Meeting Related

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

November’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz:

“Team SAFER,

SAFER November 2, 2016 7:30 am – 10:00 am New England Institute for Technology (NEIT) 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI Room CT 235

The November meeting is located room CT 235 (NOT the Hall of Fame Room).  Is your employer working on a multi-employer worksite (NOT limited to a construction worksite)?  If they are, your employer may be considered to be controlling, correcting, exposing or creating?  Why does this matter, you ask – join us Wednesday to learn more about OSHA CPL 2-0.124 Multi-Employer Citation Policy .

Here are some additional resources that you may find informative:

  1. OSHA Field Operations Manual  CPL 02-00-160 FOM – see Chapter VII Section 3 paragraph 3-19
  2. American Bar Association white paper entitled, FOUR BIRDS WITH ONE STONE? ISSUES IN MULTI-EMPLOYER WORKSITE
  3. US Court of Appeals Eight Circuit 07-2191 Summit Contractors vs. OSHRC

Please RSVP to Bob Kunz at bkunz@dimeo.com if you would like to attend.  Please ensure that SAFER is in subject line”.

Meeting Related

Ocotober’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz:

Team SAFER,

The October meeting is located room CT 245 (NOT the Hall of Fame Room).  Violence in the workplace is persisting.  Consequently, we will be discussing this important topic once again.

What is workplace violence anyway?  And, what can we do?

Join your peers for an interactive discussion on this important subject.  Below, are some resource links for your consideration and reference:

OSHA Publication

https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/workplaceviolence/

DHS Violence in the Federal Workplace: A Guide for Prevention and Response

https://www.dhs.gov/sites/default/files/publications/ISC%20Violence%20in%20%20the%20Federal%20Workplace%20Guide%20April%202013.pdf

DHS Active Shooter Preparedness

https://www.dhs.gov/active-shooter-preparedness

DHS Active Shooter How to Respond

http://alerts.si.edu/docs/DHS_ActiveShooterBook.pdf

DHS Run, Hide, Fight (Video)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5VcSwejU2D0

Fleet, Meeting Related

September’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz:

Team SAFER,

Are you ready for some SAFETY discussions?  It’s here, the 2016-17 SAFER seminar series.  In early August, while the rest of you were hard at play (or work), the steering committee worked diligently to develop an exciting series.

We hope that you can join us on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 from 7:30 am to 10:00 am to kick-off the series.  The program will focus upon Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and Driver Fitness.  If your fleet operates a vehicle(s) with a GVWR of 10,001 or more lbs. you should plan to attend.  Our discussion leaders will be Lt. David Medeiros, RI State Police (retired) and Wayne Estes, Atmed Occupation Medicine.

Of course, there will be coffee and calories served.

Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com .

Crystalline Silica, Meeting Related

April Mtg – Update #2

Additional information on Silica from Bob Kunz:

“Team,

As a followed to the April 2016 SAFER meeting on Silica, please find the following:

I hope this helps answer questions”.

Attached is ANSI.Z87.1.2003. Table E-1 is being removed from 1926.102 at the end of the month.

SAFER wishes to thank the following people for providing great information on the latest changes to the silica standard and how to prepare and get ready to meet the new requirements that go into effect 14 months from now:

  • John Goins, OSHA Compliance Officer
  • Bob Kunz, Dimeo Construction & SAFER Chairman
  • Linda Peacock, HILTI North America

SAFER Also thanks New England Institute of Technology for providing the meeting room and GT Safety for sponsoring the continental breakfast.

The focus of the meeting was the new OSHA standards related to silica for Construction and General Industries.

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Silica – Final Rule effective 6-23-2016

Construction compliance by 6-23-2017 and General Industry  compliance by 6-23-2018

As you may be aware, OSHA published the final rule for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Silica on 3-23-2016.  OSHA has developed a web page that contains the final rule, fact sheets, question and answer white paper, for example – see link:  https://www.osha.gov/silica/index.html .

The new permissible exposure level (PEL) for construction is 50 µg/m3, which is the equivalent of 5 grains of sand in 264 gallons of water (approximately five 55 gallon drums).

We will discuss the final rule, to ensure that your firm is prepared to comply with the requirements codified within same.  Compliance with the final rule, may require:

  • Development of written plan or program
  • Employee qualification |surveillance | training
  • Equipment and tool evaluation
  • Objective data acquisition | evaluation

The increased conversation concerning silica within the community may impact insurance program considerations, as well.

