Safety – Page 7 – Risk Management 365

The Hidden Costs of Accidents at Work

Accidents are more expensive than most people realize because of the hidden costs. Some costs are obvious — for example, Workers’ Compensation claims which cover medical costs and indemnity payments for an injured or ill worker. These are the direct costs of accidents.

But what about the costs to train and compensate a replacement worker, repair damaged property, investigate the accident and implement corrective action, and to maintain insurance coverage? Even less apparent are the costs related to schedule delays, added administrative time, lower morale, increased absenteeism, and poorer customer relations. These are the indirect costs — costs that aren’t so obvious until we take a closer look.

Studies show that the ratio of indirect costs to direct costs varies widely, from a high of 20:1 to a low of 1:1. OSHA’s approach is shown here and says that the lower the direct costs of an accident, the higher the ratio of indirect to direct costs.

via Safety and Health Management Systems eTool | Module 1 – Safety and Health Payoffs – Costs of Accidents.

Recommendations to Prevent Workplace Violence

The following are seven useful recommendations to help you prevent and resolve conflicts that could emerge within your organization.

Adopt and promote a prevention and reparation policy against harassment.

Create a prevention policy involving each level of the organization: management, employees and union representatives. For further assistance, feel free to consult the sample policies found on this website.
Make sure information about the new policy is widely distributed, that all employees know the policy and encourage everyone to make it their own.
Put a system in place to record all acts of violence by creating, for example, an Event Report Form.
Set up procedures to handle complaints impartially, confidentially and quickly. These should include measures to prevent any recurrence of harassment and other types of workplace violence. It is critical to ensure that the victim feels safe against retaliation and has the right, if needed, to be represented when interviewed by an independent and qualified investigator. Keep in mind that, in this case, lodging a formal complaint is not always the best solution since it often involves lengthy delays.
And finally, establish measures to support the victims and the alleged perpetrators.

Establish clear codes of conduct.

Define and communicate a clear code of conduct like ‘Zero-tolerance’ with respect to moral harassment and other types of workplace violence.
Make sure all employees know your organization’s code of conduct. These measures should reflect your organization’s commitment to preventing and responding to external acts of violence.
Try to reduce and even eliminate behaviour that contravenes your code of conduct by exercising dissuasion and enforcing sanctions.

Organize awareness and training sessions.

Take time to organize and provide access to awareness and training sessions on the prevention of workplace violence.
Open the necessary lines of communication to achieve your prevention objectives.

Do not allow conflicts to escalate into harassment or acts of violence.

Monitor the training of work teams. Working in teams highlights interpersonal relations and may give rise to some situations that could cause tension among people.
Deal with conflicts swiftly, and from the moment they begin. Harassment and violence stem from unresolved conflicts that fester. They can degenerate and turn the workplace into a hostile environment and create negative occurrences that are violent and costly.

Set up effective lines of communication.

Open effective lines of communication, because aggressors thrive on the silence of victims and witnesses. Communication is a key factor in the well-being of employees.
Promote communication and regular meetings of your work teams. Strong lines of communication will not only rally employees against violence, they also reduce the risk of workplace violence by defusing tensions and clarifying situations and misunderstandings.

Pay special attention to the quality of relationships among members of a work team.

Ensure that work is meaningful for each worker.
Manage work teams to help prevent and resolve violent situations.

Encourage the acceptance of individual differences.

Communicate the idea that the strength of a team resides in individual differences (We need each other to make a winning team. The “differences” in each team member makes the strength of the team and enhances the team’s performance.)
Where possible, plan social or training activities that help team members get to know each other and discover each other’s strengths and weaknesses, from a standpoint of openness to such differences and of acceptance of each team member’s willingness to improve interpersonal relations.

via Basic recommendations for preventing violence in the workplace.

Tips for Runners Staying Safe on the Roads

Take these precautions to protect yourself when you’re walking and running outside.

Leave word. Tell somebody or leave a note at home about where you plan to go and how long you plan to be out. That way your loved ones will know to come look for you if needed.
Identify yourself. Run with proper ID, and carry a cell phone with emergency contacts taped to its back.
Pretend you’re invisible. Don’t assume a driver sees you. In fact, imagine that a driver can’t see you, and behave accordingly.
Face traffic. It’s easier to see, and react to, oncoming cars. And cars will see you more clearly too.
Make room. If traffic gets heavy, or the road narrows, be prepared to move onto the sidewalk or shoulder of the road.
Be seen. Wear high-visibility, brightly colored clothing. When out near or after sunset, reflective materials are a must. (If you don’t own reflective clothing, a lightweight reflective vest is a great option.) And use a headlamp or handheld light so you can see where you’re going, and drivers can see you. The light should have a bright LED (drivers see blinking red as a hazard).
Unplug your ears. Avoid using iPods or wearing headphones—you need to be able to hear approaching vehicles. If you do use headphones, run with the volume low and just one earbud in.
Watch the hills. When they crest hills, drivers’ vision can suddenly be impaired by factors like sun glare or backdrops.
Beware of high-risk drivers. Steer clear of potential problem areas like entrances to parking lots, bars, and restaurants, where there may be heavy traffic.
Watch for early birds and night owls. At odd hours be extra careful. Early in the morning and very late at night, people may be overtired and not as attentive.
Mind your manners. At a stop sign or light, wait for the driver to wave you through—then acknowledge with your own polite wave. That acknowledgement will make the driver feel more inclined to do it again for the next walker or runner. Use hand signals (as you would on a bicycle) to show which way you plan to turn.

via 11 Tips for Staying Safe on the Roads | Runner’s World.

