MAU Safety Corner

MAU Workforce Solutions Congratulates Derrick Watts, Winner of January’s Safety Quiz!

Rob Loose — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 19:41:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions congratulates Derrick Watts, winner of January's Safety Quiz. He has worked for MAU for more than one year, and enjoys traveling in his free time.

MAU Workforce Solutions employees interested in participating in this month's safety quiz, may click here: http://ow.ly/92Pvw

Congratulations, Derrick!

Safety News Update: Safety – NOT Lost in Translation

Rob Loose — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:11:00 GMT

It was just after mid-morning break and leadership representatives from CB Radios-R- Us were beginning to assemble for the weekly safety round-up meeting. On this day, a handful of new employees were experiencing for the first time the unique style in which CB Radios-R- Us conducts all meetings. Let’s listen in:

Hank, Plant Manager at CB Radios-R- Us sits at the end of the long conference table and leans into his microphone to begin the meeting. Many of the attendees are not yet seated and ready for the meeting.

“Good morning all! Let’s begin our meeting. I have a 10-44 that is urgent. Does everyone in here got your ears on?”

A resounding “10-4 Mr. Hank!” echoes through the room as folks take their seats.

“Let’s try to behave ourselves today. We’ve got a 10-12 situation and we want to make a good impression. Gene, give us a 10-36!” commands Hank.

“9:05 am, sir,” hollers Gene from the back of the room.

“9:05…we’re five minutes late!” Hank disappointedly shakes his head, giving a scolding look toward his audience.

“I’m sorry, sir! We had a 10-43 at the break room this morning that prevented many of us getting to the meeting on time. We’re ready now for the 10-65,” announces Jose in a respectful but not so apologetic tone.

“Okay, okay…let’s get started. Close the door Gene. We may cover some 10-35 and we don’t want any 10-77 to result from misdirected 10-5.” Hank pauses for a moment as Gene closes the door with a loud thud.

A moment later, April quickly jumps up from her chair and makes a B-line for the door. “Sorry Mr. Hank an emergency 10-100 came over me and I got to go!”

The three new employees in the meeting give bewildered looks toward each other and wonder how they were going to understand anything at this meeting.

New employees at CB Radios-R-Us may not get the safety message because they are unfamiliar with 10 codes; hence, not translate the meaning. Can good safety communication be smothered by creativity? It’s possible! Management-to-employee safety communication is critical, especially for establishing culture. Many companies with whom I work have a high-level safety commitment. The challenge I see is harvesting that high-level commitment to the ranks below the management team. This management-to-employee message is where safety gets lost in translation!

For those of you that enrolled in a communications class in the past, you may remember a communications model that looks like this:

In this communications model, a sender (in this case, management) encodes a safety message. Next, the receiver (let’s say the employees) decodes the message as he or she receives it. At this point, a response is generated and feedback is hopefully received, affirming the message delivered its defined purpose. All the while, noise threatens the intended message in various ways.

To apply this model, the safety message management sends arrives at its target exactly accurately and feedback is received, affirming the success of the communication. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always work out this way. For example, did you know that studies have shown that fewer than 25% of employees that identify safety concerns actually speak up about them? To confirm, management has made it clear that everyone that sees a hazard is supposed to speak up. Why this outcome? Could it be a fear of retaliation, not wanting to make waves or not being heard -- possibly all of the above? It’s hard to know. The bottom line is 75% of people choose not to call out hazards! Mysteriously, accountability for carrying out the point of the communication gets lost in the message to report hazards.

The internet may not be large enough to list all of the reasons why a message does not produce a desired effect. In a June 2010 issue of Professional Safety magazine, Pamela Ferrante outlines some “pitfalls in message delivery” in her article titled “Risk & Crisis Communications.” According to Ferrante, the safety message may not produce a desired outcome because the message itself is too abstract and/or it contains rambling or examples and visual aids that are confusing or ineffective. She goes on to suggest some pitfalls that could threaten the trust the receiver has in the source like the message attacks the audience, blaming, trying to be too funny, the message contains unachievable promises and negative language.

In a meeting I attended recently, a high-level manager proceeded to blame his audience. As he did so, I witnessed his safety message fall flat on the floor as those in attendance began to pay more attention to their own defensive thoughts that, at the point of blame, blocked the manager’s safety message. That manager’s message became lost in translation. Unfortunately for that manager, the trust he possessed at the beginning of the meeting was lost after the choice of his blaming words he employed for his message. I love this quote that emphasizes the importance of our language: “Language is the dress of thought. Every time you talk, your mind is on parade.” (Anonymous) In this manager’s case, his language “dressed” his thought in an adversarial way alienating his audience and misdirecting his safety message entirely.

Every day, managers communicate powerfully and send clear messages about safety. When management’s message is received by trusting employees who then -in turn - magnify the point of the message and hold each other accountable, feedback is received and safety is achieved. Another name for this phenomenon is peer accountability. Matt Forck, author of Tailgate 101: Proven Stories to Begin Each Job Strong and Finish Safe, also calls this type of feedback “peer-to-peer accountability.” Peer-to-peer accountability works like this: Take the previously-mentioned example about speaking up about hazards. A manager tells her employees that it is everyone’s responsibility to point out hazards when they see them and encourages them to report hazards using their incident reporting process. Those same employees engage each other restating the objective and hold each other accountable to make it happen. After the meeting, two employees step over a trip hazard on their walk back to their work area. They stop, turn back and coordinate who will speak up about the hazard. Mission accomplished!

