Duraclean Journal of Marketing, Management and Technical Topics

Fiberlock makes a variety of coatings for water damage restoration and mold remediation. Shown is a handy review chart that can be used to match the correct product for the situation at hand. The chart is being mailed with the October, 2009 statements.

To find Fiberlock products click on the following link in Duraclean's product catalog: http://www.duracleanfranchise.com/cgi-bin/commerce.exe?search=action&category=CHMR&keywords=all

Labels: Mold Remediation, Restoration, Water Damage Restoration

Labels: Safety Management, Swine Flu

OSHA's BBP Standard: Your Questions Answered





The following article is a condensation from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR (http://www.blr.com). It provides information regarding OSHA’s bloodborne pathogen (BBP) standard that applies to all “reasonably anticipated” contact with blood (or other potentially infectious materials) that may result from the performance of an employee’s duties.



Many OSHA standards raise compliance questions, and the bloodborne pathogen (BBP) standard is no exception. Following are some common questions that are often asked and related answers.



Q. Does OSHA’s BBP standard apply to all personnel with first-aid training?

A. Employees who are designated to provide first aid as a primary or collateral duty are covered by the BBP standard. An employee who voluntarily performs a "good Samaritan act" is not covered, however, because that is not considered an occupational, or work-related, exposure.


Q. What OSHA regulations govern the disposal of biohazard-contaminated material once it has been placed in an approved biohazard plastic bag? How do we throw away a used biohazard bag?

A. OSHA’s BBP standard states: "Disposal of all regulated waste shall be in accordance with applicable regulations of the United States, States and Territories, and political subdivisions of States and Territories" [CFR 29 1910.1030(d)(4)(iii)(C)].

Biohazard disposal is usually regulated by state departments of environmental protection. You should check with your state DEP.


Q. Would individuals designated for cleanup of blood on the shop floor and equipment be covered by the BBP standard?

A. While OSHA does not generally consider maintenance personnel and janitorial staff employed in nonhealthcare facilities to have occupational exposure, it is the employer’s responsibility to determine which job classifications or specific tasks and procedures involve occupational exposure. For example, OSHA expects products such as discarded sanitary napkins to be discarded into waste containers that are lined in such a way as to prevent contact with the contents. But at the same time, the employer must determine if employees can come into contact with blood during the normal handling of such products from initial pickup through disposal in the outgoing trash. If OSHA determines, on a case-by-case basis, that sufficient evidence of reasonably anticipated exposure exists, the employer will be held responsible for providing the protections of the BBP standard to the employees with occupational exposure.


Q. What are the requirements for disposal of rags soaked with blood?

A. Regulated waste such as rags soaked in blood must be placed in containers that are:

• Constructed to contain all contents and prevent leakage of fluids during handling, storage, transport, or shipping
• Labeled or color-coded in accordance with paragraph 1910.1030(g)(1)(i) of the standard
• Closed before removal to prevent spillage or protrusion of contents during handling, storage, transport, or shipping

If outside contamination of the regulated waste container occurs, it must be placed in a second container that also meets these requirements.

Q. Are disposable razors considered sharps?

A. If the razor was contaminated with another person’s blood and an employee got cut on it, it would be covered under the BBP standard (29 CFR 1910.1030).

Q. Who must be trained under the BBP standard and what is the frequency of training?

A. Anyone who has the potential for occupational exposure as defined below needs to be trained. Assuming this is not a healthcare facility, this would include designated first responders to medical emergencies in the workplace.

“Occupational exposure” means reasonably anticipated skin, eye, mucous membrane, or parenteral contact with blood or other potentially infectious materials that may result from the performance of an employee’s duties.

Training shall be provided as follows:

• 1910.1030(g)(2)(ii)(A)-(C): At the time of initial assignment to tasks where occupational exposure may take place and at least annually thereafter.
• 1910.1030(g)(2)(v): Employers shall provide additional training when changes such as modification of tasks or procedures or institution of new tasks or procedures affect the employee’s occupational exposure. The additional training may be limited to addressing the new exposures created.

