Safety Net | March 2019

The Safety Net L O C AT I O N C O N S U LT I N G

DESIGN & ENGINEERING

DESIGN-BUILD

MARCH 2019

IT’S ALWAYS SAFETY FIRST. CONSTRUCTION & CONTRACTING

VOLUME 13 ISSUE 3

Stay Safe on the Road When it’s Wet, Wet, Wet AAA | January 18, 2017 What to do in heavy rain, floods and standing water

F

looding can happen any time thanks to rain, blocked drains, burst water mains, tides and over-flowing river banks.

You’ll probably hear warnings of sea or river-related flooding from the Environment Agency, or on the news, but surface water flooding from heavy rain or drains that can’t cope is harder to predict and can be very localized.

SAFETY FIRST. Austin employees have

If you hear there’s flooding on the way to your destination, take a route on higher ground to prevent your car from getting damaged. Water plays havoc with electronics and can even cause airbags to go off suddenly sometime later.

worked 2,620,161 hours without a Lost Time Accident through 2/2019.

continued

Heavy Rain • Turn your headlights on. The Highway Code says you must use

• Test your brakes as soon as you can after driving through water.

• Fast-moving water is very powerful

them when visibility is seriously

—take care or your car could be

reduced (less than 100m).

swept away.

• Use fog lights if you like, but switch them off when visibility improves.

• Leave twice as much space between you and the car in front— it takes longer to stop in the wet.

• If your steering feels light due to aquaplaning, ease off the accelerator and slow down gradually.

• If you break down, don’t prop the bonnet open while you wait. Rainsoaked electronics can make it harder to start the engine.

• Floods and Standing Water • Try to avoid standing water if you can.

• Don’t drive into flood water that is moving or more than 10cm (4 inches) deep. Let approaching cars pass first.

• Drive slowly and steadily to avoid making a bow wave.

What to Watch Out For • Avoid slip and trip hazards, like curbs, under the water.

• Manhole covers can get lifted and moved.

If you do get stuck in flood water, it’s usually best to wait in the car and call for help, rather than try to get out.

Why slow down?

• Water levels can change quickly.

• Assume that flood water is contaminated: • Urban flood water can carry dangerous bacteria from

• Driving fast through water is dangerous, inconsiderate and can

drains and sewers that could

end up being very expensive.

cause disease.

• Your tires can lose contact with the

• Rural flood water is more

road, causing you to lose steering

likely to be contaminated by

control – called aquaplaning. If you

agricultural chemicals and

feel it happening, hold the steering

animal waste.

lightly and lift off to slow down gently until your tires grip again.

• At anything above a slow crawl, you’ll throw water onto pavements, soaking pedestrians or cyclists. You could be fined and get points on your license for this.

• It only takes an egg-cupful of

Fords Just because the road goes into the river on one side and comes out on the other, that doesn’t mean a ford is safe to cross. The depth and speed of the water changes with the weather.

More on safely fording a river.

water in your engine to wreck it, and on many cars, the engine’s air intake is low down at the front.

FLOODWATER FACTS • Most drowning deaths happen within only 3m of a safe point.

• Two thirds of those who die in flood-related accidents are good swimmers.

• A third (32%) of flood-related deaths are in vehicles.

• Cold water reduces your muscle strength – 20 minutes in water at 12ºC lowers muscle temperature from 37ºC to 27ºC, reducing strength by 30%.

• Just 15cm of fast-flowing water can knock you off your

• It’s a challenge to stand in waist-deep water flowing at only 1m/s. By 1.8m/s (4mph) everyone is washed off their feet.

• If the speed of the flood water doubles, the force it exerts on you or your car goes up four times.

• Just 60cm of standing water will float your car.

• Just 30cm of flowing water could be enough to move your car.

• Culverts (tunnels carrying water under a road) are

feet and be enough for you not to be able to regain

dangerous when flooded—the siphon effect can drag

your footing.

in pets, children and even adults.

