Feature Article: Focus on Safety - Back-to-Basics

While accidents and incidents always have multiple root causes which must be thoroughly assessed to prevent repetition, nearly every accident can be avoided or mitigated through Back-to-Basics (B2B) steps implemented on every shift.  While B2B steps may be evident, it is vital that front line supervision discuss these at every shift kickoff meeting and assess employee personal conformity over the shift as they walk the operation and interact with their employees.  Employees must:

• Properly wear personal protective equipment (PPE) including hardhats (with chinstraps), reflective vests, safety glasses, safety boots, cut resistant gloves, hearing protection, and other task specific PPE.
• Use seatbelts in trucks, forklifts, RTGs, carts, etc that have seatbelts provided.  Keep all body parts inside the equipment
• Use the correct tool in the right manner for the task.  Don’t make do with some other tool … spend a few minutes to get the right tool for the task.
• Maintain good housekeeping and material storage in the working zone to ensure their work area is organized and egress paths are clear. Trips and falls are often caused by poor housekeeping and materials that are disorganized and in the way.
• Remain aware of and take 30 seconds to assess risks around them, whether a suspended load, equipment that can hit them, pinch points, open hatches, busy traffic pattern, lock-out tag-out checked, exposed wiring that can cause shocks, etc.  Keep eyes open and head up when walking, driving, and working.  Move away from any equipment or area that may put you in risk.
• Don’t be distracted (i.e. use cellphone, ear pods), walk backwards, or carry items that inhibit seeing, climbing or walking safely
• When using equipment such as forklifts, the operator must ensure a 360 view is conducted before driving due to potential blind spots. The travel path must be clear and speed controlled to avoid hitting a person or another object.
• When working at height, consider elimination or engineering controls before working near a fall hazard. If an employee must work at height, enforce use of fall arrest gear.  If an employee is working at height, stay away from edges and do not cross over gaps.
• Do not rush, take risks, take short cuts, be complacent… safe production must be the emphasis, not just production. Take the time to do the task the correct way the first time.
• Actively participate in shift safety kickoff discussions, understanding and preparing for potential risks associated with tasks planned for the day.  This is an essential daily step that gets employees’ heads in the game.
• Speak up & take action (including don’t do the assigned task) if something is unsafe, production is emphasized in a manner that inhibits safety, or another person is working in a risky manner… with leaders and frontline supervisors taking action if employees raise concerns.  Take 5 - Only a few minutes are generally required to make the task safer and then restart the task.

These are basic steps, but one or more of these elements are always identified in root cause investigations.  There is no cost with these steps, only the need for consistent implementation. Focusing employees on back-to-basics must be part of daily employee engagement, including an interactive Shift Safety Kick-Off meeting … Don’t simply speak at employees. Engage their minds & voices.

• Ask employees to identify risks, how they could get hurt & how they will mitigate.  Solicit responses … don’t allow silence.  If they think and speak, their attention is enhanced for the entire day.
• Ask if have PPE, knowledge, tools, and remain aware of other B2B items to perform tasks safely.  If not, ensure they obtain what they need before starting the task.
• If during the meeting (or over the course of the day) an employee has a concern, they need to speak up and act on their concern and it must be addressed.  Be supportive & approachable. If something is not safe, emphasize that the employee may not do it and don’t let someone else do it either.  See something, say something, do something.  You may save yourself or another person.
• If an employee finds a task has changed, sees an unexpected risk, or is missing knowledge or tools, then Take-5 (PAUSE), get a supervisor & replan the work.  Take 5 minutes to get right, then go back to the task.

Make safety personal.  Remind employees they need to work safely to get home to their families … if they take a short-cut or rush who gets hurt besides them?  Ask if have spouse, children, others waiting for them at home…that’s who they work safely for each day.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Andy Booth is the Mid-Atlantic Regional Safety Manager for Signal Management Services, a worker's compensation insurance provider for United States Longshore and Harbor Workers coverage. He supports multiple Signal Members in this region, which include shipyards and supporting ship repair industries, as well as marine terminals, marine construction, and many other maritime-related companies. He has grown up and lived in Norfolk for most of his life, except for time spent at sea as a licensed ship's officer, and now enjoys time spent at home with his wife Meagan and their enormous Great Dane, Harper. The thing he likes best about helping improve safety across our region is that he gets to work with everyone from employees to executives to make sure everyone gets to go back to their homes, and to their loved ones at the end of the day.

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