Why Collecting Information in the OR is Vital Hospitals utilize advanced software solutions to improve processes, streamline workflow, and optimize resources. By 2026, the health care information industry is forecasted to grow by 8.2 percent. Yet while these solutions specialize in data management and analysis procurement processes, they are not suited to the specific needs and work conditions in hospitals, resulting in deficient data collection. Any effective solution must answer the changing and exclusive needs of operating rooms, which differ greatly from other work areas. Data Integrity in the OR Has Enormous Economic ImplicationsFirst and foremost, data integrity in the OR gives us the ability to know how much surgical procedures cost. Today, hospitals rely on historical Diagnosis Related Groups repositories. But times have changed, and there is no reason to make economic forecasts based on old data. An average hospital consumes about 5,000 implants and medical devices a month. Although hospitals strive to record each item individually, the level of reporting today is below 60 percent. Take items such as sewing thread or medical staples: Though they are present in almost every procedure and can run up costs by $200 in some cases, they are not reported at all. In addition, items that cannot be tagged (such as sterile orthopedic implants – screws, plates, etc.) or bulk items are often not reported. Also there is the time spent on coding errors and the need to submit applications for reimbursement from insurance companies or Medicare programs (which often require applications within 72 hours), and you have a full-fledged recipe for inefficient cost retrieval. Today, there is a whole market of companies that offer this service at a fee, and hospitals share with them the money received from the insurance company and government programs. Stop Relying on the Medical TeamsResearch shows that procurement software and hospitals' information management systems (ERPs) that are advanced and designed for health systems in practice slow down nurses' work even more than manual documentation. Sometime the reporting is even made manually in notebooks, causing human error, coding errors, and lack of reporting. Those are the main reasons for the low compliance rate in the OR. Therefore, no matter how advanced the management software is, if it does not have the right tools to collect the information without involving the medical staff, it is not an appropriate solution that can achieve 100 percent reliability and integrity of data. Incomplete Information Creates Problems in Maintaining an Updated Item MasterThe first step in maintaining an updated item master begins with the consumption of the medical device. The medical staff needs to report the item usually through scanning techniques. If the existing software does not identify the scanned item, the incomplete information needs to be completed from other sources. Most hospitals receive medical implants according to the manufacturer's SKU and then give the implants an internal catalog number. This SKU does not specify an expiration date, production series, and other essential information about the item, because that would require much work and the ability to read multiple manufacturers’ barcodes. The manufacturer's SKU often changes, items age, new suppliers are added, and as a result, the maintenance of the item master becomes one of the hospital's biggest problems, with financial and clinical implications. Full Compliance with FDA RegulationsAlthough the integrity of the information is important and the synchronization of the data is essential, unfortunately, the consolidation of such information is not the norm. Occasionally there is a recall, which requires the hospitals and the supplier to locate all items and the patients who use the implants. This is an impossible task when there is no complete listing of all items used and full documentation in the patient's medical file. A thorough process would be terribly time consuming. Medical Device Reporting (MDR) is the FDA regulatory tool for monitoring the performance of medical devices. When suspicion arises as to the safety of a product, medical organizations must provide critical information, such as patient information, date, description of the case involving the medical device, and brand information—product code, model number, serial number, expiration date, etc. Yet in reality, without the consolidation of clinical and logistic information and high documentation compliance by the medical staff, hospitals are unable to provide the above information despite their obligation to do so. This is one of the main factors driving hospitals to purchase information management software. Utilizing Machine Learning and Artificial IntelligenceMost of today's tools rely on technologies that have been adapted to work in the operating room but do not fully address the problems mentioned here. In other words, advanced software does not include advanced data collection in the field. The first step is changing the perception in the OR—the human is no longer part of data-processing. The solution is fully automated: The medical team does not need to enter any information and is uninvolved in documentation and data management. The good news is that the future is in many ways already here, by introducing machine learning and artificial intelligence. Those technologies' processing will be increasingly utilized in the field's end devices, placed inside the OR and procedurals room and collecting the data in real-time. Technologies such as image processing technologies, OCR, ICR, microphones, or even sensors can collect, process, and manage the information optimally. Hospitals are already investing money in comprehensive data collection solutions to help complement their existing ERP systems. Software companies and ERP systems, for their part, are also investing money in developing such solutions. This trend is expected to intensify as more hospitals recognize the benefits of automated data collection. Shlomo Matityaho is the CEO of LogiTag Medical Solutions, [email protected]. Posted on Jun 20, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

Personal Protective Equipment for a Diverse Workforce Fits the Times When I read in March that the first all-female spacewalk outside the International Space Station was postponed, the reason behind the delay was all too familiar: not enough appropriately sized personal protective equipment. In other words, there were not enough spacesuits on the craft appropriate for the women astronauts. I've worked in occupational health and safety (OHS) for two decades and now serve as the global champion for OHS at BSI, the international business improvement company. Of all the regulatory and technical guidance I've given over the years, advising on Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for an increasingly diverse workforce has been a constant. Despite some inroads, fulfillment of this important step for keeping staff safe and healthy remains poor. Not Just Small MenAs the female NASA astronauts and their minders back on Earth learned, simply supplying something sized for the average man does not address the needs of a more diverse workforce. Anthropometric data used for years to create measurements for both men and women around the world is old and doesn't fully reflect modern body frames. But it does show quite clearly that fitting a woman isn't the same as creating safety gear for a small man. Women's feet aren't just smaller, they are also generally narrower, so a small-sized male safety boot is unlikely to fit a woman. The same is true of safety gloves—a man's usually will have a palm area too big and fingers too long and wide. In the end, ill-fitting equipment can increase safety risks and actually cause physical, and even mental, health problems, as well as reduced compliance by the wearers. And this issue of the spacesuit is not a new one; it's been around for some time; Canadian Astronaut Roberta Bondar recently discussed issues she faced in 1992 as part of a space mission. Male-driven, By DesignHealth and safety is an industry that has traditionally been a predominantly male demographic, although this is changing. Because many of the experts who develop the standards for PPE are homogenous, there can be a lack of diversity on the committees that write the regulations. This has an unintended consequence; the standards with which PPE manufacturers have to comply often restrict the ability to make safety equipment suitable for women, people of different body types and sizes, or those of different ethnic backgrounds. Yet more women, people with mobility restrictions, aging workers, and expanding ethnic diversity in the workplace mean that organizations will