Yearly Archives: 2018

Fall Safety

5 Most Common Causes of Accidents When Working at Heights

By Juhlian Pimping from SafetyCulture

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OSHA recently announced its preliminary top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety violations for fiscal year 2018. “Fall protection” once again topped the list with 7,270 violations along with “Scaffolding” which came in at #3 with 3,336 violations. Falls remain the leading contributor of deaths in the construction industry, representing close to 40% of total deaths in construction in CY2016.

Here are the 5 most common causes of accidents when working at heights and some tips on how to avoid them:

1. Fragile Roofs –
Refer to elevated surfaces that are at risk of falling when under the pressure of unexpected loads. All roof surfaces should be considered fragile until a competent person has examined it. Examples of fragile roofing material can include skylights, asbestos cement-roof sheeting and corrugated steel.

Workers who step or sit on fragile roof materials are at risk of falling or slipping from heights which can lead to tragedy. Also, falling material and equipment can pose critical safety risks to those working below.

To reduce these risks, a risk assessment should be conducted before working on roofs to identify fragile roof surfaces and materials. Appropriate access and support material should be used such as ladders, crawling boards and load-bearing supports. Workers should also wear appropriate footwear.

2. Unprotected Edges –

This refers to walking or working surfaces both horizontal and vertical with no fall protection. Examples of unprotected sides and edges include scaffolding, platforms, and towers without guardrails, toeboards, or fencing.

Working from surfaces with unprotected edges puts workers at risk of falling, suffering major injuries and in extreme cases, fatalities.

To mitigate such risks, OSHA requires each employee to be protected by guardrail systems, safety net systems, or personal fall arrest systems if they are walking or working on surfaces 6 feet or more above a lower level.

3. Falling Materials –
This refers to tiles, bricks, wood cuttings, tools and other materials common in a construction site which may come loose and fall on workers.

Even small items can cause considerable damage to people and structures if dropped from a height. Injuries range from bruises to fractures, and even fatalities. Damage to structures can also affect work schedules due to repair-work.

The following hazards should be actively identified and controlled in order to lower the risk of falling materials injuring workers:
  • Gaps in platform surfaces or between platforms
  • Unprotected edges
  • Improper transportation of materials, equipment, or tools from ground level to the working area
  • Improper transportation methods of getting materials down to ground level, e.g. throwing
  • Improper storage of materials, e.g. on scaffold edges or in unstable stacks
In addition, adequate warning should be provided to both workers and civilians entering the jobsite where the risk of falling materials cannot be completely eliminated. This can be done by posting a signage, wearing appropriate PPE/ head protection, verbally communicating the hazards, or providing civilian or guest routes to get around the jobsite.

4. Unstable Equipment –
Refers to access equipment such as scaffolding, towers, platforms, and ladders that aren’t stable enough to be considered safe.
Using unstable equipment puts workers at risk of losing their balance which can lead to falling and dropping materials.

Though there are inherent risks in using such equipment when working at heights, proper maintenance and use should be observed in order to reduce the risks to acceptable levels. Unstable equipment deemed unsafe by a competent person must not be used.

5. Weather Conditions –
This refers to adverse weather conditions that may affect work surfaces, workers, materials, and equipment. Here are some examples in which the weather can affect working at heights:

  • Rain or ice can cause workers to slip and fall
  • Strong winds can blow loose materials/ tools away, make access equipment unstable, and affect the balance of workers
  • Cold conditions may affect workers’ dexterity and increase the risk of injuries
  • Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun can cause cancer, sunburn, and eye problems
OSHA requires employers to provide safety equipment to their workers in almost all cases free of charge, and workers are encouraged to wear PPE suitable for the weather condition they have to work in to minimize the risk of hazards.

Conclusion
Considering the high-level of risk when working at heights, employers and workers should first assess its necessity in relation to the work that needs to be done. Where it is unavoidable however, employers and workers need to be aware of the common causes of accidents when working at heights so they can take the necessary precautions to avoid them.

Performing regular safety inspections can help identify hazards when working at heights and prevent tragedies from occurring. Using safety checklists can help with performing inspections: here are seven working at heights safety checklist templates you can download and use. Using a mobile app like iAuditor can help you perform paperless inspections while onsite and streamline your reporting.
General Safety Issues

4 Power Tools Safety Tips

Guest Blog Written by Daniel Brown

There are numerous reasons why people use power tools both in their line of work and for private purposes. First of all, they have the advantage of speed and scale, which allows you to do tasks you would be unable to do before or to handle a previously possible task with several times greater speed. Still, with greater power comes greater responsibility and, in this case, a greater hazard. Handling power tools inadequately can cause some serious injuries, far greater than those that could occur with hand tools. With that in mind and in order to prevent such a thing from happening, you need to know a couple of tips regarding handling power tools. Here are some of them.Photo by https://www.bidvine.com

  • Be focused

The problem with handling power tools lies in the fact that it can be quite boring at the time. It takes only a second for you to make a mistake that you could regret for a lifetime. This is why you need to stay alert, awake and focused on what you’re doing. Do what you’re doing and take as long as you need. You’re saving time (in comparison to doing the same task with regular tools) either way, so there’s no point in rushing. As soon as you notice that there’s a lapse in concentration take a break. Power tools usually cause a lot of noise, which is why you would do well to get some rest from this, as well.

