ohs magazine

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS:Smartphones, a New Disaster Lifeline 14

OIL & GAS SAFETY:Meeting the FR Challenge 26

LOCKOUT/TAGOUT:Finding the Right Balance 36

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY:Ten Feet Tall and Falling 46

JANUARY 2015 VOL. 84 NO. 1 | www.ohsonline.comBREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIES: ELEVATE CULTURE BY RELEASING ADHESIONS

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FROM THE EDITOR

www.ohsonline.com

VOLUME 84 NUMBER 1

EDITORIAL STAFF

EDITOR Jerry Laws

E-NEWS EDITOR Brent Dirks

SENIOR EDITOR Lindsay Page

CONTENT DEVELOPMENT Matthew Holden

ART STAFF

ART DIRECTOR Dale Chinn

PRODUCTION STAFF

DIRECTOR, PRINT AND ONLINE PRODUCTION David Seymour

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR Teresa Antonio

SALES STAFF

INTEGRATED MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE-WEST Barbara Blake 972-687-6718

INTEGRATED MEDIA REPRESENTATIVE-EAST Jenna Conwell 610-436-4372

SECURITY, SAFETY, AND HEALTH GROUP

PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER Kevin O’Grady

GROUP CIRCULATION DIRECTOR Margaret Perry

GROUP MARKETING DIRECTOR Susan May

GROUP WEBSITE MANAGER Scott Newhouse

GROUP WEBINAR ADMINISTRATOR Tammy Renne

GROUP SOCIAL MEDIA EDITOR Ginger Hill

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Rajeev Kapur

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT & Richard VitaleCHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Henry Allain

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Michael J. Valenti

VICE PRESIDENT, INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY & Erik A. LindgrenAPPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

VICE PRESIDENT, EVENT OPERATIONS David F. Myers

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD Jeffrey S. Klein

REACHING THE STAFFEditors can be reached via e-mail, fax, telephone, or mail. A list of editors and contact information is at www.ohsonline.com.

Email: To e-mail any member of the staff please use the following form: [email protected].

Dallas Offi ce: (weekdays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. CT) Telephone: 972-687-6700; Fax: 972-687-679914901 Quorum Drive, Suite 425, Dallas, TX 75254

Corporate Offi ce: (weekdays, 8:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. PT) Telephone: 818-814-5200; Fax: 818-734-15229201 Oakdale Avenue, Suite 101, Chatsworth, CA 91311

Occupational Health & Safety (ISSN 0362-4064) is published monthly by 1105 Media, Inc., 9201 Oakdale Avenue, Ste. 101, Chatsworth, CA 91311. Periodicals postage paid at Chatsworth, CA 91311-9998, and at additional mailing offi ces. Complimentary subscriptions are sent to qualifying subscribers. Annual subscription rates payable in U.S. funds for non-qualifi ed subscribers are: U.S. $79.00, International $149.00. Subscription inqui-ries, back issue requests, and address changes: Mail to: Occupational Health & Safety, P.O. Box 2166, Skok-ie, IL 60076-7866, email [email protected] or call 847-763-9688. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Occupational Health & Safety, P.O. Box 2166, Skokie, IL 60076-7866. Canada Publications Mail Agreement No: 40612608. Return Undeliverable Canadian Addresses to Circulation Dept. or XPO Returns: P.O. Box 201, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R5, Canada.

© Copyright 2015 by 1105 Media, Inc. All rights re-served. Printed in the U.S.A. Reproductions in whole or part prohibited except by written permission. Mail requests to “Permissions Editor,” c/o Occupational Health & Safety, 14901 Quorum Dr., Ste. 425, Dallas, TX 75254.

The information in this magazine has not undergone any formal testing by 1105 Media, Inc. and is dis-tributed without any warranty expressed or implied. Implementation or use of any information contained herein is the reader’s sole responsibility. While the information has been reviewed for accuracy, there is no guarantee that the same or similar results may be achieved in all environments. Technical inaccuracies may result from printing errors and/or new develop-ments in the industry.

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4 Occupational Health & Safety | JANUARY 2015 www.ohsonline.com

Sounding the Alarm on Skin Cancer

T he most commonly diagnosed can-cer in the United States, skin can-cer, is “a major and growing health problem,” according to a CDC

report published online in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in November 2014. Th e study sheds light on how fast skin cancer treatment costs have risen in recent years, fi nding that the costs for treat-ing this type of cancer rose be-tween 2002 and 2011 fi ve times faster than the cost of treating other types of cancers.

Th is fi nding puts in per-spective both the Cal/OSHA heat illness prevention rule and OSHA’s campaign to protect outdoor workers from occupa-tional heat illnesses. Th e average annual number of adults being treated for skin cancer in the United States jumped from 3.4 million during 2002-2006 to 4.9 million during 2007-2011, rep-resenting a 44 percent increase.

But the average annual cost for skin cancer treatment soared from $3.6 billion during 2002-2006 to $8.1 billion dur-ing 2007-2011, an increase of 126 percent. Th e average annu-al cost for treatment of all other types of cancer increased by 25 percent during the same period.

“Th e fi ndings raise the alarm that not only is skin cancer a growing problem in the United States, but the costs for treat-

ing it are skyrocketing relative to other cancers,” said the lead author of the report, Gery Guy, Ph.D., of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control. “Th is also underscores the importance of skin cancer prevention eff orts.”

Th e American Cancer So-ciety and the National Coun-cil on Skin Cancer Prevention designate the Friday before Memorial Day as Don’t Fry Day, so this year it falls on May 22, 2015. ACS also has created an infographic about skin can-cer prevention that can help workers protect themselves.

Most cases of melanoma, which is the deadliest kind of skin cancer, are caused by UV exposure. CDC recommends taking these precautions to pre-vent harmful UV exposures:

■ Stay in the shade, espe-cially during midday hours.

■ Wear clothing that cov-ers your arms and legs.

■ Wear sunglasses that block both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B rays.

■ Use sunscreen with SPF 15 or higher that off ers both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B protection.

■ Avoid indoor tanning.

JERRY LAWS

[email protected]

“The fi ndings raise

the alarm that not only is skin cancer a growing problem in the United States, but the costs for treating it are skyrock-eting relative to other cancers,” said the lead author of the report, Gery Guy, Ph.D., of CDC’s Division of Cancer Prevention and Control.

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TABLE OF CONTENTSJANUARY 2015 | Volume 84, Number 1 | www.ohsonline.com


featuresFOOT PROTECTION

8 Evolution of the Met GuardAdvanced foam technology is being used in integrated meta-tarsal guards that are raising the bar on impact protection. by Alison Nestel-Patt

FALL PROTECTION

10 Does More Work Mean More Risk for Communication Tower Workers?Here’s what employers should know to safeguard employees. by Craig Firl

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS

14 Smartphones Are Employees’ Lifeline During DisastersSmartphone technology is making it easier for employees to quickly access disaster plans, with or without a WiFi connection. by Chris Britton

INCENTIVES

16 Is Your Safety Program Under RAPPs?Incentives should be awarded at the department level. Anyone doing the math can see that their chances of winning in a drawing are much greater when it involves only department employees rather than the plant popula-tion. by John W. Wells Jr.

2014: YEAR IN REVIEW

20 Falls, Recalls, and a Scary Virus2014 was a year of landmark decisions, calls to action, and unpredictable challenges to overcome. Here are a few of the biggest topics and headlines from the past year. by Matt Holden

OIL & GAS SAFETY

26 Meeting the ChallengeA “Voice of the Customer” study reveals insights into the challenges of managing an effective fl ame-resistant clothing program. by Mike Woods

30 HSE Leaders Share Their StrategiesOne takeaway: The fi rst step to an effective risk management approach is to divest from the outcome and focus on the execution. by Fred Stawitz

34 Below the Hook Safety—Oil & Gas Drilling and Well ServicingThere are cost-effective, feasible solutions to the hazard of band brakes with mechanical linkage to directly connect the operator control to the braking mechanism. by Dave Terry

LOCKOUT/TAGOUT

36 Process Automation and Lockout/Tagout: Finding the Proper BalanceThis is the hard part, keeping the requirements in mind while also keeping your production humming along. by Jimi Michalscheck

40 Ensuring Safety with a Lockout/Tagout Program: Seven Steps to ComplianceProcedures, devices, and personnel must be set in place to prevent a serious injury when a worker thinks a machine is safely off. by Brad Montgomery

INDUSTRIAL HYGIENE: CHEMICAL SAFETY

42 GHS in the New Year: Five Resolutions for SuccessAs you are aware, the deadline to train employees on GHS has passed. However, it is required to train new employees, as well as provide training when a new physical or health hazard is introduced into the workplace. by Kraig Haberer

CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

46 Ten Feet Tall and FallingConstruction workers are used to contending with elevated risk levels, so they’re more likely to have a skewed percep-tion of that risk. by Cheri Genereaux

departments4 From the Editor

48 New Products

54 Practical Excellence

by Shawn Galloway55 Product Spotlights

56 Literature Library

56 Classifi eds

57 Advertiser Index

58 Breakthrough Strategies

by Robert Pater

Find OHS on:Twitter http://twitter.com/OccHealthSafetyFacebook http://facebook.com/ohsmagSafety Community http://www.safetycommunity.com/profi le/OHSMagazine

CAPITAL SAFETY

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FOOT PROTECTION


P rotective footwear is nothing new for the millions of Americans working in potentially hazardous environments. For decades now, the Occupational Safety and Health Admin-

istration’s 1910.136(a) regulation has set requirements for employers surrounding protective footwear that shields employees from potential dangers, including falling objects, piercing objects, and electric shock.

Due to the requirements that OSHA sets forth, the technology used to protect the feet of millions of men and women remained relatively unchanged for de-cades. Conventional wisdom suggests that hard ma-terials are the superior method for protection. Th is is seen in almost every industry that manufactures body protection wear: hockey, American football, action/extreme sports, tactical wear, and soccer. Th erefore, hard, rigid materials such as metal have been the stan-dard in the protective footwear industry.

Th e top of the foot clearly is most susceptible to injury, and as a result, footwear manufacturers have focused on developing protective footwear to mitigate injury to the toes and metatarsal areas. For toe pro-tection, the answer has been developing heavy-duty boots with steel toe boxes—an integrated approach in which the metal is worked into the design of the boot. For the metatarsal region, common practice has been taking this same rigid approach but applying the pro-tective “box,” or met guard, that arches over the foot from side to side and is affi xed to the boot as an acces-sory. Being an accessory, this means workers have had to put the met guard on before entering hazard areas.

In 2005, the industry was changed with the intro-duction of the fi rst integrated met guard. For the fi rst time, workers were off ered met guards built into the design of a boot. Th is meant that, from the moment the boots were laced, their feet were fully protected, without having to add a fi xture. Clearly, this evolution caught on within the industry. Th ere are now many leading workwear boot manufacturers that are pro-viding integrated met guards in numerous styles.

Leading this shift in the market was Th orogood, a brand managed by Wisconsin-based manufacturer Weinbrenner Shoe Company. In 2005 it launched the fi rst internal met guard that was completely integrated with the steel toe cap and built into the design of the shoe to create seamless, almost hidden, protection.

Consumers quickly realized the benefi ts of having this met protection integrated into their work boots as opposed to a cumbersome, external attachment. It

eliminated trip hazards that were common with some external designs, and the seamless designs provided a more aesthetically pleasing shoe that can be worn on and off the job.

Since 2005, other material companies have worked with work boot manufacturers to create integrated met guards that are raising the bar on impact protec-tion. Longtime foam manufacturer Rogers Corp. in 2009 launched its own integrated met guard called the M-Guard. An internal, fl exible piece of padding that is fully integrated with the protective toe cap, XRD’s M-Guard provides lightweight protection and is avail-able in two styles to meet ASTM or EN Metatarsal Guard Standards. Th e key is its open cell, breathable foam that allows for wearable protection that is soft at rest but momentarily hardens, or “freezes,” to pro-vide a protective shield when the material experiences a sudden and/or extreme impact. Th e soft , conform-ing foam absorbs up to 90 percent of energy at high-speed impact. Additionally, it can withstand repeated impact for the life of the boot and features built-in antimicrobial protection to fi ght against the growth of odor-causing bacteria, mold, and mildew that can cause stains, odor, and product deterioration.

“Integrated met guard systems are like having an airbag in your car—you may not always need it, but you sure are glad it’s there when something goes wrong,” said Brandon Barker, Justin’s Original Workboots (JOW) brand manager. He said JOW is committed to providing customers with a premium product, and it partnered with XRD to design JOW’s fi rst boots with integrated met guard protection. Th e product launched in 2012 with just two styles, but the brand has seen such consumer demand for integrated met guard boots that JOW launched four more styles last year and has plans to continue expanding in 2015. Bob McAllister, national sales manager for JOW, not-ed that the benefi t of selling a work boot with a “hid-den” met guard has opened the door for a whole range of new customers. Employees who may not have been required to wear a met guard are now turning to these more streamlined designs and eliminating the need to ever worry about being protected on the job, he said.

As Bob Hogan noted in his protective footwear article published in the September 2014 issue of Oc-cupational Health & Safety, the 2010 Survey of Occu-pational Injuries and Illness cited more than 49,000 injuries to the foot/toe for a rate of 4.9 per 100,000 full-time workers. With many examples of internal met guards available, the question is no longer what are the requirements for protection, but why aren’t all employees working in hazardous environments re-quired to wear work boots with integrated met guard systems?

Alison Nestel-Patt is Senior PR Account Manager for Backbone Media in Denver, CO. Th e company works with Rogers Corp.’s XRD (www.poronxrd.com).

Evolution of the Met GuardAdvanced foam technology is being used in integrated metatarsal guards that are raising the bar on impact protection.BY ALISON NESTEL-PATT

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FALL PROTECTION


A growing demand for faster cell phone ser-vice and network speeds has resulted in a surge in communications tower work. However, with the increased work comes

increased risk for workers on communication towers. Case in point: More on-the-job fatalities involving communications towers occurred in 2013 than dur-ing the previous two years combined.

Th irteen deaths were recorded in 2013, and a re-ported 11 workers have died so far this year at the time of writing this article. All of the fatalities in 2013 were determined to have been preventable and were either a result of employers failing to provide fall protection or employees failing to use the equipment provided, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Th e risk of fatal injury for communication tower workers is 25 to 30 percent higher than that of the average American worker, according to OSHA’s As-sistant Secretary of Labor Dr. David Michaels. Using fi xed ladders, step bolts, or other tower supports, em-ployees regularly climb towers that are 100 to 2,000 feet high; and they climb them year round—even dur-ing inclement weather conditions.

OSHA published updated guidelines and proce-dures in July 2014 that address mounting concerns about communication tower workers’ safety. With these new OSHA guidelines in eff ect, now is the time to re-evaluate your own guidelines and procedures for workers at height to ensure that they are entering a safe work environment and are well equipped, both mentally and physically, in the event of a fall.

OSHA Expresses Concern Over Recent FatalitiesWith an increase in communication tower work during the past year due to cellular infrastructure upgrades, OSHA is concerned about the possibility of future incidents—especially when the employees of subcontractors conduct work that is itself hazard-ous—and has created a new online page1 to address these issues.

