EHS Professional – December 15, 2022

Thank you, Richie, Mark, Pinkie, and Sarath

The recent IHMM Board of Directors meeting marked a milestone for 4 Board Members and IHMM is deeply indebted to their commitment and contribution to the mission and leadership of IHMM. These are exemplary volunteers and their presence on our Board will be missed.

Ending 2 terms as the CDGP representative and Chair of the Board, Richie Spangler, shown at left receiving an award from newly elected Chair Bill Diesslin. Ending 2 terms as a CHMM on the Board, Mark Baumgardner, shown at center receiving an award from newly elected Chair Bill Diesslin. Ending a term as the CSMP representative on the Board, Pinkie Wood, shown at right receiving an award from newly elected Chair Bill Diesslin.

Sarath Seneviratne could not be with us as he and his wife have a newborn. We hope all is well Sarath.

Thank you, all and have a Merry Christmas and well-deserved rest.

OSHA to hold online meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health on Jan. 10, 2023

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration will hold an online meeting of the National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health on Jan. 10, 2023, from 2 to 4 p.m. EST.

Open to the public, the meeting will include updates about the committee’s membership and recent OSHA developments, a report from the Heat Work Group, and follow-up discussion on the agency’s Whistleblower Protection Program.

To join the meeting online, visit the NACOSH webpage for login information.

Submit comments and requests to speak to the Federal eRulemaking Portal, Docket Number OSHA-2022-0002, by Jan. 3, 2023. Be sure to include the docket number on all submissions. Read the Federal Register notice for submission details.

NACOSH advises, consults, and makes recommendations to the Secretary of Labor and the Secretary of Health and Human Services on matters relating to the administration of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970. NACOSH is a continuing advisory committee of indefinite duration.

Read the original article > https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/trade/12012022

Investigation into two workers' deaths in Edmund finds Arkansas contractor failed to test oxygen level in confined space, provide rescue equipment

Federal workplace safety investigators have determined that an Arkansas construction contractor failed to test oxygen levels in the confined space before two workers entered a sewer 20 feet below ground at an Edmund work site and died because of a lack of oxygen.

An investigation by the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration into the June 14, 2022, incident found that an employee of Belt Construction Inc. climbed into a newly installed sewer manhole to conduct testing when they lost consciousness. Trying to rescue the worker, a second employee followed into the manhole and lost consciousness. Both workers later succumbed to their injuries.

OSHA investigators determined the Texarkana, Arkansas, company did not complete required planning before allowing workers to enter the space. In pre-entry planning, a confined space must be tested for safety, including finding out if ventilation is needed. Belt Construction also failed to provide rescue equipment and did not train workers on confined space entry procedures or obtain permits required by federal law.

OSHA cited the company for six serious and two willful violations and proposed $287,150 in penalties.

Read more > https://www.osha.gov/news/newsreleases/region6/12072022

US Department of Labor Finds Manufacturer Exposed Workers to Machine, Other Hazards at Kewaunee, Wisconsin, Facility

Federal safety inspectors have determined that a falling load from a below-the-hook magnet crushed the leg of an employee at a Kewaunee heavy fabrication manufacturing company on June 7, 2022.

In response to a hospitalization reported by the worker’s employer, Kewaunee Fabrications LLC, investigators with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration found workers were exposed to an unguarded machine point of operation that did not prevent workers from having their hand in the danger zone while straightening parts.

OSHA issued citations to the company for one willful and 11 serious safety violations, and proposed $250,696 in penalties. Kewaunee Fabrications manufactures aerial ladders and mounting plates primarily used for fire trucks.

Read more > https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/osha/osha20221212

OSHA opens investigation at Fraser Shipyards after worker death

OSHA has opened an investigation into the death of a worker who fell off a ship at a drydock Monday, at Fraser Shipyards in Superior. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Labor, OSHA has begun an investigation into C & L Contracting, the company the shipworker was operating for.

The statement also said the employee was “standing on a railing in order to pull a tarp and he slipped and fell, landing in the dry dock area.”

OSHA has six months to complete an investigation into the accident. OSHA has no further information on the incident, until the investigation in complete, the statement read.

