news

ASSE Government Affairs Update Highlights

 

ISO 31000-200X Risk Management Standard Available Through ASSE

As an SH&E Professional you have heard a great deal about the draft standard: ISO 31000-200X "Risk Management — Principles and Guidelines on Implementation".

This standard will certainly have an impact on SH&E Professionals working in the insurance industry and professionals working with risk management issues overall. Literally hundreds of SH&E Professionals have inquired for a status on the standard. It should be noted that this standard has also genered significant interest from senior management in a number of different businesses and industries. ASSE members and SH&E Professionals with risk management responsibilities need to be aware of this initiative and the potential impact on the profession in the future from both the short and long-term perspectives.

ASSE is the TAG Administrator (Technical Advisory Group) for the United States and is compiling comments for use in putting together the American position on the document. ISO 31000 is currently out for public review. There is also an additional document titled Guide #73, which addresses risk management vocabulary. The public review of Guide #73 was conducted under ANSI with a fairly short short timeframe. However, you may still wish to have this draft revised guide to allow you to provide a more comprehensive review on the proposed ISO 31000 Standard itself. Several members of the United States TAG believe the definition of "risk management" in Guide #73 is of critical importance and will have significant impact on the ISO 31000 Standard itself and the processes and procedures used in risk management.

Please note the Society does not hold the copyright to these documents as they are held by ISO itself. ASSE was recently able to conclude an arrangement allowing us to offer the two documents. If you are interested in ordering a copy of the proposed ISO 31000 Standard or Guide #73 please click on the URLs below for ordering information. The documents can be ordered individually, but Guide #73 might be of value to you in putting your comments together.

The official ballot period for ISO Guide #73 ended on July 3, 2008 and the official ballot period for ISO 31000 ends on September 1, 2008. However, the ISO 31000 TAG for the United States is meeting on August 5, 2008 at ASSE Headquarters to come-up with a final position on these documents. The ISO 31000 ballot and comments will be submitted to ANSI for the September 1, 2008 end of ballot period.

Of importance, there will also be a meeting of the full ISO 31000 Committee in Singapore at the end of November 2008. The United States will have a full delegation at this meeting via its ISO 31000 TAG. As part of this public review we are also including the comments submitted by the United States TAG to ISO for Guide #73. The United States voted "No With Comments" for Guide #73, and it may be useful for you to have access to these comments. Both ISO 31000 and Guide #73 will be addressed in Singapore by the full ISO 31000 Committee.

To this end, we announce the following comment period:

The United States TAG will continue to work on an American position for ISO 31000 and Guide #73 to be put forward for the Singapore meeting in November. We will accept comments for consideration by the TAG until September 5, 2008. However, it needs to be noted that these comments would be submitted after the end of the official ballot period. The United States TAG will review these comments for consideration in putting together positions and proposals for the Singapore meeting, but it is important to note the ballot will have been submitted during this time period.

Comments must be submitted electronically in a Word document on the templates available online via the links below. The comments would need to be submitted to TAG Secretariat Staff (Tim Fisher) electronically via the contact information below.

Thanks and regards,

Timothy R. Fisher, CSP, ARM, CPEA
Director, Practices and Standards
American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) 1800 East Oakton Street Des Plaines, IL 60018
847/768-3411 (T)
847/296-9221 (F)
tfisher@asse.org

 

OSHA & ASSE Alliance Extended

An alliance between OSHA and the American Society of Safety Engineers was also recently extended to continue addressing occupational safety and health issues related to ergonomic hazards, musculoskeletal disorders, and motor vehicle safety.

 

Metropolitan Chapter Members' Planning Meeting

Wednesday, July 23, 2008 - 8:30am - Turner Construction Company

All MEMBERS of the Metropolitan Chapter are welcome and encouraged to attend. There is no charge for attending the meeting to plan the chapter's activities for 2008 - 2009.

The M 20 bus and IRT #1 Subway (Houston Street) are nearby.

Advance resevations are required and photo id required to enter building. Reservarion information to follow shortly.

Location:

Turner Construction Company
Basement Training Room
375 Hudson Street
Manhattan, NYC

Click the map to the right to customize directions to the Turner Construction building using Google Maps.

Cost: FREE

Advance registration information coming soon.

 

 

 

9/11 Workers & Volunteers Must Register to Protect Workers' Compensation Rights by August 14, 2008

Did you participate in rescue, recovery, or cleanup after the World Trade Center collapse? 9/11 Workers and Volunteers! Register now to protect your right to workers' compensation benefits at www.nycosh.org.

If you did paid or unpaid rescue, recovery or cleanup work in Lower Manhattan during the year after 9/11, you may be eligible for medical and wage replacement benefits - but only if you register first with the New York Workers' Compensation Board!

If you worked or volunteered:

  • Anywhere in Manhattan south of Canal or Pike Streets, or
  • On the barge operation between Lower Manhattan and Staten Island, or
  • At the Staten Island landfill, or
  • At the New York City morgue; AND
  • You are currently sick, psychologically distressed, and haven't filed a workers' compensation claim;
  • You are not sick, but were exposed;
  • You've filed and been denied;
  • You have filed a successful claim but are concerned that you might develop a different illness in the future - you need to register!

Registering now will preserve your right to file a workers' compensation claim for a 9/11-related disorder - no matter when it develops in the future.

American Society of Safety Engineers’ Information on Managing Cranes and Derricks Safety Risks

craneRecent tragic crane accidents in New York City and Miami have raised public awareness of the hazards associated with crane and derrick operations and the need for greater worker protection.

Approximately 80 construction workers are killed each year due to crane and derrick accidents, with an estimated 263 injuries per year.

