MAU Safety Corner

Heat Stress: How to Beat it and Stay Cool this Summer!

Rob Loose — Thu, 15 May 2014 14:00:00 GMT

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 who are not from the South should know it is 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 fifteen-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 Pearl Jam.

All ribbing aside, this heat causes lots of trouble for even the most adapted Southern ladies and gents. Throughout June, July and August we hear heat-wave warnings on the news delivered as if Godzilla was “fixin” to attack Tokyo. It is serious business, and really cannot be taken lightly. As opposed to my “heat stressing,” the actual physical condition know as “heat stress” is something we all should know about. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) 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. Click here to read these beneficial tips. While it is important to know how to deal with heat stress, preparing in advance to reduce exposure to heat stress is the preferred approach. The American Red Crosssuggests 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 is 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 has 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.

Not Forgotten Tried and True Methods for Cultivating Workplace Safety

Rob Loose — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:17:00 GMT

In today’s modern world where creativity, ingenuity and pursuit of the “new” and “different” rule our psyche, do we hastily devalue classics? Are the Proven, Tried and True too often passed over for the unique “new thing” that nobody has thought of yet?

Recently, I enjoyed an uninterrupted father-and-son weekend with my eleven-year-old . What could be more classic than a father and son spending time together? When we decided to have a snack, I thought of an old recipe my dad used to prepare for me – chili and cheese over Frito chips. My son loved it! On that same weekend, I introduced my son to the board game Battleship. To top off our weekend, we listened to the entire album London Calling by the Clash – a proven classic for this unashamed Gen Xer. My son liked what he heard and even asked me to replay some of the songs several times. It was “cool” for me to introduce some of my favorite classic foods, entertainment and music to my son. In fact, my old favorites became my son’s delightful new discoveries that worked for him!

My son liked my classics but it is apparent that he is a modern kid driven to explore the “new” like social media and advanced computer games, to name a few. Like my son, the safety world also relentlessly pursues the new, innovative and out-of-the-box methods to keep people safe. Today’s new methods for safety like BBS too quickly become yesterday’s fad only to be replaced by the next “new” thing. When it comes to workplace safety, there are some classic methods and techniques that continue to successfully cultivate safety in the workplace today. Are you ready for some retro safety methods?

Toolbox safety meetings are a classic - old reliable - forum for communicating and setting a tone for safety still used today by some organizations I visit. These short meetings held typically at the beginning of a shift are probably named so because originators gathered around a toolbox to discuss previous shift’s safety reports, shared tips for safe behavior and even incorporated stretching and warm-up exercises into their before-work pow wows. I have had the privilege of participating in many of these useful meetings over the years and love to see them still organized today. Occasionally I have even observed participants of these short meetings trade responsibility between team members conduct the meeting. Toolbox safety meetings, when performed well, create team unity and heighten awareness of everyone’s responsibility to keep one another safe.

Another tried-and-true method for promoting workplace safety that seems to always go a long way rewarding the extraordinary is mentioning high achievers in a newsletter. Sound simple? It is. This sort of acknowledgment amounts to a thoughtful gesture of thanks and appreciation spoken to in front of peers acknowledging the achievement of a few. I’ll wager most will agree the phrase “thank you” is always nice to hear. But seeing your name mentioned in a written communication directed to those with whom you work explaining the good job you did creating safety takes the message of “thanks” to a new level. The power of this sort of written recognition implants an appreciative memory most don’t forget and encourages future safe behavior from the recipient. Additionally, the message also wets the appetite of those eavesdropping on the communication for the same sort of recognition. Newsletter recognition is easy to create and goes a long way toward rewarding and encouraging workplace safety.

Have you heard of MBWA? My old boss Walt taught me many acronyms in my time working at Kimberly Clark but one acronym I observed him practice with persistent regularity is MBWA (Managing by Walking Around). If you’ve heard me talk about Walt before, you know that this great plant manager lived safety! Daily, Walt would venture into the manufacturing area and engage employees, train them and, in so doing, encourage safe workplace behavior. Walt’s management style personified effective safety leadership in its highest form and MBWA was his tool for encouraging safety on a grassroots level. Seeing Walt MBWA inspired me and his example has stuck with me and countless others with whom he interacted at Kimberly Clark. This beloved manager pulled off many effective boilerplate management tactics, including MBWA, that I’ll venture to say many managers that knew him attempt to emulate today. When your manger engages you in the workplace with a message of safety, that powerful message sinks in permanently. MBWA performed with safety in mind works every time!

I’m looking forward to future weekends with my son where I can teach him some of the other classics I have hidden up my sleeve. It’s my hope he’ll learn to balance appreciation of the classics that have established the boilerplate for future generations and, at the same time, never dull his appetite for discovering the “new.” As for workplace safety, I’m grateful for my mentors that revealed proven classics like promoting safety through toolbox meetings, newsletter recognition and Walt’s application of MBWA. Generations are safer because of these reliable safety-creating tactics that continue to eliminate workplace danger today. Let us learn and apply what worked from the past and not forget to use these classic, reliable tools going into the future.

Till next time live safety!

The Journey of Safety Continuous Improvement through Analytics

Rob Loose — Tue, 01 Oct 2013 12:48:00 GMT

A good friend of mine, a safety professional, often tells me that his effectiveness as an ESH professional at his organization is coming to an end. You see, the company he serves has seen a fantastic improvement and they are nearing a zero-injury state. In my friend’s mind, his usefulness to the business for which he works is extinguishing as they approach achieving sustaining zero injuries. My friend envisions himself as a craftsman skilled in the art of safety culture repair, a journeyman gifted in rehabilitating organizations that suffer from unbridled risk acceptance and careless safety practices. He repairs these problems and once they are fixed, in his mind, his job is complete – time to move on!

My friend is not alone in this fix-it, self-interpretation. Through the years, I have crossed paths with many ESH Professionals that operate under this same save-the-day-and-move-on, task-completion mindset. Admittedly, I also am a task-oriented fellow that thrives on finishing a job. I gain much satisfaction crossing the finish line; however, I also wholeheartedly embrace the notion that there is always room for improvement.

My friends, the journey for safety improvement never ends. There is always a way to better protect the people, assets and wellbeing of the organizations we serve. We accept the idea of continuous improvement when we talk about production, quality, distribution and other business categories. So why not accept the idea of continuous safety improvement? I often hear organizations boldly declare, “Zero injuries are our goal!” When I hear this, I often wonder if finality is really achieved with zero injuries. I worry more if an organization loses focus and relaxes effort because they feel they’ve arrived at their zero-injury destination. I say there’s much more to accomplish beyond zero injuries and continuous improvement is still possible. Truth be told, yesterday’s safety enclosure that is surrounded by a wall built with zero injuries hides far more interesting and exciting risk avoidance and business-protecting possibilities like forecasting, statistical analysis and predictive modeling that comprise a vast, unending landscape known as safety analytics. It’s high time we look past that zero-injury wall, embrace the idea of safety continuous improvement and allow safety analytics to guide us on our journey.

Safety analytics – are we there yet? Analytics is actually not a new concept. In fact, it’s been around for years. Researchers, engineers and scientists engage in analytics through their work which often involves thoroughly examining mountains of data. In the safety realm, collecting data is not an unfamiliar practice either. However, safety analytics is relatively new. If your organization is like many I encounter, I’m sure you are familiar with safety inspections, near miss/hits, first aid and injury reports. You may be involved in behavior observations, Industrial hygiene monitoring, measuring employee participation and satisfaction, security reports, the weather and much, much more. All this data is material that can be applied in an analytical way. But what benefit do we gain from applying analytics to the data we already collect?

With normal data collection (incident reports, injury/illness rates & near misses) and simple analysis (charting and graphing) you begin to answer the question, “what happened?” When data is examined analytically with statistical analysis, forecasting and predictive modeling you begin to ponder deeper questions like: Why is this happening? Are there trends linking antecedents to outcomes? and What is going to happen? The aforementioned three questions are a roadmap guiding practitioners to realms where trends in data create a roadmap leading to wiser risk evaluation and decision making. What happened – or the “lagging indicators” only offer a one dimensional snapshot in time that tells where you’ve been – not as useful as the roadmap!

Recently a group of safety practitioners at a large manufacturing facility gathered together to examine some disturbing data. At that meeting, it was reported that at an intersection where pedestrians and mobile equipment cross paths that plant rules were being violated. Observations at that plant revealed lift truck operators were ignoring stop signs and not using their horns when maneuvering through the intersection. Additionally, pedestrians ignored stop signs as well. The potential danger was obvious to all in the room. One person in attendance began calculating how many times forklifts cross that intersection which amounted to thousands of times a week. Likewise, he figured thousands of people crossed that intersection each week. The probability of a forklift hitting a pedestrian was very high and the severity of the potential injury was devastating. All in attendance agreed that this issue must be dealt with immediately.

