According to the U.S. Department of Labor, janitorial cleaning falls into the top five most hazardous occupations for teenage workers. Facilities that hire young workers for part-time or temporary help might find the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) “Workplace Safety Guide for New Workers” brochure helpful in preparing teenage workers for cleaning jobs.

For more information click on link above, go to ASSE news, date: 05/02/2003 American Society of Safety Engineers Offers Workplace Safety Tips for Teen Workers

OSHA UPDATES
OSHA Provides Model for Anthrax Cleanup
Managers involved in bioterrorism and disaster planning should check out the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) new model plan for cleaning anthrax-contaminated facilities.

The model Health & Safety Plan (HASP) provides language that is acceptable to OSHA in meeting the requirements of OSHA’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Standard, which requires a site-specific safety and health plan for clean-up operations.

Qualified health and safety professionals can use the model to create a site-specific health and safety plan for cleanup of anthrax spores.

Some of the HASP chapters include: organizational structure; site characterization and job hazard analysis; site control; training; personal protective equipment; exposure monitoring; spill containment; decontamination; standard operating procedures; and emergency response.

OSHA Receives Game Plan on How to Reduce MSD Injuries
The National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics (NACE) recently gave the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) its first set of work plans designed to assist the agency in its goal of reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the workplace.

The work group studies factors that OSHA should consider in determining which guidelines should be developed for which industries. Factors include injury/illness rates, population, industry stakeholders and successful program models.

The U.S. Secretary of Labor formed the work group to help OSHA with outreach and assistance. The group has begun reviewing current OSHA outreach efforts and will review the agency’s Web site — www.osha.gov. The group also will come up with industries and organizations that can share ergonomic best practices with the agency.

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POSTED ON: 6/1/2003