Should a man with a possible heart problem be working in a heavy lifting area of the factory? Should a woman with the start of diabetes be a taste tester for food products?  Obviously the answer is no.  After reading Jim Mitchell’s and Dr. Ellen Kessler’s’ article entitled: “Medical Exams: A Driver of Work Force Wellness” I see how the health of employees contributes to job performance and possible workplace safety issues.  I would be interested in seeing how many companies really take employee’s long term health into consideration.

The article talks about how required medical exams can actually be used as a building block to creating a wellness initiative within the company.  The exams give the company a good sense of the health of their aging workforce and help them see any health trends that are going on within the company.  These results can be used to create a centralized wellness initiative, encouraging all employees to make healthy choices both at work and at home.

This was a statement that really stood out to me “The Wellness of employees shows up as both a direct and indirect cost savings: increased productivity, fewer sick days, and even fewer workers’ compensation claims.  Businesses pay for wellness one way or another and savvy employers know proactive wellness initiatives pay in the long run.”   It seems to me that proactive wellness would be something that any employer should focus on to keep their workforce strong.  Especially in times when they may be cutting back on the number of employees, those employees should be the best that they can be.

It was an interesting article and I think that it gave a clear idea and steps to follow in order to create a wellness initiative and healthy employees.  Some companies may consider cutting back on their workplace safety and wellness initiatives due to the economy.  However, it is the companies that maintain and even increase their workplace wellness and safety initiatives that will enjoy the long term benefits such programs have to offer.

Mitchell, Jim and Dr. Ellen Kessler. “Medical Exams: A Driver of Work Force Wellness.” EHS Today April 2009: 36-38.

I was recently reading an article by Frank Pennachio called “The Effects of the Economy on Workplace Safety.” He talks about the struggle between funds and workers being eliminated and a company still placing high importance on their safety programs.   It seems to me that safety is something that should never be compromised.  Compromise your workers and you compromise your company.

Imagine working in an area of a plant where 4 out of 8 employees have been laid off.  The remaining 4 employees are now doing double the work that they were doing before.  If you were one of the 4 remaining employees and you hurt your finger, would you immediately report it, or would you be afraid of having to have an incident report against you, making your job seem more dispensable?  If you were the employer would you immediately report the incident or would you be more concerned about keeping your insurance premiums down?   Also, as an employer would you spend extra money to replace an old failing machine, or would you have someone come in to ‘fix’ the machine at a much lower cost?  Would getting the machine to run for a little longer, whether it was safe or not, be more important than footing a large bill to completely replace the machine?  These are all questions that Frank Pennachio brings up in his article, and quite possible all situations that come up frequently in this economic situation.

I spoke with the plant manager of a metals company asking him if his company was downsizing or cutting costs on their safety program during this tough economical time.  He responded with one word “Never”.   Even though his company is restructuring; the company has not lost sight of what is most important and that is keeping employees safe while they are on the job.  By keeping workers safe they ensure a quality work place and a quality product.

Frank Pennachio ended his article with a quote from former U.S Secretary of Labor Elaine L Chao “Safety and health programs in the workplace are not only an employer’s legal responsibility, it also makes good business sense.  No price can be placed on the most important benefit, and that is to see that every worker returns home safely to their loved ones at the end of each work day.”

Pennachio, Frank. “The Effects of the Economy on Workplace Safety.” EHS Today March 2008: 26-27.

Most companies like to think they are worried about safety, but really do nothing to make sure they are doing the best they can when it comes to enforcing it. I read an article a while back in the EHS Today entitled “Worthington Industries: Committed to Safety” that reminded me that there are some exemplary companies that make it their #1 goal.

At Worthington Industries; an Ohio based Steel Company, Safety is not only a large concern but a very big commitment. It started back in 2001 when they changed from an old safety compliance program and started focusing to a new strategy: “Safe Works”. Safe Works is a centralized safety program designed to strengthen their safety culture and to support improved work behavior. The best way to explain Safety Works is to say it is a program that not only protects everyone in the company, but also uses safety to promote profitability, well-being and productivity. By incorporating a council made up of volunteers to act as Safety Ambassadors for their peers and a comprehensive Wellness Plan, it has made this company better than ever.

I believe this to be an excellent concept because safe and healthy employees produce more work which in turn makes more money all around for everyone. When you look at other companies within Worthington’s industry they were well below the average lost-time injury rate.

Worthington has also teamed with a PPE (personal protective equipment) Training Program; and therefore also enjoys the benefits of testing new products. This is the reason that they are always outfitted with some of the latest and safest protective equipment. Worthington is also involved in new training programs geared towards everyone in the company from upper level management to new employees.

I have the same opinion when I read most Safety Articles, if Safety is not one of your main concerns it will definitely show in all areas.

Walter, Laura “Worthington Industries: Committed to Safety” EHS Today, Pg 40.Nov. 2008

“Go Green and Reduce your Carbon Footprint” these are phrases we are seeing everywhere. When I see that a company has “gone green” I immediately think of them as taking the time to go an extra step to ensure that their employees and the environment around them are really taken care of. In a recent article in Facility Safety Management Magazine, Mike Sawchuk writes about how “Green Cleaning” is a part of “Going Green” and how it can affect employee health as well as environmental health. He talks about the process a company must take in order to implement a green cleaning program.