Electrical, Meeting Related, OSHA Related

June’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz: Team SAFER,

Are you ready for the weekend?  Any weekend warriors out there?  If yes, please use ladders and hand and power tools properly, utilize personal fall arrest (or restraint) when exposed to fall hazards, keep 10’ away from overhead power lines (call National Grid to coordinate outage, and wear PPE when exposed to noise, flying objects, chemicals, etc.

If you are driving a motor vehicle, wear your seat belt, do not drink and drive, pull over if you are fatigued, stay out of left lane, except to pass, adhere to speed limit, etc. This weekend, local and state police have special enforcement activities including checkpoints.

The next meeting is June 1, 2016 from 8-10 am. Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com with SAFER in subject line.

The main topic is NFPA 70E.

The agenda for the June meeting follows:

Lessons learned from Ken Mastrullo, Principal Consultant at MES Consulting Service Inc.  Ken has worked for NFPA and OSHA and has a plethora of information related to this topic.  At NFPA, Ken was a Senior Electrical Specialist and served as the Secretary to NFPA 70E, etc.  Ken has also served as the Electrical Technical Expert for OSHA-Region 1.

The following information is provided by the NFPA:  http://www.nfpa.org/codes-and-standards/document-information-pages?mode=code&code=70e

Here is a trade magazine article:  http://www.ishn.com/articles/101319-how-osha-will-enforce-nfpa-70e-2015

And OSHA interpretations: https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=24617 ; https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=interpretations&p_id=25540 ; https://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=25557 .

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

May Meeting Announcement

May’s meeting is May 4, 2016 from 8 to 10am at the New England Institute of Technology, 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI.

The main topic is Mobile Elevating Work Platforms (MEWP) Safety

There is little question that MEWP’s have and will continue to improve worker productivity as access to elevated work space can be immediate.  That being said, the use of MEWP’s does require planning, training, evaluation, and operation by competent person, for example.  The absence of anyone of these critical elements can result in mishap – see link to examples:  OSHA Aerial Lift Accident Search Results .

This month, Mike Flanagan, New England Territory Sales Manager for Terex, will speak to the group about MEWP’s, specifically, Genie products.

For example, consistent with OSHA interpretation dated April 20, 2012, Genie has provided guidance on how elevated basket can be used as anchor or restraint point.

Join the Building SAFER in RI for an interactive round table discussion on this subject and more, and to enjoy calories and coffee with your fellow safety professionals.

Crystalline Silica, Meeting Related, OSHA Related

April Meeting Update #2

Additional information on Silica from Bob Kunz:

“Team,

As a followed to the April 2016 SAFER meeting on Silica, please find the following:

I hope this helps answer questions”.

 

Attached is ANSI.Z87.1.2003. Table E-1 is being removed from 1926.102 at the end of the month.

SAFER wishes to thank the following people for providing great information on the latest changes to the silica standard and how to prepare and get ready to meet the new requirements that go into effect 14 months from now:

  • John Goins, OSHA Compliance Officer
  • Bob Kunz, Dimeo Construction & SAFER Chairman
  • Linda Peacock, HILTI North America

SAFER Also thanks New England Institute of Technology for providing the meeting room and GT Safety for sponsoring the continental breakfast.

The focus of the meeting was the new OSHA standards related to silica for Construction and General Industries.

Occupational Exposure to Respirable Silica – Final Rule effective 6-23-2016

Construction compliance by 6-23-2017 and General Industry  compliance by 6-23-2018

As you may be aware, OSHA published the final rule for Occupational Exposure to Respirable Silica on 3-23-2016.  OSHA has developed a web page that contains the final rule, fact sheets, question and answer white paper, for example – see link:  https://www.osha.gov/silica/index.html .

The new permissible exposure level (PEL) for construction is 50 µg/m3, which is the equivalent of 5 grains of sand in 264 gallons of water (approximately five 55 gallon drums).

We will discuss the final rule, to ensure that your firm is prepared to comply with the requirements codified within same.  Compliance with the final rule, may require:

  • Development of written plan or program
  • Employee qualification |surveillance | training
  • Equipment and tool evaluation
  • Objective data acquisition | evaluation

The increased conversation concerning silica within the community may impact insurance program considerations, as well.

 

Meeting Related, OSHA Related

March Meeting

The next meeting is Wednesday, March 2, 2016, from 8-10 am. It will be held at NEIT, 2500 Post Road, Warwick, RI. A Continental breakfast, starting at 7:30am, is sponsored by E.W. Audet & Sons.

