ISSUE

Safety Bulletin
AUGUST 1, 2018
03 MONTHLY NEWS LETTER OF
FACILITY MANAGEMENT SERVICES
V O L U ME
01 VA Eastern Colorado Health Care System, Denver
Rocky Mountain Regional Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Aurora

this issue
Fire Safety Tips, Heat Stress, Hazewase in the Home,
From the Fit Testing info & Schedule, RMRMC Alarms
Safety Manager

From the Safety Specialist

by Jon A.
Hanson
Toward Injury-Free
Healthcare - Safety
and Health
Management
Systems
A safety and health
management system is a
proactive process to help
employers find and fix
workplace hazards before
workers are hurt.
Summer Fire Safety Tips
by Demetrius Ortega, Safety Specialist CFI-1, CLSS
As we have begun the summer 1. Never place your grill
solstice and the heat is here, underneath an
many folks are getting out and overhang, under an
enjoying the weather and the umbrella or in a garage.
great outdoors. Heat naturally rises and
you do not need a flame
One activity most people enjoy to start a fire, items will
is picnic and grilling. Here are ignite when heat is
a few tips to keep you safe added.
from fire while grilling.
2. Clean the grease trap on
your grill, (this is the pan
underneath the burners).
A dirty grease trap is the
number one cause of
grill fires.
3. Keep a fire extinguisher
near the grill and know
how to use it.

Such systems have been

proven to help employers and
society reduce the personal,
financial and societal costs
that injuries, illnesses and
fatalities impose.
Research demonstrates that
such systems are effective, at
both the establishment and
corporate levels, in
transforming workplace
culture; leading to reductions
in injuries, illnesses and
fatalities; lowering workers'
compensation and other
costs; improving morale and
communication; enhancing
image and reputation;
From the Safety Manager
Continued …
and improving processes, products and services.
Most successful safety and health management systems include a similar set of commonsense basic
elements – management leadership, worker participation, hazard identification and assessment, hazard
prevention and control, education and training, and system evaluation and improvement.
Each element is important in ensuring the success of the overall system, and the elements are
interrelated and interdependent. Since every business is different, the elements must be scaled and
adapted to meet the needs of the employer's organization.
Strong and visible management leadership is perhaps the most critical element of a safety and health
management system. Worker participation makes an important contribution to an employer's bottom
line. When workers are encouraged to offer their ideas and they see their contributions being taken
seriously, they tend to be more satisfied and more productive.
 SAFETY HOTLINE
You can report safety
concern’s anonymously
by calling: From the Safety Specialist
RMRMC (720) 723-6598
Heat Stress
SAFETY MANAGER
Jon Hanson by Fred Williams, CHST, STS, CESCO
Clermont x2649
RMRMC (720) 857-5531

