This week on Tuesday Training, we start a two-part look at recent regulatory changes regarding workplace fall protection. The latest version of OSHA regulations in this area started to go into effect at the start of 2017. The new regs are intended to improve walking-working surfaces and establish a new fall protection standard. Some requirements came to bear at different dates throughout this year. The last of these become effective in mid-November, so now may be a great time to review your company’s compliance status.

No matter the efforts to prevent it, people still fall on the job. The second-leading cause of US lost work time injuries and deaths is now falls, both at the same level and to lower levels. There are almost 6,000 injuries in this category each year, and about 30 deaths. At Findlay All Hazards, we believe that many of these are attributable to a casual attitude toward common workplace circumstances, and a misunderstanding of what “fall protection” actually includes. 

Reducing the accident stats in this category cannot be fully accomplished by changes in regulations. Only a sharpening of safety skills and the development of an always-alert mindset can protect a worker, even in the most common situations. Many people travel the very same footpaths every day. As they do so, their rate of travel increases each day and their thoughts drift to other matters as they make these trips. That’s only natural. We subconsciously think, “What wasn’t there yesterday, or the 100 days before, won’t be there today.” But it’s not the truth. Any industrial pathway, whether at ground level or not, is subject to a myriad of potential changes, day-to-day. Changes in temperature and humidity can make more of a difference on walkways or ladders than many might expect. The route might very well include a new obstacle, without that being announced. Just the act of looking up a fixed ladder before ascending is often forgotten, only because the route is so common to the employee using the ladder.

Warning and reminder signs do have a positive effect, but not as much as mental reinforcement of simple safety values and learning safety rituals, such as:

• • Consistently consider your walking pace. Almost every time a person travels a familiar route and asks themselves, “Am I unsafely hurrying?”, the answer is yes. 


• • Slow down at corners, as you would when driving a car, and look each way before turning the corner. 


• • Inspect a ladder, scaffold, or stairwell every time you use it, especially if any of these are exposed to the elements. ‘Inspecting’ a flight of stairs before climbing it may seem like a chore – we all seem to climb stairs each day, over and over. But in this case, it’s as easy as giving a glance to assure that no one (and nothing) is beneath or above you before you climb or descend. That act takes less than a second. Your first touch of any ladder or handrail should be a lingering one… Is the rung you touch wet, or colder or warmer than usual? If so, extra precaution is certainly needed, or another route may be in order.


• • Many, many doors that open into walkway paths have no windows. Anyone on the other side of the door when it opens with force could be knocked down. It should be mandatory practice to open such doors slowly and with an announcement, such as a knock that precedes opening the door by at least a second. 


• • ​Develop a mental checklist for the trail you leave behind as you walk. For example, if you opened a hatch to ascend through it, should it be closed behind you? Returning by the same path to find an open hatch in a floor or a vessel could result in catastrophe if you carelessly step into a hole where there should be a closed hatch. 

All of those points are a form of fall protection, as likely to prevent accidents as lanyards and harnesses. 

When we discuss careful use of walkways and fall protection, we typically picture a safety-helmeted technician traversing a complex workplace. But walkway safety is hardly limited to such environments. If someone carries a large box from office to office, with restricted vision thanks to the size of the object, they are in danger of tripping over an unseen object near floor level. Accidents like that can certainly result in lost time, and greater injury than one might imagine. And all it would take to prevent the mishap might have been moving the contents of the box in two loads versus one. 

The common terms we’ve used today – ladder, scaffold, walkway, etc. – are all examined in the updated OSHA regulations, and we’ll look at those in next week’s Tuesday Training. 

Meantime, ask yourself if the simple safe walking and climbing reminders we’ve listed this week are part of your team’s mindset. Does everyone move in a safe manner 100% of the time? If not, an accident is not just possible, it’s certain. Findlay trainers teach that safety mindset when they bring your team the practice of Situational Awareness. Contact Findlay today to learn about our Custom Corporate Training programs as well as our open enrollment workshops.