have to respond to these changes. Market-driven Changes AfootHistorically, there was little to no money to be made in selling PPE for a diverse minority of the workforce with the exception being industries where women are predominant or more evenly represented, such as health care or equine work. But the big challenge still arises in sectors where women are underrepresented. In these jobs, women are either limited to a single PPE supplier or are forced to extremes such as covering the costs of suitable PPE themselves or switching jobs when faced with biological changes such as pregnancy or menopause. And poorly fitting PPE, in addition to being a potential safety risk, can be a source of bullying and harassment. Breathing New Life Into StandardsOne good example of PPE adapting to evolving workplace diversity can be found in the area of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE). Because there is a critical need for these safety products to fit the user properly, a large project was launched by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) to produce a set of standards that reflect current research on face shapes by race and gender. Another common type of PPE that can be challenging for some wearers is the body armor worn by police officers; these shields come in set torso lengths and take a uniform approach to the panels for women's breasts. Interestingly, the ISO project's standard for RPE now specifies an increase in the number of test subjects, up from the norm of 10 people for most European standards to 25 to provide greater representation of human diversity. Another aspect being taken into account in the new standard is any testing of RPE must consider different breathing patterns while performing various physical tasks. At BSI, where we serve as the U.K. National Standards Body as well as international business improvement partner, we have a project to identify all standards that need to have a "personal" aspect. This includes not only gender and cultural diversity, but also religious, disability, medical, and other forms of body differences, such as amputees. Workforce participation and consultation have been found to remove obstacles, such as discrimination and embarrassment, that stand in the way of diversely designed PPE. A new global standard on health and safety management, ISO 45001, empowers the workforce to come up with effective solutions for PPE challenges. The standard requires organizations to consider human factors such as how work is performed, the needs and capability of the worker, and the culture of the organization. As a result, a "one-size-fits-all" approach under ISO 45001 becomes inconsistent with good occupational health and safety practices. In conclusion, an increasingly diverse workforce means not pressuring workers to conform to a single norm for anything, from PPE needs to risk perception to communication style, but rather establishing diversity as the norm. Organizations that want to retain the best workers and ensure worker health and safety will be drivers in the development of a wider selection of PPE. I am hopeful for a near future where a woman's ability to conduct a spacewalk won't be held back by the equipment available. Kate Field, CMIOSH, acts as expert and ambassador on OHS supporting the delivery of excellence and expertise across the 193 countries the British Standards Institution (BSI) operates in. With a health and safety career spanning two decades, she has authored regulatory and technical guidance, written articles for a range of publications, and is a successful global, keynote speaker and presenter. Posted on Jun 18, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

Can You Dig It? The Basics of Trenching Safety Excavations and trenches have become so commonplace on work sites that some employers and employees have developed a sense of complacency with some of the most basic requirements of excavation safety. To counter this, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration initiated a National Emphasis Program on Trenching and Excavation on Oct. 1, 2018, to increase OSHA's education and enforcement efforts regarding trenching and excavation operations. Under this NEP, OSHA compliance officers can inspect trenching operations whenever they observe an open trench or excavation, regardless of whether there is a violation. OSHA's excavation standard[1] contains the requirements for excavation and trenching operations. The standard applies to all open excavations, including trenches. An excavation is any man-made cut, cavity, trench, or depression in the Earth's surface formed by earth removal, and a trench is a narrow excavation made below the surface of the ground. Trenching and excavation work continues to be hazardous. With an increased risk of deaths and serious injuries resulting from trenching and excavation incidents, a review of OSHA's trenching and excavation requirements can be useful. OSHA Believes There is a Potential for Collapse in Virtually All ExcavationsWhile cave-ins pose the greatest risk in any trenching or excavation operation, there are other hazards associated with these projects, including falling loads, hazardous atmospheres, and hazards from mobile equipment, and are the focus of OSHA's excavation standard. Under the standard, there are several tasks that must be performed by a competent person, such as classifying soil, inspecting protective systems, designing structural ramps, monitoring water removal equipment, and conducting site inspections. OSHA's standards define a competent person as an individual designated by the employer who can identify existing and predictable hazards in the surroundings or working conditions that are unsanitary, hazardous, or dangerous to workers and who is authorized to take prompt corrective measures to eliminate them. OSHA Has Requirements to Prevent Cave-insOSHA's excavation standard contains several requirements regarding sloping and benching the sides of an excavation, supporting the sides of the excavation, or placing a shield between the side of the excavation and the work area to prevent cave-ins. Sloping the sides of the excavation to an angle not steeper than one-and-a-half by one means for every foot of depth, the trench must slope back one-and-a-half feet. Designing a protective system requires consideration of many factors, including soil classification, depth of cut, water content of soil, weather and climate, and other operations in the area; it typically involves using a trench box or shield approved by a registered professional engineer. The standard also requires support systems for structures adjacent to an excavation, such as buildings, walls, sidewalks, and pavements, so they remain stable. Any protective systems used must be maintained free from damage and safety defects. However, the excavation standard does not require a protective system when an excavation is made entirely in stable rock or when an excavation is less than 5 feet deep and a competent person has examined the ground and found no indication of potential cave-in. Protect Workers from Loose Material Rolling Into an ExcavationThe excavation standard also requires protecting employees working within an excavation or trench. Employers must prevent employees from working on the slopes of the excavations above workers within the excavation. Employers also must prohibit employees in the trench from working under suspended loads and must keep materials and equipment at least 2 feet from the edge of the excavation. Prevent Water from Accumulating in an ExcavationWater can undermine the sides of an excavation and contribute to or cause a trench collapse. OSHA's excavation standard requires the use of a pump to remove water or control water accumulations. In addition, a competent person must monitor any water removal equipment. Drainage from the excavation must be maintained, and employers can use diversion ditches or dikes to prevent surface water from entering the excavation. A competent person should inspect excavations after heavy rains. Test Hazardous Atmospheres Inside ExcavationsAtmospheric testing is required in excavations deeper than 4 feet where oxygen deficiencies or hazardous atmospheres are present or could reasonably be expected. The excavation standards require employers to prevent employee exposure by using proper ventilation and respiratory protection. If there are hazardous atmospheres present in an excavation, emergency rescue equipment, breathing apparatus, and a safety harness and line must be used. In some instances, there could be a confined space or permit-required confined spaces in an excavation. Follow Access and Egress StandardsOSHA's excavation standard requires ladders, steps, ramps, or other safe means of egress for workers working in a trench deeper than 4 feet, and they must be located 25 feet or less from workers in the excavation. Any access or egress must be designed by a competent person. Conduct Site InspectionsThe excavation standard requires competent persons to examine excavations, adjacent areas, and protective systems. These examinations should be conducted daily and prior to starting work and as work is performed, if conditions change. ConclusionOSHA's excavation and trenching standard can be found on its website, as can a number of memorandums and notices regarding excavation and trenching safety. Christopher Peterson is an attorney with the labor and employment law firm Fisher Phillips. [1] 29 CFR Part 1926, Subpart P Posted on Jun 18, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

