City Council

i/,4'3 j Counci.l Agend Item No. IX. C"ri;D 8/B/7, &-rEaaa{ AU G 8 1972 couNcrlJ MEI1O NO. 1267-72 TO Mayor and City Council .TuIy.26., 1972 FROI,I: City Manager SUBJECT: fnitiatj-on. of Industrial Hygiene Program based on OSIIA Standards. To assure safe and healthful viorking conditions for all working men and women, the United States Congress has passed the "Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 (OSHA) . " (Copy is available for your inspection. ) In general, this act consists of rules for the avoidance of hazards which have been proven by research and experience to be harmful to personal safety and health. The applicability of these standards originally 'beexcluded from coverage State and City governments, but it can norv estimated that the States and cities vrill be included by the Spring of L973. This implication has resulted in the estab- lishment of industrial hygiene and occuoational safety programs in many state and city governments in anticipation of coverage by this act. The conseguences of not complying with the safety standards as pre- sented in the act could result in s.ti-ff penalties and, more import- ant, in the continuation of unsafe working conditions for many em- ployees of Oklahoma City. Recent assessment ot- the status of OkIa- homa City in reference to OSI1A has indicated that many changres ivould have to be made in order to establish adequate safety standarcs. Attachment A will point out that enforcement of OSIIA standards is a realitv of the present and not anticipated sornetime in the future. Inspection by the State Department of Labor on Januarv 10, 1972 and re-inspection on June 2L, L972 has resulted in the issuance of "im- mediate compliance order" for repair or replacemen'; of the venti-1a- tion system at Equipment l,laintenance Division (see attachment A). This inspection \{as carried out under existing State law anci mav be interpreted as an :-ndication of the State's intent:-on to enforce present larv as well as the OSI;-A when j-t'becomes applicable. Some specific health hazards which many Ok.l-ahoma Citlr employees are now being subiecced to are: incorrect use and disposil of organic golvents; high levels o f carbon monoxide, hydrogen su1fiCe, and bac- teria in the air; nor-se levels of sufficient intensicy to cause per- manent heari-ng loss; and a considerable number of other health haz- ards. A1so, appropriate emphasis will De necessary toward the am- provement of generat housekeeping in many Crty facilrties. Council Memo No. l?,67-7?, JuIy 26, L972 , Page 2 The cost requ:-red tor meeting the OSHA standards may be considerable; therefore, inrtiation of the Division of fnd.ustrial Hyoiene and Occu- pational Safety at this time with a well- qualified person as division head would be economically justifiable. Therefore, the followrng recommendations would be appropriate for the establishment ot an ade- quate Industrial Hygiene and occupational Safety Program: 1 An Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety Proqram should be established within che Department of Safety and Civil Defense in order that aL-l departments will be provided with the needed OSHA standards and technical- assrstance in complying with the law. 2 That the position of tndustrj-al Hygiene and Occupational Safety Officer be created. Hrs emplovment shourd be based on hrs knowl- edge'and capability of conducting the current methods of testrng in such areas as industrial air sampling, nor-se measurement ano evaluation, waste waLer sampling, and solvent usage and disposal. The recommendatron ot aoproprJ-ate safety equipment for both me- chanical processes and personal protection should be with:-n his scope. The City presently has employed in the Public Works de- partment a person who meets aII qualifications. 3. The employment of an experienced rndustrial hygienist on a con- suitant basrs would be a definite asset to the program. There are competent industrral hygienists in the Oklahoma City area who are competent to consurt with the City. 4. A competent secretary should be furnished this program for the required record keepr-ng and clerical duties requrred under the act. 5. The services and cooperation ot the City-County Healtn Depart- ment should be formally secured so that therr equipment and Iaboratory space may be utrlized when needed. Informal arrange- ments between the City and Hea1tn Department have already been accomplished. 