Worker Safety
As individuals who work in the utility sector around volatile materials and in dangerous conditions, effective safety practices make all the difference in ensuring UWUA members make it home to our families. By offering trainings, sharing information, and providing resources and alerts, we aim to empower UWUA members to stay safe and injury-free on every job.
To share safety alerts, inquire about training opportunities, or share concerns, contact UWUA Safety Director John “Scotty” MacNeill at john.macneill@uwua.net or 202-706-2719.
Overview
- Notices and Safety Alerts
- COVID Resources
- In Memoriam — Honoring Those We’ve Lost to COVID-19
- Near-Miss Program
- Safety Information and Resources
- Safety Committee Contact Information
Notices and Safety Alerts
This resource is an anonymous compilation of incidents or near-incidents impacting UWUA members, intended to educate members to prevent similar incidents.
Near-Miss Program
A near-miss incident in the workplace is an event that does not result in an injury, illness, or damage, but had the potential to do so. Reporting and sharing these experiences offers an opportunity to learn about the circumstances that lead to the near-incident in order to improve safety. For more information about how to set up your own near-miss program, check on the below overview.
Safety Information and Resources
Centers For disease control AND PREVENTION (cdc)
CDC’s website features information from the nation’s leading science-based, data-driven, service organization that protects the public’s health.
- CBRN APR Protection Handbook Update: This updated document includes the expanded list of CBRN hazards (from 139 to 286), reaffirms the effectiveness of the original 11 test representative agents (TRAs), and incorporates the latest NFPA standards relevant to CBRN respirator performance.
- Informing Workers of Counterfeit and Misrepresented Respirators: This fact sheet provides employers and workers information on counterfeit and misrepresented respirators as well as tips on how to tell if a respirator is approved by NIOSH.
- Reporting Adverse Conditions Involving Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus – Thermal Degradation and Failure of Facepiece Lens: This advisory educates fire departments on an issue with SCBA facepiece lenses that are certified to the 2007 or earlier edition of NFPA 1981 and informs fire departments on how to report adverse SCBA conditions.
- Personal Protective Equipment – A resource for PPE users, safety managers, purchasers, and anyone seeking to learn more about PPE, with a focus on respiratory protection. Home to the Certified Equipment List of NIOSH Approved® respirators.
- Respirator Approval Program – Information for respirator manufacturers, approval holders, and those pursuing approval.
- Firefighter PPE Resources – The resources on this page provide firefighters information about PPE to help keep them safe.
- Struck By Fatalities and Injuries – Preventing Excavator Quick Coupler Attachment
- NIOSH Health Needs of Lone Workers
- Respirator User Notices Issued by Manufacturers
- NIOSH Respiratory Protective Device Information
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
EPA’s Chemicals and Toxics website is a helpful resource to members interested to learn more about common chemical substances and offers recent news alerts about these substances such as new research and reporting violations.
Social Media
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
PHMSA’s website features quick links to pipeline data and statistics including incident trends, damage prevention reports, and safety enforcement programs.
Social Media
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA)
OSHA offers tips and resources for staying safe on the job.
Social Media
Resources
- Focus Four Hazards Campaign Materials:
- Focus Four Campaign Letter
- Toolbox Talk Sign Sheet Example
- Focus Four Tips for Trainer
- Fall Toolbox Talk for Ladders
- Fall Toolbox Talk for Skylights
- Fall Toolbox Talk for Scaffolding
- Fall Toolbox Talk for Aerial Lifts
- Fall Toolbox Talk for General Awareness
- Fall Toolbox Talk for Equipment
- Fall Toolbox Talk for Protection Inspections
- Fall Stand Down Poster
- Fall Stand Down Poster Spanish
- Fact Sheet: Workplace Violence – Workplace violence continues to be among the top causes of death in the workplace.
- Effective date of new requirements for injury and illness submissions through OSHA’s Injury Tracking Application.
- Date OSHA will begin accepting 2023 injury and illness data through its Injury Tracking Application.
- Human Trafficking Prevention Month
- Fall Protection – Overview
Safe + Sound (OSHA)
Safe + Sound is a year-round campaign by OSHA to encourage every workplace to have a safety and health program. This website offers guidance for how to initiate and participate in these programs to generate greater awareness of safety protocols.
National Safety Council
The National Safety Council aims to eliminate preventable deaths at work, in homes and communities, and on the road through leadership, research, education, and advocacy. The website offers toolkits to address opioid use at work, provides resources about fall-prevention training, struck-by prevention, and more.
Social Media
iP (Incident Prevention) Utility Safety Conference & Expo
The iP Utility Safety Conference & Expo brings together leading safety and operations experts to share utility safety insights. Attendees include safety personnel, foremen, trainers, and more.