If there is an accident in the workplace, immediately investigation committee is constituted, some report is produced with recommendations and people will forget about implementation or followup. They tell that they investigated and found the root cause.
Similarly, people will appoint safety professionals or somebody as safety officer and expect accidentfree workplace from the next moment.
Someothers reduce their alertness on safety and say that they contributed to profits (by reducing the expenditure on safety), as there were no accidents in the last few months.
In all above situations, expectations are to see immediate results. People forget that for any good or bad to happen, it will take some time for the system to develop in the direction of increase or deterioration levels. Normally, the time will be about five years, though this time can vary depending upon the commitment levels of the management and employees.
That's why when some company gets a safety reward or recognition, the CEO at that time thinks that its all because of his efforts after assuming the charge, though this is due to the efforts by the earlier CEO(s) for last few years. One may get certicate of ISO/OHSAS or something after one year effort, but the certification for the first time is mainly because of documentation (normally by consultants and therefore employees do not know anything) and management programmes listed in the manuals and resources allocated. By the time, the certificate comes for revalidation, if the CEO puts his heart into it and looks back, the improvements achieved would have been negligible and he chides his MR or safety manager for not followingup properly with the departments.
If at all there are any instant results, they will fall under corrective actions and not preventive actions. Therefore, similar incidents / accidents occur again and again and companies will get NC from auditors for not seeing any efforts for preventing the incidents.
Therefore, there are no immediate solutions and results for achieving safety, but efforts are required for permanent solutions and to be sustained.
LINK
Jun 14, 2010
Jun 13, 2010
Oil spillages - What about other environment damage factors?
There is lot of concern about BP oil spillage and its effect on environment. But, very little action is seen on the use of fuel guzzlers for which BP and others produce oil. Most inefficient vehicles are produced and used everyday. People say two wheelers are worst environment polluters. I am not able to understand this. A 4-stroke two wheeler gives a mileage of 60-80 kmpl whereas a car gives mileage of 10-18 kmpl. Though, people argue that cars accommodate four persons, it is a normal practice that any vehicle is of single user only and occasionally, it is used for group travel. Thus, two wheelers are better than four wheelers from emission point of view. Further, the pressure on public roads will be less with 2-wheelers than 4-wheelers. Best is public transportation system (rail and bus).
More and more oil is drawn to meet the demands of hungry users. We are using the fossil fuels that are formed over millions of years of formation and projections show that we will consume all these fossil fuels by this century end. That means, in about 150 years (1950-2100) we consume all energy resources that are formed over millions of years with crocodile tears for future generations.
If we are reasonable, then there will not be so called false development / industrial growth with regards to these fossil fuel extraction, refining and usage. Then, there will not be any need for coming up of such greedy corporations who do not care about impact of there misdeeds. Everybody in public pronounce their commitment to save environment but how many practice this.
More and more oil is drawn to meet the demands of hungry users. We are using the fossil fuels that are formed over millions of years of formation and projections show that we will consume all these fossil fuels by this century end. That means, in about 150 years (1950-2100) we consume all energy resources that are formed over millions of years with crocodile tears for future generations.
If we are reasonable, then there will not be so called false development / industrial growth with regards to these fossil fuel extraction, refining and usage. Then, there will not be any need for coming up of such greedy corporations who do not care about impact of there misdeeds. Everybody in public pronounce their commitment to save environment but how many practice this.
Who is responsible for safety?
After the last week verdict on Bhopal tragedy for fixing the responsibility, so many people in responsible positions commented about the verdict. The Factories Act 1948 amended after this 1984 accident fixes the responsibility for ensuring safety at the work place on the occupier as well as the manager. It also says (Sec 101) that if the occupier is able to prove that he has given full responsiblity and resources to others down below and that the accident occurred because of deeds of his subordinates without his knowledge, then the said person can be held responsible.