OSHA’s David Michaels also wrote a letter to com-munication tower employers recently, urging them to comply with and strictly adhere to safety standards and common-sense practices. “In 2013, 13 workers in the industry were killed at communication tower worksites… Every single one of these tragedies was preventable,” he wrote. “It is imperative that the cell tower industry take steps immediately to address this

Does More Work Mean More Risk for Communication Tower Workers?Here’s what employers should know to safeguard employees.BY CRAIG FIRL

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FALL PROTECTION

pressing issue: no worker should risk death for a paycheck.”

OSHA reports that a high percentage of these incidents occurred because of a lack of fall protection.

OSHA’s New Communications Tower DirectiveIn OSHA’s new Communications Tower di-rective2, it outlines how to use hoist systems and other fall arrest systems properly. Th e directive applies to all work activities on communication towers that involve the use of a personnel hoist, including tower main-tenance work and new construction, and includes detailed information on how to lift and move workers to and from worksta-tions and communication towers. Th e new Communications Tower directive replaces a 2002 enforcement policy that addressed hoisting personnel only during new tower erection, but not during maintenance or work on existing towers.

Th e new enforcement guidelines, ti-tled “Inspection Procedures for Accessing Communication Towers by Hoist,” were eff ective on July 17. Th is OSHA-wide di-rective calls on all compliance personnel to be vigilant when encountering commu-nication tower work sites and to contact the Area Offi ce supervisor to determine whether to conduct an inspection.

Employers are Responsible for Worker Safety It is every employer’s responsibility to pre-vent workers from being injured or killed while working on communication towers and to recognize and prevent workplace hazards. All cell tower owners and opera-tors should ensure workers are properly trained and protected and that every com-munication tower employer understands how to protect workers who are perform-ing this high-hazard work.

Th e new directive outlines key compli-ance training guidelines for employers to safeguard employee safety and health on communication towers that involve the use of a personnel hoist, including:

■ Train new hires: Every new hire should be adequately trained prior to his or her initial assignment and then carefully monitored to ensure safe work practices are learned and followed. Workers being hoisted must have received fall protection

training and know how to safely move up and down the tower.

■ Train hoist operators: Hoist opera-tors must be trained on the entire hoist sys-tem, which includes classroom instruction and a minimum of 40 hours of experience as a hoist operator.

■ Provide fall protection: Every em-ployee working on a communication tower must be provided with appropriate fall pro-tection, trained to use it properly, and then consistently supervised by the employer, which must also enforce its appropriate use.

■ Prepare for inspections: All employ-ers should be prepared for an OSHA in-spection. OSHA pays particular attention to contract oversight issues during inspec-tions and will obtain contracts in order to identify not only the company performing work on the tower, but also the tower own-er, carrier, and other responsible parties in the contracting chain.

■ Carefully select contractors: Employ-ers always should select contractors care-fully to ensure they can perform the work safely, as checked boxes and basic contract language may not provide enough informa-

tion. Th e selection process always should include safety criteria and close oversight of subcontracting, if any is allowed.

■ Be aware of potential citations: Fall hazards are obvious and well known, and OSHA will consider issuing willful cita-tions, in appropriate cases, for failure to provide and use fall protection. States with their own occupational safety and health plans may have additional requirements. A full list of State Plans is available at http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html.

Potential Citations Under the New GuidelinesAccording to OSHA, the preferred meth-od for accessing workstations on commu-nication towers is to use fi xed ladders with attached climbing devices. Th is method allows for conventional fall protection during the ascent and descent of the structure. However, when an employee must climb a tower repeatedly and materi-als must be hoisted, the industry practice is to hoist employees to the work level on the tower.

Th e new directive, CPL 02-01-056,

DID YOU KNOW?The Telecommunications Industry Registered Apprenticeship Program (TIRAP) is expanding training for cell tower workers.

In October 2014, TIRAP joined with an assembly of telecommunications and industry stakeholders to announce a public-private partnership geared toward creating a new set of apprenticeships addressing the demand for new, more sophisticated telecommunications services.

Fueled by the increasing popularity of smartphones and other wireless technology utilizing 4G networks, cell tower jobs are not only becoming more prevalent, but also the jobs are constantly evolving. TIRAP shared that the fi rst apprenticeship will be for a telecommunications tower technician. The program will develop individuals’ knowledge of deploying cutting-edge networks through education on the technology, project scope, and safety.

TIRAP started in 2012 as a competency-based apprenticeship program for entry-level occupations within the cell tower industry to ensure compliance with OSHA-level safety standards. The program symbolizes the joint commitments of the telecommunications industry, the U.S. Department of Labor (Occupation-al Safety and Health Administration and the Offi ce of Apprenticeship) and the Federal Communications Commission to provide safety and training to workers within the industry.

The new extension of apprenticeships creates a career advancement and professional development opportunity for telecommunications workers, while simultaneously supporting one of the fastest-growing industries in the world with highly-trained, safety-oriented professionals.

For more information about TIRAP, visit: http://www.doleta.gov/oa/pdf/TIRAP.pdf.

0115ohs_010_013_Firl_v4.indd 12 12/10/14 10:51 AM

http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html

http://www.osha.gov/dcsp/osp/index.html

http://www.doleta.gov/oa/pdf/TIRAP.pdf


www.ohsonline.com 13

states that, for hoisting personnel, a per-sonnel platform must be used as prescribed by the platform manufacturer and in com-pliance with 29 CFR 1926.1431(e), or a boatswain chair or harness. When hoist-ing personnel and materials on a com-munication tower while using a personnel platform, small incidental materials and personal tools may be hoisted concur-rently. However, when a boatswain chair or harness is used, personnel and materials should be hoisted separately. Additionally, in this situation, an OSHA-compliant lan-yard shall be used to connect the person to the hoist hook. To prevent loss of contact, the hoist hook should have the capabil-ity to be locked in a closed position and be equipped with a safety latch. Th e new instruction also provides additional guid-ance on communication between the hoist operator and hoisted employees, weather conditions, hoist mounting, trial hoists, and inspections.

For construction work on existing towers, employers who fail to provide fall protection (guardrails, safety nets, or per-sonal fall arrest systems) for employees at workstations with unprotected sides or edges that are 6 feet or higher above a lower level will be cited under 29 CFR 1926.501(b)(1). Fall protection training requirements also apply.

In addition, for new tower erections, employers who fail to provide fall protec-tion for employees at workstations that are more than 25 feet above the ground should be cited under 29 CFR 1926.105(a).

Safeguarding Your Team Against At-Height Accidents Regardless of whether an employee is working 20 feet above the ground or 2,000 feet, at-height work can be hazardous and potentially fatal. No matter how big or small—or in what industry—no company is immune from the mental, emotional, and fi nancial repercussions of a worker killed or severely injured from a fall on the job. In addition, if a fall occurs, the com-panies involved can face fi nes for OSHA violations that range from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

As the amount of communications tower work grows, the potential for inju-ry and falls also grows. However, provid-ing the right equipment for the job, train-

ing workers to use equipment correctly, and selecting contractors wisely can save lives. It is up to both employees and their employers to learn how these changes will impact their work and work sites and to ensure they receive the training they need today.

Craig Firl is the North American Techni-cal Manager with Capital Safety. He can be reached at cfi [email protected]. Capital Safety is a leading designer and manufactur-er of height safety and fall protection equip-

ment. Capital Safety also off ers training courses, with 20 operating sites worldwide and a passionate commitment to quality, in-novation, and safety. For more information, contact Capital Safety at 800-328-6146 or visit www.capitalsafety.com.

REFERENCES

1. https://www.osha.gov/doc/topics/communi-cationtower/index.html

2. https://www.osha.gov/OshDoc/Directive_pdf/CPL_02-01-056.pdf

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DISASTER PREPAREDNESS


T oday, organizations must be prepared to tackle a variety of potential disasters that range from extreme weather to fi res, chemi-cal spills, and explosions, among others. And

while, most companies have disaster preparedness plans, they are oft en presented to employees as exten-sive paper-based manuals, posters, fl ip books, build-ing diagrams, and websites that oft en aren’t up to date or available to those who need them during a crisis.

According to a recent survey by Staples, Inc., fewer than half of employees think their employers are pre-pared for snow and ice storms or catastrophic events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, or earthquakes. As a result, and oft en due to a lack of resource accessibility, when a disaster strikes, workers are oft en left unpre-pared to take action and instead are reliant on fi rst re-sponders. However, what happens when law enforce-ment, EMS personnel, and/or fi re service personnel aren’t able to respond due to the sheer magnitude of the disaster or because their own safety and well-be-ing is threatened?

To empower employees to best prepare and re-spond to disasters, companies need to take a closer look at how smartphone technology can support and extend existing emergency plan eff orts. By mobiliz-ing disaster preparedness information and putting it in the hands of employees via their mobile devices, organizations can give employees the safety resources necessary to help them and their co-workers survive during a disaster.

Smartphones Improve Access to Disaster Preparedness PlansWith the vast majority of workers now using smart-phone devices to get information and news, the way businesses share disaster preparedness information and how employees retrieve and use that information is also changing. By securely loading appropriate parts of a company’s disaster or business continuity plan onto a smartphone device, organizations are making their crisis information more accessible and action-able for their employees–enabling personal resilience when a disaster strikes.

To avoid the information overload that inevitably happens with inches-thick binders of disaster pre-

paredness plans, best practice mobilized plans only include the most relevant and actionable information that can be utilized before, during, and following a di-saster. Critical to these eff orts is a concentration on problems that are most likely to occur in each orga-nization’s particular setting, along with clear step-by-step instructions, procedures, photos, building dia-grams, and other helpful visuals that will aid in each mobile user’s safety.

Th rough smartphone technology, disaster pre-paredness procedures can more easily be shared and tailored for individuals based on a specifi c type of disaster event. Based on the scenario, organizations should ensure that safety plans on mobile devices in-clude distilled, step-by-step instructions for particular buildings. Information should be continuously up-dated to refl ect new construction, renovations, phone number updates and other critical changes.

Additionally, critical disaster preparedness infor-mation must be available regardless of whether com-

Smartphones Are Employees’ Lifeline During DisastersSmartphone technology is making it easier for employees to quickly access disaster plans, with or without a WiFi connection.BY CHRIS BRITTON

Information should be continuously updated to refl ect new construction, renovations, phone number updates and other critical changes.

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www.ohsonline.com JANUARY 2015 | Occupational Health & Safety 15

munications technology is available and/or accessible. Previous natural disasters—ranging from Hurricane Sandy to Okla-homa tornadoes—tell us that cellular and Internet services are frequently down or overloaded during emergency situations. It is important to anticipate how workers will respond without these communication conveniences in place and off er an alterna-tive. Smartphone technology, however, is making it easier for employees to quickly access disaster plans, with or without a WiFi connection.

Mobile Grants Greater CustomizationAnother important point from the recent Staples study is that 60 percent of busi-nesses are unprepared for disasters and emergencies. However, smartphones can help workplaces become better prepared to survive. By adding mobile technologies to the disaster preparedness mix, companies can leverage their plans and make use of all of the benefi ts that mobile has to off er.

For example, corporations frequently manage multiple facilities and locations, so proactively communicating proper in-formation and instructions to employees at each building location regarding pos-sible emergency scenarios is critical. Vari-ous types of facilities require diff erent pro-tocols, so organizations should examine needs and establish resource contacts for construction sites, manufacturing facilities, traditional offi ce locations, remote work-ers, etc. When this information is pushed into the hands of all employees based on their role and location, they can respond accordingly when needed and in a manner that supports security as well as their com-pany’s operations during a disaster.

If a major auto plant is situated in an area that is frequently hit by hurricanes, for example, employees must be apprised of the backup plan if their site becomes unavailable. Pertinent information for specifi c scenarios might include where dis-placed employees should report, how they should communicate with each other, and to whom they should report. Incident re-porting and use of videos and photos also off er a near real-time capability for organi-

zations to react quicker and make adjust-ments in their recovery eff orts.

Cooperation in a Growing, Globally Diverse WorkforceDisaster preparedness plans are not one-size-fi ts-all. Th ey must address each loca-tion and its specifi c employee needs in order to be eff ective, mitigate risks, and en-sure safety. Because of the oft en dispersed nature and varying shift s of corporate em-ployees, mobility plays a big role in ensur-ing a cooperative and uniformly planned response to crisis situations.

For example, disaster preparedness plans can be designed and disseminated based on the particular stakeholder’s role at the company or location via mobile. Th is might mean based on department, managers/executive teams, manufactur-ing plants, construction sites, and so forth. It is important to provide each group the right level of information so all content is relevant to them and contains the ap-propriate contacts and phone numbers. As audiences are changing at any given time, many organizations are using mo-bile solutions to establish user profi les and adjust which audiences receive particular information. Th is keeps the content as meaningful as possible and allows senior administrators to pivot as a particular cri-sis changes in shape and magnitude.

Also, as organizations’ employee popu-lations become continually more diverse, it is imperative to consider a collective view of the organization’s employee population when devising disaster preparedness plans and communicating them to the work-force. Th is must incorporate support for multilingual employees or those with dis-abilities (e.g., vision, mobility, developmen-tal, psychiatric, hearing). All employees should benefi t from the same level of safety preparedness in their work environments. Smartphone technology can help present plans in diff erent ways, off ering sophisti-cated capabilities that can provide greater support for an entire workforce population.

Mobile Supports Compliance EffortsFrom a regulatory standpoint, compa-

nies throwing caution to the wind when it comes to safety precautions and disaster preparedness face potential legal liabili-ties and non-compliance penalties from government organizations. Recognizing the power of mobile, some companies are capturing and reporting on compliance via mobile in a variety of situations. Th is in-cludes businesses reporting on hazmat and chemical materials, along with the organi-zation’s safety hazard plans, to community fi rst responders per the EPA’s Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA Act) regulations. Th ere are also benefi ts in utilizing mobile to comply with specifi c OSHA regulations.

For example, for one manufacturing company with 24/7 operations at various large industrial facilities, preparing for di-sasters and ensuring response plans are up to date and appropriately communicated is critical to maintaining OSHA standards compliance. Due to the nature of the ma-terials handled by the company, plans must change oft en to meet federal requirements; any time a new regulation is introduced, disaster plans are updated. Smartphone technology helps companies off er the most current information to employees where they will always have access to it.

Smartphones Change the Safety LandscapeSmartphones truly are changing the way people live and oft en how they survive. Prior to any disaster, it is critical for orga-nizations to prepare employees and provide them with detailed disaster response plans so that they are empowered and more resil-ient to handle these situations in the event that fi rst responders are not available. Ulti-mately, the best way to ensure preparation and accessibility to key emergency pre-paredness information is to proactively arm employees with step-by-step instructions that are available in the moment of need.

Smartphones, combined with prepara-tion, off er workers an opportunity to be-come more personally resilient and better respond to disasters.

Chris Britton is the Chief Operating Offi cer of RockDove Solutions Inc., Herndon, Va. Th e company (http://rockdovesolutions.com/) is focused on serving the fast growing enterprise mobile marketplace for business continuity and emergency preparedness solutions.

Incident reporting and use of videos and photos also offer a near real-time capability for organizations to react quicker and make adjustments in their recovery efforts.

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INCENTIVES


T oday, so many companies are looking for that “secret recipe” to success. We have all seen programs come and go, whether be-havior based, committee driven, or metric

measured (stats), and these programs have done well to engage safety throughout industry. But what does it take to move forward, to push the envelope, to at-tain your company’s goals? In the last 25 years, what have we learned? Simple! Th at there are three glaring aspects of any safety program that must be dissected, defi ned, and disseminated throughout an organiza-tion for any level of success to be attained. Th ose as-pects are Responsibility, Accountability & Proactive Participation (RAPP), each of these aspects being equal in weight and value. Th e absence of any one can and will hinder an organization’s ability to proliferate a sustainable safety culture. Th is article can serve as a simple guide outlining the basic elements needed when organizations focus on creating a progressive safety culture.

