Insights May/June 2016

INSIGHTS THE MAGAZINE FOR TODAY’S ELECTRICAL AND SYSTEMS CONTRACTORS

MAY/JUNE 2016

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INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

+ DOUBLE TEAMING EMPLOYERS + HOW TO HANDLE AN OSHA INVESTIGATION + ARC ENERGY REDUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

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INSIGHTS

CONTENTS

MAY/JUNE 2016 | THE MAGAZINE FOR TODAY’S ELECTRICAL AND SYSTEMS CONTRACTORS

FEATURES

10

10 OSHA and DOJ Double Teaming Employers

BY RANDY BOSS

14 A Safe Job Site Is a Productive Job Site

BY DR. PERRY DANESHGARI & DR. HEATHER MOORE

18 Use PPE in the Workplace

18

22

BY DUSTIN BOSS

22 Arc Energy Reduction Considerations

BY ED LARSEN

26 How to Handle an OSHA Investigation

BY PHILLIP RUSSELL

31 Developing Safety Champions

31

BY CHARLES BELVEAL

35 What You Need to Know About OSHA’s New Silica Rule

BY SID HOLCOMB

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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CONTENTS CONT’D. 44

39

COLUMNS

47

6 President’s Message 8 From the Editor’s Desk 39 Management Methods 44 The Home Depot Advertorial 47 Featured Products

53

51 Ad Index 53 Safety Corner

COMMENTS? 4

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

We want your feedback! Send comments or suggestions to communications@ieci.org.

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MANAGEMENT PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE METHODS

APPRENTICESHIP

By Joseph Hovanec

T

his spring, first-year IEC Apprentices will be embarking on a career in a profession that is unlike so many others.

They wisely chose a career in the electrical field where the electrical wiring, troubleshooting, and equipment installations they will perform every day will never be outsourced. A career where new technology does not threaten to eliminate their job, it serves to enhance it.

Reflecting on the IEC Apprentices that will be graduating this year, my thoughts turn to how many more apprentices are needed right now and in the decades to come.

The need to build a larger base of recruits into the electrical industry is clearly evident. We must work to convince millennials, and in many cases their parents and guidance counselors, that the electrical industry is a desirable career choice. A severe shortage of trained electricians at every level has been increasing exponentially year after year.

Thomas Edison once said, “Opportunity is missed by many people because it is dressed in overalls and it looks like work.”

The electrical industry has offered superior opportunities for skilled workers since 1879, when Thomas Edison, in the first public demonstration of his incandescent lightbulb, illuminated a street in the Menlo Park section of New Jersey.

When we speak of the electrical industry we are speaking of all of us, beginning with our apprentices. The truth is, nearly everyone’s career in the electrical industry begins with apprenticeship.

Many apprentices will go through a formal training program administered

by IEC. The talent assembled on our IEC A&T Committee, along with our talented IEC National staff, has produced a world class Apprentice Curriculum.

The curriculum was reviewed last year by the American Council on Education

6

(ACE) and was awarded 40 ACE college credits, worth an average of $35,000.

Even the best curriculum must make its way to the classroom. Within IEC, it is our local chapters that facilitate our IEC apprentice training. Our chapters have created state-of-the-art training facilities through equipment grants provided by our IEC National Partners and awarded through the IEC Foundation. Our fantastic chapter instructors teaching our future journeymen and women are the very best in the industry, allowing us to produce the best electricians today.

Although the number of new apprentices enrolling into formal training programs across the country has been dwindling, enrollment in IEC apprentice training programs have experienced a steady increase in recent years. However, the hard truth is that even with increased enrollment we still need more apprentices.

The increased enrollment we are currently seeing can help fill an immediate need to complete current ongoing projects, but it will take thousands of more apprentices in the coming years to replace the aging workforce that will be retiring over the next 10+ years.

In Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Jersey, and New Hampshire, more than 60 percent of the skilled-trades labor force is 45 or older. This trend extends across the rest of the country, as well.

Merit shop electrical contractors perform over 80% of the electrical work across the country. Unless we take the shortage of skilled labor seriously, the ability for contractors to grow their companies will be negatively affected. This will lead to a sharp reduction in market share.

We must all do our part to replenish the workforce to meet the growing labor needs within our industry.

To that end, the IEC Board of Directors voted to make an investment to create

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

the initial tools necessary to attract the next generation of electricians. The final product was unveiled at the 2016 National Policy Conference in Washington, D.C. Our IEC National staff completed what was essentially a 6-month project in a little more than 10 weeks. I encourage you to view the campaign website and videos at www.myelectriccareer.com.

The results are so impressive that the IEC Board of Directors unanimously voted to provide additional funding to take the next step in marketing the materials created. In the coming months, the marketing campaign will be heard and viewed on Pandora and Facebook in multiple IEC chapter markets across the country, officially launching IEC’s campaign to attract new apprentices into IEC chapter apprentice programs.

I look forward to witnessing the continued and expanded growth of the IEC Apprenticeship Program.

Joseph Hovanec Jr. is IEC’s 2016 National President. As the principal elected officer of the association, Hovanec serves as the National Chair to the Board of Directors, House of Delegates, and Executive Committee. Hovanec is the president of Advanced Electric Design & Service in Rahway, New Jersey. With a career that spans over 35 years in the electrical industry, Hovanec is extremely knowledgeable on where we have been and the direction we need to go.

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Insights MANAGEMENT

FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK

EDITORIAL OFFICE Spenser Villwock, Publisher svillwock@ieci.org Spencer Langrock, Editor-in-Chief slangrock@ieci.org Marlise Drischler, Associate Editor mdrischler@ieci.org ADVERTISING Rich Ryan (419) 734-5545 rgrsvc@gmail.com DESIGN/ART DIRECTION Think Baseline PRINTING Mount Royal Printing 2016 IEC NATIONAL OFFICERS President Joseph Hovanec, Rahway, New Jersey Treasurer Bruce Seilhammer, Camp Hill, Pennsylvania Secretary Lloyd Quinney, San Antonio, Texas Vice President Gary Golka, Mesa, Arizona Immediate Past President Mark Gillespie, Clarksville, Ohio Insights is published in January/ February, March, April, May/June, July, August, September/October, and November/December by the Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. Insights Independent Electrical Contractors, Inc. 4401 Ford Ave., Suite 1100 Alexandria, VA 22302 Tel: (703) 549-7351 Fax: (703) 549-7448 www.ieci.org

A Cultural Shift We so often take our safety in life for granted. I’ve been known throughout my life to be danger prone and a bit clumsy. It’s a bad combination. Recently in a social softball league, I was running to first base when I tripped over my own feet and fell into a somersault while crossing the bag. I was safe at first… but I also had a twisted ankle. No matter how much we try in life, accidents will always occur, which is why it is critical to protect ourselves as best we can.

The softball event is just one of many injuries I’ve dealt with throughout my life. What I’ve learned is that I will never be able to completely stop these injuries from occurring, but I can mitigate the damage or cause them to occur less frequently by adopting rules to live by and using the proper equipment. I now wear cleats instead of running shoes when playing softball to provide better traction, and I stretch before games to ensure that I’m limber and won’t cramp up.

In all walks of life, safety is becoming a bigger priority. In the NFL, they have added many rules and fines to penalize players for helmet to helmet collisions, helping lower the number of concussions. In hockey, they have begun painting a “warning track” near the boards to help youth recognize when they are in a location where a dangerous hit could occur. And in the electrical industry, we have developed new silica rules, increased enforcement on workplace violations, developed new technology to protect families and workers, and many more. Increased safety awareness is not just a trend, it is a cultural shift.

Embracing this new cultural shift, IEC and our partners have worked together to celebrate National Electrical Safety Month by producing videos, CDs, webinars, Toolbox Talks, safety articles, job safety handbooks, and information on updated or new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) regulations. These many resources can all be viewed by visiting www.ieci.org/national-safety-month. However, change does not begin and end with IEC. It is critical that electricians and other trade professions embrace the change and protect themselves.

This month’s safety issue of Insights focuses on the importance of limiting risk and how it can positively affect your business. You will learn the importance of wearing the proper equipment, how to handle and limit OSHA investigations, how utilizing safety-conscious products can assist in selling your services, how to reduce arc energy, and more. By implementing the techniques discussed in these articles, you are announcing to the world your commitment to bringing every one of your employees home safely.

Life is full of dangerous situations and those prepared to handle them always come out on top.

Established in 1957, IEC is a trade association with more than 3,000 company members and 50 chapters nationwide. INDEPENDENT ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, IEC is the nation’s premier trade association representing America’s independent electrical and systems contractors. IEC National aggressively works with the industry to establish a competitive environment for the merit shop — a philosophy that promotes the concept of free enterprise, open competition, and economic opportunity for all.

SPENCER LANGROCK Editor-In-Chief, Insights IEC National

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If you want the most up-to-date information, stay connected with IEC National by liking us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/IEC.National, joining our group and following our page on LinkedIn, and following IEC National (@IEC_National) on Twitter.

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

FEATURE

OSHA AND DEPARTMENT

OF JUSTICE EMPLOYERS

DOUBLE TEAMING

By Randy Boss

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

I

n basketball, a double team occurs when two players from one team are defending one player from the opposing team. A double team is a two on one defense that brings an extra pair of hands to deflect passes, block shots, or steal the ball.