Someone commented that a car owner can't be held responsible, if his driver makes an accident. It is forgotten that the driver was put into job by the owner of the car and nobody else (unless car was stolen and is not reported in the police station).
If managements employ less qualified or unsuitable persons for the job, then there is every possibility that accidents / incidents can take place. In risk assessment, human error is also a factor. In fact, experts say that systems should be designed and put in place such that even a fool can not meddle and lead to accidents.
In the case of Bhopal accident, it is mentioned that the some of the workers, superviors and managers were brought from Battery Division and do not have proper training / exposure to run the plant. Even the audit report of Union Carbide warned about imminent dangers, a few years before the accident. Few accidents occurred earlier also support that a major accident will not occur all of a sudden, but will be preceded by few near misses and minor accidents.
As the plant was not in operation for few months before the accident, poorly trained managers and supervisors decided to switch off the refrigeration system thinking that when plant is not running, nothing will happen (because of lack of knowledge on hazards). Persons were not informed about the hazards, neither they had interest to learn on their own, about what can happen in their day-to-day activities. All of us will be careful to caution our children about their safety when they go to school or college. But we do not follow the same at our work place.
Apart from deactivating refrigeration system, the srubbing unit and flare tower were not kept in working condition. To prove Murphy law, every safety system went wrong simulataneously (neither functional nor available at the time of accident). The water sprinkler, a last resort, had limitations of spraying water upto a height of only 15 m where as the gas eascaped from the flare tower at a height more than this.
There are provisions and punishments for causing deaths due to negligence, callous attitude and accused should be awarded compunded punishments. If the wrong doers are not punished severely, this will send a wrong message to all greedy corporates that nothing will happen to them and they can find some scapegoats at lower levels for the minor punishments. In the famous novel God Father by Mario Puzo, it is mentioned that underworld people keep some persons with opposing gangs as a surity for the persons from these gangs attending meetings so that they can participate the meetings and leave the place safely. Scapegoats will be found like in the underworld system.
The entire property of the owners of the factory causing such large scale deaths should be confiscated and it is better for governments to work toward making international laws to confiscate properties of the owners in other countries also.
LINK
Someone commented that a car owner can't be held responsible, if his driver makes an accident. It is forgotten that the driver was put into job by the owner of the car and nobody else (unless car was stolen and is not reported in the police station).
If managements employ less qualified or unsuitable persons for the job, then there is every possibility that accidents / incidents can take place. In risk assessment, human error is also a factor. In fact, experts say that systems should be designed and put in place such that even a fool can not meddle and lead to accidents.
In the case of Bhopal accident, it is mentioned that the some of the workers, superviors and managers were brought from Battery Division and do not have proper training / exposure to run the plant. Even the audit report of Union Carbide warned about imminent dangers, a few years before the accident. Few accidents occurred earlier also support that a major accident will not occur all of a sudden, but will be preceded by few near misses and minor accidents.
As the plant was not in operation for few months before the accident, poorly trained managers and supervisors decided to switch off the refrigeration system thinking that when plant is not running, nothing will happen (because of lack of knowledge on hazards). Persons were not informed about the hazards, neither they had interest to learn on their own, about what can happen in their day-to-day activities. All of us will be careful to caution our children about their safety when they go to school or college. But we do not follow the same at our work place.
Apart from deactivating refrigeration system, the srubbing unit and flare tower were not kept in working condition. To prove Murphy law, every safety system went wrong simulataneously (neither functional nor available at the time of accident). The water sprinkler, a last resort, had limitations of spraying water upto a height of only 15 m where as the gas eascaped from the flare tower at a height more than this.
There are provisions and punishments for causing deaths due to negligence, callous attitude and accused should be awarded compunded punishments. If the wrong doers are not punished severely, this will send a wrong message to all greedy corporates that nothing will happen to them and they can find some scapegoats at lower levels for the minor punishments. In the famous novel God Father by Mario Puzo, it is mentioned that underworld people keep some persons with opposing gangs as a surity for the persons from these gangs attending meetings so that they can participate the meetings and leave the place safely. Scapegoats will be found like in the underworld system.