The Power of Continuous Learning: How to Build Safe Habits That Last Continuous learning is the key to driving sustained injury prevention and building a strong and engaged culture. And even in the summer months, when many people go on vacation or take time to slow down and relax, it's important to keep learning new skills, and keep existing skills sharp. Commonly cited research by NASA states that it takes 30 days to create a new habit and just as long to lose one. Top-performing athletes train this way all the time. The greatest hitters in the big leagues regularly take batting practice to perfect their swing so that when the lights are on, they can go out on the field and make it look effortless. They have to use their bodies correctly all the time, every time, if they're going to win. The good news for those who are not professional athletes, such as truck drivers and other frontline workers, is that continuous learning doesn't have to be a massive time commitment. Here is a proven strategy for achieving significant safety training results with minimal impact on a company’s operations. MicrolearningMicrolearning—or learning in short, consistent "chunks"—establishes everyday habits without taking an individual off the floor or away from the task at hand. Utilizing microlearning methods in safety training minimizes inefficiency that often occurs when training employees, while still delivering high-quality training in the form of short, consistent learning touchpoints. Over time, the combination of microlearning and consistent practice opportunities ensures that when it's time for an individual to perform a job function—such as lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying—he or she can do it properly and without getting injured. Participatory LearningWhen it comes to retaining learned information, you can't simply watch a video or listen to a lecture in a classroom. It's been proven that more active, participatory learning, whether it's through group practice or teaching others, is the most effective way to retain information. Participatory learning methods in which learners are engaged and actively participating achieve an average learning retention rate of 75-90 percent, according to the National Training Laboratories. Comparatively, learning through passive methods such as audio-visual or live demonstration results in an average learning retention rate of only 20-30 percent. This means that when training members of your organization to avoid injuries, group discussion, group practice, and teaching one another are the best ways to ensure that your team members are maximizing their learning and avoiding injury. Developing a Common LexiconEmbedding safety training into the everyday lives of individuals is an effective way to sustain injury prevention and makes teams more safety aware overall. By participating in a shared learning program, employees start to communicate more effectively with one another and feel a sense of empowerment and belonging. Developing this strong affinity and safety culture not only improves productivity by keeping workers safe on the job, but also enables them to live stronger, pain-free lives outside of the workplace. When individuals work in distributed, labor-intensive industries, such as trucking, developing a common lexicon and strong safety culture becomes especially important for their well-being. Having this shared lexicon of safety terms allows truck drivers working at the same company to speak the same language and share their tips about best practices for staying injury free. By applying these concepts as part of an integrated program for Hub Group Trucking, we were able to build a strong safety culture that resulted in a significant reduction in lost-time injuries and increased driver retention. Even during the summer months, it's important to remember that learning never stops. Consistent learning is the key to meaningful, lasting change, and the lessons that workers learn and retain will translate into fewer injuries and a better quality of life. John Leo Post is the co-founder and chief product officer for Worklete, a technology platform that reduces musculoskeletal injuries by 55 percent on average. A renowned movement expert, he has coached with some of the top minds in athletic training, human movement, and behavioral psychology, including gold medalists, CrossFit champions, and professional athletes. He is driven by the mission to make quality movement accessible to all and empower humans to live pain-free lives. Posted on Jun 17, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

This National Safety Month, Let's Talk About Workplace Fatigue June is National Safety Month, created by the National Safety Council (NSC) to raise awareness around workplace hazards and help reduce some of the common causes of injury and death on the job. One common problem in particular that could benefit from having a little bit more of the spotlight this month is the issue of workplace fatigue. It's the elephant in the room at every workplace, so much so that the World Health Organization has officially named burnout — a close cousin of workplace fatigue — as a medical diagnosis. Industrial workers are not immune from this phenomenon either. In fact, according to a recent fatigue report from the NSC, while 82 percent of employers think fatigue is a safety issue, nearly all (92 percent) manufacturing employees agree. In the same NSC report, more than half (55 percent) of employers said they find employees sleeping on the job. Work is tiring and life happens — but an overtired workforce could pose a major threat to a company, including safety risks, OSHA violations, and bottom-line impact. If companies want to have profitable quarters and content employees, then a middle ground must be reached. Unfortunately, employees may not always admit to feeling less-than-stellar while on the job, so it's up to management, executives and safety professionals to create a safety culture that puts employee safety first and also encourages workers to do the same. Doing so can not only save a life, but also cultivate a work environment that engenders employee loyalty — a crucial factor for retention in today's competitive labor market. Here are critical things to consider regarding workplace fatigue and how you can help your employees fight it. Reducing Fatigue Starts at the TopIt's normal for companies to focus heavily on worker productivity and increasing profits — that's business. However, shifting your priorities to focus on safety will also address those other areas at the same time. As accidents and injuries decrease, so too will the costs associated with downtime. According to OSHA, a normal work shift is a working period of no more than eight consecutive hours during the day, five days per week, with at least an eight-hour resting period. How often are your employees working overtime? When working in a physically demanding industry, oftentimes, not honoring existing policies can actually work against you — and ultimately set your business up for failure. How exactly? Shouldn't more hours result in more output? Not quite. Exhausted employees are less productive and increase the likelihood of errors, quality issues, and workplace incidents to the tune of 37 percent. Work with stakeholders and C-level leaders to generate consensus around the right fatigue-fighting plan for your workplace, and consider using a tool such as NSC: Fatigue Calculator to provide a framework for the total opportunity costs. Change starts at the top, and in order for any real culture shift to take place, you need unification at the highest levels of your organization. Provide the legal requirements and ramifications of allowing workers to work longer than a 40-hour work week and discuss with management on how it can lead to serious injuries & potential fatalities on-the-job, situations that ultimately create a cyclone of liability claims, injuries and a depleted workforce. Assessing Workplace Fatigue