workplace safety Archives - Enterprise Training Solutions Blog

How to Keep Seasonal Hires Safe in National Parks this Summer

Summer is here, and with it, seasonal hires in government areas like National Parks. It’s critical for these temporary employees to get trained on safety as quickly as possible. They’re only available to you for a short time, and working in the parks can be a dangerous occupation.

Luckily, the development of short 15-minute refresher courses has proved an effective way to bring these seasonal employees up to speed. Especially for returning seasonal employees, who might already be familiar with the process but still need to be reminded of or updated on certain training to ensure everyone’s safety while working in the dangers of the National Parks.

These employees are often more difficult to reach while on the job, since they are not restrained to one office or even a single building, they are working outside in the elements. They’re also more likely to work irregular and long hours. Therefore, getting in-person training is inconvenient and difficult. With online courses, it can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection, and can be completed in a short time frame at the convenience of the employee. For example, employees can complete these courses in their own downtime or during a commute.

In addition, the consistency and ease of these refresher courses boosts morale for outdoor-loving employees who don’t want to worry about working an in-person safety session into their busy work schedule. It’s a uniform form of training in a job where consistency is unusual.

Safety procedures should serve the worker, not the other way around. Workers might sometimes use their judgment in a moment and stray away from procedure in order to actually be safe. Short, simple online courses provide the best framework of safety for these workers, without putting them in such a rigid environment to unintentionally put them in an unsafe position.

Since employees should be encouraged to use their own judgment and discretion to find the safest course of action, spending an excess of your budget on in-depth safety training is not only unnecessary, but can be counter-productive. 15-minute online courses are an amazing option as they’re cheap, can be used multiple times, and are easily distributed among employees. The short length also encourages employees to complete and pay attention to the content being presented to them.

Online courses are an amazing way to bring National Parks’ seasonal employees up to speed quickly, effectively, and cheaply. Don’t waste your or your summer hires’ time and resources on extensive and often irrelevant safety training, instead keep them actually safe by giving them a simple framework and allowing them to make judgment calls when on the job.

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Diversity Training in the Wake of Anti-Racism Protests

The death of George Floyd in May of this year sparked widescale outrage and protests across the nation and later the globe as Black Lives Matter posters were waved from New York to Tokyo.

Companies from all over changed their social media profile images to black backgrounds in solidarity of the movement, but such actions have not sufficed for many people.

Instead, consumers and employees alike have expressed their desire to see companies and local institutions commit to tangible change within their policies and workplace environments.

As the nation continues to become more diverse, employers are being made aware of these new responsibilities for providing their employees with safer and fairer workplaces.

As a local government employer, it’s important that you understand the legislation involved in these matters so that your organization can maintain compliance.

Lacking a strong understanding of what it means to have diversity in the workplace can create blindspots that may unintentionally lead to unfair employment/workplace practices, which could have serious legal repercussions.

The following content is meant to educate you about local changes being implemented within organizations and steps that you can take to bring your own work environment up to speed on modern diversity training best-practices.

Compliance with State and Federal Law

There is legislation that state and federal governments have created in an effort to prevent unlawful or unfair employment practices within organizations, private or public.

For instance, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits any employer from participating in the discrimination of employees based on sex, color, race, religion, or national origin.

This applies to employers that have 15 or more employees and isn’t limited to private organizations but also impacts federal, state, and local governments. The full details of Title VII can be read at the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission website.

Some other relevant laws put in place include:

The Equal Pay Act of 1963
The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1969
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978
The Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act of 2008
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008

It’s vital that you also check your state laws periodically to stay up to date on any recently passed legislation related to diversity in the workplace or other compliance issues.

Failure to do so may lead to lawsuits, fines, or other penalties for unfair or unlawful employment practices, regardless of whether they are intentional or not.

Local Organizations and Government Bodies Implementing Change

There are already sweeping changes in diversity training occurring within various organizations across the United States. We mention some of them below.

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

The University is launching new equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) training for all incoming students. Although it is only now being unveiled, the Executive Director of EDI, Jodi Thessing-Ritter, says that the program has, in fact, been in development for several years.

The EDI training involves a 50 minutes online course that contains videos, quizzes, and modules of info covering a variety of topics including race, religion, disabilities, gender, sexual orientation, and gender expression.

The City of Dayton

The city of Dayton has recently hired a consultant to provide diversity training to help build cultural awareness among city employees. The consultant, Daniel Juday, will also strive to help employees develop more trusting and meaningful relationships.

The Navy

A new Navy task force has been established in an effort to address racial and gender biases.

Although the Navy has long been committed to inclusion and diversity for many years, Vice Adm. John Nowell stated, “…I think it’s safe to say that as we look at current events it’s really put a light on the fact that we need to do more. We need to do it more quickly.”

The task force recommends reforms in recruiting, health care, promotions, military justice, and five other key areas in the service.

The City of Manchester

Thanks to a $20,000 grant, the City of Manchester will have all city employees receive diversity training later this year.

How to Maintain an Inclusive Environment in Your Organization

Any diversity training implemented within your organization should be thoroughly considered. Take these points into consideration as you move forward in making your own organization more inclusive.

Implement Solid Equal Employment Policies

As an employer, implement a strong equal employment opportunity policy. Make sure that it is upheld across all levels of your local government organization.

The policy itself should include transparent assurances that if employees file complaints, then you’ll protect said employees from retaliation. All prohibited conduct should be clearly laid out in the policy as well.

Once the policy is in place, be sure to train relevant parties like supervisors, managers, and employees about the policy and its contents. It’s up to you to set the standards and expectations people have about this subject.

Train Managers and Employees

All Human Resource managers and employees should be trained on equal employment opportunity laws.