  • Use protective gear

The next thing you need to understand is the fact that the right gear might protect you in more than several ways. Hardhats are there to protect you from debris and recoil (which might happen with some power tools). Safety glasses are vital in keeping your eyes safe, especially when cutting something. Ear plugs are there to help you stay focused on the task at hand. Now, safety shoes may seem as optional but they’re actually a vital piece of protective gear. Lastly, the importance and pragmatism of gloves are more than self-explanatory. Safety vest is also important, seeing as how it enables your coworkers, bypassers or bystanders to notice you in time. This will help avoid a scenario where they bump into you by accident.

  • Preparing for the worst

Keep in mind that you won’t always be able to prevent an accident. Sure, you might be focused and careful but what if someone else bumps into you while you’re handling a dangerous power tool? What if the device malfunctions or interacts with a material that it’s working on… well, in a way it shouldn’t? This is why it’s important that you have a strategy that will help you behave even if the worst is to happen.

What you need is to unplug the tool and find a first aid kit right away. Then, seek aid from a professional medical expert. Keep in mind that ramifications of this aren’t always medical but legal as well. For instance, if you’ve suffered an injury at work you might also be in need of work compensation lawyers. While some may see this as too pessimistic, it’s always for the best to be prepared ahead of time.

  • Mind the surroundings

Keep in mind that these tools aren’t the only thing that you need to be focused on. Think of it like experience similar to driving a car. What are you looking at while you drive? The road ahead, the pedestrians, other cars or the rear-view mirror? The answer is simple, you’re looking at all of them and the same thing you need to do while handling the power tool. Mind the surroundings both before you start work and clean it up, if necessary. Do so while working and make sure to inspect are after you’re finished. In this way, you’ll make it much safer for work.

In conclusion

    At the end of the day, you need to keep in mind that while power tools may sound dangerous, especially from the information we’ve discussed above, this is not really so in practice. Most people go through their entire lives without having a single power tool-related accident and, if you follow the above-listed four tips, you just might do the same.
General Safety Issues

Tips to prevent common forklift accidents

 

They might look fun to operate, but forklifts are nothing to be toyed with. They are a serious workplace hazard. Forklift drivers are constantly at risk of injury when operating them. Accidents range from human injury to equipment destruction. Proper safety precautions are absolutely necessary to keep this from happening. Here are some examples of how to implement safety measures.

 

1. Be wary of pedestrians

 

Forklifts are dangerous pieces of equipment. Combined with the weight they lift, they can have a combined weight of thousands of pounds. Something this heavy is always dangerous, especially if it is constantly on the move. Pedestrian deaths aren’t uncommon when mishandling forklifts. Heavy loads can fall or the forklift can tip over and crush a person quite easily. Preventing this should be your number one goal.

 

The easiest way to do this is to physically separate the pedestrians from forklifts. A barrier should be installed between where people walk and where the forklift operates. Brightly coloured lines don’t do the trick, they just serve as reminders to watch out. You want to actually prevent accidents from happening. Low visibility is another cause for incidents, so high-visibility clothing is recommended for workers in the warehouse.

 


2. Reduce collisions

 

Forklifts don’t just pose a danger to pedestrians, they are just as dangerous to everything else in a warehouse. Anything from walls to other machinery is in danger if you don’t properly handle a forklift. Even other forklifts aren’t safe from collisions. The most common kind of collision is one where the driver accidentally reverses into equipment or walls. Since they are pretty heavy, anything you crash into will have a dent in it.

 

The best way to prevent this is spatial awareness. Drivers should check their surroundings and always do a three-sixty visual check of the area they are navigating in. While driving the forklift, they must keep their eyes on the road at all times. Eliminate distractions that could divert attention from the drivers. Slower navigation is always a bonus, the slower you go the lower the chance of a collision.

 

3. Proper training

 

Human error is one of the main factors when it comes to forklift accidents. Putting the blame on drivers alone won’t cut it, though. Forklift drivers are people too. You should focus on getting them the necessary training they need to avoid these types of accidents. Even experienced drivers need a reminder or two on occasion. Refresher training should be provided to even the most seasoned drivers.
Training offers some indirect benefits to your business as well. Due to being a safety measure, it will reduce insurance premiums. The lack of accidents as a result of the training will lead to less money spent on repairs. If you provided all the necessary tools and instruments for operators to improve themselves, your liability in the event of a disaster is decreased. Organizations like OSHA might even mandate some degree of refresher training for workers. Research your labour laws regarding this.

 


4. The right equipment matters

 

The cause of an accidents doesn’t solely rest on the shoulders of a driver. Sometimes it’s the equipment that is at fault. Forklifts are machines like any other. They can fail just like any other piece of equipment. The difference is that when they fail, they can cause catastrophic injury or loss of life. Employers have to make it their duty to get the best kind of equipment in order to mitigate the number of accidents. It’s one area where it pays off not to be frugal.

 

If a forklift breaks down, you will obviously need to fix it. Regular maintenance is important for any piece of machinery. Companies like MLA Holdings can provide these services regularly. While one machine is getting fixed, you should find a rental replacement while you wait for the first to be fixed. If it’s unsalvageable, you should consider getting a new forklift or at least a quality used one.

