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 This health, safety and environment electronic update comes from Chip Dawson and the Rochester Business Alliance as a service to member organizations. |
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If You Use TOR, Please Drop Me a Line
Technic of Operations Review (TOR) was developed by D. A. Weaver, director of policyholder education at Wausau Insurance in the 1960s. He called it Technic in order to get attention, but it is now generally referred to as Technique.
I've been teaching it in my safety management and incident investigation classes for years and the response is generally very positive. But, I usually don't know what students do with the process once they leave the classroom. So, if you use TOR, please let me know. Include, if you will, things such as company, any modifications to the process, acceptance by management, impact on the level of safety, or anything else you think would be nice to know. Weaver is now 95 and living in Colorado with a mind sharp as ever. He's eager to get some feedback on how people in 2011 view and use the process he developed 50 years ago. I'll see that the comments get to Weaver For more on Weaver, see the Safety Awakenings web site here. |
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 Eyewash and Safety Shower Requirements Explained
An article in the latest edition of ISHN does a nice job of explaining the OSHA regulations for eyewashes and showers and when and where they are needed. Also addressed are the relevant ANSI regulations. To read the article, click here. Finally, if your eye wash looks like the one in this photo, you might consider replacing it. |
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 NSC Offers Free Distracted Driving Materials
To help organizations educate employees and their loved ones about the dangers of distracted driving, the National Safety Council is providing the following resources free, including a new video series for businesses to download and share. Understanding Distracted Driving is a 12-segment video series that answers the most frequently asked questions. The video may be downloaded by clicking here.
Also available is a cell phone policy kit that provides everything you need to implement a comprehensive cell phone policy that employees embrace. It is available by clicking here.
Finally, a white paper Understanding the Distracted Brain that shares research on why our brains are incapable of multitasking and why hands-free devices offer no safety benefit. Get it by clicking here.
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 Wall Walkers Run Big Risks
For some reason, I'm still amazed when I see people taking really big chances with their lives. It's easy to say they just don't care, but I'm not sure I believe that. No one really wants to die in a workplace incident. More likely, I suspect, it's either ignorance of the rules or pressure to get the work done at all costs.
Consider the framer in the photo. The walls were up for the first floor when I caught him gingerly turning the corner twelve feet off the ground. That evening I walked by again and the walls were up to the roof level. There, walking the full length of a wall (over 30 feet) on a four-inch surface with no interior framing 24' off the ground, was another carpenter. When he got to a corner, he bent over at the waist, pulled a hammer from his bag and drove a nail (for a string, I assume). That maneuver, if done on the gym floor as part of an exercise class, would be a good test of balance. In his case, he had been on the job for twelve hours that day in 95° heat. I had no authority over this crew and contact with the builder was ignored.
Do you see people taking big risks with their lives in your operation? Does their behavior change when they are called on it? Does your management make it clear that such risks will not be tolerated? If you've had some good success with changing behavior, drop me a line and let me know what you did and how you accomplished it.
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 OSHA Issues Compliance Directive to Address Workplace Violence
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has issued a directive on "Enforcement Procedures for Investigating or Inspecting Incidents of Workplace Violence" that establishes uniform procedures for field staff responding to incidents and complaints of workplace violence and conducting inspections in industries considered vulnerable to workplace violence, such as health care and social service settings, and late-night retail establishments. You can find the enforcement procedures and plenty of compliance assistance at the OSHA Workplace Violence page by clicking here. |
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 Campaign Materials Help Drivers Stay Focused
NIOSH encourages employers to take advantage of campaign materials on preventing distracted driving, available for free download from the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS). The 2011 Drive Safely Work Week (DSWW) tool kit was developed with support from the U.S. Department of Transportation. The theme of this year's campaign is "Focus360°...Getting there safely is everyone's business." Drive Safely Work Week is October 3 - 7 this year. |
ASSE Offering Arc Flash NFPA 70E Training
The Genesee Valley Chapter of the American Society of Safety Engineers is offering a one-day (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) class on Friday, October 7. Cost is $350. The program will be delivered at the Kodak Research Laboratories, 1999 Lake Avenue. For details and registration materials, contact Paulette Lantuh at (585) 722-6362 or by e-mail to paulette.lantuh@kodak.com. Registration must be submitted by September 30. |
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 Prevention through Design Standard Issued
The American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) announced the approval of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI)/ASSE standard, "Prevention through Design: Guidelines for Addressing Occupational Risks in Design and Redesign Processes" (Z590.3). This new standard provides guidance on including Prevention through Design concepts within an occupational safety and health management system, and can be applied in any occupational setting. The new standard focuses specifically on the avoidance, elimination, reduction and control of occupational safety and health hazards and risks in the design and redesign process. For more information, click here. Note: Both print and electronic copies will be available shortly from ASSE. |
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OSHA SST Plan for 2011 Released As with previous years, the agency has released the plan to inspect employers in high hazard industries who are believed to be endangering their employees. The program has two changes this year. The minimum size of selected facilities has been dropped from 40 employees to 20. The other change is an evaluation study that will measure the program's impact on future compliance with OSHA standards. |
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