Tag: risk management

Your Best Defense Against a Workplace Injury

information_about_workplace_health_and_safety_policiesA safety and health management system (SHMS) is your best defense against a workplace injury.

An effective safety and health management system has five primary elements:

•          Management Commitment

•          Employee Involvement

•          Workplace Analysis

•          Hazard Prevention and Control

•          Safety and Health Training

This systematic approach integrates occupational safety and health objectives into the company’s organizational structure.

The results of a system approach include:

•          An effective system supports the organization’s philosophy.

•          Safety and health policies and goals are clearly communicated.

•          Accountability for implementing the system is understood and accepted.

•          Long-term solutions are implemented rather than one-time fixes.

•          Evaluation of results over time promotes continual improvement.

•          An effective system positively impacts the company’s bottom line.

Confined Spaces

confinedspace“Confined Space” refers to a space which by design has limited openings for entry and exit, unfavorable natural ventilation which could contain or produce dangerous air contaminants, and which is not intended for continuous employee occupancy. Confined spaces include but are not limited to storage tanks, compartments of ships, process vessels, pits, silos, vats, degreasers, reaction vessels, boilers, ventilation and exhaust ducts, sewers, tunnels, underground utility vaults, and pipelines. According to data collected by the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program, fatal injuries in confined spaces fluctuated from a low of 81 in 1998 to a high of 100 in 2000 during the five-year period, averaging 92 fatalities per year.

via CDC – Confined Spaces – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Lockout-tagout

Lock_out_Tag-outLockout-tagout (LOTO) or lock and tag is a safety procedure which is used in industry and research settings to ensure that dangerous machines are properly shut off and not started up again prior to the completion of maintenance or servicing work. It requires that hazardous power sources be “isolated and rendered inoperative” before any repair procedure is started. “Lock and tag” works in conjunction with a lock usually locking the device or the power source with the hasp, and placing it in such a position that no hazardous power sources can be turned on. The procedure requires that a tag be affixed to the locked device indicating that it should not be turned on.

via Lockout-tagout – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

OSHA – Employer Responsibilities

osha1Employers have the responsibility to provide a safe workplace. Employers MUST provide their employees with a workplace that does not have serious hazards and follow all relevant OSHA safety and health standards. Employers must find and correct safety and health problems. OSHA further requires employers to try to eliminate or reduce hazards first by making changes in working conditions rather than just relying on masks, gloves, ear plugs or other types of personal protective equipment (PPE). Switching to safer chemicals, enclosing processes to trap harmful fumes, or using ventilation systems to clean the air are examples of effective ways to get rid of or minimize risks.

Employers MUST also:

  • Inform employees about hazards through training, labels, alarms, color-coded systems, chemical information sheets and other methods.
  • Keep accurate records of work-related injuries and illnesses.
  • Perform tests in the workplace, such as air sampling required by some OSHA standards.
  • Provide hearing exams or other medical tests required by OSHA standards.
  • Post OSHA citations, injury and illness data, and the OSHA poster in the workplace where workers will see them.
  • Notify OSHA within 8 hours of a workplace incident in which there is a death or when three or more workers go to a hospital.
  • Not discriminate or retaliate against a worker for using their rights under the law.

via Workers.

10 Workplace Safety Tips

work_no_accidentsSafe workplaces don’t happen by accident…They happen when there is a culture of safety within the workplace. To help encourage that culture of safety within your organization – here are 10 Workplace Safety Tips to follow.

  1. Design a safe work area: A work area may include work benches, conveyors, furniture, equipment and vehicles.  The layout of an area where a particular job is based is critical to preventing injuries and ensuring an efficient job and workplace;
  2. Maintain a clean work area:  A clean work area is a Safe work area.  Not only will a clean environment remove many hazards, you will ensure greater productivity from your employees;
  3. Involve your employees in the safety planning: The single most powerful source of motivation for workplace safety – is employee ownership of the safety process;
  4. Provide clear work instructions:  Provide thorough training and clear, written instructions and make sure that each worker reads and acknowledges your safety program;
  5. Focus your safety efforts on the most likely problems: Although it’s necessary to plan for major safety concerns, your greatest impact will come from eliminating the small safety violations that contribute the most frequent injuries;
  6. Encourage your employees to bring safety deficiencies to management’s attention: Employees who provide information and insight into common workplace safety issues are contributing to the culture of safety in your workplace;
  7. Watch and learn how each employee performs their job:  Watch for employees who are taking shortcuts that could reduce safety but also keep an eye out for employees who are performing tasks in an improved manner that could be adopted by the other staff;
  8. Maintain all machinery in good working order:  It is the employer’s responsibility to ensure that all machinery is in good working order and that a routing maintenance program is in place;
  9. Avoid unnecessary hazards: Do a routine inspection of your workplace frequently to identify any unnecessary hazards;
  10. Revisit your safety guidelines every year. Start off each year with an inspection of your workplace and a thorough review of your safety program.

via 10 Workplace Safety Tips for 2013.

