Of the newly anointed 10 authorized providers, only two are non-profits or Universities, with the bulk of the providers being private for-profit companies.   Several high profile online providers who previously offered OSHA online Outreach courses were not selected by OSHA including, The University of South Florida, 360Training.com, Coastal Training Technologies, Summit Training Source, and Redvector.

Not all of the new providers that OSHA authorized even have currently available programs, according to OSHA.  Those organizations must still work on building an acceptable program in order to receive a full blessing from OSHA. So the overall number of online course providers may get smaller in the coming months.  In an email received from Mr. Don Guerra, OSHA Program Manager, OSHA continued to recommend that prospective students “compare program offerings and pricing from multiple providers” in order to determine which one best meets their training needs.  However given this latest round of cuts to available online providers, it is highly probable the cost for this online training will rise dramatically for prospective students and employers given the lack of competition in the marketplace.

OSHA also continues to encourage  students to consider taking classroom training instead of online courses.   Which of course, are being offered  and marketed by the OSHA Education Centers around the country in direct competition to private and public classroom training providers.   Although no direct link has been suggested between the slashing of online providers and the encouragement to go to the OSHA Ed. Centers; a clearer message could not have been received!

See the January 12, 2012 news release on new online Outreach Training Program selections.

New and Currently available programs 

• Construction 10 hour – AdvanceOnline, Career Safe, ClickSafety (also Roadway, Cal-OSHA, and Spanish), and PureSafety (also Spanish).
• Construction 30 hour – AdvanceOnline, ClickSafety, PureSafety and Turner Construction.
• General Industry 10 hour - AdvanceOnline, Career Safe, ClickSafety and PureSafety.

Programs that will no longer be available after March 31, 2012 

• Construction 10 hour – University of South Florida, Redvector, 360Training, Coastal Training Technologies, Turner Construction, and Summit Training Source.
• Construction 30 hour – University of South Florida, 360Training, and Summit Training Source.
• General Industry 10 hour –University of South Florida, 360Training, Coastal Training Technologies, and Summit Training Source.
• General Industry 30 hour -University of South Florida, 360Training, and Summit Training Source

The report looked at multiple behavior case studies across the U.S. and Canada, including the “Tenant Energy Management Program” in the Empire State Building; “Conservation Action!” at BC Hydro, Canada; an energy behavior campaign undertaken at a provincial governmental building in Canada; and the “TLC-Care to Conserve” program at the University Health Network of the University of Toronto.

Four common intervention approaches were shared by the five energy behavior programs:

1. Setting the tone with the support of upper management and its public pledge;
2. Building a team with a project committee and peer champions on board;
3. Utilizing communication tools such as e-mails, prompts, Web sites, public meetings, and posters to reach target audiences; and
4. Engaging building occupants by means of feedback, benign peer pressure, and competition, as well as through performance-linked rewards.

The report suggests that the key benefits of energy behavior programs extend beyond the workplaces that undertake these programs. Often a change in participants’ thinking and behaviors follows, and after participation in the program they may become more active in their own energy-saving practices.

Things to Consider for Developing an Energy Savings Culture

• Communication:  A critical element of motivating staff to contribute to an energy saving culture.  Communicate your energy saving vision, actions to be undertaken, roles, and above all else, the results that are achieved through a focus on reducing energy use.
• Time and Effort:  Building an energy saving culture will take time and effort. Be realistic about the time required to change attitudes and behaviors, and pursue gradual rather than radical change.
• Current Culture:  Understand your current culture by conducting observations of meetings, work areas and social areas.
• Appoint a champion:  An employee who is passionate and respected – to lead the culture change process.
• Metrics:  Develop a detailed action plan that includes actions, targets, responsibility and timeframes.
• Accountability:  Assign roles and accountability to appropriate staff.
• Motivations:  Motivate staff to put energy saving actions into place by demonstrating the value of the actions and the impact that they can have.
• Monitoring and Reporting:  Publish reports on the implementation on action and achievements against goals and targets.

In many recently published studies  and articles most students, when asked, agree that online discussions with fellow students and the instructor are central to the learning experience.  Instructors can encourage students to develop techniques to make the most of online discussions, which may add to a student’s learning experience and promote success in the online course.  The instructor can also encourage students to apply concepts from the online course, or as one student described it, “use it or lose it,” to develop an ability to retain and synthesize course objectives.   Another key for successful online learning is the importance of making a connection with fellow students.   Students who develop a meaningful connection with their co-workers and peers receive and provide support to one another.   The online connections also promote a sense of being a learner among other learners.

