Hello and welcome back. Thanks for reading. It was very encouraging to see how quickly they discovered who was behind the Boston bombings. The speed with which an arrest was made sends a clear message that domestic terrorists will be caught.

As the heat rises, school gets out, and our minds turn to the approaching summer, please remember to be safe out there.

And, on another note, we have decided to add a new section to our newsletter called "Newly Released Courses." Here you can see what courses have been released since our last newsletter. Be sure to check out what is new this month.

See you next month.

Respectfully,

Julius P. Griggs

President and CEO

Safety Unlimited, Inc.

A Message from the CEO Boston bombings, approaching summer, newly released courses

Did you know changes are coming to OSHA's Hazard Communication standard? Not only are changes coming, but the first wave of training requirements is quickly drawing near. Fortunately, the OSHA Hazard Communication - Aligned with GHS course will provide the training you need to meet the deadline.

As part of a global effort to provide standardized hazard communication worldwide, US chemical manufacturers, shippers, and receivers must comply with an updated Hazard Communication standard aligned with the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals. In a world where business knows no borders, the updated Hazard Communication standard will provide a consistent means of hazard identification, regardless of the country or language where the hazardous material is present.

What changes will take place to the Hazcom Standard? For one, manufacturers will have to produce a Safety Data Sheet (SDS) in a standardized format, replacing the existing Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS), allowing faster access to required information. Previously, the format was left to the manufacturer, so long as all pertinent information was present. Adopting the GHS will also create standardized labeling, so all pertinent hazard information is present, easy to recognize, and consistent from country to country—since the US is a major exporter and importer of chemicals, this change will improve US workers’ ability to identify hazards from foreign chemical producers and vice versa. New methods of classifying chemicals will also be implemented.

When will you need training? Time is running out. The deadline to receive training to familiarize yourself with the new data sheet format, labels, and methods of classification is December 1, 2013.

The GHS initiative is part of a multi-year process by hazard communication experts from around the world, and is based upon major existing hazard communication systems, including OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard and the chemical classification and labeling systems of other US agencies, such as the Department of Transportation (DOT).

In the end, adoption of GHS will improve the safety of all workers, both in the US and abroad. Be sure to take your OSHA Hazard Communication - Aligned with GHS course. We are currently offering a 20% off sale. Or use our volume pricing option to train all of your employees in one place at the same time, and ensure you're ready!

Course Spotlight GHS, Globally harmonized system, Hazard communication standard, Hazcom standard, OSHA hazcom

24 Hour EMT Transition Online 

Asbestos  Awareness Online 

DOT Hazmat Carrier Requirements – Air 

DOT Hazmat Carrier Requirements – Highway 

DOT Hazmat Carrier Requirements – Rail 

DOT Hazmat Carrier Requirements – Water 

OSHA Hazard Communication – Aligned with GHS

Newly Released Courses

On April 28, 2013, we celebrated the 24^th annual Workers’ Memorial Day in the US, in remembrance of workers killed, disabled, injured, or made unwell by their work. It is a day to reflect on the victims of workplace incidents and the work practices that led to them, and concentrate on improving workplace safety in the future.

Since 1913, work-related deaths have fallen by 80 percent. Nevertheless, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO) more than 2-million men and women die every year as a result of work-related accidents and disease. That’s one worker every 15 seconds and 6,000 every day. More people die at work each year than they do fighting wars. The cost of work-related injuries and illnesses in the United States for 2007 is estimated at $250 billion.

As we move forward into the 21^st century, the workplace and its hazards are changing. In order to maintain a safe work environment, workplaces need to change with them. New chemicals are introduced all the time, requiring training on the hazards of these chemicals and easy access to hazard information in the event of an incident. On the other hand, some hazards persist—falls at construction sites remain a primary cause of workplace death, and a strong economy requires a strong construction industry. Safety training and awareness are paramount to keeping workers safe and active in the workforce.

While workplaces in the United States have seen improvement where injuries, illnesses, and fatalities are concerned, it is important to remain vigilant in the face of changing work environments. New hazards will arise and old ones will remain; in order to maintain a safe and productive workplace, we must be aware of both and protect ourselves accordingly.

This Month in Safety History Workers’ Memorial Day, International Labor Organization, ILO, April 28

If you live in those parts of the United States in which tornadoes occur, then you know that they can arrive with little or no warning. Taking precautions in advance of these storms, such as developing an emergency plan, becoming aware of tornado warning signs, and monitoring tornado watches (when tornadoes are possible in the area) and warnings (when a tornado has been sighted), can help you stay safe if a tornado occurs. Think of tornado preparedness and response in these terms: Plan, equip, train, exercise, know the warning signs, and stay informed.

