BWC is hosting a webinar titled Are You a Hazmat Employer? What to Know to Stay in Compliance on Tuesday, January 26 (11 a.m. to 12 p.m.). This webinar will focus on the Department of Transportation’s training requirements for shipping, receiving, handling and labeling of hazardous materials.

The webinar will be instructed by Ben Hissam, an Industrial Safety Consultant in BWC’s Cincinnati Service Office.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Kaylee Blevings at Kaylee.b.1@bwc.state.oh.us

Employer Safety Program Evaluation:

Are you ensuring safety in the workplace?

It’s the start of a new year and what better time to review our safety plans. For this month’s safety information, we are sharing a Safety Program Evaluation sheet prepared by Gary Hanson of American Safety & Health. We encourage all employers to utilize this form, to evaluate their programs and see if there is room for improvement. Click Here to complete the Safety Program Checklist

Drug Awareness for Supervisors

Below you will find the link to Judith Gissy's presentation from the February Safety Council Meeting.

Judith Gissy, Treatment Coordinator - TriHealth

judith_gissy@trihealth.com

Drug Awareness for Supervisors Presentation

BWC is hosting a webinar on the subject of Reducing COVID-19 Transmission Through HVAC Improvements on Thursday, February 18 (10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.). This webinar provides valuable information for anyone interested in taking steps to improve their indoor air quality (IAQ) to reduce COVID-19 transmission.

Presenters from the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC) and the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) will discuss a step-wise approach to assessing and managing IAQ and reducing COVID-19 transmission risks.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer. Webinars qualify for IACET continuing education & BWC discount program credits.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Angel Johnson at Angel.J.1@bwc.state.oh.us

Click HERE for additional details and to register

October Safety Council Updates:

BWC introduces virtual classes beginning October 1

To provide Ohio employers with free training opportunities, continuing education and BWC discount program credits during the COVID-19 pandemic, BWC will begin offering a limited number of classes virtually in October.

These classes will provide live, interactive education along with all of the same benefits of previously scheduled classroom courses cancelled through the end of the 2020.

This flyer provides additional information including system requirements, necessary student completion tasks, and registration information. If you have questions, email dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

NIOSH/CDC News

Driving Fatigue

A major cause of vehicle accidents is fatigued drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drowsy driving was responsible for 72,000 crashes, 44,000 injuries, and 800 deaths in 2013. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has a website with information on this topic that includes an animated image, fact sheets, and tips for employers and workers to prevent fatigue on the job.

Winter Holiday Safety

The winter holidays create unique safety risks. Holiday décor and candles can create fire risks, traveling in winter weather can be hazardous, food safety is important at holiday meals, and toy safety is important at giftgiving occasions. The National Fire Protection Association’s Winter Holidays website contains safety tip sheets and information on tree and decoration fires. The National Safety Council’s Holiday Safety website has travel, decoration, food, toy, and fire safety tips.

NIOSH eNews

The November 2019 issue of NIOSH eNews contains articles on National Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Awareness Month, abstracts of research performed by NIOSH researchers, links to new publications and blog posts, and a calendar of upcoming events.

OSHA News

Holiday Workplace Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) webpage on holiday workplace safety in the merchandising sales sector contains links to information for order fulfilment, delivery, retail sales, and general employees.

Ionizing Radiation

If you work around sources of ionizing radiation such as radioactive materials or X-ray equipment, OSHA has a newly revised website on this topic. Find information on standards, health effects, hazard recognition, control and prevention, and additional resources.

Other News

New Toolbox Talks

The Center for Construction Research and Training released three new Toolbox Talks in English and Spanish on topics regarding nanoengineered materials, including:

• Identifying Nano-Enabled Construction Materials.

• Introduction: Nano-Enabled Construction Materials.

• Prevent Exposure: Nano-Enabled Construction Materials.

New Safety Podcast

Occupational Health and Safety Magazine has a new podcast called the OH&S SafetyPod, which plans to cover a variety of topics. The first episode discusses safety culture, and the second discusses effective safety training.

More Effective Safety Training

Looking for tips on how to create and deliver better safety training? This article from The American Society of Safety Professionals has four tips you can use. There is a link to a podcast on the subject as well.

Workplace Injury Data Released

The Bureau of Labor Statistics released its Employer-Reported Workplace Injuries and Illnesses – 2018 report in early November. The report shows there were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by private industry employers in 2018. This is the first year since 2012 that the total numbers and incident rate did not go down. Retail trade was the only sector with a rise in reportable cases.

Electrical Safety Alert

In the wake of three fatalities, the Mine Safety and Health Administration issued an Electrical Safety Alert. The alert describes the three incidents and provides tips on prevention of electrical accidents.

Safety Video Series

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work sponsors a video series featuring a character called Napo to educate workers on topics in safety and health. The videos are silent and so language-neutral. The most recent videos in the Napo series help employees understand musculoskeletal disease.

Winter Safety

The National Safety Council issued a list of winter safety tips on topics such as winter driving, snow shoveling, and frostbite. Stay safe this winter!

Worker Health and Well-Being

U.S. Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams published an article titled, The Value of Worker Well-Being in Public Health Reports, the official journal of the Office of the Surgeon General and the U.S. Public Health Service. The article describes how work can influence well-being and what strategies employers can take to improve employees’ happiness and wellness.

Please contact the library@bwc.state.oh.us or 614-466-7388 for more information on any of these items.

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

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Dear Safety Council Rebate Program Participants,

We thank you for your patience as we’ve determined how to proceed with the FY20 Safety Council Rebate Program in the midst of COVID-19.

As you know, we directed safety council sponsors to cancel March, April, and May safety council meetings in light of public health concerns. And today’s announcement will eliminate the need for sponsors to host a June meeting. As a result of these cancellations, we realize it is impossible for many of you to complete the program’s FY20 rebate eligibility requirements.

Therefore, we will provide the FY20 rebate to safety council members who, as of Feb. 29, 2020, had attended at least FOUR safety council meetings. This determination was based on crediting each member with one meeting credit for each cancelled meeting, the maximum of two external training credits and waiving the CEO attendance and calendar year 2019 semi-annual report requirements.

Although we realize a small number of safety councils host more than one meeting a month late in the program year, we are granting relief for only one safety council meeting credit per month in March, April, May, and June. This resolution reinforces the program’s goal of active participation for the purpose of education, networking and resource sharing and, unfortunately, members who condense participation to the latter part of the program year will not appreciate relief from this solution.

Ultimately, employers we determine have earned the rebate under the revised guidelines will receive the maximum percentage rebate allowed per their BWC group-rating status:

2% for employers enrolled in BWC’s Group-Retrospective-Rating Program and eligible for the participation rebate.
2% for employers enrolled in BWC’s Group-Experience-Rating Program and eligible for the performance bonus - there will be no claims data measurement calculation.
4% for employers not enrolled in a BWC Group-Rating Program.

Your safety council sponsor will submit July 1, 2019 through February 29, 2020 attendance records to us when normal business operations resume. The timeline for the processing of these rebates is yet to be determined but we will continue to update safety council sponsors when you should expect FY20 safety council program rebate checks.

Our most sincere interest is the health, wellness and safety of Ohio’s workforce. Be safe and take care.

Michelle Francisco

BWC Safety Council Program Manager

Portions of this message may be confidential under an exemption to Ohio's public records law or under a legal privilege. If you have received this message in error or due to an unauthorized transmission or interception, please delete all copies from your system without disclosing, copying, or transmitting this message.

Ohio Safety Council Mega Meetings 2021-2022

Warren County Safety Council's

FY20 Enrollment Form

Click HERE to find your FY20 WC Safety Council Enrollment Form

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

BWC Featured News

BWC’s Personalized Safety Services
BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene has a variety of personalized safety services to help every Ohio employer in any industry. See our at-a-glance Personalized Safety Services flyer to learn more about how BWC can help employers with no-cost options for injury and illness prevention and risk reduction, because one injury is too many.

BWC Virtual Training Classes
Electrical Safety Maintenance (NFPA 70B) - Practices for Electrical - Jan. 11-13, 2022 Safety Series Module 2: Ergonomics, Accident Analysis, and Hazard Assessment Basics - Jan. 13, 2022 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Series Module 1: Regulatory background (EPA, DOT, OSHA) - Jan. 24, 2022 OSHA Recordkeeping Half-day Workshop - Jan. 27, 2022 Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Series Module 2: Chemical and Toxicological Terminology - Jan. 31, 2022

To register, visit the BWC Learning Center.

BWC Webinars
Prevention through Design – Jan. 11, 2022
Recordkeeping 101: Recordkeeping for the Safety/HR Newbie – Jan. 20, 2022
Workers’ Compensation and How Safety Affects Small Business Profitability – Jan. 25, 2022

BWC’s Ohio Occupational Safety and Health Research Program proposal deadline approaching
The deadline for proposal submission is 5 p.m. EST on Jan. 13, 2022. For more information, visit the research program web page, or view the FY22 request for proposals.

BWC Library Question of the Month
A question received by the library over the past month with our response.

Question:
Is there a document that shows the safety standards, such as American National Standards Institute (ANSI), that OSHA incorporated into regulations?

Answer:
These links go to lists of incorporated standards in OSHA regulations in each category: General Industry: 1910.6 - Incorporation by reference.
Construction: 1926.6 - Incorporation by reference.
Shipyard Employment: 1915.5 - Incorporation by reference.
Marine Terminals: 1917.3 - Incorporation by reference.

Also, for anyone wondering about the use of newer editions versus the editions incorporated by reference, see OSHA's letter of interpretation here: Significance of ANSI standards with respect to OSHA requirements, specifically A92.6-1999. | Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Many of these standards, historic and current editions, are in the BWC Library collection. If you have questions about a certain standard or edition, or any other questions, Ask a Librarian or send an email to library@bwc.state.oh.us.

New Year, New Ventures
Happy New Year! As the holiday season comes to a close and the New Year is underway, we might feel inclined to make a list of the goals we want to accomplish and healthy habits we want to start. For some of us that might mean finally cleaning out the junk drawer and organizing the items under the kitchen sink. For others, a new healthy habit may be starting a weekly exercise routine. Whether your goals and healthy habits are complex or simple, here are a few tips to help you succeed:

Make a Plan - Write down specific information such as how often, the amount, and on what days you would like to carry out your goals and habits. This will help you stay focused.
Find a Partner - Have a family member, friend, or other trusted person hold you accountable to your plans. Having a person to support you, can increase the likelihood you will reach your goals.
Be Ready for Challenges - Nothing goes exactly as planned. Have multiple options in place and people and resources to support you, so that challenges don't derail your progress.

The New Year is filled with promise! Better You, Better Ohio! is a free workplace health and wellness program that gives you the resources you need to take ownership of your health and well-being. For more tips and information on reaching your goals and forming new healthy habits, click here.

OSHA News

Winter Weather Hazards
As we enter the winter weather season be sure you are prepared. The Winter Weather site from OSHA has tips for dealing with cold stress, falls on snow and ice, winter driving, and more.

Hazardous Chemical Storage Safety Advisory
The US EPA and OSHA issued a joint Safety Advisory on Improper Storage of Hazardous Chemicals. The agencies “found that many facilities do not manage chemicals in a safe or secure manner. Complying with applicable regulations may help avoid catastrophic chemical accidents.”

Be SHARP!
Congratulations to Ohio company Derby Fabricating Company for their Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program (SHARP) status renewal. To find out how you can participate in SHARP contact the OSHA On-Site Consultation Program. The OSHA On-Site Consultation Program offers free and confidential safety and health help for small to medium sized, high-hazard private employers.

Safe + Sound Campaign Newsletter
This recent Safe+Sound newsletter has links to the All in On Safety Challenge, cold stress, heat injury rulemaking, and worker participation worksheets. You can sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from the link.

NIOSH/CDC News

Musculoskeletal Disorders Research at NIOSH
This December 2021 blog post from NIOSH outlines the history of musculoskeletal disorders research at NIOSH. From vibration research in the 1970’s to exoskeletons in the 2000’s, NIOSH research covers a wide range of ergonomics issues in the workplace.

