Tuesday, April 1, 2014

NCAA Final Four vs Construction Final Four

Both of these topics require total concentration on the goal at hand. Whether it is working safe on the job, or striving to be the National Champions, it takes the will to win. Be the best at what you do, and let's take home the trophy everyday.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Contractor Safety Requirements

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this section is to describe the responsibilities of company name
and its contractors who perform work for the company or on premises operated by the company.

2. SCOPE
This procedure applies to all operations that utilize contractors for the performance of work.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES
The contractor has the responsibility to ensure that their employees are adequately trained in safe work practices and comply with applicable regulations. The company locations may designate a representative(s) to monitor construction/maintenance activities. The company is responsible for ensuring that contractors follow this procedure and that applicable hazard information specific to the areas where the contractor may work are conveyed to the contractor at the start of a project.

4. PROCEDURE
Contractor Safety
All contractors shall abide by the safety and health policies pertaining to the location, facility, or project on which they are working. A contractor’s violation of these safety and health policies could expose our employees, the public, and our property, as well as the contractor, to unnecessary hazards. Strict enforcement of this policy by supervisory personnel is expected.

- The contractor shall designate a safety representative
- Each contractor must be apprised of any hazards and pertinent safety information before commencing any task (see Contractor Safety Orientation Checklist)
- Each contractor must certify in writing that he/she has been informed about, and understands, all relevant safety information before coming onto the company premises

Qualifications of Contractors
Contractor safety performance will be a significant requirement in the contractor selection process. Compliance with the following criteria will be minimum requirements in contractor selection and will be monitored on a continuing basis.

Safety results should be judged on a continuing basis. Safety results should be judged on the basis of improvement made in year-to-year results. Criteria for contractor health and safety information are listed below (See Contractor Health and Safety Questionnaire).

- Evaluate the contractor’s Experience Modification Ratio (EMR) for the previous three years including the current year. An average EMR of over 1.0 or an escalating 3 year average EMR number would indicate an unfavorable safety record and require further evaluation prior to approval.
- Copy of occupational injury/illness statistics for each of the past three years, including the current year. This includes incident rates per 200,000 hours worked. (Do not present names of injured.) Compare the contractor's values against current Bureau of Labor Statistics for a similar SIC code organization.
- Contractor shall certify the existence of a written Safety and Health program and that their employees have received the necessary safety training applicable to the contracted work.
- If required, contractors will have a written substance abuse program in place and be prepared to submit evidence of compliance
- The contractor is responsible for keeping site injury statistics and reporting all incidents resulting from injury to a contract employee on the premises to the company
- The company may take appropriate action against any contractor for non-compliance with health & safety practices
- The contractor immediately reports all incidents or accidents occurring on company locations. The contractor investigates and provides a report that includes a description of the incident, a primary cause for the incident, corrective actions addressing the primary cause, and assignment of responsibility for completion of correction action within 48 hours off occurrence.


Confined Space

1. PURPOSE

Company name is committed to providing a safe and healthful work environment for our entire staff. In pursuit of this endeavor, the following written program is in place to first identify any Permit-Required Confined Spaces (PRCS) and to eliminate or control hazards associated with PRCS operations. This program is in accordance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Permit-Required Confined Spaces Standard, Title 29, Code of Federal Regulations 1910.146.

2. RESPONSIBILITIES

Individuals assigned to work where confined space entry is required will have the responsibilities related to the work they perform. These responsibilities are identified below.

1. Safety Director

1. Work with the client and crew leader to determine the type of confined space along with any known hazards.

2. Provide specific training to all attendants regarding the inspection, calibration and use of gas monitoring equipment.

3. Review hazards and special considerations with crews.

4. Verify that all safety equipment and PPE are available to the crews prior to entry.


2. Entrants

1. Know the hazards associated with the permit space and their effects

2. Properly use the equipment required for entry

3. Maintain a continuous means of communication with the attendant

4. Alert the attendant in the event of an emergency

5. Evacuate the space if an emergency occurs

READ MORE

Bloodborne Pathogens


I. PURPOSE

The purpose of this program is to minimize or eliminate all  employees’ exposure to Bloodborne pathogens, mainly that of Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), and other Bloodborne pathogens which could lead to disease or death.  This program has been developed and implemented to comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 29 CFR 1910.1030 Bloodborne Pathogens Standard.

