ADOSH ADVOCATE – NEWSLETTER

Prevent Texting and Driving in the Workplace

Distracted driving is dangerous, claiming 3,450 lives in 2016 alone. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), distracted driving is any activity that diverts attention from driving including, but not limited to, talking or texting on your phone, eating or drinking, talking to people in your vehicle, fiddling with the stereo or navigation system. Texting is the most alarming distraction. Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed. Continue Reading »

U.S. Department of Labor Issues Final Rule to Protect Privacy of Workers

To protect worker privacy, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule that eliminates the requirement for establishments with 250 or more employees to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300 (Log of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses) and OSHA Form 301 (Injury and Illness Incident Report) to OSHA each year. These establishments are still required to electronically submit information from OSHA Form 300A (Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses). Continue reading »

ATTENTION ALL ARPA MEMBERS – BE SURE YOUR BEST GETS RECOGNIZED

Recognizing a job well done goes a long way towards worker engagement and satisfaction.  Plus it reinforces for all workers exactly what good work looks like and that it is rewarded.  Arizona Rock Products Association makes it easy for their members to implement employee recognition programs as they have established programs in place.  All their members need to do is internally promote and then submit their nominations to the ARPA Safety and Transportation Committee. Forms and instructions»  Driver of the Quarter Description and Entry Form   AGG Star of the Quarter Program Entry Form. pdf

ARPA offers two different awards; Driver of the Quarter and AGG Star of the Quarter.  To get the most out of these programs, encourage everyone throughout your company to make a nomination.  Select and award an winner in each category from your company and then forward on to ARPA for industry-wide recognition.

This is great opportunity to recognize your people and much of the work is already done.

Assessment of Civil Penalties for MSHA; Inflation Adjustment

On January 23, 2019, the U.S. Department of Labor will publish a final rule in the Federal Register that will adjust for inflation MSHA’s civil monetary penalties.  On November 2, 2015, the President signed into law the Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act Improvements Act of 2015.  This law requires the Department to annually adjust its civil monetary penalty levels for inflation no later than January 15 of each year. Continue Reading »

The table below reports the change to MSHA’s penalties in 2019.

MSHA MINE FATALITY #2

On Monday, January 14, 2019, a 56-year-old survey crew member with approximately 30 years of mining experience was fatally injured after he was struck by a loaded shuttle car.  The victim was measuring the mining height in an entry that was part of the travel-way used by the shuttle car to access the section feeder.

Fatality #2 accident scene
Best Practices:
  • Before performing work in an active haulage travel-way, communicate your position and intended movements to mobile equipment operators and park mobile equipment until work has been completed.
  • Never assume mobile equipment operators can see you.  Always wear reflective clothing and permissible strobe lights to ensure high visibility when traveling or working where mobile equipment is operating.
  • Be aware of blind spots on mobile equipment when traveling in the same areas where mobile equipment operates.
  • Place visible warning and barrier devices at all entrances to areas prior to performing work in active travelways of mobile equipment.
  • Operate mobile equipment at safe speeds and sound audible warnings when visibility is obstructed, making turns, reversing direction, etc.  Ensure sound levels of audible warnings are significantly higher than ambient noise.
  • Ensure directional lights are on when equipment is being operated.  Maintain all lights provided on mobile equipment in proper working condition at all times.

OSHA Penalties Adjusting in 2019

OSHA’s civil penalties amounts for violations of workplace safety and health standards will increase in 2019 to adjust for inflation. The adjusted maximum penalty amounts will take effect upon publication in the Federal Register. New penalties for willful and repeat violations will be $132,598 per violation; serious, other-than-serious, and posting requirements are $13,260 per violation; and failure to abate violations are $13,260 per day beyond the abatement date.