Safety Incentives: The good, the bad, the ugly

 

Does your company have safety incentives?

Maybe the term "safety incentives" is intimidating. Do you recognize employees who demonstrate safe behaviors? Are your employees recognized during TT&S' conference for safe driving?

If you can say yes to either of these, then you have safety incentives. Good for you!

Trying to have any kind of safety incentive is evidence of management's commitment to safety, which is an absolutely essential component to an effective safety program. 

That being said, not all safety incentives are created equal. There are some that can really bolster your program and give you more information about how to improve for the future. And then, there are some that can actually damage the program. Let's take a look at a few examples.

Very common mistake: Days since last accident countdowns

We've all seen a sign, lots of times in a maintenance shop, counting down the days since the last accident or incident. The good about this strategy is that it does boost safety awareness, so it's not all bad. However, if you're looking to step up your program and follow best practices, it's not the best way forward. These signs and any other incentives given to employees for a certain time period spent without any incidents drives down incident reporting. And believe it or not, that's a bad thing.

Because of things like these incident countdown signs, employees may not want to report an incident so they don't disappoint coworkers or supervisors. They may keep an incident to themselves, or even an injury that they initially don't feel is too bad, but worsens over time and becomes in need of more treatment. They also may not feel free to report near misses, which could repeat and end up injuring someone.

This flavor of safety incentive can come in a few different forms:

- Days since last accident sign posted

- Employee annual / quarterly goal about not having any injuries on the job

- Pressure from management on low incident reporting numbers

 A better way forward - "Good catch" programs

Rather than pressuring employees to keep incidents down, an alternative is to recognize employees who report incidents, near misses, or any other safety concerns. These are often called "Good Catch" programs. It can be as simple as recognizing the employee during an all-company or safety meeting.

This requires a lot of messaging and modeling to employees to become successful, especially if you're transitioning from a "No Incidents" culture to "Good Catch." Employees will be hesitant to come forward for a while, so you may have to dig deep to begin with to get the system going. If someone has questions about a paint they're using and whether they need to use PPE? Great - that's a "good catch." If they joined a safety walkaround and pointed out a potential hazard: "Good catch!"

Examples of ways to implement a program like this:

- Incorporate into employee annual / quarterly goals opportunities for "good catches," such as:

    - Joining a safety walkaround

    - Evaluating a routine work process for hazards

    - Participating in a job hazard analysis

- Sometimes a specific incentive can help, too. What about a gift card? 

The important thing is to NEVER punish employees for reporting incidents (except in the most obviously negligent cases), and to PRAISE a ton for bringing up a "good catch."

Again, if you already have a safety incentive system, that's a great start! If it's more weighted toward the "No Incidents" side of things, consider making some tweaks to make it more palatable for employees to report "Good Catches."

OSHA Fine Increase for 2025

It's a brand new year, and everyone knows what that means: adjustments to OSHA fines based on inflation!

Here at TT&S, we sincerely hope that isn't the first thing you think about with the new year, but it's important to remember that those fines can be a steep judgment placed on your company's safety program.

The newest adjustments include a maximum of $16,550 for serious or other-than-serious violations, and $165,514 for willful or repeated violations. Remember, that is a fine per EACH violation, not a cumulative total per OSHA visit.

What a fine ultimately will be is a complex question that includes a large set of criteria. OSHA has an equation that takes into account the gravity of the violation, the size of the employer's business, the good faith efforts of the employer, and the employer's history of previous violations.

Once the penalty has been exacted, an employer has a few different options to respond to and potentially negotiate. But the truth still stands: OSHA penalties are there to enforce health and safety regulations, so keep your safety program sharp!

Near Miss Programs: A Crystal Ball into Safety

Does your company have a near miss reporting program?

Maybe it's already embedded into your incident reporting procedures. But when is the last time someone has reported a near miss?

While it takes some work to make employees comfortable reporting near misses, those reports are extremely valuable. They are like a "second chance" for your company to rewind and make some changes before someone gets hurt or property becomes damaged.

Let's take a step back here and discuss what a near miss is.

Near misses are basically just what they sound like. It's an event where no one was hurt, property was not damaged, but it almost happened. Here are some examples that hopefully don't hit too close to home.

In the old way of doing things, these incidents would not have resulted in a report since there was no injury, illness, or property damage. But in that case you would have lost a golden opportunity to learn from the event and prevent it from repeating in the future.

Employees should be encouraged to report near misses. However, if they are at all concerned they may be punished for reporting, they will not be incentivized to report. It's important to stress that no one will be punished for reporting a near miss. Best practices dictate that employees should be incentivized and recognized for reporting any near misses as well.