II. SCOPE

This program applies to all employees who are identified as authorized first responders, and are first aid/CPR trained. In addition, this includes all other employees who may, in the course of their normal employment, be required to handle, come in contact with, or dispose of any materials containing contaminated or potentially contaminated blood and/or body fluids.

III. RESPONSIBILITIES

A. Operation/Production Manager is responsible for the following:

1. Administer all aspects of the Bloodborne Pathogens Program.

2. Assure training for all affected employees and maintain documentation records indefinitely.

3. Assure that all employees in the department who are trained in First Aid/CPR attend annual training sessions in accordance with this program.

4. Assure that only properly trained employees perform clean up of potentially contaminated blood and/or body fluids.

READ MORE

Asbestos Containing Materials

1. PURPOSE
Company name has developed guidelines to protect employees working with and around asbestos-containing materials and to comply with OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1001 and OSHA 29 CFR 1926.1101, Asbestos.

2. SCOPE
RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervisors
It is the supervisor’s responsibility to comply with and ensure that this procedure is followed,                 that employees are familiar with the requirements, and operations are conducted in a safe                 manner and within applicable local, state, and federal regulations.

Employees
Employees are responsible for complying with this procedure.

3. DEFINITIONS
Asbestos-Containing Material (ACM) – Any material containing more than one percent asbestos. Asbestos includes Chrysotile, Amosite, Crocidolite, Tremolite, Anthophyllite, Actinolite, and any of these minerals that have been chemically treated and/or altered.

Class I Asbestos Work – Activities involving the removal of Thermal System Insulation (TSI) and surfacing ACM and Presumed Asbestos-containing Material (PACM).

Class II Asbestos Work – Activities involving the removal of ACM which is not thermal system insulation or surfacing material with the intention to dispose. This includes, but is not limited to, the removal of asbestos-containing wallboard, floor time and sheeting, roofing and siding shingles, and construction mastics.

Class III Asbestos Work – Repair and maintenance operations, where “ACM”, including TSI and surfacing ACM and PACM, is likely to be disturbed.

Class IV Asbestos Work – Maintenance and custodial activities during which employees contact but do not disturb ACM or PACM activities to clean up dust, waste, and debris resulting from Class I, II, and III activities.

Competent Person- In addition to the definition in 29 CFR 1926.32 (f), competent person for asbestos activities is defined as one who is capable of identifying existing asbestos hazards in the workplace and selecting the appropriate control strategy for asbestos exposure , who has the authority  to take  prompt corrective measures to eliminate them, as specified in 29 CFR 1926.32(f): in addition, for Class I and Class II work who is specially trained in a training course which meets the criteria of EPA’s Model Accreditation Plan (40 CFR 763) for supervisor, or its equivalent and, for Class III and Class IV work, who is trained in a manner consistent with EPA requirements for training of local education agency maintenance and custodial staff as set forth at 40 CFR 763.92 (a)(2).     READ MORE

Aerial Lifts

1. PURPOSE
The purpose of this standard operating procedure is to define safe operating practices when aerial lifts are used within the company operations.

2. SCOPE
Company name has developed guidelines for the safe operation of aerial platforms and equipment (for example, man-lifts, JLGs, scissor lifts, tower trucks, etc.) and to comply with 29 CFR 1926.453.

3. RESPONSIBILITIES
Supervisors
         It is the supervisor's responsibility to ensure that all employees operate aerial lifts in a safe manner                 in accordance with this procedure, manufacturer's recommendations, and applicable local, state                     and federal regulations.

        Employees
Employees are responsible for complying with this procedure and operating aerial lifts                 in a safe manner.

4. DEFINITIONS
Aerial Lifts - Aerial devices used to elevate personnel above ground level, such as extension boom    platforms, aerial ladders, articulated boom platforms, vertical towers such as scissor lifts, and any combination of these devices. 

REQUIREMENTS
Allow only trained and authorized employees to operate aerial lifts. Conspicuously display the instruction and warning placards and load chart and ensure legibility on each lift. Load limits specified by the manufacturer will not be exceeded. The operator’s manual will be readily available to the operator. 

