SMART  News

Puget Sound Area Safety Summit 15th Anniversary Celebration

Cheers to a wonderful 15^th Anniversary Celebration!

On September 12^th, we enjoyed a great day of reminiscing and celebrating with friends and co-workers at our PSASS Banquet. We heard from Attorney General Rob McKenna, L&I Director, Judy Schurke and OSHA Region X Director, Dick Terrill as well as former Mariner’s designated hitter and founder of Branded Solutions, Edgar Martinez. We also presented Jan Donley from Kids’ Chance of Washington with a $2,000.00 check from the Golf Tournament we held in July. Our attendance levels soared with over 120 people and the general mood couldn’t have been better. Everyone enjoyed a wonderful meal catered by Maya’s and raffle prizes were handed out to two lucky winners. It was a day of celebration and a day of learning, as our speakers educated us on the importance of continuing to lead our companies on safe paths. 

We want to congratulate our award winners again and thank them for stepping up as leaders in the safety industry:

Loyalty and Dedication to the Industry, Mike O’Conner, Jackson Dean Construction: Mike’s dedication toward effective communication for all, led him to create a company video in Spanish for his Hispanic workers. He also donates countless hours and safety expertise to Habitat for Humanity workers. 

Safety Innovation, Christian Fortin, Snyder Roofing: Christian’s bilingual skills enable him to communicate effectively to the crew and he is always coming up with new tools to help improve productivity on the job.

Overall Safety Program Improvement, Doug Carter, Bouten Construction: Through Doug’s effort, Bouten reduced their EMR to 6219 from 1.1791 and started the DIRT meeting, a daily safety meeting on job sites. Bouten University was also formed, offering safety instruction to employees.

Safety Teamwork, Nintendo: Nintendo created a safety calendar and a wellness program to promote health and safety. Claims have shrunk to 1-2 on average per year down from approximately 25.

Training for the Overall Good of the Industry, Bruce McGaw, Mowat Construction: After a surge in back injuries, Bruce teamed up with Carol Wick, Occupational Therapist to develop the Stretch & Flex Program. Bruce regularly trains workers using posters created to demonstrate proper stretches. With this program, Mowat’s sprain-strain/soft tissue injuries have decreased by 50%.

We thank everyone who attended the banquet, making it a very memorable event. Your support and dedication throughout the past 15 years is irreplaceable and we can’t wait to share the next 15 years and beyond with you. 

When Employees Don’t Leave Quietly

Imagine this scenario…an employee with repeat poor performance has been terminated. He is disgruntled and his anger is escalating. You manage to escort him from the building while he is screaming obscenities but are unsure of what to do next.

You’re worried that he might return in the near future even angrier, maybe even bring a weapon, putting your workers at risk. Will you know how to control the situation? Are you familiar with setting up safeguards to protect yourself and your co-workers?

This scenario is happening more frequently to our members. Performing a hazard assessment for workplace security is key to identify potential risks. Consider the immediate need such as limiting access points into the building or site.

Communicate the potential hazard to employees and train them on your protocol. Who should they call if the former employee shows up? The safety officer? The police?

Employers are required to provide a workplace free from safety hazards. The Department of Labor and Industries has developed a 68 page prevention guide to assist employers in identifying potential risk factors, sample prevention programs and a response plan. This guide is available to download at http://www.lni.wa.gov/IPUB/417-140-000.pdf.

For further assistance in setting up your plan join our SMART Violence in The Workplace course October 16^th from 12-4pm.  Register online at www.smartwa.org.

Silica: It's More Than Dust!

Silica dust is often found in large doses on many construction sites. Silica is a very common mineral in the earth's crust. It can be very harmful when the Silica is broken into dust particles and then inhaled. Construction workers stand in more risk because of their regular job duties like drilling, breaking concrete, working with concrete dust, etc. According to the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences at the University of Washington, "Breathing silica deep into the lungs can cause silicosis. With silicosis, silica particles lodge in the lung tissue, causing scarring. The lungs become less flexible, making it difficult to breathe and do hard work. Once silicosis develops, the damage is permanent. There is no recovery." They also note, "One study showed silicosis deaths in the construction industry are higher than any other industry in the United States."

In order to raise awareness of the damage caused by inhaling Silica, the Dept. of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences has created a website that gives ample information on what silica and silicosis are and what preventative measures can be taken by construction companies. They also offer posters and stickers that can help to raise awareness. To get more information, visit their website by Clicking Here!
 

Helpful Hints from the October Puget Sound Area Safety Summit

At this month’s summit meeting, we were fortunate enough to have Ross & Wendy Wigney from Ausclean Technologies speak about the dangers of Methamphetamine and Kim Triplett, WA State Patrol Detective enlighten us about our ID Theft risk.  If you attended, you learned some valuable skills from both presenters about protecting yourself and others from these costly problems.  If you didn’t make it to the summit, here are a few helpful hints:

Are you a “red flagger”?  Don’t ever put your red flag up on your mailbox.  This is an open invitation for your mail to be stolen.  Get a lock for your mailbox if you don’t already have one.

