OSHA News Blog | The OSHA Updater

CHICAGO -- The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration has scheduled its latest informal stakeholder meetings to continue soliciting comments and suggestions for protecting workers from combustible dust hazards in the workplace. Since 1980, more than 130 workers have been killed and more than 780 injured in combustible dust explosions.
This set of meetings is the third in a series addressing combustible dust hazards. The first meetings were held in Washington, D.C. A second meeting was held in Atlanta to facilitate participation by families of victims of the Feb. 7, 2008, explosion at an Imperial Sugar Co. plant in Port Wentworth, Ga., which killed 14 workers and resulted in OSHA issuing nearly $8.8 million in penalties.

OSHA will consider participants' comments in developing a proposed standard for combustible dust.

The Chicago meetings will be held April 21 at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. CDT at the Crowne Plaza Chicago O'Hare Hotel and Conference Center, 5440 North River Road, Rosemont, Ill. A Federal Register notice is available at http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=21395

Combustible dusts are solids ground into fine particles, fibers, chips, chunks or flakes that can cause a fire or explosion when suspended in air under certain conditions. Types of dusts include metal (aluminum and magnesium), wood, plastic or rubber, coal, flour, sugar and paper, among others.

Individuals interested in participating must register by submitting a notice of intent to participate by April 7. Notices can be submitted electronically by registering at https://www2.ergweb.com/projects/conferences/osha/register-osha-stakeholder.htm. Registrations also can be faxed to 781-674-2906. Or, registrations can be mailed to ERG Inc., 110 Hartwell Ave., Lexington, MA 02421. Registrations that are faxed or mailed should be labeled "Attention: OSHA Combustible Dust Stakeholder Meeting Registration."

For general and technical information, the public may contact Mat Chibbaro, OSHA, Office of Safety Systems, at 202-693-2255. Media inquiries should be directed to Brad Mitchell or Scott Allen, Office of Public Affairs, 312-353-6976.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov.

I found a wonderful list of safety resources. Here it is for your enjoyment.

http://www.behavioral-safety.com/cgi/update.pl?page=links

Cheers,

WASHINGTON — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration will hold a meeting of the Advisory Committee on Construction Safety and Health (ACCSH) April 14 and 16, 2010, in Houston. For more than 35 years, ACCSH and OSHA have collaborated to reduce injuries, illnesses, and fatalities in the construction industry caused by such hazards as falling objects, unstable trenches, power tools, and silica inhalation. See the notice in the Federal Register for more details.

ACCSH also advises Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health David Michaels, Ph.D., M.P.H., on worker safety and health in the construction industry. The agenda for this meeting will include updates on OSHA activities and reports from ACCSH work groups that address construction topics related to green jobs, diversity and multilingual issues, nailgun safety, fall protection, prevention by design, and silica exposure, among others.

ACCSH and its work group meetings will all be held at the Crowne Plaza Houston Downtown, 1700 Smith Street, Houston, Texas 77002. ACCSH work groups will meet on Monday, April 12, 2010, from noon to 4:15 p.m., and on Tuesday, April 13, 2010, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The full committee will meet from 8 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, April 14, 2010, and Friday, April 16, 2010. ACCSH meetings are open to the public. Persons requiring special accommodations who wish to attend should contact Veneta Chatmon at (202) 693-1999 or chatmon.veneta@dol.gov.

Those wishing to submit comments, requests to address the committee, or presentations, should mail three copies of all materials to the OSHA Docket Office, Docket No. OSHA-2010-0014, Room N-2625, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20210. Submissions that do not exceed 10 pages may be faxed to the OSHA Docket Office at (202) 693-1648. Materials may also be submitted electronically through the Federal eRulemaking Portal at http://www.regulations.gov.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA’s role is to assure these conditions for America’s working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit http://www.osha.gov/.

Protect Yourself While Filling, Moving and Placing Sandbags During Flooding Disasters

Manually filling, moving and placing sandbags is physically demanding work. It involves repeatedly lifting and carrying heavy loads, and may involve working in awkward positions. This work may lead to back and other injuries.

Automated equipment to fill and move sandbags reduces heavy lifting and should be used when possible.

General Safety and Health Tips
Use gloves to protect hands from chemically-treated sandbags and contaminants in sand and floodwater.
Avoid touching your eyes and mouth.
Wash your hands and face before eating or drinking.
Use safety glasses, particularly on dry and windy days and when working with automated equipment.
Wear work boots (waterproofed if working in floodwater).
Use waterproof gear if working in floodwater or rain.
Use protective clothing if exposed to polluted floodwater.
Wear reflective clothing when working at night.
Use a personal floatation device when working near floodwater.

General Lifting Tips
Do not overfill sandbags - fill bag 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Keep load in front of and close to your body.
Keep the lift between knee and waist height.
Do not reach out, bend over, or twist when lifting.
Lift with your legs, not your back.
Use a good hand grip when lifting.

Safety Tips for Filling Sandbags
Manual Filling
Using three-person crews works best:
Bagger - holds open and closes bags.
Shoveler - shovels sand into sandbags.
Mover - carries and places sandbags.
Alternate positions every 20 to 30 minutes.
Take frequent short rest breaks.

Bagging Safety Tips
Fold the bag opening outward and form collar to grip and keep the bag open more easily.
Use a bag holder or rest the bag on the ground so that the opening is between knee and knuckle height.
Fold the bag opening closed. Tie only if necessary.

Shoveling Safety Tips
Use a short handled, #2 rounded point shovel with straight shaft and D grip, bagger scoop or funnel to fill sandbags. A funnel can help limit spillover and cut down the number of loads needed to fill the bag.
Bend the knees, not the back, to scoop sand.

Automated Filling Tips
Place bag so that the opening is at waist height.
Put the bag on a support (ledge, pallet) to reduce the stress on the hands, shoulders and lower back.
Fold the bag opening closed. Tie only if necessary.
Safety Tips for Moving and Placing Sandbags
Safety Tips for Transporters (Movers)
Use General Lifting Tips to move and place bags.
Carry bag in front of and close to your body.
Carry bag at waist height using a cradle hold.
When available use pallets to move sandbags to staging area.
Drag the bag vertically, holding the folded end, if staging area or pallet is close (within 7 feet).
Use a brigade line to pass bags to staging areas that are further away. Stagger the line and face each other to avoid twisting and turning.
Do not throw sandbags - it stresses the back and shoulders.
Elevate storage pallets to reduce bending when putting bags on or lifting bags from pallets.
Straddle drop point with the bag between your ankles as you place it.

Click Here to Download the Sandbag Safety PDF QuickCard

This resource is from OSHA.gov
please visit there website for more information.

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