On December 17, 2015, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an agency of the Department of Labor (DOL), and the Department of Justice (DOJ) formally agreed to “double team” employers to investigate and prosecute worker endangerment violations. While they have worked together in the past, this is now a formal arrangement that employers should be very concerned about. While facing OSHA is bad enough, it’s a walk in the park compared to tangling with the DOJ. “On an average day in America, 13 workers die on the job, thousands are injured, and 150 succumb to diseases they obtained from exposure to carcinogens and other toxic and hazardous substances while they worked,” said Deputy Attorney General Sally Quillian Yates. “Given the troubling statistics on workplace deaths and injuries, the Department of Justice is redoubling its efforts to hold accountable those who unlawfully jeopardize workers’ health and safety.”

In a memo sent to all 93 U.S. Attorneys across the country, Deputy Attorney General Yates urged federal prosecutors to work with the DOJ in pursuing worker endangerment violations. The worker safety statutes provide for only misdemeanor penalties. However, prosecutors are now encouraged to consider utilizing Title 18 and environmental offenses, which often occur in conjunction with worker safety crimes, to enhance penalties and increase deterrence. Title 18 of the United States Code is the criminal and penal code of the federal government. It deals with federal crimes and criminal procedure.

This cooperation could lead to hefty fines and prison terms for employers and individuals convicted of violating a number of related laws. For example,

the owner of a roofing company had a potential maximum sentence of 25 years in prison in connection with the death of one of his workers who fell off a roof.

All because the worker didn’t have the required fall protection equipment.

James McCullagh, 60, recently pleaded guilty in federal court to six charges in connection with the death of Mark Smith, 52, in June 2013. McCullagh was sentenced to ten months in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $510 assessment on March 29, 2016. McCullagh pleaded guilty to one count of willfully violating an OSHA regulation, which led to the death of an employee (failing to provide fall protection equipment), and four counts of making false statements.

He admitted to lying to investigators, telling them he had provided safety gear and harnesses to his employees when he hadn’t. McCullagh admitted telling an OSHA inspector that he’d seen his employees in harnesses and tied off earlier on the day that Smith fell to his death.

McCullagh also pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice for telling workers to say to OSHA investigators that they had safety equipment when they didn’t. The company was directed to pay $71,600 in civil penalties to OSHA. Smith fell 45 feet from a roof bracket scaffold while repairing the roof of a church in Philadelphia. “No penalty can bring back the life of this employee,” said OSHA Chief David Michaels. “But the outcome in this case will send a clear message that when employers blatantly and willfully ignore worker safety and health responsibilities, resulting in death or serious injury to workers, or lie to or obstruct OSHA investigators, we will pursue enforcement to the fullest extent of the law, including criminal prosecution.”

While criminal prosecution in worker fatalities is still a rarity, the likelihood of charges being brought increases when there is a suspicion of lying to OSHA or other federal officials. This partnership has been brewing for a while as the Justice Department has tried to use the nation’s tougher environmental statutes to bring stronger prosecutions of

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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FEATURE

OSHA has placed a larger emphasis on criminal enforcement of workplace safety violations recently by referring more cases to the DOJ and U.S. Attorneys offices for criminal prosecution. They referred or assisted with the criminal prosecution of 27 cases in fiscal year 2014 – the highest ever in its history.

HOW TO AVOID BEING DOUBLE TEAMED An employer must know that they are responsible under the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act to provide a safe and healthy workplace. They also must understand that OSHA’s mission is to assure safe and healthy workplaces by setting and enforcing standards and by providing training, outreach, education, and assistance. OSHA inspections can be conducted without advance notice, on site or by phone, by highly-trained compliance officers. Their inspection priorities are imminent danger, catastrophes/fatalities, worker complaints, and targeted inspections due to high injury/illness rates or severe violators.

One of the errors many employers make is they wait until it is too late and risk a huge fine, being placed on the Severe Violators Enforcement List, and/or having

12

one or more their senior leaders put in jail. Before OSHA shows up, employers should establish a good safety and health program with four essential elements: 1. Management Commitments and Employee Involvement: The manager or management team must lead the way by setting policy, assigning and supporting responsibility, setting an example, and involving employees.

2. Worksite Analysis: The worksite is continually analyzed to identify all existing and potential hazards.

3. Hazard Prevention and Control: Methods to prevent or control existing or potential hazards are put in place and maintained.

4. Training for Employees, Supervisors, and Managers: Managers, supervisors, and employees are trained to understand and deal with worksite hazards.

“Every worker has the right to come home safely,” said OSHA Assistant Secretary Dr. David Michaels. “While most employers try to do the right thing, we know that strong sanctions are the best tool to ensure that low road employers comply with the law and protect workers lives.

More frequent and effective prosecution of these crimes will send a strong message to those employers who fail to provide a safe workplace for their

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

employees. We look forward to working with the Department of Justice to enforce these life-saving rules when employers violate workplace safety, workers health, and environmental regulations.”

The dedication of OSHA and the DOJ to prosecute individuals for workplace safety violations is why it’s important to have a living, breathing safety program, instead of one copied from another employer or quickly downloaded from a website. OSHA inspectors can very quickly determine if a program is real or just a binder on a shelf.

Given the formal partnership between OSHA and the DOJ, employers and their management team must note the enhanced risks and implement measures to prevent themselves from being double teamed.

Randy Boss is a certified risk architect at Ottawa Kent in Jenison, MI. As a risk architect, he designs, builds, and implements risk management and insurance plans for middle market companies in the areas of human resources, property/ casualty, and benefits. He has 39 years of experience and has been at Ottawa Kent for 34 years. He is a lead instructor for the Institute of Benefit & Wellness Advisors, training agents how to bring risk management to benefits and co-founder of OSHAlogs.com, an OSHA compliance and injury management platform. Randy can be reached at rboss@ottawakent.com.

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FEATURE

A SAFE JOB SITE IS A PRODUCTIVE JOB SITE

By Dr. Perry Daneshgari & Dr. Heather Moore

A safe job site is a productive job site. Any injury on the job site not only eliminates the injured worker’s output, but it also affects other workers performance while they attend to the injured worker and the aftermath of the injury. Safety is not only an economical but also an emotional issue on any job site.

Few processes and tools assure both safety and productivity simultaneously. Agile Construction®, which is based on the application of ASTM Standard E2691, was developed with productivity and safety in mind over twenty years ago. One of the main features of an Agile Construction® site is its requirement of laying out and planning the daily, weekly, and long-term job activities. Due to the attention to the detail during the development of the Work Breakdown Structure (WBS), job layout and planning automatically improves safety on the job site and reduces unforeseen incidents. Reduction of emergencies and firefighting – the top contributors to unsafe job sites and often occur due to lack of planning – during the project will help reduce the incidents and accidents on a well-planned job site.

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports a 64 percent reduction in fatal and nonfatal injuries between 1992 and 2014 in the construction industry. The intense attention to safety on job sites is paying off. Insurance, absenteeism, and lost time are all part of the safety picture for contractors. Collaboration between contractors, electricians, general contractors, and distributors to create safe environments can help improve everyone’s bottom line. In addition to the fact that a safer job site is a better work environment, safety also contributes to higher productivity.

Improved safety will increase the time spent on installation and project progress.

Hand in hand with attention to safety, attention to productive activities will improve safety due to reducing wasted movements and unplanned activities.

Safety Data The BLS reports data on fatal and nonfatal injuries and illnesses by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code. This data is collected through the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses, which is both a state and federal program in which employer reports are collected annually from about 176,000 private industry establishments and processed by state agencies cooperating with the BLS. The BLS also provides data on the average weekly hours worked by production (nonsupervisory) employees, working 50 weeks per year, and reported injuries or illnesses in the construction industry.

words, in 2014, there were 10,650 cases of injury or illness in the entire construction industry that resulted in one day of lost work and 7,570 cases of injuries/illnesses that lead to two days of lost work.

A detailed view of the categories in Figure 1 shows that the majority of illnesses and injuries result in more than one month of lost time.

12,527,280 hours lost in 2014 as a result of nonfatal injuries and illnesses.

For analysis, we compared electrical construction, building construction, overall construction, and specialty trades.

The trend of hours lost, using the previous method for calculating the weighted average, is shown in Figure 2 for all construction, building construction, and electrical construction.

Days and Hours Lost Because the data is listed by cases in each category, we calculated a weighted average of days lost to determine the impact on labor hours. The weighted average is calculated as follows:

Specialty trades result in more days lost than building and nonbuilding construction. Figure 3 shows a pie chart of the 2014 hours missed for each component.

Weighted Average of Days Lost = (# cases of 1 day × 1)

To further weight the impact of the lost time, we compared the lost hours to the calculated hours worked in each industry.

The calculation of hours worked is this:

+ (# cases of 2 days × 2) + (# cases of 3–5 days × 4)

Hours Worked = Number of Production Workers × Average Weekly Hours Worked × 50 Weeks/Year

+ (# cases of 6–10 days × 8) + (# cases of 11–20 days × 15) + (# cases of 21–30 days × 25) + (# cases 31 or more days × 50)

Fatalities

The weighted average of days lost in 2014 was 1,565,910 days. Assuming an eight-hour workday, this translates to

The trend of fatalities for overall construction, building construction, and electrical subcontracting is shown in Figure 4.

Figure 1

Using this data, we were able to draw conclusions or estimations on how much workplace injuries or fatalities can affect a company.

DATA ANALYSIS Nonfatal Injuries and Illnesses The data in Figure 1 shows the number of cases in each category of number of days lost. Each case of an injury or illness is one occurrence for one employee, and the categories are not cumulative. In other

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

15

FEATURE Figure 2

Figure 4

Figure 3

Figure 5

Causes of Injury Figure 5 shows the nature of illnesses in the construction and electrical construction industries.

