Safety Links in The Local News

With a recent crane accident chopping a house in half, Safety Links was called by the Wesh 2 News to provide perspective on the incident. One of our Safety Consultant's,

Safety Tip Noise

October Safety Tip – Noise

Did you know that October is National Audiology Awareness Month & National Protect Your Hearing Month? With this in mind, we've created a safety module appropriate for the occasion that will

Safety Tip – Fire Extinguisher Training

Fire Extinguisher Safety Training Did you know that fires and explosions kill more than 200 and injure more than 5,000 workers each year? Not only is fire extinguisher and prevention training necessary
Safety Tip Noise

Safety Tip – Noise

Did you know that October is National Audiology Awareness Month & National Protect Your Hearing Month?

With this in mind, we've created a safety module appropriate for the occasion that will focus on noise protection while working on and off your job.

Some of the topics include:

  • Noise and Acoustics
  • Workplace PEL's
  • Methods To Control and Minimize Exposure
  • Selection Of Hearing Protection

View the presentation:

Safety Tip Noise

 

 

Man on ladder

Watch that behavior! Conducting meaningful behavior observations

Behavioral Observations sounds simple enough. Watch a person do their job then fill out a checklist …right?

Actually, there is more to conducting a MEANINGFUL behavior observation than that. The best behavior-based safety initiatives are unique to a particular company and are developed specifically to suit its circumstances. With that said here are some general steps that should be taken within any organization.

1) Employee Involvement

Man on ladder

  • Employee observations are the backbone of the behavior-based safety system, thus the workforce must understand the need for behavior-based safety.
  • Communication and trust among members of the organization increases as the team concept toward safety is developed.

2) Determining “Critical Behaviors”

  • A hazard analysis should be done in order to identify the company’s “at-risk” behaviors.
  • This can be done using data from employee surveys, interviews and injury and near-miss records.

3) Observation Form Development

  • The selected at-risk behaviors will be used as the basis of the observation form.
  • The form typically includes a list of the critical behaviors in addition to field check off "safe" or "at-risk."
  • Also a section should be added to allow the observer to make comments.

4) Conducting Observations

  • Observer training is critical. Untrained observers have the potential to turn the Behavioral Observation process into a negative experience for employees which can cause harm to your culture.
  • Typically the process starts with supervisors and managers observing and monitoring employees. Eventually as the culture develops employees can become involved in the observation process as well.
  • Both positive and at-risk behaviors are noted on the checklist. The employee and the observer discuss the results and the employee gives explanations and feedback. Suggested behaviors are discussed and praise is encouraged.
  • The employee being observed should not be named on the observation form.

5) Performance Measurement and Feedback

  • The data collected on the observation checklist should be entered into a spread sheet or database.
  • This will allow the outcomes to bed analyzed and compared to previous months.
  • Solutions for potential problems are based on this data with the ultimate goal of improving workplace safety.

6) Want to take it to the next level?

  • A great way to take your Behavioral Observation process to the next level is to incorporate a “quality scoring” section into them.
  • This will remind the observers to create a meaningful document with the checklist and not simply “pencil-whip” the form.
  • You can create questions to improve the quality of the report such as:
  • Was your employee feedback dynamic (2-way)?
  • Was the feedback positive, negative or both?
  • Did you focus on the monthly safety behavior? (If applicable)

Incorporating a behavior-based observation process into your over-all safety management strategy can be a meaningful way to improve the safety culture at your company and, ultimately, to keep your employees safe at work.

If you would like more information on setting up an effective behavioral safety system contact Trevor Reschny at 407-760-6170 or email him at treschny[at]safetylinks.net

IOA Risk Services

Nailing Down Gun Safety

Nail guns are used every day on many construction jobs.  They boost productivity but also cause tens of thousands of serious injuries each year.  Nail gun injuries are common—one study found that 2 out of 5 residential carpenter apprentices experienced a nail gun injury over a four-year period.  Injuries from use of nail guns hospitalize more construction workers than any other tool-related injury.  Research has also found that the risk of a nail gun injury is twice as high when using a multi-shot contact trigger as opposed to using a single-shot sequential trigger nail gun.  Furthermore, studies have shown that training in the proper use of the nail gun being used is essential in reducing the likelihood of injury.  Since training is usually not required for operating a nail gun, it may be a challenge to find.  You can contact your local community college or hardware retailer about training they may provide.  Training by an experienced user can also be helpful.  At the very least, read and follow the manufacturer’s instructions and follow the precautions listed below.