Read the original article > https://www.nbc15.com/2022/12/06/osha-opens-investigation-fraser-shipyards-after-worker-death/

OSHA issues six-figure fines to Dollar Tree, Family Dollar

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) cited Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., issuing a pair of six-figure fines, for violations at Dollar Tree and Family Dollar locations.

On December 1, the agency announced that federal workplace safety inspectors discovered a Matteson, Illinois, Dollar Tree store exposed workers to the risks of unsafely stored and stacked boxes of merchandise and blocked electrical panels. OSHA cited Dollar Tree Stores, Inc., with three repeat, serious violations and is seeking proposed penalties totaling $364,661.

Repeat violations found during the agency’s inspection included the following:

• Wheeled carts, large boxes, and merchandise in the storeroom blocking walkways and work areas, creating slip, trip, fall, and fire hazards;
• Unsecured and unstable freight stacked at heights exceeding 6 feet, putting workers at risk of being struck by falling boxes; and
• Electrical panels obstructed by stacked merchandise, creating electrical and fire hazards.

Read more > https://safety.blr.com/workplace-safety-news/safety-administration/OSHA-and-state-safety-compliance-enforcement/OSHA-issues-six-figure-fines-to-Dollar-Tree-Family/

The Injuries of Christmas

Regardless of whether you've been naughty or nice, some people can't seem to avoid Christmas-related injuries - from hanging lights and defective decorations, to cuts from wrapping gifts and falls from ladders. Who knew Christmas could be so painful?

The holidays are a time for celebration, when we sit down with the family and relax around a roaring fire… but unfortunately, this isn’t the case for everyone during the festive break.

The experts at Accident Claims Advice (ACA) thought it would be interesting to see which injuries cause the most upset over Christmas. Using data provided by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, they analyzed an entire years’ worth of accidents and discovered 337 that occurred over the holidays in 2016. A few of the most interesting findings are:

• 101 of 337 injuries somehow involved Christmas lights.
• 20 of 337 injuries where from swallowing objects.
• 20-29-year olds actually turn out to be the least accident prone.
• 9 injuries where due to dancing too much at Christmas parties.
• 60 injuries were sustained by falling from a ladder.

From cuts while wrapping and opening presents, shoulder sprains and slips, to swallowing Christmas decorations whole – this list has it all! Some memorable examples include:

• 36-year-old male was putting up Christmas decorations, looked up, sneezed and swallowed a thumb tack.
• 44-year-old female was on a ladder taking down Christmas lights when she slipped and fell off her porch.
• 10-year-old male was riding a hoverboard he got as a Christmas present and fell off.
• 34-year-old female was drinking alcohol at a Christmas party and fell over, hitting her head on a table.
• 65-year-old female was carrying a Christmas tree down steps to basement at home and fell.
• 32-year-old male was dancing at a Christmas party when he twisted and sprained his left knee.
• 14-year-old male stapled his finger while using a staple gun to hang Christmas lights.
• 39-year-old male was hanging Christmas lights on an outdoor tree when he burned his wrist, causing him to startle and fall 16 feet from ladder.

After reviewing all 337 accidents, ACA found that there was a fairly even split between males (157 injuries) and females (180 injuries). They then looked at what parts of the body get injured the most over the festive period. Out of all the accidents they examined, 52 (15 percent) were lower back injuries due to lifting heavy objects (likely Christmas decoration boxes from the attic), while 43 (13 percent) were cuts to the hand and another 41 (12 percent) were bumps to the head.

View the slideshow image here.

How to Deal with Harassment in the Workplace

Learn to recognize, understand and mitigate risks of workplace threats and violence.

Increasingly, employees are looking to their employers to handle workplace violence situations that can be considered safety risks, such as threats, altercations, sexual harassment, and others. And the legal system is willing to address these issues even if employers are not.

For example, in October 2022, a jury awarded $250,000 to a former Sam’s Club employee who alleged that the company fired her in retaliation for complaining about sexual harassment. The jury found that the employee had made the complaint to someone she believed had the authority to investigate her complaint, but she was fired for doing just that.

