Let’s say that you get a flood and suddenly not only is your basement and floors 1-6 flooding, but the maintenance man is not there cause it’s Saturday, and the Infectious Control Nurse is really unhappy cause her once controllable environment is now ripe with unknowns and her patients really don’t need to be exposed to flood water. In all this chaos who do you call?
Our last post was talking about the the top 5 OSHA violated standards, and don’t worry we are going to visit the next 5 next week, but I thought we could talk about how your Certified Industrial Hygienist could help you cut back on those violations. In any industrial work environment there are many places for injuries to happen and it is in the best interest of the employees and the company, that there be a comprehensive safety program that they can rely on.
How long has it been since your company had a safety audit? If the answer is a shoulder shrug chances are you need an audit. Guess who can do that for you? That’s right your local Certified Industrial Hygienist. Not only can he/she perform the audit but they can also write a comprehensive safety program that not only meets OSHA standards but also will meet all your state’s necessary requirements.
I have A Safety Program Now WhatSo you took our advice and called your CIH, had a safety audit performed, he wrote you a safety program, and now that you have gotten this 2-4 inch thick book back of changes, protocols, and training—it’s overwhelming. Easy there, take a deep breath and call your Industrial Hygienist back. You need to negotiate for a Safety/Environmental Training Program.
The Certified Industrial Hygienist will then compile a training schedule so that every employee can get trained on everything they need training on. “But what about the new-bies?!” No fear, the CIH will create a great DVD or Powerpoint for the safety program that he just lead the veterans through. This way when a new hire joins the company he can watch the same training that the others got. We do recommend that you keep in regular contact with your CIH cause OSHA makes new standards every year and you want to be sure that you are keeping up with the latest they are publishing.
OSHA Is Coming Who Should Talk To Them?Call your trusty Certified Industrial Hygienist. Yes he was there in January to do a safety audit and that lead into February training. Well, now it’s April and OSHA wants to have a chat. Call the CIH he can talk to OSHA for you and he can be present while OSHA is there. He can be your representative.
A word to hospitals—yes even you should have a Certified Industrial Hygienist on staff! Let’s say that you get a flood and suddenly not only is your basement and floors 1-6 flooding, but the maintenance man is not there cause it’s Saturday, and the Infectious Control Nurse is really unhappy cause her once controllable environment is now ripe with unknowns and her patients really don’t need to be exposed to flood water. In all this chaos who do you call? Is your CIH on speed dial? Is your first dial to a remediation company? The insurance company?
Your first call should be to your Certified Industrial Hygienist! Why? Cause he can tell you who has actually had experience in doing remediation with hospitals, and when the insurance adjuster comes around—guess who’s best interest he’s going to look for?! That’s right NOT yours. That insurance man cares about one thing—how LITTLE can I pay out to you! Your CIH will care about, “How can we get this cleaned up safely, correctly, quickly, and efficiently.” The Certified Industrial Hygienist will have the hospitals best interest at heart. It’s his job to make sure the hospital is a safe environment for the patients AND hospital employees.
Your Certified Industrial Hygienist—Too Important NOT To Have Him On Speed DialSo now that you know that your CIH can do so much more for you than just be there when OSHA comes around or hands out violations—are you going to go find yours and send him a Christmas card? He is invaluable and he can save you so much money, why not take full advantage of your CIH?
If you want information on how to find a Certified Industrial Hygienist in the Oklahoma area click here.
Occupational Health Overcomes Everyday Hazards
Many workers face different types of hazards on a daily basis. Each company has a responsibility to proactively protect their employees from hazards encountered in the workplace. Accidents or injuries can bring production to a halt, reduce the workforce while the employee is recovering and lead to costly worker compensation claims. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can help your company improve the Occupational Health present at your facility.
The Risk from Asbestos
Asbestos poses a major health risk in many office buildings and homes due to the wide adoption and usage of asbestos as an insulator in the construction process. Asbestos can be found in the glue beneath vinyl flooring or in material applied to concrete to regulate the temperature between floors in an office building. These buildings and homes are being remodeled and modernized as an update to the space, but the demolition process can be hazardous if asbestos is present. Test for asbestos prior to starting your next remodeling project to ensure workers are safe.
Communicating the Dangers with HazCom
Hazard Communication focuses on explaining the dangers present at the workplace. The employees have a right to understand the hazards present and how to remain safe on the jobsite. A Certified Industrial Hygienist can work with your company to fulfill the HazCom requirement set forth by OSHA.
