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.
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.
Apr 24, 2010
House Keeping in waste yards
Today I read about a fire incident in a thermal plant storage yard where wild grass caught fire. This fire spread to nearby combustibles with flames reaching very high and in the process damaged two HT cables.
Such incidents or conditions can be seen in every factory. With good intentions, areas will be cleaned. Then, someone else in the evening hours dumps scrap and other unwanted material. Over a period of time the area becomes a big dumping yard along with growth of wild vegetation and the area is prone to fire hazard. All types of wastes can be seen like domestic waste, plastic scrap, metallic scrap, civil debris, etc. Because no one attends, creepers will go up on the HT structures and become source for spreading fire in the event of any fire at ground level.
Good house keeping not only keeps hazards away but also gives ambience and affects positively the persons in the area.
Few months back, a wild grass fire in railway wagon yard lead to complete damage to the wagon. It may be noted that oil soaked cotton waste can catch fire because bacterial action. This bacterial action is exothermic and over a period of time the heat buildup causes sudden fire of the material.
Compared to earlier years, in this year 2010, many fires were reported in different cities of our country and because of courageous efforts by firemen who get peanuts for their efforts, huge properties are saved. All we do for their efforts is to observe two minutes silence on every 14th April, give speeches and forget Fire Services Day and the firemen.
There is a dialogue in Telugu movie, "tinnama, padukunnama, tellarinda". This is what we do with respect many issues including safety.
It has become a fashion to blame regulators for each and every incident. If we are not prompt in what is happending in our house or our own backyard, who can do what.
Such incidents or conditions can be seen in every factory. With good intentions, areas will be cleaned. Then, someone else in the evening hours dumps scrap and other unwanted material. Over a period of time the area becomes a big dumping yard along with growth of wild vegetation and the area is prone to fire hazard. All types of wastes can be seen like domestic waste, plastic scrap, metallic scrap, civil debris, etc. Because no one attends, creepers will go up on the HT structures and become source for spreading fire in the event of any fire at ground level.
Good house keeping not only keeps hazards away but also gives ambience and affects positively the persons in the area.
Few months back, a wild grass fire in railway wagon yard lead to complete damage to the wagon. It may be noted that oil soaked cotton waste can catch fire because bacterial action. This bacterial action is exothermic and over a period of time the heat buildup causes sudden fire of the material.
Compared to earlier years, in this year 2010, many fires were reported in different cities of our country and because of courageous efforts by firemen who get peanuts for their efforts, huge properties are saved. All we do for their efforts is to observe two minutes silence on every 14th April, give speeches and forget Fire Services Day and the firemen.
There is a dialogue in Telugu movie, "tinnama, padukunnama, tellarinda". This is what we do with respect many issues including safety.
It has become a fashion to blame regulators for each and every incident. If we are not prompt in what is happending in our house or our own backyard, who can do what.
Apr 23, 2010
My outdoor trip - skin burns
Yesterday, I went outside in a bike at about 1000 hrs to city outskirts to see someone. As it was very hot and also the distance is about 50 km and it took totally about 3 hrs to complete our trip, by the time we reached home, we were totally exhausted. I wore a half shirt and both fore arms as well as exposed portions of toes are burning / itching. At about 15 km from my house, we started taking different types of fluids, like pudina water, water melon, lemon soda, ice cream, coold drink, etc. However, by the time we reached, we were totally exhausted and there was no power at home due to scheduled power cut.
After lunch, I slept for about two hours and when I woke up and washed my face, I could see my red face, red forearms, red skin below the neck in the front side. This is like 1st degree burns. Even after 24 hours now also I am having skin burning sensation in the calf area and fore arm. Like any skin burn, it may take a week to return to normal skin.
Though, I wore a hat and covered my eyes with spectacles (photo sensitive), still I am suffereing from the travel under the hot sun. If this is the case with me who travel only very rarely, what about the workers who work for livelihood. What are the minimum measures to be provided to them to protect them hot sun and in this country, how many are really providing these facilities like sun shade, water, etc is a big question mark.
After lunch, I slept for about two hours and when I woke up and washed my face, I could see my red face, red forearms, red skin below the neck in the front side. This is like 1st degree burns. Even after 24 hours now also I am having skin burning sensation in the calf area and fore arm. Like any skin burn, it may take a week to return to normal skin.
Though, I wore a hat and covered my eyes with spectacles (photo sensitive), still I am suffereing from the travel under the hot sun. If this is the case with me who travel only very rarely, what about the workers who work for livelihood. What are the minimum measures to be provided to them to protect them hot sun and in this country, how many are really providing these facilities like sun shade, water, etc is a big question mark.
Thigh cramps - some analysis from physician
Last Saturday, at about 0230 hrs I got up from my mat and immediately I felt severe pain in both thighs at same point. The pain was so severe and for 1st time in my life my mind was totally blank and was unable to do or think any think. Just I walked here and there for 15 minutes in the house by which time it started subsiding. Next day being Sunday, I could not contact any of our official doctors. On Monday, I met my physician with the problem which was still persisting to some extent. He told me that this called cramp and not pain as there was muscle contraction like where as pain means it is present continuously. Then the reason for the cramp could be loss of salts (Na, K chlorides; hormone change, thyroid problem, sugar levels). As per his advise I underwent some tests also. It appears to be TSH which is above permissible levels. I am yet to contact the doctor with the report but a search in the internet shows that failure of thyroid can cause such levels of TSH released by pitutory gland.
In this entire episode, one thing I noticed is that for last few weeks because of higher temperatures outside, I am drinking more water 4-5 lit a day and this also brought down my food intake by more than 50%. More water means more urine and this might have caused loss of salts also as it is mentioned in some articles that excessive water drinking can lead to water addiction with the resulrt of loss of salts. I might have been subjected to such loss. But, medical tests show electrolytes in normal levels.
The doctor advised me to take glass of water with electrolytes once in two hours or tender coconut and whenever I go out he advised me to take water with atleast some sugar and salt added instead of plain water.
Summer safety tips are therefore useful and we can understand only when are subjected to the consequences.
I thought my experiences will be useful to some body and therefore this POST.
In this entire episode, one thing I noticed is that for last few weeks because of higher temperatures outside, I am drinking more water 4-5 lit a day and this also brought down my food intake by more than 50%. More water means more urine and this might have caused loss of salts also as it is mentioned in some articles that excessive water drinking can lead to water addiction with the resulrt of loss of salts. I might have been subjected to such loss. But, medical tests show electrolytes in normal levels.
The doctor advised me to take glass of water with electrolytes once in two hours or tender coconut and whenever I go out he advised me to take water with atleast some sugar and salt added instead of plain water.
Summer safety tips are therefore useful and we can understand only when are subjected to the consequences.
I thought my experiences will be useful to some body and therefore this POST.
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