U.S. Environment, Health & Safety Network

EHS Alerts on recent developments & issues of concern:

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Serious Workplace Injuries & Illnesses Cost U.S. Employers $1B/Week

OSHA enforcement actions are less frequent, but serious work-related injuries and illnesses are increasing and are costing U.S. employers more than $1 billion a week in workers compensation.

During 2020, the most common causes of serious disabling injuries & illnesses created a total of $58 billion in direct workers’ compensation costs.

Comparing categories of injury and illnesses that generate the highest workers’ compensation costs with the OSHA categories of citations offer a starting point for companies to address these costs and hazards.

According to the Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index [2020-workplace-safety-index], the most common categories of serious, nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were:

  1. Handling objects with overexertion involving outside sources – such as lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, carrying, or throwing ($14 billion)
  2. Falls on same level – slipping on a wet surface ($10.8 billion)
  3. Struck by object or equipment – includes objects falling from above ($6.1 billion)
  4. Falls to lower level – from a ladder or platform ($5.7 billion)
  5. Awkward postures involving other exertions or bodily reactions – from crawling, bending, reaching, twisting, climbing, kneeling or walking ($4.7 billion)
  6. Roadway incidents involving motorized land vehicle crashes, such as a car or truck ($3.6 billion)
  7. Slip or trip without a fall – from tripping over an object or resisting a fall ($2.1 billion)
  8. Repetitive motions – involving repeating motions or micro-tasks ($2.1 billion)
  9. Struck or colliding with equipment or objects – such as walking into an open drawer or a door ($2 billion)
  10. Caught in or compressed by equipment or objects – such as gears or rollers in running equipment or machines ($1.9 billion)

OSHA lists the top 10 most frequently cited standards during workplace inspections [https://www.osha.gov/Top_Ten_Standards.html] as:

  1. Fall protection for construction industry (29 CFR 1926.501) [OSHA fall protection page]
  2. Hazard communication standard for general industry (29 CFR 1910.1200) [OSHA HCS page]
  3. Respiratory protection for general industry (29 CFR 1910.134) [OSHA respiratory protection page]
  4. Scaffolding for general & construction industries (29 CFR 1926.451) [OSHA Scaffolding page]
  5. Ladders for construction industry (29 CFR 1926.1053) [OSHA fall protection page]
  6. Control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) for general industry (29 CFR 1910.147) [OSHA control of hazardous energy page]
  7. Powered industrial trucks for general industry (29 CFR 1910.178) [OSHA powered industrial trucks page]
  8. Fall Protection – training requirements (29 CFR 1926.503) [OSHA fall protection page]
  9. Eye & Face Protection for general industry (29 CFR 1926.102) [OSHA eye and face protection page]
  10. Machinery and Machine Guarding for general industry (29 CFR 1910.212) [OSHA machine guarding page]

There are substantial areas of overlap between the primary topics of OSHA's citations and the categories of injuries and illnesses that generate frequent workers' compensation claims. Companies can reduce costs while improving worker safety by focusing attention on the operations generating serious workplace injuries and illnesses. 

Submitted by June Bolstridge on 04/23/2021 - 17:27.

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Dropped Object Prevention Solutions – ANSI Standard for dropped objects & tool tethering

On July 2, 2018, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) approved the publication of ANSI/ISEA 121-2018, a new standard to reduce workplace injuries and deaths from falling objects [https://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI%2FISEA+121-2018].

Dropped objects include hand tools, instrumentation, small parts, structural components and other items that are transferred and used at heights in the workplace. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 52,000 “struck by falling object” OSHA recordable incidents occur each year, and 5% of 2015 U.S. workplace fatalities were from strikes by a falling object.

ANSI/ISEA 121-2018 standard establishes minimum design, performance, testing and labeling requirements for dropped object prevention (DOP) solutions that will be used to reduce dropped objects incidents and mitigate the hazards in industrial and occupational settings.

