OSHA has revised and implemented a National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Amputations that focuses in part on the printing industry. OSHA found that its existing NEP was not broad enough and undertook an analysis of various industry segments to determine where amputations were occurring at an unacceptable rate. OSHA identified certain industry segments as ones with high amputation rates. The analysis identified industry segments by SIC Code and equipment.
Of the identified SIC codes, SIC 2752, General Commercial Lithographic Printing, was specifically identified as a high hazard industry segment. The NEP also identified printing presses in a generic sense as the principal equipment involved in amputations. The NEP concluded that the high rates of amputations were due to no or inadequate machine guarding and energy control procedures, namely Lockout/Tagout.
OSHA’s intent under the NEP program is to target printing and the other identified facilities based on SIC Codes and equipment for inspection. The methodology used by OSHA in the NEP puts a large portion of the printing industry at risk of inspection. Each Regional Office has been instructed to develop a list of companies in their area using the identified SIC Codes and conduct random inspections of the companies on the list.
In response to the efforts by OSHA and the NEP, Printing Industries of America has developed materials that will enable printing operations to adopt a turnkey prevention program suited to its current resources. The goal of this package, What You Need to Know for Safe Equipment Operation, is to reduce overall amputation injuries associated with equipment operation.
The What You Need to Know for Safe Equipment Operation package enables printers to:
- Establish an amputation prevention program specific to the printing industry with a focus on the common circumstances and activities that have lead to amputations.
- Develop site-specific amputation prevention training material using a PowerPoint presentation, workbooks, and fact sheet as a basis.
- Increase awareness and understanding by supervisors and equipment operators of amputation hazards and controls specific to their workplace.
The package includes:
- A multimedia training module
- Check lists
- Fact sheets
- And a PowerPoint presentation for training purposes
Call PIVA to order a FREE copy of the What You Need to Know for Safe Equipment Operation package if you are a member. Members can purchase additional copies for $79 by clicking HERE.
For more information about OSHA’s National Emphasis Program (NEP) on Amputations, contact Printing Industries of America’s Environmental, Health, and Safety Affairs Department at 800-910-4283, ext. 792.