Taking Action On Workplace Stress

Topic: Stress Management                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       https://enhancesafetyblogs.blogspot.com/

Taking Action On Workplace Stress

Some stress can be motivational but constant feelings of pressure, worry, or tension at work can have a profound effect on our physical and mental health, and the performance of organisation.

Psychosocial Stress 

Workplace factors that have the potential to cause psychological or physical harm if not adequately eliminated or controlled

Organisation of work: Production Pressure; Lack of role calarity; Poor change management; Insufficient staffing.

Management: Poor communication and leadership; Work life inbalance; Inattention to workers needs and Addressing unacceptable behaviour.

Job design: Work demands; Little to no workers control; Lack of resources.

Outside factors: Financial; Family; Health; Community can also impact workers.

Use a framework such as the national standards for psychological  health and safety in the workplace 

• Outline a systematic approach to develop and sustain a psychologically healthy and safe workplace.
• Focuses on psychological harm prevention and mental health promotion.
• Intended for organization and business groups of all sizes.
• Voluntary standards- not legistated nor a regulation.

Ask the STANDARDS 

• Get senior leadership on board on board, involve ker stakeholders, and identify a champion to help advance activities.
• Develop a policy statement and identify gaps around psychological health and safety  
• Analyze result and pick the key issues.
• Implement controls to reduce the risk of psychological harms.
• Evaluate and decide whether to continue the current course of action or explore new initiatives.

What employers can do

• Prevent stress at the source with job design and work practies.
• Create an organizational culture that values worker input (planning,policymaking and setting goals)
• Provide leadership training for managers and supervisor and ensure they support the organizations values.
• Balance job demands with workers capabilities and resources.
• Foster oppurtunties for skill development, personal growth, and social interaction.
• Provide access to personal health resources. Such as an employee assistance program and benefits,to help workers manage stress. 

What employees can do

• Seek help when needed and check to see what personal health resources are avaliable.
• Participate in planning with your manager to balance workload and demands.
• Find a hobby or activity that helps you relax,then do it regularly.
• Share your feelings with someone you trust or in a journal.
• Develop healthy habits such as regular exercise and sleep, and a balanced diet.
• Get to know your stress triggers and ehat makes you happy. Acknowledge what you can and canot change about yourself.

Safe Handling of Electrical Tools & Equipment

Topic: Tool Safety                                                                                                                                                                        

Safe Handling of Electrical Tools & Equipment

                                                                                                                                                                                                      https://enhancesafetyblogs.blogspot.com/

Commonly used Power Tools

Power Drill

• Do not use power drill in damp, wet or stand in a puddle of water.
• Always check cord for damage or cut before use and keep tools in good condition.
• Never carry power drill by the cord or yank the cord to disconnect it.
• Keep cords away from heat, oil and sharp edges.
• Switch off and unplug power drill before changing the drill bit.

Electric Grinder

• Grinding wheel shall be guarded as completely as possible.
• Grinder shall be equipped with “dead man” switch that shut off the power when pressure is released.
• Switch off and unplug electric grinder before changing grinding disc.
• Always wear appropriate PPE such as safety glasses, goggles or face shields.

Electric Saws (Jig Saw Circular Saw)

• Electric saws shall be equipped with guards above and below the face plate.
• The lower guard shall be check frequently to be sure it operates freely and encloses the teeth completely when use.
• Switch off and unplug electric saws before changing the blade.
• At the beginning and end of the stroke or when teeth are exposed, the operator shall with due care to keep the body out of the line-of-cut.

Power Tools Safety Rules

• Use your tool only for the specific task it was designed to do.
• Read the owner's manual before using your tool.
• Never use any tool – power or manual – unless you are trained to do so.
• 
  Inspect before each use and replace or repair if parts are worn or damaged.
• Inspect screws, nuts, bolts and moveable parts to make sure they are tightened.
• Before plugging or unplugging tools, be sure power switch is turned to "OFF."
• Never disconnect power by pulling on the cord – remove the plug from the outlet.
• Never clean or repair a tool unless power is disconnected. (Repair tools only if you are trained to do so.)
• When working on ladders or scaffolding, rest power tools on a flat surface or in a bin secured to the ladder itself. ( A falling tool can seriously injure a coworker or bystander.)
• Use a ground fault circuit interrupter when working with power tools.
• Do not wear rings, jewellery, or loose clothing when operating power tools.
• Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as face shields or safety goggles.