In his article in the December 2011 issue of Professional Safety, Mr. Forock suggests a four step model for peer-to-peer accountability:

Turn peer-to-peer feedback into a skill set that is defined and even proceduralized. Why not? We write procedures for most everything else! A well-written procedure breaks down the process into easy-to-follow steps benefiting those that are natural communicators as well as those that have difficulty.
Encourage peer-to-peer feedback and practice it constantly in your organization. Replace sit-and-listen meetings with meetings that contain peer-to-peer exchange opportunities.
Redefine the supervisor’s role with safety to include the responsibility of patterning peer-to-peer feedback. That supervisor will now look for evidence that peer-to-peer feedback is occurring and working as intended. As the supervisor listens to these exchanges he will verify the correctness of the message.
Finally, monitor the process for effectiveness, embrace it and let it spill over to the entire organization.

The point of implementing peer-to-peer accountability is to foster feedback that has a side benefit of support at lower organizational levels. This sort of feedback requires trust and unifies an organization top to bottom to a common goal of safety. If a communications model like peer-to-peer accountability is embraced and built upon a foundation of trust, there is a greater chance safety messages originating from a source and directed at a receiver will result in intended changed behavior, hence, creating safety. You will receive a resounding 10-39 and rest assured you achieved a 10-4! (Translated: 10-39 = message received and 10-4 = understood).

Safety communication must not get lost in translation. If a clear message of safety is sent and saves a life, then it’s worth the extra effort ensuring “noise” doesn’t threaten your point. Let us resolve to improve how we communicate the message of safety today!

Pamela Ferrante, Risk & Crisis Communication Essential Skills for today’s SH&E Professional, Professional Safety Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers, June 2010, pages 38 – 45, print
Matt Forck, Leading in Accountability – A New Model for Safety Success, Professional Safety Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers, December 2011, pages 50 – 51, print

Image: http://ow.ly/8PCGT

MAU Workforce Solutions Congratulates Patty Hess, Winner of December's Safety Quiz

Stephanie Hutchings — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:56:00 GMT

Congratulations to Patty Hess, winner of December’s Safety Quiz. Patty has been with MAU for nine months, and enjoys cooking in her free time. Congratulations, Patty!

MAU Workforce Solutions Congratulates Erica Barksdale, Winner of October’s Safety Quiz!

Rob Loose — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:04:00 GMT

Congratulations to Erica Barksdale, winner of October’s Safety Quiz!

She has been a part of MAU Workforce Solutions for four months. Barksdale enjoys being a mom to her two daughters, and reads novels and non-fiction books in her free time.

You may enter November’s Safety Quiz by clicking the “MAU Associates Safety Quiz” button on the left hand side of this page, or by clicking HERE.

Enjoy the $100.00 Gift Card, Erica!

MAU Workforce Solutions Has Earned a Pacesetter Award from Raffles

Rob Loose — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:51:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions, a staffing and recruiting firm based in Augusta, GA is proud to have earned the Pacesetter Award from Raffles!

According to Raffles Risk Management Newsletter, the Pacesetter Award is designed to recognize its captive member companies that go above and beyond when it comes to safety and create new strategies and programs that help achieve greater risk management performance.

What strategy did MAU Workforce Solutions create that is enhancing its safety performance?

MAU Workforce Solutions recently created a Safety Board of Advisors made up of eight proven safety professionals chosen from among its clients. These individuals were specially chosen due to their talent and expertise within the Safety industry and are helping to ensure MAU’s loss control strategy is benefiting its customers including: applicants, clients and employees.

MAU’s Board of Safety Advisors plans to meet twice per year with the intent of providing safety leadership strategy coaching and ensuring MAU’s risk management programs reduce the risk of on-the-job injuries for its employees.

MAU management gladly accepts the counsel from our board knowing that additional accountability will drive our commitment to keep our employees safe to higher levels of success. Additionally, our board members come from some of our larger clients; therefore, our safety programs contribute to their success as well.

MAU Workforce Solutions is honored to have received the Pacesetter Award. We are also excited about the opportunity to be included amongst those so highly regarded among our captive that comprises more than 280 member organizations in manufacturing, construction and transportation.

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

Safety Professional with Manufacturing, HR and Health Care management experience, Rob has worked for MAU since 2006 supporting both HR and operations functions. A 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, Rob now calls North Augusta, SC home where he lives with his wife, two kids and dog. He is proud to work for a company that values the health and safety of clients and employees alike.

Football & Basketball Coach, Okay but Safety Coach?

Rob Loose — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 18:27:00 GMT

My father is a dyed-in-the-wool football coach. My sister coaches a gymnastics team, and my brother is a swimming coach. In fact, he even coached me for several years! It’s safe to say that coaching and athletics runs in my family. At an early age, my dad advised me to choose a sport and warned me that, if I did not focus on one sport, I risked becoming a “jack-of-all-trades/expert-at-nothing.” He often explained in his best coaching fashion, “you have potential to earn an athletic scholarship.” Thankfully, I followed his advise, chose one sport and eventually earned an NCAA scholarship, thanks in part to my brother’s coaching and Dad’s pushing. Having grown up in the thick of coaching and reaping rewards from its tutelage, it should be no surprise that I fully believe in the idea of coaches – but not just for adolescent and/or athletic experiences. Coaching translates to safety as well.

An article in the New Yorker Magazine titled Coaching a Surgeon: What Makes Top Performers Better? Dr. Atul Gawande, asserts that coaching can play a valuable role in a variety of life’s stages and environments. He tells of his experience working as a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital inBoston,MA. Though very accomplished, he sought out the help of a former medical school instructor for coaching. Ironically, this doctor was already at the top of his game and teaching surgery atHarvardMedicalSchool. He thinks he needs a coach? Exactly! He explains that world-class tennis players, golfers and other athletes and performers rely on coaches to help them continue to improve, why not surgeons? Coaching is applicable in disciplines even outside the athletic world. Further, coaching is a method for continuous improvement, and we all have the capacity to improve in any endeavor in which we dedicate ourselves.

