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Industrial
Hygiene Insights – December 2007 |
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Welcome to IH
Insights, the monthly electronic newsletter for industrial
hygiene practitioners. Each issue brings you analysis and
commentary
from our contributing editors, all veteran industrial
hygienists, plus
news on compliance, research, and professional practice from the
Occupational Hazards editorial team. |
In This
Issue:
1. 'We Hired
Them Because They're the Experts!'
2. Nation's Weapons
Labs Have Dire Safety Problems, GAO Says
3. NIOSH
Science Blog Stimulates Communication
4. Minnesota
Pork Plant Workers Afflicted With Mysterious Illness
5. Construction
Workers Suffer Skin Rashes in Katrina, Rita's Wake
1. 'We Hired Them Because They're the
Experts!'
By John F. Rekus PE, CIH, CSP
I've participated as an expert witness in almost 100 legal cases. Most
cases involved a situation where an employer hired an outside contractor
to perform work on the host's premises. During the course of the work,
one of the contractor's employees was killed, by falling to their death
from an elevation, being blown up by vapors ignited in a confined space
or overcome by a toxic gas. In most cases, someone from the employer
being sued testified, "We hired these guys because they're the experts."
My experience suggests that while construction contractors may be
experts concerning their crafts, they are not necessarily experts
concerning the hazards posed by a host's facilities and it is a poor
assumption to believe otherwise. For example, a contractor may be an
expert at pipe fitting but have little or no knowledge of the hazards
posed by the unshored trenches he is laying his pipes in. A contractor
may be a fine electrician but know precious little about personal fall
arrest systems.
In many of the cases in which I've been involved, the employers had
superior knowledge about the hazards in their facilities and operations
that they failed to share with a contractor. In one case, a worker
performing work on duct work in a power plant boiler flue was overcome
by sulfur dioxide and fell 92 feet to his death. During the deposition,
the plant environmental engineer was asked if the contractors were
informed of the nature of the hazards of the exhaust gasses they were
working around. She replied something to the effect of, "No, we didn't
tell them anything because they are the experts."
In another case, where contractor employees were painting the inside of
a tank, a host employee put a lit match into an open can of the paint to
show contractor employees that the paint was not flammable. Later, a
worker was severely burned when the vapors inside the tank were ignited.
While a host employer is not expected to be an ensurer of the safety of
a contractor, it is a mistake to assume that just because a contractor
is an ace at hanging sheet rock, or a wizard at carpentry work or a
stone and masonry artist, that he also is an expert on trench safety
fall protection or countless other safety precautions that may be
peripherally related to their task
Woe to the host employer who knows that a contract employee in jeopardy
and fails to offer a warning because he assumes the contractor is the
expert.
John F. Rekus may be contacted at john-rekus@comcast.net.
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eNEWSLETTER
SPONSOR
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DHS "Appendix A" Finalized - Are You Ready?
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SafetyLiveTV |
New from Occupational Hazards.
Tune in daily
to see company video programs, product
demonstrations, reports from industry trade shows and
interviews with newsmakers.
Watch our latest videos now at www.safetylivetv.com. |
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eNEWSLETTER
SPONSOR
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New low cost sound level meter
Casella USA is pleased to announce the imminent release of the all new
CEL-240 digital sound level meter. This new meter uses the same digital
signal processing technology as the popular CEL-350 dBadge unit and is
an ideal starting instrument for new and experienced users of noise
meters. Measurements cover 30 to 130 dB in 2 x 70 dB ranges with both A
and C frequency weightings and the Slow, Fast and Impulse time
responses. Current and maximum sound level are displayed on a large LCD.
The meter will appeal to safety officers and contractors for the basic
front line noise measurements. Call (800) 366-2966 for more information
or visit www.casellausa.com --- Casella USA
NEW! Equalizer
- Stylized frames feature a cutting edge design that's ideal for work
and play
- Soft rubber nose pads for superior comfort and fit
- Sport grip temples eliminates slippage
- 8-base curve that provides wrap-around protection
- Anti-scratch or anti-fog coating
- Complete with micro-fiber carry pouch that doubles as a cleaning
cloth
- Lens provides 99.9% UV protection
- Exceeds the "High Impact" level of the ANSI Z87.1+ safety standards
www.jacksonsafety.com --- Jackson Safety
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Did you the American Red Cross at the Safety WebExpo and
Conference? You still have time to view the webinar!
Featuring: Bloodborne Pathogens: Disease Transmission in the
Workplace
Sponsored by the American Red Cross, Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) and the American Association of Occupational
Health Nurses (AAOHN)
Industry experts provide information on OSHA's bloodborne pathogens
standard, establishing an exposure control plan, the use and types of
personal protective equipment (ppe), the policies associated with ppe
and the annual training requirements, and information on bloodborne
pathogens training from the American Red Cross.
Nurses who view this webcast can receive 1.0 continuing nursing
education (CNE) contact hour through AAOHN at a cost of $10. To obtain
the nursing credit, a link to the AAOHN Website will be provided during
the Webcast.
Log on today!
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5. Construction Workers Suffer Skin Rashes in
Katrina, Rita's Wake
Construction workers who traveled to New Orleans to help rebuild the
city in the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita were found to have
four distinct skin disorders that were most likely caused by insect
bites, according to researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC).
Read More
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If you have
any comments or feedback about the content or format of IH
Insights, please share them with Editor Sandy Smith at ssmith@penton.com.
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