OREGON OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY & HEALTH DIVISION DEPARTMENT OF CONSUMER & BUSINESS SERVICES

What’s inside . . .Administrator’s message .......................................... 3

Accident alert ............................................................ 4

Information for You-2-Know .................................... 5

Publication Spotlight: Fall Protection ....................... 5

The challenge of PPE ................................................ 6

Safety NotesRock company ...................................................... 7Food processing .................................................... 8Food catering ........................................................ 9Farming ............................................................... 10

Audio visual library ................................................. 12

Upcoming conferences ........................................... 13

Ask OR-OSHA ......................................................... 15

Subscription form .................................................. 15

Questions? ............................................................. 16

Respiratory protection standard changedBy Chris OttosonHealth Enforcement Analyst, Oregon OSHA

Oregon OSHA’s new respiratory protection standardtook effect July 7, 1998. OSHA estimates the standard(29 CFR 1910.134) covers five million workers in 1.3million workplaces. It applies to general industry, con-struction, agriculture, shipyard, longshoring and marineterminal operations.

The updated respiratory protection standard makes res-piratory protection compliance easier for employers. Thestandard applies current respirator use and technology toworker protection. Requirements of the new standard arein a sequential order for ease of understanding, includinga new section for definitions. OSHA’s intent with thechanges is improved worker protection and fewer ill-nesses and deaths from chemical exposures.

The standard doesn’t apply to those workers occupa-tionally exposed to tuberculosis, who are covered under29 CFR1910.139.

The new standard requires a written respiratory protec-tion program when respirators are necessary to protectthe health of an employee or when required by the em-ployer. The written program must addressworksite-specific procedures, including procedures forrespirator selection and use; medical evaluations and fittesting; routine use and reasonably foreseeable emer-gency situations; maintenance; air quality; training aboutrespiratory hazards and how to wear and maintain respi-rators; and regular evaluation of these procedures.

Voluntary use of respirators is addressed in the newstandard. Employers must determine that use of a respi-rator won’t pose an additional hazard to the wearer.Also, the wearer must be medically evaluated, and therespirator must be properly cleaned, stored, and main-tained. A written respiratory protection program is notrequired for those employees who use only dust masks.

Worksite redesignprogram benefitsemployers andemployeesBy Sharon Dey, Russell Frankel, and Mike LulayErgonomic Technical Consultants, Oregon OSHA

The purpose of the Worksite Redesign Grant Programis to help employers, employee groups, associations,unions, and educational institutions develop new andinnovative solutions to workplace ergonomic, health,and safety problems that can’t be resolved with off-the-shelf equipment or technology. The program awardsproject grants for two purposes. Research grants are fordetermining the specific causes of workplace problems,and for identifying the design of solution(s). These

See “Respiratory,” page 2

See “Redesign,” page 4

OREGON HEALTH AND SAFETY

RESOURCESummer 1998

T W O

“Respiratory,” from page 1Information in Appendix D of the new standard must beprovided in training employees who voluntarily use res-pirators.

OSHA requires that a “program administrator” run therespiratory protection program. This person must bequalified by training experience, or both, to oversee theprogram. No specific training program qualifies a pro-gram administrator. However, he or she must know workprocesses and respiratory hazards; be able to evaluatethose processes and hazards; make proper respirator se-lection and explain respirator use; and work with aphysician or other licensed health-care professional to de-termine which employees should wear respirators.

Respiratory protection must be NIOSH-certified.NIOSH previously certified respirators under 30 CFRPart 11 and now uses protocols defined in 40 CFR Part84. Respirators available under either of these certifica-tions can be used for the hazards for which they areapproved. For particulate hazards, any N-, P-, or R-seriesrespirators certified under 40 CFR Part 84 may be usedfor any size particulate. When another OR-OSHA stan-dard requires use of high-efficiency particulate air(HEPA) filters, either HEPAs certified under 30 CFR 11or the new N-100, P-100, or R-100 series respiratorsmay be used.

Because chemical odor and irritation are inadequateas warnings to change chemical cartridges or canisters,the new standard limits the use of air-purifying respira-tors for protection against chemicals that produce eithera gas or vapor. Instead, change-out schedules for canis-ters and cartridges used with respiratory protectionagainst gases and vapors are now required. The purposeof this requirement is to ensure that “breakthrough”doesn’t occur and cause exposure. Alterna-tives to thisrequirement are to provide an atmosphere-supplyingrespirator or an air-purifying respirator equipped withan end-of-service life indicator (ESLI). Where ESLIsaren’t available, program administrators will have todevelop change-out schedules to replace cartridges andcanisters before the end of their service lives, based onworst-case information.

Medical evaluations are required before an employeeis fit-tested or required to wear a respirator. The medicalevaluation consists of either using an OSHA-mandatedquestionnaire (see Appendix C of the final rule) or hav-ing the employee receive an initial medical examinationby a physician or licensed healthcare professional.Supplemental information regarding worksite-specificissues must be provided to medical personnel prior todetermination of a person’s ability to wear a respirator.

Fit testing is required under the new standard. Fit-testprotocols are detailed in Appendix A. There are two

types: qualitative fit test (QLFT) and quantitative fit test(QNFT). Both procedures have general requirements andstep-by-step instructions.