To become proficient in a sport, occupation or pastime one must acquire aptitude and faculty. Dr. Gawande describes this continuous-improvement process as moving from (“Unconscious Incompetence”) or not knowing the barrier preventing improved performance, to a state in which the barrier impeding improvement is identified (“Conscious Incompetence”) and then eliminated (“Conscious Competence”). At this point, improved performance is achieved – at least for the moment. However, to become elite and experience a longer-term successful state, those acquired abilities must be put to practice and turned into habit. The new aptitude must become habitual (“Unconscious Competence”). According to Dr. Gawande, a coach is the essential stimulus for experiencing improvement and creating habits because he/she adds an outside perspective whereby flaws in performance unknown previously are corrected, eliminated and the improved skill is practiced and eventually becomes habit.

How does an organization go from unconscious safety incompetence to unconscious safety competence? With proper coaching of course! Before I describe safety coaching approaches consider this scenario in a factory I visited this past year. On this particular tour, my guide and I came across a roped-off area of the production floor where two workers were in a crane doing overhead work. We looked for a path around the guarded area and an employee of this organization tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You can cross the rope and enter at your own risk.” He pointed to some people that were lifting up the rope and walking right under the bucket with the workers in it. Sensing my trepidation, my guide found an alternative route around the roped off area. This organization felt that an at-your-own-risk approach to safety management was acceptable; hence, subjecting exposure to risk in the factory to one’s own personal view point. Not good for reducing risk, in my opinion…This organization needed safety coaching!

So there are three types of safety coaching. The first and most common is supervisor coaching. In other words, a manager or trainer of some sort observes employees on the operations floor doing work. When that manager sees somebody inching toward being unsafe he/she stops that employee and coaches them how to do it safely. This approach is better than not doing any safety coaching at all but I believe is not enough. Commonplace supervisor safety coaching may foster improvement but here are two additional methods that cover a wider organizational area and can help achieve “Unconscious Safety Competence.” Safety Leadership Strategy Coaching (SLSC) and Peer Assessment Coaching (PAC). The first targets an organization’s management cultural approach to safety and the second targets an organization’s method for promoting employee involvement with safety.

Have you ever talked to a teenager with big dreams but no plans? Like that well-intentioned teenager, some organizations have lofty-safety-performance dreams but no plan or strategy to achieve them. “Our safety goal is to be world class” may be printed on a banner in the lobby of that organization but really there is not a substantial plan to achieve that world-class standard. Failure to have a plan or following a misguided plan is ultimately management’s responsibility. SLSC is an often-times humbling process where you invite knowledgeable and respected safety professionals from outside your organization to examine your safety philosophy, goals, plan, systems and tools -- the things that management creates to achieve safety in an organization. These trusted safety coaches identify possible shortfalls and opportunities for better alignment within your organization’s safety goals. To make this type of coaching work, you must be willing to fully expose your weaknesses and be prepared to address them. You may learn that amazing safety programs you implemented recently may not be so spectacular after all. Keep in mind, thorough coaching points out all potential flaws without regard for preserving ego that may impede improvement. SLSC works best if it sincerely challenges management’s commitment to safety improvement and leadership stands ready to adjust accordingly.

Truth be told, coaching from management or an outside consultant is often less impactful than peer-to-peer coaching, orPAC. To illustrate, consider this personal example with my nine-year-old son. I’ve been trying to teach him to throw a football for months now and his friend from next door got through to him in a couple of minutes. I’m happy he improved but where did I go wrong in my coaching? I didn’t! His friend captured his attention in a way that I don’t. Peer teaching and learning is often effective because of the social and team building aspect peers possess by virtue of the relationship dynamics inherent with peer relationships. This goes for children and adults alike. PAC is a non-intimidating method of providing coaching between peers that captures attention better than management often is able. Behavior-based observation is a popular peer coaching method that employs peers as safety coaches. It typically works like this: One employee observes another employee performing a task and evaluates the observed employee based upon a set of criteria and, afterwards, provides coaching based on identified risks observed. Sometimes it feels better to learn how you can improve from a friend working along side you rather than from a manager.

I believe there is a place for all three methods of safety coaching; however, you miss the mark if your organization utilizes only one or two of these methods. Employing all three will get you closer to unconscious safety competence or a culture where everyone is seamlessly guided by being safe. It’s true, coaches hold a warm place in my heart and I do have a fond appreciation for the role they play in society. I firmly believe that safety can be coached in an organization effectively leading to world class achievement. However, the safety coaching must not be delivered at a management to subordinate level only but also challenge the safety cultural focus of organizational leaders and empower the good people at the shop-floor level as safety coaches as well. Special thanks to the great coaches that have provided the example for us all. May we model our safety coaching after them and be safer because of it!

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

MAU Workforce Solutions Hosts OSHA 10 Hour General Industry Outreach Training Course December 6th-7th

Stephanie Hutchings — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 18:20:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions will be hosting an OSHA 10 Hour General Industry Outreach Training Course at the Marion Hatcher Center in Augusta, GA December 6th-7th.

The 10-hour program is ideal for supervisors with safety and health responsibilities, and for employee safety and health awareness. Students will be introduced to OSHA policies, procedures and standards as well as general industry safety and health principles covered in OSHA Act Part 1910. Special emphasis will be placed on areas most hazardous using OSHA standards as a guide.

Rob Loose, the Safety and Risk Manager at MAU says, “Upon successful completion of the program, participants will receive a General Industry Outreach training completion card but more importantly, will walk away with a better understanding of what OSHA expects of employers with regard to 29 CFR 1910.”

Deadline for registration is Thursday, December 1st. Minimum required class size is 15.

Frank Spinney, the course teacher and Safety and Training Team Leader for MAU says, “I’m proud to be able to present this training. Meeting the OSHA Standard is the first step in getting an organization where they need to be from a safety point of view. It’s the first step because the OSHA Standards are the minimum standards one should strive for in taking care of their employees.”

