September 2020 Risk and Safety Newsletter
News Release: Only Flush: Poo, Pee, & Paper (Toilet)
In Oklahoma cities and towns one of the most frequent and potentially costly insurance claims is a sanitary sewer overflow (aka sewer back up). With the recent toilet paper shortage, many people have turned to purchasing and using “flushable wipes”. Please, don’t use these! Flushable wipes, though advertised as safe for sewer and septic systems, are not. They are not designed to be biodegradable, despite what the manufacturer puts on the label.
Items like flushable wipes, tampons, sanitary napkins, dental floss, diapers, cotton swabs, and bandages are not designed to be flushed down the toilet.
What can be flushed? Only three things: Poo, Pee, and Toilet Paper. These other items get caught up in fats, greases, oils, and debris in the sewer system and cause clogs known as “fatbergs”. This can cause a back up in your personal sewer line or in the municipality’s sewer lines. It can even make it all the way to the sewer treatment plant and destroy thousands of dollars’ worth of equipment.
Protect your property, the property of your neighbors, and your municipality’s property. Only flush the 3 Ps (poo, pee, and paper). If you use flushable wipes or other products not biodegradable put them in plastic bags and place them in your trash.
This message was provided by your local municipality and Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group (OMAG). OMAG is the liability insurance provider for most cities and towns in Oklahoma (for more information regarding this release contact Bill Tackett, OMAG Chief Risk Officer/Director of Risk Management).
What are the biggest gaps in lockout/tagout programs?
Lockout/tagout is a critical safety component in safeguarding workers around the equipment they operate, service and maintain. According to the Oklahoma Department of Labor’s PEOSH division, once again last year, OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout Standard (1910.147) made the list of the top 10 most frequently cited standards. The most-cited sections within this standard focus on procedure development and use, inspections, employee training, and notification of the application and removal of lockout or tagout devices.
An important first step for municipalities is to develop a written energy control lockout/tagout program and document your energy control efforts. Creating a written document helps establish and explain the elements of the program to all employees.
One of the most common program gaps is the lack of detailed, machine-specific procedures. Procedures are used to explain the steps for shutting down, isolating, blocking and securing equipment to control hazardous energy, as well as applying and removing lockout/tagout devices. Some best practices include machine-specific photos that identify energy isolation points, tailoring messages to your workforce with the necessary languages, and procedure installation at the point of use. By maintaining and formally documenting procedures that tie in with other program elements, such as devices, you have a line of sight into areas requiring additional attention.
With a program and procedures in place, the next step is to instruct employees, communicate processes and conduct periodic inspections. Instruction should include OSHA requirements, as well as customized program elements, such as machine-specific procedures. When PEOSH evaluates municipal performance on lockout/tagout compliance, it looks at training for employees based on three categories: authorized, affected and other employees.
When it comes to locking out equipment, many products are on the market. Selecting the most appropriate solution for your application is key to lockout effectiveness. These products should be easy to positively lock out and simple to use. It also is important to use devices that best fit each lockout point and follow these seven steps for compliance and safety:
Notify affected employees of your intent to lock out the equipment.
Review the machine-specific written lockout procedures.
Perform the normal machine stop.
Shut off all energy isolation controls.
Lock out the energy isolation controls.
Dissipate any stored or residual energies.Verify the zero-energy state to begin servicing safely.
Once you have an effective lockout program in place, consistently reviewing it beyond the required annual inspection and performing audits are essential to identifying gaps or inconsistencies. This allows your municipality to focus on maintaining a successful program, instead of reacting only when something goes wrong. A sustainable lockout/tagout program not only helps to improve workplace safety, it also reduces costs and increases productivity.
Don't Flush Wipes!
Dangers of Flushing Those “Flushable”
Wipes People are flushing wipes down toilets – and this is causing dangerous problems for both private citizens and municipalities’ sewer lines. The flushable wipes cause private sewer lines to back up at a cost to the homeowner, but if they make it into the municipal sewer system they can mix with greases and cause major sewer backups in the lines. If they make it into the wastewater plant they can damage system machinery.
Toilet paper is designed to disintegrate in pipes and sewage systems, but wipes are not. They’re typically made with synthetic materials, plastics or polyester, that won't break down. So even if they flush down the toilet, they end up clogging sewers. This poses hazardous risks to sewage professionals that must break these clogs up and the costs are considerable. Some cities have spent millions of dollars a year to address damages and clear pipes.
