Ensure Regulatory Compliance and Workforce Health
by Spencer Eppler, CSP, CEAS, Executive Vice President, WorkSTEPS
Does your operation include materials containing silica?
If so, it’s a top priority to protect your people from harmful exposure to silica dust as part of your environment, health, and safety (EHS) program. In Part One of this series, we considered a recent example of one employer who disregarded this responsibility, with grave ramifications. Also, we reviewed the hazard of silica dust and looked at current Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) requirements.
In Part Two, we discuss how and why to proactively ensure workforce safety during silica exposure – including the vital use of appropriate hazard controls.
Being Proactive
Why do we manage workers’ exposure to silica dust? Simply put, it’s about protecting people at work and sending them home safely to their families. Why do we follow the laws and regulations? Because workers’ health could be impacted, leading to potential diseases in the future. OSHA and MSHA fines and citations drive home the point that workers must be protected, or there will be implications for the business.
The best approach is to be proactive: Get ahead of the problem by putting safety plans in place and get third-party help when needed. Keeping workers healthy means keeping them on the job while ensuring the company meets production goals. It’s the right thing to do, and in the end, safety yields cost savings.
OSHA notes that companies can expect a $4-6 return for every dollar invested in workplace safety programs.
Your company’s reputation also has considerable value:
- Being known as an employer who cares about its workforce reduces the turnover rate and increases the ability to attract younger workers
- Safety can impact your reputation with customers, suppliers, industry associates, and government/community leaders
- Reputation counts with regulatory agencies; once on their radar screen for willful violations, a business will experience more onsite inspections with possible escalation
It’s best to be known as a business with a solid reputation for safety. As you form, evaluate, or improve your safety plan, you will be positioned to apply what you have learned to expand your business – further increasing your return on investment.
Hierarchy of Controls
A vital tool for today’s safety programs is the updated (inverted) hierarchy of controls, which helps companies manage workforce exposure to hazardous materials.
This core principle identifies and ranks modern safeguards from the most to least effective:
- Elimination of the hazard tops the pyramid, so employees are never exposed – e.g., not using a hazardous material or process
- Next is substitution – e.g., switching to a less hazardous material or process
- Engineering controls involve barriers to protect the worker – e.g., exhaust ventilation or enclosures
- Administrative controls change the way work is done – e.g., procedures, training, or warnings
- Personal protective equipment (PPE) – e.g., respirators or protective gear – now at the bottom of the pyramid, acknowledged as the least effective means of managing exposure
Be advised that you may need to combine several control methods for your operation – e.g., using an exhaust system plus training and inspections. You will also need to consider the feasibility of applying a control – e.g., if it is appropriate, consistent with policies/regulations, and cost-effective for your business.
Applying this hierarchy of controls can revolutionize the way you approach safety across your operation.
How WorkSTEPS Can Help
WorkSTEPS has experts with experience across industries on a national scale – helping businesses plan for safety, establish controls, train and educate, monitor exposure, perform medical surveillance, and provide medical exams. We offer comprehensive EHS services “from hire to retire” in coordination with your safety committee, human resources department, and senior leadership. Working together, we can show that we care by protecting people and ensuring everyone goes home safe. At the same time, the business can remain compliant with current regulatory requirements.
Click here to learn more about WorkSTEPS.
Spencer Eppler is the Executive Vice President of Occupational Medicine and Safety at WorkSTEPS. He is a Certified Safety Professional (CSP), Certified Ergonomic Assessment Specialist (CEAS), industrial hygiene technician, and a former National Registry Paramedic. Spencer is a member of the American Society of Safety Professionals and has more than 23 years of experience in safety and health.
He holds a bachelor’s degree in occupational safety and health, with a concentration in fire science.