The chart is ordered from largest to smallest by each category for the electrical construction industry.

Conclusion In conclusion, there are a lot of safety measures that can be made to make your work environment a safe place to be. Some of which can go way beyond hard hats and gear that OSHA requires.

Proper training is a must, but accidents can and do happen as the above figures indicate. Proper processes in place can prepare you to handle any given situation and will help illuminate how to put out fires when things do go awry. Processes

16

like WBS™ can break down the work and identify the risk as you prepare for the job. Using ASTM’s E2691 Standard on Job Productivity Measurement process (JPM or JPAC®) while the work is in progress not only records the data but analyzes it in real-time, so you can better prepare for things to come. Short Interval Scheduling (SIS®) can help reduce the obstructions at the job site by pointing them out, allowing you to eliminate or schedule around the obstacles that slow you down and keep you out of harm’s way.

To eliminate lost hours and productivity on a project, safety and planning must be number one.

Dr. Perry Daneshgari is the President / CEO of MCA Inc. MCA Inc. is a research and implementation company that focuses

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

on implementing process and product development; waste reduction; and productivity improvement of labor, project management, estimation, accounting, and customer care. He has also published four books and an ASTM Standard for Job Productivity Measurement.

Dr. Heather Moore is Vice President of Operations for MCA Inc. She holds a Ph.D. in Construction Management from Michigan State University. Additionally, she holds an MBA from University of Michigan, Flint, and a B.S.E. in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She was a contributor for the ASTM Standard E2691 “Job Productivity Measurement” and also was co-author of the newly published ASTM book, “Application of ASTM E2691 Standard Practice for Job Productivity Measurement in Agile Construction®.”

MAY 1S T, 9:05 A .M .

A CONTRACTOR SEES THE LIGHT AND SURVIVES THE BLAST

IN AN INS TANT, N ATE PE TER SO N L E A R NE D THE VA LU E O F CN A’ S R ISK CO NTRO L R E SO U RCE S

Nate Peterson of HandiDigits Electric has over 15 years of experience, but he wasn’t expecting the arc blast that came from his customer’s transformer door. Luckily, Nate was prepared.

Thanks to his IEC’s safety training and an Arc Survival course from CNA Risk Control, he knew to wear proper Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) before starting the job. So instead of a costly legal claim and a lengthy hospital stay, this Master Electrician made it home for dinner and had some extra time with the kids. Well done, Nate.

When you’re looking for programs that help make IEC members safer and their businesses ® stronger … we can show you more.

To learn more about CNA’s coverages and programs for electrical contractors, contact your independent agent or visit www.cna.com/iec.

The examples provided in this material are for illustrative purposes only and any similarity to actual individuals, entities or places is coincidental. Please remember that only the relevant insurance policy can provide the actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions and exclusions for an insured. All products and services may not be available in all states and may be subject to change without notice. CNA is a service mark registered

by CNA Financial Corporation with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Certain CNA Financial Corporation subsidiaries use the “CNA” service mark in connection with insurance underwriting and claims activities.

Copyright © 2016 CNA. All rights reserved.

FEATURE

USE PPE IN THE WORKPLACE AND KEEP YOUR “EYES” ON THE PRIZE

By Dustin Boss

T

he American workplace is a minefield of potential dangers, coming in all sizes and shapes – sparks, noise, chemicals, falling objects, sharp edges, just to name a few. The smart plan would be to encase workers in a protective bubble, but odds are that such an endeavor would severely hinder productivity. Still, procedures have to be instituted to safeguard employees and prevent workplace injuries, which can result in soaring workers’ compensation costs for employers.

To that end, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires all employers to protect their employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury by not only providing personal protective equipment (PPE) but also by making sure their workers know how and when to use it. When using PPE, whether it’s safety glasses, gloves, earplugs, or full body suits, employers must make sure employees have the proper training regarding: • When PPE is necessary and how to properly wear it.

• What are its limitations?

• How to determine if the PPE is no longer effective or damaged.

• How to care for the PPE. • Who to inform should the PPE need to be replaced.

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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FEATURE The math is simple. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), if all workers wear protective gloves it is estimated that more than one million hospital emergency visits

by U.S. workers per year could be avoided.

Hand injuries alone can cost employers over $500 million dollars per year once you calculate lost time, settlements, etc.

The problem here isn’t that employers are failing to practice what they preach.

The problem is that they don’t preach.

A recent survey commissioned by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) of safety influencers in the heavy construction industry revealed that the main reason workers chose not to wear PPE when needed was because “employers don’t require or enforce usage.”

While many employers realize that the use of PPE can pay huge dividends in workplace safety, plus result in higher morale and lower insurance premiums, many do not update their equipment, assess new situations, or require rigorous enforcement.

The adverse result is a loss of manpower – which few companies already running on the bare minimum can afford – and higher workers’ compensation costs.

For some companies, a high number of injuries can hinder their competitiveness when bidding on certain contracts. This is a high price to pay for the low price of a carton of gloves and safety goggles.

Sometimes, creating a culture of safety on the job can translate to employees’ off-work time. I recently worked with a company – one that did not have a stellar record of PPE use – who lost a key employee to an eye injury while he was working on his lawn. He was weedwhacking without wearing protective glasses and caught a rock in the eye, sapping him of all vision in that eye.

While the incident didn’t happen at work, the employer still felt the full brunt. The employee was a truck driver for the company and can now no longer

20

do the job as he is unable to renew his Commercial Driver’s License. The employer will lose one of its best and longest tenured drivers in a market where it is hard to find talented employees.

WHY AVOID PPE? So why are some employees still reluctant to wear PPE? It may be hard to believe, but the top reason stated is, “They don’t feel comfortable on me.” If this is the case for your company, a solution might be to involve employees in the selection of PPE. It may be that more than one style is needed to accommodate the workforce.

The second most common reason is the belief that PPE is not necessary for the task. Employees may have performed the same task for many years and never been injured. But those dice can only roll so far. Why not show employees videos of what can happen or have someone who sustained an injury speak to the group.

Trust me, the effect can be jarring.

Another concern is that PPE is unattractive or doesn’t fit properly. If employees are content with their appearance, they will be more likely to use PPE. Increasingly, manufacturers are looking to improve style by offering new color options and looks.

PUSH FOR NEW STANDARDS Even regulations can be outdated and ineffective. Falls are the leading cause of injury and fatalities in the workplace, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries. Launching a sweeping overhaul of the walkingworking surfaces and PPE Standards to prevent injuries from slips, trips, and falls, OSHA acknowledged that most of its existing standards for walking-working surfaces are more than 30 years old and inconsistent with both national standards

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

and more-recently promulgated OSHA standards addressing fall protection.

Citing the 2009 death of a worker at a chocolate processing plant who fell from an unguarded work platform, OSHA’s proposed rulemaking includes significant revisions to the existing general industry scaffold standards to better protect workers from such injuries. As the rule stands now, employers are commonly only required to use guardrail systems.

Under the proposed rule, employers would have to install a second layer of safety in place by choosing the most effective fall protection option as added protection, ranging from the traditional safety nets to self-retracting lanyards. The proposed rule would also allow OSHA to fine employers who allow workers to climb certain ladders without fall protection.

In proposing the new rule, OSHA Administrator David Michaels referred to the 2009 accident by stating, “This is a clear and grave example of the human cost incurred when fall protection safeguards are absent, ignored, or inadequate.”

EMBRACE PPE For employers, PPE can protect not only their employees but also their company’s bottom line. Implementing programs such as PPE training sessions and a “safe reporting without retaliation” rule will assist in severely decreasing workplace injuries. These programs and the proper use of PPE will also decrease workers’ compensation claims and lower premium costs significantly. A win-win for employers and their employees.

Dustin Boss is a certified risk architect and insurance agent with Ottawa Kent. He designs, builds and implements risk management systems for companies without the luxury of a full time risk manager on staff. He can be reached at 616-457-1320 and dboss@ottawakent.com

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FEATURE

ARC ENERGY

REDUCTION CONSIDERATIONS

By Ed Larsen

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

Protecting workers from the hazards of electric shock has been understood for decades. Recently though, more attention has been given to the role electrical equipment can play in minimizing arc flash hazards.

The energy exposure of an arc flash incident can be significantly reduced when attention is given to the type of equipment specified and where it is installed in an electrical system.

means that even though an electronic trip circuit breaker with a 1200 A sensor has its current rating switch set to, for example, 0.5 (600 A), it will still need an arc energy reduction means (see Figure 2). If the overcurrent device in the circuit breaker meets this criteria, then documentation and a method to reduce the clearing time must be provided.

APPROACHES FOR LOWERING CLEARING TIME To see the connection between clearing time and arc energy reduction, we need to understand incident energy. Incident energy, as defined in NFPA 70E, Standard for Electrical Safety in the Workplace®, is “the amount of energy impressed on a surface, a certain distance from the source, generated during an electrical arc event. One of the units used to measure incident energy is calories per centimeter squared (cal/cm2).” A method used to calculate incident energy may be found in IEEE 1584, Guide for Performing Arc Flash Hazard Calculations.

Incident energy is a function of current and time. If the arcing time is reduced, then the incident energy will be reduced.

Clearing time refers to the length of time necessary for an overcurrent protective device to completely extinguish the arc.

