COMPLIANCE WITH OSHA HEALTH STANDARDS:

OVERVIEW

ART WICKMAN, CIHGEORGIA TECH’S SAFETY AND HEALTH

CONSULTATION PROGRAM

Basic Scope of IH Compliance

• Hazard Communication (Chemical)• Hearing Conservation• Air Contaminants– Permit-Required Confined Spaces

• Respiratory Protection• Personal Protective Equipment• First Aid & Bloodborne Pathogens

HAZARD COMMUNICATION

STANDARD

Compliance with OSHA Health Standards

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“CHEMICAL” Hazard

CommunicationStandard

LABEL

MSDS

HCP

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Purpose

• To insure that the hazards of all chemical produced in or imported into the U.S. are evaluated

• Hazards transmitted toemployers employees

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Basic Program Elements

• Chemical Hazard Inventory

• MSDS’s

• Labeling

• Employee Training

• Contractor Training

• Written Program

HCP

Global Harmonization

Final Standard: March 2012Implementation Period: December

2013 through June 2016Hazard Communication Changes– Labels, Pictograms– Safety Data Sheets– Employee Training

Principles Of Harmonization

• Comprehensible Information (both intra- and inter-nationally)

• All hazardous materials systems will be harmonized across agencies: OSHA, Cons. Protect. Agen., EPA, DOT

• Warnings conveyed in both words and pictures

• Warnings are based on intrinsic hazards of chemicals

• Consistent classification of Severity

Four Major Changes in GHS

1. Hazard Classification (changed from hazard determination)

2. Labels3. Safety Data Sheets (changed from

MSDS)4. Information and Training Will affect nearly 40 million workers and 5 million workplaces.

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HEARING CONSERVATION

Compliance with OSHA Health Standards

Monitoring Requirements(Dosimetry)

• Initial Monitoring required if employer has indications of full-shift

exposure at or above 85 dBA (Action Level)• Re-monitoring

required if changes in process or layout indicate exposures could be > 85 dBA

Recommend periodic remonitoring

Hearing Conservation Program:Basic Elements

• Provide hearing protection• Train workers on noise effects (annual)• Provide baseline and annual audiometric

testing• Retain exposure and audiometric

measurements

Hearing Conservation Documentation

• Copy of Written Guidelines and Policies (Recommended)

• Noise Measurement Data• Annual Audiograms• Standard Threshold Shifts Documentation

and Notification Letters• OSHA 300 Hearing Loss Records• Retain original hearing test records if

changing audiometric providers.

AIR CONTAMINANTS

Compliance with OSHA Health Standards

IH Air Contaminant Nomenclature

• GASES: low density molecules, rapid diffusion• VAPORS: liquids with high vapor pressure• DUSTS: solid particles• FUMES: recondensation of vaporized solids• MISTS: liquid droplets, (aerosols)• SMOKE: complex combustion products• FIBERS: 3 to 1 length to width ratio

Chemical Mixtures

Anticipate Potential Hazards

• Plant layout and chemical flow • Observe air flow patterns • Observe job activities of a work area• Study existing control measures• Prioritize based on degree of hazard to

workers and potential to do harm

Anticipate Potential Hazards(cont.)

Understand the processes• toxic chemicals present in raw

materials • by-products of chemical reactions• by-products of work processes– Ex: chlorinated solvents for metal cleaning

followed by welding (phosgene gas)

OSHA PEL(Regulatory in US)

• Permissible Exposure Limit--PEL

(Or)

“Impermissible” Exposure Limit

Categories of OSHA PEL’s

• 1. The PEL Lists (~400 chemicals)– Current PEL’s are based on 1968 ACGIH-

TLV’s

• 2. The “Substance Specific” Standard– Ex: lead, asbestos, cadmium, methylene

chloride, etc.– Relatively few substance specific chemicals

regulated

Occupational Exposure Limits (OELs) (Non-Regulatory)

• American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists - Threshold Limit Value (ACGIH –TLV)

• National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health - Recommended Exposure Limit (NIOSH REL)

• American Industrial Hygiene Association - Workplace Environmental Exposure Limit (AIHA WEEL)

• European Union standards• Manufacturer’s Recommended Guidelines• Etc, etc

0 200 400

Time-Weighted Average (TWA) Exposure

TIME (min)

PPM

800

700

600

500

400

300

200

100

0

Example: Acetone, PEL = 1000 PPM, TWA

TWA = 200 ppm

Initial Screening of Exposure

Passive Samplers

Organic Vapor Sampler Inorganic Mercury Sampler

Full Shift Breathing Zone Exposures

Air Contaminants in Permit-Required Confined Spaces (Evaluate Acute Air Hazards)

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION

Compliance with OSHA Health Standards

“And so you just threw everything together?…Matthews, a posse is something you have to organize.”

Must Have a Respirator Program

Respirator Program Elements

Selection of respirators Define use and application Medical evaluation Fit testing Training Maintenance and care Breathing air quality and use Program evaluation

Respirator Program

• Must be a written program with worksite-specific procedures

• Evaluate and update program as necessary – Per changes in the workplace

Note: OSHA has prepared a Small Entity Compliance Guide that contains criteria for selection of a program administrator and a sample program.

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Compliance with OSHA Health Standards

Personal Protective Equipment

PPE HAZARD ASSESSMENT SURVEY

• Job/Task Evaluated:________________________

• Date(s): _____________________• Conducted

By:_________________________________(Name and Title)

PPE Hazard Assessment

I. Hazards to the Head

Potential Hazard Yes No Specifications for PPE*

a. Falling equipment or materials

b. Moving equipment or materials

c. Low overhead clearance

d. Electrical shock hazard

e. Welding

PPE Hazard Assessment

II. Hazards to the Eyes and Face

Potential Hazard Yes No Specifications for PPE*

a. Particulates in air

b. Hazardous liquids in air or potentially airborne (splashed)

c. Irritant dusts in air

d. Ultra violet, Infrared, or Laser radiation

e. Compressed air/liquid

f. Electrical arcing

Certification of Personal Protective Equipment Hazard Assessment

COMPANY NAME:___________________________________ DEPARTMENT(S) EVALUATED:________________________________ NAME/TITLE:_______________________________________ DATE:____________________________

Job Hazards PPE Required

BLOODBORNE PATHOGENS

Compliance with OSHA Health Standards

Applications

• General Industry/Manufacturing– Designated First Aid responders– BBP standard does not cover “Good Samaritan”

acts in which an employee voluntarily provides first aid to a fellow employee

• Medical and Human Services Offices– Any employee whose job involves contact with

blood or other potentially infectious materials (OPIM)

Universal Precautions

All human blood/OPIM are treated as if known to be infectious for bloodborne pathogens, regardless of the perceived “low risk” status of a patient or patient population

Exposure Control Plan(Gradient of Complexity)

• General Industry/Manufacturing– Relatively simple (First Aid): written policy, PPE,

training

• Medical Providers/Human Services– Relatively complex (Medical interventions): many

program elements to manage; treatment procedures; cleaning schedules; compliance with changing guidance on Sharps; awareness and compliance with CDC infection control practices.

Summary(OSHA Health Standards Overview)

• Hazard Communication (Chemical)• Hearing Conservation• Air Contaminants– Permit-Required Confined Spaces

• Respiratory Protection• Personal Protective Equipment• First Aid & Bloodborne Pathogens