NIOSH eNEws
The December edition of NIOSH eNews features an article on oil and gas workplace safety. The article notes that NIOSH plans a 2022 project to prevent noise-induced hearing loss in the industry. There is a call for partners in this effort. The newsletter also has new reports and links to the NIOSH Science Blog entries.

Other News

Workplace Housekeeping Webinar
Good workplace housekeeping is more than just providing basic sanitation. Keeping not only work areas, but also entire facilities clean and neat reduces the risk of injury and illness and helps avoid violating more than a dozen OSHA standards. Join EHS Daily Advisor on Jan. 11, 2022 at 2 PM Eastern Standard Time to learn how to help your company avoid common pitfalls.

OSHA Training Requirements Webinar
The National Safety Council is holding a free webinar Jan. 13, 2022 at 1pm Eastern Time on safety training requirements in some of the key OSHA regulations including hazard communication, forklifts, lockout/tagout, walking-working surfaces, bloodborne pathogens and more. To register go to Webinar Registration - Zoom

Hazard Communication – Past, Present and Future Webinar
It has been 38 years since OSHA adopted the Hazard Communication Standard (HCS) for the manufacturing industry. OSHA is looking to adopt even more changes to HCS in 2022 to better protect employees in the workplace. Join OH&S on Jan. 27, 2022 at 2 PM Eastern Standard Time to review the original HCS requirements, the GHS provisions added in 2012, and several of the proposed changes that could help better protect American workers.

National Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries In 2020
The Bureau of Labor Statistics released the data on fatal work injuries in 2020. There was a 10.7% decrease in overall fatalities for the year. Transportation incidents are still the most frequent source of injuries, but the number of incidents fell from 2019 levels. Transportation and material moving workers accounted for nearly half of all fatal occupational injuries.

Legionnaires’ Disease Prevention and Control
This website has resources to help the public with resources to reduce the occurrence of legionnaires’ disease. This page shows useful basic information in several infographics.

Construction PPE for Women
Women working in the construction industry often have difficulty finding personal protective equipment (PPE) to fit them. This list from the Center for Construction Research and Training has links to commercially available PPE designed for women.

Updated Ohio Job and Family Services Civil Rights Poster Package
Ohio Employers must post and make public specific State and Federal posters in the workplace. The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services updated their downloadable package of State posters in October. It’s a good idea to bookmark this page in your Internet browser, so that you can download and print future updates.

Mental Health Coping Strategies and Resources During the Pandemic
The pandemic has brought with it a rise in mental health issues, particularly stress, anxiety, and panic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a page of resources with tips on reducing stress, including downloadable handouts. The World Health Organization has a page of news and resources, as does the Ohio Department of Health. The Ohio CareLine provides free, confidential emotional support 24/7.

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

Webinars are now presented live with continuing education & BWC discount program credits.

BWC is hosting a webinar titled Office Ergonomics Tips for Teleworkers on Wednesday, February 17 (1:30 to 2:30 p.m.). This webinar will highlight ways to use household furniture and equipment for a home office ergonomic workstation and will provide tips for teleworkers to help them work more comfortably in their homes.

The webinar will be instructed by Dr. Delia Treaster, the BWC Ergonomic Technical Advisor for the Division of Safety & Hygiene.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Angel Johnson @ angel.j.1@bwc.state.oh.us.

Click HERE for additional information and to register

July's Safety Update - Ohio BWC Library Click Here

FREE BWC Webinars & Virtual Classes - December 2020

Click HERE to view the Schedule

Free BWC Webinars & Virtual Classes - August 2021

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in August including:

Weekly Webinars –presented live with BWC discount program & continuing education credits

Engaging Millennials in Safety (August 10)
Advice on Creating a Successful Safety & Health Management Program (August 11)
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Safety Teams (August 12)
BWC Transitional Work Program and Updates (August 24)

Virtual classes -

Lockout/Tagout and Safety-Related Work Practices (August 4)
Work Zone Traffic Control and Safety (August 18)
Confined Space Assessment and Work (August 23 & 24)
Electrical Safety in the Workplace through Insight and Implementation of NFPA 70E (August 30 & 31)

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

Additional information on all August distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

Developing a Driver Safety Program Presentation

Presented by: Joe Koehl, BWC - Division of Safety & Hygiene

Developing a Driver Safety Program Presentation: Click Here

BWC - Developing a Driver Safety Program: Comparison of Resource Materials

(Updated 10-17-19)

Oregon OSHA – Vehicle Safety Sample Plan

NETS/NHSTA/OSHA – 2015 – “Guidelines for Employers to Reduce Motor Vehicle Crashes” https://www.osha.gov/Publications/motor_vehicle_guide.html	CDC/NIOSH 2015 – “Preventing work-related motor vehicle crashes” https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2015-111/pdfs/2015-111.pdf	ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 – 2012 (2017) “Safety Practices for Motor Vehicle Operation” Available for Purchase from ANSI/ASSE https://webstore.ansi.org/RecordDetail.aspx?sku=ANSI%2FASSE+Z15.1-2017&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIipjBysGX3QIVmojICh2TMAeXEAAYASAAEgJtrvD_BwE
Set Up a Safe Driving Program to Keep Your Employees Safe on the Road	Component 1: Your company leaders’ commitment to safety	1. Scope, Purpose, Applications, Expectations and Interpretations
Promoting Safe Driving Practices Helps Your Bottom Line	Who your program covers:	1.1 Scope; 1.2 Purpose and Application; 1.3 Expectations; 1.4 Interpretation
Calculate Your Costs for Motor Vehicle Crashes	Commitment to safety means that:	2. Definitions
Where to Start	Component 2: Policies to guide everyone’s actions to promote road safety	3. Management Leadership and Administration
Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes to Employers Worksheet	Written policies and procedures should address: Hazards Assessment; Journey management; Seat belts; distracted driving; drowsy driving; impaired driving;	3.1 Management Leadership and commitment; 3.2 Written Program
Success Stories: Workplace Driver Safety Programs in Action	Component 3: Driver selection, training and evaluation that maximizes road safety	4. Operation Environment
NETS 10 Step Program to Minimize Crash Risk	Decide who is eligible to drive for your company:	4.1 Occupant Restraints; 4.2 Impaired Driving; Distracted Driving; Aggressive Driving; Journey Management; Fatigue Management; Operation Policies
Step 1: Senior Management Commitment and Employee Involvement	Reevaluate drivers on regular schedule:	5. Driver
Step 2: Written Policies and Procedures	Provide periodic “refresher” driver training:	5.1 Driver Qualifications; Driver Management; Driver Training Program; Record Keeping
Step 3: Driver Agreements	Component 4: Safe and well-maintained vehicles	6. Vehicle
Step 4: Motor Vehicle Record (MVR) Checks	When buying or leasing company vehicles you should:	6.1 Vehicle Acquisition; 6.2 Modifications; 6.3 Emergency Equipment; 6.4 Vehicle Inspection; 6.5 Pre-Operational Vehicle Checks; 6.6 Vehicle Maintenance; 6.7 Vehicle Replacement
Step 5: Crash Reporting and Investigation	You should also (maintenance):	7. Incident Reporting and Analysis
Step 6: Vehicle Selection, Maintenance and Inspection	Motor Vehicle Safety Program Action Items: A Checklist	7.1 Reporting of Motor Vehicle Incidents and Collisions; 7.2 Incident Review and Analysis; 7.3 Data Analysis
Step 7: Disciplinary Action System		Appendix A – Business Use policy – Driver Acknowledgement
Step 8: Reward/Incentive Program		Appendix B – Personal Use Policy – Driver Acknowledgement
Step 9: Driver Training/Communication		Appendix C – Driver Owned/Leased Vehicle Used for Business Policy – Driver Acknowledgement
Step 10: Regulatory Compliance		Appendix D – Rental Vehicle Policy – Driver Acknowledgment
Promote Safe Driving Practices to Protect Your Most Valuable Investment – Your Employees		Appendix E – Distracted Driving Policy – Driver Acknowledgement
Aggressive Driving, Distracted Driving, Drowsy Driving, Impaired Driving and a worksheet, Costs of Motor Vehicle Crashes to Employers.		Appendix F – Motor Vehicle Incident Report: Instructions for Drivers and Incident Information
		Appendix G – Factors to be Considered During an Incident Review
		Appendix H – Incident Rates and Methods of Calculation

Important Notice:

Semi-Annual Reports Will NOT Be Collected at this time

**We will not be collecting Semi-Annual Reports at this time (per BWC's direction). When BWC gives us further instructions on collecting these reports, we will be sure to reach out to you all.

Please let us know if you have any questions at all.

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in May including:

National Fall Protection Stand-Down Event

Fall Protection Equipment Misuse: Don’t Fall For It! (May 3)

Weekly Webinars –presented live with BWC discount program & continuing education credits

Prevent Falls in All Industries (May 4)
Special Two-Hour Event – Conducting Safety Inspections in the Workplace (May 11)
Is Fatigue Affecting Your Safety Program? (May 23)

Virtual classes -

Accident Analysis Half-day Workshop (May 4)
Lockout/Tagout and Safety-related Work Practices (May 5)
Confined Space Assessment and Work (May 11-12)
Safety Series Workshop Module 3: Hazard Communication and Personal Protective Equipment Basics (May 13)
Violence in the Workplace (May 18)
Work Zone Traffic Control and Safety (May 19)
Safety Series Workshop Module 2: Ergonomics, Accident Analysis, and Hazard Assessment Basics (May 20)
Machine Guarding Basics (May 26)

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

Additional information on all May distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

Click HERE for information on May's Distance Learning

Click HERE for the Fall Protection Equipment Misuse

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Distance Learning in December 2021

FOR DISTRIBUTION TO SAFETY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in December. For detailed information and to learn how to register, view this flyer.

Webinars - presented live with BWC discount program and continuing education credit:

PERRP Recordkeeping (December 9)
Special Investigations: An Overview (December 14)

Virtual classes

Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Refresher (December 1-2)
Wellness in the Workplace (December 7)
Electrical Hazard Recognition and Abatement (December 14-17)
Respirators - Do We Need Them? (December 14)
Hazard Communication Half-day Workshop (December 16)

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

For more information or assistance, email dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio, serving 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,600 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

Warren County Safety Council CEO Breakfast

We hope you will join us and other CEOs and safety professionals to learn more about how Warren Safety Council can benefit your bottom line. Bob Braun, Ohio BWC's Regional Business Development Manager - Southwest, will share about some new BWC initiatives and how Ohio is making a difference.

At this meeting, members of the WCSC enjoy a complimentary hot breakfast and have the opportunity to set some time aside to focus on safety, health and wellness in the workplace.

One of the requirements to qualify for the safety council rebate is to have your company's CEO or highest ranking officer attend at least one meeting. Even if you have already fulfilled that requirement, join us for this special meeting.

We encourage you to bring a guest who is not currently enrolled in an Ohio safety council to share this program and opportunity. Enrollment deadline for Safety Year July 2019 to June 2020 is July 31 2019 so this is a perfect time to introduce what Ohio Safety Council can offer employers.

We hope to see you there!

Register Now!

Developing an Effective Ergonomics Management Process Webinar

Click Here to Register!

Check out December's Safety Update News Letter

Warren County Safety Council Updates

Safety Congress Registration Now Open

Registration is now open for the 2021 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo (OSC21)! Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, OSC21 will be a completely online event, including our first-ever digital expo.

Visit the OSC21 website for more information and to register for the event, which will stream live March 10-11, 2021. Now in its 91^st year, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest and longest-running regional occupational safety, health and workers’ compensation conference in the U.S.

More than 4.000 representatives from Ohio businesses and government are expected to attend the event to discover the strategies and tools needed for a healthy, safe, and productive workforce. The event offers topics on organizational behavior, safety leadership, emerging trends, and mental health. Participants can visit the digital expo marketplace, compete in a scavenger hunt, download resources, earn attendance credit and chat with others.

Register today, invite your colleagues and tag us @OhioBWC #OSC21. We’ll see you online for OSC21!