 

5. Keep an eye on the loading dock

 

Driving around a warehouse isn’t the main point of a forklift. You load and unload heavy objects and packages. Sometimes the loading process will include a van or truck. While they are moving vehicles, they aren’t supposed to move during loading and unloading. This is where accidents come in. A variety of things can happen in this process. Early departure is one of them. If a driver starts creeping away while the forklift is still inside, bad things can happen.

 

You have to make sure the weight being carried isn’t too heavy. If something extremely heavy is unloaded into a truck, it could tip at the nose. This is why landing gear is important. Keeping the vehicle securely in place is a must. Otherwise, either the forklift or the vehicle can cause injury or loss of equipment. Aim for several layers of safety. Things like hooks, wheel chocks, and wheel locks are helpful aides. Additionally, consider a system of lights for the drivers. Red light usually means stop, while giving the green light lets them know it’s fine to proceed.

 

Conclusion
Working with forklifts isn’t the safest job in the world. There are tons of things to watch out for. You’re working with thousands of tons in heavy machinery and one wrong move can cost you a lot of money. Injuries aren’t all that uncommon, either. Safety precautions should be on your list of things to strive for.

Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home, design and lifestyle. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader.
https://twitter.com/LiamSmith2034
https://www.linkedin.com/in/liamsmith2034

 

General Safety Issues

Workplace Updates that Promote Safety

Your office is your daily sanctuary. Sometimes, you even spend more time in the day in your workplace than inside your own home. And because of that, it’s vital that the environment is safe and less prone to accidents. Unfortunately, not all offices are like that. For a variety of reasons, some companies are not able to maintain a safe and peaceful working space for their employees, and this creates tension within the business. If people feel they’re unsafe while doing their job, they’re more like to decrease their productivity or even quit altogether. And if it leads to that, then down goes the company.

It’s actually not that difficult to maintain a safe work environment. You just have to know what steps to take and which part of the office that need sprucing up. Once you’ve fixed what needs fixing and cleaned what needs cleaning, you’re good to go. For a clearer perspective on the matter, here are workplace updates that promote safety.

Polished Floor

The floor can oftentimes be the cause of many workplace accidents. If it’s too cluttered, people might trip over and break their items. When it’s too wet, some will definitely slip and lead to painful injuries. A clean and well-polished floor is a surefire way to ensure safety in the workplace. Brush off any dust, polish with some wax, take out a few unnecessary objects lying around, and it’ll be as good as new. In fact, another way to maintain the floor is to cover them with anti-fatigue mats. Not only will they be easier to clean, but it’ll also be relaxing for your employees and can improve overall productivity.

Wider Spaces

Sometimes, a mark of an old and run down office is how tight and cluttered it all seems. Desks are too close to each other, there’s no more room on the floor, and objects keep on getting lost. and because of such small spaces, employees will keep bumping into each other or to furniture. If your office is like this, it’s time to upgrade into a more spacious one. There isn’t even much need for a lot of storage furniture as a lot of files can now be digital. As for the desks? The sleeker and simpler, the better. Go for ones that can handle you and your equipment, but are still compact and narrow so that people can still walk around freely in the office.

Better Electrical Wiring

Before even starting your company, check first if the electrical wiring is good. Oftentimes, especially with reused office spaces, the wiring in such areas can be too cluttered and messy. This will be more if you’re planning to upgrade the systems with more modern and state-of-the-art technologies. So before upgrading your gadgets, upgrade the wiring systems first. Make sure it has enough spaces and can handle more electricity, cover up all the wires and systems that need covering up, and you’re all set!

Stable Furniture

Is your furniture in the office stable? Are they sturdy enough to hold all the paper files, computers, and other office supplies? At all the wooden desks and chairs nailed in place, with nothing sharp poking out that might scratch anyone? If not, then you need to upgrade your workplace furniture. Find ones that you’ll be able to store all your work in, whether digital or physical files. For the chairs, choose those that are comfortable and light, but strong enough to hold the employees sitting for hours in a day.

Working Sprinkler Systems

Office fires are more common than you think. While they might not be the big ones that would really make the headlines, small fired within the workplace can still cause considerable damage. To avoid such, make sure you installed sprinkler systems that work well. Put in a smoke detector so that even the slightest whiff of smoke will turn on the sprinklers in no time. Also, ensure that the sprinklers are installed in each and every room, especially ones full of electronics as they’re more likely the most prone to starting fires. This is one of the most important workplace updates you’ll need for your company, to prioritize this well.

Undamaged Door Knobs

Ever carried a whole load of work and then you suddenly crash on a closed door? Or when you’re going to get something inside the supply closet and you realized you’re trapped there? These are just some accidents cause by damaged doorknobs, an often overlooked workplace problem. You’d think that since doors are rarely closed or locked during working hours, there’s no need to update them with working knobs, but this shouldn’t be the case. People can get considerably hurt or even injured when faced with damaged doorknobs. And if there’s a need to evacuate the area, what will happen to those people who aren’t able to open the door fast enough because of such? Fix each and every doorknob in the workplace to ensure a safe environment for your employees.

