Tag Archives: osha

Occupational Safety and Health Association

. The OSHA is a nationally recognized group hat is responsible for dealing with injuries of workers and Workers comp issues.

Claims Management, Human Services Practice Group Content, OSHA, Workers Compensation Insurance

Healthcare Safe Patient Handling

Healthcare employees are a prime target for on-site injury. The main reason is their job consists of manual labor that usually deals with people. Activities such as lifting/handling human patients are common in the workplace for healthcare employees. One thing that needs to be addressed is safe-patient handling.

It is no surprise then that the main reasons for lost work and worker injuries in the healthcare industry is patient handling. Patient handling injuries makeup over 30% of workplace injuries and cost $1.66 billion in WC claims every year, according to Liberty Mutual data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That does not account for the billions every year spent on medical treatment by the workers themselves. So what are the ways that healthcare workers can maintain their current work duties yet avoid the risk of constant injuries? Well, here are 10 ways/tips to execute safe lifting and patient handling, according to OSHA.

Mechanical Lifting is Safe Patient Handling

Mechanical lifting is not only safer for the workers’ health, it is safer for any patients needing assistance.

Healthy Workers Should Still Not be Lifting Patients

Just because an employee has no previous injuries does not mean they are cleared to carry fully-grown people. Experts say less than 40 pounds is satisfactory for any employee’s heaviest lift.

Manually Lifting Patients can Actually be More Time-Consuming

If the job-site has mechanical lifting technology on-site and nearby, manually lifting may actually be more time-consuming. Do not worry if it takes an extra minute to retrieve/set up the technology. This is much safer than having a load of employees attempt to pick up and lift a patient.

Manual Lifting Costs More in the Long Run

While the mechanical lifting machines cost a pretty penny, medical injuries stemming from manual lifting could end up costing more. Back injury treatment for healthcare workers cost $20 billion every year. Factor in the billions in WC claims, and the lost days of worker productivity. Then, it makes the decision more clear that mechanical lifting is cheaper and more productive.

Learning Good Body Posture for Lifting Does Not Equal Less Injuries

Unfortunately, no matter how much you train to correctly lift a patient manually, it will never be as safe as mechanical lifting. There is no such technique that will teach how to safely lift a patient as our bodies were not built to lift another person.

Management Support

Having company-wide approval for a switch mechanical lifting is a positive step forward. This will help expedite the process of installing new mechanical lift devices without management backlash.

Assessing Potential Hazards

Finding the most hazardous areas of the workplace is crucial to implementation of mechanical lifting. Picking where to install these devices at the most efficient spots for the workers can make a huge difference.

Implementing a Committee to help With Safe Patient Handling

Creating a workers-based committee to help with the implementation of a safe patient handling program can help your company. After all, they are the most knowledgeable on the subject and can provide invaluable insight.

Education on Mechanical Lifting

Of course, mechanical lifting can only be as safe as the one that is operating the machine! Make sure your frontline healthcare workers are fully trained in using the technology.

Monitoring the Implementation of the New Safe Patient Handling

Once the mechanical lifting technology is in-place, that does not necessarily mean the end of the discussion. Management and workers alike must constantly evaluate the efficiency of the devices and judge whether or not another change must be made.

All of these steps and tips obviously lean towards the use of mechanical lifting devices over manual lifting. Following these steps can save your employees injuries and your company billions in claims. Remember, your employees’ health and safety must come first as well as your clients, so do the right thing and invest in the future of healthcare.

Other

OSHA Reporting For 2019 Is Due Feb. 1, 2020

It’s that time of year again, time to post your OSHA Form 300A for 2019 on your Jobsite by February 1, 2020. Depending on the size of your company or the industry, you may be required to post a summary of your employee injuries at your worksite between February 1st and April 30th. No worries; that’s why we built our OSHA REPORTING GUIDE FOR 2020.

