ACCIDENT & INJURY

PREVENTION

PROaction versus REaction

• “Well that’s an accident

waiting to happen…”
• “Someone ought to do
something…”

That someone is YOU!

1
What Is An Accident?

What Is An Accident?

2
 An Accident is:
• a. An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one
resulting in damage or harm: car accidents on icy roads.
• b. An unforeseen incident: A series of happy accidents led
to his promotion.
• c. An instance of involuntary urination or defecation in
one's clothing.
• 2. Lack of intention; chance: ran into an old friend by
accident.
• 3. Logic A circumstance or attribute that is not essential to
the nature of something.
[Link]

Hazard
• Existing or Potential
Condition That
Alone or Interacting
With Other Factors
Can Cause Harm

• A Spill on the Floor

• Broken Equipment

Risk
• A measure of the probability and
severity of a hazard to harm human
health, property, or the environment
• A measure of how likely harm is to
occur and an indication of how serious
the harm might be

Risk  0

3
 Safety
FREEDOM FROM DANGER OR HARM

Nothing is Free of

BUT - We can almost always make

something SAFER

Safety Is Better Defined As….

A Judgement of the
Acceptability of Risk

R
A
T
I
O
S

4
 OSHA METHOD

330 Incidents

29 Minor Injuries

1 Major or Loss-Time Accident

Candy Jar
Example

Types of Accidents
• FALL TO • CONTACT WITH
– same level – chemicals
– lower level – electricity
• CAUGHT – heat/cold
– in – radiation
– on • BODILY
– between REACTION FROM
– voluntary motion
– involuntary motion

5
Types of Accidents (continued)
• STRUCK • RUBBED OR
– Against ABRADED BY
• stationary or moving – friction
object
– pressure
• protruding object
• sharp or jagged edge – vibration
– By
• moving or flying
object
• falling object

Accident Causing Factors

• Basic Causes • Direct Causes
– Management – Slips, Trips, Falls
– Environmental – Caught In
– Equipment – Run Over
– Human Behavior – Chemical Exposure
• Indirect Causes
– Unsafe Acts
– Unsafe Conditions

Policy & Procedures

Basic Causes Environmental Conditions
Equipment/Plant Design
Human Behavior

Unsafe Indirect Causes Unsafe

Acts Conditions

Slip/Trip Fall
Direct Causes Energy Release
Pinched Between

ACCIDENT
Personal Injury
Property Damage
Potential/Actual

6
 Basic Causes
• Management Systems & Procedures

• Environment Natural & Man-made

• Equipment Design & Equipment

• Human Behavior

Management

• Systems &
Procedures
– Lack of systems &
procedures
– Availability
– Lack of Supervision

Environment

• Physical
– Lighting
– Temperature

• Chemical • Biological
– vapors –Bacteria
– smoke –Reptiles

7
 Environment

Design and Equipment

• Design

– Workplace layout
– Design of tools &
equipment
– Maintenance

Design and Equipment

• Equipment
– Suitability
– Stability
• Guarding

• Ergonomic

• Accessibility

8
 Human Behavior
Common to
all accidents

Not limited to person

involved in accident

Human Factors
• Omissions &
Commissions

• Deviations from
SOP
– Lacking Authority
– Short Cuts
– Remove guards

Human Behavior is a function of :

Activators (what needs to be done)

Competencies (how it needs to be done)

Consequences
(what happens if it is/isn’t done)

9
 ABC Model
Antecedents
(trigger behavior)

Behavior
(human performance)

Consequences
(either reinforce or punish behavior)

Only 4 Types of
Consequences:
•Positive Reinforcement (R+)
("Do this & you'll be rewarded")

•Negative Reinforcement (R-)

("Do this or else you'll be penalized")
Behavior
•Punishment (P)
("If you do this, you'll be penalized")

•Extinction (E)
("Ignore it and it'll go away")

Consequences Influence
Behaviors Based Upon
Individual Perceptions of:
Magnitude positive
• Significance or
Impact negative

 Timing - immediate or future

 Consistency - certain or uncertain

10
 Human Behavior
• Behaviors that have consequences that are:

• Soon
• Certain
• Positive

Have a stronger effect on people’s behavior

Some examples of Consequences:

Why is one sign often ignored, the

other one often followed?

