Top Safety News for December 2019 - Workplace injuries steady - except in private retail - Crane operator certification requirements change Jan 1 - Firefighter workplace deaths steady, but hazardous exposures rise - Beware workplace carbon monoxide dangers - What's new at ComplianceSigns: Emotional support animal signs - and more

1. Visit: ComplianceSigns.com | Connection Blog | Subscription Page | View in Your Browser
Top Safety News for Dave, December 2019
Workplace injuries steady - except in private retail
Crane operator certification requirements change Jan 1
Firefighter workplace deaths steady, but hazardous exposures rise
Beware workplace carbon monoxide dangers
What's new at ComplianceSigns: Holiday hours; Emotional support animal signs
Private Retail Sees Increased Workplace Injuries
and Illnesses in 2018 - Others Steady
There were 2.8 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported
by private industry employers in 2018. The overall numbers and incidence
rate are unchanged from 2017, except in private retail, which reported
increases in both the number and rate of injury and illness cases. This is
the first year since 2012 that the TRC rate did not decline.
Learn more.
Medical Requirement for Crane Operator
Certification Ends Jan. 1
The National Commission for the Certification of Crane Operators will
remove the requirement for a physical (medical) evaluation for candidates
for its crane operator certification exams. This is due in part to new OSHA
regulations. The change is effective January 1, 2020.
Learn more.
What's New at ComplianceSigns:
Happy Holidays! We wish you the best this holiday season.
ComplianceSigns will be closed on December 24 and 25, and again on
January 1 so we can enjoy time with family and friends. We hope you can
do the same, and we wish you a safe and happy 2020!
Emotional Support Animal Signs - Trained service animals receive ADA
protection and are allowed in most facilities. But emotional support
animals and pets can raise questions. Our emotional support and
companion animal signs will make your animal policies clear. Available in
six sizes as signs or labels to meet your needs.
U.S. Firefighter Deaths and Injuries Steady in 2018
In 2018, 64 firefighters died while on duty in the US, continuing a five-year
trend of fewer than 70 deaths per year. A recent NFPA report shows a
slight decrease in on-duty injuries that year, as well. However, exposures
to hazardous conditions such as asbestos, radioactive materials,
chemicals and fumes are on the increase.
Learn more.
2020 Labor Law Posters For Your State
Across the U.S., most employers are required to display state and federal
labor / employment notices in a conspicuous location. Most states update
posters annually. You can now order 2020 labor posters from the source
you trust for safety signs: ComplianceSigns.com. Just four states have not
yet updated their posters: Colorado, Connecticut, New Mexico and New
York.
Select an updated labor poster for your state.
Subscribe Past Issues RSSTranslate
12/23/2019, 9:18 AM

2. Here's a collection of safety news from around the web:
Illinois Updates Restroom Gender Signage Rule
Effective January 1 for all places of public access, "each single-occupancy restroom shall be outfitted with exterior
signage that marks the single-occupancy restroom as a restroom and does not indicate any specific gender (rather
than exterior signage indicating "all-gender" or "gender-neutral")." These provisions apply to any existing or future
places of public accommodation or public buildings. Read the amendment.
OSHA Issues Temporary Enforcement Policy for Certifications from CIC
Until further notice, OSHA will not accept crane operator certifications or re-certifications from Crane Institute
Certification (CIC) issued on or after December 2, 2019. OSHA requires crane operators engaged in construction
activity to be certified by an entity accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency. CIC no longer holds
such accreditation. Although CIC-issued certifications are not compliant with OSHA’s operator certification
requirement, OSHA does not intend to cite employers for operating equipment that violates that requirement if their
operators obtained CIC-issued certifications prior to December 2, 2019. Learn more.
NIOSH Study Identifies Health Issues Among Patient Care Aides
Workers who provide basic care to patients in a variety of healthcare settings may need care themselves. A new
study from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that patient care aides have
limited access to healthcare and high prevalence of some adverse health outcomes. Compared to clerical workers,
patient care aides had lower levels of healthcare access and were more likely to have conditions that contribute to
health issues. Read more.
The CDC Shares Important Information on Workplace Bathroom Breaks
Federal standards “require employers to make toilet facilities available so that employees can use them when they
need to. The employer may not impose unreasonable restrictions on employee use of the facilities.” Despite these
protections, many workers say they cannot use the bathroom when they need to. This increases the risk for a
variety of health problems, as well as worker discontent. Teachers, nurses, poultry processors, bus operators and
taxi drivers commonly report too-few opportunities to use a restroom. Read more at the NIOSH Science Blog.
OSHA Conducts Record Number of Inspections in 2019
Federal OSHA conducted 33,401 inspections in fiscal year 2019 - more than the previous three years. Additionally,
OSHA's free On-Site Consultation Program identified 137,885 workplace hazards and protected an estimated 3.2
million workers from potential harm. Learn more.
Upcoming Safety Webinars Presented by OH&S
Jan. 9 - How to Comply with OSHA's Recordkeeping Requirements
Jan. 23 - The Role of the Health and Safety Professional in an Oil Gas Pipeline Release
Jan. 30 - 7 Electrical Safety Mistakes
Learn more or sign up.
Safety Tip:
Beware Workplace Carbon Monoxide Dangers
Every year hundreds of workers experience carbon monoxide poisoning,
especially during the winter months with closed buildings and increased
use of furnaces, space heaters and generators. Fuel-burning tools also
add to the risk. But you can take steps to help stop workplace carbon
monoxide dangers. Start with these tips from the Canadian Centre for
Occupational Health and Safety.
Learn more.
SDS-Based Chemical Sign Selector Makes It Easy
to Find the Signs You Need
Chemicals commonly found in many workplaces require a variety of signs
or labels to identify their potential hazards. But defining which signs to use
for each chemical is a challenge. Safety Data Sheets are the best source
for details on safe chemical use, so we analyzed sheets for the most
common industrial chemicals to develop our easy-to-use chemical sign
selector tool.
Using this new tool, you simply enter a chemical name, CAS number or
UN number to quickly view a unique ComplianceSigns Chemical Safety
Collection of relevant signs for that chemical. Sign and label choices
include PPE, GHS, Hazmat, NFPA, DOT and more. You can even access
a free SDS for each chemical. Now you can find appropriate signs in
seconds, including dozens of GHS and ISO-format chemical PPE safety
signs we added as a result of our research.
Give it a try.
Top Safety Articles Last Month
These were the most popular items in the last Connection:
Make a holiday driving survival kit.
OSHA guide explains use of leading indicators to improve safety (pdf).
How to protect your workplace from the flu.
Free inspection checklists from CCOHS.
Wearable tech for improved construction site safety.
Subscribe Past Issues RSSTranslate
12/23/2019, 9:18 AM

3. ComplianceSigns CONNECTION
Dave Anderson, Editor
Edit your subscription profile. Unsubscribe.
To help ensure delivery, please add Connection@ComplianceSigns.com to your
email address book.
Copyright © 2019 ComplianceSigns.com, All rights reserved.
Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list
Subscribe Past Issues RSSTranslate
12/23/2019, 9:18 AM