INSPECTIONS
A competent person will inspect the lift before use and immediately after any incident that may have damaged the lift, using the manufacturer's guidelines. Employees must report any defects to their supervisor immediately. The company will remove defective equipment from service until it is repaired to manufacturer's specifications. Any repairs or modifications to the lift will meet the manufacturer's specifications.

The competent person will also inspect the work area surface to ensure it is reasonably level, stable, and free from hazards, such as covered excavations or debris that could cause tipping. The lift controls will be plainly marked as to their function. Authorized operators will test each control every day before use.

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
When traveling, the operator will ensure the boom is in the lowered position with the turntable locked. All rough terrain travel will be conducted in the “SLOW” mode. The foot switch will not be removed, blocked, disabled, or modified in any manner. If aerial platforms are equipped with outriggers, they will be fully extended before personnel are lifted. 

An observer will monitor all movement to insure proper clearance and stability when the lift operates in congested areas or when the operator does not have full visibility. Special attention must be given to ground conditions and grating. When load bearing capacities of grates is unknown, steel plating or alternative means will be utilized to support the aerial lift.

All personnel will wear approved fall arrest equipment that is attached to the platform attachment point while occupying the lift. Personnel will stand on the floor of the platform, not on boxes, planks, railings, or other devices.

The aerial lift will not be used for material transport, except for small pieces required for the job at hand. All materials and tools will be contained totally within the work basket; the load rating of the lift will not be exceeded.

Aerial lifts will not be operated near electrical power lines unless the lines have been de-energized or adequate clearance is maintained in accordance with the following chart, excerpted from 29 CFR 1926.550.


Voltage Range
Minimum Distance
Less than 50kV
10 feet
50K to 200kV
15 feet
200KV to 350kV
20 feet
350KV to 500kV
25 feet
500KV to 750kV
35 feet
750KV to 1OOOkV
45 feet

Except in case of emergency, ground controls will not be operated without
permission of personnel occupying the platform.

TRAINING
           
            The supervisor or other designated individual will train employees on the
            safe use of aerial lifts and will include the following:

-          Recognition of and preventative measures for the safety hazards associated with their tasks.

-          General recognition and prevention of safety hazards associated with the use of
      the work platform .

-     Elements of the emergency action plan describing procedures to be utilized in the       event of a failure of the power supply unit or other emergencies that may arise.

-     The proper use of the lift and proper handling of any materials on the lift.

-     The maximum intended load and the load carrying capacity of the lift.


Monday, March 17, 2014

A Case for Investing in Safety



Injuries and Illnesses cost industry $170 billion annually.

$1 dollar invested in safety saves $3-6 dollars of cost.

Direct Cost

Equipment replacement
Medical bills
Workers compensation premiums
Settlements
Loss of productivity
Damaged product
Recovery time and expense

Indirect Cost

Company image
Vendors going elsewhere
Loss of quality
Delays in delivery

Collect safety cost data
Create a track record
Integrate safety into operations

Lagging Measures

Number of injuries
Injury rates
Near misses
Workers comp cost
Number of lost days
Number of restricted days
Number of first aid cases

Leading Measures

Number of audits
Deficiencies corrected
Number of behavioral audits
Percentage of safe behaviors
Safety improvement measures taken
Number of safety committee activities


Measuring failures do not tell the whole story. Use leading and lagging measures.

Injury Management

Determine root causes
Determine trends
Determine preventive measures
Use data to support request for improvement Involve employees

Reporting

All injuries reported immediately
Train employees on this requirement
Corrective action if fail to do so
The sooner you know the better.

Focus
Surface cause
Root cause
Avoid blame

Categories of Investigations
Near miss
Property damage
First Aid
OSHA recordable

Investigation Team
Safety Professional
Employees doing the job
Supervisor in that department
Safety committee member

Goal
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?



Ask "Why" five times

Acts vs conditions

90% of injuries are due to unsafe behavior

Need to dig deeper

Mitigation
Engineering
Administration
PPE

Communication
Injured employees
Physician
Insurance Carrier claims representative Management

Make up a list of light duty task that could be performed.

