OSHA now requires employer to pay for some of your PPE

This article is worth a look if you have to wear protective equipment on the job.


New OSHA ruling on safety equipment-->
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Now OSHA requires employers to bear the cost of most personal protection equipment it requires employees to wear on the job
Many Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) health, safety, maritime and construction standards require employers to provide their employees with protective equipment, including personal protective equipment (PPE), when such equipment is necessary to protect employees from job-related injuries, illnesses and fatalities. These requirements address PPE of many kinds: hard hats, gloves, goggles, safety shoes, safety glasses, welding helmets and goggles, faceshields, chemical protective equipment, fall protection equipment and so forth. The provisions in OSHA standards that require PPE generally state that the employer is to provide such PPE. However, some of these provisions do NOT specify that the employer is to provide such PPE at no cost to the employee. In this recent rulemaking, OSHA requires employers to pay for the PPE provided. Some specific items are not included in the ruling. The rule does not require employers to provide PPE where none has been required before. Instead, the rule merely stipulates that the employer must pay for required PPE, except in the limited cases specified in the standard.
Dates for compliance
This final rule became effective on February 13, 2008, and must be implemented by May 15, 2008. The rule's Federal Register Number is 72:64341-64430.
General requirements of the standard
Employers must pay for the minimum level of PPE as required in 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1910, 1915, 1917, 1918 and 1926.
If an employer decides to upgrade PPE to meet the requirements of a standard, the employer must pay for that PPE upgrade.
If an employer provides PPE at no cost, and an employee asks to use different PPE, and the employer decides to allow him or her to do so, then the employer is not required to pay for the item(s).
Items for which employer payment is required include:
Metatarsal foot protection, special boots for longshoremen working with logs, rubber boots with steel toes, shoe covers—toe caps and metatarsal guards
Non-prescription eye protection, prescription eyewear inserts/lenses for full-face respirators and for welding and diving helmets
Goggles, face shields, laser safety goggles
Firefighting PPE (helmet, gloves, boots, proximity suits, full gear)
Hard hats
Hearing protection
Welding PPE
Items used in medical/laboratory settings to protect from exposure to infectious agents (aprons, lab coats, goggles, disposable gloves, shoe covers, etc.)
Non-specialty gloves
Payment required if PPE; e.g., to protect against dermatitis, severe cuts/abrasions
Payment not required if only for keeping clean or cold weather (with no safety or health consideration)
Rubber sleeves
Aluminized gloves
Chemical-resistant gloves, aprons and clothing
Barrier creams (unless solely for weather-related protection)
PPE exempted from the rule:
Non-specialty safety-toe protective footwear, such as steel-toe shoes/boots, that an employer allows an employee to wear off the jobsite
Non-specialty prescription safety eyewear that an employer allows an employee to wear off the jobsite
Ordinary cold weather gear (coats, parkas, cold-weather gloves, winter boots)
Sturdy work shoes, lineman's boots, ordinary rain gear and work clothes, back belts
Dust masks/respirators used under the voluntary use provisions in §1910.134
Logging boots required under §1910.266(d)(1)(v)
Sunglasses/sunscreen
Rubber insulating gloves
Mesh cut-proof gloves, mesh or leather aprons
Self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), atmosphere-supplying respirators (escape only)
Respiratory protection
Fall protection
Ladder safety device belts
Climbing ensembles (e.g., belts and climbing hooks) used by linemen
Window cleaner's safety straps
Personal flotation devices (life jackets)
Encapsulating chemical protective suits
Reflective work vests
Bump caps
Other issues clarified
Replacement of PPE: Employers are required to pay except for limited circumstances in which an employee has lost or intentionally damaged the issued PPE.
Employee-owned PPE: Employers are not responsible for reimbursing an employee for any PPE he or she may already own (from previous employment); however, employers cannot make any employee buy their own PPE.
Upgrading PPE: Employers are not required to pay for upgraded or personalized PPE requested by an employee, provided the employer provides adequate basic PPE to the employee.
The regulation concludes by discussing what employees qualify for this rule, what payment terms are acceptable, the regulation's effect on union contracts, and its environmental impact.
Related Web Sites
http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=FEDERAL_REGISTER&p_id=20094
http://www.osha.gov/



the above from http://www.supplylinedirect.com/tech_info/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=13&



sales@ergonomicpartners.com

Back Pain press release

Press Release
Source: Spine-health
New Spine-health.com Survey Shows 50% of Workers Absent 10 or More Days in Past Year Due to Back PainThursday July 24, 6:00 am ET
CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A new online survey by Spine-health (http://www.spine-health.com/) shows that back and neck pain and their related health problems are causing productivity troubles at the workplace. The Spine-health.com survey of more than 750 respondents found that 50 percent reported missing work for 10 or more days due to back-related problems. Another 29 percent of respondents said chronic pain kept them off the job for as many as nine days over the last year, according to the survey. Spine-health.com is a 2,000 page online resource written and reviewed by doctors for patients with back pain, chronic pain, and related health issues.


“Health problems caused by long hours sitting in front of a computer are jeopardizing the health of the workforce, and affecting corporate America’s ability to compete in the global economy,” according to Dr. Peter F. Ullrich, Medical Director of Spine-health and an orthopedic spine surgeon at the Neurospine Center of Wisconsin. “These survey results indicate business will reap great economic and competitive benefits by helping their employees address personal behaviors and habits that hurt their backs.”
Whether you’re a web designer, lawyer, researcher or engineer, you are at risk because back problems don’t discriminate. The criteria are simple. If you sit in an office chair and work at a computer for most of your day, than you have a potential back problem in the making.
“If your job involves sitting at a desk in front of a computer, you are at risk for developing pain associated with sprains and strains to your spine. Poor posture and lack of vascular circulation aggravate the situation.” said Doctor Stephen Hochschuler, MD, spine surgeon and Co-founder of The Texas Back Institute (http://www.texasback.com/). “Spine-health offers useful tips that are aimed at helping workers of all ages prevent back and neck pain, which can develop as early as your 20s and 30s and continue to progress over time,” he added.
As a result of this recent survey, Spine-health is offering tips on preventing back and neck pain with “Five Ways to Turn Back the Clock on Computer-related Back Issues”:
1. Just move. Your body can only tolerate one position for 20 minutes at a time, 30 minutes maximum. Learn the Reverse Arch Stretch exercise that can be done right in your office chair and literally takes just a few seconds to do.
2. Avoid hunching. Sitting at the front of your office chair, hunching forward to see the computer screen, is the WRONG way to use your chair. Try the tennis ball technique for 30 days and see if you can “retrain” your posture.
3. Choose an adjustable office chair. Make sure it has the flexibility to adjust to the needs of your body and your work and can support your low back and create good posture. When looking for an office chair, choose one that has the right ergonomics and consider these additional features:
Adjustable seat height
Enough seat width and depth
Lumbar adjustment
Adjustable back rest
Padded seat material
Adjustable arm rests
Swivel
4. Set up a back-friendly office. Learn some tried-and-true guidelines for setting up your office chair and workstation for your unique work needs. Check out the top 6 guidelines for customizing your office chair.
5. Use exercise as the ultimate weapon against back problems. As you age, having strong back and abdominal muscles – your core body muscles – is critical for maintaining good posture. These muscles don’t get used in typical everyday activities, so specific ab and back strengthening exercises are needed to build and maintain these core muscles.
More details on these tips along with a helpful and entertaining video on improving back-related desk and work habits called, “Watch Your Back!” can be found at http://www.spine-health.com/watch-your-back.
About Spine-health
Spine-health provides comprehensive, highly informative and useful resources for understanding, preventing and seeking appropriate treatment for back and neck pain and related conditions. Spine-health is a trusted source for almost 1 million consumers every month and is the only spine medicine portal that supports the education of patients through a combination of 100 percent peer-reviewed content, comprehensive information and services and commercial independence. Spine-health is not owned or directed by companies that sell spine products or medication.
Contact:Pipeline Media Relations
Michelle Damico, 312-423-6627
michelle@pipelinemediarelations.com
Source: Spine-health

