• OSHA releases top 10 most cited violations for 2009
• BLS: Decline in nonfatal workplace injury, illness rate
• Barab, Henshaw trade thoughts on occupational safety
• NIOSH's Howard emphasizes protection for health care workers
• Senate confirms Main as MSHA head
• New York governor suspends mandatory vaccinations for health care workers
• NIOSH releases document on nanotechnology
• Proactive ergonomics reduces symptoms: study
• Health of the American worker declining: report
• Working past retirement good for your health: study

• Senate, House transportation committees address distracted driving
• FMCSA agrees to review hours-of-service regulations
• NHTSA releases 2008 traffic safety reports
• FMCSA cracks down on violators of drug, alcohol regulations
• NHTSA study examines motorcycle helmet use, crash outcomes
• DOT forms new safety council
• Child booster seats effective in injury prevention: study

• Ensure safe use of hand sanitizers
• Chinese safety summit focuses on drywall
• Organization offers safe Halloween tips

• Schneider Electric receives Robert W. Campbell Award
• NSC congratulates 2009 DSSA Winners
• Watch for the new NSC Website – Going live Nov. 2
• Get involved and make a difference

Richard Fairfax, director of OSHA's Directorate of Enforcement Programs, unveiled the agency's top 10 most frequently cited violations for fiscal year 2009 this week during a presentation at the National Safety Council's 2009 Congress & Expo in Orlando, FL.

The preliminary figures are:

1. Scaffolding (1926.451) – 9,093
2. Fall Protection (1926.501) – 6,771
3. Hazard Communication (1910.1200) – 6,378
4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134) – 3,803
5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147) – 3,321
6. Electrical – Wiring Methods (1910.305) – 3,079
7. Ladders (1926.1053) – 3,072
8. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178) – 2,993
9. Electrical – General Requirements (1910.303) – 2,556
10. Machine Guarding (1910.212) – 2,364

Read the December issue of Safety+Health for the final list and an exclusive interview with Fairfax.

The rate of nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses dropped to 3.9 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2008, down from 4.2 the year before, according to new data released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics on Thursday. The number of cases also declined, to 3.7 million in 2008 from 4 million in 2007.

The BLS report comes on the heels of OSHA's recent launch of a National Emphasis Program on recordkeeping (.pdf file) that the agency hopes will ensure more accurate injury and illness data reporting from employers.

Acting OSHA administrator Jordan Barab on Tuesday attempted to make the case for increased enforcement while former OSHA head John Henshaw advised against relying too heavily on penalties.

The two men shared the stage in Orlando, FL, during a keynote session on occupational safety and health issues at the National Safety Council's 2009 Congress & Expo.

Barab said OSHA's ultimate goal is to make workplaces safer and not simply issue citations, but is not satisfied with the current penalty structure and will be looking to see if revisions could create stronger disincentives for employers who cut corners. "We are a regulatory enforcement agency, first and foremost. Under the Obama administration, we are going to act like one," Barab said.

Henshaw agreed that "strong, fair and effective" enforcement was necessary, but said OSHA does not have enough investigators to rely on enforcement alone. "OSHA is not just a 'new sheriff in town,'" he said, referring to a phrase freqently used by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis. "It is a sheriff as well as an instigator or a creator of advancement around safety and health." Organizations should be encouraged to go beyond OSHA standards to achieve zero injuries, and the agency's partnerships, alliances and voluntary programs can help, Henshaw said.

Henshaw also voiced his support for an update to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, a safety and health programs standard, and for the creation of standards based on risk rather than the influence of "political winds." Barab, meanwhile, said OSHA will be looking to improve "antiquated" chemical standards, will conduct a survey of all State Plan states in light of the recent negative report on Nevada's program, and will examine how to minimize musculoskeletal injuries.

Calling mitigation of transmissible diseases the "last frontier of health care worker protection," NIOSH Director John Howard said the health care industry must learn from the H1N1 influenza pandemic to prepare for future pandemics.

Howard spoke Tuesday at an occupational safety and health keynote at the National Safety Council's 2009 Congress & Expo in Orlando, FL.