Write up a process for your system


Process in Action

Accompany the injured employee to the medical provider.
Obtain physical restrictions documents
Maintain communications
Manage modified duty assignments

Culture Change

Leadership
Employee participation
Safe work environment
Continuous improvement

Cultural integration
Priority
Value

Safety is how we operate
Safety is owned by everyone
Employees are empowered
Visible symbols
Make it part of key organizational events

I2P2 Injury & Illness Prevention Program

        I2P2 Injury & Illness Prevention Program


There are six core elements to an effective safety program.

      1.Management Leadership

           2.Employee Participation

      3.Hazard Risk Assessment

      4.Hazard Prevention and Control

      5.Education and Training

      6.Program Evaluation

Each element plays a critical role in the success or failure of the safety program and possibly the business itself.While all of the elements are important, it is crucial to have the company management giving full support of the safety effort. Management has the power to build a safety culture and it starts with a commitment to safety.

1. Management Commitment

Write a safety policy.
Apply the policy to all by following the safety policies.
Give employees authority to stop jobs if they see unsafe acts.
Budget time for safety. Have a daily short safety reminder meeting before the start of each shift. 
Act on recommendations of employees that perform the task.
Allow resources of time and money to provide proper training.

$1 dollar invested in safety saves $3-6 dollars of cost.

Ask yourself "What are they dealing with that I'm not?

Accountability -must be clearly understood and encouraged. Managers must take responsibility for safety. Employees in turn must have self accountability for their unsafe acts.

Development of a safety culture that will correlate to success in business.
Create a vision that employees will and must understand.
Safety must be measured along with production.
Safety must be a value. Safety efforts are encouraged and rewarded, but not just the things that we can avoid like lost time accidents.

Safety professional responsibility- communicate what needs to be done. Organization determines the degree of power. Measure safety performance. Establish employee and management measurements. Correlate injury reduction efforts with operational goals. Encourage safety culture vs zero accidents

Management Engagement -must take responsibility for failure. Managers must add safety as a core issue that affects business growth. Senior management must instill safety. Everyone should establish a vision of safety excellence.

Servant Leadership-help support the employees.

Demonstrate Safety

Safety in organizational meetings
Safety goals
Engage safety activities
Accountability

Safety is how we operate
Safety is owned by everyone
Employees are empowered
Visible symbols
Part of key organizational events


2. Worker Participation

Benefits

Employee engagement is a fundamental principle of leadership. It instills ownership and provides valuable feedback for safety success and improvement.

Form a Safety Committee.
Set requirements for membership to the committee (good attendance, no accidents)
Delineate responsibilities
Set goals
Meet regularly (monthly is suggested)
Collect safety suggestions and action points. Act on suggestions and document process. Take meeting minutes.

Form Incident Investigation Teams
Accompany supervisor or safety manager,analyze the scene and recommend corrective actions.
Encourage co-workers to help build the safety culture in related issues. (Like not wearing safety glasses)

3. Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment

A hazard is the potential for harm.

A Job Hazard Analysis is a technique that focuses on job task, the worker, the tools and the work environment.

It is a proactive approach to prevent injuries.
A way to develop proper work procedures
Adds value to your bottom line by eliminating injury cost.

Benefits
Fewer injuries
Reduce workers compensation cost
Increase in productivity
Excellent training tool to bring awareness of hazards.

Where to start?

Talk with employees
Review incidents
Review all jobs
Prioritize to risk of exposure or injury

Hazard determination

What can go wrong?
What are the consequences ?
How could it arise?
Contributing factors?
How likely is it to occur?

Effective Analysis

Where is it happening?
Who or what is it happening to?
What precipitates the hazard?
The outcome that would occur should it happen (consequence)?

Steps of a JSA

Have manager and employee break down the job in steps

For each task:
What can go wrong?
What are the consequences?
How could it happen?
How likely is to happen?

Audit

Review quarterly or annually
Jobs change
Product change
Equipment change
People change

High frequency high severity jobs should be done first

Reporting Hazards

Include program requirements
Receive training on hazards
Carry out reporting
Safety committee
Management
Fellow employees

Management Responsibilities

Receive training
Direct hazard reporting process
Act on hazard reports
Provide resources to address hazards
  Financial
  Personal
  Equipment

Document

Submission process
Track hazard reporting
Determine trends
Safety committee minutes


4. Hazard Prevention and Control

Corrective Action

Identify control method for hazards that have been identified. 

