Primoris Willbros Canada completed its first project in Canada in 1923. In the nearly 100 years since, the company has grown and positioned itself as a leader in hydro-transport pipeline construction and maintenance, construction and repair of storage tanks, facility construction, piping fabrication and pipeline integrity services. The company serves major firms in the oil, gas, power, petrochemical and heavy oil industries and has established itself as a safety leader in these markets. Based in Edmonton, AB, with a branch office in Ft. McMurray, AB, the company takes pride in its exceptional safety performance and corporate HSE manager Kim Taylor and HSE director Shelley Hassen attribute much of that success to innovative programs and the over 500 engaged employees and leaders in the company. The two safety professionals have experienced tremendous success engaging employees and reducing injuries and illnesses. Both of them understand the challenges facing employees on a day-to-day basis. They have both worked at the company for 10+ years and came to their positions in safety via different but complementary paths. Primoris Willbros CanadaLowering in. Taylor started her career as a laborer at a pipeline company in 2006. In 2007, her employer was acquired by what was then Willbros Canada. After working on various crews and positions, she transitioned to a safety role in 2009. “I made the decision to get into safety because I understood the work and the challenges our employees faced,” says Taylor. “I began taking HSE courses and achieved a field level HSE advisor position in the summer of 2009. From 2009 until April 2017, I worked on multiple projects and client sites in various HSE roles until moving into the corporate HSE manager position. I wanted to make a difference [and] be someone our workers looked up to and respected because they knew I had the field experience along with the HSE knowledge.” Hassen joined the company in 2007 as a part-time administrative assistant to the health and safety manager and the rest, as they say, is history. “I didn’t even know that safety was a career choice at that moment,” she remembers. “I knew I had found my calling, I worked hard at understanding our work and safety systems and moved my way through the organization.” Challenging Work Construction work can be challenging under the best of circumstances. Add in a harsh climate and sometimes punishing construction and operations schedules and things really can get tough, agree Hassen and Taylor. A few of the safety challenges faced by the Primoris Willbros Canada workers are related to the wicked weather conditions found in northern Alberta, including snow and freezing temperatures in the winter and hot summer months. In winter, temperatures can drop as low as -22 to -40°F for short periods of time, and while average snowfall in much of province usually doesn’t go above 12-24 in., the ski resorts of the Canadian Rockies can see up to 30 ft. of snowfall between November and April. Other challenges include scheduling pressures, client influence and ensuring that employees understand and follow procedures. Within the oil and gas industry, it is common that workers also face uncertainty about when and where their next job is going to be, which can cause distractions at work. Plus, every worksite is different, and adjustments need to be made to programs to accommodate the different client rules and procedures. The changing scope of the work performed at each site has been challenging as well. Taylor says the company has ventured into numerous different scopes of work than what it did several years ago. Previously, the company was engaged in large, cross-country pipeline projects. Now, the focus has changed, evolving from those larger scale projects to smaller scale pipeline construction and maintenance, tank construction, and facility work including electrical scopes. Primoris Willbros CanadaPipeline welders. “We’ve had to adapt, learn and improve our safety manual to include additional work scope,” says Taylor. “Plus, working in multiple provinces creates its own challenges due to each province having its own legislation.” “It’s challenging when you have one [safety] system that needs to work everywhere,” Hassen adds. For example, they had to write a new electrical safety program to accommodate the addition of electrical work as part of the services they offer clients. “Our safety management system is very pliable, very flexible,” says Hassen, adding, “It’s strategic.” Looking at the big picture, that means that changing work and changing working conditions must be accommodated by the safety process and employees must be engaged and understand expectations in order to work safely. Empowering Employees Back in 2011, there were a few significant safety-related incidents that forced Willbros Canada to reflect on where the gaps were in its safety process. Gaps “not just in our procedures,” Hassen explains, “but in how we were engaging our people. Since that time, we’ve really empowered them and encouraged them to own their safety. ‘Why do you work safe? Own that.’ It took time to earn that trust but it’s there now and it’s amazing.” According to Hassen, “It’s not about relying solely on the supervisor to set the safety message. It’s about ensuring the employees know what our expectations are; that that they are expected to say no to tasks or work situations they think are unsafe. They know our expectations; they are empowered to say no; and they know they can trust that process.” Taylor added that while she was conducting research about effective safety cultures, this concept stood out to her: “Safety culture is the end result of combined efforts towards the values, attitudes, goals and proficiency of an organization’s HSE program.” “Our safety culture is constantly evolving. We have set goals, hold employees and supervisors accountable and truly have buy-in from all levels of the organization,” says Taylor, who admits it’s a shift in the right direction that’s occurred over the past 11 years. “Employees are not afraid to raise their hand when something is not right. They aren’t afraid to speak up, ask questions, challenge us and suggest ways to improve our process or documentation. It shows where we’re at in our organization with our culture. Having a lot of long-tenured employees who know the work and understand our safety program also helps.” What also helps are some of the innovations that the HSE department have introduced as part of their efforts to continuously improve the safety culture. EHS Innovations There have been some significant initiatives introduced to improve engagement efforts at Primoris Willbros Canada. Some cost money, some are free, and all are effective, according to Taylor and Hassen. Why I Work Safe Walls The organization began asking employees to think about their own safety through the introduction of “Why I Work Safe” walls. Every new worker is introduced to the wall as part of the orientation process. “Each member of our organization brings photos of what means the most to them: kids, vacations, hobbies, family… whatever means something to them,” says Taylor. “We put those photos up on the walls of the lunchroom as a reminder to them to work safe every day, so they can go home to what they love.” The Safety Talisman Coin Hassen says another innovative idea was implemented after a significant incident in the organization in 2011. “The investigation determined that our processes, procedures and training were in place, but unfortunately, a decision was still made that day that ended up costing our worker everything,” she says. “The coin is intended to act as a visual and tangible reminder for our employees to keep safety front of mind. We hope it reminds them to face each task, both at work and at home, with the motivation of why we must perform work safely—to provide for ourselves, our families and to enjoy the things we do outside of work,” Hassen adds. All employees are presented with a Talisman coin and encouraged to find their own meaning behind it in hopes that it will trigger those motivations and personal choices that make people invest in their safety and the safety of those around them. “It’s one of my favorite things. We hand them out like candy,” says Hassen. “People give them to their children when they start driving. They give them to loved ones in the hospital. The coins are given to employees by their supervisor, and that gives the supervisor an opportunity to have a one-on-one conversation about why safety really matters to them.” Taylor said the company still has employees who carry with them—every day—the Safety Talisman coin they received when the program was first rolled out in 2011. Got Your Six Hassen laughs about one program that “didn’t seem to have any buy-in when launched, but when we surveyed our employees, it came up high for engagement.” According to Taylor, the program consists of one phrase: “Got Your Six.” “The program is intended to help foster mutual respect, build trust and generate a greater sense of community; to exemplify ‘my brother’s keeper’ in a structured and purposeful format. It means we’re watching out for each other and encouraging interventions when you see something unsafe. Really, it’s just a slogan but the meaning of it speaks to workers,” she explains. Safety Is Every Day While not a new concept, the fact that safety messages are shared with employees every day is important to engagement efforts at the company. The way the company shares safety information is new and innovative, however. Every morning, entire project groups get together for a safety meeting or a toolbox talk. Field locations review specific tasks and conduct pre-task planning and review any procedures related to those tasks and conduct and update hazard assessments. At the end of shift, closeout meetings are held to debrief the groups on the day’s work, discuss if there were any issues or concerns with the day’s work that may affect the planned work for tomorrow, ensure any work permits have been closed out, discuss if there were any injuries or incidents (that were not previously reported), and address if the work area has been cleaned and deemed safe to leave for the day. Taylor says that one of the larger programs they’ve implemented to support continuous improvement are monthly HSE scorecards. “The scorecard reports key measurables such as: leading and lagging indicators, compliance to the HSE management system, training compliance, cultural initiatives and environmental initiatives. It is true to say that ‘what gets measured gets done.’ The monthly scorecard process promotes friendly competition between the business units and projects while being held accountable. This program has really been a step change for us over the past few years.” The use of Intelex and its applications has been a step toward supporting continuous improvement as well, she adds. “Incident management, correction action management, training management, document control... Intelex has helped us with continuous process improvement.” Engaging Employees through Safety Bulletins Another innovation recently introduced at Primoris Willbros Canada was the use of safety bulletins. Taylor and Hassen were searching for a tool to engage employees with safety in a way that just took a couple of minutes to have an impact. They found that safety bulletins, created through their access to Intelex software, were an easy, quick way to communicate information. “In a world full of tech-savvy individuals this application and communication method has brought us into the future,” states Taylor. “E-mails get lost in inboxes; bulletins are a new and easy way to communicate short, important content.” She said they examined their own organization and asked employees what type of information they’d like to see communicated through these bulletins. One thing they heard is that the bulletins didn’t always have to be about safety; sometimes people wanted updates on company events and project awards. Taylor’s advice: “Keep messaging relevant to your own company. For example, if the company experiences a safety milestone or receives an award, share that.” “Our work is diverse and employees are scattered among different sites,” says Hassen. “People can get siloed in their own groups and don’t always understand what other groups in the company are doing. Communicating something like a new project that’s been awarded to the company is important so that everyone can feel connected and understands how diverse we are.” Taylor suggests, “Use feedback [from employees] to adjust what you are communicating to ensure the content is relevant and that the frequency is what they want to see. When you’re first starting, develop a calendar for the delivery of bulletins that outlines what type of information and when the bulletins will be distributed. This type of structure really helped keep us on track.” The feature of linking documents and other records in Intelex to the bulletins is particularly useful for Taylor and Hassen. “We like the feature of linking our own documentation; it makes the bulletins truly about us and our company,” saya Taylor. “They are a short, easy, refreshing read,” says Hassen of the bulletins, but adds that they also provide employees with “the full story” by sending them to the full document for detailed information. “We love the response buttons like ‘Show Me More.’’ It gives them the choice to dig in further, and shows that they are interested in the subject,” she says. Taylor and Hassen also like the fact that the bulletins can be customized and allow them to adjust their approach as needed. Taylor points out that a new rigging and hoisting standard is being published and she and Hassen are considering using bulletins to help roll it out. The bulletins will allow them to share knowledge about any new expectations and improvements found within the new standard, as well as link to the new document. Both Hassen and Taylor agree that the response to the bulletins has been good. And the feedback about a particular bulletin or topic is immediate, says Taylor, with no additional work necessary for her or Hassen: “Employees click the “Like” button and move on.” Advice from the Experts If you want safety success and engagement like that achieved by Primoris Willbros Canada, approach safety in a realistic and achievable way, suggests Taylor, who adds, “Don’t overcomplicate things. Listen to your workers. Involve all aspects of the organization in improvement. If you involve your employees, there will be a sense of ownership and a greater chance of buy in.” Hassen suggests giving new initiatives time to work. “Many organizations will institute a ‘fix’ and if they don’t see instant results, they add another program. It takes time to turn a safety culture around. If you believe in something enough to invest time and money to introduce it, then give it time to have some impact. We’ve been working on some of our programs for eight years and still are finding ways to improve them.” Taylor says she knew the safety culture was improving when employees started to challenge her and question why they were being asked to do certain things. “It means they’re reading our documentation [a process, program or standard] and wanting clarity,” she says. “When I got a call from a superintendent who said, ‘I’m trying to understand what this means [how it will impact],’ I knew we were on the right track. “Our employees—at every level—genuinely want to do the right thing,” Taylor says. “And it’s our job as HSE to be there every step of the way to provide support and offer guidance.” Sandy Smith is global content lead for Intelex Technologies Inc. An award-winning journalist, Smith has written about occupational safety and health and the environment for 25 years.