Safety Tips for Nail Gun Operation:

  • Use only a nail gun with a sequential trigger mechanism.  NOTE:  Appearance alone won’t tell you if the gun you are using is equipped with a contact or sequential trigger.  Both triggers look the same, but operate differently.  With sequential nail guns, the tool will fire only one nail when pulling the trigger.  With a gun equipped with a contact trigger, if you keep the trigger pulled while pushing the gun against a surface, the gun will continue to fire.  Using a sequential nail gun will reduce incidence of injuries without affecting speed of operation.
  • Never aim or fire the gun towards you or anyone near you.
  • Do not press the trigger unless the nose of the gun—the contact element—is pressed firmly against the work material.
  • Don’t ever hold your finger near the trigger when carrying the nail gun, even though the trigger is the tool’s center of gravity.
  • Clear jams, load/unload and adjust the nail gun only when it is disconnected from the air supply.
  • Avoid nailing into knows or metal since nails are more likely to ricochet.  Dense materials such as laminated beams are also difficult to nail.
  • Don’t remove or bypass safety devices, triggers or contact springs.
  • If a nail gun is not working correctly, tag it and take it out of service.  Defective tools are dangerous.
  • When operating a nail gun, keep as much distance as you can between your free hand and the nail gun.
  • When climbing or descending a ladder, put some distance between you and the nail gun.  Point the nose of the tool away from you and others and don’t drop it by the air hose.
  • When attaching the nail gun to the air supply, pull the collar back on the air hose while pointing the front of the nail gun away from you and others.  Push down, then release the collar.  Wear your personal protective equipment not just when operating the nail gun but when attaching the gun to the compressor.  Place the gun in front of you on a work surface or the ground to give you more leverage.

Remember, injuries resulting from nail gun use hospitalize more construction workers than any other tool.  Be safe and don’t get nailed!

If you would like more information on nail gun safety, contact Trevor Reschny at 800-788-7036 or email him at treschny@transportins.net

CONTROL OF HAZARDOUS ENERGY (LOCKOUT/TAGOUT)

What is hazardous energy?

Energy sources including electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, chemical, thermal or other sources in machines and equipment can be hazardous to workers. During the servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment, the unexpected startup or release of stored energy could cause injury to employees.

What are the harmful effects of hazardous energy?

Workers servicing or maintaining machines or equipment may be seriously injured or killed if hazardous energy is not properly controlled. Injuries resulting from the failure to control hazardous energy during maintenance activities can be serious or fatal! Injuries may include electrocution, burns, crushing, cutting, lacerating, amputating, or fracturing body parts, and others.

Electricians, machine operators, and laborers are among the 3 million workers who service equipment routinely and face the greatest risk of injury. Workers injured on the job from exposure to hazardous energy lose an average of 24 workdays for recuperation.

What can be done to control hazardous energy?

Failure to control hazardous energy accounts for nearly 10 percent of the serious accidents in many industries. Proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and procedures safeguard workers from the release of hazardous energy.

OSHA's Lockout/Tagout fact sheet describes the practices and procedures necessary to disable machinery or equipment to prevent the release of hazardous energy.

The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout (29 CFR 1910.147) for general industry outlines measures for controlling different types of hazardous energy. The LOTO standard establishes the employer's responsibility to protect workers from hazardous energy. Employers are also required to train each worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy control procedures:

  • Proper lockout/tagout (LOTO) practices and procedures safeguard workers from the release of hazardous energy. The OSHA standard for The Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout) (29 CFR 1910.147) for general industry, outlines specific action and procedures for addressing and controlling hazardous energy during servicing and maintenance of machines and equipment. Employers are also required to train each worker to ensure that they know, understand, and are able to follow the applicable provisions of the hazardous energy control procedures. Workers must be trained in the purpose and function of the energy control program and have the knowledge and skills required for the safe application, usage and removal of the energy control devices.
  • All employees who work in the area where the energy control procedure(s) are utilized need to be instructed in the purpose and use of the energy control procedure(s) and about the prohibition against attempting to restart or reenergize machines or equipment that is locked or tagged out.
  • All employees who are authorized to lockout machines or equipment and perform the service and maintenance operations need to be trained in recognition of applicable hazardous energy sources in the workplace, the type and magnitude of energy found in the workplace, and the means and methods of isolating and/or controlling the energy.
  • Specific procedures and limitations relating to tagout systems where they are allowed.
  • Retraining of all employees to maintain proficiency or introduce new or changed control methods.

If you would like more information on control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout) training or procedures contact Trevor Reschny at 800-788-7036 or email him at treschny@transportins.net

IOA Risk Services

Heat-Related Illness Safety

Wow, It’s Really Hot Out There! Many people are exposed to heat on some jobs, outdoors or in hot indoor environments. Operations involving high air temperatures, radiant heat sources,