I did not realize that traditional cleaning solutions and methods can affect worker health by way of indoor air quality. The article mentions that The American Lung Association states 14.5 million work days are missed each year due to asthma which can be triggered by poor indoor air quality. The article also mentions that the Center for Disease Control have calculated that an average of 4 days a year are missed because of sinus infections. Poor indoor air quality can also be associated with sinus infections. These statistics surprised me.

But can indoor air quality be made better just by switching to “green” cleaning products; products that do not contain all of the heavy metals, fumes, carcinogens and irritants that traditional cleaning products have in them? Mike Sawchuk also addresses how proper cleaning procedures must be part of a green cleaning program. Procedures for cleaning specific equipment and highly work volatile areas must be set in place. This not only helps keep a plant running smoothly but is a very efficient way to insure that proper indoor air quality is achieved.

This article made me not only think about how proper green cleaning can affect workers and employees within a facility, but how green products may be better in my home. I was surprised to see an advertisement for a cleaning product that contained soy and corn based solvents, and I am going to make it a point to look for more green cleaning products for personal use.

Sawchuk, Mike. “Green Cleaning: One Component of Worker Health.” Facility Safety Magazine March 2009: 42-45

As I read an article about footwear, I really thought how easy it is for safety minded professionals to protect our employees from tragic accidents by just doing the simplest things. For example; making sure procedures are put in place to ensure everyone is wearing the appropriate safety footwear in the workplace.
There are a few easy steps you can take to ensure all your employees are protected:

• Reexamine the hazards in your workplace on a regular basis to make sure there are no new safety issues to address, such as worn walking areas, tripping hazards or any new equipment that employees may need to be trained on in order to avoid any injuries when using. Foot injuries can be caused by not properly using lift aids and material handling equipment.
• Evaluate employees on a daily basis to insure proper footwear usage, watch for untied shoes, inadequate foot protection or visitors/office staff visiting the shop area that are not wearing safety footwear at all.
• Resources should be available to all employees as to where to buy the proper foot protection and what kind of protection is acceptable at your establishment. There are companies that will come to your facility with all the information needed and there are also plenty of online sources to help integrate foot wear protection into your company.
• Review past injuries and review safety policies, if there is a safety policy in place make sure it is followed or if there is a need for one make sure it is created and put into place. Ensure all employees (seasonal and permanent) understand it and sign it.
• Go beyond just the shoes; make sure all employees are properly trained on all devices in the facility including lifting equipment and machinery. The potential for serious injury can occur on any shift and with every task performed; these can be lessened with the proper training.
• Everyone should do their part in safety, it is everyone’s job to ensure safety in the workplace. Too many times the job is put solely on the Safety Department, this means supervisors, line leaders, shift supervisors, etc. are responsible for putting all safety procedures into place and making sure they are followed.

I believe that diffusing potentially hazardous situations is everyone’s job and with all of us in the company working together we can all make the workplace a safer environment.

Johnson-Sherrard, Linda. “A Fresh Approach to Foot Protection” Editorial. Occupational Hazards April 2009.

If you are looking for suggestions on creating a safer work environment, check out the link “Safety Checklists”. In the future, you will find ideas for implementing safety into your present situation with checklists from SlipNOT®. The checklists will be continuously updated and will include a variety of different topics.

The first checklist to ‘make the list’ is about creating an Emergency Safety Checklist for your company. It suggests steps that should be taken if an emergency arises. Keep in mind that these are only suggestions and each checklist should be customized to your company’s needs. You may need to expand or change these checklists to fit your situation.

www.slipnot.com is an excellent resource for safety information and solutions to slippery environments.

While reading this month’s “Facility Safety Management Magazine” I came across a very interesting article about 6 easy ways to prevent slip and falls for companies. The statistics on slip and falls are really amazing. According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI), the average restaurant has three to nine falls each year and the cost to defend any lawsuit that may arise out of any of those incidents is around $50,000. Slip and falls also represent over 65% of all work days lost, and the average worker’s compensation is $20,228 per claim. With this in mind there are 6 major components to help prevent slip and falls in any facility, below is a paraphrase of what I think the 6 steps represent.

1. Walkway Audits & Monitoring: A walkway audit is the way a company can test the static coefficient of friction on a floor (SCOF), the information in this report is an excellent way for your company to see firsthand the condition of your floors and come up with a remedy before and incidents occur.
2. Proper Maintenance: Improper cleaning of floors may make the SCOF much lower because certain cleaning agents and tools break down the surface. It is extremely important that employees are properly trained in the cleaning of the floors.
3. Employee Training: Employees should be trained on how to identify report and avoid any slip, trip or fall hazard as well as instructions on cleanup, disposal and placement of floor cones.
4. Footwear Policy: All employees should be made to wear some type of slip resistant footwear; this is a vital component in the prevention of slip and falls.
5. Proper Signage: Make sure signs are put out only when it warrants them, if signs are left out all the time, people will not notice them when really warranted. Always have 1 or 2 for spills and enough to cover all entrances.
6. Proper use of floor matting in the entrance and hallways where water and contaminants are prevalent: Make sure there is proper floor covering for all weather conditions and in extremely slippery areas.

Slip and falls are said to be incidents not accidents because most of them can be avoided. With just utilizing these 6 steps you are sure to see a lot less slip and fall incidents in your company.