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By Heather Crews Public Information Officer The federal minimum wage increase that went into effect July 24 will affect only tipped employees in North Carolina for the next year. The state’s minimum wage of $ 6.15 an hour is higher than the new federal wage of $ 5.85, which will be in effect until July 24, 2008. Employers are required to pay the higher of the state or federal minimum wages. However, the 70- cent increase in the federal wage on July 24 created a corresponding increase in the tip credit employers are allowed to count toward the payment of wages for tipped employees. Employers will be required to pay tipped employees as little as $ 2.43 in cash wages as long as the employees make at least $ 3.72 an hour in tips— the maximum tip credit allowed under fed-eral law— to bring the hourly wage up to the current state minimum wage of $ 6.15 an hour. The federal minimum wage increases again on July 24, 2008, to $ 6.55 an hour. Another increase to $ 7.25 an hour is scheduled for July 24, 2009. Once the federal minimum wage is higher than the state minimum wage, the federal rate will prevail. Effective July 24, 2008, employers will be required to pay at least $ 2.13 an hour in cash wages as long as the tipped employees make at least $ 4.42 in tips. Employees must be allowed to keep all tips, except that pooling is permitted if no employee’s tips are reduced more than 15 percent. The employer must keep an accurate and complete record of tips as certified by each employee for each pay period. Without these records, the employer may not be allowed the tip credit. Since Jan. 1— when the state minimum wage rose to $ 6.15 an hour— employers have been required to pay tipped employees $ 3.13 an hour, while taking a maximum tip credit of $ 3.02. If employees are not paid minimum wage, they can file a complaint with the NCDOL Wage and Hour Bureau, which enforces minimum wage, overtime and other wage payment laws, by calling 1- 800- 625- 2267. For more information on the tip credit or minimum wage, visit the NCDOL Web site and click on “ Minimum Wage.” NC Labor Tip Credit Affected by Federal Minimum Wage Increase LEDGER July/ August 2007 Effective Date Minimum Tip Credit Cash Wage Wage Allowed Jan. 1, 2007 $ 6.15 $ 3.02 $ 3.13 July 24, 2007 $ 6.15 $ 3.72 $ 2.43 July 24, 2008 $ 6.55 $ 4.42 $ 2.13 July 24, 2009 $ 7.25 $ 5.12 $ 2.13 The chart shows the cash wage and tip credit allowed for tipped employees. The minimum wage—$ 6.15 an hour since Jan. 1, 2007— will increase to $ 7.25 an hour over a two- year period for all employees in North Carolina. The labor law poster required at all North Carolina workplaces has been updated after changes to the federal minimum wage. Employers who currently have a poster printed in December 2006 or after that date do not need to order a new poster. Those posters already carry information on the state minimum wage of $ 6.15 an hour. However, a downloadable patch is available on the NCDOL Web site that can be printed and pasted over the old information. “ Over the past six months we sent out more than 50,000 posters after the state minimum wage changed Jan. 1,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “ We saw no need to send out another 50,000 for a change to a few paragraphs, so we came up with the idea of the patch. We’ll save money on printing costs and mailing costs.” The patch includes the three- step change to the federal minimum wage, which will affect North Carolina employers in 2008 when the minimum wage increases to $ 6.55 an hour. It also includes the new cash wage of $ 2.43 required for tipped employees that went into effect July 24, 2007. Employers may notice that the new posters are in a two- page format. Both posters are required to be posted under state law. To download the patch, visit www. nclabor. com and click on “ Free Labor Law Posters.” Achart is available to help you determine if you have a poster that needs a patch. Print out the patch and paste over the appropriate section of the poster. A patch is available for the two different size posters currently in Updated N. C. Labor Posters Reflect Federal Minimum Wage Change continued on page 2 Inside this edition: Record Number of Safety Awards Presented page 3 CPR Training Saves a Life page 4 Deadly Mistakes page 4 NCDOL, Ports Authority Sign Agreement page 5 Salesmen Pose as NCDOL Inspectors page 5 Bulletin Board page 6 2 From Commissioner Cherie Berry Cherie Berry Commissioner Editor .......................................... Heather Crews Layout and Design ............................ Jeff Wilson Publications Bureau Chief ............ Mike Daniels 1101 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699- 1101 1- 800- 625- 2267 • www. nclabor. com Recognition Roundup recognizes businesses that qualify for one of the N. C. Department of Labor recognition programs. Congratulations to all of the award recipients during May and June. Recognition Roundup The N. C. Department of Labor Web site is expanding to offer more safety and health material for employers and employees. We’ve recently added a new publication, Quick Cards, to the Web site. These cards contain information on a variety of safety and health topics from carbon monoxide to tree trimming safety. The cards can be downloaded free and used at safety meetings or posted on bulletin boards. We’re also in the process of creating an Occupational Safety and Health Topics A to Z page. Each safety and health topic will have its own page, with links to standards, operating documents, publications and other Web links. Once we get a few topics ready, we’ll go ahead and post on the site. More topics will be added as we get them created. These pages are going to be really helpful because they will have all the information you need in one place. You won’t have to look on several pages to find all the information we have on bloodborne pathogens or lock-out/ tagout. We want www. nclabor. com to be your No. 1 resource for safety and health information. We hope that you will find the expanded site helpful. Carolina Star Award Kinder Morgan Material Services LLC, Sanford Glen Raven Fabrics LLC, Norlina Mundy Maintenance/ Service, INVISTA/ Fortron Site ( Promoted from Rising Star) Building Star Award Turner Construction Company, Charlotte Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program ( SHARP) Award Lutheran Home Hickory NW, Hickory McKenzie Sports Products, Salisbury Watauga Opportunities, Boone Employees at Kinder Morgan Material Services in Sanford raise the Carolina Star Flag. circulation— a one- page 18" x 24" poster and a two- page 11" x 17" poster. If you have a poster printed before December 2006, it is out- of- date. You may order a free, updated poster on the NCDOL Web site at www. nclabor. com/ posters/ NCPosters. html. Updated N. C. Labor Posters ( continued) Our new Safety Quick Cards are now available covering a variety of topics. Click here to get yours! By Heather Crews Public Information Officer The N. C. Department of Labor wrapped up in August a three-month celebration of outstanding safety and health achievements in the workplace. The 61st year of the safety awards program ended with a banquet in Ahoskie on Aug. 7 after more than 2,000 awards were distributed at 28 banquets. “ We set a record for safety awards this year,” safety awards coordinator LaFonda Mauldin said. “ We’ve never given out so many awards in the 61 years of the program. I’m thrilled to see the program growing and recognizing so many deserving businesses for safety and health.” Under program rules, recipients must be free of fatal accidents at the site. The gold award criteria are based on a lost workday case rate that is at least 50 percent below the statewide rate for the specific industry. The rate includes cases of lost workdays and restricted workdays. The silver award criteria include lost workday cases but do not include restricted work activity. The applicant must attain an incidence rate for cases with days away from work that is at least 50 percent below the statewide rate for its industry. 3 Million Hour Awards Syngenta Crop Protection Ingersoll Rand, Mocksville International Textile, Richmond Honeywell 4 Million Hour Awards Avdel USA, Stanfield Thermo Laboratory Products Guilford Inc., Kenansville Site Glenoit LLC, Home Fashions Nortel– Gateway Facility Arden Companies, Outdoor Replacement Cushions 5 Million Hour Awards Baldor- Dodge- Reliance Collins & Aikman Corp. Glen Raven, Executive Office John Deere, Southeast Engineering Center Lenovo 7 Million Hour Award AAAIPharma 8 Million Hour Awards Progress Energy, Harris Nuclear Plant Coty US LLC 9 Million Hour Award Progress Energy, Harris Nuclear Plant Gold Awards, 20 or More Consecutive Years Thomasville Furniture Industries, Central Office ( 48) Vulcan Construction Materials LP, Elkin Quarry ( 41) Bost Neckwear, Asheboro ( 40) Broyhill Furniture Industries ( 40) Ethan Allen, Maiden Division– Upholstery Plant ( 37) DAK Americas, Cape Fear Monomers Employees ( 36) DAK Americas, Cape Fear Support Employees ( 36) DAK Americas, Cape Fear Power Employees ( 36) Enco Oil Inc. ( 35) Bernhardt Furniture Co., Corporate Office ( 34) Alcoa Inc., Badin Works ( 33) Louisiana- Pacific, Roaring River ( 32) ATI Allvac, Monroe Plant ( 29) Universal Spring Co. ( 29) National Gypsum Co. ( 28) McDowell Technical Community College ( 28) Liggett Group Inc., Electric Shop ( 27) Georgia- Pacific Corp., Alpha Plastics Division ( 26) R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Research and Development ( 25) New Hanover County Department of Environmental Management, Landfill Division ( 25) Eaton Electrical ( 24) Catawba Truck Rental Co. Inc. ( 23) International Paper Co., Office ( 23) New Hanover County, Finance Department ( 22) New Hanover County, Register of Deeds ( 22) Person County, Board of Education Office ( 22) Premium Standard Farms, Clinton Facility Administration ( 22) APAC- Atlantic Inc., Candor Sand Plant ( 21) Syngenta Crop Protection, Greensboro ( 21) Liggett Group Inc. Administrative Office ( 21) Town of Garner, Planning Department ( 21) Glen Raven Inc., Executive Offices ( 20) Kennametal, Henderson Plant ( 20) Marshall Air Systems Inc. ( 20) Milliken & Co. ( 20) Entertainment Distribution Co. ( 20) Number in parentheses indicates number of consecutive years the site has received a gold award. Congratulations to all our Safety Award Recipients! Commissioner Berry presents Martha Lassiter and Bost Neckwear Inc. with the 40th consecutive year gold award in Asheboro. 