STEVEN C. STRAYER, CIH, CSP, REHS, RS

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WHAT YOUR SAFETY COMMITTEE NEEDS TO KNOW

• PRESENTED BY
• STEVEN C. STRAYER, CIH, CSP, REHS, RS
• COCCIARDI AND ASSOCIATES, INC.
• 4 KACEY COURT
• MECHANICSBURG, PA 17055
• www.cocciardi.com

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HISTORY OF THE WORKPLACE SAFETY COMMITTEE (WSC)

• Non-existent prior to OSH Act
• NOT REQUIRED
• Initially, Steel and Auto
• PA Act 44 (1993)/PA Act 57 (1996, Amended 1999)

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PURPOSE OF A WORKPLACE SAFETY COMMITTEE

1. Improve Site Safety
2. Interaction of Labor and Management to Promote
   Safety
3. ID Hazards
4. Recommend and Implement Corrective Measures

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BENEFITS OF A WORKPLACE SAFETY COMMITTEE

• According to OSHA, the most frequently cited
  standards are
• (1) 1926.451 (Scaffolding-general requirements)
  6,587
• (2) 1910.1200 (Hazard Communication) 5,382
• (3) 1926.501 (Fall Protection-general
  requirements) 4,091
• (4) 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout) 3,312
• (5) 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection) 3,033
• (6) 1910.305 (Electrical-wiring methods,
  components and equipment for general use) 2,465
• (7) 1910.212 (Machine Guarding-general
  requirements) 2,441
• (8) 1910.178 (Powered Industrial Trucks) 2,298
• (9) 1910.219 (Mechanical Power Transmission
  Apparatus) - 1,777
• (10) 1910.303 (Electrical-general requirements)
  1,770

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BENEFITS OF A WORKPLACE SAFETY COMMITTEE

• The Top Ten standards where most willful
  violations were cited included
• (1) 1926.652 (Excavations requirements for
  protective systems) - 48
• (2) 1926.451 (Scaffolding general requirements)
  - 44
• (3) 1926.501 (Fall Protection general
  requirements) - 39
• (4) 1910.146 (Permit-Required Confined Space) -
  23
• (5) 1910.95 (Occupational Noise Exposure) - 20
• (6) 1910.147 (Lockout/Tagout) - 18
• (7) 1910.134 (Respiratory Protection) and
  1910.269 (Electrical power generation,
  transmission and distribution) - 15
• (8) 1910.212 (Machine Guarding general
  requirements) 1926.651 (Excavations specific
  requirements) and 1926.760 (Fall Protection) -
  14
• (9) 1910.1200 (Hazard Communication) - 12
• (10) 1926.453 (Aerial Lifts) - 11

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ACTUALLY.

1. Reduce number of workplace injuries and illnesses
2. Reduce ancillary (Hidden) costs
3. Promote Safety Awareness
4. 5 Discount

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HIDDEN COSTS

• Up to 5 10 times the actual W. C. claim
• .OUCH!!!
• Production Delays
• Coworker lost time while attending to victim
• Repair, clean-up, and restart of affected
  operations
• Replacement workers and/or overtime
• Accident Investigation Costs
• Morale Issue
• Employee distraction on the job and at home
• Legal Council
• Settlement

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EFFECTIVENESS?

• In PA
• 1964 23.2 injuries/1,000 workers
• 1999 14.8 injuries/1,000 workers
• (1998 15.6)

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NEW WORKPLACE SAFETY COMMITTEE FORMATION

• Establish a Foundation
• Common measurable goals
• Commitment from Labor and Management
• Trust
• Communicate
• Non-Adversarial Resolution, etc.

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LOOKING FOR A FEW GOOD EMPLOYEES

• Interested/Committed to Improving Safety
• Supervisor Feedback
• Safety Performance History
• Reporting Safety Concerns
• This goes for Employer Reps, also
• Along with
• Responsiveness
• Accident History of Reports
• Ability to Implement Change
• Conflict Resolution

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MONTHLY MEETINGS

• Regularly Scheduled
• Agenda
• Quorum
• Meeting Minutes
• Documentation of Hazard Detection Activities,
  Reviewing/Analyzing Accident Records,
  Implementing Corrective Actions, etc.

