Workplace Distractions

Some workplace distractions and interruptions are unavoidable but others – if not properly controlled or regulated — could lead to injuries, lost productivity, and a decrease in worker morale. Workplace distractions and interruptions are common, but training can help workers remember to keep their mind on the task at hand.
Work interruptions are a distraction that can result in work errors or accidents. Before addressing or responding to another person, workers should shut down or disengage any work tool, equipment, or processes. Job training should include instructions not to interrupt others during a critical job phase or process. Instruction manuals and procedural guidebooks should be kept on site to answer frequently asked questions and thereby eliminate the need to interrupt or distract other workers.
Electronic devices such as cell phones, IPods, and PDAs can be the source of serious distractions in some work environments. In some work environments wearing a headset with low volume music can be relaxing to workers and help them to safely focus on their work. However, wearing headphones on a construction or industrial site can be dangerous if it prevents workers from hearing warning signals, mobile equipment backup alarms, and safety instructions. Walking around while talking on the phone or wearing a headset distracts your attention from safety and could result in a slip or fall or cause you to run into or be struck by something or someone.
Speak up about repeated and/or unsafe distractions and instruct employees to think and take responsibility for not interrupting or distracting others.

Understanding the Claims Process: The Employer’s Role

Registration is preferred no later than Friday, March 25, 2011.

Date
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
9:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Santa Barbara City College
721 Cliff Drive
Room EBS-102, Earth & Bio Science
Santa Barbara, CA 93109

 

State Fund claims professionals will address guidelines for employers to follow once an injury occurs.

Topics will include:

• Steps to be taken prior to an injury
• Reporting responsibilities
• Types of benefits
• Claims cost-saving measures
• Tips for claims management

State Fund Safety Seminar February 24th

Understanding the Claims Process: The Employer’s Role

State Fund claims professionals will address guidelines for employers to follow once an injury occurs.

Topics will include:

• Steps to be taken prior to an injury
• Reporting responsibilities
• Types of benefits
• Claims cost-saving measures
• Tips for claims management

Registration is preferred no later than Friday, February 18, 2011.

Thursday, February 24, 2011
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Sacramento Regional Builders Exchange
1331 T Street
Sacramento, CA 95811

Register Here

Personal Protective Equipment and Clothing Checklist

State Fund has available an easy to use hazard checklist for providing appropriate Personal Protective Equipment for your employees. A checklist is helpful in hazard identification and a great tool for inspection documentation.

Check out the other hazard checklists available at http://www.statefundca.com/safety/HazardChecklists.asp

Emergency in the Workplace

Check out this article provided by State Fund for employee communication in the event of an emergency.
http://www.statefundca.com/safety/safetymeeting/SafetyMeetingArticle.aspx?ArticleID=37

Supervisors Guide to Heat Illness Prevention

Thanks, once again, to Liz Johnson of Kit Fox RV Park for sharing their guide to heat illness prevention for supervisors.

SUPERVISORS GUIDE TO HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION

As an employee  supervisor, you are responsible for:

1. Understanding factors leading to heat illnesses.

2. The importance of drinking water frequently when it is really hot.

3. Making sure that sufficient water is available for the people you     supervise.

4. Knowing the different symptoms of the different types of heat illnesses.

5. Knowing what to do in an emergency.

6. Knowing how to provide clear directions to your work site to emergency medical providers such as ambulances.

What is Heat Illnesses?

Heat illnesses are caused by a buildup of body heat generated either internally by muscle use or externally by the environment or both. Here are some factors that can lead to heat illnesses either alone or in combination.

Environmental factors leading to heat illnesses:

1. High temperature.

2. High humidity.

3. Direct sun or heat.

4. Limited or no air movement.

Personal factors leading to heat Illnesses:

1. Amount of physical exertion.

2. Poor physical condition and age.

3. Alcohol and caffeine consumption.

4. Some medicines (such as diuretics … water pills) may make some people more sensitive to heat illnesses.

5.   Some medical conditions such as high blood pressure or some heart conditions may make some people more sensitive to heat illnesses.