Despite the obvious dangerous scenario and solidarity that these observations highlighted a potentially fatal injury, one person in attendance asked an unpopular question that caught everyone off guard. He asked, “How many times in our history have people been hurt because forklift operators failed to stop and sound their horn at this intersection?” The answer… Going several years back, records indicated that nobody had been hurt at this intersection. There was silence in the room as they all reweighed the risk. In the end, unanimously they all decided to aggressively address the issue anyway deciding plant rules needed to be enforced. What happened in that meeting was a group of people engaged in analyzing real data from different angles, asking challenging questions and using probability to predict future risk. They were journeying down an unchartered path using analytics for their roadmap!

In the end, this plant’s perfect-safety-record destination at that intersection where forklifts and people crossed paths boasted no injuries but revealed the ugly truth that real danger lurked unnoticed. The record of what happened told a story of fantastic safety success; however, observations mingled with probability uncovered real danger. Through analytics this group of safety professionals divined an opportunity to improve in an area that hid danger behind the wall of zero injuries. Safety continuous improvement was identified by enforcing plant rules and risk was ultimately reduced.

Can an organization find improvement if they venture past the wall of zero injuries? Absolutely, if that organization chooses to travel down a path guided by statistical analysis, forecasting and predictive modeling – safety analytics. Further, if they explore what’s happening by looking into areas and conditions thought safe using behavior observations and inspections the vast landscape of risk reduction will be realized. The safety professional that finally arrives at their zero-injuries destination sitting atop the mountain they just climbed pondering other mountains may discover he or she has only reached the peak of the foothills. The zero injuries wall blocking their view hides the true mountain left unexplored. Let’s continue beyond that wall and journey toward greater risk reduction and continuous improvement with safety analytics, shall we?

Safe travels and live safety!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety Professional with Manufacturing, HR and Health Care management experience, Rob has worked for MAU Workforce Solutions since 2006 supporting both HR and operations functions. Currently he serves as MAU’s Corporate Safety & Risk Manager. A 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, Rob now calls North Augusta, SC home where he lives with his wife and two kids. Rob is a member of the Augusta, GA ASSE and SHRM chapters.

Give Hand Safety a Hand

Rob Loose — Mon, 30 Sep 2013 12:56:00 GMT

Can I give you a hand with that? When I hear this always-welcome offer to lend assistance, I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that help has arrived. Hands are truly helpful, and it’s no surprise to me that the hands were the part of the human anatomy selected over all other parts to mean the same thing as “help” in this often-recited question. Here’s another popular acclamatory phrase that uses hands to symbolize praise: “Congratulations, let’s give him/her a hand!” In this call for a congratulatory gesture, “hand” symbolizes an expression of approval in the form of applause. Who doesn’t like to be given a hand (i.e., applause)? Clapping hands create a delightful noise that we’re taught from an early age to respond to with encouraging satisfaction. Clap for a little baby and you’ll see my point. Our hands are so versatile and play such an important role in our day-to-day lives. It’s no wonder that the familiar phrase “I got to hand it to you” assigns the hand the important responsibility of symbolizing credit. You got to hand it to the hand: they are handy. Another one! This time, the hand symbolizes usefulness. With all these positive symbols we assign to our hands, you can’t deny that hands are important, right?

Yet, despite all of our hand’s importance, it’s ironic that we habitually place our hands in front of danger all the time. Think about it: when we trip and fall, instinctively we throw our hands out in front of us to absorb the on-coming crash, hence, protecting our bodies from the impact. Additionally, when we feel angry or threatened, we ball up our hands into tight fists and use them to defend or protect ourselves. Despite all of our hand’s helpfulness, praiseworthiness, distinction, usefulness and overall importance, we first think to place our hands in harm’s way. After all, our ears, toes, or neck don’t offer nearly the same protection that our hands dutifully provide. The fact that – habitually – we use our hands to shield us from threats of all kind further supports the overall usefulness of this irreplaceable anatomical tool. It’s no wonder that from a young age children are taught about the grand significance of hands. I remember that my daughter learned a preschool song about hands that she sang for weeks. Sadly, she doesn’t sing that cheerful song anymore. Like my daughter eventually forgot the hand song, people at some point begin to disregard hands and fail to take proper care of them. Some even go so far as to inadequately protect their hands at work sometimes resulting in injury.

Let’s get a handle on hand injuries. In a recent conversation with David Lynn, former OSHA compliance officer and current Vice President of Signature Services at Life and Safety Consultants, he reflected that in his 20 years evaluating workplace safety that hand injuries comprised close to half of the cases he examined and without question all of them were preventable. Further, the National Safety Council (NSC) reported in their 2013 book of statistics that injuries to the hands (wrist & fingers included) represent 16.5% of all workplace injuries in 2010. Additionally, Andy Johnson, Executive Vice President of Risk Control Services at Captive Resources (CRI), the largest member-owned group captive insurance consultant in the United States, reports that the average cost of an injury to the hand is about $3700. So, hand injuries occur often and cost a lot of money!

Now folks, let’s not lose our grip on safety here! NSC and CRI report alarming quantitative data about hand injuries but did you catch what Mr. Lynn said? Here it is again: “All hand injuries are preventable.” All hands on deck folks! We need to discuss hand safety. To be clear, when I talk about hand safety, I include the wrist and fingers in the equation. Like many other safety-related programs, a proper hand safety program should include hazard analysis, awareness training, assessment and periodic evaluation of the program – all necessary and important elements. But how does an organization deliver a hand safety program that garners management commitment and, more importantly, extends a hand of fellowship to the masses and inspires the folks turning the wrenches and operating the machines? Accountability and periodic review and evaluation are a must but those elements may not inspire the masses. A worthwhile hand safety program should offer inspiration equal to the greatness of the amazing appendages that are our hands! We need a program worthy to be considered “hands-on” that will protect the hands that labor in the workplace trenches.

One such hand safety program that does inspire the masses in my opinion is MoveSMART’s HandSmart® module. HandSmart® focuses on teaching practitioners how the entire body effects hand safety and leveraging mental awareness. Sounds intuitive, I know, but participating in a MoveSMART module is pleasingly revealing how simple safety can be. However, what is truly unique about HandSmart® is the hands-on approach in which the program is disseminated throughout an organization. The greatness of HandSmart® is that delivery of the program is peer-to-peer. Training Experts from all organizational levels and disciplines are instructed how to teach the martial arts and athletics inspired tenets on which HandSmart® is built to peers with which instructors work elbow to elbow. In this way HandSmart’s® powerful principles are broadly accepted by those peers, hence, achieving wide spread acceptance. Peer-to-peer delivery and accountability is key to a successful hand safety program and HandSmart’s® prescribed training approach achieves it in a wonderful way. So how about a high five for hand safety programs that achieve wide- spread employee involvement and acceptance?

Once management has invested in a hand safety program like HandSmart® and cleared the way for a peer-to-peer-driven program, the next step is to ensure proper hand safety resources are applied. These resources include personal protective equipment (PPE) for hands, hand tool selection and maintenance and a substantial safety evaluation method. PPE is a critical element of hand safety but should not comprise the entirety of your hand safety program. Deciding upon the most ideal PPE to protect hands from hazards is an important last protection that falls behind hazard elimination, policy and guarding the hazard all together. A word of warning: PPE for hands that is doled out thoughtlessly but with good intention can be a problem disguised as a solution. For example, the wrong size gloves may protect the hands from the apparent hazard like heat or sharp edges but, if they don’t fit properly, they may reduce dexterity, grip and a multitude of other possible issues. Hand PPE should be carefully matched to address the actual hazard and accurately sized to fit the hand on which it protects.

Not all hand tools are created equal. With that notion in mind, select the tool that offers the best protection for the hands, train employees to correctly use the tool and take special care to keep the tool in tip-top shape. Like our hands, hand tools are often thrust into harm’s way to get the job done resulting in wear and tear. For this reason, it is a wise practice to institute regular inspections of tools to identify hazards like sharp edges and worn out insulation that arise due to normal use. Too often we use hand tools that are damaged past the point of safe condition. It’s easy to spot wear and tear on a tool like broken or cracked parts, dull blades and other such normal deterioration do to normal handling and use, but we if never take time to inspect, the hand may be bitten by the damaged tool resulting in injury.

