December 2015 IVES Update Newsletter

Thanks for joining us! In this edition we'll be covering the following topics:

• IVES' 35th Anniversary Promotions for 2016!
• Ask Bob: Our tech guru addresses questions on inch pedals.
• OSHA fines are set to increase next year.
• Last chance to register!
• What's Wrong With This? Photo and answer.
• A selection of interesting articles.
• Incident reports.
• What's your Trainer IQ?
• New testimonials from our clients.

But first, check out all the places we are delivering training this month...

Ask Bob

Q: What is the "Inch" inspection under "Braking" on the counterbalance inspection check list?

A: It refers to the "inching pedal". This is the pedal that works as a brake and also is used kind of like a clutch pedal. It is found on many internal combustion forklifts on the far left side. Typically, there is a throttle pedal and next to it is the service brake pedal, then to the far left is the inching pedal. When you push it down until it stops it applies the brake and puts the transmission in neutral which allows you to run your RPMs high so that you can run your hydraulics fast and not move the machine.

OSHA Fines Set to Increase Next Year

Increased fines from the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration for workplace-safety violations have some business owners concerned and proponents applauding the new regulations.

The hike in penalties — the first of its kind since 1990 — escalates fines to reflect the present inflation rate and will result in about an 80 percent increase from current levels, according to published reports. After a one-time “catch-up adjustment,” the fines will continue to keep pace with the rate of inflation.

The fines are meant to curb the number of workplace injuries, said David Michaels, assistant secretary for OSHA. During congressional testimony in October, Michaels cited workplace-safety accidents such as Sarah Jones — a 27-year-old camera assistant who died after being struck by a train on the set of the film “Midnight Rider” in 2014 — as an example of how harsher OSHA penalties could help eliminate one of the 4 million workplace injuries and fatalities reported this past year. According to his testimony about Jones, “the company had been denied authorization to film on live railroad tracks, but decided to do so anyway.”

Supporters also point out that OSHA fines are inconsequential to business compared to other regulatory agencies. But not everyone is convinced.

Some believe increased penalties will be unfair to small businesses and burdensome to employers and could harm unsteady markets. “OSHA’s current penalty system is punitive enough,” said Jon Hyman, a Workforce columnist and blogger and a partner in the labor & employment practice at Cleveland-based law firm Meyers, Roman, Friedberg & Lewis. “The new higher penalties will not add any extra deterrence to workplace safety violations.”

The increase will take effect Aug. 1, 2016, and the exact percentage increase will not be known until the most recent consumer price index numbers are released on Nov. 17.

Source: Workforce

Holiday Shipping Notice

Make sure to plan ahead for holiday season shipping! Remember, bad weather conditions and holidays can lead to a delay in delivery.

Download the UPS Holiday Schedule or the Purolator Holiday Schedule.

Also, please note that our offices will be closed:

• Friday, December 25
• Friday, January 1

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season!

Last Chance Programs

There are lots of programs to choose from, but seats are limited!

What's Wrong With This?

Do you know what's going wrong in this photo? Share your comments here!

Answers to Last Month's WWWT

Last month we shared this photo and asked if you knew what was wrong...

Clearly this telehandler forklift is not the right piece of equipment for the job as it doesn't have the capacity to lift the load without its back end coming up. Using the skid steer loader to hold down the back of the machine is not only prohibited but could easily fail and end in disaster. Remember to always use the right equipment for the job. If you don't know what that is, ask your supervisor! Have a photo you'd like to share? Send it to us!

Interesting Articles

• Can deaf worker safely drive forklift? Court weighs in... more
• Surviving the OSHA inspection... more
• Farm accident kills boy, 10, while driving forklift... more
• Company fined for failing to properly attach platform to forklift... more
• Boomlift plunges through sidewalk... more
• Worker trapped under forklift suffers serious injuries to legs... more
• Man killed in forklift accident... more
• Worker run over by forklift airlifted to hospital... more
• Two workers killed when backhoe struck power line... more
• Forklift tips over, man severely injured... more

Incident Reports

OSHA Fines Construction Company

A construction company was cited twice this week and fined $61,600 by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The company was fined by OSHA based on two citations issued Oct. 28, 2015.

According to the first citation, the company failed to properly attach a forklift platform to the forks of a forklift. In the second citation, employees were exposed to fall hazards while working from the forklift platform and on a roof.

This is the company’s third incident regarding fall hazards since 2013, according to the news release. The recent investigation was prompted by an OSHA compliance officer who observed Sept. 15 that the company's employees were exposed to fall hazards up to 26 feet.

The company was added to OSHA’s severe violator enforcement program, and it has 15 days to contest the fine.

“Since 2013, this is the third worksite in Temple where OSHA found [the company's] employees exposed to serious fall hazards. Despite previous citations, this company continues to disregard the safety standards in place to protect workers from falls, which are the leading cause of death in the construction industry,” said Kevin Kilp, OSHA's area director in Harrisburg.

Source: OSHA Today

OSHA Probes Workplace Deaths of 2 Men

The deaths of two workers killed last month in Wilmington when a backhoe struck a power line are being investigated by the N.C. Occupational Safety and Health Division.

The two workers were unloading concrete vaults from a truck with a backhoe on Sept. 28 when the construction vehicle’s boom hit a power line. Electricity coursed through the backhoe and through the wet ground the men were standing on.

Neil O’Briant, spokesman for the N.C. Department of Labor, said investigations typically take about three to four months, but can go as long as six. According to the division, any worker death, hospitalization, amputation or loss of an eye will trigger an investigation.

The investigation will focus on “the events surrounding the accident unless observations at the site indicate a broader investigation is needed,” according to the division. Investigators will try to determine the cause of the accident and whether a violation to safety and health standards was related to the accident.

Source: OSHA Today

What's Your Trainer IQ?

Time to test your knowledge! Choose the best answer to the following question:

1. The fact that anything you find at a worksite that could hurt someone has to be made safe is covered under:

a) Regulatory "general duty" wording.

b) The Employment Standards Act.

c) Rules developed by site safety committee members and management representatives.

d) The manufacturer's instructions.

Stay tuned, we'll share the correct answer in next month's newsletter.

Client Testimonials

"Fantastic program. Very informative and full of tips and techniques I will use in and outside of training on aerial equipment." Joseph, PSAV Presentation Services.

"Any company that owns or uses industrial equipment should use this program." Nathan, Suterra LLC (Wonderful Company).

"I like how comprehensive the program is. Especially liked the lessons on teaching the trainers speaking and lesson plans. I found this invaluable. Most programs only teach theory, but yours teaches delivery as well. Thank you!" Alan, JE Kingham Construction.

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