During any diversity training, remind employees of relevant company policies that are in place and that all employees will be held accountable for their actions. Immediate and appropriate corrective action should be followed through in the event of violations of company policy.

Promote a Culture of Inclusivity Within Your Organization

As a local government employer, it’s your responsibility to actively practice inclusivity in your workplace.

Remember to take the initiative in helping people feel valued and welcome at your organization by interacting with different people, appropriately connecting with employees, and creating useful employee resource groups.

Diversity Training Amid Lockdown

As the nation continues to change and become more diverse, it’s important that we make sure that our workplaces feel welcome to said diversity.

Doing so will help your local government agency foster an environment of professionalism that cultivates an appreciation and respect for personal differences across your workforce.

However, the nation still being in lockdown poses a challenge to many organizations who would want to conduct group diversity training at this moment.

It’s for this reason that online training solutions are more necessary and convenient than ever.

We offer on-demand training dedicated to compliance and risk management, covering the subject of diversity in several courses, including Bridging the Diversity Gap, Understanding Workplace Diversity, Your Role in Workplace Diversity, and more.

We hope that our accessible online training will help you and your organization create safer and fairer workplaces for all individuals.

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!

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Adapting Your Workplace to the COVID-19 Outbreak

In our previous article, Preparing the Workplace for the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we explained what the novel coronavirus is, the danger it poses, and some steps local government employers could take to prevent COVID-19 infections in their workplace.

Since then, the pandemic landscape in the USA has shifted significantly.

The purpose of this article is two-fold:

To give you an overview of some of the notable regulatory changes that have occurred in response to COVID-19.
To provide valuable tips for your local government on how to respond to potential disruptions in day-to-day operations/services that could occur, given that more cases of COVID-19 are expected to arrive.

State and Local Government Responses to COVID-19

It’s said that 3/4ths of Americans are now living in lockdown with 38 states having issued stay at home orders.

Over 425 executive actions have been issued in 50 states and American territories, these actions including but not limited to declarations of state emergencies, school closures, and retail and business closures. A few notable actions have been listed below:

California

Executive Order No. N-35-20 — “…Allows local governments more flexibility to utilize the skills of retired employees and reinforces the importance of the delivery of food, medicine, and emergency supplies.”
Executive Order N25-20 — “…The order allows local or state legislative bodies to hold meetings via teleconference and to make meetings accessible electronically. The order allows local and state emergency administrators to act quickly to protect public health.”

Louisiana

COVID-19 Task Force — “Governor John Bel Edwards (D) has established a COVID-19 task force. The taskforce will lead the state’s planning for different scenarios relating to the spread of coronavirus, offer guidance to the Governor’s Office and the Unified Command Group, and to agencies, local governments, businesses, and organizations.”

Indiana

Executive Order 20-09 — “…Governor Eric Holcomb (R) has issued an order relating to government body meetings, government purchasing, and continuity of government.”

Nevada

Executive Order 006 — “Governor Steve Sisolak (D) issued an order allowing virtual meetings for government bodies.”

Puerto Rico

Legislative Action RCC 659 — “Allocates $500,000,000 to various government agencies to finance a portion of the first phase of the Strategic Plan to Reactivate Our Economy, Support Our Merchants, and Protect Our Workers, in response to the emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

How Your Local Government Can Respond as Employers

As mentioned in our previous article, the ways in which your local government agency can mitigate health risks to your employees are numerous.

Some of the more standard strategies involve encouraging sick employees to stay home, upholding hygienic practices in the workplace, and taking advantage of teleworking options.

Below are some additional considerations that were brought up both by OSHA’s Guidance on Preparing Workplaces for COVID-19 and King County’s coronavirus pandemic guide for businesses and organizations.

Social-Distancing

The majority of Americans are already practicing social-distancing in public, but there are other ways in which the practice can translate into the workplace beyond maintaining a minimum of 6-feet between yourself and others.

As an employer, you can take measures to allow telecommuting wherever possible. However, not every individual has the necessary tools for remote work, so taking steps to ensure the availability of the relevant tech and infrastructure for telecommuting could go a long way.

Depending on the structure of your organization, it may be worth permitting staggered shifts as another method of reducing person-to-person interaction.

Prepare for Absenteeism

Local government organizations should anticipate employee absences. These absences may result from an employee getting sick, having to care for a sick family member, or having to watch over children now that many have been dismissed from schools and daycare centers.

Some employees may have family members who are immunocompromised and thus prefer to stay home lest they bring the disease back from work, while others still may remain home for fear of possible exposure to the virus.

The loss of an employee who performs an essential function in your organization could bottleneck your day-to-day operations, so to prepare for this possibility, consider cross-training employees to perform these essential roles.

Keep your Workforce Educated on Treatment and Prevention

We shared some advice on this subject in our previous post, but its importance warrants reiteration.

Your local government organization should be actively encouraging disease prevention behavior such as hand washing, sanitizing surfaces, avoiding the touching of the face, and staying home if feeling sick.

Establishing Communication Protocol

During this period, it’s more important than ever to uphold high standards of communication in your workforce.

A failure in communication could become the catalyst for breakdowns within your organization, the growth of false rumors, and even disintegration of trust and morale between team members.

As an employer, it might be worth asking:

How can you increase awareness of and support employees that are currently experiencing anxiety and fear during this health crisis?
What part can you play in the prevention of false rumors and misinformation circulating in your local government organization?
What can you and your leadership team do to keep your employees adequately informed regarding the latest health updates about the outbreak?

As a local government organization, it’s vital that you feel capable of handling this crisis to maintain the greater health and welfare of your local communities. We hope that the implementation of these provided strategies will bring you one step closer to that goal.

Adjusting to New Work Circumstances

The modern workplace has been shifting in significant ways for the better part of a decade due to innovations in technology, among other things.