There are five clearing time reduction means:

1. Zone Selective Interlocking Zone selective interlocking (ZSI) preserves the desired coordination between main, tie, and feeder protective devices, and it allows fast tripping for faults within the protected zone – the conductors between the interlocked devices.

This is accomplished through wired connections between circuit breaker electronic trip units, ground fault relays, or protective relays. If a feeder device detects an overcurrent condition, it sends a restraining signal to the upstream device(s). The upstream device(s) then follows its normal time-current characteristic and serves as a backup.

However, if the upstream device(s) detects an overcurrent condition above its short time – or ground fault – pickup setting but the downstream device(s) do not (e.g. due to a main bus fault), then the main circuit breaker will not receive a restraint signal and trip with no intentional time delay. In this way, ZSI offers the “best of both worlds” – fast clearing of fault currents without sacrificing coordination. ZSI is also available on both low- and medium-voltage equipment and can be applied for both phase faults and ground fault protection.

The 2014 edition of the National Electrical Code® (NEC®) addresses arc energy reduction directly in Section 240.87. Previously, the 2011 edition of the NEC® required arc energy reduction whenever a circuit breaker did not have an instantaneous trip function. This would apply to a circuit breaker with no instantaneous trip function at all, but questions lingered about other applications.

This was cleared up in the 2014 edition of the NEC®. The updated code requires arc energy reduction where the highest continuous current trip setting for which the actual overcurrent device installed in a circuit breaker is rated or can be adjusted is 1200 A or higher (see Figure 1). This

Figure 1: Sensor Current Rating

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23

FEATURE 3. Energy-Reducing Maintenance Switching With Local Status Indicator This switch (Figure 4) allows a worker to set a circuit breaker electronic trip unit or protective relay to operate faster should an arc fault occur while the worker is working within an arc flash boundary, as defined in NFPA 70E. After completing the task, the worker would set the maintenance switch back to its normal setting. The switch temporarily reduces the pickup and/or time delay settings, or it causes an alternate setting to become effective. It may even enable a faster acting instantaneous trip function. To be effective, the “maintenance mode” settings must result in a faster tripping time based on the actual prospective fault current levels at the location being protected.

Figure 2: Current Rating Adjustment

2. Differential Relaying The concept of this protection method (Figure 3) is that current flowing into the protected zone must equal the current flowing out of the zone. If these two currents are not equal, then a fault must exist within the zone, causing the relay to operate. Differential relaying uses current transformers located on the line and load sides of the protected equipment, a fast-acting relay, and a shunt trip on a circuit breaker or switch.

They are very sensitive to faults inside their zone of protection but immune to load inrushes or pass-through faults.

4. Energy-Reducing Active Arc Flash Mitigation System The arcing duration can be reduced with this system by causing the upstream circuit breaker to open more rapidly or by creating a low impedance current path. The former approach may utilize

Differential relaying protection is more common at medium voltage versus low voltage due to the increased space requirements for relay class current transformers, differential protective relays, and additional wiring complexity.

The costs associated with low-voltage differential relaying protection are also substantial when compared to the cost of the base equipment. Saturation of the current transformers at high fault currents is also a concern.

Figure 3: Differential Relaying

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

relays, which sense light, current, and/ or other parameters. The latter is most commonly achieved through a “crow bar” switch. The closing of this switch, located within a controlled compartment, causes the arc fault current to transfer to a new current path while an upstream circuit breaker clears the fault. The system works without compromising existing selective coordination in the electrical distribution system.

5. An Approved Equivalent Means Approved equivalent means was included in recognition that technology to reduce arc flash hazards will continue to evolve.

Since ZSI, differential relaying, and energy-reducing maintenance switches all cause a circuit breaker or switch to open instantaneously should an arc flash occur, it seems obvious that the instantaneous trip function on a circuit breaker should be considered an approved equivalent means.

An instantaneous trip function, whether it is field adjustable or a nonadjustable override type, can reduce the arc energy if its pickup point is set below the prospective arc fault current. (Note: Text proposed to be added to the 2017 edition

of the NEC® will list field adjustable and nonadjustable override type instantaneous trip functions as approved means.)

GOING BEYOND CODE COMPLIANCE FOR IMPROVED SAFETY While well intended, it is quite easy to achieve the requirements outlined in Section 240.87 without meeting the spirit of the requirement, namely an improvement in worker safety or even a reduction in arc energy. Simply supplying one of the listed means to reduce the clearing time in the event of an arc fault may or may not improve safety. Factor in the following: 1. The sensing function, whatever it is, needs to be set to activate (pickup) at a point below the prospective arcing fault current.

2. Each one of the means listed establishes a zone of protection, meaning the clearing time will be reduced for faults within the zone but not for those outside it. For example, the line side of a main circuit breaker would be outside the protected zone for any means provided within the equipment where the main circuit breaker is located.

3. The means may not reduce the level of incident energy listed on the arc flash label to be applied to the equipment per NFPA 70E and thus may not reduce the type of personal protective equipment (PPE) that must be worn.

4. The means may not reduce the incident energy enough to allow workers to use a lower level of PPE.

RECOMMENDATIONS Consider the following measures to achieve enhanced safety: 1. Arc flash study: Conduct a study as described in IEEE 1584 and involving the determination of the level of the prospective arcing fault current.

Figure 4: Maintenance Switch

2. Energy-reducing maintenance switching and instantaneous tripping: Ensure trip levels are below the prospective arcing fault current level.

Conduct a coordination study to ensure that unwanted tripping will not occur due to high inrush currents that may occur when large motors are started or transformers are energized.

3. Consider the protected zone: Each of the energy reduction means listed in 240.87 effectively establishes a protected zone. However, the work to be done may not be in the protected zone or may expose the worker to energized conductors outside the protected zone, such as the line side terminals on a main circuit breaker.

4. Arc flash labeling: When determining the proper labeling of equipment, all potential energized conductor exposures must be considered, not just those within the protected zone.

5. Safety by design: Consider techniques such as compartmentalization, protective barriers, insulated bus, and remote mounting of main disconnects.

Conducting maintenance on de-energized equipment is without a doubt the best arc flash mitigation action that can be taken. Following the NFPA 70E guidelines to protect workers as well as having trained personnel, labeled equipment, and a well-established maintenance process are essential elements of an effective and comprehensive arc flash mitigation solution.

Ed Larsen is an industry standards manager for Schneider Electric USA and is based in Cedar Rapids, IA. He is responsible for overcurrent protective device and motor control product standards and holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from the Milwaukee School of Engineering.

He has been an employee of Square D/ Schneider Electric for 41 years as an application engineer, marketing manager, product manager, and engineering manager for control products and circuit breakers. Ed has authored articles and papers and frequently speaks on various product application and code compliance topics. He is a member of numerous industry technical committees and NEC® Code Making Panels 2 and 11.

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FEATURE

HOW TO HANDLE AN OSHA INVESTIGATION

By Phillip B. Russell

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

Every company cares about safety and health in the workplace and want their employees to remain healthy.

In an effort to protect their employees, companies invest substantial time, effort, and money in trying to create safe and healthy work environments. They would do this without regard to government regulation.

Managing compliance with federal and state Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requirements, however, is an indispensable part of managing safety in this day and age.

In an OSHA investigation, there is not only a review of on-site conditions or records, but also a concentrated effort to unearth information from the past as well as the present. This is done partially through observation and casual questioning regarding conditions; but more importantly, it is done through an in-depth examination of documents and utilization of private oneon-one witness interviews, including both hourly and supervisory personnel.

An OSHA compliance officer is a professional investigator, whereas a contractor is not. Contractors must be aware of and prepared to respond to the

questions that may be asked in interviews.

Will the questions be properly phrased to illicit the truth or will they be confusing to the witness? Can the witness have assistance from the contractor? What if OSHA demands documents that you do not believe you should have to turn over?

Can OSHA hold a contractor responsible for past events? Can OSHA increase enforcement because of conditions a contractor had notice of previously?

These are all questions that contractors need answered so that they can protect their employees and their company if an OSHA compliance officer happens to come knocking at their door.

WHAT TO DO WHEN OSHA IS ON THE JOB SITE When an OSHA compliance officer shows up at your job site, it is almost always an enforcement event and not just an inspection related to specific conditions or an audit of records – and it is rarely, if ever, a “random” inspection. Prudent contractors should be prepared in advance because OSHA has shifted to an enforcement strategy involving inspections and citations, rather than a compliance strategy involving education and prevention.

It is in every contractor’s interest not only to be safe, but also to have a good safety compliance record. It is important to safeguard the company’s interest in all types of OSHA events.

Many companies receive regular OSHA inspections, while many other companies never get inspected. All companies have continuing affirmative obligations and all are potentially subject to an investigation

by OSHA at any time. It is also in every company’s interest that it not be subjected to unfair investigative techniques and that OSHA’s factual findings are not based on inappropriate speculation.

Inspections and investigations by OSHA are initiated for any number of reasons. If a compliance officer is on your job site, you first need to know

why. And the answer can significantly affect how you respond. In the case of a fatal accident, you know why an investigation is being initiated.

A fatal accident is the worst thing that can happen at the job site. It affects every employee. One minute, everything is fine and no one can imagine that something terrible is about to happen. The next minute, everyone on the property is in shock. The unimaginable has happened.

Not only is the event emotionally devastating, it also throws the company immediately into a legal morass.

Company officials need to be prepared to respond to serious situations that they hope will never happen. They need to be prepared and then hope that their preparations are merely “insurance” and will never have to be implemented. Accidents and all other circumstances that prompt OSHA investigations must be prepared for well in advance so that the company will know what to do immediately when dealing with the unexpected.

