Fw: E-News for Sept. 22, 2000

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> Occupationalhazards.com E-News for Sept. 22, 2000

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> In this issue: OSHA inspections, ergo proposal hammered, troubled safety

> history, NIOSH director leaves, ozone protections violated, election 2000,

> traffic safety, mine safety reforms, injury management tips.

> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> ===================================================

> FROM OUR SPONSOR

>

> Leight Industries has received NVLAP Accreditation from the United

> States Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and

> Technology. This accreditation recognizes Leight under the National

> Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) for satisfactory

> compliance with criteria established in the Code of Federal Regulations as

> suppliers of Acoustical Testing Services.

>

> The scope of the NVLAP qualify Leight as an independent acoustical

> laboratory for Measurement of Real-Ear Protection of Hearing Protectors,

> Physical Attenuation of Earmuffs (ANSI S3.19) and Methods for Measuring

> the Real-Ear Attenuation of Hearing Protectors (ANSI S12.6).

>

> For more information, visit Leight's Web site at

> http://www.howardleight.com or call (800) 543-0121.

> ===================================================

>

> OSHA

> ***************************************************

> Companies experiencing " labor unrest " are about 6.5 times more likely to

> be inspected by OSHA than those that are not, according to a General

> Accounting Office (GAO) report.

> OSHA Administrator Jeffress responded to GAO by saying OSHA's

> complaint process is not being abused and the study has some shortcomings.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29348

>

> ERGONOMICS

> ***************************************************

> Industry groups and a corporate-sponsored foundation have found new

> reasons to hammer away at OSHA's ergonomics rule cost estimates.

> Protesters say that additional pages of research and cost estimates added

> to the proposal by OSHA, after the public comment period, are also in

> dispute.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29134

>

> SAFETY

> ***************************************************

> When occupational safety gets caught up in a bitter labor dispute, does it

> lead to safety problem, OSHA problems or both?

> These are some of the questions surrounding the tangled safety history of

> the Rocky Mountain Steel Mills' Pueblo, Colo., plant.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29086

>

> HEALTH

> ***************************************************

> Dr. Rosenstock, director of the National Institute for Occupational

> Safety and Health (NIOSH) has accepted a position as dean of the School of

> Public Health at the University of California, Los Angeles. Find out who

> will take her place at NIOSH after Nov. 1.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29265

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29448

>

> EPA

> ***************************************************

> EPA and Meyer's Bakery of Little Rock, Ark., agreed to the largest

> settlement -- $3.5 million -- under the Ozone Protection Program.

> The company was fined because it allowed thousands of pounds of

> ozone-depleting refrigerant to leak from appliances without performing

> required repairs.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29134

>

> ELECTION 2000

> ***************************************************

> With the Presidential election only a couple months away, find out where

> the Republican and Democratic candidates stand on EHS issues.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29209

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29169

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29090

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29115

>

> ASSOCIATIONS

> ***************************************************

> Traffic crashes not only cause severe pain and suffering, but are also a

> major occupational safety and bottom line concern for employers, according

> to the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE).

> Find out why ASSE recommends employers include traffic safety in their

> regular safety programs.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29135

>

> MINE SAFETY

> ***************************************************

> The National Mining Association (NMA) told a Congressional committee that

> current regulatory and enforcement programs need to be re-evaluated in

> order to continue to improve mine safety and health. Find out what

> " fundamental reforms " NMA wants implemented.

> http://www.occupationalhazards.com/news/news_loader.asp?articleID=29351

>

> UPCOMING EVENTS

> ***************************************************

> 9/30/00-10/1/00 Eighth International Hazard Communication Symposium,

> Arlington, Va., http://www.aiha.org

> 10/4/00-10/7/00 Indoor Air Quality Association 2000 Annual Meeting, Austin

> Marriott, Austin, Texas, http://www.iaqua.org

> 10/16/00-10/18/00 National Safety Council Annual Congress & Expo, Orange

> County Convention Center, Orlando, Fla., http://www.nsc.org

>

> TIPS

> ***************************************************

> An injury management program is a system of procedures used by employers

> to help injured employees return to work quickly and healthy. The American

> Society of Concrete Contractors recommends the following procedures to

> help create an injury management program.

> 1. Establish a relationship with a reputable medical facility per job

> site.

> 2. Educate employees on the importance of prompt reporting of an injury to

> a supervisor.

> 3. Take injured employees for appropriate medical care.

> 4. Make sure all employees understand their benefits, especially

> disability benefits.

> 5. Contact your claims representative immediately for all cases requiring

> medical treatment.

> 6. Investigate the injury by obtaining accident information from the

> injured employee, supervisor and any witnesses.

> 7. Contact injured employee within 24 hours following the injury to check

> up on them.

> 8. Establish alternate work options with employee.

> 9. Maintain regular contact with employee's physician of choice and

> insurance company for the status of the claim.

> 10. Documentation is a major vehicle that provides all parties with

> up-to-date and accurate information.

>

> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

> SOUND BITE

> Have something to say? Want to get it off your chest? Don't agree with

> something you read here? Know something we don't know? Then send me an

> e-mail with your comments, questions or ideas to: vsutcliffe@...

> +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

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