Page 20 - Occupational Health & Safety, July 2018

INDUSTRY UPDATE
year, on May 23 during the AIHce EXP conference in Philadelphia. The United States learned from the 2009 H1N1 pandemic that shortages in the PPE supply chain can occur, she said, so stockpiles were created to be ready for such widespread disease outbreaks. Now, some very large stockpiles exist -- one contains 40 million air- purifying respirators, she said—and the organizations maintaining them want to know what the shelf life is for these products and how to reduce the economic burden of storing them. NIOSH was asked to assess shelf life, storage practices at the existing stockpiles, and
cost reduction strategies.
Partners in the project include Johns Hopkins, the University
of Pittsburgh Medical Center, the Mayo Clinic, FDA, the Veterans Administration, OSHA, the HHS Assistant Secretary for Prepared- ness and Response (ASPR), the city of Chicago, and several states. Eight existing stockpiles in six HHS regions, all on the East or West Coasts, have agreed to collaborate for the study. The study is exam- ining lots of 68 respirators or 64 gowns, some of which have been in storage for less than five, 5-10, or more than 10 years.
Greenawald said 4,995 APRs, many of which exceed their manufacturer’s recommended shelf life, will be tested, and 1,216 level 3 and level 4 gowns will be; no shelf life is designated for the gowns, she explained. Site visits assessed the storage conditions at these sites, and testing of respirators is assessing visual damage, in- halation and exhalation resistance, particulate filter efficiency, and other qualities. Testing of the gowns will begin in July 2018; they
CORPORATE PROFILE
will be assessed for visual damage, water resistance, bloodborne pathogens penetration, and packaging integrity, she said.
The site visits found a range of conditions for the stored PPE at stockpile sites, with boxes of respirators shrink-wrapped and fully protected at one but not well wrapped at another, for example, and pallets of boxes exposed to sunlight from large skylights at one, photos in her presentation showed.
Data are still coming in, Greenawald said, but the testing done so far on air-purifying respirators found relatively few failures in particulate filter efficiency—2 failures in a lot of 320 respirators, 1 failure in a lot of 240, and 34 failures in a third lot of 480—and no failures for inhalation/exhalation resistance.
When the work is complete, NIOSH will publish a stockpile best practices document, “PPE case” reports, and new shelf life guidelines for stockpile application, she said, adding, “Our part- ners are so interested in this study and are waiting for our results.”
NSC Presents 2018 Green Cross for Safety Awards
The National Safety Council presented its 2018 Green Cross for Safety Awards on May 23 at a gala event in Chicago. The awards are presented annually to recognize individuals and organizations that have helped save lives and prevent injuries. Brigham Health Sleep Matters Initiative, Common Ground Alliance 811 Campaign, and Schneider National were recognized this year for their outstanding commitment to safety.
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Circle 57 on card.
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MCR SAFETY 360° PROTECTION PROGRAM
We have dedicated safety professionals committed to engaging at industrial workplaces to demonstrate our products, provide training, and extend our 360° Protection Program. The MCR Safety 360° Protection Program is de- signed to perform a complete assessment and review of your current safety gear performance. This service will provide an emphasis on direct & indirect cost savings, productivity, risk reduction, for now and in the future. This is achieved by the following comprehensive 5-step process:
Meet with key stakeholders to gain an understanding of the current state of safety within the site(s). Perform a shop-floor “safety walk” to observe PPE in action at the various job functions.
Data will be collected regarding the type of injuries, costs and product lifecycle of current PPE being used.
Analyze data to provide best option(s) for injury elimination, improving longevity of safety gear, and documenting anticipated cost savings. Provide samples for testing and validate actual results versus expected results.
Implement the agreed upon PPE plan. Train on the benefits of new safety gear to increase user confidence, and perform fit evaluations to ensure proper sizing to maximize worker productivity. Confirm with distribu- tor partner the rate of consumption to ensure proper levels of inventory are maintained, to ensure a seamless conversion.
Success of the MCR Safety 360° Protection Program will better protect your people. We will perform follow up calls to confirm greater safety, productivity, and cost savings objectives remain in place.