While lack of training is perceived as a leading contributor to these accidents, misuse of equipment and the use of wrong equipment are also key issues.  Equipment failure appears to be the primary factor in the recent high-profile crane incidents.

 

2008-2009 Metropolitan Chapter Election Results

The May 7 election results are now official. Congratulations to the 2008-2009 elected and installed officers of the Metropolitan chapter:

  • Dina Vazquez, President and Delegate to the House of Delegates
  • Peter Amato, Vice President
  • David Larson, Treasurer
  • Coryn Casey, Secretary

Their profiles can be found on the Members Page.

Current President Stephanie Altis-Gurnari was also elected as a Delegate to the House of Delegates.

They are looking forward to working with all the members for the continued success of the Metropolitan Chapter.

 

Save the Date! ASSE Leadership Conference 2008

October 2-4, 2008 - The Westin Hotel - 70 Yorktown Center - Lombard, IL

Opening Reception: Thursday, October 2 - 4:30pm

 

Metro Chapter Contributes to the ASSE Foundation!

Bureau of Labor Statistics Revised Fatal Occupational Injuries for 2006 Released April 2008 - Show a Total of 5,840 Fatalities from On-the-Job Injuries

The final count of fatal work injuries in the U.S. in 2006 was revised upward to 5,840, from the preliminary count of 5,703. The overall 2006 fatality rate for the U.S. was revised upward from 3.9 per 100,000 employed workers to 4.0 per 100,000 employed workers.

The final numbers reflect updates to the 2006 Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) file made after the release of preliminary results in August 2007. Revisions and additions to the 2006 CFOI counts result from the identification of new cases and the revision of existing cases based on source documents received after the release of preliminary results.

Among the important changes resulting from the updates:

  • The revised fatality total for 2006 represents a 2 percent increase over the final 2005 total. The preliminary results released in August 2007 showed a decline in the number of cases. The higher fatality rate resulting from the revision indicates that the fatal work injury rate in 2006 was
    unchanged from the 2005 fatality rate.

  • Fatal work injuries incurred by Hispanic or Latino workers rose by 53 cases from the preliminary
    figure, bringing the total number for that worker group to 990 fatal work injuries. The higher
    number of fatal work injuries among Hispanic or Latino workers also pushed the rate of fatal
    injury for that worker group to 5.0 per 100,000 employed workers, up from the previously reported rate of 4.7 per 100,000 employed workers for 2006. In 2005, 923 Hispanic workers were
    fatally injured on the job and the rate of fatal injury among Hispanic workers in 2005 was 4.9 per
    100,000 employed workers.

  • The number of fatal work injuries involving foreign-born workers increased from 997 cases to
    1,046 cases as a result of the updates. Of the 1,046 cases involving foreign-born workers, 667
    involved Hispanic or Latino workers. Both the foreign-born total and the Hispanic or Latino
    foreign-born total were new highs for the series.

  • Fatal occupational injuries in California increased by 89 cases from the preliminary figure. As a
    result of the increase, California surpassed Texas as the State with the highest number of fatal
    work injuries in 2006. The totals for Oregon (up by 15), Georgia (9), and Florida (5) also
    increased. Overall, 15 States revised the counts upward as a result of the update process.

  • In terms of occupations, the largest revision in fatalities was in transportation and material moving occupations (up by 38 fatalities), followed by construction and extraction occupations (15
    fatalities).

  • The industry sectors reporting the largest increases in fatal work injuries due to updates were
    transportation and warehousing (28 new cases), government (19), construction (13), and
    accommodation and food services (12).

Hazardous Chemical issue - Georgia court rules in favor of ACGIH and OSHA

Dear ASSE Members:

We would like to inform you that a federal district court in Georgia has rejected a four-year-long lawsuit to block the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health (OSHA) from referencing and adopting the American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists' (ACGIH) threshold limit values (TLVs) for hazardous chemicals.

The plaintiffs in the case--International Brominated Solvents Association, National Mining Association, AeroSafe Products, Inc. and Anchor Glass Container Corporation--alleged that ACGIH-published TLVs are not supported by credible science. The court ruled in favor of ACGIH and the U.S. Department of Labor and stated that ACGIH did not violate Georgia’s Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act.

For more information, visit:

http://www.acgih.org/resources/press/IBSA-NMA_suit_pr.htm or
Case study, reference: [25], [26] Complaint, submitted to the US District Court, Middle District of Georgia, November 17, 2004. In: International Brominated Solvents Association, et al v. ACGIH et al (5:04CV394)

The Industrial Hygiene Practice Specialty (IHPS) leadership believes this information is important for ASSE members and for the SH&E profession overall. We will notify you of any new developments regarding the court's ruling.

Sincerely,

Erig Stager
IHPS Administrator

Pamela Perrich
IHPS Assistant Administrator

 

In Case of Emergency - "ICE" System for Cell Phones

WHAT: In case of emergency "ICE" is a proactive effort designed to provide emergency personnel with next of kin contacts via a patients mobile/cellular phone situations.

WHY: Police, fire and other emergency personnel across the U.S. are using this free service - checking cellular phones if those injured are incapable of providing the necessary medical information.

HOW: Make sure your contact is easy to reach. If you add more than one "ICE" contract, than add a numeric order. Make sure "ICE" contacts have a phone list of family members, primary care physician and main work contact. Provide "ICE" contact with medical conditions, such as allergies, current medications, and previous medical procedures.

Follow these easy steps: In your cell phone address book, enter a new contact. Enter the letters "ICE", then type in your contact's name followed by their number.

  • ICEjohndoe1 555-555-5555
  • ICEmary2 555-555-5555