Your workplace doesn’t have to be dangerous, especially if you upgraded it. And once you do, you’ll find that this newer and better office will do wonders for you and the business altogether!
General Safety Issues

How EHS professionals can promote workplace mental health

As the debate continues over whether mental health should fall under EHS professionals’ responsibility, we look at both sides of the argument and find out the best ways to promote good mental health in the workplace.

On 6th June 2018, Safety+Health Magazine launched apoll titled Should Mental Health in the Workplace be Part of the Safety Pro’s Responsibility? Six months and 248 comments later, the results are nearly even: 52% respondents voted yes and 48% voted no. The poll is still open, but it’s far from a decisive result.
Should the EHS professional be responsible for worker mental health?

The question that’s divided the EHS community. In the poll’s comment section, there are a myriad of opinions.
One commenter wrote: “No the safety professional should not be responsible for the workers [sic] mental health issue. They can direct them to an [sic] HR representative if a concern arises. We are not babysitters.”

 

And another wrote: “As safety professionals. It is our duty to maintain a health relationship with all of our employees … If we as safety professionals are ignoring a person’s mental health, we might as well ignore all hazardous conditions that aren’t tangible.”

 


Screenshots of comments on the Safety+Health Magazine

At the moment, mental health and physical health are treated unequally under Health and Safety Regulations 1981, with a greater focus on the latter. However, despite mental unwellness being an “invisible” illness, its brunt can be felt in working environments.
How poor mental health can impact the workplace
It’s arguable that poor workplace mental health can cause safety risks. According to the World Health Organization, mental health problems can increase error rates and accidents, and result in substandard decision-making.

 

It can mean reduced productivity and working days lost. In the UK alone, 12.5 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression or anxiety in 2016/2017. Mental health problems can also present itself as physical conditions, including heart disease, ulcers and skin rashes – which may result in further days off.
And finally, poor mental health can result in bad working relationships and an increase in disciplinary problems.

 

But what is the economic impact? For UK employers, it costs £35 billion a year – that’s £1,300 for every employee. The largest portion of this cost is the reduced productivity of staff continuing to work with their mental illness, and the second largest is job turnover.  300,000 people with long-term mental health problems leave the workforce each year.

 

What causes poor workplace mental health?

 

One in four people will experience mental disorders at some point in their lives. At any time, 450 million people worldwide are suffering suffer from a mental illness – making it one of the main causes of disability and ill-health around the globe.

 

Anxiety and depression are the most common; and while stress is not a psychiatric diagnosis, but it is closely linked to mental illnesses. Mental health problems can cause stress, and stress can cause mental health problems or make diagnosed mental illnesses worse.

 

Workplaces can be a breeding ground for stress – up to a staggering 80% of American workers suffer from substantial work-related stress.

 

The following workplace factors can cause stress:
⦁ Long hours,
⦁ Overload of work,
⦁ Complex tasks,
⦁ Lack of variety,
⦁ Poor workplace ergonomics,
⦁ Unfavorable working relations and organizational culture.

 

In response to these undesirable work factors, the individual worker may experience the following:
⦁ Feeling unable to enjoy yourself/depressed
⦁ Having a sense of dread
⦁ Feeling neglected or lonely
⦁ Finding it hard to concentrate
⦁ Eating too much or too little
⦁ Smoking or drinking alcohol more than usual
⦁ Experiencing sleep problems
⦁ Experiencing headaches
⦁ Experiencing chest pains
⦁ Having panic attacks
⦁ Feeling irritable or aggressive

 

© Mind. This information is published in full at mind.org.uk.

 

Contrary to mental illnesses, employers are legally required to protect staff from workplace stress. HSE have a risk assessment document for employers to carry out and act upon if required.

 

How the EHS professional can promote workplace mental health
While mental health may still be in the pipeline for inclusion in health and safety regulations, there are still actions you can take.
HSE recently launched their updated mental health first aid guidance – mere days after business leaders submitted an open letter to the Prime Minister calling for legislation in protecting workplace mental health.

 

It is recommended to follow the HSE Management Standards approach in reducing workplace stress. Identifying stressors, then minimising or eradicating them will result in happier and healthier employees.

 

The Standards approach involves looking at six key areas of work design: demands, control, support, relationships, role and change. Poor management of these areas has been proven to result in poor health; lower productivity; and an increase in accidents and sick days.

 

Thriving at Work: The Stevenson/Farmer Review of Mental Health and Employers, designed six ‘mental health core standards’ to be used by all employers, regardless of company size and industry.
They advise to: develop a mental health at work plan; raise employees’ awareness of mental illness; have support available; provide good working conditions and people management; and monitor mental wellbeing amongst staff.

 

Mental health charity Mind have also published their own Wellness Action Plan for Line Managers, which you can access here.

 

One Barbour webinar invited professionals to discuss their workplace mental health initiatives. Each company cited the importance of developing a thorough mental health plan, then sticking to it. Employers must show commitment to get employees on board.

 

In conclusion
Whether or not you believe employees’ mental health should fall under the employer or EHS professionals’ responsibilities, there’s stacking evidence as to how workplace mental health and stress can carry an impact, not least as a safety risk.