Spinney adds, “Meeting or exceeding the OSHA standards is the law and it’s a responsibility employers share to take care of the health and safety of employees. The fact that MAU is providing this training for its clients and other local businesses reveals the importance that our company places on the safety of its employees. We want to share our commitment to safety with those we serve.”

To view more details about the course and the topics covered, or to RSVP, please visit MAU's OSHA 10 Hour December Training Course Registration Page. You can also RSVP by emailing workforcesolutions@mau.com, or calling 706-823-2344.

Event Details:
What: OSHA 10 Hour General Industry Outreach Course
When: December 6th-7th, 2011
Where: The Marion Hatcher Center, 501 Greene St., Augusta, GA 30901
Price: $150
RSVP: Visit MAU's OSHA 10 Hour December Training Course Registration Page or call 706-823-2344

Upon successful completion of the course, participants will receive an OSHA general industry safety and health 10-hour course completion card from the Department of Labor.
Each course attendee will receive current OSHA 29 CFR 1910 Manual and snacks.

Course Topics:
1.    Introduction to OSHA: 2 hours
2.    Walking and Working Surfaces (includes fall protection): at least 1 hour
3.    Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, Fire Prevention Plans, and Fire Protection: at least 1 hour
4.    Electrical: at least 1 hour
5.    Personal Protective Equipment: at least 1 hour
6.    Hazard Communication: at least 1 hour
7.    Other additional topics may be covered. Will be determined by instructor and posted one month in advance of course.

Email workforcesolutions@mau.com or call 706-823-2344 with questions.

MAU Workforce Solutions provides business solutions that give our client partnerships a competitive edge through designed processes and our greatest asset – People – in the fields of Professional Recruiting, Commercial Staffing, Outsourcing Solutions, and Outplacement Services. MAU is a Minority-Owned Company, is based in Augusta, GA and has 10 locations throughout the U.S.: Augusta, GA, Lagrange, GA, Aiken, SC, Anderson, SC, Charleston, SC, Greenville, SC, Spartanburg, SC, Jacksonville, FL, Chattanooga, TN, and Chicago, IL.

MAU Workforce Solutions Introduces its Safety Board of Advisors

Rob Loose — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:07:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions, a staffing and recruiting firm based in Augusta, GA has recently launched its Safety Board of Advisors. These safety professionals are helping to ensure MAU’s safety programs are benefiting its customers including: applicants, clients and employees. MAU Workforce Solutions is excited about the opportunity to work with those so highly respected within the safety industry.

Board Members:

Rob Loose – MAU Workforce Solutions, Safety and Risk Manager
Linwood Brinson – MAU Workforce Solutions at Elanco, Project Manager
Mary Dunbar - Kimberly Clark, Loss Control Leader
Andrew Walker- BMW Manufacturing, Safety Manager
Kevin Cox - Milliken, Corporate Safety Manager
Randy Tindel - JW Aluminum, ES&H Manager
Brent Morris - Augusta National, Safety Manager
Chad Tippey - Bosch, Manager Health, Safety & Environmental
Ben Maxson - Alcoa Mt. Holley, Safety Manager

MAU Congratulates Daniel Wright, Winner of September's Safety Quiz!

Rob Loose — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 17:27:00 GMT

Congratulations to Daniel Wright, winner of September's Safety Quiz!

Wright has worked for MAU Workforce Solutions for the past two years. He also serves as a Military Police Officer with the National Guard. Wright is scheduled to deploy to Afghanistan in May, 2012.

To enter this month's safety quiz, please click the following link: http://ow.ly/6SBfY

Safety News Update: Safety Culture – No Small Thing

Rob Loose — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 18:20:00 GMT

“Get product out the door, and be safe, too!” ordered Sam, Operations Manager at YoYo Express, at the end of the pre-shift meeting. Justin Time and Vera Careful stood up from their chairs and marched directly to the production floor to start their day.

Outside of the conference room, the two forklift operators could see the yoyo machines were wide open, and production operators were scrambling to keep them going full-steam ahead. It was Justin and Vera’s job to feed the insatiable appetite of the yoyo machines with raw material like strings, wood and plastic -- the goods that eventually became a yoyo.

Running to his forklift, Justin jumped into his seat casting aside his seatbelt. The forklift jerked forward and knocked a trash can out of the way, barely missing a pedestrian before it crashed into a wall. In the warehouse, Justin screeched to a stop, his forks on their way into position to lift a pallet of yoyo string. Peeling out in reverse, Justin sped past two stop signs to the machine he supported. He turned the corner with a loud screech, and his pallet of string slid off the forks right past an electrical panel and slid perfectly into position. The machine operator high-fived Justin, and the rest of the operators on the machine cheered loudly, “ Just in time!!”

Across the hallway, Vera was stopped at an intersection waiting for some pedestrians to safely cross in front of her. She thought about an item on the forklift inspection sheet that she wanted to recheck later. Looking at her path ahead and checking to make sure her way was clear, she slowly advanced her forklift forward, beeping her horn and making sure she established eye contact with the quality engineer walking toward her. Finally making it to her machine, Vera noticed two machine operators disapprovingly shaking their heads and poking their fingers at their watches. Vera stopped the lift truck and lowered the forks and carefully placed her pallet of string into place and backed away slowly. Operations Manager, Sam, happened to be standing close by and sternly commanded Vera, “ Hurry up! We’ve got yoyo’s to get out the door!”

Feeling scolded, Vera carefully drove away wondering how in the world she was going to keep up with the yoyo machines and stay safe at the same time.

In this story Justin ignored his own safety and the safety of others to keep up with production demands and was rewarded with high fives and cheers. On the other hand, Vera was scolded for not keeping up. Ironically, she performed her job safely. The management of this fictitious yoyo plant had set up a system that focused mainly on production and ignored safety in action. In fact, being safe here was sometimes cause for punishment, especially if it cost production. Further, the culture in this operation encouraged safety in their pre-shift meeting with an order to be safe; however, the activities in the production floor did not comply. Yoyo Express practiced safety in word but not in deed. In other words, management was not truly committed and employees followed suit, not buying into a process for which there was no reward.

