Pumpkins, apple cider, changing foliage... Fall is a magical time of year, gently ushering the transition from summer to winter. It could also be a time where we see a resurgent Coronavirus push everyone back indoors for a prolonged quarantine. With states gradually relaxing restrictions, and things seeming to be headed "back to normal," it is might be tempting to breathe a sigh of relief and cross our fingers that in a few months, COVID-19 will be a memory. However, if history is any indicator, then we could be back under stay-at-home orders in the fall. During the "Spanish Flu" of 1918-1919 the virus had an outbreak in the spring of 1918, seemingly subsided over the summer of 1918, and the
From the desk of Captain Jeffrey Monroe, MM, AMPE Employers are obligated to provide their employees with protective gear needed to keep them safe while performing their jobs. In the port industry, we're very familiar with Personal Protective Equipment ("PPE") and the need for it on a daily basis. Under the current circumstances, the PPE needed for safe operations has broadened, and the needs of port operations with it. As with other job hazards, the PPE needed to keep employees safe in a pandemic climate must be assessed and applied according to the employee's duties and the nature of the hazards they will encounter. In order for PPE to be effective, PPE must be: Properly fitted and some
From the desk of Captain Jeffrey Monroe, MM, AMPE OSHA, the CDC, the World Health Organization, as well as local health units have developed good guidelines for developing policies and plans to meet the challenges of illness, whether seasonal flu or widespread pandemic challenges. For most employers, protecting their employees will depend on emphasizing proper hygiene (disinfecting hands and surfaces) and practicing social distancing. All employers should implement good hygiene and infection control practices. According to OSHA, occupational safety and health professionals use a framework called the "Hierarchy of Controls" to select ways of dealing with workplace hazards. The Hierarchy of