The current health crisis caused by COVID-19 has accelerated the pace at which organizations of all shapes and sizes have had to adapt to said innovations.

If your local government agency has been struggling with the transition to remote work, we can assist you with our suite of cost-effective packages.

Whether you’re working remotely for the first time or want to operate more efficiently in your current virtual workplace environment, our courses provide everything you need to thrive so that your agency can come out of this crisis in better shape than when it arrived.

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!

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Preparing the Workplace for the Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Since its troubling December outbreak in Wuhan, China, the Coronavirus has gained more and more public awareness as it continues to spread across the world.

The virus was declared a “public health emergency of international concern” by the World Health Organization on January 31st, and the CDC, as well as other public health organizations, are expressing increasing concern regarding the disease.

As a result, the CDC has henceforth issued travel notices encouraging people to take the necessary precautions when traveling to Hong Kong, Iran, and Italy, given the rise in COVID-19 cases within these countries.

What is COVID-19 and how dangerous is it?

To be clear, the virus itself is called Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), and it is responsible for the illness now known as the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

Coronaviruses are part of a larger group of viruses that are typically common among animals, and it is rare for them to spread from said animals to humans. Regardless, it has certainly found its way to our species. So, how do you know if you have it?

Patients to date have typically expressed certain symptoms that range from mild to severe.

Mild:

Fever
Tiredness
Dry cough

Severe:

Difficulty breathing
Organ Failure

It’s worth noting that some people infected with the virus have only experienced a runny nose or sore throat, while others still haven’t shown any symptoms at all.

Why? It’s likely because those individuals have stronger immune systems.

It was also reported that, among the 82 deaths that were linked to COVID-19 in Wuhan, 80% of the victims were over the age of 60, and 75% of them had health disorders that made them more vulnerable to the virus (high-blood pressure, heart disease, cancer, etc).

Strategies Employers can use to Prevent COVID-19 Infections in their Workplace

COVID-19’s impact hasn’t yet reached the levels of China or Italy in the U.S. but there’s still a concern that it could reach a pandemic stage here. Rather than trying to hastily react to the problem as it continues to spread, it’s best to take preventative steps to minimize risk as much as reasonably possible.

Here are some steps that employers of local government organizations can take to keep their workplaces free of the outbreak:

Encourage sick employees to remain home

If any employees show signs of acute respiratory illness, it is recommended that they stay home and return only after their symptoms are gone.

This may sound like common sense, but a recent Accountemps survey reported that 90% of employees will go into the office despite being unwell.

Encourage clean hygiene in the workplace

We don’t mean simply bringing up clean hygiene during a Monday team meeting, but rather taking proactive steps to make it easy for members of the workplace to keep things clean.

This looks like providing tissues and no-touch disposal receptacles, providing alcohol-based hand rubs around the office, and doing routine wipe-downs of the most germ-ridden objects like keyboards, doorknobs, etc.

Advise employees who are traveling to take preventative measures

It’s advised that employers ask their employees to check themselves for symptoms of acute respiratory illness before and after traveling.

Consider Teleworking Options

If the cause for concern is great enough in your area, it’s worth investigating the viability of teleworking options for your employees. Remote work is already gaining popularity in modern work culture, so for many, telecommuting wouldn’t be too drastic of a change.

Attending meetings via video calls would allow employees who are showing symptoms of COVID-19, but still feel well enough to work, to interact with their coworkers and attend important discussions. This way, no one gets left behind.

Reacting Appropriately in Light of the COVID-19 Outbreak

It is always important as employers of local government organizations to remember the rights of your employees and to protect them when necessary. One unfortunate impact of the spread of COVID-19 is the rise of anti-Chinese sentiments.

People in countries including Malaysia, the United Kingdom, South Korea, and Canada have all reported instances of anti-Chinese racism. A British citizen named Sam Phan wrote in the Guardian:

“This week, my ethnicity has made me feel like I was part of a threatening and diseased mass. To see me as someone who carries the virus just because of my race is, well, just racist.”

For this reason, local government organizations should make sure that Chinese employees and American-Chinese employees are not discriminated against during this time of heightened tension.

Because of these unfortunate incidents, it may be a good time to cover the anti-harassment policies of your organization or re-conduct the relevant training altogether.

If you don’t currently have the proper training materials or simply need some help getting started, our enterprise training solutions may come in handy.

Our online courses provide a slew of convenient features that allow employees to go through training without slowing down their day-to-day.

Does this sound like something you could use? If so, don’t hesitate to explore our available compliance and risk management courses here.

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!

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Top Government Facilities Management Trends in 2019

Editors note: We’ve updated our trends list for 2019.

From the public sector to the private, facilities managers roles and responsibilities are changing.

It used to be about simple building maintenance.

Now it’s about construction planning, energy management, and workforce efficiency.

We’ll help you navigate the changing face of facilities management by going over the top Government facilities management trends in 2019.

But before we do, let’s clearly define facilities management.

What is Facilities Management?

According to the International Facility Management Association (IFMA), facilities management is:

A profession that encompasses multiple disciplines to ensure the functionality of the built environment by integrating people, place, process, and technology.

A facilities manager (FM) is responsible for making sure the building and everything in it (people and objects) function properly and harmoniously.

IFMA has laid out 11 core competencies that every facilities manager should acquire:

Communications – Management and oversight of the development and use of the facility communications plan
Quality – Development and management of the creation and application of standards for the facility organization
Technology – Ability to plan, direct and manage/oversee facility management business and operational technologies
Operations and Maintenance – Ability to assess and manage the conditions and operations of the facility
Human Factors – Development and implementation of practices that support the performance and goals of the entire organization
Finance and Business – Management and oversight of the financial management of the facility organization
Emergency Planning and Business Continuity – Plan, manage and support the entire organization’s emergency preparedness program
Leadership and Strategy – Ability to lead the facility organization, plan strategically, and assess the services needed to meet organizational requirements
Real Estate and Property Management – Ability to develop and implement the real estate master plan
Project Management – Ability to plan and oversee projects
Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability – Ability to plan, manage and support the entire organization’s commitment to protecting the environment

With these skills, a facilities manager can ensure the successful operation of the building and everything in it.

