Summer 2007

 

 

NEWSLETTER

 

 

State Fund Rolls Out “Heat Illness Prevention for Outdoor Work” Seminars

SAN FRANCISCO – Last June, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board approved new heat illness prevention regulations in response to heat-related deaths in the state. To make employers and supervisors fully aware of the new standards, the State Compensation Insurance Fund is partnering with Cal/OSHA Consultation Service to present “Heat Illness Prevention for Outdoor Work” seminars. Seminars will be held throughout the state in both Spanish and English.

In 2006, Cal/OSHA investigated a number of cases of heat-related illness in California including fatalities and hospitalization of workers. Cal/OSHA created the new standard – Heat Illness Prevention Regulation §3395 – with requirements that employers must follow to protect their employees from heat exposure hazards.

Seminars are free and open to the public and will feature speakers from the State Compensation Insurance Fund Loss Control Department and Cal/OSHA Consultation Service.

Attendees will learn how Heat Illness Prevention applies to their employees and how they can meet the Cal/OSHA standard by updating and implementing their Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) to reflect the new requirements. Every seminar will include a presentation on Heat Illness Prevention and the importance of having an effective IIPP.

At the seminars attendees will learn how to:

·               Understand and comply with California's Heat Illness Prevention regulation

·               Update their IIPP with the Heat Illness Prevention requirements:

o         Identify and evaluate heat exposure hazards and other risk factors

o         Provide remedies like water, shade and rest breaks to mitigate heat hazards

o         Implement an emergency action response plan

o         Train employees to recognize heat illness

·               Obtain the information and tools to create an effective IIPP, if one is not already in place

 

“Summer heat is potentially deadly even if an employee is working outdoors for only a short period of time,” said State Fund’s Safety and Health Services Manager Lauren Mayfield. “Even if employers already have an Injury and Illness Prevention Program in place, it’s essential to meet the state’s new requirement, and to train supervisors and employees how to prevent heat exposure and heat-related illness.”

Seminars are scheduled for multiple dates, times, and location.  Please go to www.scif.com

 

 

Watch Your Back - State Fund's Back Connection

** Please note: These seminars are only available for current State Fund policyholders.

What are you looking for?

• Reducing the risk of back injuries?
• Increasing productivity?
• A positive return on investment?

Back injury prevention has always been a dif­ficult process for business owners to address. The costs to the business are large, from loss of key employees and decreased productivity to an increase in the cost of doing business. State Fund has developed a product designed to help both large and small employers reduce back injuries.

State Fund’s Back Connection™ is an innovative and interactive process which is completely different from any other back injury prevention ‘program’ you have ever seen. Simply stated, it is a process that involves the very people you are trying to protect – your employees. Employees are the key to back injury prevention. Who else knows how to identify the risks in a job better than the people that do that job day in and day out? By use of an interactive process called the ‘Card Sort’, employees easily and accurately identify the risks they face. Once these risks are identified, solutions can be developed and implemented.

State Fund’s Back Connection™ is a DVD that is both educational and easy to use. You are guided through the process by a variety of tools that provide all the resources you need to develop an effective back injury prevention process. You customize the process to fit your business. As a business owner, you have asked for a way to easily integrate injury prevention into the way you do business. We hear you! In this workshop, you will learn how to do just that and take away valuable information you can use immediately. We look forward to working with you!

Who should attend?

State Fund’s Back Connection™ is a unique process for any employer willing to commit to making a difference in reducing the risk of back injuries at their worksite. Who would benefit from this workshop?

• Business Owners
• Frontline Managers and Supervisors
• Safety Managers
• Maintenance Supervisors
• Chief Financial Officers
• Anyone in the organization responsible for employee safety

For dates, locations and time, please go to www.scif.com

 

UV Radiation

Many workers say that worrying about their skin doesn’t rank very high on their list of priorities; but workers are at great risk of developing skin cancer as a result of overexposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR).

Working around reflective or hot surfaces and equipment compounds the danger of overexposure to the sun.  The most dangerous time of day is between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. when the sun’s rays are strongest.  If you must be outdoors during these hours, follow these suggestions:

·               Use a sunscreen, not just any kind, but one with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least 15.  The American Cancer Society recommends applying sunscreen to all body surfaces not covered with hair, a hat or clothing, about 20 minutes before going outside.  If you perspire heavily or work around the water, use a waterproof sunscreen reapplied periodically.

·               Cover exposed areas, Sweltering temperatures can lure you into unsafe sun behavior.  Many workers complain, “It’s too hot to wear pants and long sleeved shirts” so they choose shorts, tank tops or go shirtless.  The body of the less dressed becomes a target for the burning sun.  To help prevent burning, wear lightweight, tightly woven but opaque clothing.

·               A wide-brimmed safety hat should be worn to protect your head and face from direct sunlight.  It should protect ear tips, neck, temples, and lower face.  A bandana worn around the neck provides further protection.

·               Wear sunglasses.  UVR damage to the eyes is often overlooked by outdoor workers, yet eyes are six times more sensitive than skin to ultraviolet radiation.  Sunglasses or other protective eyewear is a must.  Ultraviolet light increases the risk of cataracts and photokeratitis ( inflammation of the cornea).  Make sure you wear sunglasses that block out UVR rays.  This type of protection is particularly important if working around water. 

Even on cloudy days, outdoor workers are at risk of overexposure from the sun’s ultraviolet rays.  Clouds, wind or other weather conditions, and shiny or reflective surfaces like water or metal intensify the sun’s ability to burn the skin.  By paying attention to the day’s sun forecast and taking the appropriate precautions, you can stay safe while working under the sun.

 

Young Workers Safety Information

If you employ young workers, you have an important role in preparing the next generation of workers. We know you take that responsibility seriously. That is why we have developed this section to assist you in training young workers to do their job safely.

In a typical year in the United States, 200,000 young workers are injured on the job, and 70 die from work related injuries.

State Fund is committed to lowering work related injuries and illnesses among young workers, and participates as a member of the California Partnership for Young Workers Health and Safety, a coalition of agencies, labor organizations, teachers, and other professionals devoted to reducing youth work related accidents. In partnership with you, State Fund is working to help keep young people safe, healthy, and able to work for years to come.

For more specific information about age, hours and additional information please go to:

www.scif.com

Required Employer Responsibilities

California law requires that:

“Every employer…shall post and keep posted in a conspicuous location frequented by employees and where (it) may be easily read by employees during the hours of the workday, a notice which shall state the name of (the) current compensation insurance carrier…”

The notice must also contain information regarding employee rights and responsibilities and must”…be posted in both English and Spanish where there are Spanish-speaking employees.”

Additionally, the law requires employers to provide a form on which employees may indicate the name of their personal physician or personal chiropractor.  The form must be provided to new hires either at the time the employee is hired or by the end of the first pay period.

If you would like free copies, in English or Spanish, of the required posting notice, the brochure explaining an employee’s workers’ compensation rights or the physician predesignation form, call State Fund’s toll-free customer service number at 1-877-405-4545.

Reporting Work-Related Injuries

State Fund’s Claims Reporting Center (1-888-222-3211) is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for policyholders to report injuries as soon as they occur.  Agents will do the necessary paperwork to get the claim started and refer the injured to the designated physician or provider.

Within 8 hours of any serious illness or injury (requiring hospitalization over 24 hours, other than for medical observation or where there is permanent employee disfiguration) or death occurring in the workplace or in connection with employment, employers must report the incident to the Division of Occupational Safety and Health.

* Some or all articles were reprinted by permission from State Compensation Insurance Fund.