No OSHA inspection is routine. Agency investigations and audits can give rise to very serious legal consequences. Civil penalties can be extremely costly. Even criminal prosecutions are a possibility in extreme circumstances – and you never know what is extreme until the facts are uncovered during an investigation.

Accidents can give rise to civil liability and they can raise potentially complicated workers’ compensation and insurance issues as well as lead to regulatory liability. On top of all that, inspections conducted by OSHA can have an impact on workforce morale, which can result in major sanctions against the company.

These tips can help a contractor through an OSHA investigation and are important, but not exhaustive, elements of an OSHA inspection response plan: CONTINUED ON PAGE 29 >

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27

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FEATURE < CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

Immediately alert the company’s on-site safety director, companywide safety manager, other senior management, and, possibly, the company’s OSHA counsel. Know who your response team will be in advance.

1

Review the OSHA compliance officer’s credentials and determine the purpose of the inspection. Ask about the officer’s background.

Does he or she have construction work site safety experience? What did he or she do before OSHA?

2

Determine whether to require a search warrant before permitting the inspection to proceed – consult with your OSHA counsel for this determination. If not, establish the scope of the inspection before it begins. If that scope is not respected by the compliance officer, you may stop the inspection by withdrawing your permission to continue the inspection without a warrant.

3

During the opening conference, confirm the ground rules about the scope and other details of the inspection, such as the areas to be entered or operations to review.

4

During the inspection, stay with the OSHA compliance officer at all times. Be the officer’s “shadow,” which includes taking the same photographs and measurements. If unsure of the compliance officer’s actions, ask him or her why they took a photograph, video, or measurement. Take extensive notes of what the officer observes, people spoken to, and what is said.

5

Be careful what you say to the compliance officer; it may be considered an admission. Never argue with the officer, although you may point out that there is no hazard, employee exposure to any hazard, or that the standard does not apply.

6

If the compliance officer believes there is a violation and it can be corrected or abated immediately, then do so. If it cannot be abated immediately, try to determine exactly what the officer believes is required for abatement.

7

During the closing conference, focus on seeking information from the officer rather than providing information to him or her, and ask the officer specifically why an apparent violation exists: what is the hazard, where is the exposure, why does the standard apply, etc.

8

Phillip B. Russell is an OSHA lawyer who represents electrical and other contractors in all matters relating to workplace safety and compliance, among other labor and employment law issues. He is a shareholder in the Tampa office of the international labor and employment law firm, Ogletree Deakins.

Phillip can be reached at phillip.russell@ ogletreedeakins.com and (813) 221-7265.

Based on discussions with the compliance officer and his or her actions during the inspection, plan your next actions in the investigation. OSHA has strict time limits on investigations.

9

Do not agree or admit to anything. For example, do not agree that any hazardous condition exists or that any particular time for abatement is adequate or reasonable.

10

Having and maintaining a robust safety program and culture will help keep OSHA off your front steps, now and in the future. However, following these tips places you well on your way to properly handle an OSHA investigation and mitigate legal consequences should an investigation occur.

COMPANY OFFICIALS NEED TO BE PREPARED TO RESPOND TO SERIOUS SITUATIONS THAT THEY HOPE WILL NEVER HAPPEN. THEY NEED TO BE PREPARED AND THEN HOPE THAT THEIR PREPARATIONS ARE MERELY “INSURANCE” AND WILL NEVER HAVE TO BE IMPLEMENTED.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

29

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FEATURE

V E D

G N I P O L E

Y T E F A S A H C

S N O I P M

al es Belve

l

By Char

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

31

FEATURE

Normally when we think about our “safety leaders,” we think of people who have been selected to be the safety spokesperson to represent the company’s programs, policies, procedures, or goals. We then designate these people titles such as safety director, safety manager, or something similar that identifies them as the safety go-to person. In other instances, we expect other members of a company’s management team to be the safety leader, but usually safety becomes a side-bar to their normal duties.

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

A safety director or safety manager is a very important person to have in your organization. There needs to be someone to guide the Safety Program and develop consistent interpretation, understanding, and enforcement. This person will also represent the company Safety Program’s goals and history to others, such as clients, general contractors, or government agencies.

Unfortunately, this person is only one individual, and they cannot be everywhere at once. This is why contractors need to put in place a program and tools that enables other employees to be safety champions on their respective job sites.

TOOLS FOR SAFETY LEADERS Employers know that most of their employees are intelligent, motivated individuals who want to do a good job and do not want to get hurt on the job.

They like the concept of safety, but sometimes feel that it gets in the way of efficiently doing their job. On the other hand, there are some instances where they feel as though they are being pushed by management to cut corners to get the job done. Whether this is true or not, it is the perception of the employee that is what is important. How the employee perceives the importance of safety will guide their actions with respect to safety, so it is critical that all company leaders present a united attitude on the importance of safety on the job site. When employees see the importance that management places on safety, they will begin to adjust their attitude toward safety.

Once employees’ attitude toward safety begins to change, a safety leader must start providing employees with the tools necessary to enact a change. One of the most important tools to enact change is the Safety Observation Report. This is a simple document that employees can utilize to identify an unsafe condition or

action that needs correction. Consider the first roll out of a Safety Observation Report as a “Safety Suggestion Box Form.” The most important aspect of the Safety Observation Report is the feedback that employees receive after submitting the report. The feedback should always be positive in nature and should include the action that management will take to fix the problem identified by employees.

The next phase of the Safety Observation Report should require an employee who filled out a report to take some initial action to mitigate the unsafe condition or action identified themselves, and the safety leader will need to respond to the employee to show that the employee’s actions were recognized and appreciated.

Another important tool in a safety leader’s toolbox is the “Stop Work Responsibility” Process. This process empowers an employee to call a “time-out” on the job site to discuss and correct safety concerns. When employees understand that they have the authority to correct safety concerns, and the expectation of management is that they will apply this authority in a constructive manner, then employees will begin to take ownership of job site safety, not only for themselves but also for everyone else on the site.

Stop Work Responsibility activities need to be documented and turned in to the safety leader so that he or she can track any trends, communicate the safety concerns to other job sites, and reward employees for the positive growth with regard to safety and leadership.

Another important tool for safety leaders are safety committees. These committees should be comprised of employees of all levels, from various workplaces and job sites. The committee will meet on a regular schedule to discuss safety concerns, incidents, near misses, safety trends, and other safety-related topics.

One important aspect of the committee is that “rank” stays outside the door. During the meeting, all participants must be recognized as equals and have the chance to be heard. The names of the committee members as well as the committee’s activities and actions should be communicated to all workplaces and job sites on a regular basis. This will provide your employees with the knowledge that management and their fellow coworkers are looking out for their safety.

A quality Mentorship Program for new employees is another important tool for

a safety leader. Safety mentors should be assigned to each new employee, regardless of their position. A safety mentor will guide and train the new employee on the company’s expectations, goals, programs, and policies for an initial period of employment. This will enable the new employee to gain a better understanding of job site safety, and the safety mentor will gain a better understanding of safety as well. The best way to fully understand something and appreciate it is to teach it.

When company management and safety leaders apply these basic tools and others similar to these, they will find that they have planted the seeds for a good, quality Safety Culture for their organization. When this culture begins to grow, safety leaders will find that every employee in the workplace and on the job site will become safety champions.

Safety leaders are important in every organization, but safety champions are even more critical since they are the ones that truly achieve safety at the workplace and job sites. Identifying safety champions should be easy, since every employee should be a safety champion.

THIS PERSON WILL ALSO REPRESENT THE COMPANY SAFETY PROGRAM’S GOALS AND HISTORY TO OTHERS, SUCH AS CLIENTS, GENERAL CONTRACTORS, OR GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

33

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FEATURE

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT

OSHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S NEW SILICA RULE

By Sid Holcomb

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

35

FEATURE

T

he Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently announced a new rule that will better protect workers from the harmful effects of breathing respirable crystalline silica dust. Prevalent at certain workplaces, including construction sites and foundries, the dust can lead to lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease.

The new provisions will begin to take effect in June 2017 for the construction industry and June 2018 for maritime and general industry.

NEW REQUIREMENTS The rule significantly reduces the amount of silica dust that workers can be exposed to on the job. The permissible exposure limit (PEL) for respirable crystalline silica is now 50 micrograms per cubic meter of air, averaged over an 8-hour shift.

Employers are required to limit access to high exposure areas, provide training, provide respiratory protection when controls are not enough to limit exposure, provide written exposure control plans, and measure exposures in some cases.

Employers will have to implement controls and work practices that reduce workers exposure to silica dust.

For most activities, this means that employers will have to ensure that silica dust is wetted down or vacuumed up so that workers don’t breathe it in.

The rule also requires employers to offer medical examinations to highlyexposed workers. Workers who find out they have a related illness can use that information to make employment or lifestyle decisions to protect their health.

an extensive public outreach effort; and nearly a year of public comment, including several weeks of public hearings.

THE NEED FOR CHANGE Approximately 2.3 million people in the U.S. are exposed to silica at work, including 2 million in the construction industry. That’s a lot of potential worker deaths and illnesses that we want to prevent.

This isn’t a new issue. We have known about the dangers of working around silica for decades. More than 80 years ago, U.S. Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins first brought experts and stakeholders together to determine the best ways to protect workers from silica dust.