TOPICS:

Public Agency Crisis Response

Every day there are men and women in our community that put on a uniform. They do this unselfishly, as part of a team for the benefit of our community. As part of this team, they may respond to a motor vehicle crash, a flooded basement, a lost grandparent, or even a life threatening incident. They are our public agency responders (i.e. fire fighters and police officers). This month, two agencies will pull back the curtain, to discuss several events, as follows:

Bryant University Smithfield Campus
1 Sept 2015
78,000 SF Building Under Construction Collapses
Chief Robert Seltzer, Town of Smithfield Fire Department
Chief Rick St. Sauveur, Jr., Town of Smithfield Police Department

See hyperlinks to OSHA Regional News Release and OSHA Citations (right click, then open)

URI Kingston Campus
4 April 2013
‘Active Shooter: Lessons Learned and Worksite Challenges’
Lt. Kenneth Olsen, URI Police Department

Meeting Related

February’s Meeting

February’s meeting will be held Feb 3, 2016 from 8-10am with a continental breakfast sponsored by the OSHA Providence Area Office. The topic is “OSHA Inspections and You”.
 
Please join your safety colleagues for an informative roundtable discussion pertaining to  OSHA inspections.  This informative discussion will provide foundational information and best management practices which can be applied to any industry.  The following related resources are provided by OSHA:
 
OSHA Publications –
 
As a follow up to last month’s meeting, we are very fortunate to present a guest speaker, as follows:
 
Jamie Tessler, Project Manager
Occupational Biomechanics and Ergonomics Laboratory 
Bouvé College of Health Sciences 
Northeastern University
 
Jamie, will discuss two research projects related to leadership training and subcontractor prequalification.  Both projects are funded through the CPWR.  The researcher team at Northeastern University have been involved in other CPWR research projects, for example: B-SAFE – see link to the B-SAFE manual at this location: http://www.northeastern.edu/b-safe/ .
 

Fleet, Meeting Related

January’s Meeting Announcement

From Bob Kunz:

 

Team SAFER,

Next Wednesday’s meeting announcement is below.  Following the meeting a FREE training opportunity.  We hope you can join us. Have a happy and healthy new year! NOTE:  Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com for meeting and training.  Your RSVP for the training session will ensure that a meal is available.

January 6, 2016

 

8-10AM: TOPIC – Safety Climate/Culture and the ABCs of Drug Testing

Let’s bring the new year on a platform of transformational opportunity:

  1. 1. Leadership – The Center to Protect Workers Rights (CPWR) held a “Safety Culture and Climate in Construction…” workshop in 2013.  In my opinion, the recommendations and conclusions developed at the end the workshop offer a bridge between condition and behavior based safety.  The CPWR has developed an assessment tool for the construction industry – perhaps your firm will find it beneficial.
  2. Substance Abuse Testing – If your firm operates a heavy fleet, performs road construction in RI, or maintains a drug (and alcohol) free workplace program testing may be a part of the overall program.  The USDOT, State of RI, OSHA? for example set parameters for testing.    Did you know that OSHA views post-accident testing (not permitted in RI) as a potential violation of OSH Act Section 11 (c)? Are you familiar with these parameters?

SPONSOR: ATMED Occupational Medicine

 

11AM-1PM: TOPIC – USDOT Supervisor Training for Reasonable Suspicion Alcohol and Drugs

Does your firm have a drug and alcohol free workplace policy that includes reasonable suspicion testing? Does your firm have a fleet of vehicles with CDL drivers regulated by the USDOT?  If yes, plan on attending the second half of the Jan 2016 meeting.  Wayne Estes, PA-C, Director of Occupational Medicine at Atmed Occupational Medicine will be providing training as required under 49 CFR 382.603.

Note:  This presentation is being videotaped. Attendees will be asked to sign a waiver so that the material can be incorporated into a training presentation for Atmed and Dimeo.

Do you now the signs and symptoms of alcohol or substance abuse?  While you may not have professional responsibilities, do you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, friends….? Do you think you would be better prepared to help someone if you could identify the signs or symptoms?  If yes, please consider attending.

If you are on the fence about the Reasonable Suspicion Alcohol and Drugs training please consider these articles:

 

NOTE:  Please RSVP to bkunz@dimeo.com for meeting and training.  Your RSVP for the training session will ensure that a meal is available.

SPONSOR: Lunch provided by Dimeo Construction