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Reminder: Evaluation and Documentation Requirements for OSHA Crane Rule
Now in Effect
(Photo credit: Manitowoc Cranes)
New evaluation and documentation requirements for the U.S. Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) crane rule took effect on February 9. OSHA issued an enforcement memo that it will be fully enforcing the requirement that employers must evaluate their operators before allowing them to operate cranes independently. The evaluation and documentation requirements are part of changes to the OSHA crane rule that took effect last fall. During the first 60 days of enforcement (until April 15, 2019), OSHA will assess good faith efforts taken by employers in their attempt to meet the new documentation requirements for operators of cranes used in construction. During this period, OSHA intends to offer compliance assistance, in lieu of enforcement, for those employers who have evaluated operators in accord with the final rule and are making good faith efforts to comply with the new documentation requirement. If, upon inspection, it is determined that an employer has failed to make sufficient efforts to comply, OSHA should cite for that deficiency.
The new evaluation and documentation requirements are meant to emphasize the employer's ongoing duty to ensure that crane operators can safely operate the equipment. Employers are required to ensure that each operator demonstrate skills, knowledge, and judgment required for safely completing a particular assignment on a particular crane. In addition, employers must maintain documentation of the evaluation for the duration of the operator's employment.
The new requirements serve as best practices for establishing operator competency. It is important to note that the updates assume employers already train and evaluate their crane operators. Even for companies covered by the material delivery exemption, evaluation and documentation is an important part of determining operator competency.
(NLBMDA Workplace Safety & Risk Management Update, Feb. 2011)
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March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), each day about 2000 U.S. workers sustain a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. About one third of the injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments, and more than 100 of these injuries result in one or more days away from work.
How do eye injuries happen to workers in the LBM industry?
- Striking or scraping: The majority of eye injuries result from small particles or objects striking or scraping the eye, such as: dust, cement chips, metal slivers, and wood chips. These materials are often ejected by tools, windblown, or fall from above a worker. Large objects may also strike the eye or face, or a worker may run into an object causing blunt-force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket.
- Penetration: Objects like nails, staples, or slivers of wood or metal can go through the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision.
- Chemical and thermal burns: Industrial chemicals or cleaning products are common causes of chemical burns to one or both eyes. Thermal burns to the eye also occur, often among welders. These burns routinely damage workers' eyes and surrounding tissue.
What can workers do to prevent eye injury and disease?
Below are a few suggestions from the CDC and National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.
Create a safe work environment.
- Minimize hazards from falling or unstable debris.
- Make sure that tools work and safety features (machine guards) are in place.
- Make sure that workers (particularly volunteers) know how to use tools properly.
- Keep bystanders out of the hazard area.
Wear the proper eye and face protection.
- Select the appropriate Z87 eye protection for the hazard.
- Make sure the eye protection is in good condition.
- Make sure the eye protection fits and will stay in place.
Use good work practices.
- Brush, shake, or vacuum dust and debris from hardhats, hair, forehead, or the top of the eye protection before removing the protection.
- Do not rub eyes with dirty hands or clothing.
- Clean eyewear regularly.
Prepare for eye injuries and first aid needs. Have an eye wash or sterile solution on hand.
For additional information click here or contact the CDC by phone @
1-800-CDC-INFO
(Source: Dept. of Health and Human Services, Center for Disease Control and Prevention & National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Feb. 2019)
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National Ladder Safety Month - March 2019
Every step matters: From step stools to extension ladders, make sure you're putting the right foot forward.
Every year over 100 people die in ladder-related accidents, and thousands suffer disabling injuries. Join the American Ladder Institute (ALI) and participate in the third annual National Ladder Safety Month February 24 - March 31. This important month was designed to raise awareness of ladder safety and to decrease the number of ladder-related injuries and fatalities.
What is National Ladder Safety Month?
National Ladder Safety Month is the only movement dedicated exclusively to the promotion of ladder safety, at home and at work. Help us bring awareness to the importance of the safe use of ladders through resources, training and a national dialogue.
ALI, the only approved developer of safety standards for the U.S. ladder industry, is the presenting sponsor for National Ladder Safety Month.
(Source: OSHA QuickTakes, Feb. 2019)
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Stay Connected With BMSA!
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Reporting Injury and Illness Summary for 2018
March 2, 2019, is the deadline for employers to electronically report
OSHA Form 300A data, which summarizes job-related injuries and illnesses logged during calendar year 2018. Not all establishments are covered by this requirement.
Visit OSHA's Injury Tracking Application webpage for information about which establishments are covered by this requirement and to submit data or contact BMSA's Safety Specialist Barb Strickland with questions.
(Source: OSHA QuickTakes, Feb. 2019)
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Safety remains a challenge for this often-vulnerable segment of the workforce
Regina Allen Elsea was two weeks away from her wedding day on June 18, 2016. The 20-year-old was a temporary employee for an Alabama auto parts manufacturer, and on that day she and three other workers were trying to restart an assembly line.
The group was attempting to clear a sensor fault on a robotic station when the machine restarted without warning and crushed Elsea. She died a day later at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Hospital.
OSHA fined the manufacturer, Joon LLC (doing business as Ajin USA), as well as two staffing agencies, Alliance HR Inc. (dba Alliance Total Solutions LLC) and Joynus Staffing Corp., more than $2.5 million combined.
Read the full article here.
(Source: Safety+Health magazine , February 2019)
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Calendar of Events
2019
March 7-8:
Installed Sales Roundtable
(Warner Robins, GA)
March 11-12:
Leadership Graduates
Roundtable #1
(Roanoke, VA)
March 11-12:
Leadership Development Roundtable #2
(Roanoke, VA)
March 13-14:
Yard & Delivery Manager Seminar
(Roanoke, VA)
March 14-15:
Operations Manager B Roundtable
(North Charleston, SC)
March 20-22:
CFO Roundtable
(Scottsdale, AZ)
March 21-22:
Operations Manager A Roundtable
(Cashiers, NC)
March 27-29:
Roundtable #3
(Greenville, SC)
March 27-29:
Sales Manager Roundtable
(Nashville, TN)
April 1-3:
NLBMDA Legislative Conference
(Washington, D.C.)
April 7-9:
Roundtable #1
(Charlotte, NC)
April 15-17:
2-Day Estimating Seminar
(Columbus, OH)
May 5-7:
Roundtable #7
(Richmond, VA)
July 25-28:
BMSA's Summer Conference (Myrtle Beach, SC)
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Winter won't last forever - summer will be here before we know it.
Make plans now to attend BMSA's
Summer Conference
Myrtle Beach, SC
July 25-28, 2019
Double Tree Resort Oceanfront
Enjoy fun in the sun with your family & friends as you learn ways to grow your business!
Click Here to reserve your hotel room right away as space is limited!
For more information, contact BMSA at 800.849.1503
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