Kevin Ian Schmidt

Emergency Evacuation Drill Guide

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We have all been doing fire drills since we were in grammar school. But in a modern industrial environment there is a lot more to consider than just marching the students down the hall.

In a manufacturing situation, there are specific actions that need to be taken by machine operators to shut down the machines safely and to minimize the restart expense. And if you are not actually shutting down your machines for a drill, then you don’t know if your procedures actually work.

OSHA and other regulating bodies have various rules about how often evacuation drills are to be practiced. This article in no way supersedes those requirements.

Develop Your Evacuation Plan While You Can

To start or even update an emergency plan, start by addressing the following:

How well prepared is your business now?

What procedures do you already have in place for an emergency situation?

What potential emergency situations could occur?

Act Now!

To help address the questions above, look at these basic guidelines to develop an effective emergency response plan for your workplace:

For each potential emergency, determine if evacuation would be necessary.

Designate first and secondary evacuation routes and emergency exits. Make sure they are clearly marked and well lit. Post signs and maps on routes.

Check or install emergency lighting in case a power outage occurs during an evacuation.

Check all evacuation routes and emergency exits are and make sure they are wide enough to accommodate the number of people evacuating and the routes are always clear.

Designate a person to account for all employees, visitors, and customers.

Establish specific evacuation procedures and meeting place once an evacuation has taken place.

Hold emergency drills at least once a year to ensure that employees know what to do in an emergency and to test the effectiveness of emergency exit routes and procedures. Keep records of such drills.

Consider the transportation needs of employees.

Post evacuation procedures where employees can read them.

Establish procedures for assisting people with disabilities and people who do not speak English.
Consider how you would contact employees in an emergency. This contact sheet should include contact numbers, a family member’s contact numbers, and medical care information.

By following these guidelines, an emergency response evacuation plan can be installed in your workplace. Once your plan has been written and posted, test it.

Training will ensure all people will evacuate safely.

Evac Drill Objectives

The main objective of your drill should be to get everyone out efficiently and safely in the event of an emergency but, as a part of that, your objectives should include:
– Giving employees an opportunity to practice emergency procedures in a simulated environment
– Assessing whether employees can carry out assigned emergency duties
– Understanding whether the evacuation procedures were effective
– Considering any changes or adjustments to improve performance
– Complying with any fire code or insurance requirements

Need more emergency response plan training? Check out: Emergency Response Plan Explained – Training

Frequency
How often you hold evacuation drills should be determined by your local fire code, by your local weather hazards, and your workplace hazards. If your workplace presents serious fire hazards (eg. flammable materials) or complex exit procedures (eg. a high-rise building), fire drills should be conducted more frequently. For these types of workplaces, fire drills scheduled every three months may be appropriate, whereas other workplaces may only need drills every six months.

Announced vs. Unannounced
Employees prefer announced drills so that they can plan for the event and minimize disruption to their work, but unannounced drills provide a more accurate representation of evacuation readiness. The type of drill may also depend on your purpose for the event. For example, an announced drill may be preferred if you are introducing a new evacuation procedure. If employees are learning a new procedure, a scheduled drill will enable them to learn more effectively. However, since emergency situations are never planned, you also want to use unannounced drills to see how people will react and to make sure everyone can exit efficiently and safely.

Evaluation
Your safety team should debrief after each evacuation drill to assess how it went and whether any changes to procedures or roles are needed. They should consider things such as:

– Did the fire alarm go off?
– Did all employees hear the alarm?
– Did all employees evacuate?
– Did employees shut down equipment before they evacuated?
– Did fire doors release?
– Did the designated employees carry out their safety duties?
– Did employees follow evacuation routes?
– Were evacuation routes clear?
– Did any employees need assistance?
– Did employees go to assembly areas after they exited?
– Was everyone accounted for?

Check Out: Emergency Action Plan Special Considerations

Using these questions, you can identify the strengths and weaknesses of your evacuation plan and make improvements. These are a critical part of workplace safety and can help protect employees from not only fire but also other situations that require a quick exit from the workplace such as power outages.

 

Download & view the NFPA Evacuation Drill Guide

 

NFPA evacuation drill guide

Confined Space Entry Program

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If your workplace has a confined space, you need to understand everything about them, the dangers, the regulations, the standards of what type they are, everything. Because confined spaces are a very dangerous place for employees, and without a comprehensive policy, employees can get hurt of worse die. So, when working on a confined space policy, the first place to start is with OSHA, as they have extensive things to say concerning confined spaces.

According to OSHA 1910.146, the definition of a confined space is as follows:

• Is large enough for an employee to enter fully and perform assigned work;

• Is not designed for continuous occupancy by the employee; and

• Has a limited or restricted means of entry or exit.

