|
 |
|
|
EDITOR’S NOTE
Don’t Adjust Your Sets: We’ve Had a Makeover
As you can see, we’ve made a few changes to the weekly e-mail newsletter, including the name. Now, the new “Bongarde Safety Briefing” will be delivered to you every Wednesday.
You can continue to expect quick safety tips and relevant safety information. Plus, Bongarde Safety Briefing will offer the latest safety news, reader contributions and the popular Picture This! section, a look at some of the most bizarre – and frightening – safety mistakes (and how to correct them).
We hope you enjoy the new format. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at customerservice@bongarde.com or call us directly at 1.800.667.9300.
Sincerely,
Your Safety Team at Bongarde
| |
|
|
|
| Unaddressed Claims of Racism May Have Led to Workplace Shooting Spree |
When a worker complains of harassment of any kind, whether based on race, religion, gender, etc., you must take those complaints seriously and investigate them. If you ignore the claims and they turn out to have been justified, the worker could lash out in unexpected—and tragic—ways. Just look at what happened at a beer distributorship in Connecticut last week.
Supervisors and a union representative called Omar Thornton, an African-American driver, into a disciplinary meeting and showed a video of him stealing beer from the company. Although union and company officials said he’d no history of complaints or disciplinary problems, he was told he could either resign or be fired. Thornton opted to quit and signed a letter of resignation. But as he was headed for the door, he pulled out a gun and started shooting.
At the end of the shooting spree, Thornton had killed nine people (including himself) and injured two. The victims were found all over the complex and it’s unclear whether he fired randomly or targeted specific people.
What happened? Thornton’s relatives say he finally snapped after suffering racial harassment in a predominantly white company where he felt he was singled out for being black. For example, they say that he’d found a picture of a noose and a racial epithet written on a bathroom wall. His girlfriend allegedly said that his supervisors told him they’d talk to his co-workers. However, it doesn’t appear they ever did so.
The company denied any racial bias. And a union official said Thornton hadn’t filed a harassment complaint with the union or any government agency. The Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities said the company has never had any complaints filed against it. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Uploading Your Own Content |
|
| Are you a SafetySmart Online Enterprise customer? Do you have custom safety training that you want in SafetySmart Online alongside other training resources? Then check out SafetySmart Online’s Document Upload tool. |
|
| More than just a place to store files, Document Upload allows you to add tags and categorization that make your content searchable, just like any other existing... |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Picture This! |
|
 |
|
| Some people would say bungee jumping is plenty exciting enough without placing the attraction right next to energized power lines. This photo was snapped at a county fair in Pennsylvania |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| OSHA Issues Final Rule on Cranes and Derricks |
The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has issued a final rule addressing the use of cranes and derricks in construction, which updates nearly 40-year-old standards.
OSHA says stakeholders from the construction industry recognized the need to update the safety requirements, methods and practices for cranes and derricks and to incorporate technological advances in order to better protect people workers on and around cranes and derricks.
“The significant number of fatalities associated with the use of cranes in construction led the Labor Department to undertake this rulemaking,” says Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis. “After years of extensive research, consultation and negotiation with industry experts, this long overdue rule will address the leading causes of fatalities related to cranes and derricks, including electrocution, boom collapse and overturning.”
OSHA head Dr. David Michaels says the rule addresses critically important provisions for crane operator certification and crane inspection, setup and disassembly, adding, “Compliance with the rule will prevent needless worker injuries and deaths and provide protection for the public and property owners.” |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| How to Conduct a Workplace Violence Hazard Assessment |
Conducting hazard assessments is a fundamental requirement of Ontario Bill 168 and other Canadian workplace violence laws. Hazard assessments are the bread and butter of a safety coordinator’s job. But assessing the risk of violence is a lot different from assessing physical and mechanical hazards, such as pinchpoints or excessive noise. Violence is rooted in human behaviour.
Although predicting behaviour is impossible, we do know that the risk of violence is influenced by certain aspects of the workplace and conditions of work. A hazard assessment requires employers to examine these factors and identify potential dangers--and, of course, take steps to correct them.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Is an Employee Potentially Violent? Know the Warning Signs |
Every year about two million workers in the US experience workplace violence. The situation is similar in Canada, where 17 percent of all self-reported incidents of violence, including sexual assault, physical assault and robbery, occur in the workplace.
Before people explode in violence at work, they may give signals that something is wrong. There are a number of warning signs to let you know that trouble is brewing. Here are a few:
- Social isolation
- Decrease in personal hygiene
- Complaints of unfair treatment
- Excessive lateness or absenteeism
- Faulty decision-making
- Blaming others for mistakes
- Inappropriate comments about revenge, violence or weapons
- Disrespect for authority
- Swearing
- Overreacting to criticism
There are precautions workers can take to minimize or prevent violence on the job. Read to your workers the Workplace Violence Safety Talk provided on the homepage of SafetySmart Online.
|
|
|
|
|
You responded:
40% said Yes
60% said No
Your Comments Here:
|
This week we’d like to ask you: |
Do you fear the possibility of a violent incident occurring in your workplace? |
Vote in the Reader Poll here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Upcoming Events: |
|
 |
|
| August 26, 12:00 EST |
| Webinar: The Road to JHSC Excellence |
| FREE for all OHS Insider Members. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| Join the online community of safety professionals |
|
|
|
 |
| Choose from over 1000+ posters on over 50 safety topics |
|
|
|
 |
| Take advantage of sophisticated and easy-to-use training resources. |
|
|
|
 |
| Become a member of the leading safety compliance information site |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