Use of respirators explainedThe “Use of Respirators” section of the new standard

covers faceseal protection, continuing respirator effec-tiveness, procedures for Immediate Danger to Life andHealth (IDLH) atmospheres, and interior structuralfirefighting. OSHA’s “Two-in, Two-out” rule for interiorstructural firefighting is explained in this same section.When an IDLH atmosphere must be entered, at least twoemployees must enter together and remain in visual andvoice contact, and two employ-ees must be located out-side the IDLH atmosphere to initiate rescue procedures ifneeded. Self-contained breathing apparatuses must beused for interior structural firefighting.

Training is essential under the standard and must beprovided at least annually. Changes in the workplace oremployees’ apparent lack of skill or understanding aboutwhen to use respirators indicate a need for retraining oradditional training.

To ensure that the written respiratory protection pro-gram remains effective, the employer must evaluate theworkplace by consulting with employees, checking res-pirator fit and respirator effect on work performance,proper respirator selection for existing hazards, andproper use and maintenance of respirators.

New to the standard are recordkeeping requirementsspecific to medical evaluation and fit testing. Medicalevaluations are considered medical records and must beretained under the provisions of 1910.1020, “Access toEmployee Exposure and Medical Records.” Fit-testrecords include specific information that must be main-tained until the next fit test.

The new rule changes semi-annual fit testing require-ments to annual requirements for asbestos, arsenic, lead,and acrylonitrile. Cartridge/canister change-out sched-ules developed for the vinyl chloride, benzene,acrylonitrile, formaldehyde, and 1,3-butadiene standardsare still in effect, based on extensive testing criteria. ■

This article is a summary of the highlights of

the new standard. Please contact OR-OSHA for

copies of the standard. You’ll find OR-OSHA

phone and fax numbers in this newsletter.

T H R E E

Administrator’s Message

Oregon OSHA has four newmanagers minding the store. Iwould like to take this opportunityto congratulate them on their selec-tion, welcome them to their newpositions, and personally thankthem for accepting the challengesthat come with their new duties.

John Hofer became the managerof OR-OSHA’s appeals section inOctober of 1997. The appeals sec-tion conducts informal conferenceswhen an employer appeals a cita-tion from the division to determinewhether a case can be resolved byOR-OSHA or must be sent to aformal hearing before an adminis-trative law judge at the Workers’Compensation Board. Hoferworked on contested case hearingsfor SAIF Corporation and for theBureau of Labor and Industries. Heis a member of the Salem Hospitalethics committee, the BusinessMedical Ethics Group and the Coa-lition of Oregon Ethics Resources.

Both John and I view the appealsfunction as needing to be indepen-dent from enforcement. Because ofthis, John will report directly to meas part of the Administrative Of-fice of OR-OSHA.

OR-OSHA’s enforcement pro-gram boasts two new managers inrecent months. Ron Drouinaccepted the position of SafetyEnforcement Manager in our Port-land Field Office in May. Ron hasworked for OR-OSHA, as a safetycompliance officer since Februaryof 1995. He previously worked 18years for Gage Industries, a plas-tics manufacturer in Lake Oswego,as safety director. He was alsoinvolved in developing a trainingprogram on safe operation ofplastic machinery now taught atPortland State University.

Craig Dutcher, a safety compli-ance officer for OR-OSHA since1996, accepted the role of centralregional manager in July. As such,he is responsible for coordinatingthe efforts of all the safety andhealth compliance officers in OR-OSHA’s Salem, Bend, andPendleton field offices. Craig hasworked as a manufacturing plantmanager and as a superintendent ofresearch and development for theUniversity of California LawrenceNational Laboratory. He received abachelor’s degree in business fromthe University of New York and amaster’s degree in business withan emphasis in general manage-ment from John F. KennedyUniversity in Walnut Creek,California.

The most recent addition to OR-OSHA’s staff is Cherie Ertsgaard.Cherie began her tenure at OR-OSHA as the manager of theAccident Investigation Unit inJuly. The Accident InvestigationUnit thoroughly and expeditiouslyinvestigates workplace accidentsthat result in a fatality or in threeor more people being hospitalized,with the goal of cause determina-tion, so that similar incidents canbe avoided in the future. Cheriehas been a small business ownerand has five years’ experience inworkers’ compensation, includingclaims management, policy devel-opment and training. She hasworked with many businessgroups, including the Associationof Oregon Loggers and the SalemHome Builder’s Association. Shereceived a bachelor’s degree fromWillamette University with majorsin mathematics and English.

I look forward to working withJohn, Cherie, Ron, and Craig andinvite you, Oregon’s employersand employees, to use the consid-erable expertise in this group tomake Oregon’s workplaces thesafest and healthiest in the nation!

OR-OSHA has many dedicatedindividuals who truly believe in itsmission. If you need help with aworkplace safety or health issue,please do not hesitate to call one ofour field offices. ■

Peter De Luca

F O U R

grants may be for up to $50,000.Development grants are for detaileddesign and implementation of proto-type solutions. Development grantsare available for up to $100,000.Grant recipients are required to con-tribute ten percent of the project cost.

Product grants offering partialfunding for the purchase of success-fully-completed projects are alsoavailable. Product grants requirefrom 5 to 50 percent matching con-tributions, depending upon theemployer’s number of employees.

The Worksite Design Program isfunded through the Workers’ BenefitFund that contains employerassessments and employee contribu-tions. The program has grownsignificantly since its inception twoyears ago. In 1997 six project grants

“Redesign,” from page 1were awarded. During the fiscal yearending June 30, 1998, 18 employersand one association representing1,500 employers received projectgrants. Awards to date total$2,560,370.

