Industrial Safety News July/August 2016

PPE • ACCESS • CHEMICALS • HEALTH • INJURY • MANAGEMENT • ENVIRONMENT • FOCUS

July/August 2016 VOL 11 NO. 3 Price $9

Dangerous ditches: Trenching and excavation dos and don’ts Silica safety • HASANZ Conference

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LAW CHANGES ARE COMING IN THE HANDLING OF DANGEROUS GOODS AND HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES* RESPONSIBLE CARE NZ WILL KEEP YOU FULLY INFORMED OF THESE CHANGES AND PROVIDE THE COMPLIANCE TOOLS YOU WILL NEED.

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CALL 04 499 4311 www.responsiblecarenz.com

*Proposed changes are expected within 12-18 months.

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FIRST WORD

Steady as she goes on the good ship HSNO The advent of the new Health and Safety at Work (HSW) Act 2015 provoked much-needed discussion in the nation’s boardrooms, with a developing flow-on effect in our 500,000 or so workplaces

W

ith media highlighting draconian penalties and employers faced with the relentless move from performance-based to increasingly prescriptive performance standards and regulations, business operators must successfully transit from ‘Employer’ and perhaps ‘Person in Charge’ to the perplexing choice between ‘Persons in Charge of a Business or Undertaking’ (PCBU) or ‘Officer’ – or possibly neither, depending on interpreting their role in the organisation.

In addition, the HSW (Major Hazard Facilities) Regulations also took effect on 4th April 2016. Operators of existing facilities that may exceed the lower tier threshold quantities for specified hazardous substances must

notify the Major Hazards Facilities (MHF) component of WorkSafe NZ by 4th July 2016, unless an extension has been negotiated.

Operators of upper tier sites must provide WorkSafe NZ with a safety case not later than 4th April 2018, then await acceptance or rejection of the safety case before 4th April 2021.

The process will incur significant enforcement fees.

Almost overlooked in the excitement is the repackaging of the HSNO Hazardous Substances Regulations into the HSW (Hazardous Substances) Regulations, incorporating easy improvements while identifying the scope of a long-overdue, comprehensive overhaul.

The revised regulations are not now

expected until next year. Chemical suppliers welcome the incorporation of workplace chemical management into the HSW Act, anticipating a joint regulatory/industry working group to address problems such as the faltering test certification regime; particularly the endangered mandatory Approved Handlers; industry competency standards; and upskilling emergency responders and enforcement officers facing chemical incidents.

So what does all this mean in respect to safely managing the chemicals present on your site? WorkSafe NZ seeks to highlight workplace occupational health issues, citing the damage caused by exposure to asbestos and silica, in addition to fumes and physical contact with workplace chemicals.

Nearly 200 WorkSafe NZ inspectors are targeting the worst-performing industry sectors, while chemical suppliers continue to help their customers benefit from free resources such as industry product stewardship initiatives to improve chemical safety performance.

Responsible Care NZ site assessments provide cost-effective and user-friendly opportunities to identify the extent to which you are safely managing chemicals. Site-based Approved Handler training and the 0800 CHEMCALL® 24/7 Emergency Response Advisory Service satisfy your mandatory product information requirements, together with accurate, ‘one stop’ compliance advice that adds value to your workplace health and safety endeavours.

If your chemical management performance is contributing to the estimated 30 per cent of HSNO compliant sites, please take a bow and carry on leading by example. If your site has yet to achieve the required standard, be proactive.

Compliance assessments measure your exposure to a chemical incident which could harm people and

the environment, destroy your business reputation and perhaps result in prosecution. Your contractors and employees share your responsibility for ensuring no harm occurs as a result of misusing or mismanaging the hazardous substances present throughout your operations.

Consolidating our world class, uniquely combined chemical management system in workplace health and safety legislation reflects a successful chemical industry campaign to ensure HSNO compliance is no longer regarded as a separate and less critical compliance obligation.

The long-awaited Phase II review of HSNO shortcomings will ensure we sustain a cost-effective, GHS-based chemical safety regime worthy of the interest shown by more than 15 countries.

If your operation is not HSNO compliant, there is much to be done ahead of evolving regulations. Competent ‘one stop’ compliance advice is available from your own Approved Handlers, your chemical suppliers and Responsible Care NZ, supported by a comprehensive range of industry compliance tools, including specialist training and chemical safety posters.

Don’t panic…but please don’t prevaricate in addressing your workplace chemical safety obligations. Your customers, chemical suppliers and the public expect nothing less.

Barry Dyer is the Chief Executive of Responsible Care NZ, which provides practical products and services to enable compliance with New Zealand’s world-class chemical management regime. Tel: +644 499 4311, email: info@responsiblecarenz.com, visit: www.responsiblecarenz.com

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smarter.

THIS ISSUE

July/August 2016 SAFETY 360 – LEADERS’ SUMMIT Safety is an evolutionary process which should be pursued at both personal and organisational levels says NIWA’s Carl Stent 32-33

Supporters

new Hazardous Substances Regulations delayed until next year 2 The reasons why you need a hazardous substances audit by Geoffrey Meikle 12-13

Collaboration begins at the top according to Site Safe regional manager Richard Giddings 34-35

HEALTH Lethal naturally occurring Silicon Test your comprehensive emergency Dioxide common on building sites 20-21 management plans ahead of the event and save time, money and Airborne dust from roads and work lives according to Phil Bing 36-37 sites have severe health impacts 22 ACCESS A crane is a complex three-dimensional hazard that demands utmost vigilance 14-15

Australian cancer report holds important pointers 26

PPE Workers digging their own graves by PPE should be the final component of risk/hazard noise control says not following basic trenching and HASMATE 10 excavation rules 16-18 QSI is NZ’s first IANZ accredited height safety laboratory 19 INNOVATIONS Upgraded anchor for metal roof applications 31 Unbalanced loads no longer a safety problem 31 Site Safe Construction awards 2016 open for nominations 38 HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK ACT WorkSafe adopts conservative interpretation of “officer” says Buddle Findlay 8-9 HAZARDOUS MATERIALS Responsible Care’s Barry Dyer says

Our experienced team is dedicated to providing expe with a strategic and commercial approach. We offer Action Tags 15 safety issues, investigations and prosecutions. ...........................................

Sherridan Cook, Partner 09 358 2555 // sherridan.coo Hamish Kynaston, Partner 04 499 4242 // hamish.kyn All Guard Safety & Workwear 4 Peter Chemis, Partner 04 499 4242 // peter.chemis@ Susan Rowe, Partner 03 379 5659 // susan.rowe@bud

Buddle Findlay 11

Cancer Society 27

Scaffold Notifiable YES NO

HASANZ 17

Don’t lose sight of proper eye protection – wear correct glasses and googles 24-25

INTAKS 13

TRAINING & MANAGEMENT Effective communication fundamental to changing safety behaviour 6

McLeod Cranes 21

Height Safety PPE inspection course coming from Vertical Horizonz 5

People Centric 7

Denial is not a safe way to advance through life or the workplace days Dr John McEwan 28-29

or alterations including Note: Scaffolding over 5.0m or more is notifiable work and the erection/dismantling a Scaffolder holding a current the movement of planks, can only be carried out under the supervision of Certificate of Competency.

QSI Safety 19

Red Cross 40

Responsible Care 2

Vertical Horizonz Group 5

Industrial Safety News is endorsed by NZ Safety Council OUR COMMITMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

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July/August 2016

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There’s more to communicating than merely talking 23 Make the most of life and work safety by being mindful says Dr Andrea-Polzer-Debruyne 39

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MANAGEMENT

Triple communication billing at HASANZ Conference Effective communication is fundamental to successfully changing behaviour in the workplace to improve health and safety Image from an animation for the M2PP expressway project

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iven its importance, it’s not surprising that a number of speakers at the upcoming conference of the Health and Safety Association of New Zealand (HASANZ) are focusing on communication.

“Communication isn’t just about relaying information, it’s about engaging meaningfully with people at every level and taking them with you on the change journey so they get the why, as well as the what, how and when,” says HASANZ Chair Craig Smith.

“Improving New Zealand’s health and safety outcomes means health and safety managers and advisors need to build capability in communication and leadership skills, as well as operational experience and health and safety technical skills.”

HASANZ CONFERENCE 2016 will give lots of tips on effectively managing communication and provide practical advice on how to educate and engage workers to positively transform workplace culture and behaviour.

Keynote speaker Dr Vincent Covello, Founder and Director of the Centre for Risk Management Communication in New York City, is in demand at an international level

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July/August 2016

as an advisor to governments and global organisations on managing communications during health and safety disasters, such as Fukushima and the Zika virus outbreak. Covello is a master at sharing his expertise at an everyday level and will relate it to the New Zealand experience. It’s the first time he’s addressed a conference here.

“Vincent Covello will look at managing change in our new workplace health and safety environment through a communication lens,”

ton and then Melbourne. He’s now chief executive of advertising hot shop Assignment Group.

“Watching Biggs speak is like watching a bird build a nest – he draws straws from a whole lot of eclectic sources and produces something magical and useful,” says Smith.

Biggs will apply his creative strategic approach to rebranding health and safety for a new world. Biggs believes that telling a convincing health and safety story is central to

Participate, communicate and collaborate with your peers at HASANZ CONFERENCE 2016.

Welcome function 7 September Two day conference 8 & 9 September See the full programme at www.hasanz.org.nz/conference Registration $950 plus GST. says Smith. “Drawing on neural science research, he will demonstrate how we need to retrain our brains to respond positively to the risk and change and around us, starting with the need to change ourselves first.

You can expect to hear a fascinating address with lasting impact.”

Another keynote speaker is advertising guru Peter Biggs, who has headed Clemenger BBDO on both sides of the Tasman, first in Welling-

achieving a cultural transformation in workplace health and safety – so people “buy the why”.

Anyone driving north of Wellington up the Kāpiti Coast will pass the Mackays to Peka Peka (M2PP) Expressway project. This major roading infrastructure project brought together four organisations in the M2PP Alliance – the NZ Transport Agency, Beca Planning and Infrastructure, Fletcher Construction

and Higgins Group – and a diverse group of workers, including a high number of subcontractors of different nationalities with different levels of literacy.

Former M2PP Health & Safety Manager, Tim Barry of Beca, will present a paper on how M2PP used an innovative approach to engage and communicate with its workers on health and safety matters.

Barry’s case study will show how to involve workers in developing health and safety communications.

With the help of people on the ground to produce the stories and scripts, M2PP produced award-winning animations and other tools that cut through literacy and language barriers to communicate on everything from using environmental spill kits to office safety. The approach was centred on peer–topeer communication, recognising that people “listen to their mates”.

Humour was a key element used on the M2PP project to get traction on serious health and safety issues.

Huge corflute cut-out lookalikes of real people on the job wearing the right gear were stationed around the work site asking “Do you look like me, have you got your M2PPE on?”

Barry will highlight how worker participation in the process was a health and safety outcome in itself and ensured that messages on complex issues were easy to access and understand – providing the information workers needed, in a way they responded to. The M2PP case study will emphasise the importance of appealing to your audience in a meaningful way, rather than just stating rules.

The starting point in using communications to deliver health and safety education can be challenging. It isn’t just about showing people what and how to do things well, it’s also about getting into their hearts and heads to drive positive changes to behaviour. HASANZ CONFERENCE 2016 will help you rise to that challenge.

COMMENT >> Law

Are you an officer?

Worksafe adopts a conservative interpretation of “officer” under the Health and Safety At Work Act 2015

T

he new Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 (“HSW Act”) specifies that those in governance roles, defined as “officers”, have a positive due diligence obligation to proactively manage health and safety in the workplace.

WorkSafe recently indicated that it will adopt a conservative approach in relation to local authorities and treat only elected members and CEOs as officers. The comments

by WorkSafe are not binding. It is a matter for the court to determine officer liability.

The approach by WorkSafe does accord with the narrow interpretation taken by the Australian courts in the first prosecution of an officer under equivalent legislation.

The 2015 case involved the prosecution of a project manager following the fatal electrocution of a contractor at a project site.

The Australian definition of “officer” is a person “who makes, or participates in making, decisions that affect the whole, or a substantial part, of the business.”

The Industrial Magistrates Court considered the individual’s decision-making role in the company as a whole, rather than their role in respect to the particular matter in which it was alleged there was a breach of a duty.

While the project manager had “operational responsibility” over the delivery of specific contracts, he did not exercise sufficient responsibility over the whole organisation so as to qualify as an officer.

While the definition of an officer is different in New Zealand it is possible that our courts might adopt a similar approach that persons (other than directors or partners) have to exercise significant influence over the management of the entire company, not just part of it, to qualify as an officer.

Until there is New Zealand case law it would be prudent for any senior manager who might fall within the definition to prepare as if he/she is covered.

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July/August 2016

Who is an officer?

An officer is a director of a company, a partner in a partnership or persons in other entities occupying similar roles. It also includes a person who exercises “significant influence over the management of a business or undertaking”. A liquidator or receiver of a company can also be an officer after appointment.

Persons who merely advise or make recommendations to an officer are expressly excluded from the definition. Officers are likely to include CEOs and may include CFOs and other members of an organisation’s senior management team depending on their level of influence over the operation of the business.

• i mplement a fit-for-purpose health and safety system and ensure processes are in place to respond to incidents; • report on hazards, risks and ensure it is a regular agenda item and well documented; and • verify it is all happening.

The duty is not dependent on there being an incident or accident.

In Australia it is not uncommon for improvement notices to be issued or for prosecutions to be taken if officers are found to be falling short of due diligence. Whether the same approach will be adopted in New Zealand is yet to be seen.

Penalties A failure to meet due diligence obligations will expose an officer to a What is due diligence? risk of being personally convicted of Under the HSW Act, “a person con- a criminal office. ducting a business or undertaking” There are significant penalties for (“PCBU”) owes a primary duty of three categories of offences: care to ensure, so far as is “reasonThese penalties have significantly ably practicable,” the health and increased from those contained in safety of its workers and workers Category Workers influenced or directed by the PCBU. If a PCBU has a duty or obligation under the HSW Act, an officer of the 1. Without $300,000 PCBU must exercise due diligence excuse, exposes 5 year to ensure that the PCBU complies individual to risk imprisonment with that duty or obligation. If an of death/serious officer has acted with due diligence, harm and recklessness as to the he or she will not be held liable for risk (s47) the conduct of other officers or the PCBU. 2. Duty failure ex- $150,000 posing individual Officers must exercise the care, to risk of death/ diligence and skill that a reasonable serious harm officer would exercise in the same (does not require circumstances, taking into account knowledge or (without limitation) – actual harm) • the nature of the business or un(s48) dertaking; and 3. Duty failure $50,000 • the position of the officer and the (does not require nature of the responsibilities unrisk exposure) dertaken by the officer. (s49) Due diligence will further require officers to: the previous Health and Safety in • know about health and safety Employment Act 1992. Under the matters; previous legislation, it was not un• understand the operation, haz- common for workers, officers and ards and risks of the business; employers all to be prosecuted, • allocate appropriate resources to convicted and fined. This trend is address these risks/hazards; unlikely to change.

