Winter 2006-2007       

 

 

NEWSLETTER

 

 Ergonomics

 

Ergonomics is the science of fitting the job to the worker for maximum efficiency of the human body while reducing the risk of bodily injury from the work task, the tools or the environment.  Good ergonomics not only creates a better match between the worker and the task or equipment – it also increases worker comfort and productivity.

 

If a job task is performed in an awkward posture or with too much effort, health problems can result such as muscle fatigue, strain or injury.  Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) can result from a bad match between worker and the work performed or the equipment used, and often cause workers to stay away from work longer than injuries that appear to be more serious.

 

To prevent WMSDs, it’s important to understand the factors that contribute to them, namely repetition, force, and posture.  The greater the risk factors associated with a job, the greater the chance that a WMSD might develop.  To spot the potential for WMSDs, take a walk around your worksite and observe job tasks and how they’re being done.  Solutions to preventing WMSDs can be as simple as having worker do periodic stretching exercises or realigning the work equipment.

 

Good ergonomics not only creates a better match between the worker and the task or equipment – it also increases worker comfort and productivity.

 

Encourage workers to move and avoid static postures.  If the work is at ground level, remind workers to stand up and stretch frequently.  Make sure work tools fit the worker and the job.  Tools should be sufficiently padded and angled so that the workers don’t bend their wrists or back to use it.  If lifting is required, train workers to do it correctly or provide lift aids.

 

For desk jobs, make sure the workstation and area lighting is adjusted for each worker.  Raise or lower the chair and keyboard so that an operator’s wrists remain straight.  Adjust armrests and monitor screen to appropriate heights and teach workers to periodically change their vision focus or shake out hands to give themselves a mini-break.

 

If you’d like to learn more about good workplace ergonomics, visit State Fund’s website at www.scif.com/safety/safety.html to review a Sample Ergonomics Plan.

 

Machine Guards

 

The machine guard is the most valuable part of any equipment yet its also one of the most ignored.  Year after year machine guarding is among the most frequently cited Cal/OSHA violations.  More important than citations are the serious crushing or amputation injuries caused by not having, not using or bypassing machine guards.

 

If a machine has a part, function or process, which can cause injury, it needs a safeguard to do its work, you must do your part in respecting and using the guards.

 

Guards are installed on machinery to protect you and others from injury.  This means that each and every time the machine is in operation, the guards must be in place.  A guard must never be bypassed or removed during use.  If a guard is removed for machine cleaning or repairing, it must be put back into place before reuse or storage.

 

Before beginning any work on a machine, check all its moving parts to make sure that guards are securely placed and that equipment is operating properly.  Checking the guards should be part of your regular daily inspection.  Missing or damaged guards should be reported to your supervisor-whether the equipment belongs in your work area or not.

 

 

Make sure you understand and follow lockout/tagout rules for use, maintenance, and repair of machinery.  Don’t let breakdowns, jammed work or broken parts cause you to forget safety procedures.  Power should be turned off and switches locked, blocked, and tagged during repair.  When the repair has been completed, guards must be replaced and checked that they work properly.

 

Before you use any machine, make sure you’ve been trained in its safe operation and know to keep your hands away from any moving parts.  Only trained and authorized workers should be allowed to operate machinery.  You should be instructed in the proper attire for working around machines including required personal protective equipment.  Periodically review safety procedures to make sure you understand all training and safe operating practices.

 

Make sure you keep your guard up when working with or around machines by keeping your hands away from moving parts and not tampering with them.  Machine guards are really people guards.  Let the machine guards do their job of protecting you on the job.

 

The Cold Facts About Hypothermia

 

Hypothermia is brought on by exposure to conditions that cause the body to lose heat faster than it can generate it.  It doesn’t take icy temperatures to cause it.  Prolonged exposure to temperatures of 30-50 degrees (often when the person is wet) can produce the same effect.  A drop in body temperature below 98.6 is considered the onset of hypothermia.  Although hypothermia can happen any time of year, for those who work in cold or wet environments, winter can increase the risk of hypothermia.

 

Cold, wind and water are the three major factors contributing to hypothermia because they all draw heat from the body.  Other factors that make a person more susceptible to hypothermia include age, poor physical condition, illness, the use of alcohol or certain medications, and fatigue.  The effects of hypothermia range from mild to severe.  A severe case of hypothermia can cause permanent damage to the heart and other vital organs or can result in death.

 

Hypothermia doesn’t happen immediately.  How long it takes to set in depends in the type of exposure and the physical characteristics of the individual.  There are some early warning signs.  There may be uncontrollable shivering (the body’s natural reaction to cold air temperature), confusion, weakness, drowsiness, pain in the extremities, weak pulse and shallow breathing.  If hypothermia does occur, get the victim to a warm, dry shelter, remove wet clothing (replacing it with worm, dry clothing), keep the victim warm with blankets, and get medical help as soon as possible.

 

Of course, the best means of treating hypothermia is to avoid it in the first place.  If you work where conditions can get cold or wet, remember these hypothermia prevention tips:

 

·               Dress properly  It’s your best protection against hypothermia.  The greatest loss of body heat occurs through the head, so wear a hat or cap and several layers of loose-fitting clothing as well as boots or warm shoes with socks.

·               Stay dry  Put on rain gear before you get wet and wool clothing before you start shivering.  When clothes get wet they lose 90 percent of their insulating value.

·               Be aware of the cold and wind  Prepare for sudden weather changes, even a slight breeze carries heat away from the body.

·               Drink fluids and eat high-energy snacks  Snacks provide calories to produce body heat and liquids help regulate body temperatures.

·               End exposure  If you can’t stay warm and dry, get out of the cold or wet environment.