________________
yelled at me about the Instead of pushing to see the
importance of eating salt on arches, we should have:
SAFETY SPECIALIST hot days before heavy physical 1. Left earlier in the
Demetrius Ortega activity started. I also remember
The Summer of 2017. I had the morning
Clermont x2110 rubbing my face; it felt like sand
opportunity to visit the Arches 2. Packed more water
RMRMC (720) 857-5504 paper, I was sweating out my
in Moab Utah. Our group and electrolyte drinks
decided to explore some of the sodium. 3. Evaluated the physical
*** Arches that were not frequently condition of all
Fred Williams visited. We packed what we A couple of hours later we members in our group
Clermont x2604 believed to be enough water reached the dark brown arch. 4. Taken caution to the
RMRMC (720) 413-9703 and some snacks. After symptoms of heat
looking at the trail map, we After speaking with a guide from exhaustion
*** started our hike. another group, he informed us 5. Enforced more rest
Melany Money that we need to look for a rock and hydration periods
(720) 788-6733 We started the hike at about that has water coming out of it 6. Be willing to return to
________________ 10:30 AM. At 11:50 AM, the and, it would be safe to drink. our cars if we were not
temperature was 103 degrees. feeling well
ENVIORNMENTAL Traveling only a third of the We filled our water bottles and
PROTECTION SPECIALIST way to our destination, most of found an alternative route back to Some of the treatments of heat
Garland Dotson the members of the group our cars that lead us through tree exhaustion:
Clermont x3103 consumed over half of the coverage and streams. 1. Apply cooling
RMRMC (720) 908-7060 water that they packed. The materials to the body
________________ motivation of group was Some of the symptoms of heat 2. Hydrate using
decreasing by each minute exhaustion are: electrolyte drinks and
ENVIORNMENTAL that passed. 1. Heavy sweating sports drinks
ENGINEER 2. Muscle cramps 3. Get out of the sun, use
Ray Marsh I recall getting a cramp in my 3. Vomiting, feeling air conditioning or a
Clermont x2613 right calf and reliving boot nausea fan
(303) 929-7361 camp when a drill instructor 4. Increased heart rate 4. Mist your body with
________________ and Breathing cold water
5. Headache, dizziness,
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENIST weakness and decrease
Dan Kerley in energy
Clermont x2166
RMRMC (720) 857-5529
*** From the Environmental Protection Specialist
Daniel Felzien
Clermont x7091 Safety with Household Hazwaste
RMRMC (720) 857-5232
________________ by Ray Marsh, M.S.

VA Eastern Colorado Health

Care System, Denver We like to think of our homes
1055 Clermont St. Bldg. #7 as our castles. But most of us
are not thinking of what's
* * * * stashed in the basement,
garage or under the kitchen
Rocky Mountain Regional
sink. Take a look sometime.
Veterans Affairs Medical
Do you see old cans of
Center, Aurora
cleansers, paint, bug spray
Energy Center Bldg. #6
and used motor oil?
How long has it been since you
used this stuff? How will you get
rid of it?
Those types of waste contain
hazardous substances which can
pose risks to the environment,
wildlife and human health.
Hazardous substances have
one or more special
characteristics. The potential
to cause violent chemical
reaction. The potential to be
dangerously corrosive.
Continued page 3
From the Environmental Protection Specialist
Continued …
The potential to ignite.
The potential to be harmful to
human health (toxic). Every
year in New York State alone,
more than 100,000 tons of
these household hazardous
wastes are emptied into trash
cans. They end up in landfills
or incinerators, or may be
dumped onto backyard soil or
into small streams.
Household hazardous wastes
enter the environment from
lawns, backyards, sewers,
landfills and incinerators.
When disposed improperly,
those wastes can poison the
The ECHCS Respiratory
Protection Program will be one
of the areas that Joint
Commission will be checking
during their visit this year.
The target percentage of
employees and staff that are
required to be fit tested is 95%.
Presently, ECHCS is at
75.40%.
The Respiratory Protection
Manager needs the ECHCS
Managers and Supervisors to
put emphasis on ensuring their
employees and staff are up-to-
date on their fit testing and
training.
air, soil, water, birds, fish,
mammals and even people
and pets.
Once in the landfill, liquid
waste and rainwater can seep
down through layers of trash
picking up contaminants along
the way.
This will cause leachate to be
more difficult and expensive to
treat.
Streams and lakes, as well as
groundwater, can become
polluted where rain, melting
snow and ice contact
contaminated soil, sidewalks,
streets and parking lots.
From the Industrial Hygienist
Fit Testing Dates
by Dan Kerley
This past year the
Occupational Safety and
Health (OSH) Respiratory
Protection Program Manager
decided to have the Talent
Management System (TMS)
track the respiratory
protection program to ensure
we meet the 95% goal, but we
are still behind.
Please note the schedule of
the upcoming scheduled
Respiratory Protection Clinic
dates.
Please ensure you employees
and staff members are
informed of these dates and
times.
Storm sewers drain directly into
local waterways.
Emissions from incinerators can
contaminate air and the ash
residues, which contain heavy
metals, also present disposal
problems. As residents of
Colorado, we bear the
responsibility to dispose of our
household hazardous waste
properly in order to protect and
preserve the quality of our
groundwater, streams and lakes.
In the following pages, you will
find instructions on how to
SAFELY dispose of most of the
household waste chemicals you
may have at home right now.
Also, if you have employees and
staff that are new to ECHCS or
that they are required to be in the
Respiratory Protection Program,
please ensure that they complete
the B-8 (New initial Fit Test
Form) and submit it to the
Occupational/Employee Health
Services (EHS) for their review
and signature.
The Respiratory Protection
Program will not fit test any
individual without the approval
from EHS.
You will also learn how to
REDUCE your use of these
products by buying or making
alternatives so you'll have less to
throw out in the future.
Follow these steps and you will
be making your home, your
neighborhood and all of Colorado
a cleaner, greener place to live.
It's easy and it's good for the
earth!
Find further information at this
webpage for metro-Denver
residents to find SAFE disposal
opportunities in your neck the
woods: https://www.denvergov.o
rg/content/denvergov/en/trash-
and-recycling/recycling/recycling-
directory-dropoff-
locations.html#!rc-cpage=43361
It is an Occupational Safety and
Health Administration
requirement that the employee
ensures an individuals is healthy
enough to wear a respirator and
completing the B-8 Form is the
first step to ensuring our
program meets that
requirement.
If there are any questions about
the ECHCS Respiratory
Protection Program (RPP),
please contact Daniel Kerley
at 720-857-5529
 Fit Testing Schedule
• August 6, Pueblo CBOC: 08:00 AM -12:00 PM
• August 10, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 06:00 AM - 3:00 PM
• August 10, Pueblo CLC: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• August 21, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 08:00 AM - 6:40 PM