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March is Workplace Eye Wellness Month Prevent Blindness has declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to provide employers and employees with free information on the best ways to keep vision healthy on the job.

According to the CDC, every single

smart phone use throughout the day

3. Use proper eye protection that fits

day, about 2,000 U.S. workers sustain

increases the risk of digital eye strain.

correctly, such as non-prescription

a job-related eye injury that requires

Symptoms include blurred vision, dry

or prescription safety glasses,

medical treatment. There are more

eyes and headaches.

goggles, face shields, welding

than 15,000 welding equipment-

helmets or full-face respirators.

related eye injuries a year and power

4. With more than 700,000 work-

tools come in second, contributing

related eye injuries happening

to nearly 10,000 eye injuries a year.

each year, Americans can use a

Nearly one million Americans have

few tips on how to prevent eye

already lost some degree of sight due

injuries in the workplace.

to an eye injury.

Prevent Blindness, the nation’s oldest volunteer eye health and safety group, has declared March as Workplace Eye Wellness Month to

Luckily, almost all workplace eye injuries

provide employers and employees

are preventable with the use of proper

with free information on the best ways

safety eyewear. Eye injuries cost over

to keep vision healthy on the job.

$467 million a year, but indirect costs, such as legal fees, fines and higher insurance rates, bump that estimate up to over $934 million each year.

“Keeping eyes healthy today actually saves on healthcare costs in the future,” said Hugh R. Parry, President and CEO of Prevent Blindness. “We encourage everyone to talk with their employers about the best ways to keep their vision protected at work.

Common causes of workplace eye

And, make sure to talk to an eyecare

injuries include:

professional about the best eye

• Flying debris, like metal or glass

protection for any activity.”

• Tools

To prevent an eye injury at work,

• Chemicals • Harmful radiation

Prevent Blindness provides the following tips: 1. Know the eye safety hazards

• Eye strain due to digital devices

at work by completing an eye

Most injuries occur when eye

hazard assessment.

protection is worn, but is improper or

2. Eliminate hazards before

ill-fitting, and when eye protection

starting work. Use machine

isn’t worn at all. In an office setting,

guarding, work screens or other

excessive computer, table and

engineering controls.

Great Ideas To Bring Company Awareness to Workplace Eye Wellness Month 1. Host a safety meeting or toolbox talk on eye safety.

2. Deliver an eye safety message from management leadership to the staff.

3. Contribute to the conversation on social media using the hashtag #WorkplaceEyeWellnessMonth.

4. Include information on your company’s participation in Workplace Eye Wellness Month and workplace eye safety tips in your company’s newsletter.

5. Put up eye safety posters around the workplace.

6. Conduct a review of all eye safety signs in your workplace to ensure there are adequate Caution and Reminder signs to “Wear Eye Protection” in the areas they are needed. Order more or replace as needed.

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10 Ways to Prevent Occupational Eye Injuries

There are more than 15,000 welding equipment-related eye injuries a year, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Power tools come in second, contributing to nearly 10,000 eye injuries a year.

Wear the correct safety eyewear so YOU don’t become a statistic!

Good vision is priceless! Luckily, 90% of all workplace eye injuries are preventable with the use of proper safety eyewear. Yet, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workplace eye injuries cost over $467 million a year. With indirect costs, such as legal fees, judgements and training new workers, the estimated total is more than $934 million each year.

Nearly one million Americans have already lost some degree of sight due to an eye injury. With more than 700,000 work-related eye injuries happening each year, Americans can use a few tips on how to prevent eye injuries in the workplace.

ASSESS! Look carefully at plant operations. Inspect work areas, access routes and equipment. Study eye accident and injury reports. Identify operations and areas that present eye hazards.

TEST! Uncorrected vision problems can cause accidents. Use vision testing in your employee pre-placement and routine physical examinations.

PROTECT! Select protective eyewear designed for a specific duty or hazard.