The industry needs to change its culture, which accepts the risks of exposure to biological hazards as part of employment, Howard said. He suggested employers take steps to minimize exposures through engineering controls, source control and administration controls, including vaccinations. Employers should encourage, promote and administer vaccinations of influenza for both health care workers and first responders, he said. Noting the recent controversy in New York, where vaccinations were required among health care workers before the order was suspended last week, Howard said such a mandate should be "clearly and dispassionately thought about."

He also touched on the recent debate of whether facemasks are as effective in preventing disease transmission as respirators. When a supply of respirators cannot be maintained, Howard said facemasks should be provided, noting that although they "don't fit, they leak and they don't filter," the masks "are better than nothing."

The Senate on Oct. 21 unanimously confirmed Joseph A. Main as Assistant Secretary of Labor for the Mine Safety and Health Administration.

A former miner, Main directed the health and safety department for the United Mine Workers of America and has testified before Congress about mining disasters.

Due to a vaccine shortage, New York health care workers will no longer be required to get vaccinated against the seasonal and H1N1 influenzas, Gov. David Paterson (D) announced Oct. 22.

State Health Commissioner Richard F. Daines previously ordered all health care workers to receive both vaccines by Nov. 31, prompting the state's Public Employees Federation union to sue to reverse the policy. 

In a press release, Paterson said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lowered its projections for the amount of vaccine available, so the state's limited supply would now go to people most at risk, namely pregnant women, children and people younger than 25.

NIOSH last week posted an online document (.pdf file) that includes presentations from seven international scientists on how nations can collaborate to protect workers from the potential harm of nanotechnology.

The presentations were given as part of the 18th World Congress on Safety and Health at Work symposium, held in Seoul, South Korea, in 2008.

A proactive ergonomics approach, which involves having a professional ergonomist set up and adjust office furniture, can help reduce pain related to poor posture, according to a study from the World Bank's Joint Bank/Fund Health Services Department.

As part of the study, one group of workers received new ergonomic furniture with setup instructions, while a second group received furniture set up by an ergonomist.

Study results showed members of the second group who had previously experienced symptoms of musculoskeletal pain and eyestrain experienced a reduction in symptoms, according to a press release from the Elk Grove Village, IL-based American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, which published the study in its Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine. Researchers suggested a proactive program should include an individual workstation assessment to be effective in reducing symptoms and increasing productivity.

The health of the American worker is on the decline, according to a report from the New York-based Families and Work Institute.

As part of the study (.pdf file), researchers used data gathered from 1977 to 2008 in FWI's 2008 National Study of the Changing Workforce, and found only 28 percent of workers reported their overall health was "excellent" today, compared with 34 percent six years ago.

The study also found:

• 41 percent of workers reported experiencing stress "often" or "very often"
• One-third experienced symptoms of clinical depression
• 21 percent were being treated for high blood pressure; 14 percent for high cholesterol
• 49 percent do not engage in regular physical exercise; 22 percent engage in no rigorous exercise at all

In addition, the report found 8 percent of workers remain wholly uninsured. People working low-wage jobs were less likely to be offered insurance through their employer and were less likely to receive at least five paid sick days. Both workplace productivity and health were found to be positively impacted by workers being offered paid sick and vacation time.

Completely retiring from the workforce in your senior years can have negative health consequences, suggests a new study published in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology.

A representative sample of more than 12,000 retirees from the National Institute on Aging's Health and Retirement Study were included in the study (.pdf file). Researchers evaluated each participant's health history and asked him or her to complete a survey gauging their mental health. The researchers studied the connection between employment and the prevalence of major disease, functional limitations and mental health, and found that so-called "bridge employment" in any field reduced diseases and functional limitations; employment in the retiree's specified field also was associated with improved mental health.

Members of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on Oct. 28 announced a new bill that would provide incentive grants to states that enact bans on text messaging while driving and other cell phone restrictions while driving.

During a hearing on combating distracted driving, Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), co-sponsor of the bill, said the legislation would create a new program to send grants to states, which she said "better understand the unique solutions needed to combat this disturbing trend in transportation, and help make our roads safer." Meanwhile, Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) is gaining support for a bill that would reduce federal highway funding by 25 percent to states that do not pass laws banning TWD.