These spaces may include underground vaults, tanks, storage bins, pits and diked areas, vessels, silos and other similar areas.

By definition, a permit-required confined space has one or more of these characteristics:

• Contains or has the potential to contain a hazardous atmosphere;

• Contains a material with the potential to engulf someone who enters the space;

• Has an internal configuration that might cause an entrant to be trapped or asphyxiated by inwardly converging walls or by a floor that slopes downward and tapers to a smaller cross section; and/or

• Contains any other recognized serious safety or health hazards.

To learn more about Permit Required Confined Spaces, check out OSHA’s publication 3138 here

Why care about Confined Spaces?

As an Owner, Safety Manager, Safety Coordinator, Site Manager or other related title, you must have knowledge and understanding of the serious risks for your employees that work in confined spaces. It is imperative that written procedures to protect your employees, contract workers and representatives from entering permit spaces must be developed and made available to all parties. To help you evaluate your workplace to determine if spaces are permit spaces, this Decision Flow Chart is a useful tool. If it is, the employer must inform exposed employees of their existence, hazards they pose and location. Effective measures must be taken to prevent employees from entering permit spaces if they are not allowed. You must be prepared to deal with increased risk of exposure engulfment, entrapment and hazardous atmospheric conditions. These issues would not normally come up in an open workplace/setting. For further info, you can review the OSHA Permit Required Confined Spaces article.

Gas Dangers in Confined Spaces

Confined spaces may contain toxic hazards that can be detected only through testing. Oxygen (O2) deficiency, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), carbon monoxide (CO), and methane (CH4) are common hazards in confined spaces that can be detected with a portable gas monitor. Depending on the industry, other gas hazards may be present. Relying on a portable gas detector for H2S readings, and not sense of smell, is the most reliable method of ensuring that workers are notified well before dangerous levels are reached. In the range of 200 to 300 ppm, eye inflammation, respiratory tract irritation, and a loss of consciousness can occur. When levels of H2S reach 500 to 700 ppm, death will occur within 30 minutes to an hour.

Gas Safety is important. The risks can be divided into three categories: combustible gas, toxic gas, and high or low oxygen levels. Making the worker’s assignment as safe as possible is the employer’s responsibility. A work location assessment is a requirement.

• Combustible gas

For combustion to occur, the air must contain a minimum concentration of combustible gas or vapor. This quantity is called the lower explosive limit (LEL). At concentrations equal to or greater than this, combustion will occur in the presence of a suitable ignition source such as a spark or hot surface. For most combustible gases and vapors, the LEL is less than 5% by volume, and a combustible atmosphere is usually described as ” hazardous” at 10% LEL.

Some examples that present dangers are as follows: storage vessels which have contained hydrocarbon fuels and oils, and fuel leaks in pipelines, gas cylinders and engine-driven plant. For workers in sub- surface environments such as sewers and pits, methane is an almost universal danger. It’s an odorless gas underground and it’s formed by decaying organic matter

• Toxic gases and vapors

Depending on the environment and the nature of the work, confined space workers may be exposed to any of a large number of toxic compounds. For example, generators used in a confined space produce carbon monoxide in the exhaust fumes thereby creating a serious poisoning risk. Workers near vehicle traffic may be exposed to carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide from exhaust fumes. Subsurface hazards are hydrogen sulphide and carbon dioxide due to bacteria decomposition.

• High or Low Oxygen Levels

The normal concentration of oxygen in fresh air is 20.9%. If it falls below 19.5% or goes above 23.5%, an atmosphere is considered hazardous. If the concentration falls to 17%, mental and physical agility are noticeably impaired; death comes very quickly if it drops only a few percent more. At these levels, unconsciousness takes hold so rapidly that the victim will be unaware of what is happening.

How does a location get oxygen-deficient? Numerous reasons such as: the result of oxygen displacement by a toxic or inert gas, microbial action, oxidation caused by rusting metal, combustion, and absorption.

High oxygen levels are also dangerous. As with too little, too much will impair the victim’s ability to think clearly and act sensibly. Moreover, oxygen-enriched atmospheres represent a severe fire hazard. From clothing to grease, materials which would not normally burn become subject to spontaneous combustion under these conditions. Common causes of oxygen enrichment include leaks from welding cylinders and even from breathing apparatus.

Need a Confined Space Permit? I have a generic one available for free here

Gas Testing

Nowadays, multi-sensor confined space instruments are increasingly much less expensive, rugged, compact, easy to use than ever before. A confined space gas detector kit makes stratified testing easy and generally includes a multi-gas monitor with pump, 10-foot sampling hose for pre-testing (longer lengths are available), spare batteries (rechargeable or alkaline), quad-gas cylinder for bump testing, and calibration with gas regulator, all conveniently contained in a rugged carrying case.