Protective eyewear must meet the current standards referenced by the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 and later revisions.

This publication is copyrighted. This sheet may be reproduced—unaltered in hard print (photocopied) for educational purposes only. The Prevent Blindness America name, logo, telephone number and copyright information may not be omitted. Electronic reproduction, other reprint, excerption or use is not permitted without written consent. Because of the time-sensitive nature of the information contained in this publication, contact Prevent Blindness America for updates.

MK33 7/10 © 2010 Prevent Blindness America® All rights reserved.

A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE (800.435.7352) WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. s. 496-405

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10 Ways to Prevent Occupational Eye Injuries—Continued PARTICIPATE! For maximum protection against eye injuries, establish a 100% mandatory program that requires eye protection in all operation areas of your plant. Experience shows this kind of program prevents more injuries and is easier to enforce than one limited to certain departments, areas or jobs.

FIT! Workers cannot be expected to use their protective eyewear unless it fits well and is comfortable. To ensure that eyewear is adequate, have it fitted by an eye care professional or someone trained to do this.

Provide the means for repair of eyewear and require each worker to be responsible for his or her own gear.

PLAN FOR AN EMERGENCY! Establish first-aid procedures for eye injuries. Make eyewash stations accessible, especially where chemicals are used. Train workers in basic first aid and identify those with more advanced first-aid training.

EDUCATE! Conduct ongoing educational programs to establish, maintain and reinforce the need for protective eyewear. Add eye safety to your regular employee education/training programs and include it as a part of new employee orientation.

SUPPORT! Management support is key to having a successful eye safety program.

Management should all set an example by wearing protective eyewear whenever and wherever needed.

REVIEW! Continually review and, when needed, revise your accident prevention policies. The goal should be to have NO eye injuries or accidents!

PUT IT IN WRITING! When all parts of your safety program have been created, put them in writing. Display a copy of the policy in areas where workers go, and include a review of the policy in new employee orientation.

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Women in Safety: Jana Gessner, PepsiCo's EHS Vice President EHS | Adrienne M. Selko | February 12, 2019 "Our recipe for success is that we spend a lot of time devising a workplace that meets the needs of our employees," says Jana Gessner, vice president, for EHS at PepsiCo. `

In competitive times, companies need

One of the differences that has been

Across PepsiCo, there are several

an edge.

widely studied, is the collaborative style

internal programs designed for the

of women. “This style leads to strong

development and advancement of

strategic partnerships,” says Gessner.

women in the supply chain, including

Strong partnerships are part of the

a program called LIFT, or Leadership

diverse and inclusive environment

Investment For Tomorrow, which

that PepsiCo has carefully cultivated.

connects executives in sponsoring high-

“We have women plant managers

potential women for development,

and have brought women into

visibility and career opportunities.

management roles,” says Gessner.

But it's not just leadership roles that

workforce that views situations in a

In fact, 29% of the company's supply

are opening up to women. This

new light. Women’s experiences and

chain workforce are women. Work is

strategy applies to all job levels at the

thought processes are different.”

being done to increase that number.

company. There is a Women’s Inclusion

For PepsiCo, that edge takes the shape of the diversity of its workforce.

“Evaluating manufacturing in North America and here at PepsiCo, the supply chain continues to modernize and become more complex,” explains Jana Gessner, vice president for EHS at PepsiCo. “Complexity requires a

6

Network that helps keep female

To date, 6,500 students have been

supply chain roles. In 2017 alone,

frontline associates engaged by

reached, with a focus on girls and

PepsiCo recognized more than 60

helping connect PepsiCo associates

underserved communities.

North America-based supply chain

with internal and external partners.

Regular campus visits and social

Building a career is not something that

media engagement are also part of

Pepsi leaves to chance. For example,

the company’s efforts to encourage

its North America Beverage team is

college students to consider

piloting a program called Women

manufacturing careers at PepsiCo.

in Operations, which connects

“I find it very exciting to talk to women

female supply chain colleagues.

