Volume 2, Issue 8 | August 2022 |
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In this Issue:
Florida's Latest Data on Safety, Health & Sustainability • Leading Voices • OSHA Update • Florida Power & Light Business Storm Guide • New Safety Supplies Available • OSHA Heat NEP Educational Webinar RSVP • Respiratory Protection Training Discount
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A Message from Florida Chamber Safety Council
Executive Director Jason Mozo, J.D.
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Hello,
The summer is coming to an end. I hope you and your families enjoyed summer, had an opportunity to vacation with some well needed rest before school resumes and getting back to the grind. The one thing this summer that has stayed consistent, is the heat. I welcome you to join us on our upcoming FREE educational webinar on OSHA’s New Extreme Heat National Emphasis Program RSVP here that is scheduled for August 17 th at 10am with Guest Speaker and Florida Chamber Safety Council Advisory Board Member, Edwin G. Foulke, Jr. Ed is the only attorney in the country confirmed by the U.S. Senate to run the U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). In addition to the webinar, we are also hosting a live virtual training open to the public on Heat Stress Prevention scheduled on August 24 th and you can register for that training class here.
The Florida Chamber Safety Council continues to move the needle on establishing Florida as the safest, healthiest and most sustainable state in America. And it cannot be done without you, and for that I want to sincerely thank you for your commitment in establishing a safe and healthy workplace for your employees. We continue to schedule copious amounts of private safety trainings being held at company locations throughout Florida on an array of subject matters. We have also expanded our public safety training offerings virtually making it more convenient to take these important safety training classes in the comfort of your office or home without the undue stress of travel. Also, just a reminder the week of August 15 th- 21 st, is OSHA’s Safe + Sound week a nationwide event held each August that recognizes the successes of workplace health and safety programs and offers information and ideas on how to keep America's workers safe. For more information to participate in this great program, click here here.
Our Safety Training of the Month topic for August is respiratory protection, which will include fit testing. Last year in 2021, respiratory protection was ranked 2nd for the most OSHA violations and had continuously been ranked in the top 5 OSHA violations for the last 10 years.
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Upcoming Trainings and Webinars: |
10 Virtual Safety Trainings Open to the Public in 2022: |
Free Educational Webinar for Florida Businesses: |
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Lack of training employees, not having a written respiratory protection program and not administering proper fit testing are all reasons why it remains in the top 5 violations in the nation. Millions of workers are required to wear respirators in various workplaces across the United States. Respirators protect workers against insufficient oxygen environments, harmful dusts, fogs, smokes, mists, gases, vapors, and sprays. These hazards may cause cancer, lung impairment, diseases, or death. Compliance with the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard could avert hundreds of deaths and thousands of illnesses annually.
Let’s stop this upward trend of fatalities in Florida and working together on providing the necessary trainings to your employees. We are offering discounts of up to 35% off our Respiratory Protection Training with Fit Testing for the month of August. Call us today to schedule a training class. Nothing is more important than doing our jobs safely, so we go home to our families and loved ones each and every day. And always remember, safety is no accident!
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Florida's Latest Data on Safety, Health & Sustainability |
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According to the Florida Chamber Safety Council's Florida Workplace Safety Report released in 2020,
Safety
The fatality data in this report focuses on the private sector, however the public sector fatality data was also reviewed. Between 2011 and 2018, 173 employees lost their lives while working for a local, state, or federal government. While there are annual differences, the numbers are relatively consistent over the period analyzed. Many of these public fatalities in Florida come from protective services and military. In 2015, part of the spike in public worker deaths came from a military helicopter crash off of Florida’s Gulf Coast. Educational services are also represented in the public workplace fatalities. In 2018, three public educators were lost in the school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.
Health
While the overall state level has come down, even in 2017 some counties in Florida had more opioids prescribed than there were people in the county. The highest rates are concentrated in the panhandle and Gulf Coast counties. The other concern with the reduction of prescription opioids is the creation of the second and third wave of the opioid crisis. People struggling with addiction who can no longer access prescriptions may switch to heroin or fentanyl which are more lethal and have higher overdose rates. Unprescribed opioids now account for two-thirds of Florida’s opioid overdose deaths. As pill mills declined in Florida, fraud and abuse in the rehabilitation and treatment sector began to rise. In what became known as the “Florida Shuffle,” treatment facilities began using brokers to find patients. These brokers would receive a kickback from the facilities for bringing in new patients. The facilities would then bill the patient’s insurance company for thousands of dollars. Patients are then shuffled to different treatment centers to repeat the cycle. There have been efforts to address the problems in the treatment system particularly in Palm Beach County. Addressing the problem statewide has been difficult. (Vox Media, 2020a).