The culture of a company may be the most important characteristic that contributes to the success or failure of an organization. This precept continues to be reaffirmed to me through my daily interactions with various clients and perspective clients at MAU. Safety Scholars sometimes refer to the safety aspect of business culture as “safety leadership.” The primary components of safety leadership are management commitment and employee involvement. Mastering these two immensely important cultural components will rocket an organization to world-class levels of safety achievement and will positively benefit other business performance indicators.

Safety professionals, by virtue of their role, are tasked with the often-times, chaotic responsibility of convincing the folks working with them that company goals can be achieved without anyone getting hurt. Sound easy? Stay with me! This persuasive exercise involves getting management to embrace the responsibility of establishing safety as a value and not just a priority or flavor of the month. Additionally, management must adopt the notion that it is their responsibility to abolish danger from the workplace and not a task one delegates to the facility safety representative. On the flip side, a safety professional must also convince employees, including the hard-core skeptics, that their involvement in safety benefits all aspects of their employment experience.

The YoYo Express scenario presents a culture void of safety leadership, an environment framed by distrust of management, especially with regard to safety. This distrust is difficult to repair, as operators have spent years hearing the command to be safe but not encouraged or rewarded for doing so in their jobs. So what can be done to ensure management commitment and employee involvement in safety?

1. Make safety one of your core values and live it. Safety must shine through all you do in all facets of your business. More than talk, it must be action from the top of the organization all the way down.

2. Appoint the highest-ranking officer in the facility to lead the safety committee. This doesn’t mean that he/she walks away with all the action items; rather, he/she provides leadership, resources and sponsorship.

3. Involve all levels of the organization in the committee, and establish safety programs and tools that are engineered to root out and eliminate hazards. These hazard-eliminating programs should involve those pushing brooms all the way up to the person signing pay checks.

4. Leaders of the organization must practice what they preach about safety and prove that nothing is more important. No lip service here; leaders must add safety action to their encouraging words.

If these suggestions coming from a safety guy seem weighty and bold, take a moment to consider that high-achieving safety performance reciprocates success to other measured performance indicators like production, quality and employee relations to name a few. If the workplace is safe, people feel more secure in their jobs and, hence, are happier at work and become more focused on their tasks. As a result, the organization becomes more efficient, produces higher quality product and the benefit translates to stronger financial health which may lead to healthier margins and greater sales positioning and on and on and on… Doesn’t safety feel good all of the sudden!

If management commitment and employee involvement in the safety program lead to overall organizational wellbeing that permeates all levels of the business, safety culture can’t be ignored! Believe me, I understand the work involved in changing culture. But it’s worth it and once safety becomes a value in your organization, the return will be great! So again I say, “Safety culture is no small thing!”

For a more comprehensive conversation and further insight on safety leadership and culture I recommend the following three articles contained in Professional Safety Magazine, Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers.

Turnbeaugh, Treasa M. “Improving Business Outcomes.” Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers March 2010: page 41- 49. Print.
Grenny, Jeremy and David Maxfield. “Five Crucial Conversations that Drive Workplace Safety.” Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers August 2011: 24 – 26. Print.
Dunlap, E. Scott. “Safety Leadership Finding a Common Ground.” Journal of the American Society of Safety Engineers September 2011: 42 – 49. Print.

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

MAU Congratulates Norma Adkins, Winner of August's Safety Quiz!

Rob Loose — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 17:17:00 GMT

Congratulations to Norma Adkins, winner of August's Safety Quiz! Adkins has worked at one of MAU's Client Sites in Augusta, for more than four years. Thanks Norma for participating in our safety quiz, and your hard work on the job!

5 “S” Office Safety for Office Conflict

Rob Loose — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 19:44:00 GMT

If we have learned anything from lean manufacturing principles it is that being organized increases productivity. During the process of our day to day activity there are many opportunities for a loss of productivity due to the volatility of our most valuable asset People. Not only must we deal with people externally, we must also deal with them internally. During our combined 25 plus years of managing people, Anita and I have learned that we must take proactive steps when addressing conflict. These steps will prevent the vast amounts of downtime spent trying to get back to productivity. With-in BMW, they estimate costs as great as $1,000,000 per 30 second increment that their line is shut down. While we are unaware of our costs per branch in lost opportunity, I estimate that it is great enough for each branch to find a 5 “S” system to deal with these issues. So with out further ado, here they are:

1. Situational Awareness- It is vital that everyone have an ability to detect when a conversation could develop into office conflict. Many times this can be seen through body language and facial expression.

2.Stay Calm- Once you recognize that the person you are engaged in discussion with is becoming upset, it is vital that you be mindful of your tone and choice of words.

3. Seek to Understand- We must make an effort to understand why the other person is angry.

4. State the Issue- We must be certain that during our conversations that we list the facts and data and avoid emotion.

5. Stay Focused- We must be sure that we focus on the topics at hand and avoid veering off to areas that are unrelated.

Written By: Zach Brewster- Operations Manager, MAU Greenville Branch

Safety News Update: The Ambushed Office Worker

Rob Loose — Wed, 14 Sep 2011 16:04:00 GMT

Picture this: a lady in an office standing over a copy machine wearing welding goggles, a face shield, thick leather gloves and metatarsal work boots. Sound Silly? Those of you that work in a plant or on a construction site may be snickering at the thought of an air-conditioned office with cushy chairs and computers posing any sort of real threat to one’s safety. Like a rattlesnake that uses ambush tactics to catch its prey, office hazards sneakily wreak havoc on unsuspecting workers over time, waiting patiently for the right time to attack. These hazards pose a serious risk and deserve equal consideration that we often just give to the more-visible and apparent industrial-type hazards.

