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Some things are worth repeating or, to be more precise, worth recapping.
Of the numerous articles I have written for Welding & Gases Today,
these five topics stand out as issues and subjects that apply to all of
us and have the potential of having a significant impact on your safety
performance. They can also enhance your bottom line. I picked these five
because I strongly believe in their value and I sense that some of us
are vulnerable in one or more of these areas.
If any of these article summaries grab your attention, you can find the
entire article in the Welding & Gases Today archives on GAWDA's
Web site at www.gawda.org.
Cell Phone Safety (Spring 2003)
This article dealt with studies that pointed out the dangers of using
a cell phone while driving, accident-related lawsuits, and the recommendation
to have a written policy on cell phone use while driving. Since that article
was published in the Spring 2003 issue of Welding & Gases Today,
study after study has confirmed that using cell phones while driving is
dangerous. Now a recent study from the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) has confirmed it once again. The study reports
that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involve
some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.
The most common distraction for drivers is the use of cell phones. Do
you have a written cell phone policy?
You Can Make a Difference (Summer 2003)
This article addressed the need to develop written standards that establish
how things are to be done. Standards come in many forms, and without standards
and consistent enforcement, employees will determine on their own how
they will behave. If a standard is worth having, it must be enforced.
Otherwise, the standard should be modified or discontinued. A key to a
successful safety program is consistent enforcement and total 100 percent
adherence to all standards all the time. You should never turn your back
on an activity or behavior that does not meet a specific standard.
Weak Seat Belt Enforcement Leads to More Deaths
(Fall 2004)
Do you have a written mandatory seat belt policy that has been communicated
clearly to all your employees and consistently enforced? If you don't,
you should because it is a known fact that seat belts save lives. The
stronger the enforcement of seat belt usage, whether by company policy
or state law, the more lives are saved. To be successful, you must implement
a measuring system so each employee who drives a vehicle can be measured
and held accountable to ensure he/she is buckled up and that every person
in the vehicle is properly buckled up as well.
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| Brush up on your safety
knowledge! All five of the articles referenced here, as
well as a full archive of Tom Eynon's OSHA & EPA Consultant
Corner articles, are available
here. |
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OSHA Hazard Communication Standard (Spring
2005)
In general industry, the Hazard Communication Standard continues to be
the most frequently cited standard by OSHA. It has consistently remained
OSHA's number one citation since the standard was expanded to include
all industries in 1998. This article covers the five key elements:
- Written Hazard Communication Program
- Chemical Inventory List
- Labeling and other Forms of Warning
- Material Safety Data Sheets
- Employee Training and Information.
The key elements most frequently cited are: failure to have a written
hazard communication program and failure to properly train employees.
Lockout/Tagout (Summer 2005)
This OSHA standard applies to all GAWDA members that have service and
maintenance activity performed on their equipment and machinery. No one
is exempt from this standard based on company size, complexity of equipment,
or frequency of service or maintenance activity. The article explains
what you must do to protect employees, what employees need to know, and
what you should do now regarding your compliance with this standard.
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