Beyond these skills, there are new tools and methods for facilities management that are being developed every year.

Below, you’ll find the newest emerging facilities management trends in 2018 for the public sector (although they apply to the private sector as well).

Government Facilities Management Trends in 2019

1. Outsourcing Continues to Rise

According to CBRE, by 2025 the outsourced market in FM services will be worth $1 trillion globally – making this a major trend that must be noted.

As more private companies move advisory and transaction services, facilities management and project services to one supplier and point of control, services vendors are increasingly adding outsourcing services to their portfolios.

According to Ian Entwisle, CEO of EMEA Global Workplace Solutions, beyond cost savings their clients “increasingly choose their supplier with the intention of building a partnership and platform for collaboration and innovation; the focus is long-term.”

Should this trend carry over into the public sector, smart Facilities Managers would do well to look to organizations like EMEA to build these partnerships.

How?

Entwisle suggests starting at the beginning of the supplier relationship.

“Rather than the outdated RFP and presentation process, we are increasingly co-solutioning alongside our prospects and clients.”

2. IoT Continues to Take Over

Especially as mobile carriers begin their 5G rollouts this year, providing the infrastructure to support a growing Internet of Things market, IoT will gain a strong foothold in facilities management over the next four years.

According to analyst firm Gartner, a total of 20.4 billion connected “things” will be in use by 2020.

For facilities managers, this ultimately means “smart buildings” with lights, sensors, HVAC units, windows, doors, and CCTV all integrated into a building’s network will soon become the norm.

Beyond the convenience for employees that can be found in devices like Amazon’s Echo, IoT devices will also be generating data that can be used to increase productivity and efficiency – meaning data analytics and network security and infrastructure expertise will become necessary compontents of a complete facilities management team.

3. Cloud-Based Integrated Facilities Management Systems are Becoming the Norm

As part of the management and analysis of all that data, facilities managers are increasingly choosing cloud computing and storage over in-house infrastructure, as the benefits in security, stability, and cost efficiency continue to rise.

According to a senior analyst at market research company Technavio,

“The cloud-based facility management solutions allow securing hosting of critical data along with advantages such as improved security and scalability and quicker disaster recovery. Cloud computing provides a cost-effective solution, which allows the companies to recover critical server data from backups stored on a shared or private cloud host platform.”

For facilities managers, the cloud computing trend comes in the form of Integrated Workplace Management Systems.

While facilities data has traditionally been siloed, allowing managers to focus on a single aspect of the workplace at a time, today workplaces have too many interrelated data sources for this to be effective.

The new cloud-based integrated approach allows facilities management teams to make better decisions by understanding how one aspect of a work environment affects another.

For example, open floor plans affect space utilization on the one hand and employee productivity on the other.

By viewing workplace factors like this from both lenses, facilities managers can make better decisions for both employees and cost management.

4. Employee Experience is Being Emphasized

As modern companies raise the bar for what employees expect from a workplace, smart facilities managers know they need to consider the employee’s perspective when making decisions in order to cultivate a talented workforce.

A chief trend this year is a wider adoption of the concept of the “experiential workplace.”

From individual workstations to collaborative group spaces, personal areas and recreational spaces, every part of the modern workplace is being designed to address the question “how does this benefit employees to maximize engagement and productivity?”

The key idea behind this: employees who feel valued and accommodated will produce better work.

At the same time, rising real estate costs are driving organizations to make better use of their existing workspace. Tools like hot desks, agile spaces, and activity-based workstations enable facilities managers to better utilize their square footage – while improving the employee experience.

5. Increased Regulatory Focus on the Implementation of “Green Technology”

47 states and a few territories and cities use the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) as a model for operating their facilities. It’s adopted in accordance with the regions Governmental codes, but sets a standard by which regions can regulate effective facilities managers.

The 2019 IECC focuses much more on energy-efficient technologies and systems – emphasizing ease of use and conservation.

This facilities management trend towards greener technology means that FMs will be required to track their buildings energy inefficiencies, and consider newer, better upgrades and installations for less costly energy emissions.

6. The Need for Government Leadership Development and Government Succession Planning is Rising

According to Jones Lange LaSalle, the average age of facilities managers is 49, while the general working population average mean age is 43.

Here’s the worst part:

Less than 1% of millennials are planning a career in facilities management.

This means facilities managers are creeping toward retirement and no one will fill their positions.

To counteract this trend, you should increase your Government leadership development and implement a strong Government succession plan.

Government Facilities Management Requires Cutting-Edge Training

If you’re a budding Government facilities manager or in charge of developing facilities managers, then you know that training is essential.

All Government FMs must be Federal Buildings Personnel Training Act (FBPTA) compliant.

We can help you do that.

From the basics of facilities management to sustainable energy efficiency, we provide authorized training to help you or your employees become FBPTA trained.

We’ll even provide LEED certification and completion certificates.

If you want to keep up with Government facilities management trends, then check out Enterprise Training below.

Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!

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Top OSHA violations: the 10 Most Frequently Cited in 2019

Editor’s Note: Top violations listed updated for 2019.

Late last year the list of top OSHA violations for 2018 was released at the National Safety Council’s annual Congress & Expo.

The list comprises the most frequently cited violations observed by OSHA’s inspectors during Fiscal Year 2018.

The list remained largely unchanged from 2016 and 2017 reports, so while we’re still a few months away from the latest report to be issued during this year’s NSC Congress, managers can expect these issues to largely remain a priority this year.

