Safetyology 101

Written by pdcsafety on November 20th, 2008

Safety Management Guideline

Take a look at the following map and get yourself an idea of what your safety management system is missing. We will be getting into each of the following in more detail over the coming weeks:

*Environmental Management - Critical this day in age

*Safety and Health - What it means for your insurance premiums

*Due Diligence - It starts from the top

Written by pdcsafety on November 15th, 2008

HSE Meetings and How They Should be Conducted!

PLANNING YOUR HSE MEETINGS…

In order to encourage involvement from personnel and make the meetings effective, HSE meetings should be conducted as follows.

General HSE Meetings – Are to be used to discuss all HSE topics, issues, processes, objectives, company specific HSE targets and results that have the possibility to affect all employees. All personnel should be required to attend these meeting.

Departmental HSE Meetings – Are to be used to discuss departmental HSE topics, issues, positive individual HSE performance and any unsatisfactory conditions (UC’s) that are of particular relevance to each department in your organization.

The above meetings can be taken in conjunction with each other if required.

IMPLEMENTATION OF HSE MEETINGS…

General HSE meetings shall cover as a minimum the following subjects:

1. A review of the minutes from the last HSE meetings conducted
2. The supervisor shall give feedback to the meeting on the status of outstanding actions.
3. The number of reports with actions that are outstanding with non-expired time limits and their status.
4. The number of reports with actions outstanding with an expired completion time limit and their status.
5. Review of any unsatisfactory conditions as required
6. Give presentations of any completed audits, working environment mappings, safety inspections, etc.
7. HSE topics or issues according to the operational action plan or special focus areas in connection with the forthcoming operations for the coming week.
8. Any other business

Departmental HSE meetings shall cover as a minimum the following subjects:

1. They must be used to effectively to cover all attending members of the department
2. Used as a forum to recognize individual HSE performance
3. For discussing any forth coming high HSE exposure areas in the department
4. For discussing any unsatisfactory or unsafe departmental conditions
5. Any other departmental business

Minutes should be taken at all HSE meetings and documented.

Unsatisfactory conditions reported in HSE meetings shall be processed in accordance with your company observation system.

Individual HSE meetings should be held when operations involve the increased risk of high risk jobs or any other situation deemed necessary where an increased awareness is required. These meetings may also be held in conjunction with the regular HSE meetings held in your company.

Written by pdcsafety on September 2nd, 2008

Safety Management - PDC Safety Standards

HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT POLICY OF PDC SAFETY:

Our Goal is NO Accidents, Injuries, or Losses in YOUR Organization!

Safety Management is one thing no company can do without. Whether you have one person working for you or 1,000! It is the one document in your organization that is followed by everyone. At least, it should be!

Lets break down the basics of what is covered and what safety standards your safety management system should cover:

Remember! Everyone has a right and an obligation to STOP ALL unsafe work

When a new employee comes to work for your organization, they should be given a familiarization brief. In that brief, the following should be covered:

• Safety Management System Overview
• Review and Discuss All Safety Standards
• Station Bill & Safety Plan
• A Safety Introduction
• Important Routines Carried Out Daily
• Personal Safety Equipment Issued
• Safety Equipment Familiarization
• All Other Pertinent Information

Safety Management if done correctly, will cover both the employee and the employer. The employer will have the distinct advantage of getting a better rate on insurance and even have a better chance at winning contracts over the competition!

Safety Standards - Should be well written and provide "Straight Talk" to the employee. After the employee reads the policy, he or she should have a very clear idea as to what your Safety Management System is all about.

Lastly, your safety management system should have a STOP system in place. Something that covers the following Four Points:

1. How will I perform this job? - Make a plan - Who will lead this job?
2. What can go wrong? You must identify the potential hazards!
3. Which actions will I take to avoid any hazards? When you find this out - implement corrective measures.
4. Who all is involved and who do I have to inform? Insure all involved of the plan and ensure all are aware of the safety procedures in place.

Any questions on Safety Management, Safety Standards, or want help with your safety management system; just leave a comment below and we'll discuss it!

