Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector

NORA Liaison & Partnership Update

June 17, 2009

Paul Schulte, Manager

Vern Anderson, Coordinator

The findings and conclusions in this presentation have not been formally disseminated by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and

should not be construed to represent any agency determination or policy

Trade: NAICS codes 42, 44, 45

441 --- Motor vehicle and parts dealers 442 --- Furniture and home furnishings 443 --- Electronics and appliance stores 444 --- Building material and garden equipment supplies 445 --- Food and beverage stores 446 --- Health and personal care stores 447 --- Gasoline stations 448 --- Clothing and clothing accessories stores 451 --- Sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores 454 --- Non-store retailers

421--- Wholesale: Storing, distributing, and selling merchandise to other businesses

Retail industry is the nation’s second largest employer. 21 Million: 146 Sub sectors

Where they work :

Magnitude of WRT morbidity and mortality, 2005 849,700 injury/illness (5.0/100 FTE) *

– * Industry average 4.6 FTE

30% cases > 1 day away work (1.5 DAW)– Overexertion, Contact with Objects, Falls: Event*– Sprains, Strains: Nature of Injury – Containers Floors, Vehicles: Source

– Trunk, L & U Extremities: Body Part 609 fatalities 4th highest Sector (2.9/100,000)*

– 11% of all fatalities Total 5,214 4.0/100,000

80% of WRT employees engage in MMH– Manual Materials Handling: lifting, carrying, pushing,

stacking

Higher Risk OccupationsPeople that are Impacted*

1. Retail Salespersons 11,300 2. Stock Clerks & Order fillers 9,840 3. Cashiers 6,140 4. Supervisors/Managers 5,410 5. Drivers & Sales Workers 4,490 6. Customer Service Reps. 3,480

– * = Cases of lost work days, 2005

High-Risk Wholesale Trade Subsectors Beer, wine and distilled alcoholic beverage

wholesale merchants Grocery and related product merchant

wholesalers Metal and mineral (except petroleum) merchant

wholesalers Lumber and other construction materials

merchant wholesalers Farm product raw material merchant wholesalers Motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and

supplies merchant wholesalers

High-Risk Retail Trade Subsectors Home centers Warehouse clubs Other building material dealers Tire dealers Supermarkets and other grocery Hobby, toy, and game stores New car dealers Department stores

WRT Sector Overview Some accomplishments since our last NORA Liaison meeting 1. Research Agenda completed.

2. Surveillance data available in the WRT Chartbook

3. Scientific Surveillance paper in review AJIM

4. Translating the WRT surveillance information to subsector trade newsletters and periodicals (3 articles, plus Synergist)

5. Continuing Worksites Studies in high risk sub sectors

6. Established Partnership with the “Loss Prevention Foundation” in developing a “Safety Certification focus” that will elevate the role of safety in the trade industries.

WRT Sector Council Member Affiliation: 2009

Academia 1 Ergonomist 1 Epidemiologist

1 Economist1 Violence

Specialist State 1 Surveillance Professional Association 1 ASSE Employer 3-4 [Need more] Trade Assn. 0 [Need more] Labor Unions 2 Insurance Industry 1 ?

– Total Active 15

Who Should be on the WRT Council – And When?

A Planning Council 5 researchers 3 employers 2 labor reps 1 insurance rep 1 OSH prof association rep

An Implementation Council 3 employers 3 trade associations 2 labor reps 2 insurance reps 1 marketing rep 2 sector media reps 1 researcher

NATIONAL OCCUPATIONAL RESEARCH AGENDA (WRT NORA)

1: Reduce chronic musculoskeletal disorders* 2: Reduce acute traumatic injuries 3: Reduce workplace violence 4: Reduce motor vehicle-related injuries 5: Improve outreach to the small businesses

6: Increase understanding of vulnerable workers

[Consists of 13 IM, 74 Outcomes/Activities]