Here’s the full list including the number of violations for each:

Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 7,216 violations
Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 4,537
Scaffolding (1926.451): 3,319
Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 3,112
Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,923
Ladders (1926.1053): 2,780
Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,281
Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 1,978
Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,969
Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,528

As Patrick Kapust, deputy director of OSHA’s Directorate of Enforcement Programs, said during his 2017 presentation:

“One thing I’ve said before in the past on this is, this list doesn’t change too much from year to year. These things are readily fixable. I encourage folks to use this list and look at your own workplace.”

In that same spirit, here are the top 10 OSHA violations you should know about to make your workplace safer for all employees.

Top OSHA Violations #1: Fall Protection – General Requirements

The Fall Protection section sets forth requirements for employers to provide fall protection systems.

According to OSHA:

“The employer shall determine if the walking/working surfaces on which its employees are to work have the strength and structural integrity to support employees safely. Employees shall be allowed to work on those surfaces only when the surfaces have the requisite strength and structural integrity.”

Make sure you provide your employees with proper fall protection gear every time they’re working at unsafe heights.

Top OSHA Violations #2: Hazard Communication

The Hazard Communication section attempts to “ensure that the hazards of all chemicals produced or imported are classified, and that information concerning the classified hazards is transmitted to employers and employees,” according to OSHA.

OSHA designed their requirements to match those of the United Nations Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS).

OSHA suggests that you create “comprehensive hazard communication programs, which are to include container labeling and other forms of warning, safety data sheets and employee training.”

Top OSHA Violations #3: Scaffolding

The Scaffolding section outlines how a scaffold ought to be constructed for optimal safety.

For example, part 1926.451(a)(1) says “each scaffold and scaffold component shall be capable of supporting, without failure, its own weight and at least 4 times the maximum intended load applied or transmitted to it.”

Top OSHA Violations #4: Respiratory Protection

The Respiratory Protection section involves the “control of those occupational diseases caused by breathing air contaminated with harmful dusts, fogs, fumes, mists, gases, smokes, sprays, or vapors, the primary objective shall be to prevent atmospheric contamination,” according to OSHA.

It applies to general industry, shipyards, marine terminals, longshoring, and construction.

You’re required to provide appropriate environmental controls (like ventilation systems) and/or effective respiratory protection devices (like respirators) when your employees are working around hazardous airborne pathogens.

Top OSHA Violations #5: Lockout/Tagout

The Lockout/Tagout section covers the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment in which the unexpected energization or start up of the machines or equipment, or release of stored energy, could harm employees,” according to OSHA.

Your role in protecting employees here is to train them to shut down machines properly, or quickly shut down a machine if it starts up accidentally. You should also conduct periodic inspections of equipment to ensure everything is in working order.

Top OSHA Violations #6: Ladders

The Ladders section outlines requirements for all ladders, including job-made ladders.

For example, part 1926.1053(a)(1)(i) says that each self-supporting portable ladder must sustain “at least four times the maximum intended load, except that each extra-heavy-duty type 1A metal or plastic ladder shall sustain at least 3.3 times the maximum intended load. The ability of a ladder to sustain the loads indicated in this paragraph shall be determined by applying or transmitting the requisite load to the ladder in a downward vertical direction.”

Top OSHA Violations #7: Powered Industrial Trucks

The Powered Industrial Trucks section “contains safety requirements relating to fire protection, design, maintenance, and use of fork trucks, tractors, platform lift trucks, motorized hand trucks, and other specialized industrial trucks powered by electric motors or internal combustion engines.”

Any trucks that you use that are designated in this section must adhere to the standards laid out in the American National Standard for Powered Industrial Trucks, Part II, ANSI B56.1-1969.

Top OSHA Violations #8: Fall Protection – Training Requirements

The Fall Protection – Training Requirements section requires employers to “provide a training program for each employee who might be exposed to fall hazards,” according to OSHA.

Your role is to help all of your employees understand the hazards of falling and train each of them in the procedures outlined in this section to minimize the danger of falling.

Top OSHA Violations #9: Machine Guarding

The Machine Guarding section details these requirements:

“One or more methods of machine guarding shall be provided to protect the operator and other employees in the machine area from hazards such as those created by point of operation, ingoing nip points, rotating parts, flying chips and sparks. Examples of guarding methods are-barrier guards, two-hand tripping devices, electronic safety devices, etc.”

Your job is to protect your employees from injuring themselves by guarding all unsafe and dangerous objects, machines, or points in your workplace.

Top OSHA Violations #10: Personal Protective and Life Saving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection

These standards address personal protective equipment for workers exposed to face and eye hazards including chemical gases, vapors, and flying particles.

The top section cited (accounting for 1,474 violations) was 1926.102(a)(1), which reads:

“The employer shall ensure that each affected employee uses appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards from flying particles, molten metal, liquid chemicals, acids or caustic liquids, chemical gases or vapors, or potentially injurious light radiation.”

How to Comply with the Top OSHA Violations

If you want your agency to comply with OSHA’s requirements and not violate any of their mandates, then you’re going to need top-of-the-line training from an organization that specializes in Government Elearning.

You can use our safety health programs to quickly and effectively train your employees to adhere to OSHA’s standards.

From fall protection to hazard communication, we have all the courses you need to stay compliant and keep your workplace safe.

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How the National Safety Council is Reducing Workplace Deaths

Workplace deaths are traumatizing.

For both the agency and the worker’s family.

Those wounds take a long time to heal.

That’s why a commitment to workplace safety, injury reduction, and smarter technology is the way forward if you hope to protect your employees.

The National Safety Council (NSC) recently announced their plans for creating safer workplaces, and we cover their initiative later in this article.

But before we see the solution, let’s examine the problem.