When OSHA was established in 1971, one of the first hazards the agency issued standards for was silica. However, exposure limits for these standards were based on research from the 1960s and earlier, which do not reflect more recent scientific evidence or show that the current silica exposure limits do not adequately protect worker health.

Workers are still dying or living severely limited lives as a result of silica dust exposure. Most deaths from silicosis go undiagnosed and unreported.

And the number of silicosis deaths is misleading because it does not include additional deaths from other silica-related diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, or kidney disease.

The technology for most employers to meet the new standards is widely available and affordable, and many employers are already implementing these necessary measures.

This rule is based on extensive review of peer-reviewed scientific evidence; current industry consensus standards;

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

FLEXIBILITY FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY The new silica rule provides common sense, affordable, and flexible strategies for employers to protect workers.

Special flexibility is also being provided for the construction industry.

For the most common tasks in construction, OSHA has spelled out exactly how to best protect workers in Table 1*. If employers follow those specifications, they can be sure that they are providing their workers with the required level of protection. Additionally, employers complying with Table 1 are not required to measure respirable crystalline silica exposures to verify that levels are at or below the PEL for workers engaged in the specified task.

If employers have better ideas about how to provide protection, they can do that too – as long as they make sure that their methods effectively reduce their workers exposure to silica dust.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

Sid Holcomb does strategic communications for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Prior to joining the Department of Labor as a presidential management fellow in 2012, Holcomb earned a graduate degree in public administration from DePaul University in Chicago. Holcomb’s career also includes stints as a small business owner and as an Air Force intelligence analyst.

Visit OSHA’s silica rule webpage at www.osha.gov/silica for a direct link to Table 1, factsheets, answers to frequently asked questions, and to sign up for email updates on compliance dates and resources.

OSHA provides help for employers, including technical assistance about effective safety and health programs as well as training and education at www.osha.gov/employers. Resources specifically for small businesses, including information about OSHA’s free On-site Consultation Program, can be found at www.osha.gov/smallbusiness. *: OSHA’s “Table 1: Specified Exposure Control Methods When Working With Materials Containing Crystalline Silica” can be accessed at www.osha. gov/silica/SilicaConstructionRegText.pdf.

THE NEW SILICA RULE PROVIDES COMMON SENSE, AFFORDABLE, AND FLEXIBLE STRATEGIES FOR EMPLOYERS TO PROTECT WORKERS. SPECIAL FLEXIBILITY IS ALSO BEING PROVIDED FOR THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY. www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

37

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MANAGEMENT METHODS

JOB SITE

PRODUCTIVITY IS CRUCIAL FOR

PROFITABILITY

By Steve Killius and Kevin Kohl

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

39

MANAGEMENT METHODS

A

ccording to the 2016 Dodge Construction Outlook, total U.S. construction starts for 2016 will rise 6%, to $712 billion. This is following gains of 9% in 2014 and an estimated 13% in 2015. The Outlook states that single-family housing will surge by 20%, multifamily housing will advance 7%, commercial building will rise 11%, and institutional building will grow by 9% in dollars.

At a macro level, this scenario clearly presents exciting opportunities for electrical contractors. On a micro level, however, contractors are continuously forced to tackle various job site issues, all of which affect their productivity, profitability and their ability to seamlessly move to the next job site.

These include skilled labor shortage, material price volatility, evolving project delivery systems, schedule acceleration, incomplete project specifications, and unproductive activities.

JOB SITE CHALLENGES The hurdles that job site issues pose to contractors are also impacted by a number of additional factors. Fortunately, they can be relatively easy to overcome, given the right products and strategies.

Contractors must be aware of a number of hidden costs associated with the bill of material for a given project. Each project should be broken down into various components in order to determine the precise materials needed for each stage.

This practice gives contractors a better view of raw materials and assemblies required as well as costs associated with completing each stage of the project.

It also helps to illuminate that cost implications start at the purchasing stage and continue through delivery to the job site and installation of the various devices.

To counter lead times and price increases, some contractors are tempted to purchase all of the line items that appear on the bill of material needed for their project in one go. They rely on their distributors to provide a timely and seamless product

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flow. Failing to properly coordinate deliveries with the construction schedule can result in hundreds of items being delivered to the job site at once, often at inconvenient times. A contractor who has this issue is then required to receive the goods, cross check the inventory, and safely move and store the items. Then, prior to the items being installed, the contractor has to find the items, unpack them from storage, assemble them based on specific requirements, move them to the required area, and then begin the process of installation. Interestingly, contractors may forget to factor in that materials will have to be moved 2.5 times on average prior to installation, according to a study by KE O’Brien and Associates, and that up to 70% of on-site injuries occur when materials are being moved, not when they are being installed.

Cost is also a prominent issue among contractors. Many electrical contractors are under cost pressure and look to purchase and install the cheapest components available. The thinking is that buying cheap will decrease their bill of material and deliver a corresponding increase in job site profitability. Invariably, these cheaper products require more installation time, as they have been cost-reduced to eliminate the laborsaving benefits that they otherwise would provide. This is important because contractors often forget to factor in the largest component of an item’s total installed cost – the price of labor. By selecting an inexpensive and unproductive device solution, the contractor may effectively negate the material cost savings with the higher cost of labor due to the additional time required to configure and install the product.

Another issue that presents job site challenges is that some electrical contractors fail to establish and maintain the correct distributor relationships.

They may not fully understand supplychain intricacies or how to take advantage of the value of add-on services offered by various distributors.

This often affects the delivery of the correct products to the job site at the

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

required time. It also compromises project costs and can severely impact overall job site productivity.

When falling behind or put under schedule pressure by a general contractor or customer, contractors often think that if they flood the job site with workers with a wide variety of skills, then the job will be finished quicker. The reality is that too many workers on site can prove to be just as unproductive as too few. Job site projects are invariably drawn out, as everyone on site has to complete their task. In addition, having a wide variety of skilled workers, but not enough of the required skills, could result in time delays, and certain jobs will have to be redone. Poor skills and staffing practices can be detrimental to the profitability of a project as well as the ability to meet the completion deadline.

PRODUCTIVITYBOOSTING SOLUTIONS So, what options should contractors embrace to boost their productivity and profitability?

Going through a detailed preplanning process before work commences is crucial. Contractors must determine if a prefabrication or in-house fabrication strategy is best suited for their unique project. A skills audit coupled with a contingency plan should be implemented to ensure that employees with the correct training will be available for the various aspects of the project. There must also be a plan of how to get the right product to the correct part of the job site at the required time.

Emphasis should also be placed on the implementation of a prefabrication strategy. Subassemblies should be done off-site so the contractor can focus on one thing – the rapid and accurate installation of preconfigured and marked/labeled devices. Contractors could consider partnering with innovative manufacturers who make “installation-ready” devices.

Besides freeing up time, this strategy

allows contractors to diversify their risks by moving a sizable portion of work off-site into controllable manufacturing environments. This facilitates enhanced material management and workflow, ensures quality workmanship, and reduces the threat of nonproductive or unassociated job site activities.

Interestingly, some contractors falsely assume that because they are active on the job site they are productive.

However, there is always the option of adopting an in-house prefabrication strategy. This could entail preparing all the devices for each section on the job site prior to installation. This approach can certainly be a successful strategy if it is designed and implemented correctly.

Ideally, it should have formalized processes and a dedicated facility or area for preconstruction. Deadlines should be adhered to and a well-managed supply chain must be in place.

Irrespective of which prefabrication strategy contractors adopt, they must avoid the pitfall of â&#x20AC;&#x153;spreadsheet purchasing.â&#x20AC;? This approach may end up saving pennies, but if they change their on-site installation paradigm, they could end up saving dollars.

Prior to deploying workers on a job site, contractors should conduct a skills assessment of the project. This entails analyzing the complexity of the project and determining the right mix of employees with the appropriate technical knowledge, experience, and expertise needed to successfully complete the job on time and on budget. In addition, there should be some level of contingency planning. If a skilled worker is sick or injured, there should be a backup plan in place to seamlessly put another qualified worker on the job site with minimal workflow interruption. It is absolutely critical that electrical contractors be confident in his or her staff and plan accordingly for each unique job.

Contractors should also be focused on supply chain optimization. This must include integrating their job site functionality and requirements into the supply chains of innovative manufacturing and distribution partners. Part of the process involves implementing the necessary steps to ensure the right products are seamlessly delivered at precisely the right time to the job site and in a manner that improves the on-site processes. To make this just-intime delivery process work, contractors should be identifying manufacturers and distributors they want to integrate with before the project starts. Once this is done, they should collaborate with these partners to establish the necessary plans, policies, and processes. Contractors should also be reviewing their on-site processes to ensure that as they progress through the project there are triggers that signal to the supply chain that new products are needed just before inventory runs out. If optimized correctly, a well-run supply chain will deliver time, productivity, and financial returns on investment.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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FEATURE CONCLUSION While some electrical contractors may face a few challenges and have to deal with a number of business-related issues, job site productivity is still relatively easy to attain. The implementation of strategies and processes to enhance project planning, manage supply chains, establish robust supplier relations, address labor and skill issues, and use

42

preconfigured and more reliable products are critical productivity components.

Implemented correctly, they will deliver labor and financial savings and facilitate getting contractors off the current job site faster and onto the next with a minimal number of callbacks. More productivity in the industry will be attained as more electrical suppliers, distributors, contractors, and subcontractors begin to align their systems and processes.

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

Steve Killius is vice president for the Contractor Resource Group in the Electrical Wiring Systems Division of Legrand, North America. He can be reached at steve.killius@legrand.us.

