Slips, trips, and falls account for a substantial number of events that result in death, personal injury and suffering, and workers’ compensation in industrial environments. In fact, the 2007 Liberty Mutual Workplace Safety Index indicates that falls were the second leading cause of all workplace injuries in 2005, accounting for 13.6 percent of direct costs associated with such injuries, or more than US$6.6 billion. Additionally, the National Safety Council (NSC) estimates that workers’ compensation and medical costs associated with employee slip-and-fall accidents are approximately $70 billion per year.

When we consider workplace falls, it is not uncommon for most people immediately to think of falls from a height. Interestingly enough though, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has identified that the majority of fall-related injuries (65 percent) occur as a result of falls from same-level walking surfaces. This week we are going to take a look at Slips, Trips and Falls, what to look out for and some of the causes of these types of events.

Let’s Get Focused

Each week through this newsletter and other BHI Energy safety communications, one of the core messages that continually resonates with me is the need to purposely incorporate safety conscious behavior into the activities of my everyday life, most particularly in situations that are routine, familiar or repetitive. Safety consciousness does not begin and end at work.

In my personal experience, an example of a situation that highlights the need for safety awareness is air travel, which I do routinely for my job. Flight is an extremely safe mode of travel, in no large part due to the vigilance and training of the airline pilots, flight attendants and maintenance professionals. These people must practice situational awareness constantly while at work and be ready to act in the remote event of an accident, relying upon their safety focus and training to guide their actions.

Similarly, passengers are expected to assume responsibility for their safety in flight by understanding where the exits are located and how to operate essential safety gear in case of an emergency. However, many times as the flight attendants run through the requisite safety briefings and protocol with passengers, I observe others around me chatting or reading during the presentation. Similarly, people ignore the request to turn off electronic devices, which is another critical measure in place to ensure safety of those aboard a plane, until an attendant speaks to them directly.

Admittedly, the airline safety briefing is similar each time I hear it, but that is not a reason to tune out the message and let complacency replace vigilance with respect to safety. To me, the briefing serves as a reminder that attention to safety is everyone’s responsibility.

If there is one thing that has become clear to me from the safety focus we have at BHI Energy, it is that we all play a part in ensuring the safety of ourselves and our families, friends, colleagues and even the person we do not know who happens to be seated next to us in a plane – that is why we must practice 200% accountability for safety, not just at work, but wherever it applies in our day-to-day lives.

Mary BarlettaChief Financial Officer—BHI Energy

Diversity Quote

“In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.”

Bill Cosby

Slip, Trip and Fall—How and Why

A "slip" occurs when there is too little traction or friction between the shoe and walking surface. A "trip" occurs when a person’s foot contacts an object in their way or drops to a lower level unexpectedly, causing them to be thrown off-balance. A trip most often results in a person falling forward, while a slip most often results in the person falling backward. A "fall" occurs when you are too far off-balance.

There are many situations that may cause slips, trips, and falls, such as:• Ice• Wet spots• Grease• Polished floors• Loose flooring or carpeting• Uneven walking surfaces• Clutter, electrical cords• Open desk drawers and filing cabinets

Loose, irregular surfaces such as gravel, shifting floor tiles, and uneven sidewalks, can make it difficult to maintain your footing. Most slip, trip and fall incidents are preventable with general precautions and safety measures.

Wet and/or Slippery Surfaces

Wet or slippery surfaces are a major cause of slips. Highly polished floors such as marble or ceramic tile can be extremely slippery even when dry and definitely increases the potential for a slip when moisture is present. The following are some simple ways to reduce the potential of a slip or fall on wet or slippery floors:

• Use anti-skid adhesive tape in high traffic areas• Use absorbent mats in entrance ways during inclement weather. Make sure that mats lie

flat and that the backing material will not slide on the floor.• Display wet floor signs when appropriate. Clean up spills and wet floors as soon as

practical.• Have a procedure to deal with spills and ensure spills are reported and cleaned up

immediately.• Use proper mats in areas that tend to be “spill prone”• When wet processes are used, maintain proper drainage or use platform mats

Slippery surface precautions and techniques

In instances where you find it unavoidable to walk, work or move around on a slipper surface, the following are some precautions that can be taken to reduce the risk of a slip or fall:

• Wear proper footwear for better traction on slippery surfaces• Point your feet slightly outward, keeping your center of balance under you• Take slow, small steps• Use your feet as probes to detect possible slip, trip and fall hazards• Get your feet underneath your body quickly to maintain your balance after an initial step• Use rails or other stable objects that you can hold onto• Protect the more vulnerable parts of you body like your head, neck and spine if you do fall

Stairs and Stairways

Nearly half of all falls occur on stairs. Make sure that stairways have secure handrails and guardrails, even surfaces, even tread heights and are free of deteriorating coverings such as frayed carpet. To prevent an accident, awareness and prevention is key. Here are some simple ways to prevent a fall incident on stairways:

• Whether going up or down stairs, always use the handrail• Make sure stairways are well lit, with on/off switches at the top and bottom• Make sure stairways are clear of any obstacles• When carrying objects up and down steps, be sure you are able to see where you are

stepping and hold onto the handrail if possible• The chance of fall accidents in stairways increases with inattention, illness, fatigue and

haste. Take care when ascending and descending stairways.