Foot Comfort and Safety at Work

Why is foot comfort important?

As the old saying goes, “When your feet hurt, you hurt all over.”

There are two major categories of work-related foot injuries. The first category includes foot injuries from punctures, crushing, sprains, and lacerations. They account for 10 percent of all reported disabling injuries. The second group of injuries includes those resulting from slips, trips and falls. They account for 15 percent of all reported disabling injuries. Slips and falls do not always result in a foot injury but lack of attention to foot safety plays an important role in their occurrence.

These two categories of foot injuries, however, do not exhaust the whole range of foot problems at work. There are also other conditions such as calluses, ingrown toenails or simply tired feet that are common among workers. Although these may not be considered as occupational injuries in the strictest sense, they can have serious consequences for health and safety at the workplace. They cause discomfort, pain and fatigue. Fatigue sets up the worker for further injuries affecting the muscles and joints. Also, a worker who is tired and suffering pain is less alert and more likely to act unsafely. An accident of any kind may result.

via Foot Comfort and Safety at Work : OSH Answers.

Prevention through Design

One of the best ways to prevent and control occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities is to “design out” or minimize hazards and risks. NIOSH leads a national initiative called Prevention through Design (PtD). PtD’s purpose is to promote this concept and highlight its importance in all business decisions.

via CDC – Prevention through Design – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Furnace Safety | Preventing Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

Carbon Monoxide is odorless, colorless, tasteless and can be deadly. The best way to protect your family is with a Carbon Monoxide detector. Carbon Monoxide detectors or alarms can be purchased at hardware stores and many grocery stores. Be sure to test alarms regularly and replace batteries often.

Prevent Carbon Monoxide

Do have your heating system, water heater and any other gas, oil, or coal burning appliances serviced by a qualified technician every year.
Do install a battery operated or battery back-up CO detector in your home and check or replace the battery when you change the time on your clocks each spring and fall. If the detector sounds, leave your home immediately and call 911.
Do seek prompt medical attention if you suspect CO poisoning and are feeling dizzy, light-headed, or nauseous.
Don’t use a generator, charcoal grill, camp stove, or other gasoline or charcoal-burning device inside your home, basement, garage or near a window.
Don’t run a car or truck inside a garage attached to your house, even if you leave the door open.
Don’t burn anything in a stove or fireplace that isn’t vented.
Don’t heat your house with a gas oven.

If you suspect CO poisoning and you or anyone in your family are experiencing dizziness, nausea, lightheadedness, vomiting, headache and confusion, you should immediately:

Get everyone (pets, too!) out of the house and into the fresh air.
Call 911 for immediate medical help.
Do not re-enter the house under any circumstance until help has arrived, your house has been investigated and the problem corrected.
Call a qualified contractor or your gas utility to have your appliances checked.

via Safety in Your Home | Consumers Energy.

Fire Safety

Preventing fires is an important part of fire safety. In the United States, cooking is the main cause of home fires. Cigarettes are a big risk too – they are the leading cause of fire deaths. Here are some fire prevention tips:

Don’t leave the stove or oven unattended when they are on
Don’t let children use kitchen appliances unsupervised
Don’t smoke in bed
Make sure your electrical appliances and cords are in good condition

It is also important to be prepared in case there is a fire. Make sure that you have working smoke detectors on every floor and in every bedroom. You should also have fire extinguishers on every floor and in your kitchen. Make and practice an escape plan in case the main exit is blocked.

via Fire Safety: MedlinePlus.

Eye Safety

Each day about 2000 U.S. workers have a job-related eye injury that requires medical treatment. About one third of the injuries are treated in hospital emergency departments and more than 100 of these injuries result in one or more days of lost work. The majority of these injuries result from small particles or objects striking or abrading the eye. Examples include metal slivers, wood chips, dust, and cement chips that are ejected by tools, wind blown, or fall from above a worker. Some of these objects, such as nails, staples, or slivers of wood or metal penetrate the eyeball and result in a permanent loss of vision. Large objects may also strike the eye/face, or a worker may run into an object causing blunt force trauma to the eyeball or eye socket. Chemical burns to one or both eyes from splashes of industrial chemicals or cleaning products are common. Thermal burns to the eye occur as well. Among welders, their assistants, and nearby workers, UV radiation burns (welder’s flash) routinely damage workers’ eyes and surrounding tissue.

via CDC – Eye Safety – NIOSH Workplace Safety and Health Topic.

Keeping Children Safe on the Playground

Whether it’s a swing set in the backyard or the more elaborate apparatus in the park, there are many positive things to say about playground equipment. The use of this equipment encourages children to test and expand their physical abilities. However, there are some inevitable dangers. The risks can be minimized when equipment is well designed and children are taught basic playground manners. Click on the link below for some guidelines you can use in selecting playground equipment and sites for your child.

via Keeping Children Safe on the Playground – HealthyChildren.org.

Accident Investigation

Thousands of accidents occur throughout the United States every day. The failure of people, equipment, supplies, or surroundings to behave or react as expected causes most of them. Accident investigations determine how and why these failures occur. By using the information gained through an investigation, a similar, or perhaps more disastrous, accident may be prevented. It is important to conduct accident investigations with prevention in mind.

via Safety and Health Topics | Accident Investigation.