The entire property of the owners of the factory causing such large scale deaths should be confiscated and it is better for governments to work toward making international laws to confiscate properties of the owners in other countries also.
LINK
Jun 5, 2010
Why people continue to do mistakes even after accidents take place
Many times people repeat same mistakes and similar accidents take place. Even if root cause analysis is done, still they fail to take preventive measures. This shows that they do not understand the value of life and are bothered only about their output minus safety. Driving the importance of safety into their heads is very difficult for safety officers. It is better to remove such people from the job if they do not listen.
Sometimes, the top man gives importance to safety but the leadership one step below do not have such importance and drive field engineers for output at shortest time and this leads to accidents. Instead of penalising the department, if penalties are collected from the salaries of such leaders and field engineers as well as from payments made to the contractors, then people may listen. Otherwise, they do not bother about safety measures at site and contractors will continue to do the work that maximizes their profits. Possibly the money spent on accident victims treatment / compensation must have been less over a period of time for these contractors.
LINK
Sometimes, the top man gives importance to safety but the leadership one step below do not have such importance and drive field engineers for output at shortest time and this leads to accidents. Instead of penalising the department, if penalties are collected from the salaries of such leaders and field engineers as well as from payments made to the contractors, then people may listen. Otherwise, they do not bother about safety measures at site and contractors will continue to do the work that maximizes their profits. Possibly the money spent on accident victims treatment / compensation must have been less over a period of time for these contractors.
LINK
Value of human life for risk assessment
I received a mail (risk-safety.com blog) about Treatment of Value of Life and Injuries in Preparing Economic Evaluations is mentioned in an article of DOT in link given below:
http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/policy/reports/080205.htm
According to it, best present estimate of the economic value of preventing a human fatality is $5.8 million. One can go through the above link for factual information and basis for arriving at this value.
I have put it in this blog as I am sure, this will help organizations in risk assessment and reduction measures. I thank the people who arrived at this value and those who spread the information for saving valuable human lives.
http://ostpxweb.dot.gov/policy/reports/080205.htm
According to it, best present estimate of the economic value of preventing a human fatality is $5.8 million. One can go through the above link for factual information and basis for arriving at this value.
I have put it in this blog as I am sure, this will help organizations in risk assessment and reduction measures. I thank the people who arrived at this value and those who spread the information for saving valuable human lives.
World Environment Day 2010
Today is the World Environment Day and our organization is celebrating it in a big way. Last few days saw conduct of competitions in slogan and essay writing. Organizers also invited entries for posters and all winners will be distributed prizes today by the chief guest who is an expert in the field of environment. To mark the occasion, pens were distributed to all employees. More than US $ 1,000/- is being spent for this occasion.
In our safety division, yesterday we discussed about what can be done for reducing environment pollution. We use about 40 nos. of two and four-wheelers for internal transport. A friend suggested about use of bicycles instead of auto vehicles. A good idea worth following. In my earlier organization which is a sister concern of our department, everybody including senior officials use bicycles to go around for meetings, library, seminars, etc within the compound wall of the organization. Only the head of the unit is having a car and few cars are in service for external transport (for going to airport or making enquireis and purchases). Other than the top man, every one uses mass transport system (bus) for transfer from colony to office.
Already many organizations are following this. To maintain bicycles and attend repairs, the organization should have a maintenance section.
I also heard that in a company, only bicycles are used and any body can take any bicycle available nearby and leave it wherever he goes for others also to use. They are not locked. It is like a free trolley system as it is in departmental stores, super markets, airports.
A good system indeed.
