Workplace safety: An investment that pays long-term dividends
PINE offers OSHA 10-hour general industry outreach training June 19-20 in Southborough, Mass.
Is there a specific person at your company responsible for plant and company-wide safety?

Do you have a safety committee that meets regularly and takes proactive measures to keep a safe workplace?

When it comes time to spend money to ensure a safe working environment, what do you do?

These questions are designed to get you thinking about safety in the workplace. If you need help, Printing Industries of New England is hosting a 10-hour program designed to show printing companies what measures they can put into place to improve safety for company employees.

The OSHA 10-hour General Outreach Training for the Printing Industry will be held Monday and Tuesday, June 19 and 20 at PINE’s offices and training center in Southborough, Mass. The Monday meeting will be from noon to 5 p.m. The group will reconvene for the final half of the program from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday. This program is open to any printing company.

Why safety pays & what you can do
One long-term PINE member who asked not to be identified recommended that printing company owners and senior-level decision-makers not shun safety.

“Be proactive,” said the company vice president who is also co-owner of a privately-held commercial print shop in the Boston area employing nearly 100 people. “The biggest mistake an executive can make is to pay lip service to safety — that is to talk about safety being important, but then not doing anything about it.

“Workers’ compensation rates go up following a workplace accident. It’s virtually automatic, and you pay those higher rates for at least three years,” the vice president said. “Being aggressive toward having a safe workplace pays dividends down the road.”

Here are simple recommendations that can be implemented at printing companies:

• Assign responsibility for all plant safety to one person.
• Have that person lead a safety committee that is made up on mid-level managers or employees from different departments throughout the plant.
• Give them the resources to put recommended safety measures in place
• Keep a list of things to do to improve safety and then actually do them.

“PINE’s safety programs are one the best service offerings the association has,” the executive said. “The OSHA program is comprehensive, and it will give any printer an excellent starting point as well as a solid refresher on how to improve safety.”

The program contents
Topics included in the 10-hour program are an introduction to OSHA and the federal Occupational, Safety & Health Administration’s recordkeeping processes and why printers need to comply (it’s also federal law); walking and working surfaces; means of egress and fire protection; electrical safety; flammable and combustible liquids; hazard communication; personal protective equipment and hearing conservation; machine guarding; lockout/tagout; and ergonomics.

The two-day program is led by Mark Flannery, PINE’s environmental affairs director. There will be course handouts for attendees including a course booklet that covers each topic in detail which can later be used as a reference guide and refresher material; a CD ROM that includes all in-class presentations, and sample OSHA programs.

Advanced registration is required, and can be completed by visiting the PINE web site at www.pine.org and clicking on the training program link under Upcoming Events. Industry managers and employees interested in the program can also contact Flannery at 508-804-4107 or by email at mflannery04@pine.org. PINE Director of Programs Christine Hagopian can also be contacted at 508-804-4152 or by email at .

“This program is open to any printing and graphic communications company that wants to be informed about safety and take a proactive approach to this important industry topic,” Flannery said.