11
 Human Behavior

• Soon
• A consequence that follows soon after a
behavior has a stronger influence than
consequences that occur later
• Silence is considered to be consent
• Failure to correct unsafe behavior
influences employees to continue the
behavior

Human Behavior

• Certain
• A consequence that is certain to follow a
behavior has more influence than an
uncertain or unpredictable consequence
• Corrective Action must be:
– Prompt
– Consistent
– Persistent

Human Behavior

• Positive
• A positive consequence influences
behavior more powerfully than a
negative consequence
• Penalties and Punishment don’t work
• Speeding Ticket Analogy

12
 Human Behavior
• Example: Smokers find it hard to stop
smoking because the consequences are:
A) Soon (immediate)
B) Certain (they happen every time)
C) Positive (a nicotine high)
The other consequences are:
A) Late (years later)
B) Uncertain (not all smokers get lung cancer)
C) Negative (lung cancer)

Deviations from SOP

• No Safe Procedure
• Employee Didn’t know Safe Procedure
• Employee knew, did not follow Safe
Procedure
• Procedure encouraged risk-taking
• Employee changed approved procedure

Human Behavior

• Thought Question:

What would you do as a worker if you

had to take 10-15 minutes to don the
correct P.P.E. to enter an area to turn off
a control valve which took 10 seconds?

13
 Human Behavior

• Punishment or threatening workers is a

behavioral method used by some Safety
Management programs
• Punishment only works if:
– It is immediate
– Occurs every time there is an unsafe behavior
• This is very hard to do

Human Behavior

• The soon, certain, positive reinforcement

from unsafe behavior outweighs the
uncertain, late, negative reinforcement
from inconsistent punishment

• People tend to respond more positively to

praise and social approval than any other
factors

Human Behavior
• Some experts believe you can change worker’s
safety behavior by changing their “Attitude”
• Accident Report – “Safety Attitude”
• A person’s “Attitude” toward any subject is
linked with a set of other attitudes - Trying to
change them all would be nearly impossible
• A Behavior change leads to a new “Attitude”
because people reduce tension between
Behavior and their “Attitude”

14
 Attitudes
however

Are inside a person’s head -therefore they

are not observable nor measurable

Attitudes can be changed by

changing behaviors

Human Behavior

• “Attention” Behavioral Safety approach

– Focuses on getting workers to pay
“Attention”
– Inability to control “Attention” is a
contributing factor in many injuries

• You can’t scare workers into a safety

focus with “Pay Attention” campaigns

Reasons for Lack of Attention

1. Technology encourages short attention
spans (TV remote, Computer Mouse)
2. Increased Job Stress caused by
uncertainty (mergers & downsizing)
3. Lean staffing and increased workloads
require quick attention shifts between
tasks
4. Fast pace of work – little time to learn
new tasks and do familiar ones safely

15
 Reasons for Lack of Attention
5. Work repetition can lull workers into a loss of
attention
6. Low level of loyalty shown to employees by an
ever reorganizing employer may lead to:
a) Disinterested workers
b) Detached workers (no connection to employer)
c) Inattentive workers

Human Behavior

• Focusing on “Awareness” is a typical

educational approach to change safety
behavior

• Example: You provide employees with a

persuasive rationale for wearing safety
glasses and hearing protection in certain
work areas

Human Behavior
Developing Personal Safety Awareness
A) Before starting, consider how to do job safely
B) Understand required P.P.E. and how to use it
C) Determine correct tools and ensure they are in good
condition
D) Scan work area – know what is going on
E) As you work, check work position – reduce any strain
F) Any unsafe act or condition should be corrected
G) Remain aware of any changes in your workplace – people
coming, going, etc.
H) Talk to other workers about safety
I) Take safety home with you

16
 Human Behavior

Some Thought Questions:

1. Do you want to work safely?
2. Do you want others to work safely?
3. Do you want to learn how to prevent
accidents/injuries?
4. How often do you think about safety as you
work?
5. How often do you look for actions that
could cause or prevent injuries?

