Safety first

—Matt Rumbaugh, division manager, Education, Training, and Certification, National Glass Association

One of my first projects when I started at the NGA was to work with Mike Burk of Edgetech IG to get his presentation on Glass Handling Safety onto MyGlassClass.com. I traveled to Cambridge, Ohio, with a video crew to watch Mike demonstrate the proper use of personal protective equipment, two-man carries, and what to do if glass slips out of your grip while you carry it. The result is one of the more compelling (and popular) courses on MyGlassClass.com. There’s a reason that’s the case. Mike eloquently and clearly makes the case that good safety practices not only save lives, they save your business money.

The National Safety Council estimates that the average cost of a disabling injury on the job is approximately $43,000. The cost of a death on the job is well over a million dollars. That’s a tough figure in any economic climate, but even more so today. With so many glass businesses struggling, an unexpected financial hit like that could be devastating. Yet, these are the businesses that need to give extra attention to these matters. According to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, construction-related trades such as glazing make up about 8 percent of the U.S. workforce, but account for 22 percent of work-related fatalities.

Besides the injury risk to your employees and the financial risk, how would you feel if OSHA knocked on the door one day? Would you be ready for an inspection? In Connecticut, it’s mandatory for any licensed glazier to take an OSHA 10 course, a trend that will likely find its way across the country. Plus, many general contractors require that any subcontractors working on their projects must be OSHA 10 certified and many require at least one to be OSHA 30 certified.

To help our members with this important issue, the NGA has partnered with a group to bring OSHA training online via MyGlassClass.com. If you’ve been looking for a convenient, affordable way to get your employees OSHA-certified, this is a great opportunity for you. You can find out more detail at MyGlassClass.com. To celebrate, we’re offering a special deal on all our safety courses all through the month of June. If you purchase any of our new OSHA training, we’ll also include access to our safety course bundles (either flat or auto, including AGRSS information), which is a $45 value.

Safety is important anytime, of course. Beyond the financial risk, no one wants to lose a valuable employee. But in today’s economy, there’s more at stake than ever. A little prevention can save your business a lot of headaches and a lot of money.