6 Instruments to be purchased should incluoe such thrngs as a nol- se Ievel meter, universal air sampler with detectron tubes, and an explosion meter; white most other instrunEnts can be borrowed AS needed from the City-County Hearth Department of Envj-ornmental Health, Oklahoma University Health Sciences Center. Further, it is estimated that two additionar inspectors will have to be employed on or aoout January 7t L973, in order to adequately handle the necessary inspections and testing. Council Memo No, lZ67-72 July 26, L972 Page 3 It l-s recommended. that a Division of Industrial Hygiene and Occupa- tj-onal Safety be established within the Safety and Civil Defense De- partment and that a supplementar approprlation of '$19 t'lL0 be author- rzed to fund this section (see attachment B). Further, the position of Inclustrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety Officer be established, classifiedr'and made a part ot our classificition-compensatron pro- 9ram It is recommenoed that the above be approved and made effective August 1I, L972. Respect y submitted, N. Ross City Manager Attachments RESOLUTTON WHEREAS, to assure safe and healthful working conditions for all working men and women, the Llnited States Congress has passed the! Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970; and, WHEREAS, the consequences of not complying with the safety standards as presented in the act could result in stiff penalties and, more inrportant, in the continuation of unsafe working conditions for many employees of Oklahoma City WHEREAS, the Administrative Staff has reviewed this Division along with the Personnel Director and the Finance Director and concur in the initiatj-on of the Division of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety and the creation of the position of Industrial Hyg,iene and Occu- pational Safety Officer, and WHEREAS, the City Council has the sole authority and responsi- bility to approve such actions concerning the expenditure of funds not approved in the presently adopted budget, and WHEREAS, the funds for this action are available within the present limitations of the FY 72-73 budget., and WHEREAS, this action is deemed to be in the best interest of the City in that it would provide better and more effective services to the public. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE I\'IAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF OKLAHOMA CITY that a Division of Industrial Hlzgiene and Occupational Safety j.s hereby established within the Department of Safety and Civil Defense and the organizational chart of said Division is approved BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a position of Industrial Hygiene and Occupational Safety Officer is hereby created and to be included as a part of the Classificationr/Compensation Plan of the City as Range 230. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the City l.lanager is directed to process the budgetary appropriation of $19,710 in accordance with State Laws concerning Excise Board consideration. # ,6", a BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the effective date of these actions shall be August 11, 1972. ADOPTED AND APPROVED this / day of , L972. ATTEST: /t/2, /r.rt ,r{r"-a^ C APPROVED as to form and legality this dd day of 6a*-t-7- 1972. AS ISTAN f o LOR I. -_J !.. Attachrnent A ( ' t. .a .,4 I tfJ,, STATE OF OKLAHOMA RETNSPECTTON R.ECORD DEPARTMENT BF LABT]R Order No i'trorks oKc Firm No D rtment of Pub1ic 2l2L !'Iestvrood oklahona city, ok. Monoger, Bill BulI Maintenance Kind of lndustry Equipment Oklahonra City, Ok' Locotion of Plont 2L2l l,iestwood St. 6/2t/72 Purcer & SchivallY 11 lnspector I No. Orders lssu aA Complionces ct First ,Re-l I ionces Since Lost Re-ins Shop l.wos occomponied Glen Stark Titl Whot wos his ottitrrde) d a , t I ( COMPLIANCE WIT}I ORDTRS ISSUED BY THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Title 63 Section 157 Oklahoma Statutes 1951. Ever-v owner or person in charge of any manulacturing establishment, factorl' or worl: shop, shall comply with-any order.issuect by the Facfory Inspector, or Deputy Inspector, v,'ithin the time speci- lied by such in.spector, arrd notify the Department of Labor upon aifidavii when such order has been complied wiih. Title {0 Section 141 Oklahoma Statutes 1951. Duty of Factory Inspec- tor. It shall be the ciut-v of the State Factory Inspector, and Asslstant factorv Inspector, unrjer the direction of the Cohmissioner of Labor, to supc.rvise the rvork of inspecting and testing steam boilers throughout the state an