Incidents of this type are growing. Between 2018 and 2021, 98,411 charges were made alleging harassment under any basis, and 27,291 charges alleged sexual harassment, according to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Over the same period of time, the EEOC recovered almost $300 million for individuals making sexual harassment claims. In short, it’s more important than ever that companies learn to recognize, understand and mitigate risks of workplace threats and violence.

EHS Today talked with attorney Abby Warren, a partner with Robinson+Cole’s Labor, Employment Benefits and Immigration Group, about specific action-steps safety professionals can take to address these issues.

Read the full article here.

5 Ways Automated Maintenance Can Improve Workplace Safety

Computerized maintenance management systems can enhance safety in the maintenance field, offering EHS professionals another tool to help create a safer workplace.

Establishing a robust maintenance strategy is critical for optimizing facility safety.

Companies invest in advanced technologies to simplify, standardize and improve the quality of maintenance work using digital solutions, such as Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS). The technology provides multiple features for managing maintenance workflows, personnel, facility layouts, inventory and critical maintenance data — all resulting in improving safety features for employees.

CMMS solutions collaboratively work with other enterprise solutions and are applicable across industries and facilities. The market for this technology is expected to reach $1.72 billion by 2028, indicating the technology’s significance in enhancing asset productivity and safety standards in facilities.

Modern maintenance operations are anchored in data. Technicians require equipment operating metrics to create maintenance schedules, allocate budgets and quantify asset effectiveness.

Read more by clicking here.

Top 10 workplace safety articles

• • Rising Stars of Safety, Class of 2022
  • Salary Survey 2022
  • The 2022 CEOs Who 'Get It'
  • The Hierarchy of Controls
  • OSHA’s Top 10
  • 7 common workplace safety hazards
  • 11 tips for effective workplace housekeeping
  • Recognizing hidden dangers: 25 steps to a safer office
  • Reporting near misses
  • Returning to work after a stroke

Read the original article > https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/23314-top-10-workplace-safety-articles

Co-worker encouragement can play a role in a healthy workplace

Workers who engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors and encourage their colleagues to do the same can help create a more healthful workplace, results of recent study show.

Using data for more than 4,300 workers, researchers from the University of Cologne in Germany and Utrecht University in the Netherlands examined to what extent co-workers can influence one another’s eating and exercise behaviors. They focused on two pathways: explicitly encouraging a healthy lifestyle among others and acting as a role model. The participants worked on 402 teams within 113 organizations.

The researchers found that the participants were more likely to eat fruits and vegetables, as well as engage in physical activity, when their co-workers encouraged these healthy lifestyle habits. The reason, according to the researchers: Employee groups often eat together and can see what others are doing and will model those healthy behaviors.

Read more > https://www.safetyandhealthmagazine.com/articles/23328-co-worker-encouragement-can-play-a-role-in-a-healthy-workplace

Construction Industry Aligns to Fight Brain Injuries and Fatalities

The American Society of Concrete Contractors (ASCC) today announced the launch of a website dedicated to the construction industry's transformation from hard-hats-to-helmets (H2H). Over the past few years many companies have made the H2H switch, and the new website is aimed at bringing further awareness to this life-saving topic.

ASCC's Safety & Risk Management Council (SRMC) is a group dedicated to addressing safety performance and reducing job-related hazards and making sure ASCC contractors are the safest in the industry. The SRMC focuses on the most relevant topics to provide industry leadership, and the H2H initiative was borne out of the desire to reduce the frequency and severity of head injuries in the construction industry.

ASCC developed this website to provide a one-stop-shop for information related to features, benefits and current and emerging technologies of impact and energy absorbing construction helmets. Structural Technologies, LLC, an ASCC Sustaining Member company, provided support to build the site.

Read more > https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/construction-industry-aligns-to-fight-brain-injuries-and-fatalities-301700654.html

2023 IHMM Certificant Survey

This is our 2023 IHMM certificant survey. Your feedback allows us to gather broad based information about the needs and preferences of our certificants that leads to improving our services and credentials.

Please take a few minutes and answer the 19 questions posed in this survey and help us improve our services.