Labels: Bloodnborne Pathogens, Safety Compliance, Safety Management

H1N1: Planning for the Flu Season

The following article is a condensation from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR (http://www.blr.com). It provides information from The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that urges employers to review and revise pandemic plans in light of the current H1N1 influenza outbreak, taking into account the extent and severity of disease in your community.


Your workplace may have already been affected this past spring and summer by outbreaks of H1N1 flu. The CDC anticipates that more workplaces will be affected by flu—both H1N1 and seasonal—as we head into flu season. There’s also the risk that communities and workplaces may be more severely affected than previously, reflecting the wider transmission and possibly greater impact of flu viruses.


In response to the anticipated spread of H1N1 and the advent of seasonal flu, CDC has revised its recommendations to assist businesses of all sizes.


Response Strategies
You have to balance a variety of objectives when developing pandemic plans and deciding how best to decrease the spread and impact of flu in your workplace.


For example, the objectives you consider may include one or more of the following:

• Reducing transmission throughout your workforce
• Protecting employees who are at increased risk of flu-related complications from getting infected with influenza
• Maintaining business operations
• Minimizing adverse effects on other entities in your supply chain

Expect to see a wide range of disease patterns across the country, says CDC, and base your strategies and response to flu outbreaks on location-specific information from local and state public health authorities.
The threat of a flu pandemic can have a devastating impact on your company and your employees. Pandemic awareness training is essential,.

Key Indicators
Some of the key indicators that should be used when making decisions about appropriate responses include:

• Disease severity (hospitalization and death rates) in the community where your business is located
• Extent of disease (number of people who are sick) in the community
  Amount of absenteeism in your business or organization
• Impact of disease on employees who are vulnerable and at higher risk (for example, pregnant women and workers with certain chronic medical conditions)
• Other factors that may affect employees’ ability to get to work, such as school dismissals or closures due to high levels of illness

Your pandemic plan should anticipate your ability to obtain updated information on these indicators from state and local health departments in each community where you do business so that you can respond quickly to the changing reality on the ground.

If you have more than one business location, CDC encourages you to provide local managers with the authority to take appropriate actions outlined in your pandemic plan based on conditions in their locality.

Actions You Should Take Now
Review or establish a flexible pandemic plan, and involve your employees in developing and reviewing your plan:

• Conduct a focused discussion or exercise using your plan to find out ahead of time whether the plan has gaps or problems that need to be corrected before flu season.
• Have an understanding of your organization’s normal seasonal absenteeism rates, and know how to monitor your personnel for any unusual increases in absenteeism through the fall and winter.
• Engage state and local health departments to confirm channels of communication and methods for dissemination of local outbreak information.
• Allow sick workers to stay home without fear of losing their jobs.
• Develop other flexible leave policies to allow workers to stay home to care for sick family members or for children if schools dismiss students or childcare programs close.
• Share your pandemic flu plan with employees, and explain what human resources policies, workplace and leave flexibilities, and pay and benefits will be available to them.
• Share best practices with other businesses in your communities (especially those in your supply chain), chambers of commerce, and associations to improve community response efforts.
• Add a “widget” or “button” to your company Web page or employee website so that employees can access the latest information on influenza (see www.cdc.gov/widgets/ and www.cdc.gov/SocialMedia/Campaigns/H1N1/buttons.html for suggestions).

Labels: employees, Safety Management, Swine Flu

The Right to Know—Don't Get it Wrong









The following article is a condensation from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR (http://www.blr.com). It emphasizes that the basic goal of an effective hazard communication (HazCom) program is to ensure that both employers and employees know the identities and hazards of chemicals in their workplaces.




Avoiding Citations

One of the reasons for the large number of hazard communication standard (HCS) citations is that many employers mistakenly believe the standard only applies to large companies or those in the chemical industry. The fact is, however, that the vast majority of workplaces contain at least some hazardous chemicals, which means that most employers must meet the requirements of HCS.


How about your hazard communication program? Is it 100 percent in compliance with HCS requirements? Let’s see.


NOTE: Checklists inform supervisors and employees about workplace hazards like chemicals and help keep everyone safe.