The form to used is OSHA Form 300A Summary of Injuries. Current and former employees have the right to request further injury records via the OSHA 300 Report. It’s very important that you true up your OSHA 300 reports for the year then complete the OSHA 300A report and post it on-site or sites. Failure to do so can trigger fines and or an investigation by OSHA. OSHA can swing by and ask for evidence of your compliance at any time. Need help? Download our updated OSHA Reporting Guide for 2020 and share it with HR & or Safety Compliance.

Electronic Reporting:

OSHA requires that all organizations submit their injury and illness data for 2019 electronically by March 2, 2020. You can submit records electronically through the Injury Tracking Application available here.

 

 

F.A.Q.s – CLICK HERE TO VIEW OSHA’s FULL LIST OF F.A.Qs

What is a recordable incident? 

Check out this flowchart.

What is a reportable incident?

Check out this flowchart.

Do I need to fill out an OSHA 300A log for every location?

You must keep a separate OSHA 300 Log for each establishment that is expected to be in operation for one year or longer.

Do I need to keep OSHA injury and illness records for short-term establishments (i.e., establishments that will exist for less than a year)?

Yes, however, you do not have to keep a separate OSHA 300 Log for each such establishment. You may keep one OSHA 300 Log that covers all of your short-term establishments. You may also include the short-term establishments’ recordable injuries and illnesses on an OSHA 300 Log that covers short-term establishments for individual company divisions or geographic regions.

Some of my employees work at several different locations or do not work at any of my establishments at all. How do I record cases for these employees?

You must link each of your employees with one of your establishments, for recordkeeping purposes. You must record the injury and illness on the OSHA 300 Log of the injured or ill employee’s establishment, or on an OSHA 300 Log that covers that employee’s short-term establishment.

How do I record an injury or illness when an employee of one of my establishments is injured or becomes ill while visiting or working at another of my establishments, or while working away from any of my establishments?

If the injury or illness occurs at one of your establishments, you must record the injury or illness on the OSHA 300 Log of the establishment at which the injury or illness occurred. If the employee is injured or becomes ill and is not at one of your establishments, you must record the case on the OSHA 300 Log at the establishment at which the employee normally works.

 

Construction Practice Group Content, OSHA, Other

OSHA ISSUES FAQ On CRYSTALLINE SILICA STANDARD

 

 

In a Department of Labor January 23rd press release, after consulting with both Union & Industry stakeholders OSHA published a list of Frequently Asked Questions as it relates to the respirable crystalline silica standard for the general industry. The FAQ is organized by topic providing advisory to employers and works on the standard’s requirements including exposure assessment, hazard communication and various methods of compliance. They frame the FAQ into 64 questions & answers. To access the FAQ simply CLICK HERE.

Crystalline silica is a carcinogen found in sand, stone, and artificial stone. It can cause silicosis which involves the scarring of lungs. According to OSHA 2.3 million workers are exposed to silica dust each year which is why they first published the rile March 25, 2016. Further, OSHA released a set of compliance assistance resources in August of 2018 which can be found HERE.

This information can be helpful for workers that may not know they are constantly exposed to crystalline silica. This information can also be useful to employers who may now be in violation of potential unsafe work condition regulations, and can now make changes to the workplace accordingly.

If you still have any questions regarding this issuance, contact us at our website here.

 

Construction Practice Group Content, OSHA, Risk Management

What Does It Mean to Be a Competent Person According to OSHA?

What does it mean to be a competent person according to OSHA? Are your workers competent? The general idea of competency is defined as having the required ability, skill and knowledge to do something. There are countless employers who state they have competent employees or are competent themselves. Yet, the term ‘competent’ may not equate to experience or the ability to make altering decisions on the job site.  The ambiguity behind the term has been misunderstood and defined at various standards.

