OHS Magazine

BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIES: ELEVATE CULTURE BY RELEASING ADHESIONS
JANUARY 2015
VOL. 84 NO. 1 | www.ohsonline.com
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:
Smartphones, a New
Disaster Lifeline 14
OIL & GAS SAFETY:
Meeting the FR Challenge
26
LOCKOUT/TAGOUT:
Finding the Right Balance
36
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY:
Ten Feet Tall and Falling 46
Does More Work

Mean More Risk for
Communication
Tower Workers?
0115ohs_c1_v5.indd 1
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FROM THE EDITOR
Sounding the Alarm on Skin Cancer
he most commonly diagnosed can- ing it are skyrocketing relative to other

cer in the United States, skin can- cancers, said the lead author of the report,
cer, is a major and growing health Gery Guy, Ph.D., of CDCs Division of
problem, according to a CDC Cancer Prevention and Control. This also
report published online in the American underscores the importance of skin cancer
Journal of Preventive Medicine in November prevention efforts.
The American Cancer So2014. The study sheds light on
ciety and the National Counhow fast skin cancer treatment
cil on Skin Cancer Prevention
costs have risen in recent years,
designate the Friday before
finding that the costs for treatMemorial Day as Dont Fry
ing this type of cancer rose beDay, so this year it falls on May
tween 2002 and 2011 five times
22, 2015. ACS also has created
faster than the cost of treating
an infographic about skin canother types of cancers.
cer prevention that can help
This finding puts in perworkers protect themselves.
spective both the Cal/OSHA The findings raise
Most cases of melanoma,
heat illness prevention rule and the alarm that not
which is the deadliest kind of
OSHAs campaign to protect only is skin cancer
skin cancer, are caused by UV
outdoor workers from occupaa growing problem
exposure. CDC recommends
tional heat illnesses. The average
taking these precautions to preannual number of adults being in the United States,
vent harmful UV exposures:
treated for skin cancer in the but the costs for
United States jumped from 3.4 treating it are skyrockStay in the shade, espemillion during 2002-2006 to 4.9
cially during midday hours.
eting relative to other
million during 2007-2011, repWear clothing that covresenting a 44 percent increase. cancers, said the
ers your arms and legs.
But the average annual lead author of the

Wear sunglasses that
cost for skin cancer treatment report, Gery Guy,
block both ultraviolet A and
soared from $3.6 billion during
ultraviolet B rays.
2002-2006 to $8.1 billion dur- Ph.D., of CDCs

Use sunscreen with SPF
ing 2007-2011, an increase of Division of Cancer
15 or higher that offers both
126 percent. The average annu- Prevention and
ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B
al cost for treatment of all other
protection.
Control.
types of cancer increased by 25

Avoid indoor tanning.
percent during the same period.
The findings raise the alarm that not
only is skin cancer a growing problem in JERRY LAWS
the United States, but the costs for treat- jlaws@1105media.com
Occupational Health & Safety (ISSN 0362-4064)

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VOLUME 84 NUMBER 1
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12/10/14 10:49 AM
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
OIL & GAS SAFETY
JANUARY 2015 | Volume 84, Number 1 | www.ohsonline.com
26
Meeting the Challenge

A Voice of the Customer study reveals insights into the
challenges of managing an effective flame-resistant clothing
program. by Mike Woods
30
HSE Leaders Share Their Strategies

One takeaway: The first step to an effective risk management
approach is to divest from the outcome and focus on the
execution. by Fred Stawitz
34
Below the Hook SafetyOil & Gas Drilling

and Well Servicing
There are cost-effective, feasible solutions to the hazard of
band brakes with mechanical linkage to directly connect the
operator control to the braking mechanism. by Dave Terry
LOCKOUT/TAGOUT
36
Process Automation and Lockout/Tagout:

Finding the Proper Balance
This is the hard part, keeping the requirements in mind
while also keeping your production humming along.
by Jimi Michalscheck
40
Ensuring Safety with a Lockout/Tagout

Program: Seven Steps to Compliance
Procedures, devices, and personnel must be set in place to
prevent a serious injury when a worker thinks a machine is
safely off. by Brad Montgomery
10
features
CAPITAL SAFETY
FOOT PROTECTION
8
Evolution of the Met Guard

Advanced foam technology is being used in integrated metatarsal guards that are raising the bar on impact protection.
by Alison Nestel-Patt
INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE: CHEMICAL SAFETY

42
FALL PROTECTION
10
Does More Work Mean More Risk

for Communication Tower Workers?
Heres what employers should know to safeguard employees.
by Craig Firl
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
14
Smartphones Are Employees

Lifeline During Disasters
Smartphone technology is making it easier for employees
to quickly access disaster plans, with or without a WiFi
connection. by Chris Britton
INCENTIVES
16
Is Your Safety Program Under RAPPs?

Incentives should be awarded at the department level.
Anyone doing the math can see that their chances of
winning in a drawing are much greater when it involves
only department employees rather than the plant population. by John W. Wells Jr.
2014: YEAR IN REVIEW

20
Falls, Recalls, and a Scary Virus

2014 was a year of landmark decisions, calls to action,
and unpredictable challenges to overcome. Here are a
few of the biggest topics and headlines from the past year.
by Matt Holden
0115ohs_006_TOC_v1.indd 6
GHS in the New Year:

Five Resolutions for Success
As you are aware, the deadline to train employees on GHS
has passed. However, it is required to train new employees,
as well as provide training when a new physical or health
hazard is introduced into the workplace. by Kraig Haberer
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
46
Ten Feet Tall and Falling

Construction workers are used to contending with elevated
risk levels, so theyre more likely to have a skewed perception of that risk. by Cheri Genereaux
departments
4
48
54
55
56
56
57
58
From the Editor

New Products
Practical Excellence
by Shawn Galloway
Product Spotlights
Literature Library
Classifieds
Advertiser Index
Breakthrough Strategies
by Robert Pater
Find OHS on:
Twitter
http://twitter.com/OccHealthSafety
Facebook http://facebook.com/ohsmag
Safety Community http://www.safetycommunity.com/profile/
OHSMagazine
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 11:30 AM
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FOOT PROTECTION
Evolution of the Met Guard
Advanced foam technology is being used in

integrated metatarsal guards that are raising
the bar on impact protection.
BY ALISON NESTEL-PATT
rotective footwear is nothing new for the

millions of Americans working in potentially
hazardous environments. For decades now,
the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations 1910.136(a) regulation has set requirements
for employers surrounding protective footwear that
shields employees from potential dangers, including
falling objects, piercing objects, and electric shock.
Due to the requirements that OSHA sets forth, the
technology used to protect the feet of millions of men
and women remained relatively unchanged for decades. Conventional wisdom suggests that hard materials are the superior method for protection. This is
seen in almost every industry that manufactures body
protection wear: hockey, American football, action/
extreme sports, tactical wear, and soccer. Therefore,
hard, rigid materials such as metal have been the standard in the protective footwear industry.
The top of the foot clearly is most susceptible to
injury, and as a result, footwear manufacturers have
focused on developing protective footwear to mitigate
injury to the toes and metatarsal areas. For toe protection, the answer has been developing heavy-duty
boots with steel toe boxesan integrated approach in
which the metal is worked into the design of the boot.
For the metatarsal region, common practice has been
taking this same rigid approach but applying the protective box, or met guard, that arches over the foot
from side to side and is affixed to the boot as an accessory. Being an accessory, this means workers have had
to put the met guard on before entering hazard areas.
In 2005, the industry was changed with the introduction of the first integrated met guard. For the first
time, workers were offered met guards built into the
design of a boot. This meant that, from the moment
the boots were laced, their feet were fully protected,
without having to add a fixture. Clearly, this evolution
caught on within the industry. There are now many
leading workwear boot manufacturers that are providing integrated met guards in numerous styles.
Leading this shift in the market was Thorogood,
a brand managed by Wisconsin-based manufacturer
Weinbrenner Shoe Company. In 2005 it launched the
first internal met guard that was completely integrated
with the steel toe cap and built into the design of the
shoe to create seamless, almost hidden, protection.
Consumers quickly realized the benefits of having
this met protection integrated into their work boots
as opposed to a cumbersome, external attachment. It
0115ohs_008_NestelPatt_v3.indd 8
eliminated trip hazards that were common with some

external designs, and the seamless designs provided a
more aesthetically pleasing shoe that can be worn on
and off the job.
Since 2005, other material companies have worked
with work boot manufacturers to create integrated
met guards that are raising the bar on impact protection. Longtime foam manufacturer Rogers Corp. in
2009 launched its own integrated met guard called the
M-Guard. An internal, flexible piece of padding that
is fully integrated with the protective toe cap, XRDs
M-Guard provides lightweight protection and is available in two styles to meet ASTM or EN Metatarsal
Guard Standards. The key is its open cell, breathable
foam that allows for wearable protection that is soft
at rest but momentarily hardens, or freezes, to provide a protective shield when the material experiences
a sudden and/or extreme impact. The soft, conforming foam absorbs up to 90 percent of energy at highspeed impact. Additionally, it can withstand repeated
impact for the life of the boot and features built-in
antimicrobial protection to fight against the growth
of odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew that can
cause stains, odor, and product deterioration.
Integrated met guard systems are like having
an airbag in your caryou may not always need
it, but you sure are glad its there when something
goes wrong, said Brandon Barker, Justins Original
Workboots (JOW) brand manager. He said JOW is
committed to providing customers with a premium
product, and it partnered with XRD to design JOWs
first boots with integrated met guard protection. The
product launched in 2012 with just two styles, but the
brand has seen such consumer demand for integrated
met guard boots that JOW launched four more styles
last year and has plans to continue expanding in 2015.
Bob McAllister, national sales manager for JOW, noted that the benefit of selling a work boot with a hidden met guard has opened the door for a whole range
of new customers. Employees who may not have been
required to wear a met guard are now turning to these
more streamlined designs and eliminating the need to
ever worry about being protected on the job, he said.
As Bob Hogan noted in his protective footwear
article published in the September 2014 issue of Occupational Health & Safety, the 2010 Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illness cited more than 49,000
injuries to the foot/toe for a rate of 4.9 per 100,000
full-time workers. With many examples of internal
met guards available, the question is no longer what
are the requirements for protection, but why arent all
employees working in hazardous environments required to wear work boots with integrated met guard
systems?
Alison Nestel-Patt is Senior PR Account Manager for
Backbone Media in Denver, CO. The company works
with Rogers Corp.s XRD (www.poronxrd.com).
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:50 AM
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FALL PROTECTION
Does More Work Mean More Risk

for Communication Tower Workers?
Heres what employers should know to

safeguard employees.
BY CRAIG FIRL
CAPITAL SAFETY
growing demand for faster cell phone service and network speeds has resulted in
a surge in communications tower work.
However, with the increased work comes
increased risk for workers on communication towers.
Case in point: More on-the-job fatalities involving
communications towers occurred in 2013 than during the previous two years combined.
Thirteen deaths were recorded in 2013, and a reported 11 workers have died so far this year at the
time of writing this article. All of the fatalities in 2013
were determined to have been preventable and were
either a result of employers failing to provide fall
protection or employees failing to use the equipment
provided, according to the Occupational Safety and
Health Administration.
The risk of fatal injury for communication tower
workers is 25 to 30 percent higher than that of the
average American worker, according to OSHAs Assistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels. Using
fixed ladders, step bolts, or other tower supports, employees regularly climb towers that are 100 to 2,000
feet high; and they climb them year roundeven during inclement weather conditions.
OSHA published updated guidelines and procedures in July 2014 that address mounting concerns
about communication tower workers safety. With
these new OSHA guidelines in effect, now is the time
to re-evaluate your own guidelines and procedures for
workers at height to ensure that they are entering a
safe work environment and are well equipped, both
mentally and physically, in the event of a fall.
OSHA Expresses Concern

Over Recent Fatalities
With an increase in communication tower work
during the past year due to cellular infrastructure
upgrades, OSHA is concerned about the possibility
of future incidentsespecially when the employees
of subcontractors conduct work that is itself hazardousand has created a new online page1 to address
these issues.
OSHAs David Michaels also wrote a letter to communication tower employers recently, urging them to
comply with and strictly adhere to safety standards
and common-sense practices. In 2013, 13 workers
in the industry were killed at communication tower
worksites Every single one of these tragedies was
preventable, he wrote. It is imperative that the cell
tower industry take steps immediately to address this
10
0115ohs_010_013_Firl_v4.indd 10
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:51 AM
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CIRCLE 3 ON CARD
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11/18/14 10:45 AM
FALL PROTECTION
pressing issue: no worker should risk death

for a paycheck.
OSHA reports that a high percentage of
these incidents occurred because of a lack
of fall protection.
OSHAs New Communications

Tower Directive
In OSHAs new Communications Tower directive2, it outlines how to use hoist systems
and other fall arrest systems properly. The
directive applies to all work activities on
communication towers that involve the use
of a personnel hoist, including tower maintenance work and new construction, and
includes detailed information on how to
lift and move workers to and from workstations and communication towers. The new
Communications Tower directive replaces
a 2002 enforcement policy that addressed
hoisting personnel only during new tower
erection, but not during maintenance or
work on existing towers.
The new enforcement guidelines, titled Inspection Procedures for Accessing
Communication Towers by Hoist, were
effective on July 17. This OSHA-wide directive calls on all compliance personnel
to be vigilant when encountering communication tower work sites and to contact
the Area Office supervisor to determine
whether to conduct an inspection.
Employers are Responsible for

Worker Safety
It is every employers responsibility to prevent workers from being injured or killed
while working on communication towers
and to recognize and prevent workplace
hazards. All cell tower owners and operators should ensure workers are properly
trained and protected and that every communication tower employer understands
how to protect workers who are performing this high-hazard work.
The new directive outlines key compliance training guidelines for employers to
safeguard employee safety and health on
communication towers that involve the use
of a personnel hoist, including:
Train new hires: Every new hire
should be adequately trained prior to his
or her initial assignment and then carefully
monitored to ensure safe work practices
are learned and followed. Workers being
hoisted must have received fall protection
12
training and know how to safely move up

and down the tower.
Train hoist operators: Hoist operators must be trained on the entire hoist system, which includes classroom instruction
and a minimum of 40 hours of experience
as a hoist operator.
Provide fall protection: Every employee working on a communication tower
must be provided with appropriate fall protection, trained to use it properly, and then
consistently supervised by the employer,
which must also enforce its appropriate use.
Prepare for inspections: All employers should be prepared for an OSHA inspection. OSHA pays particular attention
to contract oversight issues during inspections and will obtain contracts in order to
identify not only the company performing
work on the tower, but also the tower owner, carrier, and other responsible parties in
the contracting chain.
Carefully select contractors: Employers always should select contractors carefully to ensure they can perform the work
safely, as checked boxes and basic contract
language may not provide enough informa-
Potential Citations Under

the New Guidelines
According to OSHA, the preferred method for accessing workstations on communication towers is to use fixed ladders with
attached climbing devices. This method
allows for conventional fall protection
during the ascent and descent of the
structure. However, when an employee
must climb a tower repeatedly and materials must be hoisted, the industry practice
is to hoist employees to the work level on
the tower.
The new directive, CPL 02-01-056,
DID YOU KNOW?