HazCom Program Basics

To ensure HCS compliance, you should be able to sign off on all the following basic requirements for HazCom programs:

• Is your program written and explained to employees?
• Can employees and their representatives get copies to read if they want to?
• Does your HazCom program identify the individuals responsible for each aspect of the program?
• Does your program explain how the standard’s requirements will be met?
• Does it include a list of hazardous chemicals used or stored in the workplace?
• Does your HazCom program include effective, documented employee training that fully covers the topic and all the OSHA training requirements?
• Are employees retrained whenever new chemical hazards are introduced?
• Does your program account for how contractor’s employees will receive HazCom information while working in your workplace?
• Are all chemical containers properly labeled, and do labels correctly identify chemicals?
• Are material safety data sheets (MSDSs) accessible to employees at all times?
• Are MSDS files kept current and up to date?
• Do workers understand the information on labels and MSDSs and know how to use it to protect their health and safety?

Labels: employees, Safety Compliance, Training

Becoming Successful in Restoration
Work






A successful restorer needs to keep in mind factors that can lead to both the homeowner and the adjuster to "buy" his/her services. This includes an understanding of the emotions and motivations of both parties. Let's first examine the homeowner's and adjustor's emotions regarding losses.

Emotional Factors

How does a homeowner view a loss to his/her home? There are several important items that come into play:

• Shock - his/her very world, place of comfort and safety has been violated. He/she has been invaded.
• Tremendous loss - items may be damaged beyond saving (or at least he/she may think that it is the case).
• Sentimental - personal items with great personal significance may have been affected.
• Anger - he/she may start to transfer hostility toward someone or something else to vent his/her emotions.
• Resentment - why me?
• Fear - what's going to happen? Will everything be covered by insurance? How is this all going to be put back together as it was before the loss?
• Cynical and suspicious - there will be people in their homes doing various things. What are they going to do? Will they do a good job? Can I rely on them?
• Greed over time - he/she may want more than is justified regarding the claim. He/she may think that the services being provided are not worth what the insurance company is paying to the restorer.

How an insurance adjuster feels about claims:

• Frustrated - so much to deal with in order to satisfy a claim.
• Overwhelmed - he/she may have over 100 open claims to close.
• Underpaid - for the time and effort put in it can be a thankless job.
• Inexperienced - with turnover rates many new adjusters struggle to perform their jobs.
• Full of fear - has to deal with adversarial relationships at times with the homeowner and the restorer as well.
• Stress - has to make the the homeowner happy as well as his/her insurance company.

A great factor in adjusters "buying" a restorer's services is based on relationships.

Buying Motivations

For homeowner it's when the restorer provides:

• Guidance - by the restorer, to be able to provide "hand holding" for the homeowner.
• Stability - the restorer needs to be a central contact, someone to hold the restoration operations altogether.
• Communication - letting the homeowner know what is happening and when.
• Illusion of control - getting the job done but giving the homeowner the impression that he/she has some "say" in what is happening.
• Trust - He/she will have confidence in what the restorer is doing.
• Hope - that his/her life will be restored
• FAST results - he/she needs to see something positive happening right away (such as having some clothes in a fire damage situation processed A.S.A.P. so he/she can have some normalcy in his/her life)

For the adjuster a restorer needs to provide:

• Justification - the restorer must document everything so there is no question as to why something is being done
• A solution to the adjustor's emotions (as listed above)
• FAST results - help the adjuster "close the file" on the claim as soon as possible
• A happy homeowner - a happy owner is a happy policy holder
• Peace for the adjuster - one worry out of the way.

If the restorer can get both parties to "buy" into the program it makes the restorer's life much easier once the job starts by drastically reducing "roadblocks" along the way so he/she can finish the job and get paid.

Labels: Insurance, Insurance Adjusters, Restoration, Sales

Slips, Trips, and Falls: Boring Everyday Accidents?

The following article is from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR (http://www.blr.com). It provides information on regarding slips, trips, and falls which are among the most common workplace accidents, and they cause a lot of very costly—and painful—injuries every year. The question is: are you doing all you can to prevent them?

Everyone reading this has certainly slipped, tripped, or fallen at least once. More likely, you’ve had several falls during your lifetime. Fortunately, many such accidents are minor. But some can be serious—such as falls from ladders or other high places.

So while it’s certainly true to say that workers slip, trip, and fall on the job practically every day, it’s certainly not accurate to characterize these incidents as “boring.” You and your workers should be intensely interested in eliminating slips, trips, and falls.