“This program offers ‘coffee talks’ where women can discuss issues that are both personal, such as how to balance work and family life, and how to move their careers forward by ensuring their voices are heard at work,” says Gessner.

One way to ensure women choose to build careers at Pepsi is to understand the capabilities of their workforce. “I have 189 people on my team and I have a clear idea of where my talent is and where they want to go,” says Gessner. Through a program called People Planning, employees can decide what types of roles they want and at what locations. “This is a huge advantage for an employee. I can offer people a variety of roles and critical experiences to match their aspirations.”

at college campuses about the issues our company deals with and how they can become involved," says Gessner. “For example, I talk about technology and how it impacts safety.

We need to make the connection between scientific developments and manufacturing.”

These efforts have been successful, as 53% of new manufacturing leadership hires at Frito-Lay were women.

Once these women walk through the front doors at PepsiCo, the company works hard to retain them. Formal programs ensure their continued skill development, which is important to new employees. A program called the PepsiCo STEM Women’s Community works to foster a work environment that supports and retains PepsiCo Women in STEM careers, including those in

associates for their extraordinary contributions as part of our annual Chairman’s Circle of Champions awards. Approximately one-third of the honorees were women.

All these programs and strategies are working. When the company has offered jobs based on campus recruiting, 90-95% of those who accepted are staying with the company. “We are seeing diversity across our global supply chain,” says Gessner.

The company’s efforts are being recognized externally as well.

PepsiCo was a recipient of the first ever Women’s Foodservice Forum Women in Manufacturing Award, which recognizes companies in the manufacturing sector of the food industry with demonstrated commitment to drive gender equity in their organizations and across the industry.

Best Practices “Our recipe for success is that we spend a lot of time devising a

Attracting Talent

supply chain positions.

While ensuring the current talent is

In addition to career development,

our employees,” says Gessner. “The

retained, the company also needs

mentoring has been shown to be a

company culture includes humility,

to attract new talent, which is a

useful tool in retaining employees.

which I have learned as I have

top concern of all manufacturing

PepsiCo is a platinum sponsor of

traveled around the world. And we

companies.

Million Women Mentors, a movement

encourage employees to travel

that involves 60 corporations across

and understand different cultures.

44 states, working to help young girls

We provide a work-life balance and

and women enter and persist in STEM-

want employees to have personal

related pathways through mentoring

satisfaction in their work. And, we are

relationships. PepsiCo is working

continually working on improving ways

to secure 1,000 associate mentors

to support women in our organization.”

As part of the company’s STEM outreach program, young women at the middle school and high school age are being encouraged to explore STEM careers at PepsiCo. Through its Career Accelerator Days, PepsiCo associates provide middle and high

workplace that meets the needs of

globally by the year 2020.

school students, administrators,

And of course, recognition is key

teachers and parents with exposure

to keeping job satisfaction at high

to its careers through demonstrations,

levels, so PepsiCo regularly recognizes

discussion and hands-on experiences.

the contribution of women in

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Washing Your Hands of a Situation Can Be a Good Thing EHS | Dave Blanchard | February 8, 2019 One of the best ways to protect your hands—and the rest of you—is good, old-fashioned soap.

Ok, apologies in advance if this topic

nasty. So I’m especially annoyed

Part of it seems to be a gender thing,

grosses you out, but there’s a study

when people leave a restroom

according to the survey, which says

out that says more than half of the

without even pretending to clean

63% of men frequently or occasionally

people who use their companies’

up after themselves. I mean, c’mon!

don’t wash their hands after using the

restrooms don’t wash their hands

That’s just nasty!

restroom, compared to 49% of women.

Anyways, the study, conducted

I don’t know … I’m not comforted

before leaving. That’s just wrong in so many ways, but what really gets me to wondering is: Why?

by Bradley Corp. (a company that

much by the thought that only half of

manufactures commercial washroom,

women don’t wash their hands.

