Newsletters
The Safety Net is a newsletter published by NETC. The following articles were from the Spring 2002 edition.
| From The President: | ||
| Confined space issues revisited | ||
| Fire Code Regulations | ||
| MCC hosts OSHA safety course | ||
| NETC partners with Strategic Designs | ||
| Time to check your range hood fire systems |
From The President:
By: Robert Ziegler
Scams—we’ve all heard the alerts, from the State’s Attorney General to the local media, consumer beware. Well I’d like to uncover for owners and managers alike what I believe to be a Scam occurring regarding Safety services. Now I realize that this can be a strong word, and I am not out to discredit anyone, any business or service, however, there are several Environmental Contractor’s that are now offering Safety services to their clients or potential clients as a way to get new business or to retain current business. Now I am also not against competition. Competition is good, and we do well with it. What irks me is the fact that the Safety Profession and all it’s components takes a hit every time one of these companies doesn’t meet the proposed consensus or industry standards. It’s always an inexpensive proposition to include safety while they are there, but it invariably costs more in the long run because they can’t complete the tasks. We have had several clients where we have had to go in and complete or fix what other companies (EH&S) were originally hired to perform. I know how to change oil in my car, but I’m not a mechanic; I know how to read a blue print but I’m not an architect; and I know how to fill out a Tier II report, but I’m not an Environmental Specialist. I wouldn’t expect anyone to hire my company to also do some environmental work, so why would you hire an environmental company to, oh by the way, do some safety training for us while you’re here?
OSHA Chief John Henshaw last week announced he wants to boost his inspection totals for the rest of 2002 FY (which ends Sept. 2002) by 2%, or approximately another 700 inspections or so.
So if you believe that the safety services you are receiving from your environmental company will stand an OSHA inspection, great. As long as you’ve made an educated decision, and not one based purely on cost.
Confined Space issues revisited
By: David Lundquist
Director of Training
We continue to get calls from clients asking for guidance with confined space rescue issues. There apparently remains much confusion as to the regulations. For corporations that need either a local confined space rescue team or their own in-house rescue team, the following offers guidance, straight out of OSHA 29CFR 1910.146, Appendix F.
First of all, what is a confined space? A permit required confined space is “any space not intended for continuous occupancy, having a limited means of egress, and which is also subject to engulfment and/or the accumulation of an actual or potentially hazardous atmosphere.” These definitions applies to a multitude of areas, from storage tanks, process vessels, grain storage facilities, storm drainage pipes, boat holds, boilers, duct work, utility vaults, caves to wells.
The following are just a few questions that should be evaluated of the confined space rescue teams who are being considered:
What are the needs of the employer with regards to response time? How are they assured?
How quickly can the rescue team or service get from its location to the site, assemble and prepare for a rescue? Remember, you cannot use 911 as your rescue team or response capabilities. For those larger corporations with in-house capabilities, the best time we’ve heard of being able to assemble and enter a hole is 20 minutes at best.
What is the availability of the rescue service? (i.e. 24/7)?
Does the rescue service meet all the requirements of all applicable OSHA standards? This includes fall protection capabilities as well.
Is an adequate method of communications available between attendant, employer and prospective rescuer so a rescue request can be transmitted expeditiously?
For areas with potentially hazardous atmospheric conditions, does the rescue team have adequate air supply equipment (i.e SCBA’s, cascade systems, replacement bottles, air supply lines, etc.)?
Can the rescue team properly test the atmosphere to determine if it’s IDLH?
If the space has a vertical entry over 5 ft. in depth, can the rescue service properly perform the entry, rescue, rope work, etc.?
Does the rescue service have the necessary skills and equipment for medical evaluation, patient packaging and emergency treatment?
Does the rescue service have the necessary equipment to perform rescues, or does the equipment have to be provided by the employer or other source?
With regard to training. A basic entry class can be handled within an 8-hour class, covering all aspects of a confined space, paperwork requirements, PPE, ropes and knots, harnesses, meters, etc. To be comfortably proficient in all aspects of training, look for a class that will also take you out and supervise some entries and critique the process.
As for rescue training, it’s a minimum of 16-hours with much emphasis placed on practical evolutions. Be very weary of those courses which are offering more for less. Do you want to be the victim whose recueres were trained that way? No matter where you go, be sure to bring all of your own appropriate equipment, meters, paperwork, PPE, etc.
You will never be proficient if you never use. Avoid using another companies equipment, as you will never use it again, and if it was different than yours, where’s your proficiency?
This is a very significant standard and with many liabilities and concerns, don’t take any of them lightly!
OSHA Adds Teeth to the
latest Ergonomics Plan
OSHA has announced an Ergonomics Enforcement Plan that will crack down on those not in compliance by coordinating inspections with a legal strategy designed for successful prosecution. They plan to address the sorts of serious ergonomics problems that OSHA and DOL attorneys have successfully addressed in prior 5(a) (1) or General Duty Clause cases. For the first time, OSHA will have an enforcement plan designed from the start to target prosecutable ergonomic violations. OSHA will have special ergonomic inspection teams that will, from the earliest stages, work closely with DOL attorneys and experts to successfully bring prosecutions where necessary.
“We plan to go after the bad actors who refuse to take care of their workers”, says OSHA Administrator John Henshaw.
For guidance or assistance with designing, implementing or training to your company specific Ergonomics Plan, give one of our Safety Specialists a call today.
Fire Code Regulations
Are you in compliance?