Practice In a practical sense, officers must frequently observe and attend their work sites. This is not a task that can be delegated to office managers and workers. It will not be sufficient for an officer to arrange for insurance, put policies in place and then sit on his or her hands. Nor will it be enough for a board to delegate these tasks to a CEO. Simon Arcus, chief executive of the Institute of Directors, recently noted that “the age of sleeping directors is absolutely dead.” Officers who do not have hands-on involvement in the operation of their business are more likely to be at risk of prosecution because they may not be familiar with the dayto-day procedures for health and safety compliance. This issue led to the resignation of Peter Jackson as director of Weta Workshop.

Any officer must be personally satisfied as to the effectiveness of their organisation’s health and safety sysSole traders / Officers

Companies

$600,000 5 year imprisonment

$3 million

$300,000

$1.5 million

$100,000

$500,000

tems and performance. As part of this, they should obtain good quality health and safety information from management, and maintain a strong health and safety culture which involves worker engagement and review.

“Any officer must be personally satisfied as to the effectiveness of their organisation’s health and safety systems and performance” The Health and Safety Guide: Good Governance for Directors was re-released by Worksafe New Zealand and the Institute of Directors in March 2016 and is a practical tool for officers and managers. The guide outlines a framework for directors and managers to identify whether their health and safety management systems are of a standard and quali-

ty that is effective in minimising risk.

The statutory due diligence obligations and the recommendations contained in the guide suggest an officer should adopt a cycle of planning, review, implementation and improvement for a company.

Suggested action points for this annual cycle include:

Susan Rowe is a partner and Philippa Moran a solicitor at Buddle Findlay, one of New Zealand’s leading law firms with offices in Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Susan and Philippa specialise in employment, and health and safety law

Obligations

Suggested action points

KNOW AND UNDERSTAND

Understand and exercise due diligence obligations - ‘know’ the organisation, its risks and systems

(Plan) ALLOCATE AND IMPLEMENT (Do)

Lead from the top. Encourage a positive culture towards health and safety Create a health and safety charter and health and safety policy documentation Set measurable performance targets for staff and as part of CEO/management KPIs Implement a health and safety system that is fit-for-purpose and best practice Ensure appropriate resourcing for health and safety Undertake a risk assessment for the organisation and ensure the organisation has a system in place to identify and control hazards and risks Revise employment agreements Ensure that employees have access to, and use, appropriate equipment and plant and are trained for use Ensure there is a system for worker participation and representation Identify, consult, cooperate and coordinate with other PCBUs

REPORT (Monitor)

Determine what information will be reported and who will collate/report, circulate Develop and implement internal/external monitoring for continuous improvement Document all processes and decisions made on health and safety matters, preferably in an electronic recording system Engage external assistance to provide guidance where appropriate

VERIFY (Review and act)

Implement internal and external reviews of health and safety systems Review management/CEO health and safety performance on an annual basis Implement changes identified as a result of annual review

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H E A LT H

The ears have it

If you’ve been exposed to a noisy workplace there’s a very high possibility that you could be suffering from hearing loss, says Gordon Anderson

A

simple test is to sit with family or friends in front of the TV - get the kids and your partner to turn the volume to their comfortable hearing level and then adjust it to your preference.

You may well be surprised at the different sound levels required for each member of the family. But before you rush off to get your hearing tested, I suggest that you get your ears checked for wax and cleaned out.

Your doctor or his/her nurse can do this for you by water flushing, but I suggest you consult someone that specialises in removing ear wax by suction.

The problem with warm water flushing is twofold: • you may damage your eardrums with overpowered flushing • if you don’t dry out your ears thoroughly, this can lead to potential fungus growth leading to ear infection and itchy ears.

Hearing protection and ear muffs Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the last form of risk/hazard control – if possible, the source of the noise should be controlled by other means.

Ear muffs come in different shapes, sizes and grades for different situations and environments.

Has your business or employer implemented a process to have the muffs cleaned on a scheduled basis?

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Do all employees have their own hearing protection or do they share?

An ear infection is something you don’t want and can potentially be transferred from one employee to another if they share ear muffs. A good cleaning programme for all ear muffs is a must and should be planned and strictly adhered to.

Ear plugs If your employer issues ear plugs to minimise the noise in the workplace, a key requirement is training in how to use these properly. In order to insert them so they fit and are comfortable, the plugs are required to be rolled and twisted so they expand in the ear when inserted.

The issue here is hygiene. Did the user wash their hands prior to rolling the plugs?

Employment health monitoring The Health and Safety at Work Act requires that where employees are exposed to high levels of noise from identified significant hazards that cannot be eliminated the employee’s exposure should be monitored every 12 months. These tests are carried out by a registered occupational nurse.

What is also important is the review of this monitoring to identify if there has been a lowering of the employee’s hearing compared to the last test or the employee’s pre-em-

ployment medical assessment.

If there is a shift, then it’s the responsibility of the employer to take action to reduce or adequately control the causal factor and/or the exposure to the source of the noise.

Hearing aids If you have decided that you need hearing aids, you should consult a qualified audiologist first and have the tests to confirm your level of hearing loss. This is painless and will provide you with a benchmark for an informed decision of what you will require.

The cost Hearing aids are expensive and range from $5,000-$10,000. If you believe that your loss has been caused by a work situation, ACC may subsidise the payment. To obtain this funding, you will have to undergo an assessment by an approved ACC medical practitioner.

The outcome of the assessment and the amount of subsidy funding will depend on the factors below.

You will start with 100 per cent funding and depending on your responses the funding will be scaled downwards.

Your level of funding will be based on a number of downward scaling factors: • your medical history - have you ever had ear infections or grommets as a child?

• h ave you had operations or medication for your ears?

• what are your hobbies – e.g. are you in/or have been in a band, car racing, hunting, shooting etc.?

• y our work history – e.g. have you been exposed to loud noises – chainsaws, noisy machinery or equipment?

• your age – age is recognised to diminish hearing as we get older.

If you think you may have a need for hearing aids in the future, I suggest you start saving as you could have to pay $3,000 - $4,000.

Employer responsibilities If you have an employee who gets hearing aids for the first time you are required to furnish Worksafe NZ with a prescribed Notification of Serious Harm form - this is required even if the employee has only been working for you for a short time.

This is why you should have a question in your Application for Employment form relating to hearing impairment or loss, especially if you have a noisy work environment.

If you have a hearing problem, do something about it. Wear the PPE issued and actively encourage others to wear their hearing protection, especially younger employees.

It will improve your life dramatically, both at work and at home.

Gordon Anderson is Director of Hasmate Ltd, which provides personnel and health and safety management systems and auditing solutions including the HASMATE software application

Working smarter.

Our experienced team is dedicated to providing expert employment and health and safety legal advice with a strategic and commercial approach. We offer assistance and representation on all health and safety issues, investigations and prosecutions. ...........................................

Sherridan Cook, Partner 09 358 2555 // sherridan.cook@buddlefindlay.com Hamish Kynaston, Partner 04 499 4242 // hamish.kynaston@buddlefindlay.com Peter Chemis, Partner 04 499 4242 // peter.chemis@buddlefindlay.com Susan Rowe, Partner 03 379 5659 // susan.rowe@buddlefindlay.com

H A Z M AT

Regulatory compliance vital for hazardous substances Geoffrey Meikle outlines the reasons why a hazardous substances audit is necessary and the steps that should be taken to minimise risk and meet required standards Wellington two employees were taken to hospital for observation and the business operation was terminated for most of the day.

Both incidents caused essentially the same degree of risks to people and similar orders of cost from emergency services, even though the amount of the same hazardous chemical in one incident was only one per cent of that in the other incident.

They no doubt occurred because safe handling systems and/or staff training were either not in place or not followed. A HSNO audit would have highlighted the potential for both sets of incidents to occur and made recommendations to minimise the risks of their occurring.

S

ince 1 July 2004 the safe management of approved hazardous substances has been regulated under seven main lifecycle regulations such as disposal, emergency management and packaging, plus another eight other regulations covering such things as bulk storage tanks, compressed gases and fireworks.

The responsibility to ensure that this safe management is adhered to is laid on the person in charge. In order to help the person in charge implement best practices to comply with all of these regulations the HSNO Act promotes and encourages places of work to follow codes of practice.

Storing, supplying and using hazardous substances poses risks to people and the environment right through the life cycle chain of the substance, and since risk in its simplest form is the product of the consequences of an incident times its likelihood of happening the more we can reduce each of these variables the lower the risk will be.

All well and good for the person in

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charge. However, at a place of work the person in charge’s primary role is to ensure maximum productivity and profit for the enterprise. As long as the sodium cyanide is doing its job in the electroplating bath or the anhydrous ammonia is doing its job in the chillers, the priority to check that their storage, handling and disposal complies with all of the aspects of the appropriate regulations comes a second best in many person in charge’s day-to-day activities.

In fact this is analogous to running a vehicle. As long as it starts, provides a degree of comfort to the driver and completes its journey, the safety of it being on the road would be not a terribly high priority to the owner if it were not for a regular legally required audit by way of a warrant of fitness.

A ‘warrant of fitness’ or site audit for a place of work managing hazardous substances also provides the same degree of assurance that a place of work is minimising the risks of managing the hazardous substances.

It should also be conducted six monthly or at least annually, and will result in a report that identifies which systems are working to minimise risk and those which are not.

What are the benefits and costs of getting an independent site audit?

The answer to this question can only come from assessing the consequences and likelihood of having an incident with the hazardous substances being managed on the site.

The benefits are not only an assurance that the site is legally compliant, but also an assurance that the risks arising from the human factor are also as low as can be reasonably be expected.

Two significantly costly and inconvenient incidents that occurred quite separately in March 2014 neatly illustrate this. The first involved a 200-litre drum of hydrochloric acid and the second just 2.5 litre of the same substance in a glass bottle. In the first case a significant suburban area of Auckland was evacuated with the assistance of police and travel was disrupted for six hours. In the second case in

What does an audit entail?

Firstly, the auditor needs to have a good understanding of the properties of the hazardous substances and the legislation governing their use and management. It is likely that he or she will be a WorkSafe New Zealand-approved Test Certifier. Secondly, they need to have the maturity and experience to develop a good empathy with the person in charge.

The stage will be set to cover both of these at an introductory meeting to discuss the aims and objectives of the enterprise and its ‘culture’.

After all, the outcome of the audit should be a report that enhances the profitability and integrity of the business and not an indictment of it. Following the site management meeting the auditor will review the organisation’s written systems and procedures and assess whether they meet the regulatory requirements.

The audit starts with the hazardous substance inventory, which should have the classification for the hazardous substance and the maximum quantity of each the site expects to have at any one point.

These will allow the auditor to know exactly what substances the site

deals with, what to expect to see on site and what kind of compliance documentation is required.

HSNO classifications come from the Safety Data Sheets (SDS) which accompany a site’s hazardous substance inventory. If any SDS is missing critical information such as the HSNO classifications, New Zealand distributor/manufacturer contact information, a New Zealand 24-hour emergency number, or the HSNO approval code, then the SDS is not compliant and must be updated – the same applies if the SDS is more than five years old. The supplier of the hazardous substance will be able to supply these when requested.

If the site deals with enough hazardous substances to warrant them, the auditor will want to look at the sites certification for locations, stationary tanks, and Approved Handlers, along with electrical compliance dossiers for any equipment installed within a hazardous atmosphere zone.

Operating procedures for the site covering hazardous substance storage, use, identification, emergency management, and disposal, along with all relevant staff induction and training records, will be checked for suitability and extent of detail.

A site may have spill procedures or an emergency response plan written up, but if they’re not tested and reviewed annually then they will

be of little benefit when an actual event occurs and staff can’t remember how to respond appropriately.

All sites should have a site plan, whether a CAD drawing or aerial shot of the site, which outlines the locations of hazardous substances and hazardous atmosphere zones (if any). It’s also recommended to in-

take a look around the site itself and not just where the hazardous substances are stored or being used.

The construction of the building and dangerous goods (DG) stores, the security of the site, where the substances are stored, and the suitability of protective

“A ‘warrant of fitness’ or site audit for a place of work managing hazardous substances also provides the same degree of assurance that a place of work is minimising the risks of managing the hazardous substances” clude storm drains, elevations, and nearby fire hydrants (if appropriate), as a copy of the site plan should be given to the local fire department and knowing more about the lay of the land gives emergency services a better idea of how to respond.

The auditor should look next at the site’s general health and safety procedures to assess risk analysis processes, if health monitoring of workers is required (based on the hazardous substances present), records of health monitoring and occupational medical histories, and to gain an overall understanding of the workplace’s health and safety culture.

After the documentation has been reviewed, the auditor will want to

equipment will all be scrutinised.

Appropriate identification Even if the site doesn’t use enough hazardous substances to warrant full HAZCHEM signage at the gate or on the outside of the building, the place where substances are stored should still be appropriately identified – such as flammable solvent cabinets or DG stores.

The auditor may interview personnel on their knowledge around HSNO or site procedures, either at random or for those in high-risk areas, or ask to see how equipment such as PPE, spill kits, or emergency equipment (if available) is used.

Finally, the auditor will hold an exit meeting with the person in

charge and any other key personnel to give them an overview of the audit’s findings and to discuss any urgent actions that may need to be taken.

This should be followed with a written report that spells out in a brief and simple manner those aspects of the operations that are to be complimented and those where deficiencies were noted and how to correct them.

A good audit report will also note observations from the auditor’s experience on other areas of the operation that would benefit by implementing suggested changes.

Once the non-compliances have been fixed or implemented, the auditor will often supply a certificate of compliance recognition – this in no way replaces an actual compliance certificate but serves to show that the site has been assessed by a third party.

Geoffrey Meikle is managing director of Technical Compliance Consultants (NZ) Ltd, HSNO consultants and EPA Test Certifiers providing training, consultancy, certification and regulatory advice to industry using hazardous substances

Want more Edge Protection solutions?

Talk to us.