It’s not like it costs the employee

emergency safety and industrial

Is it a pride thing? One of those, “I’m

anything to use the water or the soap

solutions), speculates that maybe the

too cool to bother with washing

or the towels (whether paper, cloth

employees are in a rush to get on

my hands” attitudes? Is it a matter

or air-blowers). Plus, while we’re all

with something else – but that seems

of upbringing, a lapse in common

understandably squeamish about

like a lousy reason. They’re putting

sense that can be laid at the feet of

those nasty germs being spread on

themselves and their fellow workers at

absent parents who never explained

doorknobs, desks and other things the

danger for the sake of saving, what,

to their kids how and why to wash

employee might end up touching, the

an extra 30 seconds to wash and dry

their hands? Is it just plain rudeness, or

majority of those germs are staying

their hands? Nobody is that busy.

even worse, a deliberate act meant

right there with him or her.

to spread nasty substances

So again I wonder: Why?

throughout the world? The

I’m currently fighting a

survey doesn’t really say.

cold—living in Ohio, it’s a

But for those of you who want

mere matter of time before

to know what constitutes a

the elements caught up

good, thorough hand-washing

to me—despite all my best

experience, Bradley Corp.

efforts to wash my hands

recommends using soap, running

early and often and to

water and vigorous scrubbing for

avoid touching anything

at least 20 seconds.

that looks in the least bit

8

Best Practices for Enforcing Policies with Contractors EHS - Bill Burket - Environmental Health and Safety Compliance Consultant

Organizations that hire and employ contractors and suppliers

1. Thoroughly vet your contractors. One of the best ways

look for professional and responsible people who can do the

to ensure your contractors and suppliers are following

work. They expect their contractors will follow safety policies

required policies is through validated third-party audits.

and procedures to ensure safety incidents are avoided.

Comprehensive auditing is hard for organizations to

They rely on their contractors to follow the guidelines,

achieve on their own because the process requires

but the truth is, many of these companies have no way to verify compliance. And without policy enforcement, these companies risk increased injuries, production failures, penalties for noncompliance and even lawsuits resulting from employee injury.

Let’s look at a typical job site. Perhaps the contractors are working hard and trying to do what’s right – but the contractor’s idea of what’s right might not be in line with your safety requirements. Or perhaps the contractors are trying to find ways to finish the job faster – even if it means ignoring a few safety policies along the way. We’re not talking gross negligence here.

It could be as simple as a janitor using a strong detergent to clean a floor, but only rinsing the floor once, instead of the three times required for that type of cleanser. If another employee then slips and falls on the slick floor, the hiring company has a safety violation that may stop production, require an investigation and trigger legal action.

When workers don’t follow safety guidelines, injuries are more likely to become an issue and without enforcement, incidents will continue to escalate, along with risks to the business. To reduce incidents and keep production and workflow moving as planned, it’s critical for your contractors and suppliers to understand all policies and follow them exactly as required.

considerable skill and manpower. Look for partners that can provide third-party, on-site audits to make sure your contractors and suppliers review the policies, understand them and abide by all regulations.

2. Use third-party on-site audits to ensure policy enforcement. To help your contractors implement best practices, start by finding out what they know. Begin with a questionnaire to identify specific industry or service capabilities, including skills, training, and the best practices they have in place. Then, by using the information provided in the questionnaire, you can assess whether or not the contractor’s capabilities meet your requirements.

Because best practices and standards are not set in stone, it’s essential to have safety professionals on your team who constantly review new standards and regulations to make sure you and your contractors are always up-to-date.