Be wary of the ATM machine.   If the slot where you put your card in looks different, don’t use it.  Many ID snatchers place skimming machines over those slots so they can get your information when you slide your card in. 

Opt-out.  Go to www.optoutprescreen.com or call 1-888-5-OPTOUT to get rid of all of the junk mail you receive.  Many people just throw those out without opening them and many contain personal information you don’t want shared.

Cross-cut shred your documents.  Straight shredding isn’t good enough because people can glue those back together.  If you use a cross-cut shredder, it’s virtually impossible.
 

Carry cash.  When you eat out and the bill comes, it’s easy to put your credit card down to pay.  You don’t actually see them run your card through the machine to charge you for your meal, though.  They could be skimming your card or taking down the number to use in the future. 

Be aware of your surroundings.  If you are on your cell phone in the middle of the park and are giving out personal information (ie. social security number, date of birth, etc.) you don’t know who could be listening.  Be smart about when and where you give out your information.

For more information on identity theft, please visit: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft//.
 

L&I proposal would increase workers’ compensation rates by 3.2 percent

OLYMPIA – The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) today proposed a 3.2 percent increase in 2008 workers’ compensation rates to help keep pace with inflation. Average premiums would go up by just over 2 cents per hour worked.

“Wage-replacement costs for injured workers are up 5.4 percent and we expect workers’ health-care costs to grow by 5.5 percent,” said L&I Director Judy Schurke. “Our proposed increase for 2008 would not cover all these higher costs. However, past strong investment earnings will allow us to make up the difference and help keep rates stable.”

The proposed increase, which would bring in $58 million, is an average for all Washington employers. Individual employers could see their rates go up or down, depending on their recent claims history and any changes in the frequency and cost of claims in their industry. L&I has published online and will soon send to employers the proposed 2008 rate tables by industry.

The 2008 rate proposal follows a 2 percent decrease in average premiums this year and a current partial rate holiday in the second half of 2007 that is saving employers and workers $315 million.

Washington’s workers’ compensation system is made up of three funds that provide benefits when workers are hurt on the job.

Under L&I’s proposal, the Accident Fund rate would decrease 4.5 percent. Employers pay premiums in this fund. The Medical Aid Fund rate would go up by 10.5 percent, and the Supplemental Pension Fund rate would increase 17.1 percent. Employers and workers contribute equal premiums for the latter two funds.

Washington is the only state where workers pay a substantial portion of premiums. Next year, their share would be just over 25 percent if the proposed rates are adopted.

Final 2008 rates will be adopted in late November following five public hearings:

• Spokane: Oct. 25, 10 a.m., West Coast Ridpath Hotel, 515 W. Sprague Ave.
• Mount Vernon: Oct. 31, 9 a.m., Best Western CottonTree Inn, 2300 Market St.
• Tukwila: Oct. 31, 2 p.m., L&I Service Office, 12806 Gateway Dr.
• Tumwater: Nov. 1, 9 a.m., GuestHouse Inn, 1660 74^th Ave. S.W.
• Yakima: Nov. 2, 1:30 p.m., L&I Service Office, 15 W. Yakima Ave.

Written comments, accepted through Nov. 6, may be e-mailed to Ronald Moore, Employer Services Program Manager, or mailed to him at the Department of Labor and Industries, P.O. Box 44140, Olympia, WA 98504-4140. Faxed comments should go to 360-902-4729.

Halloween Trick or Treat Safety

October has arrived and the evenings are getting darker earlier as Halloween approaches.  Thinking about safety 24/7 and how to bring safety into the home, promote a safe and Happy Halloween by handing our reflective trick or treat bags to your employees!  These 11” x 15” goodie bags can be imprinted with your custom company logo and still cost about a buck each!  Available in both English and Spanish.

Help keep the kids in your home and community safe this year.
To view the entire line and other child reflective safety products, please visit McGruff's website: Click here!

SMART Online E-Forum

Do you have questions about safety audits? Do you have tips for how to make your construction site safer? Do you have a safety experience you'd like to share with your colleagues? Then the SMART online forum is the place for you. The forum was created as a space where safety professionals can come together online to pose safety related questions, answer others questions and give safety tips.
We invite you to register for an account and take part in this online safety community.

To get started, Click here!

Stretch and Flex Programs can Decrease Injuries

We have had a great response to our new Stretch and Flex Program. This program, created by Bruce McGaw with Mowat Construction Co., has lowered sprained muscle injuries and some workers have also noticed increased mobility since beginning the regular sessions indicating long-lasting effects.

As Edgar Martinez shared at a recent SMART Dream Team meeting, athletes always stretch and flex before physical activities so it stands to reason that employees performing physical labor can benefit from this also.

Mowat Construction Co. has graciously allowed the SMART Association to reproduce their custom designed Flex and Stretch 2’ x 3’ poster which can be hung at a jobsite or break room to be used as a visual aid during the Flex and Stretch 15 minute sessions.  Each poster displays 18 different body positions used in the program.

One poster along with the “Essential 15 Minute Guide” is available to every SMART Retro member free of charge.  Additional copies may be purchased for a fee.  Come by the office to pick up your copy or email Tonya at thyde@approachms.com.