The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP)
is expanding training for cell tower workers.
In October 2014, TIRAP joined with an assembly of telecommunications and
industry stakeholders to announce a public-private partnership geared toward
creating a new set of apprenticeships addressing the demand for new, more
sophisticated telecommunications services.
Fueled by the increasing popularity of smartphones and other wireless
technology utilizing 4G networks, cell tower jobs are not only becoming more
prevalent, but also the jobs are constantly evolving. TIRAP shared that the first
apprenticeship will be for a telecommunications tower technician. The program
will develop individuals knowledge of deploying cutting-edge networks through
education on the technology, project scope, and safety.
TIRAP started in 2012 as a competency-based apprenticeship program for
entry-level occupations within the cell tower industry to ensure compliance with
OSHA-level safety standards. The program symbolizes the joint commitments
of the telecommunications industry, the U.S. Department of Labor (Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Office of Apprenticeship) and the
Federal Communications Commission to provide safety and training to workers
within the industry.
The new extension of apprenticeships creates a career advancement and
professional development opportunity for telecommunications workers, while
simultaneously supporting one of the fastest-growing industries in the world
with highly-trained, safety-oriented professionals.
For more information about TIRAP, visit: http://www.doleta.gov/oa/pdf/TIRAP.pdf.
0115ohs_010_013_Firl_v4.indd 12
tion. The selection process always should

include safety criteria and close oversight of
subcontracting, if any is allowed.
Be aware of potential citations: Fall
hazards are obvious and well known, and
OSHA will consider issuing willful citations, in appropriate cases, for failure to
provide and use fall protection. States with
their own occupational safety and health
plans may have additional requirements. A
full list of State Plans is available at http://
www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html.
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:51 AM
states that, for hoisting personnel, a personnel platform must be used as prescribed
by the platform manufacturer and in compliance with 29 CFR 1926.1431(e), or a
boatswain chair or harness. When hoisting personnel and materials on a communication tower while using a personnel
platform, small incidental materials and
personal tools may be hoisted concurrently. However, when a boatswain chair
or harness is used, personnel and materials
should be hoisted separately. Additionally,
in this situation, an OSHA-compliant lanyard shall be used to connect the person to
the hoist hook. To prevent loss of contact,
the hoist hook should have the capability to be locked in a closed position and
be equipped with a safety latch. The new
instruction also provides additional guidance on communication between the hoist
operator and hoisted employees, weather
conditions, hoist mounting, trial hoists,
and inspections.
For construction work on existing
towers, employers who fail to provide fall
protection (guardrails, safety nets, or personal fall arrest systems) for employees
at workstations with unprotected sides
or edges that are 6 feet or higher above
a lower level will be cited under 29 CFR
1926.501(b)(1). Fall protection training
requirements also apply.
In addition, for new tower erections,
employers who fail to provide fall protection for employees at workstations that are
more than 25 feet above the ground should
be cited under 29 CFR 1926.105(a).
ing workers to use equipment correctly,

and selecting contractors wisely can save
lives. It is up to both employees and their
employers to learn how these changes
will impact their work and work sites and
to ensure they receive the training they
need today.
Craig Firl is the North American Technical Manager with Capital Safety. He can be
reached at cfirl@capitalsafety.com. Capital
Safety is a leading designer and manufacturer of height safety and fall protection equip-
ment. Capital Safety also offers training

courses, with 20 operating sites worldwide
and a passionate commitment to quality, innovation, and safety. For more information,
contact Capital Safety at 800-328-6146 or
visit www.capitalsafety.com.
REFERENCES
1. https://www.osha.gov/doc/topics/communicationtower/index.html
2. https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_
pdf/CPL_02-01-056.pdf
When water temperature

matters most
Safeguarding Your Team

Against At-Height Accidents
Regardless of whether an employee is
working 20 feet above the ground or 2,000
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violations that range from hundreds to
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0115ohs_010_013_Firl_v4.indd 13
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13
12/10/14 10:51 AM
DISASTER PREPAREDNESS
Smartphones Are Employees

Lifeline During Disasters
Smartphone technology is making it easier

for employees to quickly access disaster plans,
with or without a WiFi connection.
BY CHRIS BRITTON
oday, organizations must be prepared to

tackle a variety of potential disasters that
range from extreme weather to fires, chemical spills, and explosions, among others. And
while, most companies have disaster preparedness
plans, they are often presented to employees as extensive paper-based manuals, posters, flip books, building diagrams, and websites that often arent up to date
or available to those who need them during a crisis.
According to a recent survey by Staples, Inc., fewer
than half of employees think their employers are prepared for snow and ice storms or catastrophic events
such as tornadoes, hurricanes, or earthquakes. As a
result, and often due to a lack of resource accessibility,
when a disaster strikes, workers are often left unprepared to take action and instead are reliant on first responders. However, what happens when law enforcement, EMS personnel, and/or fire service personnel
arent able to respond due to the sheer magnitude of
the disaster or because their own safety and well-being is threatened?
To empower employees to best prepare and respond to disasters, companies need to take a closer
look at how smartphone technology can support and
extend existing emergency plan efforts. By mobilizing disaster preparedness information and putting it
in the hands of employees via their mobile devices,
organizations can give employees the safety resources
necessary to help them and their co-workers survive
during a disaster.
Smartphones Improve Access to

Disaster Preparedness Plans
With the vast majority of workers now using smartphone devices to get information and news, the way
businesses share disaster preparedness information
and how employees retrieve and use that information
is also changing. By securely loading appropriate parts
of a companys disaster or business continuity plan
onto a smartphone device, organizations are making
their crisis information more accessible and actionable for their employeesenabling personal resilience
when a disaster strikes.
To avoid the information overload that inevitably
happens with inches-thick binders of disaster pre14
0115ohs_014_015_Britton_v2.indd 14
Information should be continuously

updated to reflect new construction,
renovations, phone number updates
and other critical changes.
paredness plans, best practice mobilized plans only
include the most relevant and actionable information
that can be utilized before, during, and following a disaster. Critical to these efforts is a concentration on
problems that are most likely to occur in each organizations particular setting, along with clear step-bystep instructions, procedures, photos, building diagrams, and other helpful visuals that will aid in each
mobile users safety.
Through smartphone technology, disaster preparedness procedures can more easily be shared and
tailored for individuals based on a specific type of
disaster event. Based on the scenario, organizations
should ensure that safety plans on mobile devices include distilled, step-by-step instructions for particular
buildings. Information should be continuously updated to reflect new construction, renovations, phone
number updates and other critical changes.
Additionally, critical disaster preparedness information must be available regardless of whether comwww.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:52 AM
Incident reporting and use of videos and photos also offer a near
real-time capability for organizations to react quicker and make
adjustments in their recovery efforts.
munications technology is available and/
or accessible. Previous natural disasters
ranging from Hurricane Sandy to Oklahoma tornadoestell us that cellular and
Internet services are frequently down or
overloaded during emergency situations.
It is important to anticipate how workers
will respond without these communication
conveniences in place and offer an alternative. Smartphone technology, however, is
making it easier for employees to quickly
access disaster plans, with or without a
WiFi connection.
Mobile Grants Greater Customization

Another important point from the recent
Staples study is that 60 percent of businesses are unprepared for disasters and
emergencies. However, smartphones can
help workplaces become better prepared to
survive. By adding mobile technologies to
the disaster preparedness mix, companies
can leverage their plans and make use of all
of the benefits that mobile has to offer.
For example, corporations frequently
manage multiple facilities and locations,
so proactively communicating proper information and instructions to employees
at each building location regarding possible emergency scenarios is critical. Various types of facilities require different protocols, so organizations should examine
needs and establish resource contacts for
construction sites, manufacturing facilities,
traditional office locations, remote workers, etc. When this information is pushed
into the hands of all employees based on
their role and location, they can respond
accordingly when needed and in a manner
that supports security as well as their companys operations during a disaster.
If a major auto plant is situated in an
area that is frequently hit by hurricanes,
for example, employees must be apprised
of the backup plan if their site becomes
unavailable. Pertinent information for
specific scenarios might include where displaced employees should report, how they
should communicate with each other, and
to whom they should report. Incident reporting and use of videos and photos also
offer a near real-time capability for organiwww.ohsonline.com
0115ohs_014_015_Britton_v2.indd 15
zations to react quicker and make adjustments in their recovery efforts.
Cooperation in a Growing,
Globally Diverse Workforce
Disaster preparedness plans are not onesize-fits-all. They must address each location and its specific employee needs in
order to be effective, mitigate risks, and ensure safety. Because of the often dispersed
nature and varying shifts of corporate employees, mobility plays a big role in ensuring a cooperative and uniformly planned
response to crisis situations.
For example, disaster preparedness
plans can be designed and disseminated
based on the particular stakeholders role
at the company or location via mobile.
This might mean based on department,
managers/executive teams, manufacturing plants, construction sites, and so forth.
It is important to provide each group the
right level of information so all content
is relevant to them and contains the appropriate contacts and phone numbers.
As audiences are changing at any given
time, many organizations are using mobile solutions to establish user profiles and
adjust which audiences receive particular
information. This keeps the content as
meaningful as possible and allows senior
administrators to pivot as a particular crisis changes in shape and magnitude.
Also, as organizations employee populations become continually more diverse, it
is imperative to consider a collective view
of the organizations employee population
when devising disaster preparedness plans
and communicating them to the workforce. This must incorporate support for
multilingual employees or those with disabilities (e.g., vision, mobility, developmental, psychiatric, hearing). All employees
should benefit from the same level of safety
preparedness in their work environments.
Smartphone technology can help present
plans in different ways, offering sophisticated capabilities that can provide greater
support for an entire workforce population.
Mobile Supports Compliance Efforts

From a regulatory standpoint, compa-
nies throwing caution to the wind when

it comes to safety precautions and disaster
preparedness face potential legal liabilities and non-compliance penalties from
government organizations. Recognizing
the power of mobile, some companies are
capturing and reporting on compliance via
mobile in a variety of situations. This includes businesses reporting on hazmat and
chemical materials, along with the organizations safety hazard plans, to community
first responders per the EPAs Superfund
Amendments and Reauthorization Act
(SARA Act) regulations. There are also
benefits in utilizing mobile to comply with
specific OSHA regulations.
For example, for one manufacturing
company with 24/7 operations at various
large industrial facilities, preparing for disasters and ensuring response plans are up
to date and appropriately communicated
is critical to maintaining OSHA standards
compliance. Due to the nature of the materials handled by the company, plans must
change often to meet federal requirements;
any time a new regulation is introduced,
disaster plans are updated. Smartphone
technology helps companies offer the most
current information to employees where
they will always have access to it.
Smartphones Change
the Safety Landscape
Smartphones truly are changing the way
people live and often how they survive.
Prior to any disaster, it is critical for organizations to prepare employees and provide
them with detailed disaster response plans
so that they are empowered and more resilient to handle these situations in the event
that first responders are not available. Ultimately, the best way to ensure preparation
and accessibility to key emergency preparedness information is to proactively arm
employees with step-by-step instructions
that are available in the moment of need.
Smartphones, combined with preparation, offer workers an opportunity to become more personally resilient and better
respond to disasters.
Chris Britton is the Chief Operating Officer
of RockDove Solutions Inc., Herndon, Va. The
company (http://rockdovesolutions.com/) is
focused on serving the fast growing enterprise
mobile marketplace for business continuity
and emergency preparedness solutions.
JANUARY 2015 |
Occupational Health & Safety
15
12/10/14 10:52 AM
INCENTIVES
Is Your Safety Program Under RAPPs?

BY JOHN W. WELLS JR.
oday, so many companies are looking for

that secret recipe to success. We have all
seen programs come and go, whether behavior based, committee driven, or metric
measured (stats), and these programs have done well
to engage safety throughout industry. But what does
it take to move forward, to push the envelope, to attain your companys goals? In the last 25 years, what
have we learned? Simple! That there are three glaring
aspects of any safety program that must be dissected,
defined, and disseminated throughout an organization for any level of success to be attained. Those aspects are Responsibility, Accountability & Proactive
Participation (RAPP), each of these aspects being
equal in weight and value. The absence of any one can
and will hinder an organizations ability to proliferate
a sustainable safety culture. This article can serve as
a simple guide outlining the basic elements needed
when organizations focus on creating a progressive
safety culture.
The Model
Do you have a RAPP Model? Is it short, concise, comprehensible, and to the point? At a minimum, the
model should outline the following:
Responsibility based on an Excellence Driven
Philosophy
We will pursue a proactive culture based on
open communication, participation, and ownership.
Management will constantly emphasize: We are here
to produce our products as safely as possible, and
you can make a difference!
Responsibility is shared - safety is 24/7.
It is not that Safety is #1, a tired and transparent slogan; rather, Our Employees are #1, which is
our key to sustainability.
Deeply engrained should be the belief that operating safely results in a marketable advantage. As such,
we will responsibly manage our processes and products
demonstrating our commitment towards health, safety,
and environmental stewardship.
The level of management support, employee participation, and accountability will determine the success of any program. However, challenges do exist.
All too often, managements complacency can be the
greatest challenged facing the safety professional. It is
the daily grind that fosters inattentiveness, at-risk
behaviors, and detail omissions. For those who have
recognized the detrimental value of complacency, an
adaptive philosophy has evolved:
A safety culture based on Injuries and incidents
are preventable. A concept supported via three tenets:
1) Our performance can always improve.
16
0115ohs_016_018_Wells_v2.indd 16
2) We will use leading indicators, including near

misses, to find proactive measures to protect our employees, the community, and the environment.
3) When a failure occurs, we will acknowledge it,
analyze it, correct it, and share the solutions to prevent
future occurrences.
The 24/7 Culture

