Robert Gils, CIH (bob@rgaenv.com) and Joan Nelson Brave, Sr. Safety Consultant (joan.nelsonbrave@rgaenv.com) with RGA have both just completed a number of safety audits for both public and private clients. Both were surprised to see more safety violations than they had in the past at the same facilities. As companies downsize and reduce employee hours it is as if basic safety housekeeping seems to be getting pushed down in the priority list. Many of the violations they noted seem small and perhaps innocuous to some: unbolted bookcases and cabinets; items stacked overhead; expired fire extinguishers; and file boxes blocking egress from work area. We’re hoping that seeing more and more housekeeping related safety violations isn’t a sign of future trends towards greater antipathy towards maintaining a culture of safety.
Keeping safety a priority in times of reduced staff and cash is challenging for even the most savvy managers. Some companies are lucky enough to have annual safety audits included with their general liability or worker’s compensation insurance package. As economic times worsen, however, many brokers and carriers no longer include safety audits as means to be more price competitive. Pro-active companies conduct regular walkthroughs of their facilities to identify and correct safety violations before accidents occur. Using internal staff can help reduce expenses however often they are insufficient trained or simply are so used to the “landscape” they overlook violations that would be obvious to a well-trained outside safety inspector. If you are looking to bring safety inspections in-house, considered creating a checklist with an outside inspector, increasing the frequency of walk throughs using internal staff and using an outside consultant on an occasional basis as a fresh set of eyes. Also, consider suscribing to an online service such as the Cal-OSHA Reporter to see a daily listing of safety violations from across the nation.
JoAnn Copperud, CEO – Emeryville, CA
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