Preventing heat illnesses for workers and yourself:

1. Wear loose fitting clothing and a hat with a good brim to keep the sun off your head and face.

2. Drink plenty of water to replace the fluids you lose from sweating.

3. Feeling thirsty is not a reliable sign that your body needs fluids. If your urine is dark yellow, you need to drink more water.

4. Avoid caffeine because it is a diuretic (makes you urinate more).

5. It is better to drink small amounts more often than big gulps less

often.

6. Take rest breaks.

7. If you haven’t worked for two or more weeks, you need to give yourself time to get used to working in the heat again.

Kinds of heat illnesses:

Heat exhaustion happens when a worker sweats a lot and doesn’t drink enough fluids. The worker looks wet, pale, and weak.

Signs and symptoms:

1. Sweaty

2. Weak or tired, possibly giddy.

3. Nausea

4. Normal or slightly higher body temperature

5. Pale, clammy skin (sometimes flushed)

What to do:

1. Allow the worker to rest in the shade for 5 minutes or so

2. Drink water. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as colas, ice tea or coffee

3. Loosen clothing.

4. Have employee fan him or herself and dampen clothing.

5. In severe cases involving vomiting or fainting, you should seek emergency medical care.

Heat Stroke:

Heat stroke is the most serious heat illness but it is not very common. It is caused by the failure of the body to regulate its core temperature. Sweating stops and the body cannot get rid of excess heat.

1. Dry, hot skin with no sweating – usually red or bluish color.

2. Mental confusion or losing consciousness.

3. Seizures or fits.

What to Do:

4. Move employee to a shaded area.

5. Soak the person with cool water.

6. Fan the person vigorously to increase cooling.

7. Call 911—-heat stroke is serious and can be fatal.

8. If you can’t reach 911, call your supervisor.

In case of an emergency or if you aren’t sure:

1. Call your foreman by radio and request immediate medical help

2.  If necessary, your supervisor will call 911 directly.

3. You should always know the address or location of where you are working so you

can give directions to emergency medical providers if needed.

Proving water:

Each employee is to be provided with a quart of water per hour. Our water jugs hold ten gallons … that is equal to 40 quarts. That is enough for 20 people for two hours. It is your responsibility to calculate how many jugs you need and how often they will need to be refilled to supply your crew with enough water for the day’s work. If you run out of water, you must stop working until more water has been supplied.

HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION (ADDENDUM)

Purpose:

To provide a safe and healthful working environment and protect employees who are exposed to temperature extremes, radiant heat, humidity, or limited air movement while working from heat related illnesses.

Policy:

The workplace will be evaluated to determine if  employees are at risk from heat related illnesses during temperature extremes and hot weather while working. If it is determined that employees are at risk they will be trained to be aware of heat related illnesses, how to prevent heat related illnesses, the symptoms of heat related illnesses, and procedures to take if symptoms are present.

Implementation of Employers NameHeat Illness Prevention Program:

Employers Name will implement this Heat Illness Prevention Program when employees are at risk of heat related illnesses while they are working and are exposed to a combination of environmental risk factors such as temperature extremes, radiant heat, humidity, limited air movement, protective clothing, workload severity and duration.

(Employer can also use a pre-determined temperature, heat index graph or any other method the employer deems appropriate. Keep in mind the different environmental risk factors such as temperature, humidity, level of exertion, clothing or Personal Protective Equipment [PPE], and other sources of heat and individual risk factors or susceptibility for heat illness.)

Training:

Training will be provided prior to job assignment:

Employee Training:

Training in the following topics will be provided to all supervisory and non-supervisory employees:

1. Environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness

2. Procedures for identifying, evaluating, and controlling exposures to the

environmental and personal risk factors for heat illness.

3. The importance of frequent consumption of water

4. The importance of acclimatization

5. The different types of heat illness and the common signs and symptoms of heat

illness.

6. The importance of immediately reporting to the employer or designee symptoms or signs

of heat illness.