Download the Confined Space Entry Program below

View the Confined Space Entry Program below

confined-space-entry-written-program

 

Confined Space Entry Permit

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Confined spaces are one of the most deadly places in the workplaces. They contains many potential hazards and have restricted exit.

Related to confined spaces, OSHA requires that:

a. All confined spaces in the workplaces shall be identified.
b. Confined work spaces shall be treated as hazardous until proven.
c. Their hazards should be identified.
d. Appropriate respond should be given to these hazards before entry.

Their hazards can be divided into:

  • hazardous atmosphere,
  • physical hazard,
  • chemical contact hazard,
  • biological hazard.

Common Confined Space Hazards

1. Oxygen rich (greater than 23.5%). This condition will introduce fire or explosion, especially when flammable vapor exists. So never use pure oxygen for ventilating a confined area. Use normal air supply only.
2. Oxygen deficient (less than 19.5%). Oxygen deficient or lack of oxygen can cause unconsciousness to death. Oxygen concentration can be declined due to nitrogen intrusion, welding, grinding, oxidation, sandblasting or coating.
3. Oxygen and the existence of flammable vapors or gases can create flammable atmosphere. Chemical reaction and concentration of combustible dust may also create flammable atmosphere.
4. Toxic atmosphere. It is introduced when a toxic chemical or gas is stored in a tank or holder, when carbon monoxide or hydrogen sulphide is produced through decomposition or work being done in the closed space.
5. Corrosive atmosphere. Hydrochloric acid and ammonia are examples of chemicals that can build up a corrosive atmosphere.
6. Physical configuration hazards. The use of ladder and scaffolding, wet surface, uneven bottom, bends in tunnels, narrow area or poor lighting can cause physical hazards to the workers inside confined spaces.
7. Mechanical hazards. Mixing vessel, which is equipped with blades, can introduce mechanical hazard when workers come into the confined work space (mixing vessel). Including in this is falling object.
8. Surface hazard, for instance slips and falls.
9. Noise hazards. Grinding work inside a confined work space can result high level noise.
10. Vibration hazards.
11. Engulfment hazards. Engulfment hazard may happen when worker is entrapped by content of the confined space.
12. Temperature. Cold temperature and heat create temperature hazard.

Always bear in mind that hazards identification shall be finished before entering a confined space. Then, provide appropriate controls to these potential hazards afterward.

Check Out: OSHA 3138 Permit Required Confined Space Guidelines

Steps to safely enter a Confined Space

Acquire a Permit
Most spaces require a permit by the organization carrying out the work before workers can enter. Ensure your employer or unit has obtained the necessary permit. It should be prominently displayed at the space during an entry.

Control Hazardous Energy
Make pertinent use of locks and tags to prevent accidental startup of equipment. Cut off steam, water, gas or power lines that enter the space. Lock out / tag out is a good system for that. Use only safe, grounded, explosion proof equipment and fans if there is a possibility of a combustible atmosphere developing.

Check Out: Control of Hazardous Energy Program

Test the Air
Use the necessary equipment for checking oxygen levels, combustibility and toxicity levels in confined spaces. Test before the space is opened by probing with the test apparatus near the entry.

Once the space is opened, sweep the probe from top to bottom to test the entire space. Heavy combustible gases like propane and butane sink, while light gases like methane will rise to the top. Test the oxygen levels and for toxicity as well. Notify your superior if tests find hazards that you cannot protect against adequately. Continue testing the air quality during work to further guard against buildup of dangerous gases or oxygen deficiency.

Purging and Ventilating
Purge and remove all unwanted water, atmospheres, sediments, or other substances before entry, as these may all become safety hazards.

Finally, use ventilating equipment whenever possible to maintain the oxygen level between 19.5 and 23.5%. Toxic gases and vapors, if present should also be kept to within acceptable levels. If ventilation or purging does not eliminate all atmospheric hazards, appropriate respiratory protection is mandatory before commencing work. Eye and hearing protection may also be necessary.

Download the Confined Space Entry Permit below

View the Confined Space Entry Permit below

Confined Space Permit

 

Barriers to Improving Workplace Safety

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The first stage in improving the level of safety in your workplace is to assess exactly where you are. This is your starting point. Then, you have to recognize the culture that exists in your organization and the factors that have created it. The culture is the sum of the experience, history, belief system, work practices of the people within the organization.

Frequently within businesses there are opposing forces that compromise safety. We have to understand the inevitable conflict that arises between safety and output. We have to realize and accept that no organization is just in the business of being safe. Every company tries to meet two objectives. Firstly, keep the risks has low as reasonably practicable. Secondly, stay in business.