Staying motivated in the course is a challenge for students taking stand alone online courses.   It is important to develop a personal motivation strategy to make the online learning experience successful; one that can keep them from losing interest or burning out.   However many students simply do have the skill set necessary to develop this kind of strategy, let alone being able to implement it in a meaningful way.

Students in a recent study published by Educause Quarterly agreed that taking the following practical steps helped them succeed in their online courses:

Tips for Successful Online Learning

1. Develop a time-management strategy.
2. Make the most of online discussions.
3. Use it or lose it.
4. Make questions useful to your learning.
5. Stay motivated.
6. Communicate the instruction techniques that work.
7. Make connections with fellow students.

Learning Environment

Many companies rush into online learning as a way to save money, and while it is true that on the balance it is less expensive, great care and planning should be taken in order to make sure it is a successful program.

An ideal study environment is just that – ideal.   Some students need absolute silence while others can’t seem to concentrate without noise in the background.   No matter what the preference, a well-lit place that is free from distractions is recommended.   Note that students make much better use of thirty minutes of disruption-free study than an hour’s worth of commotion-filled learning.

Keep your online learning sessions short!  For most learners a one to two hour session is ideal.

Don’t assume that all of your employees have the same level of computer savvy as you do.  Provide required training on course orientation and computer basics; how to log in, what to expect when logging in, basic screen layouts, how to get additional resources, etc.   Make sure everyone knows how to ask for help!

Implementing a great online learning program starts with great planning.  Correctly implementing an online learning program will greatly improve its success and its survival ability during tough economic times, and lead to greater overall satisfaction and increase the learning opportunities for your company.

Here’s how you can make the inspection of your facility go as smoothly as possible:

Tips for a Smooth Inspection

• Cooperate - The most important advice to follow during an inspection is to cooperate with the inspector.   The inspector may equate noncooperation with regulatory noncompliance.

• Accompany the inspector - The facility owner, operator, or workplace supervisor should accompany the inspector during the inspection to take notes on the inspector’s comments. When accompanying the inspector, pay particular attention to questions that the inspector asks you or employees about workplace health and safety or waste management practices.

• Correct errors - It is also important, if possible or if requested by the inspector, to correct regulatory problems, such as a malfunctioning chemical-treatment-process machine or a minor spill, during the inspection.

• Duplicate samples and records - Should the inspector take samples; you should take a samples the same time so that you have nearly identical samples.  Ask the inspector what test or analysis the sample will undergo and have the same test or analysis conducted independently on your sample for your own records.

Should the inspector request copies of corporate records, either make the copies then, or if the request requires a substantial amount of copying, agree to a schedule to provide them to the inspector.   Keep a copy of everything you provide to the inspector.   The inspector may also take pictures of relevant plant equipment or processes.   You should take the same pictures from the same angle.

Are you ready to answer these questions?

• How are EHS regulatory requirements determined and communicated?
• How is compliance monitored?
• What is the effectiveness of the internal communication systems, particularly under spill or release scenarios? Accidents and Injuries?
• What is the existence and completeness of detailed process flow charts and mass balances?
• How is noncompliance communicated to management?  What is the follow up?
• Is environmental and safety compliance a factor in job performance evaluations for front line Supervisors?  Employees?  How about Management?
• What is the existence and scope of an environmental and safety training programs?
• What are the existence, scope, and maturity of the facility’s EHS management systems?

Don’t be afraid to ask for help.  You don’t have to go through this alone!  There are a lot of valuable resources available to you on the web.   OSHA and EPA both have good resources on their websites; contact other professionals through social media such as LinkedIn Groups.  You can also contract with a professional consultant, or contact your state’s Department of Labor; many have assistance programs that can get you on the right track.   Most important though, talk to your senior management and get them to understand the importance of EHS, both from a regulatory compliance standpoint and more importantly from a good business perspective.  Be prepared to make 2012 a great year!

Beginning on Sunday, manufacturers began phasing out incandescent bulbs as part of new Federal guidelines calling for lightbulbs that are at least 30 percent more efficient.  The phase-out begins immediately with the end of 100-watt bulbs, which no longer meet energy efficiency guidelines.

Although Republicans secured inclusion of a measure blocking funding for enforcement of the standards in a year-end Omni-Bus spending bill, energy efficiency groups say the provision will have little practical impact, and interestingly enough the regulations for the ban was signed into law in 2007 by former President George W. Bush.

The complete switchover will take place over the course of the year, and while the LED and flourescent bulbs can be more expensive, the U.S. Department of Energy says that updating 15 bulbs in your home could save you about $50 a year.

