Environmental Health & Safety Committee Brief

2006 NEP on amputations and it applies to general industry workplaces (for TXAPA members this would be applicable to hot mix plants and shops). The directive is aimed at any machinery or equipment likely to cause amputations. OSHA inspections will include an evaluation of employee exposures during operations such as clearing jams; cleaning, oiling or greasing machines or machine pans; and locking out machinery to prevent accidental start-up.

• Just as a reminder: On Jan. 1, 2015, OSHA issued new requirements for reporting work-related fatalities and severe injuries. Employers must report fatalities within eight hours of learning of the incident and any in-patient hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye within 24 hours of learning of the incident. Employers can report an event by telephone to the nearest OSHA area office or to OSHA's 24-hour hotline at 800-321-6742. Employers will soon be able to report events electronically through OSHA's website.

• Also as a reminder: per the confined spaces standard for construction that went into effect on August 3, 2015:

1. Employers will have to determine what kinds of spaces their workers and subcontractor workers might have to enter, what hazards could be there, how those hazards should be made safe, what training workers should receive, and how to rescue those workers if anything goes wrong. Documentation is your friend here.

2. OSHA will postpone issuing any citations until October 2,2015 as long as the employer is making good faith efforts to comply with the standard by training their employees to the training requirements under 29 CFR 1926.1207 or 29 CFR 1926.21.

              https://www.osha.gov/confinedspaces/index.html           (Confined Space Rule and other information)

• All employees should have been trained by now on the new Global Harmonized System (GHS) for Hazard Communication. This includes how to read and understand the information in the new 16 section format of the Safety Data Sheets (old name – Material Safety Data Sheets or MSDS). You should be seeing more of the new SDSs for chemical products that are in use at your Companies.

• If you have or use boom lifts (commonly called man lifts) remember:

1. The unit needs to be checked/inspected before use each day to make sure the controls and hydraulics are working correctly. This needs to be documented.

2. When using the unit on an incline the wheels need to be chocked;

3. Fall arrest harness with the lanyard attached to the unit needs to be worn by all in the basket;

4. Only trained and authorized users are to operate the unit;

5. Controls are to be clearly marked as to their function;

6. Standing on the basket railing to perform work is prohibited.

Safety and Profitability Go Hand in Hand