January-March 2014 Arizona Division of Occupational Safety & Health Volume 1 Upcoming Events Water/Wastewater Worker Safety Seminar and Nogales February 5th - Nogales Water Treatment Plant ADOSH Regional Safety Summit Mohave Community DOSH College - Kingman Campus February 19-20 Advocate Looking Ahead: Auto Shop Safety April 9th in Bullhead City Inside this issue: Winter Conditions Ahead...Proceed with Care! Winter Conditions Ahead - 1 Proceed with Care! Not all of Arizona is bathed in sun- • Train the workforce about cold- shine all winter long; indeed, some induced illnesses and injuries. Kingman Safety Summit 2 areas are blanketed with snow from OSHA has prepared an employee February 19-20, 2014 time to time and blasted with icy training aid to help you present winds that curl your toes and bite this essential information. Regular Features your nose! 3 www.osha.gov/Publications/osha A Thousand Words Consider our own Winter Wonder- 3156.pdf (see picture at right) In-Box lands: Flagstaff, White Mountains, Prescott, Williams, Mt. Lemon and • Select proper clothing for cold, Arizona’s Medical Marijuana 4 wet, and windy conditions. Layer Act in the Workplace even the Valley of the Sun was by Gina Kesler Pres. D&A Experts dusted with snow last February clothing to adjust to changing envi- ronmental temperatures. Wear a hat and gloves, in addition to un- Trainer’s Corner - Power 5 Points... What’s the Point? derwear that will keep water away from the skin (polypropylene). The Employer’s Mandate to Protect Temporary Workers • Take frequent short breaks in warm dry shelters to allow the Training Calendar 6- body to warm up. January — March 2014 • Perform work during the warmest faces have led to serious injury 7 20th. Remember? This is a shot of part of the day. and even death. the 101 in Scottsdale. Safety Apps for Androids 8 • Avoid exhaustion or fatigue be- By Paul Meier ADOSH Consultant Remember that prevention is the Yes, icy driving conditions can be cause energy is needed to keep best way to stop slips and falls risky, but other cold related injuries muscles warm. OSHA Recordkeeping: Death, 9 during the winter in icy condi- Taxes and OSHA 300A such as hypothermia and frost bite • Use the buddy system (work in tions. Be sure to shovel drive- can occur to Arizona’s workforce pairs). ADOSH Fatality Investigations ways, walkways, and sidewalks. during the winter months and unlike • Drink warm, sweet beverages July - September 2013 Salt high traffic areas if you think the freeways, there are rarely signs (sugar water, sports-type drinks). VPP and SHARP News : 10 ice may form. If there are espe- overhead to warn us of the hazards. Concrete Designs, Inc., Mapei Corp., - Avoid drinks with caffeine (coffee, cially icy spots, place a sign to Vantage West Credit Union, Schu- 11 tea, or hot chocolate) or alcohol. How to Protect Workers warn others of the hazard. macher European, Yuma Cogeneration • Eat warm, high-calorie foods like Associates • Recognize the environmental and www.cdc.gov/Niosh/docs/2011- hot pasta dishes. workplace conditions that lead to 123/pdfs/2011-123.pdf ADOSH Out and About 12 potential cold-induced illnesses and In addition to hypothermia and Photos Reverse Trade Show and Con- injuries. frostbite, we need to be aware of Employers must provide a safe struction Career Days • Learn the signs and symptoms of the slip and fall hazards caused by work environment for their em- Phoenix Safety Summit Photos 13 cold-induced illnesses/injuries and ice on working surfaces and walk- ployees. Winter conditions must - ways. Slips and falls on icy sur- be regarded as potential hazards October 21-22, 2013 what to do to help the worker. 15 to worker’s life and safety. Page 2 ADOSH ADVOCATE 2014 Volume 1 Register after 1/7/14 at www.ezregister.com//promoters/1607 Volume 1 ADOSH ADVOCATE 2014 Page 3 A Thousand Words… posed of, that way, in a sharps area for immediate emergency Q: How do I Maintain Eyewash In-Box container. use.” In applying these general and/or Shower Equipment? terms, OSHA would consider the You do need to change your A: ANSI recommends that all practice of removing the needle. guidelines set by such sources as Q: We use sharps containers American National Standards emergency eyewash and shower Please reference 29 CFR equipment be checked on a weekly and have been disconnecting the 1910.1030(d)(2)(vii), specifically Institute (ANSI) Z358.1-1998, Emergency Eyewash and Shower basis in order to ensure proper needle from the syringe (needles (d)(2)(vii)(A) and (B). are of course safety needles) to Equipment, which states, at sec- working condition. Plumbed eye- dispose Is this acceptable or do tion 7.4.4, that eyewash facilities wash units should be activated we need to change our practice? Steve Weberman ADOSH Con- are to be located to require no weekly to flush the line and to veri- sultation Industrial Hygienist more than 10 seconds to reach, fy proper