​Silicosis is an incurable and potentially fatal lung disease that can develop due to excessive exposure to silica dust. This exposure can also lead to other dangerous medical conditions including lung cancer, kidney disease, and COPD. Although silica is most often found in workplaces associated with the construction industry, it can also be present in other industries and so precautions should be taken in these as well.
 
Contractors and workers who have potential exposure to respirable crystalline silica, which can be created by cutting, grinding, or blasting concrete, stone, or brick, have to meet a stricter standard regarding inhalation of the resultant dust.
 
According to a recent article on ConstructionDive.com, a new standard regulating silica exposure will replace OSHA’s first silica standard issued in 1971. This new standard goes into effect this month (September, 2017).
 
The new standard will require a level of no higher than 50 micrograms of silica dust particles per cubic meter of air over an average of 8 hours - a standard work shift. The previous standard was a much higher rate of 250 micrograms over the same 8-hour period. For a better understanding of this risk, consider that silica dust particles are 100 times smaller than sand granules. Failure to comply with this new standard could result in a maximum fine over $12,000 for a serious violation and a fine of nearly $127,000 for a repeat or willful violation.
 
A few of the new rules regarding silica dust include a requirement that contractors working in a silica exposure environment develop a written silica exposure plan, make adjustments to the workplace to maximize silica dust control, and provide medical examinations for those exposed to silica. These exams will include lung function tests and chest x-rays. Companies will also be required to provide an assessment of how much silica dust is generated in their particular operation.
 
According to Don Garvey, a construction safety expert with 3M, workers from other areas of specialization not normally affected by silica dust could be exposed to this risk by their proximity to other operations that generate the dust. The onus of responsibility could fall to general contractors who have to ensure that all subcontractors comply with the new standard.
 
If you want to learn how to begin a program to reduce your silica exposure and the associated risks, there is a free download, the Small Entity Compliance Guide , available on the OSHA website, which will help you. Also, look for an OSHA-prepared compliance official guidebook coming soon. This will also be available as a free download from the OSHA site.
 
Findlay All Hazards is here to help your organization understand these new regulations and minimize your risk to this potentially hazardous material. Findlay trainers have decades of public service and private industry experinence and can help you navigate through these and other work-related regulations.
 
Take a look at Findlay’s Hazardous Materials Training options. Then Contact a Findlay program manager today to learn more. 

As Texas recovers from Hurricane Harvey and Florida prepares for its recovery from Irma, the most powerful U.S. hurricane in 25 years, now is a good time to revisit crisis management.
 
A crisis can develop in many ways from natural disasters to manmade incidents. Failure to prepare and respond appropriately is the difference between surviving a crisis and allowing it to destroy an operation. We don’t need to look any further than a serious food contamination crisis that affected a national restaurant chain for an example of the importance of proper preparation.
 
In the early 2000s, a Pennsylvania Chi Chi’s restaurant suffered a hepatitis A outbreak which was traced back to food contamination. Three people died, over five hundred were sickened, and Chi Chi’s never recovered.
 
Regardless of your industry, the basic tenets of crisis management always apply. As recently discussed in QSRmagazine.com, there are several steps that can be taken to prepare for and survive a crisis.
 
Take the time now to develop a comprehensive crisis plan so you’re ready to manage such an event, minimize any damage, and rebuild in the aftermath with the goal of a stronger, safer organization.
 
It’s vital to honestly examine the crisis afterwards. What initiated it? What happened next and what needs to occur to keep it from happening again? George Santayana said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” and that advice certainly applies here.
 
Keep people informed. When responding publicly, “no comment” is not an advisable response. Being honest, authentic, and apologetic when describing the situation will help you regain the trust of your associates and the public. Each crisis will dictate the actual message that needs to be prepared but details here, if appropriate, can go a long way towards calming the public. And remember to follow through on any promises you make.
 
Monitor social media and respond immediately to negative or erroneous comments. Avoid getting lost in a “negative message’ disaster. Appoint a media spokesperson (and this could be the head of your organization). The public is often reassured when they see a recognized representative step forward to own the crisis and the official response.
 
It’s important to follow the advice that guides the medical field - “first, do no harm”. A good first step is to have your crisis spokesperson undergo some media training in advance of any crisis so that they are comfortable in the role. Extreme discomfort in front of the camera can be harmful to any organization struggling to stay afloat in the aftermath of a crisis.
 