Humantech--Ask the Expert

Ask the Expert--June 16th 2008 Article. See link http://www.humantech.com/resources/newsletter/currentIssue/

Designing for Ergonomics in Assembly: Considerations for the Aging Population


According to Blake McGowan, Senior Consultant and Ergonomics Engineer for Humantech, most safety professionals are concerned about ergonomics and the aging population. When asked why they are concerned, many express fears of anticipated increases in injury rates as their working population ages. However, data suggests that non-fatal occupational injury rates (sprains and strains) are higher for younger workers (≤ 25 years old) compared to the aging population (Jackson, 2001; Salminen, 2004). This is especially true for male populations.
In reality, the two most important issues safety professionals should consider as the workforce ages are:
•
Decreases in production performance. Older workers often require increased task completion time, which leads to decreases in production performance (Rahman et al., 2002).
•
Increases in quality errors. Many older workers experience reduced hand sensitivity, which results in reduced tactile sensation and more product assembly errors (Ranganathan et al., 2001).
Currently, many organizations understand the positive impacts of ergonomics on productivity performance (for example, lean manufacturing). Organizations have repeatedly demonstrated cycle time improvements and ergonomic risk reductions following the implementation of ergonomic improvements. However, very few have launched ergonomic initiatives focused on reducing quality errors. Several common physiological changes occur as we age that may increase quality errors:
•
Movement speed slows during grasping (Carnahan et al., 1993) and reaching (Seidler-Dobrin and Stelmach, 1998
•
Movement precision (deceleration) decreases (Walker et al., 1997)
•
Range of motion is reduced (Chaparro et al., 2000)
•
Muscle strength (grip, push, pull) decreases (Ketchum and Stelmach, 2001)
•
Force control decreases, as adults grip twice as hard to compensate (Cole, 1991)
•
Force perception decreases (Cole et al., 1991)
•
Muscle endurance decreases
Design engineers can assist in reducing product quality errors that occur as a result of these physiological changes by applying 10 simple principles:
•
Design parts with self-locating and self-aligning features (chamfers, guides, pins)
•
Design for "one-way, right-way" connections (mistake-proofing)
•
Design for adequate visual access (eliminate blind assemblies)
•
Design for adequate hand or tool access
•
Design for adequate tolerances (eliminate overlapping tolerances)
•
Design for ease of handling (eliminate slippery, sharp, flexible parts)
•
Design for low-force connections or insertions (snap-to-connect)
•
Design to eliminate the need for precision or manual alignment
•
Design to standardize hardware (minimize or integrate hardware)
•
Design to reduce horizontal reach distance (≤ 16" from product edge)

Positech Case Study

Positech Case for Tire Assembly Plant as seen on MHIA website, EASE section of case studies.

VLC Provides a Safe, Ergonomic and Economical
Solution for Tire Assembly Plant

Features/Benefits Provided:
• Handle various sizes of tire assemblies
• Lift, pitch, and swivel tire assembly so the
hub and axle centerlines are parallel
• Rotate tire assembly to align keyway
• Position tire to desired tread width
• 530 to 6000 pounds payload weight special
vertical lift cylinder
• Fixed floor pedestal, fixed overhead
mounting, or powered overhead trolley and
crane system
• Custom designed hydraulic powered tool to
lift, pitch and rotate various tire assemblies
(v-lift for larger sized has powered swivel)
• All movements of v-lift are powered with
PLC controlled safety circuits
• Operators are required to maneuver tire
assemblies using ergonomic steering
handles
• Operator control station for convenient
operation of powered functions
A vertical lift cylinder solves problem for an assembly company that installs front and rear tire
assemblies (tire, rim with hub, and wheel weights) onto the axles of farm tractors and harvesters.
Various tire sizes range from 36 to 94 inch diameter and 18 to 49.5 inch width, with a weight up to
6,000 pounds. The problem was that the tire assembly needed to be orientated such that the hub
centerline is parallel to the centerline of the axle. There is a close fit between the hub ID and axle
ID. The tire assembly must be rotated to align the hub key with the axle keyway. Thus, the tire
assembly is lifted, pitched, swiveled, and rotated during installation onto the axle. An overhead
hoist, with a sling or C-frame lifting device, was used for lifting; however, this method lacked
control and safety.
is a proud member of the EASE Council of the Material Handling Industry of America

Contact Ergonomic Partners at sales@ergonomicpartners.com or click thur to see Positech manipulators at http://www.ergonomicpartners.com/industrial-manipulator-arms.htm. Ergonomic Partners is an authorized distributor of Positech Manipulators.

Did you know?

The Material Handling Industy of America has an industry group "Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment" (EASE). With the growing popularity and need of zero gravity lifters, ergonomic lift assists, custom ergonomic tooling, to name a few, this is an exciting recognition to those in the industry. You can see this on the website with the following link http://www.mhia.org/industrygroups/ease or read below about it below.


Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment (EASE) is the resource for trends, information, practices, equipment, and organizations that focus on ergonomics and improving the working interface between people and the materials they must move and use to reduce injury, increase productivity while providing a significant return on investment.

What is Ergonomic Assist Systems and Equipment?
Ergonomic equipment promotes the general safety and health aspects of work environments for people with or in the vicinity of mechanical equipment. Such equipment includes Adjustable Worker Elevation Platforms, Balancers, Containers, Lift Tables Typical Application, Manipulators, Pallet Rotators/Inverters, Stackers, Vacuum Assist Devices and Workstation Cranes

What We Do
EASE members meet regularly to review, discuss and revise the standards for the mechanical, structural and electrical design of ergonomic equipment, and to formulate guidelines for the proper use, operation and maintenance of that equipment.

EASE Programs Include:

The development and promotion of standard nomenclature.
The development and promotion of codes for equipment operations, personnel safety, ethics etc.
The preparation and distribution of educational and promotional materials as to the benefits of ergonomic solutions.
The establishment of liaison and cooperation with private and governmental groups establishing standards and/or safety codes which are pertinent to this equipment.
Resources
Ergonomic Guidelines for Manual Material Handling
This booklet will help you to recognize high-risk manual material handling work tasks and choose effective options for reducing their physical demands including:

Eliminating lifting from the floor and using simple transport devices like carts or dollies
Using lift-assist devices like scissors lift tables or load levelers
Using more sophisticated equipment like powered stackers, hoists, cranes, or vacuum assist devices
Guiding your choice of equipment by analyzing and redesigning work stations and workflow
Safety Label Brochure for Industrial Scissors Lifts
The Safety Label Brochure for Industrial Scissors Lifts is now available for free download with the use of Acrobat Reader.

Application Guidelines for Ergonomic Assist and Safety Equipment

Have any more questions, please contact sales@ergonomicpartners.com

Win a Wearwell Mat!

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Because quite frankly, Wearwell mats market themselves better than we ever could. We would like you to test out their comfort, quality and functionality for yourself. And that's also why we need to know in what type of environment you would place our mat. For us, the functionality and effectiveness of our mats are key elements to your satisfaction. Therefore, we create products that solve specific problems in the workplace. In fact, our job is to design and manufacture products that make your job easier, safer, healthier and more productive.
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Cleveland Tramrail underruning crane solution heavy truck maintenance

Heavy Truck Repair & Maintenance


Industry: Automotive - Heavy Truck Maintenance

Application: Providing maintenance and customization on heavy truck parts. Parts can weigh anywhere between 1 Ton. and 3 Tons. These heavy parts are moved about 25 ft. across the building to a staging area where maintenance is done.