2020-2021 Virtual Safety Council

Meeting Dates & Topic Schedule

This fiscal year (FY21) BWC requires all safety council meetings to be virtual meetings. Warren County Safety Council will host all virtual meetings using Zoom. The monthly meetings will be recorded each month, and can be found on our website.

**Be sure to login for the meetings 15-20mins early to make sure you do not have any technical problems**

August 21st: Understanding COVID

COVID-19 Basics PowerPoint Slideshow

(presented by Janette Weisbrodt)

COVID-19 Basics Zoom Video Recording

September 18th: DSH Services

January 15th: OSHA Updates

February 19th: Bloodborne Pathogen Trainings

Bloodborne Pathogen Training Zoom Video

March 19th: Prevention of Insect Borne Disease

Prevention of Insect Borne Disease Zoom Meeting

with Mike Wedding with Scherzinger

April 16th: Work Zone Awareness

May 21st: Electrical Safety Training

June 18th: Substance Abuse in the Work Place

PowerPoint Presentation

Local Resource Guide for Warren County Residents:

https://www.co.warren.oh.us/humanservices/GenInfo/ResourceGuidePrintable.pdf

Local Mental Health & Recovery Board Websites

Warren & Clinton Counties: https://www.mhrbwcc.org/home/

Links for sources of Data found in Presentation & other useful tools:

https://udsmapper.org/

http://grc.osu.edu/OMAS

http://www.dtidrugmap.com/?&_ga=2.29382391.955460720.1622731323-1714400461.1622731323#/all/2020

Local Health Needs Assessments:

Warren County Health Assessment: https://warrenchd.com/about/community-health-assessment

If you are unfamiliar with how to use Zoom, be sure to check out the links below to help guide you through the process.

How to Use Zoom:

First Steps with Zoom:

Set-up a zoom account (it is free to sign up) Click HERE to sign up
You can also download the Zoom app on your smartphone too.

Click on the links below for tutorials on how to use Zoom

1. How to Join a Meeting for the First Time

2. How to Join a Zoom Meeting by phone

3. How to present on Zoom

4. Understanding how to use Zoom Meeting Controls

Free Webinar on May 21st!

Reducing Amputation Hazards Flyer

Free BWC Webinars & Virtual Classes - November 2020

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in November including:

Weekly Webinars -

Combustible Dust Hazard Analysis – What Is It & How Can You Prepare for It?
“Selling Safety” and Why It’s Important (Replay)
Stress: Learning Today for Better Tomorrow
Hearing Conservation Program (Replay)

Live Webinar

What would you do? Can we rely on Common Sense?

Virtual classes -

Accident Analysis
Hazard Communication Half-day Workshop
Electrical Basics
Lockout/Tagout and Safety-related Work Practices

Additional information on all November distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Safety Update - Ohio BWC Library

BWC Featured items

COVID-19 Indoor Air Quality Assistance Program

The BWC Board of Directors voted to extend the deadline for the COVID-19 Indoor Air Quality Assistance Program. Eligible facilities will have until December 31, 2021 to apply for reimbursement. The program offers up to $15,000 for eligible entities to inspect and asses their air quality needs and address those needs through portable air filtration systems, new filtration systems, maintenance on current systems and other interventions implemented on or after March 1, 2020.

BWC Blog

Suicide prevention is a topic that can be hard to talk about. This blog post reminds us that help is available and we should have those tough conversations. Learn more about the 2 Tuff 2 Talk: Suicide Prevention in Construction program.

Heat Stress Training

Just in time for hot weather season, the new BWC Heat Stress Safety Talk. Find this and more safety talks for your training needs on the BWC website.

Workers’ Compensation and How Safety Affects Small Business Profitability

Small businesses play an important role in the economy, employing over half of all workers in the U.S. private sector. They have unique challenges with occupational health and safety and are more likely to face financial instability than larger firms due to a severe injury (or injuries). This webinar will explore the challenges small businesses face managing their safety program and workers’ compensation policy. It will be conducted in English July 13 from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and in Spanish July 14 from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

NIOSH/CDC News

In-vehicle Monitoring Systems

According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of work-related death across all industries combined in the United States (BLS data). Well over a thousand workers (1,270) died in 2019 in a work-related roadway incident. One safety tool that companies are using to prevent crashes is in-vehicle monitoring systems (IVMS). IVMS are devices designed to improve drivers’ performance by identifying risky driving behaviors for self-correction and for supervisors to use to coach drivers and identify fleet-wide problems.

Making Masks for the Workplace

NIOSH recommends a new standard in masks, called Workplace Performance and Workplace Performance Plus masks, for workplaces. Manufacturing masks that comply with the new NIOSH criteria can help protect people in the workplace from SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

OSHA News

New OSHA COVID-19 Guidance

OSHA issued a new emergency temporary standard (ETS) for healthcare (read the blog post on the ETS) and updated their guidance for mitigating and preventing the spread of COVID -19 in the workplace. Read the updates to these programs on the OSHA website.

New First Aid for Heat Illness Poster

OSHA created a new poster for the prevention of heat illness at work. The poster has tips to protect yourself and others and information on heat illness first aid.

Other News

Are You Ready to Get Ahead of Summer Safety Hazards?

Summer safety hazards abound. Are you ready to protect your employees during the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Gulf Coast hurricane season? Wildfires? What about excessive heat? Are you ready for an influx of young workers with little previous work experience and no safety training? This EHS Daily Advisor post discusses these issues.

Distracted Driving Dashboard

The Ohio State Highway Patrol released a Distracted Driving Dashboard devoted to distracted driving enforcement and education. Since 2016, there have been over 70,000 crashes in Ohio attributed to distracted driving, with over 2,000 of them causing serious injuries or fatalities. The dashboard supplies an ongoing view of crashes and violations across Ohio to help keep the public informed about this serious public safety issue.

Accident/Incident Investigation Webinar

One of the most important takeaways when an incident occurs is finding the cause and taking steps to ensure that it never happens again. Without a proper incident investigation, it becomes difficult to take preventative measures and implement corrective actions. This webinar, Improving Incident Investigations & Root Cause Analysis on July 8^th at 1:00 p.m. ET, sponsored by the National Safety Council’s Safety + Health Magazine will discuss the recommended steps to conduct a thorough incident investigation and root cause analysis.

First Aid Webinar

A workplace first-aid program is part of a comprehensive safety and health management system. OSHA has a requirement for employers to have access to first aid and emergency medical care, but the details can be difficult to navigate. This webinar OSHA's First Aid Requirements: FAQs – Answered! on July 15th at 2:00 p,m. ET from Occupational Health & Safety magazine covers the basics of the OSHA first aid requirements.

Working in Hot Weather

Now that the summer heat is with us, outdoor workers and those in hot enclosed spaces need protection from the hazards that these hot, humid days bring. The Center for Construction Research and Training has a web page with links to toolbox talks, fact sheets, and other publications on this important topic. This blog post from the Department of Labor lists six best practices for preventing heat illness.

Women in the Labor Force: A Databook

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, 57.4% of all women participated in the labor force. This was up from 57.1% who participated in 2018, but 2.6 percentage points below the peak of 60% in 1999. By comparison, the labor force participation rate for men was 69.2% in 2019, little changed from the previous year and 17.4 percentage points below its peak of 86.6% in 1948.

Portable Air Cleaners and COVID-19

The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Training Program issued a new fact sheet for selection and use of portable air cleaners to remove virus-contaminated air in indoor spaces.

Workplace Vaccination Clinics

The Ohio Department of Health (ODH) is asking businesses to partner with COVID-19 vaccine providers in their communities to offer convenient clinics that meet the scheduling needs of your employees. ODH has launched a webpage to connect businesses, organizations and partner vaccine providers with resources to plan workplace vaccinations and encourage employee participation. To get started, visit the ODH COVID-19 Vaccination Program for Businesses and Organizations page.

Bicycling and Traumatic Brain Injury

The Center for Disease Control Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report for May 14, 2021 covered emergency room visits for head trauma to bicyclists. The report found nearly 600,000 emergency room visits for bicycle-related brain injury from 2009-2018. The report recommended education to improve compliance with traffic laws and increased use of helmets among other interventions.

Food Safety during Grilling Season

Warmer weather and holidays are sure to bring plenty of sunshine and backyard barbecues! While family cookouts are great, they also raise our risk for food poisoning. Keep your family safe next time you fire up the grill by refrigerating perishable foods within one hour of cooking, if it is above 90 F outside. Be sure to also use clean utensils and plates to remove cooked meat and food from the grill. Washing your hands and cooking surfaces with soap and water are other great ways to practice food safety. To learn more about enjoying grilling season and preventing foodborne illnesses, click here. #BWCWellness

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio and serves 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,700 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

BWC News

BWC Safety Blog
National Farm Safety & Health Week began Sept. 19. Our latest blog, Agriculture safety means continuous focus on doing the right thing, will help you brush on some common farm hazards.

BWC Library Question of the Month
In this new section we feature a question received by the library over the past month and our response.

Question: Does the library have training literature or a training video about preventing falls from flatbed trailers?
Answer: BWC has a training handout: Three-point Technique to Prevent Falls from Mobile Equipment. At the bottom of the Talk is a link to a safety video on YouTube called Safety 180 - Three Points Of Contact. You can also have a BWC safety consultant contact you to discuss your company's fall protection program. Visit our Safety Consultations page for more information.

OSHA News

New OSHA COVID Vaccination/Testing Rule in Development
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is developing a rule that will require all employers with 100 or more employees to ensure their workforce is fully vaccinated or require any workers who remain unvaccinated to produce a negative test result on at least a weekly basis before coming to work. OSHA will issue an Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS) to implement this requirement.

New 2021 Coronavirus OSHA Alerts:

Coronavirus: Prevent Worker Exposure to Coronavirus (COVID-19): OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Construction Workers: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Hair and Nail Salon Services: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for In-Home Repair Services: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Nursing Home and Long-Term Care Facility Workers: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Package Delivery: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Restaurants & Beverage Vendors Offering Takeout or Curbside Pickup: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Retail Workers: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

Coronavirus: COVID-19 Guidance for Rideshare, Taxi, and Car Service Workers: OSHA Alert (English, Spanish)

NIOSH/CDC News

Identifying Approved Masks
Counterfeit and unapproved N95 masks are a problem when supplies are tight and consumers who aren’t familiar with them make purchases. This page on the NIOSH website shows you how to determine if your N95 masks are NIOSH approved and provides tips on spotting counterfeit masks.

Workplace Supported Recovery
A new video from NIOSH describes the concept of Workplace Supported Recovery programs and how this concept is used to help employees avoid substance use disorders and lower the barriers to those who need access to care and recovery support. Employers and workers can learn more about Workplace Supported Recovery on the NIOSH website.

Business Case for Total Worker Health^®This website has examples of how the Total Worker Health program benefits workplaces and information on how to measure success in these programs. NIOSH estimates that chronic disease and injuries cost employers over half a trillion dollars a year.

Other News

Why masks work
This document from the Ohio Department of Health explains the science behind masks. When you wear a mask properly – over your nose and mouth – it blocks the tiny virus-filled respiratory droplets that you push out. That means there are fewer of those respiratory droplets for someone else to breathe in.

Resources for Families Coping with Mental and Substance Use Disorders
While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers a page with useful tips, guidance, and downloadable resources to help families overcome mental health issues.

Warehouse and Distribution Center Safety Webinar
Join OH&S on Oct. 6 at 2:00 p.m. ET for a free webinar on preventing common injuries in warehouse and distribution centers. The webinar will cover the following topics: How to internalize Safety – to improve default attention, judgment and actions; Strengthening the Safety Culture/Skills connection enthusiasm/motivation and performance; Strategies for simultaneously leading towards global-class Safety and overall productivity.

Top 5 OSHA Safety Training Topics Webinar
Join OH&S on Oct. 27 at 2:00 p.m. ET for a free webinar on recognizing the Top 5 OSHA Safety Training Topics. Safety training is critical to ensure employees know how to perform their jobs safely and without injury so they can go home to their families each night. You'll walk away from this event knowing who should receive training, when training should (or must) be provided, and why providing that training is important.

