OSHA to Randomly Inspect New York Dairy Farms Starting in July 2014>/h1>

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has announced a Local Emphasis Program (LEP) that will allow for programmed, random inspections of dairy farms in New York that have 11 or more employees. These inspections will start in July 2014. Since learning of the LEP, an OSHA Work Group has formed. Members of the work group include Cornell PRO-DAIRY, NY Farm Bureau (NYFB), Northeast Dairy Producers Association (NEDPA), New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health (NYCAMH), and Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE). The goal of the OSHA Work Group is to help the New York state dairy farm industry prepare for OSHA inspections. For more information visit the NYCAMH webpage at: http://www.nycamh.com/osha-ny-dairy-lep/

New York Dairy farms that meet the following condition could potentially be selected for a random LEP inspection by OSHA:

• Employs 11 or more employees currently and at any one time during the last 12 months on the day the OSHA Compliance Safety and Health Officer arrives. (one part time employee equals one full-time employee)

OSHA has identified 12 main areas they will be focusing on when they inspect dairy farms. These twelve focus areas are referred to as the "Dairy Dozen" by OSHA. NYCAMH can assist in developing safety plans, programs, training or actions for each of these areas. All safety training sessions that NYCAMH delivers will be documented with a sign-in roster. NYCAMH has created a LEP OSHA compliance manual and also a farm safety checklist which will assist farms in understanding OSHA safety regulations. The OSHA Work Group has also cooperated with Farm Credit East to develop and record three informational webinars on what to expect in an OSHA inspection. These webinars can be viewed at https://www.farmcrediteast.com/webinars

Here is a listing of the OSHA dairy dozen areas and ways that NYCAMH can assist:

1. Manure Storage facilities and collection structures: NYCAMH can examine these facilities and help develop a plan for structural protections, placement of warning signage and worker trainings that will keep people safe when working around them.

2. Dairy Bull and Cow Behavior/Worker Positioning: NYCAMH offers a variety of animal handling programs in both English and Spanish that educate workers on safe methods of working with livestock. NYCAMH will also look at potential physical hazards in animal handling areas such as barns, pens, holding areas, crowd gates and parlors and offer recommendations on improvements.

3. Electrical Systems: NYCAMH will use the farm safety checklist to review common dangers from electrical systems including; open circuits, exposed wiring, improper use of extension cords, debris and supplies stored too close to electrical panels.

4. Skid loaders: NYCAMH offers free on farm skid loader trainings in both English and Spanish. The safety survey will include inspections of the skid loaders themselves to ensure all safety mechanisms are in place.

5. Tractor Operation: As with skid loaders, NYCAMH offers free on farm tractor safety training sessions in both English and Spanish that meet the OSHA requirements for training as outlined in 1928 Subpart C Appendix A. The farm safety checklist will also record inspections of the tractors themselves to ensure all safety mechanisms are functioning properly. NY Farms are eligible to participate in the ROPS Retrofit Rebate Program. The rebate will pay 70% of the retrofit cost up to $865. For more information call the ROPS Rebate Hotline at: 1-877-ROPS-R4U (1-877-767-7748), or visit: https://www.nycamhoutreach.com/ropsr4u/

6. Guarding of PTOs: All PTO drivelines and PTO master shields must be in place. For many years NYCAMH has been providing low cost PTO shields to farmers, with individual shields available for as low as $59. NYCAMH provides training in English and Spanish on PTO safety.

7. Guarding of Power Transmission and functional components: Rotating machinery on the farm will be examined to determine shielding requirements listed in sections of 1928.57. Grain dryers, augers, fans, gears, and other moving parts are required to have adequate shielding. NYCAMH provides training in English and Spanish on mechanical hazards.

8. Hazardous Energy Control while servicing or maintaining equipment: NYCAMH staff can assist farms in identifying proper places to institute lockout and hazardous energy control procedures, as well as training workers in the proper procedure for doing so.

9. Hazard Communication (Chemical Safety): NYCAMH staff will conduct free on-farm trainings to help your farm meet the new Global Harmonized Standards (GHS) for Hazard Communication. Workers had to be trained on the new GHS changes by December 1, 2013. NYCAMH can help develop written hazard communication programs and help improve or develop procedures for storage and retrieval of Safety Data Sheets for chemicals. In addition, NYCAMH can help you meet OSHA requirements for fit testing of respirators, including required medical clearance.

10. Confined Space: Using the farm safety checklist, confined spaces will be examined to determine appropriate procedures for worker safety. NYCAMH will make recommendations for structural improvements which reduce access as well as proper warning signs. In addition, NYCAMH can conduct awareness level worker trainings on proper procedures when working in and around confined spaces.

11. Horizontal bunker silos: NYCAMH staff will assist farms in developing and utilizing safety procedures and equipment that make working around bunk silos safer.

12. Noise: NYCAMH staff can help evaluate noise levels to determine appropriate engineering changes or appropriate situations for workers to use hearing protection. NYCAMH has been providing low cost options for hearing protection for over twenty years. Choices range from full earmuffs to disposable foam earplugs.

For more information, call NYCAMH at (800) 343-7527. A program of Bassett Healthcare Network, NYCAMH is enhancing agricultural and rural health by preventing and treating occupational injury and illness.
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5.23.2014