On Aug. 11, 1929, Babe Ruth hit his 500th home run out of the park at Cleveland’s League Park baseball stadium. The Babe was pretty sure he was going to hit his 500th home run that day, even telling H. Clay Folger, chief of the police for League Park, that he planned to hit the ball out of the park and that he wanted Folger to “find the kid who gets the ball and bring him to me. I’d kinda like to save that one,” according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer’s story about the game.The ball landed on Lexington Avenue, where it was picked up by a young fan, Jake Geiser, who the local newspaper called “a street urchin.” He was convinced to hand the ball over to the Babe for a different autographed baseball and $20 so that Babe Ruth could keep his memento.These days, ball stadiums are massive cathedrals to the sport, and it’s rare for a ball to be hit outside the park. What happens now are home runs and foul balls that end up in the stands. It’s exciting when that happens; everyone scrambles until someone victoriously holds up the ball.What happens less often is that a line drive or a foul ball hits an unsuspecting spectator, causing injuries. On Sept. 20, a line drive at Yankee Stadium by Yankees third baseman Todd Frazier – traveling at an estimated 100 mph when it left his bat – struck a young fan sitting in the stands. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment and is expected to fully recover.Baseball, particularly Major League Baseball (MLB) as well as its minor league teams because of the sheer power of the batters, has a safety challenge: Protect the people sitting in the stands from injury but accommodate those fans who want the full fan experience.MLB Recommends Changes to Safety NettingIn December 2015, MLB recommended that teams strengthen the safety netting in their parks. The league recommended that teams add safety netting or some other type of barrier device. Teams will be encouraged to add netting, or some other type of protective barrier to shield fans sitting between the near ends of both dugouts and within 70 feet of home plate.According to a report on MLB.com, Commissioner Rob Manfred said the organization “prides itself on providing fans in our ballparks with unparalleled proximity and access to our players and the game taking place on the field.”But he added, it is important that fans have the option of sitting behind safety netting.“This recommendation attempts to balance the need for an adequate number of seating options with our desire to preserve the interactive pregame and in-game fan experience that often centers around the dugouts, where fans can catch foul balls, see their favorite players up close and, if they are lucky, catch a tossed ball or other souvenir,” Manfred is quoted as saying.And that’s where safety gloves and ballistic vests, or at least the technology used to provide cut protection and stop bullets in those important safety items, come in.Innovative Product Design to Protect Fan ExperienceIn a memo dated Oct. 11, 2017 and sent to club CEOs, presidents, operations director and legal counsels, Dan Halem, chief legal counsel for MLB, advised them that the commissioner’s office had “engaged a product design firm to investigate potential ways to improve visibility for fans sitting behind protective netting at Major League ballparks. As part of this project, the design firm looked at a variety of concepts that might make netting less noticeable to fans in the ballpark, including altering the size and shapes of the openings in the netting, and changing the material, color and installation process for the netting.”As a result of the design firm’s investigation of available products, the league noted, “As part of this process, a manufacturer, NET Systems, through their exclusive distributor, Promats Athletics, has agreed to work with the clubs to make their most popular product – 1.2mm Dyneema fiber Ultracross knotless netting – available in this color for installation in your ballpark.”DSM Dyneema/Net Systems/Promats Athletics: Hitting a Home RunEHS Today recently met with Dan Oliver and Xzalivar White from Net Systems, Kevin DeVantier and Christina Wood from Promats Athletics and Patrick Smith and Crandall Turner from DSM Dyneema to discover how the partnership between the three companies and with MLB came about.Oliver said his company “reached out to Dyneema about five years ago, looking for Dyneema products that could be used in netting that would set us apart from the other netting companies.”Traditionally, steel wire has been used in netting systems. “Steel wire can be very heavy and steel wire can break, creating additional safety hazards and causing injuries such as cuts and injuries from recoil,” said Smith. DSM is the manufacturer of Dyneema’s Force Multiplier Technology material, which is the material used in the netting. “The Dyneema product is much stronger and longer-lasting than steel wire.”NET Systems predominantly was known for making commercial fishing nets. The company developed the Ultracross Netting system, which is a knotless net, perfect for uses where the net is being used as a barrier, since it allows a larger and less-obstructed field of vision.The two companies were able to create something close to “invisible netting,” added Oliver. “It allowed us to get our netting onto the field.”The company that brought it onto the field, Promats Athletics, is known for its expertise in designing and installing netting systems.