KEEPING IT SAFE The Health and Safety Newsletter of the Barbados Employers’ Confederation July 29, 2014
Volume 1, Issue 1
Inside this issue: Role of HR in Safety and Health
2
Where HR and OSH Meet!
Spot the Hazard
3
By: Melony James OSH/Research Coordinator - BEC
Silica and Silicosis - The Truth About Them
4
The Importance of Respirators
5
Chemical Safety Your Responsibility
6
Getting Back on Track After 8 Crop Over What is Mental Illness?
10
Vulnerability the Absence of Security
12
Have a Chuckle
15
Upcoming Events
16
Special points of interest:
HR Professionals should understand their role in Safety and Health
While you are ensuring employee safety do not neglect their security
Silicosis causes the swelling of the lungs and therefore shortness of breath
Drinks plenty of water when jumping for Kadooment Mental illness cannot be treated like physical illness
within the organization;
O
ccupational Safety and health (OSH) and human resource management (HRM) are usually viewed as separate and distinct from each other, however this is far from the case. Such thinking has caused many companies to miss the mark in attaining a successful safety program. Human resource officers have a very integral role to play in the execution of safe working practices within the workplace. Many believe that this is the job of the Safety Officer or for that one HR Officer who was delegated such responsibilities. Such retrograde attitudes will lead our country no closer to international recognition. While human resources professionals are not expected to know the technical aspects of workplace health and safety, they should know when and how to use existing resources to respond to employee concerns. In order for HR professionals to meet their responsibilities as it relates to the safety, health and welfare of their employees they need to do the following:
Understand the health and safety responsibilities of employers, managers, supervisors and employees
Implement management policies to ensure that everyone in the workplace is aware of his/her responsibilities;
Establish effective ways to accomplish health and safety responsibilities, and;
Ensure that employees fulfill their health and safety responsibilities as outlined in the organizational policies and programs.
When HR and OSH have been effectively integrated a positive work culture is usually the end result. Cultivating a positive safety culture is a top-down process and therefore management must exemplify the policies they have instituted. HR’s mandate with respect to occupational health and safety is to support line management and the organization as a whole by creating and overseeing policies, procedures and programs, dealing with regulatory compliance and reporting requirements. Additionally, advising, coaching and training line managers and employees fall within their ambit. There are also many areas where health and safety overlaps with core aspects of human resources management. These include workplace harassment and bullying, attendance management, disability management, workers’ compensation claims, return to work programs, job design, wellness initiatives and performance management. An effective marriage of these two schools of study will birth a core of management professionals who have a greater understanding of the employees as a whole and not just a fragments.
Keeping it Safe
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Human Resources Roles in Health and Safety
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HR Responsibilities in Safety and Health
HR Responsibilities in Safety and Health
Vulnerability the Absence of Security
Volume 1, Issue 1
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Can You Spot the Hazards?
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HR Responsibilities in Safety and Health
Can you Spot the Hazards?
Silica and Silicosis: The Truth About Them
Keeping it Safe
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Silica and Silicosis: The Truth About Them Article Taken From: www.hse.gov.uk
R
espirable crystalline silica (RCS) is found in stone, rocks, sands and clays. Exposure to RCS over a long period can cause fibrosis (hardening or scarring) of the lung tissue with a consequent loss of lung function. Sufferers are likely to have severe shortness of breath and may find it difficult or impossible to walk even short distances or up stairs. The effect continues to develop after exposure has stopped and is irreversible. Sufferers usually become house- or bed-bound and often die prematurely due to heart failure. Acute silicosis is a rare complication of short-term exposure to very large amounts of silica. This condition is life-threatening and associated with very significant clinical consequences. Silica may also be linked to lung cancer. Precautions taken to control the risk of fibrosis will serve to control the risk of lung cancer. Workers with silicosis are at an increased risk of tuberculosis, kidney disease and arthritis. Exposure to RCS may also cause chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Occupational risks Occupations with exposure to RCS include: quarrying, slate works, foundries, potteries, stonemasonry, construction (when cutting or breaking stone, concrete or brick), and industries using silica flour to manufacture goods. Respirable crystalline silica particles are produced during many work tasks, including sandblasting, mining, rock drilling, quarrying, brick cutting, glass manufacturing, tunneling, foundry work, stone working, ceramic manufacturing and construction activities. There are three types of silicosis: Chronic silicosis, the most common type of silicosis, usually occurs after 10 or more years of exposure to crystalline
silica at low levels. Accelerated silicosis occurs 5 to 10 years after exposure and is caused by exposure to higher levels of crystalline
silica. Acute silicosis can occur after only weeks or months of exposure to very high levels of crystalline silica. Acute silicosis
progresses rapidly and can be fatal within months. How does silicosis affect your body? Generally, the silica dust affects the lungs ability to work correctly. Each type of silicosis affects the body somewhat differently: In simple chronic silicosis, the silica dust causes areas of swelling in the lungs and chest lymph nodes, which causes