In our safety division, yesterday we discussed about what can be done for reducing environment pollution. We use about 40 nos. of two and four-wheelers for internal transport. A friend suggested about use of bicycles instead of auto vehicles. A good idea worth following. In my earlier organization which is a sister concern of our department, everybody including senior officials use bicycles to go around for meetings, library, seminars, etc within the compound wall of the organization. Only the head of the unit is having a car and few cars are in service for external transport (for going to airport or making enquireis and purchases). Other than the top man, every one uses mass transport system (bus) for transfer from colony to office.
Already many organizations are following this. To maintain bicycles and attend repairs, the organization should have a maintenance section.
I also heard that in a company, only bicycles are used and any body can take any bicycle available nearby and leave it wherever he goes for others also to use. They are not locked. It is like a free trolley system as it is in departmental stores, super markets, airports.
A good system indeed.
Safety Policy of an organization - The Best Statement
Over a period of time, I subscribed many e-news letters which spread safety awareness with their free communication. In one such news letter, I found mention of a company which worked for 33.0 million man-hours without a reportable accident. I went through its website and found a mission statement which I liked very much. The company is S & B Engineers and Constructors Ltd of USA (www.sbec.com)involved in engineering, procurement and construction with about 3500 employee. There were no reportable accidents from 1994The mission statement reads as follows:
"We make NO compromise with respect to Morality, Ethics, and Safety. If a design or work practice is perceived to be unsafe, we do not proceed until the issue is resolved."
It is the best ever statement which I read till date and I recommend to every organization to use this as their safety policy and implemnt it. Never I my heart filled with a feeling of bliss as when I read this statement.
And I am sure other organizations should learn from this organization which is best suited to be a role model.
Some of the links of the same website are,
http://www.sbec.com/safety/
http://www.sbec.com/services/safety/
I am not convassing for the company services, but I am sure one will benefit by implementing its safety systems in their organization.
"We make NO compromise with respect to Morality, Ethics, and Safety. If a design or work practice is perceived to be unsafe, we do not proceed until the issue is resolved."
It is the best ever statement which I read till date and I recommend to every organization to use this as their safety policy and implemnt it. Never I my heart filled with a feeling of bliss as when I read this statement.
And I am sure other organizations should learn from this organization which is best suited to be a role model.
Some of the links of the same website are,
http://www.sbec.com/safety/
http://www.sbec.com/services/safety/
I am not convassing for the company services, but I am sure one will benefit by implementing its safety systems in their organization.
Jun 4, 2010
Safety Rewards/Incentives - Boon or Bane?
Many organizations reward and provide incentive to their employees for working safely for certain period without accident or for reporting of near misses, incidents, etc or giving suggestion for enhancing safety at work place.
However, the question is whether such rewards or incentives are helpful on long term basis. As long as genuine reporting system exists and followed, the rewarding system may work. However, it is also likely that accidents may not be reported and hid so that targeted accident-free period can be achieved and rewarded, which will defeat the basic purpose of improving safety at work place.
Sometime back, an expert commented in a safety seminar that rewarding system will not work. The news of various accidents in different countries supports such statements because generally there will not be any accident without warning signals. If action is taken on such signals, then accidents could have been avoided. As nobody cares to report or take action, people and environment are endangered.
It is therefore advisable not to pamper employees with rewards and instead use the resources to communicate the hazards and consequences so that accidents do not occur. Again hazard communication should be specific to the job in which persons are engaged and in this regard, job supervisors play important role.
However, the question is whether such rewards or incentives are helpful on long term basis. As long as genuine reporting system exists and followed, the rewarding system may work. However, it is also likely that accidents may not be reported and hid so that targeted accident-free period can be achieved and rewarded, which will defeat the basic purpose of improving safety at work place.
Sometime back, an expert commented in a safety seminar that rewarding system will not work. The news of various accidents in different countries supports such statements because generally there will not be any accident without warning signals. If action is taken on such signals, then accidents could have been avoided. As nobody cares to report or take action, people and environment are endangered.
