The Growing Importance of E in EHSQ

By Scott Cuthbert , 

 Prevention is the best medicine! No job is 100% safe, but there is much that employers, employees and safety professionals can do to minimize and reduce the risks. This applies to our Environment, our Health and our Safety.

The environmental portion of environmental health safety and Quality (EHSQ) is critically important because it plays an important role in contributing to the health and safety of everyone. More people are now taking a much keener interest in what is happening to the environment. They are beginning to realize the impact that the environment can and does have on them. It takes a joint effort to make real changes for the better. It must involve the people, the industrial sector, the government, and be a worldwide commitment.

The People

In general, the public does not think it has much of a voice. While this may be true on an individual basis, collectively the people can have a strong impact. "It all begins at home," is an apt saying for making changes for the preservation of the world. Re-cycling has now become a part of daily household trash disposal. Another trend called freecycling has also become an efficient way to recycle goods by giving them to people that can still make use out of them. Consumers are also becoming more energy conscious and aware of their use of electricity. These are just a few of the examples where people are making a change.
Many people are opting into energy saving incentives. They are more interested in products that are going to sustain many of our resources. Some states have tax incentives in place to encourage this. Or, financing opportunities are being provided like the Commonwealth Solar Incentive Program, being offered in Massachusetts.
As parents set the example, more youth are becoming environmentally conscious. They are the future of tomorrow, and setting the seed for preservation now is critical. Citizens are banding together as groups who have specific concerns in common like the Citizens for Responsible Energy Solution, or the Citizens for a Better Environment Group.

Impact on Industry

If the consumers do not buy products that are suggested to have a negative impact on the environment, then the manufacturers make no profit. This is definitely being noted by many industries. Their marketing materials will tout their efforts as to what benefits are being served to the environment by their particular product. Labels now make it very clear what the efforts are. This has come about in part by the movement toward greater public consumer awareness and individuals making an effort to purchase more environmentally safe products.

Impact on the Government

By only voting for politicians that are making environmental issues an important part of their platform the voters can have dramatic impact. The result might not be felt immediately, but over time, voters can shift the balance to favour environmentally friendly politicians.

Impact Worldwide:

Simply having people willing to stand up for changes can have a ripple effect that is recognized in other parts of the world. Countries can then begin to make agreements that will have a positive effect on the betterment of health and safety worldwide.

The Industries

While many industries are being aggressive in their environmentally friendly marketing tactics to please the consumer, it comes with a price tag. Most often these types of products cost more. It comes down to just how much more the consumers willing to pay for an environmentally conscious product.
Many agree that fuel contaminates the air and something has to be done about it. The automobile industry responds, in part, with the solution in the electric car. While still in its initial release and has yet to gain momentum, it is a step in the right direction for the reduction of air pollution. But how much is the public willing to sacrifice financially? To change directions in most manufacturing processes it costs a great deal of money and drives the end cost way up, at least initially. For more on alternative fuel sources, check out Alternative Fuels as a Control for Motor Vehicular Air Pollutants.
Many industries voiced their opinion about the Clean Power Plan proposed by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). This would be a federally regulated plan used to regulate carbon dioxide emissions coming from the power plants that exist currently. It is drawing both favorable and unfavorable comments from many different industries and government levels, as well as the private sector. Those against this plan offer the argument that for the upgrades to be compliant, it would be extremely costly and drive up the costs to the consumers. Coal plants produced about 40% of the energy for the nation last year. At the same time, it created large quantities of greenhouse gases. The Clean Power Plan could force the coal plants to close, which would not only mean a loss of jobs, but could compromise the electric grid reliability.

The Government

The U.S. delegation that attended the first United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) meeting in 2014 did so with many goals. One of the most important goals was to encourage this gathering of nations to support the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) efforts on improving worldwide air quality. It is deemed that air pollution is the world’s largest environmental health risk. For more on the importance of air quality, check out How to Understand Air Pollution and be Prepared for High Risk Days. The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that about 7 million people died as of air pollution in 2012.

Worldwide

In 2014, over 160 countries came together for the first UNEA meeting. The mandate was to deal with serious environmental issues such as air quality, marine debris, and hazardous waste to name a few. The hopes are to come together with collective and solid productive ways to improve the environment by way of a global effort.

Price Tag on Health and Safety

The cliché that money can’t buy health does not aptly fit when it comes to many environmental changes. Everyone can do their part by being astute and making a conscious effort in not polluting the air or land, as much as possible. We as individuals and companies can become energy conscious, but it is going to take global change to have a worldwide impact. It can be seen by many of the negotiations that are taking place regarding a friendly earth living atmosphere, that in most cases it comes down to what is it going to cost in dollars? The more important question to ask is if we don’t take the right environmental steps, what is it going to cost in lives?

Equipment Failure

Definition - What does Equipment Failure mean?

Equipment failure refers to any event in which any equipment cannot accomplish its intended purpose or task. It may also mean that the equipment stopped working, is not performing as desired, or is not meeting target expectations.

Safeopedia explains Equipment Failure

Examples of equipment failure include: engine failure or misfire, brake failure or stop controlling device failure, suspension of operation due to heat or other environmental conditions, failure due to defect in the electronics or circuits, power failure or fuel supply failure, etc..
Equipment failure leads to loss of asset availability, deviation from standard procedure, not meeting the quality and expected target quantity, loss of time, labor and money, and loss of integrated system. Equipment failure can be prevented or reduced through proper maintenance management, inspection, timely finding of problems, rectification of problems, and repair.