Once you have that near miss report in hand, your work is not done. It's a great idea to treat these reports the way you would an incident report. Open an investigation, determine root cause with an analysis, and open up any action items needed to mitigate the potential for a related incident in the future.

It's not every day that we get to have specific safety knowledge about our company or industry handed to us on a silver platter. Take advantage of the opportunity and keep everyone just that little bit safer!
 

PPE Fit for Employees - Now a Requirement

A new PPE requirement for construction will be going into effect mid-January 2025. While providing PPE to employees has already been the responsibility of the employer, the new requirement mandates that employers must also ensure construction PPE fits properly.

The final rule (available here: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2024/12/12/2024-29220/personal-protective-equipment-in-construction) summarizes some of the hazards that can come from PPE not fitting properly:

"In some cases, ill-fitting PPE may not protect an employee at all, and in other cases it may present additional hazards to that employee and to employees who work around them. For example:

• Sleeves of protective clothing that are too long or gloves that do not fit properly may make it difficult to use tools or operate equipment, putting the wearer and other workers at risk of exposure to hazards, or may get caught in machinery, resulting in injuries to the wearer such as fractures or amputations. 
• The legs of protective garments that are too long could cause tripping hazards for the worker with the improperly fitting PPE and could also impact others working near that worker. 
• Protective clothing that is too small may increase a worker's exposure to hazards by, for example, providing insufficient coverage from dangerous machinery or hazardous substances. 
• The issue of improperly fitting PPE is particularly important for smaller construction workers, including some women, who may not be able to use currently existing standard-size PPE. 
• Fit problems can also affect larger workers, and standard-size PPE does not always accommodate varying body shapes."

It's been a long road to recognizing the issues with one-size-fits-all PPE. With the change, it would be a good idea for companies to inventory their current PPE over the off season and stock up on different sizes as needed prior to the beginning of construction season in spring 2025.

Happy Holidays from TT&S!

 
Happy Holidays from our team to yours! It's a great season to celebrate the efforts that everyone has taken to keep workers safe. We look forward to the new year in assisting member companies with their safety and training programs.

 

3rd Annual TT&S Tech Wars & Cornhole Tournaments

The TT&S Annual Conference & Vendor Showcase is coming soon... February 18-20, 2025!

Registrations are open for exhibitors/sponsors and attendees.

Winter Resources Roundup

 

Whether we're ready or not, winter's here again. While we're bracing ourselves for some colder weather over the holiday season, it's good to review a few safety facts about this time of year.

Remember to always check https://travel.dot.nd.gov/ for road conditions prior to beginning travel, as well as weather forecasts that might alert you to upcoming winter weather. For traveling out of state, https://www.safetravelusa.com/ will allow you to view every state's road conditions.

You might want to consider reviewing some of our previous posts about winter as well:

• To review winter driving techniques and winter car kits: https://ttsafety.blogspot.com/2023/10/winters-here-how-do-we-do-this-again.html
• Brush up on how winter affects your health: https://ttsafety.blogspot.com/2024/02/winter-and-your-health.html
• Space heater safety: https://ttsafety.blogspot.com/2023/10/keeping-warm-and-safe-space-heater.html
• Generator safety: https://ttsafety.blogspot.com/2023/11/less-discussed-winter-hazard-generator.html
  

Stay safe out there!

2024 Top 10 OSHA Violations

OSHA has released its list of most cited standards over the last fiscal year. Some of these may be familiar to you as topics that TT&S has touched on for member employees.

The Top 10 most frequently cited workplace safety standards for FY 2024 are:

1. Fall Protection – General Requirements (1926.501): 6,307 violations

2. Hazard Communication (1910.1200): 2,888

3. Ladders (1926.1053): 2,573

4. Respiratory Protection (1910.134): 2,470

5. Lockout/Tagout (1910.147): 2,443

6. Powered Industrial Trucks (1910.178): 2,248

7. Fall Protection – Training Requirements (1926.503): 2,050

8. Scaffolding (1926.451): 1,873

9. Personal Protective and Lifesaving Equipment – Eye and Face Protection (1926.102): 1,814

10. Machine Guarding (1910.212): 1,541

If you're wondering where to start focusing on as far as improvements in your safety program, making sure you're up to speed in the areas on this list is a great start. If you would like assistance with this, please reach out to TT&S for support.

Fuel Storage Safety

Whether it’s for powering trucks, generators, or landscaping equipment, keeping a supply of gasoline or diesel on hand ensures smooth operations for many businesses. However, improperly stored fuel can mean serious safety risks, including fires, explosions, and environmental hazards. This guide will help you safely store small quantities of fuel to protect your employees, property, and the environment.