Take the short survey here >> https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/IHMM2023

IHMM Certified School Safety Manager® [CSSM®] Credential

Mike Howe, CSSM, Chair of the CSSM-CSSS Committee, is pleased to announce that the committee now releases its credential blueprint. When IHMM took over the CSSM credential in 2019 it had no blueprint or examination. Thanks to the outstanding leadership of Mike Howe leading his committee not only do we have a credential blueprint, we are almost ready to begin finalizing the CSSM examination as well.

Identifying all of the threats and vulnerabilities likely to impact a K-12 school district or post-secondary schools is a critical part of the emergency operations planning process for all schools. One only has to look at the day’s news to understand the importance of having professional, certified school safety managers in place guiding the planning and execution of sound safety programs. Colonel Chris Owens, a CSSM committee member, is already at work with the Georgia Sheriffs’ Association and the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency on how what IHMM is creating can be incorporated into the operations of Georgia schools.

This IHMM committee is making the CSSM credential real, and is starting to engage their communities with efforts to make schools safer using professionally certified school safety managers. Look for the new CSSM examination before the end of 2022.

The new CSSM credential blueprint is found here.

IHMM Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist® [CPPS®] Credential

Dan Blankfeld, CSHM, CSMP, Chair of the Microcredential Task Force, is pleased to announce the release of the IHMM Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist [CPPS] credential blueprint. The Task Force received more than 200 suggestions for microcredentials that could be used in conjunction with existing IHMM credentials to add depth to specific knowledge and experience areas. Microcredentials are short, focused credentials designed to provide in-demand skills, know-how and experience.

A Certified Pandemic Preparedness Specialist® (CPPS®) Microcredential holder is first a CHMM or CSHM credentialed professional who has demonstrated, through education, experience, and examination, the ability to identify and assess the risks associated with pathogens and their effect on public health, commerce, industry, and/or government operation. The focus of the CPPS microcredential is to: assess and provide guidance concerning the preparedness levels of different entities, and develop and implement risk-reduction strategies.

The Task Force is making progress on the construction of the CPPS examination at this writing. We look forward to the completion of the examination and launch of the credential to the IHMM community and then begin working with federal officials from the CDC, NIH, and White House Pandemic Innovation Task Force on being better prepared for the next pandemic. Read the March, 2022 release from the White House here.

The new CPPS credential blueprint is found here.

In 2019 Mark Bruce from AHMP and Gene Guilford from IHMM worked on a project to get the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to recognize the CHMM and CDGT credentials. With Mark’s work on the ground in  Pennsylvania, we succeeded. The 45 in 5 Project is for ALL IHMM credentials. This summer we have worked on the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers health and safety manual that recognizes the CSHM and CSMP credentials. We are working with a CSHM in New York on their Department of Labor recognizing the CSHM.

• We have already succeeded in 13 states – New York, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Indiana, California, Colorado, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arkansas, Oklahoma. Ohio, North Dakota, and Georgia. [Red states in the map above]. These are states where IHMM credentials are cited or 40 CFR 312.10 is cited by reference.
• We have partially succeeded in another 16 states – Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Arizona, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida, Delaware, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine. [Orange/Black Stripe states in the map above] These are states where the requirements of an “environmental professional” or QEP are cited that coincide with an IHMM credential so that relatively little work would need to be done to clarify the desired outcome.
• We have 21 states where no reference to an IHMM credential is made in either statute or regulation, nor is there anything defined in the area of an environmental professional. These states will require legislation or regulatory work. [Yellow states in the map above].

In January 2021 Mark at AHMP and Gene at IHMM has launched 45 in 5, getting the other 45 states to recognize our credentials in 5 years. If we can find a volunteer like Mark in other states [see above] we can work with those volunteers on crafting the right message to the right agencies in state governments across the country. If we find enough volunteers we can get this done in less than 5 years.

In January 2022 Gene Guilford released the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation that states a private certification that meets or exceeds the requirements of the regulation is an Environmental Professional under the regulation. Here is the crosswalk between the 40 CFR § 312.10 EPA regulation and the Certified Hazardous Materials Manager [CHMM] blueprint. The CHMM meets or exceeds the requirements of an Environmental Professional. 