It is therefore advisable not to pamper employees with rewards and instead use the resources to communicate the hazards and consequences so that accidents do not occur. Again hazard communication should be specific to the job in which persons are engaged and in this regard, job supervisors play important role.
May 12, 2010
Summer temperature woes
Yesterday and today, news papers reported that temperatures in different parts of A.P set a record for the decade. Temperatures are in the range 45-48 degree Celcius in many cities. The main reason, I feel is, indiscriminate tree felling. Whenever we go under a tree shade or along the road adjacent to good greenery area, we feel a cool breeze. Trees are cut because of increased urbanization. To meet never ending traffic problems and congestion, roads are widened and for this adjacent trees on the road side are cut. Every year, we feel that summer is starting in advance, precisely because of this tree cutting and resultant temperature rise. May be, there are other factors. But, it is our duty to protect our surroundings. If trees are to be cut to meet some other needs, then we have to ensure that these cut trees are planted safely in areas adjacent to widened roads. Green coverage should not decrease because of our needs.
There is a saying that "Vriksho rakshathi, rakshithaha" meaning that" save trees, it will save us". How true it is. Proverbs are the result of experiences of our ancestors over hundreds of years and we are least bothered about them. We do not want to learn evern after experiencing directly because of our acts without foreseeing the effects.
Governments spend vast amounts of money for forestry but it is also the duty of people to put some money from their pocket to protect environment by planting and saving trees in their yard so that they will have good air and also to the public.
Though, it is difficult and also lead to corruption or misuse, it should be made mandatory to plant trees in every house / apartment complex along with soak pits for collecting the rain water to help the public and reduce stress on government resources and those who violate should be penalized heavily (GREENERY VIOLATION PENALTY). This money should be distributed to some NGOs specifically formed for ensuring and increasing greenery (not by having lawns which are costly to maintain but by planting saplings, relocating the cut trees, etc which are mostly one time affair or require attention for less time) and the accounts of these NGOs should be audited. Public can be encourage to donate to an account setup for this purpose, say "GREEN FUND" and can give tax exemption to the contributors like it is given for certain donations made for flood relief, CM/PM Relief Funds, religious donations, free food schemes of some religious institutions, etc.
There is a saying that "Vriksho rakshathi, rakshithaha" meaning that" save trees, it will save us". How true it is. Proverbs are the result of experiences of our ancestors over hundreds of years and we are least bothered about them. We do not want to learn evern after experiencing directly because of our acts without foreseeing the effects.
Governments spend vast amounts of money for forestry but it is also the duty of people to put some money from their pocket to protect environment by planting and saving trees in their yard so that they will have good air and also to the public.
Though, it is difficult and also lead to corruption or misuse, it should be made mandatory to plant trees in every house / apartment complex along with soak pits for collecting the rain water to help the public and reduce stress on government resources and those who violate should be penalized heavily (GREENERY VIOLATION PENALTY). This money should be distributed to some NGOs specifically formed for ensuring and increasing greenery (not by having lawns which are costly to maintain but by planting saplings, relocating the cut trees, etc which are mostly one time affair or require attention for less time) and the accounts of these NGOs should be audited. Public can be encourage to donate to an account setup for this purpose, say "GREEN FUND" and can give tax exemption to the contributors like it is given for certain donations made for flood relief, CM/PM Relief Funds, religious donations, free food schemes of some religious institutions, etc.
May 4, 2010
User charges for fire fighting services
A news paper report mentioned that the AP Fire Services department is proposing to charge for their services provided to commercial establishments and higher income group individuals above a set category so that they can finance their activities and maintain their facilities.
It is true that any thing comes free will not have any value in the eyes of beneficiaries, though nobody wants to loose their propery in a fire or get themselves injured. But, acts of carelessness, not providing sufficient safety measures disregarding the risk to make money, no respect for statutory provisions, etc shall be dealt severely and I feel user charges are definitely one of such methods.