“A push started at stadiums to protect people sitting closer to the action because injuries were occurring. There was a need to address that without upsetting the fans,” said Wood.Netting systems needed to be durable and low profile and could not have a lot of visual impact to distract or block the fans from the action on the field. The first Dyneema/NET Systems/Promats Athletics nets were installed in March 2014 by the dugouts at Fenway Park.DSM DyneemaFenway StadiumFenway Park Photo: DSM DyneemaAnd the rest, as they say, is history. Promats estimates Ultracross systems were in 15 MLB stadiums prior to this offseason, and they have received multiple commitments to extend the Ultracross system, with the possibility of the system installed in 20 or more MLB ballparks before opening day. In addition, the majority of Promats’ MLB-level commitments have resulted in similar backstop netting renovations at the clubs' corresponding spring training facilities. Getting Back to the BabeLove ‘em or hate ‘em, the most iconic brand in baseball is the New York Yankees. On Jan. 10, the Yankees organization announced that additional protective netting will be installed at Yankee Stadium for the start of the 2018 regular season. Increased coverage will include partially retractable netting attached to the roofs of both dugouts and stationary netting extending beyond the far ends of the dugouts toward the foul poles.During the design and engineering process, the Yankees consulted with the architecture firm Populous and Promats Athletics.The Yankees said the netting attached to the roofs of both dugouts will extend to a height of nine feet above each dugout during games. The bottom portions of these nets will be upwardly retractable by up to three feet, allowing fans the opportunity to fully interact with players during batting practice when the protective batting cage is being employed around the home plate area of the field. Prior to the start of the game, the nets will connect to the dugout roof, where they will remain in place throughout the game.Beyond the dugout, netting will extend to Section 011 on the first-base side and Section 029 on the third-base side, according to a press release from the organization. The netting in these locations will rise to eight feet above the playing field (approximately 5.5 feet above the wall surrounding the field of play), and will remain in place from the start of batting practice through the end of the game. These sections of netting may be removed for soccer matches or other events held at Yankee Stadium.Dyneema fiber Ultra Cross 1.2 mm-wide knotless netting – the same as was used for Yankee Stadium backstop netting in 2017 – will be utilized for all netting in the 2018 season. All of the netting will be "field green" in color to minimize its visible impact for fans in attendance and those watching on television.Installation will begin in February, and will be completed in time for the Yankees' scheduled 2018 home opener on Monday, April 2 versus the Tampa Bay Rays. A similar protective netting system at George M. Steinbrenner Field is being installed and will be operational for the start of Yankees spring training (Tuesday, Feb. 13).“To be mentioned by name in a press release by the most iconic brand in baseball and by Major League Baseball… We’re thrilled. We’re all thrilled,” said Dyneema’s Smith.Even better, the representatives from all three companies realize that they have made attending baseball games safer for fans while protecting the fan experience.Next week, Smith is headed to the SHOT Show in Las Vegas, where seven police officers shot in the line of duty will share their stories of how Point Blank’s Alpha Elite protective vests made with Dyneema Force Multiplier Technology material stopped the bullet and saved their lives.“Alpha Elite from Point Blank is the same vest worn by NYPD. Fans at Yankee Stadium are protected from batted and thrown baseballs by the same material that provides ballistics protection for the police officers who protect them in their home communities,” he added.And that’s a home run.