07 577 6469

INFO@INTAKS.CO.NZ

WWW.INTAKS.CO.NZ

www.isn.co.nz

13

ACCESS

Caution counts when it comes to cranes A crane is a complex, three-dimensional hazard that demands the utmost vigilance by operators, workers and bystanders alike

T

here are several common hazards to be avoided when working on or around cranes, so equally commonsense precautions should always be taken.

These precautions include: PPE The following PPE should be used when working with cranes: • head protection • foot protection • high visibility clothing or vests • hand protection • eye protection.

Power lines Always look up – power is a major hazard for cranes. Cranes must stay 4 metres away from any line and a spotter should also be used when working near power lines. Use non-conductive tag lines and if possible earth the crane.

Ground conditions/underground services Crane operators MUST be

informed of any underground hazards, which include: • suspended slabs • pipes • waste water • storm water • septic tanks • water mains • recent earthworks/soft ground • manhole covers • f ibre-optic/telecommunication services • underground car parks/ basements.

• r educe, control or eliminate simultaneous activities • establish traffic control.

Crane operations must NOT expose the public to any hazard – isolate activities from the public.

​The service does not need to be under the crane to present a hazard – it might only be near the crane.

the task • c heck the load is free from objects that could fall • keep the load low to the ground when possible • use a tag line where possible • use a horn to warn personnel.

All lifting MUST STOP if an exclusion zone is breached. NZ law has serious fines for a Person Conducting a Business Undertaking (PCBU) associated with raised and falling objects, up to $10,000 for an individual and $50,000 for any other person.

People and plant Crane operations must take into account people and plant moving on site. The risk is plant striking other plant, equipment, personnel, materials etc. – (personnel/static object). Care must be taken to: • establish exclusion zones • take into account exits from buildings into lift area

Dropped loads NEVER walk beneath a suspended load.

Always: • wear a hard hat • create exclusion zones • check rigging is appropriate for

Crush injuries Always make sure the operator of the crane can see you. If approaching the crane, the crane operator MUST make eye contact with you before you enter the crane’s exclusion zones or outrigger zone.

Be aware of: • items being lifted, lowered and slewed • pinch points (between static objects and moving objects) • slewing crane/counterweight moving • counterweight raising and lowering • outriggers extending and retracting • dunnage handling/tool boxes opening and closing.

Weather Everyone working on or around cranes should also be aware at all times of environmental conditions, especially with regard to: • sunlight (sun strike/sunburn) • heat (exhaustion, dehydration) • poor lighting (falls, mistakes etc.)

• wet (slippery)

Location, location, location The recent introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 requires the Person Conducting a Business (PCBU) to adequately prepare a location to ensure crane safety on site.

An adequately prepared location: • has enough space to accommodate the crane • doesn’t have power lines crossing over the location • doesn’t have underground services beneath the location such as septic tanks, water, storm water, waste water, fibre-optic cables or other cables (including power), pipes, manholes, soakholes or tunnels • isn’t on soft ground or recent fill (backfill or uncompacted ground)

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July/August 2016

• i sn’t near banks or trenches • isn’t suspended (over basements or car parks) • isn’t near underground basements/rooms or car parks • is flat and able to be driven over (not slippery or without traction) • doesn’t have a high water table • has appropriate access to and from • ideally has appropriate compaction.

An adequately prepared site is normally the responsibility of the PCBU in control of the workplace, who should ideally work with the crane owner to establish the requirements for the crane.

Most crane companies take responsibility for their set-up from the ground up, but often have very little

ability to take responsibility for the ground down other than by looking for signs of use.

The importance of an adequately prepared location is further reinforced by the crane terms of hire, which often state the customer will ensure that: • the ground at the site is adequate to support the crane under its wheels, tracks and or outriggers • the ground giving access to the site is stable and firm and of a gradient no steeper than 1 in 10 • clearance of 4 metres is afforded in respect of all overhead wires and that footpaths, kerbs and channels are suitably planked Should the crane need to be towed into or out of the site, the cost shall be additional to the rate

quoted and will be to the customer’s account.

Damage to services and property The customer shall be solely responsible for all damage which may be caused to underground and overhead services, footpaths, driveways, grounds, lawns, fences, structures, vehicles or any other property whatsoever caused by the customer during the period of hire.

Stoppages XXXX shall not be responsible for any loss or damage arising out of any stoppage or delay occasioned by a cause beyond XXXX ’s control including, but not limited to, weather conditions, ground conditions, strikes and industrial disputes.

• mud (bogged) • windy (swinging loads) • lightning (electric shock).

Wind Wind speed is critical for safe crane operations, so always take the following into account: • the load – every load has its own characteristics, so consider wind resistance and the weight of the load • the crane manufacturer’s limit – the manufacturer sets safe limits, which can be found on the crane rating chart • the crane operator’s limit – the crane operator is responsible for the safety of the plant and the lift • the crane company’s limit – the owner of the crane may impose a limit on operations • the site limit – every site is different, so consider site conditions for the lift.

Lightning During thunderstorms, a crane boom can become a lightning rod so don’t start anything you can’t

quickly stop if thunderstorms threaten.

During thunderstorms, no place outside is safe but you can minimise your risk by assessing the lightning threat and taking the appropriate actions.

Count the number of seconds from when you see the lightning flash until you hear the thunder – if you hear thunder, lightning maybe close enough to strike you.

Stop what you’re doing and seek safety in a substantial building. If a substantial building is not available, a metal-topped vehicle with the windows up is your next best choice.

As a general precaution, you shouldn’t resume crane work until 30 minutes after the last audible thunder or visible flash of lightning.

Oil leaks/fuel spills Cranes bring oil, hydraulic oil and diesel to the workplace, so a spill kit and spill response plan should be developed and implemented when necessary.

Plant movements Cranes and other plant moving on site present a clear hazard. You should always establish a spotter for movements and reversing operations.

Overloading Cranes are rated to lift different loads based on a number of conditions, while rigging is also rated to lift loads based on its configuration and working load limit.

These factors are critical for the lift to be safe, and it’s therefore critical that you work with a reputable company with experienced and competent operators, and dogman/ riggers who use tools like lift and rigging plans to ensure every lift is a safe lift.

For more information, check out www.safecrane.nz, which has been created by the Crane Association of New Zealand (Inc.) as an online resource for crane owners and users

Cranes may be essential equipment on modern building sites, but they are also exceedingly dangerous if proper safety procedures aren’t followed

More than 25 years’ experience focused on constructing and managing safer scaffolds has resulted in efficient, flexible, user-friendly site signage and safety management systems.

or alterations including Note: Scaffolding over 5.0m or more is notifiable work and the erection/dismantling a Scaffolder holding a current the movement of planks, can only be carried out under the supervision of Certificate of Competency.

Scaffold Notifiable YES NO

BUY NEW ZEALAND MADE www.isn.co.nz

15

ACCESS

Digging deep demands due diligence Careless workers are virtually digging their own graves by not observing basic trenching and excavation rules, industry expert Frank Swanberg maintains

A

cave in can trap within seconds and kill within minutes – one cubic metre of soil weighs on average 2,000 kilos and will suffocate in less than three minutes.

But cave ins aren’t the only dangers in excavation work – lack of oxygen, toxic fumes, explosive gases, and buried power lines are also hazards.

Unfortunately, many contractors who do excavation work still think that it’s too expensive or takes too

will go wrong so the following should be carefully considered: • debris near the excavation site that could create a hazard • how workers will get in and out of the excavation • how to protect people from falling into the excavation • how to respond to emergencies • the location of overhead power lines and underground utility lines • the possibility of atmospheric hazards in the excavation

the face (a side of the excavation) remains unsupported the more likely it is to cave in.

Some soils are more stable than others, so the type of soil is one of the factors that determine the chance that an excavation will cave in: • clay can be stable when dry but dangerous when saturated • crushed rock, silt and soils are less cohesive and therefore more likely to collapse • gravel and sand are the least

much time to provide appropriate safeguards.

This lack of care and forethought is particularly dangerous given that the new Health and Safety at Work Act requires both employers and workers to take all “reasonably practicable” steps to safeguard their own and other people’s safety.

The first step to meeting the act’s requirements is remembering that excavations of any depth can be dangerous. Although the regulations require some form of protection for excavations over 1.5m deep, there is also a requirement to protect workers in shallow excavations which are unstable.

Planning before excavation begins reduces the chance that something

• t he possibility of water in the excavation • the stability of the soil at the excavation site • the stability of the structures adjacent to the excavation site • vehicles and other mobile equipment that will operate near the excavation • weather conditions.

Once the decision has been made to dig, remember that undisturbed soil stays in place because opposing horizontal and vertical forces are evenly balanced.

When an excavation is created it removes the soil that provides horizontal support, meaning that soil will eventually move downward into the excavation and the longer

stable being almost completely un-cohesive.

A competent person should conduct visual, and sometimes physical, soil tests before anyone enters an excavation to evaluate how safe it will be to excavate and to decide on what form of excavation protection is best suited.

Protection methods The basic methods for protection from cave ins are battering, benching, shoring, and shielding.

The method chosen depends on factors such as soil type and water content, excavation depth and width, the nature of the work, and nearby activities that could increase the risk of a cave in.

The basic methods for protection from cave-ins are battering, benching, shoring, and shielding, says Trench Shoring New Zealand General Manager Frank Swanberg A competent person has the responsibility for considering these factors and for determining the appropriate protective system. A competent person is defined in the new draft Worksafe Excavation Guidelines, as “a person who has acquired through training, qualification or experience the knowledge and skills to carry out the task.” Be sure to refer to these important guidelines when they are published around August 2016.

The simplest option may be to bench or batter the ground to avoid any potential cave in or slip.

But this requires a lot of space, especially if the excavation is deep, as the slope is usually at least 1:1; meaning a 2m deep x 1m wide trench would require an excavation 5m wide at the top.

Sensible safety solutions

T

here are a number of proven methods and systems that will help keep workers and onlookers safe and secure during excavation and trenching work.

Common types include: Trench boxes – either shields or shoring boxes, these are temporary earth-retaining structures generally ranging in size from 2m to 4m or in some cases up to 7m long. They support trench walls or at least prevent collapse onto workers in trenches.

Sufficient boxes should be used to avoid workers having to work

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July/August 2016

near to the open ends which are unprotected.

Manhole boxes – a form of trench box but with fully or partially enclosed ends. Generally used for manholes, small chambers and tanks.

Slide rails – slide rail systems are designed for situations where a trench box system may not be suitable such as installing larger diameter pipes or culverts or long lengths of pipe where it is desirable to have continuous shoring. Configurations can be parallel for pipelines and culverts or

corner slide rails for large manholes.

Combination pit shoring – using elements from both parallel and corner slide rail systems, it is used in situations where an excavation with a larger clear opening is needed that still has the requirement for shoring to four sides.

Hydraulic bracing systems – operated in conjunction with trench sheets or sheet piles, they offer many permutations for excavations.

Larger versions are used for manholes, chambers or cofferdam type excavations.

Hydraulic soldiers – these are generally used for shallow trenches, up to 2m deep. They rely on soil arching achieved by pressurising the ground at intervals of 1.5m to 2m.

Trench sheets – steel trench sheets provide efficient and flexible ground support solutions for general trenches, manholes, tank excavations and situations where there are services crossing the excavation.

The Gripshore range of shoring systems developed by UK shoring manufacturer, supplier and hire company MGF is now available in New Zealand from Trench Shoring New Zealand Not only is space required but additional time and cost to dig and remove the excavated material.

Sloped or benched excavations that show signs of cracks, bulges, or clumps of soil that fall away from the face are dangerous and must be inspected by a competent person.

Workers should immediately get out of the excavation and stay away until the competent person determines it is safe to enter.

Shoring and shielding Where the ground is likely to hold

up during the excavation process shielding can be used. This is a “dig and drop” form of protection usually used in stable ground which will not be open for long, as the shielding does not provide any pressure on the excavation walls.

In less stable ground, and where the excavation is open for long periods of time, shoring is best used.

This is installed using “dig and push” methodology and keeps pressure on the excavation walls.

Shoring will prevent cave ins completely and will stop damage to

adjacent structures such as buildings, services, kerbs etc. Shielding will not prevent cave ins but will protect workers should cave ins occur.

There are many forms of shoring and shielding. The Excavation Guidelines will provide information on these methods. Many of the systems available are proprietary and can be hired or purchased from specialist suppliers.

Another option is to have them custom-designed and built. This tends to be relatively expensive as

structural engineering is required to ensure that every system produced is rated and certified to a certain load capacity.

Manufacturers and suppliers will also provide data with their proprietary systems that includes engineering specifications, capacity ratings, special instructions, and system limitations. Only by carefully studying and understanding the manufacturer’s data and instructions can the competent person choose the correct protective system.

REGISTER NOW AT WWW.HASANZ.ORG.NZ/CONFERENCE www.isn.co.nz

17

ACCESS

A single corner slide rail combination pit in Dundedin

Retaining walls Almost every time a retaining wall is constructed as part of residential or commercial building construction, a trench is created. The back faces of these retaining walls re-

ladder below should be offset from the ladder above by at least 600mm.

A ladder should extend one metre above the landing it serves, unless alternative handholds are provided, while landing platforms should be

quire waterproofing and this means workers have to enter the area between the retaining wall and the excavated ground face. If there is sufficient space to batter or bench the ground back to a safe slope then this can avoid the need for shoring. Otherwise, shoring must be used to provide a safe working environment.

Hydraulic soldier-type shoring is a great solution to this problem.

Soldiers of about 200mm width are installed every 1.5 or 2m along the face of the wall and pressurised against the ground face.

Waterproofing can take place safely in between the soldiers, which can later be moved to access the areas behind the soldiers.

fitted with guardrails, midrails and/ or toe boards.

In deep excavations, temporary stairways should be used as they provide a safer means of access than ladders. Each flight of stairs should have uniform risers; and landings of the same width as the stairs should be provided for every 6m vertical rise.

Where ramps in lieu of steps are provided as access, the maximum slope should not be greater than 1 in 6, unless traction cleats are provided at 0.5 m spacing for 1 in 5 slopes, or at 0.4 m spacing for 1 in 4 slopes. Ramps should not be steeper than 1 in 4.

Traffic should be separated where practicable, the route used for hauling spoil different from the one used by employees. In small shafts or drives where it is not possible to provide separate routes, personnel movement is forbidden while spoil or plant is being moved and vice versa.