To prepare for tornadoes, businesses should develop an emergency plan. The plan should include details on appropriate places to take shelter, policies to ensure that all personnel know what to do and are accounted for, and procedures for addressing the presence of any hazardous materials on-site. Of course, employers and employees alike should develop action plans for their families as well. OSHA provides checklists and resources and suggestions for communications equipment and personal preparedness kits.

After a tornado has occurred and businesses begin taking steps to recover, workers may face significant hazards from additional storms, downed electric lines, and debris. Workers should also be aware of the hazards of heat stress and from equipment used during response and recovery operations such as portable generators. OSHA also provides information on response and recovery hazards and protections.

Employers must remember that they are responsible for the safety and health of their workers. As such, they are required to protect workers from the anticipated hazards of tornado response and recovery operations that workers may conduct.

Safety Matters tornado preparedness, tornado response, tornado safety, tornado shelter, tornado emergency plan, hazardous debris, tornado recovery

Electricity is used everywhere throughout the workplace: it is used to light the facility, to power the machinery, and to provide the necessary energy to undertake the majority of our daily tasks. Without doubt electricity is a valuable and important resource, yet if it is not properly maintained, controlled, or managed, it can present a variety of hazards – hazards that can result in serious injury or death.

The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) estimates that more than 30,000 workers have been injured in workplace electrical accidents over the last 10 years. Furthermore, they calculate that every year in the United States, workplace electrical incidents result in more than 300 deaths and 3,500 injuries.

Sadly, many of these deaths and injuries could have been prevented with the proper hazard recognition and safe work practices. As it happens, May is National Electrical Safety Month, a time when special attention will be paid to working safely with electricity. Keeping with this monthly theme, we present the following ESFI recommendations for preventing electrical injuries and fatalities in the workplace.

The number one way to prevent electrical injuries and fatalities in the workplace is to deenergize all electrical equipment before working on it. Seemingly obvious to many, this tip greatly decreases your risk of injury and death around electrically powered equipment.

Another way to prevent electrical injuries and fatalities is to always follow your workplace's established lockout/tagout procedures. Following proper lockout/tagout procedures can safeguard you and your fellow workers from the unexpected energization, or startup, of machinery and equipment.

Finally, make sure that you test all circuits before touching them. Shutting off the power, while an important first step, does not necessarily mean the hazard has been eliminated. Many workers are injured or killed each year while working on circuits they thought were safely turned off.

Working around electrical circuits can be a dangerous task, especially for the untrained, as hazards seem to appear at every turn. Following the procedures listed above are a start to keeping you safe and free from injury at work. When in doubt, however, it is always a good idea to seek the help of a competent person or – even better – a certified electrician. Your life may depend upon it.

Safety Tip of the Month National Electrical Safety Month, electrical safety, workplace, electrical injuries, electrical fatalities, lockout, tagout, Electrical Safety Foundation International, ESFI

Hello and welcome back.

Boy has this been a busy year. We have started off our 20th year in business busier than ever. Thank you for that.

We have updated our classroom schedule with some new classes (and added a new look to our classroom page) and put ALL our classroom training on SALE, with savings up to 50% on certain courses.

Check out all our current deals.

We have some great classroom material being finalized and released soon, so stay tuned.

See you next month.

Julius P. Griggs

President and CEO

Safety Unlimited, Inc.

A Message from the CEO 20th year in business, sale, classroom schedule, classroom training

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that more than 3 million serious work-related injuries and about 4,600 work-related fatalities occurred in 2011. Additionally, according to the 2012 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index, the direct cost of the most disabling workplace injuries and illnesses in 2012 amounted to $51.1 billion in U.S. workers compensation costs, about one billion dollars per week; and that’s not to mention the incalculable cost to workers (and their families) who lost the ability to work or died because of workplace injury or illness.

Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, known by a variety of names, are interventions that can substantially reduce the number and severity of workplace injuries and alleviate the associated financial burdens on U.S. workplaces. Many states have requirements or voluntary guidelines for workplace injury and illness prevention programs. Additionally, numerous employers in the United States already manage safety using Injury and Illness Prevention Programs. OSHA maintains that all employers can and should do the same. Most successful injury and illness prevention programs are based on a common set of key elements that include leadership from management, participation by workers, hazard identification, hazard prevention and control, worksite analysis, education and training, and program evaluation and improvement.