3 Record Number of Safety Awards Presented ITG safety director Debbie Williams accepts a 3 million hour plaque from Commissioner Cherie Berry. Carla Silver, safety and industrial hygiene specialist with Merck Manufacturing Division in Wilson, accepts the 1 million hour award at the Wilson banquet May 8. LaFonda Mauldin, safety awards coordinator, speaks to more than 150 attendees at the High Point banquet June 20. By Steve Sykes State Plan Coordinator Fatal Events: On Aug. 1, 2006, a 41- year-old Hispanic man died on the job as a result of overexposure to heat. Investigative Findings: The deceased was a new employee who had been assigned to the planing/ polishing area of a sawmill operation. The day of his death was his second day on the job and the hottest week of the summer to that point. Recorded temperatures at the worksite reached 96 degrees that day with high humidity. The company had not implemented a training program to include the signs and symptoms of heat stress. A morning refreshment break and a 30- minute lunch break were scheduled, and there was a lull between work activities. However, a special break schedule was not established in response to the extreme temperatures during the week of the victim’s death. A sufficient supply of water was available at the site, and workers were allowed to take water breaks whenever they needed to. The outside water fountain was some distance away from the work area. The victim began showing signs of heat exhaustion during the first day on the job, and these continued the next day. According to co- workers, the victim complained about the heat, experienced a loss of appetite, unusual thirst, significant sweating, and eventually the absence of sweating and ultimately dry skin. Sometime after 4 p. m., the victim’s behavior became erratic, coupled with confusion and disorientation. He was taken inside, where CPR was initiated after the victim became unconscious. A call was placed to 911, and the EMS arrived but could not revive the worker. Discussion: As demonstrated by this investigation, there is a big differ-ence between knowing that excessive heat is dangerous and being able to recognize when an employee may be in the danger zone or more susceptible to the dangers of heat. A heat stress program is essential for these situations. The program should include training, specific guidelines and requirements that are enforced. The absence of heat stress requirements that are enforced seems to be the primary disconnect between knowing that heat kills and preventing a heat stress event. Recommendations: Develop, implement and enforce work/ rest cycles during hot weather. Employees should be taught the signs and symptoms of heat- related illnesses. Employees should monitor themselves and their co- workers for signs of heat stress. Workers should be acclimated to the work environment through short heat exposures building up to longer periods of time. This should include new employees, as well as employees who have been away from work for two weeks or more. Drink lots of water regardless of thirst. Thirst is not always an indicator of fluid requirements. Wear clothing that will not contribute to a rise in body temperature. Items of clothing can be cooled with water to reduce body temperature. 4 When Tony Bridgers received CPR training at a class given by the N. C. Department of Labor Mine and Quarry Bureau, he did not know that he would soon be using his skills to save a fellow employee’s life. Bridgers, a hammer operator at Hanson Aggregates North America, and two other employees were talking one morning before beginning work when suddenly an employee collapsed to the ground. Bridgers evaluated the employee using the ABC process— opened the airway, checked the breathing and checked circulation— and began CPR. He continued CPR until emergency personnel arrived about five minutes later. The EMTs took over, shocking the employee twice, and took him to the hospital. A stent was installed, and now the employee is doing well and is back to work. Bridgers’ CPR is credited with saving the employee’s life. He had taken a CPR and first aid class given by the Mine and Quarry Bureau. “ This story shows how important CPR training can be,” bureau chief William Gerringer said. “ You never know when you’ll be called on to help someone in need.” The Mine and Quarry Bureau provides first aid and CPR training for miners, along with other regulatory training classes and consultation. For more information, visit the Web site at www. nclabor. com/ mq/ mq. htm. This NCDOL