Tag Archives: Safety

March 2 is Right Around the Corner

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Beginning in 2019 employers that are required to electronically file their OSHA 300A form data will have to do so by March 2. OSHA had been phasing in the electronic rule and has recently finalized an updated rule affirming the March 2 date.

Employers with 20 or more employees (at any point in the calendar year) and in certain industries (agriculture is on the list) are required to send in OSHA 300A log summary data each year by March 2 of the following year. So what this means is that cotton gins that had 20 or more employees must send in their OSHA 300A log summary information to OSHA for calendar year 2018 by March 2, 2019.

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HazCom Deadline Approaches

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We have discussed the new Hazard Communication standard and how to implement the program in past articles. The process started back in 2013 with the first deadline for training on the new SDS and label formats. The next deadline was June 2015, which required all manufacturers and distributors to begin using the updated label and SDS format. The final deadline is coming up on June 1st 2016.

This final deadline requires implementation of workplace labeling and provide additional training for newly identified hazards. The new Hazard Communication(HazCom12) program requires the use of an updated labeling system that includes: name, address and Continue reading →

Cost of Alcohol and Drug Use by Employees

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ALCOHOL AND DRUG  STATISTICS

Chris E. Marsh, M.Ed.

Workers using drugs or abusing alcohol file 38-50% of all workers’ compensation claims, report to work late 3 times more often than nonusers.  In companies that offer benefits to employees, such as health insurance, these users consume 3 times more benefits than abstainers or very minor alcohol users.  This group of employees statistically misses work completely than non-problem users and are 3.5 times more likely to be involved in an accident.

Drug free zone

As employers are well aware of, accidents are expensive.  Especially if they happen on the job.  The major result is an increase in your worker’s compensation premium.  As the cost of medical expense, death, or disability go up to the insurance company, so will your premium.  In fact, it may go so high that you cannot pay or either become uninsurable for worker’s compensation.  As a side note, OSHA even checks modifier (“mod”) rates in most industries and professions in the United Continue reading →

Get to Know I2P2

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In recent interviews, OSHA DIrector David Michaels has mentioned that several new OSHA regulations are progressing quickly. The one that may have significant impact on ginners is the Injury and Illness Prevention Program commonly referred to as I2P2. We’ve mentioned I2P2 in the past. In 2010 OSHA introduced the concept and began stakeholder meetings. Given the time since the initial introduction and Director Michael’s comments, we may see a proposed rule for I2P2 by the end of the year.

There are several things we know about the program and some important things we don’t. Continue reading →

Why Safety Requires Consistent Discipline

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Why Safety Requires Consistent Discipline.

The article linked above is by Howard Mavity. Howard has spoken at Southern Southeastern and worked with Southeastern cotton ginners on OSHA cases in the past.

Please review the article. It will help you understand at least part of why having a disciplined approach and why we need to be consistent and diligent in the enforcement of written rules

DSF

OSHA Activity On the Rise

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We have mentioned on this blog before that OSHA is getting more active and more activist when it comes to fines. The cotton industry has not been immune to these increased fines. Our sister organization, the Southern Cotton Ginners, has recently mentioned,in their newsletter, that two gins in the Mid-South have been fined at levels we are not used to seeing…even for OSHA.

In their article, they listed six citations at these two gins with proposed penalties. First, a knock-out grommet missing from an electrical box carried a Continue reading →