 

Hypothermia is the life-threatening consequence of inadequate preparation for cold conditions.  Dress properly and watch for early warning signs of hypothermia.

 

Give Exhaust Fumes The Air

 

It doesn’t take thousands of vehicle engines spewing exhaust to poison indoor air; just one vehicle may do it, if the work environment is not properly ventilated with fresh air.  Even short term exposure to engine exhaust gases can be hazardous.  If workers complain of tiredness and headaches after a few hours in exhaust-fouled air, it could be a sign of exhaust fume poisoning.  Test immediately if dangerous concentrations of exhaust fumes are suspected.  Headache, nausea, fatigue, and eye irritation from poisoned air can affect a worker’s judgment and lead to unsafe job performance.

 

During winter, when natural ventilation is restricted, offset the buildup of hazardous concentrations of carbon monoxide and other toxic exhaust gases by increasing the ventilation.  Good ventilation is the process of introducing clean air into a closed space so it can mix with the inside air and dilute the contaminants.  Another method to avoid hazardous gas buildup is to insure that engine exhaust gases are not released into the work area.  This can be done by installing exhaust control devices on vehicles or by using blowers to force air outside the work area.

 

There are no simple answers to space ventilation.  Since each space varies in size, shape, and function, there is no single set of rules that applies to every situation.  The decision for selecting the most appropriate method of ventilation should be based on: the size and shape of the space, its previous contents, the existence of natural drafts, the number and location of any openings, and the nature of any contaminant-producing tasks that may be performed in the space.

 

When working in closed spaces, workers should be aware of inadequate oxygen or the presence of asphyxiates, toxic gases or vapors in the air.  They should be especially aware in confined spaces, storage rooms, dead ends of aisleways, and in cold storage rooms, where dangerous concentration of fumes can build up quickly.  It is wise to check the air periodically.  Check even large indoor work areas to make sure there is enough fresh air to dilute exhaust gases.  It takes a lot of air to dilute exhaust gases from a single vehicle operating full time.

 

Giving exhaust fumes the air can make it safe for the worker who must be indoors where vehicles operate.  Good ventilation produces a safe level of oxygen so everyone can breathe easy.

 

 

Focus On Eye Protection

 

Many people take eyesight for granted and figure they’ll always have it.  Yet, in the blink of an eye, an accident can injure or even blind a worker who is not wearing proper eye protection.  Eye injuries are painful, expensive, and can dramatically change the lives of not only the victims but also their families.

 

Of all body parts prone to work injuries, the eye is perhaps the most vulnerable.  But the chance of an eye injury can be decreased if workers understand the hazards, know how to protect themselves, and what to do if an eye injury occurs.  It’s an employer’s responsibility to identify the eye safety hazards, and provide workers with eye safety training.

 

The type of protection depends on the job.  Workers should wear only industry approved eye protection, which may include spectacles, goggles, or face shields.  Warning signs should be placed near machines, equipment or process areas that require operators to wear specific eye protection.

 

Below are common causes for eye injuries and suggested first response procedures.  In all cases, an eyecare professional should examine the injury as soon as possible after taking initial first aid measures.

 

·               Foreign Particles – Objects smaller than a pinhead cause the greatest number of eye injuries.  Flushing the eyes may remove them.  Don’t rub the eye because the object could scratch or become embedded in the eye.  Never manually try to remove an object embedded in the eye, it could cause further damage.

·               Bumps and Blows – Trauma, not disease is a leading cause of blindness.  For these injuries, apply a cold compress for 15 minutes to reduce pain and swelling.

·               Cuts – Don’t rub, press or wash cuts near the eye; this can cause further damage.  Loosely bandage both eyes to stop any eye movement.

·               Chemicals- Study the label and instructions for eye protection before using any cleaning product, poison or caustic chemical.  If the chemical should get into the eye, seconds count!  Flush the eyes with water for at least 15 minutes.

·               Light Burns – Exposure to welding, laser or other radiant light without appropriate eyewear may not cause immediate pain.  However, 4 to 12 hours later, eyes begin to feel “gritty” and become sensitive to light, and redness or swelling may occur.  Keep your eyes closed until medical attention is received.

 

Most eye injuries are preventable.  Take the time to keep your eyes safe.  A minute is all it takes to destroy the vision in an eye.  That’s the same time it takes to make sure that eye protection is in place and secure.

 

Required Employer Responsibilities

California law requires that:

“Every employer…shall post and keep posted in a conspicuous location frequented by employees and where (it) may be easily read by employees during the hours of the workday, a notice which shall state the name of (the) current compensation insurance carrier…”

The notice must also contain information regarding employee rights and responsibilities and must”…be posted in both English and Spanish where there are Spanish-speaking employees.”

Additionally, the law requires employers to provide a form on which employees may indicate the name of their personal physician or personal chiropractor.  The form must be provided to new hires either at the time the employee is hired or by the end of the first pay period.

If you would like free copies, in English or Spanish, of the required posting notice, the brochure explaining an employee’s workers’ compensation rights or the physician predesignation form, call State Fund’s toll-free customer service number at 1-877-405-4545.

 

 

Reporting Work-Related Injuries

State Fund’s Claims Reporting Center (1-888-222-3211) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for policyholders to report injuries as soon as they occur.  Agents will do the necessary paperwork to get the claim started and refer the injured to the designated physician or provider.

Within 8 hours of any serious illness or injury (requiring hospitalization over 24 hours, other than for medical observation or where there is permanent employee disfiguration) or death occurring in the workplace or in connection with employment, employers must report the incident to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

* Some or all articles were reprinted by permission from State Compensation Insurance Fund.