Access New Zealand health and safety regulations require every trench more than 1.5m in depth to be fitted with ladders or stairways. Where an excavation, trench or shaft is of such small dimensions that it isn’t practicable to use ladders, other means must be provided.

Ladders used in an excavation must be constructed of suitable materials, conform to the appropriate New Zealand standard and be maintained in good order or condition.

Ladder runs of more than six metres high should be broken up with intermediate landings, and where ladders meet a landing the

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July/August 2016

Unless the excavation is so shallow that those outside can see and talk easily to those at the face an effective signalling system and interlocks that prevent winding gear operating while people are moving must be provided.

Where mechanical haulage is used in small drives or manholes, refuges should be excavated into the side of the drive to provide shelter from passing traffic. These refuges should be a least 1.2 m deep by one metre wide by two metres high (or the height of the drive if it is less than two metres), spaced not more than18 m apart and on the same side of the drive.

Employees should be kept sufficiently far apart to avoid injury from hand tools, such as picks or shovels.

Generally, a clearance distance of two metres is sufficient to allow employees to safely carry out the work.

Shafts, drives, trenches, and open excavations where there is insufficient natural lighting should be provided with artificial lighting.

Glare from artificial lighting greatly increases the risk of falls from slipping or tripping, so suitable shades may be necessary.

General safety Several general safety guidelines will avoid the dangers involved in handling and positioning heavy pipes in and about excavations: • always ensure that the load to be lifted does not exceed the safe working load capacity at the various radii of the lifting machine • position the lifting machine on a firm, stable, level surface – out-oflevel surfaces induce a torsional overload into the machine, and when lifting on the low side overloading occurs.

Throughout the entire operation, no part of the machine or its load should come within the minimum approach distances from overhead power lines unless written permission has been obtained from the electricity supply authority.

Lifting tackle that either grips or is attached to the pipe should be used and should have a minimum safety factor of not less than five – where possible use either two slings with “D” rings or two endless slings, though eye bolts or hairpin fittings may also be used for lifting. The angle created by the two legs of the sling should not exceed 60 degrees.

Nobody should be permitted to walk or work underneath the machine-lifted pipe, and positioning should be done from a safe position – preferably after the pipe has been lowered onto or nearly onto its supporting bed.

Once the job has been completed shoring should be removed in reverse order to its setting, i.e. struts, walings and final sheeting, and workers should remain within the protection of still-supported areas as sudden falls of earth are not uncommon at this stage.

Finally, particular care needs to be taken while backfilling and compacting trenches as the vibration from the compactors can loosen soil from the trench sides and cause collapse, while exhaust fumes can fill the excavation so precautions may be necessary.

Frank Swanberg is general manager of Trench Shoring New Zealand Ltd, which specialises solely in the hire and sale of purpose-designed and built excavation shoring equipment

Minimum approach distances from electrical conductors for the use of elevating work platforms LINE VOLTAGE (AND SPAN)

MINIMUM DISTANCE (M)

Not exceeding 66 kV (maximum span 125 m)

4.0 m

Exceeding 66 kV (maximum span 125 m)

5.0 m

Any voltage (span greater than 125 m but less than 250 m)

6.0 m

Any voltage (span greater than 250 m but less than 500 m)

8.0 m

Any voltage (span exceeding 500 m)

As agreed with the owner of the line but not less than 8.0 m

HEIGHT SAFETY >> QSI Sponsored article

QSI – New Zealand’s First IANZ accredited height safety laboratory The team at QSI with their extensive knowledge in design, manufacturing and distribution produce some of the best height safety equipment within the New Zealand market

P

roudly manufactured in New Zealand, QSI is able to offer premium quality height safety equipment to meet and exceed the markets requirements.

We manufacture the majority of our products in our ISO 9001 certified factory in Wanganui, which enables us to have direct control over the quality of products and the ability to assess customer requirements to meet demand with quick lead times.

ufacturing premium health and safety equipment for over 40 years, drawing on over 70 years of safety experience. Our many years of experience in manufacturing have given us a reputation for innovative product development. We also source product directly from some of the world’s best manufacturers, made to our own exacting standards. We understand that in today’s market, there is a need to maximise every dollar and we are committed

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We are also New Zealand’s first IANZ Accredited Height Safety Laboratory which allows us to test and certify height safety gear to AS/NZS 1891.1:2007, AS/NZS 1891.3 and AS/ NZS 5532 standards.

This means every product we make has been tested to the strictest standards and having our own testing facility on site gives us the unique opportunity to take our products to the limit multiple times throughout our development processes, rather than relying on fewer, more expensive tests in foreign labs.

This allows us to identify and quickly solve problems, which in turn reduces research and development costs resulting in better and affordable pricing for our products.

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to achieving and bringing the highest quality product at competitive prices.

rings. The leg fastening straps don’t pass through the groin area which helps relieve pressure and circulation problems in fall situations. The adjustable seat and wide back padding provides comfortable support when working under work-position tension for long periods of time.

The dielectric buckles are rated to

Innovation Being a height safety manufacturer allows QSI a unique and innovative opportunity to work with local industries to research and develop new products to suit the needs and requirements of workers.

Other height safety companies who strictly import finished products are limited in what they can offer and many times the user will have to choose what’s best from their range, rather then what’s best for their needs. QSI understands that workers within each industry have a unique job to do and we can go the extra mile to coordinate, develop and manufacture products tailored to their exact requirements.

We like to take a proactive approach when discussing and developing our products with customers in finding out how we can further support them and areas we can grow and expand into. With such a philosophy this allows us to consistently expand, develop, find solutions and constantly improve.

QSI has been designing and manufacturing premium health and safety equipment for over 40 years

9kV and provides the great features of the standard steel fitting without the risk of electrocution. The cross-over shoulder design helps to eliminate pull-down and discomfort on the shoulder area when stretching in difficult situations. More comfort. Improved flexibility. Less restriction. If you’re working long periods of time in a harness, this is definitely the harness for you.

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19

H E A LT H

Beware of dangers when dealing with deadly dust One of the most common compounds found on building sites is almost one of the most potentially lethal, as TriEx Environmental and Occupational Hygiene Technician Luke Ratten explains

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ilica, or silicon dioxide, is a naturally occurring compound with the chemical formula of SiO2 and can be amorphous or crystalline.

Amorphous silica has no clearly defined shape or form – diatomaceous earth, precipitated silica, and silica gel fall into this category.

These materials have exposure standards the same as total inhalable dust, 10mg/m3 as set by WorkSafe NZ, so should total inhalable dust be below the exposure limit these will be too.

Fused silica (glass without any additives) is also in the amorphous category, but it has a much lower exposure limit of 0.2mg/m3 as set

by WorkSafe.

Crystalline silica is silica where the SiO2 molecules are arranged in an ordered and repeating fashion. The most commonly encountered form

of crystalline silica is quartz, this being one of the most abundant minerals in the earth’s crust.

Quartz is common in many rocks such as granite, slate, amethyst, and shale, and is often a component of sand. Building products which incorporate the above or other silica-containing rocks are therefore potential sources for silica exposure.

When these products are in situ, the likelihood of exposure is low as the silica incorporated within is not in a form that can be readily inhaled. When these products are cut, sanded or otherwise broken up, the potential for exposure is far greater as these activities generate dust which is able to be inhaled.

WorkSafe NZ has set an eighthour exposure limit for respirable quartz of 0.2mg/m3; considering that a grain of sand weighs about

4.4mg this is rather low (respirable particulates are those with diameters less than 10 microns; these are particularly dangerous as they are able to penetrate deep into the lungs).

Quartz is not the only form of crystalline silica – tridymite and cristobalite are also forms of silica but they have a different crystal structure. These forms of silica have a lower exposure limit than quartz, 0.1mg/m3 each as set by WorkSafe NZ. Tripoli is the final form of silica for which WorkSafe NZ has set an exposure limit – 0.2mg/m3, the same as quartz. There are many other forms of crystalline silica but these are usually synthetically created and are very unlikely to be encountered.

NIOSH, a part of the United States Centers for Disease Control and

Workers exposed to silica dust have an increased risk of developing a wide range of dangerous diseases including silicosis, bronchitis, cancer and tuberculosis, warns TriEx Environmental and Occupational Hygiene Technician Luke Ratten

Prevention (CDC), sets the eighthour exposure limit four times lower than WorkSafe NZ, 0.05mg/ m3 for quartz, and describes levels greater than 25mg/m3 (cristobalite and tridymite) or 50mg/m3 (quartz

Simple steps to reduce risk

S

everal points should be borne in mind when handling silica dust, first and foremost your responsibilities as either employee or employee.

Part2 s36 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 states: “A PCBU must ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the provision and maintenance of a work environment that is without risks to health and safety” and “a worker must – take reasonable care for his or her own health and safety.”

In addition: • if at all possible do not break it up • incorporate local exhaust ventilation (LEV) into tools that create silica dusts – for example, concrete cutters • should this not be practicable, wet down the source of silica exposure as this may reduce the amount of airborne dust

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July/August 2016

• b est of all, don’t be in the area where silica dust is being produced if at all possible.

• If RPE (respiratory protective equipment) has been issued – wear it. (Often in the rebuild I have seen a worker using a concrete cutter wearing a mask but a person standing just behind them is being exposed to the silica dust and not wearing a mask).

The recommended PPE (personal protective equipment) depends on the concentration of silica someone is exposed to. For lower levels of exposure, a half face piece fitted with a P1, P2, or P3 filter could suffice. For concentrations that may be IDLH more advanced respiratory protection will be required depending on the application.

It is recommended that monitoring for respirable silica should be

conducted in any situation where silica exposure could be at hazardous levels so that contaminants can be reduced or eliminated where possible and that correct respiratory can be selected.

In all cases respiratory protection should be fit-tested to ensure that it provides maximum protection.

Also, when wearing respiratory protection the wearer should be clean shaven as facial hair can spoil the seal the respiratory protection makes with the face, leading to reduced protection.

The filters should also be replaced in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations, and the masks should be kept clean and in an airtight box when not in use.

This will prevent any contaminant dust settling inside the mask when it is not in use only to be inhaled once the mask is put on.

and tripoli) as being immediately dangerous to life or health (IDLH).

It is therefore advisable to reduce silica exposures to a level that is as low as practicable.

When ingested, silica is more or less non-toxic. According to Ullmann’s Encyclopaedia of Industrial Chemistry (2008), silica has a LD50 of 5g/kg, which means that a 100kg person could eat about 500g of silica before they have a 50/50 chance of dying.

The real health concerns come when silica is inhaled. When fine respirable dust is inhaled it is able to penetrate deep into the lungs to alveoli. There it becomes trapped, and because the alveoli don’t have cilia (fine hairs that remove mucus and foreign bodies from the lungs

the dust. This dust then begins to irritate the lung and can lead to silicosis, bronchitis, or cancer.

Silicosis is a lung disease which

silicosis other than cough medicine for the associated cough or oxygen to alleviate shortness of breath.

Removing the exposure and not

is caused by the inhalation of crystalline silica dust. Adverse health effects can include shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain and death. In addition to its own negative health effects, silicosis increases the risk of developing

smoking will reduce the risk of silicosis. If you are exposed to silica it is advisable to consult with your health professional.

Bronchitis is an inflammation of the bronchi. Symptoms include coughing up mucus, wheezing, and

acute and chronic. Acute bronchitis is often caused by microbes and most cases will get better in a few days.

Chronic bronchitis is most commonly caused by smoking.

Smoking and exposure to hazardous dusts, like silica, leads to a risk of chronic bronchitis greater than smoking alone.

In addition to lung cancer, respirable crystalline silica has been found to have an association with a number of different cancers including oesophageal, stomach, skin, and bone (Occupational Medicine 2009; 59:89-95).

Even in the absence of silicosis, workers who are exposed to silica dust have an increased risk of developing tuberculosis. Signs of this

and windpipe in humans) there is no way for the body to remove

tuberculosis.

There is no specific treatment for

shortness of breath.

There are two types of bronchitis:

can include a chronic cough, fever and night sweats.

“In addition to lung cancer, respirable crystalline silica has been found to have an association with a number of different cancers including oesophageal, stomach, skin, and bone”

Safety record reflects focus on operational excellence

M

cLeod Cranes’ unmatched regional safety record is reason enough to be the first choice for the majority of industrial, building and construction companies in the Bay of Plenty.

Adding to that reputation is a specialist knowledge in rig logistics for the geothermal drilling industry in the Taupo region.

“It’s about unremitting customer focus and dedicated investment in customer service,” says Scott McLeod.

McLeod Cranes won the MSA Safety Leadership at the 2013 Site Safe Construction Health and Safety Awards.

Earlier in the same year the company was a finalist in the New Zealand Health and Safety Awards – the year before that they won it.

“We’re proud to enter these awards, as they represent rigorous, independent evaluations of our operational systems,” says Mr McLeod.

“For those we work for daily, it’s a key demonstration of our unswerving focus on operational excellence.

Truth is, we bring the same focus to every single thing we do.”

Environmental responsibility is an important, and growing, area of attention. “It’s certainly an area of importance to us. Put simply, McLeod Cranes is committed to minimising the impact of our key activities on the environment. It’s another aspect of leadership which has resulted in the award of an Enviro-mark Bronze certificate.

“The team have now started to work towards the next levels, silver and gold,” says Mr McLeod.

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21

I N N OVAT I O N S

Global road technology raises health and safety fears with airborne dust An Australian research scientist has warned South Pacific employers are ignoring the risk of airborne dust from roads and worksites, which could lead to severe health impacts on workers and costly legal action

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hile governments and businesses around the world have been co-operating to reduce the likelihood of injury from asbestos and coal dust, fugitive dust from roads and worksites could cause health issues among workers and neighbouring communities.

Scientist Babak Abtahi says the health costs could be significant for governments and those failing to stop the problem from occurring.

“We know that airborne particle pollution causes more than 3000 premature deaths each year in Australia,” Dr Abtahi explains. “Each of these deaths is preventable, but require government and industry investing their effort into preventing so-called ‘fugitive dust’ in our air.”

Aside from the human cost, the financial costs could be substantial.

With courts finding that companies that are aware of the risk can be liable for exemplary damages, the economy will still be counting the cost of asbestos and coal dust for decades to come.

Dr Abtahi works with Global Road Technology (GRT), which has started work to upgrade roads in the National Capital District (NCD) to not only deliver safer roads but also eliminate fugitive dust throughout many Papua New Guinea communities.

An international road construction and maintenance company headquartered in Queensland, GRT produces patented, liquid polymers to deliver dust control and soil stabilization solutions for the mining, commercial, industrial, farming, military and government sectors.