Successful companies have realized that safety doesnt
stop at the gate. Safety is a commitment both on and
off the job. The hardest aspect of a 24/7 culture is the
individuals ability to attain self-awareness, in that
everyone is responsible and the actions of one can
affect the company as a whole. All actions, no matter the scope, can have both positive and negative
repercussions. This is where companies must actively
demonstrate a genuine concern for safety by pushing
responsibility down to the lowest possible level in the
organization through:
Active participation
Active solicitation of problems and solutions
Empowering decision-making and solution
implementation
When asked, employees all too often feel that the
company is the only responsible party in the equation. Fact: From the beginning, OSHA recognized
that employees are just as responsible for safety as
the employer. A typically forgotten section (b) of
OSHAs General Duty Clause states that Each employee shall comply with occupational safety and
health standards and all rules, regulations, and orders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable
to his own actions and conduct.
No matter at what level in the organization, senior
management has to be tasked with establishing clear
expectations, fair and consistent policy, and sound
programs that meet or exceed regulatory compliance. This includes the responsibility to create safe
operating procedures for activities and processes not
covered by specific regulation; all of which must have
an identifiable level of consequence or repercussion
when deviations or non-compliance occurs. Management of change triggers for training/retraining, and
consistent disciplinary guidelines must be an integral
part of any management system.
Paramount is managements responsibility to
clearly define the rules. If there are certain actions or
activities that will warrant immediate discipline, those
must be spelled out in black and white. This is especially true for written policies that have been identified as serious offenses. These typically relate to operations or procedures that when disregarded can result
in loss, serious injury, or death. Discipline must follow
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INCENTIVES
a strict management policy that is equally
and fairly applied. All too often, management systems award discipline at the drop
of a hat. Accountability and discipline are
not the same; they should be addressed
separately.
A culture based on accountability will
foster employee interaction, allowing them
to recognize their mistakes without repercussion. Through positive counseling/
intervention, supervisors, managers and
even peers can then assist in determining
the course of action or changes to be implemented in order to eliminate similar occurrences in the future.
Accountability
The environmental health and safety process has evolved as a philosophy consisting
of individual participation, environmental
influences, and accountability. Accountable safety philosophies have become an
integral part of corporate strategies, disseminated company-wide, being continually monitored and measured. Companies
are finally realizing that safety is more than
the traditional metrics of injury and illness
rates, property loss, workers compensation, expenditures, etc.
Today, continuous improvement is the
driving force behind many successful programs. In order to sustain continuous improvement, corporations must set realistically attainable goals that foster ownership
through the desire to succeed. The active
participation, management ownership, and
innovative solutions will drive continuous
improvement throughout the company.
This cultural tone must come from the
top down. Upper management leadership
plays a key role in any cultural change.
Safety and accountability must involve
everyone. Accountable Safety must be
a core value, not just an initiative. Every
opportunity to talk about safety must be
taken. All levels of management must show
they personally care, they want others to
care, and it takes the team to succeed. Some
basic safety management principles follow
that are foundational but are by no means
all-inclusive:
Safety Management Principles

All injuries and occupational illnesses can be prevented.
Management is responsible and accountable for preventing injuries.
Employee involvement is essential.
18
Prevention of personal injuries is

good for business.
Working safely is a condition of employment.
All operating exposures can be safeguarded.
Training employees to work safely is
essential.
Management audits are a must.
All deficiencies must be corrected
promptly.
Off-the-job safety for our employees
will be promoted.
Proactive Participation
Over the years, many systems have been
introduced to gain employee participation. Incentives (many of them controversial), safety bingo, milestone celebrations, dinners, and point systems are a few
ways in which companies have attempted
to bolster employee participation. Many
of these attempts actually fall short of
establishing a culture based on proactive participation. Companies that have a
proactive culture supported by participation and ownership have done so through
one of the most underutilized tools of the
safety profession: near misses. Near miss
programs, when constructed correctly, become much more than the perceived task
of self reporting. Near miss programs are
used as a preventable measure, are an
inspection tool for supervision, and are a
source for continuous improvement.
Ask yourself this question: Do our
employees report unsafe conditions or
near misses? If your answer is sometimes or no, then you are missing one
of these two key elements of any proactive safety culture. Participation has to
be a buy-in. Mandating a program does
nothing more than create an inconvenience in the mind of the employee, but
a program that is driven by the employees
will gain overwhelming acceptance.
Using Incentives
Safety has to be delegated to every individual in the facility. In return, each employee
has to understand that he or she can make
a difference. A simple way to achieve this
level of awareness is by thinking outside
the box: Instead of one safety committee for
the whole plant, create department safety
committees chaired by the production or
department managers. Elect team leaders
in different areas on each shift to serve as
0115ohs_016_018_Wells_v2.indd 18
liaisons between supervision and the employees. This will keep all activities at the
department level rather than being lost at
the top. By creating this type of organization, you will involve more employees, be
able to respond to problems faster, and involve more members of management. If a
system is constructed to use the near miss
report as a flag, safety committee members
can focus their constructive energy on being proactive rather than reactive. The trick
is in obtaining the participation and thus
the reports.
By implementing an incentive system
based on participation rather than incident rates or goals, you create a motivator
for personal gain. We all work to maintain
a level of livelihood, not because we define
fun as spending eight hours a day with our
employer. Incentives can be as simple as gift
cards to local retailers, drawn each month
from a pool of those employees who participated by submitting near miss reports.
Once the team leader has the report in
hand, the department safety committee can
determine a course of action above and beyond the immediate corrective actions taken at the time of the report. Team leaders,
while endorsing the employees eligibility
for the monthly drawings, can follow items
to completion.
Incentives should be awarded at the
department level. Anyone doing the math
can see that their chances of winning in a
drawing are much greater when it involves
only department employees rather than the
plant population. By fixing items as they
are discovered or positively counseling unsafe acts, your committees ultimately will
reduce the number of potential exposures
and at-risk behaviors.
So what is the secret to success? A measured, monitored, and integrated safety management system is critical to an organizations
ability to achieve world-class performance!
Leadership, commitment, and employee involvement are key components of a sustainable, progressive safety culture. So, is your
safety program really under RAPPs?
John W. Wells Jr., Ed.D, M.S., CSP, is the Senior Consultant/Owner of EHSPR (EHSPR.
com) and past OHS faculty at Murray State
University. He has accumulated more than
25 years in the field managing programs in
the manufacturing, petroleum, and chemical
industries. Contact him at John@ehspr.com
or 731-334-1685.
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12/10/14 10:53 AM
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Untitled-2 1
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12/1/14 10:56 AM
Falls, Recalls, and a Scary Virus
2014 was a year of landmark decisions,

calls to action, and unpredictable challenges
to overcome. Here are a few of the biggest
topics and headlines from the past year.
BY MATT HOLDEN
il and gas exploration, production, and related industries are some of the most dangerous industries for workers as well as the
environment. They found themselves in the
news during 2014 for a variety of reasons.
In January, the National Transportation Safety
Board issued recommendation letters asking the U.S.
Department of Transportation to address the safety
risk of transporting crude oil by rail. The letters were
issued in coordination with the Transportation Safety
Board of Canada, something the NTSB had never
done. NTSB noted shipments of crude oil by rail had
risen by more than 400 percent since 2005. The largescale shipment of crude oil by rail simply didnt exist
ten years ago, and our safety regulations need to catch
up with this new reality, said NTSB Chairman Deborah A.P. Hersman. While this energy boom is good
for business, the people and the environment along
rail corridors must be protected from harm.
Three recommendations were issued: The first
would require expanded hazardous materials route
planning for railroads to avoid populated and other
sensitive areas; the second is to develop an audit pro-
20
0115ohs_020_024_Holden_v3.indd 20
gram to ensure railroads that carry petroleum products have adequate response capabilities to address
the worst-case discharges of a trains entire quantity
of product; and the third is to audit shippers and rail
carriers to ensure they are properly classifying hazardous materials in transportation and that they have adequate safety and security plans in place.
What prompted these was a fiery disaster six
months earlier in Quebec, when 63 tank cars carrying
Bakken crude oil derailed in the town of Lac-Mgantic, spilling almost 6 million liters of oil. Forty-seven
people died. DOT and Canadian authorities quickly
took steps to require that new tank cars be built with
thicker steel and top fittings and head shield protection if the tank cars are used to transport Packing
Group I (materials posing great danger ) and II (medium danger) hazardous materials.
In March, the National Safety Council announced
that Hersman had been appointed its president and
CEO; she stayed on as chairman of the NTSB until
April 25. I look back at the hundreds of investigations and recommendations that have been issued
during my tenure at the NTSB, and I have seen the
landscape of transportation safety improve before my
eyes, Hersman wrote in a farewell statement. These
changes and so many other safety improvements are
the result of industry, labor, advocates, regulators and
legislators all working in their particular spheres of
influence to make travel safer for people that dont always appreciate the risks they face.
In April, the Pacific Gas and Electric Company
was criminally charged for the Sept. 9, 2010, San
Bruno pipeline explosion that killed eight people. The
blast ruptured a 30-inch diameter section of an intrastate natural gas transmission pipeline owned and operated by PG&E, producing a crater 72 feet long and
26 feet wide. The gas ignited, and the fire destroyed
38 homes and damaged 70 other homes. Filed by the
U.S. Attorneys Office in San Francisco, the charges
allege PG&Es past operating practices violated the
federal Pipeline Safety Act in recordkeeping, pipeline
integrity management, and identification of pipeline threats. San Bruno was a tragic accident. Weve
taken accountability and are deeply sorry, said PG&E
Chairman and CEO Tony Earley, who was brought
in to lead PG&E in 2011. We have worked hard to
do the right thing for victims, their families, and the
community and we will continue to do so. We want all
of our customers and their families to know that nothing will distract us from our mission of transforming
this 100-plus-year-old system into the safest and most
reliable natural gas system in the country.
In September, PG&E was fined $1.4 billion for the
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:54 AM
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CIRCLE 9 ON CARD
Untitled-2 1
12/1/14 11:36 AM

Dr. Margaret Chan, WHOs director-general, said the Ebola virus
outbreak in West Africa is likely to be the greatest peacetime
challenge the United Nations has ever faced.
explosion by the California Public Utilities Commission. It is the largest safetyrelated penalty ever levied by the agency,
which found that PG&E committed 3,798
violations of state and federal laws, rules,
standards, or regulations in connection
with the operations and practices of its gas
transmission system pipeline.
Construction Industry:
Agencies Focus on Fall Hazards
Falls from height are a leading cause of fatal
work injuries. OSHA and several partner
organizations took action by calling for
a construction industry stand-down on
falls June 2-6. Afterward, agency officials
said the companies that participated in the
stand-down employed more than 1 million
workers in all.
Three people were killed in the Feb. 1
collapse of two cell towers in Clarksburg,
W.Va., as contract workers were in the process of replacing diagonal supports. Two
contract workers died in the collapse; the
third victim was a volunteer firefighter who
responded and was approaching the first
tower when a second tower nearby also collapsed and struck him. On July 31, OSHA
cited the contractor, S and S Communication Specialists Inc., based in Hulbert,
Okla., for two serious safety violations and
fined the company the maximum amount
possible$7,000 per violationin connection with the collapse.
In April, OSHA published a major final
rule addressing protection for workers performing electric power generation, transmission, and distribution work. OSHA
revised the 40-year-old construction standard for electric power line work to make
it more consistent with the corresponding
general industry standard and also updated the construction and general industry
requirementssuch as that host and contract employers must share safety-related
information with each other and with employees, and fall harnesses rather than body
belts must be worn by workers in aerial
lifts. There are revised approach-distance
requirements to prevent unprotected workers from getting too close to energized lines
22
and equipment, along with new requirements to protect workers from electric arcs.
The agencys chief, Dr. David Michaels,
said the rule was long overdue and will
save nearly 20 lives and prevent 118 serious
injuries annually. Electric utilities, electrical contractors, and labor organizations
have persistently championed these muchneeded measures to better protect the men
and women who work on or near electrical
power lines, he added.
Later in the month, a paper published
in CDCs Morbidity and Mortality Weekly
Report highlighted the injuries and deaths
resulting from work-related falls from ladders. The papers authors calculated there
were 113 fatal falls, an estimated 15,460
non-fatal injuries resulting in at least one
day of lost time, and 34,000 non-fatal injuries treated in hospital emergency departments during 2011 alone. They concluded
that ladder fall injuries represent a substantial public health burden of preventable
injuries for workers and there is a need for
workplace safety research to prevent falls.
Health Care: Ebola Fears Persist

