January 2013 Workplace Safety News and Notes

OSHA 300A Summary Must be Posted by Feb. 1
The deadline for posting OSHA 300A Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses is February 1 - approaching fast. The OSHA 300A summarizes entries from the full OSHA From 300 Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses. OSHA requires companies to post this form no later than February 1 each year and keep it posted through April 30 in a conspicuous place where employee notices are typically posted. Companies must also ensure that the posted summary is not altered, defaced or covered by other material during that time period. Review the OSHA Annual Summary Standard 1904.32 here.

DOT Offers Free Emergency Response Guidebook App

DOT Safety Placard
at ComplianceSigns.com

The Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has announced a free mobile Web app of its Emergency Response Guidebook 2012. This new safety tool is designed to provide the nation's emergency responders with fast, easily accessible information to help them manage hazardous material incidents. The mobile ERG will make it easier for firefighters, police and other emergency first responders to quickly locate the information they need, thanks to an electronic word search function, and will ensure easy reading even during nighttime emergencies. The 2012 version of the ERG includes new evacuation tables for large toxic gas spills and standard response procedures for gas and liquid pipeline incidents. The ERG 2012 app is available for iPhone and Android devices from the iTunes and Google Play sites.





FMCSA Releases Safety Management Cycle Resources
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has released new materials to assist motor carriers in identifying and addressing their safety and compliance issues. These materials include the Safety Management Cycle (SMC), an important tool that Agency Safety Investigators use during on-site investigations. The SMC is able to identify safety problems, their root causes, and safety solutions. To help familiarize carriers with how to use the SMC and its six Safety Management Processes, FMCSA developed a factsheet that explains how to use these materials to improve safety practices. FMCSA has also provided a supplemental case study that shows carriers how to use the SMC in the long-term. Download a Factsheet on the Safety Measurement System (pdf) or check out these new SMC resources on the CSA Resources page.

Fall Protection Sign
at ComplianceSigns.com

New Fall Prevention Brochures in English, Spanish, Portuguese
The Massachusetts FACE Project - in conjunction with the national Campaign to Prevent Falls in Construction, and with input from local industry and labor safety experts, contractors, and researchers - has updated and published a series of four residential construction fall prevention brochures for contractors. Brochure topics include myths about falls, ladder safety, scaffold safety and personal fall arrest systems. All are available in English, Spanish, and Portuguese. Select and download the new brochures from Mass.gov.

Latest Weekly Flu Update
According to the latest FluView report, influenza activity remains high and widespread across the nation. While activity indicators that rose early - like influenza-like-illness and the percent of respiratory specimens testing positive for influenza - are beginning to show declines, indicators that reflect severity are now rising. It’s typical for severity indicators to lag a few weeks behind early activity indicators. This week, a high proportion of influenza-associated hospitalizations and deaths are occurring in people 65 and older. Seasons when H3N2 viruses are predominant tend to be associated with greater severity in terms of more hospitalizations and deaths. This FluView update contains data for the week of January 6-12, 2013.