As wipes meet cooking fat in the sewage system, they build up into a monstrous obstacle, a “fatberg.” A fatberg is a huge mass of solid waste largely consisting of cooking fats, disposable wipes, tampons, and other sanitary items that get flushed down the toilet. They’re unhygienic, expensive to fix, and incredibly gross. Clogs and fatbergs make jobs that are already hazardous and very difficult even more so.
So, why are wipes advertised as “flushable”?
You can attempt to flush many things down a toilet (if you have a child, perhaps you've seen the random stuff someone may put down the drain...) but that doesn’t mean they’ll effectively move through the sewage system.
Companies can currently label wipes as “flushable” simply because they aren’t restricted from doing so. Companies aren't required to prove flushability before asserting this claim and it seems most would fail any such test. A study out of Canada tested 101 wipes on the market for flushability and not even one passed. This marketing technique is misleading, and we need provisions to keep companies from freely using it and sparking customer confusion.
While there have been policy attempts to curtail deceptive “flushable” labels (California is debating a bill that would require products to be clearly labeled.) these moves have been met by significant resistance from the industry.
Solutions to Keep the Pipes Clear
One of the last things we need during a serious global pandemic is clogged sewers overflowing into the streets. Utility departments urge citizens to stop flushing wipes and to only flush bodily waste and toilet paper. Wipes are also not recyclable, so they need to go to the trash bin.
To address this issue beyond our homes, we can urge our elected officials to hold companies making these wipes accountable for the costs to our municipal sewage systems. We can also contact companies by tagging them on social media and ask them to stop using “flushable” claims.
If you value the health of your community and your sewer system, please contact your local newspaper and have them pass on the information about flushable wipes clogging up our sewer lines or put a copy of this article in with your utility bill.
*Image used from: https://www.alphr.com/energy/1007087/londons-monster-fatberg-human-waste/Manhole Cover Opening, Tips and Tricks
Occasionally we underestimate how heavy manhole covers are and the difficulty in opening them. They rattle when we drive over them, so they should be a snap to pop open, right? Wrong! Manhole covers are very heavy; most are constructed of cast iron. Removing one improperly can result in serious back and/or spine injury.
Having the right tool for the job is the key to completing this task safely. Using a manhole hook, often called a manhole key, to remove manhole covers is a great tool for safely opening the cover. Manhole keys come in a variety of sizes and styles. Make sure to use the correct manhole key for the manhole covers you have in your municipality. Another excellent multi-task tool is a pick (with a point on one end and a flat horizontal claw on the other end). A long heavy-duty flat screwdriver can be helpful too, or a hammer with an extra-long handle and a straight claw. Consider the types of manholes you have in your municipality. Some manhole covers don’t have the keyhole built into them - they have a grooved slot around the rim - a pick works best on these manhole covers.
Manhole covers are difficult to open on the best of days. Here is a tip to help get stubborn manholes popped. Occasionally, a manhole cover gets stuck in its ring. When this happens, we usually resort to the tools we have on hand to pry the cover open. Most often the “go-to” tool is the sledgehammer and when used, what follows is usually a lot of effort and lack of success. Far too often, the cover is broken after too many sledgehammer strikes, trying to avoid spending the time getting the backhoe to the job site. Breaking lids are not only costly but also dangerous. Joel Baker, Public Works Operator for the Town of Talala has a method that saves a lot of time and effort. He recommends ensuring the edge of the manhole cover is clear of dirt, debris, or other sediments that cause the manhole lid to bind in the hole making it more difficult to dislodge. Once the edge of the cover has been cleaned, Joel pours a liberal amount of water around the edge of the manhole cover. Allow the water a few minutes to work its way in to loosen debris between the ring and cover. Take your time, it’s better than beating the cover senseless with a sledgehammer and wearing yourself out. Now, once the water has had time to work, give the manhole cover a couple of shots with your sledgehammer and it should pop loose. If not, you can pour more water into the gap.
This technique works on most manholes lids and has saved many from being broken. There is no magic wand or silver bullet when it comes to stuck manhole lids. Occasionally, you will come across a stubborn lid that won’t budge no matter how hard you pry or how much water you pour. In these cases, it is better to use a backhoe or similar equipment to lift the cover
Manhole keys are the recommended tool for the job, but there are other methods to dislodge stuck lids. However, it is crucial to exercise caution when using tools not specifically designed to open manholes. Crowbars and screwdrivers are also effective at prying open a lid from its ring. However, neither the crowbar nor the screwdriver can actually lift the lid, they merely create a gap to wedge another tool, like the pick/key under to lift the lid. Avoid lifting the manhole lid with your hands if possible.