cooling scarf can be drenched in water and used for cooling. CPR Training Saves a Life Tony Bridgers, employee at Hanson Aggregates North America, accepts a plaque from Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry. The plaque recognizes Bridgers for using his CPR training to help save a fellow employee’s life. 5 By Heather Crews Public Information Officer The N. C. Department of Labor recently received complaints from businesses after salespeople came to their offices trying to sell fire extinguishers and first aid kits and posing as NCDOL inspectors. Business owners said the salespeople claimed they were at the business to do a safety and health— or OSHA— inspection and, after a walkaround of the facility, tried to sell first aid kits and fire extinguisher signs. “ Our inspectors will never try to sell a business anything,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “ Not safety signs, first aid kits or labor law posters. If someone says they are with the N. C. Department of Labor, look at their credentials to make sure they are on the up- and- up.” OSH inspectors will identify themselves and show an identification badge anytime they come out to a business for an inspection. The occupational safety and health standards do require portable fire extinguishers and readily available first aid supplies in the absence of an infirmary, clinic or hospital in near proximity to the workplace. Business owners should review the standards and the requirements to ensure compliance. Companies who called NCDOL said that the sales representatives said that there were new requirements to the standards. However, the standards have been in place for many years, and there are no recent changes. The department also has had complaints in years past from companies approached to buy bloodborne pathogen prevention kits and air compressor checks from self-proclaimed “ inspectors” carrying badges. OSH inspectors, again, would not try to sell these products or services. The labor department has referred the complaints about the salespeople posing as NCDOL inspectors to the N. C. Attorney General’s Office. For questions about OSH standards, please call the Education, Training and Technical Assistance Bureau at ( 919) 807- 2875. Salesmen Pose as NCDOL Inspectors to Sell Equipment By Heather Crews Public Information Officer North Carolina’s busy ports renewed their commitment to worker safety by signing a safety alliance with the N. C. Department of Labor. The N. C. State Ports Authority and the Labor Department signed June 14 an agreement that sets goals to reduce injuries and illnesses at the Wilmington and Morehead City ports, along with inland terminals in Charlotte and Greensboro. “ These terminals can get really busy, so safety is really important,” said Tom Savage, a safety standards officer at NCDOL. “ Workers can be exposed to many hazards, especially from the moving vehicles and cranes.” This latest agreement is one of many that the labor department has with private industry to encourage voluntary compliance with safety and health laws. As part of the agreement, NCDOL and NCSPA will implement training and education programs, develop safety classes, and distribute safety and health information through conferences, meetings and other events. Representatives from both groups will meet at least annually to discuss goals of the alliance and evaluate results. Three of the state’s ports also received safety awards at this year’s banquets for maintaining injury and illnesses rates lower than the industry average. The Charlotte Inland Terminal received a sixth consecutive year gold award. The Triad Inland Terminal received the third consecutive year gold award. The Morehead City port received a second consecutive year silver award. NCDOL, Ports Authority Sign Agreement Four new container cranes for the N. C. State Ports Authority enter the Wilmington port after a journey from China. 6 Carolina Star Conference Oct. 3- 5 Greensboro Visit www. carolinastar. org for more information. New Workshop Series Workshops are currently scheduled in the following topics: Keep your co- workers safe and informed with a FREE Ledger subscription! www. nclabor. com/ news/ ledgersubs. htm 10- Hour General Industry Workshops Aug. 15- 16 Plantation Estates, Matthews Contact Paul Myers at ( 704) 845- 5900, Ext. 305, or pmyers@ actslife. org. Sept. 18- 19 Nash Community College Contact Fred Brooks at ( 252) 451- 8233 or fbrooks@ nashcc. edu. Big 4 Construction Hazards Bloodborne Pathogens Electrical Excavation and Trenching Fall Protection Hazard Communication Heat Stress Industrial Ergonomics Introduction to OSH Lockout/ Tagout Machine Guarding Occupational Noise Recordkeeping Scaffolding Visit the NCDOL Calendar at www. nclabor. com All links are active in the Ledger! for dates and locations. Part 46 New Miner/ Experienced Miner Training Aug. 20 Part 46 Annual Refresher Aug. 23 All miner and refresher training will take place at the Hanson Training Center in Wake Forest. To register, call ( 919) 807- 2790.
