Many folks associate September 11 with the year 2001 and the horrific attacks to the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.  That is appropriate and respectful.

This should be a common sight in your shop.
This should be a common sight in your shop.

But professionally, I associate September 11 with 1990, the year that the US Dept. of Labor issued their OSHA instruction STD 1-7.3  Subject: 29 CFR 1910.147 the control of hazardous energy (Lockout/Tagout) – Inspection Procedures and Interpretive Guidance.  
Here are 7 questions you should answer to make sure you’re in compliance: 

  1. Do you have a written hazardous energy control program in your shop? When did you last revise it and review hazards?
  2. Do you have documented hazardous energy control procedures? Can you show me evidence of employee training?
  3. Does your program have a means of dealing with outside contractors?
  4. If an inspector asks an employee what is the procedure for removing another employee’s lock, what will they say?
  5. Does each employee have their own personal lock out device?
  6. Are the lockout points identified on every power driven machine in your shop
  7. Can you show me the actions that you took / follow up to your annual review and certification of your shop’s energy control program?

Lockout Tagout Hazardous Energy Control Violations continue to be a high violation in our industry by OSHA. This is 2009. So in the 19 years since 1990, you would think that our companies would have this lockout tagout stuff figured out by now, right?
Here’s a construction example of what can happen when there is a failure to properly lockout electrical energy.
Here is OSHA’s Booklet 3120 on Control of Hazardous Energy 
Photo courtesy of the Workplace Safety Store, who offers DVD VHS Lockout Training Refresher Program.
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The Bureau of Labor Services reported the preliminary productivity changes  in manufacturing for the second quarter of 2009:
5.3 percent gain in manufacturing;
3.9 percent gain in durable goods manufacturing;
2.0 percent gain in nondurable goods manufacturing.
According to the BLS, “The increases in productivity in all manufacturing sectors were the result of hours falling faster than output. Manufacturing includes about 11 percent of U.S. business-sector employment.

Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics

Productivity is defined as output per hour worked.
The 5.3 percent gain in manufacturing productivity is reported to be the largest quarterly gain in this indicator since the first quarter of 2005, when output per hour increased at a 7.3 percent annual rate.  Over the last four quarters, manufacturing productivity declined 1.3 percent, as a 15.0 percent drop in output was largely offset by a 13.9 percent decline in hours worked…  For the entire 2000-2008 period manufacturing productivity increased at a 3.3 percent annual rate.
The BLS declining hours data  for manufacturing is  approximately double that of  the precision machining industry. PMPA’s Length of First Shift declined 7.9%  by the end of the second quarter compared to the BLS’s “hours worked decreased 14.4 percent ” figure for manufacturing in the second quarter.
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PMPA staff recently reviewed the  Department of Homeland Security’s Chemical Facilities Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Regulation information posted on the web.

More Exciting Reading From Department of Homeland Security
More Exciting Reading From Department of Homeland Security

We reviewed the Appendix A for materials and chemicals that might be in our shops.
And we gave our members our professional ‘techie’ opinion about this rule based on our knowledge of industry materials and processes. PMPA MEMBERS ONLY CFATS BULLETIN.
This is an example of the kinds of  “Tools You Can Use”  Business Intelligence that  PMPA provides to our members-  identification of and technical assistance with the constant flood of new government regulations.
How do you identify emerging regulations in your company? Who is responsible for identifying applicability and compliance?  Ultimately, we know who the courts would say is responsible…
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Business influenza information abounds. But what is authoritative?
The media is flooded with all kinds of stories about the Swine Flu /2009 H1N1 Novel Influenza. Our email boxes are being filled with all kinds of rumors, myths, and offers regarding this possible ‘pandemic.’
We’ve looked at a lot of sites, and a lot of resources. The workplace  planning tab at  www.flu.gov looked like a great all in one place resource for manufacturers like us. But following a link there led me to http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/business/guidance/ and  I think that this is the one H1N1 influenza resource that you need.

Here's a 'Tool You Can Use!'
Here's a 'Tool You Can Use!'

Besides technical disease information and precautions, here are some of the ideas  from this site that employers should be considering if the H1N1 outbreak occurs this year.