7. Procedures for responding to symptoms of possible heat illness, including how

emergency medical services will be provided should they become necessary.

8. Procedures for contacting emergency medical services, and if necessary, for transporting

employees to a point where they can be reached by medical service personnel.

9. How to provide clear and precise directions to the work site.

Supervisor Training:

Prior to assignment to supervision of employees working in the heat, training on the following topics will occur:

1. The information provided for employee training

2. Procedures the supervisor will follow to implement controls as determined by the

employer.

3. Procedures the supervisor will follow when an employee exhibits symptoms consistent

with possible heat illness, including emergency response procedures.

4. Procedures for contacting emergency medical services, and if necessary, for transporting

employees to a point where they can be reached by medical service personnel

5. how to provide clear and precise directions to the work site.

Controls for reducing heat exposure:

Employers Name (The employer will address how they will reduce the potential for heat stress to occur. This could be a work / rest regimen, starting jobs earlier and ending earlier to avoid the hot times of the day, provisions for gaining access to shade, identifying the onset of heat related symptoms and the methods used to cool an employee off, etc.)

Provisions for water:

An adequate supply of potable drinking water will be supplied to employees per safety standards (at a minimum – 1 quart per hour, per person).

“Heat related illness” - means a serious medical condition resulting from the body’s inability to cope with a particular heat load, and includes heat cramps, heat exhaustion, heat syncope and heat stroke.

“Environmental risk factors for heat illness” - means working conditions that create the possibility that heat illness could occur, including air temperature, relative humidity, radiant heat from the sun and other sources, conductive heat sources such as the ground, air movement, workload severity and duration, protective clothing and personal protective equipment worn by employees. These conditions will be considered when determining that (the employer) is implementing controls and methods to reduce the potential for heat related illness.

“Personal risk factors for heat illness” - means factors such as an individual’s age, degree of acclimatization, health, water consumption, alcohol consumption, caffeine consumption, and use of prescription medications that affect the body’s water retention or other physiological responses to heat.

“Preventative recovery period” - means a period of time to recover from the heat in order to prevent heat illness.

“Provision of water”: - means that employees shall have access to potable drinking water. Where it is not plumbed or otherwise continuously supplied, it shall be provided in sufficient quantity at the beginning of the work shift to provide one quart per employee per hour for drinking for the entire shift. Employers may begin the shift with smaller quantities of water if they have effective procedures for replenishment during the shift as needed to allow employees to drink one quart or more per hour. The frequent drinking of water shall be encouraged. Employees will be notified of the location of potable drinking water and encouraged to drink

“Shade” - means blockage of direct sunlight. Canopies, umbrellas and other temporary structures or devices may be used to provide shade. Some shade producing areas are not adequate to cool the body; for instance, a car sitting in the sun does not provide acceptable shade to a person inside it, unless the car is running with air conditioning.

First Aid awareness and actions in the event of a heat related illness:

The following chart helps employees recognize the main types of heat related illnesses, symptoms, and the appropriate treatment to reduce the effects of the heat related illness.

		Symptoms	Treatment
Heat cramps		Muscle  spasms in legs or	Move person to a cooler location.
		Abdomen.
			Stretch muscles for camps
			or electrolyte- containing fluid to
			drink.
Heat exhaustion		headaches	Move person to a cooler place
		Headaches clumsiness	(do not leave alone)
		Clumsiness Dizziness/lightheadednes	Loosen and remove heavy
		Dizziness. lightheadedness/fainting	clothing that restricts evaporative
		Weakness/exhaustion	cooling
		Heavy sweating/clammy/moist Heavy sweating/clammy  sweating/clammy/moist skin sweating/clammy/moist skin sweating/clammy/moist	If conscious, provide small
		skin.	amounts of cool water to drink
		Irritability/condition	Fan person, spray with cool
		Nausea/vomiting Nausea/vomiting	water, or apply a wet cloth to skin to
		paleness paleness	increase evaporative cooling
			Call 911 if not feeling better
			within a few minutes
Heat stroke			Call 911
		Sweating may or may not be	Move person to a cooler place
		present red or flushed, hot dry	(do not leave alone)
		Red or flushed, hot dry skin	Cool worker rapidly
		bizarre behavior	Loosen and remove heavy
		mental confusion or loss of	Clothing that restricts evaporative
		consciousness	cooling
		panting/rapid breathing	Fan person, spray with cool
		rapid, weak pulse	water, or apply a wet cloth to skin to
		seizures or fits.	increase evaporative cooling