breathing difficulty. In accelerated silicosis, swelling in the lungs and symptoms occur faster than in simple silicosis. In acute silicosis, the lungs become very inflamed and can fill with fluid, which causes severe shortness of breath and
low blood oxygen levels. Previous Page:
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HR Responsibilities in Safety and Health
Silica and Silicosis: The truth about them
The Importance of Respirators
Volume 1, Issue 1
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The Importance of Selecting the Right Respirator Respirators protect the user in two basic ways. The first is by the removal of contaminants from the air. Respirators of this type include particulate respirators, which filter out airborne particles; and "gas masks� which filter out chemicals and gases. Other respirators protect by supplying clean respirable air from another source. Respirators that fall into this category include airline respirators, which use compressed air from a remote source; and self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), which include their own air supply. Respirators should only be used when engineering control systems are not feasible. Engineering control systems, such as adequate ventilation or scrubbing of contaminants are the preferred control methods for reducing worker exposures.
Dust Mask
SCBAs
Chemical/Gas Mask
Powered Air
Dust masks are air purifiers that can remove contaminants in the air that you breathe by filtering out particulates. Dust masks are a cheaper, lighter, and possibly more comfortable alternative to respirators, but may not provide as much protection, and may be more susceptible to misuse or poor fit .
Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus (SCBA) means an atmosphere-supplying respirator for which the breathing air source is designed to be carried by the user. It provides clean air from a portable air tank when the air around you is simply too dangerous to breath.
These type of respirators purify air by adsorbing gases or vapours on a sorbent (adsorbing material) in a cartridge. Selecting the proper filter can be a complicated process. There are cartridges available that protect against more than one hazard, but there is no ‘all in one cartridge that protects against all substances.
Powered air-purifying respirators (PAPR) use a fan to draw air through the filter to the user. They are easier to breathe through; however, they need a fully charged battery to work properly. They use the same type of filters/ cartridges as other air-purifying respirators. It is important to know what the hazard is, and how much of it is in the air, in order to select the proper filters/cartridges.
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Silica and Silicosis: The truth About Them
The Importance of Respirators
Chemical Safety: Your Responsibility
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Keeping It Safe
Chemical Safety: Your Responsibility By: Mr. Philip Pile Environmental Technical Officer Environmental Protection Department
A
fter a long morning working the field on a St. Philip Plantation, John went to the kitchen for a cool refreshing drink. He opens the fridge door, grabs a sprite bottle and proceeds to drink it. Almost immediately he begins to gag. He is experiencing a burning sensation on his lips, in his mouth and in his throat. The sprite bottle did not actually contain sprite. Rather it contained Clorox. The Clorox bottle was damaged the day before; someone placed the remainder in an empty sprite bottle and the bottle was placed in the fridge accidentally. This situation seems a bit unbelievable doesn’t it? Sadly, it is a true story; only the names have been changed to protect the innocent. Situations like this occur in infinite variety. Chemicals directly or indirectly affect our lives and are vital to our health, our lifestyle and the environment in which we live. According the United Nation, the production and use of chemicals is fundamental to all economics. The global chemical business is worth more than 1.7 trillion US dollars per year. However, as someone once fittingly said, “as easily as fire warms, it burns; so too a chemical not properly used”. If these chemicals are not properly managed they can contaminate our groundwater, pollute our air and even make us sick. We need to take action to prevent situations like John’s, from becoming commonplace in our society and to protect our natural resources. So, what can we do to manage chemicals safely? Firstly, we can purchase less hazardous chemicals. The first step in this process is to determine the dangers associated with the chemicals that we currently use. A useful tool for identifying and communicating these hazards is the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals or GHS. The GHS uses standardized criteria to define hazards and transmit these hazards to workers and consumers in an easy to understand format using labels and safety data sheets. Once the hazards of a chemical are known then safer alternatives can be sourced. In the United Stated it has been estimated that more than 190,000 illness and 50,000 deaths are caused by exposure to hazardous chemicals. Studies carried out by the American Industrial Hygiene Association suggested that these statistics can be vastly improved by implementing measures to reduce or eliminate worker exposure to these substances. By using less hazardous alternatives to replace harmful chemicals, materials and products and by adopting safer processes, workplaces may see a reduction in injuries and illness. This study also suggested that this type of approach has proven to be more effective than implementing common controls such as personal protective equipment. Not only can the use of safer alternatives safeguard the employees but it can result in a reduction in the direct, indirect and liability costs to businesses and to the wider society. The elimination or reduction of chemical hazards at the source and the adoption of safer alternatives can also result in improvements to key success indicators. Many businesses may realise enhanced performance efficiency, reduction in employee down time and improved corporate stewardship.