How we use our hand tools is also important. Again, not all tools our hands use are created equal, especially ergonomically speaking. Truth be told, folks don’t often correctly use the hand tools that are brilliantly designed for task comfort in the correct way. We all have the freedom to use hand tools the way we feel most inclined, even if the way we’re using the tool is - in the long run - harmful. It’s best if tool use is monitored with a behavior-based evaluation. In this way, through evaluation, over-use type injuries due to misuse of the hand tool can be identified and corrected. There are many observation tools available that help evaluators pinpoint ergonomic-type hazards; in fact, OSHA offers several on their website OSHA.org. The key is to put into process regular evaluation followed by coaching. All the brilliant and careful design that goes into creating an ergonomically amazing hand tool is wasted if it is not used appropriately and as designed.

Hand safety doesn’t have to be hard to handle. With a great hand safety program and proper hand PPE, you’re well on your way to rooting out hazard from the workplace. With that, let’s give our hands a hand for all their helpfulness, praiseworthiness, distinction, usefulness and overall importance. Let’s also give our hands a hand by implementing a hand safety program that inspires employees to be safe, incorporates careful monitoring of our hand tool’s condition and fit for the job and finally monitors employee’s behaviors with those handy tools. With that, how about a round of applause for hand safety!

This blog was originally published in EHS Magazine. To view the publication, please click HERE!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Return of the Blame Zone

Rob Loose — Fri, 17 May 2013 17:58:00 GMT

Shouting and arguing is no fun at all. One question that often leads to arguments between little kids is: “Who’s responsible for this mess?” This question is typically followed by little fingers accusingly pointing in different directions joined by shouting and arguing. I call this the “Blame Zone.” In this instance, discovering who created the mess may be impossible 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!

Often adults point accusingly at one another, shout and argue when OSHA walks through the door of an employer and asks, “Who’s responsible for this mess i.e. hazard?” 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 employer present at a work site, they apply their Multi-Employer Citation Policy to determine who receives the penalty for the identified hazard. In some cases the host client receives the citation, and, in some cases, all parties involved may be cited. This policy helps OSHA Compliance Safety & Health Officers (CSHO) assign accountability through a two-step process. Step one, OSHA determines which employer creates, exposes, corrects and controls hazardous conditions in the workplace. Step two, OSHA determines if the responsible employer is fulfilling their duty as an “exposing employer,” for example.

Why is this important? Often a business will contract out portions of their work to another organization. Businesses decide to do this for a number of reasons: save money, avoid risk or flexibility with expanding/contracting business. Speaking of staff leasing, employers’ error in thinking that just because they hire temps, they have no OSHA responsibility to provide safe working conditions. The reality is that you may still be held accountable for workplace hazards including injuries to temporary workers even though you assigned a contractor responsibility for labor. Do you see a potential Blame Zone here?

This discussion is timely considering OSHA is focusing its attention on protecting temporary workers? It’s true! A recent memorandum for Regional Administrators citing “high profile fatal events” where temporary workers were killed on the job was just issued on April 29, 2013 (see the hyper link below). This memorandum does not beat around the bush. In fact, I perceive it as a call to OSHA Regional Administrators to direct (CSHOs) to determine if “temporary workers” are given all the training required to be safe on the job. Another directive specified in the memo is for CSHOs to examine the supervising structure at the job site. Hint, hint,wink, wink... Now more than ever, we need to make sure all employees are safe under the roof of the safety program, including the temporary workers. Additionally host employers and staffing companies need to make sure they stay out of the Blame Zone. So, how is that accomplished?

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 employer. 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 that OSHA will take into consideration when evaluating a hazard in your workplace:

Who creates the hazard?
Who is exposing the employees to the hazard?
Who has the authority/resources to correct the hazard?
Finally, who is supervising the employees?

In some cases, the host and the guest may share responsibility and both are subject to penalty. Keep in mind, OSHA Multi-employer Doctrine spills into other regulated factors like OSHA recording responsibility. Incidentally, OSHA always examines the host employer’s OSHA logs so that’s another focus we should pay close attention to.

Here at MAU, we examine closely the role that we play in our clients’ businesses. Further, we understand all too well that on top of regulatory accountability, workers compensation is possibly the most weighty 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 our most-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 help both host and contractor adequately respond to unexpected events like an accident or even a surprise visit from our friends at OSHA.

A few take-aways to consider…

1. 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.

2. 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 continue to 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.

Live Safety!

http://www.osha.gov/pls/oshaweb/owadisp.show_document?p_table=INTERPRETATIONS&p_id=28613

OSHA Multi-Employer Citation Policy

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety Identity - Who are You?

Rob Loose — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 18:33:00 GMT

Do you listen to classic rock? I freely admit that I do quite regularly. I love to hear Roger Daltrey of The Who bellow this probing question: Who are you? Since 1978 this all-to-well-known, progressive rock anthem has managed to intrigue bell-bottom-clad rockers both old and young with that pretty-darn-good question that we should make it a point to evaluate periodically: Who are you? Think about it, to satisfactorily answer this deep query into one’s self requires more than just an obvious name response like Buba O’Riley, Dr. Jimmy or Boris the Spider. Name only is an insufficient answer if we aim to truly understand the who-are-you puzzle. In fact, to quench the parched thirst of a sincere identity examination, one must gaze deeply into the soul, far, far behind those blue eyes to grasp the complete answer.

A name-only answer to who you are reveals very little about one’s identity. To ascertain one’s real identity requires a deeper probe into the real me. You must examine elements of identity including tastes, choices, physical characteristics, desires, talents and much, much more to get closer to the complete answer. Also, whether you are a juke box hero, a glittering girl or a real good looking boy, an adequate description of your identity evolves over time with each life experience and then you’re stuck with who you are. Yup, for better or for worse, you earn your identity; hence, you bear the burden of your own identity’s revealing answer. Anyway, anyhow, anywhere contemplating your own identity can be both gratifying and sometimes disappointing but most everyone will agree arriving at an answer is fascinating!

On a different note, has anyone ever asked you about the identity of the company you work for? People ask me about MAU all the time! In fact, I usually answer with a short elevator pitch that contains tidbits about what MAU does. Casual company descriptions are interesting to me. I once met a person that worked for Microsoft, and he told me that his company was an “idea” company. Another acquaintance of mine that works for GE told me that his company was an “innovative” company. “Idea Company” and “innovative” are good descriptions of these two company’s identities as described by employees. Interestingly enough, I can’t recall anyone ever introducing their company to me as a “safe” company, and I often meet people that work for really safe companies!

Could it be that tying safety back to the identity of the organization is a bit more complicated? I would guess that most people relate a company’s success story with the apparent characteristics that have helped it make money. Innovation, quality, dependability and customer focus are traits that, in the end, directly help sell a service or product. Safety, on the other hand, is an attribute that indirectly helps a company save money, time and foster good employee relations -- all valuable attributes to achieve but they are not initially touted in introduction. I’m not happy to admit it, but I’m certain safety is not the first trait that comes to employee’s minds that directly helps sell their product. However, impeccable quality, dependability and customer focus are visible selling attributes. Don’t get me wrong, safety is very important! I can see for miles behind the aforementioned selling attributes and observe that safety is the ox doing heavy lifting keeping business fiscally healthy. Companies that establish robust workplace-safety practices into all aspects of their organization seem to thrive. Mind you, those safe attributes tend to exist in the marketing backdrop where manufacturing processes and product movement take place.

Every year the National Safety Council (NSC) awards one thriving company the Green Cross award for, “distinguishing itself through outstanding achievements in workplace and off-the-job safety and health.” NSC also recognizes leaders of companies that “get it” referring to those leaders that understand the value of safety and do all they can to incorporate it into their businesses. Companies that have been distinguished as safe organizations with a Green Cross award include UPS, Dow Chemical Company, Schneider Electric and DiamlerChrysler to name a few. All recognizable names but what about their identity shouts, “(insert company name) is safe company?” Common characteristics and traits are evident in the descriptions of the companies that were awarded the green cross and the recognized CEO’s that get it all share similarities. Here are a few of the similarities I noticed within the recognized companies’ write ups featured in recent year’s Safety+Health magazines. The leaders of these companies point out the following:

Safety is a value and an important part of the corporate vision.
A goal to merely reduce workplace injuries is not good enough – the only acceptable goal is to be injury free.
Safety is not just a temporary program - rather it is part of all they do.
Complacency can be a challenge that diminishes safety over time therefore accountability and recognition are important cultural norms at these companies.
Employees are strongly encouraged to practice safety off the job as well

These companies and business leaders comprehend their safety identity all too well. They understand there is no substitute for a robust culture built upon principles of accountability, recognition and the value of safety. The old way of thinking that accepted the notion workplace accidents are part of doing business is rejected by these companies and leaders, and they won’t get fooled again by that false notion. No way! These companies and leaders understand that establishing a true safety identity pays off and that by itself may be as cool as a long ride on a magic bus. My generation thanks these leaders and safe companies for their desire and achievement to be known as organizations that keep employees safe from workplace danger. So, who are they? Their names may not say much but their reputations and accomplishments that comprise their identity reveal that they are safety pure and easy.