“Dynamic drop testing” required by the ANSI standard involves dropping an object of known weight multiple times, and if the DOP prevents a drop, it passes, but if the device breaks and the object drops, the DOP fails.

Submitted by June Bolstridge on 07/10/2018 - 00:00.

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SAICM: Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management -- 2020 Goal

The second Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) inter-sessional meeting was held March 13 to 15, 2018 in Stockholm. The meeting of Governments, NGOs and industry was a continuation of the discussion about a possible global platform for sound management of chemicals and waste beyond 2020, after SAICM`s mandate ends in 2020 [http://www.saicm.org/Beyond2020/IntersessionalProcess/SecondIntersessionalmeeting/tabid/6193/language/en-US/Default.aspx].

The International Conference on Chemicals Management (ICCM4) endorsed the Overall Orientation and Guidance for Achieving the 2020 Goal as a voluntary tool that sets out action points and will assist in the prioritization of SAICM implementation efforts toward 2020.

Six core activity areas were identified to achieve the SAICM 2020 goal:

  1. Enhance the responsibility of stakeholders 
  2. Establish and strengthen national legislative and regulatory frameworks for chemicals and waste 
  3. Mainstream the sound management of chemicals and waste in the sustainable development agenda 
  4. Increase risk reduction and information sharing efforts on emerging policy issues 
  5. Promote information access 
  6. Assess progress towards the 2020 goal of minimizing the adverse effects of chemicals on human health and the environment

ICCM4 urges stakeholders to implement the 11 basic elements of the Overall Orientation and Guidance. The SAICM secretariat is collecting information from regions and sectors in supporting the SAICM national focal points to undertake the action points set out in the Overall Orientation and Guidance. The 11 basic elements are critical at the national and regional levels to the attainment of sound chemicals and waste management:

  1. Legal frameworks that address the life cycle of chemicals and waste 
  2. Relevant enforcement and compliance mechanisms 
  3. Implementation of chemicals and waste-related multilateral environmental agreements, as well as health, labour and other relevant conventions and voluntary mechanisms 
  4. Strong institutional frameworks and coordination mechanisms among relevant stakeholders 
  5. Collection and systems for the transparent sharing of relevant data and information among all relevant stakeholders using a life cycle approach, such as the implementation of the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals 
  6. Industry participation and defined responsibility across the life cycle, including cost recovery policies and systems as well as the incorporation of sound chemicals management into corporate policies and practices 
  7. Inclusion of the sound management of chemicals and waste in national health, labour, social, environment and economic budgeting processes and development plans 
  8. Chemicals risk assessment and risk reduction through the use of best practices
  9. Strengthened capacity to deal with chemicals accidents, including institutional strengthening for poison centres 
  10. Monitoring and assessing the impacts of chemicals on health and the environment 
  11. Development and promotion of environmentally sound and safer alternatives

 

Submitted by June Bolstridge on 05/23/2018 - 19:48.

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Vision Zero: Making Workplace S&H More Economical & Effective for Businesses