Here’s what we ask each volunteer to do:

• Watch legislative and regulatory developments in your state that provide an opportunity for us to create amendments or other interventions
• Be willing to speak with regulators and legislators in your area about the recognition efforts we craft together

Learn more about the AHMP-IHMM 45 in 5 Project here

OSHA’s FY 2023 Outreach Initiatives

IHMM  - 26 Fellows Are Mentors 

IHMM Fellows Committee Chair Atanu Das, CHMM, is leading the effort within the IHMM Collaboration networking platform to provide instruction to the more than 75 IHMM Fellows in becoming mentors.

Given the extraordinary experience Fellows have, this is a unique opportunity for IHMM Fellows to help guide more recent certificants in their professional development activities.

IHMM's Collaboration platform contains a "Mentor Match" module [see below at right] that allows mentors to signup designating the hours, number of mentees, subject areas, and length of time they wish to mentor - as well as allowing mentees to signup requesting assistance in specified areas. The mentor match module does the rest by matching mentors and mentees.

Recert Video #1

Recert Video #2

IHMM Recertification Videos

IHMM is pleased to release two YouTube instructional videos about navigating the IHMM recertification process. These step-by-step videos easily enable IHMM certificants to start and complete a recertification application.

While the full recertification cycle is 5 years, IHMM encourages all certificants to start a recertification application and add certification maintenance points as they are earned to make the final submission quick and easy to accomplish.

• Every CSHM and CSMP should start a recertification application now.
• Even if your recertification is years away, starting an application now and adding your accumulated points enables you to see where you are all the time and it makes it very easy when you have to file your application

IHMM Scholarship Program

The Institute of Hazardous Materials Management is pleased to have created $32,000 in academic scholarships, divided equally between $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student CHMMs, and $16,000 for students enrolled in undergraduate or graduate education in approved schools and who are also Student ASHMs.

IHMM seeks to foster the growth and academic success of students whose courses of education, and participation in one of our Student certifications, will lead to those students becoming fully-certified IHMM credential holders later in their professional lives.  The first two IHMM Scholarships were awarded before Thanksgiving to Thomas Gerding, Student ASHM, and Ryan Bellacov, Student CHMM! Congratulations to Thomas and Ryan for being our first scholarship award winners.

Go to >  https://ihmm.org/scholarship/

IHMM is a member of ASSP and is pleased to bring this important information to all of its certificants.

ASSP News

• Q&A: What OSH Professionals Need to Know About DEI and Workplace Safety

• Workplace Safety Professionals Invited to DEI Summit

• ASSP Helps Safety and Health Professionals Get Recognized

• A Safety Professional's Journey

• The Conceptual Toolbox: 6 Ideas For Addressing Workplace Safety Issues

ASSP Webinars

RCM&D Professional Liability Insurance

HMS is proud to have partnered with RCM&D to be able to offer an outstanding comprehensive professional liability insurance program to IHMM certificants. Here, you will find information about this important program offering Environmental Consultants and Engineers Professional Liability coverage. This coverage is intended to add protection for loss stemming from actual or alleged negligent acts, errors and omissions in performing professional services.

For more information see > https://hazmatsociety.org/professional-liability-insurance/

There are 820 different conversations going on in the IHMM/HMS Collaboration platform this week.

A collaborative culture is important for every business but is especially important for our hazardous materials, dangerous goods, environment, health, and safety communities of practice. Do you have a problem you need to solve and want the opinions of your colleagues? This is where we come together to help each other.

IHMM credentialed professionals are at the top 1% of their professions and their reach is global. We are at the forefront of environmental protection, health, and safety and this is where collaborating with the best people in their fields, always willing to help one another, lessens the stress of our jobs, and where we strive as a team to make a difference of which we are proud.

We opened COLLABORATION to enable thousands of certificants and supporters to collaborate together. You can collaborate here.

Access to COLLABORATION is through the same username/password you use to access your MYIHMM account. Having a problem? Contact Jimmy Nguyen at [email protected]