What Is a Safety Root Cause Analysis?

What Is a Safety Root Cause Analysis?

When something happens, we need to know what caused that something. Governments require a safety root cause analysis when something bad happens at an institution, such as a health care facility. When an organization conducts an analysis or hires a team to do it, it is usually to know what happened and why it happened. The said analysis could also give an idea on what can be done to prevent the similar event from happening.

What Is Root Cause Analysis?

A root cause analysis is a procedure wherein a team looks at an event and its contributing factors. It is usually done after an adverse event in health care facilities and hospitals. The ultimate goal is to know what factors caused something bad to happen. Additionally, the procedure would also investigate other contributing factors, which may not be the main reason but may have played a role for the event to happen. Questions on what and why are usually answered. The results of the analysis would also pave the way to knowing how to avoid adverse events similar to what happened.

How Root Cause Analysis Is Done

The safety root cause analysis is a systematic procedure of identifying gaps or deficiencies in hospitals and health care institutions. It is done immediately after an event such as after an error. Every adverse event is investigated using the established methods, which include looking at the whole picture and not just at individual performance. Unlike what most people would guess from the term, the root cause analysis is not just examining root causes. It covers all the contributing factors.

Some teams would also conduct monitoring or tracking to know if the recommended solutions and prevention measures are making a change. Normally, symptoms of the adverse events and signs of contributing factors are looked upon.

Further, there are several techniques that are used in root cause analysis. One of the most common is what’s known as the causal tree, where the event is put at the top of the “tree.” The main causes, the obvious ones, are then listed below the event. Below these causes are what causes each of them. The tree goes on and on until the root cause is reached.

Why Root Cause Analysis Is Done

Initially, the root cause analysis is done to know what happened and why it happened. Additionally, it is also done to identify what needs to be changed to improve systems as well as to improve adverse events from happening again. It is also one of the keys to finding safer and more efficient ways to take care of patients and employees. Those who will conduct the analysis would provide recommendations when results are obtained. It is up to the organization whether or not it will implement the recommendations. To put it simply, a root cause analysis is done to know the causes, symptoms and solutions.

The safety root cause analysis is a procedure done when something bad happens or reoccurs. The main goal is to know what causes it and how to prevent it.

To  learn more about root cause analysis, please visit the JSABuilder website

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What are Safety Moments?

What are Safety Moments?

Tips concerning the safety of everyone in a working environment are sometimes referred to as safety moments. When these are discussed among employees, the level of awareness regarding what to do to prevent accidents is raised. No matter what industry you’re supervising, it is recommended to encourage everybody to utilize these effective advices.

Information

The more everyone knows, the better.  These tips could be presented in various means, through videos and PowerPoint presentations, question and answer sessions, forums, casual discussions, etc. When it comes to safety in the workplace, a way to keep everyone informed of effectual tactics on warding off hazard is to have them talk about it. If your employees incorporate discussions of safety precautions in their daily conversations, they will explore the subject more and eventually be experts on what to do in certain situations.

Points to remember:

• Keep your message short
• Be interesting
• Use pictures
• Employ creativity and uniqueness
• Apply usual scenarios

Demonstrations of Safety Moments

There are lots of effective methods to use when stressing the importance of safety to your employees. Sometimes, you have to rack your brain when trying to come up with a strategy to catch their attention, as even if these safety tips are for their own benefit, they easily get disinterested. This is why you have to be determined to make them listen.

• Picture or video presentations featuring safe and unsafe methods
• Reporting about safety incidents
• Discussions on unsafe or safe procedures
• Asking poll questions regarding how much your employees know
• Story-telling
• Introduction of resources
• Sessions of brainstorming ideas of worst-cases scenarios

Strategy

It’s all about your tactics. A good way to employ moments of safety is to make the most out of your opportunity to talk to your subordinates during start-of-the-week meetings. Coming back from their weekend break, they tend to be enthusiastic about what you have to say and to share their own experiences over the weekend. Then, you’ll have the chance to address important concerns. By giving them advice at the beginning of their week, they will most likely keep it in their heads and ponder it for the rest of their workdays.