The ModelDo you have a RAPP Model? Is it short, concise, com-prehensible, and to the point? At a minimum, the model should outline the following:

Responsibility based on an “Excellence Driven Philosophy”

■ We will pursue a proactive culture based on open communication, participation, and ownership. Management will constantly emphasize: “We are here to produce our products as safely as possible, and you can make a diff erence!”

■ Responsibility is shared - safety is 24/7.■ It is not that “Safety is #1,” a tired and transpar-

ent slogan; rather, “Our Employees are #1,” which is our key to sustainability.

Deeply engrained should be the belief that operat-ing safely results in a marketable advantage. As such, we will responsibly manage our processes and products demonstrating our commitment towards health, safety, and environmental stewardship….

Th e level of management support, employee par-ticipation, and accountability will determine the suc-cess of any program. However, challenges do exist. All too oft en, management’s complacency can be the greatest challenged facing the safety professional. It is the “daily grind” that fosters inattentiveness, at-risk behaviors, and detail omissions. For those who have recognized the detrimental value of complacency, an adaptive philosophy has evolved:

A safety culture based on “Injuries and incidents are preventable.” A concept supported via three tenets:

1) Our performance can always improve.

2) We will use leading indicators, including near misses, to fi nd proactive measures to protect our em-ployees, the community, and the environment.

3) When a failure occurs, we will acknowledge it, analyze it, correct it, and share the solutions to prevent future occurrences.

The 24/7 CultureSuccessful companies have realized that safety doesn’t stop at the gate. Safety is a commitment both on and off the job. Th e hardest aspect of a 24/7 culture is the individual’s ability to attain self-awareness, in that “everyone is responsible” and “the actions of one can aff ect the company as a whole.” All actions, no mat-ter the scope, can have both positive and negative repercussions. Th is is where companies must actively demonstrate a genuine concern for safety by pushing responsibility down to the lowest possible level in the organization through:

■ Active participation■ Active solicitation of problems and solutions■ Empowering decision-making and solution

implementationWhen asked, employees all too oft en feel that the

company is the only responsible party in the equa-tion. Fact: From the beginning, OSHA recognized that employees are just as responsible for safety as the employer. A typically forgotten section (b) of OSHA’s General Duty Clause states that “Each em-ployee shall comply with occupational safety and health standards and all rules, regulations, and or-ders issued pursuant to this Act which are applicable to his own actions and conduct.”

No matter at what level in the organization, senior management has to be tasked with establishing clear expectations, fair and consistent policy, and sound programs that meet or exceed regulatory compli-ance. Th is includes the responsibility to create safe operating procedures for activities and processes not covered by specifi c regulation; all of which must have an identifi able level of consequence or repercussion when deviations or non-compliance occurs. Manage-ment of change triggers for training/retraining, and consistent disciplinary guidelines must be an integral part of any management system.

Paramount is management’s responsibility to clearly defi ne the rules. If there are certain actions or activities that will warrant immediate discipline, those must be spelled out in black and white. Th is is espe-cially true for written policies that have been identi-fi ed as serious off enses. Th ese typically relate to opera-tions or procedures that when disregarded can result in loss, serious injury, or death. Discipline must follow

Is Your Safety Program Under RAPPs?BY JOHN W. WELLS JR.

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INCENTIVES

a strict management policy that is equally and fairly applied. All too oft en, manage-ment systems award discipline at the drop of a hat. Accountability and discipline are not the same; they should be addressed separately.

A culture based on accountability will foster employee interaction, allowing them to recognize their mistakes without re-percussion. Th rough positive counseling/intervention, supervisors, managers and even peers can then assist in determining the course of action or changes to be imple-mented in order to eliminate similar occur-rences in the future.

AccountabilityTh e environmental health and safety pro-cess has evolved as a philosophy consisting of individual participation, environmental infl uences, and accountability. Account-able safety philosophies have become an integral part of corporate strategies, dis-seminated company-wide, being continu-ally monitored and measured. Companies are fi nally realizing that safety is more than the traditional metrics of injury and illness rates, property loss, workers’ compensa-tion, expenditures, etc.

Today, continuous improvement is the driving force behind many successful pro-grams. In order to sustain continuous im-provement, corporations must set realisti-cally attainable goals that foster ownership through the desire to succeed. Th e active participation, management ownership, and innovative solutions will drive continuous improvement throughout the company.

Th is cultural tone must come from the top down. Upper management leadership plays a key role in any cultural change. Safety and accountability must involve everyone. “Accountable Safety” must be a core value, not just an initiative. Every opportunity to talk about safety must be taken. All levels of management must show they personally care, they want others to care, and it takes the team to succeed. Some basic safety management principles follow that are foundational but are by no means all-inclusive:

Safety Management Principles ■ All injuries and occupational ill-nesses can be prevented.

■ Management is responsible and ac-countable for preventing injuries.

■ Employee involvement is essential.

■ Prevention of personal injuries is good for business.

■ Working safely is a condition of em-ployment.

■ All operating exposures can be safe-guarded.

■ Training employees to work safely is essential.

■ Management audits are a must.■ All defi ciencies must be corrected

promptly.■ Off -the-job safety for our employees

will be promoted.

Proactive ParticipationOver the years, many systems have been introduced to gain employee participa-tion. Incentives (many of them contro-versial), safety bingo, milestone celebra-tions, dinners, and point systems are a few ways in which companies have attempted to bolster employee participation. Many of these attempts actually fall short of establishing a culture based on proac-tive participation. Companies that have a proactive culture supported by participa-tion and ownership have done so through one of the most underutilized tools of the safety profession: near misses. Near miss programs, when constructed correctly, be-come much more than the perceived task of “self reporting.” Near miss programs are used as a “preventable” measure, are an inspection tool for supervision, and are a source for continuous improvement.

Ask yourself this question: “Do our employees report unsafe conditions or near misses?” If your answer is “some-times” or “no,” then you are missing one of these two key elements of any proac-tive safety culture. Participation has to be a “buy-in.” Mandating a program does nothing more than create an inconve-nience in the mind of the employee, but a program that is driven by the employees will gain overwhelming acceptance.

Using IncentivesSafety has to be delegated to every individ-ual in the facility. In return, each employee has to understand that he or she can make a diff erence. A simple way to achieve this level of awareness is by thinking outside the box: Instead of one safety committee for the whole plant, create department safety committees chaired by the production or department managers. Elect team leaders in diff erent areas on each shift to serve as

liaisons between supervision and the em-ployees. Th is will keep all activities at the department level rather than being lost at the top. By creating this type of organiza-tion, you will involve more employees, be able to respond to problems faster, and in-volve more members of management. If a system is constructed to use the near miss report as a fl ag, safety committee members can focus their constructive energy on be-ing proactive rather than reactive. Th e trick is in obtaining the participation and thus the reports.

By implementing an incentive system based on participation rather than inci-dent rates or goals, you create a motivator for personal gain. We all work to maintain a level of livelihood, not because we defi ne fun as spending eight hours a day with our employer. Incentives can be as simple as gift cards to local retailers, drawn each month from a pool of those employees who par-ticipated by submitting near miss reports. Once the team leader has the report in hand, the department safety committee can determine a course of action above and be-yond the immediate corrective actions tak-en at the time of the report. Team leaders, while endorsing the employee’s eligibility for the monthly drawings, can follow items to completion.

Incentives should be awarded at the department level. Anyone doing the math can see that their chances of winning in a drawing are much greater when it involves only department employees rather than the plant population. By fi xing items as they are discovered or positively counseling un-safe acts, your committees ultimately will reduce the number of potential exposures and at-risk behaviors.

So what is the secret to success? A mea-sured, monitored, and integrated safety man-agement system is critical to an organizations ability to achieve world-class performance! Leadership, commitment, and employee in-volvement are key components of a sustain-able, progressive safety culture. So, is your safety program really under RAPPs?

John W. Wells Jr., Ed.D, M.S., CSP, is the Se-nior Consultant/Owner of EHSPR (EHSPR.com) and past OHS faculty at Murray State University. He has accumulated more than 25 years in the fi eld managing programs in the manufacturing, petroleum, and chemical industries. Contact him at [email protected] or 731-334-1685.

0115ohs_016_018_Wells_v2.indd 18 12/10/14 10:53 AM



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O il and gas exploration, production, and re-lated industries are some of the most dan-gerous industries for workers as well as the environment. Th ey found themselves in the

news during 2014 for a variety of reasons.In January, the National Transportation Safety

Board issued recommendation letters asking the U.S. Department of Transportation to address the safety risk of transporting crude oil by rail. Th e letters were issued in coordination with the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, something the NTSB had never done. NTSB noted shipments of crude oil by rail had risen by more than 400 percent since 2005. “Th e large-scale shipment of crude oil by rail simply didn’t exist ten years ago, and our safety regulations need to catch up with this new reality,” said NTSB Chairman Debo-rah A.P. Hersman. “While this energy boom is good for business, the people and the environment along rail corridors must be protected from harm.”

Th ree recommendations were issued: Th e fi rst would require expanded hazardous materials route planning for railroads to avoid populated and other sensitive areas; the second is to develop an audit pro-

gram to ensure railroads that carry petroleum prod-ucts have adequate response capabilities to address the worst-case discharges of a train’s entire quantity of product; and the third is to audit shippers and rail carriers to ensure they are properly classifying hazard-ous materials in transportation and that they have ad-equate safety and security plans in place.

What prompted these was a fi ery disaster six months earlier in Quebec, when 63 tank cars carrying Bakken crude oil derailed in the town of Lac-Mégan-tic, spilling almost 6 million liters of oil. Forty-seven people died. DOT and Canadian authorities quickly took steps to require that new tank cars be built with thicker steel and top fi ttings and head shield protec-tion if the tank cars are used to transport Packing Group I (materials posing great danger ) and II (me-dium danger) hazardous materials.

In March, the National Safety Council announced that Hersman had been appointed its president and CEO; she stayed on as chairman of the NTSB until April 25. “I look back at the hundreds of investiga-tions and recommendations that have been issued during my tenure at the NTSB, and I have seen the landscape of transportation safety improve before my eyes,” Hersman wrote in a farewell statement. “Th ese changes and so many other safety improvements are the result of industry, labor, advocates, regulators and legislators all working in their particular spheres of infl uence to make travel safer for people that don’t al-ways appreciate the risks they face.”

In April, the Pacifi c Gas and Electric Company was criminally charged for the Sept. 9, 2010, San Bruno pipeline explosion that killed eight people. Th e blast ruptured a 30-inch diameter section of an intra-state natural gas transmission pipeline owned and op-erated by PG&E, producing a crater 72 feet long and 26 feet wide. Th e gas ignited, and the fi re destroyed 38 homes and damaged 70 other homes. Filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Offi ce in San Francisco, the charges allege PG&E’s past operating practices violated the federal Pipeline Safety Act in recordkeeping, pipeline integrity management, and identifi cation of pipe-line threats. “San Bruno was a tragic accident. We’ve taken accountability and are deeply sorry,” said PG&E Chairman and CEO Tony Earley, who was brought in to lead PG&E in 2011. “We have worked hard to do the right thing for victims, their families, and the community and we will continue to do so. We want all of our customers and their families to know that noth-ing will distract us from our mission of transforming this 100-plus-year-old system into the safest and most reliable natural gas system in the country.”

In September, PG&E was fi ned $1.4 billion for the

Falls, Recalls, and a Scary Virus2014 was a year of landmark decisions, calls to action, and unpredictable challenges to overcome. Here are a few of the biggest topics and headlines from the past year.BY MATT HOLDEN

0115ohs_020_024_Holden_v3.indd 20 12/10/14 10:54 AM


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explosion by the California Public Utili-ties Commission. It is the largest safety-related penalty ever levied by the agency, which found that PG&E committed 3,798 violations of state and federal laws, rules, standards, or regulations in connection with the operations and practices of its gas transmission system pipeline.

Construction Industry: Agencies Focus on Fall HazardsFalls from height are a leading cause of fatal work injuries. OSHA and several partner organizations took action by calling for a construction industry stand-down on falls June 2-6. Aft erward, agency offi cials said the companies that participated in the stand-down employed more than 1 million workers in all.

Th ree people were killed in the Feb. 1 collapse of two cell towers in Clarksburg, W.Va., as contract workers were in the pro-cess of replacing diagonal supports. Two contract workers died in the collapse; the third victim was a volunteer fi refi ghter who responded and was approaching the fi rst tower when a second tower nearby also col-lapsed and struck him. On July 31, OSHA cited the contractor, S and S Communi-cation Specialists Inc., based in Hulbert, Okla., for two serious safety violations and fi ned the company the maximum amount possible—$7,000 per violation—in con-nection with the collapse.

In April, OSHA published a major fi nal rule addressing protection for workers per-forming electric power generation, trans-mission, and distribution work. OSHA revised the 40-year-old construction stan-dard for electric power line work to make it more consistent with the corresponding general industry standard and also updat-ed the construction and general industry requirements—such as that host and con-tract employers must share safety-related information with each other and with em-ployees, and fall harnesses rather than body belts must be worn by workers in aerial lift s. Th ere are revised approach-distance requirements to prevent unprotected work-ers from getting too close to energized lines

and equipment, along with new require-ments to protect workers from electric arcs. Th e agency’s chief, Dr. David Michaels, said the rule was long overdue and “will save nearly 20 lives and prevent 118 serious injuries annually. Electric utilities, electri-cal contractors, and labor organizations have persistently championed these much-needed measures to better protect the men and women who work on or near electrical power lines,” he added.

Later in the month, a paper published in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlighted the injuries and deaths resulting from work-related falls from lad-ders. Th e paper’s authors calculated there were 113 fatal falls, an estimated 15,460 non-fatal injuries resulting in at least one day of lost time, and 34,000 non-fatal inju-ries treated in hospital emergency depart-ments during 2011 alone. Th ey concluded that ladder fall injuries represent a substan-tial public health burden of preventable injuries for workers and there is a need for workplace safety research to prevent falls.

Health Care: Ebola Fears PersistEbola grabbed international headlines to-ward the end of 2014 when the fi rst case was confi rmed at a Dallas hospital in Sep-tember. Two nurses who helped to treat that patient, Th omas Eric Duncan, con-tracted the virus soon aft er his death, but both recovered.

On Nov. 17 came the second U.S. death related to Ebola when a doctor who had spent time treating Ebola patients in Africa died from the virus. Dr. Martin Salia had been transferred to a Nebraska hospital aft er contracting the virus in Sierra Leone.

Aft er Duncan’s death, National Nurses United called on U.S. hospitals to upgrade emergency preparations for Ebola, cit-ing the Dallas hospital’s failed attempts to properly communicate essential informa-tion to caregivers about his health status. “At a rally of 1,000 nurses last week in Las Vegas, we warned that it was just a matter of time in an interconnected world that we would see Ebola in the U.S.,” NNU Execu-tive Director RoseAnn Demoro said in ear-

ly October. “Now, everyone should recog-nize that Texas is not an island either, and as we’ve heard from nurses across the U.S., hospitals here are not ready to confront this deadly disease.”