Risks with the Safety Maturity ModelIt's up to corporate heads to ensure their companies are set up for success, and examining workplace fatigue risks through the lens of the safety maturity model can help paint a clearer picture of where they stand. Organizations that are able to identify and control specific hazards are far more effective at preventing fatigue-related workplace injuries, and they occupy a much less vulnerable position on the safety scale. Vulnerable organizations, on the other hand, are characterized by a dangerous "no-care culture." When accidents occur, these organizations erroneously accept them as just a part of the cost of doing business. There's little or no training around safety — let alone established preventative measures to avoid fatigue. Workers are known to work well past their scheduled hours — in fact, it may even be encouraged. Companies that exhibit this kind of behavior are prone to higher rates of workplace accidents. And when accidents do occur, they’re often downplayed or left unreported entirely. The scale can vary depending on where you are on the safety maturity scale, so it's important to assess weaknesses in your safety program and quickly identify what changes you need to implement. How to Combat Workplace FatigueCompanies with best-in-class safety operations understand the working patterns of their teams and use that knowledge to anticipate and eliminate hazards. Does your workforce hold a higher risk of working while tired? If so, incorporate these discussions among your stakeholders and planning sessions to tackle the issue head-on while simultaneously stressing the importance of bringing any other safety-related concern they have to everyone's attention. In terms of what you can do on a daily basis, have senior-level management monitor employees for the following signs that may serve as a signal that someone is potentially slowing down: giddiness headaches irritability lack of motivation diminished alertness, concentration, and memory These are only a few of the most common warning signs, so at your next safety meeting, make fatigue management a point of discussion among your broader approach to continual improvement in safety. Pass out infographics with quick tips and stats for employee education, both at work and at home, outlining all of the warning signs and potential health risks associated with chronic fatigue. Provide tips on getting a great night’s sleep and the value it brings to the workforce at hand. Develop a workplace culture that practices a healthy lifestyle and respects a proper work-life balance. An environment that puts the health of its employees first creates a chain reaction that reverberates throughout the entire workplace, creating a culture that’s filled with health-conscious employees who hold each other accountable to establish workplace safety standards. This summer, instead of reacting to common mishaps that may occur within your workplace, focus on treating the underlying issues such as workplace fatigue that caused them in the first place. When you do this effectively, you'll see injuries and incidents decrease and productivity skyrocket, allowing you to focus more on other critical business areas that demand your attention.  Scott DeBow, CSP/ARM, a board-certified safety professional, is the safety practice leader, Risk Management & Insurance, for Randstad North America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Randstad Holding N.V., a global provider of HR services. He has 19 years of progressive leadership experience in occupational safety and health and is a military veteran. Following his service, his experience in both preventative medicine and occupational health served employers to find alignment between the shared value of injury prevention and business improvement. He is devoted to continual improvement and development of safety leadership opportunities both inside Randstad and across multiple industries. He is trained in  ISO 45001 Certification, a Professional Member of the American Society of Safety Professionals, Georgia Chapter and Southwest Chapters, and serves as liaison to ASSP and NIOSH: National Occupational Research Agenda (NIOSH/NORA) for Contingent Labor Workforce, Executive Program in Safety Management: 2017 ASSP. For more information, visit www.randstadusa.com. Posted on Jun 14, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

Eye Safety Tools While Welding Welders face a number of work-related hazards daily, from harmful bright light to burns from molten metals. To ensure safety in the workplace, both the employers and employees need to recognize the hazards and prevent accidents. Eye injury is the most common type injury and it can occur from radiation and intense light produced by a welding arc. It can also result from, sparks, hot slag and other flying particles that can fly off from the weld during grinding, chipping or cooling. Majority of these eye-related injuries results in irreversible blindness every year. All forms of welding can lead to eye injuries most of which are permanent. Stick Welding is a common type of welding that produces very bright light. This light can result into arc eye, a condition that is characterized by a painful cornea and watery eyes. Arc eye can occur even when you look at the arc for a very short time. This is why you need to protect your eyes. Lack of protective equipment or improper eye protection is the leading cause of most of these injuries. As such, all welders should know the best safety practices related to eye protection during welding. Such practices entail proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) to ensure that the eyes are protected while on job. Basic Eye Safety ToolsEye protection equipment should match the application and associated risks. The equipment includes safety goggles, safety glasses, welding helmets, and faceshields. Note: Always wear eye protection that is appropriate for the type of welding and on the basis of visual requirements of the job. 1. Safety Glasses. Safety glasses are a simple way to protect the eyes against optical and impact radiation. They should be worn under a welding helmet in every welding situation. While some welders may not feel comfortable while wearing safety glasses, owning a pair is an important safety measure and eventually, it will become a routine. The level of protection offered will depend on filter lens density. It is recommended that you select the darkest shade possible as it allows maximum task performance. Safety glasses used in torch brazing must-have shades 3-4 while more advanced electric arc welding needs shade number 10-14. As for gas metal arc welding, shielded metal arc welding, and flux cored welding, the filter lenses should have a minimum protective shade of 7 and maximum shade of 11. Carbon arc welding and gas welding requires a minimum shade of 14 and 4 respectively. Good safety glasses should have side shields in order for them to offer full protection to both the front and sides of the eyes. Side shields traps particles sent flying and make it past the protective front of the helmet. All in all, never weld with the safety glasses alone. You will need to wear a welding helmet, some safety goggles and probably a hand-held face shield. Your pair of safety glasses should be comfortable and it should comply with national safety standards. The standards outline the tests the glasses must pass before they are certified for use. Such tests include protection against dust, splash, and optical radiation as well as impact and radiation.  