  1. Prepare for increased numbers of employee absences due to illness in employees and their family members, and plan ways for essential business functions to continue.
  2. Advise employees before traveling to take certain steps
  3. Prepare for the possibility of school dismissal or temporary closure of child care programs
  4. Consider increasing social distancing in the workplace and canceling non-essential business travel
  5. Make sure your sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance, and that your employees are aware of these policies.
  6. Make contingency plans for increased absenteeism caused by illness in workers or illness in workers’ family members that would require them to stay home. Planning for absenteeism could include cross-training current employees or hiring temporary workers.

More ‘Tools You Can Use’ include:
Born before 1957? Interesting article HERE.
For training materials including powerpoints and spanish language materials try here
OSHA has an easy to read explanation of what a pandemic is and other resources for employers and employees.
OSHA guidance on preparing our workplaces
The ability to anticipate and intelligently manage risk is what separates the great managers from the wannabes. These links help you with your preparations.
Have you reviewed your  sick leave, cross training, and other policies in preparation for the upcoming influenza season?
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Deutsche Bank reports that Class 8 truck orders for July were 9100 units, up 8.8% from June’s 8360. June’s 8360 was up 16.5% from the May low of 7176. The last of the EPA07 Truck orders will drive incremental production increases in Q4 2009 and Q1 2010 according to their global markets research report.

Class 8 trucks bring our raw materials and deliver our products.
Class 8 trucks bring our raw materials and deliver our products.

Deutsche Bank’s forecast for industy sales of Class 8 trucks is 90,000 for 2009; 125,000 for 2010. That’s the good news.
The downside is that the USEPA’s Heavy-Duty Highway Diesel Program Rules  required new engines will increase costs. 
“The introduction of new engines in 2010 may impact fuel economy, routine vehicle maintenance, and operational costs,”   according to the ATA website
Not to mention anticipated increase  of cost of the  new compliant class 8 engines: “Class 8 engine costs are expected to increase substantially in beginning in 2010 much like they did in 2007.” (Source : ATA website  , emphasis ours.)
” Navistar said that its exhaust gas recirculation technology will increase International truck prices by up to $8,000 for the 2010 model year. Depending on the specific engine model a truck uses, prices will be $6,000 or $8,000 higher due to compliance with the Environmental Protection Agency’s emissions standards, which go into effect January 1.” Source: Transport Topics
Inferences for the precision machining industry- the US Heavy Truck Market is on the mend, and thanks to the rules already on the books, we can expect yet another round of cost increases for freight to bring us our raw materials and to ship our products to our customers. For those of us making parts for this new generation of engines, this is good news, but it’s inflationary effects will be felt by us all.
How do we spell inflation?
E-P-A-D-I-E-S-E-L-R-U-L-E-2-0-1-0
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I found a treasure in Epco Products’ lobby!
I just returned from a 900 mile trip to visit member companies and call on potential members with my colleague Monte Guitar.

Looks like a good year for corn.
Looks like a good year for corn.

We covered parts of Ohio and Indiana, and can give you a real positive report on the corn crop, and a  more sobering report on the state of the business for the shops we visited.
According to our trip report, we visited 10 companies. That’s 10 lobbies. Probably 40 or 50 supplier quality awards dating back well into the last century.
Some from companies that no longer exist.
ISO/TS certificates. Proof that the company whose lobby we were waiting in  has what it takes in terms of quality system fundamentals to be sustainable. If they can survive the current capital drought.
But we found a real treasure on the wall in the lobby of Epco Products in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Now the folks at Epco probably think that the treasure is the Senate Productivity Award. It was awarded to the team at Epco in March of 1988 by then Senator Dan Quayle.
He said "Dan Quayle."
He said "Dan Quayle."

But here is the real treasure found in the lobby at Epco. Engraved on a plaque, is the following quotation:
A machine can only do so much. Capital can only do so much. What makes the difference is people who have confidence in themselves and their abilities.”  U.S. Senator Dan Quayle, 3-8-88
That’s the treasure I found in one lobby this trip.
Priceless!
Priceless!

Congratulations to the team at Epco. Congratulations to Fritz Aichele for spearheading  the work that garnered that award.
And a heartfelt ‘Thank You!’ to Former U.S. Senator and Vice President Dan Quayle. For really understanding what our  precision machining business is all aboutpeople with confidence in their abilities and themselves making a difference.
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