NNU members from the California Nurses Association met with offi cials of Kaiser Permanente, a hospital chain in California, and proposed that Kaiser im-mediately upgrade its pandemic disease preparedness, including planning, commu-nications, hands-on training, and availabil-ity of proper protective equipment, includ-ing hazmat suits. Th e NNU then took its recommendation nationwide by calling for all U.S. hospitals to immediately implement a full emergency preparedness plan for Eb-ola and other disease outbreaks. Th at plan included full training of hospital personnel, along with proper protocols and training materials for responding to outbreaks; ad-equate supplies of hazmat suits and other PPE; properly equipped isolation rooms to ensure patients’, visitors’, and staff ’s safety; and suffi cient staffi ng to supplement nurses and other health workers who need to care for patients in isolation.

CDC later ordered $2.7 million worth of personal protective equipment to in-crease Strategic National Stockpile sup-plies, in order to assist U.S. hospitals car-ing for Ebola patients. Th e equipment was confi gured into 50 kits; all of the purchases were based on PPE guidance for caring for Ebola patients that CDC issued on Oct. 20. Th e kits can be rapidly delivered from the SNS as requested to hospitals that receive suspected or confi rmed Ebola cases but may need additional PPE supplies that oth-erwise are not immediately available.

Th e outbreak in West Africa also raised the issue of quarantines and monitoring of health workers and others who could po-tentially have been exposed. Th is subject became national news when a nurse from Maine who had treated Ebola patients in West Africa defi ed quarantine attempts af-ter she returned to the states.

Th e UN Security Council had declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a threat to international peace and security in Sep-tember, when 193 members of the United Nations General Assembly unanimously adopted a key resolution and UN Secre-tary General Ban Ki-moon announced a new United Nations Mission for Ebola

Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO’s director-general, said the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa is likely to be the greatest peacetime challenge the United Nations has ever faced.



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Emergency Response (UNMEER) would be deployed—marking the fi rst time that the UN has created a mission for a pub-lic health emergency. Th is came only six months aft er the fi rst case was reported to the World Health Organization, yet in that period more than 2,500 victims had died of the disease. By mid-October, the death toll had risen to 4,500.

Dr. Margaret Chan, WHO’s director-general, said the outbreak is likely to be the greatest peacetime challenge the United

Nations has ever faced. She called on na-tions around the world to help in provid-ing for nearly $1 billion in critical early needs the UN had identifi ed. “Th is is not just a public health crisis. Th is is a social crisis, a humanitarian crisis, an economic crisis, and a threat to national security well beyond the outbreak zones,” she told the Security Council. “For these reasons, Mr. secretary general and I are calling for a UN-wide initiative that draws together all the assets of all relevant UN agencies.”

Transportation Safety: Millions of Automobiles RecalledIn February, General Motors announced it had expanded a recall of certain 2003-2007 model year vehicles to fi x a problem with their ignition switch that may allow the key to unintentionally move or switch to the “accessory” or “off ” position, which turns off the engine and most of the vehicle’s electrical components. Th e problem keeps frontal airbags from deploying properly.

Th e automaker said the ignition switch problem may have caused or contributed to non-deployment in 31 crashes involving 13 front-seat fatalities. Th is recall covered 1,367,145 vehicles, but the number more than doubled aft er three more recalls in March aff ected 1.5 million vehicles. Th ese recalls also called for a comprehensive in-ternal safety review following the ignition switch recall.

GM agreed in May to pay a record $35 million civil penalty in connection with the ignition switch case and to participate in “unprecedented oversight requirements,” according to the National Highway Traffi c Safety Administration.

On Oct. 20, NHTSA posted a state-ment urging owners of more than 7 million Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, and General Motors vehicles to act immediately on 2013 and 2014 recall notices to replace defective Takata airbags. NHTSA said the message “comes with urgency, especially for owners of vehicles aff ected by the re-gional recalls in the following areas: Flor-ida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.”

On March 8, a Boeing 777 airliner with 239 people on board lost contact with air traffi c controllers while en route from Kua-la Lumpur to Beijing. Th e plane was Malay-sian Airlines fl ight MH 370. As of Nov. 17, two ships continued a subsea search for the missing aircraft along a long, narrow arc of the southern Indian Ocean where radar and satellite signals indicate the plane went down. Th e Australian Transport Safety Bu-reau is leading the underwater search.

Matt Holden is an Associate Content Editor for Occupational Health & Safety and Se-curity Products magazines, working in the Dallas offi ce of 1105 Media Inc.

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For EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries, man-aging an eff ective company-wide fl ame-resistant cloth-ing (FRC) program is a challenging task—the costs are high and risks are great. Direct costs (medical care, re-

covery and rehabilitation, disability, job retraining) and indirect costs (workers’ compensation, lost productivity, increased medi-cal insurance premiums) can push the costs of a single serious burn injury without FRC above $2 million, whereas a compa-rable event with a proper FRC program may cost a company ap-proximately $50,000.

Th e oil and gas extraction industries, which include oil and gas extraction, drilling oil and gas wells, and support functions for oil and gas operations1, have an annual occupational fatality rate that is more than seven times higher than the rate for all U.S. workers2. To put this into perspective, a total of 519 fatalities occurred in the U.S. oil and gas industries3 during the fi ve-year period from 2008 through 2012. Of these fatalities, 77—or 14.8 percent—were the result of work-related fi res or explosions.

Increases in employment in the oil and gas extraction indus-tries will put more workers at risk, making it critically impor-tant to understand the key challenges in managing an eff ective FRC program for employees and contractors. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the number of oil and gas extraction workers is projected to increase 16 percent by 20224, and this growth is on top of the 59 percent increase in production and non-supervisory employment that occurred from 2004 to 2014.

Recently, a study of 400 EHS professionals in the oil/gas, utilities, mining, and construction industries was conducted to better understand the challenges faced by today’s EHS profes-sionals. Results of the online survey, which was conducted by Mount Vernon FR in conjunction with the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE), represent nearly 490,000 employees who wear FRC on the job.

Th e intent of the study is to highlight the key challenges faced by EHS professionals in order to help reduce the number of workplace-related injuries or deaths and to help them more eff ectively manage the costs associated with FRC programs.

According to the study, the most signifi cant challenges faced by today’s EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries include the following:

1. Th e need for greater durability. Nearly all of the oil and gas respondents (92 percent) said that they provide FRC to their employees, either exclusively (73 percent) or in combination with a stipend (19 percent). In the survey, 37 percent of the re-spondents said that the durability of FRC is a moderate to se-rious problem, and only 9 percent said that they are extremely satisfi ed with the amount of durability off ered today. Durabil-ity issues can drive up the cost of an FRC program through the need to replace garments sooner than expected or budgeted. In addition to the monetary challenges, excessive wear and fabric or garment failures can compromise the protection off ered by the garment, leaving workers vulnerable and potentially unsafe.

2. Th e care and maintenance of FRC. Of the oil and gas companies using an outside industrial laundry for their FRC program (52 percent of the total), 40 percent say that the care and maintenance of FRC is a moderate or serious problem. Re-spondents are most dissatisfi ed with the amount of fading aft er laundering (29 percent) and the amount of wear and tear caused by laundering (29 percent). Fading causes workers to question whether the level of protection has faded along with the color, while rips, tears, and holes that occur from the laundry process make FRC ineff ective and lead to shorter replacement cycles and higher costs.

3. Th e selection of FRC for women. Th e number of women employed in the mining, quarrying, and oil and gas industries increased 27 percent in 2012 compared to 2011, and women rep-resented 13.2 percent of all workers in these segments in 20125. With 40 percent of the respondents saying that the selection of FRC suitable for women is a moderate to serious problem, there is an opportunity to improve the fi t, color, and styling of FRC in ways that make it more appealing and comfortable for women.

4. Th e selection of FRC for hot weather conditions. More

Meeting the ChallengeA ‘Voice of the Customer’ study reveals insights into the challenges of managing an effective fl ame-resistant clothing program.By Mike Woods

In the survey, 37 percent of the respondents said that the durability of FRC is a moderate to serious problem, and only 9 percent said that they are extremely satisfi ed with the amount of durability offered today.

0115ohs_026_028_Woods_v2.indd 26 12/10/14 10:55 AM


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than seven out of ten respondents (72 percent) said that the selection of FRC for hot weather conditions is a moderate or serious problem, making it the number one challenge faced by EHS profession-als in the oil and gas industries. Improv-ing the comfort of FRC for hot weather conditions requires fi nding the optimum combination of fi ber blend, fabric con-struction, and weight for the specifi c en-vironmental conditions and job applica-tion. A properly executed wear trial—one that follows industry best practices, such as using standard questions and rating scales, and allows for the evaluation of fabric and garment construction sepa-rately—is the most eff ective way for EHS professionals to determine the right FRC for their needs.

5. Th e selection of FRC for inclement weather. Th e selection of FRC for inclem-ent weather was rated as a moderate or serious problem by 42 percent of the oil and gas respondents. Respondents in-dicated that there is a large disparity in the range of FR products off ered for in-clement weather; low-end rain gear was not seen as durable enough and high-end rain gear can be cost prohibitive. Th ere is an opportunity to provide high qual-ity, value-oriented FRC that helps protect against both the elements and fl ash fi res.

An important part to the solution to these challenges begins with the selection of the right FR fabrics to meet your spe-cifi c needs. Respondents to the survey do not believe that FR fabrics have become commoditized—in fact, the opposite is true. EHS professionals believe that dif-ferentiation does exist from one FR fabric to another, which is evident from their response to the following questions:

■ 77 percent of respondents dis-agreed with the following: “All FR fabrics are essentially the same.”

■ 46 percent disagreed with the fol-lowing: “FR fabrics at comparable weights off er the same amount of protection.”

When evaluating various FR fabrics,

it is important to look beyond price and consider the following criteria:

■ Acceptability. Will your workers want to wear it? Does the garment feel good, does it look good, and does it fi t well?

■ Durability. Will the fabric meet or exceed your expectations for the use-ful life of a garment, given your specifi c working conditions? How does it with-stand the rigors of industrial laundering? Fabrics that fall short will result in a more expensive FRC program based on a more frequent replacement cycle.

■ Functionality. How well will the fabric and garment perform in the work environment? How suitable is it for warmer climates or inclement weather conditions? Does it hinder or distract from the ability to do the job at hand?

Th e best way to determine the op-timum fabric is through a properly ex-ecuted wear trial. Th e following “best practices” should be considered in your wear trial:

■ Limit the number of fabrics and/or garment styles to minimize confusion.

■ Do not involve too many employ-ees, but consider using some from diff er-ent shift s and areas to ensure consistent feedback across the organization.

■ Use standard questions and rank-ing scales (e.g., 5-point Likert scales) to obtain measurable feedback.

■ Allow for the evaluation of fabric and garment construction separately—did they like the fabric but not the garment?

■ Ask for written comments to add context to the data.

Th e selection of the most appropriate FRC provides many benefi ts to EHS pro-fessionals and their company, including:

■ A more productive and more sat-isfi ed workforce as their FRC enhances their ability to work safely, rather than detracting from it.

■ Th e ability to better manage the costs of your FRC program by reducing the need to replace FRC ahead of schedule.

■ A reduction in injuries and fatali-

ties resulting from fl ash fi res and electric arc fl ash.

Th e FRC supply chain, which in-cludes manufacturers of FR fabrics and garments, will need to work together to help create solutions to these key chal-lenges because EHS professionals can’t overcome them on their own. Focusing on these challenges will help drive mean-ingful and relevant developments in FRC that will keep oil and gas workers safer, regardless of conditions or gender.

About the research:Th e research included a focus group

conducted with EHS professionals at the ASSE Safety Conference in Orlando in June 2014. An online survey was then dis-tributed in July 2014 to ASSE members, with 400 EHS professionals in the oil/gas, utilities, mining, and construction indus-tries completing the survey. All respon-dents had to have input or responsibility for the evaluation, selection, and/or man-agement of the fl ame-resistant clothing worn by the employees at their location or company. Results of the survey repre-sent nearly 490,000 employees who wear FRC on the job, and the results have an accuracy rate of +/- 4.9% at the 95% con-fi dence level.

Mike Woods is the vice president of FR fabrics for Mount Vernon FR, the FR fab-rics division of Mount Vernon Mills. He has more than 20 years of experience with Mount Vernon Mills and was also a volun-teer fi refi ghter for 20 years, fueling his pas-sion for the FR protective fabrics business. He can be contacted at 706-734-4920 or [email protected].

More than seven out of ten respondents (72 percent) said that the selection of FRC for hot weather conditions is a moderate or serious problem, making it the number one challenge faced by EHS professionals in the oil and gas industries.

REFERENCES

1. NAICS 211, NAICS 213111, and NAICS 213112

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health program portfolio (http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/programs/oilgas/)

3. Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI); U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics

4. Employment Projections program; U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

5. Women in the Labor Force: A Databook (May 2014); U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

0115ohs_026_028_Woods_v2.indd 28 12/10/14 10:55 AM


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Many of the off shore oil and gas industry’s top health, safety, and environmental experts came together in Houston recently at the 2014 HSE Excellence for Off shore Operations Forum with the goal of shar-

ing innovative strategies associated with managing risk while sustaining productive operations in an inherently dangerous business.

Representatives of many of the major players in off shore operations brought a breadth and depth of knowledge and ex-perience to vibrant discussions that spanned a full range of top-ics, including system controls, human factors, competency and training, regulatory controls, and emerging global trends. Many of the issues presented and the solutions discussed at this forum serve a wider interest than off shore oil and gas operations. Th ey have application across a wide range of industries in the business community at large.

I was the 2014 conference’s chairman. Th e statements below represent my insider view and a cross-section of the results of two days of thought-provoking presentations, dynamic round-table sessions, and behind-the-scenes discussions with business leaders whose responsibilities span the globe.

Safety Management SystemsTh e fi rst challenge is to remove all barriers to safety from the working environment. Th is may represent a huge eff ort, but any movement in this direction is a desirable accomplishment. Th e next step is implementing a robust and comprehensive manage-ment system that breaks down silos. Too oft en, organizational silos segregate functional elements of an organization. Th e pro-cess of implementing a safety management system off ers the opportunity for a more integrated approach to those functions and can help drive change in a direction that further enhances an enterprise-wide culture of safety and regulatory compliance.

Human ErrorSimilarities exist between the critical nature of safe operations in the airline industry and the off shore oil and gas industry. Eighty percent of accidents are credited to human error. Airline pilots receive an exceptional level of training in simulators and in the cockpit, so why did the most experienced pilot in the KLM fl eet attempt to take off from Tenerife Airport in the Canary Islands without clearance from the control tower, resulting in the deaths of 583 people when his 747 collided with a Pan Am fl ight already on the runway? Do pilots need additional training? Would that

have made a diff erence at Tenerife?Professional pilots sometimes suff er from “press-on-itis” and

“trip over at landing” syndrome. “Press-on-itis” is the desire to complete a long, arduous trip no matter what the conditions. Safety may be compromised on the fi nal approach to the runway when the landing is complicated by storms or other hazardous conditions, but a tired pilot, driven by the desire to complete the trip (or in the case of the KLM pilot, the desire to start the next leg of a trip) unwisely presses on rather than acceding to the pre-vailing conditions. “Trip over at landing” syndrome describes the consideration that the fl ight is over at touchdown, allowing awareness of safety and good decision-making to trail off while taxiing to the gate, a time when many accidents occur.