Believe it or not, sitting in an air-conditioned office at a comfortable work station for hours each day can cause major long-term health issues that result in a multitude of health problems. To the casual safety observer, a comfortable office work station would seem like the pinnacle of safe conditions. To uncover the hiding health risk that most everyone will identify with, think about your most recent high school class reunion. Have you observed the difference between your friends that landed desk jobs as opposed to those that did not? Sitting in front of a computer and talking on the phone all day is not the best way to stay fit. In fact, a sedentary job in an office can slowly lead to unwanted weight gain which, if unmanaged, may contribute to further negative health consequences like high blood pressure, joint problems and diabetes to name a few. These conditions often sneak up on unsuspecting office workers over a long period of time. I googled health risks tied to obesity and discovered far more problems than I care to repeat in this blog. Take my word for it; obesity is not a good thing.

To take control of this sneaky hazard, be sure to include exercise in your weekly routine, especially if you have a job that keeps you sitting in one spot at a desk. Additionally, take periodic breaks from the desk to stretch your legs and move around; this will also help you avoid other hidden dangers like blood clots.

Cumulative trauma is another tricky and crafty office hazard that sometimes masks itself with a cloak of convenience only to spring on you issues like carpel tunnel syndrome and chronic back and neck pain. These commonly reported cumulative problems typically arise suddenly after days, months and even years spent doing what you do at a workstation quietly going about your business. Make no mistake, these cumulative trauma problems use ambush tactics and, if left unaddressed, may lead to painful injuries that require surgery and tedious treatments to overcome.

What do you do to guard yourself from these sneaky hazards since a welding helmet won’t help at all? Did you have a mother like mine that constantly told you to sit up straight? (My own fault probably… I slouched a lot I’m sure.) Ergonomic experts recommend sitting up straight, feet flat on the floor, neck straight, elbows at a 90°-degree angle and wrists straight and resting on a pad. Does that sound like orders your mom would lovingly bark at you at the dinner table like it does me? If so, thank your mother! Good posture is so important to your well being in the future and great advice for office employees to follow to avoid all kinds of hidden cumulative trauma issues like chronic back and neck pain.

To fully grasp what is good posture for you at your workstation, I recommend a tool our friends at OSHA designed to evaluate proper workstation posture: “OSHA Ergonomic Solutions: Computer Workstations eTool - Evaluation Checklist.” Find it at www.osha.gov . Print out this tool and grab a coworker to first observe you at your workstation; then you do the same for him or her. Complete the checklist and discover what the ideal arrangement is for your phone, computer and mouse at your desk. After this helpful exercise, hopefully you will better understand your posture requirements and then you can hone in on how to adjust your chair, phone and computer keyboard to fit your specific needs.

These days most chairs, computer monitors and phones are designed with adjustable parts and come with various attachments to accommodate different sizes of people. Manufactures of these products realize the need to personalize their products to fit the mold of people of all sizes. The key to making these products right for you is knowing how to adjust the tools to your anatomy and ideal posture, hence, avoiding a cumulative trauma sneak attack. If you’re like me, you may still need to work on the posture problem despite all the fancy adjustments your workstation offers. Sorry, Mom! But, if that’s all you need and everything else is perfectly arranged, you have just reduced the likelihood of a cumulative trauma ambush. Congratulations! You’re now ready for action!

Okay, so all the plant and construction people reading this banter about office work may chuckle at the word “action.” In all seriousness, hopefully you’ve gained a greater appreciation for the risks office workers brave daily that inflict real damage just in a different, more subtle and sneaky way. More importantly, I hope readers of this blog are encouraged to be active and stay fit. Also, pay attention to poor posture habits. Give the OSHA workstation checklist a try, use good posture and, most of all; be alert for a hidden office ambush!

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

Safety News Update: Heat Stressing

Rob Loose — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 13:28:00 GMT

So how does a guy from the Northwest cope with the sweltering hot and shirt-soaking humid summers in the South? The answer is: he doesn’t! I sweat it out all summer long. In fact, my aversion to the South’s suffocating heat is so bad that beads of sweat appear on my forehead when I think about going outside in the summertime. Those of you not from the South should know it’s even shockingly hot outside at night! Okay, so maybe I’m a little too sensitive to the South’s intense humid heat but this son of the West Coast has never acclimated in my ten-plus years residing below the Mason Dixon Line. Southern summers drive me to heat stressing!

For you Northwesterners snickering at my plight, choke on this. Come winter, I may take up golfing and sip on a glass of lemonade to cool off after a brisk jog along the Savannah River. You can think of me while you stay dry inside your igloos sipping coffee, eating smoked salmon and listening to grunge music.

All ribbing aside, this heat causes lots of trouble for even the most adapted Southern ladies and gents. June, July and August is the time of year we hear heat-wave warnings on the news delivered as if Godzilla was “fix’n” to attack Tokyo. It’s serious business, and it really can’t be taken lightly. As opposed to my “heat stressing,” the actual physical condition known as “heat stress” is something we all should know about. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health warns that workers who are exposed to extreme heat or work in hot environments may be at risk for heat stress. NIOSH goes on to encourage employers to train employees to understand what heat stress is, how it affects health and safety and how to prevent it. The following definitions describe the ways heat stress manifests itself:

Heat Stroke: inability to control body temperature
Heat Exhaustion: fatigue caused by excessive bodily loss of salt and water
Heat Syncope: dizziness and fainting caused from lack of climate acclimatization
Heat Cramp: muscle cramping cause from depleted salt and moisture levels
Heat Rash: skin inflammation caused by excessive sweating

The Center for Disease Control prescribes very specific methods to treat heat stress which I recommend reviewing in case the need arises to react. However, preparing in advance to reduce exposure to heat stress is the preferred approach. The American Red Cross suggests the following preventative methods which I think deserve attention and focus from employers and employees alike.