During an Oct. 29 hearing of the House Highways and Transit Subcommittee, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood reaffirmed his commitment to aggressively and quickly reduce the number of injuries and deaths caused by distracted driving. He also said he had met with auto industry leaders to discuss ways in-car technology could prevent distraction. In addition, the subcommittee heard testimony from a panel of safety, research and auto industry experts, including John Ulczycki, group vice president of research, communications and advocacy for the National Safety Council.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration agreed to review and reconsider its 2008 final rule (.pdf file) on hours of service for drivers, according to a settlement agreement filed Oct. 26 with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

The Washington-based advocacy group Public Citizen and other organizations challenged the rule for a third time in March, alleging it is based on studies and data that do not prove a link between reduced fatalities and any HOS regimen.

Public Citizen on Oct. 27 released a copy of the agreement (.pdf file), which states FMCSA will submit a notice of proposed rulemaking to the Office of Management and Budget for approval within nine months of the settlement date. Motions to govern further proceedings must be filed within 30 days of publication of the NPRM in the Federal Register.

The Arlington, VA-based American Trucking Associations released a statement reaffirming its stance that HOS regulations have worked to improve the industry's safety performance, and said its members plan to participate in the upcoming rulemaking process.

The number of people who died in motor vehicle crashes in 2008 decreased 10 percent from the previous year, according to reports recently released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

In 2008, 37,261 people were killed and 2.3 million people were injured in traffic crashes. Among other findings:

• 2,739 drivers 15-20 years old were killed and an additional 228,000 were injured in motor vehicle crashes.
• Alcohol-impaired driving fatalities fell to 11,773.
• 1 out of every 9 traffic fatalities resulted from collisions involving a large truck.
• Older adults accounted for 14 percent of all traffic fatalities and 18 percent of all pedestrian fatalities.

Seventy-seven bus and truck drivers could face civil penalties and more than 80 carriers face enforcement action as a result of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's first-ever alcohol and drug strike force.

According to a press release, FMCSA safety investigators reviewed drug and alcohol safety records collected Sept. 8-18 among commercial drivers employed by bus companies, interstate passenger carriers, hazardous material transporters and general freight long-haul trucking companies.

The strike force's goal was to identify motor carriers in violation of federal drug and alcohol testing requirements and to remove from the road commercial truck and bus drivers who jump from carrier to carrier to evade testing requirements.

In related news, due to a number of inquiries, the Department of Transportation issued a notice Oct. 22 stating the Department of Justice's guidelines for federal prosecutors in states that have enacted laws authorizing use of "medical marijuana" have no bearing on DOT's regulated drug testing program. DOT's Drug and Alcohol Testing regulation does not authorize "medical marijuana" under a state law to be a valid medical explanation for a transportation employee's positive drug test result.

Motorcyclists who wear helmets are less likely to experience facial and head injuries than riders who do not wear helmets, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report released Oct. 27.

As part of the study (.pdf file), researchers examined data from its Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System on 104,472 motorcyclists and 93,527 motorcycles involved in 89,086 crashes in 18 states between 2003 and 2005. Findings showed helmeted motorcyclists were significantly less likely to experience a traumatic brain injury. Additional findings showed:

• More than two-thirds of motorcycle crashes occurred between noon and 8:59 p.m.
• Motorcycle crashes were more likely to occur in summer months.
• 68 percent of crashes occurred in an urban area; 38 percent occurred at intersections.

Researchers noted that CODES data does not identify whether the individual motorcycle helmets in fatal crashes complied with Department of Transportation regulations.

In an effort to establish a formal process for sharing agency data, best practices and strategies, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood on Oct. 26 convened the first meeting of a newly formed Department of Transportation Safety Council.

The goals of the council are to further enhance the safety focus in all 10 DOT agencies and improve the impact of safety programs, LaHood said. The council also would help break down what LaHood called "organizational stovepipes" and would enable a stronger safety culture.

The council, made up of the heads of the 10 agencies, will be chaired by DOT Deputy Secretary John D. Porcari.

Vehicle booster seats – both backless and high-back – significantly reduce the risk of children being injured in a motor vehicle crash, a study from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's Center for Injury Research and Prevention has found.

As part of the study, researchers reviewed the files of more than 7,000 children ages 4-8 involved in vehicle crashes between 1998 and 2007. Data showed children in booster seats were 45 percent less likely to be injured in a crash than children who used seat belts alone. The greatest injury reduction was seen in side-impact crashes, researchers found.

