Page 26 - OHS, September 2023

TRAINING: FALL PROTECTION Fall Protection: An Ongoing Conversation How can employers develop a comprehensive training program and instilling a safety culture to prevent slips and falls? BY MICHAEL SCHULTE Preventing slips and falls is a high priority across industries because they are both dangerous and preventable. In 2020, according to the National Safety Council1, 805 workers died from falls. In addition, more than 210,000 were injured so badly that they were forced to take time off from work. These injuries are expensive, costing the nation billions in medical expenses, workers’ compensation, and litigation. On the other hand, safe conditions are good for productivity. When employees can plant their feet on the floor without worrying they might start skating across it, they can move more confidently and focus on their jobs. In a perfect world, companies could set up one- or two-hour training programs to educate employees and new hires about safety. While safety seminars are valuable, they don’t get the job done on their own. Without daily reinforcement, training is often forgotten in the hustle of daily work. Safety must be part of the ongoing conversation and fully enmeshed in company culture to maximize slip and fall prevention and other protective measures. At our company, we manufacture specialized safety flooring products and surface technologies, covering walkways, entry ways, stairs, and ladders where people live, work and play. As a result, safety is part of our DNA and every bit as important in our own facilities as it is in the places we service. Safeopedia2 reports that 66 percent of falls occur on the same level due to a slip or trip, so installing the right non-slip flooring is a key step to pre-engineering a safe environment. Managers can then take a holistic approach to slip and fall prevention by considering the many elements that can cause accidents, such as workplace clutter, wet and/or greasy surfaces, and poor situational awareness, to design a safety program that works for their organization using the following practices. Make Safety More Meaningful Instilling a safety-focused culture is as much mentoring as it is 26 Occupational Health & Safety | SEPTEMBER 2023 www.ohsonline.com bbernard/Shutterstock.com direct training. Every team in a plant has regular meetings to discuss jobs, maintenance, and other matters, which are excellent opportunities to reinforce safety. Our meetings generally run around 15 minutes, and it’s amazing what we can cover in that time. Regarding safety, we discuss unaddressed hazards, near misses, and how to prevent them. Identify teachable moments. Recently, a maintenance crew at our company was blowing out some equipment, but they were called away for another, more urgent task. Unfortunately, they left the hose they were using uncoiled. I reminded them that it only takes 30 seconds to coil the hose and eliminate an obvious trip hazard. Don’t assume that every worker knows the safest ways to do their work. For example, climbing hinges on points of contact: four is ideal, and three is the minimum. In addition, when climbing a ladder, always grasp the rungs, never the sides. Simple tips like these are perfect for teachable moments. Footwear is another important issue. Worn boots increase the risk of slipping and falling. Our company has a boot program in which the company pays up to $175 for a new pair. To make it more convenient, we bring a boot supplier to the plant every six months. Employees can replace their worn boots without a trip to the store. It’s a great investment in safety and goodwill. Employees appreciate that we walk the walk on slip and fall prevention. We recognize that our employees are the backbone of our operation, and we want to support their well-being. Encourage the Strategic Pause Plant safety requires situational awareness at all levels. This starts with training and continues with ongoing safety discussions to encourage workers to be in the moment and focused on getting the current task done. It’s important to train people how to perform their jobs safely, but leadership must also consider how those tasks are being conducted. Are the handrails adequate? Is there a safer way to move those materials up and down? Another ongoing issue is obstacles in walking lanes. This can be tricky because sometimes, in manufacturing, items must be set down. However, even if necessary to perform the job, people must recognize the trip hazard and remove it as quickly as possible to clear the walkway. One of the riskier parts of manufacturing is the constant need for urgency. Customers want the product yesterday, and employees and managers naturally feel that pressure. They move faster than they should, become overly focused on the task, and lose situational awareness. People in a hurry are often less focused on safety. We believe no deadline is worth an injury. We encourage people to slow down, take a strategic pause, and assess a potentially risky task. Give them the space to exercise sound judgment. Saving an hour probably won’t make any difference to a client, but it could spare an employee a broken leg and weeks off the job.