Human Behavior
• More Thought Questions:
a) Have you ever carried wood without wearing gloves?
b) Have you ever left something in a walkway that was a
tripping hazard?
c) Have you ever carried a stack of boxes that blocked your
view?
d) Have you ever used a tool /equipment you didn’t know how
to operate?
e) Have you ever left a desk or file drawer open while you
worked in an area?
f) Have you ever placed something on a stair “Just for a
minute”?
g) Have you ever done anything unsafe because “I’ve always
done it this way”?

Human Behavior

TIME!

“All this safety stuff takes time doesn’t it”?

“I’m too busy”!

“I can’t possibly do all this”!

“The boss wants the job done now”!

17
 Human Behavior

• Does rushing through the job, working quickly

without considering safety, really save time?

• Remember – if an incident occurs, the job may

not get done on time and someone could be
injured – and that someone could be YOU!!

Safety Intervention Strategies

Approach # of Studies # of Subjects Reduction %
Behavior Based 7 2,444 59.6%
Ergonomics 3 n/a 51.6%
Engineering Change 4 n/a 29.0%
Problem Solving 1 76 20.0%
Gov’t. Action 2 2 18.3%
Mgt. Audits 4 n/a 17.0%
Stress Management 2 1,300 15.0%
Poster Campaign 26 100 14.0%
Personnel Selection 26 19,177 3.7%
Near-miss Reports 2 n/a 0%

OUTCOMES OF ACCIDENTS

NEGATIVE OUTCOMES

POSITIVE OUTCOMES

18
 Direct Costs
• Medical
• Insurance
• Lost Time
• Fines

Compliance
• Failure to develop and implement a
program may be cited as a SERIOUS
violation (by itself or "Grouped" with
other violations)

Penalties (as high as $ 2,000) may be

assessed

Compliance
• Up to 25% of the penalty can be
deducted based upon an employer's
"good faith“ - Good faith is based
upon:
– Awareness of the Law
– Efforts to comply with the Law before the
inspection
– Correction of hazards during the inspection
– Cooperation & Attitude during the inspection
– Overall safety and health efforts including the
Accident Prevention Program

19
Indirect Costs
• Injured, Lost Time
Wages
• Non-Injured, Lost
Time Wages
• Overtime
• Supervisor Wages
• Lost Bonuses
• Employee Morale
• Need For
Counseling
• Turn-over

Indirect Costs
• Equipment Rental
• Cancelled Contracts
• Lost Orders
• Equipment/Material
Damage
• Investigation Team Time
• Decreased Production
• Light Duty
• New Hire Learning Time
• Administrative Time
• Community Goodwill
• Public/Customer
Perception
• 3rd Party Lawsuits

“REAL” Costs

20
OUTCOMES OF ACCIDENTS
• POSITIVE ASPECTS
– Accident investigation
– Prevent repeat of accident
– Improved safety programs
– Improved procedures
– Improved equipment design

Accident Prevention Program

• Must Be
– Written
– Tailored to particular hazards for a particular
plant or operation
• Minimum Elements
– Safety Orientation Program
– Safety and Health Committee

21
 Accident Prevention Program
• Safety Orientation
– Description of Total Safety Program
– Safe Practices for Initial Job Assignment
– How and When to Report Injuries
– Location of First Aid Facilities in Workplace
– How to Report Unsafe Conditions & Practices
– Use and Care of PPE
– Emergency Actions
– Identification of hazardous materials

Accident Prevention Program

• Designated Safety and Health Committee
– Management Representatives
– Employee Elected Representatives
• Max. 1 year
• Must be equal # or more employee representatives than
employer representatives
– Elected Chairperson
– Self-determine frequency of meetings
• 1 hour or less unless majority votes
– Minutes
• Keep for 1 Year
• Available for review by OSHA Personnel

