The Dirt from Cashman

Some workplace distractions and interruptions are unavoidable but others – if not properly controlled or regulated — could lead to injuries, lost productivity, and a decrease in morale. The following are the five most common distractions.

1.      Production levels can be an internal worry that causes a worker to rush through a job in order to meet a deadline. Often, the pressure to perform causes employees to believe that they need to take shortcuts in order to accomplish their assigned tasks – even though they know better. SAFETY ALWAYS COMES FIRST, before production and all other matters. When work is performed safely, production improves.

2.      Work interruptions are a distraction that can result in work errors or accidents. Before addressing or responding to another person, shut down or disengage any work tool, equipment, or processes. Other employees or guests should be given instructions not to interrupt workers during a critical job phase or process. Instruction manuals and procedural guidebooks should be kept on site to answer frequently asked questions and thereby eliminate the need to interrupt or distract other workers.

3.     External noise from tools, mobile equipment, and processes can be distracting in industrial and construction work environments. In work situations where loud or constant noise is unavoidable, hearing protection devices can eliminate or decrease unwanted and distracting noise. In other work environments even not-so-loud sounds can be a distracting annoyance. Constantly ringing phones, conversations, and loud faxes, copiers, and printers can distract workers from their job tasks or — depending on the level or duration of the noise — can contribute to workplace stress.

4.      Electronic devices such as cell phones can be the source of serious distractions in some work environments and when driving. Cell phone use when driving a motor vehicle without a hands free unit is strictly prohibited and even with a hands free device. It is preferred that you stop in a safe location and conduct business if possible. While on the job, check with your supervisor to find out if these electronics are allowed. If these devices are approved in your workplace, as a courtesy to your coworkers, make sure you keep your cell phone on a low volume or silent when you work. To maximize work safety and performance, turn email notifications off and disable instant messaging. Don’t answer the phone or emails when you’re in the middle of a task – let it ring to voicemail then check messages later — preferably on your break time.

5.      Wearing headphones for music on a construction site or in an industrial setting can be dangerous if it prevents workers from hearing warning signals, mobile equipment backup alarms, or safety instructions. While wearing a headset with low volume music can be relaxing and help tune out other distractions, it can result in a serious distraction from other safety warnings. Walking around while talking on the phone or wearing a headset could result in a slip or fall or cause you to run into or be struck by something or someone. Music is often allowed during work, but from a stereo or other player at low volume so as to not interfere with alarms, signals, or warnings.

Workplace distractions and interruptions are common, but training can help you remember to keep your mind on the task at hand. Speak up about repeated and/or unsafe distractions. Always – See Something, Say Something!

Do you brake for construction workers on the roads? A lot of people do not, apparently. A new study by Associated General Contractors (AGC) shows that 68% of the nation’s highway contractors had motor vehicles crash into their construction work zones during the past year. Tom Brown, the chair of AGC’s national highway and transportation division and president of Vista, Calif.-based Sierra Pacific West, said “Since construction workers don’t get the option of wearing seatbelts, they are more likely to be killed in a work zone crash than motorists are.”

Association officials said that 75% of contractors nationwide feel that tougher laws, fines and legal penalties for moving violations in work zones would reduce injuries and fatalities. And 66%of contractors nationwide agree that more frequent safety training for workers could help. Read Construction Equipment Guide’s full story, New Study Highlights the Dangers of Highway Construction Work Zones.

In addition to our standard job requirements, we all have to think about safety too. Fortunately, there are lots of resources out there to help us all improve in that area! Did you know that Caterpillar offers FREE monthly safety webinars online? You can go online and listen to a variety of topics such as assessing your safety culture and implementing zero-incident performance, and more. Many webinars include proven techniques and best practices to involve and engage all levels of an organization to live and breath safety as a part of their culture!

One definition of a hazard is any unsafe workplace condition or practice that could cause injuries or illness to employees. Another is any danger that threatens harm to employees. However you define it, a hazard must first be identified before it can be analyzed and solutions can be developed, implemented, and evaluated.

What systems are in place at your facility for identifying risks? Is everyone actively involved? Is the process wide-ranging with components that assess equipment and processes from multiple perspectives? Most important, does it succeed in revealing potentially harmful conditions?