During the most recent fiscal year,61 Oregon employers with a total of3,301 employees, representing 41industrial classifications, receivedproduct grants. It is estimated that1,085 employees’ work environ-ments have been directly affected bythese products.

Employers in the following indus-tries are currently working on fundedprojects: agriculture, food process-ing, wood products, foundry, metalfabrication, construction, transporta-tion, retail stores, manufacturing,education, health and residential

care, and emergency response. Ex-amples of approved projects include:redesign of grocery checkstands,portable power sources for agricul-tural hand tools, non-slip floorsurfaces, material handling devices,noise engineering controls, redesignof a bus driver’s seat, mechanical as-sists for welding jobs, and theredesign of an emergency responsedispatch workstation.

For more information about theWorksite Redesign Grant Program,call Sharon Dey, Russell Frankel, orMike Lulay at 1-800-922-2689 or1-503-378-3272. Additional grant in-formation and application materialsare available on the OR-OSHA Website at http:/www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/grants/grants.htm. ■

Accident Alert!By Garnet CookeAgriculture Health Officer, Oregon OSHA

Lime sulfur reacts to formdeadly hydrogen sulfide gas

An orchard worker was sent to abulk chemical distributor to obtain aload of NPK 5-10-10 fertilizer. Two325-gallon poly tanks, owned by thebulk distributor, were placed on theback of the worker’s flatbed truck.The orchard worker and an employeefrom the distributor began to fill thetanks. The orchard worker held thehose in the tank while the worker forthe chemical company operated thecontrols. The orchard worker men-tioned that there was a small amount,approximately 30 gallons, of limesulfur in the bottom of the tank beingfilled and was directed by the chemi-cal company worker to continue tofill the tank.

As the tank approached the half-full mark the orchard worker heardgas escaping and said to the otherworker, “This doesn’t smell right.”He was having difficulty breathing.The other worker instructed him toswitch places and jumped up on the

truck to hold the hose. He realizedthat the orchard worker was uncon-scious. The chemical workersecured the hose, shut off the pump,moved the orchard worker awayfrom the truck and summonedemergencymedical ser-vices. By thetime theyarrived theorchardworker was inconvulsions.He was ad-mitted intothe hospitalintensive careunit with res-piratoryfailure, life-threatening metabolic acidosis,coma, and blood in his urine.

Cause of the accidentThe cause of the accident was

found to be hydrogen sulfide poi-soning, from mixing the lime sulfurwith a fertilizer containing phos-

phate. At lower concentrations, hy-drogen sulfide is detectable as thestrong odor of rotten eggs. Higherlevels produce olfactory fatigue sothat the odor becomes less notice-able. Brief exposure to hydrogen

sulfide at highconcentrationscan cause con-junctivitis andkeratitis.Higher concen-trations cancause uncon-sciousness,respiratory pa-ralysis, anddeath. At highenough concen-trations, onebreath of hy-

drogen sulfide can kill. The“immediate danger to life or healthlevel” is 100 parts per million. Theestimated level at the time of the ac-cident, based on the symptomsexperienced, was between 600 to1,000 parts per million.

See “Alert,” page 5

DANGER

DO NOT MIXLIME SULFUR

SOIL MEND

SOIL MEND PLUS{WITH ACIDS OR PHOSPHATE FERTILIZER PRODUCTS.

DEADLY HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H2S) GASMAY BE EMITTED.

“Alert,” from page 4

F I V E

To prevent similar incidents fromoccurring:■ Never place lime sulfur in a

container that has not beencleaned (ideally, lime sulfur tanksshould be dedicated)

■ Ensure that all employees receivehazard communication training

■ Never allow untrained employeesto assist with mixing/loading limesulfur

■ Never reuse a lime sulfur con-tainer unless it has been cleanedaccording to manufacturer’sspecifications

■ Ensure that an adequate emer-gency plan is in place ■

Year 2000, or Y2K, is the designa-tion given to problems that resultwhen computer chips identify datesending in “00” as the year 1900rather than 2000. For the occupa-tional safety and health field, thewidespread use of computer chipsincludes time/date tracking featuresin everything from handheld instru-mentation to cameras and videorecording devices, as well as datalogging functions. Computer data-bases used for managing safety andhealth program activities, hazardcommunication information such as

material safety data sheets, continu-ous chemical exposure monitoringsystems (e.g., ammonia, chlorine, orcarbon monoxide detection), firesuppression systems, and other appli-cations are also subject to Y2Kcompliance.

How can you handle Y2K compli-ance? Computer experts recommendthat you make a detailed inventory ofall your computer-chip-based equip-ment and systems. Contactequipment manufacturers for guid-ance regarding their equipment.Many manufacturers are receiving

calls about Y2K compliance andhave developed responses for theirclients. You shouldn’t assume thatequipment or systems are Y2Kcompliant. When reliable informa-tion isn’t available, or when olderequipment hasn’t been tested, youwill need to take steps to determinedirectly whether your equipment orsystems are Y2K compliant. ■

Information for You-2-KnowBy Chris OttosonHealth Enforcement Analyst, Oregon OSHA

Y2K

Emergencies (2824E).For copies of these valuable

publications, call the OR-OSHAResource Center, 503-947-7447or 1-800-922-2689 (V/TTY) orfax your request to 503-947-7463. The first copy of anyOR-OSHA publication is free.There may be charges for addi-tional copies. ■

SCB

D

A series ofpublicationson fall protectionis available

Fall protection is a conceptthat describes behaviors, systems,processes, procedures, equipment,and regulations used to protectworkers from falls. The firstpublication in the series is FallProtection in The ConstructionIndustry (2824), a manual de-signed to help employers andworkers understand what fall pro-tection means in terms of Oregon’soccupational safety and healthrules, Division 3, particularly 1926Subdivision M, fall protection re-quirements for the constructionindustry.