US Fire Problem
The National Fire Protection Association has a website with reports and data on fire issues in the U.S. This site contains information on fire numbers, fire causes, and vehicle fires in downloadable reports. The most recent reports on the site cover fire safety in the use since 1980, fires by occupancy or property type, structure and non-structure fires, and poverty and the risk of fire.

CPWR Update
The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) September update is all about OSHA inspections and falls in construction. The number of inspections has been declining since 2011 with a significant drop over the past two years due to COVID-19 restrictions. For the same time period the percentage of those citations for inadequate fall protection rose.

Autumn - the Season of Gratitude
With the autumn season comes a rush of changes! For example, shortened day-light hours, adjusted work schedules, and a new school year can leave us feeling tired, stressed, or overwhelmed. When we feel this way, it is easy to become grumpy and a little negative. Gratitude might be the key to helping us fight the negative blues! Gratitude is simply showing thankfulness or appreciation for the things we have. This can include things we can see, like our homes, clothes, or a car. Gratitude also includes things we cannot see such as the love of family and friends. Practicing gratitude is good for our mood and health. Gratitude can help us improve our relationships with others, help us have a more positive outlook on life, and may improve our heart health! To learn more about ways to practice gratitude click here! #BWCWellness

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month. 

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio and serves 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,700 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

To our customers, stakeholders, partners and interested parties:

We're announcing that public and private employer insurance premium installment payments due for March, April and May for the current policy year may be deferred until June 1, 2020. See our updated FAQs document for details.

For the latest information on coronavirus (COVID-19) visit coronavirus.ohio.gov. For questions about COVID-19’s effect on BWC, you can email BWCCOVID19@bwc.state.oh.us.

Safety Update Ohio BWC Library

Ohio BWC News

In a newly published article in the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, researchers from BWC and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) examined more than 1.3 million workers’ compensation claims from the years 2001 to 2013 to compare injury rates between temporary and permanent workers. The results showed temporary workers had higher overall injury rates than permanent workers when controlled for industry manual class. For more information on this article, please email the BWC Library.

BWC unveils new trenching safety grants and website BWC is launching a new $2 million safety grant program to assist employers in purchasing equipment to protect their workers while working in trenching and excavating situations.

BWC’s Trench Safety Grant program provides 4-to-1 matching funds, up to $12,000, to Ohio private and public employers covered by the State Insurance Fund who wish to purchase equipment to substantially reduce or eliminate injuries and illnesses associated with trenching and excavation.

The grant funds can assist employers in purchasing safety equipment, such as trench boxes and hydraulic shoring. Along with the grant, BWC will provide training and educational materials for employers to share with their employees on basic requirements of trench safety.

Finally, BWC has launched a website, trenchsafetyohio.com, that includes links to trenching safety information and tips, training, and publications.

NIOSH/CDC News

Fatigue Website Updated NIOSH updated the materials on their website, Driver Fatigue on the Job. The page has social media images, fact sheets, and risk reduction tips.

OSHA News

Corrections to Walking-Working Surfaces and Other Standards The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued corrections to three standards in December 2019. Corrections were made to ladders, stairways, other walking-working surface standards, fall protection systems, and electric power generation standards.

Injury Reporting A reminder to employers that your 2019 Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illnesses (Form 300A) must be posted from Feb. 1 through April 30 each year. Recordkeeping information is found on the OSHA website.

Other News

Overdose Fatalities at Worksites and Opioid Use in the Construction Industry The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) Quarterly Report for the fourth quarter 2019 discusses issues around opioids and the construction industry. Key findings from the research include an increase in fatalities from 2011 to 2018, a higher rate of opioid use by work-related injured workers, and higher rates of prescribed opioids amongst older workers versus illicit use among younger ones.

Suicide Prevention Resources Suicide rates are up in the U.S., particularly amongst construction workers. CPWR has a page of links to resources for suicide prevention. Use these valuable resources to start a conversation, or if someone you know needs immediate help, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or use the online Lifeline Chat.

2018 Costly for Fires The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has released its annual report on fire losses for the year 2018. There were 36 large-loss fires in 2018 with losses of more than $12.91 billion. The largest losses came from fires in California. Total losses for 2018 from 1.3 million fires was $25.6 billion.

Construction and Extraction Workers at Risk for Drug Use A study in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence finds that workers in the construction and extraction trades are more likely to misuse several classes of drugs. Drug misuse was associated with higher rates of absenteeism; however, written policies and workplace drug testing had a positive impact on drug use prevention.

New Ideas on Exit Signage This National Fire Protection Journal article on a new approach to emergency exit signs describes the idea of “dynamic signage,” which are signs that can respond to emergencies in an active manner, such as pointing out the best exit. This exit sign strategy is likely to be part of the 2021 update to the NFPA 101: Life Safety Code, according to the article’s author.

Safety and Health at Work 2020 An international conference on Safety and Health will be held not too far from Ohio. Toronto will be host to the XXII World Congress on Safety and Health at Work in October 2020. The event includes technical and poster sessions, a young worker spotlight, and an international expo.

Dataset Search Google has created a search engine for datasets giving you a single place to search for datasets and find links to the data. So far, they have indexed 25 million datasets and recently added filters that allow you to search for the type of dataset and usage rights. Google reports that the largest topics currently covered are geosciences, biology, and agriculture.

Guide to Federal Rulemaking If you run a small business, federal rules impact how you do business. Do you understand the rulemaking process and how you can participate? If not, this guidance document from the U.S. Small Business Administration can help. The document outlines the rulemaking process and provides guidance on how to comment effectively.

Winter Safety It’s getting cold outside and the National Safety Council has some winter safety tips to keep you safe. Included are tips on safe driving, avoiding shoveling and snowblowing injuries, frostbite treatment, carbon monoxide poisoning prevention, and more. Plus, don’t forget these: NIOSH Preventing Cold-related Illness, Injury, and Death among Workers and OSHA Alert: Working Safety in Cold Weather publications for workplace winter safety.

Methylene Chloride Banned for Consumer Use The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency prohibited the manufacture, processing, and distribution of methylene chloride (MEK) in all paint removers for consumer use after Nov. 22, 2019. It is now unlawful for any person or retailer to sell or distribute paint removal products containing methylene chloride for consumer use, including e-commerce sales.

Please contact the library@bwc.state.oh.us or 614-466-7388 for more information on any of these items.

Click Here for July Webinar Series

Ohio BWC News

Better You, Better Ohio!® webinars for employers

At BWC, we take our mission to take care of Ohio’s workforce seriously. That’s why we’re offering Better You, Better Ohio!® – a program that provides health and wellness resources and services to workers who work for small employers (150 or fewer workers) in certain industries. The program is designed to help both workers and their employers at no cost and through a simple, paperless process. Register here for the March 12, 2020, webinar starting at 9:30 a.m. or the March 25, 2020, webinar starting at 1:30 p.m. to learn how your employees can get healthier and be eligible for up to $175 in financial incentives.

Fleet Safety Toolkit

We created this Fleet Safety Toolkit to help employers develop and implement a fleet safety program to keep their employees safe while driving, on and off the job. The toolkit includes tips and resources related to the four components of an effective fleet safety program.

Time’s running out to register!

Don’t miss the largest FREE work-safety event in the U.S., happening March 11-13 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. • Choose from a catalog of 200 educational sessions. • Browse more than 300 exhibitors in the Expo Marketplace. • Earn free continuing education credits. • Build your workplace safety network.

Register today at www.ohiosafetycongress.com.

Coronavirus News

New Coronavirus Disease Website

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) recently released a webpage to highlight resources available for the protection of workers from the Coronavirus COVID-19. This page provides a centralized resource for new guidance and recommendations produced during the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 response, as well as pre-existing resources and materials, to promote the safety and health of workers.

COVID-19 Information

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has a website with information on the Coronavirus COVID-19. The site has links to existing OSHA standards that apply for protecting workers, hazard recognition information, control and prevention links, and medical information.

Coronavirus Video

The World Health Organization has a video on coronaviruses and the current novel virus outbreak. Learn the basics about this family of infectious viruses.

Ohio Department of Health’s COVID-19 website

The Ohio Department of health has developed a COVID-19 website that includes updates, prevention tips, resources for health-care workers, and much more all in one location.

OSHA News

Update to the Silica National Emphasis Program

OSHA issued an updated document, National Emphasis Program–Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS), effective Feb. 4, 2020. The goal is to significantly reduce or eliminate worker exposures to RCS and control the health hazards associated with such exposures. OSHA made updates to the list of target industries, current enforcement guidance, and other sections.

New Hazard Warning - Grease Trap Hazards

This Hazard Warning advises employers and employees of the hazards of tripping or falling into grease traps. The document outlines the dangers of grease traps and applicable regulations.

Other News

Fall Protection Webinar

Get ready for the March Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls by attending a free webinar presented by the Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) at 2 p.m. March 4. A group of presenters from the Z359 accreditation committee will present information on the standard, including any pending changes and information to assist you in improving your fall protection program.

CPWR Report on Opioids

The most recent CPWR Quarterly Data Report looks at opioid use in construction. The report reviews a dataset of workers who died on a worksite and the number of opioids prescribed to construction workers.

Exercise How-tos

We know we are supposed to exercise to keep ourselves strong and active, but do we know how to exercise? For some good video tips on warmups, sample workouts, and cool downs visit the Go4Life website from the National Institute on Aging.

2020 The Year of the Eye

The American Academy of Ophthalmology declared 2020 the Year of the Eye. Who doesn’t wish for 20/20 vision? Here are several tips from the academy to keep your eyes safe at home, work, and when you are out and about. From pregnancy to your golden years, there are tips for your healthy eyes.

If You Don’t Feel Well, Don’t Make it Your Farewell

The International Association of Fire Chiefs launched an initiative with the goal of elimination of fatal cardiac events in firefighters. The campaign website has a video along with sample policies, training and media tools, and research that fire departments can use to keep firefighters healthy on the job.

Fatal Occupational Injuries to Older Workers

The Bureau of Labor Statistics analyzed data from the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries from 1992 to 2017 for fatalities to workers 55 to 64 and 65 and older. The fatality rates for both groups were higher than the rate for all workers. The results of this analysis were published in the Bureau’s Monthly Labor Review.

Please contact the library@bwc.state.oh.us or 614-466-7388 for more information on any of these items.

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Distance Learning in January 2022

FOR DISTRIBUTION TO SAFETY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in January. For detailed information and to learn how to register, view this flyer.

Webinars - presented live with BWC discount program and continuing education credit:

Preventing Through Design: Taking Chance Out of the Equation (January 11)
Recordkeeping 101: Recordkeeping for the Safety/HR Newbie (January 20)
Workers' Compensation and How Safety Affects Small Business Profitability (January 25)

Virtual classes

Electrical Safety Maintenance (NFPA 70B) - Practices for Electrical (January 11-13)

Safety Series Module 2: Ergonomics, Accident Analysis, and Hazard Assessment Basics (January 13)
Crane Rigging and Signal Person Duties (January 19-20)
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Series Module 1: Regulatory Background - EPA, DOT, OSHA (January 24)
OSHA Recordkeeping Half-day Workshop (January 27)
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Series Module 2: Chemical and Toxicological Terminology (January 31)

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

For more information or assistance, email dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio, serving 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,600 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

Stay Connected with Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation:

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Safety Congress Registration Now Open

Registration is now open for the 2021 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo (OSC21)! Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, OSC21 will be a completely online event, including our first-ever digital expo.

Visit the OSC21 website for more information and to register for the event, which will stream live March 10-11, 2021. Now in its 91^st year, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest and longest-running regional occupational safety, health and workers’ compensation conference in the U.S.

The emergence of COVID-19 in Ohio last spring, forced the cancelation of our in-person event at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, but our first-ever virtual safety congress went on as scheduled. More than 2,600 representatives from Ohio businesses and government attended the event to discover the strategies and tools needed for a healthy, safe, and productive workforce. We’ll see you online for OSC21!