 

As we are moving towards a greater awareness of workplace mental health, tools are out there to act proactivity. It is much easier for an employee to stay in work if the situation has not reached crisis point.

 

Mentally well employees mean a happy workforce with increased productivity levels and a reduced safety risk, plus a healthy economic impact. It’s time to act now and strive towards good workplace mental health.

About the author

Holly Callender is a Digital Marketing Executive at Pro-Sapien Software, an EHS Software solution on SharePoint & Office 365. Visit the website at www.pro-sapien.com.

General Safety Issues

Invest in Health and Safety at Work and Reap the Benefits

Most business owners just focus on productivity and implementing new strategies to make their employees work harder. This approach may be efficient in the short-term but will soon fail. After all, your employees are people, not robots. If you want to invest in your company’s productivity and quality of service, you need to meet your employee’s basic needs. In other words, you need to make sure there are no risks of getting hurt or sick on the job. 

1. Come up with a procedure 

You should always work towards preventing health and safety issues from ever happening, but sometimes that’s simply impossible. In these scenarios, it’s important to have a coherent plan of action. Coming up with a procedure for dealing with these emergencies will help minimize the consequences and return business as usual as soon as possible.

This all implies you should know exactly what to do in cases of fires or other work emergencies. What you’ll do depends on the type of venue your workplace is at and its location. It might be a good idea to ask a professional for help in planning or to hire someone to do that job for you. You can even have a first aid technician on the worksite present at all times.

2. Maintain your facilities

Regardless of where you’re doing your business, you need to pay attention to the state of your facilities. This is especially true if you’re in an old building with a weakened structure. Old pipes, crevices, and spaces between the walls can all be potential risks for injury or disease. This is because pests will have easy access to your workers.Whether we’re talking about an office or a construction site, the consequences could be fatal. Rats can sneak in and chew the wiring important for your work, causing potential short-circuits and fires, while bugs can spread disease and interfere with the work process. Making sure no pests can be found on the worksite will make your employees much more relaxed and productive. They won’t have to stop work just to deal with another issue and you won’t have to spend more money on solving an additional problem.

3. Train and educate your workers

Most injuries are caused by untrained workers who don’t know what they’re doing. So, in order to minimize the risk of injury, you need to battle ignorance. Do this by training new employees and educating old ones. You may have a skilled crew in your hands, but everyone needs a little reminder on safety. Also, make sure to encourage safe behaviour on the job. You can do this by rewarding their good behaviour with a compliment or pat on the back.This way, your workforce won’t be on sick leave or at home, healing from a work injury. You’ll have a strong and healthy crew, ready to take on any project you give them. You’ll also get to avoid potential lawsuits. This all saves you a lot of time, energy, and money while increasing productivity.

4. Get proper and quality equipment

More and more countries are realizing just how effective having proper equipment can be. Take Australia, for example. It’s realized the equipment is the key to preventing injuries and promoting health. If your employees wear good quality equipment necessary for their job, they’re far more likely to do their job well because they’ll have some help.In fact, Aussies take it so seriously that control measures have been implemented to make sure everyone stays safe and healthy. That’s why you’ll find that Australian safety boots, hard hats, high visibility clothing, and safety harnesses meet all the necessary regulations. As a result, you won’t hear that anyone’s gotten sick or injured at work, and productivity is at an all-time high.

5. Maintain the hygiene

Maintaining the hygiene of any work venue is essential from keeping sickness at bay. Disease spreads faster in unclean environments so you need to counter that. Pay special attention to bathroom areas, and kitchens if there are any. If not, make sure the place where your workers take their lunch break is up to standard.

If the circumstances allow it, you can hire a cleaning service to regularly take care of your workplace. This takes the pressure off you while still making sure your employees are working in a clean environment. Finally, you should also encourage your workers to clean up after themselves and educate them on the importance of clean workstations. This way you’ll minimize the risk of disease entirely.

Conclusion

As you can see, there are a few things to pay attention to when it comes to making sure your employees remain safe and healthy. The attitude you have towards their well-being will surely reflect how they feel about you. If your employees respect and like you, they’re far more likely to do their job well and be motivated to give it their all to succeed. We’re confident that all your hard work will pay off in the long run if you follow some or all of the tips above.

About the author: Liam Smith is a young and aspiring Australian blogger with a passion for everything related to home improvement, design and style. He has a B.Sc. in Interior design and is an avid reader.

Uncategorized

10 Good Characteristics of Effective Safety Leader

A disaster-prone, disorganized worksite can indicate one of two things: bad safety leadership or poor safety culture. In most cases, it is both. Crisis management is more than just leadership. It is an intervention and a state of mind. If you are handling crisis and managing a safety program, you are the essential tool for making the worksite function. That being said, organized and effective work requires an effective safety leader.

There are different titles for safety professionals, such as safety experts or managers, or EHS specialists. However, when it comes to safety – they all have the same final goal – to be a leader who promotes safety and keeps people safe.

‘’Everyone can be a safety leader. It can be the shift supervisor, some frontline workers, or the production manager. Whichever you are, you need to possess the following 10 characteristics that come adjacent to the job title.’’ – says Mickey Torres, HR manager at an assignment service.