Stay calm. Keep your messages consistent, honest, and clear and make sure your messages to the press reflect the messages being sent to social media. Reassure your team and those who were affected by the crisis of your efforts to prevent a recurrence.
 
Findlay All Hazards can help your organization respond appropriately in the event of a crisis. Findlay trainers have abundant real-world experience, thanks to years in public service and private industry.
 
Take a look at Findlay’s Crisis Management workshops and custom training options.   Contact a Findlay program manager today to learn more.
 
http://www.findlayallhazards.com/crisis-management-for-business.html
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​When was the last time you conducted an emergency response drill at your facility? While most EHS managers keep a consistent schedule of practice events, many will also report that unexpected changes in plant operations or other interruptions too often get in the way of planned drills. Others remark that their drills have become routine, and employees are “sleepwalking” through an event that they have participated in several times.
 
There are alternative ways to alleviate “practice fatigue” while still instilling incident response habits, and ensuring that drills are regularly staged.
 
Look first at the practice event schedule, which likely includes fire drills. If you manage a medium-sized facility, with less than 100 employees on-site at any one time in a single building, you might conduct evacuations for the entire building. Setting aside time for this drill is worthwhile, of course, but a mass exit can be hard to schedule, and tricky to manage if you have numerous exits to monitor and your EHS team is small. Try scheduling fire drills for individual departments on different days, so that one group can continue work while another is sharpening their survival skills. Can you arrange “pop quiz” events? Try asking everyone in a specific area for their attention, and then request a demonstration of proper escape skills from a few people in the group.
 
Drills should not simply be grade-school-like single-file exits. Reviews of basic fire-fighting skills are important: Where are the extinguishers? Can each employee operate one? Do they know when to fight and when to flee? Can they find the exit or fire alarms in total darkness, while crawling? Most employees know where their nearest fire exit is, thanks to the illuminated sign next to that door. But can they quickly identify the second and third options?
 
A recent article in Occupational Health & Safety magazine presented some good ideas for enhancing emergency drills, and we have similar ideas here at Findlay All Hazards. For example, try a fire drill where evacuating employees find the primary exit to be blocked without warning, forcing an egress through an alternate route. Any kind of drill that breaks the pattern of previous practices will stimulate the employee group, and make the practice memorable.
 
Emergency practices are not limited to fire simulations, of course. When was the last time your employees practiced using the eyewash station? Most will remember how to use the eyewash or safety shower appropriately after their initial training, but can they find these safety tools if they have been blinded? As the OH&S article recommends, try blindfolding an employee and asking them to find the eyewash. We like to add the “pin the tail on the donkey” feature, too: Turn the blindfolded employee around a few times and then create a clamour while they search for the emergency wash station.
 
Spill responses should be part of your drill schedule, too. Employees should be evaluated not just for their knowledge of how to clean up a spill, but for their knowledge of when to attempt a clean-up. In most cases, not everyone is trained to remediate all chemical spills. True emergency releases are the province of those with special training. Can your employees identify the spilled substance from a distance? Can they estimate the conditions of the area where the spill occurred? Are they able to classify a release, determining if it is incidental or emergency? Simple instruction on this skill really is not sufficient. Spill ID practices will build everyone’s confidence.
 
Practices are also valuable ways to improve injury response. As with spills, can you challenge an employee to gauge the severity of an injury? Is this something they can care for, or is it strictly a matter for trained personnel? Do they know how to immediately report an injury to the proper person? Calling 9-1-1 is very often the proper reaction, but who within the company needs to know next? That next contact should be the person who can meet emergency response teams, and guide them to the accident locale by the quickest route, and notify the injured person’s emergency contact. And if that contact is not available, can the employee assist an arriving EMS crew? That’s an easy task to practice, and among the exercises that can make emergency skills second-nature to your team.
 
Need assistance planning thorough and stimulating emergency drills? Findlay All Hazards is here to help, with over thirty years of experience helping companies of all sizes ready their employees for most any calamity. Contact us today to start the conversation.