Page 26 - Occupational Health & Safety, August 2018

VISION PROTECTION
even production loss. I do not endorse open-pocketbook purchas- ing, but it needs to be balanced so that costs are tracked and em- ployees have accessibility. If they do not have it, the item does not fit or is hard to adjust, then they cannot wear it right now on this shift. Your program loses.
■ Leadership from the ranks: Are you using your safety meet- ings to full advantage before an incident? Is there a method for proactive feedback from the rank and file employee? Often man- agers become out of touch with production issues, and your em- ployees on the line have excellent ideas and can save time, money, and make simple process changes that improve morale while re- ducing the potential for injuries. Your employees know when you treat them like “little children” or worse yet like “drones.” Involving them in the simplest of your safety programs gains their respect and opens the door to solid problem-solving ideas on other topics.
■ Program history: What is the impact of vision protection pro- gram management over the years? Have the number of associated injuries gone down, stayed the same, or increased? Consider the em- ployment levels, not just injury numbers, and also review overtime hours, new production issues, and employee turnover levels.
■ Employees: Managers and employees alike know specifical- ly the injury data for their department. Do you share timely infor- mation or last year’s data? Make it current . . . your employees may have really good advice on changes to processes that will reduce injuries. Are you willing to listen to them?
■ When asked, your workers’ comp rep knows the costs as- sociated with eye injuries and how many lost work days per year, what salary costs, occupation, long-term disability, etc. Make sure the department managers know specifically for their areas so that they can keep a keen eye on specific processes.
■ Safety matters: Is your program documentation in order? Do you conduct a regular walk-through with corrective actions? Are programs associated with vision protection, such as chemical safety, up to date? First aid program? Training? Grinding? Remote employee duties? Make a list of every safety program that could ap- ply to your employees’ vision protection initiative and start there.
■ Keeping all parts of the program in place and up to date: If you are struggling with this, call on consultants, trainers, and the vast array of educational materials available!
■ Active training and learning environment: This includes the safety committee, teamwork, and toolbox talks being used. Is it documented, timely, and appropriate for the work being done? Bilingual? User friendly? Adaptable 24/7? Upgradable as processes or codes change? Do employees actually use it or sleep through it?
■ Problems are viewed as challenges to be resolved, not barriers: Process changes occur all the time within most compa- nies. Make sure there is a method for reviewing all of the condi- tions and new or unique hazards that may be created—each and every one afforded protection and full treatment. This needs to
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