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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is addressing the problem on ergonomic stress by mandating compliance with its ergonomic standard for general industry, which will be released before Oct. 1, 1994. The OSHA has previously issued ergonomic guidelines for the meatpacking industry due to the high occurrence of cumulative trauma disorders and other injuries among workers in meatpacking plants. Some companies have already developed effective programs to protect workers from these hazards, including IBP, McCormick & Co. Inc. and General Mills Inc.

The US semiconductor industry has taken a number of steps to promote better worplace safety for employees despite earning the recognition of being one of the safest manufacturing industries in the country. Many companies have provided a variety of safety programs and standards to protect workers from various toxic hazards. Such standards include basic training on chemical awareness, the formation of environmental monitoring teams and the creation of mini-environments that separate workers from manufacturing processes.

Several companies still fail to see the importance of lockout/tagout programs being mandated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The programs are a result of the performance-oriented lockout/tagout standard, which aims to reduce workplace injury and illness by promoting the use of safeguards and controls on machines. Aside from instilling discipline, increasing workplace protection and reducing energy usage, OSHA's standard also reduces worker's compensation claims.

The noise standard and noise control compliance policy promulgated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration has not been strictly enforced. However, occupational health consultants point out that occupational noise above 85 dB(A) puts workers at risk of hearing impairment. Moreover, noise in the workplace creates fatigue, stress and tinnitus. Employers can implement a variety of engineering controls to minimize noise in the workplace such as sound-absorbing materials, noise isolation, sound-proof operator booths and perimeter curtains around machines.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration's interim final standard for lead-work safety is designed to protect construction workers and others from high exposures to lead. Lead poisoning can result in kidney disease, anemia and reproductive system disorders. The new interim rule, which came into force on June 3rd, 1993, is designed to protect workers who remove lead paint from surfaces such as bridges, plus those in the iron, plumbing, heating and demolition industries.

The introduction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's new standard for workers in confined spaces aims to protect workers from asphyxiating or toxic atmospheres and will cut down on bin and silo hazards. Respirators should be selected for the particular type of hazard, such as air purifying or air supplying, and they should also be matched to the worker.

A prescription for better hand tool designs based on the Occupational Health and Safety's guidelines for meat packing plants is provided. Ergonomic problems arising from faulty power hand-tool design and use are identified. These include the carpal-tunnel syndrome, cumulative-trauma disorder, tendon-sheath inflammation, tendinitis and Raynaud's Phenomenon or white finger. The need for companies to provide a wide variety of sizes for all tools and to enforce the use of the proper tool for each specific job is also emphasized.

Design-in-safety models involves developing machines with built-in safety-related features. Th Assn of Manufacturing Technology has formulated an ergonomics policy to apply the design-in-safety model for machine tools. Various companies such as Deere and Co, Du Pont and General Motors Corp have also recognized the need for applying the concept of safe machines for their workers. These safely designed machines are appreciated by their workers who experience less stress and strain.

Several companies have already begun adopting the American National Standard Institute's Z535 standard, which presents updated guidelines for safety signs, labels, symbols and colors. The standard was developed by an ANSI committee composed of 35 members from various sectors and contains sections touching on safety color codes, environmental and facility signs, safety symbol criteria, product safety signs and accident prevention tags.

Increasing employee accidents underscore the need for first aid equipment in the workplace. The acquisition of first aid equipment for occupational safety entails a careful assessment of the needs of a facility to determine the facility's physical characteristics, the size and tasks of the workforce and the probable risks involved. A good working relationship with a sales representative can ensure the purchase and restocking of the proper supplies. Meanwhile, medical personnel or properly trained employees will ensure that first aid is properly administered during emergencies.

The National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety defines confined spaces as work sites characterized by limited openings for entry or exit, unfavorable natural ventilation and not designed for continuous occupancy. These qualities make work in confined spaces extremely hazardous, especially when the task involves welding. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration plans to issue a final rule for confined-space work in late 1992 that sets precautions and criteria that would help lessen the risks for workers in such environments.

OSHA's blood-borne-pathogens standard greatly increases the number of medical records companies must maintain. The danger of contamination to human immunodeficiency and hepatitis-B viruses leads to strict monitoring of measures on health guidelines such as vaccination. Software is specially developed for the purpose of medical record keeping and processing. It helps to reduce the amount of actual paperwork, simultaneously ensuring data confidentiality required by OSHA through built-in access coding. Several systems are available, and it is up to the company to pick the best one to suit their needs.

The Service Employees International Union and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees are both clamoring for legislation that will protect workers and tenants in buildings for public and commercial use which have materials that contain asbestos. The two unions demand a regulation similar to the 1987 Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act which protects custodial and maintenance workers in elementary and secondary schools from asbestos health hazards. Breathing air which contains asbestos fibers has been found to cause mesothelioma, cancer of the lungs and asbestosis.

The Blockbuster Sessions are one of the highlights of the 1992 National Safety Council Congress and Exposition to be held on Nov 1-5, 1992 in Orlando, FL. A total of 15 sessions will be conducted, each of which will last for 90 minutes. Session topics include the effects of the Americans with Disabilities Act on different sectors, the measures adopted to protect medical personnel from blood-transmitted diseases, and the latest legislation on occupational health and safety.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health defines confined spaces as areas having small entry and exit openings, unfavorable natural ventilation, and unsuitable conditions for continuous worker occupancy. Due to these conditions, confined spaces present many hazards to workers and rescuers. The Occupational Health and Safety Administration's failure to come up with an industry-wide standard caused corporations and other concerned bodies to formulate their own regulations. To prevent confined space-related accidents, employees should be provided with protective equipment and taught proper work and rescue methods.