Ebola grabbed international headlines toward the end of 2014 when the first case
was confirmed at a Dallas hospital in September. Two nurses who helped to treat
that patient, Thomas Eric Duncan, contracted the virus soon after his death, but
both recovered.
On Nov. 17 came the second U.S. death
related to Ebola when a doctor who had
spent time treating Ebola patients in Africa
died from the virus. Dr. Martin Salia had
been transferred to a Nebraska hospital
after contracting the virus in Sierra Leone.
After Duncans death, National Nurses
United called on U.S. hospitals to upgrade
emergency preparations for Ebola, citing the Dallas hospitals failed attempts to
properly communicate essential information to caregivers about his health status.
At a rally of 1,000 nurses last week in Las
Vegas, we warned that it was just a matter
of time in an interconnected world that we
would see Ebola in the U.S., NNU Executive Director RoseAnn Demoro said in ear-
ly October. Now, everyone should recognize that Texas is not an island either, and
as weve heard from nurses across the U.S.,
hospitals here are not ready to confront this
deadly disease.
NNU members from the California
Nurses Association met with officials of
Kaiser Permanente, a hospital chain in
California, and proposed that Kaiser immediately upgrade its pandemic disease
preparedness, including planning, communications, hands-on training, and availability of proper protective equipment, including hazmat suits. The NNU then took its
recommendation nationwide by calling for
all U.S. hospitals to immediately implement
a full emergency preparedness plan for Ebola and other disease outbreaks. That plan
included full training of hospital personnel,
along with proper protocols and training
materials for responding to outbreaks; adequate supplies of hazmat suits and other
PPE; properly equipped isolation rooms to
ensure patients, visitors, and staff s safety;
and sufficient staffing to supplement nurses
and other health workers who need to care
for patients in isolation.
CDC later ordered $2.7 million worth
of personal protective equipment to increase Strategic National Stockpile supplies, in order to assist U.S. hospitals caring for Ebola patients. The equipment was
configured into 50 kits; all of the purchases
were based on PPE guidance for caring for
Ebola patients that CDC issued on Oct. 20.
The kits can be rapidly delivered from the
SNS as requested to hospitals that receive
suspected or confirmed Ebola cases but
may need additional PPE supplies that otherwise are not immediately available.
The outbreak in West Africa also raised
the issue of quarantines and monitoring of
health workers and others who could potentially have been exposed. This subject
became national news when a nurse from
Maine who had treated Ebola patients in
West Africa defied quarantine attempts after she returned to the states.
The UN Security Council had declared
the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a threat
to international peace and security in September, when 193 members of the United
Nations General Assembly unanimously
adopted a key resolution and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon announced
a new United Nations Mission for Ebola
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:54 AM
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Untitled-3 1
12/1/14 11:13 AM
Emergency Response (UNMEER) would

be deployedmarking the first time that
the UN has created a mission for a public health emergency. This came only six
months after the first case was reported to
the World Health Organization, yet in that
period more than 2,500 victims had died
of the disease. By mid-October, the death
toll had risen to 4,500.
Dr. Margaret Chan, WHOs directorgeneral, said the outbreak is likely to be the
greatest peacetime challenge the United
Nations has ever faced. She called on nations around the world to help in providing for nearly $1 billion in critical early
needs the UN had identified. This is not
just a public health crisis. This is a social
crisis, a humanitarian crisis, an economic
crisis, and a threat to national security well
beyond the outbreak zones, she told the
Security Council. For these reasons, Mr.
secretary general and I are calling for a
UN-wide initiative that draws together all
the assets of all relevant UN agencies.
Communicate performance in real-time

and to all levels
Identify Safety program gaps and
common issues
Track site progress toward organizational
expectations
Transportation Safety:
Millions of Automobiles Recalled
In February, General Motors announced it
had expanded a recall of certain 2003-2007
model year vehicles to fix a problem with
their ignition switch that may allow the key
to unintentionally move or switch to the
accessory or off position, which turns
off the engine and most of the vehicles
electrical components. The problem keeps
frontal airbags from deploying properly.
The automaker said the ignition switch
problem may have caused or contributed
to non-deployment in 31 crashes involving
13 front-seat fatalities. This recall covered
1,367,145 vehicles, but the number more
than doubled after three more recalls in
March affected 1.5 million vehicles. These
recalls also called for a comprehensive internal safety review following the ignition
switch recall.
GM agreed in May to pay a record $35
million civil penalty in connection with the
ignition switch case and to participate in
unprecedented oversight requirements,
according to the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration.
On Oct. 20, NHTSA posted a statement urging owners of more than 7 million
Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, and
General Motors vehicles to act immediately
on 2013 and 2014 recall notices to replace
defective Takata airbags. NHTSA said the
message comes with urgency, especially
for owners of vehicles affected by the regional recalls in the following areas: Florida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American
Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.
On March 8, a Boeing 777 airliner with
239 people on board lost contact with air
traffic controllers while en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The plane was Malaysian Airlines flight MH 370. As of Nov. 17,
two ships continued a subsea search for the
missing aircraft along a long, narrow arc
of the southern Indian Ocean where radar
and satellite signals indicate the plane went
down. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is leading the underwater search.
Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor
for Occupational Health & Safety and Security Products magazines, working in the
Dallas office of 1105 Media Inc.
24
Circle 25 on card.
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Untitled-4 1
11/17/14 1:54 PM
Meeting the Challenge

A Voice of the Customer study reveals
insights into the challenges of managing an
effective flame-resistant clothing program.
By Mike Woods
or EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries, managing an effective company-wide flame-resistant clothing (FRC) program is a challenging taskthe costs are
high and risks are great. Direct costs (medical care, recovery and rehabilitation, disability, job retraining) and indirect
costs (workers compensation, lost productivity, increased medical insurance premiums) can push the costs of a single serious
burn injury without FRC above $2 million, whereas a comparable event with a proper FRC program may cost a company approximately $50,000.
The oil and gas extraction industries, which include oil and
gas extraction, drilling oil and gas wells, and support functions
for oil and gas operations1, have an annual occupational fatality
rate that is more than seven times higher than the rate for all
U.S. workers2. To put this into perspective, a total of 519 fatalities
occurred in the U.S. oil and gas industries3 during the five-year
period from 2008 through 2012. Of these fatalities, 77or 14.8
percentwere the result of work-related fires or explosions.
Increases in employment in the oil and gas extraction industries will put more workers at risk, making it critically important to understand the key challenges in managing an effective
FRC program for employees and contractors. According to the
U.S. Department of Labor, the number of oil and gas extraction
workers is projected to increase 16 percent by 20224, and this
growth is on top of the 59 percent increase in production and
non-supervisory employment that occurred from 2004 to 2014.
In the survey, 37 percent of the respondents

said that the durability of FRC is a moderate to
serious problem, and only 9 percent said that
they are extremely satisfied with the amount of
durability offered today.
Recently, a study of 400 EHS professionals in the oil/gas,
utilities, mining, and construction industries was conducted to
better understand the challenges faced by todays EHS professionals. Results of the online survey, which was conducted by
Mount Vernon FR in conjunction with the American Society of
Safety Engineers (ASSE), represent nearly 490,000 employees
who wear FRC on the job.
The intent of the study is to highlight the key challenges
faced by EHS professionals in order to help reduce the number
of workplace-related injuries or deaths and to help them more
effectively manage the costs associated with FRC programs.
26
0115ohs_026_028_Woods_v2.indd 26
According to the study, the most significant challenges faced

by todays EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries include
the following:
1. The need for greater durability. Nearly all of the oil and
gas respondents (92 percent) said that they provide FRC to their
employees, either exclusively (73 percent) or in combination
with a stipend (19 percent). In the survey, 37 percent of the respondents said that the durability of FRC is a moderate to serious problem, and only 9 percent said that they are extremely
satisfied with the amount of durability offered today. Durability issues can drive up the cost of an FRC program through the
need to replace garments sooner than expected or budgeted. In
addition to the monetary challenges, excessive wear and fabric
or garment failures can compromise the protection offered by
the garment, leaving workers vulnerable and potentially unsafe.
2. The care and maintenance of FRC. Of the oil and gas
companies using an outside industrial laundry for their FRC
program (52 percent of the total), 40 percent say that the care
and maintenance of FRC is a moderate or serious problem. Respondents are most dissatisfied with the amount of fading after
laundering (29 percent) and the amount of wear and tear caused
by laundering (29 percent). Fading causes workers to question
whether the level of protection has faded along with the color,
while rips, tears, and holes that occur from the laundry process
make FRC ineffective and lead to shorter replacement cycles and
higher costs.
3. The selection of FRC for women. The number of women
employed in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas industries
increased 27 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, and women represented 13.2 percent of all workers in these segments in 20125.
With 40 percent of the respondents saying that the selection of
FRC suitable for women is a moderate to serious problem, there
is an opportunity to improve the fit, color, and styling of FRC in
ways that make it more appealing and comfortable for women.
4. The selection of FRC for hot weather conditions. More
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Untitled-4 1
11/17/14 1:02 PM
More than seven out of ten respondents (72 percent) said that
the selection of FRC for hot weather conditions is a moderate or
serious problem, making it the number one challenge faced by
EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries.
than seven out of ten respondents (72
percent) said that the selection of FRC for
hot weather conditions is a moderate or
serious problem, making it the number
one challenge faced by EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries. Improving the comfort of FRC for hot weather
conditions requires finding the optimum
combination of fiber blend, fabric construction, and weight for the specific environmental conditions and job application. A properly executed wear trialone
that follows industry best practices, such
as using standard questions and rating
scales, and allows for the evaluation of
fabric and garment construction separatelyis the most effective way for EHS
professionals to determine the right FRC
for their needs.
5. The selection of FRC for inclement
weather. The selection of FRC for inclement weather was rated as a moderate or
serious problem by 42 percent of the oil
and gas respondents. Respondents indicated that there is a large disparity in
the range of FR products offered for inclement weather; low-end rain gear was
not seen as durable enough and high-end
rain gear can be cost prohibitive. There
is an opportunity to provide high quality, value-oriented FRC that helps protect
against both the elements and flash fires.
An important part to the solution to
these challenges begins with the selection
of the right FR fabrics to meet your specific needs. Respondents to the survey do
not believe that FR fabrics have become
commoditizedin fact, the opposite is
true. EHS professionals believe that differentiation does exist from one FR fabric
to another, which is evident from their
response to the following questions:
77 percent of respondents disagreed with the following: All FR fabrics
are essentially the same.
46 percent disagreed with the following: FR fabrics at comparable weights
offer the same amount of protection.
When evaluating various FR fabrics,
28
it is important to look beyond price and

consider the following criteria:
Acceptability. Will your workers
want to wear it? Does the garment feel
good, does it look good, and does it fit well?
Durability. Will the fabric meet
or exceed your expectations for the useful life of a garment, given your specific
working conditions? How does it withstand the rigors of industrial laundering?
Fabrics that fall short will result in a more
expensive FRC program based on a more
frequent replacement cycle.
Functionality. How well will the
fabric and garment perform in the work
environment? How suitable is it for
warmer climates or inclement weather
conditions? Does it hinder or distract
from the ability to do the job at hand?
The best way to determine the optimum fabric is through a properly executed wear trial. The following best
practices should be considered in your
wear trial:
Limit the number of fabrics and/or
garment styles to minimize confusion.
Do not involve too many employees, but consider using some from different shifts and areas to ensure consistent
feedback across the organization.
Use standard questions and ranking scales (e.g., 5-point Likert scales) to
obtain measurable feedback.
Allow for the evaluation of fabric
and garment construction separatelydid
they like the fabric but not the garment?
Ask for written comments to add
context to the data.
The selection of the most appropriate
FRC provides many benefits to EHS professionals and their company, including:
A more productive and more satisfied workforce as their FRC enhances
their ability to work safely, rather than
detracting from it.
The ability to better manage the
costs of your FRC program by reducing
the need to replace FRC ahead of schedule.
A reduction in injuries and fatali-
0115ohs_026_028_Woods_v2.indd 28
ties resulting from flash fires and electric

arc flash.
The FRC supply chain, which includes manufacturers of FR fabrics and
garments, will need to work together to
help create solutions to these key challenges because EHS professionals cant
overcome them on their own. Focusing
on these challenges will help drive meaningful and relevant developments in FRC
that will keep oil and gas workers safer,
regardless of conditions or gender.
About the research:
The research included a focus group
conducted with EHS professionals at the
ASSE Safety Conference in Orlando in
June 2014. An online survey was then distributed in July 2014 to ASSE members,
with 400 EHS professionals in the oil/gas,
utilities, mining, and construction industries completing the survey. All respondents had to have input or responsibility
for the evaluation, selection, and/or management of the flame-resistant clothing
worn by the employees at their location
or company. Results of the survey represent nearly 490,000 employees who wear
FRC on the job, and the results have an
accuracy rate of +/- 4.9% at the 95% confidence level.
Mike Woods is the vice president of FR
fabrics for Mount Vernon FR, the FR fabrics division of Mount Vernon Mills. He
has more than 20 years of experience with
Mount Vernon Mills and was also a volunteer firefighter for 20 years, fueling his passion for the FR protective fabrics business.
He can be contacted at 706-734-4920 or
michaelw@mvmills.com.
REFERENCES
1. NAICS 211, NAICS 213111, and NAICS
213112
2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;
National Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health program portfolio (http://www.cdc.
gov/niosh/programs/oilgas/)
3. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries
(CFOI); U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics
4. Employment Projections program; U.S.
Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor
Statistics
5. Women in the Labor Force: A Databook
(May 2014); U.S. Department of Labor, U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:55 AM
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Untitled-7 1
3/6/14 11:35 AM
HSE Leaders Share Their Strategies

One takeaway: The first step to an effective
risk management approach is to divest from
the outcome and focus on the execution.
By Fred Stawitz
any of the offshore oil and gas industrys top health,

safety, and environmental experts came together in
Houston recently at the 2014 HSE Excellence for
Offshore Operations Forum with the goal of sharing innovative strategies associated with managing risk while
sustaining productive operations in an inherently dangerous
business.
Representatives of many of the major players in offshore
operations brought a breadth and depth of knowledge and experience to vibrant discussions that spanned a full range of topics, including system controls, human factors, competency and
training, regulatory controls, and emerging global trends. Many
of the issues presented and the solutions discussed at this forum
serve a wider interest than offshore oil and gas operations. They
have application across a wide range of industries in the business
community at large.
I was the 2014 conferences chairman. The statements below
represent my insider view and a cross-section of the results of
two days of thought-provoking presentations, dynamic roundtable sessions, and behind-the-scenes discussions with business
leaders whose responsibilities span the globe.
Safety Management Systems

The first challenge is to remove all barriers to safety from the
working environment. This may represent a huge effort, but any
movement in this direction is a desirable accomplishment. The
next step is implementing a robust and comprehensive management system that breaks down silos. Too often, organizational
silos segregate functional elements of an organization. The process of implementing a safety management system offers the
opportunity for a more integrated approach to those functions
and can help drive change in a direction that further enhances
an enterprise-wide culture of safety and regulatory compliance.
Human Error
Similarities exist between the critical nature of safe operations in
the airline industry and the offshore oil and gas industry. Eighty
percent of accidents are credited to human error. Airline pilots
receive an exceptional level of training in simulators and in the
cockpit, so why did the most experienced pilot in the KLM fleet
attempt to take off from Tenerife Airport in the Canary Islands
without clearance from the control tower, resulting in the deaths
of 583 people when his 747 collided with a Pan Am flight already
on the runway? Do pilots need additional training? Would that
30
0115ohs_030_032_Stawitz_v4.indd 30
have made a difference at Tenerife?