To improve the levels of safety, it often becomes necessary to cope with the forces that have a negative effect on safety. These forces may include time pressure, cost cutting, the single-minded pursuit of profits and indifference to hazards. So often, organizations look at the forces that are lined up against them and give up on improving safety or just pay lip service to it. Under these circumstances each organization gets the repeated accidents it deserves. As always, the losers are the members of staff who get injured or killed.

Check Out: Improve Workplace Safety Culture in 6 Steps

To improve levels of safety, all staff within the organization must be better informed. In other words, they understand and respect the hazards they face and are constantly reminded of the potential dangers in their workplace. This means that they will never forget the dangers around them.. They know the dangers without having to fall victim to them.

An improved level of safety is achieved by creating a safety information system that collects, analyzes and disseminates knowledge from “near hits” and other incidents. Of course, this can only be achieved when there is a reporting culture that promotes the collection of this sort of information. Generally speaking, staff members understand the need for this information in the interests of safety. Unfortunately, it also requires people to report their own mistakes, errors and lapses. Overcoming this barrier requires sound leadership and positive reinforcement for those people who report.

Check Out: The Road Map to Build a Positive Safety Culture

It is possible to institute a system which can include the confidentiality of the people who are reporting the “near hits” and incidents. Within the system it is vital that all aspects of blame are removed. Any blame direct or implied will ensure that reporting will be minimized. Removing the blame barrier can be a challenge.

The single most important component of an improved level of safety within the workplace, is the establishment of a greater degree of trust. Again, this is a substantial barrier for some organizations to overcome

How to Change the Workplace Safety Culture

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Setting out to modify or change the safety culture in a workplace is a daunting task. Working against you is the custom, practice and habits that have been built up over the years. However, this is not your biggest challenge. The biggest challenge lies in the belief system that occupies everybody’s mind. Again, this has been built up over a number of years, it is not something recent, it is not something which has suddenly occurred, is something which people can justify by recounting past events.

The phrases commonly heard are, “I have been doing it this way for 15 years and never hurt myself.” “This is a dangerous industry, I’ve seen many accidents in this place in the past.” “Accidents go with the territory. If you work in this industry you will hurt yourself.” “You are still a newbie until you hurt yourself.” “You can’t prevent accidents in this industry, they just happen.” “You can’t prevent accidents in the workplace, that’s why they are called accidents.” “You can’t stop accidents here, we have been having them for years.”

All this entrenched thinking will have to be changed before the culture changes. This sort of thinking is part of the current culture. Obviously, you can’t go head-to-head with this sort of thinking, you need a more subtle, alternative approach which will gradually overcome the very pessimistic approach and replace it with optimism. Getting people to question their deeply entrenched views and beliefs takes time. After all, it took quite a long time for them to reach these conclusions and beliefs. They will not be changed in a few weeks and certainly not as the result of a two day course on safety.

Check Out: How to Set Goals For Safety Performance

Unlocking a transformative shift in workplace culture involves a nuanced examination of those individuals who wield influence within the organizational fabric, irrespective of their formal authority. Successfully steering change entails persuading these influential figures, a task that demands careful consideration and strategic engagement. What unfolds as a central challenge is the intricate process of altering entrenched beliefs held by these individuals. Merely pointing out that existing beliefs contribute to workplace accidents proves insufficient; it demands a profound replacement with a compelling alternative.

Consider the complexity inherent in this endeavor – the very nature of beliefs implies a deeply rooted conviction that has shaped behavior over time. Hence, any attempt to advocate for change necessitates not just persuasion but the introduction of a new narrative that resonates with the individual on a profound level. Mere information dissemination, especially when it comes to instructing individuals on safe job practices, risks triggering resistance. This is particularly true for seasoned professionals who have accumulated years of hands-on experience in their roles.

The delicate balance required in this transformative process is thus not only about convincing individuals but guiding them toward a paradigm shift that aligns with a new, safer ethos. It involves cultivating an understanding that transcends the mere acknowledgment of safety concerns to instill a genuine belief in the necessity of adopting safer practices. This shift in mindset goes beyond a superficial acceptance of change; it fosters a deeper commitment to a culture of safety that becomes ingrained in the daily fabric of work.

In essence, the secret to changing workplace culture lies not merely in recognizing the need for change but in orchestrating a profound transformation of belief systems. It requires a strategic blend of persuasion, education, and cultural integration to create a workplace environment where safety is not just a set of rules but an intrinsic value embraced by all. This multifaceted approach acknowledges the human aspect of change, respecting the diverse experiences and perspectives of the workforce while guiding them toward a collective commitment to a safer and more productive workplace.