Regardless of which tool or method is employed to open manhole covers, safety should always be the top priority. Covers are rough, rusty, and sometimes have sharp edges. Be sure that you’re wearing heavy-duty gloves to protect your hands from injury when lifting manholes covers. Pay close attention to keep your hands clear of pinch points. Also, make sure to straddle the manhole cover and lift with your back straight and your knees bent.
The 6 Steps of Lockout/Tagout
When machines or equipment are being prepared for service or maintenance, they often contain some form of “hazardous energy” that can harm workers in the area. There are several forms of hazardous energy that need to be identified and dealt with before beginning service or maintenance work on any piece of equipment. This could include energy of the following types: Chemical, Electrical, Hydraulic, Mechanical, Pneumatic, or Thermal
Without the use of proper Lockout/Tagout safety procedures, the equipment being worked on can unexpectedly start up or release these forms of energy. This can lead to injuries and even death of the person working on the equipment or near it.
Just consider a few examples of the dangers of hazardous energy release:
An authorized worker is working on an electric panel that hasn’t been properly locked out and another worker comes along and turns on the power resulting in the authorized worker being electrocuted.
A worker is attempting to pull some barbed wire out of a mower blade that got caught up while mowing. He raises the mower so he can crawl under and get to the wire. He fails to block the mowing unit and while he is working under it, it falls on him and crushes him.
These two examples of hazardous energy are what Lockout/Tagout is all about. Making sure these types of hazardous situations are controlled keeps workers safe.
Every municipality should have an Energy Control Program in place. This program should include established procedures for using locks and tags before beginning service and maintenance of machines and equipment. Train employees to understand the hazardous energy and lockout/tagout procedures that must be followed to service or begin maintenance on the equipment they work with. Policies, procedures, and equipment must be reviewed or inspected at least annually.
A lockout/tagout procedure should include the following 6 steps:
Preparation -The authorized employee (person performing the service/maintenance) must investigate and have complete understanding of all types of hazardous energy that must be controlled on a machine or piece of equipment. It is important that they identify the specific hazards and know how to control the energy.
Shut Down – Power down the machine or equipment. Inform employees that will be affected by the shutdown of the equipment.
Isolation – Make sure all sources of energy have been isolated. Turn off power, close valves, block moving parts, or disengage and block lines, etc.
Lockout/Tagout – The authorized employee will attach locks and tags to all energy isolating devices in such a way that they are in an off or closed position and cannot be moved or switched on to an unsafe position. Adding a tag to the lock out device with the authorized person’s name and contact information will give affected employees further information if they have questions about why the equipment is locked.
Stored Energy Check – Even after the energy source has been disconnected and the machine has been locked out, it doesn’t entirely guarantee there are no hazardous energies still stored within the machine or that it is safe to perform maintenance. It is important to double check and look for any energy that has been “stored” or any “residual” energies. During this phase of the procedure these must be relieved, disconnected, restrained, or made non-hazardous is some other way.
Isolation Verification – This last step is about “making sure”. You’ve shut down the machine, isolated it from its power source, locked all unexpected start up components out, checked for “stored” or “residual” energies, have assured yourself you have correctly followed all procedures and are confident the machine/equipment is now safe to work on.
After the service or maintenance work is complete then you must restore and re-energize the equipment. Ensure all tools, parts, and debris have been removed from the area. Double check to make sure all equipment components are back in place. Replace any safety features, machine guards, and close all access panels. Remove all locks and tags and inform all affected employees the work is complete, and you are about to re-energize the machinery. Have all employee stand back in a safe area and start up equipment to ensure it is running properly.
Everybody is busy with their day to day work, but we must make sure we have written policies and procedures regarding the service and maintenance of our equipment. Taking the time to identify the steps needed to safely work on equipment, training our employees to understand and protect against hazardous energies, and reviewing efforts to keep machinery and equipment safely maintained will better protect workers from senseless injury or even death.
Face Mask Hygiene
Part of Wearing a Face Mask is Washing It
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has recommended wearing face masks in public to slow the spread of Covid-19. It is important to know how to properly wash, disinfect, and handle reusable cloth masks.
Pathogens like bacteria and viruses can live on cloth fabric for longer than we may think – 8 to 12 hours. Because we don’t know what germs we’ve been in contact with or how long the germs have been active on the cloth fibers in our mask, it is crucial to regularly wash, sanitize, and dry reusable masks.