Safety moments need to be discussed often in a workplace. Unfortunately, sometimes you have to force your people to learn about these tips because if it were up to them, they would rather talk about something else. You can taunt them with the outcomes of unsafe practices but in most cases, that doesn’t work. Find a technique to beat their stubbornness and develop it. It’s all up to you. As the superior, you must come up with a way to ensure safety in the working environment.

For more on safety moments, visit www.jsabuilder.com

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What Are Examples of Leading Safety Indicators

What Are Examples of Leading Safety Indicators

Having a safety program in place is not the end of the search for ways to prevent injuries in the workplace.  It is rather just the beginning of the never-ending efforts to eradicate the workplace hazards that continue to be a menace to the company. Constant evaluation of the status of safety and health programs is an excellent activity for their successful implementation.  However, there is a need to find leading safety indicators that can serve as guidelines to the positive results of the safety plan. Companies have multiple departments with varying numbers of employees deployed in several workplaces so that monitoring cannot be thoroughly done without understanding the signs that indicate positive results.

The presence of such indicators gives the company assurance that its safety program is in place and continues to prevent injury incidents from occurring.  A good example of leading safety indicators is the employee turnover rate. When analyzed, a high turnover rate means that there are many new employees that need to be trained on safety procedures which put a lot of pressure on the safety engineers to conduct such training. A low employee turnover rate is a good indicator that the safety plan is doing well.

Another indicator is the frequency of safety inspections being conducted in the workplace. If these inspections are done less frequently, as originally planned, there is something amiss in the implementation of the safety plan. More inspections per a given period is a good sign that a safety program is being executed properly. Indicators can come in the form of indices or compiled records from work environments that show the number of hazards present in the workplace. An increase in the number of unsafe practices can mean that there are new work procedures that were not properly evaluated before they were introduced to the working environment.

A drop in the attendance of regular meetings on safety procedure might be an indication that employees are losing interest in the safety programs implemented. The increase in the number of different company-sponsored training sessions on safety procedures might be a good indication of the company’s commitment to pursue health and safety plans for the employees. Safety programs call for the proper recording of all activities related to safety and most of the recorded information can be used as indicators on the performance of the programs as they are implemented at all levels.

An important aspect of safety consciousness in company premises is the investigation conducted on any injury incident that occurs.  Even the slight or minor injuries must be promptly reported and thoroughly investigated as they can exacerbate into major injuries in the future. How the investigation was done and the results of the investigation must be reviewed to find out the recommendations of the investigators on how to prevent the reoccurrence of the incidents, no matter how minor they were. Companies can always select from available job analysis records the leading safety indicators that can help them monitor and analyze their safety and health programs.

To learn more about leading safety indicators visit the JSABuilder website.

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What is a Confined Space Hazard Analysis?

What is a Confined Space Hazard Analysis?

Many potential hazards pose threats to the health of the workers in many    places where they work.  In many safety programs, emphasis on the dangers  lurking in confined space is given much importance.  It is probably because  there are many unnoticed hazards that might be present in these locations.  There are times when work must be done in confined spaces, which poses  some dangers to the workers.  Permits are required for work to be done in  most confined spaces, and only trained safety personnel can really assess whether permits are necessary for the work to be done in confined areas.  A confined space hazard analysis must be made to determine whether the hazards are present in the work area.

If one is not trained in this process, he can probably ask safety consultants to provide pointers on how to determine when to secure a permit for working inside a confined space.  First, one must understand that there are things to consider before a certain spot is considered a confined space. A place is considered confined if the space is so limited that a person can hardly enter it to perform work.  Places that are difficult to access, such as pits, vaults, silos, tanks and other similar structures are always considered confined spaces. Places that are not designed for continuous occupancy are technically considered confined spaces.

Once it has been determined that a particular spot is confined space, work conducted at that particular place will need a permit if the work to be done poses a serious threat to the worker. This is especially true if there is equipment to be used that needs to be brought into the confined space. The process of confined space hazard analysis can be done by expert safety engineers or consultants who have extensive experience in these matters.  There is no need to risk the life and health of the workers when confronted with such situations. As a general rule, always consult an expert when work is to be done inside confined places that pose a potential hazard for the worker.