BWC Sending 23 Million Ohio-made Masks to Employers

We've Got You Covered Logo Working with Ohio companies and nonprofits, BWC is distributing 23 million face masks to Ohio’s employers and workforce to weaken the spread of COVID-19.

The second round of BWC’s Protecting Ohio’s Workforce – We’ve Got You Covered initiative began in late November and is expected to continue through June 2021. It follows nearly 23 million masks that BWC shipped from May through October. Employers will not be billed for the masks.

For the latest on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit the Ohio Department of Health website coronavirus.ohio.gov, or call 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

NIOSH/CDC News

Up-to-Date Information About COVID-19

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated its Things to Know About the COVID-19 Pandemic website. The site has information about how to slow the spread, what to do when going out, what to do if you get sick, and more.

Up-to-Date Information About Masks

The CDC recently updated its Your Guide to Masks website. Find information about how to choose, wear, take off, and clean your mask.

Vaccine Information

If you are looking for information about COVID-19 vaccines for the public and for health care workers, visit the CDC website for Vaccines. The page has general information about how vaccines work, what to expect when you receive a vaccination, safety of vaccines, and the different vaccines currently approved and those under testing.

OSHA News

Carbon Monoxide Safety

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a new alert providing tips to keep workers safe from carbon monoxide poisoning while using portable generators.

OSHA Publications for Cold Weather Safety

Recognize the symptoms and help prevent injuries with the Cold Stress QuickCard in English and Spanish.
Keep workers safe from cold and musculoskeletal injuries with the information on this hazard alert: Snow Removal: Falls and Other Hazards to Workers Removing Snow from Rooftops and Other Elevated Surfaces and this pamphlet: Snow Removal: Know the Hazards Pamphlet.
Follow general recommendations on winter outdoor safety with the Working Safely in Cold Weather OSHA Alert in English and Spanish.

Other News

Downloadable Dry Ice Safety Resources

Safety concerns with handling, transporting, and disposing of dry ice being used to transport COVID-19 vaccines is going to continue to grow in the coming months. Workers involved include packers, shippers, drivers, and medical personnel. BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene recently issued this Safety Bulletin about Handling Dry Ice Safely. Multiple organizations have recently issued guidance on this topic including Dry Ice Safety for Healthcare Professionals (CDC), Primer on Safe & Efficient Handling of Dry Ice (CISA), and Ultra-Cold Vaccine Planning Considerations (ODH). The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) also offers a free downloadable Safe Handling, Transport, & Use of Dry Ice poster.

Vaccine Distribution: CO2 [Dry Ice] Safety Challenges Webinar

Drager, a manufacturer of breathing and protection equipment, is hosting a free webinar from 2 to 3 p.m. EST Thursday, Jan. 21. The Vaccine Distribution: CO2 Safety Challenges webinar will cover the dangers of CO2 (released by dry ice), how it can be monitored, and precautions for keeping workers safe. The webinar will also discuss nitrogen and other Cold Chain safety challenges.

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) 2019 Data Available

On Dec. 16, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released 2019 data for the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) report. Some key findings include a total of 5,333 fatal occupational injuries, an increase in fatalities for workers over 55 (a new record for this age group), and an increase in driver/sales workers and truck driver fatalities (another record-setting statistic).

Safety Prequalification Research

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) funded a study through The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) by researchers at Northeastern University in Boston. The scientists developed and tested a new 63-item survey of construction safety policies, programs, and practices. The study's key findings indicated subcontractors with high scores on the prequalification survey had lower injury rates.

Construction Exposure Control

The CPWR COVID-19 Exposure Control Planning Tool takes you step-by-step through developing a plan to protect employees and prevent the spread of COVID-19 on the job site. The steps include what to consider when conducting a job hazard analysis for COVID-19, selecting appropriate controls, screening workers and visitors, training employees, and implementing the plan.

State of the Response Reports

The National Safety Council (NSC) has released three free reports that can be downloaded from the NSC website: The Future of World of Work, Employer Actions to Address the Pandemic, and States Actions to Address the Pandemic. The reports are based off surveys and monitoring efforts by NSC. There is also a downloadable infographic that visualizes the Employer Actions report.

FEMA National Risk Index

The Federal Emergency Management Agency developed the National Risk Index, an online mapping application that identifies communities most at risk to 18 natural hazards. The application supplies maps of natural hazard risk levels and includes data about expected annual losses, social vulnerabilities, and community resilience.

New Ohio Work Zone Dashboard

To help cut down on work zone crashes, the Ohio State Highway Patrol released a new Work Zone Dashboard providing detailed views of work zones across Ohio. Of the over 32,600 crashes in work zones in Ohio since 2015, about 38% involved workers present at the time.

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio and serves 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,700 employees and assets of approximately $28 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. Our mission is to deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

Ohio BWC News

Safety Innovation Awards Semifinalists Announced

We’re pleased to announce the semifinalists for our 2020 Safety Innovation Awards! Between July and September, we received 70 total applications, including 46 that met all the eligibility requirements. After tallying the composite scores, we identified these top-scoring 11 applications as the 2020 semifinalists.

• Carmichael Machine Corp. - Springfield

• Clark Grave Vault Company - Columbus

• Diversified Fall Protection - Westlake

• Fort Amanda Specialties - Lima

• Keller Trucking - Defiance

• Mansfield Plumbing Products - Perrysville

• Mt. Vernon City Schools - Mt. Vernon

• Terydon, Inc. - Navarre

• TFO Tech Co., LTD - Jeffersonville

• Thyssenkrupp Bilstein of America - Hamilton

• Washing systems LLC (dba WSI)

Safety Congress Registration Now Open Registration is now open for the 2020 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo (OSC 2020)! Visit the OSC 2020 website to view a full listing of course descriptions and to register for the event, which takes place March 11-13 at the Greater Columbus Convention Center. Now in its 90th year, OSC 2020 is the largest and longest-running regional occupational safety, health and workers’ compensation conference in the U.S.

Last year, more than 8,000 representatives from Ohio businesses and government attended the event to discover the strategies and tools needed for a healthy, safe, and productive workforce.

The five semifinalists with the highest scores will advance and be featured at the 2020 Ohio Safety Congress & Expo (OSC 2020), where an independent (non-BWC) panel of judges will determine their ultimate placement — first place through honorable mention with associated cash awards. The finalists will also be eligible for the People’s Choice award as determined by OSC 2020 attendee voting.

Better You, Better Ohio!® Webinars for Employers

At BWC, we take our mission to take care of Ohio’s workforce seriously. That’s why we’re offering Better You, Better Ohio!® – a program that provides health and wellness resources and services to workers who work for small employers (150 or fewer workers) in certain industries. The program is designed to help both workers and their employers at no cost and through a simple, paperless process. Register here for the Jan. 15, 2020, webinar starting at 9:30 a.m. or the Jan. 28, 2020, webinar starting at 1:30 p.m. to learn how your employees can get healthier and be eligible for up to $175 in financial incentives.

NIOSH/CDC News

Mast Climbing Inspection Tool

The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) created an inspection tool for mast climbers. The walkthrough program shows common inspection points on this equipment and what to look for in each area.

Hard Hat Anniversary

The December issue of NIOSH eNews includes an article on the 100th anniversary of the invention of the hard hat.

OSHA News

Rise in At-Work Suicides

The rate of suicide at work increased by 11% in 2018. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created a new Preventing Suicide webpage with links to suicide prevention phone numbers and online chat. The page has poster graphics for these services and links to other assistance websites.

Regulatory Error Correction

OSHA published a notice in the December 17, 2019 Federal Register to correct errors and clarify requirements in the Walking-Working Surfaces and Personal Protective Equipment standards. The corrections clarify height of ladder side rails, exclusion of coverage for articulated stairs, proof testing of snaphooks, carabiners, and D-rings, and several typographical errors.

Headphone Use on Construction Sites

A recent letter of interpretation from OSHA regarding Standard 1926.52 and 1926.101 confirms that there are no OSHA regulations that prohibit the use of headphones on a construction site but cautions that struck-by hazards are one of the four leading causes of death at construction sites and listening to music can cover up sounds that alert workers to danger.

Other News

Material Handling Injury Prevention

The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) recently added resources to the Best Built Plans (BBP) program. CPWR designed the program to reduce the risks for soft tissue injuries from manual material handling by providing contractors with resources at each project stage to use on the job to raise awareness and reinforce safe practices. New items include an app version of the planning and interactive training resources, a Spanish version of the planning tool, and a video on how to use the program.

Risks for Vaping Product Associated Lung Injuries

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on a public survey from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. IDPH conducted an online public survey during September–October 2019 targeting e-cigarette or vaping product users in Illinois. The CDC said: “The findings in this report reinforce current recommendations that persons should not use e-cigarette, or vaping, products that contain THC, or any e-cigarette, or vaping, products obtained from informal sources such as off the street, from a dealer, or from a friend. In addition, because the specific compound or ingredient causing lung injury is not yet known, the CDC continues to recommend that persons consider refraining from use of all e-cigarette or vaping products while the outbreak investigation continues.”

Work Zone Safety

CPWR has a set of resources to prevent struck-by injuries in construction work zones. Struck-by hazards are a leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries in construction. This webpage contains material from a variety of sources and includes fatality reports and videos from NIOSH, OSHA resources, toolbox talks, handouts, and links to research.

Focus on the Drive Newsletter

The National Safety Council’s Focus on the Drive quarterly newsletter provides tips on driving and information on the latest driving research. You can read the latest issue here and sign up for an email notice of new issues here.

Hand and Arm Vibration Tool

Great Britain’s Health and Safety Executive updated their hand/arm vibration calculator. This Microsoft Excelbased tool is used to calculate exposures. Also included with the tool are a guidance document on the issues of vibration and a guide to the use of the calculator.

Safe Loading Docks

The Loading Dock Equipment Manufacturers industry group wrote a Dock Planning 101 guidance document to assist in the basic design of loading docks. Users can download the guide after creating a free account on the Material Handling Industry website.

Please contact the library@bwc.state.oh.us or 614-466-7388 for more information on any of these items.

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in September including:

Weekly Webinars –presented live with BWC discount program & continuing education credits

So you had a Claim, Now What? (September 14)

Virtual classes -

Violence in the Workplace (September 8)
Emergency Preparedness Planning Half-day Workshop (September 16)
Health Hazards and Toxicology Fundamentals (September 28 & 29)
Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Awareness (September 30)

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

Additional information on all September distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

2018 Semi-Annual Report Application

2018's 2nd Semi-Annual Report is due January 15th.

Click Here to fill out your report

Be sure to send your completed report to info@lebanonchamber.org by January 15, 2019

Ohio and COVID-19 With the state’s response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continuing, Governor Mike DeWine is asking for Ohio citizens and businesses who can donate personal protective equipment (PPE), or any other essential service or resource, to email Together@Governor.Ohio.Gov.

See the list for the most-needed PPE. Thank you for your consideration. We’re #InThisTogetherOhio.

Remember, for the latest updates on COVID-19 in Ohio, visit coronavirus.ohio.gov. For updates from the federal government, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.

BWC is hosting a Emergency Action Plan webinar on Thursday, May 28 (1:30 to 2:30 pm). The webinar will identify the key elements of an emergency action plan.

Check out the flyer for this webinar HERE

This webinar will be instructed by Lisa Houston, an industrial safety consultant specialist in BWC’s Columbus Service Office.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found HERE

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Kaylee Blevings at Kaylee.b.1@bwc.state.oh.us

Free BWC Webinar - Real Fire Hazards - Tuesday, September 22

BWC is hosting a webinar titled What’s Wrong with That? A Look at Real Fire Hazards on Tuesday, September 22 (11 a.m. to 12 p.m.). Instructed by the Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal, the webinar will include many visual examples of fire code violations from recent inspections and will focus on kitchens, exit ways, common areas, facility maintenance, and system control areas.

This webinar will be instructed by Steve Waltman, a Fire and Life Safety Educator with the Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Kaylee Blevings at Kaylee.b.1@bwc.state.oh.us

BWC is hosting a Precision OSHA Recordkeeping Webinar on Tuesday, June 30 (11am - 12pm). Primary focus of the lecture will be determination of recordability to ensure accurate records are maintained.