2. Safety Goggles. Safety welding goggles are more advanced than safety glasses and they are used for high impact protection. They offer greater particle and welding light protection. Just like safety glasses, goggles have shade number that is marked on the lens indicating how light/dark the lens is. Safety goggles features either direct or indirect venting. Goggles with direct venting come with a mesh of small holes on the sides to help reduce fogging as much as possible. However, they should not be used with fine dust or liquid hazards. Indirect venting, on the other hand, is for high dust and splash protection where prevention of fogging is not much of a priority. You can also opt for specially designed chemical goggles if fumes, mists dust or gasses are present. These goggles also feature vents that help to prevent liquids from reaching your eyes. 3. Welding Helmets. A welding helmet is an important piece of personal protective equipment that any welder must have. It protects the skin and eyes from severe sparks and at the same time, it provides adequate protection from vision-damaging infrared and UV rays emitted by the arc. Welding helmets are designed to accommodate specific needs of any task and they must meet the safety standards as stipulated by the regulatory bodies. The standards address various concerns such as impact resistance and light leakage. As general rule of thumb, welding helmets should be worn over welding goggles or safety glasses and they should be fitted with a filter shade that is suitable for the type of welding at hand. Welding helmets comes in two forms: Passive/Fixed Shade Helmets. These helmets features a fixed shade which remains darkened at all times. However, they are graded to suit different welding needs and as such you should choose a shade that will offer the required level of eye protection. The downside of these helmets is that one is required to lift the helmet every now and then in order to set a position or examine the weld joint. The welder is then expected to flip the helmet down when he/she wants to strike an arc. This repetitive process reduces the operator's productivity and at the same time, it may be difficult to operate in tight spaces. Auto-Darkening Helmets. Unlike fixed shade helmets, auto-darkening helmets will automatically change the shade from what is considered to be inactive state to active state when a welding arc is initiated. These helmets will darken to a pre-selected shade within milliseconds, protecting you from harmful emissions at all times. In addition, the welder can work uninterrupted as he/she can see clearly, even when the helmet is in down position. This will increase welders' productivity,y as these helmets eliminate unnecessary stops for set-up position. These helmets are recommended to both experienced and beginner welders because they also minimize neck fatigue that is experienced in traditional, fixed-shade helmets. 4. Faceshields. Faceshields are used to offer even higher impact protection and they should always be used over safety goggles and glasses. They are used to protect a welder's face in addition to the eyes. Just like welding helmets, faceshields are lifted frequently which leaves the eyes unprotected without the safety goggles/glasses. An approved faceshield will have filters for protection against optical radiation. The filters will also offer additional protection from sparks and debris. The optical filters must be suitable for the type of welding being done. This means that a filter used for gas welding should not be used for arc welding, and so on. For better vision, choose a faceshield with self-dimming capabilities. Tips for Using Eye Protective Equipment It is important that you inspect eye protection before use. Safety glasses and goggles with scratched or cracked lenses should be replaced, as they may shatter easily. Welders also should also straps that are twisted or knotted. One form of eye protection is not adequate; welding helmets or faceshields should be worn with safety goggles/glasses with side shields. For instance, a flash burn may result is an operator fails to use safety goggles with side shields. When it comes to filter shade, a welder should begin with a darker shade to get a perfect view of the welding zone. The welder can then gradually adjust to a lighter shade that will give sufficient view without going below the minimum shade required for the welding type. Safety glasses and goggles must fit well for them to be effective. As for the glasses, they should fit conveniently on the bridge of the nose with the lens directly in front of the eyes. The goggles' straps, on the other hand, should fit well on the back the head. Operators with prescription glasses should wear the safety goggles or safety glasses over their prescription eyewear. When it comes to contact lenses, it is important to highlight that they do not protect you from UV radiation or flying objects. They are discouraged in areas with certain chemicals or in dusty areas. Other occupants in the welding area also should be concerned about PPE. They should be protected from hazardous sparks, light, and spatter. As such, employers must ensure that flameproof screens are in place and that everyone uses eye and face protection. Eye protective equipment should be cleaned of any dirt and dust after every use. You can use some special cleaning solutions on the lenses to avoid damaging the coatings. The clean eyewear should be kept away from moisture, dust, direct sunlight, and other factors that might interfere with its effectiveness. Controlling Eye Hazards at the WorkplaceIn addition to the using the tool above, you can control the potential hazards by following these suggestions: 1. Replace toxic chemicals and high-risk equipment with more safe alternatives. 2. Dampen dusty areas to minimize clogging. 3. Install safety barriers. 4. Isolate high-risk equipment. 5. Signpost work areas that require eye protection. 6. Install exhaust hoods to help in the management of fumes and dust. 7. Conduct regular training sessions and make sure that you have sufficient first aid equipment. William Phillips has been welding practically for the last decade. He is an expert in all forms of welding, and he loves doing it in the right way. His passion for welding prompted him to start blogging with the objective of sharing his real experiences. He offers practical solutions in well-researched and professionally written articles to ensure that his readers get the best from the content he creates on his website Tools Haunt. Posted on Jun 03, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

Back Belts: Another Approach to Address the Challenge of Back Injuries According to a report released in November 2016 by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the overall incidence of nonfatal work-related injuries and illness cases that required days away from work to recuperate was 104.0 cases per 10,000 full-time workers. Although many of these injuries included such things as bruises, cuts, and lacerations to the skin while working, the most significant percentage of occupational injuries and illnesses were what were termed "sprains, strains, and tears." This was followed by "soreness and pain." The bulk of these types of injuries are back-related. The BLS report also noted that "occupations that had among the highest number of cases in 2015 resulting in days away from work included heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; laborers and freight, stock, and material movers." These are precisely the types of workers we find in distribution centers throughout the United States, as well as in manufacturing facilities. In most cases, workers did not return to work for seven to eight days after their injuries occurred; in about 20 percent of the cases, workers were off work for as long as one month. Further, the report shows that "private sector laborers and freight, stock, and material movers had 56,550 days-away-from-work cases in 2015, an increase from 2014 levels." So far, we have been describing the human costs of occupational injuries. As we know, there are many direct and indirect costs to businesses, as well. Back injuries account for nearly 20 percent of all injuries and illnesses in the workplace and cost the nation an estimated $20 billion to $50 billion annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Digging deeper into the issues surrounding back injuries, we find that a large percentage of occupational back injuries are caused by manual lifting of boxes and products on the distribution or manufacturing floor.  To address this problem, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has suggested the implementation of ergonomic programs, teaching workers best practices when lifting and moving items to help prevent back injuries, as well as suggesting to employers ways of redesigning the work environment to help reduce these injuries. In addition to training workers improved ways to move, the use of industrial back belts is another approach to help address the challenge of back injuries. Since about the mid-1990s, the wearing of industrial back belts has seen a dramatic increase in the United States. However, in many ways, calling them back belts or back supports is a misnomer. A better and more accurate term would be "abdominal" belts. According to one study, back belts work by doing the following: "By assisting the abdominal muscles and diaphragm in producing intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) within the abdominal cavity. This is thought to allow pressure on the upper body to be shifted from the spine to the trunk."1 In other words, the back belt redirects the pressure and strain of lifting from the lower back to the trunk, helping to protect the back and prevent injury. Further, back belts are thought to help improve posture, so that workers lift items more correctly, using an upright or straight torso. This also puts less stress on the back when lifting.  