According to OSHA, the term extends beyond acknowledging someone with the title. OSHA construction standards define this term as an employee who can perceive hazards within a given task and also has the ability to ease those issues. Phil Colleran, a safety consultant specializing in construction and a former OSHA compliance officer states “it’s a fairly misunderstood term.” Still, contrary to common belief, formal training and attending classes is not a prerequisite to being competent.

Why Is This Important? 

Should you be lucky enough to have your site audited by an OSHA inspector the first question they will ask is “Who is the competent person on this site?” If you have not delegated before to this audit, a designated “competent person” that will be your first of many fines.

The Implications and Applications of Insights

A competent employee is more likely to assess and properly mitigate emerging hazards. An employee that could not do this would not be considered competent. There is also an immense difference between understanding a broad spectrum of scenarios and having a hands-on situational approach experience. The individuals use their skills and capability to identify hazards associated with clear operations. Simply put, competency is not exclusively knowledge but the application of it. 

The Appropriate Person

A large worksite may ask for several competent individuals who are proficient in their own areas of expertise. However, why not have someone that is specialized in multiple areas? One having deep knowledge and experience in all fields is unlikely. Even if one has the experience encompassing all aspects of the worksite, an employee who specializes in one area is able to properly assess, diagnose and take the necessary steps to handle a diverse array of situations. 

 

Still, utilizing employees who are competent is key to decreasing errors and recognizing hazards. Speak with one of our highly experienced and competent Risk Advisors today!

 

 

 

OSHA, Risk Management

OSHA Reporting Guide for 2018

REMINDER ; it’s that time of year again. Certain companies by virtue of their size and or their industries are required to post a summary of their injuries at their worksite between February 1st and April 30th. No worries; that’s why we built our OSHA REPORTING GUIDE FOR 2018. The form to be used is OSHA Form 300A Summary of Injuries. Current and former employees have the right to request further injury records via the OSHA 300 Report if they request such from your company. It’s very important that you true up your OSHA 300 reports for the year then complete the OSHA 300A report and post it on site or sites. Failure to do so can trigger fines and or a deeper dive by OSHA if they swing by and ask for evidence of your compliance. Need help? Download our updated OSHA Reporting Guide for 2018 and share it with HR & or Safety Compliance. 

UPDATE ON THE ELECTRONIC REPORTING REQUIREMENT: 

OSHA is really trying hard to get folks to begin to upload their OSHA incidents into their new system called “Injury Tracking System” of ITA. They have moved the implementation date back several times. The “new” date for compliance for some companies will be July 1st, 2018 to submit their  data 300A ; March 2nd 2019 thereafter.  For a complete list of exempted organizations CLICK HERE. Please note all employers, including those partially exempted by reason of company size or industry classification, must report to OSHA any workplace incident that results in a fatality, in-patient hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye (see §1904.39).

If you are located in the following states you are currently exempted from the electronic reporting requirements. Please Note that the following OSHA-approved State Plans have not yet adopted the requirement to submit injury and illness reports electronically: CA, MD, MN, SC, UT, WA and WY. Businesses in these states are not currently required to submit their summary data through the ITA. Similarly, state and local government establishments in IL, ME, NJ, and NY are not currently required to submit their data through the ITA. Contact information for each of the State Plans can be found at https://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/states.html.

OSHA, Risk Management, Workers Compensation Insurance

OSHA Proposes Delay to Electronic Reporting

Under the electronic reporting rule of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), certain establishments must report information electronically from their OSHA Forms 300, 300A and 301. In addition, OSHA is required to create a website that can be used to submit the required information.

The original deadline for first reports was July 1st, 2017. However, on a recent update to its webpage, OSHA explained it won’t receive reports by July 1st. This is due to lack of readiness. It has also proposed an extended deadline of December 1st, 2017.