1.    A Steward of Job Safety

A safety leader is the very first person who brings all attention to job safety. Safety is their priority. Therefore, they consistently and properly wear the equipment and guide people to do the same. A safety leader joins committees and boards that make an example among the workplace, and ensures that every employee is properly informed and trained to use the equipment.

Safety is all about the people. That being said, in addition to ensuring that workers have the proper training to do their job safely, a safety leader cares about the employee’s health. A good leader will hire competent employees, train them and ensure that they are healthy and prepare to do their tasks.

This is where the rules and regulations of a company come in place. Such regulations are the backbone of the safety strategies of the leader, and governments add to this by providing a wide range of safety and health laws and benefits.

2.    Fast Responder

Every leader has to act fast. It is the trait of successful leaders, but the importance of fast reactions is emphasized in the safety business. Employees will raise concerns and at times, their actions will too. With that in mind, a safety leader must respond quickly to the safety concerns and issues raised to protect the employees and correct the deficiencies.

3.    Safety Regulations

You can’t be a true professional unless you build your professional learning curve. A great safety leader is always informed on the current safety regulations. They do this by networking with other professionals, reading materials on safety and regulations, attending conferences, and researching the internet.

There is always something new that comes up on the safety horizon. Whether it is a new strategy to implement safety measures or a new method of safety training, a great safety leader always keeps up.

4.    Meeting Deadlines

If a safety leader leaves open-ended issues, this can lead to disasters. Whether it is employee training or buying safety equipment, a good safety leader does things in a timely measure. They finish everything they start as effectively and efficiently as possible. Whenever possible, they break the big tasks into small chunks and set an allotted timeframe for their completion.

5.    Attention to Details

Issues happen no matter how organized you are or how hard you try to anticipate. As a good safety leader, you need to respond fast to issues and be prepared to handle them. Look for ways to improve the strategies and the process that lead to it. Anticipate issues aggressively before they become serious. Attention to details leads to prevention, which is always better than damage control.

6.    Accountability

You want to be a true leader? If you do, you need to learn to hold people accountable for their actions, including yourself. Great leaders motivate the employees, but part of the motivation process is led by accountability. The tolerance level can remain high, but without accountability, workers won’t be able to improve their work and safety will remain highly endangered.

7.    Solutions

Instead of giving managers a safety problem to solve, a great leader will provide them with a solution. Being a leader means being an expert in the safety field, which is why your manager will expect from you to find a solution for the safety problems. Whether it is something you anticipated or something unexpected, the only way to make an impression and succeed as a safety leader is to take on the problems and create a solution.

8.    Respect

People respect great leaders, but only the ones who respect them back. If you lack respect for the fellow workers, you won’t receive respect from them. It is that simple – people won’t hold you in high regard or consider you a true professional. Respect does not come with the title, no matter how high it is.

9.    Organization

Safety comes side by side with organization. An organized worksite equals safe worksite. One of the greatest traits of a leader is organization, but in this case, it is an essential tool for promoting safety in a workplace. Without it, the place will be a mess: plastics and construction materials without any order, over-stuffed boxes and bins, poor adhering to the safety procedures in the work site, etc. All of this results from poor organization.

10.  Communication

Safety leaders don’t just roll out a different program without discussing it with the workers. They don’t implement safety measures without explaining them to the people who need to work with them. Most importantly, they don’t expect the workers to know the how’s and when’s of safety procedures without no one communicating this with them. If you want the worksite to be a safe place for the people, you must be a good communicator and continuously share safety issues and guidelines with the workers.

Wanting to create a safety culture in a workplace is one thing. Acting on it is a whole other thing. As a safety leader, you must build on the aforementioned skills to make the workplace as safe as it can be.

About the writer

Jennifer Sanders is a writer and an editor from London. She loves sport,  to listen to music, and to communicate with different people. Find Jennifer on Twitter and Facebook.

General Safety Issues

Top 7 Safety Tips To Keep Your Employees Safe From Insects

Workers are exposed to many dangerous things, including the unwelcome insects. Insects can be a nuisance, but they can also be a danger. If your workers are stung by an insect such as a bee or a wasp, or even a hornet, it might not be a big deal. In most cases, bites and stings cause discomfort. However, in other situations, most often with bites from more aggressive insect species, the bite can turn into an allergic reaction and if not treated immediately, lead to even catastrophic results. Every workplace needs to be protected from such occurrences. Something as small as a fire ant can cause a lot of damage and put your employees at great risk. The worksites with birdbaths, buckets of water, old tires, clogged gutters, and other outdoor equipment are at a much higher risk that indoor workspaces. However, the risk is still present everywhere.

‘’It isn’t just the conditions in which employees work. It is also their location. Just think of the West Nile Virus – it killed over fifty people in a single year, which is more than the highest casualty rate recorded in the past.’’ – shares Elisabeth Webber, writer at Brillassignment.co.uk.As a good employer, you want to protect your workers from diseases spread from insect bites, as well as complications that arise as a result of allergies, bacteria, viruses and parasites. The West Nile virus infection is just one of the many, since infected mosquitoes and ticks can carry anything from bacteria to Lyme disease. Statistics say that in a period of nine years between 2001 and 2010, an estimate of 6.8 million people visited emergency rooms in the US for insect sting and bite injuries.