Safeopedia explains Fire Fighting Equipment

Fire fighting equipment, generally, is comprised of hundreds of different pieces of equipment and technology.
A categorized list of such equipment might look like this:

• Extinguishers - water type, dry chemical powder type, foam type, carbon dioxide type etc.
• Fire fighter’s gear - fire resistant outer suit, inner lining suit, inner and outer gloves, woolen socks, fire resistant shoes, helmet with or without headlight and communication system, breathing apparatus, water hoses, valves, nozzles and IR camera etc., fire department’s vehicle mounted fire fighting equipment
• Installed fire fighting system - fire main water supply network, hydrant, sprinkler automatic or manual, emergency fuel and electric cut off system, fixed fire fighting system such as carbon dioxide, foam and powder type etc., portable generators and pumps.
• Communication equipment - walkie-talkie, radio, broadcasts, land line telephone, sound powered telephone, cell or mobile phone and voice pipe etc.
• Fire detection and alarm systems - smoke, frame, spark detectors, local, centralized automatic, semi-automatic and manual fire alarm systems
• Other accessories - water and sand bucket, shovel, hammer, fire axe, cutters, hooks, fire beater, hoes, knife, fire blanket, emergency lifesaving apparatus, emergency lights, head lamp etc.

Fire Extinguisher

Six types of fire extinguishers are found in the market depending on their contents. They are used for different applications.

• Water: solid fire
• Foam (aqueous film forming foam (AFFF)): solid and liquid fires
• Carbon dioxide (CO2): solid, liquid, gas, oil, fat and electric fires
• Dry chemical powder: solid, liquid, gas, oil, fat and electric fires
• Wet chemical: solid, oil and fat fires
• Vaporizing liquid: solid, liquid, gas and electric fires

Extinguishing agents are kept under pressure in the cylinders using compressed air, gas or chemicals that produce gas when initiated by suitable means. Once the safety lock is removed and the trigger or handle is s

Class A Fire

Irrespective of the causes of ignition, a class A fire burns solid fuel. It can be extinguished either by water, foam or multi-purpose dry chemical powder. However, for complete extinguishment, class A fires should be entirely cooled down below the ignition temperature of the burning substance. Embers produced in such kind of fire are reignited if they are left above the ignition temperature and come in contact with oxygen. Smothering (or choking) a class A fire does not completely extinguish the fire because it cannot reduce the temperature of the embers. Therefore, CO2 (Carbon dioxide) and ordinary dry chemical powders are not effective against a class A fire.

 Class B fire refers to a fire involving flammable liquids such as petroleum (gasoline, kerosene, petrol, diesel, octane, etc.), paint, alcohol, solvent, oil and tar, etc. that normally do not leave any embers or residues (or very low amounts of residues). Most of these liquids have a high carbon content and the compounds in them and are highly combustible

A small class B fire can also be extinguished by multipurpose dry chemical powder or by water mist that can effectively cool the fire. Re-ignition may also occur if the sources of heating the substance (above the ignition temperature) are not removed. One should never use water stream on a class B fire as it helps to spread the fire since these liquids are lighter than the water

What does Class C Fire mean?

A class C fire refers to a fire that involves flammable gases such as natural gas, petroleum gas, butane, hydrogen, acetylene or propane. These gases are highly combustible and may cause large scale fires and explosions if mixed with enough oxygen.

Safeopedia explains Class C Fire

A class C fire does not leave embers or ashes and can be best extinguished by dry chemical powder and CO2. Before trying to extinguish a class C fire, the source of the gaseous substance must be found and cut off. This could be closing the valve of the gas containing cylinder. A spark in the presence of any of these gasses, with the required amount of oxygen, may also cause an explosion.

Definition - What does Class D Fire mean?

A class D fire refers to a fire that involves in burning of some extraordinary metals such as sodium, magnesium, aluminum, potassium, lithium, titanium, zirconium and some of their alloys.

Safeopedia explains Class D Fire

Most class D fires occur when the combustible metals are in dust, flake, shaving forms or molten. A class D fire cannot be extinguished by water as it produces hydrogen at high temperatures and eventually an explosion occurs and spreads of fire further. It is, therefore, a special extinguishing powder based in sodium chloride (edible salt) or other salts, are used to extinguish a class D fire. Sands are also effective in putting out a class D fire.

Local Weather Report and Forecast For: Kakinada Dated :Apr 02, 2016

Local Weather Report and Forecast For: Kakinada    Dated :Apr 02, 2016

Past 24 Hours Weather Data Maximum Temp(oC) (Recorded. on 02/04/16) 36.0 Departure from Normal(oC) 1 Minimum Temp (oC) (Recorded. on 02/04/16) 25.9 Departure from Normal(oC) 1 24 Hours Rainfall (mm) (Recorded from 0830 hrs IST of yesterday to 0830 hrs IST of today) NIL Todays Sunset (IST) 18:14 Tommorows Sunrise (IST) 05:54 Moonset (IST) 13:16 Moonrise (IST) 01:32

Date Temperature ( o C ) Weather Forecast Minimum Maximum 02-Apr 26.0 36.0 Partly cloudy sky 03-Apr 26.0 36.0 Partly cloudy sky 04-Apr 26.0 36.0 Partly cloudy sky 05-Apr 26.0 37.0 Partly cloudy sky towards afternoon/evening 06-Apr 26.0 37.0 Partly cloudy sky towards afternoon/evening 07-Apr 26.0 37.0 Partly cloudy sky with Thundery development 08-Apr 26.0 37.0 Partly cloudy sky with Thundery development