operation. Self-contained A: In response to your question, but that where a strong acid or eyewash units must be maintained you should never remove the caustic is used, the unit should be according to manufacturer's in- needle from the syringes unless Q: I just need to verify the dis- immediately adjacent to the haz- structions. The weekly inspections the manufacturer states that their tance an eye wash station needs ard. Based upon OSHA’s inter- should be recorded for each unit. design is to be able to remove to be from an electric forklift and pretation, all facilities shall have Eyewash heads must be protected the needle for disposal, if that is charger? an eye wash station if a forklift to prevent contaminants in the not stated by the manufacturer battery charging or changing sta- ambient air from settling on the then you should NEVER remove A: OSHA forklift regulation 29 tion presents a risk of exposure to eyewash heads. Consider using the needle. There should be a CFR 1910.178 does not have a battery acid. The eye wash shall your Personal Protective Equip- sheath over and around the nee- specific requirement for eyewash be located adjacent to the bat- ment (PPE) assessment or SDS’s dle once it is used and ready for facilities, the OSHA first aid stand- tery charging or changing sta- as a guide in determining where disposal or that the needle is ard at 29 CFR 1910.151 applies. tion. hazards to the eye and body exist retractable and the entire syringe When necessary, facilities for in your workplace. with the needle inside is dis- drenching or flushing the eyes Luis Lopez ADOSH Consultation “shall be provided within the work Industrial Hygienist Paul Meier ADOSH Consultant Page 4 ADOSH ADVOCATE 2014 Volume 1 Arizona’s Medical Marijuana Act in the Workplace by Gina Kesler “I tested positive on my drug test but I’ve got The first priority of any policy is to understand tion drugs and alcohol! Your managers are a medical marijuana card. You can’t deny me your own state laws before writing and enacting your best deterrents to substance abuse in the employment!” Have you heard this? Are you an employer policy, such as a drug/alcohol pro- workplace and they need to be equipped with cringing at the thought? Is this person right? gram. Every state has unique and different laws the tools. A supervisor training on the impair- Many employers were incensed when the AZ regarding drug testing and medical marijuana ing effects of drug and alcohol and reasonable medical marijuana act (MMA) was passed, and these laws must be followed in your pro- suspicion will ultimately reduce your liability especially since the language specifically gram. To whom the law applies, the quantity of immediately if you have proactive managers denied employers the ability to discriminate marijuana allowed, how it is obtained, liability that practice their new found knowledge and against a registered card holder applying for protections, etc. Understanding the laws will help awareness. Educated managers coupled with a job or terminating an employee unless your shape the policy and internal processes. regular drug testing will reduce workplace company risked losing federal funding or a Gone are the days of a generic drug and alcohol accidents and minimize liability. licensing benefit. prohibition statement in the handbook. Policies Adopt an ADA compliant handbook policy on Arizona’s MMA is the only one in the need to be very thorough and articulate the posi- reasonable accommodations. It’s very im- country that includes language about tion the company takes regarding substances in portant, however, that you state in your pre- what employers can or cannot do in the the workplace. Adopting a pre-duty prescription duty prescription medication and impairing circumstance of a registered card holder. medication and impairing effects substances effects disclosure policy that you do not ac- So how does an Arizona employer manage safety policy is the first important step. This commodate the use of medical or recreational yet another piece of legislation that impacts should include specific information about the marijuana by safety-sensitive employees. For their business and their employees? Employ- reason for the policy, who it covers, who enforc- all of the rest, make sure an individualized ers demanded change and they were heard es, consequences for violating the policy, how assessment based on essential job duties is with the passing of A.R.S. H.B. 2541, a revi- the testing program will be conducted, etc. It performed and ask for help by your medical sion to the state drug testing law allowing for also requires employees that are working in a review officer or occupational physician to more latitude by employers to make manage- safety-sensitive position to disclose, pre-duty, guide you through the ADA reasonable ac- rial decisions regarding impairment in the that they have taken, or are taking, an impairing commodation steps.