3. Always choose the right contractor for the job. With a variety of organizations creating best practices and consensus standards – which often evolve into regulations – it’s not always clear which are the most current, which will provide your organization with the greatest value, and what kind of variances may be required to meet your objectives. For example,

9

the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) offers

4. Get help finding the right safety standards for your

275 codes and standards that affect virtually every

organization. It’s important to have the right people

building, process, service, design and installation.

available at the right time for the right job. For example,

The American Petroleum Institute establishes and

if you need a crane operator, you first want to be

maintains dozens of standards aimed at enhancing

certain the contractor you select has the right training,

the safety of industry operations, assuring quality and

license and insurance to operate the crane. Companies

reducing waste.

actively seek highly rated contractors as their top choice

When there are literally thousands of standards and

because they know those contractors are well-trained,

best practices, it’s impossible for organizations to know

productive workers who will follow best practices and

them all. To make matters worse, there are many

promote a safe, healthy work environment. But putting

legacy standards still around, as well as standards that

the wrong contractor into the wrong work environment

conflict with each other. If you’re trying to manage

can have lasting impact. It pays to have a contractor

best practices on your own, it’s difficult to know which

management partner that can help you choose the

ones fit your industry. As a result, your business could

right contractor for the job every time.

be mistakenly flagged for failure to comply.

OSHA Delays Enforcement of Crane Operator Documentation Requirements for ‘Good Faith’ Employers National Safety Council | February 11, 2019 Washington: Employers who make “good faith efforts” to document their evaluations of crane operators have an additional 60 days to comply with OSHA’s Cranes and Derricks in Construction: Operator Certification Extension, according to a Feb. 7 enforcement memorandum from the agency.

The rule, published in the Nov. 9 Federal Register, required employers to evaluate operators and document those evaluations by Feb. 7.

In the memo, sent to regional administrators and State Plan designees, Scott C. Ketcham, acting director of OSHA’s Directorate of Construction, said OSHA “has received feedback from the construction industry indicating some employers may need more time to document evaluations of crane operators prior to the … effective date.”

During the initial 60 days of enforcement (until April 15), OSHA will “evaluate good faith efforts taken by employers in their attempt to meet the new documentation requirements.” The agency is offering compliance assistance, instead of enforcement, for those employers acting in good faith. Citations will be issued to employers who are deemed not to be operating in good faith.

The memo also states that OSHA is enforcing its employer evaluation requirements of crane operators, which must be completed before employees are allowed to work on their own.

Ketcham instructs regional administrators and State Plan designees to consult with his office before issuing any proposed citations.

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Chipping, Crushing Exposes Construction Workers to High Levels of Silica Dust, Study Shows National Safety Council | January 30, 2019

Lowell, MA: Certain job tasks may

Workers performing concrete

challenging for chipping workers and

expose construction workers to silica

chipping at substructure bridge

crushing machine tenders. Even with

dust at levels more than 10 times

repair sites had the highest level of

the use of dust suppression controls,

the permissible exposure limit set by

respirable crystalline silica exposure,

respiratory protection may be required

OSHA, according to the results of a

a time-weighted average of 527

for various tasks,” the researchers said.

recent study.

micrograms per cubic meter of air.

They recommend that employers

Researchers from the Department

That is more than 10 times the PEL of

provide additional respiratory

50 micrograms per cubic meter that

safeguards for these workers.

of Public Health at the University of Massachusetts Lowell collected 51

OSHA established in its most recent

Crystalline silica is a known

personal breathing-zone samples from

silica regulation (1926.1153).

workers at demolition, crushing and

Workers operating crushing machine

and artificial stone. Exposure to silica

bridge repair sites in Massachusetts.

tenders had a respirable crystalline

dust can trigger silicosis, a chronic

Another 33 “area samples” were

silica exposure of 93.3 micrograms

disease that involves scarring of the

taken near demolition or crushing

per cubic meter. Operating engineers

lungs. OSHA estimates that 2.3 million

sites to determine possible exposure

and laborers had the lowest exposure,

workers are exposed to the dust,

to bystanders. Comparison samples

a time-weighted average of 17

including 2 million in construction.

were taken at sites that had dust

micrograms per cubic meter.

suppression controls and those that did not, when possible.

carcinogen found in sand, stone

The study was published online Oct.