Engineer the hazard out.
Administrative controls to lower exposure.
Personal Protective Equipment as a last resort.

Engineering Controls

Install catwalks
Replace equipment
Prevention through design
       Include safety guards
       Eliminate hazards before they are created

Administrative Controls

Change the way it's done.
Rotate employees
Adjust work schedules

Personal Protective Equipment

Hard hat

Eye Protection
  Safety glasses
  Goggles
  Faceshield

Respiratory protection
Hearing protection
Safety toe shoes
Gloves

Activities

Establish Emergency planning procedures
Preventive maintenance
High housekeeping standards
Document hazard control requirements
-lockout/tagout
-confined space
-fall protection
Post appropriate signage


5. Education and Training


Training is a process, not an event.

Level 1-Compliance training
Select the right environment
PowerPoint, DVD, Hands On, Visual
Problem posing scenarios
Interaction
Role playing

Click on this link to take you to our list of safety topics and free safety plans. Most of these topics will be applicable to your business.




 6. Program Evaluation

Audits:
Lockout/tagout
Confined Space Entry
Fall Protection
Housekeeping

Annual System Audit

Document review
Facility inspection
Employee interviews

Assessment

Document criteria
Set up scoring system. Have they done:

0-nothing on the topic
2-something
8-good, but not complete
10-excellent

Shows improvement or failing trends

Prioritize deficiencies

Red-high risk
Yellow-soon
Green-low risk

Define format
Define audience of who receives report
Define the frequency

Lagging Measures

Number of injuries
Injury rates
Near misses
Workers comp cost
Number of lost days
Number of restricted days
Number of first aid cases

Leading Measures

Number of audits
Deficiencies corrected
Number of behavioral audits
Percentage of safe behaviors
Safety improvement measures taken
Number of safety committee activities


Measuring failures do not tell the whole story. Use leading and lagging measures.

A Case for Investing in Safety

Injuries and Illnesses cost industry $170 billion annually

$1 dollar invested in safety saves $3-6 dollars of cost.

Direct Cost

Equipment replacement
Medical bills
Workers compensation premiums
Settlements
Loss of productivity
Damaged product
Recovery time and expense

Indirect Cost

Company image
Vendors going elsewhere
Loss of quality
Delays in delivery

Collect safety cost data
Create a track record
Integrate safety into operations

Lagging Measures

Number of injuries
Injury rates
Near misses
Workers comp cost
Number of lost days
Number of restricted days
Number of first aid cases

Leading Measures

Number of audits
Deficiencies corrected
Number of behavioral audits
Percentage of safe behaviors
Safety improvement measures taken
Number of safety committee activities


Measuring failures do not tell the whole story. Use leading and lagging measures.

Injury Management

Determine root causes
Determine trends
Determine preventive measures
Use data to support request for improvement Involve employees

Reporting

All injuries reported immediately
Train employees on this requirement
Corrective action if fail to do so
The sooner you know the better.

Focus
Surface cause
Root cause
Avoid blame

Categories of Investigations
Near miss
Property damage
First Aid
OSHA recordable

Investigation Team
Safety Professional
Employees doing the job
Supervisor in that department
Safety committee member

Goal
Who?
What?
Where?
When?
Why?



Ask "Why" five times

Acts vs conditions

90% of injuries are due to unsafe behavior

Need to dig deeper

Mitigation
Engineering
Administration
PPE

Communication
Injured employees
Physician
Insurance Carrier claims representative Management

Make up a list of light duty task that could be performed.

Write up a process for your system


Process in Action

Accompany the injured employee to the medical provider.
Obtain physical restrictions documents
Maintain communications
Manage modified duty assignments

Culture Change

Leadership
Employee participation
Safe work environment
Continuos improvement

Cultural integration
Priority
Value

Safety is how we operate
Safety is owned by everyone
Employees are empowered
Visible symbols
Make it part of key organizational events

Are you ready to get started? Here is a link to help you to start writing a plan.



Meiners Medical and Safety " Making the World a Safer Place, One Company at a Time".