GRT’s PNG Managing Director Clayton Burgess says local residents and workers have been very positive about the benefits of works completed at the Napa refinery.

“We have applied our patented polymer solutions and immediately cut airborne dust by up to 95 per cent while reducing the need for ongoing water spraying, which was

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July/August 2016

GRT’s patented polymer dust control solutions help reduce the airborne dust that is a major health hazard

not as effective in keeping down the dust,” he claims.

“That means our solutions are cheaper to implement and 37 per cent cheaper to maintain, while also providing flexibility because they allow future infrastructure - including electricity and water - to be installed without having to dig up expensive bitumen roads.”

Dust danger Global Road Technology Managing Director Troy Adams says the resurgence of so-called ‘black lung disease’ in Australia had heightened concern about the health effects of airborne dust.

“It is worrying that a lack of attention to this issue in Australia may have led to more cases of a disease we thought had been eliminated, and that is the last thing we want to see,” he adds.

“The legal, health and social costs could be enormous, extending well beyond the medical treatment costs for local hospitals, and including the compensation expected to be paid to affected individuals and communities.”

GRT has been working in communities around the world, including undertaking a number of projects in Asia and the South Pacific, where residents are concerned not only about the safety of their roads for travelling but also the impact of dust from cars and trucks passing by their homes.

The company’s polymer soil stabilization and dust control solutions help control fugitive dust both in transit and at the stockpile, binding particles together and applying a liquid veneer to loose materials to mitigate airborne dust by up to 95 per cent.

The company’s polymer soil stabilisation has two major applications: • poor in-situ materials can be improved greatly – so much so they form an effective sub-grade and even sub-base layer • in stabilising pavement layers, GRT polymers form exceptionally strong bound pavements that still retain flexibility. The combination of bearing strength, great tensile resilience, and impermeability improves unbound sub-base standard material into bound pavement, providing a cost-effective alternative to traditional bound pavements such as asphalt and concrete.

Cutting cost Often in road construction, side tracks and temporary roads are required due to spatial constraints, traffic volumes, site access, or the construction of new crossings such as bridges. When side tracks aren’t an option, traffic may have to run on different pavement layers prior to surfacing, leading to degradation and extra maintenance cost for these layers.

Polymer sealing provides a cost

saving for both these situations: far cheaper than bitumen sealing, and with single applications lasting for two to four months it’s perfect for a high quality, low cost seal to seal and protect underlying pavement layers from traffic, construction plant and water ingress damage.

On-site windborne dust is an environmental as well as health and safety hazard that can easily spread to surrounding land users, invariably leading to public complaints. Erosion control on large sites is an important environmental consideration but can be very expensive, particularly when sediment basins are required, or techniques such as progressive clearing are used which are less efficient than clearing entire sites.

These applications can be used in treating unsuitable sub-grades, recycling fatigued pavements, and constructing new pavements for major infrastructure. GRT polymer sealing can be used as either a permanent sealing option, an interlayer membrane, or as a temporary running surface.

As a permanent seal, the polymer sealing can be used to seal much lower standard gravels than traditional spray seal – meaning less upfront investment into pavement layers and final trimming. As a permanent option, it also spreads larger, upfront capital investment over to an annualised maintenance strategy, which can still be cheaper in the long term.

MANAGEMENT

How to communicate effectively at work

There’s more to communicating than merely talking – especially when it comes to work

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bviously, the act of communicating isn’t the most complex thing in life; however, the art of communicating effectively is far more complex and multi-faceted.

A person who communicates efficiently and effectively earns the respect of his colleagues, so how can you make sure you’re an effective communicator?

Stop talking and start listening A conversation is an exchange of thoughts, ideas, wants, desires and needs, and the other party to the conversation has thoughts, ideas, wants, desires and needs to communicate as well.

Being a good listener is an invaluable skill. When genuinely take interest in what someone’s saying, they’re far more willing to listen to you rather than fighting a battle to get a word in edge-wise.

Tips for being a better listener: A conversation is a dually sided exchange of information. If you find yourself doing most of the talking, try asking questions to get the other person more engaged.

Listen carefully and attentively when others are talking. Wait to hear what the person has to say before responding; it’s important to not miss what is being said because you’re thinking of your next conversation topic.

Be confident!

Confidence is expressed both verbally and non-verbally. Verbal confidence can be feigned; however, non-verbal body language driven confidence is difficult to fake.

The simplest way to show confidence is to maintain eye contact with your audience. When you maintain eye contact, the listener feels more engaged and trusting.

If your eyes are darting sideways or downward, it gives your audience the impression that you’re uninterested, unconvinced of your own words, or are being dishonest.

When you’re in the board room, at an interview, or casually exchanging ideas with co-workers, it is important to be confident – the fearless and powerful leader who compels and inspires everyone with his great words and confidence.

edging your lack of expertise on a particular subject.

Ask questions. This keeps you engaged in the conversation, and shows others that you are interested.

Engage in conversation non-verbally Sitting in a long meeting can be painful. If you have a short attention span, after 15 or so minutes, your mind will be wandering.

As a listener, it is your job to activeTips for being more confident: ly pay attention to the speaker, but Be confident in your wording; it is a two-way street; the speaker avoid phrases like “I think this is a needs to offer an engaging experigood idea…” or “this might work…” ence for the listener. This is where as these project a lack of confidence the non-verbal means of communiin what you’re saying. cation comes in.

Maintain eye contact with your auYour body has a language of its dience. Avoiding eye contact sends own, and it’s important to learn to the wrong message, and can even speak with it. One of the simplest distract your audience from the goal things to do is to use your hands as of your statement. an accent to your words.

Own your knowledge Don’t be the fake professional on any subject. When people are talking in a meeting about something you have no idea about, don’t feel obligated to speak on the subject.

There’ll be many times in your career where you will find yourself engaged in a conversation or meeting where you know very little, if anything, about the subject.

Don’t let the prospect worry you.

The easiest way to actively participate in these exchanges is to ask questions.

By asking good questions, you show the speaker that you’re interested in what he is saying, and that you are willing to learn. To keep the flow of conversation going, ask question that require more than a “yes” or “no” reply.

Tips for using the knowledge you have: Don’t feel obligated to offer information in every conversation. You’ll get your chance to show off your knowledge, so don’t pretend to know something you don’t.

Know the limits of your knowledge about a subject. If you don’t know something, don’t feel pressured to pretend. Being caught in a lie is much worse than acknowl-

Moving your hands around when you talk shows that you, the speaker, are interested in what you’re saying, and it provides interesting emphasis for your listeners.

With that being said, don’t go crazy with your hands and knock your presentation materials to the floor. Use appropriate hand movement for your tone and the message you’re trying to get across.

There are going to be times where you’re speaking about a subject that even you couldn’t care less about, so it’s important to remember to provide the most interesting presentation you can in order keep your listeners engaged.

Tips for being more engaged with your audience: Make sure your body language supports what you’re saying. If your topic should be exciting for your audience, you need to be excited!

Use appropriate hand gestures and movement. Expressive body language keeps your audience focused on you, and makes it easier for them to focus on what you are saying.

Always remember that “hearing” is not the same as “listening”. When your co-workers, bosses, and clients speak to you, you need to listen and internalize what they’re saying.

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23

PPE

Don’t lose sight of proper eye protection Every year there are more than 4,000 eye injuries in New Zealand workplaces, many of which could be avoided by using the correct safety glasses or protective goggles

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xperts say proper protective eyewear could prevent up to 90 per cent of all eye injuries, which account for up to 25 per cent of local workplace injuries.

In addition, nearly three out of five injured workers are not wearing eye protection at the time of the accident or wearing the wrong kind of eye protection for the job.

These are staggering statistics that drive home the importance of protecting the eyes of workers both through engineering controls and via personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses; goggles; hybrid eye safety products, which combine the comfort of glasses with the side protection of goggles; face shields; full-face respirators; and welding helmets.

The majority of workplace eye injuries are caused by small particles or objects (such as metal slivers, wood chips or dust) striking or abrading the eye, many of which are often smaller than a pinhead.

Injuries also can occur when nails, staples or metal penetrate the eyeball, which can result in a permanent loss of vision. Blunt force traumas caused by objects striking the eyes or face or from a worker running into an object are another threat, as are chemical burns from splashes of industrial chemicals or cleaning products. Welders, their assistants and nearby workers are at risk of thermal burns and UV radiation burns from welder’s flash.

Statistics show that craft workers have the highest rate of eye injuries, while electricians, plumbers and pipefitters are in the top five trades.

Because different hazards require different types of protection, the following should be evaluated before selecting the appropriate eye protection: • the nature and extent of the hazard, including regulatory requirements when applicable • the circumstances of exposure

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July/August 2016

Modern safety eyewear is as stylish as it is practical

• other protective equipment used • personal vision needs.

Eye protection should be integrated with other PPE to achieve head-to-toe protection. It also should be fit to the individual worker or be adjustable so it can provide sufficient coverage.

According to a US Bureau of Labor Statistics survey, 94 per cent of the injuries to workers wearing eye protection resulted from objects or chemicals going around or under the protective device. Protective eyewear also should be comfortable and allow for sufficient peripheral vision.

As with other types of PPE, protective eyewear won’t protect workers if it stays on the shelf or is worn on top of workers’ heads. So it is essential that protective eyewear be comfortable enough for a worker to wear it throughout the day.

Comfort-enhancing features include cushioned brows, comfortable gel nosepieces or padded nose bridges, vented frames, flexible or ratcheted temples and lenses with adjustable angles.

Comfort also extends to features that prevent fogging when worn with an individual respirator. For these tasks, look for protective

with style features commonly found in fashion eyewear, such as colorful styles, wrap-around designs and mirrored lenses.

This is one reason why many manufacturers are looking toward the consumer fashion and sports apparel industries for cues on the latest styles, which can then be adapted for the PPE market.

PPE that allows workers to express their individuality also leads to greater compliance. Providing a range of options in terms of colour and other style aspects gives workers some control over how they look.

Comfort counts The role of comfort in eye protection cannot be underestimated.

Research has shown that comfort as well as style helps drive compliance with PPE-wearing protocols.

eyewear that offers an integrated fog and particle shield, along with lenses surrounded by foam for comfort as well as additional particle protection.

Another way to encourage compliance is to select protective eyewear

When people are content with their appearance in the PPE, it follows that they will be more likely to wear the PPE appropriately. And PPE that is perceived as “cool” is more likely to be worn.

However, fashion should not

“Statistics show that craft workers have the highest rate of eye injuries, while electricians, plumbers and pipefitters are in the top five trades”

Protective eyewear has to be comfortable enough for workers to wear for long periods take precedence over function. It is important to make sure all eye protection products offer crucial safety features such as impact-resistance, distortion-free lenses, AS/NZS 1337 certification and sufficient protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays.

Keep in mind that prescription safety lenses with tempered glass or acrylic plastic lenses are not suitable for high-impact situations. These types of safety glasses should not be used when working in debris areas unless covered by goggles or a face shield.

Polycarbonate lenses should be used when working in high-impact areas, as they are much more impact-resistant than glass or plastic.

Look for hard-coated polycarbonate lenses that reduce scratching.

Training time Providing adequate training for

all workers who require eye and face protection is crucial to ensuring worker safety, and should help workers anticipate and avoid injury from job-related hazards.

Research shows that most workers were hurt while on their regular jobs. Those who were injured while not wearing protective eyewear most often said they believed it was not required for the situation.

In addition, while the vast majority of employers provided eye protection at no cost to employees, about 40 per cent of workers said that they had received no information on where eyewear could be found and what kind of eyewear should be used.

Eye safety policies should be clear.

The following key points should be addressed and communicated to workers at the job site: • when to wear safety eye protection

• w hat the enforcement processes are • how and where workers can obtain protective eyewear • how workers can get replacements • what to do if eye protection is missing from a workstation.

Employees also must take care of protective eyewear to avoid scratches. Wearing an eyewear retainer strap that lets glasses hang around the neck when not in use is preferable to laying them down on the job.

Protective eyewear should be stored in a clean, dust-proof container while not in use. Scratched and dirty devices reduce vision, cause glare and may contribute to accidents. Glasses that are scratched or pitted should be discarded and replaced.

An on-the-job eye injury can cause lasting and permanent vision

damage, potentially disabling a worker for life. Even “minor” eye injuries can cause long-term vision problems and suffering, such as recurrent and painful corneal erosion from a simple scratch from sawdust, cement or drywall.

Given that an estimated 90 per cent of eye injuries can be prevented through the use of proper protective eyewear, it makes both common and economic sense to do everything possible to make sure workers have the right PPE to protect their eyes on the job.

With such a wide array of comfortable and stylish products on the market today, there is really no excuse for workers not to wear protective eyewear.

For more information, visit www.kcprofessional.co.nz/ products/ppe/eyewear

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25

H E A LT H

Australian cancer report holds important pointers

Life on the farm may seem idyllic, but agricultural workers are exposed to at least one and up to 10 carcinogens – including solar radiation and diesel particulates

The Australian Work Exposures Study (AWES) of work-related exposures to 38 known or suspected carcinogens found that 99 per cent of agricultural respondents were exposed to at least one cancer-causing agent

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he 2011-2013 study revealed that 155 of the 156 agricultural workers in the nationwide review of 5528 employees were at risk from at least one carcinogen, while nine were “probably exposed” to 10 dangerous substances.

The workers weren’t engaged in high-risk activities but nevertheless the most prevalent exposures were: • solar ultraviolet radiation (solar UV; 99 per cent exposed) • diesel engine exhaust (DEE; 94 per cent) • benzene (82 per cent) • polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons other than vehicle exhaust (other PAHs; 76 per cent), and • wood dust (71 per cent).

Workers could be exposed to these carcinogens in a variety of ways including: • working outside (solar UV exposure) • using diesel-powered equipment (DEE exposure) • refuelling petrol-powered equipment (benzene exposure)

about typical exposures to carcinogens in agriculture, with the potential exception of refuelling tasks.

The reported use of control measures was limited in agricultural workers, with efforts to prevent or minimise exposures adequate only 37 per cent of the time.

The least consistent use of controls was reported for solar UV radiation exposures, with only 10 per cent of workers assessed as being adequately protected.

The use of an enclosed cab while ploughing was the control most reported by agricultural workers (89 per cent).

While most of the 99 per cent of workers probably exposed to at least one carcinogen will not develop cancer as a result of work-related exposures, they are at greater risk – although quantifying those risks is not straightforward and information is therefore not readily available.

The agents explored in the AWES

ably practicable.