There are significant ergonomic problems caused by working with video display terminals (VDT). These physical problems are either musculoskeletal or visual. Visual problems can be minimized by correcting seat levels and angles, by using monitors which control contrast and brightness and by lowering light levels in places where VDTs are used. Musculoskeletal problems can be reduced by using adjustable chairs, keyboard-support equipment, and physical therapy for the eyes, hands, wrists, shoulders and the back. Employees should also be properly trained in using ergonomic equipment.

Several studies have been done to assess the variables that contribute to the safety of truck drivers. Some have collected data on truck-driver measurements and truck work-space while others have looked into the feasibility of adding safety devices. There have also been studies on using human factors in Intelligent Vehicle Highway Systems technology. Future truck cab designs include dispatching devices for route guidance and navigation. Electric transponders and automatic vehicle identification are currently in use.

Most petrochemical companies have made it a standard practice to provide their workers with personal protective equipment due to the hazards involved in working with hydrocarbons. Creating protective clothing requires attention to several factors, such as the garment's chemical resistance, appearance, comfort and cost. Among the more widely used fibers for protective clothing are NOMEX, INDURA and FLAMEX.

A comprehensive and thoroughly tested disaster recovery plan can result in continuity rather than disruption of bank operations and services in times of crisis. Workable contingency plans require commitment of time and resources from senior bank management. The goal of such plans should be to provide continuous service at a reasonable cost. The expense of developing such plans should be weighed against money-earning opportunities that could be lost in the event of a disaster. Disaster recovery planning for financial institutions is required by law, can result in reduced insurance premiums, and can be facilitated by the use of software packages designed especially for that application. Recovery plans must be tested periodically to ensure their effectiveness, and they must be kept up to date as equipment and personnel change.

Facilities management (FM) in banking operations refers to the contracting out of a bank's data processing work. The FM organization uses client computer equipment, but brings in its own staff to operate systems. Commercial banks should have $200-$250 million in total assets and thrifts should have $500-$600 million in assets for FM to be an appropriate measure, but there are no upper limits in this regard. Typical FM organizations provide full service delivery, including data processing for loans, demand deposits, time deposits, certificates of deposit, commercial and installment loans, mortgage loans, and central information file processing. Systems are also available for accounts payable, automatic teller machine processing, fixed assets, and point-of-sale transactions. NCR Corp is an example of an FM provider.

Software vendors' tasks in serving banks have been affected by the Tax Reform Act of 1986. Vendors such as National Computer Systems and Systematics have had to cope with changes affecting trust and asset management operations, interest reporting, tax filing, and real estate loan servicing. Changes in handling of fixed asset depreciation have also affected the vendors. The design of existing software is another major factor affecting the vendors' adjustment to tax-related changes. A flexible system allows users to simply change input variables entered into a program. Vendors find users groups extremely important in making decisions on changing or updating software.

Effective network management systems can diagnose problems, correct them, and reroute traffic when necessary. These systems can also provide a bridge for different architectures. A remote diagnostic capability is important for immediate identification of the malfunctioning component or unit. The flow of information need not be interrupted, because back-up procedures are available.

Platform automation, which provides computer terminals to bank customer sales personnel, can make sales efforts smoother and faster, cutting time and increasing productivity. Training for customer sales representatives (CSRs) is key to successful introduction of technology into bank sales. CSRs who learn how to use the computer as an interactive selling tool surpass mere order-taking and are able to elicit useful information about customer needs. If both the customer and the CSR can look at a display screen simultaneously, the computer's presence can foster discussion rather than intrude in the interaction.

Videos can greatly enhance the effectiveness of safety training sessions for employees. However, several considerations have to be made to maximize their benefits. Safety-and-health professionals should remember that safety videos work best only when used in combination with other instructional materials and when complemented by hands-on practice. Moreover, videos should be able to hold the audience's attention and leave a lasting message. It is also important to know the specific needs and characteristics of the workers to whom the safety videos will be shown.

The banking industry is cautious in accepting interactive video for marketing purposes. Vendors are quick to point out the advantages of consistent and accurate information, the capability to pre-qualify customers, and the reduction of paperwork. Other enticing features are the private self-serve nature of the technology and the possibility for customers to complete transactions. A few pilot efforts are being monitored for customer acceptance and the number and type of usage.

Image processing technology may eventually replace the labor intensive, manual methods currently used in check processing operations. In image processing, documents are input into a machine which takes a picture of the document and transfers the pictures into machine readable form that can be manipulated by computers. This process may eventually save banks money in personnel costs and reduced proof errors, although image processing technology is still too expensive for many banks to acquire.

The successful merger of two corporate cultures into one requires a customized approach. The experience of Bank of Richmond and Virginia National Bank of Norfolk is described to illustrate how two institutions addressed this challenge as they became Sovran Financial Corp. Planning for the merger was extensive. Corporate representatives from both sides met on neutral territory in Williamsburg, VA to arrange the transition. A group facilitator was engaged. Issues discussed included personnel, marketing, trust, and operations. It was decided to use a team approach to resolve issues, and neither side claimed its way of doing things was the only way.