Current Departmental Issues in Occupational Safety and Health

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Current Departmental Issues in Occupational
Safety and Health

• AFGE Conference
• By Frank Denny
• Program Manager, Occupational Safety and Health

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www.va.gov/vasafety vaww.va.gov/vasafety
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Workers Compensation Data

• A Lagging Indicator
• Number of new cases declined for the last two
  years.
• Number of accumulating cases declined last year.

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Violence in the Workplace
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Violence in the Workplace

• Part II Case Studies
• Introduction
• Basic Concepts
• How to Use the Case Studies
• Case Study 1 - A Shooting
• Case Study 2 -Viciously Beating and Wounding a
  Coworker
• Case Study 3 -A Suicide Attempt
• Case Study 4 -Stalking
• Case Study 5 -A Domestic Violence Situation
• Case Study 6 -A Threat
• Case Study 7 -Veiled Threats
• Case Study 8 -A Threat
• Case Study 9 -A Threat Made During an EAP
  Counseling Session
• Case Study 10 -Threats Made By an Ex-Employee
• Case Study 11 -Threats From Non-Employees
• Case Study 12 -Intimidation
• Case Study 13 -Intimidation
• Case Study 14 -Frightening Behavior
• Case Study 15 -Frightening Behavior

Dealing with Workplace Violencea Guide for
Agency Planners
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Violence in the Workplace Historical Note
On July 2, 1881, President James A. Garfield was
shot by a disgruntled campaign worker (Charles
Julius Guiteau) seeking Federal employment.
President Garfield died September 19, 1881, as a
result of injuries.
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Safety and Terrorism - EM and Respiratory
Protection
cooling
Respiratory Protection
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Respiratory Protection

• Respirator Selection
• Unknown Agent or Concentration
• Air purifying respirators
• Atmosphere-supplying respirators
• Non-NIOSH Approved Respirators
• Respirators Cleared for Health Care Use
• Filtering Biological Agents
• Re-aerosolization of Biological Agents
• Repeated Use of Respirators
• Training
• Fit-Testing

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Ergonomics Policy
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(No Transcript)
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Needlesticks
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Other OSH Issues
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News Articles
Philadelphia Inquirer - April 16, 2003 
Hearing loss in the elderly is easily treated but
often under diagnosed by doctors who in some
cases wrongly consider it an inevitable part of
aging, a study found.  Dr. Bevan Yueh, an ear
specialist with a Seattle-area Veterans Affairs
center and the University of Washington.
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Tuberculosis

• OSHA
• May 27, 2003 FR
• 29 CFR 1910.139
• 29 CFR 1910.134
• FDA

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Biologicals

• Mold
• OSHA, EPA, NIOSH
• SARS
• EO/Reg. - apprehension and detention.
• Respiratory Protection
• West Nile and Tick

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A Leading Indicator
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Educational MaterialsA Leading Indicator
Streamed Video
Slides and Packages
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Educational MaterialsA Leading Indicator
1910.1030(d)(3)(iii) Accessibility. The employer
shall ensure that appropriate personal protective
equipment in the appropriate sizes is readily
accessible at the worksite or is issued to
employees. Hypoallergenic gloves, glove liners,
powderless gloves, or other similar alternatives
shall be readily accessible to those employees
who are allergic to the gloves normally provided.
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Educational MaterialsA Leading Indicator
Methods for soliciting employee input may include
involvement in informal problem-solving groups
participation in safety audits, worksite
inspections, or exposure incident investigations
participation in analysis of exposure incident
data or in job or process hazard analysis
participation in the evaluation of devices
through pilot testing and involvement in a
safety and health committee properly constituted
and operated in conformance with the National
Labor Relations Act. 
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DASHO Calls - Quarterly A Leading Indicator
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DASHO Calls October 2003A Leading Indicator
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DASHO Calls - October 2003A Lagging Indicator
Frequently violated standards From
OSHA   1910.1030(d)(2) (Engineering and work
practice controls) cited six times five as
serious violation and once as repeated   1910.1030
(d)(4) - (Housekeeping ) -- cited five times
four as serious violation and once as willful.
One time related to complaint.    1910.305 (g)(1)
(Use of flexible cords and cables.) Cited five
times two as serious one as repeated and two
times as other-than-serious.   1910.101(b) -
(Compressed gases." The in-plant handling,
storage, and utilization of all compressed gases
in cylinders, portable tanks, rail tankcars, or
motor vehicle cargo tanks shall be in accordance
with Compressed Gas Association Pamphlet
P-1-1965, which is incorporated by reference as
specified in Sec. 1910.6). cited four times all
as serious violations. 1910.151( c) - (Where
the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to
injurious corrosive materials, suitable
facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the
eyes and body shall be provided within the work
area for immediate emergency use). Cited four
times two as serious one as repeated and one as
other-than-serious.
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Driving

• FY 2003
• Drive of Vehicle
• 81 Accumulated
• 66 New Cases
• Passenger
• 20 Accumulated
• 19 New Cases

DWY Driving While Yakking
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OSHA - Establishment Search
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OSHA - Establishment Search
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OSHA - Establishment Search
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OSHA - Establishment Search
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Questions