Here is how to clean, disinfect, and dry your cloth masks. It may be time-consuming to wash a mask daily (after each use), but it is essential to prevent germ transmission. First, have several reusable face masks available to you and rotate their use. Always have a fresh clean mask ready to use. Masks made of cotton material stand up best to hand or machine washing using bleach or other disinfectants. They are the easiest to clean and dry properly. Start off by washing your hands for at least 20 seconds with warm water and soap before and after handling soiled masks.
Follow these steps to launder your masks:
Remove detachable parts like interior filters or elastic ear bands from a folded scarf/bandana before washing.
Use a mesh laundry bag to reduce entanglement with other clothes during the wash.
Set machine water temperature too high or use water that is 140 degrees or higher. Use your washer’s “sanitize” cycle if it has one.
Add a detergent that contains disinfectant or bleach to ensure you are killing as many germs as possible. If you are washing by hand prepare a bleach solution (5 tablespoons of bleach per gallon of water), soak for at least 5 minutes, and rinse thoroughly.
Dry masks on the highest dryer setting or air dry in direct sunlight. Because household dryers’ temperatures rarely reach the threshold temperature you need for disinfection, consider adding a disinfectant dryer sheet to the load. Also, ultra-violet light from the sun can kill up to 99.99% of pathogens on the mask. Turn the mask over halfway through the drying process or hang them. They need to stay out in the sun for at least an hour.
Face mask hygiene:
Always wash your hands or use hand sanitizer before putting on your mask.
Make sure your mask is facing the right direction, so your face is not touching the mask exterior.
Wear your mask snuggly over both your nose and mouth.
Try not to touch the mask while you are wearing it.
When removing the mask, touch only the attached strings or elastic bands. Hold it or place the mask on a sanitized surface until you are ready to wear it again or throw it directly into the washing machine when you get home.
Finally, wash your hands again.
OMAG Press Release (Daniel Tarkington Re-elected to Board of Trustees)
OMAG is pleased to announce that Daniel Tarkington, Mayor of the City of Checotah, has been re-elected to the OMAG Board of Trustees for another three-year term. He has served on the OMAG Board since being appointed in 2018 and is currently the Board Secretary.
Daniel is a member of the Mayor’s Council of Oklahoma and a graduate of the OML Leadership Class VI. He began his municipal career as a Checotah employee but successfully ran for Mayor in 2015. Since becoming Mayor, he has been instrumental in revitalizing the community. Under Daniel’s guidance, the City has held two festivals, significantly improved the City’s curb appeal along Highway 69 and Interstate 40, and is preparing to move into a new City Hall.
Mayor Tarkington is devoted to his wife Jamie, daughter RayLynn, and they are looking forward to a new addition coming soon. Although Daniel works long hours for Checotah, occasionally you may find him on one of the local dirt tracks where he is a very successful race car driver.
Please take a moment to congratulate Mayor Tarkington on his re-election to the OMAG Board.
OMAG Press Release (Pam Polk Re-elected to Board of Trustees)
The Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group is pleased to announce that Pam Polk, City Manager of the City of Collinsville, has been re-elected to the OMAG Board of Trustees for another three-year term. Pam has served on the OMAG Board since she was appointed in 2004 and is currently the Board Chair.
Pam has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Southeastern Oklahoma State University. She began her municipal career in 1996 as the City Clerk of the City of Mangum and then became its City Manager. In 2005 Pam was appointed as the City Manager in Collinsville.
Pam is very well respected by her peers as a progressively responsible, results-oriented manager and in 2017 she was presented with the Gerald Wilkins Award for Oklahoma City Manager of the Year by the City Managers Association of Oklahoma. And in 2019 Pam was further honored by being inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame for City and Town Officials
Please take a moment to congratulate Pam Polk on her re-election to the OMAG Board.
OMAG Press Release (Tim Lyon appointed to Board of Trustees)
The Oklahoma Municipal Assurance Group is pleased to announce that Tim Lyon, City Manager for the City of Midwest City, has been newly elected to the OMAG Board of Trustees.
Tim has a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree from Oklahoma State University. In 1986 he began his municipal career as the Administrative Assistant to the Edmond City Manager. Tim then worked for the Center for Local Government Technology at OSU and was the Deputy Director of the Association of County Commissioners, where among other duties he helped manage their workers’ compensation and property and casualty pools. In 2000, he became the Human Resources Director for Midwest City and then served as the Assistant City Manager. In 2019, Tim was appointed City Manager.
Tim and his wife, Rhonda, have two adult children. Their son is a firefighter in Stillwater and their daughter is a registered nurse.
Please take a moment to congratulate Tim Lyon on his election to the OMAG Board.