Congratulations to the many Green Cross winners and CEOs that get it. You will be known for being safe. The song is over… Live safety and long live rock!

Leave a comment below, and let us know how many song titles by The Who you find hidden in the blog.

Have fun!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety Introvert’s Quiet Message

Rob Loose — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 20:34:00 GMT

Wallflowers are under appreciated. I’m not talking about the rock band fronted by Jakob Dylan, son of 60’s Rock legend Bob Dylan. No… I’m talking about the unassuming, shy, serious, soft-spoken, thoughtful folks that would rather read a book than attend a party. You know, the sort of introspective-types that tend to spend their energy quietly going about their days inconspicuously. These docile listeners are commonly labeled “introverts.” It’s a shame that society mistakenly overlooks these quiet ones’ contributions and overly acknowledges and rewards the aggressive, outspoken, hard-charging social go-getters. Think about it: the social spot-light shines brightest on the accomplishments of successful attention seekers like Donald Trump, Shaquille O’Neal and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – all unashamed extraverts. At the same time, society doesn’t often immediately recall the quiet, yet significant, accomplishments of Warren Buffet, John Stockton and Rosa Parks – all accomplished introverts.

Not to put too fine a point on it but think about the three aforementioned introverts for a moment. The business world has benefited greatly from Warren Buffet, the NBA is tremendously grateful for John Stockton’s legendary career and the contribution of Rosa Parks to the Civil Rights movement is immeasurable. These “wallflowers,” “introverts,” “quiet ones” or whatever you may call them are outstanding in their own unassuming way, and their contributions to the world speak just as meaningfully as their noisier, more recognizable counterparts. Great accomplishment is not just relegated to attention seeking extraverts. Meaningful contribution to life’s conversation echoes as clearly from the wallflowers of the world as it does from the soap box addicts that constantly campaign for your attention. So what does all this have to do with safety? Glad you asked!

The message of workplace safety is boldly declared loudly and clearly from company safety representatives each day. Businesses hire these subject-matter extroverts to represent the company’s interests in keeping people safe and the good ones do just that – loudly and clearly! These toastmasters of risk that enthusiastically perform their craft well will observe workplace hazard, grab the nearest megaphone and shout a warning from the roof tops for all to hear. This is actually a good thing; however, many organizations carelessly delegate the important duty of identifying workplace hazards to only company safety representative sadly ignoring the softer-spoken, discounted warning from the more numerous employees at large. These shyer hazard-identification voices, if overlooked, are a huge missed potential for reducing risk. That won’t do!

So true it is that safety professionals are typically the ones most ideally prepared and equipped to identify workplace hazard. I won’t challenge you on that point; I am one of those safety professionals! It is also true that when an organization assigns the task of hazard identification to others besides the safety representative, workplace injuries reduce in a fantastic way. The safety gurus and data heads at Predictive Solutions have proven this point to be true and call this phenomenon “Safety truth #2.” The top of the graph shown below happens to represent actual data collected by Predictive Solutions illustrating organizations that assign only the safety professionals to seek out hazard in the workplace. See how many unwanted incidents those businesses experience? Now take a look at the bottom of the graph. When hazard identification is assigned to a diverse group that extends beyond just the safety specialist, those unwanted incidences begin to shrink. You can’t ignore those results. Troubling workplace incidents reduce when a diverse group of employees join together to find and remove hazard from the workplace. Now that’s a truth I like!

Some savvy practitioners of loss control would classify the results of achieving Safety Truth #2 as effective employee involvement in the safety program. I completely agree. To those same safety practitioners that tirelessly preach this truth and message of safety day-in and day-out, garnering management commitment and soliciting employee involvement to safety, I say preach on! Let us unite our voices to strengthen our message and gather more and more confederates to our cause. And, while we’re uniting and hollering, as we safety extroverts like to do, let us not forget to include the wallflowers in our efforts to weed hazard out of the workplace. Their quieter, softer-spoken but legitimate help will go a long way toward keeping organizations safe and hazard free.

You can’t deny the business world would be poorer without investing icon Warren Buffett, the NBA would be seriously lacking without the assists-and-steals leader John Stockton, and I don’t even want to think of where we’d be right now without the quiet-yet-bold actions of Rosa Parks. These high-achieving introverts leave a powerful impression on alert admires of their individual realms. In the realm of safety let us also empower the safety introverts and listen to their hazard identification message loud and clear. As we pay attention to these safety wallflowers, the truth of hazard reduction will be realized and greater workplace safety will be achieved.

Live Safety!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Lagging Indicators – It Was What it Was

Rob Loose — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:51:00 GMT

It is what it is. A bold, commonly used statement that attempts to establish, with finality, all that sums up “it.” And that is, what “it” is. Hah! I like it! It feels tantalizingly satisfying to utter the words again and again. And the versatility… “It is what it is” can be used so many ways: a warning statement, a pitiful excuse or even a desperate plea for help. However, I confess the way in which this conclusive statement is used occasionally lends itself to much confusion, especially if it is used creatively. No matter how many times this shining A-list statement is unabashedly, clearly declared and at times unapologetically misused, you must agree that it is always refreshing to say, “It is what it is,” and that is yummy to my lexicon!

On to a sadder and less palatable note, I feel sorry for the long forgotten saying, “It was what it was.” If there was ever a sadder statement that fell victim to modern-day popularity and sibling rivalry “It was what it was” is that forgotten, less-appealing sibling — like Alec Baldwin’s brothers, what are their names? I can see their faces but can’t remember their names. Alec casts a shadow over his lesser- known brothers. Similarly, so does “It is what it is” casts a shadow over his brother that can’t seem to find the spotlight these days. Despite the neglect, “It was what it was” sojourns on, pleading with those who will listen to his message: he still has value in this vain world that ravenously craves so much of the “Now” that is a fit-perfect throne for “It is what it is!” “It was what it was” continues to struggle to find a place in which to reside in the landscape of our language.

In the safety world, there appears to be a parallel popularity contest between leading indicators of safety verses lagging indicators of safety. As it stands, leading indicators of safety occupy the spotlight on the red carpet while the lagging indicators shout out a case for legitimacy on the sidelines attempting to catch, if possible, a mere glimpse of the red carpet! In the proverbial sense, leading indicators offer a bright message of “It is what it is” while the lagging indicators maintain a desperate appeal that “It was what it was” and don’t forget it. Who can disagree with either of them? We can’t! Both are important and deserve attention.

As a practicing safety professional, I confess right here and now to the error of ignoring the message of the lagging indicators in favor of the charm and charisma of leading indicators of safety. Blinded by the glamor of leading indicators, I forget that lagging indicators of safety (OSHA IIR, lost days, EMR and severity rates) offer a compass that guides the safety practitioner to where leading indicators (behavior observations, inspections & safety contributory ideas) are most effectively applied. Lagging indicators are a valuable source of guidance that may help improve the potency of leading indicator methods an organization employs to reduce risk. Put that way, I want to boldly shout from the rooftops, “It was what it was,” and, because of that, “It is what it is” may be taking us in a safer direction. It’s nice to see cooperation among siblings, don’t you agree?

So what can we do to derive direction from lagging indicators and use it to guide our leading indicator activities? The answer may be to apply proper statistical analysis to the lagging indicators we track. Jan K. Wachter, Associate Professor at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, wrote an article called “Trailing Safety Indicators” in the April 2012 issue of Professional Safety magazine that explains how to apply statistical techniques that best communicate meaningful data and in turn help direct leading indicator activity toward real problems. As a side note, Mr. Wachter’s article is quite complex, and I encourage any safety professional interested in harnessing the value of lagging indicators to study his suggested statistical methods. Mr. Wachter encourages these three statistical methods for analyzing lagging indicator data:

1. Examine rolling averages – this method helps the practitioner see metric trends that appear variable standing alone but when compared quarter by quarter, for example, telling patterns are revealed.

2. Apply a control chart – this method uses a multiplier to normalize data that is often affected by uncommon variables.

3. Correlation Analysis – this method is really a comparison of lagging indicator compared to leading indicator data.

Accepting status quo and blindly applying methods like behavior observations or ergonomic inspections is what “it” is and that is potentially uninspired and misdirected. You can do better than that! Why not examine “It was what it was” (lagging indicators) carefully to determine the best application of your leading indicators? After you ascertain your greatest potential to add value with your leading indicators through statistical examination of your lagging data, you’re better positioned to create safety. Proudly, then can we declare loudly, “It is what it is!” We paid attention to “It was what it was” — and meant it!