Written by pdcsafety on August 31st, 2008

Hurricane Gustav - Are You Prepared?

Hurricane Gustav is barreling down on the US coast and should hit sometime around Monday morning. With all the talk on the television about people leaving the area, you will still see those who stick out the storm. Can you survive a category 3 or 4 hurricane? Do you have what's needed to maintain and sustain life during the time after with no power? How about living in a house that has 3 feet of water in it?

These are just a couple of questions you need to answer when thinking about riding the storm. If you are one of those individuals left to ride the storm, then you need to have a few things set up:

• A generator to create your own power source
• Fuel enough to last at least a week
• Bottled water - Minimum of a gallon a day per person for the length your stay in these conditions
• Canned and bagged food
• Battery operated radio
• Some form of communications link
• A secondary plan if time last longer than your supplies

Its all about planning! We humans can survive some pretty serious situations when we prepare correctly. Hurricane Gustav has already taken several lives as it passes islands in its path. If you don't have to be in the path of the hurricane, leave!

Otherwise, be prepared to live primitively for at least a week and maybe even a month. Look at the conditions we still have in and around New Orleans. Three years later and we still have areas that have not been rebuilt. I believe its in the best interest of all who are located in the path of a hurricane to just pack your belongings and go inland. Wait until the storm has passed and then go back and clean up the mess.

Life is to precious to gamble on beating out a storm as big as Hurricane Gustav. By the way, when leaving, maintain patience as there are many millions more trying to leave as well. They too are trying to protect there family.

Good luck and god bless!

Written by pdcsafety on August 10th, 2008

Safety Environmental Concerns Over Injection Wells

There has been much debate over the safety environmental concerns dealing with injection wells here in Texas. Should we allow these oilfield waste disposal companies to dump toxic waste into old abandoned oil wells? You can read the article I stumbled upon at OpedNews. The article was written by John Base and he talks a little about how the article he read, the editor was bashing a group against Injection Wells called Concerned Residents Opposed to Wells (CROW).

I currently live in Montgomery County which is North of Houston and this situation concerns me. I really don't want these companies dumping toxic waste in my backyard! The editor I was referring to above is from the Villager. She down plays this situation by saying that we are exposed to harmful chemicals on a daily bases. Why would it be ok to expose us citizens to even more?

Since President Bush came into office, it seems that individual rights have been taking a back seat to corporate rights. As stated in the article, the wells have received preliminary approval from a Texas state government. This so called government is chock full of politicians and appointees who have some sort of connection to corporate America.

Safety Environmental concerns over these injection wells needs to be exposed and we need to support groups that are against this kind of behavior. I fully support the efforts of CROW and hope they succeed in their cause. For one, I'm a current resident and two, it's just wrong to pollute the environment this way and affect well water of literally thousands of residents. Voice your concerns by heading to Stop the Toxic Wells.

Written by pdcsafety on August 10th, 2008

Goodyear's Safety at Work Needs Safetyology

I read in the Birmingham Post today that Goodyear has a lack of concern for Safety at work. Sometimes it amazes me that such large organizations can still take shortcuts and think they can get away with it. I love the following quote taken directly from the news snippet:

Speaking after the case, Health and Safety Executive inspector Amarjit Kalay said: "It is important that individuals and employers remember their duties under the law to take reasonable care of the health and safety of others.

"The injuries inflicted could have been significantly worse, or even fatal. Operators of lift trucks must ensure that they operate them in accordance with training and employers must ensure that they are used safely."

Taking care of your employees should take a front seat in my opinion! Goodyear did get fined in this case. However, I think there should be much more done to the company. I believe they should have to take a close look at there safety management systems and begin what I call, "Safetyology".

It is critical to business! If your consistently injuring workers due to your safety at work policies, how do you expect the public to work with you. Customers will see that safety is not a priority and that will ultimately lead them to your competition. In the oil industry, companies like BP and Shell will not go into a contract unless they feel comfortable with the safety record and policies within the drilling company that owns the rig.

If this is occurring in what is sure to be one of the most unsafe working environments, then why is it places like Goodyear is being fined for accidents like the one mentioned in the article? Look, Safety at work must take a priority! Whether your the CEO or newest employee, you all have to be on the same page with concerns of safety.