With this in mind, you need to take the right precautions and measures to protect your employees from insects:

Keep them Informed

Before taking any measures to protect the employees, you need to inform them about ways to protect themselves. This is the only way to make sure that employees know what to do when an insect bites or stings them, what to watch for, and what to do to prevent it.

Your task is to discuss the following with them:

  • Appropriate outfit that prevents insect bites, such as long-sleeved shirt and long pants, as well as socks.
  • Use of repellents as stated in the label directions. Repellents can be used on clothing as per the label directions.
  • Working indoors when insects are most active outdoors. For example, mosquitoes are known to be most active at dusk and dawn.

Inspect the Workplace

Your task and that of your employees is to inspect the workplace regularly to rid of breeding grounds as soon as possible. You can train your employees to watch out for this too, and inform you when something like that happens.

Fix and Remove Dangers from the Workplace

Inspecting the workplace includes identifying the leaking buckets, hoses or other things that hold water, and fixing it. It also includes clearing the clogged rained gutters, drilling holes into plant saucers and outdoor containers to prevent water accumulation, keeping pools, ponds and fountains circulating, etc.

To move things father, you can install foggers and mosquito traps, or add mosquito fish to the water sources.

Have Safety Meeting

Have safety meetings as often as possible. On these meetings, your job is to discuss everything related to safety, including insect safety. Let the employees know where you keep the repellant, teach them how to use it, identify the dangerous areas with them, and train them to handle such situations.

Be Prepared

As a safety expert, you need to be the most prepared of them all. This means having epinephrine auto injectors, learn first aid for sting bites, learn how to remove stingers, and have all the equipment necessary to perform a fast, first aid insect bite procedure.

Keep the Work Area as Clean as Possible

Insects can be found in the areas we discussed above, but also in dirty areas. The cleaner you keep the work area, the lower are the chances that insects will come for, let’s say, discarded food.

Teach Employees Insect Bite First Aid

Keeping the employees informed includes this essential point. You aren’t the only one who should know how to react when someone is bitten or stung and has a bad reaction. All your employees should know how to help themselves, as well as co-workers in case you are not there at the moment.

The insect bite first aid for a stinging insect is:

  • Washing the site with water and soap
  • Removing the stinger with a gauze over the area
  • Ice application to reduce the swelling
  • Monitoring the worker to ensure that they don’t have an allergic reaction

Call emergency if the worker shows symptoms

That’s it – the seven preparation tips that will reduce the chances of your employees being stung or bitten by an insect. Remember – this can happen no matter how hard you try, so the most important thing is to be prepared.

About the authorScott Mathews is a professional content writer at recruiting, HR management and work productivity. Scott`s biggest passion is blogging and travelling. He regularly takes part in different conferences and contributes his posts to different websites. Contact him on Facebook and Twitter.

Fall Safety, General Safety Issues

Different Applications of Rope Access Services

What Are the Different Applications of Rope Access Services?

Rope access is a form of rope-work designed to gain access to locations in a building that are otherwise difficult to reach. This technique is commonly used for construction, maintenance, inspection, surveying of industrial plants, wind turbines, towers and bridges. There are several benefits of using a professional service for this practice and some of them are:

  • Better flexibility compared to the conventional moving platforms
  • Affordable, safe and maneuverable
  • Ability to reach the different areas in a safe and secured manner
  • The work is accomplished without having to worry about the safety standards

Know More About the Use of Rope Access Services

With advancement in technology, there are several methods that have been incorporated into rope access services. In fact, it has emerged as the ultimate choice by regulatory bodies and most of them recommend three levels of training for using them and these are:

  • Level 1: This is where most of the individuals are trained about the applications of this technique and it is performed under the supervision of an expert.
  • Level 2: This is where the advance techniques are taught, enabling them to tackle difficult situations while using the rope.
  • Level 3: The final level is where the individuals achieve maximum supervisory skills and are capable of providing professional services that you are looking for.

When you are planning to hire a reliable company for rope access service, do make sure that the professionals are certified with at least level 3 expertise and can deliver efficient and safe operations.

Who Should Take Advantage of Rope Access Services?

This method is essential for several purposes. With the support of a well-defined rope system, workers are able to perform thorough inspection of bridges, turbines and other structures that are built at a higher elevation. Further, the method is essential for maintenance of similar structures too such as window replacements, painting, leak repairs, roof repairs and a lot more that demand reliable and safe support for desired results. Moreover, the rope access services are beneficial for installation of weather stations, antennas and transceivers too. So, if there is a project that requires access to tall heights then one must consider choosing a dependable company for professional services.

Choosing A Professional Rope Access Service Provider

For selecting a professional rope access service provider there are four tips that one should follow, and these are listed below:

  • Understand what your requirements are: The first and perhaps the most important step is to understand why exactly you need professional service and the height that should be accessed with the use of professional service. Make a note of every aspect, as the same would be beneficial in refining your search.
  • Focus on the equipment used: There is an array of equipment used for rope access services. They are not limited to body harness, sit harness, climbing helmet, safety back-up harness and the like, but include several high-end tools too. Do ensure that the company you choose is equipped with essential equipment for safe operation.
  • Previous projects handled: Learn more about the previous projects that are handled by the company. This will help you determine if they are a good pick for you or not. As if the professionals have excelled earlier in dealing with wind turbines or industrial buildings would be beneficial for you too.
  • Average cost of services: Consider the average cost of professional services, as the professional that you choose should be able to offer the services that you need within a budget. For this, you can even request for an estimate from the service provider as well.

