Hazardous Materials Managers News

A leader is not just something you “are” or “do,” but it’s something you have to “be.” This is the mantra of Founder and CEO of ProAct Safety Terry Mathis at this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. Unfortunately, he adds, there are flaws that cripple effectiveness of being a leader.

Setting a bad example
Creating resistance
Avoiding failure
Managing results

Value each worker’s input. “You don’t want to do anything
unless it adds value,” says former OSHA Assistant Secretary of Labor John Henshaw, in today’s panel discussion at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. Managers must engage their workers and make
them feel needed and appreciated in order to gain employee commitment, he adds.
This will ensure higher productivity and

EPA’s Campus RainWorks Challenge invites college and university students to design a green, innovative water infrastructure project for their campus. Students are encouraged to use green infrastructure (e.g., vegetation, soils and natural processes) to help manage stormwater and address related water resource issues. The agency hopes to engage those interested in urban planning, design and

U.S. Food and Drug Administration, NIOSH and OSHA, posted a joint safety communication encouraging healthcare professionals in surgical settings to use blunt-tip suture needles to suture muscle and fascia, when clinically appropriate, to reduce the risk of needlestick injury and subsequent pathogen transmission.

Needlestick injuries continue to occur in surgical settings when suturing muscle

The Joint Commission R3 Report provides information about the 2012 flu vaccine requirement. “The organization states that although vaccination is the “single most effective method” for preventing influenza deaths and illnesses, the Department of Health and Human Services reports that vaccination rates for healthcare professionals remain below 60%. Learn more here. 

Businesses that use leading indicators (rather than lagging indicators) can better spot problem areas and take action before someone gets hurt, non-compliance occurs, a client is disappointed or the EHS culture/reputation is negatively affected, says Fluor Corp. HSE Vice President Jeff Ruebesam, at this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. Leading indicator metrics

For a company to succeed long term, it must have a high performance work system, says Technology Leadership Association President Richard Fulwiler, at this year’s International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. To succeed, there must be trust and commitment, both of which are best nurtured when the workforce is engaged, and safety and employee well-being are part of the culture.

In “Which is Better, Sitting or Standing?” Humantech’s Blake McGowan, CPE, notes that while standing at work seems to be gaining favor, the health implications associated from standing too much may be being overlooked. “Before we all get rid of our office chairs, we may want to understand the health consequences associated with prolonged standing which include work-related musculoskeletal

Research
shows that mechanical lifting systems used in hospitals, care facilities and
private homes have been the source of injury, and even death, to clients and
attendants, according to a hazard
alert from Nova Scotia. These incidents are mainly related to the
malfunction, failure or misuse of patient lifts, and new hazards include
falling suspended parts, dropped loads, equipment failure,

Each week, U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) highlights an energy-related photo on its website, Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. The photos are favorite energy-related picks by agency employees. Check out this week’s photo of the first digital computer at Argonne National Laboratory.

“Safety pays. Falls cost.” That’s the slogan of the new
national fall prevention campaign launched by NIOSH, OSHA, CPWR and the NORA
Construction Sector Council. According to the BLS, more than 10,000
construction workers were hurt and another 225 killed at work in 2010 after
falling from a height. In fact, falls from heights cause the second-highest
rate of nonfatal injuries and illnesses

The International Union of Electronic,
Electrical, Salaried, Machine and Furniture Workers, in collaboration with BlueGreen Alliance, has released a tool that
allows workers to look up both the acute and chronic effects of the 10,000 most
commonly used chemicals. The Chemical Hazard
and Alternatives Toolkit (ChemHAT) is a free online database featuring a
wide range of chemical health effects

Kent Hatcher’s article “Manual Material Handling: Why Do We Need Limits?”, from the latest issue of the Ergonomics Practice Specialty’s publication Interface, highlights the importance of building a conceptual bridge between the athletic performance of an Olympian and the work performance of an industrial “athlete.”

Hatcher advises that corporate ergonomists and plant safety professionals

OSHA has decided to extend its temporary enforcement measures in residential construction for 3 more months. This will extend the measures until Dec. 15, 2012. According to the agency, the enforcement rules include priority free on-site compliance aid, penalty reductions, rules to ensure consistency and increased outreach. OSHA also states that it will continue to work withe employers to ensure

The
health and safety techniques developed during the 2012 Olympic build can be mimicked in other construction projects to prevent injuries and fatalities, according
to a recent study by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
and the U.K. Health and Safety Executive. From the findings, IOSH identified
best practices in five key areas that could be used in construction

This Labor Day, NIOSH
Director John Howard takes time to thank working men and women for all that
they do:

“We celebrate
the pride and dedication of our working men and women. Two hundred years ago,
those qualities in the American work force propelled the growth of our young
nation’s trans-Atlantic trade economy. In the last century, they were
indispensable in the success of our manufacturing

In the article, “Employee Onboarding: Where Safety & HR Meet” from the latest issue of ASSE’s Human Resources (HR) Branch’s publication HR Solutions, Trent Shuford explains how employee “onboarding” goes beyond standard new hire procedures to educate and integrate employees into an organization by introducing them to policies, procedures, personnel, rules, traditions and anything else that

According to an EPA news release, the Obama Administration finalized new standards that will increase fuel efficiency for cars and light-duty trucks to 54.5 mpg by model year 2025. The new standards, along with previous standards, will almost double the fuel efficiency of new cars compared to current cars.

"This historic agreement builds on the progress we’ve already made to save families money

ASSE has updated its fact sheet, which provides key information about the Society and all it has to offer. The fact sheet is a quick reference guide for anyone interested in the organization and occupational safety and health. Key topics include professional development, practices and standards, ASSE publications, membership and additional information. The resource also provides information on

The Voluntary Protection Programs Participants’ Association (VPPPA) National Board of Directors has appointed a new executive director: Susan J. Sikes. She succeeds R. Davis Layne, former VPPPA executive director, who retired from the position in July.

"In our search for a replacement for Davis Layne our attention quickly turned to someone all of us have known for numerous years, but who also

In preparation of Hurricane
Isaac, Schneider
Electric warns businesses to take extreme caution when dealing with electrical
equipment. The following precautions help ensure employee safety and avoid
costly damage both to physical equipment and the financial losses of a
prolonged shutdown:

Electrical
equipment that has been submerged or come into contact with water must be
replaced,