However, this is not possible in some cases, so hazards such as chemicals or work processes should be substituted with something that poses less risk, isolating hazards from workers and others in the workplace, or by using or introducing engineering controls.

The focus for additional preventative action on these common rather than high-risk activities should be based on a balance between the exposures with a high prevalence and the exposure circumstances for which there are proven control measures and that are most amenable to control.

For the agricultural industry, this suggests: • using new-generation diesel engines (lower emissions technology) and “cleaner” fuels, regular maintenance of existing diesel-powered vehicles and equipment, installation and maintenance of filter systems (trap particulate matter), and im-

legs, wearing a hat and using sunscreen • promoting and encouraging the uptake of recommendations made by work health and safety regulators and other government agencies about the safe use of chemicals, such as the recommendations on the use of trichloroethylene for degreasing tasks • regularly using local exhaust ventilation (or carrying out activities in well-ventilated areas) and respiratory protective equipment (RPE) designed for welding or soldering tasks • regularly using local exhaust ventilation (or carrying out activities in well-ventilated areas) and RPE where workers are likely to be exposed to wood dust.

The study also found that the ready amount of information available wasn’t readily accessible in both form and content for the agricultural industry.

There is therefore a need for clear,

• r epairing power motors and other farming equipment (DEE & other PAHS exposure) • cutting wood (wood dust exposure).

The findings helped confirm what is generally known or suspected

are classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as known or probable human carcinogens and, as for all hazardous workplace chemicals, risks to health and safety (or exposures) must be eliminated so far as reason-

plementing work practices that minimise the time spent by workers near operating diesel engines • increasing the use of all sun protection measures — working in the shade, wearing protective clothing that covers up arms and

concise and consistent information on the circumstances and control of exposures that is specifically tailored to the agricultural industry, and possibly additional information for specific high risk agricultural sub-sectors.

July/August 2016

MANAGEMENT

Five point programme helps prevent problems We all understand the basic truth – that if we are not aware of dangers we are in real danger of “falling into” injury, sickness or death

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enial is not a safe way to advance through life. Denial of heart pain leads to a full heart attack. Denial of strange bowel habits leads to bowel cancer and denial of the risks on a work site leads to avoidable accidents.

Now of course we all understand “human factors” – and we all know that there are few things we can say are “accidents” for most injury events are avoidable, and most stress-related sickness, injury and debility is also “avoidable”.

Heading out of bed each morning with exhaustion is not a safe activity, any more than working in a physically dangerous environment with the flu virus raging through your system is not a “safe” activity – for you or others around you!

The flu or other virus loads in our system create stress symptoms – and that means concentration is not even 60 per cent and special awareness is 30 per cent. What are other signs that we are in trouble, or in danger of trouble landing around our ears?

I come to this field after a lifetime of work in tough places. I did

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July/August 2016

my doctorate while working for 10 years on the Auckland waterfront as a tally clerk, and later the Waterside Workers Union.

I have seen men be injured, and killed in and around my areas of work, and have been close to “accidental death” myself on several very memorable occasions.

I have been called into many work sites over the years to address safety-survival issues, often after a work place death, and of course mates kill their mates on work sites! Let’s pause and reflect on the realities of the stress reaction, what it does to us and what we can do about it to keep ourselves and others safe.

Sport psychology is now giving us the evidence of things we all believed to be true in the past. For example, they have identified that athletes who face great or many minor changes in their environment are far more likely to get injured or ill in the following year.

Stupid psychologists had set aside the Holmes and Rahe Stress Scale relating to the stress of adjusting to changes in life, saying it was “dated (from 1967) but these recent stud-

ies indicate that CHANGE is (still) a major issue that predicts accidents/ injury/sickness.

Let’s commit to do regular health and safety audits of ourselves and encourage all our team members to do the same.

Academic awareness I worked with the timber workers Bluntly, we must be “very scared” of Carter Holt Harvey in past days, of the academics who won’t quote and in sawmills and factories around from older studies, as if mankind the country we worked for a “zehas changed nature in the last 50 ro-accident rate”. At eye level above years. Academics are “ordered” not every urinal and on every mirror to quote from articles older than 20 there was the sign, “You are Looking years or their peers despise them, at the Person who is responsible for but we must not cast away wisdom your Health and Safety”. that is life-saving!

We don’t want any return to Academics’ risk factors relate “nanny state” thinking, as self-emto falling off their chairs, but our powerment in this area is life-saving. people get maimed and killed if If people are waiting for someone we don’t learn from history as well else to tell them to be safe they will as from the “latest studies” or “best be careless unless watched! practice”.

We need to empower all members Beware also of that phrase “best of the workforce and give them the practice”, for it is all too often the very simple things that will keep insurance companies preferred them safe. The truth is rarely commoney-saving option! Any employ- plicated – and our health and safety er who doesn’t pay attention to instruction/education needs to be these issues, and brings in multiple simple, sustainable and serious. changes in workplaces can expect There are two paths once we leave increased work injury-accident bed – the path or life and health and rates! the path of death and debility. It’s What are our body’s signs that po- always the choices we and others tential trouble is near or upon us? make that set the outcomes up!

There are two paths once we leave bed – the path or life and health and the path of death and debility, says Dr John C McEwan (aka Dr Stress) Stress is simply the normal bodily response to perceived demands being placed upon us. The part of the brain activated is the primitive part that is seeking for our survival. It asks only two questions; do we fight this, or do we run from it?

It seeks solution and will increase the stress hormones to assist us to either “fight” or “flight”.

Sustained levels of stress will start to wear us down over time, and shift work that forces any reset to our natural daily circadian rhythm will add extra pressures that need to be mediated through each shift and on our days off.

Stress symptoms When the stress hormones build up in our body they start to affect our organs and systems, and so awareness of these inner changes is crucial for survival.

Blood pressure is the first sign for some that pressure is literally building within.

For others the gastric system will start to play up, so don’t just take the Losec and keep racking up the pressure for the stress reaction will simply move to another organ and system and start affecting it!

For most the cognitive impairments and reduced spatial awareness are key indicators to stop and recharge/pull tension from the body before it is too late. Spatial and cognitive impairments can be reversed with a few seconds with

relaxation exercises, and they are lifesavers.

This reaction will literally move the symptoms around the body if you do not pay attention to the first symptoms. Notice what the body is doing and take action to release the pressures or get used to hospital.

Each of us is quite different, and so each worker must be aware of their symptoms from the burnout list. Lots of websites have simple Burnout Questionnaires and these are nearly all useful quick audits that anyone can do in one to two minutes.

Regular medical checks are crucial for health and safety, as when one bodily system after another is “playing up” it is the primal mid-brain’s

real world of work.

Pull tension from stressed muscles through the day – pull tension from the jaw, shoulders and neck hourly, especially by simple shoulder rolls, stretches, yawns, and abdominal breathing. Total time – one minute every hour!

Pour out adrenal excess by a sustainable, age-appropriate, and easy daily 20-40-minute exercise programme. Anaerobic exercise can be a lot lighter than aerobic and get better results, so light weights, Pilates, non-cultic yoga are superior in stress-lowering performance than running.

Pee your way through each day, with plenty of fluid between meals; best is water, but weak teas will

“The most dangerous sign of stress in any physically dangerous workplace is tunnel vision, where the stress hormones affect both our hearing and our vision/spatial awareness” message that you had better release the pressure or one after another system will “pop”.

The most dangerous sign of stress in any physically dangerous workplace is tunnel vision, where the stress hormones affect both our hearing and our vision/spatial awareness – especially the extent of our visual field.

Under stress load our visual field narrows to a tunnel and data from beyond it isn’t processed by the brain. In that state we walk into the sides of doors, trip over minor obstacles, and get run over or hit by vehicles we didn’t see! When concentration starts to fail we make mistakes that affect others also.

Five P programme Action the Five P safety-survival, stress-lowering tips daily – these are the basic ones that I teach so that we increase survival chances in the

work. Coffee and strong tea act as diuretics, so need water “chasers”.

Pump up your system with the right food at the right times. Eat good, light protein meals early in the day, and so send your primal brain the message that there isn’t a famine and that it can utilise the protein for all the body’s needs. If we don’t eat early enough the body panics, thinks there is a famine and stores more in the fat cells later, with the result that the system is “stressed” and not efficient for the day. Proteins and vegetables are the best power foods along with whole grains – but just be clear about any allergies first! If you want to put weight on and raise stress, just don’t eat till later in the day and/ or skip eating breakfast and lunch.

Skips meals and you can be at least guaranteed that you will knacker yourself – or have an accident later!

Position yourself for power by

pumping natural serotonin levels up. Sunlight exposure early in the day/shift will tell the brain to pump up the right working chemicals, just as darkness tells it to pump the sleeping-rest chemicals. All exercise will also pump serotonin, as does love shown, laughter, creative celebration and worship. Some activities will give us the trifecta.

Be ruthless with your daily and day-off routines, pump the right chemicals and pee out the dangerous ones, or get used to living dangerously and don’t complain when you face problems.

Remember the old KISS anagram – Keep it Simple and Sustainable!

We are well made for survival and we have our primal brain with its genetic memory that goes back thousands of years to help us, but we need to read our symptoms and be alert to any danger signals.

If we are not alert each time we work, drive or just move about the house we will be in danger of injury.

Let’s keep ourselves safe by the basic application of the Five Ps. Dr John C McEwan – aka Dr Stress – is an ACC-registered counselor in stress-related disorders and a full member of the New Zealand Association of Counselors www.drstress.co.nz www.livemoreawesome.com

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News features and case studies

INNOVATIONS

Upgraded anchor for metal roof applications

A

n upgraded DBI-SALA Anchor on the Go Portable Roof Anchor has been released by Capital Safety.

Anchor on the Go is a cost-effective temporary roof anchor point that is ideal for residential, commercial and industrial applications.

Approved to AS/NZS 5532, the anchor provides an easy-to-use economical temporary anchor for metal roof applications.

Anchor on the Go delivers a safe and economical solution for fall protection during all aspects of roof access, maintenance, repairs or improvements on a variety of metal roofs.

Its portability enables ‘tradies’ to take the anchor with them from job

to job, allowing them to work confidently, efficiently and safely while complying with safety regulations.

“Anchor on the Go is quick and easy to install and remove, and there are no tools required,” says Oscar Ratalino, research and development manager for Capital Safety Australia & New Zealand.

“Simply attach the anchor in two easy steps and then connect your personal fall arrest system.”

Constructed from high-strength, corrosion resistant materials, the anchor is designed for use on roofs constructed with metal roof sheeting in the following profiles: Custom Orb, Trimdek, Spandek and Klip-Lok 700.

Unbalanced loads no longer a safety problem Enerpac’s cost-efficient Level Lift system can safely lift loads of varying sizes and shapes

L

ifting and lowering of heavy and sometimes awkwardly balanced mobile and static machinery can waste expensive time in set-up and operation while also exposing maintenance and operations teams to unnecessary hazards.

The problem can occur across many industries that routinely handle high-tonnage and unbalanced loads, including mining, bulk handling, construction, civil engineering, infrastructure and ports, power generation, oil and gas, transport servicing and waste management.

Many such industries are dependent on the quick and efficient servicing of key machinery such as material handlers, wheel loaders, graders, ‘dozers, off-road and heavy trucks and rail stock, axle assemblies, trash compactors, steel and concrete bridge construction components, slab lifts and turbine installation and maintenance.

A solution to the challenges of

such lifts is presented by the latest Enerpac LL-Series Level Lift system, which allows a single operator to safely control the lifting and lowering of large, uneven loads up to 800 tons.

The compact but powerful 700bar (10,000psi) Level Lift system uses a central, semi-automated pump for control of up to four lift points for safe, fast, even and controlled lifting and lowering of uneven loads.

The robust and cost-efficient system offers the flexibility to isolate and control movement at each point. The pendant-operated, automated cycle program allows for continuously controlled operation throughout the lifting and lowering process.

The Level Lift system can control up to four lift points at once without complicated electronics or sensors at each lift point, making it easy to use and improving operator efficiency, says Enerpac Mining & Integrated Solutions Manager – Australia and New Zealand, Warren Baltineshter.

Level Lift is a fully configured and assembled system, which includes a ZE4 pump, hoses, gauges and cart.

During operation, uneven loads are moved evenly as Enerpac’s patented Level Lift valve sends a fixed volume of oil to each cylinder while lifting or lowering.

Regardless of the distribution of weight in the application, or the resulting pressure at each lift point, the Level Lift system strokes each cylinder by the same amount. Each cylinder must have the same effective area.

Level Lift can be used safely and cost-efficiently for off-highway vehicles and railway components common to resource sites. The system can also be used for gear drives and slew ring bearings maintenance on excavators and materials handlers; undercarriage maintenance on a variety of trucks and ‘dozers, or rebuilds on wheel loaders, ‘dozers; trucks and trash compactors.

Configured with a simple, three-button pendant, the system allows for a single point of control

A simple three-button pendant allows for safe, simple operation

away from the application to reduce the risk of operator miscommunication. The Lift/Lower valve enables easy switching between lift and lower modes, with gauges located on the cart for convenient pressure monitoring.

“For applications with multiple lift points, the Level Lift system provides a safe, fast lifting solution,” Baltineshter says. “With the ability to control up to four lift points simultaneously, and an intuitive, user-friendly design, the Level Lift system provides our customers with a safe, easy solution for demanding lifts.”

www.isn.co.nz

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HSNO 2016 Summit

Improving safety is a complexity issue - not a simplification process Safety is an evolutionary process that should be actively pursued at both the personal and organisational level, NIWA National Health and Safety Manager Carl Stent insists

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y personal I mean that each of us during the course of our lives experiences and develops our own personal safety patterns which are imprinted into our habits and attitudes.

These embedded safety patterns then arrive at the workplace where they are expected to collectively align with the safety improvement patterns (goals) of the organisation.

Change is needed, but without proper understanding of how and why the transformation occurs safety improvement can fall short of expectations.

Sustainable safety improvement is a process where personal and organisational safety patterns evolve together, not just change.

Workplaces are often geared towards the ideal of homogenous workers, the so-called ‘A1 worker’.

This is simply delusionary thinking. Every personal difference and community aliment from

saw fit. The goal at the end of the process was a winner determined by the highest share value.

The actual result was a significant reduction in the total market value as each group sort to differentiate itself in pursuit of being the winner.

Each group struggled to understand that the greatest value was not the difference between the groups but the difference in their individual shareholder wealth at the start compared to the finish.