First, there should be creation of awareness about hazards and measures to be taken which can be communicated while issuing permission for construction of buildings / licence to establish a business or trade / renewal / payment of property taxes , etc in the form of 1-2 page pamphlet and also printed on the backside of electricity bills or similar nature. Punishments / penalties also should be mentioned in the same leaf so that one will take serious note of the contents.
Then, user charges as and when service is provided should be at such higher rates that one should hesitate if wants to use. In case of Fire Services, there should not be any option. If there is a fire and even if someone on the road informs through emergency phone number, they should come and then charge. It should be made mandatory for emergency services to charge after attending the calls irrespective of who called or informed about emergency.
The insurance companies should give some discount in the policy premium, if there are sufficient verifiable safety measures taken by the beneficiary.
Such measures will make the citizens to be aware and be safety minded. Governments should not provide its services for free, atleast to creat awareness that NOTHING IS FREE.
It is common to criticise Service departments like Fire / municipal / traffic / police / intelligence / factories / pollution control board, etc that they are not upto mark or not doing their job. No doubt, all are not at same level and there can be inefficiency / corruption, etc and other factors / reasons like lack of man power or other resources. But, first of all, if individuals are not careful, do not want to follow atleast common sense leave apart rules and regulations, then who can help and what anybody can do to protect. Just imagine that you are a traffic police, for example, and think how you can regulate the traffic by the acts which yourself would have committed on various occasions. Definitely, it will provoke you to think and motivate you to do the right things.
There is a saying that it is easy to awake a sleeping person but not the ones who pretend to sleep. No amount of resources in the world can create a safe place, if the individual decides not to be safe. Only, they can be controlled for sometime. It is not possible for any monitoring / regulating agency to watch each and everyone. If that is the requirement, then 50% of our population will be regulators while others are subject under watch.
It is true that any thing comes free will not have any value in the eyes of beneficiaries, though nobody wants to loose their propery in a fire or get themselves injured. But, acts of carelessness, not providing sufficient safety measures disregarding the risk to make money, no respect for statutory provisions, etc shall be dealt severely and I feel user charges are definitely one of such methods.
First, there should be creation of awareness about hazards and measures to be taken which can be communicated while issuing permission for construction of buildings / licence to establish a business or trade / renewal / payment of property taxes , etc in the form of 1-2 page pamphlet and also printed on the backside of electricity bills or similar nature. Punishments / penalties also should be mentioned in the same leaf so that one will take serious note of the contents.
Then, user charges as and when service is provided should be at such higher rates that one should hesitate if wants to use. In case of Fire Services, there should not be any option. If there is a fire and even if someone on the road informs through emergency phone number, they should come and then charge. It should be made mandatory for emergency services to charge after attending the calls irrespective of who called or informed about emergency.
The insurance companies should give some discount in the policy premium, if there are sufficient verifiable safety measures taken by the beneficiary.
Such measures will make the citizens to be aware and be safety minded. Governments should not provide its services for free, atleast to creat awareness that NOTHING IS FREE.
It is common to criticise Service departments like Fire / municipal / traffic / police / intelligence / factories / pollution control board, etc that they are not upto mark or not doing their job. No doubt, all are not at same level and there can be inefficiency / corruption, etc and other factors / reasons like lack of man power or other resources. But, first of all, if individuals are not careful, do not want to follow atleast common sense leave apart rules and regulations, then who can help and what anybody can do to protect. Just imagine that you are a traffic police, for example, and think how you can regulate the traffic by the acts which yourself would have committed on various occasions. Definitely, it will provoke you to think and motivate you to do the right things.
There is a saying that it is easy to awake a sleeping person but not the ones who pretend to sleep. No amount of resources in the world can create a safe place, if the individual decides not to be safe. Only, they can be controlled for sometime. It is not possible for any monitoring / regulating agency to watch each and everyone. If that is the requirement, then 50% of our population will be regulators while others are subject under watch.
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