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Secondly, we can use, handle and store properly. How? By carefully reading and following the information on the chemical’s label and on its safety data sheet. These two documents supply the most accurate and reliable information for using, handling and storing a chemical safely. The label provides the user with information about the hazard of the chemicals and basic advice on using the chemical safely. Safety data sheets provide comprehensive information about a substance including information on the potential hazards, safe use and handling, precautionary measures and emergency response among other things. Unfortunately, according to a survey conducted by the Environmental Protection Department (EPD) in 2010 there are many workers and consumers who did not read chemical labels. Instead, they preferred to rely on word of mouth or their own experience to determine how best use and handle chemicals. To encourage people to adopt better chemical management practices so as to not endanger themselves, others or the environment some guidelines to follow are listed below.
Clearly label all chemicals especially when they are transferred from their original container. Store chemicals on an impervious surface to prevent soil contamination and to help contain spills. Use chemicals in well ventilated areas. Avoid inhalation, ingestion or contact with the skin. Do not store chemicals together that can react with each other. For example, do not store acids with bases. Do not mix chemicals together.
Thirdly, we can dispose of chemicals in an environmentally sound manner. The appropriate disposal of hazardous chemicals is important to prevent harmful health effects and contamination of the environment. Hazardous chemicals usually require treatment to destroy them or the hazardous components made harmless prior to final disposal. As there are presently no facilities in Barbados to treat or dispose of hazardous chemicals, there are only three options to deal with disposal. These options are:
Reuse and recycle - Used automotive oil can be used as fuel and automotive batteries which contain harmful lead based substances can be collected by private companies and exported for recycling. Contact the EPD for disposal advice - Companies can submit their request for disposal advice in writing to the department. The request should state the name and quantity of the chemical to be disposed and be accompanied by safety datasheet for the chemical. Export for disposal - Chemicals which cannot be treated or disposed locally must be exported for appropriate disposal.
Finally, we need to put the above information into practice. According to dramatist Anton Chekhov, “knowledge is of no value unless you put into practice”. Therefore, we have to make an effort to use safer alternatives; use, handle and store our chemicals better and disposal of chemicals properly. In doing so, we can ensure that future generations inherit an environment that is healthy, productive and enjoyable. Previous Page
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The Importance of Respirators
Chemical Safety: Your Responsibility
Getting Back on Track After Crop Over
Keeping It Safe
Page 8
Getting Back on Track After Crop Over By: Dr. Adrian Lorde President Barbados Sports Medicine Association
M
ore than a carnival, Crop Over is a Festival. This year like many others previously, Barbadians and others will enjoy Crop Over 2014 to the max. There were many parties, and other events during the period which began weeks ago. The Festival culminates with a weekend of Pic of de Crop Finals, Fore Day Morning Jam, Cohobblopot, Bridgetown Market and Grand Kadooment. In addition there are many other all-inclusive and other parties. Friends from overseas and local acquaintances encourage your patronage at various activities at this time. Lack of sleep, increased alcohol intake and just being on your feet for long periods are a feature of this weekend of non-stop partying and social activities. Just watching the Grand Kadooment or Fore Day Morning Jam, attending the various shows and parties are taxing on our bodies as these events last long and many persons are on the go with little sleep before or after the event. After this, it is time for a return to regular life, that is, back to productive work. Some workers take a holiday break at this time and travel overseas with their families. Some persons take a few days off and get some relaxation by having massages, spa treatments, or yoga, but others try to get back into the strides of everyday life. In order to manage your recovery, you have to prepare your bodies properly for the stress being placed on them. Prevention is the best order of the day or days. While jumping, be it Fore Day Morning Jam or Grand Kadooment, you will be surprised that many revellers don’t prepare themselves properly. Wear proper footwear, keep hydrated with water or a sports drink, take a break if necessary and walk or chip as you go down the road. Get some rest and rehydrate after you make it to Spring Garden, have a good healthy meal and some sleep before you “hit the road again.” Alcohol is a diuretic and can dehydrate you in addition to making those muscles and nerves feel worse after. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables before, during and after the
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activities. A day of naturally good fruits and veggies could help to regenerate you faster. You may have deprived yourself of these necessary minerals and vitamins before and during Crop Over. Your body would literally suck them in. Maybe a smoothie would be a good idea. A green power punch with celery, cucumber, spinach and apple mixed together would make for good recovery. Application and reapplication of sun block lotion will assist in preventing sunburn if you are sun exposed as a reveller in a costume band or just watching from the side-lines. After all of this, a proper rest is necessary for recovery. The sore muscles and the burnt skin will need time to recover. Don’t overdo it then, work continues on Tuesday morning. Get to work as scheduled but get some rest, as much as you can before and after work. Take care of your bodies now and always.
Apple and Beet Smoothie Ingredients
½ cup orange juice 1 ganny apple peeled and diced ½ cup frozen mixed berries ⅓ cup raw or roasted beets, diced 1- inch piece ginger juice of 1 lime 1 teaspoon agave (simple syrup is a substitution for agave) ¼ cup coconut milk or soy milk 2-3 ice cubes
Instructions: Place all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
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Chemical Safety: Your Responsibility
Getting Back on Track After Crop Over
What is mental illness?
Keeping It Safe
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What is
Mental Health?
Article Taken from: http://www.acas.org.uk
M
ental health is the mental and emotional state in which we feel able to cope with the normal stresses of everyday life.
If we are feeling good about ourselves we often work productively, interact well with colleagues and make a valuable contribution to our team or workplace. Positive mental health is rarely an absolute state. One may feel in good mental health generally but also suffer stress or anxiety from time to time. Mental ill health can range from feeling ‘a bit down’ to common disorders such as anxiety and depression and, in limited cases, to severe mental illnesses such as bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. Mental health conditions may emerge suddenly, as a result of a specific event or incident, or gradually, over a period of time when the condition may worsen or improve. Some illnesses are persistent and may be classed as a disability, while others come and go, giving the individual ‘good days’ and ‘bad days’. In some contexts, we are happy to talk about the ‘mental’ as well as the ‘physical’ aspects of life. For
example, sports men and women are often said to be good or bad at the ‘mental side of the game’ – meaning either that they are resilient and able to cope with the stress of competitive sport or have a tendency to crumble under pressure. We are often less comfortable talking about mental health at work. Reference to an employee’s mental health may often be seen as a form of criticism and infer that someone is either weak or unreliable. Illness is more easily understood if it is visible and mental illness may be less conspicuous than some forms of physical illness. An employee may also work very hard to disguise their symptoms, or they may develop other ‘secondary symptoms’ not directly related to the original problem – for example, the strain of coping with depression may cause someone to become dependent on alcohol or drugs. Many employees and line managers are uncomfortable talking about mental health. Misconceptions about illnesses persist – mental health is often viewed as something disturbing or dangerous that lurks hidden beneath the surface of someone’s personality.
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What if we Treat Physical Illness Like Mental Illness‌.
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Vulnerability: The Absence of Security
What is Mental Illness?