Professional pilots sometimes suffer from press-on-itis and
trip over at landing syndrome. Press-on-itis is the desire to
complete a long, arduous trip no matter what the conditions.
Safety may be compromised on the final approach to the runway
when the landing is complicated by storms or other hazardous
conditions, but a tired pilot, driven by the desire to complete the
trip (or in the case of the KLM pilot, the desire to start the next
leg of a trip) unwisely presses on rather than acceding to the prevailing conditions. Trip over at landing syndrome describes
the consideration that the flight is over at touchdown, allowing
awareness of safety and good decision-making to trail off while
taxiing to the gate, a time when many accidents occur.
Both syndromes are exacerbated by a plethora of factors,
such as fatigue, stress, and excessive workload. Experts in this
area recommend eliminating the potential for errors throughout the process by eliminating the potential for errors in the
planning phase of work design. The use of checklists with crosschecking by a second qualified individual can minimize the potential for cloudy judgment.
Safety vs. Productivity

A noted expert in software and systems safety states that accidents are not inevitable, nor are they the price of productivity.
The business environment inherently creates tension between
the desire for safe operations and a quest for profits.
Risk management systems help to institutionalize a common
safety language, break down silos, increase awareness at all levels
in the organization, and facilitate analysis and prioritization of
work in a manner that helps balance the tension between safety
and profits. Making the management of safety more efficient and
more focused through the use of a management system makes
safety less costly by integrating it more seamlessly into normal
business operations.
Stop Work Authority

Stop Work Authority (SWA) rose in prominence in the offshore
regulatory arena following the catastrophic events of the Deepwater Horizon/Macondo blowout and explosion in the Gulf of
Mexico, which resulted in the deaths of 11 workers and a massive oil spill. SWA is more effective when employees have a solid
understanding of what the company acknowledges to be unsafe operations. Documenting what actions employees should
always take and those they should never take is a step in the right
direction, but SWA requires more.
The story is told of an HSE vice president participating in
an executive committee meeting where the CEO was questioning the reluctance of employees to utilize SWA in the field. Once
that discussion concluded, the topic switched to budget cuts.
The CEO announced a 30 percent across-the-board cut to all
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Untitled-6 1
CIRCLE 31 ON CARD
12/8/14 3:44 PM
departments. The VP of HSE spoke up

that this level of cut was too deep for his
department to absorb and if implemented
would impact the safety of operations. All
his points were overruled by the CEO,
who was determined to see the cuts implemented by the end of the next quarter.
The VP reminded the CEO of their discussion about SWA only minutes before
and questioned how employees could be
expected to stop work when he, as VP of
HSE, could not call for a stop to the 30
percent cuts that threatened the safety of
overall operations.
A better approach than delegating
SWA to employees is to develop procedures and work processes that do not put
employees in the position of having to decide whether what they have been asked
to do is unsafe. Standard work processes
should always be made safe.
Regulatory Baseline
Regulatory agencies provide a baseline
with which businesses operating under the agencys authority are required
to comply. This baseline, however, does

not guarantee the complete safety of an
operation. Companies that merely comply with regulatory mandates still retain
some exposure to risk.
Culture of Safety
An operational culture of safety begins
with the clear communication of roles
and responsibilities throughout the organization augmented by a holistic approach to risk management through
the utilization of modeling tools and
management systems. Effective barrier
management developed with the use of
advanced bowtie charts helps ensure barriers are in place to prevent an incident
from occurring, as well as mitigate the
impact of an adverse event should all preventative measures fail.
Risk Management
What happens at the work site has a
direct correlation to the organizational
culture. Therefore, the first step to an effective risk management approach is to
divest from the outcome and focus on
the execution.
Focusing solely on the number of incidents which occur over a period of time
has little meaning. How the work processes are designed and carried out has
meaning. In addition, focusing attention
only on the individuals directly involved
in the incident, writing new procedures,
mandating remedial training, or implementing disciplinary measures after the
fact ignores the larger picture of a workplace environment that may be spawning
risky situations throughout the operation
on a daily basis. Unless that issue is fully
addressed all the way to the top of the
organizational structure, including members of the executive team, then the culture that produced the incident may very
well remain intact, and future incidents
are all but guaranteed.
Fred Stawitz, principal of technical training at Kinder Morgan, Inc., served as
chairman of the 2014 HSE Excellence
for Offshore Operations Forum, which
was organized by Fleming Europe (www.
flemingeurope.com).
32
0115ohs_030_032_Stawitz_v4.indd 32
Circle 32 on card.
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12/10/14 10:56 AM
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Untitled-1 1
12/10/14 10:20 AM
Below the Hook Safety

Oil & Gas Drilling and Well Servicing
By Dave Terry
ncreasing pressure is being placed on well servicing companies to address and eliminate the possibility of crown
out issues, while little focus is placed on the elimination
of mechanical braking systems. Currently, companies are
training and reinforcing crews on best practices, procedures,
and mental vigilance to recognize and reduce risk, but an essential safety device component is missing from the design.
During well servicing, operators make multiple brake actions
for each tube or rod being installed or removed. Each braking action using mechanical brakes relies on operator attention
and vigilance to protect personnel working on the work floor
and in the derrick. The following concerns describe the issues
in brief and outline potential liability concerns in the event of
an accident or violation.
1. Oil & gas drilling and well servicing rigs may be incorporating a manufacturer defect.
2. Rigs are defectively designed to fail in a foreseeable way.
3. Economically feasible and safer designs or modifications
are available.
4. Unnecessary delays in braking are an accepted hazard.
5. Absolute release of mechanical braking systems can occur,
resulting in clear risk.
Most well servicing rigs were manufactured with, and still
use, band brakes with mechanical linkage to directly connect the
operator control to the braking mechanism. Due to safety and
operational concerns, more rigs are being upgraded or retrofitted with automated rig braking systems, which are considered
fail-safe. Some rigs are even fitted with a power assist braking
system to reduce operator fatigue during normal operations imposed from forcing the brake handle to actuate the bands.
A concern associated with mechanical wear is the band
system thermal capabilities and expansion. When these band
brakes are operated under normal conditions, heat is absorbed
by the bands and thermal expansion of components occurs.
This expansion results in the brake handle rising and the operator needing to adjust the handle to an ergonomically comfortable position. When the blocks are stopped and the brake
handle chained in place, as is common practice, the hoist drum
is restrained against expanded brakes. When the brakes begin
to cool, thermal expansion is dissipated and the restraint is no
longer adequate, resulting in potential catastrophic failure.
There are cost-effective, feasible solutions to this hazard, and
there have been for years. The issue stands with well servicing
companies taking the initiative to hold their workforce safety
above profits by installing a fail-safe primary or auxiliary braking mechanism. Current issues facing well servicing companies
are related to cost of modifications, equipment service time, and
personnel costs to maintain level-loading. Some modifications
34
0115ohs_034_Terry_v2.indd 34
may take upward of four weeks, which directly affects productivity and the bottom line. A secondary issue lies with the primary client of specific rigs and maintaining vigilant safety in
equipment design and operation. Many large producers are not
willing to proactively enforce fail-safe requirements if profits are
drastically affected. Even when oil prices were hovering around
$100/barrel, producers were not willing to delay production
when faced with serious safety concerns.
Even safety professionals within the oil and gas industry are
often unsure of where this equipment falls regarding the application of standards and regulations. Well servicing rigs are
not considered cranes due to the restriction of horizontal load
movement, although rigs often perform tasks that are inclined
to be performed by a crane; one such task is BOP installation/
removal. Through the fog it can be understood how a well servicing or drilling rig would fall under regulations and standards
related to hoisting equipment.
When comparing rigs to hoisting equipment, the deficiency
and corrective actions are clear. Hoisting equipment requires
the braking system to perform the following functions, which
should be incorporated into well servicing requirements:
1. Arrest and hold the load promptly when controls are released with loads up to 125 percent of rated capacity.
2. Limit the speed of load during lowering to a maximum of
120 percent of rated lowering speed.
3. Holding brakes on hoists shall have ample thermal capacity for the frequency of operation required by the service.
4. The braking system shall have provision for adjustments
where necessary to compensate for wear.
5. Where the prime mover is an electric motor, a self-setting
electric motor brake or other self-setting brake shall be provided
to prevent drum rotation in the event of power failure.
6. The hoist shall be so designed that, when the actuating
force is removed, it will automatically stop and hold any load up
to 125 percent of the rated load.
Less serious incidents have increased over the years as the age
of well servicing equipment becomes more of a concern. Many
of these incidents, as well as some serious incidents, would have
been prevented had a fail-safe braking system been installed.
Personnel identifying this concern on drilling and well servicing rigs but failing to take action may be identified as negligent in the prevention of a catastrophic equipment failure,
potentially resulting in willful violations of good engineering
practice.
Dave Terry, CSP, is a Health & Safety Specialist with EHS
Consulting LLC (www.EHS-C.com), which has home offices in
Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Billings, Mont.
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:56 AM
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Untitled-2 1
12/2/14 10:24 AM
LOCKOUT/TAGOUT
Process Automation and Lockout/Tagout:

Finding the Proper Balance
This is the hard part, keeping the requirements

in mind while also keeping your production
humming along.
BY JIMI MICHALSCHECK
ROCKWELL AUTOMATION, INC.
There are five components: Procedures, Auditing, Training, Policy, and Devices.
he decision was final, and the plan was to

construct a new addition to help keep up
with market demand. The senior leadership
decided that moving the factory and building another factory was cost prohibitive, leaving the
expansion as the best alternative.
This factory was built in the late 1980s and has
been upgraded heavily with new switchgears and all
new breakers that were a solution to help mitigate the
arc flash dangers that existed with the old hardware.
The factory was producing a very popular consumer
36
0115ohs_036_038_Michalscheck_v2.indd 36
product for which demand surges near the middle of

the year, causing all of the technology to be utilized at
full tilt just to make the quotas. This new expansion
was a welcome addition.
As the planning committee gathered to start working out the details of the expansion, the room came
to a hush when the CEO entered the room unannounced. Today is an opportunity for us to reinvent
the way we look at how we produce our product. I
dont want business as usual here. I want to take advantage of the latest in technology to ensure we have
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CIRCLE 17 ON CARD
Untitled-4 1
9/5/14 12:37 PM
LOCKOUT/TAGOUT
Standard operating procedures outline the necessary steps to take
in order to ensure inadvertent reenergization does not occur while
specific and routine tasks are taking place.
the most efficient product lines per square
foot that exist. Do you think you can do
that? The team hesitated, then one person
spoke up: Yes, we can.
What they did next was very importantthey outlined key areas that caused
their current product process to fall behind. The top two culprits were unscheduled downtime caused by jams, followed by
scheduled downtime taking far longer than
the predicted amount. The team realized
that this finding would not only help them
construct a better factory process in the expansion area, but also could be addressed
in the existing factory lines.
Fast forward three years, and the expansion is complete.
The CEO enters the board meeting to
report, saying production is up 400 percent from three years ago, and the company has additional capacity to increase
its orders by another 100 percent before
it needs to expand again. The CEO adds,
the prior expansion was a success beyond
what we could have predicted, and we are
still analyzing the most important key
contributors.
The board members start firing hard
questions: What was the top contributor? Is
there any worry about safety now that we
are so much more productive with nearly
the same amount of personnel as before?
Have we done anything that has exposed us
to risk with regulatory compliance?
The CEO takes a deep breath, contemplates his next move, and then faces
them to proudly respond, The old factory was improved most dramatically
from streamlining the process involved
when we have jams. Knowing jams would
be unavoidable, our team developed two
tiers of procedures. One procedure utilized the existing guarding and key off
switches to perform minor maintenance
and clear jams, while the other procedures
that were for heavier maintenance or
more critical jams were restructured to be
more intuitive and easier to follow. While
we made other improvements to the line
as we analyzed the data pouring in from
our productivity software, our team and I
38
agree that the heaviest contributor to the

factorys overall improvement was due to
the improvement of our hazardous energy
control program. The technology we use
and the process we follow not only meets
regulatory standards, it exceeds them. In
fact we have not had a recordable incident
related to servicing equipment in the last
three years, which helps prove our point.
Its faster and its safer.
The board members erupted in cheers
and applause.
Analysis and Application to Reality

While this story might not completely
mesh with the reality at every persons
facility, the fact is, the tools they used for
improvements apply to every company in
every industry, even non-manufacturing
businesses.
The control of hazardous energy (lockout/tagout, as its known in the United
States), is a term used to describe the process that will protect employees when they
are in harms way of equipment movement
when they are servicing it and unexpected
start-up could cause injury or death. Lockout/tagout is on the top 10 list of mostcited regulations for all industries and is
consistently the #1 most-cited regulation
for manufacturers. So what are the requirements exactly?
Thats the easy part. There are five components: Procedures, Auditing, Training,
Policy, and Devices. Thats also the order in
which companies fail to meet compliance,
with lockout/tagout procedures being the
most-cited part of the lockout/tagout regulation, 29 CFR1910.147.
The hard part is finding the balance by
keeping the above requirements in mind
while also keeping your production humming along. An overarching guiding philosophy for U.S. manufacturers is that with
proper equipment, procedures, and training, a company should not need to use the
OSHA-defined lockout/tagout process for
most of the time. However, when there are
not effective means by which to provide at
least an equivalent level of protection for
tasks that qualify under the 1910.147(a)(2)
0115ohs_036_038_Michalscheck_v2.indd 38
minor servicing exemption, lockout/tagout

must be used.
Some examples of industry best practices around alternatives to using lockout/
tagout are:
Standard
operating procedures
(SOPs). These procedures outline the necessary steps to take in order to ensure inadvertent reenergization does not occur while
specific and routine tasks are taking place.
Advanced machine guarding and
process control. Well engineered and properly specified interlock guarding such as
class III guarding that has been audited
and tested regularly can provide a layer
of protection that, when used in conjunction with training and potentially an SOP,
will provide an equivalent or better level of
protection, oftentimes with only seconds to
utilize per cycle as opposed to several minutes as with lockout/tagout.
By understanding and utilizing the
best technology available, as well as understanding and properly leveraging known
regulatory exemptions where appropriate,
a world-class high-performance production and integrated safety system can take
place in businesses and factories where others thought it to be impossible.
Theres a longstanding adage with safety: If s its not easy, its not safe. Meaning
that if a program is designed to be too cumbersome to the process, people will find a
work-around and eventually it will be less
safe. Using that same mindset: Industry
best practices have taught us that if its not
efficient, it wont last.
To learn more about how to engineer
a lockout-tagout program in your facility
that pays you back, visit www.escservices.
com/learning-center.
To learn more about process automation and advanced machine guarding solutions that will help reduce the likeliness
for high frequency usage of lockout/tagout,
visit http://www.rockwellautomation.com/
rockwellautomation/services/consultingassessment/.
Jimi Michalscheck is the marketing manager for Rockwell Automation, Inc. and has
more than 15 years experience delivering
custom lockout/tagout solutions to hundreds
of companies around the world. To connect
via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/
pub/jimi-michalscheck/4/2a4/ba6
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12/10/14 10:57 AM
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CIRCLE 12 ON CARD
Untitled-2 1
12/1/14 12:20 PM
LOCKOUT/TAGOUT
Ensuring Safety with a Lockout/Tagout