Kevin Kohl is product manager for Pass & Seymour in the Electrical Wiring Systems Division of Legrand, North America. He can be reached at kevin.kohl@legrand.us.

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ADVERTORIAL

H O M E D E P OT - F I R E SA F E T Y

Innovations in Fire Safety

By Gail Dutton

44

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

F

ire safety may seem on the fringe of electricians scope of work, but it is actually a key element in home automation. As homeowners increasingly install security devices and connect to the Internet of Things (IoT), electricians have an opportunity to expand their services while educating consumers about the innovative, lifesaving products now available.

Smoke alarms, for instance, have evolved from simple devices that required annual battery changes to sophisticated, specialized safety products. Kidde’s Worry-Free line of smoke alarms, available through Home Depot, eliminates the need to ever change batteries.

Room-specific devices provide more accurate alerts, multiple functions, and know the difference between burnt toast and real emergencies.

Fire Codes Include New Technologies “There have been a ton of changes in the past few years that improve fire safety,” said Julia Buerger, Home Depot merchant for electric. “Many of those changes are reflected in national fire safety codes and in state legislation.”

California, New York, and Maryland all have legislation requiring battery-powered smoke alarms to have 10-year sealed batteries, and other states and major municipalities are likely to follow. These mandates are in response to National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports indicating 59 percent of fire-related deaths occurred in homes where smoke alarms were lacking or inoperable – usually because the batteries had died.

The 10-year sealed lithium batteries in Kidde’s Worry-Free smoke alarms, carbon monoxide (CO) alarms, and combination units eliminate that point of failure, potentially saving the lives of the home’s occupants as well as the

lives of firefighters who won’t have to enter a burning home. Worry-Free devices are available as battery and as hardwired units, with a 10-year battery backup for power sources.

Worry-Free alarms last ten years from initial power, and will chirp when they need to be replaced. Homeowners can save about $40 in battery costs during the life of each alarm. Combination alarms, like the Kidde Worry-Free Hardwired Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Voice Warning, offer twoin-one protection for homeowners and save time and money on installation for electricians, particularly those located in states where legislation requires both smoke and CO alarms. The alarm says, “Fire” or “Warning: Carbon Monoxide” when a threat is detected. “The bedroom smoke alarm also has a voice warning, because some sleeping people respond better to audible voices,” Buerger said.

Alarms have features that are specific to rooms in all homes. “Kidde’s hallway alarm contains a super bright LED light that helps to light the way in an emergency,” Buerger said. “While Kidde’s kitchen alarm can tell the difference between burnt toast and a real emergency.”

“The kitchen alarm uses patented technology to reduce the chance of nuisance alarms sounding in response to common events,” Buerger continued.

“Smoke from cooking won’t trigger the alarm, so you will [only] be alerted to a real fire. It also detects carbon monoxide.”

Internet-Connected Devices Home Depot also stocks a number of Internet-connected fire safety items.

For example, Nest Protect 2.0 signals smartphones when it detects smoke, carbon monoxide or low batteries. Also, alarms can be hushed through an app.

Using this solution, though, requires replacing all the alarms in the house.

Kidde’s RemoteLync Home Monitoring Device is an alternative to alarm replacement. It listens for the unique beeping pattern that a smoke or CO alarm makes and uses a home’s Wi-Fi to send an alert to an app on the homeowner’s smartphone. One device covers the average-sized home, approximately 2,000 feet. However, the alarms can’t be controlled from the phone.

Kidde’s 2-in-1 Battery Operated Wireless-Interconnected Combination Smoke, Fire & Carbon Monoxide Alarm is Wink compatible. The Wink hub allows for disparate wireless devices to communicate with each other.

Helping protect homes from fire is an extra service that can distinguish you from your competition. So, while educating customers about fire safety, remember to discuss fire extinguishers, escape ladders, and the need for an escape plan.

Contractor Discounts Stocked with supplies that meet the fire and safety codes in their communities, Home Depot stores have everything electricians need to help protect their customers’ homes from fire.

Tiered discounts are available for purchases of 12 or more alarms from a mix of brands, including Kidde, GenTex, and USI. Orders can be delivered in brown box packaging to the job site within 48 hours.

For further savings, professionals can participate in Home Depot’s Pro Xtra Loyalty Program and Pro Appreciation events throughout the year.

Gail Dutton is a freelance journalist who specializes in the intersection of technology and business. She regularly covers logistics, training, enterprise computing, and biotechnology.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

NEW & IMPROVED

Featured Products SmartStripeTM…See the Difference.

Encore Wire introduces SmartStripe™, a patent pending superior circuit wire striping technology. Its thicker color band and 360-degree view allows for instant identification and higher visibility from any angle. The SmartStripe technology eliminates the possibility of ruboff due to lubes, handling, or the surrounding environment.

SmartStripe increases safety and efficiency and is ideal for electricians and inspectors looking to increase the speed and accuracy in identifying wire. Standard color combinations are available in 18awg-10awg. Wire types include TFN, TFFN, THHN/THWN-2, XHHW-2, and MTW. For more information, please call www.encorewire.com.

Klein® Tools Adds More Functions to Industry Leading Side-Cutting Pliers

Klein® Tools’ Heavy-Duty Nut Drivers Feature a Fully Hollow Handle Design

Klein Tools has combined all of the major functions of side-cutting pliers into one tool - the Journeyman™ High-Leverage Side-Cutting Pliers with Wire Stripper/ Crimper. This new multi-tool cuts and strips 10-12 AWG solid and 12-14 AWG stranded wire, and it crimps non-insulated connectors, lugs, and terminals.

Klein Tools has introduced Heavy-Duty Nut Drivers designed with a completely hollow handle for use on unlimited bolt lengths. The nut drivers have magnetic tips to help retain the nut while driving and wrench assist for additional torque. The heavy-duty shaft has a classic cushion-grip handle and each nut driver end is color coded for easy identification.

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For more information, please visit www.kleintools.com.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

47

NEW & IMPROVED Milwaukee® Introduces the Next Generation of Fastback™ When Milwaukee Tool introduced its first Fastback™ utility knife, it set a new industry standard for cutting on the job site. Now, the company raises the bar once again by introducing a next generation Fastback™ Flip Utility Knife with Blade Storage. Milwaukee® also announces a smaller, more compact version of the Fastback™ knife with the introduction of the Fastback™ Compact Flip Utility Knife.

Similar to the original Fastback™ and Fastback™ II, the Utility Knife with Blade Storage and the Compact Flip Utility Knife are designed to maximize productivity on the job site with press and flip one-handed opening. In addition, quick blade changes allow users to make blade replacements quickly and easily.

For more information, please call (800) SAWDUST or visit www.milwaukeetool.com.

Milwaukee Tool Unveils the Most Durable, Best Equipped Mobile Storage Units Milwaukee Tool introduces a 60” Mobile Work Station and a 30” Steel Storage Chest and Cabinet. Both units are constructed of reinforced angle iron frame and 5” industrial casters for ultimate durability. Exclusive to the 60” Mobile Work Station is a 22” multi-position metal peg wall, which provides a convenient place to store frequently used items. The 30” Storage’s vertical, upright design makes it easy to move around the work space.

For more information, please call (800) SAWDUST or visit www.milwaukeetool.com.

Grab and Go…Cable Pulling Made Simple Encore Wire introduces MC Barrel Packs to its line of cost and labor savings packaging. The patent pending MC Barrel Packs require no extra tools and serve as an instant payoff system. Using a proprietary packaging technique, Encore Wire’s MC Barrel Packs allow longer cable lengths than competitors’ offerings while using smaller containers, meaning no reels to dispose of and minimal scrap.

MC Barrel Packs are easily maneuvered by using any standard dolly and provide a 360-degree radius pay out, increasing productivity and decreasing labor cost. In addition, there are no tangles when pulling from any angle. MC Barrel Packs are available in standard 120V/280Y and 277V/480Y color codes.

For more information, please call (972) 562-9473 ext. 277 or visit www.encorewire.com.

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Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

Hubbell Control Solutions Introduces CX Series Programmable Switches Hubbell Control Solutions has announced the introduction of a new line of low voltage switches designed specifically for use with the CX Lighting Panel. The CXSW switches are offered in 1, 2, 3, 4, or 6 programmable button configurations.

CXSW switches offer the unique feature of being field programmed to control both dimming and switching functions. Most switch designs require the function to be hard coded into the switch.

The new 24Vdc design provides on/off switching and continuous dimming when connected to the CX control panel’s optional dimming card.

The attractive design of Hubbell’s new switches fits standard decorator-style switch plates.

They are gang-able with other decorator type devices. The switches ship with the most common printed button caps, which can be field exchanged to match the setup of the switch station. Five year warranty is standard.

Product is available now in all models and colors. For more information, please visit www.hubbell-automation.com.

Ballast-Compatible LED T-8 Tube: An EnergyEfficient Alternative to Fluorescent Tube Lights Super Bright LEDs now offers a ballast-­compatible LED T8 tube for office lighting, school lighting, hospital lighting, basement lighting, and more. The energy-efficient F32T8 tube light can be used in direct­wire fixtures or to replace T8 tubes in fluorescent fixtures without removing ballasts. Designed to last 50,000 hours – five times longer than fluorescent tubes – the LED T8 tube reduces costly repairs, disposal fees, and the need for replacements. This 18­watt LED light emits 1,900 lumens of natural white illumination and is comparable to a 24 ­watt fluorescent tube light.