Both syndromes are exacerbated by a plethora of factors, such as fatigue, stress, and excessive workload. Experts in this area recommend eliminating the potential for errors through-out the process by eliminating the potential for errors in the planning phase of work design. Th e use of checklists with cross-checking by a second qualifi ed individual can minimize the po-tential for cloudy judgment.

Safety vs. ProductivityA noted expert in soft ware and systems safety states that acci-dents are not inevitable, nor are they the price of productivity. Th e business environment inherently creates tension between the desire for safe operations and a quest for profi ts.

Risk management systems help to institutionalize a common safety language, break down silos, increase awareness at all levels in the organization, and facilitate analysis and prioritization of work in a manner that helps balance the tension between safety and profi ts. Making the management of safety more effi cient and more focused through the use of a management system makes safety less costly by integrating it more seamlessly into normal business operations.

Stop Work AuthorityStop Work Authority (SWA) rose in prominence in the off shore regulatory arena following the catastrophic events of the Deep-water Horizon/Macondo blowout and explosion in the Gulf of Mexico, which resulted in the deaths of 11 workers and a mas-sive oil spill. SWA is more eff ective when employees have a solid understanding of what the company acknowledges to be “un-safe” operations. Documenting what actions employees should always take and those they should never take is a step in the right direction, but SWA requires more.

Th e story is told of an HSE vice president participating in an executive committee meeting where the CEO was question-ing the reluctance of employees to utilize SWA in the fi eld. Once that discussion concluded, the topic switched to budget cuts. Th e CEO announced a 30 percent across-the-board cut to all

HSE Leaders Share Their StrategiesOne takeaway: The fi rst step to an effective risk management approach is to divest from the outcome and focus on the execution.By Fred Stawitz

0115ohs_030_032_Stawitz_v4.indd 30 12/10/14 10:56 AM


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departments. Th e VP of HSE spoke up that this level of cut was too deep for his department to absorb and if implemented would impact the safety of operations. All his points were overruled by the CEO, who was determined to see the cuts im-plemented by the end of the next quarter. Th e VP reminded the CEO of their dis-cussion about SWA only minutes before and questioned how employees could be expected to stop work when he, as VP of HSE, could not call for a stop to the 30 percent cuts that threatened the safety of

overall operations.A better approach than delegating

SWA to employees is to develop proce-dures and work processes that do not put employees in the position of having to de-cide whether what they have been asked to do is unsafe. Standard work processes should always be made safe.

Regulatory BaselineRegulatory agencies provide a baseline with which businesses operating un-der the agency’s authority are required

to comply. Th is baseline, however, does not guarantee the complete safety of an operation. Companies that merely com-ply with regulatory mandates still retain some exposure to risk.

Culture of SafetyAn operational culture of safety begins with the clear communication of roles and responsibilities throughout the or-ganization augmented by a holistic ap-proach to risk management through the utilization of modeling tools and management systems. Eff ective barrier management developed with the use of advanced bowtie charts helps ensure bar-riers are in place to prevent an incident from occurring, as well as mitigate the impact of an adverse event should all pre-ventative measures fail.

Risk ManagementWhat happens at the work site has a direct correlation to the organizational culture. Th erefore, the fi rst step to an ef-fective risk management approach is to divest from the outcome and focus on the execution.

Focusing solely on the number of in-cidents which occur over a period of time has little meaning. How the work pro-cesses are designed and carried out has meaning. In addition, focusing attention only on the individuals directly involved in the incident, writing new procedures, mandating remedial training, or imple-menting disciplinary measures aft er the fact ignores the larger picture of a work-place environment that may be spawning risky situations throughout the operation on a daily basis. Unless that issue is fully addressed all the way to the top of the organizational structure, including mem-bers of the executive team, then the cul-ture that produced the incident may very well remain intact, and future incidents are all but guaranteed.

Fred Stawitz, principal of technical train-ing at Kinder Morgan, Inc., served as chairman of the 2014 HSE Excellence for Off shore Operations Forum, which was organized by Fleming Europe (www.fl emingeurope.com).

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Increasing pressure is being placed on well servicing com-panies to address and eliminate the possibility of “crown out” issues, while little focus is placed on the elimination of mechanical braking systems. Currently, companies are

training and reinforcing crews on best practices, procedures, and mental vigilance to recognize and reduce risk, but an es-sential “safety device” component is missing from the design. During well servicing, operators make multiple brake actions for each tube or rod being installed or removed. Each brak-ing action using mechanical brakes relies on operator attention and vigilance to protect personnel working on the work fl oor and in the derrick. Th e following concerns describe the issues in brief and outline potential liability concerns in the event of an accident or violation.

1. Oil & gas drilling and well servicing rigs may be incorpo-rating a manufacturer defect.

2. Rigs are defectively designed to fail in a foreseeable way.3. Economically feasible and safer designs or modifi cations

are available.4. Unnecessary delays in braking are an accepted hazard.5. Absolute release of mechanical braking systems can occur,

resulting in clear risk.Most well servicing rigs were manufactured with, and still

use, band brakes with mechanical linkage to directly connect the operator control to the braking mechanism. Due to safety and operational concerns, more rigs are being upgraded or retrofi t-ted with automated rig braking systems, which are considered fail-safe. Some rigs are even fi tted with a power assist braking system to reduce operator fatigue during normal operations im-posed from forcing the brake handle to actuate the bands.

A concern associated with mechanical wear is the band system thermal capabilities and expansion. When these band brakes are operated under normal conditions, heat is absorbed by the bands and thermal expansion of components occurs. Th is expansion results in the brake handle rising and the op-erator needing to adjust the handle to an ergonomically com-fortable position. When the blocks are stopped and the brake handle chained in place, as is common practice, the hoist drum is restrained against expanded brakes. When the brakes begin to cool, thermal expansion is dissipated and the restraint is no longer adequate, resulting in potential catastrophic failure.

Th ere are cost-eff ective, feasible solutions to this hazard, and there have been for years. Th e issue stands with well servicing companies taking the initiative to hold their workforce safety above profi ts by installing a fail-safe primary or auxiliary brak-ing mechanism. Current issues facing well servicing companies are related to cost of modifi cations, equipment service time, and personnel costs to maintain level-loading. Some modifi cations

may take upward of four weeks, which directly aff ects produc-tivity and the bottom line. A secondary issue lies with the pri-mary client of specifi c rigs and maintaining vigilant safety in equipment design and operation. Many large producers are not willing to proactively enforce fail-safe requirements if profi ts are drastically aff ected. Even when oil prices were hovering around $100/barrel, producers were not willing to delay production when faced with serious safety concerns.

Even safety professionals within the oil and gas industry are oft en unsure of where this equipment falls regarding the ap-plication of standards and regulations. Well servicing rigs are not considered cranes due to the restriction of horizontal load movement, although rigs oft en perform tasks that are inclined to be performed by a crane; one such task is BOP installation/removal. Th rough the fog it can be understood how a well ser-vicing or drilling rig would fall under regulations and standards related to hoisting equipment.

When comparing rigs to hoisting equipment, the defi ciency and corrective actions are clear. Hoisting equipment requires the braking system to perform the following functions, which should be incorporated into well servicing requirements:

1. Arrest and hold the load promptly when controls are re-leased with loads up to 125 percent of rated capacity.

2. Limit the speed of load during lowering to a maximum of 120 percent of rated lowering speed.

3. Holding brakes on hoists shall have ample thermal capac-ity for the frequency of operation required by the service.

4. Th e braking system shall have provision for adjustments where necessary to compensate for wear.

5. Where the prime mover is an electric motor, a self-setting electric motor brake or other self-setting brake shall be provided to prevent drum rotation in the event of power failure.

6. Th e hoist shall be so designed that, when the actuating force is removed, it will automatically stop and hold any load up to 125 percent of the rated load.

Less serious incidents have increased over the years as the age of well servicing equipment becomes more of a concern. Many of these incidents, as well as some serious incidents, would have been prevented had a fail-safe braking system been installed.

Personnel identifying this concern on drilling and well ser-vicing rigs but failing to take action may be identifi ed as neg-ligent in the prevention of a catastrophic equipment failure, potentially resulting in willful violations of good engineering practice.

Dave Terry, CSP, is a Health & Safety Specialist with EHS Consulting LLC (www.EHS-C.com), which has home offi ces in Los Angeles, Phoenix, and Billings, Mont.

Below the Hook Safety – Oil & Gas Drilling and Well ServicingBy Dave Terry

0115ohs_034_Terry_v2.indd 34 12/10/14 10:56 AM

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LOCKOUT/TAGOUT

T he decision was fi nal, and the plan was to construct a new addition to help keep up with market demand. Th e senior leadership decided that moving the factory and build-

ing another factory was cost prohibitive, leaving the expansion as the best alternative.

Th is factory was built in the late 1980s and has been upgraded heavily with new switchgears and all new breakers that were a solution to help mitigate the arc fl ash dangers that existed with the old hardware. Th e factory was producing a very popular consumer

product for which demand surges near the middle of the year, causing all of the technology to be utilized at full tilt just to make the quotas. Th is new expansion was a welcome addition.

As the planning committee gathered to start work-ing out the details of the expansion, the room came to a hush when the CEO entered the room unan-nounced. “Today is an opportunity for us to reinvent the way we look at how we produce our product. I don’t want business as usual here. I want to take ad-vantage of the latest in technology to ensure we have

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the most effi cient product lines per square foot that exist. Do you think you can do that?” Th e team hesitated, then one person spoke up: “Yes, we can.”

What they did next was very impor-tant—they outlined key areas that caused their current product process to fall be-hind. Th e top two culprits were unsched-uled downtime caused by jams, followed by scheduled downtime taking far longer than the predicted amount. Th e team realized that this fi nding would not only help them construct a better factory process in the ex-pansion area, but also could be addressed in the existing factory lines.

Fast forward three years, and the expan-sion is complete.

Th e CEO enters the board meeting to report, saying production is up 400 per-cent from three years ago, and the com-pany has additional capacity to increase its orders by another 100 percent before it needs to expand again. Th e CEO adds, the prior expansion was a success beyond what we could have predicted, and we are still analyzing the most important key contributors.

Th e board members start fi ring hard questions: What was the top contributor? Is there any worry about safety now that we are so much more productive with nearly the same amount of personnel as before? Have we done anything that has exposed us to risk with regulatory compliance?

Th e CEO takes a deep breath, con-templates his next move, and then faces them to proudly respond, “Th e old fac-tory was improved most dramatically from streamlining the process involved when we have jams. Knowing jams would be unavoidable, our team developed two tiers of procedures. One procedure uti-lized the existing guarding and key off switches to perform minor maintenance and clear jams, while the other procedures that were for heavier maintenance or more critical jams were restructured to be more intuitive and easier to follow. While we made other improvements to the line as we analyzed the data pouring in from our productivity soft ware, our team and I

agree that the heaviest contributor to the factory’s overall improvement was due to the improvement of our hazardous energy control program. Th e technology we use and the process we follow not only meets regulatory standards, it exceeds them. In fact we have not had a recordable incident related to servicing equipment in the last three years, which helps prove our point. It’s faster and it’s safer.”

Th e board members erupted in cheers and applause.

Analysis and Application to RealityWhile this story might not completely mesh with the reality at every person’s facility, the fact is, the tools they used for improvements apply to every company in every industry, even non-manufacturing businesses.

Th e control of hazardous energy (lock-out/tagout, as it’s known in the United States), is a term used to describe the pro-cess that will protect employees when they are in harm’s way of equipment movement when they are servicing it and unexpected start-up could cause injury or death. Lock-out/tagout is on the top 10 list of most-cited regulations for all industries and is consistently the #1 most-cited regulation for manufacturers. So what are the require-ments exactly?

Th at’s the easy part. Th ere are fi ve com-ponents: Procedures, Auditing, Training, Policy, and Devices. Th at’s also the order in which companies fail to meet compliance, with lockout/tagout procedures being the most-cited part of the lockout/tagout regu-lation, 29 CFR1910.147.

Th e hard part is fi nding the balance by keeping the above requirements in mind while also keeping your production hum-ming along. An overarching guiding phi-losophy for U.S. manufacturers is that with proper equipment, procedures, and train-ing, a company should not need to use the OSHA-defi ned lockout/tagout process for most of the time. However, when there are not eff ective means by which to provide at least an equivalent level of protection for tasks that qualify under the 1910.147(a)(2)

minor servicing exemption, lockout/tagout must be used.

Some examples of industry best prac-tices around alternatives to using lockout/tagout are:

■ Standard operating procedures (SOPs). Th ese procedures outline the nec-essary steps to take in order to ensure inad-vertent reenergization does not occur while specifi c and routine tasks are taking place.

■ Advanced machine guarding and process control. Well engineered and prop-erly specifi ed interlock guarding such as class III guarding that has been audited and tested regularly can provide a layer of protection that, when used in conjunc-tion with training and potentially an SOP, will provide an equivalent or better level of protection, oft entimes with only seconds to utilize per cycle as opposed to several min-utes as with lockout/tagout.

By understanding and utilizing the best technology available, as well as under-standing and properly leveraging known regulatory exemptions where appropriate, a world-class high-performance produc-tion and integrated safety system can take place in businesses and factories where oth-ers thought it to be impossible.

Th ere’s a longstanding adage with safe-ty: If ’s it’s not easy, it’s not safe. Meaning that if a program is designed to be too cum-bersome to the process, people will fi nd a work-around and eventually it will be less safe. Using that same mindset: Industry best practices have taught us that if it’s not effi cient, it won’t last.

To learn more about how to engineer a lockout-tagout program in your facility that pays you back, visit www.escservices.com/learning-center.

To learn more about process automa-tion and advanced machine guarding so-lutions that will help reduce the likeliness for high frequency usage of lockout/tagout, visit http://www.rockwellautomation.com/rockwellautomation/services/consulting-assessment/.

Jimi Michalscheck is the marketing man-ager for Rockwell Automation, Inc. and has more than 15 years’ experience delivering custom lockout/tagout solutions to hundreds of companies around the world. To connect via LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jimi-michalscheck/4/2a4/ba6

Standard operating procedures outline the necessary steps to take in order to ensure inadvertent reenergization does not occur while specifi c and routine tasks are taking place.

0115ohs_036_038_Michalscheck_v2.indd 38 12/10/14 10:57 AM

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LOCKOUT/TAGOUT


D o you need a lockout/tagout program at your company? In 2013, a lumber mill had $1.6 million worth of reasons to say “yes.” Th e company had repeatedly ignored OSHA

citations for serious safety violations. Employees, ac-cording to OSHA, were exposed to amputation haz-ards while maintaining, cleaning, and clearing jams on machinery that didn’t have their energy sources locked out. Aft er an employee suff ered a partial fi nger amputation while clearing a machine that hadn’t been locked out and another suff ered a severe hand injury while working on an unguarded machine, OSHA is-sued 24 willful violations at a maximum of $70,000 each to the company, including failure to properly shut down and lock out 23 pieces of machinery before employees were required to clean them.

While this may be an extreme example of what can happen if you don’t have a comprehensive lock-out/tagout program at your company, it does illustrate the potential dangers to your employees, as well as the possible fi nancial impact.

According to OSHA:■ Approximately 3 million workers service

equipment and face the greatest risk of injury if lock-out/tagout is not properly implemented.

■ Compliance with the lockout/tagout standard prevents an estimated 120 fatalities and 50,000 inju-ries each year.

■ Workers injured on the job from machinery that was not shut off properly lose an average of 24 work days for recuperation.