Below we’ll take a look at fatal workplace injury statistics so you understand the gravity of the situation workers and workplaces are facing.

Workplace Deaths Statistics

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there were a total of 5,147 fatal work injuries recorded in the United States in 2017, down slightly from the 5,190.

Transportation issues were the leading cause of workplace fatalities, accounting for 40% of workplace fatalities, totaling 2,077 deaths.

The second-leading cause of death were fatal falls, totaling 887.

But as bad as these are, we do have good news.

The Silver Lining in Workplace Fatal Injuries

While those statistics prove that there is a lot of work still to do to protect workers and continually reduce workplace deaths, there is a silver lining.

The number of workers dying from fatal injuries as part of their job has been radically reduced.

According to data collected by various sources and presented by the CDC:

The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that in 1912, between 18,000 and 21,000 workers died from work-related injuries.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 1913, found that approximately 23,000 workers died in the industrial industry at a time when the workforce was made up of 38 million people. That means there were 61 deaths per 100,000 workers.

However…

According to a different report from the National Safety Council, between 1933 and 1997, deaths from “unintentional” work-related injuries declined by 90%, from 37 per 100,000 workers dying to 4 per 100,000.

That’s incredible.

What’s more, the actual number of deaths decreased from 14,500 to 5,100. And while this was happening, the workforce tripled from 39 million to 130 million.

What made the difference?

The National Safety Council would say it’s a mix of various organizations such as unions, government agencies, and advocacy groups.

But they would go on to say that another big factor is technology.

Which is why they’ve launched Work to Zero.

What is Work to Zero and How Will They Reduce Workplace Deaths?

The NSC recently received a $500,000 grant from the McElhattan Foundation to launch Work to Zero 2050, an initiative to “eliminate death on the job by the year 2050.”

Their goal is to not stop until all fatalities have been “eradicated.”

How do they plan on achieving this ambitious goal?

By accelerating the development of essential technologies and training programs, and piloting and evaluating them for efficacy.

These technologies include:

Wearables
Robotics
Virtual and augmented reality
Automation and artificial intelligence

Plus much more.

The plan for the future is for Work to Zero 2050 will accumulate and execute actionable knowledge needed to implement the best technology for saving lives.

What You Can Do Now to Improve Workplace Safety and Decrease Workplace Deaths

The NSC has a lot of work to do and it’s going to benefit your organization or agency in big ways.

But you don’t need to wait until 2050 to put better workplace standards into place.

You can start today using our flagship Workplace Safety course.

It will show you:

The chief responsibilities for agency heads under OSHA.
The responsibilities federal employees have relative to workplace safety in a given scenario.
The kind of safety and health training various types of employees should receive.

And much more.

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11 Major Issues Women in Trades Face and How to Solve Them

Women in trades cutting sheet metal — In a male-dominated workplace, women in trades face extra hazards that men don’t.

Most of the trades, like carpentry or cement masonry, are extremely dangerous to the average worker.

Some cities are even taking steps to ramp up their safety procedures, like New York City with Local Law 196.

But women in trades are especially vulnerable for a number of reasons and we need to be aware of these risks in order to mitigate them and provide a suitable work environment for women and men alike.

In this post, we’ll dive into the major problems women in trades often face and look at a few ways to solve these pressing issues.

Health and Safety Risks for Women in Trades (Based on SHEWT Research)

SHEWT was the study that broke open the door and shone a light on the issues women face in trades like construction.

It stands for Safety and Health Empowerment for Women in Trades.

According to their website, SHEWT was:

“A collaboration between the University of Washington Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences and community partners Washington Women in Trades, the Washington State Labor Education and Research Center, the University of Oregon Labor Education and Research Center, and the Washington State Building Trades Council’s Pre-Apprenticeship Construction Education (PACE) program.”

The purpose of SHEWT was two-fold:

Expose the harms and dangers that women in particular face in the trades.
And promote understanding of these unique risks in order to reduce them and replace them with better health and safety standards.

It should be obvious to anyone that construction workers face many dangers while on the job, such as slips and falls, contaminants, and potentially harmful machinery.

But what’s not obvious are the dangers women face in these male-dominated workplaces, such as stress resulting from harassment or discrimination, protective gear that wasn’t designed for the female physique, and even unclean facilities.

Here are the top problems women in trades face according to surveys conducted by SHEWT:

Sexist stereotypes
Physical limitations
Discrimination
Harassment
Under-representation
Having to prove selves
No respect
Poor work/life balance
Poor training Inadequate
Inadequate personal protective equipment (PPE) and tools
Women who set a bad example for everyone else

Now let’s take a look at the actual results of SHEWT.

Statistical Results of SHEWT

SHEWT surveyed almost 300 male and female workers, asking them questions regarding health and safety hazards in their respective workplaces.

The demographics were:

68% women
32% men
43% were in an apprenticeship
57% were on the journey level

And the majority of trades represented in the study were laborers, electricians, pipe trades, and carpenters.

Here are the results of SHEWT:

Women reported higher levels of perceived stress compared to men.
Over half of women surveyed said they pushed themselves past their physical comfort level at least half of the time in order to complete their work.
Almost half of women felt discriminated against at work due to their gender.
Women were more likely than men to report at least one injury at work in the past year.
Women were less likely to report their injuries because they were afraid of being laid off.
Women were more likely than men to report PPE not fitting properly.

Solutions to Hazards for Women in Trades

According to the women in trades surveyed, these are the solutions they see for the hazards they face:

More women
Education
Improved training
Treat women and men equal
Mentoring

Hannah Curtis, one of the lead researchers of SHEWT, was recently interviewed and largely agreed with the solutions these women laid forward.

