EHSQ Community | Managing Health and Safety

Posted on May 17, 2017 by Tamara Parris

This month our member Kamran Akhavan Attari shares a post about Safety within Critical Discourse Perspectives, a while members Chris J Ward and Jane Standerwick discusses why organizations fail to manage H&S. We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community, and share your knowledge with other members.

Safety within Critical Discourse Perspectives by Kamran Akhavan Attari
3 Reasons Why Organizations Fail to Manage H&S by members Chris J Ward and Jane Standerwick
Free Global EHS Legal Compliance Newsletter by member Tjeerd Hendel-Blackford
Benefits Payable in Terminated Single-Employer Plans; Interest Assumptions for Paying Benefits – Rule

Measuring Safety Part 2 – Serious Injury Fatality – Rethinking Measurement and Prevention

Posted on May 10, 2017 by Carsten Busch

workers

In Measuring Safety Part 1, we reviewed the drawbacks of focusing solely on the measurement of safety outcomes absent understanding and tracking operational processes and events that are predictive of a safe workplace. In Part 2 of the series, we are going to dive deeper into the implications of this thinking by reviewing “Serious Injury Fatality” (SIF).

Serious Injury Fatality (SIF) – Breaking it down

The concept is not new. Workplace fatalities have been the object of preventive corporate policies and regulatory scrutiny for decades. Before my interview with Todd Conklin during Pre-accident podcast, however, I had only seen the abbreviation of “SIF” online.

Being an avid reader and learner, I began my Google search on the SIF-phenomenon which revealed many sources on the topic: White papers, several documents by Fred Manuele, and a YouTube video for learning on the subject. Though my search was not an … Read more...

Measuring Safety, part 1 – The Relevance of Outcomes

Posted on March 9, 2017 by Carsten Busch

The other day I received another self-praising message in my news-feed, one of Norway’s major construction contractors was celebrating their one year anniversary since their last lost time injury incident, making their LTIF now “Zero”.

While reading James Reason’s latest book, “Organisational Accidents Revisited” I noticed the quote: “The road to Hell is paved with falling LTI frequency rates”, illustrated by major cases like DWH and Texas City.

I believe it is good when no one has been injured as a consequence of their work. At the same time, this has again turned my attention to something which has been keeping me busy for many years;

why are people so focused on outcomes, when they mean so little in terms of improvement, especially in safety?

Obsessed About Outcomes

When an incident or accident happens, it’s generally the consequences that attract great attention. From a humanitarian and … Read more...

Learnings from Safety Professionals: Issues Involved in the Gathering of Leading Indicators

Posted on January 17, 2017 by Tamara Parris

In December, 2016, our EHSQ Community had several Leading Indicator Mastermind sessions with Dr Vince Marchesani and Tamara Parris to discuss the use of leading indicators in our community members industrial workplaces.

During our sessions we learned of the 56 participants, currently 34 members are collecting leading indicators as part of their safety data gathering efforts. Interestingly most people, 26 members, are using manual methods to collect their data. When asked, who do you share the data with the majority, 28 members, reported they share it at safety meetings with their whole team. Which we found surprising because in past conversations consultants often elude that this data is shared with the Executives who establish the policies and budget that guide safety programs.

During the two sessions we noticed four reoccurring conversational themes:

identifying strong leading indicators to monitor
collecting quality data
creating a “No Blame” work environment
value of incentive

EHSQ Community | Personalizing Safety

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Tamara Parris

We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional community. This week join our members Jim Loud and Ron Gantt as they discuss if we are “taking safety too personally?” We invite you to join the discussion and share your knowledge with other members.

“Are we taking safety too personally?” Controlling Major Risks Through Systems Thinking
Major Risk: Moving from Symptoms to Systems Thinking by Jim Loud
Using Leading Indicators In a Real Workplace (Session 2)

EHSQ Community | Symptoms to Systems

Posted on November 30, 2016 by Tamara Parris

We invite you to join our Environmental, Health and Safety, and Quality professional discussions. This week, join our members Zachary Shewmaker for Seven Simple Tips for Preventing Workplace Injuries. We invite you to join the discussion and share your knowledge with other members.

Seven Simple Tips for Preventing Workplace Injuries
Obama Makes a Late Term Nomination to Fill the Last Vacancy on the CSB with Richard Rosera
Webinar: Controlling Major Risks: Moving from Symptoms to Systems with Ron Gantt and Jim Loud

OSHA Announces New Hazards for the Healthcare Industry

Posted on July 29, 2015 by Irina Adriana Barbu

Last month, OSHA announced that agency investigators would increase their focus on a set of new key hazards for the healthcare industry during upcoming inspections. These hazards will aim to address musculoskeletal disorders related to patient or resident handling; blood borne pathogens; workplace violence; tuberculosis and slips, trips and falls.

To those in the healthcare industry, this announcement comes as no surprise. Workers in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care facilities have the highest work related injury and illness rates in the country. In 2013 alone, nearly 58,000 hospital workers reported a work related injury or illness, amounting to an incident rate almost twice as high as the rate for private industry overall. Close to half of these incidents reported relate to musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused by overextension and other ergonomic stressors related to patient handling.

Proper workplace ergonomics are an essential component of any safety culture and can significantly … Read more...

EHS This Week: Oil companies in California face water safety concerns, Top Clean Energy Trends and More!

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Linda Hechtl

On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we’ve got the week’s top stories in environment, health and safety news:

Oil companies in California face water safety concerns
Top Clean Energy Trends of 2015
Coal mining deaths reach a historic low

Remember to write us with your suggestions, questions and comments. Also, if you are an industry expert and ever want to take part in the program, we’d love to have you. Until next week, enjoy the program!

EHS This Week Resources
For more information on the stories and resources mentioned in this week’s podcast, check out the links below.

MSHA’s mining fatality analysis. Click here

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.… Read more...

EHS This Week: The Most Dangerous Day of the Week, OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violation for 2014 and More!

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Linda Hechtl

On this week’s edition of EHS This Week we’ve got the week’s top stories in environment, health and safety news:

The most dangerous day of the week
OSHA’s top 10 workplace violations
Top sustainability strategies for 2015

OSHA’s Top 10 Safety Violation for 2014: Click here

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.… Read more...

Webinar: Cultivating a Culture of Mine Safety

Posted on September 10, 2014 by JP Nadeau

Safety is undeniably an essential priority for mine operators. This was well articulated by Joseph Main, Director for Mine Safety and Health Administration, in a Leadership Lessons profile for a book called “Making a Difference: Leading in Government” where he discussed the three most important lessons in developing a safety-focused work culture.

Revisit and explore these ideas in this free 30-minute webinar that discusses Joseph Main’s key lessons, how they relate to the mining industry, and how every organization can benefit from his teachings.

Key topics covered include:

Ending the Cycle of Intensity and Complacency in Safety Management
The three critical lessons involved in enhancing mine safety.
Essential tools to ensure sustained, comprehensive compliance with Federal Safety regulations.

Watch a preview below or click here to watch the full webinar.