Solution: A 3 Ton Free Standing (unbraced) Tarca® system with 28' bridge, 39' runway, 16' Height Under Boom, and 37' support centers



The Problem:
Congestion, parts damage, and safety issues from using fork trucks to move the parts around the facility
Floor space needed to be maximized to make room for big trucks and parts
Company was looking for something that could be moved if needed
Why Tarca® Was The Smart Solution:

Because the system is free standing and the supports are close to the building walls, it allows room in the facility for safe movement and storage of trucks and parts.
The system is not braced to the building and therefore, can be relocated if the need ever arises.
Using the crane system is much safer than using fork trucks in the facility.

case study by Gorbel

contact sales@ergonomicpartners.com for more information on under running or top running overhead bridge cranes

ANSI Dismisses Latest Appeal to Withdraw Construction Industry MSD Reduction Standard

July 18, 2008
By ASSE Press Release

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DES PLAINES, IL (July 17, 2008) – The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Appeals Board Panel today dismissed the latest appeal brought by the Construction Industry Employer Coalition, a coalition of five trade associations of U.S. construction interests, to withdraw the adoption of the approved voluntary consensus standard “reduction of Musculoskeletal Problems in Construction” (ANSI/ASSE A10.40-2007), which aims to reduce musculoskeletal problems/disorders (MSDs) in the construction industry. This was the last appeal allowable under the ANSI appeals process.

In late 2006, the ANSI/ASSE A10 Accredited Standards Committee (ASC) on Construction and Demolition Operations approved the standard. Following the approval of the standard by the Committee, the Coalition filed an appeal challenging the standard’s adoption, and a hearing was held on May 1, 2007 to hear the formal complaints. On May 25, 2007, the appeals panel found unanimously that the appeal complaints were without merit and that the Secretariat, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), complied with the ANSI due process requirements in developing the standard. ANSI’s Board of Standards Review (BSR) approved the standard on July 23, 2007 after extensive review of the procedures and the record.

During Fall 2007, the Coalition filed a request with ANSI to temporarily retract the approval of the standard, but the BSR decided not to rescind the approval of A10.40 as a consensus standard while an appeal was pending on October 16, 2007. The Coalition appealed the BSR decision on November 9, 2007. The ANSI BSR held the hearing for the appeal on February 7, 2008. The BSR determined after the appeal hearing on March 14, 2008 that its original action to approve the A10.40 as an American National Standard stands. The Coalition appealed again on May 5, 2008, their last appeal under ANSI procedures.

According to the ANSI Appeals Board Panel, the appeals statement and record filed by the Coalition did not establish a prima facie case against the BSR’s earlier decision to uphold the approval of the standard. Therefore, another appeals hearing will not be held. The ANSI BSR denied the previous appeal on the grounds that insufficient evidence was provided by the Coalition in support of its appeal to demonstrate that the ASC 10 Committee failed to obtain a consensus of materially affected interests with respect to the A10.40 Standard, that the Committee was unbalanced or dominated by one interest group, that the Committee failed adequately to respond to comments or that any procedural requirements were violated or overlooked.

"National consensus standards, such as A10.40, reflect the insights of the final users and the opinions of professionals who work at all levels of public and private sectors in technology development, safety and health, manufacturing, training, financial analysis, personnel and academia," said A10 Committee Chair Richard King, CSP, CRSP. "This balanced perspective enables standards to be crafted in a manner that benefits and protects standard users."

Some of the potential solutions in the standard aimed at reducing incidence of MSDs include risk elimination, substitution, use of engineering controls, administrative changes, training, use of protective equipment and assessment of individuals’ physical capabilities.

The standard also notes that construction workers and supervisors should be trained to recognize risk factors and ways to reduce the risk of MSDs through proper work techniques. Employee participation and injury management program are also discussed in the standard. A10.40 also includes a risk assessment guide, a construction MSD problem checklist, a return-to-work checklist, a list of resources, key terms and definitions and a list of non-occupational risk factors associated with work-related MSDs such as age, strength and gender.

Overhead Bridge Cranes vs. Forklifts

Benefits of Underhung Crane Systems vs. Forklifts
Underhung Crane Systems are more space efficient in many aspects than fork lift trucks because they operate overhead. While fork lifts require aisles to move products from point to point, overhead cranes can move directly from the pick point to the drop station. Since it is overhead, the crane does not interfere with the floor activities.
Other benefits of an underhung crane system compared to a fork truck are:
Lower building maintenance costs (Floor resurfacing)
Far lower equipment maintenance costs
Lower emissions than gas powered trucks
Less product damage
Less facility damage
Lower operating costs
Ability to handle a larger variety of loads
Greater cube density in storage area
Greatly increased operating life of equipment
Increased visual control by operator resulting in safer operation
No area required for batteries or fuel tank storage

Need more information or a quote? Please contact us at sales@ergonomicpartners.com

The above courtesy of Cleveland Tramrail/Gorbel.

Check out this Cleveland Tramrail monorail Case study

Cleveland Tramrail® Monorail System Eliminates Down Time and Increases Safety For Lab Workers The College of Veterinary Medicine at Auburn University necropsy lab examines and studies deceased livestock to prevent spreading illness. Farmers and cattlemen will bring the animals – usually horses, cows and pigs – by truck where lab workers unload them and move them into cold storage until the necropsy can be performed. When the procedure is about to begin, the animal is moved from cold storage across the loading area and into the necropsy room.

An I-beam monorail system with curves and switches was installed when the room was built in the late 1960’s. The original hoist was powered by a cable that dropped from the hoist to be plugged in at floor level, and was damaged several times. The hoist was replaced 10 years ago and powered by electrification bar to eliminate the dangling wire. The system’s switches were suspended by hanger rods, and when a large animal was moved around a curve, the weight of the animal would cause the rail to deviate. When the track shifts out of alignment, the electrification bar breaks its
connection and power to the system is lost. With the power off and the system down, animals as large as a one-ton bull would be left suspended in mid air until facility
maintenance arrived. “With our application, we must have a powered system,” said
Joseph Newton, DVM, PhD of the Auburn University Necropsy Lab. “Doing it manually is far too difficult.” Maintenance was required frequently and was getting progressively worse. For the final six months that the system was used, it was down an average of twice per week.

New Cleveland Tramrail® System
The Cleveland Tramrail® Solution: A 2-ton Cleveland Tramrail® monorail system,
with roughly 90 feet of straight and curved Tarca® track and Safpowrbar, was installed to replace the oft-maligned monorail that existed previously. A Gorbel® dealer installed new support steel in the loading, cold storage and necropsy areas and two new columns on concrete piers in front of the loading dock. Header beams and bracing were bolted to the new columns to provide rigid support to the monorail and
switches. With the switches secured by the rigid mounting, the system was aligned once, and after repeated use, continues to be aligned properly.

“We’re tickled to death with the new system,” said Dr. Newton. “It’s very rigid. I don’t expect any deviation from this rail at all.”

For help with all your Cleveland Tramrail monorail and overhead bridge crane projects please contact Ergonomic Partners, Inc. at sales@ergonomicpartners.com.

Wearwells Diamond-Plate SpongeCote still outperforms the competition!

Wearwell Innovations Out-Perform Competitive Look-alikes.
Wearwell invented Diamond-Plate SpongeCote in 1989 and it STILL outperforms competitive look-alikes today. Here's why:
Wearwell knows the sponge defines the product. Wearwell's Nitricell sponge outperforms any on the market-both in terms of comfort and longevity. It's compounded with high-grade nitrile rubber for optional comfort and resilience and won't compress and crush down like PVC sponges.

A true bevel. The Nitricell® sponge is pre-beveled before the manufacturing process, assuring perfect lay-flat quality. It is an extra step, but a necessary safety feature.

Sponge coverage. The Nitricell® sponge extends out to within 1.5 inches of the mat borders, giving the worker maximum standing area. Wearwell gives you up to 20% more sponge coverage.

The Wearwell 3 year limited warranty. We guarantee the workmanship on every mat we make for a full 3 years.