On July 11, 2017, OSHA opened an inspection after learning that a 2,600-pound rock dislodged from the foundation of the historic Woburn, Mass., public library and fatally struck an employee of Schnabel foundation Co.OSHA has cited Schnabel Foundation Co. for failing to protect employees against crushing hazards while they installed permanent foundation supports beneath the Woburn Public Library. The company faces $212,396 in proposed penalties.“Failure to supply proper safeguards and training has led to a needless and avoidable death,” said OSHA Andover Area Office Director Anthony Covello. “It is imperative that employers train their employees, and equip them with the necessary tools to prevent crushing and other hazards.”The contractor also was cited for failing to instruct employees to recognize and avoid unsafe conditions while working beneath the foundation. OSHA previously cited the company for similar hazards in 2015 when an employee was pinned by a granite block that came loose.The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to accept the findings, request an informal conference with OSHA’s area director, or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

OSHA is claiming that a New Jersey chain-link fencing manufacturer failed to correct similar violations issued two years ago and has proposed penalties of $199,996.Agency inspectors identified multiple violations, including inadequate lighting; lack of machine guards; failing to keep the workroom clean and dry; failing to inspect and ensure proper use of fall protection; and failing to provide effective training on hazardous chemicals in a June 2017 inspection. A prior OSHA investigation in August 2015 found similar violations.OSHA issued three failure to abate citations, including one for failure to establish an energy control program; failure to provide adequate machine guarding; and failure to record each work-related fatality, injury or illness case. In 2015, an employee was attempting to fix the fingers on the turret of a 12-foot weaver machine when two of his fingers were caught in the chain and sprocket and amputated. The hazard that caused the amputation in 2015 still hadn’t been abated in 2017. The proposed fine for the three failure to abate citations is $151,195.The company contested the citations issued in 2015 before the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. In that case, OSHA issued nine serious citations and six other citations with proposed penalties of $31,100. Following a decision from an administrative law judge, the penalties were reduced to $9,000.“Aruvil International has failed to correct similar violations cited two years ago,” said OSHA Marlton Area Office Director Paula Dixon-Roderick. “To protect its workers, the employer should abate these repeatedly identified hazards.”  The company has 15 business days from receipt of its citations and penalties to comply, request an informal conference with Dixon-Roderick or contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.

The American Board of Industrial Hygiene (ABIH), the organization that provides certification for professionals in the practice of industrial hygiene, has named Jeffrey Miller, Ph.D., as its new chairman.ABIH is the credentialing body responsible for ensuring high-quality certification including education, experience, examination, certification maintenance and ethics enforcement.  Currently, more than 6,900 people in 32 countries are certified to use the CIH credential.Miller is a senior scientist at Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). He joined ORAU in March 2012, where he is a subject matter expert in the measurement and evaluation of safety culture in nuclear, research and environmental clean-up organizations. He has conducted comprehensive safety culture evaluations for Department of Energy contractor organizations ranging in size from 500 to 7,000 people. He developed and validated a safety culture evaluation survey instrument that has been completed by more than 25,000 people in the DOE enterprise.Over the course of his career, he has developed and administered more than 100 health-related surveys to populations as large as 30,000 people. Miller also is a subject matter expert in occupational exposure assessment. He has developed methods for prospective and retrospective assessment of exposures to chemical, physical and biological hazards in manufacturing and research populations.When asked what he plans to accomplish as the new ABIH chair, Miller said, “We have several important initiatives underway that are critical for the protection of the public. Examples include developing the pipeline of young occupational, environmental, health and safety professionals and international outreach to developing nations.”Miller holds a doctorate degree in public health from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, a master’s degree in public health from the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, and a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Western Illinois University. He also is a Certified Safety Professional and is an active member of the American Industrial Hygiene Association, American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists, American Society of Safety Engineers and the Energy Facilities Contractors Group Safety Culture Committee.