Clearly, implementing a good lockout/tagout pro-gram saves signifi cantly on costs from lost employee time, workers’ compensation, and other insurance costs. But at the end of the day, the reason your com-pany should implement a lockout/tagout program is to ensure your employees go home safely. Safety in your workplace has a priceless value for the company, the workers, and the workers’ families. Quite simply, a lockout/tagout program is not only a required OSHA regulation, but also the right thing to do.

However, ensuring employee safety means more than just shutting off , unplugging, or disconnect-ing equipment. Procedures, devices, and personnel must be set in place to prevent a serious injury when a worker thinks a machine is safely off . Th e following

is a seven-step program created as a guideline to an eff ective lockout/tagout program. Additional helpful information is available on the OSHA website, www.osha.gov, or through your local safety equipment or industrial solutions provider.

1. Be aware of the lockout regulations. Become familiar with the federal regulations known as Th e Control of Hazardous Energy (Lockout/Tagout). OSHA defi nes lockout/tagout as the “specifi c prac-tices and procedures to safeguard employees from the unexpected energization or startup of machinery and equipment, or the release of hazardous energy during service or maintenance activities.”

Here are some of the most signifi cant OSHA re-quirements for a lockout/tagout program:

■ Only authorized workers may lock out or tag out machines or equipment in order to perform ser-vicing or maintenance.

■ Lockout devices (locks) and tagout devices cannot be used for any other purposes and must be used only for controlling energy.

■ Lockout and tagout devices (locks and tags) must identify the name of the worker applying the de-vice.

■ All energy sources to equipment must be iden-tifi ed and isolated.

■ Aft er the energy is isolated from the machine or equipment, the isolating device(s) must be locked out or tagged out in safe or off position only by the authorized employees.

■ Following the application of the lockout or tagout devices to the energy-isolating devices, the stored or residual energy must be safely discharged or relieved.

■ Prior to starting work on the equipment, the authorized employee must verify that the equipment is isolated from the energy source, for example, by operating the on/off switch on the machine or equip-ment.

■ Locks and tags must remain on the machine until the work is completed.

■ Only the authorized employee who placed the locks and tags may remove his/her lock or tag, unless the employer has a specifi c procedure as outlined in OSHA’s Lockout/Tagout standard.

2. Develop a list of machinery and equipment. Survey your facility for all machinery and equipment that have the potential for requiring lockout. Even for a medium-sized building, this list could include several hundred pieces of equipment, each of which requires a separate lockout/tagout procedure. Among

Ensuring Safety with a Lockout/Tagout Program: Seven Steps to ComplianceProcedures, devices, and personnel must be set in place to prevent a serious injury when a worker thinks a machine is safely off.BY BRAD MONTGOMERY

0115ohs_040_041_Montgomery_v3.indd 40 12/10/14 10:58 AM

http://www.osha.gov

http://www.osha.gov



machinery that should be listed are: any automated machines, boilers, chillers, compressors, conveyors, generators, production equipment, and pumps. For each machine, you will need to create a lockout procedure that details the specifi c steps for shutting down and securing the machine, with special emphasis on safe release of any hazardous energy.

3. Identify and mark energy sources and lockout points. Lo-cate and document start-up areas of energy sources, such as electri-cal, hydraulic, mechanical, pressure, process control, stored energy (gravity, springs), and thermal. Post signs and apply labels and tags to warn and identify energy source areas and points requiring shutdown and lockout/tagout procedures. Use graphics, including photographs and diagrams, to clearly illustrate where the energy sources and lockout points are on each machine.

4. Determine the lockout controls. Identify and document the necessary devices that isolate and lock out energy sources and se-cure them for on-site use. Standardize the devices for various func-tions for proper identifi cation. For example, develop diff erently colored locks for each shift at your plant and for supervisors. Be sure that everyone working on a machine understands that all locks for each shift must be removed only by the person responsible for each lock before the machine is safe to operate.

5. Set up a lockout training and procedure program. Devel-op, standardize, and document the lockout process for each energy source. Identify employees’ level of involvement in the program. OSHA categorizes employees into three groups: those who are

made aware of, those who are aff ected by, and those who perform the lockout procedures. Get employees involved through compre-hensive training programs and certifi cations.

According to OSHA, employee training must cover at least three areas:

■ Aspects of the employer’s energy control program■ Elements of the energy control procedure relevant to the

employee’s duties or assignment■ Th e various requirements of the OSHA standards related to

lockout/tagout6. Implement the lockout program. Initiate the lockout/tagout

program that follows the training procedures. Post reminders and have the necessary lockout/tagout devices readily available. When completed, your lockout/tagout program must have a written pro-cedure for the safe shutdown and start-up of each machine in your company. You should have written and photographic documen-tation of what device is being used at each lockout point and the names of the people authorized to remove each lockout device.

7. Review the lockout program. Finally, identify and docu-ment changes to existing lockout procedures and new energy sources that require lockout. Conduct periodic reviews of lockout procedures (required at least annually) to ensure they are up to date and requirements are being met.

Brad Montgomery, CTSM, is the Marketing & Communications director for Accuform Signs.

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CHEMICAL SAFETY/SDS


H appy 2015! Th e arrival of the New Year means that we are just six months away from the deadline at which all safety data sheets (SDSs) and labels must comply with

the new HazCom 2012 standards. Th is deadline re-quires companies that manufacture hazardous chemi-cals to provide GHS-compliant SDSs and labels to downstream users. Manufacturers may not ship prod-ucts lacking GHS labeling from this point forward, and distributors are under the same obligation but have been granted an extra six months to allow for the depletion of existing inventory. Additionally, employ-ers must comply with HazCom 2012 compliance stan-dards for workplace labeling, hazard communication programs, and additional employee training for newly identifi ed physical or health hazards by June 2016.

To achieve compliance requires the same focus and determination as one might need to succeed at any other New Year’s resolution. You’re not going to lose those 10 pounds by carving out the exception, like a daily caramel macchiato per se, but by main-taining a healthy lifestyle with better diet and exercise routines. Similarly, those who successfully transition to GHS will take a holistic approach to meeting their compliance goals. If you’re ready for the challenge, here are some ideas for New Year’s resolutions to pre-pare for GHS adoption.

Resolution #1: Learn about the basics of classifi cationAs the deadline approaches, OHS professionals can expect to receive an avalanche of new SDSs. It is im-portant to know the basics of classifi cation regarding a safety data sheet in order to determine whether an SDS is compliant. Currently, hazard classifi cations are performance oriented, which means hazards are

evaluated on fairly vague and broad criteria. However, under the new HazCom 2012 rule, specifi c, detailed criteria are provided to help guide the evaluation into the classifi cation of the chemical. In addition, classifi -cation now means that hazards are evaluated not only for existence, but also for severity.

Currently, hazards are evaluated and communicat-ed downstream via SDSs and labels. In evaluating haz-ards, there is currently fl exibility in the use of profes-sional judgment to identify the most relevant hazards associated with chemicals. Under GHS standards, all hazards are to be classifi ed, meaning there are specifi c, detailed criteria for determining hazard classifi cation for materials. Th is means there will be much less fl ex-ibility when classifying. Furthermore, GHS allows countries and agencies to adopt portions of GHS that best fi t within their existing regulatory guidelines, which means classifi cations may not be 100 percent harmonized between countries and agencies.

Resolution #2: Acquire, review, and manage new incoming SDSsIt may sound simple, but with the high volume of new SDSs being distributed in the near future, this resolution can be diffi cult to achieve. In order to meet GHS compliance, you will be expected to replace your current MSDSs with SDSs when submitted by the manufacturer. To do this successfully, you will need to review the SDSs you receive to ensure new hazard information is understood and acted upon.

When inspecting the quality of an SDS, there are some requirements to keep in mind. First and foremost is the name itself. Although the terms are oft en used interchangeably, a material safety data sheet (MSDS) and safety data sheet (SDS) are in actuality documents with specifi c format and content diff erences. An SDS must be formatted to include 16 required sections in the specifi ed order. Currently, OSHA does not specify how many sections or the order in which they appear on an MSDS. Under HazCom 2012, OSHA requires SDSs to be in a uniform format and include section numbers, headings, and associated information.

Under the new Hazard Communication Standard (HCS), sections two and three will be swapped in the SDS format. Section two will now be the hazard(s) identifi cation segment, which includes emergency overview and required label elements incorporating signal words and pictograms, and section three will provide the composition/information on ingredients.

GHS in the New Year: Five Resolutions for SuccessAs you are aware, the deadline to train employees on GHS has passed. However, it is required to train new employees, as well as provide training when a new physical or health hazard is introduced into the workplace.BY KRAIG HABERER

As the deadline approaches, OHS professionals can expect to receive an avalanche of new SDSs.

0115ohs_042_044_Haberer_v2.indd 42 12/10/14 10:59 AM


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CHEMICAL SAFETY/SDS

In addition, SDSs also will need to be re-classifi ed based upon the new GHS crite-ria. Th ere are new health, physical, and environmental health classifi cations that will need to be communicated in section two of the SDS. OSHA has stated it will not require data in sections 12, 13, 14, or 15 be-cause other agencies regulate this informa-tion. However, it is required to have at least the heading for these sections on the SDS.

Th at said, you will need to choose your method for managing SDSs going forward. As with many other non-core activities, most companies outsource this function today. Current SDS soft ware and service providers already have catalogs of materials and safety data sheets with an established process for acquiring, updating, and man-aging SDSs.

Resolution #3: Update workplace labelsCurrently, OSHA imposes a performance-based requirement on chemical labels, so employers may choose how to convey the hazard information on the label. Th is al-lows liberties to the manufacturer, import-er, and distributor on how it is displayed.

Under GHS, there is no required, stan-dardized format; however, there are re-quired elements. Th ese elements include the following:

■ Product identifi er. Th is should match the product identifi er on the Safety Data Sheet.

■ Signal word. Use either “Danger” or “Warning.”

■ Hazard statement. Th is is a phrase assigned to the hazard class that describes the nature of the product’s hazard.

■ Precautionary statement. It de-scribes recommended measures to mini-mize or prevent adverse eff ects resulting from exposure.

■ Supplier identifi cation. Th e name, address, and telephone number of the manufacturer or supplier are listed.

■ Pictogram. Th ese graphical symbols are intended to convey specifi c hazard in-formation visually.

Based upon the new criteria, there will only be two signal words: Danger (severe) and Warning (less severe). Th e use of a red border within the pictogram is also a new change with GHS; however, an em-ployer may choose to use a black border for workplace (or in-plant) labels only. Although GHS uses a total of nine picto-grams, OSHA will only enforce the use of eight, as the environmental pictogram is not mandatory but can be used to provide additional information. It’s also worth noting that the signal word, pictogram, and hazard statement are required to be located next to each other.

Another signifi cant change will be in the NFPA and HMIS rating systems used in labeling workplace containers. Th ese rat-ings are used when transferring a chemical from its parent container to a secondary workplace container. Under GHS, the rat-ing systems will be numerically inverse from the current system. For example, cur-rently HMIS hazard ratings are listed in or-der from 0 (minimal hazard) to 4 (severe hazard). Under GHS, the ratings will be 1 (severe hazard) to 5 (minimal hazard).

Employers may continue to use rating systems such as HMIS or NFPA diamonds for workplace labels as long as they are con-sistent with the requirements of the Hazard Communication Standard and the employ-ees have immediate access to the specifi c hazard information discussed above. Addi-tionally, an employer using NFPA or HMIS labeling must, through training, ensure its employees are fully aware of the hazards of the chemicals used.

Resolution #4: Train your workforceAs you are aware, the deadline to train em-ployees on GHS has passed. However, it is required to train new employees, as well as provide training when a new physical or health hazard is introduced into the work-place. For example, if a new chemical is brought into the workplace with the same hazard classifi cations for which a training has been conducted, then there is no addi-tional training required. However, if a new

chemical is introduced with hazardous properties that have not been in the work-place before, then new training for those hazards must be conducted for employees who work in areas where they could be ex-posed.

Some of the most important changes to communicate in training will focus on how to read updated labels, how to interpret the new pictograms, and what the various signal words, hazard statements, and pre-cautionary statements mean. For example, there may be confusion based on the GHS rating system versus traditional rating sys-tems such as HMIS or NFPA.

Having a plan to communicate these hazards is essential to meeting OSHA re-quirements and ensuring workplace safety.

Resolution #5: Track your progressAs with any resolution, tracking your progress is a good way to stay accountable and keep your goal top of mind. Meeting GHS compliance involves many moving parts such as training, as well as acquiring updated safety data sheets from your sup-pliers. Th ankfully, there are applications to help you stay on track with your GHS goals. Tracking internal process items such as employee trainings and chemi-cal inventories can be achieved by using training soft ware or simple spreadsheets. However, tracking the number and per-cent of updated GHS SDSs from your ven-dors can be a little more diffi cult. If you are using an SDS soft ware vendor system, be sure to ask how you can track your GHS-compliant SDSs.

ConclusionAs 2015 begins, OHS professionals in the United States can anticipate the implemen-tation of GHS as they receive new safety data sheets and labels in the months ahead. Preparing for the transition will help you achieve GHS success. In addition, there are a number of resources available to help you along the way, including the OSHA web-site, www.osha.gov.

Kraig Haberer is the Chief Operating Offi -cer of SiteHawk, an SDS management and chemical data solutions provider that is based in Smyrna, Tenn. For more informa-tion, visit http://www.sitehawk.com.

Although GHS uses a total of nine pictograms, OSHA will only enforce the use of eight, as the environmental pictogram is not mandatory but can be used to provide additional information.

0115ohs_042_044_Haberer_v2.indd 44 12/10/14 10:59 AM

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CONSTRUCTION SAFETY


W hen it comes to safety, a lot of atten-tion is dedicated to the biggest or loudest hazards. But if you poll folks in the construction industry on the

source of most injuries, you’ll fi nd that they’re rarely caused by the scariest tasks. Most oft en, they’re the result of all of the little hazards that workers navigate on a daily basis.

Every year I speak with more than 800 site man-agers, safety supervisors, trainers, and other con-struction industry representatives. By far the most common complaint I hear is about workers making “stupid mistakes”—things such as forgetting to wear PPE, not following a procedure that’s been drilled into their heads, jumping down from a tailgate, or mus-cling heavy material or machines.

Anatomy of a ‘Stupid Mistake’When safety pofessionals call something a stupid mis-take, they’re almost always referring to some error or slip-up that someone made when he should have known better and could have avoided if he’d been pay-ing attention or thinking about the consequences. We call them “stupid” because they happen when we’re trying to complete a task that’s usually quite simple and that we’ve done a thousand times before without getting hurt. Th e mistakes seem obvious and easily avoidable in hindsight, but I can’t recall the last time I went a week without hearing a safety manager lament a stupid mistake that led to someone getting hurt.

Stupid mistakes are made when our perception of risk is lower than it should be. Nobody thinks about the dangers of walking, even though there’s always a risk of tripping, because everyone takes thousands

Ten Feet Tall and FallingConstruction workers are used to contending with elevated risk levels, so they’re more likely to have a skewed perception of that risk.BY CHERI GENEREAUX

0115ohs_046_047_Genereaux_v2.indd 46 12/10/14 11:00 AM



of steps every day. Complete any task fre-quently enough and we become confi dent in our ability to complete it safely in the future and minimize the risk in our minds. When you add in a large and extremely visible hazard, then people sit up and take notice. For example, if you’ve got a bunch of guys moving a huge I-beam, there’s no question that they’re going to be paying at-tention to the very real (and very big) haz-ard above their heads. But if this was some-thing they did several times every day, then I’ll bet they’d start to see it as a much less risky operation, even though the hazard hasn’t appreciably changed.

