'
December 2018
TSS TRAININGS
   
First Aid & CPR
Ketchikan Training Center
   
January 8
8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.
Instructor: David Martin
  
Please sign-up by emailing:

Need a training for your team? Schedule one today!
UPCOMING
WEBINARS

You the DER

December 11, 2018
$75 per person  
  Do you receive the drug & alcohol screening results for your company? Do you maintain the records of screening results?
This webinar is designed to educate DERs [Designated Employee Representatives] on what their responsibilities are regarding the drug screening program within their company. We'll cover drug screening, random selection, document retention and more.
Class time - 1.5 hours.

Symptoms for Supervisors

December 18, 2018
$129 First Person / $89 Second Person
    How do you determine whether a Reasonable Cause situation exists in the workplace? This training will not only make the parameters clear to you but will also discuss the latest trends in employee substance use, how to approach the employee, document the situation, drug testing protocols and what the expectations are for record-keeping.  (120 min)
All webinars are
10 a.m. AK time
1 p.m. CS time
To register, please email:
or call:  877.225.1431
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2019 Consortium Enrollment
Thank you for allowing us to serve your safety needs in 2018! We look forward to partnering with you again next year. Don't forget, enrollment is now open for your 2019 TSS Consortium membership. We hope that you will continue taking advantage of the benefits and cost savings that go along with being part of this group. 

Download your enrollment form today!  

SAFETY CORNER:
Space Heater Safety 

Take care as you heat your home 
this winter 

According to the National Fire Protection Association, heating equipment is the second-leading cause of U.S. home fires and the third-leading cause of home fire deaths. Forty-three percent of home heating fires are started by space heaters. 

More than half of all home heating fire deaths resulted from fires that began when heating equipment was too close to flammable items, such as upholstered furniture, clothing, mattresses, or bedding.
 
"These are unnecessary tragedies that can be prevented with very simple safety steps," says David Martin, Safety Coordinator for TSS Inc. "It's important to educate members of our community on the safe usage of heating devices."
 
Not surprisingly, the cold weather months of December, January, and February, when space heaters are used most often, are also the leading months for home heating fires. Portable and stationary space heaters accounted for more than two of every five U.S. home heating fires and five out of six home heating fire deaths between 2011 and 2015. Improper use of appliances, such as ovens, or fireplaces for heating also contributes to the increase in home fires during this season. 
 
Here are important home heating safety tips to help reduce the risk of fire this winter:
  • Space heaters should be placed at least 3 feet away from anything that can burn.
  • There should be a three-foot kid-and-pet-free zone around open fires and space heaters.
    • Turn space heaters off when people leave the room or go to sleep.
    • Plug only one heat-producing appliance into an electrical outlet at a time.
    • Never use your oven to heat your home.
    • Install and maintain carbon monoxide alarms to avoid the risk of poisoning.
    • If you smell gas in a gas heater, do not light the appliance. Leave the home immediately and call the local fire department or gas company.
    • Have a qualified professional install stationary space heating equipment, water heaters or central heating equipment according to the local codes and manufacturer's instructions.
    • Have heating equipment and chimneys cleaned and inspected every year by a qualified professional.
    • Always use the right kind of fuel, specified by the manufacturer, for fuel-burning space heaters.
For more information go to nfpa.org  or email  [email protected] 

New falling object safety standard
For decades, "struck by object" has been one of the leading causes of death at U.S. construction sites, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In 2015, the Occupational Health and Safety Administration recorded 90 struck by object deaths. That's 90 workers whose deaths might have been prevented with proper training and equipment. 

When it comes to injuries, the numbers are alarming.  OSHA estimates that about one injury is caused every 10 minutes by a falling object, with more than 50,000 struck by object incidents every year. 

In response to these statistics, t he International Safety Equipment Association with support from several leading dropped objects equipment manufacturers recently developed an industry wide standard for products designed to protect people and equipment from falling objects. I n 2018, this standard was adopted by the American National Standards Institute as a national standard.

What is addressed by the new standard?

The standard establishes minimum design, performance, testing and labeling requirements for equipment solutions that reduce dropped object incidents in industrial and occupation settings. 
 
The categories of equipment covered include:
1. TOOL TETHERS - Lanyards or materials designed to connect tools to approved anchor points. 
2. TOOL ATTACHMENTS - Attachment points designed to be field installed onto tools or equipment to provide appropriate connection points for tethering.
3. ANCHOR ATTACHMENTS - Attachment points designed to be field installed on structures, equipment or workers, to provide appropriate connection points for tethering.
4. CONTAINERS and BAGS - Devices designed to carry or transport tools and equipment to and from heights. TSS, Inc. recommends that all objects-whether they are people or tools-be protected from falls.
 
At the same time, Industry is working closely with regulating agencies to enhance current regulations and to develop a product performance standard for dropped object prevention. 

Currently the OSHA General Duty Clause (Section 5(a)(1) requires employers to maintain a workplace "free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm" to employees. 
Additionally, OSHA requires that if you work in an environment where you're at risk of being hit by something that falls (1910.28), you must do the following:
  • Secure tools and materials to prevent them from falling on people below
  • Barricade hazard areas and post warning signs
  • Use toe boards, screens on guardrails or scaffolds to prevent falling objects
  • Use debris nets, catch platforms or canopies to catch or deflect falling objects.
Combining the new standard with efforts to enhance current solutions, standards, and regulation, will certainly help to prevent future injuries and death. 

How TSS can help
 
Ultimately, however, it is the responsibility of every employer, safety manager, construction superintendent, and worker to make sure they understand the potential dangers on work sites, whether they involve falling objects or other hazards. At TSS, we believe knowledge is power and it our mission to ensure that our clients have the information they need to maintain a safe work site.  

For more information about falling object standards, or help in selecting the right product for the job, visit tss-safety.com or call (877) 225-1431 because safety is no accident.
DOT and YOU

Is all that drug testing really necessary?
By Jo McGuire
 
Q: If an employee performs safety-sensitive functions for two different employers, is the employee subject to each of the employer's DOT drug and alcohol testing programs? 

A: Yes. According to the DOT (49 CFR  ยง 382.305 question 8), the driver must be in the DOT random pool for each employer. ( Last updated: May 20, 2015.)

###

This is a question TSS staff members receive frequently. Employers often mistake this rule as the collection site's efforts to increase profits by performing more employee drug tests than necessary. But this is not the case. We strictly adhere to the federal guidelines to help keep our customers compliant with the laws governing transportation safety. By ensuring that our clients jump through all the mandated hoops, TSS is protecting them from DOT auditors and the hefty fines they impose for non-compliance.  
 
Please remember, if you have not already done so, that employers are required to received email updates directly from the Office of Drug and Alcohol Policy Compliance (ODAPC). Sign-up here to receive the ODAPC updates. 

We offer world-class education and screening services for workplace and community safety.
120 Carlanna Lake Rd, Ketchikan, AK 99901 
P 907.247.1431 
8800 Glacier Hwy #105, Juneau, AK 99801
P 907.523.8402
501 Main St, Craig, AK 99927
P 877.225.1431 (by appointment only)
906 Main St, Keokuk, IA 52632
P 319.524.5051
416-R N 24th St, Quincy, IL 62301
                                                                           P 217.223.2300 (by appointment only)

Celebrating 18 Years of Service   www.tss-safety.com
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