Check Out: Developing an Effective Internal Marketing Plan

The new belief system must be credible. There must be compelling reasons to adopt it. There must be some benefit from the new way of thinking that will positively affect people in the workplace. By far the best method of introducing this belief system, is to lead people to discover it. If you fail to do this, and prescribe what people should think, you will fail in your attempts to change the safety culture in the workplace. There are thousands of examples where change has been prescribed and failed miserably. It requires a much more thoughtful approach and the avoidance of creating resentment within the organization.

Calculate ROI of Safety

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The direct and indirect accident costs represent the “benefits” (money saved) if we adopt the recommended actions. The benefits are realized because we will not have to pay the costs over the foreseeable future. To help estimate direct and indirect costs, you can use OSHA’s Safety Pays software. This is an excellent software tool that determines direct and indirect accident costs. It also calculates the business volume required to cover those costs. The data is based on 52,000 lost-time claims submitted to a major workers compensation insurance carrier.

What is the ratio between indirect (uninsured) and direct (insured) costs in your scenario?

The indirect costs for accidents will usually be greater than the direct costs. Indirect costs can range from 1 to 20 times greater than the direct costs, depending on the severity of the injury. For every $1 spent in direct costs, you’ ll pay an additional $1 to $20 in indirect costs. To determine the ratio between the indirect and direct costs, use the following equation:

Indirect Costs  / Direct Costs = ___ to 1

Let’s say an employee injured his hand (requiring surgery) while working around the machinery in our scenario. If the indirect (uninsured) accident cost totals $160,000 and the direct (insured) cost is $40,000, the ratio of indirect to direct costs will be 4 to This ratio just happens to be the average ratio between indirect and direct accident costs in the USA.

Ratio Between Total Accident Costs to Direct Costs

This ratio is a little more dramatic than contrasting the indirect costs with direct costs. It helps emphasize the fact that direct costs are actually just the tip of the iceberg. To determine this ratio, use the following equation:

(Direct Costs + Indirect Costs) / Direct Costs = ___ to 1

Check Out: Experience Modification Rate Explained

In this case, if the indirect (uninsured) cost totals $160,000 and the direct (insured) cost is $40,000, the ratio of total costs to direct costs will be $200,000/$40,000 = 5:1. What will XYZ have to earn in sales to pay back this lost money? Well, if XYZ has a 5% profit margin, they’ll have to earn 20X the total accident cost, or $4 million in sales!!!

Return on the Investment (ROI)

To determine ROI, it’s necessary to estimate the amount of the initial investment required to complete corrective actions and safety system improvements. Once the initial investment is determined, use the equation below to determine ROI.

Total Accident Costs(Direct + Indirect) / Total Investment x 100 = _____$ ROI

Let’s say our investment to train all employees on lockout/tagout procedures, machine guarding and PPE while working around machinery will be $20,000. If our total accident cost is $200,000, our ROI will be 1000%!!! Now that’s a return.

Provide Options when Presenting Solutions

When presenting a solution to an accident, it is best to have all calculations completed, so you can present multiple solutions with an ROI for each. Your presented options should follow the below style:

  1. First option — If we had all the money we needed, what could we do? Eliminate the hazard with primarily engineering controls. Additional administrative controls if required.
  2. Second option — If we have limited funds, what would we do. Eliminate the hazard with primarily administrative controls. Engineering controls if required.
  3. Third option — If we don’t have any money, what can we do? Reduce exposure to the hazard with administrative controls and/or PPE.

The third option might not always be the cheapest option when it comes to ROI for safety, as it may keep the hazard in the workplace, which could result in more injuries.

Harness and Lanyard Inspection

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As part of a personal fall protection program, employees must be trained on how to inspect the harness and lanyard for safety.

This form can be used to train employees for both important inspections performed on all personal fall protection:

  • The “before use” inspection – in which each wearer of fall protection equipment should inspect it before use, to ensure it is operating properly and not damaged.
  • The annual inspection – once a year, each piece of fall protection must be inspected and certified for continued use. This inspection must be documented.

Knowing how to inspect the equipment for hazards is important for safety.

Down below there is a log to document the training completion of how to inspect the harness and lanyard, along with a log for the annual hazard inspection.

If during any inspection, a piece of equipment is found to be damaged or unsuitable for service, it should be removed from service and it’s removal should be documented on the fall protection inspection log. Do not just place a harness or lanyad into the trash, as an employee may think it was placed there by accident and put it back into service, instead damage and/or deface the equipment, so it will not be able to be placed back into service.

If your company needs more components of a fall protection program, check out my published powered equipment books and all posts on my website concerning powered equipment

Download the Harness and Lanyard Inspection Training below:

View the Harness and Lanyard Inspection Training below:

Harness-Lanyard InspectionReport

 

Download the Personal Fall Protection Training Certification below:

View the Personal Fall Protection Training Certification below:

Fall_Protection_Certificate_of_Training

 

Download the Fall Protection Annual Inspection Log below:

View the Fall Protection Annual Inspection Log below:

Fall protection Inspection Log

 

What Is the Hierarchy of Control?

