EH&S News
Environmental Health and Safety
University of Massachusetts at Amherst
Editor: Robert DiCarlo Fall 1998 Vol. 4 No. 3
Inside This Issue
Bicycles on Campus
Campus Safety Officer
NIOSH and Back Supports
Tektronix Product Recall
Ergonomics Fair Announcement
By wheel, wagon, or foot we all must share the same public ways around campus. Bicycles are allowed on campus, but those who use bikes must remember that common sense and courtesy towards others should govern how a bicycle is used.
Bicycle versus pedestrian accidents occur on this and other campuses. Cyclists need to be considerate of pedestrians, and must use caution on or around walkways. Massachusetts
General Laws, Chapter 85, Section 11 states that bicyclists must yield to a pedestrian.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that 600,000 people suffer bicycle related injuries each year that require emergency room intervention.
Safe bicycle riding begins with planning. Make sure your bike and you are prepared to safely maneuver the highways and by-ways. Operating brakes, lights, reflectors and a helmet are a few of the essential pieces needed to make your two-wheeled trek a safe one.
When leaving your bike remember that bicycles on campus can only be placed in designated locations. Racks have been installed across the campus for you to use.
- Bikes are not permitted in classrooms, corridors or stairwells for safety reasons. They may hinder egress and cause injury, especially during an emergency.
- Bikes attached to or left on handicapped ramps make it more difficult for disabled persons to get into and out of buildings.
- Bicycles left in these areas are subject to removal.
For further information on
bicycle safety, contact
EH&S at 545-2682.
EH&S is proud to announce the appointment of our new Campus Safety Officer.
Mr. Robert Laford was trained in Communications at Mt. Wachusett Community College and received a BS in Fire and Safety Engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He served as a Firefighter, EMT and Captain with the Orange, Massachusetts Fire Department.
He has many years of teaching experience at Mt. Wachusett Community College and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy.
Robert wrote numerous articles in various Fire and Safety publications and served as a consultant for Delmar Publishing Company, insurance, ambulance, and other businesses.
His duties will include the development of ways to assist the students, faculty and staff with their safety concerns.
He will be working with the safety committees on ways to recognize, avoid and prevent accidents on campus and in the home.
Robert was raised and attended the public schools in Athol and presently lives in Petersham with his wife Diona. They are actively involved in local motorcycle touring and camping clubs. You can learn more about Bob on his
web page: Welcome to Bob's Place
After a review of the scientific literature, The National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) has
concluded that, because of limitations of the studies that have analyzed workplace use of back belts, the results cannot be used to either support or refute the effectiveness of back belts in injury reduction. Although back belts are being bought and sold under the premise that they
reduce the risk of back injury, there is insufficient scientific evidence that they actually deliver what is promised.
The Institute, therefore, does not recommend the use of back belts to prevent injuries among workers who have never been injured.
- If you or your workers are wearing back belts as protective equipment against back injury, you should be aware of the lack of scientific evidence supporting their use.
- Because the Institute's primary focus is on the prevention of injury, NIOSH did not address the use of back belts as medical treatment during rehabilitation from injury.
In their pamphlet entitled, BACK BELTS Do They Prevent Injury NIOSH has tried to help people to make their own choice about when to wear a back belt. NIOSH is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) within the Department of Health and Human Services. NIOSH is the federal Institute responsible for conducting
research and making recommendations for the prevention of work-related injuries and illnesses.
Back injuries account for nearly 20% of all injuries and illnesses in the workplace and cost the nation an estimated 20 to 50 billion dollars per year. NIOSH believes that the most effective way to prevent back injury is to implement an ergonomics program that focuses on redesigning the work
environment and work tasks to reduce the hazards of lifting.
However, in response to the increasing human and economic costs of back injury, companies have implemented numerous other measures, either in conjunction with or in place of sound ergonomics programs. For instance, there has been a
dramatic increase in the use of industrial back belts.
The decision to wear a back belt is a personal choice; however, NIOSH believes that workers and employers should have the best available information to make that decision. The NIOSH pamphlet outlines the current state of scientific knowledge on back belts and stresses the importance of an overall
ergonomics program. Companies should not rely on back belts as a "cure all" for back injury, but should begin to undertake prevention measures which reduce the risks of lifting tasks.
For more information you can review the NIOSH web page and find the Back Support
Pamphlet that is the source of this article. NIOSH Back Belts
Tektronix, Inc. issued a recall to the owners of Tektronix Oscilloscopes Model Numbers TDS210 and TDS220. The product safety recall is based on the determination that certain incorrect uses of those models may cause the ground connection to fail thereby potentially exposing the user to the risk of
serious personal injury or death.
As a result, Tektronix is voluntarily recalling these products. It appears that the use of a soldered connection that leads to the ground may melt if the case is connected to an external power supply. Once the soldered connection melts the ground is no longer part of the appliance wiring system. Such a
condition leaves the user vulnerable to potential electrical shock dangers. Tektronix will modify these products free of charge. Even if the product appears to be working properly, you should not assume that it does not have an open ground connection. The company has instructed users to stop using these
products immediately and send the product back at their expense.
For additional instructions and information on how to obtain a
TD200 Product Recall Customer Information Form call:
Mr. Peter C. Holman, Quality Director
Measurement Business Division
Tektronix, Inc.
PO box 3960, Portland Or, 97208-3960
Telephone 1-800-835-9433
On October 28, 1998
Environmental Health and Safety
in conjunction with the
Staff Training and Development Office
is sponsoring an
Ergonomics Fair
at the Murray D. Lincoln Campus Center
at the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.
The event will be from 10 a.m. until at 3 p.m.
Several hour long training sessions
will be conducted by
President of Ergonomic Engineering, Inc.
The sessions are at:
10 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.
The attendees will be composed of faculty and staff from the five college community. We are inviting vendors to set up booths so you can try out a variety of ergonomic furniture and equipment.
For more information contact:
Bob DiCarlo, Training Officer
Environmental Health and Safety
N-414 Morrill Science Center
University of Massachusetts
Amherst, Massachusetts 01003
Environmental Health and Safety News
is a publication of Environmental Health and Safety at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst,Massachusetts 01003
Telephone: 1- 413-545-2682
fax: 1- 413-545-2600
send e-mail to: safety@admin.umass.edu
http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~safety
Director: Dr. Donald Robinson
Mary E. McEneany, Associate Director