Here’s what Hannah had to say about getting more women into trades:

“If you can get more women into the trades, if you can get more women into leadership positions especially, you can create more of a demand for PPE, you can make men more comfortable working with women, you can change the training so it’s more friendly for women’s ergonomics, just change the culture so it’s more supportive of women in general.”

On the topic of leadership, Hannah said:

“Having supervisors involved is really essential, especially having them set the tone in terms of anti-harassment. Making that a priority, and having it trickle down.”

And in regards to mentoring, Hannah said:

“I think [mentoring] is just such a wonderful way to help women deal with the stress resulting from the workplace stressors that they are experiencing. It can also be a form of prevention. If you give women the skills they need to navigate that culture, to work safely, to advocate for their safety on the job, you’re going to prevent them from getting into situations where things become overwhelming and they want to leave the industry.”

Next Steps for Improving Conditions for Women in Trades

It’s up to all of us to help women feel more comfortable in the workplace, get along well with their male counterparts, and get access to equipment that works with their physique.

You can’t do it all, but as a start, you can help educate yourself and your employees on these issues.

And we can help you do it.

We can give you access to guides and courses such as:

Developing Women Leaders: A Guide for Men and Women in Organizations
Career and Family Challenges for Women Leaders
The Gender Communication Handbook: Conquering Conversational Collisions between Men and Women

If you want access to these and many more resources, get your free trial of Enterprise Training below.

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Everything You Need to Know About Fitwel and Fitwel Certification

Fitwel-certification-building — Fitwel and the Fitwel certification is used around the world for healthier buildings

Fitwel is actively becoming the leader in healthier building construction.

In fact, it’s gaining international traction. Through a partnership with well-known global safety science leader UL, the Fitwel certification system is being rolled out in China where the demand for healthier buildings is rising.

But what is Fitwel? Why does it matter? What are its strategies for improving buildings? And why should you get your building certified through Fitwel?

All these questions and more will be answered in today’s post.

Let’s dive in.

What is Fitwel?

Fitwel is a certification system for optimizing buildings to support human health.

It was developed by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) alongside the General Services Administration (GSA).

The Center for Active Design (CfAD) is the licensed operator of Fitwel. They were granted an exclusive license to lead future development within the private and public sectors by the Federal government.

CfAD was started by Mayor Bloomberg in New York City in 2011 and since then, they’ve helped inform the design of buildings and public infrastructure in over 180 countries.

The Fitwel certification system is the next step for CfAD to provide a proven standard for health-promoting strategies and building development.

Fitwel seeks to accomplish 7 goals:

Impact Community Health
Reduce Morbidity + Absenteeism
Support Social Equity for Vulnerable Populations
Instill Feelings Of Wellbeing
Provide Healthy Food Options
Promote Occupant Safety
Increase Physical Activity

Why is Fitwell Important?

According to Fitwel, there are 3 major reasons buildings should consider getting Fitwel certified:

Approximately 49% of building owners are willing to pay more for buildings demonstrated to have a positive impact on health.
Approximately 45% of investors own impact investments (investments centered around environmental, social, and governance performance) or are interested in owning them.
Approximately 97% of users report ease of use, and 84% understand how their buildings support health thanks to access to the information and performance data needed to certify a project.

What are Fitwel’s Strategies for Improving Buildings?

Becoming Fitwel certified means you adhere to specific strategies laid out by Fitwel.

There are 2 types of buildings they focus on:

Workplace buildings.
Residential buildings.

Let’s take a look at the strategies they propose for each.

Strategies for Workplace Buildings

Here are some of the strategies Fitwel proposes for creating healthier workplace buildings:

Location – optimizing transit access and walkways to support greater opportunities for physical activity, social equity and foster positive impacts on community health.
Building Access – offering support for carpools, bikes, and pedestrians to support multi-modal access to buildings and opportunities for regular physical activity.
Outdoor Spaces – creating provisions and policies for outdoor amenities, such as walking trails and smoke-free spaces to support mental and physical health.
Entrances & Ground Floor – building entryway systems and appropriate lighting to promote improved air quality and access to health-promoting amenities.
Stairwells – developing accessible, visible, and well-designed stairwells to present a convenient way for building occupants to add physical activity to their day.
Indoor Environment – implementing smoke-free building policies and providing an asbestos-free interior to limit prolonged exposure to harmful airborne substances and pollutants in indoor environments

Strategies for Improving Workplaces:

Here are some of the strategies Fitwel proposes for creating healthier residential buildings:

1. Dwelling Units – providing daylight, views, and operable shading at workspaces to assist in reducing morbidity and increasing comfort, while also instilling feelings of well-being.
2. Shared Spaces – building kitchen facilities and an exercise room to promote health outside of the individual workspace.
3. Water Supply – providing an ADA compliant water supply on every floor to allow residents access to fresh water.
4. Restaurants & Groceries – establishing standards for healthy food and beverages that must be met by all on-site sit-down restaurants to increase access to healthier restaurants and food choices.
5. Vending Machines & Snack Bars – offering pricing incentives for healthy snacks to help reverse the negative health impacts of traditional vending machines.
6. Emergency Procedures – providing an Automated External Defibrillator and associated testing schedule to improve coordination and timeliness of emergency response.

What are the Benefits of Becoming Fitwell Certified?

There are 4 big benefits of getting Fitwel certified:

Signal to employees, residents, investors, and others that you prioritize wellness within the design, development, and operations of buildings.
Integrate the best strategies that science has to offer to optimize health within a building.
Ensure that your company is leading the industry on the next frontier of sustainability.
Improve the health of your employees or residents as well as the surrounding community.

How Do You Get Fitwel Certified?

To get Fitwel certified, go here.

You’ll pay $500 annually to use Fitwel’s portal and $6,000 per project you want to be certified.

What Are Other Ways You Can Optimize Your Building for Health?