I recently spoke with a director of EH&S who said, “When we are working on hazardous or complex tasks, we do a risk assessment, job safety analysis, and a toolbox talk about it. However, my guys are getting hurt while walking across the site. Th ey simply step on a rock and roll their ankle.” In many cases, it’s not the obvious hazards that are getting people hurt, but rather it’s when workers become so desen-sitized to small risks that they stop paying attention to them.

Another safety professional told me about a worker who went to climb a crane ladder, which was something he did regu-larly. Th is time, though, he forgot about three points of contact, slipped on the second rung, and broke his leg. He barely made it off the ground, and now he can’t work for at least eight weeks, all because of a stupid mistake.

Bulletproof Perception of RiskIn both of these examples, injuries occurred not because they were taking a serious shortcut or had a major mental lapse, but because they weren’t focused on small but very real hazards. Th eir complacency and the frequency of these two activities con-tributed to taking their minds off what they were doing, and they failed to even think about or properly evaluate their chances of getting hurt.

In many jobs the frequency of high-risk activities is pretty low, but construction workers have to deal with lots of hazardous energy on a regular basis. So while they’re used to contending with elevated risk lev-els, they’re also more likely to have a skewed perception of that risk. I’m pretty sure this is why so many construction workers think they’re 10 feet tall and bulletproof: Aft er

you’ve operated massive equipment, driv-ing your car home seems like nothing. But when you feel like you can handle anything, then you end up developing a blind spot to things that can put you in the hospital.

It’s telling that, at 29.3 percent, sprains, strains, and tears are by far the largest cate-gory of injury in the construction industry. In many cases, the causes of these injuries aren’t immediately evident to the people who end up getting hurt because they’re not looking for them. As we’ve seen, even walking without looking where you’re go-ing on a construction site could end very badly. And the more bulletproof workers feel, the more likely they are to get hurt—and there’s a good chance that it will be a “low-risk” activity that causes the injury.

Th e same can be said about falls, which is the largest single cause of construction-related fatalities. When workers are 80 feet off the ground, they take one look over the edge and voluntarily clip into their fall protection because the consequences of falling are obvious. But send them up just a story or two above ground level, and they’re much less likely to identify the risks. It’s “just” 20 feet, they think. But I’ve seen stats that say that 50 percent of workplace fatalities due to falls occur from a height of 25 feet or less, and a common refrain from safety managers is how quickly workers be-come used to working at a height of 10 or 20 feet and forget how risky it actually is.

Combat Complacencywith CommunicationTh e common theme in all of this is atten-tion and complacency. If workers stop pay-ing attention for long enough, then they become complacent and start making stu-pid mistakes. So how do you get workers to focus their attention on what they’re do-ing, no matter how mundane the task may be? Telling them to pay attention is about as useful as trying to stick a Post-It note on every hazard. But there are several ways to meaningfully engage workers and help them keep their eyes and mind on the risks around them:

■ Help them understand that low-risk activities can cause severe injuries and give them an example.

■ Explain that focus (or lack thereof) on the task at hand will greatly infl uence the risk of a “stupid mistake” or injury.

■ Tell them how hard it is to maintain

focus on frequent, simple activities and that’s why it’s critical to follow procedures and wear PPE all the time.

■ Regularly engage them in commu-nication about low-risk activities as well as emphasizing the big stuff . Frequent safety discussions will also raise awareness, help fi ght complacency, and let them know that safety is a priority even in the face of a deadline.

Personally, I like to recommend that su-pervisors develop fi ve or six questions that will prompt workers to think about injury risks. One of my favorites is to ask, “If your son or daughter were to start working here today, which hazards would you want them to know about?” Th e answer will oft en highlight a source of danger the employee knows about but wasn’t necessarily actively thinking about, and it will also provide the supervisor with a sense of what his or her workers are worried about.

Asking questions like this takes only 30 seconds and turns it into a dialogue rather than a one-sided mini lecture. It can also help each employee feel like a valuable member of the team. And I’ve oft en seen these supervisor-initiated conversations eventually transform into regular peer-to-peer chats about safety a lot quicker than you might think.

Th e key is to initiate these conversations frequently. It’s much better to have numer-ous small discussions and awareness ses-sions than to spend half an hour on it once and then never mention it again. If the goal is to recalibrate workers’ assessment of small risks, then this change needs to be reinforced through regular conversations and practice.

It’s easy for workers to become compla-cent about small hazards in the workplace, but ongoing conversations can prompt them to pay the same attention to small hazards as they do to big ones. And by helping workers look and think more about what they’re doing, you can shrink their 10-foot mentality to a more reasonable height—and make them safer as a result.

Cheri Genereaux is the construction in-dustry specialist at SafeStart. She uses her knowledge of human factors and unique industry experience to reduce injuries for hundreds of construction companies across North America.

0115ohs_046_047_Genereaux_v2.indd 47 12/10/14 11:00 AM


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COMBUSTION ANALYZER

The E Instruments BTU1500 Hand-Held Combustion Analyzer is a rugged unit for high effi ciency and condensing boilers, burners, engines, turbines, furnaces, and other combustion applications. It features a large color display and ex-panded internal memory. Pre-calibrated and fi eld-replaceable sensors allow for easy diagnostics and replacements to reduce downtime and costly repair charges.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 302 ON CARD

COMPACT LED SIGNAL LIGHT

Patlite’s new NE signal light is a com-pact, rugged design providing versatile status change indication for wide-rang-ing industrial applications such as con-veyor lines, automated guided vehicles, machine tools, robots, and warehousing. Featuring a highly effi cient, long-life LED, the NE provides seven different discrete signal colors to notify personnel of changing equipment or environmental conditions.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 303 ON CARD

FREEZER TAPE

The Shieldmark Mighty Line Frigid is an optimal freezer tape that provides long-lasting durability and adhesion for use in frigid temperatures. The perma-nent, peel-and-stick freezer tape delivers excellent durable performance on cold surfaces in industrial freezers and cold storage warehouses. www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 304 ON CARD

EMISSIONS SENSORS

The 50xLL long life oxygen and A5F+ carbon monoxide sensors by City Tech-nology extend the 5 Series range, which is widely used by high specifi cation fl ue gas analyzer manufacturers globally requiring EN 50379-2 compliance. The new 4 Series range includes the 40xLL long life oxygen, 40XV oxygen, 4F and 4MF CO sensors, designed for use with EN50379-3 compliant analyzers. www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 305 ON CARD

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ONLY $395 OSHA requires you to provide lockout/tagout training so that your employees understand the purpose and function of your energy control program. J. J. Keller’s Lockout/Tagout: Put a Lock on Hazardous Energy ...

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CIRCLE 14 ON CARD

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GLOBAL TRAINING LIBRARY

The PureSafety system brings together UL Workplace Health & Safety’s safety expertise and guidance with industry-leading software to give companies operating in an increasingly global economy the capacity to establish solid practices in workplace safety and ef-fectively and effi ciently give all workers, regardless of geographic location, ac-cess to fundamental safety practices. With this 7.1 release, PureSafety is available in English, Canadian French, Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, German, and Mandarin Chinese.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 306 ON CARD

RUGGED TABLET

The Handheld Algiz 10X is IP65-rated and meets stringent MIL-STD-810G military standards for protecting against dust, water, vibrations, drops, and extreme temperatures. It is lightweight at just 2.9 pounds and only 1.2 inches thick. The Algiz 10X operates on a powerful dual-core processor, offering top-of-the-line computing capability, and the 128 GB SSD disk is expandable via microSD for massive storage capacity. The Algiz 10X runs Windows 7 Ultimate.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 307 ON CARD

DRUM FUNNEL

The New Pig Pig Burpless® Large One-Hand-Sealable Drum Funnel (16.5” x 14”) for 30- and 55-gallon steel drums takes the mess out of liquid waste collection and minimizes the time spent emptying the contents of bottles, buckets, and pails into collection drums. The funnel’s patented Burpless venting design allows the operator to drain a 5-gallon bucket in as little as 17 seconds while eliminating dangerous splashbacks. The exclusive latching handle can be opened and closed with one hand, providing easy access to the funnel and encouraging compliance with EPA’s Closed Container Regulations.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 308 ON CARD

Circle 33 on card.

SHELTER

The Eclipse by Rite-Hite is the fi rst system to block light and seal gaps where previous enclosures have failed, guarantee-ing the darkest, most environmentally secure dock possible. On the sides of the trailer, durable GapMaster™ hooks wrap around swing-open trailer doors, sealing the gaps created by the door hinge, which amount to more than 2.5 square feet of open air if left unsealed. An exclusive weighted head curtain applies more than 100 pounds of pressure across the full width of the trailer top.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 309 ON CARD

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Bringing you more online every day

Join 65,000+* industry professionals who receive OH&S

E-news twice a week.

ohsonline.comVisit our site daily for all the health & safety

information you need in one place!

Increase industry knowledge with our webinars, offered

f requently throughout the year. Also available on demand.

For more information, contact Kevin O’Grady [email protected]

*Publisher’s Own Data

CIRCLE 10 ON CARD

Untitled-3 1 11/4/14 10:58 AM




REFLECTIVE MATERIALS

The sample card from Metlon Corpo-ration features six examples of 3M Scotchlite Refl ective Materials prod-ucts laminated onto polyester ribbon. The Cranston, RI-based manufacturer selected for this new product literature the most frequently requested products. Specifi cally, 8712 and 5510, the ANSI/ISEA 107 & 207 Compliant silver heat transfer fi lm, is featured in three of the laminated narrow fabric samples: in a single 2” width applied to 2-1/4” fl uo-rescent yellow grosgrain ribbon.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 310 ON CARD

TANKLESS WATER HEATER

The SNA Series delivers on-demand ANSI-required tepid water to emergency safety showers with or without eye/face washes. The unit is armed with Tepid-Guard™, a patented overshoot purge protection system that ensures compli-ance to ANSI Z358.1, even in stand-by mode. Combined with a Bradley safety fi xture including an anti-scald valve option, these technologies ensure that even the hottest environments will not drive water temperatures above ANSI standards.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 311 ON CARD

VEHICLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM

The Rite-Hite Dok-Lok® RHR-4000 with Rite-Vu™ Light Communication System is an automatic vehicle restraint that secures semi-trainers and intermodal containers at the loading dock. It comes with a full-time communication system that indicates vehicle-restraint status via lights on the loading dock door and dock leveler. It helps prevent all types of trailer separation, using a unique rotat-ing hook design, such as aggressive early departure, trailer creep, and dock walk, as well as trailer tipover from land-ing gear collapse or trailer up-ending.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 312 ON CARD

GAS ANALYZER

The E4400 by E Instruments is a portable fl ue gas analyzer designed for emissions monitoring and mainte-nance and tuning for forklifts and other industrial engines. Its rugged design and accurate measurements make the E4400 the ideal emissions analyzer for industrial engine applications.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 313 ON CARD

WORK POSITIONING SOLUTION

The Ergotech Ergo Control allows for easy, repeatable, fast, and program-mable positioning and repositioning of large, heavy work product without the infrastructure installation costs and lost work time of overhead cranes, pulleys, or other mechanisms, not to mention the additional cubic footage of real estate those solutions require.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 314 ON CARD

INDOOR AIR QUALITY MONITOR

The 2014 AQ Comfort by E Instru-ments is the IAQ monitor made for the HVAC Professional. The convenient and economical all-in-one instrument provides the latest in indoor air quality monitoring and real-time datalogging for IAQ analysis in homes, schools, and offi ces.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 315 ON CARD

0115ohs_048_053_NP_v4.indd 52 12/10/14 11:00 AM









THERMO-ANEMOMETER

The E Instruments VT100 Hot-Wire Ther-mo-Anemometer is a compact, rugged, and easy-to-use thermo-anemometer ideal for any laboratory, cleanroom, and for air balancing and many more applica-tions. The large ice-blue backlit LCD display is easy to read in either light or dark environments.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 316 ON CARD

HALF MASK RESPIRATOR

Comfort-Air half masks from U.S. Safetyhave a unique design that allows the mask to sit lower on the nose, providing extended wear and comfort. Combined with the multi-position cartridge adjust-ment, makes it possible to fi t the mask under a faceshield or welding helmet. These features greatly reduce interfer-ence with eye protection and provide a wider fi eld of vision.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 317 ON CARD

LANDING LOCKS

This Advance Lifts Inc. system is de-signed for customers who wish to have an extra level of security at elevated landing levels. The system consists of two hydraulically operated locking pins and two support columns. The locking pins are mounted on the platform cor-ners adjacent to the upper level landing.www.ohsonline.com/productinfoCIRCLE 318 ON CARD

Register today at ohsonline.com

January 21, 2015

WebinarHugh Hoagland Presents:

Critical Changes in NFPA 70E Aff ecting IndustryTh e 2015 edition of the NFPA 70E standard includes a major change in how stakeholders evaluate electrical risk — so that owners, managers, and employees can work together to ensure an electrically safe working area and comply with OSHA 1910 Subpart S and OSHA 1926 Subpart K. Th roughout the standard, the phrase “risk assessment” replaces the phrase “hazard analysis,” with NFPA saying this has been done “to enable a shift in awareness about the potential for failure.” Th ere are updated tables, a new subsection in 130.2 (A)(4) that provides requirements where normal operation of electric equipment is permitted, and Annex E has been updated to correlate with the redefi ned terminology associated with hazard and risk.

Hugh Hoagland is managing partner of e-Hazard Management LLC and President of ArcWear.com in Louisville, Ky. e-Hazard’s electrical safety training is used by more NFPA 70E members than any other program, and ArcWear does most of the world’s arc testing at Kinectrics Lab in Toronto. Hugh’s training is widely followed since it does not promote any specifi c PPE but is the most conversant training on the real issues safety directors and end users face in complying with the NFPA 70E standard and the National Electrical Safety Code.Sponsors include:

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Circle 11 on card.

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PRACTICAL EXCELLENCEB Y S H A W N G A L L O W A Y


All progress begins by thinking diff erently. If we seek dif-ferent results, we must ask more intelligent questions and realize today’s answers will be antiquated tomorrow. What questions are you asking? Do you allow the status

quo to remain unchallenged?When the fi rst skyscraper, the Tacoma Building, was con-

structed in Chicago in 1889, walking on steel beams high in the air without any protection from falling was the only way to complete the work. Performing such dangerous work, fatalities became so common in the construction of multi-level buildings that insur-ance adjustors would anticipate one death per fl oor constructed.

In 1927, the inventors of the bulletproof vest would demon-strate the quality and assurances of their work by fi ring live rounds, not at a mannequin, but at a live person. Confi dence in product to secure sales took precedence over safety. Th is was viewed not only as acceptable, but impressive, and it built a community of customer confi dence in the manufacturer’s brand.

In March of 1923, a patent was granted to Emma Read of Spo-kane, Wash., for a cage to hold a baby that could be, according to the patent, “suspended upon the exterior of a building adjacent an open window, wherein the baby or young child may be placed.” Finally getting traction in 1937 as more and more individuals left rural areas and moved into cities, one group in London, the Chel-sea Baby Club, also saw the health risk the patented device could overcome and issued its members these cages.

