There’s no doubt about it. It’s HOT and Summer has actually just begun! Heat is a serious safety issue, but you can take steps to reduce the risk of serious illness. There’s a pamphlet available that you can print out and use in training workers to take the proper precautions themselves, look out for others, and provide First Aid when someone becomes ill from the heat.
Click here for: OSHA’s Prevent Heat Illness at Work pamphlet in English or Spanish (pdf).
Today MSHA conducted one of its quarterly stakeholder meetings via phone and posted this PowerPoint presentation to review the 2021 Fatalities so far. A link will be provided if, as usual, MSHA posts an audio recording of the event.
Click here for: PowerPoint Presentation (pdf)
This slide presentation, compiled in 2010, provides detailed information to help the metal and nonmetal mining industry meet MSHA’s requirements for guarding conveyor belts. Photos of a variety of situations show the right and wrong ways to construct guards that protect miners from exposure to conveyor belt moving parts and satisfy MSHA regulations. The information supplements guarding guidance in MSHA’s 2004 Guide to Equipment Guarding and Program Policy Manual.
When do you need a new pair of work shoes? Don’t wait until they cost you a painful slip and fall. This CDC/NIOSH graphic is available in English and Spanish. Download it and use it in training or post for employees to read. Of all the tools we should inspect before use your shoes may be the one you actually use the most but don’t even think about it. A new pair of workshoes may seem expensive if you think you can extend them a few weeks with some duct tape, but they don’t come even close to costing as much as a hospital visit even if you aren’t paying the bill.
It’s OSHA and Construction which you might also be involved with, so you want to plan to participate now. Otherwise there are still great materials here.
February is National Heart Month. The National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute (NHLBI) provides all kinds of material on healthy hearts to share any time of the year. Download Fact Sheets, Social Media Resources, State Based Infocards, Articlee, Power Point Slides, Flyers, and GIF’s like the one above.
Access the materials here. (web site)
The traditional Spring Thaws held around the country are virtual this year so you may be able to attend them even if they aren’t in your area. Spring Thaws are held by mining industry hosts to:
• increase awareness and recognition of mining hazards.
• improve hazard correction.
• encourage safe work practices.
At these events, safety professionals from mining and equipment companies, associations, and the Mine Safety and Health Administration share information on a range of mining hazards. While MSHA does not sponsor these events, they encourage miners to take advantage of those offered in your area, in-person or virtual.
You can see the schedule on MSHA’s web site here.
Stepping into OSHA-land for a moment, a news release several days ago stated “U.S. Department of Labor’s OSHA Announces $2,851,533 in Coronavirus Violations.” Whether your job is in an OSHA or MSHA jurisdiction, OSHA provides some helpful enforcement and safety publications. Here are links to:
Common COVID-19 Citations (pdf)
I’ve added a new dashboard to the Resource Page to help trainers classify and analyze fatalities. Starting with 2020 all mining fatalities are listed here along with basic information on what was mined, the victim’s job, age, and experience, and whether the victim worked for a contractor or not. The date on the chart links to the fatality while the rest will show you all fatalities that are classified like what you clicked on.
Check it out here.