Local Weather Report and Forecast For: Kakinada Dated :Apr 01, 2016

Local Weather Report and Forecast For: Kakinada    Dated :Apr 01, 2016

Past 24 Hours Weather Data Maximum Temp(oC) (Recorded. on 01/04/16) 34.8 Departure from Normal(oC) 0 Minimum Temp (oC) (Recorded. on 01/04/16) 25.4 Departure from Normal(oC) 0 24 Hours Rainfall (mm) (Recorded from 0830 hrs IST of yesterday to 0830 hrs IST of today) NIL Todays Sunset (IST) 18:14 Tommorows Sunrise (IST) 05:55 Moonset (IST) 12:21 Moonrise (IST) 00:42

Date Temperature ( o C ) Weather Forecast Minimum Maximum 02-Apr 25.0 35.0 Rain or thundershowers would occur towards evening/ night 03-Apr 26.0 35.0 Rain or thundershowers would occur towards evening/ night 04-Apr 26.0 36.0 Rain or thundershowers would occur towards evening/ night 05-Apr 26.0 6.0 Rain or thundershowers would occur towards evening/ night 06-Apr 26.0 36.0 Partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain or Thunderstorm 07-Apr 26.0 37.0 Partly cloudy sky with possibility of rain or Thunderstorm

6 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Guidelines Every Employee Should Know

By Kurina Baksh , 

Takeaway: Personal protective equipment is an important part of the health and safety puzzle - if it's used and used correctly.

Hazards exist in every workplace in many different forms, such as sharp edges, falling objects, flying sparks, chemicals, noise and a myriad of other potentially dangerous situations. Nearly 2 million disabling work-related injuries are expected to occur this year, with more than 25 percent involving the head, eyes, hands and feet. Controlling hazards at their source is the best way to protect employees. Personal protective equipment is an important part of the puzzle. Here are the guidelines for using it to improve safety in the workplace.

What Is PPE?

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is equipment worn by employees to minimize their exposure to a variety of hazards. Examples of PPE include gloves, safety boots, safety goggles, earplugs, hard hats, respirators and full body suits.

Making the workplace safe entails the provision of instructions, procedures, training, and supervision to encourage employees to work safely and responsibly. Although engineering controls and safe work systems have been applied to a workplace, some hazards might still be present, which can result in injuries to the lungs, the head and feet, the eyes, the skin and the body. PPE is needed in these cases to minimize risk.

PPE Guidelines

The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that hard hats are worn by 16 percent of employees who sustain head injuries; face protection is worn by 1 percent of employees who suffered from face injuries; safety boots are worn by 23 percent of employees who sustained foot injuries; and about 40 percent of employees who suffered from eye injuries wore eye protection. In light of these statistics, it is important that every employee be informed of the following guidelines.

1. Understanding when PPE should be used
   PPE is one of the least effective ways of controlling the risk associated with hazards. As a result, it should only be used when there are no other practical control measures available, or as an interim measure until a more effective control method can be implemented. It should always be used when it could potentially reduce risk of illness or injury.
   


2. Assessing suitable PPE
   The type of PPE used should be the most suitable PPE for the job being performed. When assessing suitability, consider the following:
   
• What are the requirements of this job?
• Will this PPE protect workers from the risks, and is it appropriate for use given the environmental conditions present in the workplace?
• Will the use of this type of PPE increase the overall level of risk to workers, or will it add new risk?
• Can this PPE be adjusted to fit correctly?
  


3. Selecting the appropriate PPE
When choosing the right PPE, the selection processes must include a consultation between the worker and the employer. Good quality products that are marked in accordance with the relevant personal protective equipment regulations should be chosen. In the European Economic Area as well as often in the United States, the CE marking signifies that the PPE satisfies certain basic safety requirements, and in some cases, has been tested and certified by an independent body. Employees should ensure that the PPE selected best suits them in terms of its size, its weight, the levels of comfort or discomfort it produces when in use, as well as the employee's current health status. Also, if multiple items of PPE are to be worn simultaneously, they should be able to be used together without one hindering the functions of others.


4. The proper use of PPE
   It is the responsibility of employers to instruct and train their employees on the proper use of PPE. This includes the reason(s) for using PPE, as well as the circumstances under which it should be used, its maintenance and storage, and the limitations of the selected PPE. In the event that some aspect of the job changes, PPE may need to be changed to suit the task.
   


5. Maintenance
   PPE also has to be well maintained. That is, it should be kept clean and in good condition. All PPE should be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s maintenance schedule. This includes the recommended replacement periods and the shelf lives. These simple maintenance requirements can be carried out by employees, but more intricate repairs, such as the replacement of parts, should only be done by specialists. Workers should always inspect their PPE before every use and be sure to report its loss, destruction or any faults to the employer.
   


6. Storage
   PPE should also be properly stored when it is not being used. For example, PPE can be stored in a dry, clean cupboard, or for smaller items, in a box or case.

Key Points to Remember About Personal Protective Equipment

• PPE is most effective when used in combination with other control methods.
• It is the employer’s responsibility to provide all employees with suitable PPE.
• The selected PPE should provide adequate protection for its intended use.
• It is the employer’s responsibility to adequately train all employees on the safe use of PPE.
• It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that all PPE is properly maintained and its defects reported.
• It is the employee’s responsibility to ensure that all PPE is returned to proper storage after use.