Until next time, live safety!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Lucky in Safety

Rob Loose — Wed, 17 Oct 2012 13:14:00 GMT

Feeling Lucky? I am! Why you ask? Because I am a proud Seattle Seahawks fan and for years I have endured disappointing football seasons, been the recipient of countless jokes and even received an occasional sympathy from more successful NFL football team fans. A few weeks ago, my Seahawks played the Green Bay Packers on Monday Night football. That night, the whole world (seriously – have you seen NFL viewer rating?) watched a close game that came down to the final play where a hail mary pass was thrown into Seattle’s end zone. Packers and Seahawks scrummed for position then jumped in the air to grab hold of that ball sailing toward them. At first, a Seahawk receiver looked like he had the ball. As the players collided and fell back to earth, the ball appeared to be in the grasp of a Packer. I sighed with disappointment like I’m used to doing during Seahawks games, when I noticed one referee (one of those replacement guys) signaled touchdown! To my amazement, the play was ruled a touchdown and the Seahawks won! Lucky? Undoubtedly so! ESPN has since showed the replay countless times, and I see a Packer with that ball and not a Seahawk. The win doesn’t really seem like it belongs to Seattle so am I embarrassed with that win? Slightly, but I push my embarrassment aside and embrace my reflective success, call it luck and graciously accept the win. Praise the football gods: the Seahawks got lucky and won due to a bad call!

Here’s a story about a different kind of luck. I recently attended a workers compensation convention where hundreds of companies were represented. A president from one of the companies I spoke with shared some recent success they have had reducing their injury claims in recent years. His story was quite amazing. I asked him what they are doing differently now than in years past to achieve such safety success in his business. He explained that he didn’t think they were doing much differently. He added that his workforce was getting older and tended to take less risk. “I guess we’re just getting wiser and luckier,” he told me. He seemed pleased and satisfied with that explanation of his safety success. I didn’t know what to say. I’m not sure congratulations are even proper for, through doing nothing, a company achieved safety. Maybe a concerned, I’m-glad-your-employees-didn’t-get-hurt reply would have been proper in this case.

To me, the President of this “lucky” company is not doing enough to eliminate risk. Being lucky falls short when it comes to workplace safety. It’s one thing for Seattle Seahawks fans to high five each other after our team wins a game due to the fact a stand-in referee made a horrible call that awarded us a win over the Packers. A win I’m not going to brag about, mind you but I accept whole-heartedly come playoffs time (stop teasing – they made the playoffs in 2010!). Workplace safety isn’t football and it’s a good thing! Leaders that achieve safety by getting lucky also have very little to brag about especially if safety was achieved by doing nothing to aggressively identify and eliminate risk.

In his book titled, Principle to Practice, David Lynn makes the point that we need to be actively involved in hazard prevention and control. He compares hidden hazards to a hornets nest. “Risky conditions and behaviors may remain dormant all around you just like a yellow jacket’s nest buried in the ground. When you feel the most comfortable with your surroundings, hazards can strike with a vengeance leaving injuries behind.” I like Mr. Lynn’s point! Just because nobody is getting hurt does not mean that hazards are not present. Businesses that are getting lucky with no injuries need to avoid complacency by doubling up on hazard prevention and control. Mr. Lynn suggests three ways to execute a rock solid hazard prevention and control program.

1. Carefully and frequently review workplace safety policies and procedures. Follow these reviews with retraining your workforce

2. Strictly follow and enforce safety rules. Be unbending and consistent with these rules.

3. Through job and task safety analysis consistently infuse pre-task safety planning into your daily/weekly regiment.

Don’t rely on luck to keep your workforce safe. Huddle up folks! It’s time we get serious about controlling hazards in the workplace. Let’s follow David Lynn’s advice and dedicate ourselves to hazard prevention and control. As for football… The Seahawks winning the game by luck tasted bitter but I’m happy an extra “W” remains on the win column. In a few years who will care or remember? I guess the folks that like to wear cheese on their heads occasionally may remember. Cheer up Packer fans! Maybe the Brewers will fair lucky against my Mariners come Baseball season.

Until next time, Live Safety!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Sleeping for Safety

Rob Loose — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 12:55:00 GMT

Have you recovered yet from lack of sleep due to late nights spent watching the Summer Olympics? I finally have thanks to my new, ultra-comfortable memory foam mattress. There are few adequate words to express the dreamy bliss of the soft - yet firm - cool magic nest that is my new mattress. Can you tell I love this mattress? After 14 long years sleeping on a spring mattress, my wife and I purchased our new, amazing bed a day before the summer games began in London; hence, my conflict. I also love the Olympics! I can’t find sufficiently satisfying superlatives to describe the awesomeness of all that the Olympics represent. It’s drama of the highest order where elite athletes compete as titans on a world stage with their country’s hopes and reputation at stake.

So, for the first couple of weeks in August I was caught between two jealous interests. I wanted to watch the Olympics when it was on, yet I also wanted to sleep in my amazing new bed. Turns out, the Olympics won the gold medal for my attention, and my new bed settled for silver. So, after the nightly Olympic broadcast would sign off at 12 midnight, I would drag my languid self to my dream mattress and experience sleep celestialness while images of swimmers, gymnasts and volleyball players competed in my head for what seemed only moments to me. Then, suddenly, at five a.m. a screeching alarm clock would alert me to wake up and start a new day. I was so tired! My bed was so comfortable that I was achieving my best sleep ever; unfortunately I wasn’t getting enough sleep, and that’s an understatement!

I acknowledge, some hard working folks don’t get enough sleep and not by choice either. Shift-work arrangements, family situations or illness may contribute to a person’s lack of sleep. A study conducted in 2010 by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1/3 of American workers are sleep deprived, meaning they function on fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night. That same study reports that 34.1% of manufacturing workers don’t get enough sleep. Have you ever stopped to consider just how unsafe it is and harmful to your body not getting enough sleep can be? If not, wake up because I’m going to tell you about it.

Studies performed by notable medical institutions like University of California San Diego, Harvard Medical Center and the British Medical Association link lack of sleep to health issues like depression, diabetes, heart disease, obesity, memory loss and even breast cancer. Additionally to these chronic health issues brought on by not getting enough rest, sleep-deprived people also often report feeling added stress, loss of concentration, extreme impatience and slow reaction. Even more alarming to me is the thought that many employees working manufacturing jobs operate dangerous tools and machinery that require them to be alert. Being sleep-deprived and working on dangerous machinery is a recipe for trouble!

Time to wake up folks and realize that adequate sleep is the only way to truly address sleep deprivation. Don’t count on Red bull, Diet Coke and Starbucks double-shot mochachinos to permanently fix sleep fatigue! These high-octane elixirs only provide a short-term fix by creating artificial alertness. If you’re thinking that you can continue the rest of your life replacing sleep with drinking energy drinks loaded with caffeine and sugar, you’re dreaming and opening yourself up to possible additional health problems. Not good! It is understood that employers can’t control employee’s sleep habits outside of work. So what can be done?

First, educate your employees about the dangers of sleep deprivation and the long-term health risks that go along with ignoring your body and mind’s need for rest.
Second, encourage healthy living that includes tips about good nutrition, exercise and life balance. A good wellness program typically encourages these importance elements.
Third, include in that sleep education tips about getting quality sleep. There is a difference!

For me, various sporting events throughout the year will continue to lure me away from my heavenly mattress resulting in a tired, grumpy and loopy Rob the next day. But, for my friends working crazy shift schedules, they often times give up on sleep so they can keep bread on the table and pay their bills. I don’t know if I have the golden answer that will solve everybody’s busy-schedule problems that seem to limit one’s ability to obtain adequate rest. We’re all left to figure out what schedule modifications will work best for our own situations. Bottom line, sleep just has to become a priority!

Elite athletes discovered a long time ago the criticality of recovery that includes regimented sleep periods in their busy training schedules is a key to greatness. Sleep had to become a priority for them. Can you sleep your way to the Olympics? Probably not… But adequate sleep combined with all the other sport-specific training, strength, flexibility work, proper diet, etc. may lead to the creation of an Olympian! If sleep is a priority for the Olympians, why not make it a priority for us?

Honestly, I admire the hard working folks out there that have spent years working crazy shift hours. I also admire Olympic athletes. Both athletes and shift workers must find time for proper rest and sleep to achieve excellence. For the athlete, it may mean greater performance in the pool, gym or track, and, for the shift worker, it may mean better health and safety at the factory, mill or hospital.

Is it time for bed yet? All this talk of sleep has made me want to, once again, drift off to sleep in my nest of soft, cool, restful bliss. Don’t forget the importance of sleep folks! I’m turning in for the night.

