{"72028":{"#nid":"72028","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Helps Improve Workplace Safety","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIt\u0027s no surprise that a construction site can be hazardous for workers, but how dangerous can a funeral home be? \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPlenty, says Daniel Ortiz, manager of Georgia Tech\u0027s Safety \u0026amp; Health Consultation Program, which is housed within Georgia Tech Research Institute\u0027s (GTRI) Electronic Systems Laboratory (ELSYS). Embalmers are exposed to a number of pathogenic microorganisms and chemicals, Ortiz explains.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn fact, preliminary data from a GTRI occupational health study indicates that up to 20 percent of embalmers in Georgia funeral homes may be exposed to formaldehyde levels above regulatory limits.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESome other unusual occupational hazards:\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Formaldehyde exposure can be a problem for workers who cut and sew wrinkle-resistant fabric. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Jewelers who make and repair gold chains may be exposed to cadmium-a toxic metal.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Nurses face a high risk of contracting blood-borne diseases from needles and other sharp instruments. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAlthough workplace safety has come a long way since the Industrial Revolution, reducing occupational hazards remains a challenge for U.S. employers, especially for smaller companies with fewer resources. In response, Georgia Tech\u0027s consultation program (\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.oshainfo.gatech.edu\u0022 title=\u0022www.oshainfo.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ewww.oshainfo.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) provides technical expertise and training to help Georgia companies create cleaner, safer environments for their workers. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn 2005, consultants visited more than 350 companies and identified 3,838 serious hazards, saving employers about $3.8 million in potential penalties from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). \u0022Yet that\u0027s just the tip of the iceberg,\u0022 Ortiz said. \u0022It\u0027s hard to put a number on costs because any accident has far-reaching effects that go beyond workers\u0027 compensation and lost time.\u0022\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, when an injured worker leaves a production line, it interrupts workflow, Ortiz explains. A replacement may need to be trained, causing further delays, and colleagues may need time to adjust to the new worker. Another performance factor is worker morale, which can be negatively affected by the accident.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFunded by the OSHA, Georgia Tech\u0027s consultation program is free to companies with fewer than 250 workers. What\u0027s more, the program is confidential. \u0022Our only requirement is that companies must agree to correct all hazards and provide written verification of their actions within a reasonable time frame,\u0022 said Art Wickman, a GTRI research scientist who supervises the consultation program\u0027s industrial hygienists.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGeorgia Tech\u0027s consultation program serves a diverse clientele, ranging from food processors to construction companies to nursing homes. Companies can ask for help with a specific issue already known to be a problem or they can request a broader inspection. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen consultants arrive on the scene, they focus on three key areas:   \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Safety issues, such as fire protection, emergency response, electrical safety and machine guarding, fall protection and machine hazards. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Health hazards, which includes exposure to chemicals, noise and blood-borne pathogens.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E- Ergonomic problems that can cause musculoskeletal disorders.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EConsultants will also evaluate safety programs that may already be in place and help strengthen them. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EToo often, employers may regard safety as an extraneous cost that doesn\u0027t contribute to their business. Yet reducing injuries can make a huge difference to rates for worker\u0027s compensation insurance, which is a significant expense for smaller companies. \t\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOSHA supports more than 50 safety-and-health consultation programs throughout the United States, but most are housed within state agencies. \u0022Having the program based at Georgia Tech is a real advantage,\u0022 Ortiz said. \u0022We\u0027re able to collaborate with experts in other areas and leverage cutting-edge knowledge and research.\u0022  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThat\u0027s important since workplace safety is constantly changing due to new technologies and regulations.\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, a new OSHA regulation lowers the permissible exposure limit for hexavalent chromium, which is linked with a higher risk of lung cancer, asthma and skin damage. Metalworkers come in contact with hexavalent chromium through airborne particles emitted through sanding and grinding on painted surfaces, welding and other tasks associated with metalworking, such as chrome plating. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ENanotechnology is also becoming a hot issue. Although no regulatory standards exist yet, experts are studying the issue to determine what hazards might be associated with nano manufacturing and assess the toxicity levels of nanoparticles. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022There are also diseases and exposures that we\u0027ve known about for a long time but many employers think are no longer an issue,\u0022 Wickman noted. \u0022Silicosis used to be big threat in mining and although things have improved there, exposure to silica exists in other industries.\u0022 He points to workers who cut concrete or stone, such as granite countertops for kitchens. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDemographic shifts have also introduced new challenges for employers. Wickman points to the increasing number of Spanish-speaking immigrants in Georgia\u0027s labor force. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022These are primarily Mexican workers and though many have previously worked in construction, Mexico\u0027s regulatory framework isn\u0027t comparable to OSHA in the United States,\u0022 he said. \u0022So the concept of safety standards is new for them and requires a lot of education.\u0022  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo help increase awareness, Georgia Tech\u0027s consultation staff has been translating many of its training materials into Spanish and offering free seminars in Spanish. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0022Partnerships and alliances have become an important tool for reaching more workers through the sharing of resources and collaboration among participants,\u0022 said Paul Schlumper, a GTRI research engineer who supervises the program\u0027s safety consultants. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, Georgia Tech\u0027s safety and health program teamed with Brasfield \u0026amp; Gorrie, the general contractor for the Georgia Aquarium, a $200 million project that required several hundred workers. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe partnership began in May 2004 and when completed in late 2005, there were no fatalities.  During the period Georgia Tech consultants worked on the project, total number of injuries dropped from 7.5 to 2 per 100 workers - with average cost per injury falling from $11,000 to $3,000.  \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAmong its current partnerships and alliances, Georgia Tech has been working with Atlantic Skanska, a large Atlanta-based construction firm that is building a new pollution-control plant in Rome, Ga. \u0022This marks our second partnership where we\u0027re offering on-site safety training for workers,\u0022 said Thomas Dean, a senior technical leader with the safety program. \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPartnerships not only help with outreach, but increase chances for successfully reducing injuries and illness. \u0022Partnerships involve repeat visits to a site, which helps our consultants build trust with the workers,\u0022 Dean explained. \u0022Also, we\u0027re not overwhelming employers with a lot of issues they have to tackle right away.\u0022 \n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nGeorgia Institute of Technology\u003Cbr \/\u003E\n75 Fifth Street, N.W., Suite 100\u003Cbr \/\u003E\nAtlanta, Georgia  30308  USA\u003C\/strong\u003E\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EMedia Relations Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Kirk Englehardt (404-407-7280); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:kirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ekirk.englehardt@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or John Toon (404-894-6986); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:jtoon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ejtoon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETechnical Contacts\u003C\/strong\u003E: Dan Ortiz (404-407-8276); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:daniel.ortiz@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Edaniel.ortiz@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E) or Art Wickman (404-407-8088); E-mail: (\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:art.wickman@gtri.gatech.edu\u0022\u003Eart.wickman@gtri.gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E).\t\n\u003C\/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWriter\u003C\/strong\u003E: T.J. Becker\n\u003C\/p\u003E","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"Program helps companies identify and resolve hazards to workers"}],"field_summary":[{"value":"The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is improving workplace safety at small- and mid-sized Georgia companies by helping them identify and resolve hazards to their workers.","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Georgia firms get help with identifying hazards"}],"uid":"27303","created_gmt":"2007-06-20 00:00:00","changed_gmt":"2016-10-08 03:03:29","author":"John Toon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2007-06-20T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2007-06-20T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"72029":{"id":"72029","type":"image","title":"Inspecting for hazards","body":null,"created":"1449177425","gmt_created":"2015-12-03 21:17:05","changed":"1475894649","gmt_changed":"2016-10-08 02:44:09"}},"media_ids":["72029"],"related_links":[{"url":"http:\/\/www.gtri.gatech.edu\/","title":"Georgia Tech Research Institute"}],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"129","name":"Institute and Campus"},{"id":"139","name":"Business"},{"id":"131","name":"Economic Development and Policy"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"5138","name":"employer"},{"id":"7558","name":"hazards"},{"id":"7554","name":"OSHA"},{"id":"1668","name":"workplace"}],"core_research_areas":[],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cstrong\u003EJohn Toon\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003EResearch News \u0026amp; Publications Office\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/contact\/index.html?id=jt7\u0022\u003EContact John Toon\u003C\/a\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E404-894-6986\u003C\/strong\u003E","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["jtoon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}