Affected establishments expectedly continue to record and report workplace injuries. Monitor these developments until you officially adopt a new reporting date. The fines for not recording or reporting workplace injuries can be substantial. Further there were recent updates to when a workplace injury is directly REPORTABLE to OSHA which means you must pick up the phone and call them to report you had a workplace injury. To understand that bit of nuance a little better we suggest you refer back to a previous article that highlights that significant change to avoid substantial fines and penalties. CLICK HERE to read the 2017 OSHA Reporting Revisions.

If you have any questions about the OSHA electronic reporting rule, give us a call at (914) 357-8444. You can also click here!

OSHA

New OSHA Employee Injury Reporting Guidelines for 2017

Effective January 1, 2017 the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has established new injury reporting requirements that will phase-in over the next 2 years. Specific classes of employers based upon the work they perform will be required to electronically submit injury and illness data they are already recording in paper form .

Please note the final rule doesn’t create any new or additional record keeping requirements; it just requires that the reports that you used prior in paper form now be entered into OSHA’s new secure reporting system. For a complete breakdown of the new law CLICK HERE to download our free Compliance Guide which provides more detail.

New OSHA Employee Injury Reporting Guidelines for 2017

 

Timeline for the New Reporting Requirements

 

OSHA will provide a secure website that will offer 3 options for data entry.  Some of the data will be posted to the OSHA website.  This will take effect January 18th, 2017.

By July 1, 2017 businesses in specific industries with 250 or more employees will be required to electronically submit injury and illness data from their 2016 Form 300A.  These same businesses will also be required to submit information from all 2017 forms (300A, 300, and 301) by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year thereafter, the information must be submitted by March 2.

Businesses with 20-249 employees in specific high-risk industries will be required to submit information from their 2016 Form 300A by July 1, 2017, and must submit data from their 2017 Form 300A by July 1, 2018. Beginning in 2019 and every year thereafter, the information must be submitted by March 2.

The final rule containing the new electronic reporting requirements updated certain other related requirements as follows:

  • Employees must be informed of their right to report work-related injuries and illnesses free from retaliation. This is not new by the way, just a reaffirming.
  • The reporting procedures instituted by the employer must be reasonable and cannot deter or discourage employees from reporting work-related injuries and illnesses. Same as above, this is not new as this has always been encapsulated in workers compensation insurance laws and Department of Labor rulings.
  • The final rule also amends OSHA’s existing record keeping regulation to clarify the rights of employees and their representatives to access the injury and illness records. This may be new, make sure you get the correct HIPPA sign offs. Be very careful who you release employees medical records to. We suggest a strict HR policy and to update your current employee handbook .

Implications of the New Reporting Requirements

The reason OSHA has implemented these changes is that they feel electronic reporting, public disclosure, and enhanced employee protections will provide more accurate data and improve safety.  We agree as paper forms get filed and never make into a larger report where the data actual has meaning. Further the data will have more meaning and impact if it’s shared which this allows for. It will also streamline the collection and the sharing of the information which again adds utility.

 

If you have further question on the new rulings contact a Risk Advisor for additional information. Metropolitan Risk  has over 25 years of experience in guiding companies in how they manage their employee injuries. The cost of not managing employee injuries are considerable and offer forward thinking organizations wishing to get in front of the employee injury challenge turning  it into a competitive advantage as their peers continue to fail.

OSHA

OSHA 300A Must Be Posted From Feb. 1st – April 30th

Remember to complete and post OSHA Form 300A, which lists a summary of the total number of job-related injuries and illnesses that occurred during 2015. The form must be posted from February 1st to April 30th, 2016. Fines for not doing so can be significant if OSHA conducts an audit. One of the first items they ask to review is your OSHA 300 log, and where the OSHA 300A is posted.

To assist in calculating incidence rates, information about the annual average number of employees and total hours worked during the calendar year is also required. If a company recorded no injuries or illnesses in 2015, the employer must enter “zero” on the total line. The form must be signed and certified by a company executive. Form 300A should be displayed in a common area where notices to employees are usually posted.