–

Ready to be Finalized: All Comments

Stages of WRT Prevention CampaignIntermediate Goals (IM): Define Process

IM 1. Identify High Risk Subsectors:

– Surveillance Project & E-Network: WRT ChartBook

IM 2 Establish Partnerships: – Develop/Adopt Best Practices: Hold Biennial Workshops Information:

Engage Practitioners/Demonstration Projects

IM3 Launch Marketing Campaign: – Attending RILA/NRF Meetings: Preparing Articles for Trade Journals

& Simple Solutions Publications

Publication of Awareness Information for the Campaign

The High Cost of Overexertion Injuries: Guidance for Retailers. Retail Merchandiser, Jan/Feb 2009, pp 28-31. Anderson, V., Mulhern, B.

Reduce the Risk of Costly Overexertion Injuries, Progressive Grocer, May, 2009. p. 108. Anderson, V., Mulhern, B.

Health and Safety in Wholesale and Retail Trade: Hidden Dangers. The Synergist (An AIHA Publication), vol 20, no.3., March, 2009, pp 31-34. Anderson, V. Linn, H.,

Whole and Retail Trade Sector, A Rapporteur’s report, Mroszczyk, J., J or Safety Research, 39, 2008, 199-201,

Occupational Fatalities, Injuries, Illnesses, and Related Economic Loss in the Wholesale and Retail Trade Sector; In Review AJIM Vern Putz Anderson, Ph.D,[1], Paul Schulte, Ph.D[2], John Sestito, JD[3], Herb Linn, MS[4], Long Nyguen, MS[5]

The WRT Chartbook

Colorful surveillance tool: 116 pages with 213 tables & figures from the BLS and CPS

Future of EID WRT Campaign

Launch WRT Campaign with 1st RILA _NIOSH Exhibit (May, 2009)

Continue funding Demonstration Studies on MMH in high risk workplaces – FY 2008 -2009

Organize MMH workshop with focus on application to WRT sector, 2010.

Produce Document of MMH Simple Solutions for WRT Sector, 2010

Work with WRT Loss Prevention Associations in establishing safety and health training and certification for employers, 2009. MOU? Potential Contest for “Best WRT Practices”

Barriers: Provided by Employers

Occupational safety and health is considered a ``luxury'' to be worried about only after the core business.

There is a lack of resources (money and information) to address occupational safety and health.

There is resentment of government ``interference'' and a suspicion that contacting the government for help will somehow result in new or more oppressive regulations.

There is also a skepticism about the government information on the association of health effects with specific exposures, such as back injuries from lifting.

Strategies to overcome barriers: Develop partnerships with appropriate groups that are trusted by

small businesses (trade associations, small business assistance groups, universities);

Develop concrete affordable solutions to reduce hazards specific to that industry;

Prepare outreach materials that are brief, use familiar contexts and diagrams, and make the benefits of controlling the hazard clear.

Show organizations that serve WRT employers that they may add to their value proposition by including S&H information, products, and services. Otherwise, our efforts will not be sustained

Lack of sustainability is why NIOSH should de-emphasize doing its own publications for sectors and start inspiring partners to do so -- by showing the value in it.

NORA Liaison Support: Help needed 1. Work to position NORA for the public as an implementation

effort. Could do this as individuals and as a group.

2. Work to position Sector councils as places for leaders on the implementation side.

3. Use their personal and collective influence to attract non-OSH leaders to the councils.

4. Work to promote NORA sector councils among employers, trade associations, and insurers rather than the OSH community.

5. Work to advise sector councils on the collaborative opportunities across sectors that have the most potential for prevention.

Lesson learned

1. The process is based on relationships. 2. The process takes time to build trust. 3. Multiple communication channels should be used to

reach the target audience. 4. Equipment manufacturers and suppliers should be

involved in the process. 5. Sell the hazard first. If businesses are not

convinced that there is a hazard, they see no reason to spend money to prevent it.