Pay attention to weather updates including temperature, heat index and humidity changes.
Drink plenty of fluids even when you don’t feel thirsty and avoid caffeine and alcohol.
After you understand heat stress, look out for one another by assigning work to be done in groups.
Consider doing the heavy, labor-intensive work during cooler hours at night or in the morning.
Take more breaks and re-energize often.

This August as I tune up my lawn mower again and turn my longing gaze toward the Northwest, I’ll do so early in the morning with a water jug nearby and my Southern-babe wife looking on while listening to the local weather report. I’ll take a break after I complete the front lawn and before I mow the back. Hey, it’s almost September; I’ve almost made it through another sweltering Southern summer! Pretty soon my pals in Seattle are going to gaze southward as they slip on their Sorel boots and flannel shirts and venture out into the cold rain to the local coffee shop. My preparation to beat the heat paid off, and I survived my heat stressing again while avoiding heat stress! So I say, “On to the beautiful Southern Fall weather!” I wonder if they have cold stressing up north?? Wouldn’t know… I suppose that’s a topic for another time…

Y'all don’t be heat stressing now! Take control of heat stress risk, follow the Red Cross’ advice, and most of all . . . stay Southern cool.

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

MAU Workforce Solutions Announces New Safety Training Offerings

Rob Loose — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 12:59:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions, a staffing and recruiting firm in Augusta, GA has launched a bold initiative to help our clients meet the challenge of medical and safety emergencies in the workplace.

MAU Workforce Solutions is one of the industry’s strongest advocates for safety, health and emergency response. We are proud to offer our Clients the following services:

First Aid Training
CPR Training
Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Training
Blood Borne Pathogens Training
OSHA 10 Hour General Industry Outreach Training Course July 12th-13th, 2011

MAU, Inc. will provide ARC Certified Instructors for these courses. Here are some of the many advantages this service offering will provide for clients:

American Red Cross Certified Instructors and nationally recognized program
Certification is for 2 years, which includes free online digital refresher training
Guarantee that students will learn skills, shorter programs, that are more interactive, and focused on hands-on skills practice
Fixed training cost for the certification period
Training sessions can be scheduled to meet the clients business needs
ARC Database of training records and notifications for re-certifications
Blended learning with skills sessions or traditional classroom training options
ARC Customer Service
Consulting for emergency response issues

For more information about our safety offerings, visit: www.mau.com/safety or contact MAU Workforce Solutions’ Safety & Risk Manager, Rob Loose at 706-823-2377.

Safety News Update: Stay out of the Blame Zone

Rob Loose — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:45:00 GMT

Have you ever walked into an untidy room filled with kids and asked, “Who’s responsible for this mess?” If your experience was like mine, then you noticed many little fingers pointing in different directions followed by shouting and arguing. I call this the “Blame Zone.” In this instance, discovering who created the mess may be difficult to figure out. The Blame Zone is annoying with kids but when adults get stuck in a Blame Zone the finger pointing may become down right ugly! Have you ever wondered how OSHA determines who is responsible for a mess created by a workplace hazard when multiple employers are present?

When OSHA observes more than one organization present in a work environment, they apply their Multi-Employer Citation Policy to determine who receives the penalty for the deficiency. In some cases the host client receives the citation, and, in some cases, all parties involved may be cited. This policy helps OSHA Compliance Officers pin down accountability through a two-step process. Step one helps OSHA determine which employer creates, exposes, corrects and controls hazardous conditions in the workplace. Step two determines if the employer in question is fulfilling their duty as an “exposing employer,” for example. Why is this important? If you manage a business and contract out portions of the work to other organizations, you may still be held accountable for workplace hazards even though you assigned a contractor responsibility. Do you see a potential Blame Zone here?

To avoid adult finger pointing, shouting and arguing when OSHA walks through the door, it is important to establish up-front clear work expectations between the contracting and the contractor employers. Further, both sides need to thoroughly understand their respective roles as OSHA interprets them. More precisely speaking, the host and the guest should understand and agree to the following questions OSHA will consider when evaluating a violation in your workplace:

Who creates the working conditions?
Who is exposing the employees to the conditions?
Who is best suited to correct identified hazards?
Finally, who has general supervisory authority?

In some cases the host and the guest may share responsibility and both are subject to penalty. Keep in mind, this OSHA policy spills into other regulated factors like OSHA recording responsibility.

Here at MAU, we pay close attention to the role that we play in our clients’ businesses. Further, on top of regulatory accountability, workers compensation is possibly the most important risk-management concern that weighs heavy on our minds. Partnering with clients to establish rock-solid safety programs and controlling workers compensation claims amounts to a welcome competitive advantage. The value of a partnership that shares a commitment to risk management standards and includes processes designed to root out exposure like worksite risk assessments and behavior observations are golden to MAU. Additionally, partnerships that are guided by a coordinated risk management plan with clearly-defined roles more effectively respond to unexpected events like an accident or even a surprise visit from our friends at OSHA.

A few take-aways to consider…

One, sit down with your contractors and learn how they perceive their role in your workplace. Do they see themselves as an “exposing” or “correcting” employer, for example? Is their view the same as your view or consistent with your contract? Come to an agreement so you are both on the same page.

Two, do you and your contractor work together as a team to carry out a risk management plan? If not, develop an inclusive approach to involve them. If your contractor is less committed to safety than you, involving them in your program will send a strong message about your lofty risk management ideals and practices. On the flip side, you may also learn something new that will enhance your safety program.

At my house, my kids have the occasional play date where total cooperation and agreement are attained and joined by fun times and laughs, hence, closing the door on the blame zone. My conclusion from that is if kids can achieve “play date harmony” adults can definitely conceive risk management solidarity. Just a little camaraderie and upfront understanding of workplace roles are required. Keep the Blame Zone door closed and together, with your contractors, commit to doing what it takes to keep the workplace safe.