Sustainability
This review of environmental sustainability factors finds that Florida’s economy and residents are efficient in their use of energy and water. The economy is not dependent on extractive or high-energy intensive industries. Rates of air quality and asthma are within the top half of states. The data signifies room for improvement in toxic chemical release levels and clean-up of Superfund sites to achieve the Florida Safety Council’s goal of clean air, land, and water.
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Leading Voices: Florida Chamber Safety Council Advisory Board |
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Let's Make Workplace Safety a Priority in Florida
Workplace safety is essential, and the need is apparent in Florida as workplace fatalities continue to rise.
According to the Florida Chamber Safety Council’s recent Florida’s Status on Health, Safety and Sustainability Research Report, in 2020, Florida’s workplace fatality rate per 100,000 workers landed at 3.08, just ahead of the United States’ overall rate of 3.23. And between 2011 and 2020, Florida had a total of 713 construction fatalities.
This needs to change – and such change can happen if business leaders embrace the need to develop a safety culture that emphasizes personal accountability.
There is a misunderstanding among business leaders that investing in a safety culture will generate an unnecessary cost – and that it won’t bring an immediate return on investment. But what they are overlooking is the long-term savings that can result from fewer accidents, increased productivity and other benefits. Just think about the 275 workplace fatalities that occurred in Florida in 2020 that could have been avoided.
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Browse the latest OSHA updates below:
Florida Companies on OSHA's Website Relating to Fatalities and Violations
During the Month of July:
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FPL Reminds Us That the Time is Now for Hurricane Preparation |
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Florida Power & Light Company (FPL) is prepared for another potentially active hurricane season and reminds customers to make their preparations early.
“We urge customers to make their own hurricane preparations for their families and businesses so that if a storm heads toward Florida, they’re as ready as we are,” said Eric Silagy, chairman and CEO of FPL. “The actions we take today – before a hurricane is on our doorstep – will make a meaningful difference in how our communities recover after the next storm.”
FPL advises business owners to establish a detailed hurricane plan that informs employees what they need to know before, during and after a storm.
For tips and checklists for your business, be sure to review this fact sheet and visit FPL.com/storm for information covering everything from essential supplies to generator safety.
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Browse our Growing Collection of Safety Supplies for Florida's Workforce |
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A large part of making safety a priority in the workplace is making sure your workforce has the right equipment. The Florida Chamber Safety Council is partnering with national leading companies providing high-quality safety supplies through an extensive line of Bollé Safety Eyewear Protection, Frontline Fall Protection Equipment, Fierce Safety Worksite Apparel and Avery Products Lockout/Tagout Labels and Safety Data Sheets and SG World USA Visitor Management Solutions.
Shop Our Collection of Safety Supplies Now
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Fall Protection Equipment |
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Lockout/Tagout
Label Supplies
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Inspection Solution, Visitor Management and Signage |
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If you would like to become a partner vendor, please contact Florida Chamber Safety Council Executive Director Jason Mozo, J.D., at jmozo@flchamber.com or call (850) 521-1237.
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Free Webinar - OSHA's New Extreme Heat National Emphasis: Employer's Legal Obligations |
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As part of the Florida Chamber Safety Council's Educational Webinar Series, we would like to invite all Florida businesses and their employees to attend our upcoming FREE webinar highlighting OSHA's New National Emphasis Program related to heat illnesses and injuries, and the legal obligations an employer has to their employees. This webinar will be led by Advisory Board member, former head of OSHA and current Partner with Fisher Phillips, Edwin G. Foulke, Jr., as he provides insight on:
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• What the National Emphasis Program (NEP) on heat means for employees and employers
• What industries are impacted the most by this NEP
• How this NEP will protect employees from heat-related hazards and resulting injuries and illnesses in outdoor and indoor workplaces
• Your employer's legal obligations due to this new NEP
• and much more!
Ed is the only attorney in the country to have been confirmed by the U.S. Senate to run the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
The live webinar will also feature a Q&A.
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Up to 35% Off Our Respiratory Protections Safety Training |
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Join the Florida Chamber Safety Council as we educate organizations on the OSHA standards and requirements and best safety practices to lower workplace injuries and eliminate fatalities. The Florida Chamber Safety Council is dedicated to keeping Florida's workers safe and has declared August Respiratory Protection Training Month.
The Florida Chamber Safety Council is offering Florida's job creators 25% - 35% off* our Respiratory Protection Training if booked during the month of August. Upon course completion, participants will have the ability to identify and describe the elements of a respiratory protection program, the proper selection, use, and inspection of respiratory protection. Participants will be able to identify respiratory hazards, select the proper Personal Protective Equipment necessary to mitigate such hazards.
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Florida Chamber Safety Council Advisory Board
Thank You to the Visionary Companies and Leaders who are Working Together to Create a Culture of Safety, Healthy and Sustainability across Florida
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Florida Chamber Safety Council
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