Program: Seven Steps to Compliance
Procedures, devices, and personnel must be set

in place to prevent a serious injury when
a worker thinks a machine is safely off.
BY BRAD MONTGOMERY
o you need a lockout/tagout program at

your company? In 2013, a lumber mill had
$1.6 million worth of reasons to say yes.
The company had repeatedly ignored OSHA
citations for serious safety violations. Employees, according to OSHA, were exposed to amputation hazards while maintaining, cleaning, and clearing jams
on machinery that didnt have their energy sources
locked out. After an employee suffered a partial finger
amputation while clearing a machine that hadnt been
locked out and another suffered a severe hand injury
while working on an unguarded machine, OSHA issued 24 willful violations at a maximum of $70,000
each to the company, including failure to properly
shut down and lock out 23 pieces of machinery before
employees were required to clean them.
While this may be an extreme example of what
can happen if you dont have a comprehensive lockout/tagout program at your company, it does illustrate
the potential dangers to your employees, as well as the
possible financial impact.
According to OSHA:
Approximately 3 million workers service
equipment and face the greatest risk of injury if lockout/tagout is not properly implemented.
Compliance with the lockout/tagout standard
prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 injuries each year.
Workers injured on the job from machinery
that was not shut off properly lose an average of 24
work days for recuperation.
Clearly, implementing a good lockout/tagout program saves significantly on costs from lost employee
time, workers compensation, and other insurance
costs. But at the end of the day, the reason your company should implement a lockout/tagout program is
to ensure your employees go home safely. Safety in
your workplace has a priceless value for the company,
the workers, and the workers families. Quite simply, a
lockout/tagout program is not only a required OSHA
regulation, but also the right thing to do.
However, ensuring employee safety means more
than just shutting off, unplugging, or disconnecting equipment. Procedures, devices, and personnel
must be set in place to prevent a serious injury when
a worker thinks a machine is safely off. The following
40
0115ohs_040_041_Montgomery_v3.indd 40
is a seven-step program created as a guideline to an

effective lockout/tagout program. Additional helpful
information is available on the OSHA website, www.
osha.gov, or through your local safety equipment or
industrial solutions provider.
1. Be aware of the lockout regulations. Become
familiar with the federal regulations known as The
Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout).
OSHA defines lockout/tagout as the specific practices and procedures to safeguard employees from the
unexpected energization or startup of machinery and
equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during
service or maintenance activities.
Here are some of the most significant OSHA requirements for a lockout/tagout program:
Only authorized workers may lock out or tag
out machines or equipment in order to perform servicing or maintenance.
Lockout devices (locks) and tagout devices
cannot be used for any other purposes and must be
used only for controlling energy.
Lockout and tagout devices (locks and tags)
must identify the name of the worker applying the device.
All energy sources to equipment must be identified and isolated.
After the energy is isolated from the machine
or equipment, the isolating device(s) must be locked
out or tagged out in safe or off position only by the
authorized employees.
Following the application of the lockout or
tagout devices to the energy-isolating devices, the
stored or residual energy must be safely discharged or
relieved.
Prior to starting work on the equipment, the
authorized employee must verify that the equipment
is isolated from the energy source, for example, by
operating the on/off switch on the machine or equipment.
Locks and tags must remain on the machine
until the work is completed.
Only the authorized employee who placed the
locks and tags may remove his/her lock or tag, unless
the employer has a specific procedure as outlined in
OSHAs Lockout/Tagout standard.
2. Develop a list of machinery and equipment.
Survey your facility for all machinery and equipment
that have the potential for requiring lockout. Even
for a medium-sized building, this list could include
several hundred pieces of equipment, each of which
requires a separate lockout/tagout procedure. Among
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:58 AM
machinery that should be listed are: any automated machines,

boilers, chillers, compressors, conveyors, generators, production
equipment, and pumps. For each machine, you will need to create
a lockout procedure that details the specific steps for shutting down
and securing the machine, with special emphasis on safe release of
any hazardous energy.
3. Identify and mark energy sources and lockout points. Locate and document start-up areas of energy sources, such as electrical, hydraulic, mechanical, pressure, process control, stored energy
(gravity, springs), and thermal. Post signs and apply labels and
tags to warn and identify energy source areas and points requiring
shutdown and lockout/tagout procedures. Use graphics, including
photographs and diagrams, to clearly illustrate where the energy
sources and lockout points are on each machine.
4. Determine the lockout controls. Identify and document the
necessary devices that isolate and lock out energy sources and secure them for on-site use. Standardize the devices for various functions for proper identification. For example, develop differently
colored locks for each shift at your plant and for supervisors. Be
sure that everyone working on a machine understands that all locks
for each shift must be removed only by the person responsible for
each lock before the machine is safe to operate.
5. Set up a lockout training and procedure program. Develop, standardize, and document the lockout process for each energy
source. Identify employees level of involvement in the program.
OSHA categorizes employees into three groups: those who are
made aware of, those who are affected by, and those who perform
the lockout procedures. Get employees involved through comprehensive training programs and certifications.
According to OSHA, employee training must cover at least
three areas:
Aspects of the employers energy control program
Elements of the energy control procedure relevant to the
employees duties or assignment
The various requirements of the OSHA standards related to
lockout/tagout
6. Implement the lockout program. Initiate the lockout/tagout
program that follows the training procedures. Post reminders and
have the necessary lockout/tagout devices readily available. When
completed, your lockout/tagout program must have a written procedure for the safe shutdown and start-up of each machine in your
company. You should have written and photographic documentation of what device is being used at each lockout point and the
names of the people authorized to remove each lockout device.
7. Review the lockout program. Finally, identify and document changes to existing lockout procedures and new energy
sources that require lockout. Conduct periodic reviews of lockout
procedures (required at least annually) to ensure they are up to date
and requirements are being met.
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director for Accuform Signs.
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JANUARY 2015 |
41
12/10/14 10:58 AM
CHEMICAL SAFETY/SDS
GHS in the New Year:

Five Resolutions for Success
As you are aware, the deadline to train

employees on GHS has passed. However,
it is required to train new employees, as well
as provide training when a new physical or
health hazard is introduced into the workplace.
BY KRAIG HABERER
appy 2015! The arrival of the New Year

means that we are just six months away
from the deadline at which all safety data
sheets (SDSs) and labels must comply with
the new HazCom 2012 standards. This deadline requires companies that manufacture hazardous chemicals to provide GHS-compliant SDSs and labels to
downstream users. Manufacturers may not ship products lacking GHS labeling from this point forward,
and distributors are under the same obligation but
have been granted an extra six months to allow for the
depletion of existing inventory. Additionally, employers must comply with HazCom 2012 compliance standards for workplace labeling, hazard communication
programs, and additional employee training for newly
identified physical or health hazards by June 2016.
To achieve compliance requires the same focus
and determination as one might need to succeed at
any other New Years resolution. Youre not going to
lose those 10 pounds by carving out the exception,
like a daily caramel macchiato per se, but by maintaining a healthy lifestyle with better diet and exercise
routines. Similarly, those who successfully transition
to GHS will take a holistic approach to meeting their
compliance goals. If youre ready for the challenge,
here are some ideas for New Years resolutions to prepare for GHS adoption.
As the deadline approaches, OHS

professionals can expect to receive an
avalanche of new SDSs.
Resolution #1:
Learn about the basics of classification
As the deadline approaches, OHS professionals can
expect to receive an avalanche of new SDSs. It is important to know the basics of classification regarding
a safety data sheet in order to determine whether an
SDS is compliant. Currently, hazard classifications
are performance oriented, which means hazards are
42
0115ohs_042_044_Haberer_v2.indd 42
evaluated on fairly vague and broad criteria. However,

under the new HazCom 2012 rule, specific, detailed
criteria are provided to help guide the evaluation into
the classification of the chemical. In addition, classification now means that hazards are evaluated not only
for existence, but also for severity.
Currently, hazards are evaluated and communicated downstream via SDSs and labels. In evaluating hazards, there is currently flexibility in the use of professional judgment to identify the most relevant hazards
associated with chemicals. Under GHS standards, all
hazards are to be classified, meaning there are specific,
detailed criteria for determining hazard classification
for materials. This means there will be much less flexibility when classifying. Furthermore, GHS allows
countries and agencies to adopt portions of GHS that
best fit within their existing regulatory guidelines,
which means classifications may not be 100 percent
harmonized between countries and agencies.
Resolution #2: Acquire, review, and manage

new incoming SDSs
It may sound simple, but with the high volume of
new SDSs being distributed in the near future, this
resolution can be difficult to achieve. In order to meet
GHS compliance, you will be expected to replace your
current MSDSs with SDSs when submitted by the
manufacturer. To do this successfully, you will need
to review the SDSs you receive to ensure new hazard
information is understood and acted upon.
When inspecting the quality of an SDS, there are
some requirements to keep in mind. First and foremost
is the name itself. Although the terms are often used
interchangeably, a material safety data sheet (MSDS)
and safety data sheet (SDS) are in actuality documents
with specific format and content differences. An SDS
must be formatted to include 16 required sections in
the specified order. Currently, OSHA does not specify
how many sections or the order in which they appear
on an MSDS. Under HazCom 2012, OSHA requires
SDSs to be in a uniform format and include section
numbers, headings, and associated information.
Under the new Hazard Communication Standard
(HCS), sections two and three will be swapped in the
SDS format. Section two will now be the hazard(s)
identification segment, which includes emergency
overview and required label elements incorporating
signal words and pictograms, and section three will
provide the composition/information on ingredients.
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CIRCLE 29 ON CARD
Untitled-7 1
12/9/14 2:55 PM
CHEMICAL SAFETY/SDS
Although GHS uses a total of nine pictograms, OSHA will only
enforce the use of eight, as the environmental pictogram is not
mandatory but can be used to provide additional information.
In addition, SDSs also will need to be reclassified based upon the new GHS criteria. There are new health, physical, and
environmental health classifications that
will need to be communicated in section
two of the SDS. OSHA has stated it will not
require data in sections 12, 13, 14, or 15 because other agencies regulate this information. However, it is required to have at least
the heading for these sections on the SDS.
That said, you will need to choose your
method for managing SDSs going forward.
As with many other non-core activities,
most companies outsource this function
today. Current SDS software and service
providers already have catalogs of materials
and safety data sheets with an established
process for acquiring, updating, and managing SDSs.
Resolution #3:
Update workplace labels
Currently, OSHA imposes a performancebased requirement on chemical labels, so
employers may choose how to convey the
hazard information on the label. This allows liberties to the manufacturer, importer, and distributor on how it is displayed.
Under GHS, there is no required, standardized format; however, there are required elements. These elements include
the following:
Product identifier. This should
match the product identifier on the Safety
Data Sheet.
Signal word. Use either Danger or
Warning.
Hazard statement. This is a phrase
assigned to the hazard class that describes
the nature of the products hazard.
Precautionary statement. It describes recommended measures to minimize or prevent adverse effects resulting
from exposure.
Supplier identification. The name,
address, and telephone number of the
manufacturer or supplier are listed.
Pictogram. These graphical symbols
are intended to convey specific hazard information visually.
44
Based upon the new criteria, there will

only be two signal words: Danger (severe)
and Warning (less severe). The use of a
red border within the pictogram is also a
new change with GHS; however, an employer may choose to use a black border
for workplace (or in-plant) labels only.
Although GHS uses a total of nine pictograms, OSHA will only enforce the use of
eight, as the environmental pictogram is
not mandatory but can be used to provide
additional information. Its also worth
noting that the signal word, pictogram,
and hazard statement are required to be
located next to each other.
Another significant change will be in
the NFPA and HMIS rating systems used
in labeling workplace containers. These ratings are used when transferring a chemical
from its parent container to a secondary
workplace container. Under GHS, the rating systems will be numerically inverse
from the current system. For example, currently HMIS hazard ratings are listed in order from 0 (minimal hazard) to 4 (severe
hazard). Under GHS, the ratings will be 1
(severe hazard) to 5 (minimal hazard).
Employers may continue to use rating
systems such as HMIS or NFPA diamonds
for workplace labels as long as they are consistent with the requirements of the Hazard
Communication Standard and the employees have immediate access to the specific
hazard information discussed above. Additionally, an employer using NFPA or HMIS
labeling must, through training, ensure its
employees are fully aware of the hazards of
the chemicals used.
Resolution #4: Train your workforce

As you are aware, the deadline to train employees on GHS has passed. However, it is
required to train new employees, as well as
provide training when a new physical or
health hazard is introduced into the workplace. For example, if a new chemical is
brought into the workplace with the same
hazard classifications for which a training
has been conducted, then there is no additional training required. However, if a new
0115ohs_042_044_Haberer_v2.indd 44
chemical is introduced with hazardous

properties that have not been in the workplace before, then new training for those
hazards must be conducted for employees
who work in areas where they could be exposed.
Some of the most important changes to
communicate in training will focus on how
to read updated labels, how to interpret
the new pictograms, and what the various
signal words, hazard statements, and precautionary statements mean. For example,
there may be confusion based on the GHS
rating system versus traditional rating systems such as HMIS or NFPA.
Having a plan to communicate these
hazards is essential to meeting OSHA requirements and ensuring workplace safety.
Resolution #5: Track your progress

As with any resolution, tracking your
progress is a good way to stay accountable
and keep your goal top of mind. Meeting
GHS compliance involves many moving
parts such as training, as well as acquiring
updated safety data sheets from your suppliers. Thankfully, there are applications
to help you stay on track with your GHS
goals. Tracking internal process items
such as employee trainings and chemical inventories can be achieved by using
training software or simple spreadsheets.
However, tracking the number and percent of updated GHS SDSs from your vendors can be a little more difficult. If you are
using an SDS software vendor system, be
sure to ask how you can track your GHScompliant SDSs.
Conclusion
As 2015 begins, OHS professionals in the
United States can anticipate the implementation of GHS as they receive new safety
data sheets and labels in the months ahead.
Preparing for the transition will help you
achieve GHS success. In addition, there are
a number of resources available to help you
along the way, including the OSHA website, www.osha.gov.
Kraig Haberer is the Chief Operating Officer of SiteHawk, an SDS management and
chemical data solutions provider that is
based in Smyrna, Tenn. For more information, visit http://www.sitehawk.com.
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 10:59 AM
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CIRCLE 34 ON CARD
Untitled-6 1
12/8/14 3:49 PM
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY
Ten Feet Tall and Falling
Construction workers are used to contending with elevated risk levels,

so theyre more likely to have a skewed perception of that risk.
BY CHERI GENEREAUX
hen it comes to safety, a lot of attention is dedicated to the biggest or

loudest hazards. But if you poll folks
in the construction industry on the
source of most injuries, youll find that theyre rarely
caused by the scariest tasks. Most often, theyre the
result of all of the little hazards that workers navigate
on a daily basis.
Every year I speak with more than 800 site managers, safety supervisors, trainers, and other construction industry representatives. By far the most
common complaint I hear is about workers making
stupid mistakesthings such as forgetting to wear
PPE, not following a procedure thats been drilled into
their heads, jumping down from a tailgate, or muscling heavy material or machines.
46
0115ohs_046_047_Genereaux_v2.indd 46
Anatomy of a Stupid Mistake