Additional titles in the series areFall Protection for ResidentialType Construction (2824A), FallProtection for Roofing Work(2824B), Fall Protection for Struc-tural Steel Erection Work (2824C),Fall Protection for Rebar andConcrete Formwork (2824D), andFall Protection, Responding to

The challenge of PPEBy Ellis BraschManagement Analyst, Oregon OSHA

What is PPE?PPE means “personal protective equipment.” It refers

to what a worker wears for protection against a hazard.However, there’s no single definition that completely de-scribes what PPE is or what PPE does. Here are a fewexamples of PPE definitions:■ any type of shield, barrier, restraint, or equipment ap-

plied to or worn by an individual for protectionagainst exposure to a hazardous object, substance,condition, or environment

■ specialized clothing or equipment worn by a workerfor protection against a hazard

■ devices and garments that protect workers fromhazards

■ clothing and accessories designed to create a barrieragainst workplace hazards

■ anything that a worker can wear, carry, or use for pro-tection against a work-related hazard

S I X

Not surprisingly, you’ll find PPE designed and mar-keted to guard workers against any conceivable hazard.Despite its widespread use, personal protective equip-ment is frequently misused. PPE offers appropriateprotection for some tasks and no protection for others.Properly used, PPE protects workers against a hazard (orhazards) but it does not eliminate a hazard. If the equip-ment fails or is inappropriate for a particular task, theuser risks exposure. Appropriate protection depends uponselecting, wearing, and using PPE properly; employersand employees share responsibility for these tasks. Thetable below shows the most common categories andtypes of PPE available.

Common categories and types of PPEPPE category PPE type

Buoyant protection Personal flotation devices (PFDs) such aslife jackets and vests

Eye and face protection Safety glasses, goggles, face shields,welding helmets

Head protection Protective helmets such as hardhats

Foot and leg protection Metatarsal guards, toe guards, foot andshin guards, safety shoes, leggings

Hand and arm Durable work gloves, fabric/coated fabricprotection gloves, chemical/liquid resistant gloves,

insulating rubber gloves

Torso protection Chemical protective clothing (CPC),Flame/heat resistant clothing, coolingvests, surgical gowns, jackets, aprons, fullbody suits

Hearing protection Single-use earplugs, molded ear plugs,earmuffs

Fall protection Full-body harnesses, body belts (onlywhen used as part of a positioning systemthat limits falls to two feet)

Respiratory protection Air-purifying respirators, atmosphere-supplying respirators, combinationatmosphere-supplying and air-purifyingrespirators

Musculoskeletal Back belts and other devices marketed toprevent overexertion-type injuriesNote: there is insufficient scientificevidence to prove that these devicesprevent overexertion injury. OR-OSHA,therefore, does not recommend use ofthese devices among workers who havenever been injured. Use of these devicesshould not be mandatory.

See “PPE,” page 11

The original PPE was body armour: protective clothing thatdeflected arrows, spears, lances, swords, and bullets. ModernPPE has evolved to protect workers against a variety ofworkplace hazards.

(ergonomic) protection

skull

visor

gorget

pauldron

couter

vambrace

gauntlet

cuisse

greave

sight

breaths

besagew

lance rest

breastplate

tasset

poleyn(kneecap)

sabaton

© Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc.

S E V E N

Department of Consumer & Business ServicesOregon Occupational Safety & Health DivisionSalem, OR 97310

Fatality ReportAccident type...................................... Split rim explosion

Industry ........................................................Rock quarry

Employee job title ................................................Laborer

Investigation findings

SAFETYNOTES

Description of accidentAt the time of the accident, the

victim, a laborer for a sand and rockcompany, was repairing a split-rimtire to be mounted on a dump truck.He had just completed patching the22.5 inch tubeless tire and placed atube in the tire. He had mounted iton a 20 inch split-rim wheel. Thevictim was working on the groundoutside of the protective cage. Theair chuck configuration provided bythe employer put the victim in theblast zone. As the victim attemptedto inflate the tire the innertube ex-ploded, causing the tire assembly tostrike the victim in the head.

The sound of the explosionbrought other employees rushing tothe scene. The victim was airliftedby Life Flight to the Oregon HealthSciences University Hospital wherehe died several days later of injuriesrelated to this accident. The employer did not provide

appropriate training to employeesin the hazards involved and thesafety procedures to follow whileservicing rim wheels. Rim manu-als containing instructions for thetype of wheels being serviced werenot available in the service area atthe time of the accident.

Additionally, the employer didnot furnish or assure that employ-ees use an air line assembly whichincludes a clipon chuck, an inlinevalve with a pressure gauge or apresettable regulator, and a suffi-cient length of hose between the

clipon chuck and the inline valvewhich would allow the employeeto stand outside the blast zonewhile inflating tires on rimwheels.

The employee was allowed toair up a split-rim wheel with tireoutside of the protective cage re-quired for this task and within theblast zone, resulting in the deathof the employee.

Had the employer provided ad-equate supervision, training, andappropriate equipment, this acci-dent could have been prevented.