There are simply too may hazards inside confined spaces that are potentially harmful to workers. Poisonous animals such as snakes, spiders, bees and skunks might be inside, and cause real harm.  The low ceilings of confined places can cause head injuries.  The chance of electrical wires electrocuting the worker is also a danger when working in these places.  In steam pipes and other similar structures, extreme temperatures are potentially harmful. One of the most potentially hazardous materials is the presence of harmful chemicals that are inside the structure or painted on the walls of the confined spaces, which can cause poisoning.  The poor lighting inside these confined structures causes real danger to workers since poor visibility can cause them to slip and fall or be unable to see the controls of the equipment they are using.  These dangers are the reason why confined space hazard analysis is assigned only to experts who can make a fair assessment of the dangers present when working in these places.

For more about confined space hazard analysis, please visit www.JSABuilder.com

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How to Use Safety Checklists

How to Use Safety Checklists

Safety checklists are important. They contain tasks that need to completed. Whatever industry you’re a part of, forms that serve as guides in promoting a safe environment are effectively ensuring that a workplace doesn’t pose a threat to its employees.  When the authorized groups adhere to them, individuals can focus on their jobs better, and in result, produce an outcome that’s best for the company.

How to Use Safety Lists:

Prioritize

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What Are Good Safety Meeting Topics?

What Are Good Safety Meeting Topics?

Safety meeting topics should be organized in a manner that covers all possible queries of employees in the company.  Carrying out these meetings is a highly effective and less challenging way to disseminate safety details to workers of the company or the persons living in the community.  These are the types of talks that are usually more effective if done as a casual get-together, rather than the typical, buttoned-up office meetings with Power Point presentations, charts, or other formal discussions.  This can be the moment to allow partakers to share their personal encounters with their peers and supervisors.  In this way, people may learn from other people’s experiences.

Safety topics

Safety topics may include “Simple steps in using a fire extinguisher,” “Safety tips to prevent back problems,” “What to do during an earthquake,” “First aid tips including Heimlich maneuver”, “How to recognize the first signs of stroke,” or “Things to do in case of fire.”

Safety topics for discussion have to be applicable or should convene with the needs of the company.  For more reliable sources, there are outside organizations that specialize in conducting safety meetings depending on the situations of participants. These outside groups that conduct professional talks and safety instructions will greatly benefit the company if there is complete attendance.  In fact, these organizations even conduct simulations about safety meeting topics wherein most of the audiences can take part.

Conducting safety meetings

When meetings are conducted efficiently, the speaker will be able to stir the interest of the people because what he or she will be discussing will be advantageous to the listeners. The speaker has to be clear, brief, and direct to the point when safety meeting topics are being talked about.  A meeting is usually closed with a recap covering all important points of the group discussion.

Relevance of chosen topics for the meeting

When deciding the topics for the meeting, it is practical to have an understanding of the working environment of the participants. The speaker more or less must have an idea concerning the circumstances participants in the meeting are situated in. For instance, a meeting with the topic “Hazards of working in high places” organized for office clerks confined in their office cubicles most of the day may not be relevant. On the other hand, if this meeting is organized with a topic such as “Safety measures in case of earthquakes”, the meeting will be a lot more relevant for the participants.

Everyone’s participation is a must

At work, employees may seem casual with regard to safety, and deem safety meetings as being irrelevant.  It is a must that everyone is obliged to be present in the discussions regardless of the fact they do not accept the recommendations offered in the course of meetings. It is imperative that every employee is made aware about these topics for their own safety and of the other members of the company. To assure that each and every employee is in attendance during safety meetings, it may be effective to offer incentives.

To learn more about safety meeting topics for use in your safety meetings, visit the JSABuilder website.

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Elements of Good Workshop Safety

Elements of Good Workshop Safety

Workshop safety is important. When a working environment is free of threats, one can focus on the job more and maximize productivity. It’s assuring to have confidence in the place where you attend to your duties. Not only that, but when you don’t have to constantly be bothered by possibilities of accidents, you can attend to the task-at-hand better.