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Contact us at sales@ergonomicpartners.com for pricing and delivery, or go to our buy it now page at http://www.ergonomicpartners.com/ergonomic-floor-mats-anti-fatigue.htm

Ergonomic Innovation Award

Interamerican Zinc of Coldwater received Ergonomic Innovation Award
Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth • Reader Submitted • July 16, 2008

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Interamerican Zinc, Inc. of Coldwater (a U.S. Zinc / Votorantim Metais company) received the Ergonomic Innovation Award today from the Michigan Occupational Safety and Health Administration (MIOSHA). The MIOSHA program is part of the Michigan Department of Labor & Economic Growth (DLEG).


The MIOSHA Consultation Education and Training (CET) Division recognizes the safety and health achievements of Michigan employers and employees through CET Awards, which are based on excellent safety and health performance. The Ergonomic Innovation Award recognizes employers for ergonomic improvements.

“It's an honor to present the Ergonomic Innovation Award to Interamerican Zinc of Coldwater,” said DLEG Director Keith W. Cooley. “We are pleased to recognize your outstanding efforts to create a work environment that reduces ergonomic hazards, protects workers, and dramatically increases productivity.”

MIOSHA CET Division Director CET Division Director Connie O'Neill presented the award to Plant Manager Jeff Reynolds and the Safety and Health Committee, who accepted on behalf of all employees. Local and state officials congratulated the company and their employees on their outstanding achievement.

“This award recognizes all of the men and women that work for U.S.Zinc. Safety is truly driven from the top down through all levels of management in the Votorantim Metais / U.S.Zinc organization,” said Reynolds. “Achieving this award is a tribute to the Coldwater team, whose hard work and dedication over the years have resulted in many creative and innovative ideas to boost productivity without compromising safety. This is truly their award and I'm very fortunate to be associated with this team.”

The Ergonomic Innovation Award is issued to employers for creative and effective ideas that have been implemented to reduce worker strain. Ergonomic improvements help employees work safely without needing to over-lift, over-reach, sit or stand too long, or use awkward postures. CET Division Industrial Hygienist Greg Grubb reviewed the facility's ergonomic improvements.

Through out its organization, U.S. Zinc has implemented a proactive safety and health system involving both management and employees. The company has updated written standard operating procedures and job safety analysis for each job. All employees are empowered regarding safety and safety goals are published for all to see. The Safety and Health Committee meets weekly and daily toolbox meetings are held at the beginning of each shift, with all employees alternating responsibility for the talks.

U.S. Zinc has made several ergonomic improvements on two major lines in the plant, which have significantly reduced musculoskeletal injuries. On the “continuous galvanizing grade zinc line,” employees must skim 2000 2500 pounds of dross during an 8-hour shift. The Safety and Health Committee, in combination with corporate safety, studied the operation and implemented a fulcrum point/pivot-based mechanism to skim the dross. A reduction of force and awkward posture were the results of this innovation.

U.S. Zinc also designed and built a raking system for their furnace that eliminates the physical strain of manually emptying it, it also keeps the employees at a safe distance while molten metal is being transferred. This piece of equipment was thought up and designed by the employees themselves. It is a hydraulic and pneumatic raking arm that works similar to a back hoe. A reduction of force and awkward posture were the results of this innovation.

On the “prime western zinc recovery line,” employees manually lifted a platform that provided access to the “grizzly,” which pulverized the zinc and needed periodic cleaning. The Safety and Health Committee, in combination with corporate safety, recommended a pneumatic system to raise/lower the platform. A key/lockout procedure is used to operate the pneumatic system. A reduction of force and awkward posture were the results of this innovation.

Interamerican Zinc employs 24 workers and utilizes a patented process to recycle zinc from steel galvanizing dross. Zinc can be recycled indefinitely without losing any of its physical or chemical properties. The recovered zinc is of excellent quality and is produced to each customer's requirements and meets strict industry specifications. The Coldwater facility is ISO 9001 certified, and is the only plant in the Western Hemisphere utilizing this environmentally pro-active technology.

US Zinc has four divisions, each involved with zinc metal: (1) the Zinc Oxide Division is one of the world's largest zinc oxide producers; (2) the Zinc Metal Division is a full service source for galvanizers; (3) the Trading Division trades zinc products all over the world; and (4) the Zinc Dust Division is the single largest zinc dust producer in the U.S.

Recently US Zinc was acquired by Votorantim Metais (VM), a Brazilian company that is among the 10 main zinc producers of the world. VM is also a leader in nickel electrolyte production in Latin America and the third largest Brazilian structural steel producer.

Ergonomics for the Standing Worker and how Wearwell Mats can help

Ergonomics for the Standing Worker
By Lisa O'Dell, Vice President of Marketing, Wearwell®


The word "ergonomics" is defined as "the natural laws of work". Optimal performance, which many of us define as productivity, is the ultimate goal of ergonomic design. It' therefore reasonable to expect that the implementation of ergonomic concepts offers tremendous value to any company, and can be realized with the creation of comfortable, healthy and safe work environments. Providing anti-fatigue matting for standing workers is an excellent example of ergonomic design. Past research has shown that long-term standing on hard surfaces negatively effects worker' productivity and health. On a simplistic level everyone knows that it's uncomfortable. On a more complex level, standing on hard surfaces is uncomfortable because leg muscles become static, continuously flexed in an attempt to keep your body in an upright position. In the short term, this reduces the natural flow of oxygen and blood back to your heart causing fatigue and blood pooling in lower extremities. In the long term, it will take a toll on your body in the form of varicose veins, low back pain, leg pain, and fallen arches, just to name a few of the most common ailments. The most functional, comfortable and effective solution for eliminating standing workers aches and pain is the use of well-designed anti-fatigue matting. These ergonomic products can play a huge part in injury prevention, the reduction of standing worker fatigue, and increased productivity.

Anti-fatigue mats work by encouraging subtle movement of leg and calf muscles. As the muscles contract and relax they pump blood back to the heart and eliminate blood pooling in the lower extremities which often occurs if a worker's muscles are totally static.

Once anti-fatigue mats are installed, it is very common to hear stories about how they dramatically help a particular employee. For example, a Rolls Royce assembly plant recently purchased anti-fatigue matting for several operations including welding stations. One of their employees, a 39 year-old welder, suffered from Plantar fasciitis, which is an inflammation of the connective tissue on the bottom of the foot. This is a very painful condition often caused by prolonged standing. Rolls Royce tried several remedies including gel insoles, which were found to be a nuisance and not very effective. After standing on Wearwell® WeldSafe® Anti-fatigue matting for several weeks, the production manager said that the welder was much more comfortable and had in fact stated that his work conditions are 90% improved.

Not all companies have such dramatic results, but virtually all would tell you that anti-fatigue mats make a very positive impact on their employee' morale and performance. To insure that the overall experience with matting is good, it' important to:

Understand that you will probably not be able to please every employee because everyone enjoys a different level of comfort, and

Select products that optimize performance.

Here are some classic examples:

if you have an area where carts are pushed from workstation to workstation, it is best to find a product that will withstand cart traffic (ErgoDeck)

if you have over-spray buy a mat that has an abrasive coating on the surface to provide necessary traction (Diamond-Plate with GritWorks!)

buy wet area matting for wet areas and dry area matting for dry areas (24/Seven for wet areas and Diamond-Plate for dry areas)

if you frequently reconfigure workstations or have very large areas to cover, look at the modular products on the market (ErgoDeck)

if you use caustic chemicals in your facility, test the mat yourself to make sure it will withstand the rigors of your environment. (24/Seven CFR )

if you have employees that require an extra level of comfort, look for the greater compression deflection test results or the lower durometer (UltraSoft Diamond-Plate)

Perhaps most importantly, always purchase anti-fatigue mats that adapt the work environment to the needs of the worker. This will ensure optimal performance and that is truly ergonomics at work.