When safety pofessionals call something a stupid mistake, theyre almost always referring to some error
or slip-up that someone made when he should have
known better and could have avoided if hed been paying attention or thinking about the consequences. We
call them stupid because they happen when were
trying to complete a task thats usually quite simple
and that weve done a thousand times before without
getting hurt. The mistakes seem obvious and easily
avoidable in hindsight, but I cant recall the last time I
went a week without hearing a safety manager lament
a stupid mistake that led to someone getting hurt.
Stupid mistakes are made when our perception of
risk is lower than it should be. Nobody thinks about
the dangers of walking, even though theres always a
risk of tripping, because everyone takes thousands
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 11:00 AM
of steps every day. Complete any task frequently enough and we become confident
in our ability to complete it safely in the
future and minimize the risk in our minds.
When you add in a large and extremely
visible hazard, then people sit up and take
notice. For example, if youve got a bunch
of guys moving a huge I-beam, theres no
question that theyre going to be paying attention to the very real (and very big) hazard above their heads. But if this was something they did several times every day, then
Ill bet theyd start to see it as a much less
risky operation, even though the hazard
hasnt appreciably changed.
I recently spoke with a director of
EH&S who said, When we are working
on hazardous or complex tasks, we do a
risk assessment, job safety analysis, and a
toolbox talk about it. However, my guys are
getting hurt while walking across the site.
They simply step on a rock and roll their
ankle. In many cases, its not the obvious
hazards that are getting people hurt, but
rather its when workers become so desensitized to small risks that they stop paying
attention to them.
Another safety professional told me
about a worker who went to climb a crane
ladder, which was something he did regularly. This time, though, he forgot about
three points of contact, slipped on the
second rung, and broke his leg. He barely
made it off the ground, and now he cant
work for at least eight weeks, all because of
a stupid mistake.
youve operated massive equipment, driving your car home seems like nothing. But
when you feel like you can handle anything,
then you end up developing a blind spot to
things that can put you in the hospital.
Its telling that, at 29.3 percent, sprains,
strains, and tears are by far the largest category of injury in the construction industry.
In many cases, the causes of these injuries
arent immediately evident to the people
who end up getting hurt because theyre
not looking for them. As weve seen, even
walking without looking where youre going on a construction site could end very
badly. And the more bulletproof workers
feel, the more likely they are to get hurt
and theres a good chance that it will be a
low-risk activity that causes the injury.
The same can be said about falls, which
is the largest single cause of constructionrelated fatalities. When workers are 80 feet
off the ground, they take one look over
the edge and voluntarily clip into their
fall protection because the consequences
of falling are obvious. But send them up
just a story or two above ground level, and
theyre much less likely to identify the risks.
Its just 20 feet, they think. But Ive seen
stats that say that 50 percent of workplace
fatalities due to falls occur from a height of
25 feet or less, and a common refrain from
safety managers is how quickly workers become used to working at a height of 10 or
20 feet and forget how risky it actually is.
Bulletproof Perception of Risk
The common theme in all of this is attention and complacency. If workers stop paying attention for long enough, then they
become complacent and start making stupid mistakes. So how do you get workers
to focus their attention on what theyre doing, no matter how mundane the task may
be? Telling them to pay attention is about
as useful as trying to stick a Post-It note on
every hazard. But there are several ways
to meaningfully engage workers and help
them keep their eyes and mind on the risks
around them:
Help them understand that low-risk
activities can cause severe injuries and give
them an example.
Explain that focus (or lack thereof)
on the task at hand will greatly influence
the risk of a stupid mistake or injury.
Tell them how hard it is to maintain
In both of these examples, injuries occurred

not because they were taking a serious
shortcut or had a major mental lapse, but
because they werent focused on small but
very real hazards. Their complacency and
the frequency of these two activities contributed to taking their minds off what they
were doing, and they failed to even think
about or properly evaluate their chances of
getting hurt.
In many jobs the frequency of high-risk
activities is pretty low, but construction
workers have to deal with lots of hazardous
energy on a regular basis. So while theyre
used to contending with elevated risk levels, theyre also more likely to have a skewed
perception of that risk. Im pretty sure this
is why so many construction workers think
theyre 10 feet tall and bulletproof: After
www.ohsonline.com
0115ohs_046_047_Genereaux_v2.indd 47
Combat Complacency
with Communication
focus on frequent, simple activities and

thats why its critical to follow procedures
and wear PPE all the time.
Regularly engage them in communication about low-risk activities as well as
emphasizing the big stuff. Frequent safety
discussions will also raise awareness, help
fight complacency, and let them know that
safety is a priority even in the face of a
deadline.
Personally, I like to recommend that supervisors develop five or six questions that
will prompt workers to think about injury
risks. One of my favorites is to ask, If your
son or daughter were to start working here
today, which hazards would you want them
to know about? The answer will often
highlight a source of danger the employee
knows about but wasnt necessarily actively
thinking about, and it will also provide the
supervisor with a sense of what his or her
workers are worried about.
Asking questions like this takes only 30
seconds and turns it into a dialogue rather
than a one-sided mini lecture. It can also
help each employee feel like a valuable
member of the team. And Ive often seen
these supervisor-initiated conversations
eventually transform into regular peer-topeer chats about safety a lot quicker than
you might think.
The key is to initiate these conversations
frequently. Its much better to have numerous small discussions and awareness sessions than to spend half an hour on it once
and then never mention it again. If the
goal is to recalibrate workers assessment
of small risks, then this change needs to be
reinforced through regular conversations
and practice.
Its easy for workers to become complacent about small hazards in the workplace,
but ongoing conversations can prompt
them to pay the same attention to small
hazards as they do to big ones. And by
helping workers look and think more about
what theyre doing, you can shrink their
10-foot mentality to a more reasonable
heightand make them safer as a result.
Cheri Genereaux is the construction industry specialist at SafeStart. She uses her
knowledge of human factors and unique
industry experience to reduce injuries for
hundreds of construction companies across
North America.
JANUARY 2015 |
47
12/10/14 11:00 AM
NEW PRODUCTS
WWW.OHSONLINE.COM/MCV/PRODUCTS
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Stay safe and stay warm with the

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CIRCLE 301 ON CARD
CIRCLE 302 ON CARD
COMPACT LED SIGNAL LIGHT
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48
0115ohs_048_053_NP_v4.indd 48
www.ohsonline.com
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CIRCLE 14 ON CARD
Untitled-2 1
PC 109753
12/1/14 2:18 PM
NEW PRODUCTS
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The PureSafety system brings together

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regardless of geographic location, access to fundamental safety practices.
With this 7.1 release, PureSafety is
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and Mandarin Chinese.
The Handheld Algiz 10X is IP65-rated

and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G
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powerful dual-core processor, offering
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The Algiz 10X runs Windows 7 Ultimate.
The New Pig Pig Burpless Large OneHand-Sealable Drum Funnel (16.5 x
14) for 30- and 55-gallon steel drums
takes the mess out of liquid waste
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spent emptying the contents of bottles,
buckets, and pails into collection
drums. The funnels patented Burpless
venting design allows the operator to
drain a 5-gallon bucket in as little as 17
seconds while eliminating dangerous
splashbacks. The exclusive latching
handle can be opened and closed with
one hand, providing easy access to the
funnel and encouraging compliance with
EPAs Closed Container Regulations.
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SHELTER
The Eclipse by Rite-Hite is the first system to block light and
seal gaps where previous enclosures have failed, guaranteeing the darkest, most environmentally secure dock possible.
On the sides of the trailer, durable GapMaster hooks wrap
around swing-open trailer doors, sealing the gaps created
by the door hinge, which amount to more than 2.5 square
feet of open air if left unsealed. An exclusive weighted head
curtain applies more than 100 pounds of pressure across
the full width of the trailer top.
CIRCLE 309 ON CARD
50
0115ohs_048_053_NP_v4.indd 50
Circle 33 on card.
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 11:00 AM
Bringing you more online every day

ohsonline.com
Visit our site daily for all the health & safety
information you need in one place!
Increase industry knowledge with our webinars, offered

frequently throughout the year. Also available on demand.
Join 65,000+* industry professionals who receive OH&S

E-news twice a week.
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For more information, contact Kevin OGrady

kogrady@1105media.com
CIRCLE 10 ON CARD
Untitled-3 1
11/4/14 10:58 AM
NEW PRODUCTS
REFLECTIVE MATERIALS
TANKLESS WATER HEATER
VEHICLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM
The sample card from Metlon Corporation features six examples of 3M

Scotchlite Reflective Materials products laminated onto polyester ribbon.
The Cranston, RI-based manufacturer
selected for this new product literature
the most frequently requested products.
Specifically, 8712 and 5510, the ANSI/
ISEA 107 & 207 Compliant silver heat
transfer film, is featured in three of the
laminated narrow fabric samples: in a
single 2 width applied to 2-1/4 fluorescent yellow grosgrain ribbon.
The SNA Series delivers on-demand

ANSI-required tepid water to emergency
safety showers with or without eye/face
washes. The unit is armed with TepidGuard, a patented overshoot purge
protection system that ensures compliance to ANSI Z358.1, even in stand-by
mode. Combined with a Bradley safety
fixture including an anti-scald valve
option, these technologies ensure that
even the hottest environments will not
drive water temperatures above ANSI
standards.
CIRCLE 310 ON CARD
CIRCLE 311 ON CARD
The Rite-Hite Dok-Lok RHR-4000 with

Rite-Vu Light Communication System
is an automatic vehicle restraint that
secures semi-trainers and intermodal
containers at the loading dock. It comes
with a full-time communication system
that indicates vehicle-restraint status
via lights on the loading dock door and
dock leveler. It helps prevent all types of
trailer separation, using a unique rotating hook design, such as aggressive
early departure, trailer creep, and dock
walk, as well as trailer tipover from landing gear collapse or trailer up-ending.
CIRCLE 312 ON CARD
GAS ANALYZER
WORK POSITIONING SOLUTION
INDOOR AIR QUALITY MONITOR
The E4400 by E Instruments is a

portable flue gas analyzer designed
for emissions monitoring and maintenance and tuning for forklifts and other
industrial engines. Its rugged design
and accurate measurements make the
E4400 the ideal emissions analyzer for
industrial engine applications.
The Ergotech Ergo Control allows for

easy, repeatable, fast, and programmable positioning and repositioning of
large, heavy work product without the
infrastructure installation costs and lost
work time of overhead cranes, pulleys,
or other mechanisms, not to mention
the additional cubic footage of real
estate those solutions require.
The 2014 AQ Comfort by E Instruments is the IAQ monitor made for the
HVAC Professional. The convenient
and economical all-in-one instrument
provides the latest in indoor air quality
monitoring and real-time datalogging for
IAQ analysis in homes, schools,
and offices.
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CIRCLE 315 ON CARD
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52
0115ohs_048_053_NP_v4.indd 52
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 11:00 AM
THERMO-ANEMOMETER
HALF MASK RESPIRATOR
LANDING LOCKS
The E Instruments VT100 Hot-Wire Thermo-Anemometer is a compact, rugged,

and easy-to-use thermo-anemometer
ideal for any laboratory, cleanroom, and
for air balancing and many more applications. The large ice-blue backlit LCD
display is easy to read in either light or
dark environments.
Comfort-Air half masks from U.S. Safety

have a unique design that allows the
mask to sit lower on the nose, providing
extended wear and comfort. Combined
with the multi-position cartridge adjustment, makes it possible to fit the mask
under a faceshield or welding helmet.
These features greatly reduce interference with eye protection and provide a
wider field of vision.
This Advance Lifts Inc. system is designed for customers who wish to have
an extra level of security at elevated
landing levels. The system consists of
two hydraulically operated locking pins
and two support columns. The locking
pins are mounted on the platform corners adjacent to the upper level landing.
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CIRCLE 318 ON CARD
CIRCLE 317 ON CARD
January 21, 2015

QN&BTUFSOtQN$FOUSBMtBN1BDJD
Webinar
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Critical Changes in NFPA 70E Affecting Industry
The 2015 edition of the NFPA 70E standard includes a major change in how stakeholders evaluate electrical risk so that
owners, managers, and employees can work together to ensure an electrically safe working area and comply with OSHA
1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1926 Subpart K. Throughout the standard, the phrase risk assessment replaces the phrase
hazard analysis, with NFPA saying this has been done to enable a shift in awareness about the potential for failure.
There are updated tables, a new subsection in 130.2 (A)(4) that provides requirements where normal operation of electric
equipment is permitted, and Annex E has been updated to correlate with the redefined terminology associated with
hazard and risk.
Hugh Hoagland is managing partner of e-Hazard Management LLC and President of ArcWear.com in Louisville, Ky. e-Hazards
electrical safety training is used by more NFPA 70E members than any other program, and ArcWear does most of the worlds arc
testing at Kinectrics Lab in Toronto. Hughs training is widely followed since it does not promote any specific PPE but is the most
conversant training on the real issues safety directors and end users face in complying with the NFPA 70E standard and the National
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Sponsors include:
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Circle 11 on card.
www.ohsonline.com
0115ohs_048_053_NP_v4.indd 53
JANUARY 2015 |
53
12/10/14 11:00 AM
PRACTICAL EXCELLENCE
BY SHAWN GALLOWAY
The Only Way Safety