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WORKPLACE SAFETY COMMITTEE TASK THOUGHTS

1. Auditing Procedures
2. Accident and Illness Investigation
3. Job Safety Analysis
4. Making Recommendations
5. Measuring Effectiveness

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AUDITING PROCEDURES

• PURPOSE
• Hazard Detection
• Verification of current or newly implemented
  procedures
• ID potential solutions to minimize or control
  risk
• Measure company safety program performance

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STEPS TO AUDITING PROCESS

• Accident/Injury/Illness/Near Miss
• Report Reviews ? Trends
• (Caution Does not make decisions on short
  review periods)
• Administrative and Policy Issues
• HASP Compliance and Best Practice Procedures
• Training Records
• Equipment Maintenance Records
• Contractor Pre-qualification
• New Employee Introduction
• Corporate Policy Statement ? Signed by
  Management

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STEPS TO AUDITING PROCESS

• Physical Facility Review ? The Walk-Through
• Potential Regulatory Violations (Ask yourself
  Does this look safe?)
• Pay attention to Hot areas (See A)
• Use a checklist
• Dont forget about off-site work
• Do quarterly

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ACCIDENT AND ILLNESS INVESTIGATIONS

• Elements of an accident (NSC)
• 1. The source of the accident (the item).
• 2. Type of the accident (e.g. falling).
• 3. The unsafe condition.
• 4. The unsafe act.
• 5. The body part or kind of injury.

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Unsafe Act

• An employee act, which violates a procedure in
  which the employee has been trained, which may
  cause an accident.

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Unsafe Condition

• A physical occurrence in which employer control
  procedures have not been developed, which may
  cause an accident.

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Accident Investigation

• An accident is any unplanned event that results
  in personal injury or in property damage.
• The failure of people, equipment, supplies, or
  surroundings to behave or react as expected
  causes most accidents.
• Accident investigations determine how and why
  these failures occur.
• Conduct accident investigations with accident
  prevention in mind - investigations are NOT to
  place blame.

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9 Step Accident Investigation Procedure

• 1. Go to the scene as promptly as possible.
• 2. Talk to the injured and witnesses.
• 3. Listen for clues.
• 4. Encourage accident prevention ideas.
• 5. Determine unsafe acts/unsafe conditions.
• 6. Confer with interested parties about the
  solution.
• 7. Write a report, including a narrative.
• 8. Follow-up to insure conditions are corrected.
• 9. Publicize the corrective action for health
  promotion purposes.
• (Source Supervisors Safety Manual National
  Safety Council)

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• BASIC CAUSES
• INDIRECT CAUSES
• (SYMPTOMS)
• DIRECT CAUSES
• A detailed analysis of an accident will normally
  reveal three cause levels basic, indirect, and
  direct

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Problem Solving TechniquesJob Safety Analysis

• Job Safety Analysis (JSA) is part of many
  existing accident prevention programs.
• In general, JSA breaks a job into basic steps,
  and identifies the hazards associated with each
  step as well as prescribing controls for each
  hazard.
• A JSA is a chart listing these steps, hazards,
  and controls.
• Review the JSA during the investigation if a JSA
  has been conducted for the job involved in an
  accident.
• Perform a JSA if one is not available to
  determine the events and conditions that led to
  the accident.

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MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS

• Define the Problem ID underlying causes (i.e.
  avoid general statements) example Not Careless
  Work Habits, but Are work procedures properly
  defined and communicated? or Do we have the
  right equipment and training?
• Gathering Information
• Unsafe Practices
• Unsafe Conditions

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MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS

• ID Possible Solutions
• Seriousness of Problem
• Regulatory Action
• Risk Reduction
• Effects on Production
• Cost of Implementation (equipment, training,
  maintenance, etc.)
• Finalize a Solution

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MAKING RECOMMENDATIONS

• Present to Management
• Clearly define potential impact
• Why this solution and/or why not others
• Outline a plan of implementation
• Suggest implementation timeframe
• Costs/Benefits Analysis
• Get to the Right people

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MEASURING EFFECTIVENESS OF YOUR WORKPLACE SAFETY
COMMITTEE

• Need a starting point ? weak areas vs. strong
  areas (audit information)
• Hard criteria ? such as accident rates and
  severity (costs/lost mandays)
• Behavioral changes
• Willingness to participate in the safety process
  (i.e. committee volunteers, communication of
  concerns, etc.)
• May consider different goals for different
  operational areas

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NOW FOR YOUR QUIZ . . . . .
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Just Making Sure You're Paying Attention !
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Questions?