipment and to ensure that workers ent ering confined spaces had a prompt means of rescue in the event of an emergency. See t he news release for more information. The inspection was conducted as part of OSHA's National Emphasis Program for Process Safety Management of Refineries

.


### Company fined more than $135,000 for exposing worke rs to hazards including lead poisoning OSHA fined Gaby Iron and Metal Co. $135,850 for vio lating 17 workplace health and safety standards at its Chicago Heights, Ill., meta l recycling facility. Inspectors found that the company knowingly exposed its workers to hazards from lead , which can cause brain damage, paralysis, kidney disease and even death. T he company was cited for failing to implement a respiratory protection program or provi de a written lead compliance or training plan. The company also failed to monitor a ir for lead during periods of potentially increased exposure and allowed workers to be expose d to lead in excess of allowable limits. Inspectors cited the company for additional serious violations that included failing to evaluate employees' exposure to arsenic or provide arsenic training, place leadcontaminated clothing in closed and labeled contain ers and provide a medical surveillance program for lead exposure. See the news release for more information on these and other health and safety violations committed at the metal recycling facility.



### OSHA Alliance promotes shipbuilder safety 

### Page 4 of 6 OSHA Quick Takes

-- Octoboer 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

9/29/2011 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt10012010.htmlA recent Alliance between OSHA and the Shipbuilding Group will provide shipyard

workers and employers with informational tools and access to training resources to help prevent worker injuries and illnesses. The Alliance will educate workers about their rights and address safety issues experienced by limited- a nd non- English speaking workers. It will also focus on protecting workers from being struck by objects and preventing slip, trip and fall hazards, as well as preventing musculoskeletal injuries. The Shipbuilding Group consists of the American Shipbuilding Association, National Shipbuilding Research Program and Shipbuilders Council of America. The group represen ts shipyards with more than 150,000 machinists, sheet metal workers, plumbers, pipefitt ers and others involved in building ships. This figure includes more than 90 percent of naval shipbuilding workers and a significant percentage of workers in commercial shi pbuilding. See the news release for more information on this Alliance.

Through the Alliance Program , OSHA works with groups committed to worker safetyand health to prevent workplace fatalities, injuries an d illnesses. These groups include unions, consulates, trade or professional organizations, fa ith- and community-based organizations, businesses and educational institutions. OSHA and t he groups work together to develop compliance assistance tools and resources, share in formation with workers and employers, and educate workers and employers about their right s and responsibilities. Alliance Program participants do not receive exemptions from OSHA programmed inspections.



### Engineering company recognized for corporate-wide c ommitment to worker safety and health OSHA approved Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. as a Vo luntary Protection Programs Corporate participant in recognition of the company 's commitment to ensuring a safe environment for its more than 50,000 workers. Jacob s demonstrates a strong commitment to worker safety and health and VPP by establishing a standardized corporate-level safety and health management program, which is implemented organization- wide. Jacobs also has an internal screening process that evaluates the co mpany's facilities for safety and health performance. The company provides technical service s to facilities in aerospace and defense, pharmaceutical, and oil and gas industries , among others. See the news release for more information.

OSHA VPP recognizes employers and workers who have implemen ted exemplary workplace safety and health management systems. In VPP, management, labor and OSHA work together to prevent injuries, illnesses and wo rkplace hazards. To attain VPP status, employers must demonstrate management's commitment to the safety and health of their workers and involve them in safety and health manag ement systems.



### Electronic engineering company achieves significant injury and illness reduction through OSHA's free On-site Consultation Program The Denver-based B&C Electronic Engineering Inc. be gan working with the Colorado On

site Consultation Program in 2006 after an unscheduled inspection from OSHA in response to a worker complaint. At the time, the small busin ess' rate of OSHA recordable safety or health incidents was more than three times the nati onal industry average. Similarly, B&C's rate of injuries and illnesses resulting in lost, r estricted, or transferred days from work was significantly higher than the industry average.

The On-site Consultation Program helped the company address issues such as a lack of written hazard communication and evacuation plans. The consultant also worked with the company to develop a training manual for the proper handling and storage of lead-based paste used at the workplace and took samples to ens ure no workers were being exposed to excessive lead levels. The consultant found no indi cation of unsafe worker exposure. 

### Page 5 of 6 OSHA Quick Takes

-- Octoboer 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

9/29/2011 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt10012010.htmlThe company's high number of recordable incidents a nd rate of injuries and illnesses

impacting worker attendance or duties was an irregu larity that B&C quickly addressed. After working with the consultant, B&C felt a great er level of awareness and understanding of the significance of an effective safety and heal th management program and began pursuing recognition in the On-site Consultation Pr ogram's Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program . SHARP recognizes small employers who operate an e xemplary safety and health management system. B&C was accepted into SHARP in September 2008.



### Workplace safety and health subject of Pennsylvania governor's conference OSHA Assistant Secretary David Michaels will provid e a keynote speech at the 84th Annual Pennsylvania Governor's Occupational Safety and Hea lth Conference . The conference takes place Oct. 18-19 at the Hershey Lo dge and Convention Center. Workshops will offer information on subjects includ ing rigging requirements in construction, airborne infectious diseases, driver-related safety training, ergonomics and combustible dust hazards. The 2010 Governor's Award for Safety Excellence will be presented to employers who exemplify successful employer-worker joint safety programs. Visit the conference Web site for the complete agenda or to register online

.


### Job openings Are you interested in a career with the Department of Labor? The department has job opportunities throughout the country, including openings in OSHA for Safety and Occupational Health Managers and a Civil Engineer ( Structural).

See DOL's electronic newsletter for more DOL news.

Receive the free, twice monthly QuickTakesfaster and easier by subscribing to the RSS feed that delivers almost instant information. Visi t OSHA's RSS Feeds Web page to subscribe.

Editor: Richard De Angelis, OSHA Office of Communications, 202-693-1999 For more information on occupational safety and hea lth, visit OSHA's Web site

. 

### Page 6 of 6 OSHA Quick Takes

-- Octoboer 1, 2010 · Volume 9, Issue 19

9/29/2011 http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/quicktakes/qt10012010.html