These are some of the few factors that you must keep in mind before hiring a rope access service.

General Safety Issues, Health Issues

5 BATHROOM SAFETY TIPS IN THE WORKPLACE

5 Bathroom Safety Tips in the Workplace

One of the most frequently visited public bathrooms will doubtless be the one in your workplace (unless bladder control is your superpower!). Unlike most public bathrooms, the one at your workplace will likely have fewer people using it over one particular day. However, that by no means guarantees that it will be healthier or safer to use. Think of all the people who used it, spilled water on the floor, touched the door knobs and flushes on the toilets with their germ-filled hands…ugh! Now that is something a germ phobic,  careful employee like yourself would absolutely not want to see or touch! Not to worry! By following these 5 tips you can easily deal with the nastiness of the workplace bathroom.

Carry tissues and sanitizers

Surely you knew this was going to be first? The first safety issue anybody faces with using a public bathroom is the possibility of getting a viral disease. The source of this disease could be anything- doorknobs, toilet seats, the air around the place, you name it! Now, while going into the washroom with a mask on is weird, being extra careful regarding what you come in contact with certainly is not. USE TISSUE. Use it to open the doors, use it when touching the walls, turning on the faucets, and anything else that might need physical contact. After washing your hands, use another piece of tissue or paper towel to dry, and dispose of appropriately.

After doing the deed and washing after yourself, it also helps to apply sanitizer to your hands. If adequately equipped, you might as well use tissue paper to wipe toilet seats before using them. Not only is it going to give you peace of mind (trust us, it will!), it doesn’t hurt going the extra distance for keeping healthy.

These tips, alongside certain common sense actions like flushing with the lid down, should help you get through the trouble of workplace bathroom disease mania.

Avoid stepping on wet floor

Sometimes you might be in a rush to use the bathroom. You run to the bathroom door and open it, only to see that the floor is wet. What do you do? Hint: Do not go in! The reasons should be obvious. First of all, wet floors are a safety hazard. Anyone wearing shoes can experience a good old slip. Anyone desperate enough might try taking their shoes off and strut around wearing socks, or even barefoot. That is also a no-no. Wet floors contain germs that can make you ill.

The best thing to do would be to call the staff responsible for bathroom maintenance to wipe it off, wait for them to get done, and then enter. You don’t need superpowers to hold it in for a few minutes!

Also, if you have old bathroom faucets, a good idea might be to just replace them from time to time.

If you ever see a portion of the bathroom floor wet even while you are inside, be sure to call up someone to have it wiped off after you are done.

Take your time

Hey man, why don’t you just slow down? We get it, your bladder might explode, or you have to get back to your meeting quickly. But you have to take it slow. Running to and inside the bathroom can cause a nasty fall. Rushing to get done with answering nature’s calls can be unhealthy (yes, that is true) and also lead you to injure yourself if you make one move too fast.

Walk to the bathroom, use the toilet while taking your time, but not too much, and then calmly get back to your business. Plus, rushing things will make you look bad among your coworkers. Imagine how embarrassing it would be if Harold from Accounting told you to “take it easy in there”.

Do not spill water on the floor

For reasons not to do so, refer to the section where we explicitly state not stepping on the wet floor. Now let’s look at how to make sure you don’t spill water.

First of all, you don’t have to blast the faucet at full speed every time you need to wash. Not only are you being an environmentally-irresponsible person (shame on you!), you run the risk of spilling water on the floor. You are putting yourself and others at risk just to make your hands feel like they have been cleaned well.

The same applies when rinsing your hands. Do so slowly, making sure none of the water escapes the basin. If your toilets have hand-showers or the likes, make sure not to put full pressure on the shower handle. Just a light press should be enough for you to clean your rear end!

This infographic about common bathroom problems and how to fix them can be a very interesting one to follow.

Do not keep belongings on the bathroom floor

No, we do not care if you were just on your way out. Never keep your bag, belt, shoes, or anything lying on the bathroom floor. People unaware may step on them and fall. Even if people are aware, they would have to go the extra step to avoid trampling them.
To make matters worse, the bathroom floors aren’t the cleanest of places. They have germs that can then attach themselves to your belongings. Once you pick your bag up or wear your belt again, you effectively pick up the germs. Then you take it with you to your cubicle, then to your coworkers, and maybe to your boss too. There is the odd chance Harold from Accounting might catch it, but is it really worth it?

Staying healthy is no longer a luxury. It keeps you safe, it keeps people around you safe, and it helps you to be at your best. At the same time, bathrooms are an unsuspecting danger that seemingly lurks in the shadow, waiting for you to put one wrong foot on the wet floor. Taking precautions to protect yourself from disease and hugging the floor will keep you safe. You may not be a tough cookie when you spread that sanitizer all over your hand, but you can be a smart one. Take that Harold from Accounting!