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Workplace safety, like many other specialty area (even yours) develops its own set of jargon and the hierarchy of controls is one of the more useful bits of safety jargon particularly for safety management systems structured around hazard management. So what is it?

A hierarchy is… ?

A hierarchy is just a fancy name for a list. Usually a list of things that have something in common and usually in some sort of order – big to small, good to bad, useful to useless – you get the idea, right? So a hierarchy of controls is just a list of types of controls from really good to less useful. Oh, did I hear you ask what the blazes is a control? Even if I didn’t I’ll explain it anyway.

And Controls, what are they?

A control is some type of action that reduces the chance that a risk will happen. So, using a seat-belt when you’re driving a car reduces the chance that your head will smack into the windscreen if you’re unfortunate enough to have a ding. So a seatbelt’s a type of control but it’s not as effective as an air bag in protecting your head because you don’t have to do anything for the airbag to do its job but you actually have to remember to put your seat belt on and if you forget then it doesn’t work. So some types of controls are better than others and the hierarchy of controls just lists the better types of risk controls at the top and the not so good ones at the bottom.

 

Types of Controls in the Safety Hierarchy of Control

Elimination of Hazard

If you stop and think about it you can probably figure out yourself what the best type of control is – avoiding the risk by eliminating it. If there’s no risk there’s no damage and that’s why it’s at the top of the hierarchy of controls.

So the best way of avoiding smacking your head against your windscreen is not to have an accident while driving your car and the best way of avoiding an accident is to not drive the car. Problem solved, right? Wrong.

It’s not really practical in our society to not drive a car or at least be a passenger in one. So elimination, while the best type of risk control, is not always the most practical. So what other options are there?

Substitution

If you can’t stop getting around in a car what other options do you have if you don’t want your head getting up close and personal with your windscreen? You could substitute riding in the front seat to riding in the rear seat but then you couldn’t drive. That’s the balancing act involved when we’re talking about controlling risk… sometimes the alternative, while safer, is not always something we want. The other thing to think about is that substitution doesn’t get rid of the risk; it just reduces it and it sometimes introduces different risks. So rather than smacking against the windscreen you now smack into the back of the front seats. Is that better or worse? Probably a bit better but still not really something you want to go through.

Sometimes, though, substitution is a great idea. In the construction industry, for example, they substituted dry cement deliveries to either real small (5 kg) packages or really big ones (250 kg) to reduce manual handling injuries (the small ones are less likely to cause injury while people won’t try to lift the big ones without help). Often really dangerous chemicals can be replaced with safer ones that do the same job just as effectively.

So substitution reduces the risk to people without them having to do anything which it’s the second choice in the hierarchy of controls.

Isolation

OK, back to the car. Elimination isn’t a real option and being a back seat driver doesn’t sound too appealing either. What if we put a barrier between your head and the windscreen? That would be great if you could see through it. But what if the barrier was only there if you were in an accident – I hope this ringing some bells because it sounds a lot like an air bag.

If you’re in an accident while driving your car the air bag pops out and cushions your noggin preventing it from smacking into the steering wheel or the windscreen. Sounds great doesn’t it? But for every silver lining there’s gonna be a cloud and in this case it’s the airbag. These things fully inflate in less than 60 milliseconds (there’s a thousand milliseconds in a second) at a speed of about 250 kph so any part of your body that’s in its way is going to get hurt. And the powder, have you ever seen the inside of a car after the airbags have gone off… it’s like a talcum powder factory.

So again, isolation isn’t a perfect solution and you have to consider if new and different risks are introduced into the process due to the method of isolation.

In the real world of work, such things as guards around rotating shafts, splash screens where liquids are churned up, cages around auto-operating equipment such as robotic assemblers and acoustic enclosures around noisy plant and equipment are examples of isolation.

When in place and working properly, isolation works great. But if the machine guard isn’t put on properly, if the door on the acoustic enclosure is closed properly they don’t work as intended. So some human intervention is necessary which is why it comes behind substitution in the hierarchy of controls.

Engineering

Isolation used to be thought of as a type of engineering control but times change and so do the definitions. If we return to the car, the engineering controls would be things like the airbag not going off unless the impact speed is more than a pre-set limit. The change from windscreen’s being made of safety glass to laminated glass prevents you getting sprayed with high speed glass particles in a collision or when a stone hits your windscreen. The head restraint on the back of the seat reduces the chance of whiplash injury by restricting head’s movement. Crush zones built into the car absorb much of the impact which would otherwise be transferred directly into the bodies of people in the car.