Everything You Need to Know to Write An Effective OHS Policy Statement

By Kurina Baksh , March 14, 2016

Takeaway: Essential elements of an effective OHS policy statement.

An Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Policy is an employer’s written commitment to the health and safety of both their employees and their workplace. Health and safety legislations require all employers to implement workplace health and safety programs. A written OHS policy statement can be very effective in promoting workplace health and safety programs. Additionally, developing, implementing and maintaining an OSH Policy Statement can be beneficial to a company economically. It reduces costs associated with workplace accidents, injuries and illnesses. If you are an individual assigned with the task of developing and implementing an OHS policy statement for your workplace, then this article will provide you with all the information you need to write an effective OHS policy statement.

Who Should Write the Company’s OHS Policy Statement?

Your company’s OHS Policy Statement should be specific to your workplace. Although an employer may delegate the preparation of the policy to an employee, the employer should be held responsible for the policy’s content. Therefore, the company’s OHS Policy Statement should be a collaborated effort between the management and staff, as well as professional health safety experts in the field.

What Can I Do to Ensure That the Company's OHS Policy Statement Is Effective?

• Involve senior management when preparing the policy
• Ensure that the policy is not generic and meets the actual needs of your workplace
• Ensure that the policy is consistent with the main objectives of your company
• Write the policy in clear, simple language

What Issues Should Be Covered in the Company’s OHS Policy Statement?

• The commitment of all levels of management in establishing a healthy and safe workplace (To read more about the importance of management in achieving workplace health and safety, check out: Leading Health and Safety at Work)
• The commitment of all levels of management in integrating health and safety into all workplace activities
• The responsibilities of management, employees, contractors and visitors/customers in maintaining a healthy and safe work environment
• All levels of management’s accountability with regards to effectively and efficiently performing their health and safety responsibilities
• The importance of management consulting, involving and co-operating with employees as it relates to the development, implementation and monitoring of the company’s OHS policy statement, as well as workplace health and safety programs.
• The commitment of all levels of management with regards to the periodical reviewing of the company’s OHS policy statement, as well as monitoring its effectiveness
• How management plans on allocating health and safety funds and finances

General Responsibilities Under the OSH Policy Statement

It does not matter how well written your company’s OSH policy statement is. It cannot be put into effect unless responsibilities are clearly defined and assigned. The following are some of the general roles and responsibilities of employers, workers and OHS committees under an OHS policy.

Employers must:

• Provide and maintain safe equipment, tools, and work processes
• Provide the information and training necessary for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of employees
• Supervise work processes and procedures and ensure that employees comply with the relevant health and safety legislations, as well as safe work practices standards at all times
• Provide and ensure that employees wear the appropriate personal protective clothing and devices (PPE)
• Educate and raise awareness among employees regarding workplace hazards, and safe work practices and procedures
• Consult and cooperate with the company’s OHS committee to ensure that workplace inspections are completed periodically, and follow-up actions are taken as necessary
• Reporting all serious injuries or death to the relevant authorities 
• Keep up-to-date health and safety records, such as training records, accident and incident records, etc.

Employees must:

• Ensure their own health and safety, as well as that of their coworkers
• Consult and cooperate with the OHS committee regarding health and safety issues that have the potential to, or are affecting their ability to do their job
• Be knowledgeable on and follow safe work practices and procedures at all times
• Properly use all safety clothing/equipment/devices provided 
• Report unsafe conditions in the workplace to their supervisor or to a member of the company's OHS committee

The company’s OHS Committee must:

• Participate in the identification of workplace hazards
• Participate in or conduct workplace inspections periodically
• Make recommendations to the employer with regards to implementing and enforcing safe work practices
• Receive and record health and safety concerns from employees, contractors, visitors and customers
• Establish and promote a workplace culture of health and safety, in collaboration with management 

How Should I Incorporate the Company’s OSH Policy Statement Into the Workplace?

To ensure that your company’s newly written OHS policy statement is effective, meaningful actions should be undertaken. These include:

• Recognizing, evaluating and controlling hazards
• Conducting workplace inspections periodically
• Establishing procedures for reporting and investigating accidents and incidents
• Documenting and recording health and safety related activities
• Monitoring management and staff to ensure they are carrying out their health and safety responsibilities, as well as to evaluate the existing OHS Policy Statement

How Should I Communicate the Company’s OSH Policy Statement?

The OHS policy statement can be communicated effectively by:

• Providing health and safety induction training for new members of staff
• Providing health and safety training for current members of staff on an on-going basis
• Distributing a copy of the OHS policy statement to all members of staff
• Including it on policies and procedures manuals
• Hosting safety talks and meetings
• Displaying management’s commitment to workplace health and safety by setting an example

Ensuring Success

Maintaining an OHS policy statement is equally as important as developing and implementing the policy. It is also crucial to its effectiveness. Health and safety is an ongoing process and, as such, it requires continuous attention from employers and employees, as well as the company’s OHS committee. It is the combined responsibility of these individuals to keep abreast of changes in legislation and any other area that may affect workplace health and safety. Additionally, the OHS policy should be reviewed yearly and revised as needed to ensure it continues to effectively reflect the specific needs of the company.

Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP): Why It's Important for Safety Professionals

By Jennifer Anderson , October 19, 2015

Takeaway: Pros and cons of HAZOP studies.