Why Health & Safety Leadership is Important

LeadershipEffective health and safety performance comes from the top; members of the board have both collective and individual responsibility for health and safety. Directors and boards need to examine their own behaviors, both individually and collectively, against the guidance given – and, where they see that they fall short of the standards it sets them, to change what they do to become more effective leaders in health and safety.

via Why leadership is important: Leading health and safety at work.

Learning From a Near Miss or Close Call

Near-Miss-300x243A near miss is an unplanned event that did not result in injury, illness, or damage – but had the potential to do so. Only a fortunate break in the chain of events prevented an injury, fatality or damage; in other words, a miss that was nonetheless very near. Although the label of ‘human error’ is commonly applied to an initiating event, a faulty process or system invariably permits or compounds the harm, and should be the focus of improvement. Other familiar terms for these events is a “close call”, or in the case of moving objects, “near collision” or a near hit.

via Near miss (safety) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Work Safety Tips

safety-sign-collage1. Safety is a team effort. Ensure that every member of the crew knows the safety requirements before the job is started.

2. Safety is your responsibility.

3. Always communicate with co-workers during a job in order to maintain safety.

4. Don’t create unnecessary hazards. Notify others of both new and old ones.

5. Never take shortcuts. Always follow correct procedures.

6. Wear metal mesh gloves to protect your hands when using sharp knives regularly.

7. Keep your work area clean and orderly.

8. If you make a mess, clean it up. Never let safety be someone else’s job.

9. Keep access clear to emergency exits, equipment, and equipment shutoffs.

10. Prevent accidents by clearly identifying any hazards that cannot be removed.

via 80 Work Safety Tips to Remind Employees to Work Safe.

Bloodborne Infectious Diseases

BBP TrainingExposures to blood and other body fluids occur across a wide variety of occupations. Health care workers, emergency response and public safety personnel, and other workers can be exposed to blood through needlestick and other sharps injuries, mucous membrane, and skin exposures. The pathogens of primary concern are the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Workers and employers are urged to take advantage of available engineering controls and work practices to prevent exposure to blood and other body fluids.

via CDC – Bloodborne Infectious Diseases – HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B Virus, and Hepatitis C Virus – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Working Safely with Chemicals

mad_scientistChemicals come in various forms and can affect those exposed in different ways. A chemical can take the form of a mist, vapor, liquid, dust, fume or gas. The type of chemical, the way it is used, and the form that it takes determine its effect and what should be done to avoid harmful exposure.

Some basic safety precautions should be understood and followed including:

  • Know what to do in an emergency. If there is a leak or spill, keep away from the area, unless you know what the chemical is and how to safely clean it up. Know where emergency protective equipment and supplies kept and how to use them.
  • Use appropriate protective clothing and equipment (glasses, aprons, boots, gloves, etc.) as required or as necessary.
  • If the clothing becomes contaminated by the chemical, shower or wash the skin areas exposed. Change and decontaminate clothing (or dispose of clothing if it is designed to single use).
  • Do not take contaminated clothing home to be laundered because by doing so, it could expose family members to the contaminant.
  • When working with chemicals, always wash hands thoroughly before eating. If necessary, shower and change clothes before going home.
  • Never take food into the work area where chemicals are being used or stored.
  • If work will be done in an area where there is a possibility of exposure to toxic substances, use a buddy system or establish an emergency communication system. A worker can be dangerously exposed or overcome by a chemical and need immediate assistance.
  • Keep the workplace clean to reduce the risk of contamination. Where possible, wipe up and absorb the contaminant, using proper protective equipment as required. Clean up spills immediately and dispose of contaminated material properly. With some chemicals a vacuum is recommended for clean up rather than a broom or compressed air. The idea is to collect and confine the contaminant, not just spread it around.

Workers should know the companys system for identifying hazardous chemicals. They should know and understand the specific health and safety hazards of the chemicals with which they work and follow the recommended safety precautions. All workers should be trained in proper chemical storage and disposal procedures and know what to do for first aid and emergencies.

via Working Safely with Chemicals.