Controlling or reducing silica

31 in the Annals of Work Exposures

exposure below OSHA’s PEL “remains

and Health.

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Who’s Allowed to Unlock Equipment That’s Been Locked and Tagged Out? Safeopedia | Steve Prentice | February 13, 2019

Q: Who’s allowed to unlock equipment that’s been locked and tagged out?

A: There’s a very straightforward answer to this question: the person who locks a machine is the only one who should unlock it. But let’s dive a little deeper into why that is the case and when an exception can be made.

Basically, the rule applies to any piece

When leaving the scene, either for the

of equipment that has the potential

day or just temporarily, it is vital that

to cause injury or death if left in a

the machine is rendered inoperable

state where it could be used by an

until the operator returns.

unauthorized individual or where it could re-engage by itself.

When Can Someone Else Unlock the Equipment?

LOTO in a Nutshell

Only One Person Should Have the

Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) is a procedure

Authority to Unlock the Equipment

for ensuring that a machine or tool

There should be just one person

unlock the device, a second person

of any sort is made impossible to use

who has the authority to unlock

may be authorized to do it, but only

when the authorized operator is not

or reconnect such a piece of

by following a clear set of prepared

around. This includes any machine or

equipment, and that’s the person

steps that have been developed and

tool that uses some form of energy,

who locked it up or disconnected it

incorporated into the company’s

such as electricity, fuel or compressed

after it was last used. This could be a

authorized health and safety program.

air, as well as any device like a control

supervisor, but it is usually the operator,

panel or tool cabinet that gives access

since they’re the last one who had

Why Authorization Matters

to other dangerous equipment.

their hands on the device.

Once the machine is locked out (kept

If—and only if—the authorized individual is not available to lock or

turned off by a lock, seal or other device) and tagged out (placing a warning tag on the equipment), unauthorized use of it is forbidden.

Formalities like this might appear tedious, but they help ensure the safety of people and machinery by reducing the risk of accidental or unauthorized events in the workplace.

LOTO also makes it illegal for another person to unlock the machine. This is a regulation established and enforced by health and safety authorities like OSHA. Violations can result in hefty fines and severe punishments.

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Face-to-Face Safety: The Right Way to Build a Safety Culture

The Journey to Zero!

Safeopedia | Bryan McWhorter | August 16, 2017

Takeaway: Accidents are preventable and following

Takeaway: There is no substitute for face-to-face

these tips will help you reach the goal of zero

communication. If you want a safety culture, invest in

workplace accidents.

Safeopedia | Bryan McWhorter | October 18, 2016

regular face time focused on safety.

When I was the head of safety for a large factory back in 2008, if someone would have asked me whether achieving zero accidents was possible, I would have said “no.” And I would have been wrong.

As the supervisor for a large department in a factory that

“Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t - you’re

ran 24/7, I was used to long hours. I remember arriving to

right.” – Henry Ford

work early one morning only to find my boss walking into our

That quote has been referred to so many times, it may have

offices off the factory floor. I was worried that something bad

lost some of its power, but it is just as true today as it was

had happened. When I asked if everything was okay, he

when Henry Ford first said it. Our beliefs dictate our effort.

told me “Yes. I was just out visiting with workers about safety.”

When it comes to keeping workers safe, we need a goal of

My manager and mentor explained that he wanted

zero accidents.

employees to know safety is important to management. He made it clear to them that he never wanted to put safety at risk in some attempt to drive performance. Performance must be sustainable, which means zero accidents (see The Journey to Zero! (below) to learn more).

He also loved pointing out that we are social beings. It’s human nature to talk about what’s important to us. When managers, supervisors, or anyone in a leadership role doesn’t engage in face-to-face safety talks, workers pick up on a clear message: “Safety is not important.”

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DART Rate: What It Is and How to Calculate It Safeopedia | Terry Creason | February 12, 2018

Days Away, Restricted or Transferred (DART) Definition: What does Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) mean?