By: Brian Gouin
Fire Safety Specialist
The fire code is generally a confusing set of regulations. Because of this, many owners and safety managers have no idea if their occupancy requires and electronic fire system. Unfortunately, this many times means that they are not in compliance, which causes unnecessary problems should a fire incident occur. Even as a professional who deals with the fire codes regularly, I always must refer to the NFPA code books. Basically, the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code defines which occupancies require fire systems and of what general type. The NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code defines the components necessary for the fire system if NFPA 101 requires one in your occupancy. The NFPA 70 National Electrical Code and the ADA, which I will not get into detail with here, define how to properly install those components.
Although there are hundreds of minor criteria and exceptions, below are the necessary base components of a fire alarm system that is in compliance with the latest 1999 NFPA 72. This is by no means every detail that is required, but this should give you a general idea of what is needed for compliance.
1) Section 3 requires a fire panel that accepts initiating and indicating devices, has ample battery back-up and supply power for the necessary devices, and has a dual line communicator if monitoring is required.
2) Section 2 requires manual pull stations within 5 feet of each exit from each floor with a maximum of 200 feet between them.
3) Section 2 requires either full smoke detector coverage in the building (based on manufacturer’s specs) or a full sprinkler system.
4) Section 4 requires full audible and visual notification. Audibly, each device must project 75dba at 10 feet and the combination of all devices must be 10dba above the background ambient noise. Visually, you must be able to see a strobe or reflection from a strobe from every part of the building.
5) Section 5 states that, if monitoring is required, it must be by a private or public central station, remote station such as a guard service, or by a proprietary station. There are many requirements for the station itself.
6) Section 7 requires regular testing and inspections of the fire system. Now, to determine if you are in compliance, below is a list of occupancies and what the latest 2000 NFPA 101 requires for them. Keep in mind that there may be other regulations imposed by a regulatory agency for your industry that are more stringent than the national code described below.
For the below categories, New is defined as new construction or renovation of a existing construction to change the occupancy type or expand the existing occupancy type. Existing is defined as existing construction and occupancy type. This does not mean that you are exempt now if the same code existed when you started the business.
New Health Care: NFPA 101 Section 18.3.4 requires a fire system in accordance with NFPA 72 with monitoring. In addition, full smoke detector coverage is required regardless of the existence of a sprinkler system.
Existing Health Care: NFPA 101 Section 38.3.4 requires a fire system in accordance with NFPA 72 with monitoring. In addition, smoke detector coverage in the corridors only is required regardless of the existence of a sprinkler system.
New Business: NFPA 101 Section 38.3.4 requires a fire system in accordance with NFPA 72 if one of the following three criteria is true:
1) The building is two or more stories in height above the level of exit discharge.
2) 50 or more people occupy above or below the level of exit discharge.
3) There is 300 or more total occupancy.
Existing Business: NFPA 101 Section 39.3.4 requires a fire system in accordance with NFPA 72 if one of the following three criteria is true:
1) The building is two or more stories in height above the level of exit discharge.
2) 100 or more people occupy above or below the level of exit discharge.
3) There are 1000 or more total occupancy.
Industrial: NFPA 101 Section 40.3.4 requires a fire system in accordance with NFPA 72 with special considerations for hazardous areas.
Other types of occupancy, such as mercantile (malls), detention centers, hotels, high rises, and apartment buildings, have more complex NFPA 101 regulations that I won’t describe here.
Hopefully this clarifies the regulations so you can determine whether you are in compliance with the existing fire codes. NETC can assess your current fire system to determine compliance and design a system to meet your specific occupancy and situation. Please feel free to call me or Bob Ziegler at NETC to talk further about these issues.
Middlesex Chamber of Commerce hosts OSHA
General Industry Safety Course
New England Training & Consulting is providing a 10-hour OSHA Compliance Safety Course focused on the General Industry Standards. This 2-day course will be held at the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce on May 16 & 17th from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM
This course will provide participants with an intensive review of the OSHA standards.
Please contact either the Chamber at (860) 347-6924 or NETC at (860) 342-4382 as soon as possible to assure seating, as this class is limited to the first 30 registrants.
NETC Partners with ‘Strategic
Design Services’
New England Training & Consulting, Inc. is pleased to announce Strategic Design Services as the newest member of our Safety Team:
Strategic Design Services (SDS) offers security assessment and system design in the areas of fire protection and security for all industries. Our design expertise includes electronic fire systems, burglary systems, CCTV systems, access control systems and gate operator systems. Many employers are now exploring instituting sophisticated ID Badges with employee specific ID numbers and encrypted data strips that allow or deny an individual’s access to designated areas within a company. In the wake of Sept. 11th, clients have taken a renewed interest in increased security measures and evacuation procedures and are demanding a more detailed, unbiased understanding of their security and safety needs. They want systems that are an exact fit for them and meet all the governing codes and requirements for their industry and situation, not to mention which addresses all of the possible Human Resources and liability (litigation) issues associated with surveillance of employees.
Our designer holds memberships with the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS), the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA) and the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NFBAA).
For further information on receiving any of SDS’s specialty services, or assistance related to your ERP’s, give any one of our Safety Specialists a call today.
Time to Check your Range Hood Fire Systems!
Did you know that all Range Hood Extinguishing systems have to be changed over from Dry Chemical (powder) systems to Wet Chemical (liquid) systems?
This is now an NFPA requirement and your local Fire Marshal can be inspecting/citing you if this is not done soon.
For more information, or for an inspection, call one of our Fire Safety Specialists today.
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