Source: Terminator3d/Dreamstime.com

What is the Hazard and Operability Study?
The Hazard and Operability Study (HAZOP) is a systematic investigation of a present or planned process or operation. The HAZOP study is aimed at identifying and evaluating any problems within a plant or work environment that could pose a risk to the employees and/or equipment.
The HAZOP also looks at processes that might impede the efficient running of the facility. Originally, hazard and operability studies focused on chemical and mining operations. The study was extended to include nuclear power plants.
How Does it Work?
The intent of the HAZOP study is to review the plant. This is done by the HAZOP team in a series of meetings. The team methodically "brainstorms" the plant design. This brainstorming stimulates creativity and generates ideas through team member interaction.
The process requires the full participation of each team member. During the study, team members must resist criticizing suggestions of other team members. All ideas are openly received and considered. The team’s focuses is on specific points of the design. These are explored one by one. What the team is looking at is deviations in the process parameters.
Guide words are used to guarantee that the design is examined from every possible angle. The team identifies a fairly large number of deviations. Next, each is considered as a potential cause or effect of operations or hazards.
HAZOP effectiveness is largely determined by:

• The parameters and exact description of the study
• The skills and experience of the team members
• The team’s ability to work well together
• Meaningful questions asked by the HAZOP team
• Completeness and accuracy of the studyThe ability of the team to use the outlined approach
• The ability of the team to identify and concentrate on serious hazards and not get sidetracked by sheer breadth of the study

The HAZOP study is carried out by experienced team members with multi-disciplinary skills. Usually the team includes four or five members. During a set of meetings the HAZOP team conducts a qualitative assessment aimed at drawing attention to problems and hazards in the operation.
Efforts are made to keep the team as small as possible and still include those with relevant skills and experience related to the processes and operations being studied. Large studies may include as many as twenty team members and several team meetings. The makeup of the team may change as different areas and aspects of the organization are studied.
Guide words help frame the parameters of the HAZOP team study. The guide words provided represent a standard set. Different sets of guide words are based on the type of unit operation being studied. Typical guide words include: AS WELL AS, PART OF, and OTHER THAN. Though guide words are meant to be helpful, sometimes they can be difficult to apply. Guide words are combined with process parameters like: flow, temperature, level, viscosity, and pH level.
HAZOP looks for deviations from the norm. Once deviations are identified, causes for those deviations are explored. These may involve materials, procedures or human error.
Why is HAZOP Important for Safety Professionals?
A Hazard and Operability study is one of the techniques used by safety professionals to explore the system and ensure that hazardous and/or inefficient procedures are identified and corrected. HAZOP studies provide analysis and details about hazards or errors in a system design.
HAZOP studies highlight potential hazards and problems in the operation so that safety professionals can then decide upon the most effective means of remedying the problem. HAZOP studies may help avoid problems and, therefore, save lives and/or business expenses.
Positive Aspects of a HAZOP Study

• An efficient, knowledgeable HAZOP team may save the company more than the expense of the study in efficiency changes
• HAZOP studies identify hazards and can thus save lives and decrease employee injuries
• HAZOP teams ensure the study is multi-disciplinary

Disadvantages of a HAZOP Study

• HAZOP studies are very time consuming, and can often end up costing a lot in expenses
• HAZOP teams focus on individual areas or single events rather than a combination
• A competent facilitator and a knowledgeable, experienced HAZOP team are crucial
• A HAZOP study focuses on specific guide words. Thus, some hazards or operational problems may be overlooked

Hazard and Operability Study Tips
HAZOP studies can fall into several pitfalls, and these have given HAZOP teams a bad reputation.
HAZOP studies can be very long, tedious and lacking in focus. The following tips may help to make HAZOP studies more efficient and effective.

1. Plan the HAZOP meetings well in advance.
2. Select a HAZOP team that has the necessary skills. Do they all understand the design, operation or procedure that is being studied?
3. Know what the HAZOP study’s focus is: Are you reviewing a concept, procedure, operation, or design?
4. What are the parameters of the study? Is the team clear on this?
5. Well before the study, an information package needs to be prepared. This resource packet should contain support information for the team.
6. Before the HAZOP study the resource information must be scrutinized for accuracy and validity.
7. The team should decide how computer software might assist in their study.
8. The chairperson of the HAZOP team should address the group outlining the scope of the study and how the HAZOP team will function. For several team members, this may be their first HAZOP study.
9. The designer should present an overview of the scope of the study.
10. The facilitator should ensure that each team member makes contributions related to his area of expertise and participates in the study.
11. The HAZOP team should avoid preconceived ideas and expectations because “this is usually the way it works” or “it never happens this way.”
12. The HAZOP team should allocate its time according to the priority of the risk or operational issue.
13. The HAZOP study plan should have a comfortable amount of time so that the team has breaks to refocus.
14. The HAZOP study should allow sufficient time so it finishes on time or early. Tight time lines risk hurried studies which make mistakes.
15. HAZOP team meetings should have detailed minutes so recommendations can evolve from them.
16. HAZOP study follow-up should ideally include recommendations and potential solutions to identified problems.

The Moral Safety Compass

  IT IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR TO AWARE MORE AND MORE BY ALL MEAN

The Moral Safety Compass

By Bryan McWhorter , July 20, 2015

Takeaway: If you don't think the procedure is safe enough for your loved ones to complete, it's not safe enough for your employees either.

