CGFA - Environmental & Safety Services

Environmental & Safety Services
Regulatory Compliance Solutions that Mean Business

The staff of CGFA Services Inc. is here to assist you with the burdensome task of complying with environmental and safety regulations in a practical and cost effective manner. We strive to achieve a level of service that allows our clients to focus on their primary business rather than be embroiled in the quagmire of regulation. We believe that a proper understanding and approach to regulatory compliance will save you significantly more money than it will cost.

For all safety related questions please contact Chris Zanobini chris@cgfa.org or Donna Boggs at dboggs@cgfa.org

CGFA Services Inc.

1521 I Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
PH: 916-492-7065
FAX: 916-446-1063

ERI Safety Videos:

ERI Safety Videos is a source for “Videos for Safety Meetings”. Please search for and preview any product of interest. If needed customer service staff call 1-800-311-1143. ERI-Safety.com

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In 2009, fires in nonresidential structures cost 105 civilian lives, caused 1,690 civilian injuries and led to $3.0 billion in direct damages. As fire season approaches, here are some suggestions for protecting your business from fire.

Fires need tinder, or easily combustible materials, and oxygen to start. If a spark, electrical short, excess heat or other ignition source contacts tinder where oxygen is present, a fire will likely start. Whether it spreads depends on the amount of oxygen and fuel available.

Preventing fires therefore requires ensuring that combustible materials do not come into contact with ignition sources. And to contain or slow the spread of fires, you need to minimize their contact with additional fuel sources and oxygen.

A fire can start inside or outside your structures. To begin a fire prevention program, check the perimeter of the building for the following:

o Flammable debris, such as paper, rags, wood, trash. If you must store these items near your structures, store them in solid containers, the more airtight the better.
o Flammable liquids. Make sure any flammable liquids stored outside your structures, including propane and other fuel tanks, are well-labeled and securely closed. In certain areas, you might need to store these in a fenced, locked area.
o Landscaping - well-maintained landscaping can help prevent the spread of fires. Mature shrubbery is somewhat fire-resistant. Weeds, on the other hand, grow and burn quickly. If your property has overgrown areas, consider planting (and maintaining) these areas, or clearing them and replacing planted areas with hardscaping. Fires can start inside a building as well. Potential fire starters you can find in your building include:
o “Ordinary” combustibles, such as paper, wood, cloth, rubber, building materials. Storing these materials in appropriate containers can minimize their potential to become fuel in a fire. Packing them tightly so air cannot circulate will also help retard the spread of flames.
o Flammable liquids, such as fuel oil, gasoline, cooking oils, solvents. Again,containers can prevent problems.
o Electrical equipment, such as wiring, fuse boxes, motors. Minimize your fire risk by having only qualified contractors install or repair wiring. Keep motorized equipment well-maintained and clear of any combustible debris. Use only extension cords appropriately rated for the appliance or fixture attached. To contain a fire once it begins requires the proper equipment. Every business, no matter how small, needs at least one fire extinguisher per floor. One fire extinguisher will not work on all types of fires. For best results, match the type of extinguisher to the type of combustibles in the area:

Class “B” - Flammable liquids (fuel oil, gasoline, cooking grease, solvents, etc.)

Class “C” - Energized electrical equipment (wiring, fuse box, electric motors, etc.)

Train employees on fire safety. The following tips can minimize injury and property damage:

1 Appoint someone to check smoke detectors and fire extinguishers regularly, at least twice a year. Sprinkler systems also need periodic professional inspections; check with your installer for information.

2 Learn how to use a fire extinguisher properly. Pull the pin, aim at the base of the fire, squeeze the handle and spray from side to side at the base of the fire. For safety, the operator should stand between the fire and the exit to allow a quick escape if the fire does not go out.

3 If anyone’s clothing or hair catches fire, train them to immediately stop, drop and roll. Running will only feed the fire, causing it to burn more intensely and spread.

4 If trapped inside, prevent smoke from spreading by closing doors, blocking any gaps underneath with towels or cloth-preferably wet, if water is available, and covering mouths and noses with cloth.

5 If a small fire threatens to spread or the room becomes smoky, evacuate immediately and call 911. An untrained person should never try to fight a large fire.

6 Ensure your property is protected with adequate insurance limits. For more information on protecting your property from fire, please call InterWest Insurance Services.

Source: InterWest Insurance Services, Inc.

Propane Forklift Safety

Every year, there are hundreds of accidental deaths in the United States from carbon monoxide poisoning. Some of these deaths occur in the workplace. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 21 worker deaths in private industry from carbon monoxide exposure in 2001.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless, tasteless, non-irritating gas, so you don’t know when you are breathing it. Normally, when we breathe, the hemoglobin in our blood combines with oxygen and transports it throughout our body. When CO is present, it combines 200-250 times more readily with hemoglobin, depriving the body of necessary oxygen.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning may include headache, fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, loss of consciousness, and coma. Because some of these symptoms are common to other illnesses, CO poisoning is often misdiagnosed. Severe poisonings can result in permanent damage to the brain, nerves, and heart or even death. Even at low levels of exposure, where the worker may not experience any symptoms, CO may contribute to heart disease and have adverse effects on the fetus of a pregnant woman.

How much CO is too much? Cal/OSHA has two exposure limits for CO. The average exposure for an 8-hour day cannot exceed 25 parts per million (ppm) and exposures may never exceed 200 ppm. Worker exposures can be measured easily and inexpensively with color diffusion tubes. More sophisticated equipment is also available.

All propane-powered forklift trucks produce some carbon monoxide because of the incomplete combustion of fuel, but a poorly maintained truck can produce extremely high concentrations of CO. In a poorly ventilated area, dangerous levels of CO can build up even with a well-maintained truck. So what can you do to protect your workers from carbon monoxide poisoning?

To protect workers from CO:

If you need assistance identifying or controlling carbon monoxide exposures in the workplace, your loss control representative can put you in touch with a State Fund industrial hygienist.

Source: State Compensation Insurance Fund

Introduction

Grain handling facilities, as defined by the OSHA Grain Handling Standard, include: grain elevators, feed mills, flour mills, rice mills, dust pelletizing plants, dry corn mills, soybean flaking operations, and the dry grinding operations of soycake. There are numerous safety and health hazards associated with grain handling operations. Suffocation and falls are the two leading causes of deaths at grain handling facilities. Other hazards include fires, explosions, electrocutions, and injuries from improperly guarded machinery. Exposures to grain dust and associated airborne contaminants can also occur; such contaminants include molds, chemical fumigants, and gases associated with decaying and fermenting silage.

In response to the rising numbers of workers entrapped and killed in grain storage facilities, OSHA issued a new fact sheet for employers and workers. Worker Entry Into Grain Storage Binsdetails the hazards of train storage bin entry and the safe procedures that all employers must follow.

OSHA also issued a warning letter to industry following series of incidents including the recent suffocation of 2 teenagers in Illinois grain elevator.

Grain handling hazards are addressed in specific standards for the general industry.

Standards

This section highlights OSHA standards, Federal Registers (rules, proposed rules, and notices), directives (instructions for compliance officers), standard interpretations (official letters of interpretation of the standards), compliance examples, and national consensus standards related to grain handling.

Note: Twenty-five states, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands have OSHA-approved State Plans and have adopted their own standards and enforcement policies. For the most part, these States adopt standards that are identical to Federal OSHA. However, some States have adopted different standards applicable to this topic or may have different enforcement policies. (Click below for full article from OSHA)