Days away, restricted or transferred (DART) is a safety metric used by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to show how many workplace injuries and illnesses caused the affected employees to remain away from work, restricted their work activities or resulted in a transfer to another job as they were unable to do their usual job within a calendar year. The DART rate helps the employer and senior management to identify safety matters in the workplace.

Safeopedia explains Days Away, Restricted, or Transferred (DART) Days away, restricted or transferred (DART) rate is a mathematical calculation that defines the number of recordable incidents per 100 full-time employees that resulted in lost work days, restricted work days or job transfer due to workplace injuries or illnesses.

It can be determined by the following formula: DART rate = (Total number of recordable injuries and illnesses, or one or more Restricted Days that resulted in an employee transferring to a different job within the company x 200,000) / Total number of hours worked by all employees WForm OSHA 300 is used to calculate DART rate. It logs all work-related injuries and illnesses and whether it caused a death, time away from work, job restriction or a job transfer. A similar term – incident rate – calculates all accidents and illnesses, but the DART rate calculates recordable loss rate. Ideally, the DART rate needs to be lower than the incident rate.

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Can You Be Held Criminally Liable for a Workplace Injury?

Shane Hedmond | January 24, 2019

Article was written by Alex Barthet, the founder and principal of The Barthet Firm, a 13 lawyer construction practice which has been serving South Florida’s construction industry for over 20 years.

Be careful - owners and contractors are now being held criminally liable for their carelessness and disregard of safety protocols.

Safety may be Job #1 on any number of job sites, but state and Federal prosecutors are now charging developers, general contractors and

Another mishap in California illustrated

including the lack of proper safety

subcontractors with actual crimes. No

a lack of proper training on the use

lines, but more importantly, the lack of

longer are safety violators just facing

of powered nailing tools. Apparently,

proper oversight that allowed workers

monetary fines, they are looking at

a worker holding a switched-on nail

on the bridge after it developed

actual jail time.

gun, accidentally discharged it,

significant cracks.

A New York case involving a wall collapse at an excavation site that killed one worker and injured two others has an owner, his companies and the permit holder in the crosshairs.

shooting a nail into his arm, seriously injuring himself. The company was criminally charged for ignoring safety codes and overlooking obligations to properly protect its workers.

So companies would be smart to have regular compliance audits, keep accurate records and promptly deal with OSHA citations. Having ample insurance coverage in place

It didn’t help that the worker who died

In Washington state, prosecutors

that includes protection for officers

was an undocumented immigrant

charged an owner with negligent

and directors is also a must. Of

and a contractor was hired to just

homicide after a worker died in a

course, all bets are off if those seeking

pull the permit. Worse, the owner

trench collapse. As so often is the

insurance coverage have actual

continued to ignore warnings from

case in these types of accidents, the

prior knowledge of a dangerous

workers at the project complaining

excavation site had not been properly

condition and do nothing to address

the area was not safe. The owner has

shored. This was seen as a willful and

it. Today, construction accidents not

been indicted for manslaughter.

intentional disregard of established

only trigger monetary fines, but the

safety regulations and amounted to

potential for real jail time.

The targets are not just owners. Two project managers were recently

criminal negligence.

indicted in New York because of the

And in Miami, while a number of

reckless use of a crane that toppled

companies face significant fines as a

over, injuring several workers. The

result of the tragic Florida International

supervisors had not pulled the right

University bridge collapse, the incident

permits and were not properly trained

remains under review as to the possible

on the use of the crane. When it

imposition of criminal charges. Federal

capsized, the crane was carrying a

authorities have already cited folks

load twice its noted limit.

for serious worker safety violations,

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Congratulations to members of our Anheuser Busch project team!

Duane Lofdahl, Mike Brodeur, and Ron Litherland completed the required training for Confine Space and Crystalline Silica. Ron Litherland also completed QA/Safety Procore App Training.

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