If you’re concerned about improving your building design for health and wellness beyond Fitwel certification, we can give you a variety of books, videos, and courses you can use, such as:

Creating Healthy Workplaces: Stress Reduction Improved Well-being and Organizational Effectiveness
The Corporate Wellness Bible: Your Guide to Keeping Happy Healthy and Wise in the Workplace
Healthy Organizations Win: How to Harness Your Organizations Maximum Potential

If you want these resources and many more, schedule your free consultation with Enterprise Training below.

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NYC Local Law 196: How to Comply (Without Getting Hit with $5,000 Fines)

NYC local law 196 job site safety — Local law 196 was created in order to protect workers through additional safety training

New Yorkers, are you prepared for unannounced safety checks at your construction site?

If not, you could be hit with a $5,000 fine or more.

This according to bill Intro 1447-C, otherwise known as Local Law 196, which was signed into law by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio on October 16, 2017.

Later in this post, we’ll explain what Local Law 196 requires, who it affects, and how to comply with it so you don’t get hit with any fines.

But first, let’s see exactly what it is.

What is Local Law 196?

Falling-related fatalities for construction workers reached an all-time high in 2017, totaling 10 deaths according to New York’s Department of Buildings (DOB).

Local Law 196 was introduced to prevent that number from climbing in 2018 and beyond.

It mandates that workers at certain job sites receive 40 hours of safety training, while supervisors at certain job sites receive 62 hours of safety training.

What are the Local Law 196 Requirements and Who Needs to Be Trained?

These are the people on your job site who must be trained:

New entrants to construction.
Supervisors such as construction superintendents, concrete safety managers, site safety coordinators, site safety managers, and competent persons.
Workers at job sites with a Site Safety Plan as well as job sites with a superintendent, site safety coordinator or site safety manager.

There are 3 phases of Local Law 196. We’ll cover each and explain exactly what is required of your workers and supervisors.

Phase 1

Phase 1 of Local Law 196 has already been initiated. It started on March 1, 2018.

That means all workers and supervisors at this point must have received a minimum of 10 hours of training. New entrants to your construction site are required to complete this training prior to working.

Phase 2

Phase 2 of Local Law 196 begins on December 1, 2018. All workers at this point will be required to carry at least a Limited Site Safety Training (SST) Card.

To obtain a Limited SST Card, you have to do ONE of the following:

Complete OSHA 10 and undergo 20 additional hours of training specified by New York’s DOB. This includes 8 hours of training about preventing falling-related fatalities.
Complete OSHA 30
Complete a 100-hour program approved by the DOB.

All supervisors at this point must complete site safety training to obtain their requisite SST Supervisor Card.

Phase 3

Phase 3 of Local Law 196 begins on May 1, 2019.

At this point, all workers are expected to have their training complete, which could be any of the following:

OSHA 10 in addition to 30-45 hours of training approved by the DOB, which of course includes those 8 hours on the dangers of falling workers and objects.
OSHA 30 in addition to 10-25 hours of training approved by the DOB, including 8 hours of preventing falling-related accidents.
A 100-hour training program approved by the DOB.

And again, supervisors will have to complete site safety training to get their SST supervisor card.

How Can You Meet the Local Law 196 Requirements?

If you completed any of this training online before October 16, 2017, it will be recognized and accepted as valid.

However, any training you take after that date will have to be in-person training or actively proctored online training – meaning, a person oversees your online training to ensure you’re present for the entirety of the training course.

Once you complete the course, you should receive a wallet-sized Site Safety Training Card that must include specific information and security features, such as:

Unique identification card number.
Photographs of the person to whom it was issued.
Date of course completion.
Expiration date.
Name and address of provider of issuance.

Who is Exempt from Local Law 196?

Not everyone needs to undergo additional training or obtain a Site Safety Training Card.

Here’s a list of everyone exempt from Local Law 196:

Delivery persons
Flag persons
Professional engineers
Registered architects
Department-licensees and Department-registrants (excluding safety professionals)
Workers at job sites that only involve minor alterations or the construction of a new 1-, 2-, or 3-family home

What Happens if You Violate Local Law 196 Requirements?

As we alluded to earlier in this post, owners of job sites with workers who don’t meet Local Law 196 requirements will face stiff fines.

If the DOB discovers an untrained worker on a construction site, the owner of the site, the permit holder, and the employer of the untrained worker will each be given a $5,000 civil penalty.

And if the permit holder hasn’t kept a detailed log that demonstrates all the workers on-site are trained, they’ll be hit with a $2,500 penalty.

Recap of Local Law 196

Just to make sure you understand what you need and when you need it to comply with Local Law 196, here’s a quick recap.

March 1, 2018 is when all workers are required to have at least 10 hours of training to be able to work
December 1, 2018 is when all workers (old and new) need to at least have a Limited SST Card and all supervisors need to have an SST Supervisor Card
May 1, 2019 or September 1, 2020 is when all workers must have an SST Card

And so it’s crystal clear on how to get an SST Card, here are the requirements again:

How Workers Obtain an SST Card

10-hour OSHA training plus 30 additional SST training hours
30-hour OSHA training plus 10 additional SST training hours
100-hour DOB sponsored training

By the way, if you have 40 hours of SST training before December 1, 2018 you can simply obtain a full SST Card without getting the Limited SST Card.

How Supervisors Obtain an SST Card

30-Hour OSHA
8-Hour Fall Protection Course
8-Hour Site Safety Manager Refresher Training
4-Hour Supported Scaffold User Training
2 hours of each of the following topics:
- Site safety plans
- Toolbox talks
- Pre-task meetings
- General electives,
- Specialized electives,
- Drug & Alcohol Awareness

This card will be valid for a 5-year period and will require 16-hours of SST training to renew.

And there you have it.

Everything New York construction workers, supervisors, and site owners need to know about Local Law 196.

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