This webinar will be instructed by Brian Zachetti, a safety consulatnt specialist in BWC's Youngstown Service Office.

Additional Information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer.

Click Here to Register

Thousands of Ohio employers find value and workers’ compensation premium savings by actively participating in their local safety councils.

Rebate Flyer

Rebate Fact Sheet

Enrollment Form

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

FOR DISTRIBUTION TO SAFETY COUNCIL MEMBERS AND BUSINESS COMMUNITY

BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene has a variety of personalized safety services to help every Ohio employer in any industry. See our at-a-glance Personalized Safety Services Flyer to learn more about how BWC can help employers with no-cost options for injury and illness prevention and risk reduction, because one injury is too many.

Michelle Francisco
Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Division of Safety & Hygiene
30 W. Spring St., 25^th Floor, Columbus, OH 43215
DIRECT 614.644.7042
CELL 614.582.6444
EMAIL michelle.f.1@bwc.state.oh.us

Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio, serving 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,600 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

Click the link below to view your updated Saftey Council Meeting Attandance Report:

Attandance Report as of November 2018

Allied Construction Industries is sponsoring its annual 21^st Annual Safety Day on Tuesday, February 4 at the Sharonville Convention Center.

Safety Day features programming for the region’s construction, general contractors and subs and safety & health staff along with keynote presentations from Dr. Tim Ludwig and Blaine Hoffman.

Registration is open to all area employers. The registration fee includes lunch and access to the Expo Hall ranging from $155-175.

Attendance at this event qualifies for one safety council rebate program external training credit with submission of a certificate of attendance to your safety council sponsor by June 30, 2020.

Full conference details and registration is available on the Allied Construction Industries (ACI) website. For more information call ACI at 1-513-221-8020.

SHARONVILLE SAFETY FORUM

SHARONVILLE CONVENTION CENTER

THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 8:30AM TO 12 NOON

If you are interested in attending, the link is: https://sharonvillechamber.regfox.com/sharonville-safety-forum.

2018-2019 Meeting Schedule and Topic

Meets third Friday of each month

8:00-9:30 am

Countryside YMCA Event Center
1699 Deerfield Rd
Lebanon OH 45036

2018-2019 Topic Schedule

July 20	Heat Stress
Aug 17	Ergonomics
Sept 21	Fire Extinguisher Training
Oct 19	Medical Marijuana
Nov 16	Noise Prevention/Precautions
Dec 21	Distracted Driving
Jan 18	Hazard Communication
Feb 15	Drug Epidemic
Mar 15	Ladder Safety
Apr 19	BWC Update and CEO Breakfast
May 17	Emergency/First Aid/Safety Awards
Jun 21	Forklift Training

WC SAFETY, HEALTH, WELLNESS - Fiscal 2019

Rebate Flyer

Rebate Fact Sheet

First Half Semi Annual Report (due 7/15/18)

Second Half Semi Annual Report (due January 15, 2019)

*All Semi Annual Reports must be entered into the BWC portal by your administrator no later than 1/31/19 to be taken into consideration for Safety Awards.

Deadline for Safety Grant applications approaches

COLUMBUS — Ohio employers seeking grants from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation to invest in safety measures have until March 31 to apply for funds in this year’s fiscal budget.

Employers who miss that deadline must wait until July 1, the first day to apply for fiscal 2021 funding under BWC’s popular Safety Grants program.

“We appreciate Ohio employers who take safety seriously and seek our assistance funding equipment aimed at reducing or eliminating workplace injuries and illnesses,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud.

Applications for fiscal 2020 funds via U.S. mail must be postmarked no later than March 31. The online application service will close after March 31 and not re-open until July 1, the first day of fiscal year 2021.

BWC offers $20 million a year in safety grants. As of Jan. 3, BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene had approved 616 grant requests. Another 304 were pending.

The March 31 deadline applies to the following grants:

Safety Intervention
Employers Working with Persons with Developmental Disabilities
Firefighter Exposure to Environmental Elements
School Safety and Security
Workplace Wellness

Safety Grants are available to all Ohio state-fund, private and public taxing district employers to purchase equipment to eliminate or reduce workplace hazards.

You can find more information on our Safety Grants program on our website.

Helpful Mask Information from TriHealth

2019 Safety Update Newsletters

January's Newsletter

The Greater Cincinnati Safety Council has graciously extended a statewide invitation for safety council members to participate in their Wednesday, February 10 meeting @ 2:30 p.m. with BWC’s Interim Administrator/CEO John Logue.

Seating is limited to the first 500 registrants. Those interested in attending can register using the Zoom Meeting Registration link in the flyer below.

Greater Cincinnati Safety Council Meeting Reminder

Wednesday, February 10 , 2021
2:30 - 4:00 p.m.
Zoom Meeting Registration
2:30-3:30 p.m. Program (begins promptly)
3:30-4:00 p.m. Q&A

Topic: BWC Updates from the Top

John Logue
Interim Administrator/CEO
Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

John Logue joined the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation as Chief of Strategic Direction in April 2019. He became Interim Administrator/CEO on Nov. 16, 2020, after Gov. Mike DeWine named his predecessor, Stephanie McCloud, director of the Ohio Department of Health.

John is a veteran of the Ohio workers' compensation system, with a background that includes more than 25 years of experience in various client service and leadership roles. He most recently served as a vice president at Sedgwick Claims Management Services.

John began his career as an employer services specialist at BWC before serving in a variety of roles with Ohio managed care organizations and third-party administration organizations.

John is active in his community and is a member of the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club.

He earned a bachelor's degree in economics from John Carroll University, a master's in business administration from Cleveland State University, and earned an Associate in Risk Management designation from the Insurance Institute of America, known today as The Institutes.

Andrea Saunders
Membership Events Manager
513.686.2959
gcsc@cincinnatichamber.com

Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber | 3 East 4th St., Cincinnati, OH 45202 USA | 513.579.3100
Copyright © 1996-2019, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. All Rights Reserved.

FY19 Attendance Verification Spreadsheet

For the most updated attandance verification spreadsheet click HERE

Hearing Conservation Program Elements & Best Practices Presentation

Presented by: Cythia Cooper, CIH

OBWC Division of Safety & Hygiene

Click Here for the Presentation

April's Safety Council Meeting Information

Special "thanks" to Bob Braun for presenting at our CEO Breakfast on April 19, 2019. If you are interested in viewing his powerpoint from this presenation, Click Here

2019 Semi-Annual Report Application

2019's 1st Semi-Annual Report is due July 15, 2019

Click HERE to fill out your report

Be sure to email this report to info@lebanonchamber.org no later than July 15th in order for it to count towards FY19.

Division of Safety & Hygiene's June Webinars

BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene (DSH) is offering a series of free webinars covering a variety of workplace safety topics throughout June. Below is a listing of dates and topics.

• June 4 – Selling Safety and Why It’s Important

• June 11 – Developing an Effective Ergonomics Management Process

• June 18 – Before You Hire That Contractor – Groundwork to Reduce Safety Risks

• June 25 – Accident Analysis – Why Should I Do It?

DSH safety experts who are well-versed in the topic they are presenting conduct the webinars. Each webinar lasts about one hour.

Learn more and register for any of the June webinars here.

BWC Safety Update June 2021

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation sent this bulletin at 06/01/2021 09:30 AM EDT

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.

BWC Featured Items

BWC Blog

With temperatures heating up, workers should take extra precautions to prevent heat illness. In a two-part blog series, we shared how to identify the signs and symptoms and tips to avoid heat illness. As part of National Electrical Safety Month, we also shared resources to prevent electrical injuries.

Heat Stress Bulletin

When working in high-temperature areas for extended periods of time, the body’s cooling process can be disrupted. When this happens, a heat-related illness can occur. Heat illnesses is very serious and can progress rapidly. Our Heat Stress Safety Bulletin covers signs and symptoms, risk factors, prevention, and first aid.

Auger Bulletin

Augers are common tools found in a variety of industries and can pose a significant danger to workers. Our Auger Safety Bulletin discusses ways to prevent auger accidents through maintenance, training, and when operating.

Overexertion Among Construction Workers

The Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control recently published an article Workers’ Compensation Claim Rates and Costs for Musculoskeletal Disorders Related to Overexertion Among Construction Workers—Ohio, 2007–2017. The article examined the rate and cost of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) claims from overexertion among Ohio construction workers during 2007–2017.

Two PERRP Webinars

A PERRP-spective on the Fire Chief’s Role in Compliance – This webinar will provide you with an overview of the Public Employment Risk Reduction Program (PERRP) and the most common OSHA/PERRP standards identified at fire departments. The webinar is 10 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. on June. 21. Register online.
The fight beyond the fire: Battling carcinogens before, during and after the fire ground – This webinar will help identify the main routes of potential carcinogenic exposures and ways to mitigate or reduce exposures. The webinar is 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on June 23. Register online.

BWC Trenching Safety Stand Down Webinar

Trenching poses some of the most severe hazards in the construction industry and sadly, trench failure is a leading cause of an increasing number of fatalities. Sign up to learn more on how to identify risk factors. The webinar is 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. on June 15. Register online.

NIOSH/CDC News

NIOSH Turns 50

2021 marks the 50th anniversary of NIOSH. Created by the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970, NIOSH was established as a separate and independent research program to create objective scientific research findings in the field of occupational safety and health.

NIOSH Bibliography

This publication has a special report about NIOSH after 50 years and a listing of all of the 2020 produced articles, book chapters, and other NIOSH-produced materials. Of note are projects the Ohio BWC collaborated on (see pages 58, 68, 73, and 90).

Teen Safety – Teaching Talking Safety

If your teen has a summer job or if you hire teens at your workplace here are six short videos with safety on the job information. These videos are part of the Youth Work Talking Safety curriculum.

New Publication

Prescription Opioid and Benzodiazepine Medications and Occupational Safety and Health has a summary of findings from academic publications and information for employers and healthcare providers about the prescription use of opioids and benzodiazepines.

NIOSH Webinar

On June 9th at 12:00 pm, representatives from major industry sectors discuss occupational safety and health challenges facing workers in the post-pandemic world. Register here.

OSHA News

New Guidance Documents on Beryllium Safety

OSHA released six new documents to aid employers in following beryllium safety regulations. Beryllium is a metal used in the aerospace, telecommunications, information technology, defense, medical, and nuclear industries. Workers such as foundry workers, machine operators, and dental technicians have potential exposure to beryllium.

Spanish Language Fall Protection Webinar.

OSHA presented a Spanish-language webinar during the National Safety Stand Down to Prevent Falls. A video and slide presentation are available.

Other News

Stress Less with Deep Breaths

Whether it is misplacing the car keys, new changes at work, or helping the kids get ready for summer break, we all are experiencing some type of stress! Stress is not always bad though. Stress becomes a problem when it is frequent or ongoing. This can lead to negative health issues such as high blood pressure, heart disease, or muscle pain. There are healthy ways to manage stress, like deep breathing! Deep breathing can help relax our bodies, boost our mood, and lower blood pressure. Next time you're feeling tense or anxious close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. For more information, click here. #BWCWellness

Updated COVID-19 Worker Protection Training Program

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences Worker Training Program updated the Building Programs to Protect Workers from COVID-19 in the Workplace course. This awareness level training is designed to inform workers who must work during the pandemic how to protect themselves and co-workers from exposure to the virus. For a PDF version of the slides use this link.

Mental Health Cost Calculator

The National Safety Council collaborated with the nonpartisan and objective research organization NORC at the University of Chicago to create a program to calculate the cost of employee mental health and illness for employers based on number of employees, industry, and location.

Top 10 Violation Blog Series

The National Safety Council published a series of posts to their On Safety blog regarding the OSHA top 10 violation for 2019-2020. Each post looks at different industries.