• September 5, Burlington Clinic: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM

• September 7, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 06:00 AM - 3:00 PM
• September 18, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 08:00 AM - 6:40 PM
• September 20, Golden CBOC: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• September 25, Salida Clinic: 08:00 - 12:00 PM
• September 26, Pueblo CBOC: 08:00 AM - 12:00 PM
• September 26, Pueblo CLC: 1:00PM - 4:00 PM
• September 28, Colorado Springs CBOC: 08:00 - 12:00 PM

• October 8, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 08:00 until 6:40 PM

• October 12, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 06:00 until 3:00 PM
• October 15, RMRVAMC Main auditorium: 08:00 AM until 6:40 PM
• October 19, RMRVAMC Main auditorium: 06:00 AM until 3:00 PM
• October 22, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 08:00 AM until 6:40 PM
• October 26, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 06:00 AM until 3:00 PM
• October 29, RMRVAMC Main Auditorium: 08:00 AM until 6:40 PM

From the Safety Specialist

Fire Alarms at RMRMC
by Demetrius Ortega, Safety Specialist CFI-1, CLSS

1. If you hear an alarm, Alarms have not changed from

With the opening date of the
new hospital quickly
approaching we are still having
confusion on what to do when
a fire alarm sounds.
The safety office will continue
“To care for him who to drill/educate and inform any
shall have borne the and all services as we
battle and for his widow, approach and through the
and his orphan.” opening of the hospital. For
short term measures, please
follow the steps below when
- Abraham Lincoln
you hear all alarms.
and you see Strobe
Lights, You must
evacuate the space until
you do not see strobe
lights or you are
outside.
2. If you hear the alarm,
but do not see strobe
Lights, you do not need to
evacuate and you should shelter
in place. Listen to the
announcement so you know the
location of the fire in the event
you may need to assist in
rescuing patients.
Clermont to the new hospital,
and the procedure has not
changed, so if you forget what to
do, ask what would you do at
Clermont if you heard this alarm
and respond.
Please feel free to contact myself
or Fred Williams to schedule
training for fire alarms and our
fire drill procedures, we will
adjust our schedule to meet
yours to perform this important
training. Last, never treat any
alarm as a drill, always treat
alarms as the real situation and
you will never go wrong.