Engineering controls are those that you can’t necessarily see but which work to reduce the chance of an injury happening when an unwanted event happens. Limit switches that prevent mechanical plant from moving beyond pre-set limits or key capture systems that switch off power to equipment when a key is removed from a lock are examples of engineering controls that are found in workplaces.

Engineering controls are subject to failure if not looked after properly. The limit switch might stick or corrode, the laminated windscreen may prevent bits of glass flying around at high-speed but if you hit one with your head you’ll bounce rather than go through it. Don’t know what’s worse really. So these types of controls aren’t as good as those that preceded them in the hierarchy of controls but they’re better than those that follow.

Check Out: Machine Guarding Basics

Administrative

Now we’re getting into the really dodgy options in the hierarchy of controls. These are things like defensive driver training (or any form of training) or telling people to drive more carefully. Those ads you see on the TV telling you not to speed or not to drive when drunk or high on drugs or tired. That annoying beeper that goes off when you go a little too fast or signs on the side of the road telling you how fast you’re supposed to drive or even those cops hiding behind billboards with their speed cameras. These are all attempts to persuade you to behave differently and so avoid an accident and by avoiding an accident you prevent your head coming into contact with the windscreen.

But how often do hear or see these things and ignore them? How often do you think, “I’m not that tired” or “I’m not that drunk… I’m OK to drive”? How often do people curse the cops when they’re caught speeding? Exactly! While these things have a benefit, would you rather rely on these to protect your head or on the air bag? Me, I’ll go with the airbag because even if I’m doing everything right there’s no guarantee that some other fool (and there’s always another person to blame and they’re always a fool) is doing the same.

If you’ve been at work for any length of time you’ll have seen examples of these types of controls. Warning signs telling you the surface is hot or cold or that the tank has dangerous chemicals. Safety posters on the walls, safety training courses, policies and procedures and so the lists go on. Sure they’re useful but certainly nowhere near as good as the other options from the hierarchy of controls that we’ve talked about.

Personal Protective Equipment

Now for the last and probably the most unreliable option in the hierarchy of controls – personal protective equipment (PPE ).

Continuing with our car, PPE is the seat belt. You have to consciously use it, wrap it around you, click the end into the buckle, make sure it’s located properly and re-tension the belt. Then it’ll work and, if you do have an accident, at least your head and the windscreen aren’t going to get acquainted. But, if you forget or just decide not to use it then it does nothing and you are going to get an up close view of that gunk you’ve been meaning to clean off your windscreen – just before you bounce off it. If you have an airbag – as that’s inflating in one direction you’ll be flying into it from the other at a great rate of knots. Probably not as bad as hitting the windscreen but certainly not something you’d want to repeat too often.

At work, you’ve probably got safety glasses, safety helmet, safety boots, gloves, ear muffs or plugs, overalls and so on. All are PPE and all are only effective if used and used properly as well as being maintained properly. Safety glasses pushed to the top of your head or ear muffs strung around your neck aren’t going to do the job they’re supposed to.

Does your company need more information on PPE to help minimize workplace hazards? Check out my PPE Guide

That’s The Safety Hierarchy of Controls

So that’s the Hierarchy of Controls, sorry it took so long.

Starting at the top is Elimination followed by Substitution, Isolation, Engineering, Administrative and lastly PPE. The ones at the top are there because they don’t need you to do anything for them to work. As you move down the hierarchy of controls there is a greater reliance on people doing the right thing. So only select lower order controls (those further down the list) when higher order controls (those further up the list) can’t be implemented.

As with the example of the car, often the best solution is to combine a several types of risk control from throughout the hierarchy of controls.

Develop Hazard Prevention and Control Methods

Identify control options. Collect, organize, and review information with workers to determine what types of hazards may be present and which workers may be exposed or potentially exposed. Information available in the workplace may include:

  • Review OSHA standards and guidance, industry consensus standards, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) publications, manufacturers’ literature, and engineering reports to identify potential control measures.
  • Get input from workers who can suggest and evaluate solutions based on their knowledge.
  • For complex hazards, consult with OSHA’s On-site Consultants and workers’ compensation insurers. (Note: Every state has their own workers’ compensation insurers.)

Select controls. Select the controls that are the most feasible, effective, and permanent.

  • Select controls using the Hierarchy of Controls that emphasize elimination, substitution, and engineering solutions.
  • Eliminate or control all serious hazards immediately.
  • Use interim controls while you develop and implement longer-term solutions.
  • Avoid selecting controls that may directly or indirectly introduce new hazards.
  • Review and discuss control options with workers to ensure that controls are feasible and effective.
  • Use a combination of control options when no single control option fully protects workers.
  • Select controls to protect workers during non-routine operations and emergencies.