Outline detailed procedures for how emergency medical services will be provided should they become necessary at each individual work site:

Employee Guide to Heat Illness Prevention

Thank you to Liz Johnson of Kit Fox RV Park for sharing their guide to heat illness prevention for employees. This valuable tool can be shared with your staff to educate them about the dangers of heat illness and how to protect themselves.

EMPLOYEE GUIDE TO HEAT ILLNESS PREVENTION

Heat illnesses are caused by a buildup of body heat generated either internally by muscle use or externally by the environment or both. Employers Name , as your employer, your supervisor and you all have an essential role to play in preventing any heat illness. To help you, we provide you with the following information.

Environmental Factors leading to heat Illnesses:

1. High temperature

2. High humidity

3. Direct sun or heat

4. Limited or no air movement

Personal factors leading to heat Illnesses:

1. Amount of physical exertion.

2. Poor physical condition and age.

3. Alcohol and caffeine consumption

4. Some medicines (such as diuretics … water pills) may make some people more sensitive to heat illnesses.

5. Some medical conditions such as high blood pressure or some heart conditions may make some people more sensitive to heat illnesses.

Preventing heat illnesses:

1. Wear loose fitting clothing and a hat with a good brim to keep the sun off your head

and face.

2. Drink plenty of water to replace the fluids you lose from sweating.

3. Feeling thirsty is not a reliable sign that your body needs fluids.

If your urine is dark yellow, you need to drink more water.

4. Avoid caffeine because it is a diuretic (makes you urinate more).

5. It is better to drink small amounts more often than big gulps less often.

6. Take rest breaks.

7. If you haven’t worked for two or more weeks, you need to give yourself time to get used to working in the heat again.

Kinds of Heat Illnesses:

Heat exhaustion: Heat exhaustion happens when a worker sweats a lot and doesn’t drink enough fluids.

The worker looks wet, white and weak.

Signs and Symptoms:

1. Sweaty

2. Weak or tired, possibly giddy 3 Nausea

4. Normal or slightly higher body temperature

5. Pale, clammy skin (sometimes flushed)

What to Do:

1. Tell your supervisor

2. Rest in the shade

3. Drink water. Avoid caffeinated drinks such as colas, ice tea or coffee

4. Loosen clothing

5. Fan yourself and dampen clothing.

6. In severe cases involving vomiting or fainting, you should seek emergency medical care

Heat Stroke: Heat stroke is the most serious heat illness but it is not very common.  It is caused by the failure of the body to regulate its core temperature. Sweating stops and the body cannot get rid of excess heat.

Signs and Symptoms:

1. Dry, hot skin with no sweating – usually red or bluish color.

2. Mental confusion or losing consciousness.

3. Seizures or fits.

What to Do:

4. Tell your supervisor (or co-worker, anyone).

5. Move to a shaded area.

6. Soak the person with cool water.

7. Fan the person vigorously to increase cooling.

In case of an emergency:

1. Tell your supervisor if you or a co-worker are suffering from a heat illness.

2. Your supervisor will contact the foreman by radio and request immediate medical help.

3. If necessary, your supervisor will call 911 directly.

4. You should always know the address or location of where you are working so you can give  directions to emergency medical providers if needed.

CalChamber Offers Free Webinar on Heat Illness

A free live web seminar providing information on heat illness training from the Cal/OSHA experts who create, implement and enforce the requirements is being offered by CalBizCentral, the source for California business and human resource compliance products, presented by the California Chamber of Commerce.