For more information, please visit www.superbrightleds.com.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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AD INDEX

American Technical Publishers

(800) 323-3471

www.atplearning.com

pg. 50

Acuity Brands

(800) 922-9641

www.acuitybrands.com/quickship

pg. 52

Allied Tube & Conduit

(800) 882-5543

www.alliedeg.us

pg. 30

Atkore International

(800) 882-5543

www.atkore.com

pg. 56

CNA

(800) CNA-2000

www.cna.com/iec

pg. 17

Eaton

(412) 893-3300

www.eaton.com/aftermarket

pg. 21

Encore Wire

(800) 962-9473

www.encorewire.com/pullpro

pg. 9

Federated Insurance

(507) 455-5200

www.federatedinsurance.com

pg. 38

Flir Systems

(866) 477-3687

www.flir.com/T1K

pg. 46

Graybar

(800) GRAYBAR

www.graybar.com

pg. 7

Greenlee

(800) 435-0786

www.greenlee.com

pg. 28

Ideal Industries

(800) 435-0705

www.idealindustries.com

pg. 2

ILSCO

(800) 776-9775

www.ilsco.com

pg. 34

Lutron

(844) 588-7661

www.lutron.com/casetawireless.com

pg. 13

Milwaukee Tool

(201) 388-7112

www.milwaukeetool.com

Back cover

P&S Legrand

(877) BY-LEGRAND

www.legrand.us/passandseymour/IEC

pg. 43

Panduit

(800) 777-3300

www.panduit.com/safety

pg. 5

Schneider Electric

(877) 342-5173

www.schneider-electric.us

Inside back cover

Southwire

(888) NO-LUBE-0

www.coilpak.southwire.com

Inside front cover

The Home Depot

(800) HOME-DEPOT

www.homedepot.com

pg. 1

WANT TO ADVERTISE?

IEC AD AND EXPO SALES COORDINATOR Rich Ryan (419) 734-5545 | rgrsvc@gmail.com

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

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SAFETY CORNER

FINGERS -

Mind Your Digits

By Thomas Domitrovich, P.E.

O

ur hands and fingers are some of our greatest assets, which is why giving them the attention they deserve is important for a host of reasons. We use our hands and fingers to do many things on a daily basis.

They pull wire, make terminations, steer vehicles, create wonderful works of art, shape and form metal and wood, and they make the impossible possible.

Unfortunately, many know what it is like to not have these assets at their disposal and understand the challenges that presents.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) tells us that in 2014 there were 137,440 lost-time cases that resulted due to hand injuries. The BLS also reported that in 2013 that there were 139,820 lost-time cases that resulted due to hand injuries.

Next to back injuries, our hands seem to be an area that can use some focus when it comes to workplace safety.

One would think that keeping track of those digits that are permanently affixed to our hands shouldn’t be all that difficult. After all, it’s not like we’re herding cats. Unfortunately, statistics tell us we need to focus in this area.

UNDERSTANDING INJURIES The first step in this process is to understand the problem and recognize the hazards. When it comes to hand injuries, we could create the obvious laundry list of basic injuries received: Pinches, abrasions,

cuts, strains, bruises, dislocations, amputations, and the infamous carpal tunnel syndrome are just a few. When I typically speak to this topic, I use my own hands as my own personal tour through the discussion. Some of us have to learn the hard way when it comes to protecting our hands. There’s a scar on my pinky finger from the stiches needed after it was pinched in an aluminum brake when I was just a kid helping my dad. There’s a scar on the back of the hand from the sharp nails of my dog, which I received while playing on the living room floor. And the two scars near my knuckle occurred when a #12, or it could have been a #14, conductor entered and exited after I cut and trimmed up the wire and slipped forward. A controlled exploration of your team’s past injuries to the hand can help us all understand that closer attention to safety around this subject is warranted.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

53

SAFETY CORNER In addition to understanding the types of hand injuries that are occurring, understanding which hand is dominant can provide more insight when compared to which hand was injured. It is more common to injure the non-dominant hand than it is the dominant hand. The cause of the injury is going to differ depending on which hand it was that was injured as well. It makes sense when you think of it with regard to the fact that we use our dominant hand to do things such as use a knife, hammer, or other tools. We are also less aware of our non-dominant hand in many instances. I have read that we more often lean on our non-dominant hand when resting, which could be the making of a recipe for an injury when you marry that with the fact that our awareness around that hand is less. It is advisable to have both left-handed and right-handed individuals on your safety review committee to ensure you have both perspectives when looking at hazards.

the more someone performs an activity the greater the risk of complacency and, therefore, injury. The challenge may be our mindset and acceptance of risk, either because we have done this task so often and nothing has ever happened in the past or because it seems like a simple task and it is obvious that nothing will happen when carried out. These are very difficult challenges to address within an organization. I could argue that this type of complacent mindset is as real of a hazard as a bucket is for tripping when in the middle of a high walking traffic site.

The other injury that can be associated with keeping our digits and hands under control is shock when our hands come in contact with energized conductors or equipment. We can’t forget the fact that our hands are the first and often only parts of our bodies inside electrical equipment.

YOUR HAND PROTECTION CHECKLIST

Wrapping your head around the types of injuries occurring to your team is a starting point. The next step is to understand how they are occurring and recognizing the hazards.

RECOGNIZING THE HAZARDS In reality, hazards to our hands are all around us, the threat may change because of our profession, but one could argue the change is not as much as you would think. Hazards range from sharp edges to lack of guarding on power tools to shock.

An analysis of the types of injuries in your organization as well as the types of equipment on job sites can help uncover the hazards. In some cases, this is an area where familiarity does breed contempt, as

54

Once you have identified the hazards, a plan of attack to address them should be put in place. There is a facet of this attack plan that is obvious through addressing direct hazards, such as a lack of shielding sharp edges and more. However, there is also a less obvious portion of this plan that needs to address complacency.

Raise awareness of hand and finger hazards.

• In addition to helping your team understand the obvious offenders, we should also raise awareness of the not so obvious hazards. For example, we all understand that knives and similar tools can cause lacerations and cuts, but we may not understand the fact that statistics show many injuries to the hands and fingers come from burrs and/ or equipment that was not designed to be sharp but have become sharp due to wear. Raising this awareness can help challenge those who have become complacent over the years.

• Address the complacency tendency by engaging more with your team to identify those not so obvious hazards to the hands and fingers. Share those examples throughout your organization.

Insights Magazine | May/June 2016 | www.ieci.org

I nspect and ensure proper personal protective equipment (PPE) is available and being used.

• Not all gloves are the same and in more ways than just size. Each individual has to understand which gloves are to be used for the various jobs being performed. Section 130.7(C)(7) of NFPA 70E 2015 tells us that “Employees shall wear rubber insulating gloves with leather protectors where there is a danger of hand injury from electric shock due to contact with energized electrical conductors or circuit parts.”

This section goes further to point out that “Rubber insulating gloves shall be rated for the voltage for which the gloves will be exposed.”

Not all gloves are created equal.

• Gloves should be cared for and periodically inspected. NFPA 70E tells us that gloves should be tested before first issue and tested every six months thereafter. The governing standard for test voltage for gloves is ASTM F496, “Standard Specification for In-Service Care of Insulating Gloves and Sleeves.”

Even your standard work gloves that are not used for electrical insulation should be inspected before each use. As gloves become worn they need to be replaced.

• Remember that gloves may not be advisable when working in or around rotating equipment.

Be wise to pinch points. Look for pinch points, take pictures, and educate your team on how to recognize and address them. A photo is worth 1000 words.

Finger-safe solutions. Using, specifying, and designing around finger-safe solutions where possible is a great first step to prevent an injury opportunity from arising. Many components these days are being made to prevent fingers from coming in contact with energized parts.

Leverage these types of solutions in your equipment designs and construction.

Tool modifications. Look for tools that may have been modified, such as removal of guards, shields, or other protective components. This often occurs in the field

when we are trying to get a job done faster or when using the wrong tool for the job. These are bad habits that can be seen through inspection of our tools.

Keep work areas clean. If your work area is cluttered, your hands will eventually wander into an area where you cannot see the hazard or be forced into that cluttered area due to a fall or for stabilization, resulting in injury.

Equipment/machinery inspections.

Before or after you have inspected your gloves to ensure they are not compromised, make an inspection of the equipment you are using. Ensure it is in good working condition before and after your tasks are completed.

Work de-energized. Make this the rule rather than the exception.

Work with your team to create your own check-list. Springboard off of the above to increase safety and reduce the incidents of injury to hands and fingers on your team.

PARTING REMARKS Your hands are used more often than other parts of your body on a daily basis. Protect them and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t become complacent. And as always, keep safety at the top of your list and ensure you and those around you live to see another day.

Thomas Domitrovich, P.E. manages a team of Application Engineers for the Circuit Protection Division of Eaton Corporation, specifically Eatonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bussmann business.

Thomas is based out of St. Louis, Missouri, and has more than 25 years of experience as an Electrical Engineer. He is a LEED Accredited Professional and a licensed Professional Engineer. Thomas is active in various trade organizations and chairs committees for NEMA and IEEE. Thomas is a principal member of Code Making Panel 2 for the National Electrical Code (NFPA 70) and an Alternate member on NFPA 73, both representing NEMA. Thomas is also active in state by state adoption of NFPA 70 and other building codes, working closely with review committees and other key organizations to increase safety.

www.ieci.org | May/June 2016 | Insights Magazine

55

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