“Vision Zero” is the first global campaign to reduce workplace accidents and occupational diseases to achieve the goal of zero incidents [http://visionzero.global/]. It is a voluntary program that engages companies to systematically reduce occupational accidents and diseases by investing in a healthy and motivated workforce. There are no audits, certifications, or review bodies – instead, Vision Zero offers companies another way to think about preventing workplace accidents and injuries.  
3 important benefits that Vision Zero offers your company:
  1. Paybacks on investment – a strong business case and economic foundation in research showing a $2 return for every dollar businesses spend on the prevention of accidents and other actions taken to establish safe and healthy work conditions.
  2. Accessible & easily adapted approaches – a prevention culture that fits within the established programs and existing priorities of the workplace or company and can be applied at all levels in the organization, and can be promoted both across global operations and extended through to supply chain partners.
  3. Opportunities for communication & insight – into world-class safety, health, or well-being strategies and approaches and achievements that have been tested and proven to be effective by other Vision Zero partners who are industry sector leaders & competitors.
“7 Golden Rules” of Vision Zero [available in: FR EN ES DE RU ZH-HANS AR]: are as follows:
  1. Leadership commitment – both “top-down” from the C-suite and “bottom-up” from the shop floor.
  2. Identify hazards & control risks – issues that drove past events & affect potential future outcomes.
  3. Set safety & health targets – apply strategies & identify any possible opportunities to improve.
  4. Ensure a safe & healthy system – employ comprehensive approaches & systematic analysis.
  5. Use safe & healthy equipment & technology – apply needed resources & tools throughout the site.
  6. Improve qualifications – share best practices and develop competence to move toward a goal of zero.
  7. Invest in people – motivate by participation at all levels so everyone can benefit.
For more detailed explanations of Vision Zero, and guides for implementation in workplaces, visit: http://visionzero.global/guides
JGE Global is a proud partner of Vision Zero. Our EHS network members were provided with a webinar to introduce Vision Zero in 2017, and JGE Global participated in the ISSA and National Institutes of Health (NIH) conference for the U.S. rollout of Vision Zero on May 10, 2018. Our members receive regular updates on the program’s global expansion, and detailed information on the benefits & opportunities that Vision Zero has shown that can be applied to their businesses.
Vision Zero was developed by ISSA (International Social Security Association) in Geneva, Switzerland https://www.issa.int/en/-/vision-zero-issa-launches-global-campaign-for-zero-accidents-diseases-and-harm-at-work as the first ever global campaign to improve safety, health and wellbeing at work. The campaign aims to engage companies worldwide to systematically cut down on occupational accidents and diseases by investing in a healthy and motivated workforce. Mr. Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Secretary General of ISSA, oversees a global program of activities on social and workplace issues, including Vision Zero.  Previously, he was Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, which provides workplace safety and health information and promotes a prevention culture.Submitted by June Bolstridge on 05/10/2018 - 00:00.

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OSHA Guidance is Petroleum Refineries’ Roadmap to PSM Audits

OSHA’s newest Process Safety Management (PSM) booklet titled “Process Safety Management for Petroleum Refineries” contains lessons learned from 10 years of OSHA’s Petroleum Refinery Process Safety Management National Emphasis Program (NEP). This guidance for petroleum refineries is the latest document aimed at improving compliance with OSHA’s standard, and provides a roadmap to specific areas that OSHA will focus on during PSM audits of the petroleum industry, and the gaps they expect in those PSM programs.

OSHA says that the petroleum industry has had more fatal or catastrophic PSM-related incidents than any other sector. Common areas of petroleum refineries non-compliance with PSM by identified by OSHA’s guidance, include:

Operating Procedures

  • Written operating procedures: completely absent written operating procedures and frequent deviation from written operating procedures. [OSHA’s possible solutions to assure operating procedures are followed and revised when necessary are: having a strong employee participation plan, and scheduling annual reviews of operating procedures just before a relevant, planned event (e.g., review shutdown procedures before scheduled maintenance).]
  • Safe work practices: deficient safe work practices for lockout/tagout, line breaks, and hot work permits.
  • Emergency shutdown: failure to identify conditions requiring emergency shutdown, and failure to designate personnel responsible for emergency shutdown procedures.

Process Safety Information (PSI)

  • Facility siting: non-compliance and non-documentation of “recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices” (RAGAGEP) in facility siting, including OSHA API RP-752.
  • Piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs) for process equipment: failure to maintain accurate, complete, and current P&IDs for process equipment.
  • Relief system design & design basis: failure to document relief system design and basis.

Process Hazard Analysis (PHA)

  • Unresolved PHA findings: failure to establish a system to promptly address PHA findings and recommendations, ensure that findings and recommendations are resolved timely, and document resolution.
  • Facility siting: failure to consider facility siting of temporary and permanent structures, equipment, and parking lots.
  • Human factors: inadequate consideration of human factors and overreliance on administrative controls, including: lack of access to process controls during emergencies, clear emergency exit routes, and labelling on equipment.