Object Description
Description
Title | NC labor ledger. |
Date | 2007 |
Subjects |
North Carolina. Department of Labor--Periodicals Industrial relations--North Carolina--Periodicals Labor policy--North Carolina--Periodicals Labor laws and legislation--North Carolina--Periodicals |
Description | July/August 2007 |
Publisher | N.C. Dept of Labor |
Agency-Current | North Carolina Department of Labor |
Type | Text |
Language | English |
Digital Characteristics-A | 950 KB; 6 p. |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Related Items | http://www.nclabor.com/news/ledger.htm; http://worldcat.org/oclc/51989157/viewonline |
Title Replaces | North Carolina. Department of Labor. Labor ledger : for North Carolina employers and employees |
Pres Local File Path-M | \Preservation_content\StatePubs\pubs_borndigital\images_master\ |
Full Text | By Heather Crews Public Information Officer The federal minimum wage increase that went into effect July 24 will affect only tipped employees in North Carolina for the next year. The state’s minimum wage of $ 6.15 an hour is higher than the new federal wage of $ 5.85, which will be in effect until July 24, 2008. Employers are required to pay the higher of the state or federal minimum wages. However, the 70- cent increase in the federal wage on July 24 created a corresponding increase in the tip credit employers are allowed to count toward the payment of wages for tipped employees. Employers will be required to pay tipped employees as little as $ 2.43 in cash wages as long as the employees make at least $ 3.72 an hour in tips— the maximum tip credit allowed under fed-eral law— to bring the hourly wage up to the current state minimum wage of $ 6.15 an hour. The federal minimum wage increases again on July 24, 2008, to $ 6.55 an hour. Another increase to $ 7.25 an hour is scheduled for July 24, 2009. Once the federal minimum wage is higher than the state minimum wage, the federal rate will prevail. Effective July 24, 2008, employers will be required to pay at least $ 2.13 an hour in cash wages as long as the tipped employees make at least $ 4.42 in tips. Employees must be allowed to keep all tips, except that pooling is permitted if no employee’s tips are reduced more than 15 percent. The employer must keep an accurate and complete record of tips as certified by each employee for each pay period. Without these records, the employer may not be allowed the tip credit. Since Jan. 1— when the state minimum wage rose to $ 6.15 an hour— employers have been required to pay tipped employees $ 3.13 an hour, while taking a maximum tip credit of $ 3.02. If employees are not paid minimum wage, they can file a complaint with the NCDOL Wage and Hour Bureau, which enforces minimum wage, overtime and other wage payment laws, by calling 1- 800- 625- 2267. For more information on the tip credit or minimum wage, visit the NCDOL Web site and click on “ Minimum Wage.” NC Labor Tip Credit Affected by Federal Minimum Wage Increase LEDGER July/ August 2007 Effective Date Minimum Tip Credit Cash Wage Wage Allowed Jan. 1, 2007 $ 6.15 $ 3.02 $ 3.13 July 24, 2007 $ 6.15 $ 3.72 $ 2.43 July 24, 2008 $ 6.55 $ 4.42 $ 2.13 July 24, 2009 $ 7.25 $ 5.12 $ 2.13 The chart shows the cash wage and tip credit allowed for tipped employees. The minimum wage—$ 6.15 an hour since Jan. 1, 2007— will increase to $ 7.25 an hour over a two- year period for all employees in North Carolina. The labor law poster required at all North Carolina workplaces has been updated after changes to the federal minimum wage. Employers who currently have a poster printed in December 2006 or after that date do not need to order a new poster. Those posters already carry information on the state minimum wage of $ 6.15 an hour. However, a downloadable patch is available on the NCDOL Web site that can be printed and pasted over the old information. “ Over the past six months we sent out more than 50,000 posters after the state minimum wage changed Jan. 1,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “ We saw no need to send out another 50,000 for a change to a few paragraphs, so we came up with the idea of the patch. We’ll save money on printing costs and mailing costs.” The patch includes the three- step change to the federal minimum wage, which will affect North Carolina employers in 2008 when the minimum wage increases to $ 6.55 an hour. It also includes the new cash wage of $ 2.43 required for tipped employees that went into effect July 24, 2007. Employers may notice that the new posters are in a two- page format. Both posters are required to be posted under state law. To download the patch, visit www. nclabor. com and click on “ Free Labor Law Posters.” Achart is available to help you determine if you have a poster that needs a patch. Print out the patch and paste over the appropriate section of the poster. A patch is available for the two different size posters currently in Updated N. C. Labor Posters Reflect Federal Minimum Wage Change continued on page 2 Inside this edition: Record Number of Safety Awards Presented page 3 CPR Training Saves a Life page 4 Deadly Mistakes page 4 NCDOL, Ports Authority Sign Agreement page 5 Salesmen Pose as NCDOL Inspectors page 5 Bulletin Board page 6 2 From Commissioner Cherie Berry Cherie Berry Commissioner Editor .......................................... Heather Crews Layout and Design ............................ Jeff Wilson Publications Bureau Chief ............ Mike Daniels 1101 Mail Service Center Raleigh, NC 27699- 1101 1- 800- 625- 2267 • www. nclabor. com Recognition Roundup recognizes businesses that qualify for one of the N. C. Department of Labor recognition programs. Congratulations to all of the award recipients during May and June. Recognition Roundup The N. C. Department of Labor Web site is expanding to offer more safety and health material for employers and employees. We’ve recently added a new publication, Quick Cards, to the Web site. These cards contain information on a variety of safety and health topics from carbon monoxide to tree trimming safety. The cards can be downloaded free and used at safety meetings or posted on bulletin boards. We’re also in the process of creating an Occupational Safety and Health Topics A to Z page. Each safety and health topic will have its own page, with links to standards, operating documents, publications and other Web links. Once we get a few topics ready, we’ll go ahead and post on the site. More topics will be added as we get them created. These pages are going to be really helpful because they will have all the information you need in one place. You won’t have to look on several pages to find all the information we have on bloodborne pathogens or lock-out/ tagout. We want www. nclabor. com to be your No. 1 resource for safety and health information. We hope that you will find the expanded site helpful. Carolina Star Award Kinder Morgan Material Services LLC, Sanford Glen Raven Fabrics LLC, Norlina Mundy Maintenance/ Service, INVISTA/ Fortron Site ( Promoted from Rising Star) Building Star Award Turner Construction Company, Charlotte Safety and Health Achievement Recognition Program ( SHARP) Award Lutheran Home Hickory NW, Hickory McKenzie Sports Products, Salisbury Watauga Opportunities, Boone Employees at Kinder Morgan Material Services in Sanford raise the Carolina Star Flag. circulation— a one- page 18" x 24" poster and a two- page 11" x 17" poster. If you have a poster printed before December 2006, it is out- of- date. You may order a free, updated poster on the NCDOL Web site at www. nclabor. com/ posters/ NCPosters. html. Updated N. C. Labor Posters ( continued) Our new Safety Quick Cards are now available covering a variety of topics. Click here to get yours! By Heather Crews Public Information Officer The N. C. Department of Labor wrapped up in August a three-month celebration of outstanding safety and health achievements in the workplace. The 61st year of the safety awards program ended with a banquet in Ahoskie on Aug. 7 after more than 2,000 awards were distributed at 28 banquets. “ We set a record for safety awards this year,” safety awards coordinator LaFonda Mauldin said. “ We’ve never given out so many awards in the 61 years of the program. I’m thrilled to see the program growing and recognizing so many deserving businesses for safety and health.” Under program rules, recipients must be free of fatal accidents at the site. The gold award criteria are based on a lost workday case rate that is at least 50 percent below the statewide rate for the specific industry. The rate includes cases of lost workdays and restricted workdays. The silver award criteria include lost workday cases but do not include restricted work activity. The applicant must attain an incidence rate for cases with days away from work that is at least 50 percent below the statewide rate for its industry. 3 Million Hour Awards Syngenta Crop Protection Ingersoll Rand, Mocksville International Textile, Richmond Honeywell 4 Million Hour Awards Avdel USA, Stanfield Thermo Laboratory Products Guilford Inc., Kenansville Site Glenoit LLC, Home Fashions Nortel– Gateway Facility Arden Companies, Outdoor Replacement Cushions 5 Million Hour Awards Baldor- Dodge- Reliance Collins & Aikman Corp. Glen Raven, Executive Office John Deere, Southeast Engineering Center Lenovo 7 Million Hour Award AAAIPharma 8 Million Hour Awards Progress Energy, Harris Nuclear Plant Coty US LLC 9 Million Hour Award Progress Energy, Harris Nuclear Plant Gold Awards, 20 or More Consecutive Years Thomasville Furniture Industries, Central Office ( 48) Vulcan Construction Materials LP, Elkin Quarry ( 41) Bost Neckwear, Asheboro ( 40) Broyhill Furniture Industries ( 40) Ethan Allen, Maiden Division– Upholstery Plant ( 37) DAK Americas, Cape Fear Monomers Employees ( 36) DAK Americas, Cape Fear Support Employees ( 36) DAK Americas, Cape Fear Power Employees ( 36) Enco Oil Inc. ( 35) Bernhardt Furniture Co., Corporate Office ( 34) Alcoa Inc., Badin Works ( 33) Louisiana- Pacific, Roaring River ( 32) ATI Allvac, Monroe Plant ( 29) Universal Spring Co. ( 29) National Gypsum Co. ( 28) McDowell Technical Community College ( 28) Liggett Group Inc., Electric Shop ( 27) Georgia- Pacific Corp., Alpha Plastics Division ( 26) R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., Research and Development ( 25) New Hanover County Department of Environmental Management, Landfill Division ( 25) Eaton Electrical ( 24) Catawba