New Generation of Light Bulbs

Learn more from this video featuring GE Lighting Institute’s Mary Beth Gotti and The Green Skeptic’s Scott Edward Anderson as they joined Wendy Bounds on WSJ.com’s LunchBreak to discuss new energy efficient federal light bulb regulations that take effect on January 1, 201 http://s.wsj.net/media/swf/main.swf

The new regulations also implement disqualification sanctions for new drivers of CMVs who fail to comply with this Federal restriction and new driver disqualification sanctions for commercial driver’s license (CDL) holders who have multiple convictions for violating a State or local law or ordinance on motor vehicle traffic control that restricts the use of hand-held mobile telephones. Additionally, motor carriers are prohibited from requiring or allowing drivers of CMVs to use hand-held mobile telephones.

According to the amendment using a hand-held mobile telephone may reduce a driver’s situational awareness, decision making, or performance; and it may result in a crash, near-crash, unintended lane departure by the driver, or other unsafe driving action. Indeed, research indicates that reaching for and dialing hand-held mobile telephones are sources of driver distraction that pose a specific safety risk. The odds of being involved in a safety-critical event are three times greater when the driver is reaching for an object than when the driver is not reaching for an object. The odds of being involved in a safety-critical event are six times greater while the driver is dialing a cell phone than when the driver is not dialing a cell phone. These increases in risk are primarily attributable to the driver’s eyes being off the forward roadway.

The use of cell phones while driving has come under greater scrutiny lately, and while no State has completely banned mobile telephone use, some States have gone further than this rule for certain categories of drivers. For example, 19 States and the District of Columbia prohibit the use of all mobile telephones while driving a school bus. Additionally, nine States and the District of Columbia have traffic laws prohibiting all motor vehicle drivers from using a hand-held mobile telephone while driving.

The agencies defined the use of a hand-held telephone as:

1. Using at least one hand to hold a mobile telephone to conduct a voice communication;
2. Dialing or answering a mobile telephone by pressing more than a single button, or
3. Reaching for a mobile telephone in a manner that requires a driver to maneuver so that he or she is no longer in a seated driving position, restrained by a seat belt that is installed in accordance with 49 CFR 393.93 and adjusted in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer’s instructions.

Texting means manually entering alphanumeric text into, or reading text from, an electronic device.

This action includes, but is not limited to, short message service, emailing, instant messaging, a command or request to access a World Wide Web page, pressing more than a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication using a mobile telephone, or engaging in any other form of electronic text retrieval or entry, for present or future communication.

Texting does not include:

• Inputting, selecting, or reading information on a global positioning system or navigation system; or
• Pressing a single button to initiate or terminate a voice communication using a mobile telephone; or
• Using a device capable of performing multiple functions (e.g., fleet management systems, dispatching devices, smart phones, citizens band radios, music players, etc.) for a purpose that is not otherwise prohibited in this part.

What is considered driving?
According to FMCSA and PHMSA driving means operating a commercial motor vehicle on a highway, including while temporarily stationary because of traffic, a traffic control device, or other momentary delays. Driving does not include operating a commercial motor vehicle when the driver has moved the vehicle to the side of, or off, a highway and has halted in a location where the vehicle can safely remain stationary.

Emergency exception. Using a hand-held mobile telephone is permissible by drivers of a CMV when necessary to communicate with law enforcement officials or other emergency services

OSHA’s 2012 Budget 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) budget will increase by a little more than $7 million in 2012, however the way that money is to be spent will change.  Compliance assistance programs received the largest increase in OSHA’s budget nearly $6.5 million more than the Obama administration had requested.   Most of the other budget increases requested by Obama were rejected by Congress, including an $8 million request for increased enforcement.

Say Goodbye to the idea of a MSD Column on the OSHA 300 Log

In one of the more interesting turn of events, Congress included an addendum to OSHA’s budget which states that “None of the funds made available may be used to continue the development of or to promulgate, administer, enforce, or otherwise implement the Occupational Injury and Illness Recording and Reporting Requirements – Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSD) Column being developed by OSHA.”

MSHA Receives a Boost!

Also as expected the Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) received a $12 million boost in their budget for increased coal enforcement, technical support and program administration.  The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) budget was severely slashed by Congress to the tune of $41 million decrease.  This is somewhat explained by the addition of funding from the “evaluation tap funding” which puts NIOSH’s reduction closer to $22 million.

A complete breakdown of how the 2012 budget may look is presented here:

Kudos to Ambassador Steel and I hope everyone else will take their lead, and reinvent your own workplaces so you can enjoy not only a safer place for your workers but a healthier bottom line.

This is but the latest fallout from the over 50,000 injuries that occur every year, including 120 fatalities according to OSHA.