Implement selected controls in the workplace. Once hazard prevention and control measures have been identified, implement them per priorities in the written hazard control plan.

  • When resources are limited, implement measures on a “worst-first” basis. Regardless of limited resources, employers have an obligation to protect workers from recognized serious hazards.
  • Promptly implement any measures that are easy and inexpensive.
  • Follow up to confirm that controls are effective. Inspect and track progress and results.

Management Statement – Accident Investigation

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As part of every incident investigation, the employee’s supervisor or manager should provide a statement. This is important for the validity of every claim.

When taking the statement, ensure to have the manager to include anything relevant from before the accident, a knowledge of near misses, past incidents with this employee, any behavior by the employee before the incident(example: they came into work limping then file a claim for hurting leg at work that day), and anything else relevant. Don’t allow the statement to be just a dead-end statement such as: “I didn’t see it and know nothing.” Have the manager include in their statement any training on relevant safety processes, procedures, or even just on operational processes. All of this can be factored into the investigation of the incident and considered in the root cause.

The management statement should attempt to answer the 5W1H’s with any relevant facts;

  • Who? – Who was involved in the accident / incident?
  • What? – What was being undertaken at the time?
  • Where? – Where, precisely did the event take place?
  • When? – When did it take place?
  • Why? – Why did it happen?
  • How? How can it be prevented from happening again?

This management statement is a small component of a comprehensive incident investigation program.

If you need more components of an incident investigation program, we have them here.

As to the role of the supervisor in an investigation, this statement will address all issues of in-depth employee and job process knowledge, while removing the supervisor from the direct investigation. This is an important consideration because:

  • The immediate supervisor/manager of the injured may be part of the reason why the accident happened. The supervision may, therefore, be unwilling to identify deficiencies in training, supervision, discipline, etc., for which he or she is responsible.
  • Due to lack of training, a supervisor may not have the necessary knowledge to do a good in-depth accident analysis.
  • Even if training is provided, supervisors may not do investigations frequently enough to develop the necessary skills to do good investigations.
  • Supervisors may not be sufficiently discreet with potentially sensitive information.

Don’t overlook my book on Root Cause Analysis available for sale on Amazon

Download & view the Accident Investigation Management Statement below

Incident Analysis management statement

The Road Map to Build a Positive Safety Culture

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When beginning a journey, the two most important things to know are: where are you now and where do you want to go. Next, you need a map to see how to get from here to there.

When building a positive safety culture in the workplace, you must begin by assessing where you are right now in respect to workplace safety. Total Case Incident Rate or TCIR is a good indicator. Take the total cases of workplace injury and illness and divide by the number of man hours. Then, multiply the result by 200,000. This number allows you to compare your safety ratings with other facilities while adjusting for the number of employees.

Compare your TCIR rate to other facilities in your industry and with other types of work. If your number is higher, then you know you are not doing as well as others in similar conditions. See what you can learn from them. If your number is already lower, then you may have to look at more advanced safety management systems to lower your score.

Next, take some time to creatively visualize what a safe workplace looks like. Do you see safe work practices as interfering with production? Or, do you see employees working efficiently and safely making quality products at minimal cost? You need a clear vision of where you want to go before you can map out how you plan to get there.

When building a safety culture into the work environment, you need to establish safe work practices. Often, safety procedures are made separate from the work instructions. In facilities with a strong safety culture, the work instructions include the steps to do the job safely and efficiently to produce quality product.

Check Out: Successfully Persuade People That Workplace Injuries Are Preventable

One of the most important steps you will take along the journey to building a safety culture is to establish the safest and most efficient procedures for all work practices. After these procedures are in place, it becomes the job of supervision and audit teams to ensure that the procedures are followed. If the work practices change, then the procedures are rewritten to reflect the changes. Separate safety inspections will no longer be needed as the safest way to do the job has already been established.

When mapping out a course to create a safe work environment, it is very tempting to make a detour through accident avoidance. However, if you want to take the most direct path to building a safe work culture, you will want to go directly to creating safe work practices and not get bogged down at trying to avoid accidents. Most experienced safety professionals will tell you that anytime you implement an accident avoidance plan, you will end up with more accidents before you get your plan in place. So, my advice is to head directly to creating safe work practices and steer clear of all types of accident avoidance systems.

Focus your energy into visualizing a safe work environment. Most often, this place is a clean, bright, well organized facility. It is always a facility where workers are well trained and know how to perform their jobs. These workers take pride in producing quality product and enjoy coming to work each day. They also enjoy leaving each day with all their body parts intact, so they can enjoy their off time. When a positive work environment is created, then there is no need for a separate safety program. A strong safety culture will evolve as the rest of the work experience becomes more positive.

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