Truck Rental Co. Inc. ( 23) International Paper Co., Office ( 23) New Hanover County, Finance Department ( 22) New Hanover County, Register of Deeds ( 22) Person County, Board of Education Office ( 22) Premium Standard Farms, Clinton Facility Administration ( 22) APAC- Atlantic Inc., Candor Sand Plant ( 21) Syngenta Crop Protection, Greensboro ( 21) Liggett Group Inc. Administrative Office ( 21) Town of Garner, Planning Department ( 21) Glen Raven Inc., Executive Offices ( 20) Kennametal, Henderson Plant ( 20) Marshall Air Systems Inc. ( 20) Milliken & Co. ( 20) Entertainment Distribution Co. ( 20) Number in parentheses indicates number of consecutive years the site has received a gold award. Congratulations to all our Safety Award Recipients! Commissioner Berry presents Martha Lassiter and Bost Neckwear Inc. with the 40th consecutive year gold award in Asheboro. 3 Record Number of Safety Awards Presented ITG safety director Debbie Williams accepts a 3 million hour plaque from Commissioner Cherie Berry. Carla Silver, safety and industrial hygiene specialist with Merck Manufacturing Division in Wilson, accepts the 1 million hour award at the Wilson banquet May 8. LaFonda Mauldin, safety awards coordinator, speaks to more than 150 attendees at the High Point banquet June 20. By Steve Sykes State Plan Coordinator Fatal Events: On Aug. 1, 2006, a 41- year-old Hispanic man died on the job as a result of overexposure to heat. Investigative Findings: The deceased was a new employee who had been assigned to the planing/ polishing area of a sawmill operation. The day of his death was his second day on the job and the hottest week of the summer to that point. Recorded temperatures at the worksite reached 96 degrees that day with high humidity. The company had not implemented a training program to include the signs and symptoms of heat stress. A morning refreshment break and a 30- minute lunch break were scheduled, and there was a lull between work activities. However, a special break schedule was not established in response to the extreme temperatures during the week of the victim’s death. A sufficient supply of water was available at the site, and workers were allowed to take water breaks whenever they needed to. The outside water fountain was some distance away from the work area. The victim began showing signs of heat exhaustion during the first day on the job, and these continued the next day. According to co- workers, the victim complained about the heat, experienced a loss of appetite, unusual thirst, significant sweating, and eventually the absence of sweating and ultimately dry skin. Sometime after 4 p. m., the victim’s behavior became erratic, coupled with confusion and disorientation. He was taken inside, where CPR was initiated after the victim became unconscious. A call was placed to 911, and the EMS arrived but could not revive the worker. Discussion: As demonstrated by this investigation, there is a big differ-ence between knowing that excessive heat is dangerous and being able to recognize when an employee may be in the danger zone or more susceptible to the dangers of heat. A heat stress program is essential for these situations. The program should include training, specific guidelines and requirements that are enforced. The absence of heat stress requirements that are enforced seems to be the primary disconnect between knowing that heat kills and preventing a heat stress event. Recommendations: Develop, implement and enforce work/ rest cycles during hot weather. Employees should be taught the signs and symptoms of heat- related illnesses. Employees should monitor themselves and their co- workers for signs of heat stress. Workers should be acclimated to the work environment through short heat exposures building up to longer periods of time. This should include new employees, as well as employees who have been away from work for two weeks or more. Drink lots of water regardless of thirst. Thirst is not always an indicator of fluid requirements. Wear clothing that will not contribute to a rise in body temperature. Items of clothing can be cooled with water to reduce body temperature. 4 When Tony Bridgers received CPR training at a class given by the N. C. Department of Labor Mine and Quarry Bureau, he did not know that he would soon be using his skills to save a fellow employee’s life. Bridgers, a hammer operator at Hanson Aggregates North America, and two other employees were talking one morning before beginning work when suddenly an employee collapsed to the ground. Bridgers evaluated the employee using the ABC process— opened the airway, checked the breathing and checked circulation— and began CPR. He continued CPR until emergency personnel arrived about five minutes later. The EMTs took over, shocking the employee twice, and took him to the hospital. A stent was installed, and now the employee is doing well and is back to work. Bridgers’ CPR is credited with saving the employee’s life. He had taken a CPR and first aid class given by the Mine and Quarry Bureau. “ This story shows how important CPR training can be,” bureau chief William Gerringer said. “ You never know when you’ll be called on to help someone in need.” The Mine and Quarry Bureau provides first