What must employers do to protect employees?
OSHA has established requirements that employers must follow when employees are exposed to hazardous energy while servicing and maintaining equipment and machinery.   Here is the Top Ten critical requirements from OSHA:

1. 
   Develop, implement, and enforce an energy control program.
2. 
   Use lockout devices for equipment that can be locked out.  Tagout devices may be used in lieu of lockout devices only if the tagout program provides employee protection equivalent to that provided through a lockout program.
3. 
   Ensure that new or overhauled equipment is capable of being locked out.
4. 
   Develop, implement, and enforce an effective tagout program if machines or equipment are not capable of being locked out.
5. Develop, document, implement, and enforce energy control procedures. [See the note to 29 CFR 1910.147(c)(4)(i) for an exception to the documentation requirements.]
6. 
   Use only lockout/tagout devices authorized for the particular equipment or machinery and ensure that they are durable, standardized, and substantial.
7. 
   Ensure that lockout/tagout devices identify the individual users.
8. 
   Establish a policy that permits only the employee who applied a lockout/tagout device to remove it. [See 29 CFR 1910.147(e)(3) for exception.]
9. 
   Inspect energy control procedures at least annually.
10. 
    Provide effective training as mandated for all employees covered by the standard.

 What do employees need to know?
Employees need to be trained to ensure that they know, understand, and follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy control procedures.  The training must cover at least three areas:

• aspects of the employer’s energy control program;
• elements of the energy control procedure relevant to the employee’s duties or assignment; and
• the various requirements of the OSHA standards related to lockout/tagout.

How can you get more information?
Go to www.osha.gov to start with,  but don’t think you’re on your own.   Seek out a qualified Certified Safety Professional to help you review your current program or design a specific program that fits your needs and complies with OSHA.

It would be interesting to see the comparison to US counterparts attitudes.

Key findings:
Tomorrow’s business leaders identify themselves as the first ‘sustainable generation’. This is based on:

• The exposure they’ve had to sustainability, having grown up with issues like environmental protection and social responsibility in their lives and in the media;
• A personal belief that the environment and contributing to society are important;
• 69% of participants saying their personal beliefs affect which companies they trust and use themselves;
• 79% citing the vision and values of a company as an important factor when looking at potential employers; and
• 34% saying that creating social and environmental value through business is an important career goal.

As well as in their personal lives, they also believe that sustainability is important to business:

• 70% of participants agree that sustainability can create new opportunities for business;
• just 21% believe that sustainability has to come at the expense of profit;
• as well as new business opportunities, sustainability also offers the potential to achieve cost savings;
• 67% of respondents agree that sustainability can help differentiate start-ups;
• 66% believe difficult economic conditions should not be an excuse for businesses to ignore sustainability; and
• while international competitiveness, a failure to innovate and the need to reduce the UK’s deficit are identified as the most pressing challenges facing businesses now and in the future, climate change is the fastest-growing threat.

The sustainable generation has mixed views on current UK business sustainability performance:

• 78% of participants recognise that companies in the UK are making a real effort to address sustainability;
• only 3% believe that companies are succeeding in fully integrating sustainability;
• 32% believe that businesses communicate their sustainability policies and initiatives well enough internally to employees;
• and 31% well enough externally to customers;
• Just 15% credit businesses with doing enough on the environment and 13% to support local communities;
• 62% cite an unwillingness or inability to pay for sustainable products and services as a barrier to progress;
• 62% also say other business priorities being seen as more important is a barrier; and
• 32% of middle managers, 30% of graduate trainees and 18% of MBA students believe businesses that claim to have a social purpose beyond creating profit.

Members of the sustainable generation are keen to help move the sustainability agenda forward:

• 96% of respondents plan on being involved with sustainability in their careers;
• 72% credit their employer or business school with encouraging them to take a long-term view;
• as well as commercial benefits, sustainability can help address external pressures and help them as individuals to stand out in their careers;
• but just 35% feel they have received sufficient sustainability training from their business school or employer; and
• 26% cite university reforms and access to higher education as a key threat to UK business in 5-10 years time.

They have a five-point plan on how they will address sustainability once they reach senior executive positions themselves:

1. Improve employee engagement – create a culture that harnesses employees’ creativity and empowers them to drive sustainability initiatives forward;
2. Collaborate even with competitors – businesses should take collective responsibility by sharing best practice and helping each other to act more sustainably;
3. Take responsibility for the supply chain – understand the supply chain to mitigate risk and help other companies improve;
4. Integrate sustainability into values and decisions – make sustainability part of everything a business does by embedding it in its values;
5. Use new technology – be an early adopter but don’t just rely on technology alone.