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BREAKING NEWSAs part of this year's DOI Safety and Health Week, the Main and South Interior Building’s "Safest Bureau" office inspection contest was held with offices from BIA, BOR, BLM, FWS, MMS, NPS, OSM, and USGS participating. Each submitted an "office," consisting of five to eight work stations for the competition. During the course of inspections, offices were allowed and encouraged to abate any safety hazards that were found. The competition included employee awareness about ergonomics, emergency readiness, and fire safety issues. This year’s winner, Office of Surface Mining received the Heinrich Pyramid Trophy at their annual safety staff meeting. Each year, the office that wins the DOI Safest Bureau contest will earn the right to keep and display this trophy, the "Heinrich Pyramid," for one year. This award is named after Herbert William Heinrich, the American safety pioneer who developed the "accident pyramid" model back in the 1930s. After analyzing over 500,000 occupational accidents, Heinrich found that there is a constant ratio between fatal, light, and near accidents that follows a ratio of 1:29:300. In the late 1960s, Frank Bird Jr. confirmed this ratio after studying 1.7 million accidents. He found a ratio of 1:10:30:600 for fatalities-serious accidents- accidents-incidents. This accident pyramid model has been useful in predicting and reducing the number of serious accidents a company will have, by looking at how many light accidents and near-misses they have. The Heinrich Pyramid is the ideal shape for this contest's trophy, as it serves as a reminder to all of everyone that they can reduce the number of serious accidents by making sure the everyday work environments are as safe as possible. What did your bureau or office do for Safety Week? Welcome to SafetyNetThe Department of the Interior’s Occupational Health and Safety Program supports the Department’s Mission to protect and provide access to our Nation's natural and cultural heritage by:
IN FOCUSPresidential Safety, Health and Return to Employment SCORECARD - First and Second Quarter, FY 2009Total Case rate: Reduce the total number of injury and illness cases reported to the Office of Workers’ Compensation programs (OWCP) by 3%. Lost Time Case Rate: Reduce the number of injury and illness cases where employees missed work reported to the Office of Workers’ Compensation programs (OWCP) by 3%. Timeliness: Improve timeliness of filing workers’ compensation claims by 5%. Lost Production Days: Reduce the rate of lost production days (days away from work due to work related injuries or illnesses) by 1%. ANNOUNCEMENTSTraining - ASSE Revises the ANSI/ASSE Z490.1-2009 Standard On Safety TrainingThe American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) recently announced the approval and availability of the newly revised American National Standard ANSI/ASSE Z490.1-2009 "Criteria for Accepted Practices in Safety, Health, and Environmental Training." The standard calls for qualified training to ensure that workers and safety, health, and environmental professionals have the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to protect themselves and others in the workplace. The standard applies to a broad range of training and specifies how to adequately design, develop, deliver and evaluate training. To purchase a copy of the American National Standard for Four Wheel All-Terrain Vehicles - Equipment, Configuration, and Performance Requirements (ANSI/SVIA 1 - 2007) please call (949) 727-3727, ext 3023 or click here. Available in hard copy for $60.00 USD. ATV StandardIn 1985, the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America began development of a standard that established the requirements for equipment, configuration, and performance of four-wheel all-terrain vehicles in the United States. In 1990, the ANSI approved the first standard for all-terrain vehicles: ANSI/SVIA 1-2007. In 2001, the standard was revised to modify certain definitional language and add several provisions to enhance and clarify the standard. In 2007, the standard was updated to include definitions for Type I and Type II ATVs; new Y-10+ and T category ATVs; requirements of Type II ATV passenger handholds and footrests; new requirements for labels, owner’s manuals, hang tags; and a compliance certification label. Copies of the standard are available through the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America. OSHA seeking nominations for National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and HealthThe U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced in the June 11, 2009, Federal Register that nominations are being accepted for persons to serve on the 12-member National Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health. Nominations will be accepted for representatives in the following categories: public, management, labor, occupational safety and occupational health. Members will serve a two-year term. |