Employers with 10 or fewer employees and employers in certain industries(see below FAQs) are normally exempt from record-keeping and posting requirements.

For your convenience, you can click here for the OSHA 300, 300A & 301 fillable forms. We ask that you email a copy of your 300 & 300A to your Risk Advisor so we may have a record in our file, or simply upload them into your OODA Risk system. If you are not up to date on your OSHA log, use the system as a resource. Run your workers’ comp claims and incidents by date of loss and location for the year. This will allow you to cross-check your log.

EXCITING NEWS: Next year’s OSHA logs will be much easier. OODA Risk 2.0 which is now in beta, will allow you to keep and generate an OSHA log for every trackable location as well as run your OSHA & DART incident rates at any point throughout the year. For a preview, watch this quick video.

If you have any questions, contact your Risk Advisor or click here for an OSHA recordkeeping coordinator.

F.A.Q.s – CLICK HERE TO VIEW OSHA’s FULL LIST OF F.A.Qs

What is a recordable incident? 

Check out this flowchart.

What is a reportable incident?

Check out this flowchart.

Do I need to fill out an OSHA 300A log for every location?

You must keep a separate OSHA 300 Log for each establishment that is expected to be in operation for one year or longer.

Do I need to keep OSHA injury and illness records for short-term establishments (i.e., establishments that will exist for less than a year)?

Yes, however, you do not have to keep a separate OSHA 300 Log for each such establishment. You may keep one OSHA 300 Log that covers all of your short-term establishments. You may also include the short-term establishments’ recordable injuries and illnesses on an OSHA 300 Log that covers short-term establishments for individual company divisions or geographic regions.

Some of my employees work at several different locations or do not work at any of my establishments at all. How do I record cases for these employees?

You must link each of your employees with one of your establishments, for recordkeeping purposes. You must record the injury and illness on the OSHA 300 Log of the injured or ill employee’s establishment, or on an OSHA 300 Log that covers that employee’s short-term establishment.

How do I record an injury or illness when an employee of one of my establishments is injured or becomes ill while visiting or working at another of my establishments, or while working away from any of my establishments?

If the injury or illness occurs at one of your establishments, you must record the injury or illness on the OSHA 300 Log of the establishment at which the injury or illness occurred. If the employee is injured or becomes ill and is not at one of your establishments, you must record the case on the OSHA 300 Log at the establishment at which the employee normally works.

What industries are excluded? (NAICS CODE)