On Safety: A closer look at OSHA’s ‘Top 10’ violations – Part I

On Safety: A closer look at OSHA’s ‘Top 10’ violations – Part II

On Safety: A closer look at OSHA’s ‘Top 10’ violations – Part III

On Safety: A closer look at OSHA Top 10 violations – Part IV

Competent Person and OSHA

Many OSHA standards refer to training by a “competent person”. Do you really know what that means? This article in Safety + Health magazine discusses the concept of the competent person and how it differs from qualified, certified, or authorized person.

Construction Fatality Map Dashboard

This data visualization tool from the Center for Construction Research and Training maps out the location of construction fatalities. The data from the map is also available as a spreadsheet and includes data from OSHA fatality investigations and online media sources gathered since 2011.

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation

Vision: To transform BWC into an agile organization driven by customer success.
Mission: To deliver consistently excellent experiences for each BWC customer every day. Core Values: One Agency, Personal Connection, Innovative Leadership, Relentless Excellence.

Established in 1912, the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation is the exclusive provider of workers’ compensation insurance in Ohio and serves 249,000 public and private employers. With nearly 1,700 employees and assets of approximately $25 billion, BWC is one of the largest state-run insurance systems in the United States. For more, visit www.bwc.ohio.gov.

WCSC FY22 Monthly Virtual Meeting Schedule & Topics

Month	Topic
July 16th	NO MEETING
August 20th	Traffic Safety: Real Stories in the construction zone (ODOT)
September 17	Temporary Worker Safety (special considerations regarding seasonal and youth temporary workers)
October 6th	MEGA Meeting
November 19th	How to combat fraudulent workers comp claims
December 17th	NO MEETING
January 21st	OSHA Updates
February 18th	Epic Safety Fails on the Job
March 18th	What's Your Safety Story
April 13th	MEGA Meeting
May 20th	Suicide prevention
June 17th	Respiratory Protection Standards

MEGA Meeting Information!

All Ohio employers are invited to attend two online statewide meetings hosted by BWC to supplement the Ohio Safety Council Program year.

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Leading from Your Heart!

David Sarkus, MS, CSP is Chief Servant Leader and Founder of David Sarkus International, a leading health and safety management consulting and training firm

Click here to join this Live Event

Wednesday, April 13, 2022

Now What? How to Lead by Bringing Your Human to Work

Erica Keswin is a two-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author, internationally sought-after speaker, and workplace strategist

The Ohio State University and the Columbus OSHA Office, in conjunction with the Central Ohio American Society of Safety Professionals (ASSP) present OSHA Safety Day 2020, scheduled on February 13 at The Ohio State University Fawcett Center. This year’s event features a four-hour trenching & excavation training option. Registration for this day-long event is $75.

Attendance at this event qualifies for one safety council rebate program external training credit with submission of a certificate of attendance to your safety council sponsor by June 30, 2020.

Full conference details are attached. For more information email oshaosusafetyday@gmail.com

Portions of this message may be confidential under an exemption to Ohio's public records law or under a legal privilege. If you have received this message in error or due to an unauthorized transmission or interception, please delete all copies from your system without disclosing, copying, or transmitting this message.

LEADING FROM THE HEART: Grow your Safety Culture beyond Compliance to Commitment

BWC's Mega Meeting

Wednesday, Oct. 6th 11am-12noon

Virtual Platform: Microsoft Teams

This BWC presentation is available to all businesses, and is not limited to members of our Chamber or Safety Council! The topic is relevant for all who seek to implement and support a Culture of Safety in their workplace. Our Keynote Speaker is David J. Sarkus, MS, CSP. (View the Flyer)

Benefits to participating include learning to:
Impact attitudes and actions in deeper and broader ways for three especially important types of changes in attitudes and actions. Turn your followers into safety leaders and champions!

Develop a culture where safety is viewed as vital to the health of your organization by also experiencing positive changes in productivity, quality, and morale

To participate in the session on your own device: If you plan to particpate, there is no need to register with our safety council. Log in to the webinar on Oct. 6th by using the Link on the BWC flyer. This will be a Microsoft Teams webinar. If you do not currently use MS Teams, you may want to download ahead of time!

About the keynote presentation:

This inspiring keynote presentation, which parallels servant leadership principles, is infused with humor, and will reveal seven contemporary and empirically based principles that will move your people from superficial compliance to deeper and more durable forms of personal commitment to safety.

You’ll leave this talk with actionable ways to:

• Impact attitudes and actions in deeper and broader ways for three especially important types of changes in attitudes and actions

• Turn your followers into safety leaders and champions Develop a culture where safety is viewed as vital to the health of your organization by also experiencing positive changes in productivity, quality, and morale.

Meetings will feature a welcome from BWC Administrator Stephanie McCloud!
Keynote speaker David J. Sarkus, MS, CSP is Chief Servant Leader and Founder of David Sarkus International Inc., a leading health and safety management consulting and training firm based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

BWC is hosting a webinar titles Accident Analyses - Why should I do it? on Thursday, June25 (1 to 2 pm). The webinar will expain basic elements of a written accident analysis program, the primary casual factors of accidents, and action steps that can be taken in an analyzing accident.

This webinar will be instructed by Lisa Houston, an industrial safety consultant specialist in BWC's Columbus Service Office.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer.

For more information or to register, Click Here

Below are some sites that offer good information on working in cold weather.

OSHA has a good site for Winter Weather, “Plan. Equip. Train.” https://www.osha.gov/dts/weather/winter_weather/ .

OSHA has a Cold Stress Guide, https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/emergencypreparedness/guides/cold.html .

CPWR has Toolbox Talks and Infographics for protecting yourself from the cold. https://www.cpwr.com/research/working-in-cold-weather/winter-safety-infographics .

CPWR has “Working In Cold Weather – A Chilling Danger” Hazard Alert. https://www.cpwr.com/sites/default/files/publications/Cold%20Weather%20Web%20HazAlert.pdf .

NIOSH has a page on Cold Stress, https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/coldstress/default.html

NIOSH Protecting Yourself from Cold Stress. https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2010-115/pdfs/2010-115.pdf

Portions of this message may be confidential under an exemption to Ohio's public records law or under a legal privilege. If you have received this message in error or due to an unauthorized transmission or interception, please delete all copies from your system without disclosing, copying, or transmitting this message.

The BWC Library creates a monthly ‘Safety Update’ for our safety staff’s professional knowledge and use at safety council meetings.

Check out December's Safety Updates

Monthly editions are available at bwc.ohio.gov under the drop down menu for Safety > Safety and Video Library > Safety newsletters.

May's Safety Council Meeting Information

Thank you Gail Erhardt for presenting at our May Safety Council Meeting. If you are interested in viewing her powerpoint from this presentation, Click Here

HazComm Training

BWC designed a new micro video training series to assist your hazard communication training. The four short videos each cover a topic on OSHA’s HazCom standard. The guide document contains a quiz for each video. This can be a good tool to supplement and document this training.

Coronavirus concerns cancel Ohio Safety Congress & Expo 2020

Online-only component goes on as scheduled

COLUMBUS — The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC) has cancelled its annual Ohio Safety Congress & Expo scheduled for Wednesday through Friday at the Greater Columbus Convention Center due to concerns surrounding the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

An online component of the workplace health and safety event will go on as scheduled, however, providing the opportunity to secure continuing education credits for professionals in the health care, human resources, safety, and legal communities. The 8,600 who registered for the in-person event will be enrolled automatically for the online event.

“The health and safety of Ohioans remain our top concern, and we must take every precaution to protect our citizens,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Stephanie McCloud, following the direction of Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and local and state health leaders and experts.

Safety congress’s kickoff session at 9:30 Wednesday morning is still scheduled, but for an online audience only. The in-person component will not be rescheduled this year due to the size and scope of the event. Attendees looking to attain continuing education credits are encouraged to review the sessions offered through the online option. For those who have yet to register, as well as details as they become available, visit Ohio Safety Congress & Expo.

More than 300 vendors had registered for the Expo Marketplace to showcase their latest workplace safety and health products. BWC will reimburse the vendors the fees for their booth space.

Now in its 90th year, the Ohio Safety Congress & Expo is the largest free work-safety event in the United States. It offers workplace safety and health education, training and resources for Ohio workers, employers and safety professionals.

BWC encourages the public to stay up to date on the latest COVID-19 information by visiting the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) website coronavirus.ohio.gov and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. ODH also has a call center open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. to answer questions regarding COVID-19. The call center can be reached at 1-833-4-ASK-ODH (1-833-427-5634).

BWC is hosting a webinar titled Safe Patient Handling: Is Your Facility Following the Guidelines? CLICK HERE for more information.

Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

BWC Safety Update - February 2021

Click HERE to view February's Safety Update

Click Here to Register

BWC is hosting a webinar titled Before You Hire that Contractor: Groundwork to Reduce Safety Risks on Thursday, June 18 (1 to 2 pm). The webinar covers the areas for consideration for hiring a contractor during the various phases of the contractor selection, management, and evaluation process to aid in safety risk reduction.

This webinar will be instructed by Mary Beth Holley, a safety consultant in BWC’s Cincinnati Service Office.

Additional information, including registration instructions, can be found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Kaylee Blevings at Kaylee.b.1@bwc.state.oh.us

May Safety Update

Trenching Safety webinar

BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene is offering a Trenching Safety webinar May 4 at 3:30 p.m. The two-hour webinar provides an overview on identifying risk factors related to trenching and excavation sites. Learn more and register here. Additionally, our Trench Safety Ohio website provides resources and information on safe trenching work practices.

Ohio BWC News

Safety Council Rebate Program Update Due to the outbreak of COVID-19, we directed the cancellation of safety council meetings for March through June 2020. As a result, it is not possible for many members to complete the Safety Council Rebate Program’s FY20 eligibility requirements. Therefore, we will award the FY20 rebate to rebate-eligible safety council members who, as of Feb. 29, 2020, had attended at least FOUR safety council meetings based on safety council sponsors’ records. We also have waived the program’s CEO attendance and calendar year 2019 semi-annual report requirements. For more information, visit the Safety Councils webpage.

OSHA News

New Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Documents • COVID-19 Guidance for Retail Workers: This OSHA Alert lists safety tips to help protect retail workers from exposure to COVID-19. It is available in English and Spanish. • COVID-19 Guidance for the Package Delivery Workforce: This OSHA Alert lists safety tips to protect package delivery workers from exposure to COVID-19. It is available in English and Spanish. • Ten Steps All Workplaces Can Take to Reduce Risk of Exposure to Coronavirus: This OSHA safety poster highlights infection prevention measures all workplaces can take to protect workers from COVID-19. It is available in English and Spanish. • Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19: This OSHA document is available in English and Spanish.

Other News

List of Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a list of disinfectant products that meet the criteria to disinfect against the virus that causes COVID-19. The list can be downloaded as a CSV or PDF file. It includes the product name, active ingredients, and the amount of time the surface should be treated.

NIOSH/CDC News

Worker Health Charts NIOSH Worker Health Charts on the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) website use worker data from NIOSH and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Users can create charts to discover trends in workplace injuries, illness, and deaths. The data is broken out by exposures, health and safety behaviors, health status, and more.

Health Hazard Evaluations NIOSH staff perform health hazard evaluations at businesses based on employee requests. Hazards reviewed can include chemicals, particulates, noise, radiation, biological agents, ergonomics, heat, and stress. Users can access reports from these evaluations, which include recommendations for abatement of hazards, on the NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations website.

Teleworking Safety Working safely from home is important. The federal website Telework.gov provides a safety checklist for teleworking.

Virtual Reality and Safety Training This article from Safety+Health magazine describes benefits and concerns around the use of virtual reality in safety training. The benefits include better memory retention, the ability to train on equipment that is not typically available, and the ability to train on a dangerous piece of equipment before use in the real world. The concerns include actual physical hazards, motion sickness, and costs of equipment.

Mining Deaths The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) reported 2019 had the second lowest number of deaths in the mining industry since the data was recorded. There were 15 metal/nonmetal miners and 12 coal miner deaths.

MSHA Safety Alert MSHA issued a Safety Alert in response to several deaths in the mining industry caused by damaged or defective welds on aerial lifts. The alert contains best practices for welding and inspections of equipment for damage or defects.