Yawn… Stretch… Closing my eyes… Sweet dreams…

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

MAU Hosts OSHA 10 Hour General Industry Outreach Training Course September 18-19 in Augusta

Stephanie Hutchings — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:49:00 GMT

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

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 Tuesday, September 4th. Minimum required class size is 15.

To view more details about the course and the topics covered, or to RSVP, please visit MAU's OSHA 10 Hour September Training Course Registration Page. You can also RSVP by emailing workforcesolutions@mau.com, or calling 706-823-2362.

Event Details:

What: OSHA 10 Hour General Industry Outreach Course

When: September 18-19, 2012

Where: The Marion Hatcher Center, 501 Greene St., Augusta, GA 30901

Price: $175

RSVP: Visit MAU's OSHA 10 Hour September Training Course Registration Page or call 706-823-2362.

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. Walking and Working Surfaces (includes fall protection)

3. Exit Routes, Emergency Action Plans, Fire Prevention Plans, and Fire Protection

4. Electrical

5. Personal Protective Equipment

6. Hazard Communication

7. Other additional topics may be covered. Will be determined by instructor and posted one month in advance of course. May include: Safety & Health Programs, Ergonomics, Blood Borne Pathogens & Intro to Industrial Hygiene, Flammable and Combustible Liquids, etc.

Safety News Update: Stay as Far Away from Skunks as You Possibly Can

Rob Loose — Fri, 03 Aug 2012 14:51:00 GMT

A few summers ago, I was assigned to work night-shift security for a youth group camping trip. One of my security responsibilities at this camp was to protect the kids from hostile intruders. Having worked a security job in college, I knew a little something about being a security guard, and I’m not ashamed to admit that, for this gig, I was anxious to dust off my old security skills and protect the camp at all costs. It turned out, for that entire 12-hour shift, I didn’t encounter anyone awake; however, I did encounter a threat of another nature: wild skunks everywhere! I’m not talking about kids that had eaten chili for dinner. I’m talking about the furry black creatures with a white stripe that, when threatened, spray you with liquid nastiness that only washes off with elixir you wouldn’t normally bathe with. My extensive security training didn’t prepare me for skunks. So, what do you think I did? Fast-forward to this year’s camping gig.

This summer I was put in charge of arranging security for the entire camping week. I gratefully and humbly accepted this assignment (translation: I was completely stoked for this assignment!). In a meeting with my security volunteers, I was asked the question, “What can we expect at this camp?” In my response, I mentioned the skunks.

Then I received a really odd question: “How close can we get to the skunks?”

My answer: “Stay as far away from the skunks as you possibly can – that’s what I did.”

Why on earth would you want to know how close you can get to a wild skunk? I’ve never been sprayed by a skunk, and I plan to continue that streak for the rest of my life. My plan is to stay as far away from skunks as possible. In fact, I may have even used the teenagers at the camp as human shields to protect me from skunk spray. That’s how badly I don’t want to get sprayed by a skunk!

I’m no wildlife expert, but I’m convinced that staying away from skunks will protect me from being sprayed. In fact, I feel the same way about polar bears, king cobras and giant squids. If I stay far away from them I won’t be mauled, bitten or (thinking) not sure what a giant squid would do but they are scary to me. Bottom line: The further away from danger (or skunk spray) I can be, the safer I will also be. Would you agree with that?

Recently, I found the threat of skunks of a different kind lurking in another forest: an automobile manufacturer supplier’s plant. A sign on the door leading to the production floor read: “Safety glasses required beyond this point.” Upon entering the production area, I was disappointed to see several people, including forklift drivers, not wearing safety glasses. I asked my host why so many people ignored the rule to wear safety glasses. He told me they had never had an accident so they had grown lax in enforcing the rule. He explained further that, because they hadn’t experienced an eye-related incident, they didn’t focus on that potential risk. These guys were letting their guard down and approaching danger by permitting folks to choose not to wear PPE. They were not avoiding skunks; in fact, they were practically attempting to pet the smelly creatures.

Only focusing on the risks that get you and ignoring the risks that don’t is akin to trying to catch a wild skunk with your bare hands. It’s only a matter of time before you get sprayed. Now that stinks! Too often I hear about serious workplace injuries that could have been prevented had the employee followed the policy or rule (i.e., stayed clear of the skunk). Similarly, these same incidences could have been prevented with more adequate controls in place like machine guarding or more substantial work practices. In these instances, I’m reminded that certain controls are better than others. Have you ever heard of the hierarchy of controls? The Center for Disease Control & Prevention, OSHA and many engineering organizations publish similar models for hazard control hierarchy. It goes something like this: Elimination, Substitution, Work Practices and PPE. Eliminating the hazard is most effective control and guarding yourself with Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the least effective control. Let’s apply the control hierarchy to our skunk scenario!

For starters, imagine you’re on an island in the middle of a lake that is inhabited by you, some friends and a herd of skunks. Your mission is to not get sprayed by skunks on the island. So you…

1. Eliminate the hazard. Relax! You eliminate the hazard by leaving the island and, hence, eliminate the chance you’ll get sprayed by any of the skunks on the island.

. . . But, let’s say you and your friends really like the island and don’t want to leave, so. . .

2. You engineer a barrier that keeps the skunks away from you and you away from the skunks. This engineering control works second best to eliminating the hazard.

. . . But, it turns out skunks are crafty little creatures and find a way past your barrier, so. . .

3. You create a policy requiring you and your friends sleep in trees at night and only come down to the skunk’s level during the day. This administrative control seems to work well since skunks are most active at night and aren’t really good climbers.

Unfortunately, you learn that a few skunks like climbing trees, and a few more enjoy doing whatever skunks do during daylight hours. So . . .

4. You wear skunk-spray-protective body suits that shield your body from putrid skunk spray. A few of you get sprayed every now and again, but you remove the soiled PPE and replace it with a fresh PPE. PPE is the least effective control but most often used form of protection. In this case, the skunk-spray-protective body suites keep the smelly spray off your body.

Leaving skunk island with a few closing thoughts . . . I don’t recommend attempting to get as near to hazards as you can. Rather, pour your energies into eliminating hazards all together or at least shielding yourself from the danger with engineering or administrative controls. If you must approach the danger, wear appropriate PPE please. If you have safety rules, obey them. Even if the apparent harm may seem infrequent or unlikely. Stay as far away from danger as possible and that goes for skunks, too!

Until next time, live safety!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety News Update: Loch Ness Monster Sized Safety Potential

Rob Loose — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 14:55:00 GMT

“Many miles away, something crawls from the slime, at the bottom of a dark Scottish lake.”

~ The Police – Synchronicity II ~

The first reported modern sighting of the Loch Ness Monster occurred on July 22, 1933. A couple was driving on the road near the lake and apparently observed the monster crossing the road. Yes…Nessie was not swimming but running, or scooting, across the road! One year later someone snapped a blurry photo of the creature in the water. Or was it a dog with a stick in its mouth? Who knows? Since that time, people worldwide have had an obsession with this elusive dinosaur creature that allegedly lurks in the cold Scottish lake. Okay…Really? I find it difficult to believe that a large dinosaur has been swimming around for 80 years and we haven’t been able to capture it on live video or find its remains? A large swimming dinosaur folks – for 80 years!

But as loony as the Loch Ness Monster story seems to me, Nessie believers are sold on the idea, persuaded that the -whatever-it-is - swims around deep underwater in the bottom of Loch Ness randomly poking his/her long neck out of the water for the prepared, yet unsuspecting, fisherman to snap a photo. Talk about random luck!

Similarly, I know a few high-level leaders in manufacturing that whole-heartedly believe in safety but lack participation and buy in from their teams. Do your employees have high safety potential but rarely engage in the process, choosing to remain hidden in the murky depths of safety indifference? For whatever reasons, and there are many I can think of, sometimes employee engagement in safety is like the Loch Ness Monster: potentially amazing but disappointingly absent from reality.

In the May issue of the National Safety Council’s Safety + Health magazine, Chuck Pettington, from Predictive Solutions, makes a powerful point about diversifying participation in safety programs to include operations and line-level employees. He points out that organizations that branch out to include the workforce at large in safety activities such as observations, see fewer injuries than those organizations that keep that type of work with only the management group. Additionally, these organizations that strive to diversify safety engagement activities like inspections and observations collect a “better assessment of critical safety conditions and behaviors, but also will give you more buy-in from your whole organization.” So a diverse workforce engaged in the safety process makes for a high-performing safety environment? Yes! Also, I noticed that “buy-in” word again. It must be important. Let’s explore that idea!