E I G H T

Department of Consumer & Business ServicesOregon Occupational Safety & Health DivisionSalem, OR 97310

Fatality ReportAccident type........................................Run over by trainIndustry ................................................ Food processing

Employee job title .............................Railroad switchman

SAFETYNOTES

Investigation findings

The platforms used by switch-men had three open sides,providing no protection for riderswhile the train was in motion.Switchmen routinely rode theplatforms, and were sometimesordered by their supervisor toride on the platform to observethe switches they were approach-

ing. The employees were not ad-equately supervised andinstructed in safe riding proce-dures. Had the employer ensuredthe platforms were guarded witha standard railing as required byCFR 1910.23(3), this accidentmight not have occurred.

Description of accidentThe victim performed switchman

duties, coupling and uncoupling railcars and signaling the locomotiveoperator. At the time of the acci-dent, the switchman was standingon a 14.5-by-32-inch grated plat-form located directly over the railtrack at the rear of the locomotive.He signaled to the locomotive op-erator, who turned to the front of thetrain and proceeded through the firsttwo gear selections, causing thetrain to move forward slowly. As hemoved into third gear, he turned andglanced backward. He saw the vic-tim fall between the platform andthe trailing-car wheel area. The op-erator stopped the locomotive andexited the train. He found the victimlying next to the track, dead of trau-matic amputations. He called hissupervisor, who contacted the localauthorities.

SAFETYNOTES

Department of Consumer & Business ServicesOregon Occupational Safety & Health DivisionSalem, OR 97310

Description of accidentThe victim was a flight coordina-

tor whose employer contracted withairlines to provide food for flights.Her duties included ensuring that thecorrect products were delivered. Atwo-person catering crew performedthe actual servicing of the airplanes.On the date of injury, the flight coor-dinator waited aboard the aircraftwhile a driver’s helper guided thedriver in positioning the truck at therear of the airplane. Wheel chocksand outriggers were set and the truckbox and platform were raised to theairplane door opening. The platformwas approximately 27 inches fromthe door opening, so an 18-by-32-inch aluminum ramp was placedacross the gap, with one end sittingon the rubber bumper of the truckplatform and the other end extendingapproximately one inch into the dooropening. When the flight coordinatorstarted to walk across the ramp, itdisplaced, and she fell 14-feet, land-ing on her head and back. The victimdied of head injuries 11 hours later.

Investigation findings

Investigation revealed the plat-form used by the employees wasnot equipped with a railing andwas not anchored to prevent slip-ping, as required by CFR 1910.23(c)(1) and CFR 1910.30(a)(2).

Under OAR 437-40-030, it wasthe employer’s responsibility to

N I N E

Gap betweenplane and ramp

27 inches

ensure the employees wereproperly instructed and super-vised in the safe operation ofequipment. If proper safetymeasures had been taken, thisfatality would not have oc-curred.

Fatality ReportAccident type............................................................. Fall

Industry ..................................................... Food cateringEmployee job title ................................ Flight coordinator

T E N

SAFETYNOTES

Department of Consumer & Business ServicesOregon Occupational Safety & Health DivisionSalem, OR 97310

Fatality ReportAccident type................................ Crush injury secondary

to tractor run over

Industry .............................................................. FarmingEmployee job title ............................................Farmhand

Investigation findings

Description of accidentThe victim worked as a farmhand.

Shortly before 6 p.m., he and a co-worker left the farm office to changeirrigation pipes in the fields. Theyasked a tractor operator to give thema ride. The Massey-Furguson tractorwas equipped with only one seat, sothe victim and coworker stood onthe drawbar at the rear of the vehicleas they traveled.

The operator heard a scream,turned around, and saw that thevictim had fallen and was beingdrawn under the tractor tire. Heimmediately stopped the tractor, buthad already run over the farmhand.The tractor operator ran to the victim,covered him with a coat, and directedthe other coworker to return to theoffice and call emergency services.The victim died at the scene beforeassistance arrived.

The investigation revealed itwas common practice for em-ployees to ride on the drawbar ofthe tractors. In addition, the trac-tor operator reported he wassubjected to verbal abuse by co-workers if he refused to providerides to and from the fields. Al-though the foreman andpart-owner had observed work-ers riding on the drawbar oftractors, they did nothing to stopthe practice beyond tellingworkers to stop the practice.

The company hadn’t establisheda safety committee, although itemployed more than 10 employ-ees. The farm’s incident rate was9.3 compared to a 5.4 industryaverage.

Had the employer provided ad-equate supervision and enforceddivision rules that don’t permitemployees to ride on the drawbarof tractors, this accident couldhave been avoided. The employerwas further directed to establish asafety committee.

E L E V E N

Where is PPE used?All workplaces can expose work-

ers to hazards. Workers usepersonal protective equipment inactivities ranging from buildingconstruction to office work. You’remost likely to find workers usingPPE in the following settings:general manufacturing industries,chemical manufacturing and pro-cess industries, emergency responsework, hazardous waste and sitecleanup, asbestos removal, andagricultural operations.

When is PPE appropriate?The traditional approach to con-

trolling hazards advocates PPE onlywhen engineering controls and ad-ministrative controls aren’t feasible.In theory, engineering controls arethe most effective defense againsthazards and administrative controlsare the next choice. But there areenvironments, processes, opera-tions, and tasks for which PPE maybe appropriate. These include mo-bile jobs, frequently changingproduction processes, and tempo-rary jobs.

