November 2009

NPCA Quarterly Safety Program is Your Resource
The NPCA Quarterly Safety Program is an electronic newsletter developed under the leadership of the NPCA Safety, Health and Environmental Committee. Created with safety managers in mind, the NPCA Quarterly Safety Program addresses relevant and timely safety-related issues occurring in the precast concrete industry.

It is only through the support of the safety community that we will be able to keep the content of this newsletter interesting and relevant. What safety topics would you like to read about? What are the safety challenges you are currently facing? We encourage you to e-mail Kathy Shelton (kshelton@precast.org) to share your suggestions.

Safety Program of the Quarter
The focus of the Fall 2009 SHE Committee’s Safety Program of the Quarter is Confined Spaces. What is a confined space? It is a space that:

• Is large enough and so configured that an employee can bodily enter and perform assigned work;
• Has limited or restricted means for entry or exit;
• Is not designed for continuous employee occupancy.

Sound familiar…like the inside of a plant’s mixer?

Make sure to visit www.precast.org/safety for Toolbox Talks, posters and presentations to train your employees on safety in confined spaces in mixers and around the plant. A new topic is posted every quarter so please check the Web site regularly or visit NPCA’s Members Only Web site to access previous Safety Program of the Quarter information.

NPCA Shop Feature
Want a simpler way to understand your requirements under the complex maze of OSHA's safety and health regulations? Instead of explaining the OSHA CFR in a chapter-and-verse fashion, Safety Made Easy: A Checklist Approach has created checklists for OSHA compliance organized alphabetically by topic. Each checklist begins with a brief description of the objectives of the listed items, followed by the required actions and corresponding standards and, where appropriate, training, personal protective equipment and recordkeeping requirements.

The easy-to-use format and logical organization make Safety Made Easy ideal for those who are just entering the field of safety compliance as well as for experienced safety professionals. Visit the NPCA Shop now to order your copy.

Submit Your Safety Contact Information
Would you like for additional safety representatives from your plant to receive the NPCA Quarterly Safety Program? Simply complete the online form at www.precast.org/safety and we will add them to the distribution list.

OSHA Hot Topic: The 'New' OSHA
Jordan Barab, the acting assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA, spoke to the American Society of Safety Engineers earlier this year to lay out the plan of the new administration.

Barab announced that, "OSHA is back in the enforcement business and back in the standard-setting business," and added that increased OSHA funding will enable the agency to hire more than 200 new staff, including 130 new inspectors.

This new commitment by OSHA underscores the need to always maintain a safe and healthy work environment. The mission of the Safety, Health and Environmental Committee is to provide guidance to NPCA members and assist them in achieving excellence by integrating safety, health and environmental practices into their everyday operations. Read the full text of Barab’s speech at OSHA’s Web site.

2009 NPCA Safety Awards
Each year, NPCA recognizes member companies that make plant safety a top priority through its Safety Awards program. The association will recognize its safety standouts at The Precast Show 2010 in Phoenix. The Safety Awards Luncheon will be on Wednesday, Feb. 17, one day before the opening of the trade show. Last year, 126 plants participated in the awards program representing more than 12.5 million man hours. Make sure to enter the Safety Awards program and plan to attend the Luncheon. The Safety Awards application was included with the mailing of Precast Update Issue 5. Applications are also available online at www.precast.org/awards. Deadline is Jan. 22, 2010.

Awards are presented in five levels. Platinum, the highest level, is presented to companies with zero OSHA or Canadian Ministry of Labor reportable/recordable injuries and illnesses for the 2009 calendar year. Gold, Silver and Bronze awards follow in descending order of best reportable injury/illness rates. The Most Improved Award is presented to those companies representing the greatest percentage decrease in their incident rate from the previous year.

The NPCA Shop includes a wide variety of safety resources to complement your knowledge on safety issues. Please take advantage of the opportunity by visiting www.precast.org/safety to make your plant as safe as possible.