• No Flammable Products

Items such as alcohols, hair sprays, and insect repellants need to be stored in a separate area. They pose a high risk of accidents. They may be products with legitimate uses, but nonetheless, they are hazardous.

• First Aid Station

Mishaps occur most frequently at an area where the use of various machines, tools, and equipment is a necessity. Because these incidents are unavoidable, having immediate care given to a victim can guarantee workshop safety. In the event that a worker’s condition is worse than a paramedic can handle, the  best possible scenario is if he or she can be easily and quickly forwarded to a hospital.

• Cleanliness

You should take the time to rid your workplace of filth. Keeping it clean can eliminate the potential of danger. Make sure there are no machines, tools, and equipment scattered everywhere. When things are in order, you’re more likely to be productive, and safe.

• Ventilation

The work station and how it is set up are important factors to consider when you’re concerned of your safety. Depending on where you’re working, you must always ensure that you have enough room to breathe. In the case when unfortunate events happen, an easily accessible route to exit has its advantages.

• Adequate Lighting

A work location needs to be equipped with sufficient lighting. It’s going to be a challenge to attend to all sorts of jobs when you can’t be able to perceive matters as clearly as you should. Also, the probability of you being prone to errors and being less productive are high when you can’t focus on the task at hand.

• Regular Assessments

As mentioned, maintenance is something that must be prioritized. If you’re occupied with other duties, it’s best to assign someone to monitor how things are going. Aside from just keeping the workplace clean, you should devote some time to learning all that you can about your equipment and tools so, you know when to have them replaced or repaired.

Workshop safety is something you need to have a lesson on if you’re not certain on what to do. You must take the time to ensure that the area where you’ll be spending many working hours is not dangerous. Because you’re putting your life at risk when you’ll be working in a place that isn’t guaranteed to be safe, you won’t have a peace of mind knowing that at any time, something bad might happen. Accidents occur and sometimes you have no control over them but you can take comfort in knowing you have done everything in your power to prevent them.

To learn more about ensuring a safe work area, please visit www.jsabuilder.com.

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PPE Assessments

PPE Assessments

Examples of PPE

Employers are responsible for anything that might happen to their employees as a result of their work, which is why they need to learn everything they can about PPE assessments. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is necessary in almost every industrial working environment. PPE is intended to protect workers from hazards in the workplace that could potentially cause harm.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has its own standard regulations for PPE. Most states follow OSHA’s PPE standards, while other states have made their own standards. Below is a guide to PPE assessment that can help employers learn more about what PPE they should use.

Introduction to PPE and the first step in the assessment

PPE basically refers to articles of clothing or equipment that are worn in order to protect the wearer’s body from certain hazards. Items such as gloves and goggles are examples of PPE. The first step in PPE assessments is learning about potential hazards that put the safety of employees at risk. This step is referred to as hazard assessment.

Hazards are potential risks that might affect a person’s health or physical condition.

OSHA requires employers to abide by the standard guidelines put forth in OSHA standard 29 CFR 1910.132. Basically, it says that employers need to assess the working environment of their employees to ascertain if there are any hazards present, or even likely to be present in the area, and whether they will necessitate the use of PPE.

OSHA 29 CFR 1926.28 serves as an excellent source material that can help employers comply with the general PPE requirements of OSHA.

The walk-through

Conventionally, a PPE assessment is conducted by simply conducting a walk-through survey of the workplace. The point of the walk-through survey is to identify the potential hazards that employees might be exposed to. There are essentially eight different types of hazards that people need to look for. Below is a list of the categories and a few examples.

• Thermal – furnaces, high temperature systems, machines that use steam.
• Compression – injury suffered from dropping heavy objects, common in construction.
• Impact – air hammers, high air turbulence.
• Penetration – basically sharp objects and materials that can cut or pierce.
• Chemical – substances that affect the human body, ranging from irritating to deadly.
• Light radiation – welders, soldering, UV radiation and lasers.
• Biological – working with pathogens that can be harmful or lethal to human beings.
• Dust – harmful when exposed to such as asbestos, silica, wood dust and so on.