Contact sales@ergonomicpartners.com for quick price and delivery

Want to help out the planet with a product everyone uses? Check out Wearwell's Green matting!

Functional. Effective. Green.
Wearwell® actually began in 1950 as a green company manufacturing its first product out of recycled automobile tires. Production technology has dramatically changed since then, but we still champion the use of recycled materials and overall energy conservation. In fact, Wearwell proactively implemented significant environmental measures as part of the construction of our new Corporate Headquarters.

Wearwell participates in the TVA Green Power Switch - Through this program we buy over 5% of our electricity from renewable sources such as the sun, wind, and methane gas produced by landfills and waste treatment facilities. By partnering with Green Power Switch we have an actual impact on the amount of pollution generated in our area.
Sixteen (16) of Wearwell's 90 products utilize between 50 and 100% recycled materials. Another Thirteen (13) contain between 33 and 50% recycled material. And we continue to investigate alternative compounds for all products when feasible.
Wearwell utilizes a "Quick Start Monitoring" system by EST to fully review all electrical anomalies, water flow anomalies etc., so that any issue can be acted upon immediately. We've implemented a new digitized document system which has successfully reduced paper consumption and storage by 80%.
Manufacturing has recently reduced the use of compressed air by 23%. In the manufacturing facility, we filter all processes that emit particles and potentially harmful fumes. This air is then recycled and reused.
A fully programmable Variable Frequency Control (VFD) by Trane is utilized on all HVAC systems to insure that only the required electrical output is required when HVAC systems are running. This allows Wearwell to run our HVAC systems at 48% of capacity on an average day.
In our injection molding process, we regrind all non-fill parts, thus eliminating seconds and extra waste.
Wearwell is a member of the United States Green Building Council - The USGBC is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings accessible to everyone. The USGBC created the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™. This system encourages global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the implementation of performance criteria.
Leed Credit - MR Credit 3: Sustainable Purchasing: Facility Alterations and Additions - The intent of this is to reduce the environmental and air quality impacts of the materials acquired for use in the upgrade of buildings. Will comply with either of the following: a.) Purchases contain at least 10% post consumer and/or 20% postindustrial material.b.) Purchases contain at least 50% rapidly renewable material. (These would be mats that we can recycle.)
Product
% Recycled
LEED Credit
ErgoDeck™ Open No. 560
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
ErgoDeck™ Open Gritted No. 561
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
ErgoDeck™ Solid No. 562
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
ErgoDeck™ Solid Gritted No. 563
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
ErgoDeck™ SOFT Open No. 564
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
ErgoDeck™ SOFT Solid No. 566
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
Comfort Deck® No. 460
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
Grit-Top Comfort Deck® No. 461
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
Emergency Eyewash Station Mats No. 465
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
Diamond-Plate SpongeCote® No. 415
50% Post Industrial
1 Point
Diamond-Plate with GritWorks!® No. 416
50% Post Industrial
1 Point
UlraSoft Diamond-Plate No. 414
40% Post Industrial
1 Point
SR Diamond-Plate No. 418
40% Post Industrial
1 Point
Diamond-Plate Select No. 495
40% Post Industrial
1 Point
Diamond-Plate Runner No. 385
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
Standard Corrugated Vinyl No. 381
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
KleenSweep No. 391
100% Post Industrial
1 Point
Comfort2Go™ No. 518
40% Post Industrial
1 Point
24/Seven® Solid No. 570
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
24/Seven® No. 572
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
WorkRite No. 474
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
WorkSafe® No. 477
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
MudChucker No. 224
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
Multi-Guard No. 220
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
OrthoStand™ No. 454
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
UpFront No. 229
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
OutFront Reversible Scraper Mat No. 227
>33% Post Industrial
1 Point
EnviroMat No. 405
80% Post Industrial
1 Point
SafetySorb No. 400
100% Pre-Industrial
1 Point

Ergonomic Scholorship from Humantech

The 2008 Humantech Scholarship Program
The Humantech Scholarship is intended to encourage college students in ergonomics engineering or related fields and to provide additional incentive and career motivation in practical applications.
Three (3) individual scholarships are available annually for students pursuing specific programs in the following areas:
Ergonomics
Human Factors
Kinesiology
Human Kinetics
Industrial Engineering
A one-time payment of $1,500 will be awarded to one student in each of three degree programs: undergraduate (junior and senior only), masters, and doctorate.
Requirements:
The scholarship seeks to identify students that demonstrate:
A strong academic background
A passion for advancing the field of ergonomics
Involvement in extra-curricular activities and leadership participation in student organizations
Interpersonal skills and social responsibility
Original project work or unique practical applications that spell out:
Problem definition through task analysis, error analysis, operational analysis, etc.
Collection of data
Statistical analysis or data interpretation
The review of findings and practical conclusions
One letter of recommendation from a mentor, academic advisor, or past employer.
Copy of your most recent college transcripts.
Value
Scholarship provides a one-time payment of $1,500.
Application Deadline and Procedure
Candidates should complete and submit an on-line application for consideration for the scholarship. The completed application must be received by Humantech no later than October 1, 2008.
PLEASE NOTE: Humantech will not accept mailed, faxed, or emailed submissions, and incomplete submissions will not be considered.

J.D. Neuhaus Vertical Roller Mill Maintenance Hoists cranes or other external lifting

courtesy of HMI

Features/Benefits Provided:
Capacities up to 200 tons
Low Headroom
Reliable in Dusty Environments
JDN Quality
Low Air Consumption
Mill Maintenance Hoists JDN Roller Pair Handling Systems allow the plant operator to safely and conveniently remove and replace the roller pair without the need for mobile cranes or other external lifting equipment. This can reduce plant downtime and eliminate the costs associated with using a mobile crane. Systems are available in capacities to 200 metric ton (2 X 100t). All systems are air powered and require standard operating air pressure of 85-90 psi.
The rugged JDN design is ideal in the rough environment of most cement plants. 16 of the 32 trolley wheels are powered to provide positive horizontal travel in the dustiest conditions. A powerful vane motor is self lubricating, uses very little air and requires a minimum of maintenance. Custom design clevises or other attachment are available to connect to the roller pair to minimize headroom requirement.
The pneumatic hoists are not affected by the dusty environment of cement plants and can be equipped with an automatic shutoff device to prevent overloads. A transfer beam is extended into the kiln and the air powered monorails are run in over the rollers. Both hoists and trolleys are operated from a single pendant control located below the hoists which allows the operator to see the progress of the job and be able to react quickly and safely as the rollers are removed.
J.D. Neuhaus, the world leader in quality air hoists, winches and cranes, has the solution for your maintenance needs.

Demag DC-Pro for the wind power industry comes up a winner

A company, well know to the wind power industry, who installed over 300 units in Grover Texas needed a method of lifting heavy tools and spare parts to the nacelle for maintenance and repair of their Wind Generating Turbines. The problem was they need to lift up to 425 feet. Demag meet the challenge and developed a hoist specifically for maintenance of wind power generators.
The hoists are engineered so they can be mounted to beam style jib cranes or portal located within the nacelle.
Lifting products outdoors has many unexpected challenges, such as the possibility of strong winds. Lifting up to 425ft an empty hook will blow and swing back and forth potentially impacting the specially painted surface of the tower. To address this concern Demag provides a protective sleeve around the hook. The extended chain can blow and move the trolley during lifting and lowering, Demag equips the trolley with a lever locking device. Upper and lower limit switches minimize the need for the service technician to concern themselves with damaging the hoist due to over travel.
With such a long lifting height comes a lot of chain and the question of where to store it. Demag has two options for this problem one incorporates a large flexible chain container mounted from the hoist, the other is a flexible tube which can direct the chain into an unused recess in the body of the nacelle.
This specially designed hoist is built on the foundation of the industry workhorse, the Demag DC-Pro Electric Chain Hoist. The unique design of this hoist incorporates a maintenance cover which encloses the chain lubrication point and power quick disconnect and field adjustable pushbutton which allows the operator the set the pushbutton height with out the need for rewiring. Courtesy of Hoist Manufacturers of America.