Further, research has found wearing a back belt can benefit workers in ways they may not even realize.  For instance: They serve as a reminder to workers to be careful, lift properly, and not strain the body. They can increase insulation and warmth; the body tends to be more flexible in such conditions. They help restrict movements, bending, and twisting that can result in injuries. They provide what is termed "circumferential support" for the entire body. In other words, the worker feels more stable and more protected overall. Proper Wearing of Back BeltsThe wearing of back belts or back supports is not a cure-all. They help support the back and can offer some protection, but ultimately the worker must perform the lifting and moving of materials properly. In order to provide this support most effectively, they must be selected and worn properly.  The following are some suggestions to help accomplish this: Select the proper size; some belts have as many as four stays for added support. The belt's back panel should be 7 to 8 inches wide. If the belt has suspenders, make sure they are comfortably placed over the head, neck, and shoulders. Center the belt on the lower back and grasp each end of the belt. Stretch the belt straight out and wrap around the body; secure using the Velcro closure material. It's interesting. We always see weight lifters wearing belts to provide additional back support. They do so because they know that the belt can help give them greater stability, put less strain on the back, and help them lift properly. This is exactly how back belts are designed to function in the workplace. Dennis Knapp is Director of Product Development for Impact Products, LLC. Impact Products is a manufacturer of industrial health and safety products. He can be reached through his company website at https://www.impact-products.com. Reference1. ErgoPlus, a leading organization that helps employers prevent musculoskeletal injuries. NOTE: Many injuries are never reported, which can cause the numbers to be skewed. Posted on May 17, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

In the Face of Modern Threats, Enterprise Campuses Must Maximize Tech Tools We live in a world where anything can happen. As a nation, we see more active shooting situations and natural disasters than ever before. These modern threats are impacting enterprise campuses across the nation at unimaginable levels. According to statistics from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the Department of Justice, victims of workplace violence miss more than 1.8 million days of work annually, causing more than $121 billion in losses for employers. As the potential for threatening situations across work campuses continues to rise, it is imperative for safety professionals to maximize every possible emergency response tool available to them. Although some situations are highly unpredictable, it is imperative to have a reliable and effective response plan in place to protect everyone in the workplace and minimize potential losses. Highlighting Our Nation's FlawsOn the first anniversary of the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, recordings of the 911 calls from the time of the shooting underscored the national safety crisis we see in public schools. In this case, unfortunately, the calls students made from their cellphones went to the Coral Springs Police Department rather than the Broward Sheriff's Office in Parkland, causing a major delay in response efforts. Because of these complications in routing the calls to the right locations, Coral Springs dispatchers had to call Broward County 911 to relay all of the information and ensure that they dispatched officers to the location of the shooting. What took students as little as three seconds to explain had taken the Coral Springs Police Department over one minute to communicate, in some cases, because it was playing a game of catch-up. As a result, 69 seconds passed between the first call to 911 and the time police officers were dispatched to the location, according to a report by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Commission. Although 69 seconds might not sound like much time in an ordinary situation, it can make a huge difference in the number of individuals impacted when a school is dealing with an active shooter situation. This scenario demonstrated that our school systems, as well as most enterprise campuses across the nation, still have a lot of work to do to make sure their sites are more secure. Problems come up because of the intersection of core universities and the areas surrounding them, which creates an overlap in responding jurisdictions when problems arise. Although campus police might be in the best position to respond, municipal or county agencies might actually receive the 911 calls when they come in. This means that callers are being shuffled around and effective response gets delayed. On top of that, radios and in-car data systems make it difficult for agencies nearby to effectively coordinate responses. Having ineffective communication systems can be seriously damaging when it comes to emergency response. But it's difficult for responders and can be a real issue for those in need of response, too. On larger campuses, employees face problems with alerting everyone in the area quickly and appropriately when emergencies happen. Further complications occur when staff and employees try to identify and account for everyone on campus. The Problem of LocationOnly recently have communication technology platforms begun to bridge the existing gap between wireless calls made to 911 and being able to identify the location of the caller. In the aftermath of Parkland, city officials recognized major issues with officer response time and joined forces with a company called RapidSOS—a company that helps police and fire departments across the United States overcome critical gaps in responding to calls—to prevent such a mishap in the future, according to The Washington Post. The inability of modern phone calls to effectively communicate location data to 911 call centers is a major problem. With over 80 percent of calls to 911 call centers coming from cell phones, it is critical to identify the location quickly and effectively to ensure law enforcement officers are able to respond to emergencies well. What Is Being Done?Organizations are widely implementing various forms of communication technology to help first responders and those involved in natural disasters and other emergencies share their location and other data, all of which improves communication and response times. More and more, we're seeing Internet of Things devices play a part in a number of industries and spaces. Families use infant wearable devices to inform pediatricians about a baby's health. Buildings can monitor home security doorbells with streaming video. Imaging devices are also specifically designed for and used by responders in many cases, like cameras that record police interactions and sensors that help monitor firefighters and signal for help if necessary. Technology advancements can help entire cities, too. For instance, in 2016, Waze and Esri formed a partnership that allows users to visualize data and collaborate. They can use the data to map out how to properly and efficiently deploy resources to help people in need. Additionally, the service lets others in the area know about potential disasters to avoid. The ability for people to keep in touch in the event of a disaster is becoming more necessary, and the ways in which they can are expanding. Using check-in features or even community activation in large-scale disasters helps everyone accurately track details, the locations of various events, and the safety of loved ones nearby. What Else Can We Do?It's important to prepare for each potential situation by engaging employees and implementing new methods of communication. Dealing with natural disasters is difficult, as most are unpredictable and cannot be controlled. Further, reports indicate a steep increase in the costs businesses incur as a result. In these events, businesses often sustain damage, employees' homes are hurt, and supply chains are entirely shut down. Even more, globalization makes the impact of natural disasters more substantial. Although it's difficult to protect a physical location from every natural disaster, it is imperative to develop a sound disaster recovery plan to adequately prepare companies for as many potential impacts as possible. Natural disasters are by no means the only kind we face, though. As lone wolf attacks, which involve the attacker trying to inflict harm or death on innocent people, continue to become more common across the nation, it is critical for companies to train employees to handle these situations, taking