When engineering controls aretoo expensive to implement, andadministrative controls aren’t pos-sible, PPE may be the onlyreasonable control method. How-ever, work environments,processes, operations, and taskschange. PPE appropriate in theworkplace now may not be appro-priate in the future.

Where can I find OR-OSHA’s requirementsfor PPE?

OR-OSHA’s general requirementsfor personal protective equipmentare in Division 2, Subdivision I ofthe Oregon occupational safety andhealth standards. If you do not havea copy of the standards, please callthe OR-OSHA Resource Center, 1-503-947-7447. OR-OSHA also hasrequirements governing the use ofPPE in specific industries such asconstruction, longshoring, and forestactivities.

What’s challenging aboutPPE?

The challenge of injury preventionis finding effective solutions toproblems that don’t have easy an-swers. PPE describes a seeminglyendless list of products intended toprotect workers against an equallylong list of hazards. In some casesPPE is appropriate, in other casesit’s inappropriate. The challenge ofPPE is knowing when to use PPE,what PPE to use, and how to use it.■ To know when to use PPE you

need to know how to controlworkplace hazards. What controlmethod is most appropriate for aparticular task – engineering,work practice, or PPE?

■ To know what PPE is appropriate,you need to know about thenature, type, and frequency ofhazards to which workers are

“PPE,” from page 6

exposed. Other factors includewhere the PPE will be used, whowill use the PPE, and under whatconditions the PPE will be used.

■ To know how to use PPE, work-ers must be trained. The type andscope of training depends on thetype of PPE workers use. Wheth-er they’re wearing hardhats orfully encapsulating suits, work-ers must know how PPE protectsthem and when it won’t protectthem. Typical training issuescover PPE selection, wearing,use, maintenance, and disposal.

Where can I learn moreabout PPE?

If you have specific questionsabout PPE requirements for yourworkplace, call OR-OSHA’s Stan-dards and Technical ResourcesSection at (503) 378-3272. If youhave Internet access, visit OR-OSHA’s Web page. You’ll find afact sheet that answers commonquestions about PPE.

Federal OSHA also offers twouseful PPE guides: Assessing theNeed for Personal ProtectiveEquipment (OSHA 3151), andPersonal Protective Equipment(available on-line from federalOSHA’s Web page). Best’s SafetyDirectory, 1998 Edition, is also agood reference. Volume 1, Chapter4 (pages 164-550) summarizesOSHA PPE requirements and in-cludes a comprehensive equipmentbuyer’s guide.

T W E L V E

The OR-OSHAAudiovisual LibraryThe OR-OSHAAudiovisual Library A R E S O U R C E F O R P R O M O T I N G

H E A L T H & S A F E T Y I N T H E W O R K P L A C E

At work, Uncle Louie was a ma-chinist. At home, he was Mr. Fix-It.Even when his industry finally al-lowed him to retire, our family kepthim hard at work with an endlesssuccession of broken toasters,clocks, and other appliances, bothlarge and small. I don’t recall that heever gave up, returned anythingunmended, or said that anything wasbeyond hope. In many cases, re-paired items were returned to theowner better than new.

One reason for his effectivenesswas that when he didn’t have an ap-propriate tool, he simply went to hisworkship and created one. Over theyears, he acquired an impressive ar-ray of specialized, one-of-a-kindimplements of every conceivableshape and size.

When it comes to workplace safetyand health, Oregon OSHA followsthe same principle. If training materi-als aren’t available for a specificindustry or work process, or if avail-able training materials don’t exactlyfit, they can be made to order.

Who makes them? You do! Anylabor consortium, employer consor-tium, educational institutionaffilitated with a labor organizationor employer group, or other non-profit entity in Oregon may apply fora grant from Oregon OSHA to pro-duce workplace safety and healthtraining programs. Grants of up to$40,000 are available. Completedprograms become the property ofOregon OSHA and are available forloan through the AV library. Grantprograms are not copyrighted andcan be duplicated by borrowers.

Safety training programs:Can’t find them? Make them!By Don Harris,AV Librarian, Oregon OSHA

The Safety and Health Educationand Training Grant Program wascreated by legislation co-sponsoredby the AFL-CIO and AssociatedOregon Industries. Since 1989, theprogram has awarded 47 grants to-taling $1.3 million, enabling theAV Library to gather its own arrayof specialized, one-of-a-kind toolsfor promoting occupational safetyand health in Oregon. The “grantcollection” contains programs onveterinary medicine, workplaceviolence, back injury protection fornurses, emergency planning for firstresponders, wheat farming safety,and many more subjects.

Grants are awarded twice a year.Applications for the current roundof awards are due to Oregon OSHA

September 10, with grants to beawarded in October. The last grantround for the biennium will be inApril of 1999.

The next time you’re faced with atraining assignment, and you can’tfind materials that fit, try lookingthrough the “grant collection” onPage 13 of the 1998 OR-OSHA AVLibrary Catalog (available onrequest). If you still can’t find any-thing, remember Uncle Louie. Itjust might be time to create a newtool.