Four percent – 40 inspectors out of 1,000. That’s the percentage decline in OSHA inspectors since Donald Trump took office and instituted a federal hiring freeze. It might not sound like much, but when we consider that OSHA already was understaffed, it’s a problem.As Jordan Barab, a former deputy assistant secretary of labor at OSHA, pointed out in his blog post on Confined Space, “This is an agency that hasn’t had a budget increase since 2010, that is tasked with ensuring the safety and health of workers in 8 million workplaces. OSHA inspectors are at their lowest level in the history of the agency.”When Ronald Reagan became president nearly 40 years ago in 1980, OSHA had nearly twice the number of inspectors that is has now, in an economy that was half the size of the current economy, Barab noted.Trump lifted the hiring freeze in April, but many (all?) government agencies have been slow to respond. According to NBC News, OSHA had 54 vacancies among its inspection staff as of Sept. 30. While OSHA has hired or is in the process of hiring more inspectors, the agency will not say how many have been hired or what the target number of hires is.In her article on the NBC News web site, “Number of OSHA workplace safety inspectors declines under Trump,” Suzy Khimm examines the issue of OSHA staffing.She notes in her article that while the total number of inspections from October 2016 to September 2017 are up by several hundred (Barab claims this is the result of a focus on “easier and faster” construction inspections), some rural jurisdictions in the south are way down. OSHA told Khimm inspections were down because of hurricanes, not staffing, but Khimm’s response is that inspections in Mississippi were declining before the first hurricane of the season made landfall.Writes Khimm, “In Mississippi, which has one of the country’s highest worker fatality and injury rates, the number of federal OSHA inspections fell by 26 percent from Trump’s inauguration in January to the end of September, according to public data.”The Bureau of Labor Statistics' Census of 2016 Fatal Occupational Injuries reported there were 5,190 workplace fatalities in 2016, a seven percent increase from 2015. The attrition in workplace inspectors and OSHA staffing didn’t start with the Trump administration – though it has increased dramatically in 2017 – but was a decrease in OSHA inspectors and OSHA inspections a contributing factor to that increase?A 2012 study published in Science examined workplace safety inspections conducted by California’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) (a state plan state also historically low on inspectors). The study, “Randomized Government Safety Inspections Reduce Worker Injuries with no Detectable Job Loss,” concluded workplace inspections do reduce on-the-job injuries and their associated costs.The study found that within high-hazard industries in California, inspected workplaces reduced their injury claims by 9.4 percent and saved 26 percent on workers' compensation costs in the 4 years following the inspection, compared to a similar set of uninspected workplaces. On average, inspected firms saved an estimated $355,000 in injury claims and compensation for paid lost work over that period.Similarly, a review of research published in 2016 by the Institute for Work & Health (IWH) found that government health and safety inspections that result in citations or penalties effectively motivate employers to make improvements that reduce work-related injuries. IWH Senior Scientist Dr. Emile Tompa, who led the review, acknowledged that no regulator has the resources to inspect all workplaces and to levy penalties for all violations, which makes additional efforts to drive awareness and reduce injuries and illnesses necessary as well.To me, the lesson is that while we all like carrots and they can help improve safety performance, they can’t be the only tool in the box if we want to reduce workplace injuries, illnesses and fatalities. Workplace inspections conducted by knowledgeable, well-trained inspectors reduce injury and workers’ compensations claims at the facilities that take the results seriously and learn from their safety lapses. Sometimes, sticks are necessary.

Phillip Numrich, the owner of Seattle-area Alki Construction, was charged Jan. 5 with felony manslaughter following an investigation of the death of an employee in a collapsed trench two years ago.The King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office filed second-degree manslaughter charges against Numrich in connection with the death of Harold Felton. Felton was killed when the dirt walls of the trench he was working in collapsed and buried him on a job site in West Seattle.“There are times when a monetary penalty isn't enough,” said L&I Director Joel Sacks. “This company knew what the safety risks and requirements were, and ignored them. The felony charges show that employers can be held criminally accountable when the tragedy of a preventable workplace death or injury occurs.”After a state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) investigation of the death, the state cited and fined the company in 2016 for multiple workplace safety violations, including “willful” violations − the most severe. The original fines totaled $51,500.The company had dug trenches next to a Seattle home to replace a sewer line. The trench where the worker died was seven-feet deep and just under two-feet wide. There was no system in place to prevent all sides from caving in.Excavation and trenching are known to be very hazardous, so there are numerous safety requirements that must be followed, including ensuring that sites four-feet deep or more have protective systems in place to prevent the dirt sides from caving in.Among other requirements, employers also must make sure there are ladders, ramps or other ways available to safely exit an excavated trench. In addition, there must be daily inspections of excavations to monitor changing soil conditions. Alki violated these and other workplace safety requirements, according to L&I."A workplace death affects families forever," Sacks added. "When workplace safety and health laws are followed on the job, nearly every incident like this can be prevented. When they're ignored, the results are often disastrous and irreversible."