Common and Costly
It may surprise you to learn that falls account for about 15 percent of all work-related injuries. Each year hundreds of workers die and thousands become disabled from falls on the job. In fact, these incidents are second only to lower back pain and lifting injuries in the number of workers’ comp claims filed. And they cost you and other employers a fortune.

Why Do We Fall?
The consensus among safety professionals is that almost all falls can be prevented. It’s simply a matter of learning how to recognize fall hazards and making the effort to avoid them.

When you fall, you lose your balance and footing. Your center of gravity is displaced and the fall is inevitable. You may be thrown off balance by slipping on a wet floor or tripping over an object in your way. Once you lose your footing and support, there’s no place to go but down.

Falls often occur at ground level because of slippery surfaces caused by grease, water, or ice. Even if you have a sturdy, slip-resistant floor, a slight contamination from dust, water, grease or metal shavings can make the surface slippery. The use of inappropriate footwear, poor lighting, and obstacles in walkways and on stairs can also contribute to slips, trips, and falls.

Another common fall hazard is the unsafe or incorrect use of ladders. Climbing on chairs, boxes, or shelving to access higher levels is a very unsafe work practice that often leads to injury.

Even in the supposedly safe environment of an office, falls are the most common type of injury. Tripping over an open desk or file drawer is one frequent hazard. Falls can also occur when an office worker bends down to reach something while seated in an unstable chair. Tripping over electrical cords is another typical office fall.

What Can You Do?
Here are four simple but very effective steps you can take to eliminate slip, trip, and fall hazards:

1. Make tripping and fall hazards a major part of your regular safety inspections. Include these items in your daily and weekly inspection checklists. Also encourage your workers to report any slip, trip, and fall hazards they identify.
2. Review accident reports to determine the causes of slips, trips, and falls. Don’t fall into the trap of just blaming “carelessness.” One supervisor did just that at American Airlines when a cargo handler slipped on a worn tread as he was descending from the cab of a ramp cargo vehicle and broke his ankle. The supervisor was admonished by the safety department for writing down “Told to be careful” as the corrective action, when the real cause of the accident was the worn tread that should have been reported and replaced.
3. Put up safety posters warning about slip, trip, and fall hazards all around your facility as a constant reminder.
4. Provide slip, trip, and fall training for all workers.

Labels: employees, Safety Compliance, Safety Management, Training

Is Your Fabricrafter Upholstery Foam Tool Sick?


The Fabricrafter foam cleaning system is unique in our industry and provides excellent results but in order to do so the equipment has to be in peak operating condition. The key to the cleaner's success is the Fabricrafter upholstery foam tool.

The following photo is a tool that was sent in for maintenance. The franchisee couldn't figure out why he was getting poor cleaning results. Do you think that vacuuming out the solution and suspended soil from the fabric was an issue?

Lately the tools that have been sent into Duraclean Headquarters for repair have been exhibiting a lot of the same problem: clogging of the head with lint, fibers and hair. This is easily avoided by periodically taking off the tool's cover and removing any buildup of debris.

The other most common problem is in regard to the solution hose loosening up where it is screwed into the solution valve or where the threads on the hose end break off in the solution valve. Constant twisting of the tool's head causes this situation. It becomes most evident in reduced solution flow out of the tool's head. In addition, if the vacuum only is on (the trigger hasn't been depressed) you will see solution flow coming back into the cabinet's recovery tank. This indicates an internal leak.

In the following photo the top (semi-clear) hose is backed away slightly from the solution valve. It doesn't take much to reduce the solution flow!

You can send in your Fabricrafter upholstery foam tool for repair. It's $35.00 per hour labor charge plus parts. Some repairs are simple and may only cost around $35.oo. Other repairs may cost significantly more especially if the black bottom casting and cover have to be replaced. Following is the repaired tool first shown in this article. We had to replace the cover and bottom casting due to severe corrosion.

If you are interested in getting your "sick" tool repaired send it to Duraclean Headquarters c/o the "Repair Department."

Labels: Equipment, Fabricrafter, Repair

What Happens After an OSHA Citation?