1. Choose the Right Containers

Using the correct container is the first step toward safe fuel storage. Many store fuel in the red plastic gas containers that you see everywhere, but not everyone knows those are not okay for businesses to use. 

 

At the very least, make sure the gas cans you're using are FM approved and/or UL listed. And if there's any chance of the container being transported in a company vehicle or being used in the field with construction, then DOT-approved cans are a must. 

 

Remember:

      •     Use certified safety cans that are FM approved and / or UL listed. The vast majority of these containers will be metal.

      •     Clearly label containers with the type of fuel inside (e.g., “Gasoline” or “Diesel”).

      •     Never store fuel in non-approved containers like plastic bottles or buckets.

2. Store Fuel in Well-Ventilated Areas

Gasoline and diesel give off vapors that are highly flammable and can accumulate if stored in confined spaces. Always store fuel in a well-ventilated area away from enclosed spaces, where vapors could ignite.

Best practices:

      •     Keep fuel containers outside, in a dedicated, well-ventilated shed, or in a flammable cabinet.

      •     Avoid storing fuel in basements, garages attached to living spaces, or other confined areas.

      •     Ensure there’s proper ventilation and airflow wherever fuel is stored.

3. Keep Fuel Away from Ignition Sources

Fuel vapors can ignite when exposed to sparks, flames, or heat sources. It’s crucial to store fuel away from anything that could cause ignition, including electrical equipment, heaters, or smoking areas.

Safety tips:

      •     Maintain at least 50 feet of distance between fuel storage and any ignition sources.

      •     Post signs indicating “No Smoking” near fuel storage areas.

      •     Store fuel away from direct sunlight to prevent pressure buildup in containers.

4. Limit Quantities Stored On-Site

It's best practice to only store the amount of fuel you need for short-term use to reduce potential risks. Storing large quantities of fuel increases the chance of accidents and makes them more severe.

Guidelines:

      •     Avoid stockpiling large quantities of fuel. Store enough for a few days or weeks based on operational needs.

      •     Regularly inspect and rotate fuel supplies to avoid keeping old, potentially unstable fuel on-site.

5. Follow Proper Fuel Handling Procedures

Handling fuel safely is just as important as storing it correctly. Ensure that all employees are trained in proper handling techniques to minimize the risk of spills, fires, and injuries.

Fuel handling dos and don’ts:

      •     Always handle fuel in a well-ventilated area and avoid skin contact.

      •     Wear protective gloves and avoid inhaling fuel vapors.

      •     Clean up spills immediately and dispose of contaminated materials properly.

6. Fire Safety Precautions

Even with all precautions in place, accidents can happen. Having fire safety equipment readily available and knowing how to respond to fuel-related emergencies is essential.

Recommendations:

      •     Install fire extinguishers rated for Class B (flammable liquids) fires near fuel storage areas.

      •     Train employees on how to use fire extinguishers and what to do in case of a fuel fire.

      •     Create an emergency response plan for fuel spills, fires, or leaks.

Fuel storage safety is a critical aspect of maintaining a safe work environment. By using the right containers, storing fuel in appropriate locations, and following best practices for handling and fire safety, you can significantly reduce the risks associated with fuel storage. Regular training and inspections will ensure your employees are always prepared to handle fuel safely.

Flammable Cabinet Basics

 

Flammable cabinets are everywhere, and that's a good thing. But everyone might be a little fuzzy on what should get stored inside them. We're here to give you the basics.

1.  Only flammable liquids should be stored inside flammable cabinets.

Sometimes, the cabinets can become a catch-all for all hazardous materials on a site, including any acids, corrosives, or other hazardous substances. However, these should not be stored together with the flammable liquids. A separate cabinet with the appropriate construction and color should be provided for these materials.

2. There are limits to the amounts of each material allowed in a cabinet. 

OSHA sets the limits as follows: "Not more than 60 gallons of Category 1, 2, or 3 flammable liquids, nor more than 120 gallons of Category 4 flammable liquids may be stored in a storage cabinet."

3. Not all flammable cabinets are created equal.

OSHA says the cabinet "shall be designed and constructed to limit the internal temperature to not more than 325 °F. when subjected to a 10-minute fire test." Look for a cabinet that is certified by an independent third party such as Underwriters Laboratory (UL) or Factory Mutual Global (FM), as well as one meets for OSHA and NFPA 30 requirements.

 4. You should avoid storing items on top of flammable cabinets.

They might be a convenient place to set items down, but doing so can pose a risk, especially storing easily combustible items such as paper or cardboard.

There you have it! You never knew you needed a blog post about a cabinet before, but things were not quite as simple as they might seem when it comes to flammable cabinets. Be sure to contact TT&S with any further questions on proper flammable cabinet use.