Each group worked to exclude the other groups because they saw a competitor as a threat that needed to be minimised to protect their individual shareholder wealth.

The result was that the greatest difference was perceived to be between zero and one, not three and five. The implication being if the competitor has nothing and I have one, I am much better off due to the elimination of the competitor.

Human behaviour has a tendency to maximise difference by minimising intergroup

physical preferences to mental health arrives at work each day – there is a tendency to pay cursory attention to this, ignoring the complexity that resides in our workplaces.

The complex world we live in is less well-served by reductionist and simplification processes. We can miss the opportunities for extending our capabilities and can often fall short of our goals because we have not thought through the full extent of the work before us.

The ability to work and cope with complexities is vital to human performance and participation.

We are challenged by what we can’t see, but once we see it we are able to deal more easily with the issue of complexity and access emergent properties in safety previously unavailable to us.

connections. In the world of safety, the concept of management and workers is at times an unfortunate example of this.

Safety improvement is a triangulation of organising systems and process (coordination), enabling leadership capability (consultation) and engaging personal safety (cooperation), NIWA National Health and Safety Manager Carl Stent maintains

perience about how to be safe. Both the river Testing tendencies The natural tendency for people to self-or- and the individual manifest self-organising ganise is a further example of why safety tendencies.

The question is, what happens when engineers modify rivers or organisations manage individuals? The engineer and manager can redesign the river’s meanderings and the individual, but only to the extent that all design controls contain self-organisation to the purpose of the design.

As we know engineering design does not always control floods or unforeseen circumstances any more than management designs control all work situations. The tendency to self-organDistinguishing differences improvement is a complexity issue. Dr Richard ise is a challenge in safety improvement and is A phenomenon called ‘minimal group para- Knowles has done a lot of work in this area and poorly served by simplification processes that digm’ has revealed the human tendency to use uses the analogy of a winding river. In the nat- ignore improvement as a complexity issue. the smallest of differences to distinguish differ- ural world the river finds its path meandering ence (discriminate) between groups. The ability towards the sea depending on the typography, Hardwired habits to be an effective negotiator is heavily reliant weather and time. The river in a sense decides its Genuine and permanent change is complex on this, as I discovered in a Harvard negotiating course. because our inner voice of safety is hardwired course I once did.

Now think of the individual person. Born into to our habits, and each individual has their own In this context the goal was to optimise share- the social world of family and community the safety voice. Only when a relevant and real partholder wealth by expanding the market for individual meanders through life based on cus- nership exists between individual habits and pizzas, thereby increasing the shareholder value toms and practices born of experience. That organisational knowledge can the “habits dividfor all groups. Four groups were set up. Each experience informs decision-making and habits ed by knowledge equals results” formula have group had complete liberty to trade as they as the individual’s inner world interprets its ex- meaning.

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“Safety is about people and aligning people and organisation is a conversation of participation, not a process of doing something to people”

“Sustainable safety improvement is not a challenge of finding simplicity through change; it is a challenge of understanding complexity to allow personal and organisational safety to evolve together.”

Dr Richard Knowles knew about the tendency of people to self-organise and came to understand how this leads to divergence from collective intent when grappling with the challenges of environmental and safety management at DuPont’s West Virginia Belle Plant.

He developed a practical leadership tool called the ‘Process Enneagram’ to reconcile natural tendencies in business and personal focus to: • marginalise diversity • maximise difference • rely on habits • self-organise.

To emphasise the importance of this discovery, I once asked what a good contractor was. I was told a good contractor is someone who can work remotely, improvise and make good on productive output. In other words, ‘self-organise’.

I now work with NIWA, a scientific company that works in the natural world of the environment.

We work remotely, improvise and are expected to make good on the research projects our clients fund. Self-organisation is not only a natural tendency of our workers, it is also our modus operandi. In other words, NIWA is a complex, adapting, self-organising network of people.

Simplification processes introduced to our safety improvement process helped us in many areas of process safety but had limited usefulness in our leadership and behavioural change aspirations.

We have now set upon a much wider scope of work that includes Dick Knowles’ Process Enneagram. Enabling engagement and organisational partnering is central to our approach when dealing with complexity issues.

What lies between chaos and simplicity is where much of safety improvement lies – the area of complexity. Learning to live with the ambiguity of uncertainty and disagreement is not easy. It may be hard to get certainty and hard to get agreement, but it is possible.

It’s hard because it involves human relationships where people have tendencies to self-organise, maximise difference, marginalise diversity and rely on habits not knowledge.

Individual introspection Former DuPont safety trainer Larry Wilson discovered that personal safety should focus on the individual looking inwards at their own actions, not those of others. For Wilson, personal safety

meant recognition of how one’s own human states led to human error.

Wilson started Safe Start and built his training around identifiable state-to-error patterns.

To reduce risk of personal harm the individual needed to learn how to recognise what human state they were in and then recognise their pattern of likely error.

Safe Start promotes that four human states – rushing, frustration, fatigue and complacency – lead to four critical errors of eyes and mind not on task, in the line of fire and loss of balance, traction or grip.

To make a change, individuals need to learn appropriate critical error reduction techniques in order to align their habits (subconscious) with knowledge (conscious) of what would keep them safe.

Cristian Sylvestre has built upon Wilson’s work by seeking to understand the dynamics of why Safe Start works and why it does not. For Sylvestre the subconscious mind is ‘risk blind’ but ‘danger alert’.

This is because the subconscious mind does not theorise risk; it recognises danger in a situation based on its previous experience. The subconscious mind does not think risk, it experiences danger - no danger, no risk.

To Sylvestre, ‘neural patterns are the tools of the subconscious mind . . . habits are the routines in which those tools are used’. Sylvestre further states ‘the problem isn’t that people don’t want to be safe, they think they’re safe already’.

Complex challenges When it is understood that self-organising criticality and the subconscious mind drive much of the challenge in safety improvement it becomes clearer that safety improvement is an issue of complexity.

Sustainable safety improvement is not a challenge of finding simplicity through change; it is a challenge of understanding complexity to allow personal and organisational safety to evolve together.

Put simply, people are in complexity when they find it hard to agree and hard to be certain. The tools of management science that attempt to reduce problems and solutions to a process of simplification have limited or no ability to solve complexity problems.

In this situation people are caught in complex,

adapting, self-organising networks when communication, relationship and meaning drive transformation. Ignore these evolutionary principles and limited improvement will follow.

I see safety improvement as a triangulation of organising systems and process (coordination), enabling leadership capability (consultation) and engaging personal safety (cooperation).

We must first engage with our workforce; this is the starting place for safety improvement. A workforce and organisation that is engaged is enabled, and an enabled workforce has organisational resilience to learn and organise in more efficient and effective ways of being safe.

The order of attention is important; engagement (personal safety), then enablement (partner-centred leadership) and lastly the proactive and fit-for-purpose systems and processes (organisation).

Following Hollnagel, if this order is followed, we change safety improvement from a question of ‘work as imagined’ to ‘work as done’. We also change the way in which resourcing safety is perceived, from resourcing something we want to ‘stop happening’ to resourcing something we want to ‘make happen’.

I see a bright future if we understand that safety improvement is an evolutionary process that arises out of solving complexity issues and not simplification processes. Safety is about people, and aligning people and organisation is a conversation of participation, not a process of doing something to people.

New Zealand’s most comprehensive health and safety event, Safety 360 was organised by the country’s largest conference, summit, expo and training company Conferenz and featured the Safety Leaders’ Summit, HSNO 2016 Summit Occupational Health Summit and the Health and Wellbeing Summit

www.isn.co.nz

33

Safety Leaders’ Summit

Collaboration needs to start at the highest level

The Christchurch rebuild shows why people and organisations need to work together to realise shared goals, explains Site Safe Southern Regional Manager – Safety, Health and Environmental Richard Giddings

T

he 7.1 magnitude earthquake that roiled Christchurch in September 2010 and was followed by several almost as powerful in February, June and December 2011 posed immediate problems in terms of health and safety during the massive rebuild.

The problems were neatly summarized in a question raised at the Southern Liaison Group, regular meetings which are facilitated by Site Safe and enable the industry to create a consistently high standard of health and safety performance in the region.

“How are all you big guys going to help us smaller guys so we do not have to jump through a million different hoops for health and safety?”

The obvious answer was collaboration, a realization that saw a group of like-minded individuals who wanted to find a way to standardise health and safety gather together in December 2010.

The group aspired to be recognised as setting and managing safety standards in the Canterbury rebuild, an information and exchange group who canvassed everything related to health and safety and well-being in Canterbury construction.

The various Project Management Officers (PMOs) first met in January 2011 to meet and discuss the road to safety, a timely gathering given the 6.3 magnitude earthquake in April that led to the formation of the Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (CERA).

Forum focus The PMO meetings gave rise to the Canterbury Rebuild Safety Forum, which was formed in June 2011to set and manage safety standards in the Canterbury rebuild and take an active role in: • setting safety standards • sharing information • training

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• p

roviding supportive and effective health and safety management tools • identifying opportunities, issues and solutions to improve safety • being innovative with ideas for safety.

The establishment of a Hazard Alert process to share hazard broadcast messages was followed almost immediately by the establishment of Safe Rebuild, a government-funded health and safety training and development project that brought together a large range of stakeholders involved in the reconstruction of Canterbury.

Major construction and infrastructure companies, unions, training providers and local and national government bodies participated in Safe Rebuild, which focused on providing support and training to small and medium-sized businesses and encouraged employee participation through health and safety

The Canterbury rebuild collaboration resulted in new scaffolding, safety plans, emergency response and liquefaction programme procedures, notes Site Safe Southern Regional Manager – Safety, Health and Environmental Richard Giddings

representatives.

The stage was therefore set for a series of key milestones in December 2011 and January 2012 that included the setting of KPIs on protocols to ensure that what gets measured gets done, and the launch of a Contractor Pre-Qualification database that provided a pre-qualification process for all contractors across the rebuild.

Several sectors By the end of 2012 these various collaborative efforts were focused on such key sectors as high hazard areas, height, electrical, manual handling, health fatigue, well-being, vehicles, behaviour/culture training, monitoring (audits and evaluations) and safety leadership.

Other areas under the microscope included half-day training courses that outlined the ideal business setup, job safety analysis, safety plans and APPCON, the contractor ap-

proval and appraisal management database developed in response to the influx of contractors and subcontractors into Christchurch after the Canterbury earthquakes.

Main contractors and subcontractors alike wanted a system that could speed up the tendering process, particularly in relation to health and safety systems and capability, and APPCON proved so successful that it was absorbed into Site Safe in early 2015, rebuilt and relaunched as SiteWise.

The collaborative effort was further cemented by the June 2013 creation of the Canterbury Safety Rebuild Charter, which was specifically designed to ensure that everyone who worked in construction in Canterbury came home safe and sound every night.

The agreement on health and safety between more than 300 organisations – from small companies to large construction firms

and government organisations to NGOs – required each organisation to meet or work towards the charter’s 10 commitments and detailed actions.

These included: • leadership • engagement and consultation • critical risks • site safety risks (SSSP) • reporting • training • site induction • PPE • impairment • health and well-being.

The charter helped raise the standards of health and safety across Canterbury construction, thereby helping prevent people from being killed, seriously injured or suffering life-changing work-related illnesses.

As such, it set the standards for a consistent and collective approach to health and safety on Canterbury worksites as everyone knows what they have to do to keep themselves and others safe, thus reducing the rate of injury and illness and supporting an efficient and successful rebuild.

The Rebuild Safety Charter resulted in the multiple events being organised with inspiration from the London Olympics model, including the introduction of WorkSafe’s mobile occupational health van staffed by two experienced occupational health nurses.

The van has done two tours of rebuild sites to date and more than 900 construction workers have been seen by the nurses and given advice on how to make sure personal protective equipment is fitted correctly and information on health risks, with 300 of them choosing to have a health check.

Protocol power Various protocols have also been developed and distributed, covering such important topics as house lifting, electrical disconnection for demolition, a fatigue guide and dust; with the Canterbury Rebuild programme building awareness of airborne contaminants through events like trade breakfast sessions for construction workers.

All in all, therefore, there have

been significant changes in terms of health and safety in Canterbury since the 2010 earthquakes, all involving collaboration, consultation and cooperation amongst numerous stakeholder organisations.

New procedures and processes have been implemented in such vital areas as scaffolding while a safety plan, emergency response and liquefaction programme will ensure that all parties know the proper health and safety response to any future liquefaction incident.

More recently, Site Safe supported the Small Business Show, the first New Zealand trade show to bring health, safety and environmental compliance solutions to small business owners, managers and workers.

The two-day event in February included more than 40 back-to-back workshops and seminars covering key areas like accident investigation, planning for risk, hazard registers, hazardous substances, compliance, contractor management and managing the new health and safety legislation.

The Small Business Show was, in many ways, the inevitable culmination of a lengthy but ultimately simple process that saw like-minded individuals working together with a passion to see the environment around them improve.

The vigorous support and backing of stakeholder organisation leaders was balanced by an equal commitment at the work face to continually improve and not sit back and assume someone else was going to do it.

Ultimately, the Canterbury rebuild demonstrated that everyone has to work together to be part of a viable solution, and that collaboration is vital when it comes to ensuring health and safety in any workplace at any time.

Shattered buildings posed numerous health and safety risks

New Zealand’s most comprehensive health and safety event, Safety 360 was organised by the country’s largest conference, summit, expo and training company Conferenz and featured the Safety Leaders’ Summit, HSNO 2016 Summit Occupational Health Summit and the Health and Wellbeing Summit

www.isn.co.nz

35

HSNO 2016 Summit

Creating and testing comprehensive emergency management plans saves time and money further down the line Recent emergencies have enforced the importance of having stringent and effective emergency management plans, notes Forge Consulting Solutions Business Continuity Consultant Phil Bing

E

mergency management plans perform a variety of key functions, first and foremost protecting a company’s assets from risks and disruptive events through defined and tested response procedures.

The main drivers for such plans are regulation and/or legislation and mitigating risks to the organisation’s operations. The focus is on responding to, and containing and stabilising the incident, not recovery, which falls under business continuity planning.

The best plans are owned centrally and cover such areas as: • facilities • property management • corporate services • business unit/departments • information technology • laboratories • security.

For complex emergency management procedures, and government agencies it is recommended the Co-ordinated Incident Management System (CIMS) framework be used.

CIMS has several advantages, such as providing a structured framework for larger organisations or organisations with complex operations, employing a common language and ensuring critical functions are performed.