The Loch Ness Monster... I just don’t buy it! Similarly, many employees don’t fully engage in their company’s safety program because they’re not bought in. A workforce that isn’t bought in is apathetic toward the cause. This apathy leads to lackluster safety performance. We can’t have that! Robert Pater and Craig Lewis from SSA/MoveSMART co-wrote an article called Strategies for Leading Engagement. This article found in the May issue of Professional Safety magazine, explores reasons why employees “disengage” from cultural focal points (including safety) of a company. Among the many reasons they name, employees don’t buy in to safety is the idea that management and employees’ values and interests “grow apart.” In other words leadership of an organization initiates an aggressive campaign to be safe and eventually the safety campaign fizzles away to the pre-campaign state. Pater & Lewis point out that often management focuses on safety for a time and then moves on to other things leaving employees to wonder if the effort amounted to just a temporary flavor-of-the-month — like old Nessie making an apparent sporadic appearance in the lake only to disappear again! People get excited about the report she surfaced and look for her but eventually let her go after its evident she’s nowhere to be found. Assuming Nessie is a she…

With safety, management can’t afford to create ostensible campaigns that, when fully exposed, are just a checkmark on a to-do list intended really only to accomplish a thoughtless directive of some sort. This type of program won’t hit the mark! Employee’s buy-in comes from enduring, meaningful and sincere safety programs that wrap around a core value of safety. Ever hear this saying that echoes a sincerity theme: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care?” Employees sense motives and don’t buy in until they discern sincerity. The burden of establishing enduring and meaningful motives and proving sincerity to garner buy-in belongs to leaders.

However, programs ideally should rely on both management and employees working together to eliminate hazard. A shared responsibility with equal accountability will achieve parallel buy-in by all to the safety program. This type of engaging safety program will draw out employee participation from its hiding place and turn the myth of employee participation into a dinosaur-sized reality swimming in a clear lake that all can see.

If we ever do discover Nessie is real, I don’t recommend swimming in that lake! I do, however, highly recommend you do all you can to create a safety program that rallies a diverse group to the cause and reaches far beyond the management team to the troupes turning wrenches, loading product and everything else you do to move your business. Hey! I see the Loch Ness Monster over there! An impressively large safety creature made up of employees that are blotting out hazard in the workplace with its immense size. What an impressive sight to behold. Let’s draw Nessie out her hiding place and work together to make workplace danger a myth!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety News Update: Safety Leadership Big Foot Sightings

Rob Loose — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:30:00 GMT

Have you ever had a conversation with a person who vehemently believes in Big Foot? Just to let you know, I’m not a Big Foot believer. In fact, when it comes to critters that can’t be found alive in a zoo or we can’t even find remains for, I’m no fun at all. Anyhow… Big Foot believers lean on evidence of the North-American man-ape’s supposed-real tracks and fur as well as grainy photos and blurry videos, most of which appear to be fabricated to me. But believers swear by this evidence and also tout the testimony of other believers as more evidence! Yet why haven’t we managed to capture one of these giant, up-right-ape-like creatures? Believers will tell you that, “they’re shy and reclusive.” Then why do they keep popping up in grainy photos around where people are? It all doesn’t make sense and leaves me wondering.

I’m pretty sure I’m not the only Big Foot skeptic out there. I just want to see real proof before I jump on the side of the believers. I feel the same way about Big Foot that I do about management that say they are committed to safety but their actions reveal otherwise. Where’s the real proof of the commitment from top leaders? Is the safety commitment only captured verbally in meetings or on signs posted? Before I become a believer, I want to see that commitment in action!

Early on in my safety career, I worked for a Plant Manager by the name of Walt that, in my opinion, was truly committed to safety and his example shaped my view of how top leaders should commit to safety. In fact, I thought all Plant Managers took the lead in all safety meetings, constantly lecturing people to be safe and, in emergencies, grabbed megaphones and reminded people to do things the safe way. Walt completed daily safety inspections, participated in incident investigations and verified people were safety trained. I once saw Walt get teary-eyed reporting news about a fatality at a neighboring plant. So, how did Walt’s plant perform safety wise? I don’t remember any serious incidents at the plant while working for Walt. I do, however, remember safety issues that Walt demanded everyone rally around to resolve. Hazards were taken care of swiftly under Walt’s leadership. Walt’s safety leadership did not amount to suspect footprints or blurry videos. No way! His commitment was visible, clear and obvious to all. There was no question: Walt lived safety and expected everyone else to follow his example, and that was clearly captured by all!

Was I in for a surprise after I was transferred to a new facility with a new plant manager! I’ll call my new boss Chester. I was over Safety and Security at this plant. Chester told me that his plant was 100% committed to safety. “Naturally,” I thought thinking back to Walt. To my dismay, I never did see Chester in any safety meetings or conducting safety inspections like Walt did. Chester often asked me about safety-related issues but was never present for machine start-up-safety-walk-throughs or participated in incident investigations. This plant had a lot of safety incidences, and I remember directing and reviewing endless investigations and reporting back to Chester what went wrong. He listened closely and showed concern but not much else. I know Chester occasionally walked the floor, but I only heard vague reports he engaged employees in safety discussions. Bottom line: Chester’s outward safety behaviors were quite reclusive and evidence of his safety commitment was a bit grainy at best. Chester was a safety leadership Big Foot.

Don’t get me wrong about Chester! He, indeed, was a very impressive leader, and I learned a ton working for him. He just wasn’t focused on safety as much as other things like inventory, quality and profitability: all good things to focus on but, in today’s brutally competitive, high stakes manufacturing game where tiny mistakes lead to grave consequences, safety must be the focus for leaders at the top. Factories that struggle with safety often also deal with debilitating employee relations issues, cost control challenges with rising workers compensation premiums and crippling down time due to unforeseen, damaging events. Not to mention bad PR (think of the BP oil-leak catastrophe in the Gulf)... Plant managers and other top leaders that make safety leadership action part of their daily activities tend to grab control of employee relations, cost and unplanned events at the same time they control safety. This type of safety leadership action you can tag, track and place in a zoo for all to admire!

Admittedly, I would love to see Big Foot and know he/she/it is real. I might never go camping again but the knowledge that a creature like that is alive in the woods would be totally awesome! Similarly, I would love to see all these highly intelligent, super capable leaders grab control of safety through action and leadership and know that one that ascends to that level means that without question, there will be an action-oriented safety commitment. It really can’t be said too often or emphasized enough just how important outward expressions of management commitment to safety are to the success of organizations. So, for all you leaders out there, don’t be an elusive safety Big Foot! Let your actions reveal your commitment to safety and your leadership set the safety tone for all that work for you. You can do it and once you establish control, we can begin to tackle the mystery of the Loch Ness Monster or what I like to call the ever-mysterious, employee-involvement-in-safety creature.

Till next time - live safety!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

MAU Congratulates Chiquavious Nicholson, Winner of March's Safety Quiz!

Stephanie Hutchings — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 15:26:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions congratulates Chiquavious Nicholson, winner of March's safety quiz! As the winner, she will enjoy one $100 Target Gift Card. Chiquavious has worked for MAU as an Inventory Analyst since August 2011. In her free time, she enjoys reading, writing, playing outside with her children, and shopping. Congratulations, Chiquavious!

To participate in the April Safety Quiz, please click the following link: www.mau.com/safetyquiz. Please note, this quiz is open to MAU Workforce Solutions employees only.

Safety News Update: Safety Expressions We Used to Say

Rob Loose — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 12:32:00 GMT

Recently I had a conversation with an elderly man at a church gathering where he affectionately referred to his wife as a “dame.” Dame… That’s not a word you often hear these days except in old Popeye cartoon re-runs. Here’s another old saying: My wife’s grandmother described a pain she recently suffered as “hurting like the dickens!” I’ve heard that expression many times before but on that occasion I wondered what in the world is “dickens” anyway? Charles Dickens perhaps… What did that legendary author have to do with pain? Remember Wally in Leave it to Beaver? He used to use the word “swell” to describe things as being good. Doesn’t swell mean the same thing as swollen? Anyway, I digress. Though baffling and bazaar as these old sayings may be to us newbies, we can’t ignore the fact that these sayings once held real meaning and were commonly used forms of expressions. I feel the same way about these old expressions when I speak with my friends in industry that proudly tell me their business has gone (you pick the number) of days without an accident. Why in Sam Hill (Sam Hill – what is it and where is it?) Is it “swell” to count the days that nobody gets hurt? Here’s my two cents (thoughts) about that!

The truth is, I get why people brag about nobody getting hurt or not experiencing any
accidents for a length of time. However, this so-called metric is quickly becoming a nostalgic achievement to current-day safety professionals that doesn’t really mean safety is achieved. Now, when someone tells me their plant has gone 300 days without an accident, I often wonder if I’m just receiving an earful of nonsense and there’s more to the story.