The following article is a condensation from the "Safety News Alert" newsletter from BLR (http://www.blr.com). It provides information on how to properly respond to an OSHA safety violation to get back into compliance.


You hope you never get an OSHA citation. But should that day ever come, you need to be prepared for what happens next—the "abatement" process.


Abatement Procedures
If OSHA cites your workplace for violations, you must follow prescribed abatement procedures in a timely manner. There are five key steps:

1. Correct. Hazards found during an OSHA inspection must be promptly corrected. Normally, OSHA expects them to be fixed within 30 days. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis. OSHA recognizes that some safety or health problems are big or systemic and may take longer to fix. On the other hand, minor violations can often be corrected on the spot with the advice of the inspector.

2. Certify. OSHA requires a letter certifying that the violation has been corrected. The letter must include:

• Inspection, citation, and item numbers for each violation.
• A brief statement that the violation was abated, with the date on which the hazard was corrected.
• A brief description of how the hazardous condition was abated.
• A statement informing OSHA that affected employees and their representatives have been informed of the abatement actions.
• A statement assuring OSHA that the information provided is accurate.
  

3. Notify. Employees exposed to the hazard must be notified about the citation. They have to be provided with:

• The same information given to OSHA concerning actions taken to correct a safety or health violation.
• A copy of the abatement certification letter sent to OSHA, which must be posted in the workplace for at least 3 working days after submission to OSHA.
• If you have mobile work operations or if employees don’t assemble routinely at a central work location, OSHA allows the use of means other than posting to notify employees of abatement. For example:
  including a copy of the certification letter or a summary in pay envelopes.
• Presenting or discussing the contents of the documents at a training, safety, or other meeting with affected employees.
• Publishing the contents of the document in an employee newsletter or another general communication medium that reaches affected employees and their representatives.
• Posting the document inside the lid of a toolbox or in a visible location in the compartment where the cited equipment is stored.

4. Verify. To verify abatement, an organization has to provide OSHA with one or more of the following forms of abatement verification documentation:

• A photograph or videotape of the abated condition.
• An invoice or sales receipt for equipment used to achieve abatement.
• A report by a safety and health professional describing actions taken to abate the hazard or describing the results of analytical testing that substantiates abatement.
• Documentation from the manufacturer that the article repaired is within the manufacturer's specifications.
• A copy of a signed contract for goods and services (e.g., an evaluation by a safety engineer).
• Records of training completed by employees if the citation is related to training.
• A copy of program documents if the citation relates to a missing or inadequate program (e.g., respirator program or hazard communication program).

A written abatement plan must also be provided if:

• The citation is for a serious, willful, or repeat violation, and the abatement period on the citation exceeds 90 calendar days.
• The citation requires an abatement plan.
• For long-term abatement projects, progress reports must also be provided if so stated in the citation.

5. Tag. Any cited movable equipment must be tagged with a warning or a copy of the citation. When tagging movable equipment:

• Put a warning tag or a copy of the citation on the operating controls or cited components of the equipment, including rented equipment, immediately after the citation is received.
• On the tag, warn employees about the cited hazard, describing the violation and telling them where to find the complete citation.
  

You can remove a tag only after you have:

• Corrected the violation and submitted all required abatement verification documents to OSHA.
• Permanently removed the cited equipment from service.
• Received an order after a hearing contesting a citation that states the citation has been vacated.
• Given up control of the equipment (e.g., sold it and placed it under the control of the buyer or returned it to a rental company).

Labels: OSHA Compliance, Safety Compliance, Safety Management

WHO "Dampness and Mould" Guidelines




The internationally recognized World Health Organization (WHO) presents guidelines for the protection of public health from health risks due to dampness, associated microbial growth and contamination of indoor spaces. The guidelines are based on a comprehensive review and evaluation of scientific evidence by a group of experts.


The guidelines are intended for worldwide use, to protect public health and to support the achievement of optimal indoor air quality. They focus on building characteristics and feasible approaches to dampness and microbial contamination. Both private and public buildings such as offices and nursing homes are covered.

Here is the link for getting the report for receiving it for free:

http://euro.who.int/document/E92645.pdf

Labels: Mold, Mold Prevention, Mold Remediation