Risk evaluation

The employer needs to evaluate the relative risks that they are exposing their employees to in the workplace. During this stage it is also important to determine the potential injury that employees might suffer from while working.

Knowing which PPE is necessary means knowing which PPE is suitable for protecting employees from the hazardous risks, discovered during a walk-through.

Evaluation and assessment is never over

Assessments are not a onetime thing. PPE assessments should be done every now and then to ascertain if new hazards have come up and if current PPE policies are still enough to adequately protect the employees from all potential hazards.

To learn more about PPE assessments, please visit www.JSABuilder.com.

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OSHA Job Hazard Analysis Guidelines

OSHA Job Hazard Analysis (JHA) or job safety analysis seems to be recognized in the safety and health profession more than it is implemented. JHA of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has been a safety program component for a long time now. It comprises a set of procedures which assists in putting together recognized safety and health ideologies as well as practices for a certain task or occupational operation. With JHA, every step of the occupation is to determine likely hazards and to propose the safest means to accomplish the job. There are those who would rather broaden the analysis or do a total job analysis into all facets of the job including safety. This method is established from the concept that safety is naturally a part of all types of occupation.

Guidelines

As part of the OSHA Job Hazard Analysis guidelines, a JHA is an investigative practice wherein one’s objective is to find out what may possibly go wrong, what are the possible consequences and how they might come about, other causative factors, and how possible the hazard(s) will take place. Constructive hazard scenarios describe the environment in which the work is taking place, exposure, what triggers the hazard, possible consequences, and other causative factors.

Benefits of analysis

One method of implementation is observation of an employee actually doing the job. A key benefit of this method is that it is not dependent on the memory of the person and that the procedure itself triggers identification of hazards. For new jobs that are not frequently done, observation is not recommended.

Another method is having a cluster of veteran workers and leaders accomplish the analysis by way of discussion. A benefit from this approach is having more people take part in a broader base of experience and supporting a more prepared acceptance of the ensuing work process. Affiliated individuals in the joint occupational safety and health commission have to get involved and be active in this process.

Key benefits from a JHA become apparent during the preparatory phase. The process of analysis may recognize unidentified hazards early on and improve knowhow of those taking part. Safety as well as health consciousness is enhanced, and recognition of safe procedures at work is encouraged. JHA or a transcribed procedure founded on an analysis can outline the foundation for standard contact between workers and their immediate superiors. It can be an instructional support for preliminary job training and used as a guide for irregular jobs. It can be utilized as a measure for health and safety observations. Particularly, a JHA will help out in accomplishing comprehensive accident inquiries.

Stages of job hazard analysis

Stages of analysis include choosing the job to be analyzed, breaking the job into sequential steps, determining likely hazards, and identifying preventive standards to prevail over hazards.

Review of analysis

Regular review of a JHA makes certain that it is current and can constantly assist in decreasing accidents and injuries while at work. Although the job may not change, there is always the possibility that in the course of the review process, hazards may be found that were not recognized during the preliminary OSHA Job Hazard Analysis.

For more information about OSHA Job Hazard Analysis, please visit JSABuilder’s website.

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COLD STRESS

According to AccuWeather.com, 67% of the contiguous U.S. was covered by snow on the first day of 2013, marking the widest coverage of snow the U.S. has seen on January 1st in the past ten years. With the cold weather here for several more weeks, we wanted to share some safety tips regarding cold stress. Workers who are exposed to extreme cold or work in cold environments may be at risk of cold stress. Factors that contribute to cold stress include cold temperatures, high or cold wind, dampness and cold water. The NIOSH Fast Facts publication states that cold stress may result in the following conditions: hypothermia, frostbite, trench foot or chilblains.

Workers should avoid exposure to extremely cold temperatures when possible. When cold environments or temperatures cannot be avoided, employers need to make sure that controls are in place to protect workers from cold stress. Workers need to be trained to recognize the signs and symptoms of overexposure in themselves and others. By understanding the risks, and being prepared, the chances that employees will be faced with a potentially life threatening situation will be reduced and/or eliminated:

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