The heat illness prevention seminar will be held on July 29, 10 a.m.–10:30 a.m.
The seminar will feature Len Welsh, chief of Cal/OSHA, and John Duncan, director of the California Department of Industrial Relations, and is geared for companies that employ outdoor workers.

Topics to be covered include Cal/OSHA’s recommended best practices for meeting the requirements regarding shade, water and outdoor worker safety.

To register or for more information, visit www.calbizcentral.com/training.

National Safety Month – Protect your staff this and every month!

This June, The Safety Spot joins the efforts of State Fund and the National Safety Council (NSC) in promoting National Safety Month. We hope you will join with us in doing your part to reduce the number injuries and accidents in the workplace – Not just this month, but all year long.

In addition to the physical and emotion pain that employees face as a result of accidental injury in the workplace, employers are presented with a myriad of other problems including: lost wages and productivity, damaged property and an increase in medical, administrative and insurance expenses.

Advance planning combined with comprehensive safety training for your employees can prevent accidental injuries in the workplace.

Did you know that California Labor Code requires every employer to provide a safe and healthful place to work for his/her employees?

Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) requires every employer to have an effective Injury and Illness Prevention Program in writing.

Do YOU have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program at your workplace? How can you be sure that it meets all legal requirements?

Cal/OSHA provides a comprehensive guide to creating an Injury and Illness Prevention Program. It can be viewed at: http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/dosh_publications/iipp.html

Additionally, Cal/OSHA Consultation Services provide free assistance to employers – like you! Consultation Services can suggest sources both governmental and private for information, advice and training aids to help you develop and maintain your safety program. Consultations are free, and other services are available at a cost.

You may request these services by calling your Cal/OSHA District Office directly.

Do you have questions or comments on how to keep your workplace safe? Perhaps you’d like to see us cover a certain safety topic here at The Safety Spot. Please e-mail Samantha@calarvc.com with your suggestions – and have a safe summer!

Keep yourself and staff safe from Swine Flu.

Swine Flu, or the H1N1 Virus, has been a top concern for many travelers in recent weeks; however, there is currently no cause for alarm. It is important to differentiate facts about H1N1 from incorrect information that has circulated in the media and on the internet.

What is the H1N1 Virus?

The H1N1 Virus has similar symptoms to the regular seasonal flu, including: fever, couch, sore throat, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Other symptoms, such as diarrhea and vomiting have been reported as well.

The virus, which is rare in humans, causes a respiratory infection. The incubation period for the virus is 1-7 days. It is spread much in the same way that the regular seasonal flu is spread – mainly through person to person contact such as coughing and sneezing.

It cannot be spread through eating pork or pork products. Additionally, H1N1 is not thought to be spread through contact with water supplies including drinking water sources as well as contact with swimming pools, rivers or lakes.

How serious is the threat of H1N1?

 It is important to note that the number of cases of H1N1 is still limited. By comparison, approximately 20,000 individuals are hospitalized each year from complications from the regular seasonal flu each year. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, 36,000 people die each year from the flu or flu-related complications such as pneumonia.

Is it safe to travel?

It is important to note that the CDC has not issued a travel warning to any areas in the U.S.. The only area that currently has any restrictions is Mexico.

How can I protect myself, my employees and my customers from H1N1?

While there is currently no vaccine to protect against H1N1, there are a number of things you can do to prevent the spread of germs that cause H1N1 and other illnesses.

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after coughing or sneezing.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth to prevent the spread of germs.
• Avoid contact with people who are, or appear to be, sick.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Afterwards, throw the tissue away and wash your hands.
• Stay home and avoid contact with others, except to seek medical care, if you are feeling sick. Encourage employees to do the same.
• Educate your staff on H1N1 and the spread of germs, including proper hand-washing techniques.
• Ensure common use areas at your workplace, such as restrooms and shared office equipment are regularly sanitized.

Other links & resources from the Center for Disease Control:

H1N1 Flu and You, Questions & Answers 

H1N1 Flu, Guidance for Professionals 

H1N1 Flu, Brochure