Developing a Safety Program for the Workplace

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Developing a Safety Program for the Workplace

• Bryan W. Shaw, Ph.D.
• Agricultural Engineering Department
• Texas Agricultural Extension Service
• The Texas AM System

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Why Safety
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Why Safety

• Reduce Number of Injuries
• Reduce Costs Associated with Injuries
• Comply with Regulations

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Why Safety
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Why Safety

• Reduce Number of Injuries
• Reduce Costs Associated with Injuries
• Comply with Regulations

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Reduce Injury Costs

• Average cost of injury
• -11,000
• Indirect cost 50 times direct cost
• - Lost time/productivity, low morale
• - Equipment Damage

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Costs by Injury
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Why Safety

• Reduce Number of Injuries
• Reduce Costs Associated with Injuries
• Comply with Regulations

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OSHA Inspections Region VI

• 4,200 /year 1/2 programmed
• Average cost 2,500 17,000
• How often once every 102 years
• Landscape 40 of violations were paperwork
  violations

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Creating a Safety Program
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Creating a Safety Program

• Management commitment
• - Real commitment
• - Active participation
• Assignment of Authority
• - Supervisors/foremen provide lead
• - Safety committee

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Developing a Safety Program
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Developing a Safety Program

• Develop/implement safety policies and work rules
• - Policy should be brief, to the point and
  define managements philosophy
• - Clear enforceable work rules
• - Require commitment to comply

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Safety Rules

• General
• - apply to all employees
• Job specific safety rules
• - developed specifically for each
• major job activity

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Developing a Safety Program

• Orientation and Training
• -Orientation familiarize new
• employees with safety policy and
• work rules
• -Provide regular training refresh

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Why Orientation is Critical
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Developing a Safety Program

• Hazard Abatement
• - Schedule regular imspections
• - Document and correct unsafe conditions
• or practices
• - Encourage reporting of hazards
• - Develop safety procedures for new
• equipment

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Developing a Safety Program

• Commitment to injured workers
• - Healthy employees productive
• - Let injured workers know that
• their needs are a priority

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Developing a Safety Program

• Injury statistics and reports
• - Keep records of all injuries
• - Use to evaluate safety needs
• - Use to identify hazards to
• eliminate

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Employee Selection
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Employee Selection

• Develop Job Application
• Require all applicants to complete
• Verify information on application
• Use available sources to find additional
  information
• Complete additional checks if job requires
  applicant to drive

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Employee Selection

• Request applicants to submit to physical
  examination
• Request applicants to submit to drug tests
• Verify paperwork complete before offer employment

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Employee Orientation Training
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Employee Orientation Training

• General
• all employees
• Job Specific
• employees that perform specific task

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Employee Orientation Training

• Keep records of topics covered
• Require employees to sign roster
• Short frequent meetings

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Employee Orientation Training

• General All employees
• Policy and rules
• Proper lifting
• Ergonomics

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Employee Orientation Training

• General All employees
• Policy and rules
• Proper lifting
• Ergonomics

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Employee Orientation Training

• General All employees
• Policy and rules
• Proper lifting
• Ergonomics

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Ergonomics

• Ergo work
• Nomos work
• Ergonomics
• Make work environment fit workers dimensions
• Rotate employees
• Working Smarter

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Ergonomics

• Machinery is often designed
• Without considering human interface, or
• To fit the average human
• One size fits all

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Ergonomics

• Make equipment fit within limitations and
  capabilities of the worker

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Ergonomics

• Two types of Injuries
• Instantaneous
• Cumulative Trauma Disorders (CTD)

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Ergonomics

• Instantaneous
• Occurs as soon as the incident occurs
• Most back injuries are coded as instantaneous

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Ergonomics

• Cumulative Trauma Disorders
• (CTD)
• Cumulative occurring gradually
• Trauma bodily injury
• Disorders Physical ailments of abnormal
  conditions

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Ergonomics

• Cumulative Trauma Disorders
• (CTD)
• Force
• Repetition
• Posture
• Lack of Rest

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Ergonomics - Force

• Find easier way
• Use assistive devices
• Get assistance

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Ergonomics

• Cumulative Trauma Disorders
• (CTD)
• Force
• Repetition
• Posture
• Lack of Rest

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Ergonomics - Repetition

• Rethink task
• Alter procedure to minimize repetition

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Ergonomics

• Cumulative Trauma Disorders
• (CTD)
• Force
• Repetition
• Posture
• Lack of Rest

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Ergonomics - Posture

• Maintain good posture
• Modify work environment to facilitate good posture

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Ergonomics - Posture
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Ergonomics

• Cumulative Trauma Disorders
• (CTD)
• Force
• Repetition
• Posture
• Lack of Rest

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Ergonomics Lack of Rest

• Consider rotating employees
• Rotation to task that stresses different muscle
  tendon group

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Employee Orientation Training

• Specific Specific employees
• Chemical Handling/PPE
• Mower Safety
• Chain Saw Safety
• Guards and Shields
• Proper Lifting, etc.