Housekeeping and Walkways

Proper housekeeping in work and walking areas can contribute to safety and the prevention of falls. Not only is it important to maintain a safe working environment and walking surface, these areas must also be kept free of obstacles which can cause slips and trips. Obstacles could include clutter, obstructions across hallways and material stacked or dumped in passageways, etc.

Avoid stringing cords or lines across hallways or in any walkway. If it is necessary to do so, it should be on a temporary basis (i.e., power cords, telephone lines, etc.) and, then the item should be taped down, run overhead or a ramp should run over any cords and hoses.

Regular frequent inspections of working and walking areas should be conducted to identify environmental and equipment hazards which could cause slips, trips and falls.

Peer Coaching and Checking

Human Performance Improvement (HPI) and Safety are everyone’s responsibility. We cannot be successful by working alone as individuals. We must work together and look out for one another.

Make a practice of observing your co-workers, not only on your job, but as you travel throughout the plant site. Be another set of eyes for workers on other tasks. Strive to be a good peer coach. Do not be afraid to share your thoughts with a co-worker or supervisor. Encourage employees you are working with to peer check your work throughout the day, Be receptive to their thoughts and ideas . It is the right thing and necessary thing to do so ensure we are all safe and error free.

When you coach someone, put yourself in their shoes. You don’t want anyone belittling you, do don’t do it to them.

Instead of saying, “Hey, you are doing that all wrong!” say “I noticed how you were doing that. Don’t you think it would be safer to….? I wouldn’t want you to get hurt.”

Another important item; give them alternatives to their actions. Don’t just tell them what they are doing wrong, but give suggestions on how they could do it better. Discuss the advantages to doing it a different way—tell them what’s in it for them.

Last week’s focal point was on Pre-Job Briefings and how they assist with raising our level of awareness. Just below Fully Conscious, we find Just Reacting. This is not exactly where we want to find ourselves, but it is not uncommon to see or hear our co-workers operating in this condition.

How many of you have either heard or said…..”I’m doing what I was told to do” or “I want to go to work, do what I’m told, and then go home”. By living by this statement, are you Fully Conscious?

Although following procedures, processes, guidance and direction is necessary, it is also necessary that everyone use one of the most important pieces of PPE that you have, “Your Brain”. Blindly following instructions or failing to think through what you have been asked/directed to do is an unsafe behavior itself. Depending on the task and your familiarity with it, this mindset can be either “Just Reacting” or “Automatic”.

Fully ConsciousJust ReactingAutomaticTrue Sleep

Near Miss Communication - Information UseLocation/Site: McGuireEvent Summary: Employee ripped shirt sleeve on metal burr

Behaviors, Error Traps, Flawed Defenses, and/or Latent Organizational Weaknesses Encountered:• Complacency

Employee was disposing of cardboard into a BFI and did not notice the corner metal burr. When throwing cardboard into the BFI, the employees shirt sleeve was caught on the corner burr.

Immediate Corrective Actions:• Coaching and Counseling• Hazard identified, taped and work order submitted to correct condition

The employee was counseled on the importance of more complete Take-A-Minute at the equipment to thoroughly inspect equipment before putting a body part into the line of fire. The burr was taped off and a work order was submitted to eliminate the sharp burr.

Lessons Learned:• The employee will use this as an operating experience to warn other employees of the potential hazards at other

BFI’s. The employee has also learned the importance of a thorough inspection of equipment prior to use.

How Could this Event have been Prevented?Inspections need to be performed on all equipment prior to use.

Near Miss Communication - Significant IncidentLocation/Site: McGuireEvent Summary: Service Technician was walking through Motor Pool when a socket was dropped by a vendor contractor who was working overhead.

Behaviors, Error Traps, Flawed Defenses, and/or Latent Organizational Weaknesses Encountered:• Inexperience• Complacency• Training• No Tether on Tool

When Service employee walked into the supply area, a socket fell from above where another employee was working off of a ladder overhead. The area was not corded off. The vendor contractor was questioned regarding tethering of tools.

Immediate Corrective Actions:• Coaching and Counseling

The vendor contractor was counseled by the BHI Energy employee at the time of the incident occurrence. The event was entered as an FOB for the day. The BHI Employee was later counseled on the importance of immediately communicating such events—the event was not immediately communicated to the lead tech supervisor or the Site Manager.

Lessons Learned:Everyone on site needs to be aware of changing work conditions and maintaining situational awareness for 360 degrees. All work groups that arrive on-site should have a Pre-Job Briefing that includes on-site expectations.

How Could this Event have been Prevented?The vendor contractor should have had a Pre-Job Briefing and been made aware of site expectations.