When my children were young, it often fit my schedule to drive them to school. Loading them into the car on a cold Kansas morning, I told them all to buckle their seatbelts. Now that they were buckled up, I started to put the car in gear when my daughter asked, "Daddy, why aren’t you buckled up?"
When I first got my drivers license, the seat belt law did not exist and, so, I usually did not wear one. I had not gotten into the habit. It was normal for me to drive without my seatbelt fastened, but I would not dream of backing out of the driveway without my children safe and secure.
Love for my three kids dictated the need to make sure they were safe. My love for them was my moral safety compass, and I protected them.
In a work environment, such as a construction site or the manufacturing floor, we need a moral safety compass we can follow to make sure employees stay safe. O.K., I realize there is a big difference between a father's love for his kids, and what supervisors, managers and bosses feel for their employees, but it still comes down to caring about their wellbeing. What we need is a moral compass with absolutes set upfront in regards to worker safety. Management must realize it is up to them to protect all employees.
Management’s position on safety must be well stated with conviction and consistency. There must be a rock solid commitment to employee’s safety and wellbeing, and you can be sure employees will test it.
How do we get management and employees to become proactive about each other’s safety? How do we make “Safety First” not just a slogan?

Commitment + Community = Safety

A company I have always admired in regards to commitment to people and safety is Proctor and Gamble. Their values state: “P&G is its people and the values by which we live…We act on the conviction that our men and women will always be our most important asset.”
Statements such as this set up a culture of caring for one another. This is where safety begins; people must come first, before safety can come first. Without that commitment, there is no need for a moral compass because employees are viewed as a means to an end. They are an expendable commodity; safety is not in the picture.
When employees are cared for, respected and empowered it’s like electricity hitting a lightbulb. The environment comes to life. Morale goes up as employees engage.
Like a family, all employees must be viewed as important and valued. “You are one of us and we look out for each other.” This is establishing community at work. One way to encourage this is by creating a team atmosphere, and make sure that everyone identifies themselves as being part of a team. This could be a department, production line, etc.. Teams become family, and we look out for those on our team.
If you ask a solder why he risks his life on the battlefield, he will not say for God and country. What he will say is I do it for the man on my right and on my left. I’ve got their backs because I know they have mine.
We want this same commitment to each other at work - we look out for each other. We want employees looking out for the safety of fellow employees. One safety representative can’t do it. We need everyone engaged in safety.
So, now that we have established we care for each other, what do we use for a standard? What becomes our Moral Safety Compass?
Our Moral Safety Compass
I remember performing a safety walk in our factory with another safety professional. We observed others working. I was the factory safety officer at the time and the Senior Trainer. In this role I provided all safety training and was fully responsible for our safety efforts.
No one knew more about our safety environment and culture than I did. In 2008, we had been told we had one of the worst incident rates of all our companies’ factories worldwide. I learned this just a few short weeks after becoming our factory safety officer. OSHA recordable accidents were so common; they were accepted as just part of working here. We worked in a florescent lamp factory. Our work environment was hazard rich including:

• High-speed equipment
• Broken glass
• Open fires
• Powered lift trucks
• Raised Platforms
• Extremes in temperature (During the summer, many departments on the factory floor would exceed 120 Fahrenheit)

The man I was with during the safety walk was a good friend and safety expert from Europe named Mark. He had a keen eye for safety and a real love for employee well-being. He pointed to a mechanic that was working near a high-speed production machine with its guard off. The mechanic was just inches away from moving parts that could easily grab him if he got too close.
Mark knew this was most likely a common practice as the mechanic seemed comfortable near the equipment running with no guard. He pointed to the mechanic and asked me the following question: “Bryan, if one of your grown children came to work here…would you feel good about him performing that task, working so close to unguarded high speed equipment?” Mark just provided our Moral Safety Compass.
Some may say, "well there is no safe way to perform certain tasks." I have heard this before and it is a copout. Usually it means the safe way costs more money, down time, etc.. Never accept that answer - find a way to do it safely.
If you would not feel comfortable letting one of your grown sons or daughters perform a work task, don’t allow any employee to perform it. This is the heart of community and family. We look out for each other.
Spread the Word = Give Everyone a Safety Compass
In 2008 our factory was experiencing three accidents per week. That means each Monday; we knew by the end of the week, three of our friends were going to get hurt. This was like a lottery from Hell. I remember telling one of my friends in our HR department about this statistic and we both felt so helpless. It was a terrible feeling!
No one on our site had any real knowledge or experience in driving safety and our safety stats proved it. What we did have was a caring management team and a company that valued safety.
We first established the compass: If you would not let a loved one perform an unsafe act, don’t let a coworker! We set our safety slogan as a simple “Safety First.”
We then asked for help from our hourly workers. They came up with hundreds of documented safety improvements. We recorded 545 completed safety projects in 2009. That year we reduced OSHA recordable accidents by 50% over 2008!
The ideas employees came up with were amazing. One employee suggested that we create a safety t-shirt and give one away to each employee that implemented a safety project. We did this for the next several years. The cool thing about this project? If you were to visit the same factory today, you would find about a fourth of the shop floor personnel wearing safety t-shirts. Walking reminders that in our factory, safety comes first!
I witnessed employees reminding each other to “get their PPE on” and follow established safety rules. They were watching out for their teammates. They had each other’s backs.
Establish That You Care and Prove It
In 2011 I was a guest speaker at a large conference in Jacksonville Florida. I was speaking on how to develop a safety culture. My presentation went very well and towards the end, I got caught up in my own emotion and made the statement “Any company that puts profit above the safety of their employees is morally bankrupt and should not be in business!” To my delight and relief, I heard thunderous applause as the audience agreed. We must establish that we are committed to the well-being of those that work with us. We will not purposely put people at risk of injury to do their job.
I learned my children were as concerned for my safety as I was for theirs. I now buckle my seat belt. A family, community or team looks out for each other. We invest in those that invest in us. We build relationships on caring and trust. If you have their backs, they will have yours. You protect me and I will protect you.
Make sure your organization has the benefits a moral safety compass provides. If you would not feel comfortable watching a loved one perform a dangerous work task, don’t let anyone perform it. Find a better way.