Choose Correct Floor Marking Tape for Your Facility

When it comes to safety, floor marking tape to lead workers and facility visitors on the path away from danger is critical.

Industrial floor marking tape is an investment in safety that needs to last to achieve maximum effect. To make sure each facility gets the most out of its safety investment, it is important to choose the correct marking tape based on the facility’s needs and how the tape will be used.

When choosing floor marking, the first question to consider is: “What purpose should it achieve in this facility?”

5S organization tape in a warehouse is not always the right choice for emergency exit guidance in an office building, and both types of tape are different from slip protection on an outdoor ladder.

Knowing the goal the floor marking needs to achieve will help identify which type of floor marking option will serve the facility best. For instance, facility and EHS professionals should consider the following:

• Implement Emergency Egress Marking - Using glow-in-the-dark tape to indicate the most direct route to an exit in your facility.
• Organize The Facility With 5S - Using different tape colors, floor signs and printed floor tape to indicate storage areas, walking paths, forklift lanes, pallet locations, red tag areas, raw material storage, areas to be kept clear, hazards and other efficiency based organization initiatives.
• Add Traction - Providing a textured surface for areas where slips and falls are a serious hazard, like ladder rungs, ramps, in maritime environments, areas exposed to outdoor elements such as loading docks, or other slippery areas.
• Create A Way finding System - Creating an interconnected system of directional signs, labels and floor markings to help people know where they are and where they’re going in your facility.

Environmental Conditions: 

The conditions within a facility can also affect the type of floor marking tape that needs to be chosen for the best longevity and effectiveness. Floor marking tapes applied indoors which are not subjected to environmental conditions such as repeated exposure to water, large temperature shifts, UV light, and dirt/debris may not require the level of durability and longevity that tape near a freight elevator or loading dock might.

Expected Wear and Tear

After evaluating expected environmental conditions, it is wise to assess expected wear and tear. If the floor marking tape will predominately be walked upon, it will tend to last longer than tape that is constantly driven over by forklifts.

For low foot traffic areas, floor marketing tape comes in a variety of color options is ideal for way finding and 5S applications.

For high foot traffic areas and locations with occasional equipment usage like pallet jacks and dollys, there are more durable options that can withstand prolonged use in warehouse facilities.

Some tapes are designed to be used with forklifts and other machine traffic. It can be constructed from an impact resistant PVC film minimizing any potential damage caused by heavy objects striking the tape.

Floor Marking Tape Applications

 With the assortment of tapes available, choosing the correct ones for your facility is no easy task. The following tape applications can be used alone or in conjunction with one another, depending on your safety needs:

• Aisle Tape: Outline safe walking areas for pedestrians and driving lanes for forklifts with Aisle tape. Aisle tape typically needs to be able to withstand a range of heavy traffic including abuse from forklifts, hand trucks, and pedestrians
• 
  
• Glow in the Dark Tape: Be prepared for a power outage by selecting a high-quality tape for highlighting egress pathways in emergency and low-light situations.
• Reflective Tape: Selection ranges from engineer-grade reflective and prismatic-reflective tape to high-powered conspicuity tape for transportation use and should be comply with standards. Some tapes have an multiple-year outdoor lifespan.
• Anti-Slip Tape:  Non-skid tapes include standard, coarse, extra-coarse, and more. Some varieties can come in glow-in-the-dark, hazard striped, or solid colors.
• Floor Signs: Create a safer and more efficient workplace with easy-to-read floor signs, an ideal way to improve pedestrian awareness as they travel through a facility or warehouse. Self-adhesive floor signs should be able to withstand pedestrian, pallet jack and even light forklift traffic. Floor signs are ideal for communicating simple messages that need to make a big impact.

• Floor Shapes: Communicate messages quickly and clearly with floor marking shapes like footprints, circles, corners, or Ts. Floor shapes are a cost-efficient way to indicate the proper storage locations and designated worker pathways without using a large amount of product. 