OSHA Multi-Employer Citation Policy

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

Safety News Update: It's Better to Be Safe than Sorry

Rob Loose — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:02:00 GMT

So, you’re starting a new job soon. Congratulations on the new opportunity! If you have been one of the many unemployed, you probably feel a sense of great relief. Maybe you also feel a little nervous. That’s understandable!

With a new job comes learning a different work culture, new procedures and work rules. Like many new employees, you want to start off on the right foot and showcase your unique attributes like dependability, intelligence, creativity and initiative. You definitely don’t want to send the wrong message to your new employer that may leave him or her with regrets for making the decision to hire you. Make sure all of your “good-working-employee” attributes are on full display for your new employer, but, more importantly, make sure they are used in a way that keeps you and your fellow employees safe.

I’m sure you’ve heard this saying before: “It’s better to be safe than sorry.” The meaning behind this often-used precept runs through the thoughts of most employers when they make a hiring decision. In fact, this cliché, safe-verses-sorry notion is at the heart of many of the hiring practices used to recruit, screen and onboard new employees. Let’s consider how you as a new employee can recognize and practice how to be safe rather than finding yourself being sorry in your new work environment.

A plant manager with which I worked closely in years past would meet with each new employee at his factory. I heard him say over and over to new employees that their duty was to be safe. “Don’t get hurt!” he would tell them. He told me once that he always worried about new employees because they often take risks more senior employees avoid. These risks might include lifting objects too heavy for one person to lift, attempting to operate machinery without receiving training first or attempting to do too much too quickly without allowing a period of adjustment for the physical demands of the new job. All of these behaviors may lead to a new employee injuring themselves on the job.

In my years working in manufacturing and in healthcare settings, I admit that I observed new machine operators taking control of machinery they may not adequately know how to use, new CNAs bustling from one room to the next in an effort to impress a charge nurse or a material handler deciding to push a pallet of product out of the way instead of using the pallet jack on the other side of the room to do the job. My friends, these actions are dangers that lead to being “sorry” rather than being “safe.”

Most employers search for talented employees that bring with them skills and knowledge necessary to be successful. Employers also realize their responsibility to train new employees to safely perform their jobs in a way that achieves the greatest productivity with the highest quality possible. Ensuring productivity and quality are key to making this new relationship work. It is understood that, despite all the careful recruiting that matches high-potential new employees to a need in the workplace, training, orientation and pacing is still necessary to fill the employer’s void with the goods a potential employee offers. An unplanned event that results in the new employee being injured deepens the void and creates “sorry.”

To remain “safe” and avoid “sorry,” new employees should remember when they showcase all of their good qualities for their new job to also infuse the following three safe behaviors.

(1) Practice what’s been proven! As you are introduced to the machinery and tools of your job, ask your new employer to train you how to operate the equipment their own proven way. Learn all you can about the best and safest way to use the tools provided to you in the workplace before you take control.

(2) Don’t do risky business! Avoid cutting corners or taking shortcuts that really amount to risky behaviors. If your aim is to impress your new boss, don’t think, for instance, that single-handedly moving a large object to clear a path for a forklift will accomplish the approval you may be seeking.

(3) Pace yourself in your new job! Chances are this new job is going to place unfamiliar or reintroduce new physical demands upon you. You may need to allow yourself a period of adjustment. In fact, you may experience soreness and fatigue. Like an athlete that is training for the big game, your body is training to perform for a new job. Pace yourself and allow for that adjustment period to ease you into the new job and avoid overexertion-type injuries.

If you’re an employer, encourage the concept of “safe” by taking into consideration the ambitions new employees may have. Help your new employees avoid “sorry” by developing thorough training plans for each job description that provides instruction on how to use machines, tools and equipment essential to the job. Additionally, allow a time for new employees to adjust to the physical demands of the new job.

Nobody likes being sorry! With a little bit of planning and coordination, being safe is achievable for us all. I’m confident that abiding by these three tips will help bring about “safe” and reduce the likelihood for “sorry.” Again, congratulations on the new job! I wish you and your employer all the success as you mutually benefit from this new working relationship.

About the Author, Rob Loose, MAU Safety Manager:

April 2011 Safety Initiative: Rape Defense Systems

Rob Loose — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:38:00 GMT

“Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.”

(Galations 6:2, New King James Version)

There are many verses in the Bible that refer to God’s expectation of his followers to provide such things as protection, support, and help to our fellow man. He asks that we bear each other’s burdens as our own and that to do so is to “fulfill the law of Christ.” This responsibility is not to be taken lightly in our personal lives, nor should it be in our professional lives.

At the Anderson branch of MAU, we decided to incorporate the two in our motivation for our April safety initiative and to approach the topic in its most literal and most extreme context. We feel that it is our obligation, as Christians first and Employers second, to safeguard the physical and mental well being of our associates.

Violence against women in the workplace is an issue that, until recent years, was not even acknowledged (much less documented) in any significant way. In many instances today, women are still hesitant to report it. However, those in the law enforcement community are well aware of the dangers that exist and the frequency with which these types of incidents occur. Women are often raped in obscure areas of the plants where they work, in the office, and in parking lots as they walk to and from the building.

After careful consideration, it was decided to offer RAD (Rape Aggression Defense) training to one of MAU’s clients, Milliken and Co. The Anderson Branch opened the proposed course to all of the Milliken contacts and associates. R.A.D is the only self defense program that is endorsed by the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators; it has over 7,000 instructors and has trained over 300,000 women since it began in 1989.

The certified instructors for this course were Captain Travis Tilson of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office and Amy Hagerman of the Oconee County Sheriff’s Office/MAU.

At the conclusion of the class, the associates who were willing did brief interviews about the experience. All stated that they felt more confident as a result of the training and were planning to share what they had learned with the other women in their lives. All will receive a certificate of completion and will be welcome to attend any R.A.D. class given anywhere in the country in order to practice the techniques without any cost to them.