8 Strategies to Promote Workplace Mental Health

By Kurina Baksh , March 31, 2015

Takeaway: How to improve mental health in the workplace.

It is estimated that 20 percent of the labour force will experience some form of mental health problems during their working lives. Across the globe, there has been observed trends of increasing absenteeism and early retirement rates due to mental health problems, such as stress and depression. Furthermore, it is estimated that every year, mental health problems cost employers an estimated 571 million dollars due to the large number of working days lost. Therefore, it is important for both employers and their employees to understand what causes mental health problems in the workplace, as well as what can be done to alleviate them.

What is Mental Health?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), mental health is defined as, 'a state of well-being in which the individual realizes his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully and is able to make a contribution to his or her community’.

Mental Health vs Mental Illness

Although the terms are often used interchangeably, mental health and mental illness is not the same concept. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental illness as, 'a recognized, medically diagnosable illness that results in the significant impairment of an individual’s cognitive, affective, or relational abilities’. Therefore, everyone can have some level of mental health at any given time, whereas it is possible to be without mental illness.

Factors Influencing Mental Health in the Workplace

One of the key areas of daily life affecting mental health is the workplace. There are several key factors or psychological risks present in the workplace, which can negatively impact the mental health and well-being of employees. These are:

• Stigma and discrimination Stress (For more information about workplace stress, check out: Stress at Work: Tips to Reduce and Manage Workplace Stress)
• Work-life balance
• Absenteesim
• Job burnout
• Harassment and bullying
• Violence
• Substance use and abuse

Eight Strategies to Promote Mental Health in the Workplace

Mental heath promotion as it relates to the workplace, is the creation of working conditions and environments that support the mental health of employees with added social and economical benefits. Below are eight strategies proposed by the Canadian Mental Health Association to promote mental health in the workplace:

1. Promote work-life balance. Create a work environment where there is recognition of the need for balance between the demands of work, family and personal life.
2. Encourage respectful and non-derogatory behaviours. Promote a work environment where employees are respectful and considerate in their interactions with each other, customers, as well as the general public.
3. Allow continuous learning to foster employee growth and development. Create a work environment where employees receive encouragement and support in the development of their interpersonal, emotional and job skills.
4. Encourage active employee participation, decision-making and engagement. Promote a work environment where employees are included in both discussions regarding how their work is done, as well as in important decision-making process. This is important because in a work environment where employees enjoy and feel connected to their work, they are motivated to do their job better.
5. Define employees’ duties and responsibilities clearly. Create a work environment where employees know what they need to do and how their work contributes to the organization's success.
6. Teach employees how to manage their workloads. Adopt a work environment where tasks and responsibilities can be accomplished successfully within the time available.
7. Have conflict resolution practices in place. Foster a work environment where employee psychological safety is ensured and where co-workers and supervisors are supportive of employees’ psychological and mental health concerns, responding appropriately as needed.
8. Recognize employees’ contributions effectively. Promote a work environment where there is appropriate acknowledgment and appreciation of employees’ efforts in a fair and timely manner.

Why Promote Mental Health in the Workplace?

Mental health can be promoted in workplaces by being incorporated into workplace health promotion programs. In addition to the mental health and wellness of employees, the benefits of mental health promotion include:

• Improved productivity
• Improved morale and employee satisfaction
• Improved staff retention
• Increased employee creativity
• Increased loyalty of employees towards company
• Higher recruitment levels
• Reduced medical leave
• Decreased staff turnover
• Lower recruitment, training and health costs
• Reduced number of workplace injuries and accidents
• Less work time lost due to lower rates of absenteeism

Safety Meetings and Why You Need Them

  WONDERFUL ARTICLE

Safety Meetings and Why You Need Them

By Bryan McWhorter , October 26, 2015

Takeaway: Why safety meetings are essential.

Source: AndreyPopov/Dreamstime.com

Sitting off to the side, I watched as two employees gave a five minute presentation. They spoke about one of their latest safety projects, explaining an identified hazard and how they addressed it. They radiated pride and excitement.
The two employees worked on a production line in our factory and were speaking as part of a safety meeting. Their excitement and accomplishment was recognized by everyone in the room. The positive emotion they radiated was infectious.
It had taken much trial and error before developing a good structure for our safety meetings that were effective and encouraged employee engagement.
It does not matter if you are having toolbox safety meetings that are only five minutes daily, or hour long safety meetings once per month. Safety meetings are a powerful activity for reducing accidents and promoting all aspects of safety.
I’ve conducted over 500 safety team meetings during my time as the safety officer for Philips. These meetings became instrumental in influencing behaviors that promote safety. Without them I don’t believe we could have turned safety around the way we had.
Safety Meetings Show Management Values Safety
Employees realize that management only invests time and money in what is important. Creating a work environment where safety is valued requires an investment.
At work and home we find time for those activities we value most. If family and friends are important to you, you make time for those relationships. If fitness is important, you make time to exercise. We recognize time is our most precious commodity, so we reserve it for what matters most to us.
If a company talks about safety, but spends little or no time on structured safety efforts, then employees may feel safety is not important. Safety will slide to the back of their mind, and their efforts will be focused on what they perceive management really holds as important.
The benefits safety meetings can provide include:

• Engage and enlist the help of employees
• Promote the importance of safety by showing a company’s willingness to invest time
• Give employees the opportunity to contribute. Remember, they are the ones that know the unsafe conditions and behaviors
• Provide opportunity to teach safety topics such as LOTO, PPE, hearing conservation, etc. in a short effective manner that employees will remember, as opposed to long training sessions that can be boring
• Provide a level of awareness, teamwork and community
• Meetings will not only speed up the establishing of a safety first culture, they are crucial to maintaining it. They provide consistency to the companies safety message

The Components of an Effective Safety Meeting
Safety meetings can become sterile, boring and void of positive emotion. We are emotional beings and must be engaged on an emotional level. This means that the meetings must be designed to be positive, uplifting and engaging. Employees must feel comfortable and encouraged to contribute. A safety professional may be the person facilitating the meeting, but the employees must feel invested in that it is their meeting.
We want to know what to expect before we engage in any activity. Employees need to know the agenda, time, location and expectation. I discovered we could have a very effective safety meeting requiring only ten to twenty minutes, as long as it was well structured with an agenda promoted in advance.
Our typical agenda is as follows:

• Some fun - I would often show a funny YouTube video at the start of the meeting or show funny safety pictures, etc.. I wanted to get employees to loosen up, relax and engage. When we started meetings without doing this, people were less engaged and did not contribute as much. Laughter lowers emotional walls and allows everyone to relax
• Give our current safety stats and goals – If you remove the scoreboard from a basketball game, it is no longer a game, it is just practice. Employees need to know safety goals and where they are in respect to them. They need a sense of urgency
• Review any accidents or near misses that occurred since the last meeting - We never discussed the names of who was hurt, but discussed the events that occurred and walked through the factors that lead to the accident. Often, it was here that the best ideas to prevent a reoccurrence were identified by employees. There is also a strong emotional element here as each accident represents a coworker that got hurt, which means to an employee that they could be next
• Best practice sharing – We gave employees (only one or two per meeting) the chance to present on safety projects and concerns. This became popular as employees enjoyed sharing safety wins
• Training or the presenting on one health topic and one safety topic – We covered one health topic each meeting, such as getting enough sleep, weight loss, etc.. We found that we could perform needed safety training in meetings and employees got more out of it verses a long day of training. If more time was needed to cover a topic, we let everyone know weeks in advance that the meeting would run longer.

The agenda that I just outlined served us for years. My suggestion is to set an agenda that has no more than four to six items. The facilitator needs to keep it flowing and on topic. No rabbit chasing. This requires finesse and a light heart. We tend to give respect when we get respect, so be polite when squelching side discussions and negative behavior.

All for One and One for All

A friend was telling me about an accident involving a coworker at the restaurant he worked at. A meat grinder appliance had a defective guard and his hand got caught in it. The employee received many stitches and was off work for a few weeks.
I asked if they knew the guard was not working properly. He said yes and everyone just got used to it. I then asked if they spoke much about safety or had any type of safety meetings. He told me safety is discussed when you’re hired and when training for a new position, and other than that, they had no formal safety meetings.
If the restaurant had any formal safety meetings, such as five to ten minutes even once per week, employees would have had an avenue to raise concerns about issues, such as a faulty guard. I realize regular safety inspections would have caught that as well, in fact, the two support each other. As safety inspections are done, the results should be reported in the safety meetings.
Safety Requires Attention, Consistency and Time
For safety to be important, it requires consistent attention over time. This is human nature. When no effort or time is given to a particular issue or topic, it slides out of our thoughts and attention.
Attention and consistency is more important than the amount of time given. You do not need to have long meetings, in fact, most of us do not want long meetings. I have seen departments promote safety quite effectively with five minute meetings near tool boxes at the start of each shift. It is more important that you have a consistent structure and give employees a voice. Even five minutes is enough time for a concern to be voiced.
The Safety Board
A safety board is a great companion tool that supports and enhances your safety initiatives. This is a safety bulletin board easily accessible to all used for posting safety information.
The contents of the safety board would include: the safety meeting schedule or calendar, meeting agenda, posted minutes of past meetings, safety stats and goals, etc..
You can also use it to promote any health and safety topics important to you and your employees.

Any Business Can Benefit From Safety Meetings

I was shopping at our local Walmart when I heard this announcement over their loud speakers, “Our safety meeting will begin at 4 pm. This is just a reminder.” I was surprised and impressed to hear that this retail giant had safety meetings. Does your business?
I challenge you to find a schedule that works for your business environment. I promise it will put energy behind your safety initiative as it provides consistent safety dialog with employees.
With a structured, yet relaxed tone that encourages employee engagement, you can also improve a sense of community and strengthen relationship between management and employees. This is time well spent.
We invest time in what we value, show your employees their safety is worth time and attention. Show you value them.

ANTHROPOGENIC BEAUTFUL NATURE