Accident Prevention Principles

Introduction Accidents result from breakdowns in the safety system & represent a management problem Many safety professionals attack accidents by identifying, evaluating, & controlling hazards

Objectives Understand accident prevention & loss control terms Explain causes of accidents Describe methods used in an accident prevention program strategy

Injury Stats Unintentional injuries are the 5th leading cause of death - exceeded by heart disease, cancer, stroke, & chronic pulmonary diseases Between ages 1 - 34, unintentional injuries are leading cause of death

Injury Stats 43% of deaths are motor-vehicle related 5,100 occurred at work 57 ere mining-related 1,190 occurred in construction 28,800 occurred at home 24,100 occurred in public sector

Consequences Loss of life Permanent or temporary disability Minor injury Property damage Loss of production Loss of wages

Consequences Increase in insurance costs Loss of profit Loss of recreation/hobby Pain & suffering (physical & psychological) Litigation settlements

Costs Total cost is over $500 billion Wages & productivity losses (245.6) Medical expenses (77.4) Administrative expenses (77.6) Motor-vehicle damage (40.2) Employer cost (20.0) Fire loss (8.2)

Definitions

Safety An acceptable level of risk Freedom from hazards Science/activity directed at controlling hazards & preventing accidents

Hazard Condition or situation that can cause/contribute to an accident Common hazards include: fall to a lower lever, struck-by, caught in, under, or between, contact with, etc

Accident Unplanned release of energy that results in injury or property damage Usually when force of energy released exceeds threshold limit value of affected body or object

Risk Measure of both probability & severity of all hazards associated with a given activity or condition

Incident Unplanned event that may or may not cause loss All accidents are incidents, but not all incidents are accidents Incidents that do not result in loss indicate a breakdown in the safety system, & investigated

Safety Management Planning, organizing, directing, monitoring/controlling those activities necessary to achieve an organization’s loss prevention & loss control objectives

Loss Control Program whose purpose is to minimize accident-based financial losses Analysis of property damage is considered to be a highly desirable, worthwhile activity

Loss Prevention Describes a before-the-loss (proactive) program designed to identify & correct potential accident problems

Causes Of Accidents Accident cause complex Failure of people, equipment, materials, or environment to behave or react as expected Man Machines Materials Environment

Accident Cause Model Management Safety Policy & Decisions Personal Factors; Environmental Factors Unsafe Act Unsafe Condition Unplanned Release of energy and/or Hazardous Material Accident Personal Injury Property Damage

Energy Release Mechanical Electrical Chemical Thermal Radiation

Unsafe Acts Using defective equipment Servicing equipment in motion Operating equipment without training Operating equipment at improper speeds Failure to warn co-workers

Unsafe Acts Failure to use PPE Improper lifting Failure to lockout/tagout Use of drugs or alcohol Failure to block equipment

Unsafe Conditions Defective tools & equipment Excessive dust/noise Inadequate guards/supports Poorly designed or maintained haul roads Poor lighting Accumulations of combustibles

Personal Factors Inadequate capability (physical & mental aspects) Lack of knowledge Lack of skill Stress Improper motivation

Job Factors Inadequate leadership or supervision Inadequate engineering Inadequate design, layout Inadequate purchasing

Job Factors Inadequate maintenance Inadequate tools, equipment, materials Inadequate work standards Abuse, misuse, wear & tear

Lack of Control Management policies/decisions & failure to insure compliance for: leadership & administration management training planned inspections task analysis & procedures Task observation

Lack of Control Organizational rules Emergency preparedness Accident/incident analysis Accident/incident investigation PPE Engineering controls Purchasing control

Lack of Control Hiring placement Employee training General promotion Personal communication Group meetings Health control Off-the-job safety

Analyzing The Causes Of Accidents Management’s commitment to safety must be transparent through its actions

Accident Prevention Program Strategy Injuries can be prevented when management fully supports the prevention program & everyone lives up to their responsibilities ACCOUNTABILITY

Total Safety Work Culture Strong management commitment to safety is essential Safety is a value, not a priority Priorities get rearranged in reaction to schedules, resources, orders, etc. Values endure & represent a foundation we base our decisions & actions Safety is more than compliance

Total Safety Work Culture Balanced attention given equally to environment, behavior & person Program must be positive, i.e., focusing on implementing safe practices, not avoidance of mistakes or unsafe acts

Total Safety Work Culture Essential that supervisors consistently promote safe performance by words & actions Authority is a powerful force in determining behavior of others

Total Safety Work Culture We should be our brother’s keeper Assuming that no accidents or good incidence rate (IR) means a safe operation is misleading At-risk behavior may have reached or may be reaching critical levels

Role of Management Establish standards/policies Hiring & selection New employee training Skills/task training Adequate job instruction PPE

Role of Management Job analysis procedures Supervisory training Annual refresher safety training Engineering controls Purchasing controls

Role of Management Planned inspections Maintenance Accident investigations Group communications

Role of Management Emergency/evacuation plan First aid care Safety coaching program Performance reinforcing procedures

Role of Management Implement policies & enforce procedures Continuous monitoring & control Plan Do Check Act

Summary The intent of this presentation was to take a proactive approach to accident prevention by systemically identifying, evaluating, and controlling hazards in the workplace