A few years back, I visited a plant where one of my employees was struck by another employee driving a forklift. The MAU employee was injured badly and I wanted to see the scene of the collision. To be clear, the pedestrian in this incident was an MAU employee and the person driving the forklift was employed by my client. As I entered the facility I noticed a sign on the wall boasting 197 safe days. Didn’t this pedestrian/forklift incident just happen yesterday I wondered to myself? Are they still counting safe days despite the fact a forklift hit a pedestrian? I quickly learned they were! I asked the warehouse manager why they were still counting safe days despite the incident and he literally smiled and said, “Oh yeah, our guy didn’t get hurt.” To make matters worse, that same manager asked me a few days later to contribute to their safety celebration for achieving 200 safe days. I didn’t contribute, if you’re wondering.

There were so many things wrong with this situation but I want to focus on the idea that this plant used safe days as a metric and attached a celebration for achieving them. All the while, they really didn’t achieve 200 safe days. Management at this plant chose to ignore a very visible injury that took place under their own roof because their employee didn’t get injured in the incident. Yet paramedics carried a person out of the facility on a stretcher and drove away in an ambulance. I wonder how many other incidents occurred in which “their guy” didn’t get hurt or how many near hits/misses they experienced in which they got lucky. How many people stuck a bloody hand in their pocket to hide their injury because they didn’t want to be the one that prevented the 200-safe-days party? What kind of a message did their employees receive at the celebration when just four days previous a forklift seriously injured someone in the plant? I venture (why would you “venture” to say anything? Just say it!) to say some in the room were confused and thought the steak dinner they were served tasted quite processed. Hogwash (another confusing, old expression meaning who knows what)!

Ever hear the saying that “the road to Hell is paved with good intentions?” Employer safety metrics and incentive programs are typically designed with good intentions not necessary leading to Hell but, again, an old confusing expression... OSHA is paying very close attention to employer safety incentive programs and cracking down on employers they catch that still practice them in a way that employees may be encouraged to not report injuries. Not too long ago I often would see jet skis, bass boats and even automobiles in plant lobbies that enticed employees to not get hurt because after a year without an injury they may be the lucky person to win this big prize in a drawing. These bass-boat programs get on OSHA’s last nerve (last nerve? I didn’t know nerves were ordered)! OSHA views this type of scenario as a disincentive to report an injury and possible whistleblower retaliation if injured employees are disqualified from employer safety programs as a result of a workplace accident. A memorandum written by OSHA Deputy Assistant Secretary, Richard Fairfax, on March 12, 2012 says as much: http://www.osha.gov/as/opa/whistleblowermemo.html . I say that a safety incentive program based entirely on achieving safe days or a certain OSHA injury illness rate falls knee high to a grasshopper (meaning short) and may not properly motivate employees to be safe.

If you’re reading this and thinking this stuff is all a bunch of hullabaloo (huh?), you may need to rethink your idea of what truly is safety success. What safety metrics do you pay attention to monthly? What safety achievement triggers your organization to celebrate? Are you focused on lagging indicators of safety or what happened that you no longer control or are you focused on leading indicators or things you do that create/control safety? If you’re more focused on lagging, consider revising your program to reward employees for completing safety audits or participating in safety activities or for coming up with an idea that makes everyone safer. I bet you dollars to donuts (strange expression but I do like donuts) a revision to your metrics/incentive program toward leading indicators will make a big difference. It’ll be a real dandy (what’s a dandy – dandy lion is a weed?)! So what are you waiting for? Get a move on and shake a leg (hurry up)! Make safety happen and focus on leading indicators of safety. Its 2012, time to get the right program that really encourages safety.

Good luck and remember: never kiss a gift horse in the mouth! Whatever that means???

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety News Update: Achieving Safety Greatness through Practice

Rob Loose — Fri, 23 Mar 2012 18:03:00 GMT

“God might give out plenty of gifts, but he doesn’t give away gold medals.” Casey Barrett’s resolute last statement seals his point to his readers in his revealing article about Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. Mr. Barrett contends that, while Phelps couples talent and a body uniquely built to propel him through the water (abnormally long torso, big feet and hands and short legs), something else helped Phelps achieve 14 gold medals: thousands of training sessions Phelps never missed early on in his swimming career. Day upon day, month upon month and year upon year, Phelps’ coach, Bob Bowman, relentlessly developed this talented young phenom into one of the greatest Olympians ever. Practice, practice, practice and more practice is what created Phelps!

So what does this have to do with safety? Warning! This next paragraph may reveal my inner safety nerd, but hang with me and I’ll answer that question! A chemical manufacturing plant that I have been fortunate enough to visit has achieved the equivalent of a gold medal in the safety world. In this plant, visitors entering the facility for the first time are required to engage in a contractor safety orientation — not just a video but a real orientation! Afterward, visitors are given a badge labeling them “first-timers” to the plant, and this is where the fun begins! Once inside the plant, employees of the plant look out for the newbies and make sure they abide by the safety rules. It’s like Disneyland but safer, well in my warped head anyway. And the facility….so clean and orderly, the machines are guarded completely and forklifts stop and honk their horns. I could go on but hopefully you get the point! If there is a manufacturing safety utopia, this plant may be it.

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of hearing this facility’s story about their safety developmental transformation. Wouldn’t you know it! Their evolution into a “safety utopia” is much similar to Michael Phelps’ transformation into an Olympic superhero. So, the story goes this plant was never a haven for danger. On the contrary, they’ve always been quite safe and run a clean ship. Thanks to great engineering and management, they were already equipped for safety – expertly built like Phelps. However, at some point the management team at this company decided they wanted to achieve excellence in all facets of their business and they felt like they had to focus first on safety. That’s when they decided to pursue OSHA VPP status, adopt BBS and LEAN Manufacturing. In this way and with these tools, they believed they would achieve higher levels of manufacturing excellence.

With precision structure and tools including VPP, BBS & LEAN, the practice to become safer began. Everyone from the top executive down to the custodian was included in this new safety initiative. All manufacturing processes that made up the recipe of their product were scrutinized with a safety magnifying glass. Unsafe elements inside those processes were plucked out and eliminated. Contractors were required to meet their lofty safety standards or their contracts would be severed. Work performance by employees now included the expectation that you make your job safer and people were held accountable for it. Day upon day, month upon month and year upon year they practiced this standard relentlessly involving all that played a part in delivering the product to market. Safety became core to all they do.

After days, months and years of tirelessly infusing LEAN and BBS into their processes and achieving their OSHA VPP Star recognition, this same chemical plant has become a model of safety and pillar of excellence in their industry. This achievement wasn’t easy. No way… it took practice!

Dedicated, persistent practice propelled both Phelps and the chemical plant to advanced accomplishments. Phelps spent countless hours swimming back and forth across a pool with a stubborn and demanding coach at one end holding an unforgiving stopwatch. My friends at the chemical plant have implemented daily, company-wide participation in prescribed programs fixed with unapologetic safety objectives that influenced all parties involved to drive the business to higher levels of excellence. Both parties continue to achieve the highest levels of excellence in their fields. And, most importantly in the case of the chemical plant, the employees that work at this plant take pride in their work and are dedicated to the business. I know many of them well and they have expressed to me how much they enjoy working at such a dedicated facility.

You may not work at a Chemical Plant ideally suited for safety but there are always ways to improve through practice. So, implement a new safety mantra: Practice, Practice, Practice! Start practicing today by not taking shortcuts that compromise safety in your work, don your PPE every time, do your job by the book and look out for those around you. Like Phelps, never miss a day of practice. You can do it and you must. Remember, safety greatness comes with practice!

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

MAU Workforce Solutions Congratulates Ronnie Singletary, Winner of February's Safety Quiz!

Stephanie Hutchings — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:42:00 GMT

MAU Workforce Solutions congratulates Ronnie Singletary, winner of February's Safety Quiz! He is originally from Ridgeville, SC and enjoys hunting and fishing in his free time. Singletary has worked for MAU for less than 1 year. Congratulations, Ronnie!

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

About the Author: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

Safety Professional with Manufacturing, HR and Health Care management experience, Rob has worked for MAU Workforce Solutions since 2006 supporting both HR and operations functions. Currently he serves as MAU’s Corporate Safety & Risk Manager. A 1998 graduate of Brigham Young University in Provo, UT, Rob now calls North Augusta, SC home where he lives with his wife and two kids. Rob is a member of the Augusta, GA chapter of ASSE.

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.

Safety News Update: 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: Robert Loose ASP, PHR

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.

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.