If your the CEO, you should be making it priority number one! If you have a system in place like Safetyoloy, then you would be spending less money on insurance, workers comp. and would even be able to save money by refining your processes and procedures.

It just makes sense to use a solid Safety Management System to run your company!

Written by pdcsafety on August 8th, 2008

Safety At Work News Update…

PDC Safety Training Solutions tries to bring you a few snippets of news every day with our take on it. Today's topics vary in industries, but one thing is inevitable; they all pertain to safety at work!

Our first story comes from a Buffalo-area ice cream plant. Safety at work here is a little lacking as they have been cited for 22 serious health and safety violations. 22 serious health and safety violations means there is something wrong within there safety management system! I do believe if I was the CEO of this company, I'd STOP production and re-evaluate my safety management system. Read the rest of the story…

This next story comes out of the UK and involves a deli. Proper Hygiene is critical when handling food, cleaning food stores and especially storage facilities. Mold can potentially become a serious issue. Click the link below and read the story. It'll send chills down your spine!

By the way, the Winchester City Council created a safe2eat initiative that I think should be something all countries should adapt.

Could there ever be a system created that would provide an international safety management system where all nations were required to follow it? One thing all companies should begin to look at is their safety management system. They should incorporate what we call safetology: Plan, Do, Check, Act on safety at work

Written by pdcsafety on July 24th, 2008

Prepare for the worst hurricane in the best way possible

Why is it you can watch the news and still see people saying they were not prepared for the hurricane that has been talked about all over the news channel's? Today we saw hurricane Dolly hit the Texas coast. The full impact of this particular hurricane is still not known. Broken buildings and no power! Thousands of people tonight are dependent on the government to come to their rescue.

Todays hurricane has seen one death and their is flooding which could lead to problems over the next couple of days. Food is short and is amazes me that people really do not prepare for this kind of event. If you live in an area that is in the hurricane zone, then you need to read this blog post! This is information you can use to prepare for the worst hurricane in the best way possible.

The fact of the matter is that hurricanes do bring lots of winds, some as strong as a 120+ mph.  Along with hurricanes also come water surges that reach twenty feet in height. Hurricane should not be taken lightly, I should know, I live in the hurricane zone that was hit by Rita. I watched millions of people trying to get out of the Houston area. I-45 was nothing more than a parking lot!

After Rita hit, later on came Katrina and I don't think I need to repeat what happened with that fiasco. Anyway…

The following are tips and advice you can use to prepare for a hurricane:

Be aware and beware

Understand and know that every hurricane is a lot different, preparing for the worst happening is usually the best option as it makes one prepare and be proactive. You don't want to get caught with your pants down!

Make a list and check it twice

Make out a list of To Do's. Some of the things you will need to do are:

• Bring in all patio furniture
• Collect all toys and store in the garage or shed
• Trim it - As much as possible, try to keep shrubbery and trees trimmed.  Doing so prevents any unnecessary entanglements brought about by tree branches or the like.
• Drain it - Make sure that all the gutters as well as drains in your area are appropriately cleared.  This is so that further flooding is prevented especially during the bouts of long and heavy rainfall that usually accompany strong hurricanes.
• Use shutters specifically designed for hurricanes - Using shutters permanently for the doors and windows is a much safer and better alternative that simply taping all the glass as doing the latter does not in any way prevent glass breakage.  You could also protect the window from the outside using plywood or the shutters.
• Plan for an evacuation - Develop a plan for evacuation.  Try to communicate with your emergency local management chapter or office of the Red Cross. They may be able to provide you with the route for evacuation as well as shelters that are nearby.
• Prepare blankets - Have sleeping bags and blankets ready just in case there is a need for you to rush to a shelter.
• Think about your pets too - Know in advance what you could do to take care of your pets. A lot of animals were abandoned during the onslaught of hurricane Katrina.
• Gather needed emergency supplies - Prepare supplies beforehand.  Included in this list of supplies should be flashlights, batteries, a radio, water and food, first aid kits, and a can opener.