measures like regular active shooter response training sessions. Companies that regularly conduct this type of training are the best prepared to minimize their risks and protect everyone involved in the event that these situations occur. Nearly everyone carries powerful technology with them everywhere they go, in the form of smartphones. Because of this, campuses have to take advantage of what is a nearly ubiquitous way of accessing safety technology that comes with little additional cost. Even something as simple as a detailed map of a campus on a mobile device can be a game changer for responding agencies, especially those that might be slightly unfamiliar with the layout of the school or campus to which they need to go. Depending on a company's budget and level of threat, implementing gunshot detection software and video monitoring by way of artificial intelligence can also be a powerful tool for recognizing and responding to potential disasters. For instance, video technology can use facial recognition and recognize license plates and vehicles, which helps safety officials when trying to identify suspects or notify others about potential threats. It is critically important that companies also meet with local responding agencies at least once annually to effectively maintain the public-private partnership. Discuss ways to keep up-to-date mapping data on file for your campus and current plans for engaging with on-site security, management, and other administration departments to ensure they get to the right location as quickly as possible. Maximizing Tools to Ensure SafetyConsider using familiar technology to make it easier for your staff to recognize and report potential threats in the workplace. Recognize how your staff prefers to communicate, and try to take advantage of whatever that might be. Approaches as simple as implementing a text-in tip line option or using a secure channel on a collaborative tool like Slack are some simple and easy-to-implement ways enterprise campuses can protect their employees. When it comes to evaluating the threat level a company faces, safety professionals are in the best position. Unfortunately, businesses with a large number of employees, those that are easily identifiable and well-known, or those whose employees are recognizable and notable are at an elevated risk for danger. Consider the ways in which your company can use technology to understand further, identify, and mitigate threats with data generated by these platforms. Using new technology tools to accurately identify locations and provide a greater understanding of when and where staff members feel less than safe can be crucial in helping you proactively address any potential issues facing your domain. Implementing the wealth of communication technologies available is an effective and cost-efficient way to ensure the safety of everyone on your campus. Companies can take advantage of technology that employees already have, like smartphones, which will lower costs while providing significant value to users through the wealth of available safety technology in the world today. Matt Johnson is the chief operating officer of Noonlight, a connected safety platform and mobile app. Noonlight delivers help from emergency services when needed and peace of mind when it’s not at the click of a button and by connecting smart devices to deliver automatic safety. Posted on May 16, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

Westone Highlights Ear Peace Foundation's Work While exhibiting at the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA) annual conference in February 2019, Westone Laboratories' Ryan Lee ran into Kelly Culhane, who had just received the Girl Scouts' National Gold Award for her work as an ambassador with the Ear Peace: Save Your Hearing Foundation. Ear Peace Foundation is an educational non-profit organization based in Miami whose goal is "to make young people aware of the problem of noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) and motivate them to take effective measure to protect their hearing." Lee asked Kelly to do a quick interview about her role with the foundation and what she hopes to achieve as an ambassador. The interview, passed on by Westone Laboratories' Ryan Lee to OH&S, follows. How did you initially come to be involved with Ear Peace: Save Your Hearing Foundation?I have been involved with Girl Scouts for 12 years and with music for 13 years. Before high school, I focused on choir and classical singing with a vocal training focus on classical technique. My interest in becoming a doctor is the reason I began looking for a current, health-related issue for my Girl Scout Gold Award project. At the beginning of my freshman year, I heard an interview on National Public Radio with Adele Sandberg, founder of Ear Peace: Save Your Hearing Foundation. She discussed noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) in children, how she used pipe cleaners to demonstrate to elementary students the permanent damage done by loud sounds to the 18,000 tiny hair cells we are born with in each ear, and how simple it is to protect our hearing. After learning that one in five teenagers in the U.S. has NIHL by the age of 19, that 45 percent of music students will have this type of hearing loss by age 25, and that it can affect me and every other child, teen, young adult, and adult around the world, I decided to take action and partnered with the foundation. What is the best part for you of working with Ear Peace Foundation?The best part about working with Ear Peace Foundation has been the opportunity to teach young students and K-12 teachers about noise-induced hearing loss. After I completed the foundation's training program and became a student ambassador for the organization, both Adele and Dr. Sherilyn M. Adler (their Executive Director), were confident about my ability to talk about this issue to a variety of audiences. I have truly enjoyed being able to work with them and coming up with new ideas for ways to spread the word, while still learning more everyday about this very important health issue. Do you have any specific goals that you are hoping to achieve with Ear Peace Foundation, and if so, what are they?Ear Peace Foundation, an educational nonprofit organization, and I have share a common goal: to spread the word about NIHL to as many people as possible, with a particular focus on young people. During the four years I’ve worked with the foundation, we have reached elementary school students, high school students, teachers of every grade level, and even pediatricians around the state of Florida. This past July, I was selected as one of only ten 2018 National Gold Award Girl Scouts (the first ever chosen from the Girl Scout Council of Tropical Florida and in the South Florida areas of Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties). As a National Gold Award Girl Scout (NGAGS), I have been presented with an amazing opportunity to reach people of all ages across the country and help them understand how to preserve their hearing. As a National Gold Award Girl Scout, I have committed to representing the Girl Scouts of the USA and participating in local and national speaking events and media opportunities. Since the national press release, I have been interviewed for Yahoo! Finance Live Market Movers (a nationally webcast show) and Her Campus (an on-line campus national news service for college-aged women) while having also been featured by local press on Miami's CBS 4 series, "Mentoring Matters." Using my Gold Award project and NGAGS designation as a springboard, Ear Peace Foundation and I are currently collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) staff to continue to spread the word about NIHL and its prevention. I plan to continue working with Ear Peace Foundation over the course of my college experience. As I continue to spread the word about NIHL nationally, my goal is nothing less than a national paradigm shift. We teach our children to take many measures to stay safe and healthy, but, we haven't been teaching them to protect their hearing. One day soon, protecting our hearing will be as common as putting on a seat belt, wearing a bike helmet, or applying sunscreen. Young people deserve to enjoy a lifetime of healthy listening. How have you benefited from working with Ear Peace Foundation?The most important way I have benefited from working with Ear Peace Foundation is the knowledge I have gained from working on this issue and my increased confidence with public speaking. Before I got involved with the foundation, I had never understood the impact that dangerously loud sounds can have on our ears. Even though music's always been an important part of my life, I had no idea that it could permanently harm my