Will Continuously Improve
Sometimes to make progress, the right
question isnt What do we need to do?
The question is often What do we need to
stop doing? or What are we doing that is
sending the wrong message?
ll progress begins by thinking differently. If we seek different results, we must ask more intelligent questions
and realize todays answers will be antiquated tomorrow.
What questions are you asking? Do you allow the status
quo to remain unchallenged?
When the first skyscraper, the Tacoma Building, was constructed in Chicago in 1889, walking on steel beams high in the air
without any protection from falling was the only way to complete
the work. Performing such dangerous work, fatalities became so
common in the construction of multi-level buildings that insurance adjustors would anticipate one death per floor constructed.
In 1927, the inventors of the bulletproof vest would demonstrate the quality and assurances of their work by firing live rounds,
not at a mannequin, but at a live person. Confidence in product to
secure sales took precedence over safety. This was viewed not only
as acceptable, but impressive, and it built a community of customer
confidence in the manufacturers brand.
In March of 1923, a patent was granted to Emma Read of Spokane, Wash., for a cage to hold a baby that could be, according to
the patent, suspended upon the exterior of a building adjacent an
open window, wherein the baby or young child may be placed.
Finally getting traction in 1937 as more and more individuals left
rural areas and moved into cities, one group in London, the Chelsea Baby Club, also saw the health risk the patented device could
overcome and issued its members these cages.
With the change from farmhouse living to city dwellings, this
group of well-intending individuals were concerned that infants
and toddlers were not getting adequate oxygen and sun exposure,
so open-air steel cages were built and affixed to the exterior of
buildings, often several floors above street level, for the children
to play in. Again, with good intentions, this was viewed not only
as acceptable, but was perceived to contribute to a healthier child.
Since their inception, personnel working for electric and gas
distribution companies were often required to climb over fences
in order to access meters for billing purposes. Dog bites and confrontations with angry customers became common. Many of these
companies are now installing automated meter reading (AMRs)
devices to negate the need to access a backyard. Moreover, these
organizations are working to change the perceptions of these hardworking meter readers to believe it is no longer necessary or acceptable to hop the fence. It is now considered an unnecessary
risk by leadership.
What are the employee-perceived acceptable and unacceptable
risks in your organization? How well do they align with managements perception of acceptable and unacceptable risks? Where
does the documentation of this great insight exist in your organiza54
0115ohs_054_Galloway_v2.indd 54
tion? How regularly is it updated and

improved? What experiences are hindering or progressing the lowering of
risk tolerance?
What are the
An energy exploration client, employee-perceived
working aggressively to control and
acceptable and
influence the behaviors (mandatory
and discretionary) of its drilling con- unacceptable risks
tractors, engaged us over several years in your organization?
to help align its primary contractor How well do they
cultures with its own. As we visited the
align with managevarious operating areas, all of the lead
people on site could share an experi- ments perception?
ence they had with the visiting executive vice president. When time
pressure situations were discussed, they all heard him state, The
oil has been in the ground for millions of years; it can wait another
day. We dont need to go so fast that it compromises safety.
While this was admirable and attempted to reinforce safety values, several times that same day, engineering would call these same
on-site leaders who had heard the EVPs message to see how much
progress had been made (how many stages had been completed).
Sometimes to make progress, the right question isnt What do we
need to do? The question is often What do we need to stop doing? or What are we doing that is sending the wrong message?
We have come a long way in safety and will continue to make
strides when executive leaders are aligned with the importance of
integrating safety thinking into business decisions. Now, more than
ever before, if we want everyone to be on the same page regarding
the direction of the organization and the role safety plays, we need
to discuss and document what is acceptable and unacceptable risk
and close the gaps that might exist.
Shawn M. Galloway is the co-author of STEPS to Safety Culture
Excellence and president of ProAct Safety. He has helped hundreds
of organizations within every major industry internationally achieve
and sustain excellence in performance and culture. He is also the host
of the acclaimed weekly podcast series, Safety Culture Excellence.
He can be reached at 800-395-1347 or info@ProActSafety.com.
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 11:01 AM
PRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS
EFFECTIVE MULTI-PERSON
LOCKOUT BY MASTER LOCK.
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locking hasp in open position.
Visit www.masterlocksafety.com/
new-products/ to learn more.
Circle 54 on card.
POWER. HARNESSED.
TINGLEYS NEW ECLIPSE

QUAD-HAZARD SUIT
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Eclipse offers Quad-Hazard protection in a high visibility, liquidproof,
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The EVOTECH and Workman Arc

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Both meet revised OSHA 1910.
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Circle 56 on card.
Circle 55 on card.
PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER | Kevin OGrady

972-687-6731 kogrady@1105media.com
South America
Asia-Pacific
Australia, New Zealand
India
INTEGRATED MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE-WEST | Barbara Blake

972-687-6718 bblake@1105media.com
Includes Canada (Western), South America/Mexico, Asia-Pacific including Australia, New Zealand and India.
United Kingdom
Europe
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Africa
INTEGRATED MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE-EAST | Jenna Conwell

610-436-4372 jconwell@1105media.com
Includes the UK and Europe, Canada (Ontario and Quebec), Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, Africa.
www.ohsonline.com
0115ohs_055_ProdSpot_v2.indd 55
JANUARY 2015 |
55
12/10/14 11:03 AM
OH&S CLASSIFIEDS
Personnel
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Also ideal for cleaning equipment & components
SAFE alternative to compressed air

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sales@specializedsafetyproducts.com
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Manufactured & assembled in USA
Circle 50 on card.
Circle 53 on card.
PRODUCT LITERATURE
TRAIN THE TRAINER

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Circle 51 on card.
56
0115ohs_056_Classified_v1.indd 56
Circle 52 on card.
www.ohsonline.com
12/10/14 11:03 AM
FREE PRODUCT INFO
ADVERTISER INDEX
Quick, Easy and Direct...get the info you need NOW!

Go online to ohsonline.com/productinfo to request free information
from advertisers in this issue. Search by category or by company.
CIRCLE #
3
ADVERTISER
Aerionics Inc.
PAGE #
11
www.macurco.com
28
Cintas Corporation
Dickies FR
19
e-Hazard Management, LLC
33
Encon Safety Products
50
Gensuite LLC
13
GlenGuard FR
24
Honeywell Safety Products
41
J.J. Keller & Associates
60
Magid
Master Lock
MCR Safety
Moldex-Metric, Inc.
Mount Vernon FR
MSA
OH&S Online
OH&S Online
Tingley Rubber Corp.
17
Wolverine
18
WorkriteU niform
43
Omaha Steaks
54
Master Lock
56
MSA
Physio-Control
55
Tingley Rubber Corp.
Protective Industrial Products
50
303 Patlite
Product Literature
309 Rite-Hite
51
Scaffold Training Institute
56
312 Rite-Hite
48
50
52
304 Shieldmark
Classifieds
52
Rutgers School of Public Health
56
50
Specialized Safety Products
56
53
VAC-U-MAX
56
48
306 UL Workplace Health & Safety
27
48
300 Testo
45
59
52
www.vac-u-max.com
8
50
308 New Pig
55
53
www.physio-control.com
52
310 Metlon Corporation
55
www.specializedsafetyproducts.com
1
53
307 Handheld
55
51
www.omahasteaks.com
52
http://ophp.sph.rutgers.edu
34
52
314 Ergotech
www.scaffoldtraining.com
www.ohsonline.com
48
316 E Instruments
7
48
315 E Instruments
37
48
313 E Instruments
32
www.tingleyrubber.com
www.ohsonline.com
11
32
52
302 E Instruments
17
31
www.MSAsafety.com/ArcFlash
10
3M
www.MSAsafety.com/arcflash
9
www.mvmfr.com
29
53
305 City Technology

3
www.masterlocksafety.com/new-products/
2
www.moldex.com
31
TenCate
Product Spotlights
23
www.mcrsafety.com
7
20
PAGE #
New Products
301 CarbonX
35
25
www.masterlock.com
15
Superior Glove
www.workrite.com
www.magidglove.com/GPD800
6
26
COMPANY
311 Bradley Corporation

39
www.wolverine.com
49
www.jjkeller.com
2
Springfield LLC
www.tingleyrubber.com
www.HoneywellSafety.com/NorthForce
14
12
CIRCLE #
318 Advance Lifts Inc.

29
www.3m.com/EARfitDemo
www.glenguard.com
19
Scott Safety
www.tencateprotectivefabrics.com
www.gensuite.com
5
24
www.superiorglove.com
www.enconsafety.com/tepid
25
www.springfieldllc.com
www.e-hazard.com
30
SafeStart
PAGE #
www.scottsafety.com/protegezm
www.dickies.com/FR
33
21
ADVERTISER
www.safestart.com
www.cintas.com
13
CIRCLE #
50
317 U.S. Safety
53
www.pipusa.com
9
Rigid Lifelines
21
www.rigidstore.co/ohslaunch
SafeStart
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0115ohs_057_AdIndex_v1.indd 57
JANUARY 2015 |
57
12/10/14 11:04 AM
BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIES
B Y RO B E R T PAT E R
Elevate Culture by
Releasing Adhesions
ver wonder why changing culture seems so difficult for so

many? To the extent that, likely out of frustration, some
decree that its either a very long-term proposition at best
or just plain impossible to do, like trying to get a leopard
to change its spots. But because companies are comprised of people
who change in makeup and mindset through the years, major cultural repairs are attainable when approached the right way.
In fact, Ive seen critical cultural elements recast within a relatively short time. For example, one manufacturing company with
multiple adamant bargaining units shifted from having significant
longstanding distrust/enmity among co-workers and toward management to a climate of most working cooperatively toward Safety
and other objectives. Perhaps being stymied at culture-shifting reflects the method of approach. When theres significant resistance,
its not enough just to try to get people to be different, see things
in a new light, or just forget about or let go of previously perceived unfair or unconcerned practices, slights, or injustices. Rather, understand these change-impervious blockages may be cultural
adhesions that have to be actively worked out of the systemthat
the best strategy is to help the organization unearth and dissipate
blockages that keep it mired in the past, hampering it from moving
toward a higher level of functioning.
Benjamin Geiger is a licensed massage therapist who specializes in helping his clients release and overcome physical blockages.
His view is that past trauma, often from previous physical injury,
can remain locked in the body and then hamper effective functioning. For example, I have soft-tissue damage from the many thousands of falls I took when practicing jujitsu for more than 20 years.
Though I never got hurt from any one fall, the cumulative damage
from pounding onto mats and stiffer surfaces still lingers.
But Benjamin, among many healing professionals, also believes
such blockages can stem from traumatic emotional eventsor
even from longstanding patterns of self-protection from high-pressure environments. Consider that excessive torso tension in many
people blocks deep breathing, making it hard to fully oxygenate
and expel excess carbon dioxide. Many therapists say tight-chestedness can result from reactions to negative past events; they hold
their breath to restrict experiencing distress or anxiety. But breathing deeply and fully is important to leading an energized, relaxed,
and high-level healthy life. According to renowned Osteopathic
Physician Joseph Mercola, there are numerous clinical studies into
the health benefits of optimal breathing. One such study, which
spanned a 30-year period, concluded that the most significant factor
in your health and longevity is how well you breathe.
Organizations also can develop emotional scars that impede
higher-level Safety and health. I recall two smart, concerned workers in a global energy company having a heated discussion about a
supervisors (who was then untrained) throwing fuel on the fire of
a forklift accident. It seemed this person inappropriately attempted
to remonstrate the injured worker who was lying trapped, bleeding, and in shock. After asking when this incident occurred, I was
58
0115ohs_058_pater_v2.indd 58
told six years ago. Yet these two workers were as angry as if it had
occurred just the previous day! Significant past events can embed
lasting, negative memories and reactions that adversely impact
present trust, receptivity, and performance.
Four steps to consider:
1. Identify organizational adhesions. Where are nagging sore
spots or ongoing areas of dissatisfaction? Wounds that just dont
seem to heal? What do workers or managers continually grumble
about? Often these are so longstanding and prevalent that no one
wants to talk about them; theyre ignored and go below the surface
as everyone thinks, This is the way it is here and nothing will ever
change. But high-level leaders know change is possible, so they
surface whats really getting in the way of cultural change. They
look for patterns of too-low performance to spot default/kneejerk reactions that are stuck long term.
2. Target blockages rather than pushing new actions. Where old and
dysfunctional ways/habits/defaults dominate, the leaders best strategy is to reduce these adhesions, rather than just come up with new
things others should be doing. The key is limiting change focus to one
or two problems that are most readily modified, such as reactions to
executives who no longer are employed or previous work methods
that are now different. Remember that emotional reactions dont necessarily make logical sense, yet can still trigger responses. See my June
2011 column on decreasing change blockages, Leadership: Letting
Forces Be With You, http://www.tinyurl.com/PaterForces
3. Release through repetitioncarefully. Understandably, long
memories can especially be in play with a long-term/older workforce. Here, the key is providing opportunities for workers to express their dissatisfaction after the right framing. When theres
adequate time to discuss, let them know youre committed to
improvements, that youll do your best to work on these but cant
guarantee immediate improvementsnor do you have to power to
change everything. Specifically focus on one blockage at a time in a
no-blame atmosphere, rather than trying to open up a laundry list
of complaints. Continue to remind that the focus is on improving,
not blaming or complaining. Do your utmost to stay calm without
defensiveness. Think of this as unraveling rather than breaking
past adhesions. No question this might not be not easy or comfortable; consider getting help from someone with skills and successful
experience in this.
4. Replace rather than remonstrate. Continue to remind people
that the way things currently are is not the way they were: That
was then, and this is now. Ms. Johnson is no longer heading this
division, and we now have a very different approach. I understand, and times have changed.
Want to renew culture and get past stuck same-old patterns?
Often the best way is through releasing longstanding negative mental adhesions.
Robert Pater is managing director and founder of Strategic Safety
Associates/MoveSMART. www.movesmart.com
www.ohsonline.com
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BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIES: ELEVATE CULTURE BY RELEASING ADHESIONS

VOL. 84 NO. 1 | www.ohsonline.com

Does More Work

FROM THE EDITOR

Sounding the Alarm on Skin Cancer

he most commonly diagnosed can- ing it are skyrocketing relative to other

But the average annual lead author of the

2002-2006 to $8.1 billion dur- Ph.D., of CDCs

types of cancer increased by 25

Occupational Health & Safety (ISSN 0362-4064)

Occupational Health & Safety | JANUARY 2015

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OIL & GAS SAFETY

JANUARY 2015 | Volume 84, Number 1 | www.ohsonline.com

Meeting the Challenge

HSE Leaders Share Their Strategies

Below the Hook SafetyOil & Gas Drilling

Process Automation and Lockout/Tagout:

Ensuring Safety with a Lockout/Tagout

Evolution of the Met Guard

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE: CHEMICAL SAFETY

Does More Work Mean More Risk

Smartphones Are Employees

Is Your Safety Program Under RAPPs?

2014: YEAR IN REVIEW

Falls, Recalls, and a Scary Virus

GHS in the New Year:

Ten Feet Tall and Falling

From the Editor

Find OHS on:

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Advanced foam technology is being used in

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