If you have questions about theOregon OSHA audiovisual library,please contact Don Harris by phone,1-503-378-3272; fax, 1-503-947-7463,or e-mail, don.j.harris@state.or.us. ■

Grant programs available to loanThe following programs from the “grant collection” are availablefor scheduling:

An Ounce of Prevention (#432 and #434)Sponsor: Oregon Veterinary Medical Association

EPA Worker Protection Standards For Orchard Workers (#464)Sponsor: Hood River Grower/Shipper Association

Load & Lift: A Guide to Agricultural Lift Truck Safety (English #467,Spanish #468)Sponsor: Oregon Association of Nurserymen

Safety First – Pictograms for the Food Processing Plant (English #414,Spanish #416)Sponsor: Northwest Food Processors Association

Service Worker Safety Training – Occupational Violent Crimes (#424)Sponsor: Oregon Coalition Fund

Workers Exposed – Bloodborne Pathogens Training for School & ServiceWorkers (English #420, Spanish #422)Sponsor: Service Employees International Union (SEIU)

September 9-11

Central OregonCommunityCollege, Bend

Co-sponsored byOregon OSHA andthe Central OregonSafety & HealthAssociation

“Leadership and Managing Change” is the theme ofthis year’s conference. The blockbuster session onThursday afternoon will energize you while addressingmotivation and managing change. This conference willinspire and leave you with a thought-provoking messagethat will challenge you to strive for personal growth andprofessional excellence. The programs designed for thisconference offer broad-based information for managers,supervisors, and safety committee members.

Sessions include the following: Improving SafetyCommittee Effectiveness; Constructive Confrontation;Confined Space Entry; Total Quality Management andChanging Corporate Culture; Ergonomics Highway;Hazard Identification and Control; Addressing DomesticViolence Through the Workplace; Tuberculosis Man-agement; Safety and Health Program Evaluation;Respiratory Protection; Combating the Deadly Back-in-jury Cocktail: Physical and Psychological Stress;Assessing and Managing Employee Exposure; WireRope, Slings and Lifting Attachments; and Now, PutYour Presentations to Work!

Southern OregonOccupationalSafety & HealthConferenceOctober 13-14

Smullin Center, Medford

Co-sponsored by Oregon OSHAand the AmericanSociety of Safety Engineers,Southern Oregon Chapter

Get the latest information from in-depth, half- andfull-day workshops on occupational safety and healthissues affecting labor and management, as well as theopportunity to exchange information and ideas withother safety and health professionals. Exhibitors willdisplay state-of-the-art ergonomic equipment, software,and training programs.

Upcoming ConferencesSessions include the following: Violence in the Work-

place; Accident Investigation for Safety Committees;Scaffold Safety; Behavior-based Safety Leadership; Haz-ard Assessment; Fall Protection; Safety Committees:Real-world Frustrations and Solutions; Required WrittenSafety and Training Programs; Emergency Action Plan-ning; Oregon OSHA Inspection Process;Record-keeping; What is VPP? An Introduction to theBasics and Benefits; Constructive Confrontation; Ma-chine Guarding and Hand Tool Safety; Indoor AirQuality; Drug Abuse and Recovery in the Workplace;and Wellness, Industrial Therapy, and Stretching.

Oregon Pulp & PaperWorkersSafety &HealthConferenceDecember 1-4

Eugene Hilton, Eugene

This conference is a joint effort of Oregon OSHA andthe Oregon Pulp & Paper Workers Council of AWPPW,in cooperation with IBEW, UPIU, LERC, CROET,Washington Safety Council of AWPPW, and WISHA(Washington Industrial Safety & Health Administration).

The conference planning committee has been hard atwork designing a program to meet the needs of safetycommittee members, labor safety representatives, millmanagers, safety directors, safety and health profession-als, and emergency response teams in the pulp and paperindustry. The highlight of this year’s program is the key-note presentation, “Safety is Everyone’s Responsibility,”by Charlie Moorecraft. This is a highly personal look atwhat happened to one man and his family, and how itcould happen to any of us if we abuse or ignore safetypractices.

Sessions include the following: Hazard Identificationand Mill Tour; Benchmarking Organizational Culture inthe Safety Improvement Process; Industrial Hygiene Is-sues; Principles and Applications of Ergonomics in thePulp & Paper Industry; Safety and the Supervisor; Mo-bile Equipment Safety; Safety Committee Training; FallProtection; Incident/Accident Investigation; Trenchingand Shoring; Leadership: Safety and Ethics; ProactiveStrategies to End Violence in the Workplace; SafetyVideo Production; CPR/First Aid Training; and a 21/2day workshop especially designed by and for emergencyresponse teams.

T H I R T E E N

See “Conferences,” page 14

?See “Ask,” on page 16

Ask OR-OSHAApplying OR-OSHA standards to “real-life” situations

may not always be “standard” procedure. Sometimes, an-swers and solutions to problems can be tricky. AskOR-OSHA is a regular feature of Resource so that yourquestions concerning OR-OSHA standards and yourbusiness may be answered by experts. So please, AskOR-OSHA by calling the Standards and Technical Sec-tion, (503) 378-3272 or e-mailing your question totech.web@state.or.us. We’ll answer your question(s) asquickly as possible. We’ll also print selected questionsand answers in this newsletter so that the answer to yourquestions may help someone else.

✦

? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?

F O U R T E E N

1999 Oregon Governor’sOccupationalSafety & HealthConferenceMarch 8-11, 1999

Oregon Convention Center,Portland

“Conferences,” from page 13

Leadership into the millennium…Planning is underway for the big event! Exhibitor

application and award nomination packets are avail-able, and we’re adding names to the list for registrationmaterials that will be mailed in January 1999. Keeplooking for more information in future Resource publi-cations, industry trade journals and newsletters, and onour Web site.