It’s particularly useful to be aware of the CIMS framework and terminology if your company is likely to be involved in Civil Defence Emergency Management Groups (CDEM) or All of Government (AoG) exercises and situations.

Essential elements of any plan include: • activation and escalation • initial response, containment and stabilisation • roles and responsibilities • detailed responses for specialized areas

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• contact lists and an associated communications plan • links to other plans • background information • and an actions log.

Key roles in the plan include floor wardens and first aid, site contacts and a response team consisting of a response manager, communications specialist, corporate services staff, operations personnel, a coordinator/ administrator and subject matter specialists.

Proven procedure The process to develop or review an emergency management plan is to: • confirm the scope of the emergency management procedures.

• Review the organisation’s risk register to ensure the emergency management procedures cover all identified risks and hazards (to the organisation’s operations) and reference government agency websites – especially the Department of Labour – to ensure regulatory and legislative requirements are also met • ensure sufficient trained and experienced personnel are included in the emergency management structure to enable tasks to be completed within specified timeframes and there is coverage for personnel who may be unavailable at the time of the emergency • ensure the format of all documentation is functional and logical and easy to use, especially in a fast-developing scenario, such as a bomb threat • ensure a testing and maintenance section is included to ensure the emergency management plan is regularly reviewed and tested.

Risks are logged in the organisation’s risk and hazard registers, including obvious events such as: • fire

• u tility (power, water, gas leaks or supply • natural disasters (flood, earthquake, storm) • deliberate damage (vandalism and sabotage) • denial of access due to a nearby incident.

Also consider less obvious threats such as: • computer system failure and how these may impact not only the organisation’s business operations, but also security and environmental systems • security threats • identifying potential hazardous materials (until the HSNO plans can be activated) • health scares.

Finally, consider variations and different circumstances when these risks could occur, such as winter versus summer, business hours versus after hours, and during peak processing periods.

Response procedures to any incident demand clearly defined roles, responsibilities and hierarchy, robust notification and escalation procedures, documented critical time frames and a detailed response procedure for specific scenarios.

These procedures should be regularly maintained; including reviews of all procedures in the emergency management plan, a maintenance checklist for each procedure and ensuring personnel are aware of the procedures – initially at staff induction and then with awareness sessions.

Other items that should be considered and implemented are training, dissemination of information, quick reference cards and policies or processes for staff support.

Regular testing is vital as it confirms all procedures work and critical time frames can be met, trains staff who have a role in responding to in-

Every emergency management plan should include a testing and maintenance section to ensure the plan is regularly reviewed and tested, says Forge Consulting Solutions Business Continuity Consultant Phil Bing

cidents and ensures the emergency management plan is current.

Major mistakes The biggest test mistakes are failing to test regularly, failing to follow up on action items, not clearly defining objectives, scope and approach, not recording test details and results, not advertising the test to staff and testing the same scenarios again and again.

All personnel (and their alternatives) who have a direct responsibility in operating the emergency management plan must be involved in the tests, along with external agencies, the owner of the emergency management procedures and managers whose staff are required to operate emergency management procedures (as observers).

Various types of tests can be considered and conducted where relevant, such as notification and escalation procedures, desktop tests and practical exercises; all of which help familiarise staff with the emer-

A stringent emergency management plan will help prevent devastating catastrophes such as factory fires gency management plan and its details.

The testing programme should include a testing and maintenance calendar aligned to the risk and hazard registers to ensure all scenarios are tested and alternative personnel are included in tests, while also allowing the test complexity to be progressively increased along with experience and confidence in performing the emergency management procedures.

It should start with a simple scenario and build complexity as confidence and experience are gained, while the incident response should feature after hours’ notification and assembly, assessment and escalation and situation stabilisation and containment.

Developing a meaningful test means the complexity of the test must fit the participants’ experience, ensure ALL participants are actively engaged in meaningful activities and that they understand the purpose of the procedures being tested.

A test scope that defines the test should also be developed and include: • the type of test • objectives • assumptions, risks and any exclusions • participants and their roles • impact on production systems and operations

• the test routine • criteria for success.

The test routine is relatively simple and self-explanatory and should consist of an initial briefing that advises participants of the process and test scope and confirms their roles and responsibilities.

Once the test or exercise has been performed, a post-mortem should

A successful scenario requires management to set the scene, release initial basic information and add time-lapsed information and prompts as the test progresses – either at strategic points or a specific time.

Prompts should be included to test specific aspects of the response procedures with the aim of finishing the

“Response procedures to any incident demand clearly defined roles, responsibilities and hierarchy, robust notification and escalation procedures, documented critical time frames and a detailed response procedure for specific scenarios” be held as soon as possible to review the test success or otherwise, identify any shortcomings for inclusion in the test report and complete any action items.

Scenario or situation?

A major consideration when planning a test is whether to use a scenario, or a situation. A scenario is used for complex tests and when testing specialized procedures. A scenario requires a pre-defined scene and time-lapsed updates and prompts to be developed and generally requires time to set up properly.

test once the response procedures are complete.

A situation, on the other hand, is a simpler approach to testing. A scene is set and conditions provided and the team is left to respond to this.

Situation tests are used for simpler tests and procedural responses, where the response is more important than why the circumstances come about.

Again, a situation is outlined and response personnel work through their response procedures to respond to the incident while management assesses how response personnel perform their tasks and

whether better training, equipment or documentation is required.

All tests are followed by a post-test review, which provides an important avenue to improve procedures and involves all personnel who participated in the test/exercise (including observers).

It highlights the procedures that went right and what didn’t work so well and the relevant difficulties.

Tasks should be assigned to rectify issues encountered and these documented in the action items list.

As well as being assigned to specific individuals, action items also have an agreed completion date to ensure they are completed in a timely manner to make certain that the emergency management plan performs smoothly and efficiently if and when a real-life scenario arises.

Finally, the test report is written.

The test report details the success of the test, response time frames, follow-up tests required and action items. It is used as a record for continual improvement and also for audit purposes.

New Zealand’s most comprehensive health and safety event, Safety 360 was organised by the country’s largest conference, summit, expo and training company Conferenz and featured the Safety Leaders’ Summit, HSNO 2016 Summit Occupational Health Summit and the Health and Wellbeing Summit

www.isn.co.nz

37

AWARDS

Design development ensures safer scaffolding A simple solution that eliminated a key hazard helped win a major safety award Installation is as simple as sliding the aluminum or standard scaffolding tube into the fingers on the Apex Post, and then positioning the angle in line with the roof

I

nstalling scaffolding and edge protection systems around roofs can be dangerous work, particularly when it comes to reaching the roof’s apex.

Safety harnesses are commonly used, however with newer roofs there isn’t always an anchor point to attach the safety harness to.

This can often leave installers with no option but to scale the framing to build the scaffold. Then at the end of the job, they need to climb the new slippery roof to take the scaffolding down again.

when installing guardrails on the gables as they were putting themselves at risk each time,” he says. “If it was a frosty morning or a wet roof, often the work would be placed on hold as the risks were too great and this would result in lost time.”

INTAKS recognised this fall hazard was sometimes minimised through the use of a safety harness (when possible), but there was no solution for it to be completely eliminated.

INTAKS owner Lew Cleveland visited a range of sites where scaffolding was being installed to observe the process and speak directly to the installers on site to understand the key issues, explains General Manager Joel Warren.

“The common feedback was that whilst installers felt happy to put on the initial handrails, they felt uneasy

the installer by eliminating the risk during install and dismantle and also increased productivity on site.

“The design means installers can stand on a safe platform, whilst installing the edge protection on gables,” Warren notes. “This allows workers to feel safe, as there was no need to scale the framing to reach the apex or walk on slippery and sometimes frosty roofs to take the scaffolding down.”

Innovative efficiency INTAKS took this feedback on board and worked with their engineers and manufacturers to come up with a leading edge innovation that would not only eliminate the hazard of falls but also increase efficiency and save time in installation and dismantling.

After many discussions, designs and prototypes, the end result was an Apex Post that could also be used with traditional scaffolding as its five fingers could be adjusted for different roof pitches. “Four of the fingers are to accommodate the edge protection and the fifth is for a raker or brace should it be required,” Warren explains.

This design was simple, efficient and durable to withstand force when dropped or knocked, but most importantly it eliminated the need for installers to scale to the apex of the roof to connect scaffolding, and undo fittings at the end when taking the scaffolding down.

The Apex Post increased safety for

Cost cutter The Apex Post increases efficiency: installation is as simple as sliding the aluminum or standard scaffolding tube into the fingers on the Apex Post, and then positioning the angle in line with the roof. “This not only benefits the worker on site, but also the business owner as less time was required to get the job done.”

The Apex Post was designed so it would fit all types of scaffolding, not just the INTAKS model, ensuring the entire industry can benefit from the system. As such, it’s reinforced INTAKS’ market position as a supplier of safe and efficient scaffolding systems. “It sets us apart from what else is out there,” Warren says.

It also won the Tauranga company the Safety Innovation Award – Small to Medium Business at the 2105 Site Safe Health and Safety in Construction Awards.

“We’re always looking for ways to improve safe work methods while delivering labour and time efficiency with our system on-site,” Warren adds. “The construction market is recognising that’s our main goal.”

national recognition for their hard work.

“These awards share innovation, great ideas and leaders of New Zealand construction. Recognising business, whether they are big or small, helps the industry lift the standard of health and safety and allow us all to spread the message - proud to be safe”.

The awards are free for businesses to enter and applications can be made via Site Safe’s website www.sitesafe.org.nz/awards. Ap-

plications are open now until 1 September.

Winners receive a trophy, certificate, $1000 gift from the sponsor and will feature in the Site Safe magazine and other publications.

The awards will be presented at Site Safe’s Evening of Celebration in November at Alexandra Park in Auckland later this year. The evening also celebrates the graduation of students who have completed the Site Safe Certificate in Construction Site Safety.

Be in to win safety

A

pplications open this month for the four categories in the Site Safe Construction Health and Safety Awards 2016.

The categories are: The Unitec Safety Innovation Award Small to Medium Business (Small to medium organisation up to 50 employees) The AWF Safety Innovation Award Large Business (Large organisations over 50 employees) The Benchmark Homes Safety Leadership Award (Small, medium

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or large business) The WorkSafe NZ Safety Contribution Award (Individual or small team).

The Site Safe Construction Health and Safety Awards acknowledge people and companies who demonstrate excellence in health and safety leadership and innovation.

Site Safe Chief Executive Alison Molloy says the health and safety awards give businesses who are taking the lead in health and safety

MANAGEMENT

Make the most of life by being mindful The biggest threat to health, safety - and to living a fulfilled life – is the inability to be in the moment within the complex world we live in

F

amiliarity and multiple demands are leading contributors to errors and incidents, but why do ‘things happen’ although we ‘know what we are doing’?

The problem with creating muscle memory and second nature autopilots through practice is that we no longer operate in the here and now.

In principle this is not a problem if the environment is as planned and practiced.

However, once we are on autopilot our ability to respond to changes in the environment diminishes, thus our reaction time increases, and accidents or unwanted events happen when we ‘take the eye off the ball’.

When we go onto autopilot we begin doing the things we need to do without any awareness of what is happening to us or around us. The danger in this is not too dissimilar to what happens when we drive in automatic mode: our surroundings become blurs, our sensory system becomes unfocused and we find ourselves less in tune with potential risk on the road as we do in life.

Just as we can miss the potential obstacles, we also miss the beautiful simple things, the smell of the crisp fall air, the sparkling sun penetrating through the window, bringing warmth without any need for turning on the heat. We begin missing what’s happening around us – missing what is ultimately the most important.

In today’s workplace with its increasing load and multiple performance demands, not only does autopilot get switched on but multitasking is in, enticing us to learn, think about and execute

ever-increasing numbers of tasks simultaneously.

Performance problems Research into our brains, however, has shown that while we can hold several chunks of information in our mind at once, we cannot perform more than one conscious process at a time.

What people tend to do is try to hold several focuses at once and switch rapidly between them. Although it is physically possible to do several mental tasks at once, accuracy and performance drop off quickly – sometimes with harsh consequences. Furthermore, when our focus is continuously split between two or more things, we experience intense and constant mental exhaustion.

can resume the activity. The same is true, of course, for the alternate task(s). Now, whereas microprocessors are quite efficient at storing and retrieving these interruption points, human brains are decidedly not.

Finding focus That leaves the question of what we can do to be focused in what we are doing and doing it safely; whether it is riding a bike, working with a digger, or looking after the children.

There is an increasing research body that suggests mindfulness practice helps us get the best out of our day.

For some people the idea of mindfulness gives rise to mental pictures of sitting on a mat, legs twisted into the lotus position and being surrounded by soothing noises and smells. On a more practical level,

“Every moment can be an opportunity to be mindful, to be present and to enjoy the smooth workings of our bodies and minds honed through practice and experience” The sad truth is this – multitasking does not mean that we are performing those tasks better. In fact, the reverse is true. In the article Why the Modern World is Bad for Your Brain, neuroscientist Daniel J. Levitin explains why we have the concept of multitasking all wrong.

He quotes Earl Miller, an MIT neuroscientist and expert on divided attention, who says that human brains are: “not wired to multitask well… When people think they’re multitasking, they’re actually just switching from one task to another very rapidly. And every time they do, there’s a cognitive cost in doing so.”

As with a microprocessor, the interruption of one task requires us to remember where we stopped, so that when we return to this task we

mindfulness is any practice you do to remind yourself of the here and now, of the task at hand in the present environment.

One of the easiest ways to practice mindfulness at work is the S-T-O-P method.

While walking to a meeting, the Portaloo, the car or anywhere else, make an effort to walk slowly and then at a suitable point you 1. Stop – stand still, 2. Take three deep breaths, 3.

Observe (and quietly list to yourself ): • three things that you see • three things that you hear • three things that you feel (either through touch, like the socks on your legs, or any emotions you can identify)

4. Proceed – continue walking towards your destination.

With this two-minute exercise you will have given your brain the chance to reset, and you will have reminded yourself about the here and now of your environment. Two minutes that will refresh your focus and increase your awareness and concentration.

Every moment can be an opportunity to be mindful, to be present and to enjoy the smooth workings of our bodies and minds honed through practice and experience.

Dr Andrea Polzer-Debruyne is senior consultant at PeopleCentric, a group of psychologists who work with organisations in a variety of industries towards increasing individual and organisational capabilities. PeopleCentric are the exclusive New Zealand distributor of the Saville Suite of psychometric tests, and experts in supporting teams’ and individuals’ development with tailored and bespoke initiatives.

www.isn.co.nz

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