Management of Change (MOC)

  • Inadequate application of MOC: failure to apply MOC for equipment redesign (e.g. installing control valve bypasses), changes in operating and maintenance procedures, modifications to existing structures, and temporary changes.

Mechanical Integrity

  • Equipment deficiencies: failure to correct equipment deficiencies found to be outside acceptable limits.
  • Inspections: insufficient measurements (e.g. failure to inspect boiler thickness at appropriate location points), failure to address inconsistencies in measurements, and unacceptable or unestablished inspection frequencies.
  • Improper procedures for the specific process: failure to tailor mechanical integrity procedures to the unique characteristics of PSM covered processes.

OSHA also has found that PSM inspections at oil refineries frequently identify violations of OSHA PSM standards for flammable and combustible liquids, hazard communication, confined spaces, hazardous locations, personal protective equipment, and lockout/tagout, and the following OSHA standards were cited in the NEP:

  • Flammable and Combustible Liquids (29 CFR 1910.106)
  • Hazard Communication (HazCom) (29 CFR 1910.1200)
  • Permit-Required Confined Spaces (29 CFR 1910.146)
  • Hazardous (Classified) Locations (29 CFR 1910.307)
  • Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) (29 CFR 1910.132)
  • Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147)

OSHA’s PSM standard (29 CFR 1910.119) requires managing industrial processes that contain above threshold quantities to prevent accidental and unintended releases of highly hazardous (toxic and flammable) chemicals. Earlier in 2017, OSHA issued PSM guidance documents focused on other industries:

 

[Note:  For a detailed analysis of the types of facilities and employees being targeted by the OSHA PSM inspections, and the resources that OSHA is providing to NEP inspectors, subscribe to JGE Global's U.S. EHS Network.  Click here for information on our EHS Networks, or contact: Cord Jones  cordjones@jgeglobal.net(link sends e-mail) 240-423-0025]

Submitted by June Bolstridge on 09/10/2017 - 00:00.

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Clean Energy Technologies: 2017 Progress Report for 29 Countries

The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released its annual report on Tracking Clean Energy Progress (TCEP) http://www.iea.org/publications/freepublications/publication/TrackingCleanEnergyProgress2017.pdf to explain the progress of clean energy in the 29 member countries.

This 116-page report was released on 6 June 2017:

• Tracks clean energy progress toward long-term goals,

• Assesses the latest developments in the technologies and markets, and recommends further actions.

• Describes the status, recent developments and new deployments of key clean-energy technologies,

• Integrates the analysis from the IEA Energy Technology Perspectives and Market Report Series.

• Includes a section on Tracking Clean Energy Innovation Progress to explain the current public and private investments in R&D and demonstration projects, and identify where investment is needed to develop secure and sustainable energy systems that support economic growth and reduce air pollution.

The 2017 TCEP report found 3 of 26 clean energy technologies are on track to meet sustainable energy goals (electric vehicles; energy storage; solar PV and onshore wind). Another 15 of the technologies made some progress, and 8 are significantly delayed and require renewed actions. [For information on the status of each technology, see the dashboard at: http://www.iea.org/etp/tracking2017/.]

For predictions of the expected developments in clean energy and emissions reductions between 2014 and 2060, see the analysis tool available from the International Energy Agency at:  http://www.iea.org/etp/explore/

Submitted by June Bolstridge on 07/29/2017 - 00:00.

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JGE Global is pleased to offer these public pages, but you need to join our U.S. EHS Network for full access to the best corporate EHS resources for:

  • Understanding effects of changes in EPA, OSHA, & State requirements and enforcement initiatives;
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  • Expert contacts & sources of additional resources.

For information on subscribing to our U.S. EHS Network, or to attend one of our meetings as a guest, contact: Cord Jones at JGE Global:  cordjones@jgeglobal.net (+01) 240.423.0025

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