For more information on these conferences, contact Oregon OSHA’s Conference Section at(503) 378-3272 (V/TTY), or (toll-free) at 1-888-292-5247, option 1.E-mail us at: oregon.conferences@state.or.us or visit our Web site at: http://www.cbs.state.or.us/external/osha/educate/confer.htm ■

QPlease define the term “make available” as used inparagraphs (j)(2)(l) of 1910.1025, the lead standard.

AEmployers who have employees that are exposed tolead above the action level for more than 30 days a

year must implement and maintain a medical surveillanceprogram.

Biological monitoring must be included as part of themedical surveillance program. The term “make available”means that the employer must ensure that employees areprovided the opportunity to participate in the company’smedical monitoring program on company time, at no in-convenience or cost to the employee.

An employer cannot make it mandatory for employeesto participate in the company’s medical monitoring pro-gram. Also, the employee is not required to see thecompany physician and may choose to use their own phy-sician. If an employee chooses to use their own physician,

OR-OSHA cannot require the employer to pay for suchphysicals.

QCan an employer maintain one complete set ofMaterial Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) in a centrallocation, instead of maintaining sets in severaldifferent departments?

AAn employer can maintain a complete set ofMSDSs in one location as long as employees have

access to them whenever necessary.

QIs fall protection required for workers whostand on top of booms (six to ten feet above theground) for brief periods of time to connect ordisconnect pendants during the assembly or dis-mantling of mobile cranes?

AThe tasks described in your question fall under thescope of Division 2, General Industry, Subdivision I,

Personal Protective Equipment. The “note” followingOAR 437-002-0125(1) applies. It states that the require-ments for fall protection for employees working onunguarded surfaces more than 10 feet above a lower levelor at any height above dangerous equipment do not applywhen work is of a limited duration and limited exposure,and the hazards involved in rigging and installing thesafety devices equal or exceed the hazards involved in theactual activity. Thus, fall protection is not required fortrained workers who must climb onto the top of the boomfor a short period of time to connect or disconnect pen-dant lines or perform related work.

F I F T E E N

Return to: Oregon OSHA, 350 Winter St. NE, Room 430, Salem, OR 97310-0220

Organization: ___________________________________________________________________

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Title: ___________________________________________________________________________

Mailing address: ________________________________________________________________

City: ________________________________________ State: ________ ZIP: _____________

Phone: _________________________________________________________________________If the computerized address label is correct, you are on our mailing list already. No response is necessary.

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Resource is a newsletter concerning occupational safety and health in Oregon. To subscribeto this free publication or to change your mailing address on your current subscription, fillout and return this form or call (503) 378-3272.

S U B S C R I P T I O N F O R MRESOURCE

Resource welcomes submissionsof articles for publication. Ifyou’d like to share informationabout OSHA-related topics, an-nouncements, or events, pleasesend them to Jani Johnston, OR-OSHA, 350 Winter St. NE, Salem,OR 97310-0220 or e-mail them toher, jani.k.johnston@state.or.us.

Articles will be used accordingto their relevance, timeliness,compatibility with OR-OSHApolicy and practice and the avail-ability of space. Because Resourceis a quarterly publication (winter,spring, summer, fall), please timeyour submission so that we re-ceive it about six months before

Article Submissions…publication. Please submit articleson diskette in a PC-compatibleformat such as WordPerfect. Or,you may e-mail your article to theaddress above.

Please include your name (asyou would like it to appear in abyline) if the article is one youwrote, a phone number (in casewe have questions), and a fewlines describing you, your job,credentials, or interest in the sub-ject (again, if the article is writtenby you or is an opinion piece).The Resource staff retains theright to edit all submissions forstyle and length. ■

RESOURCEThe Oregon Health and Safety Resource ispublished quarterly by the Oregon Occupa-tional Safety and Health Division, Departmentof Consumer & Business Services.

Information requests should be directed to:Jani Johnston, Editor,at (503) 378-3272 (V/TTY)or 1-800-922-2689.

Department of Consumer& Business Services

Michael Greenfield, Director

Oregon OSHAPeter De Luca, Administrator

EditorJani Johnston

Design and illustrationsPam Piesker

Technical editingDCBS Communications

Oregon Occupational Safety & Health Division350 Winter St. NE, Rm. 430Salem, OR 97310

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Questions?OR-OSHA has field offices across Oregon. If you have questions or need in-

formation, call us toll free at 1-800-922-2689 or phone one of the offices listedbelow. (All phone numbers are V/TTY).

BendRed Oaks Square1230 NE Third St.,

Ste. A-115Bend, OR 97701(541) 388-6066Consultations:(541) 388-6068

Salem Central350 Winter St. NE,

Rm. 430Salem, OR 97310-0220(503) 378-3272Fax: (503) 947-7461

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Ste. 200Portland, OR 97219(503) 229-5910Consultations:(503) 229-6193

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Ste. 42Eugene, OR 97401(541) 686-7562Consultations:(541) 686-7913

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“Ask,” from page 15

Whenever feasible, it is recom-mended that alternative workpractices be used, such as using linetrucks to pull the pendant lines out,or using a flatbed truck, ladder, scaf-folding or some other safe means toreach the top of the boom. If unpro-tected exposure for a brief time isallowed on top of a boom, move-ment must be limited to a minimum.When moving from one location onthe boom to another, the workermust climb down to the ground oronto a safe walking surface and mustnever walk along the unprotected topof the boom. When on top of theboom, the worker should keep hiscenter of gravity as low as possibleand use as wide a standing surface asis available. The fall distance fromthe base of the boom can be reducedby doing as much work as is pos-sible from directly over the truckpart of the crane. ■