If you need help with a Demag quote please contact us at sales@ergonomicpartners.com

J.D. Neuhaus launches New Big Bag Handling System

Features/Benefits Provided:
Increased distance between the load hook and the chain container
Low Headroom
Great Standard Features
JDN Quality
The new Bag Handling System by J.D. Neuhaus is designed for the Super Sack® handling needs of America's industries. Typical applications would be in the pharmaceutical and plastics industries or wherever big bags are used to handle raw materials or finished products throughout the processing and general engineering markets. The Big Bag Handling Systems by JDN accommodate a wide range of big bag sizes as well as other bulky or fabricated loads where physical shape or size is a limiting handling factor rather than weight.
The twin load-hook units provide synchronized lifting facilities ensuring both safe and effective handling of larger loads, together with longer loads. Models can be supplied with dimensions between load-hook centers varying from 10 to 51 inches. The compact, modern design is very economical and reliable due to the incorporation of proven J.D. Neuhaus serial hoist components. Maintenance-free operation is achieved with the elimination of wear and downtime resulting from the use of fewer components and lubrication-free air motors.
The system is available in either a single or double hook design. The single hook unit can be ordered with customized clearance dimensions between the hook centerline and the chain box cover ranging from 17 to 46 inches. This distance guarantees that there is no danger of collision between the load and the chain box.
JDN Big Bag Handling air hoists are available at carrying capacities of 2200 lbs and 4400 lbs, with an air pressure of 85 psi. Lift heights may be customized from 10 to 145 feet.
J.D. Neuhaus, the world leader in quality air hoists, winches and cranes, has just released their new Big Bag Handling system to the North American market.

University-Industry Partnership Studies Auto Workers Ergonomic Situation

Features/Benefits Provided:
Development of new ergonomic methods
University-based full scale manufacturing operation
That occupational health risk is minimized
Research ways to use material handling equipment to reduce these stresses on workers
In the automotive industry, a single back injury can add as much as $2,000 to the cost of production of a single vehicle. But until recently, there hasn’t been very much research into the ways that U.S. automakers could reduce stress, fatigue and injury to U.S. auto workers. A university and industry collaboration has developed a think-tank that has begun to research ways to use material handling equipment to reduce these stresses on workers.
This research will assist with the development of new methods and techniques towards improving the ergonomics for production workers. Ultimately, these studies and developments will help U.S. automakers increase safety, output, efficiency and profits. Products such as lift tables, jib cranes, hoists, and rigging products, are all being used as vital parts of this revolutionary program.
With an aging and longstanding workforce, US auto manufacturers are beginning to understand the needs of these particular workers. By helping them avoid injuries, the costs of vehicle production can be kept down and potentially help make American automotive makers more competitive.
Largely funded through partnerships with major automakers, the program is a unique interdisciplinary partnership between an assortment of University Departments, various automobile manufacturers, and numerous automobile suppliers with the overall intent to design assembly tasks and processes so that occupational health risk is minimized and productivity and quality are optimized.
Uniquely, the new Ohio based university program is the only university-based full scale manufacturing operation in the world where automobile manufacturers as well as suppliers can test the effects of manufacturing systems on the health of workers.
Rob Beightol, Columbus McKinnon140 John James Audubon PkwyAmherst, NY 14228P: 716.689.5533 F:716.689.5606Rob.beightol@cmworks.comhttp://www.cmworks.com

Office Health

health

OFFICE HEALTH
Your Office Can Make You Sick
Tips Help Fight Bacteria, Stress At Work
Shiloh Woolman , Staff writer
UPDATED: 5:12 am CDT July 8, 2008

Plenty of people are sick of their jobs, but is your job actually making you sick?
From germy keyboards to the stress of long hours to personality conflicts, going to work can be minefield of ill health.
Experts said there are easy ways to make the workplace a healthier environment.
Take Control Of Stress
"In the workplace, there's so much we can't control, so take control of what you can," said Dr. Claire Michaels Wheeler, the author of "10 Simple Solutions to Stress."
That means changing your relationships with colleagues and leaving your emotions out of the office, Michaels Wheeler said.
If you're constantly at odds with a peer, for example, change the tenor.
"We're all half jerk, half jewel. They're going to be who they're going to be, whether you get twisted in a knot or not," said Mary Kay Mueller, the author of the "8 To Great Program For Businesses and Schools." "Find their jewel. Talk to one woman about African violets and one guy about his garden. See their humanity."
Before you go ask the boss for a raise, or tell her you need to cut back your hours, practice what you'll say and how you'll say it.
"Practice staying calm. Set some talking points and don't veer away," Michaels Wheeler said. "Use 'I' statements. People think too much about what the other person wants, needs or feels, but you can't know. Just focus on what you want, need and feel and build a case for it."
Mueller said she's a big believer in changing the entire office by first changing yourself. For instance, don't wait for your boss to praise you on your most recent work.
"Employee-to-boss appreciation is just as important. Life is a mirror -- you want more appreciation, give more," Mueller said.
Some work stress is completely individual. If you're a person who takes on too many assignments or works too many hours, you need to speak up. Michaels Wheeler said that if the idea of defending your needs just adds to your stress, create a persona -- a kind of stage version of yourself.
"Don't tell lies, just take on a more confident demeanor. People respond well to confidence," she said. "It's amazing how it works."
Don't Just Sit There
Traci Galinsky is a captain in the U.S. Public Health Service and serves on the human factors in ergonomics research team at NIOSH. Her research on data entry professionals found that when workers get up and walk away from their computers at regular intervals over the day they are more productive.
"We found that not only does that reduce the discomfort that accumulates over the work day, it also tends to enhance performance enough to offset any productivity loss that you'd expect by giving the breaks. Overall work quantity was maintained," Galinsky said. "The breaks appear to allow for recovery from fatigue so that when they go back to work, their work is enhanced."
So, instead of picking up the phone to brainstorm with a colleague, walk to his desk. Instead of spending your break surfing the Web, take a walk around the outside of your building.
If you can't take the time to walk away, you can do a few easy stretches in your chair. Josh Swinnerton, the founder and technical director of DeskActive, created software that reminds workers to take periodic breaks, then pops up ideas on how to spend the time.
"We see you've typed 50,000 keystrokes without a break," Swinnerton said, reciting what the pop-up might read. "Here's an animation of some stretches you can do at your desk."
Swinnerton's company is based in Australia, and he said that country's headquarters for Microsoft uses DeskActive software.
Just Breathe
Michaels Wheeler said a few deep, conscious breaths will clear your mind in the middle of a project.
"There are breathing exercises you can do to bring your nervous system into a calm state. The easiest is to breathe out for twice as long as you breathe in, and do it for three or four breaths. It's almost like rebooting," she said.
Also, take a few minutes to set up your workspace comfortably. Cornell University offers a quick ergonomics tutorial.
Don't Feed The Germs
When was the last time you cleaned your desk, or disinfected your keyboard? Research from the University of Arizona's Dr. Charles Gerba showed that a typical desk contains 400 times the bacteria of the average public toilet seat.
Eating and applying makeup at your desk gives germs plenty of sustenance. A weekly wipedown with an antibacterial product will reduce the chances those germs will make you sick.
If your cubicle mate always tries to work through every sniffle and cough, you may want to wash your hands more and take more of those walk-around-the-building breaks.
Unhealthy Workplaces Cost Employers
So many of us try to work through both physical and emotional illness without fixing the root cause that a new word has cropped up to represent it: presenteeism. That's when you go to work but you're not really doing the job.
"Companies' on-the-job productivity losses from presenteeism are possibly as high as 60 percent of the total cost of worker illness -- exceeding the costs of absenteeism and medical and disability benefits," according to a study from Cornell University Institute for Health and Productivity Studies (IHPS) and the health-information firm Medstat.
In fact, NIOSH research psychologist Jeannie A. S. Nigam estimates that businesses lose $300 billion annually to lost productivity.
"From a management perspective, it's important not to blame workers for the problems and to provide opportunities for employees to provide ideas," Nigam said. "Employees need to feel they have someone they can go to when a problem does arise."
With all that money on the line, your company has a reason to work with you to create a healthier office. Why not go ask for help today?
Related Articles:

Ergonomics are a benefit to business

SMALL BUSINESS 101: Ergonomics a benefit to business
CFIB, Special to LondonTopic.ca

07/06/2008 Many business owners may not realize how a poorly designed workstation and/or bad work habits can result in serious health problems for both you and your employees.Common symptoms associated with poor design or habits include: discomfort in the back, neck and shoulders, hands and wrists, as well as headaches and eyestrain. Fortunately, the solution can be quite simple.If your employees experience problems with lifting, repetitive motion or over-exertion, their improper work practices may cause serious and long-term disabilities. So, an understanding of ergonomics in your workplace will improve the daily work routine. Ergonomic solutions can be simple and straightforward to make - even small changes such as altering the height of a chair can make a considerable difference.Ergonomics is a science concerned with the 'fit' between people and their work. It puts people first, taking account of their capabilities and limitations. Ergonomics aims to make sure that tasks, equipment, information and the environment suit each worker. Failure to observe ergonomic principles may have serious repercussions, not only for individuals, but your business as well. There are many ways in which ergonomic problems can be identified. These can range from general observations and checklists to quantitative risk assessment tools. First, talk to your employees and seek their views. Your employees have important knowledge of the work they do, any problems they have, and their impact on health, safety, and performance.Some questions to ask are:- Is the person in a comfortable position?- Does the person experience discomfort, including aches, pain, fatigue, or stress?- Is the equipment appropriate, easy to use and well maintained?- Is the person satisfied with their working arrangements?- Are there frequent errors?You can also examine circumstances surrounding frequent errors and incidents where mistakes have occurred and people have been injured. Use accident reports to identify details of incidents and their possible causes.Applying ergonomic practices in your place of business will benefit your business by reducing the risk of workplace injuries, reducing the severity of injuries that do occur, reducing absenteeism and improving employee morale and productivity.Simple adjustments to office equipment can work wonders, making work more comfortable and more productive. For further information on how to reduce your risk, please visit: the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety website (see link) or your local occupational health and safety office.-- -- -- --The Canadian Federation of Independent Business is a non-partisan political action organization representing the interests of small- and medium-sized, Canadian-owned enterprises since 1971. Visit CFIB online (see link). Opinions are those of the author.WEB: CFIBWEB: Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety -- Ergonomics

Aging Workforce Presents New Challenges

Aging Workforce Presents New Safety Challenges
June 28, 2008

As the number of employees over the age of 55 continues to rise, businesses are faced with the challenge of retaining these workers while reducing health- and injury-related losses. Loss control specialists Tina Minter and Russell Dronne with the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies examined this challenge and offered businesses advice in a session titled, "The Aging Workforce--It's Not Just Ergonomics" earlier this month at the American Society of Safety Engineers' Professional Development Conference and Exposition, Safety 2008, in Las Vegas.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data show that aging workers have fewer workplace injuries, but diabetes, hypertension, and other age-related ailments are helping to increase employers' costs associated with medical insurance and lost work production; nevertheless, businesses can help mitigate their losses by improving policies and workplace design to allow employees to continue to work in a safe and healthy environment, Minter said. "Older workers are highly valued by employers for their judgment, flexibility, experience, and creativity," she noted. "Fortunately, many of them will work beyond the traditional retirement age of 65, due partly to advances in health care. This presents both opportunities and challenges to businesses, which will need to adapt to maintain a safe work environment for these workers."
Although injury rates among older workers are lower than those of their younger counterparts, other factors can contribute to increased health and safety exposures: age-related chronic disorders and diseases, loss of hearing, impaired vision, and physical and cognitive limitations. Minter advised businesses to take action to address each of these risk factors. Some examples of what businesses can do include:
Allow for flexible work hours so that those with poor night vision can adjust their start and finish time to coincide with daylight hours;
Encourage employees to use the health care system for preventative well visits;
Eliminate heavy lifts, elevated work from ladders, and long reaches;
Encourage employees working at a computer to take small breaks every 30 minutes;
Don't rely on sound as the sole means of emergency communications, as employees with hearing loss may not hear announcements.
"Employers should include older workers in the design process and seek outside professionals for assistance in adapting the workplace, training, and human resources policies to fit the aging workforce," Dronne said.

provided by Occupational Health and Safety

Need something to help clean up your plant floor space?

Roll out the shelving
By Don Dykstra, Contributing Writer
August 28, 2003

Just as office managers look for the most efficient way to store files, shop managers must look for efficient ways to store heavy, expensive dies. Many offices have file cabinets with an index system for locating files quickly. The shop equivalent for storing and retrieving dies may be air-powered rollout shelf units.


These units typically are used in conjunction with overhead cranes, roller arms, and powered conveyors located at the press. The operator pushes a button that rolls out a shelf, picks up the dies with an overhead crane, and takes them directly to the press.

Rollout shelves can be manual or air-powered, and they usually have capacities from 400 to 40,000 pounds per shelf, lengths up to 40 feet, and depths up to 8 ft. Some systems have lock-in and lock-out devices while others have safety interlocks that lock the other shelves when one is rolled out.

Some shelves have pans that catch oil before it drips on the floor to help keep the shop clean. Dies also can be stored on inverted angles welded to the pans, and the oil is removed from the pan through a drain plug or a vacuum.

Getting Organized

Numbering each shelf and designating a location on the shelf for each die helps to eliminate downtime associated with searching for dies.

Before you can reach this point, however, it is important to understand your company’s operations thoroughly. You’ll need to take an inventory of all dies, recording information on their width, depth, height, weight, and die name or number. Many companies have some or all of this information already available. However, many shops don’t realize that taking the time to inventory and organize their dies will save money in the long run.

If a company doesn’t have any recorded die information, it can take two to 20 minutes to measure, calculate weight, and assign a unique number to each die. For example, a company with an inventory of 50 dies would need about eight hours to catalog them.

The best person to catalog the dies usually is the foreman or someone who can determine how often each die is used, what presses it is used in, and whether it is obsolete or needs repair. After taking an inventory, many shops discover that about 25 percent of their dies are obsolete.

When your die inventory list is complete, make a list of all die handling problems you have with your current system. Be specific, and make sure the new system addresses and solves your die handling problems.

If a crane will be used with a shelf rollout system, its capacity will determine if it can lift the largest die, and the shop’s floor print will establish the best location for the die handling system. The crane’s hook height must be known to determine the maximum height of the new unit. Because the shelves roll out, the system can be placed in previously unused space, such as under the crane’s rails.

Generally, 90 percent of the solution to any problem is to understand the problem thoroughly. In die handling and storage, a complete inventory of dies will solve most of the problem. Many shops have no idea how many dies they have or a designated location for them. Die chaos results in time lost searching for dies that are stored “somewhere” or being repaired.

The remaining 10 percent of the die handling solution is understanding die storage options and determining which one best suits your requirements.

Shelf System Design

Once you have an accurate die inventory list and have identified current storage problems, you are ready to have a new system designed. Some companies design their own system and some hire a consultant that specializes in material handling. On average, it takes about 40 labor-hours to create a CAD layout drawing with locations for 200 dies. Some vendors offer this as a free service to their customers.

Once a storage system is chosen, evaluate it for your shop’s future as well as current needs. For example, all shops have combinations of dies, such as 2-ft.-sq. dies, 4-ft.-sq. dies, and 8- by 4-ft. dies. A shelf designed to store the largest die also should be able to accommodate any combination of existing or new dies.