Ladder Safety Training The American Ladder Institute has free ladder safety training you can take from its website. Learn proper selection, care, and safe use of all types of ladders, including stepladders, single and extension ladders, articulated ladders, and mobile ladders. Simply register for an account, select the ladder type, and watch the video. There is a test with each video.

Welding Safety Training and Documents The American Welding Society (AWS) has free welding safety training available on its website. There are 10 modules ideal for anyone engaged in welding, cutting, brazing, or soldering. Also available from the site is the American National Safety Institute Z49.1 Safety in Welding Standard and AWS welding safety fact sheets.

Railroad Crossing Safety Video This new video from the non-profit rail safety education organization Operation Lifesaver shows drivers of cement, dump, and garbage trucks how to safely navigate railroad crossings along their routes to avoid tragedy at the tracks.

CPWR Data Bulletin The Center for Construction Research and Training (CPWR) issued a new data series for construction. CPWR issues the Data Bulletin six times per year. The inaugural edition has information on health insurance coverage in the construction industry. The data indicate that one in four construction workers does not have health insurance coverage.

New Chemical Safety Board Animation The U.S. Chemical Safety Board released an updated animation of the events at the BP America Refinery in Texas City, Texas, when a massive hydrocarbon release and ensuing explosion and fire killed 15 and injured 180 others. The board announced a forthcoming interactive training application based on this event that uses this animation.

Please contact the library@bwc.state.oh.us or 614-466-7388 for more information on any of these items.

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in June including:

Weekly Webinars –presented live with BWC discount program & continuing education credits

OSHA Knocks on the Door (June 8)
Trenching Safety Stand Down (June 15)
A PERRP-spective on the Fire Chief’s Role in Compliance (June 21)
The fight beyond the fire: Battling carcinogens before, during and after the fireground (June 23)

Virtual classes -

Ergonomic Risk Factors: Understanding and Identifying (June 1)
Electrical Safety in the Workplace through Insight and Implementation of NFPA 70E (June 2-3)
Emergency Preparedness Planning Half-day Workshop (June 8)
Thermal Stress (June 9)
Safety Series Workshop Module 4: Walking Working Surfaces and Emergency Action Plan Basics (June 17)
Effective Safety Teams Half-day Workshop (June 22)
Job Safety Analysis (June 24)
Safety for the Non-Safety Professional (June 29-30)

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

Additional information on all June distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

BWC is hosting a webinar titled Accident Analysis - Why should I do it? on Thursday, June 25 (1 to 2 PM). The webinar will explain basic elements of a written accident analysis program, the primary casual factor of accidents, and action steps that can be taken in an analyzing accident.

For more information or to register, CLICK HERE

BWC's Monthly Safety Updates Can Be Found Here

To Check Out These Safety Updates Click HERE

Free BWC Webinar: Conducting Safety Inspections in the Workplace

Join us for a special two-hour event on Conducting Safety Inspections in the Workplace on Tuesday, May 11 (11 a.m. – 1 p.m.). This webinar will examine workplace hazards to help prevent incidents, injuries and illnesses.

The webinar will be instructed by BWC’s Brian Zachetti, an Industrial Safety Consultant in the Youngstown Service Office.

Additional information, including registration instructions, continuing education & BWC discount program credits can be found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact BWC’s Kaylee Blevings at Kaylee.B.1@bwc.state.oh.us.

TriHealth Occupational Medicine - Arrow Springs

Now Open to Serve your Company and Employees

BWC is hosting a number of occupational safety and health webinars and virtual classes in March including:

Weekly Webinars –presented live with BWC discount program & continuing education credits

Reducing COVID-19 Transmission Through HVAC Improvements
Is This a Confined Space: What You Need to Know to Stay Safe
Accident Analysis (two dates)

Virtual classes -

Developing a Driver Safety Program
Emergency Preparedness Planning Half-day Workshop
Effective Safety Teams Half-Day Workshop
Measuring Safety Performance
Hazwoper Waste Operations and Emergency Response Refresher
Electrical Safety Maintenance (NFPA 70B) – Practices for Electrical Equipment Maintenance
Confined Space and Assessment

Online E-Courses

Bloodborne Pathogens, Developing a Safety Culture, OSHA Recordkeeping 101 and others

Additional information on all March distance learning, including registration, is found in the attached flyer.

For more information or assistance when registering, contact the staff member listed or dshcc@bwc.state.oh.us.

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Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation

Safety Update - Ohio BWC Library

BWC News

2021-2022 Safety Services Catalog

The 2021-2022 edition of the Safety Services Catalog is now available for download. The catalog covers the last three quarters of the state fiscal year. In addition to describing the safety services and programs available, the catalog contains links to detailed descriptions of all safety-related course offerings and lists and describes safety-related DVDs and streaming videos.

Reducing Overexertion Injuries

Overexertion injuries cost Ohio employers nearly $1134 million and accounted for almost 24% of accepted BWC claims in 2019. This blog discusses overexertion injuries and how you can reduce them in your facility.

OSHA News

OSHA Top 10 List

For the 11^th year, Fall Protection – General Requirements was OSHA’s most frequently cited standard. The data spans the time frame of October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021. The list was unchanged from FY 2020 other than a few changes in the order. This article in Safety + Health has the entire list.

Driver Safety

OSHA revised its Driver Safety Brochure. The updated document encourages employers to keep drivers safe on the road by stressing the importance of motor vehicle safety. Texting while driving is a matter of life and death. No employer should condone any employee texting while driving.

NIOSH News

Law Enforcement Agencies: How to Prevent Motor Vehicle Collisions

Law enforcement officers are at risk of motor vehicle collisions from many preventable factors. This new NIOSH fact sheet highlights results from a study evaluating the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s safe driving program. It also includes recommendations for agencies and safe driving messages for officers.

Hearing Protection Study

“A new study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimates that over half of noise-exposed workers didn’t use hearing protection “always” or “usually” when exposed to hazardous occupational noise.” Read the abstract on the NIOSH website along with links to information on noise and hearing loss prevention.

Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE)

NIOSH released an updated edition of the RNLE Applications manual corrects typos and is now searchable. Download the manual and the mobile app from the NIOSH site.

New CDC Hearing Loss Website

Loud noise can cause hearing loss. Learn more about hearing loss and how to prevent it on CDC’s National Center for Environmental Health’s new hearing loss website.

NIOSH Blog

This blog post from NIOSH celebrates the 15th year of the Wholesale and Retail Trade (WRT) Sector Program at NIOSH including links to guidance documents and a discussion of key accomplishments.

Other News

Construction SmartMarket Report

A new report by construction data company DodgeData & Analytics, Safety Management in the Construction Industry 2021 addresses changes in safety management in the construction industry. The report describes the analysis of survey responses about practices, impacts, training and communication, technology, and health and wellness.

Hazard Communication Program Webinar

Join Safety+Health on November 4^th at 12:00 PM ET for a free webinar on Building Blocks of Effective Hazard Communication Programs. As part of the agency’s list of “Top 10” most cited violations for fiscal year 2020, OSHA’s standard on hazard communication (1910.1200) ranks No. 2. Employer compliance with the standard can fall short for any number of reasons, so during this webinar Safety+Health will review the basics of what you need to know and how to build an effective hazard communication program.

Engagement and Turnover Webinar

Join OH&S on November 17^th at 2:00 PM ET for a free webinar on Engagement & Turnover: Today’s Biggest Safety Issues. Developing and executing a plan to create higher levels of employee engagement in an organization is the single best tactic for combating turnover. More importantly, improving engagement and lowering turnover are essential to achieving any safety related goals. When it comes to safety, you can’t rely on your HR team to solve these problems, you need to take it on directly from a safety perspective. This presentation will show you how.

Enjoy a Safe Holiday Season

Holiday safety is an issue that burns brightest from late November to mid-January, when families gather, parties are scheduled and travel spikes. The National Safety Council created a page with tips for a safe holiday season, including an archived webinar, decoration safety tips, fire hazard considerations, and food poisoning safety.

Prevent Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever This Fall

Rocky Mountain spotted fever (RMSF) is caused by an infection with a bacterium called Rickettsia rickettsii. In Ohio, R. rickettsii is transmitted to humans through the bite of the infected American dog tick. American dog ticks are the most commonly encountered type of tick in Ohio, and they are found throughout the state. They live in areas of tall grass and in clearings that have little tree cover. Learn how to protect employees by visiting the Ohio Department of Health’s Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever resource page, which lists signs of infection, prevention, and offers downloadable handouts/fact sheets.

Diabetes Awareness

November is not only the start of the holiday season, but also diabetes awareness month. Over 1 million Ohioans have been diagnosed with diabetes and 1 out of 3 adults in the United States are prediabetic. It is likely that we know someone with diabetes or who is pre-diabetic. Whether for prevention or maintenance, acting early can help us avoid poor health outcomes like stroke, kidney failure, or heart attack. Getting at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week and finding healthy ways to cope with stress are simple ways to prevent and manage diabetes. To learn more about diabetes prevention, click here. #BWCWellness

The Ohio BWC Library of BWC’s Division of Safety & Hygiene compiles and distributes this newsletter each month.

Warren County Safety Council

Drug Awareness for Supervisors

BWC introduces virtual classes beginning October 1

Ohio Safety Council Mega Meetings 2021-2022

Warren County Safety Council's

FY20 Enrollment Form

Click HERE to find your FY20 WC Safety Council Enrollment Form

BWC Featured News

OSHA News

NIOSH/CDC News

Other News

July's Safety Update - Ohio BWC Library Click Here

FREE BWC Webinars & Virtual Classes - December 2020

Click HERE to view the Schedule

Free BWC Webinars & Virtual Classes - August 2021

Developing a Driver Safety Program Presentation

Important Notice:

Semi-Annual Reports Will NOT Be Collected at this time

Distance Learning in December 2021

Warren County Safety Council CEO Breakfast

Developing an Effective Ergonomics Management Process Webinar

Check out December's Safety Update News Letter

Safety Congress Registration Now Open

2020-2021 Virtual Safety Council

Meeting Dates & Topic Schedule

August 21st: Understanding COVID

September 18th: DSH Services

October 16th: Mental Issues in the Work Place

November 20th: Distracted Drivers

December 18th: Impact of Substance Abuse During these Trying Times

January 15th: OSHA Updates

February 19th: Bloodborne Pathogen Trainings

March 19th: Prevention of Insect Borne Disease

April 16th: Work Zone Awareness

May 21st: Electrical Safety Training

June 18th: Substance Abuse in the Work Place

How to Use Zoom:

Free BWC Webinars & Virtual Classes - November 2020

BWC Featured items

NIOSH/CDC News

OSHA News

Other News

BWC News

OSHA News

NIOSH/CDC News

Other News

Click Here for July Webinar Series

Distance Learning in January 2022

Safety Congress Registration Now Open

BWC Sending 23 Million Ohio-made Masks to Employers

NIOSH/CDC News

Up-to-Date Information About COVID-19

Up-to-Date Information About Masks

Vaccine Information

OSHA News

Carbon Monoxide Safety

OSHA Publications for Cold Weather Safety

Other News

Downloadable Dry Ice Safety Resources

Vaccine Distribution: CO2 [Dry Ice] Safety Challenges Webinar

Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) 2019 Data Available

Safety Prequalification Research

Construction Exposure Control

State of the Response Reports

FEMA National Risk Index

New Ohio Work Zone Dashboard

2018 Semi-Annual Report Application

Free BWC Webinar - Real Fire Hazards - Tuesday, September 22

Click the link below to view your updated Saftey Council Meeting Attandance Report:

Attandance Report as of November 2018

2018-2019 Meeting Schedule and Topic

2019 Safety Update Newsletters

FY19 Attendance Verification Spreadsheet

For the most updated attandance verification spreadsheet click HERE

April's Safety Council Meeting Information

2019 Semi-Annual Report Application

2019's 1st Semi-Annual Report is due July 15, 2019

Division of Safety & Hygiene's June Webinars

BWC Featured Items

NIOSH/CDC News