Contractor Safety Management

 Contractor Safety Management

"Contractor Safety Management – A Major Challenge to all types of Industries" 

Contractor safety is a challenging task to all industries. Another thing, we now noticing that, in major Industrial Sectors, almost all new projects, Fabrication works, maintenance work, material handling and Civil works are being done by Contractors. Some of the operation activities of major Industries are also being looked after by the Contractors. 

 

 

The below listed bold points are some best practice to manage contractor Safety. Industries willing to manage contractor’s safety can directly implement these simple steps :  

1. Written Safety Expectations & Contractor’s Safety KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) should be clearly Communicated to Contractor during finalization of Contract. This should be the first and topmost point of Scope of work.  
2. Safety expectations for Sub-contractor, Site Supervisors & Contract Labours should be boldly communicated through Safety Induction. No one should be allowed to enter workplace unless undergone through Safety Induction. Post induction evaluation must be in place and only qualifying person should be allowed to workplace. Non-qualified person should again undergone through Safety Induction. The procedure should be in place to ensure that only the employees undergone safety induction are entering into company premises.  
3. Awareness and adherence with SOPs (Safe Operating Procedures) like Permit to work System, Working at Height, Hot work Management, Scaffold Management, Electrical Safety etc.  
4. Contractor’s Equipment Fitness must be ensured and only healthy equipment should be allowed to use. Such equipment may be Hydra, Cranes, Other Material Handling Equipment, chain-pulley blocks, Welding Machine, Grinders, Cutter set & Other Civil work equipment. 
5. On the job Training/Awareness/Toolbox Talk including awareness of work specific SOPs for safe job performance and Emergency Management must be done. Training effectiveness must be evaluated, and re-training must be given, if required. Refresher training must be imparted in a defined interval.  
6. Ensure Safe Execution/Safe Supervision of ongoing job by Contractor’s qualified Safety officer. Qualifying criteria for contractor’s Safety officer must be clearly mentioned in scope of work and must be complied.   
7. Evaluation of Contractors Safety KPI and repeat Awarding Contract/Renewal of contract should be based on at least 85% performance.  
8. Enforcement for use of adequate and appropriate PPEs (Personal Protective Equipment's)
   
9. Participation & Consultation of contract employees in Safety Management  
10. Well communicated Penal Provision on Violation of Safety norms or in case not achieving safety agreed safety KPIs.  

 

Apart from above, there should be a contractor management committee which should look after day-to-day safety performance of contractor. Resolve contractor’s safety related issues, insist them for safe performance of jobs and help in managing all the contractors’ activities in well safe manner.

Safety Seeds : Poor Communication is a Safety Issue

Poor Communication is a Safety Issue

Communicating effectively is not always easy, but it helps us avoid conflicts, reduce errors, promote a positive environment, and eliminate misunderstandings with others. Poor communications can be a safety hazard since the message may not be clear or understood. As professionals, we all have an obligation to protect others. If there is a hazard or if someone is at risk – SAY SOMETHING!

Communicating and Listening

Communicating what we want to say is more than just words that are coming out of our mouth. The rest of the message is expressed through our tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, and how we engage the listener; are you making eye contact, are you giving your full attention?

To be a good communicator:

• Maintain a positive attitude
• Know what you want to say
• Stick to the point
• Have the right body language

Just hearing the message is why we only retain 25% of what we hear. We can improve our listening skills by being active listeners. Active listening is not just hearing what is being said, but understanding the whole message.

To be an active listener:

• Pay attention. Do not interrupt!
• Show that you are listening.
• Provide feedback.
• Defer judgment.
• Respond appropriately.

TBT: Machine Shop Safety

TBT: Machine Shop Safety

Machine shops are an integral part of the an industries. Machine shops can pose a myriad of hazards that must be taken seriously. Many of the most frequently cited safety standards pertain to machine safeguarding, many machinery accidents occur each year in industry, causing over one thousand fatalities. 

HSE has developed these standard practices for all types of machine shops. In addition, each machine shop has location-specific rules that must be observed by shop users.

Basic Shop Safety Rules

 

•       Users must receive department-approved instruction on each piece of equipment prior to using it for the first time.

•       Make sure emergency contact numbers are posted and emergency response procedures are in place.

•       Never permit operators to wear loose clothing or jewelry. Long hair must be secured up.