Researchers noted that since 2002, booster seat use among children ages 6-8 has tripled, likely due to the passage of many state laws requiring its use. Today, 47 states have booster seat laws, with 25 states and the District of Columbia requiring use up to age 8. Florida, Arizona and South Dakota are the only states that do not legally require child booster seats. 

The study was published in the November issue of the journal Pediatrics.

Although loading up on hand sanitizer to keep the flu at bay may seem like a safe thing to do, the American Association of Poison Control Centers warns that improper use can be dangerous.

Hand sanitizers can be an effective tool in combating germs, but the ethanol-based sanitizers also can be toxic if ingested, Alexandria, VA-based AAPCC cautions. As the use of hand sanitizers has increased in recent years, so too has the number of calls to poison control centers concerning the substance. In 2006, 11,914 calls were made about ethanol-based sanitizers, 9,607 of the cases involving children younger than 6.

However, AAPCC notes that none of the cases resulted in death and stresses hand sanitizers are effective when used properly. The agency recommends children use hand sanitizers under parental supervision and that parents talk to their children about how to use them safely.

The safety of Chinese-made drywall was the main focus of the Third Biennial United States-China Consumer Product Safety Summit, held earlier this week in Wuxi, China, and Beijing.

Although the safety of toys, fireworks and all-terrain vehicles was discussed, the main focus was on imported Chinese drywall that is believed to cause a chemical reaction that releases a rotten egg-like smell and impacts consumers' health. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has received about 1,311 complaints from 26 states and the District of Columbia about health problems related to the drywall, such as persistent coughing, itchy eyes, bloody noses and difficulty breathing, according to Chairman Inez Tenenbaum. Complaints also indicated the drywall caused the corrosion of metal components in homes, such as electrical wiring, plumbing and fixtures. Many state and local health departments – mostly along the Gulf Coast – received additional complaints, Tenenbaum noted in her keynote address at the summit.

CPSC officials, working with China's Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine, said they expect results from drywall testing next week.

Halloween is a fun time for children, but it can be a dangerous time as well. To prevent injuries, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons in Rosemont, IL, offers safety tips for common Halloween activities.

Pumpkin carving:

• Never allow children to carve pumpkins.
• Use specially designed knives rather than kitchen knives, and be sure the handle is dry.
• If the hand is cut, apply pressure with a clean cloth and elevate above the heart. If bleeding does not stop after 15 minutes, or if there is any numbness or loss of movement in the hand, seek medical treatment.

Dressing up:

• Ensure costumes are light, bright and trimmed with reflective tape.
• Costumes should be flame-resistant and short enough to eliminate tripping hazards.
• Consider makeup rather than masks, as many masks and hats can impair vision.

Trick or treating:

• Children should only trick-or-treat with adults in familiar neighborhoods.
• Carry flashlights and only approach homes that are well-lit.

Schneider Electric is the recipient of the National Safety Council's 2009 Robert W. Campbell Award. This international award honors organizations that achieve excellence by integrating environmental, health and safety management into their business operating systems. The award fosters the sharing of EHS management systems and best practices for educational purposes worldwide.

The 2009 Distinguished Service to Safety Award winners were announced Oct. 25 at the National Safety Council's 2009 Congress & Expo. DSSA is NSC's most prestigious award, bestowed on individuals in recognition of exemplary efforts and success in improving safety and health at work, on the road, and in the home and community.

Based on user feedback, the National Safety Council staff has been working hard creating a new Website. It is scheduled to go live Nov. 2. Visitors will find more user-friendly navigation, better search functions and more content. NSC members will no longer have a separate Website; instead, member-exclusive content – including posters, checklists, Webinars and tip sheets – will be available on the nsc.org site after members log in. Don't know your Member ID? Call (800) 621-7619.

As a member of the National Safety Council, a variety of volunteer opportunities (.pdf file) are available to you that allow you to interact with other safety leaders, including sharing ideas, experiences and lessons learned, as well as taking a leadership role in educating the public on critical safety issues. Join a Division, help your local chapter or serve as a Safety Ambassador. Fill out the Volunteer Information Request form (MS Word doc) and find an opportunity that meets your interests and time availability.