hearing, especially at such a young age. That awareness is what inspires me to spread the word to as many people as possible. The foundation has taught me so much about this critical health issue while always being supportive of my desire to learn more about this topic and to share this knowledge with others. They have also been willing to respect that, as a teen myself, I bring helpful information about how to successfully present this issue to young people. Why should other young adults your age be interested in joining Ear Peace Foundation?Most young people enjoy music and other recreational activities that involve sound exposure. By working with Ear Peace Foundation, they will have the opportunity to help preserve the hearing health of other young people in today’s loud world. Adele Sandberg and Dr. Sherilyn Adler have been the most supportive and helpful mentors to me throughout this project, as they're both always very enthusiastic about my new ideas and willing to provide many different learning opportunities. I have gained so much knowledge about the issue of NIHL in just four short years and understand how crucial it is that we get the word out to as many people as possible. Anyone who works with the foundation will gain that knowledge and experience for themselves. Ear Peace Foundation truly wants to help the next generation of young people learn how to preserve their hearing and so do I. They have inspired me to continue advocating for the prevention of NIHL in the future. Are you hoping to work for or with Ear Peace Foundation in more of a full-time role after you've finished school?I have recently been accepted at both the University of Florida and Davidson College and am waiting on a few more college decisions. I plan to continue to serve as an Ambassador for Ear Peace Foundation at whatever college I attend and, potentially, during my medical school career following that. While I am uncertain about working with Ear Peace Foundation in a full-time role in the future, I can tell you that I definitely plan to continue my involvement with their organization because of how passionate I have become about the issue of NIHL prevention for young people around the world. If there's one thing you would want people to know about Ear Peace Foundation, what would that be?Ear Peace Foundation has become somewhat of a second family to me. They are truly dedicated to ensuring the well-being of every person who is at risk for permanent hearing loss due to exposure to loud sound. The current epidemic of NIHL affects people of all ages, everywhere in the world, and the people working with the Foundation truly want to see a time when every child knows how to preserve their hearing so they can enjoy a lifetime of healthy listening. Had you ever been involved with any other hearing loss organizations before Ear Peace Foundation?Before I became involved with the Foundation, I was totally unaware of the issue of permanent but preventable hearing loss in young people. Although Ear Peace Foundation was the first hearing loss organization I became involved with, I am fortunate that, as a result of my Gold Award project and recognition as a National Gold Award Girl Scout, I'll have the opportunity to collaborate with many other amazing people and organizations in the world of hearing loss prevention. Posted on May 13, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)

Promoting an Effective Safety Culture and Use of Drones Helps Reduce Fall Fatalities in Construction During Safety Week, we're reminded of how crucial it is to maintain and promote a safe and healthy workplace culture. Often, that starts with defining safety and recognizing that it extends beyond the different devices, tools, practices, and protective measures we use to reduce risk each day—though these are all extremely important. Safety is a multi-dimensional term that addresses proactive planning, worker training and encouragement, personal protective equipment (PPE) and fall protection systems, and the effects of advanced (and continuously advancing) technology. This is of particular relevance and importance to the construction industry. In 2017, the construction industry saw 971 on-the-job fatalities—19 percent of all worker fatalities in the United States that year. Even more alarming: 39 percent (381) of those construction fatalities were fall-related. The fatality statistics are alarming and fall fatalities continue to be a concern. Those within the construction industry should be vigilant in continuously reviewing safety protocols and standards to help in the reduction of fall-related fatalities and injuries. Making Safety Part of Workplace CultureSafety should be a vital workplace principle for everyone supporting a construction job—from project and company leaders to individual employees. After all, everyone is responsible for promoting and complying with safety practices. Leaders have the opportunity to assess risks before a construction job begins, and as a result, it's their responsibility to help eliminate or mitigate potential dangers. From performing comprehensive Job Hazard Analyses (JHAs)—which, at a minimum, should encompass an overview of the operations to be completed as part of the project, the equipment needed to carry out these operations, a list of tasks and related exposures, and the controls needed to mitigate risk—to convening pre-task educational sessions for workers, it's important for leaders to hold up their end of the bargain. But, by the same token, workers must comply with safety procedures. If they feel inadequately prepared or trained to do so, they should be empowered and encouraged to speak up and relay this to management. Putting Safety to Practice: The Role of TechnologyTechnological developments can help workers and leaders put safety measures into practice. As such, it is critical that construction organizations gain insight into the current uses of technology—including drones—and how they may be able to assist in projects and safety management efforts. The construction industry has become one of the fastest-growing industries to utilize commercial small Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), or drones. Small drones can provide a flexible and adaptable means to observe and manage construction projects through photographs and video to help complete tasks where worker involvement can be avoided. The continued adaptability of small drones, along with the evolving sophistication of technology applications and site equipment, can provide a contractor with diverse capabilities that can be utilized for a number of construction site activities and needs, including the ability to provide visual feedback and data without the need to put personnel in a position for a potential fall risk. Uses and applications of UAS in the construction industry include, but are not limited to: site planning and inspection, risk management safety compliance, monitoring contractor progress, accident prevention and investigation, project security and surveillance, and inspection (quality assurance/quality control). The capabilities of drones to support the construction industry and its approach to safety management are advancing rapidly and are expected to become a valuable asset for construction companies. Striving for Zero AccidentsThe overarching goal of safer workplace practices—from pre-task hazard assessments to technology that can keep workers out of harm's way on the job, to devices that can summon help quickly, when needed—is to reduce accidents and minimize injury. When a company effectively instills a culture where safety is prioritized, everyone wins: the project leaders, the risk managers, the workers, and the businesses themselves. After all, safety is among a business's most highly valued assets and fosters growth and success. As long as safety practices continue to evolve alongside evolving construction practices, we can endeavor to see a decreasing number of incidents, injuries, and fatalities. Hopefully, one day, we'll see none at all. George Cesarini is a Senior Vice President for Chubb Construction Major Markets. He is responsible for managing the risk engineering services provided across the country to construction clients, ensuring quality and value-added services are being delivered to assist them in their efforts to enhance their safety culture and mitigate potential exposures on their project sites. This document is advisory in nature and is offered as a resource to be used together with your professional insurance advisors in maintaining a loss prevention program. It is an overview only, and is not intended as a substitute for consultation with your insurance broker, or for legal, engineering or other professional advice. Posted on May 08, 2019 Let's block ads! (Why?)