Extra Eyeballs
Oftentimes, a hazard has existed for so long that people don’t see it anymore. They walk or work around it and accept it as a part of their daily routine. That’s why it’s important to have a third party take a look – the safety manager, a manager from another department, anyone who is knowledgeable about potential risks and can spot things that have been overlooked. Make sure the extra set of eyes you bring in will not hesitate to ask a lot of questions, even “silly” ones, about why things are done a certain way.

Those questions can reveal a lurking hazard that was only prevented from becoming an accident by sheer luck. When asked why a risky practice persists, a frequent answer is, “That’s the way we’ve always done it.”

Random Reviews
If everyone knows the safety manager is going to do a walk-through, it actually can be detrimental to the hazard identification process! Each employee will likely be thinking about safety even more than usual and taking extra care with everything they do.

The safety manager or extra set of eyes should be conducting a hazard review during random times, such as the second or third shift or during an extremely busy time of day/day of the week. Basically, any time that people are not as conscious of the inspector looking over their shoulder. That is when true hazards or hazardous practices can be revealed – which is the ultimate purpose of the safety walk-throughs. Safe processes and hazard elimination has to be a 24 hour, 365 day a year practice!

Talk to Employees
EVERYONE is responsible for safety. Not just the safety manager! The employees on the “front-lines” are the ones who generally see a hazard first. Sometimes they can take steps to correct it themselves, but oftentimes, additional action is necessary. People need to talk to their supervisor about any potential issues. The supervisor and the safety manager should then investigate the matter, deciding how to eliminate or minimize the hazard in an efficient, cost-effective manner.

If an employee does not feel comfortable pointing out the hazard to a supervisor, most companies have a suggestion box available. That way, the matter will be looked into without making the employee feel awkward about it. In return, supervisors and the safety manager should always communicate back to the people working with or near the hazard so that everyone is aware of what the problem is and what is being done to correct it.

Audit Isn’t a Bad Word
People hear “audit” and automatically think negatively about it. However, regular safety “audits” are simply documented risk assessments.

Perhaps the most basic is the housekeeping audit. Developing and constantly updating a customized checklist for each work area or department, as well as keeping a record and all hazards ever observed there, will help identify hazards.

Although the frequency of audits is dependent on resources, a formal housekeeping audit each month, plus an informal, employee-led weekly walk-through is the most effective. Regular process or engineering audit, which assesses safety and health systems, is also very important. This type of analysis starts with questions like, “What are the worst-case scenarios within a particular process?” or “If something goes wrong, where will people be?” Based on the answers, find ways to make the process less hazardous and to position people out of harm’s way.

These are just a few of the ways you can work on identifying any hazards in the workplace or on the job site. Have more questions? Talk to your safety manager!

Everyone does their best to ensure on-the-job safety, but we all know sometimes OSHA citations happen. If you receive a Citation and Notification of Penalty from OSHA following an inspection:

- You must post the citation (or a copy of it) at or near the place where each violation occurred to make employees aware of the hazards to which they may be exposed.
- The citation must remain posted in a place where employees can see it, for 3 working days or until the violation is corrected, whichever is longer. (Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays are not counted as working days.)
- You must comply with these posting requirements even if you contest the citation.
- You also have to post the abatement certification documents (e.g., abatement certifications, abatement plans and progress reports) at or near the place where the violation occurred.
- For moveable equipment found to be in violation and where the posting of violations would be difficult or impractical, you have the option to identify the equipment with a “Warning” tag specified in the abatement verification regulation, Title 29 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 1903.19(i).

Your Options

Your company may take either of the following courses of action:
- If you agree to accept the citation, you must correct the condition by the date set in the citation and pay the penalty, if one is proposed.
- If you do not agree, you have 15 working days from the date you receive the citation to contest in writing the citation, the proposed penalty, and/or the abatement date.

Visit OSHA.gov for more information.

We’ve all done it at least once in our lives – we’re exhausted, but don’t know when to quit. We just want to get the job done, done, done. While some people consider that dedication to the job, it can also be a HUGE safety hazard.