Have a Chuckle
Keeping It Safe
Page 12
Vulnerability: The Absence of Security By: Ms. Aleika Walker International Business Professional
I
n our daily lives we rely heavily on objects and measures to ensure our safety. When driving we wear seatbelts and to prevent burglary we utilize burglar bars and alarms. This same level of security is
expected by every employee who steps into every workplace, and it is the duty of the employer to ensure these needs are met. The security of employees should be embedded in the company’s policies to ensure a comfortable and safe environment which is conducive to maximizing productivity. To better grasp the concept of how crucial it is to secure your staff, the analogy of your staff being your family and your offices being your personal home, should be used. As mentioned above, we utilize measures such as alarms and burglar bars to protect our homes and assets from risks such as theft and fire damage, your employees are your human assets, and therefore require the same level of protection you would afford to your biological family. One method of ensuring security and safety is the implementation of a risk assessment program which analyzes present operational measures and thoroughly investigates the safety of the company’s facilities and surroundings. It is important to include the employees in this assessment process because they are on the frontline. While executing their day to day duties employees will be able to analyze weak points in their surroundings and provide suggestions. This inclusion also helps build confidence in their roles in the company and their trust in the company’s commitment to providing a safer environment. The analysis identifies strengths and vulnerabilities in the organization’s safety measures and generates recommendations on the best ways to avert and minimize any possible risks.
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Areas that should be regularly assessed are:
Security Equipment: alarms, security systems, effective lighting, metal detectors and identification swipe cards for restricted areas.
Emergency Planning and Preparedness: fire drills, emergency alert systems, evacuation routes and procedures.
It is fundamental that security systems and alarms are regularly checked for malfunctions and any necessary upgrades be made to ensure equipment operates effectively. Security cameras must be strategically placed allowing visibility of all areas inside and outside the facility. The company’s compound must also be well lit, eliminating dark areas for thieves to hide and for suspicious activity to go unnoticed. It is especially important for companies who have frontline workers, those who have direct contact with customers, to implement measures to protect their staff from thieves and disgruntled customers. Security guards should be tactically placed at entrances and exits to monitor the activity of visitors on compound. A visitors’ log book, accompanied with visitor badges, should be situated at the entrance providing the ability to record persons and permitting the quick identification of unauthorized individuals. Assessments of contingency plans should be conducted to verify employees know the procedures in the event of natural disasters. It is human nature to panic during emergencies, therefore to avert confusion and harm to staff or property, a set procedure must be prepared and communicated, to lead employees to safety. Emergency exits must be kept clear and evacuation routes and procedures must be known by all staff members. The list of measures available to protect your company is endless. However you must ensure that you stay within the boundaries, never cross the line by invading the employees’ privacy. A “too secured and monitored” environment can quickly escalate into employees feeling uncomfortable and untrusted. Remember that the safety and security of your employees is not only for due diligence but because they are your family.
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Vulnerability: The Absence of Security
Types of Security Cameras
Keeping It Safe
Page 14
Types and Use of Security Cameras
Infrared Cameras produce high
Dome cameras get their name
Network/IP: These cameras, both
resolution color video during the
from the dome-shaped housing in
hardwired and wireless, transmit
day. In low lux (light) or no light
which they sit. These housings are
images over the Internet, often
conditions they are the preferred
designed to make the cameras
compressing the bandwidth so as
camera type. These cameras are
unobtrusive… not covert or
not to overwhelm the web. IP
able to “illuminate the area” by
hidden. Typical applications are
cameras are easier to install than
automatically switching from color
retail, where the camera is
analog cameras because they do
to black and white.
designed to be unobtrusive, but
not require a separate cable run
visible
or power boost to send images over a longer distance
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What is Mental Illness?
Types of Security Cameras
Have a Chuckle
Volume 1, Issue 1
Have A Chuckle
Page 15
B A R B A D O S E M P L OY E R S ’ C O N F E D E R AT I O N Braemar Court Deighton Road
CHECK US OUT HERE:
Brittons Hill St. Michael
Barbados Employers Confederation
Phone: 246-435-4753 Fax: 246-435-2907
@BecBarbados
Email: becon@barbadosemployers.com
Barbados Employers’ Confederation
Newsletter Coordinator Melony James Research/OSH Coordinator
Upcoming Training Courses Aug 12
Write on Target
Aug 19
Employee/Employer Rights
Aug 21
Understanding Contractual Issues
Aug 27
Managing Different Personalities
Sep 10
Keys to Exceptional Service
September 15 – 17
Managing For Success
October 15
Conducting Employee Discipline
November 5
Managing Conflict
Upcoming Open Forums September 24
Sexual Harassment: A Modern Workplace Dilemma
October 22
Safety and Health: Investment vs Expense