OSHA addresses safety and health programs in specific standards for the general and construction industries and basic program elements for federal employees. These can be found in 29 CFR 1926, in Safety and Health Program Management Guidelines; Issuance of Voluntary Guidelines, and in Federal Agency Safety and Health Programs. OSHA also partners with management and labor to cooperatively and proactively prevent fatalities, injuries, and illnesses through their Voluntary Protection Programs, Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program, OSHA Challenge Program, and Alliance Program Case Studies.

About Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels says:  “Injury and illness prevention programs are good for workers, good for business, and good for America.”

Safety $ense Injury and Illness Prevention Programs, workplace injury and illness, work-related injuries, work-related fatalities, safety and health programs

Did you know that April is National Distracted Driving Awareness Month? The National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that over 300,000 crashes involving drivers using cell phones and texting have occurred in the U. S. just this year. That is approximately one every 24 seconds. And, did you know, it is not just activities like texting that can be so dangerous, but anything that can take away the focus necessary to drive? This, the National Safety Council declares, can involve talking on a cell phone, with or without a headset.

In order to increase awareness of distracted driving and decrease the number of deaths on the roads, the NSC urges everyone to do the following this month:

• Stop using cell phones while driving.
• Understand the dangers of the cognitive distraction of the brain.
• Inform people who call you while driving that you'd be happy to continue the conversation once they have reached their destination.
• Tell others about the dangers of cell phone distracted driving.  

Additionally, the NSC provides several ways for you to get involved this month. You can take a pledge to drive cell phone free, register for a free distracted driving webinar, or download a variety of distracted driving resources from their website, including a fact sheet, a kit for employers, posters, videos, and more.

Did You Know? National Distracted Driving Awareness Month, National Safety Council, cell phones, texting, NSC

The sun provides a wealth of benefits. Warmer weather means shedding your overcoat and a lower heating bill. Exposure to sunlight allows your body to create Vitamin D, which promotes bone health, and increases your white blood cell count, making you less susceptible to illness. Exposure to sunlight is also thought to help alleviate Seasonal Affective Disorder. Sunlight is an energy source that provides heat and light the world over, drives the water cycle, jumpstarts photosynthesis, and essentially serves as the fuel that makes the engine of the world run. It may even make you taller and stronger!

However, as with all good things, moderation is important. Improper protection from or overexposure to sunlight can harm your skin and eyes, which can result in skin cancer, cataracts, or other diseases. For this reason, it's good to know how, where, and when to protect yourself from the harmful aspects of sunlight and from overexposure.

The ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight causes premature aging of the skin, wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer. The amount of damage caused by UV radiation depends on the strength of the light, the length of exposure, and whether the skin is protected. The best way to protect yourself is to cover exposed areas. You can do so by covering up, using sunscreen, wearing a hat, and limiting your exposure. Protect your eyes by wearing sunglasses. Let's look at each of these in more detail to learn how to protect yourself.

Covering up: Wear tight-woven clothing that blocks out light. If you can see your hand through the fabric, the clothing provides little protection.

Using sunscreen: A sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15 blocks 93% of UV rays. SPF 30 blocks 97% of UV rays. SPFs higher than 30 don't protect much more than 97%. Also: sunscreen allows light to penetrate to your skin, filtering out some radiation in the UV spectrum; sunblock is designed to prevent light from reaching your skin.

Wearing a hat: A wide-brimmed hat, as opposed to a baseball cap, is ideal because it protects the neck, ears, eyes, forehead, nose, and scalp.

Wearing sunglasses: Sunglasses should block 99-100% of UV rays, which will go a long way toward preventing cataracts.

Limit exposure: Obviously, the best way to avoid the harmful effects of sunlight is to avoid sunlight altogether. But doing so also removes the benefits as well. It's best to avoid the times of day when UV exposure is at its peak: between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. An easy way to determine your sun safety is the Shadow Test. If your shadow is shorter than you are, the sun is beating down directly upon you and the sun's rays are at their most direct and strongest.

Remember, as the sun returns this spring and summer, there are several approaches you can take to protect yourself from the harmful effects of sun exposure while enjoying the benefits. Protect yourself, be safe, and enjoy your days in the sun.

Safety Matters sunlight, cancer, cataracts, sun safety, sun benefits, sun harmful