aid and CPR training for miners, along with other regulatory training classes and consultation. For more information, visit the Web site at www. nclabor. com/ mq/ mq. htm. This NCDOL cooling scarf can be drenched in water and used for cooling. CPR Training Saves a Life Tony Bridgers, employee at Hanson Aggregates North America, accepts a plaque from Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry. The plaque recognizes Bridgers for using his CPR training to help save a fellow employee’s life. 5 By Heather Crews Public Information Officer The N. C. Department of Labor recently received complaints from businesses after salespeople came to their offices trying to sell fire extinguishers and first aid kits and posing as NCDOL inspectors. Business owners said the salespeople claimed they were at the business to do a safety and health— or OSHA— inspection and, after a walkaround of the facility, tried to sell first aid kits and fire extinguisher signs. “ Our inspectors will never try to sell a business anything,” Labor Commissioner Cherie Berry said. “ Not safety signs, first aid kits or labor law posters. If someone says they are with the N. C. Department of Labor, look at their credentials to make sure they are on the up- and- up.” OSH inspectors will identify themselves and show an identification badge anytime they come out to a business for an inspection. The occupational safety and health standards do require portable fire extinguishers and readily available first aid supplies in the absence of an infirmary, clinic or hospital in near proximity to the workplace. Business owners should review the standards and the requirements to ensure compliance. Companies who called NCDOL said that the sales representatives said that there were new requirements to the standards. However, the standards have been in place for many years, and there are no recent changes. The department also has had complaints in years past from companies approached to buy bloodborne pathogen prevention kits and air compressor checks from self-proclaimed “ inspectors” carrying badges. OSH inspectors, again, would not try to sell these products or services. The labor department has referred the complaints about the salespeople posing as NCDOL inspectors to the N. C. Attorney General’s Office. For questions about OSH standards, please call the Education, Training and Technical Assistance Bureau at ( 919) 807- 2875. Salesmen Pose as NCDOL Inspectors to Sell Equipment By Heather Crews Public Information Officer North Carolina’s busy ports renewed their commitment to worker safety by signing a safety alliance with the N. C. Department of Labor. The N. C. State Ports Authority and the Labor Department signed June 14 an agreement that sets goals to reduce injuries and illnesses at the Wilmington and Morehead City ports, along with inland terminals in Charlotte and Greensboro. “ These terminals can get really busy, so safety is really important,” said Tom Savage, a safety standards officer at NCDOL. “ Workers can be exposed to many hazards, especially from the moving vehicles and cranes.” This latest agreement is one of many that the labor department has with private industry to encourage voluntary compliance with safety and health laws. As part of the agreement, NCDOL and NCSPA will implement training and education programs, develop safety classes, and distribute safety and health information through conferences, meetings and other events. Representatives from both groups will meet at least annually to discuss goals of the alliance and evaluate results. Three of the state’s ports also received safety awards at this year’s banquets for maintaining injury and illnesses rates lower than the industry average. The Charlotte Inland Terminal received a sixth consecutive year gold award. The Triad Inland Terminal received the third consecutive year gold award. The Morehead City port received a second consecutive year silver award. NCDOL, Ports Authority Sign Agreement Four new container cranes for the N. C. State Ports Authority enter the Wilmington port after a journey from China. 6 Carolina Star Conference Oct. 3- 5 Greensboro Visit www. carolinastar. org for more information. New Workshop Series Workshops are currently scheduled in the following topics: Keep your co- workers safe and informed with a FREE Ledger subscription! www. nclabor. com/ news/ ledgersubs. htm 10- Hour General Industry Workshops Aug. 15- 16 Plantation Estates, Matthews Contact Paul Myers at ( 704) 845- 5900, Ext. 305, or pmyers@ actslife. org. Sept. 18- 19 Nash Community College Contact Fred Brooks at ( 252) 451- 8233 or fbrooks@ nashcc. edu. Big 4 Construction Hazards Bloodborne Pathogens Electrical Excavation and Trenching Fall Protection Hazard Communication Heat Stress Industrial Ergonomics Introduction to OSH Lockout/ Tagout Machine Guarding Occupational Noise Recordkeeping Scaffolding Visit the NCDOL Calendar at www. nclabor. com All links are active in the Ledger! for dates and locations. Part 46 New Miner/ Experienced Miner Training Aug. 20 Part 46 Annual Refresher Aug. 23 All miner and refresher training will take place at the Hanson Training Center in Wake Forest. To register, call ( 919) 807- 2790. |
OCLC number | 51989157 |