Operating heavy equipment when you’re tired is as dangerous as being under the influence of drugs or alcohol… and potentially as fatal. Fatigue is one of the leading causes of injuries at home and at work.

Read Caterpillar’s Tips for Staying Alert at Work so that you don’t become one of those statistics!

You’ve got to get your job done, no matter what Old Man Winter throws at you. Even experienced operators can have difficulties working in the snow, however. If you’re out there operating equipment while it’s snowing and blowing or even in the sun the next day, it’s a good idea to take extra safety precautions for yourself and your machines. Read Caterpillar’s Safety Tips for Snow & Ice Management to make sure you stay safe and warm all season long.

Did you know there are more than 3,500 distracted driving crashes just in the state of Nevada each year? To combat this, a cell phone ban will take affect for all Nevada drivers as of January 1st, and now the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has taken action on a national level for truck and bus drivers.

On November 23, 2011, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood released a rule specifically prohibiting interstate truck and bus drivers from using hand-held cell phones while operating their vehicles.  The joint rule from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is the latest step taken by the U.S. DOT to fight distracted driving.

Drivers who violate the restriction will face federal civil penalties of up to $2,750 for each offense and disqualification from operating a commercial motor vehicle for multiple offenses, according to the U.S. DOT. To learn more about violation penalties, read the full article online at Equipment World.

Make sure your safety training for warehouse workers includes these important points.

Materials Storage

• Make sure shelves and racks are sturdy, in good condition, and can bear the weight.
• Place heavier items close to the floor and lighter/smaller ones higher.
• Don’t block sprinklers or store items where they could contact overhead lights.
• Read the label and material safety data sheet (MSDS) before storing hazardous materials.
• Keep all areas clean and neat, with everything in its proper place.
• Keep floors and aisles clear and well lighted at all times.
• Clean up spills immediately.
• Dispose of trash promptly in proper containers.

Good Housekeeping

• Keep all areas clean and neat, with everything in its proper place.
• Keep floors and aisles clear and well lighted at all times.
• Clean up spills immediately.
• Dispose of trash promptly in proper containers.

Powered Vehicles

• Operate powered vehicles only if you are trained and authorized.
• Forklift operators must follow safe operating procedures for loading, traveling, and unloading.
• Forklift operators should look out for pedestrians, being extra careful at blind corners, aisle intersections, etc.
• Pedestrians must watch out for forklifts and remember that the operator’s range of vision may be limited when the forklift is loaded.
• Pedestrians should avoid forklift traffic lanes and cross only where it is safe.
• Follow safe work rules and make safety a constant priority.
• Use ladders, not boxes, shelves, or chairs to reach high places.
• Always wear any assigned PPE.
• Use the safe lifting technique (bend your knees and lift with your legs) to save your back.
• Ask for help from a co-worker or use a mechanical aid to move a load that is too heavy for you to lift and carry by yourself.

Content courtesy of BLR’s 7 Minute Safety Trainer.

Smart digging always means calling 811 before each job

Did you know that natural gas pipelines can be buried anywhere? And that Nevada and California state laws require you to call at least two business days before starting any digging project so the underground pipelines can be marked?

A quick phone  call can prevent unnecessary damage to the underground pipelines, avoid significant penalties or repair bills, and keep your project on schedule. By calling 811, Southwest Gas will mark the pipelines with yellow paint, yellow whiskers, yellow flags, or yellow stakes.

Knowing where the pipelines are is important because a damaged one can lead to a dangerous natural gas leak, which can lead to evacuations, service outages, ignition, property damage, injury, or loss of life.

So, keep your eye out for yellow pipeline markers. They:

- Indicate where natural gas pipelines may be buried
- Are not required fora ll pipeline facilities and do not pinpoint the exact location or depth of pipeline
- Still require a call to 811 to get lines marked
- List emergency telephone numbers should a natural gas emergency occur

Pipeline Markings & What they Mean

Yellow: gas, oil, steam, petroleum, gaseous or dangerous materials
Red: Electric power lines, cables, conduit, and lighting cables
Orange: Communication, alarm or signal lines; cable or conduit systems
Blue: Potable water
Green: Sewer and drain lines
Purple: reclaimed water systems, irrigation and slurry lines
White: Proposed irrigation