Additionally, turn the temperature of your fridge to the coldest setting.  The reason for this is when the power goes off, the cool air of your fridge will stay a lot longer, thereby preserving your food a lot longer. Get yourself a nice generator to plug in the essentials like the refrigerator and a light or two.

Lastly, elevate your furniture

Of course, this is only if you have a two story home. When I first moved to the Houston area, I looked into how homes are built and found that there are very few homes that are built to withstand flooding and hurricanes. So, I bought a two-story home to be able to move all my furniture from the first floor up to the second floor. Homes are still affordable in this area, so if your planning a move here, look for the two story homes.

All in all, preparing for the worst is always the best course of action.  It could save you precious time and energy as well as possibly save your life and those of your loved ones.

Written by pdcsafety on July 6th, 2008

Wood Office Chair Choices

Along with the many chairs you can get for your office, there is the wood office chair. These chairs are  yet another choice, offering ergonomic adjustments and many upholstery options for you to choose from.

The wood office chair is definitely an option for you to consider.  Also referred to as banker's chair, the biggest problem to wood chairs are that there are few adjustment available; with height sometimes being the only adjustment to the chair.

When you look at a wood office chair, make sure that it fits your body style.  Unless you plan on using a cushioned seat pad, the contour of the seat edge shouldn't be too hard.  If it is, you'll need a seat pad to avoid sitting on a hard surface.

All wooden chairs tend to be very durable, as there is no padding to compress or upholstery to wear out. With minimum care a wooden office chair can last for many years.

Below, you will find some helpful tips for prolonging the life and quality of your wood office chair:
- Never place your chair close to sources of heat as the heat will dry out the wood.  Keep it out of reach from the heat.
- Never leave your wooden office chair in direct sunlight for extended periods of time, as the sun may damage the finish of the wood.
- You should dust your chair frequently with a soft cloth, then clean it according to the manufacturers directions.
- On occasion, wax or polish your wood office chair.  Never wax urethane finished woods, as it will increase the amount of dust that the chair will attract.

By taking care of your wood office chair, it'll be around for years.  These chairs add mystique to an office, making them an ideal choice for offices that desire to be creative.

Written by pdcsafety on July 6th, 2008

Benefits Of Ergonomic Office Chairs

In today's office setting, ergonomic office chairs are very important.  At work, many office employees are sitting more than eight hours per day.  During this time, it's important that ergonomic chairs be used, as they will help reduce shoulder, back, and neck strain.  Even though they may cost more than the standard office chair, they are a wise investment simply because they increase productivity and can help prevent serious injury.

When you select the proper ergonomic offer chair, there are several factors you should consider.  You'll want chairs with an adjustable seat, the proper lumbar support, backrest, adequate seat depth and width, arm rests, and the ability to swivel.  You should also read the instruction manual as well and ensure that all of the adjustment mechanisms function properly.  If you find a chair to be defective in any way, it should be returned immediately.

Keep in mind when selecting your chairs that there is really no "one size fits all" for every body type.  What is best for one individual may not be the best choice for another.  Before buying a chair you should give it a try and see what you think.  If it isn't possible to test out the chair, you should make sure that you can get a refund if something goes wrong.

Before you purchase or use an ergonomic chair it's best to fully understand proper posture and ergonomics while at work or at home.  One of the basics to ergonomics is making sure that a chair's seat height will allow the user's feet to stay firmly planted on the floor.  It's also good if the chair provides a lumbar support, which will fit the inward curve of the lower back area.

With the traditional ergonomic office chair, there are a lot of new and emerging alternatives.  Depending on the chair, you may find yourself in new positions.  Even though they may take a bit of getting used to, these chairs are great for someone who experiences a bit of discomfort or chronic back pain.

Those who sit at their desks for extended periods of time would greatly benefit from ergonomic chairs.  While sitting at a desk, you put your back and upper torso in a cramped position, making yourself a target for back pain later on in life.  With ergonmic chairs, your back gets the support it needs. This way you can sit at your desk all day long and know that your back and the rest of your body is very comfortable.