With the change from farmhouse living to city dwellings, this group of well-intending individuals were concerned that infants and toddlers were not getting adequate oxygen and sun exposure, so open-air steel cages were built and affi xed to the exterior of buildings, oft en several fl oors above street level, for the children to “play” in. Again, with good intentions, this was viewed not only as acceptable, but was perceived to contribute to a healthier child.

Since their inception, personnel working for electric and gas distribution companies were oft en required to climb over fences in order to access meters for billing purposes. Dog bites and con-frontations with angry customers became common. Many of these companies are now installing automated meter reading (AMRs) devices to negate the need to access a backyard. Moreover, these organizations are working to change the perceptions of these hard-working meter readers to believe it is no longer necessary or ac-ceptable to “hop the fence.” It is now considered an unnecessary risk by leadership.

What are the employee-perceived acceptable and unacceptable risks in your organization? How well do they align with manage-ment’s perception of acceptable and unacceptable risks? Where does the documentation of this great insight exist in your organiza-

tion? How regularly is it updated and improved? What experiences are hin-dering or progressing the lowering of risk tolerance?

An energy exploration client, working aggressively to control and infl uence the behaviors (mandatory and discretionary) of its drilling con-tractors, engaged us over several years to help align its primary contractor cultures with its own. As we visited the various operating areas, all of the lead people on site could share an experi-ence they had with the visiting executive vice president. When time pressure situations were discussed, they all heard him state, “Th e oil has been in the ground for millions of years; it can wait another day. We don’t need to go so fast that it compromises safety.”

While this was admirable and attempted to reinforce safety val-ues, several times that same day, engineering would call these same on-site leaders who had heard the EVP’s message to see how much progress had been made (how many stages had been completed). Sometimes to make progress, the right question isn’t “What do we need to do?” Th e question is oft en “What do we need to stop do-ing?” or “What are we doing that is sending the wrong message?”

We have come a long way in safety and will continue to make strides when executive leaders are aligned with the importance of integrating safety thinking into business decisions. Now, more than ever before, if we want everyone to be on the same page regarding the direction of the organization and the role safety plays, we need to discuss and document what is acceptable and unacceptable risk and close the gaps that might exist.

Shawn M. Galloway is the co-author of STEPS to Safety Culture Excellence and president of ProAct Safety. He has helped hundreds of organizations within every major industry internationally achieve and sustain excellence in performance and culture. He is also the host of the acclaimed weekly podcast series, Safety Culture Excellence®. He can be reached at 800-395-1347 or [email protected].

The Only Way Safety Will Continuously ImproveSometimes to make progress, the right question isn’t “What do we need to do?” The question is often “What do we need to stop doing?” or “What are we doing that is sending the wrong message?”

What are the

employee-perceived

acceptable and

unacceptable risks in your organization? How well do they align with manage-ment’s perception?

0115ohs_054_Galloway_v2.indd 54 12/10/14 11:01 AM



WWW.OHSONLINE.COM/MCV/PRODUCTSPRODUCT SPOTLIGHTS


TINGLEY’S NEW ECLIPSE™

QUAD-HAZARD™ SUIT

Tingley Rubber’s revolutionary Eclipse™ offers Quad-Hazard™ pro-tection in a high visibility, liquidproof, arc fl ash and fl ash fi re compliant suit designed for affordable safety and comfort. Its patent pending Thermo-Grid™ technology helps block out heat energy and a fl ame resistant PVC coating on Nomex® offers 100% liquidproof protection in a soft, lightweight suit. Learn more at www.tingleyrubber.com.

Circle 55 on card.

EFFECTIVE MULTI-PERSON

LOCKOUT BY MASTER LOCK.

Master Lock’s new 12 and 24 Hole Sliding Hasps are designed spe-cifi cally for lockout procedures that require large groups to isolate a single energy source. The anodized aluminum fi nish ensures superior corrosion resistance and offset lockout holes minimize the risk of locking hasp in open position.

Visit www.masterlocksafety.com/new-products/ to learn more.

Circle 54 on card.

PRESIDENT & GROUP PUBLISHER | Kevin O’Grady972-687-6731 [email protected]

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The EVOTECH® and Workman® Arc Flash Full Body Harnesses from MSA are durable, lightweight and comfortable. With an ASTM F887 rating, these harnesses protect a worker during a fall after an arc fl ash exposure at 40 cal/ cm. Both meet revised OSHA 1910.

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Circle 56 on card.

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OH&S CLASSIFIEDS


Circle 53 on card.

PRODUCT LITERATURE WWW.OHSONLINE.COM/MCV/PRODUCTS

TRAIN THE TRAINERThe Scaffold Training Institute provides “Train The Trainer” programs and on-site training anywhere in the world. Training ma-terials include 340-page manuals, DVDs, a Powerpoint presentation, videos, and Interactive Computer Based Training on CD-ROM. Cours-es ranging from 8 hours to 40 hours in length are available. Visit or call 1-800-428-0162 for details. www.scaffoldtraining.com

Circle 51 on card. Circle 52 on card.

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Circle 50 on card.

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ADVERTISER INDEXFREE PRODUCT INFOQuick, Easy and Direct...get the info you need NOW!

Go online to ohsonline.com/productinfo to request free information from advertisers in this issue. Search by category or by company.


CIRCLE # ADVERTISER PAGE # CIRCLE # ADVERTISER PAGE # CIRCLE # COMPANY PAGE #

3 Aerionics Inc. 11

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28 Cintas Corporation 19

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13 Dickies FR 33

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33 e-Hazard Management, LLC 50

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30 Encon Safety Products 13

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25 Gensuite LLC 24

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5 GlenGuard FR 41

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19 Honeywell Safety Products 60

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14 J.J. Keller & Associates 49

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2 Magid 25

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6 Master Lock 23

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15 MCR Safety 2

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7 Moldex-Metric, Inc. 9

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31 Mount Vernon FR 31

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29 MSA 43

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10 OH&S Online 51

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11 OH&S Online 53

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34 Omaha Steaks 45

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1 Physio-Control 27

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8 Protective Industrial Products 59

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9 Rigid Lifelines 21

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SafeStart 1

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21 SafeStart 5

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24 Scott Safety 29

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12 Springfi eld LLC 39

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26 Superior Glove 35

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20 TenCate 3

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4 3M 17

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32 Tingley Rubber Corp. 32

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17 Wolverine 37

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18 Workrite U niform 7

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Product Spotlights

54 Master Lock 55

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56 MSA 55

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55 Tingley Rubber Corp. 55

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Product Literature

51 Scaffold Training Institute 56

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Classifi eds

52 Rutgers School of Public Health 56

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50 Specialized Safety Products 56

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53 VAC-U-MAX 56

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New Products

318 Advance Lifts Inc. 53

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311 Bradley Corporation 52


301 CarbonX 48


305 City Technology 48


302 E Instruments 48








314 Ergotech 52


307 Handheld 50


310 Metlon Corporation 52


308 New Pig 50


303 Patlite 48


309 Rite-Hite 50


312 Rite-Hite 52


304 Shieldmark 48


300 Testo 48


306 UL Workplace Health & Safety 50


317 U.S. Safety 53


0115ohs_057_AdIndex_v1.indd 57 12/10/14 11:04 AM

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http://www.cintas.com

http://www.dickies.com/FR

http://www.e-hazard.com

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http://www.HoneywellSafety.com/NorthForce

http://www.jjkeller.com

http://www.magidglove.com/GPD800

http://www.masterlock.com

http://www.mcrsafety.com

http://www.moldex.com

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http://www.MSAsafety.com/ArcFlash



http://www.omahasteaks.com

http://www.physio-control.com

http://www.pipusa.com

http://www.rigidstore.co/ohslaunch

http://www.safestart.com

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http://www.springfieldllc.com

http://www.superiorglove.com

http://www.tencateprotectivefabrics.com

http://www.3m.com/EARfi

http://www.tingleyrubber.com

http://www.wolverine.com

http://www.workrite.com

http://www.masterlocksafety.com/new-products/

http://www.MSAsafety.com/arcflash

http://www.tingleyrubber.com

http://www.scaffoldtraining.com

http://ophp.sph.rutgers.edu

http://www.specializedsafetyproducts.com

http://www.vac-u-max.com

http://www.ohsonline.com/productinfo




















BREAKTHROUGH STRATEGIESB Y R O B E R T P A T E R


E ver wonder why changing culture seems so diffi cult for so many? To the extent that, likely out of frustration, some decree that it’s either a very long-term proposition at best or just plain impossible to do, like trying to get a leopard

to change its spots. But because companies are comprised of people who change in makeup and mindset through the years, major cul-tural repairs are attainable when approached the right way.

In fact, I’ve seen critical cultural elements recast within a rela-tively short time. For example, one manufacturing company with multiple adamant bargaining units shift ed from having signifi cant longstanding distrust/enmity among co-workers and toward man-agement to a climate of most working cooperatively toward Safety and other objectives. Perhaps being stymied at culture-shift ing re-fl ects the method of approach. When there’s signifi cant resistance, it’s not enough just to try to get people to be diff erent, see things in a new light, or just “forget about” or “let go of” previously per-ceived unfair or unconcerned practices, slights, or injustices. Rath-er, understand these change-impervious blockages may be cultural adhesions that have to be actively worked out of the system—that the best strategy is to help the organization unearth and dissipate blockages that keep it mired in the past, hampering it from moving toward a higher level of functioning.

Benjamin Geiger is a licensed massage therapist who special-izes in helping his clients release and overcome physical blockages. His view is that past trauma, oft en from previous physical injury, can remain locked in the body and then hamper eff ective function-ing. For example, I have soft -tissue damage from the many thou-sands of falls I took when practicing jujitsu for more than 20 years. Th ough I never got hurt from any one fall, the cumulative damage from pounding onto mats and stiff er surfaces still lingers.

But Benjamin, among many healing professionals, also believes such blockages can stem from traumatic emotional events—or even from longstanding patterns of self-protection from high-pres-sure environments. Consider that excessive torso tension in many people blocks deep breathing, making it hard to fully oxygenate and expel excess carbon dioxide. Many therapists say tight-chest-edness can result from reactions to negative past events; they hold their breath to restrict experiencing distress or anxiety. But breath-ing deeply and fully is important to leading an energized, relaxed, and high-level healthy life. According to renowned Osteopathic Physician Joseph Mercola, there are numerous “clinical studies into the health benefi ts of optimal breathing. One such study, which spanned a 30-year period, concluded that the most signifi cant factor in your health and longevity is how well you breathe.”

Organizations also can develop emotional scars that impede higher-level Safety and health. I recall two smart, concerned work-ers in a global energy company having a heated discussion about a supervisor’s (who was then untrained) throwing fuel on the fi re of a forklift accident. It seemed this person inappropriately attempted to remonstrate the injured worker who was lying trapped, bleed-ing, and in shock. Aft er asking when this incident occurred, I was

told “six years ago.” Yet these two workers were as angry as if it had occurred just the previous day! Signifi cant past events can embed lasting, negative memories and reactions that adversely impact present trust, receptivity, and performance.

Four steps to consider:1. Identify organizational adhesions. Where are nagging sore

spots or ongoing areas of dissatisfaction? Wounds that just don’t seem to heal? What do workers or managers continually grumble about? Oft en these are so longstanding and prevalent that no one wants to talk about them; they’re ignored and go below the surface as everyone thinks, “Th is is the way it is here and nothing will ever change.” But high-level leaders know change is possible, so they surface what’s really getting in the way of cultural change. Th ey look for patterns of too-low performance to spot default/“knee-jerk” reactions that are stuck long term.

2. Target blockages rather than pushing new actions. Where old and dysfunctional ways/habits/defaults dominate, the leader’s best strat-egy is to reduce these adhesions, rather than just come up with new things others should be doing. Th e key is limiting change focus to one or two problems that are most readily modifi ed, such as reactions to executives who no longer are employed or previous work methods that are now diff erent. Remember that emotional reactions don’t nec-essarily make logical sense, yet can still trigger responses. See my June 2011 column on decreasing change blockages, “Leadership: Letting Forces Be With You,” http://www.tinyurl.com/PaterForces

3. Release through repetition—carefully. Understandably, long memories can especially be in play with a long-term/older work-force. Here, the key is providing opportunities for workers to ex-press their dissatisfaction aft er the right framing. When there’s adequate time to discuss, let them know you’re committed to improvements, that you’ll do your best to work on these but can’t guarantee immediate improvements—nor do you have to power to change everything. Specifi cally focus on one blockage at a time in a no-blame atmosphere, rather than trying to open up a laundry list of complaints. Continue to remind that the focus is on improving, not blaming or complaining. Do your utmost to stay calm without defensiveness. Th ink of this as “unraveling” rather than “breaking” past adhesions. No question this might not be not easy or comfort-able; consider getting help from someone with skills and successful experience in this.

4. Replace rather than remonstrate. Continue to remind people that the way things currently are is not the way they were: “Th at was then, and this is now.” “Ms. Johnson is no longer heading this division, and we now have a very diff erent approach.” “I under-stand, and times have changed.”

Want to renew culture and get past stuck same-old patterns? Oft en the best way is through releasing longstanding negative men-tal adhesions.

Robert Pater is managing director and founder of Strategic Safety Associates/MoveSMART®. www.movesmart.com

Elevate Culture by Releasing Adhesions

0115ohs_058_pater_v2.indd 58 12/10/14 11:04 AM

http://www.tinyurl.com/PaterForces

http://www.movesmart.com


WHEN THE WINTER MONTHS RIP COLD WINDS AND ELEMENTS ONTO THE JOB SITE YOU NEED A JACKET THAT WILL STOP NATURE IN ITS TRACKS.

PIP’s ANSI Class 3 Rip Stop Premium Plus Bomber Jacket is up to the task.

Designed with a ripstop pattern and coated waterproof outer shell making it resistant to tearing and ripping. Add a removable fleece liner, water tight D-Ring access and multiple internal and external pockets to make it the perfect jacket for any job site.

Tough – Waterproof – Multi-seasonal Use – Only from PIP

CALL (800) 262-5755 TO RIP THROUGH WINTER.

OUR RIP STOP DIFFERENCEReinforcement threads are interwoven at regular intervals in a crosshatch pattern making it resistant to tearing and ripping.

BE SEEN. BE SAFE.

STAYWARM.

RIPSTOP PREMIUM PLUS BOMBER JACKET

333-1770 ORHi-Vis Orange

333-1770 LYHi-Vis Lime Yellow

RIP THROUGH WINTER:PIP OFFERS YOU THE NUMBER ONE BOMBER JACKET ON THE MARKET TODAY

BRINGING THE BEST OF THE WORLD TO YOU®

www.pipusa.com

PROTECTIVE INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTS, INC.

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SCAN THIS CODETO SEE THE333-1770IN ACTION

INTERIOR LAYER

WATERPROOF COATING

RIPSTOP SHELL

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Safety.Backed by Force.Introducing the North Force,TM

Slick surfaces are a serious challenge since they can cause slips that result in major head injuries. Developed in partnership with oil and gas industry leaders, the revolutionary North Force hard hat features an innovative shell design for 24% more coverage to the back of the head, while its customizable suspension system allows for a truly comfortable, secure fi t. When it comes to protecting your crew in extreme environments, you can count on the North Force to have your back.

24% more back-of-head coverage

Absorbs force to minimize injury

Lightweight shell withstands extremetemperatures

Five adjustment pointsfor customized comfort

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