•       No open-toed shoes or sandals.

•       Safety glasses are to be worn at all times while machines & tools are in use.

•       No food or drink is permitted in the workshop.

•       Cell phones, Mp3 players, and other personal electronic devices must not be used when working at any machine. Loud music is prohibited.

•       Ensure aisles and exit paths remain unobstructed at all times. Users are required to clean up all chips, dirt, oil, etc. produced by the use of any piece of equipment.

•       All tools must be cleaned and returned to the proper location when finished. No tools are to be removed from shop without authorization.

•       Users must not undertake any actions that may injure or distract other users or result in damage to equipment or the work of others. No horseplay allowed in the shop.

•         All injuries shall be immediately reported to the shop supervisor. 

 

A combination of guards (rigid barriers) and devices (interlocks, stop buttons) must be used to protect against the hazards of:

 

•       Power transmission devices – belts, gears, chains, etc

•       Points of operation - cutting edges

•       Moving parts – rotary movement, in-running nip points

•       Flying chips/materials

General Machine Safety Rules

 

•       A machine designed for a fixed location must be securely anchored to prevent walking or moving.

•       No equipment is to be left running while unattended.

•       Any damage to the machines, tools, fixtures, etc. must be reported to a supervisor immediately.

•       Machines shall be completely stopped and DE-energized before attempting to clear jammed work or debris.

Tool Box Talk:- Guarding of floor wall opening

Topic: Construction Safety 

Tool Box Talk:- Guarding of floor wall opening

Tips for guarding:
 
Fall from height at construction, erection sites can be prevented. Educate workers on the following tips to prevent falls on your site.

•  Almost all construction sites have unprotected wall openings at some point during construction. This is common between non load bearing stud walls on residential sites.
• All wall openings wider than 18" must be guarded.
• Guardrails need to be installed on wall openings where the outside bottom edge of the wall opening is 6 feet or more above a lower level. If the inside bottom edge of the wall opening is less than 39 inches above the walking/working surface guard rails are needed.
• Install guardrails at 42" ± 3" above the walking/working surface and mid rails at 21".
• Guard rail systems must be capable of supporting a 200lb force in any direction at any point along the top of the rail.
• When workers are working at elevated levels (for example, a worker on stilts), the height of the top rail must increase to an amount equal to that of the stilts. This ensures that workers on stilts can not fall over the guard rail.

Questions to start discussion:
  1. When do you need to guard wall openings?
  2. When should the guard rails be removed?
  3. At what height should the guard rails be placed?

Tool Box Talk:- Safety On New Job Site

Tool Box Talk 

Safety: On New Job Site

• It's important for you to remember that most accidents are caused by carelessness or thoughtlessness--yours, or someone else on the job. 
• When an accident occurs, it is because someone has failed to foresee that it could happen. If you think ahead of the possible hazards likely to confront you, you can plan how to avoid them.
• When starting work at a new job site, size up the situation and think of ways to prevent accidents and keep the job safe.
• Take time to evaluate your share of the work as soon as you arrive on the site. Ask your supervisor to explain any phase of the job that you do not understand.
• If you are working with a new employee, be sure to explain the work to be done and be sure that he/she is qualified to do the work. This will allow you to work safely with this person and prevent accidents.
• Always check that you have the necessary tools and equipment required to do the job. Use tools only for the purpose they were designed for.
• Repair and replace immediately any defective tools such as chisels with mushroomed heads, wrenches with sprung or spread jaws, hammers with split handles, etc.
• Inspect the wiring of all electrical hand tools to be sure they are equipped with a three-prong grounded plug. Power tools with frayed or broken insulation on wires should be taken out of service until repaired.
• When using ladders, make sure that they are in good shape with no broken or missing rungs. Never use aluminum ladders when working around electricity.
• Wear hard hats and other personal protective equipment when called for on the site. When using scaffolding, make sure that it is properly set up with scaffold grade planks and good, stable footing. Do not work on scaffolding that is shaky or missing components.
• Remember, a job is only as safe as each person makes it. If each employee will take nothing for granted, check all tools and equipment for safe operation, keep the job neat and follow company rules, they will be contributing to the safety of themselves and their fellow workers.