Accident Prevention Program

• Safety Meeting instead of Safety

Committee
– If less than 11 employees
• Total
• Per shift
• Per location
– Meet at least once/month
– 1 Management Representative

22
 Safety Meeting
You Must
– Review inspection reports
– Evaluate accident investigations
– Evaluate APP and discuss recommendations
– Document attendance and topics

Safety Committees

Proactive
Safety Committees Safety

They should meet as often as necessary

This will depend on volume of production and
conditions such as
• Number of employees
• Size of workplace covered
• Nature of work undertaken on site
• Type of hazards and degree of risk

Meetings should not be cancelled

23
 Safety Committees

The Goal of the committee is to facilitate a safe

workplace
Objectives that guide a committee towards the goal include:
Motivate, educate and train at all levels to ID, Reduce, &
Avoid Hazards
Incorporate safety into every aspect of the organization
Create a culture where each person is responsible for
safety of self and others
Encourage and utilize ideas from all sources

Four points to Remember:

•Communication: Must be a loop system

•Dedication: From everyone

•Partnership: Between Management

and Employees
•Participation: An important part of
team working.

How effective
can a
Committee be?

24
 Safety Committee
Policy Statement
A written and publicized statement is an
effective means of providing guidance and
demonstrating commitment

Safety Committee Focus

• Long Term Goals
– Objectives to Achieve
– Time Frame
• Short Term Goals
– Assignments between Meetings
– Work toward achieving Long-Term Plan

Planning the Safety Meeting

• Select topics
• Set & post the agenda
• Schedule safety meeting
• Prepare meeting site
• Encourage participation

25
 Conducting A Safety Meeting
Provide an attendance list or sign in sheet
Provide a meeting agenda
Call meeting to order and review meeting topics
Cover any old business
Primary meeting topic
Future agendas
Close meeting and document

Components of an Agenda
Opening statement including reason for
attendance, objective, and time
commitment
Items to be discussed
Generate alternative solutions
Decide among the alternatives
Develop a plan to solve the problem
Assign task to carry out plan
Establish follow-up procedures
Summarize and adjourn

Regular Agenda Item

• Review Policies & Plans such as:
– Hazard Communication Program
– Personal Protective Equipment
– Respiratory Protection
– Housekeeping
– Machine Safeguarding
– Safety Audits
– Record Keeping
– Emergency Response Plans

26
 Emergency Plan

• Anticipate What
Could Go Wrong
and Plan for
those Situations

• Drill for
Emergency
Situations

Emergency Action Plan

• The following minimum elements shall be included :
– Alarm Systems
– Emergency escape procedures and route assignments;
– Procedures for employees who remain to operate critical
plant operations before evacuation
– Procedures to account for all employees
– Rescue and medical duties for those employees who are to
perform them
– The preferred means of reporting fires and other
emergencies
– Names / job titles of who can be contacted for further
information or explanation of duties under the plan

Record Keeping & Updating

• Record each Recordable Injury & Illness on
OSHA 300 Log w/in 6 Days
– Recordable
• Occupational fatalities
• Lost workday
• Result in light-duty or termination or require medical
treatment (other than first aid) or involve loss of
consciousness or restriction of work or motion

• This information in posted every year from

February 1 to April 30 in the OSHA 300A
Summary

27
 Record Keeping and Updating
• First Aid - one-time treatment that could be
expected to be given by a person trained in
basic first-aid using supplies from a first-aid kit
and any follow-up visit or visits for the purpose
of observation of the extent of treatment
• NOTE: The new OSHA Recordkeeping Rule
lists the specific First Aid Treatments

Immediately Report:
– Any accident that involves: 1. Injury 2. Illness 3.
Equipment or property damage

– Any near-misses. A near miss is an event that,

strictly by chance, does not result in actual or observable
injury, illness, death, or property damage. Examples:
slips, trips & falls, compressed gas cylinder falling,
overexposures to a chemical

– Any hazards such as: Exposed electrical wires,

Damaged PPE, Improper material storage, Improper
chemical use, Horseplay, Damaged equipment, Missing
or loose machine guards

Thank you.

28