  • 4412 Other Motor Vehicle Dealers
  • 4431 Electronics and Appliance Stores
  • 4461 Health and Personal Care Stores
  • 4471 Gasoline Stations
  • 4481 Clothing Stores
  • 4482 Shoe Stores
  • 4483 Jewelry, Luggage, and Leather Goods Stores
  • 4511 Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Stores
  • 4512 Book, Periodical, and Music Stores
  • 4531 Florists
  • 4532 Office Supplies, Stationery, and Gift Stores
  • 4812 Nonscheduled Air Transportation
  • 4861 Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil
  • 4862 Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas
  • 4869 Other Pipeline Transportation
  • 4879 Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Other
  • 4885 Freight Transportation Arrangement
  • 5111 Newspaper, Periodical, Book, and Directory Publishers
  • 5112 Software Publishers
  • 5121 Motion Picture and Video Industries
  • 5122 Sound Recording Industries
  • 5151 Radio and Television Broadcasting
  • 5172 Wireless Telecommunications Carriers (except Satellite)
  • 5173 Telecommunications Resellers
  • 5179 Other Telecommunications
  • 5181 Internet Service Providers and Web Search Portals
  • 5182 Data Processing, Hosting, and Related Services
  • 5191 Other Information Services
  • 5211 Monetary Authorities – Central Bank
  • 5221 Depository Credit Intermediation
  • 5222 Nondepository Credit Intermediation
  • 5223 Activities Related to Credit Intermediation
  • 5231 Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage
  • 5232 Securities and Commodity Exchanges
  • 5239 Other Financial Investment Activities
  • 5241 Insurance Carriers
  • 5242 Agencies, Brokerages, and Other Insurance Related Activities
  • 5251 Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds
  • 5259 Other Investment Pools and Funds
  • 5312 Offices of Real Estate Agents and Brokers
  • 5331 Lessors of Nonfinancial Intangible Assets (except Copyrighted Works)
  • 5411 Legal Services
  • 5412 Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services
  • 5413 Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
  • 5414 Specialized Design Services
  • 5415 Computer Systems Design and Related Services
  • 5416 Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services
  • 5417 Scientific Research and Development Services
  • 5418 Advertising and Related Services
  • 5511 Management of Companies and Enterprises
  • 5611 Office Administrative Services
  • 5614 Business Support Services
  • 5615 Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services
  • 5616 Investigation and Security Services
  • 6111 Elementary and Secondary Schools
  • 6112 Junior Colleges
  • 6113 Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
  • 6114 Business Schools and Computer and Management Training
  • 6115 Technical and Trade Schools
  • 6116 Other Schools and Instruction
  • 6117 Educational Support Services
  • 6211 Offices of Physicians
  • 6212 Offices of Dentists
  • 6213 Offices of Other Health Practitioners
  • 6214 Outpatient Care Centers
  • 6215 Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories
  • 6244 Child Day Care Services
  • 7114 Agents and Managers for Artists, Athletes, Entertainers, and Other Public Figures
  • 7115 Independent Artists, Writers, and Performers
  • 7213 Rooming and Boarding Houses NAICS Code and Industry Description
  • 7221 Full-Service Restaurants
  • 7222 Limited-Service Eating Places
  • 7224 Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages)
  • 8112 Electronic and Precision Equipment Repair and Maintenance
  • 8114 Personal and Household Goods Repair and Maintenance
  • 8121 Personal Care Services
  • 8122 Death Care Services
  • 8131 Religious Organizations
  • 8132 Grantmaking and Giving Services
  • 8133 Social Advocacy Organizations
  • 8134 Civic and Social Organizations
  • 8139 Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations
Construction Practice Group Content, Food & Beverage Practice Group Content, General Liability Insurance, Human Services Practice Group Content, Loss Control, OSHA, Risk Management, Transportation Practice Group Content, Workers Compensation Insurance

How Do You Know if an Incident Must be Recorded on Your OSHA 300 Log?

9/19/14 UPDATE: [OSHA has issued a final rule requiring employers to notify OSHA when an employee suffers a work-related hospitalization, amputation, or loss of an eye. Under the revised severe injury rule, employers will be required to notify OSHA of work-related in-patient hospitalizations, amputations, or losses of an eye within 24 hours. Previously, OSHA’s regulations required an employer to report only work-related fatalities and in-patient hospitalizations of three or more employees. Reporting single hospitalizations, amputations, or lose of an eye was not required under the previous rule. The new rule, which also updates the list of employers partially exempt from OSHA record-keeping requirements, will go into effect on January 1, 2015 for workplaces under federal OSHA jurisdiction. The new rule maintains the exemption for any employer with 10 or fewer employees, regardless of their industry classification, from the requirement to routinely keep records of worker injuries and illnesses.]

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This is a question we get all the time. So we figured it was time for a blog post.

Employers are sometimes confused by the differences in what they need to report to their workers’ compensation carrier and what they need to record on their OSHA 300 log.

At Met Risk we recommend to our clients that you submit a First Report of Injury to us even if the employee needed only minor treatment. Having this “Incident Only” report will be helpful if the employee reports symptoms or needs treatment later on. Our Claims Advocates will also let you know if you need to report it to your workers compensation carrier or not.

However that does not mean everything needs to be recorded in your OSHA 300 log.

Continue reading How Do You Know if an Incident Must be Recorded on Your OSHA 300 Log? →