Although air-powered rollout shelves in conjunction with an overhead crane may be an efficient and safe way to handle and store dies, this method takes the most time to design because all the units are custom-made to suit each application. Time is needed to plan the proper place for every die.

Custom systems can include not only air-powered rollout shelf units but also cranes, lifting devices, powered conveyors for inserting the dies into presses, and other items needed for a turnkey operation.

Installation and Training

If the best die storage system is too expensive for your current budget, look for systems that can be phased in in stages. This may involve purchasing and setting up several units at a time and adding units as the budget allows.

Although floor space and changeover time are important, the main emphasis should be on safety. All employees should be trained in the proper use of the new system and have a step-by-step procedure manual for reference.

Any prospective die storage and handling system generally should take 50 percent less floor space than the current one, cut die handling time in half, and improve safety. An organized die storage and retrieval system will reduce the amount of time spent searching for needed dies and therefore increase press uptime.

Six dangerous misconceptions about crane safety

Exclusive to thefabricator.com
Six dangerous misconceptions about crane safety
Knowing the facts could save your life
By Larry Dunville, Contributing Writer
July 10, 2003




Nearly every product today has a warning label. In fact, many products have multiple warning labels, lights, and bells. We even have warnings telling us our coffee is hot!

It’s little wonder, then, that many of us suffer from warning overload and just ignore the warnings. Unfortunately, warning overload has made it difficult to get a meaningful safety message out, especially when the warning is about something we think is just plain common sense.


Being aware of these six common misconceptions will save your equipment and even may save your life.

Overload

Misconception. I don’t need to worry about overloading the crane; the manufacturer built a big safety factor into the design.

Fact. This is the single most dangerous misconception about overhead cranes. Although some parts of an overhead crane are designed with a built-in safety factor, this is not true of the whole crane system. Furthermore, the crane is attached to a building that does not have these same safety factors. Picture an overloaded crane sitting on the floor amid a collapsed building because the crane’s safety factors were greater than the building’s.

The crane and building probably were supplied by the lowest bidder. Do you really want to bet your life that the low-priced bidder put in extra capacity that wasn’t asked for?

It’s also important to know that only some hoists are equipped with overload protection. Since 1974 all chain hoists are required to have an overload protection system, but wire rope hoists are not.

Economical load-checking devices can be added to almost all brands and types of hoists. Do you know exactly what 30 tons is when you see it? Without markings, who could tell? Even when the load was clearly marked, countless problems have occurred when operators failed to remove all tie-down chains or anchor bolts. These new overload devices are inexpensive insurance against easy-to-make and potentially deadly mistakes.

Side Pull

Misconception. As long as the hoist has enough rope, I can pull a small piece of steel out of the adjoining bay without a problem. After all, the piece I’m picking up is well below capacity.

Fact. This is one of the most common mistakes made with overhead cranes. According to the Hoist Manufacturers Institute and the Crane Manufacturers Association of America, hoists and cranes are designed to lift straight up and lower straight down only.

Side pull causes a number of dangerous conditions. First, the wire rope often comes out of its grooves and “scrubs” against the remaining rope or drum, resulting in damaged rope. Sometimes the rope actually jumps the drum and tangles itself around the shaft, resulting in stress to the rope.

In addition, side pull causes stress in unintended ways even worse than rope problems. In a somewhat oversimplified example, let’s say a bridge beam is taller than it is wide, because its primary loading is vertical. Pulling at a 45-degree angle would put equal lateral and vertical stresses on the crane, possibly causing bridge beam failure, even with a pick that’s only half of the rated capacity.

Upper Limit Switch

Misconception. When I lift, I need all the height I can get, so I must lift until I hit the upper limit switch.

Fact. Again, this seems like common sense, but it’s dead wrong. The upper limit switch in a hoist is designed to prevent the hook assembly from colliding with the drum. It is a safety device, not an operational device. If the ultimate upper limit switch fails, the hook block and the drum will collide and the wire rope probably will fail, dropping the load.

If you need an operational upper limit switch, install a second switch that is wired in a fail-safe mode. That way, if the operational limit switch fails and the ultimate upper limit is struck, the hoist still will turn off. Failure of the ultimate limit switch shuts down the hoist in the full up position, telling the operator to get help. If you don’t wire it in this manner, you won’t be able to tell when the first switch has failed until they both fail and the crane drops the load.

Secondary Braking

Misconception. All hoists have a secondary brake, so I can work underneath a load without fear of injury.

Fact. Like the previous misconceptions, this one seems to be common sense too, but the practice is terribly dangerous. All hoists are required to have a primary and a secondary brake. All electric hoists have a primary brake that usually is a fail-safe disk brake or drum brake. This means that if you have a power failure, the brake will continue to hold the load until power is restored.

For the secondary brake, some hoist manufacturers use a mechanical load brake. Others—about 80 percent—use a regenerative brake.

A mechanical load brake will hold the load if the primary brake fails. However, this brake generates a lot of heat and usually isn’t used for applications with more than 30 tons or for high-usage applications of any capacity. Also, it is expensive and seldom used anymore.

The critical fact about a regenerative brake is that it does not hold the load in the event of primary brake failure, but rather will lower the load at its normal operating speed.

You should never stand under a loaded hoist. Doing so will definitely “split your skull,” whether the load is free-falling or falling at a so-called “controlled speed.”

Reverse Plugging Speed Control

Misconception. When the crane is traveling in one direction, the easiest way for me to control velocity is to “feather” the reverse button.

Fact. In the old days this was a reasonable method to control speed. Motors and contactors were much larger and heavier. They could take the abuse and were big enough to dissipate the heat. Modern motors and contactors are much more compact, and heat means premature component failure.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) legally mandated crane brakes in the 1970s. Although this mandate was intended to increase safety, it just compounded the problem with hard decelerations and swinging loads. Adjusting the brakes for one speed and load results in wild gyrations at another speed and load.

In an effort to protect more delicate electric components and OSHA-mandated motor braking, manufacturers have developed various methods of soft start and soft stop, usually with variable AC inverters. These devices provide definable acceleration and deceleration curves. They also eliminate motor contactors and provide dynamic braking.

Reverse plugging is no longer an option. You can push the reverse button all you want, but until the crane comes to a complete stop, the reverse button does not work.

With older hoists, the load stops immediately. With new inverter-controlled hoists, every stop and every start goes through a prescribed deceleration ramp. It’s much like driving a car—you have to decelerate before stopping and accelerate before hitting top speed.

Daily Inspections

Misconception. The crane worked yesterday, so I can assume it will work today.

Fact. Daily inspection is the simplest but most overlooked rule of crane operation. OSHA requires it, but few companies comply. This inspection doesn’t require a maintenance person, just a commonsense check list. It should take one operator about one minute at the beginning of each shift:

Look. Take a quick survey of the area. Does the crane look to be in operable condition? Have any parts fallen to the floor? Is anything hanging? Are there any signs of collisions or damage?


Listen. Start running up the hoist. Do you hear any unusual sounds? Does the hook stop when it hits the upper limit switch or when it is lowered to the ground? (Not all hoists have lower limit switches, so check with a supervisor before performing this test.) Does the trolley and bridge movement sound right? Does the hoist appear to be working in all directions, and are the buttons’ directions consistent with the movement? (Remember, if the power phases have been reversed, the directions buttons will be wrong, and all safety circuits will be disabled.) Are the end stops in place and functioning?


Document. On the daily inspection sheet, check off that the crane looks and sounds operational and that it performed normally. Afterward write your initials.
The misconceptions discussed here probably represent a small fraction of the issues involved with crane safety, but they comprise the overwhelming majority of crane accidents and breakdowns. Make sure you and those around you understand these six topics, and chances are you’ll have a safe and productive day.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 200 Constitution Ave. N.W., Washington, DC 20210, 800-321-6742, www.osha.gov.