TRAP Take Responsibility for Accident Prevention

TRAP TRAP stands for “ Take Responsibility for Accident Prevention.” The TRAP program is an employee-driven program of identifying, evaluating, and eliminating hazards in the workplace. It’s a program that involves both the miner and the manager.

How are traps set in the workplace?

TRAPS may be set by … Normal mining practice A 21-year-old oiler was doing cleanup work next to an energized conveyor belt. He noticed some built-up material under one of the return rollers.

21 year old caught in conveyor

TRAPS may be set by… The workers A welder and two other workers were installing a pipe as part of a new construction project in a plant. They were working on a platform 33 ft off the ground. They had removed a section of the walkway, 2ft x 4ft, to install the pipe.

43 year old falls through platform

TRAPS may be set by… Changing conditions A foreman was in the process of thawing out a platform truck scale by using a hand held propane tank. He had placed the tank with torch under the scale platform and covered the scale with tarps to retain the heat. He returned later that day to add another propane tank.

38 year old dies in explosion

TRAPS may be set by… The environment A bulldozer operator was working his dozer next to a 120’ highwall. During the week the operation had experienced heavy rain and some freezing temperatures.

48 year old covered by falling material

TRAPS may be set… Due to poor communications A worker was helping move some rail cars at a crushed stone operation. The rubber-tired tractor was used to move the cars. The coupler between the rail cars and the tractor had disengaged. He stepped between the tractor and rail cars to reopen the couplers.

63 year old crushed between rail cars

TRAPS may be set… Through design A worker was helping a coworker clean and drain a paddle log washer at the end of the day. The drains had become clogged with material and he entered the log washer to remove the material from the drains.

51 year old caught in machine

One Study Results 1 Major injury 10 Minor injuries 30 Property damage accidents 600 Incidents with no apparent injury/property damage

The Ratio The relationships in the ratio indicate quite clearly how foolish it is to direct our total effort at the relatively few events ending in serious or disabling injury when there are 630 opportunities to identify “TRAPS” that provide a much larger basis for more effective control and elimination of hazards.

In an article titled “Fatal Accidents on the rise in 1997: A Cause for Concern” –Near misses need to be considered as warnings, analyzed, and used to prevent more serious accidents from occurring. –Near misses are incidents which usually indicate the presence of a hazard - or in other words a “trap”.

Traps come and go in the workplace daily, depending on the work activities and the employees. Some are simple, such as a cord stretched across a walkway. Some are more complex, such as a poorly designed set of controls on a mining machine.

Given just the right combination of inattention, timing, and bad luck, a trap can spring its teeth with serious results. What’s often discouraging is that, during many accident investigations, we find that the hazard, or trap, had existed prior to the accident (even involved in a near miss), but went unreported and uncorrected.

Why? The question is, “Why did the trap remain until an accident/incident happened?” Who had the opportunity to identify and correct the TRAP? How many near misses had occurred in the past?

Common Reasons Given Poor understanding of the importance of reporting It’s someone else’s job - not my responsibility Production pressures - don’t have time Fear of discipline Concern about personal accident history Don’t want to get involved

Common Reasons Given Fear of medical treatment Knock one out of the safety incentive program Desire to prevent work interruption Concern about relationship with others Peer pressure No system in place to report or collect near miss situations No one cares

There are many other reasons employees don’t come forward with information concerning hazards or near miss situations. If only employees could understand that near miss situations present the best opportunity to get involved in accident prevention.

Near misses are free opportunities to identify, evaluate, and eliminate existing “traps” in the workplace. Employees are in the best position to recommend solutions to the problems when identified. They often know how to “disarm” the trap situation, if asked to do so.

MSHA looks to management to provide a safe and healthful work environment for the miner. But we should not forget that the Act intended for all employees to be involved and assist in making the workplace safer.

The Mine Act On the first page of the Act, Section 2, Congress declared: (e) “the operators of such mines, with the assistance of the miners, have the primary responsibility to prevent the existence of such conditions and practices in such mines” that would result in death or serious injury. The intent was that management would be assisted by the miners in providing a safe workplace.

The emphasis of this program is not on analyzing accidents which have already happened, but on capturing near miss information or identifying existing traps which have not produced injury or lost time. That is not to say it is not important to properly analyze and correct reportable accidents.

Incident analysis should always take place. The purpose of this program is to encourage employees to report near miss situations or existing “traps” along with helping management find reasonable and economical solutions to problems.

The key to the program’s success is to get all the employees involved. This starts by addressing the barriers to reporting near miss events and creating incentives for identifying “traps”. Companies need to encourage employees to be “TRAP” hunters and find ways to dismantle any traps found.

Old incentive programs which reward employees for not having accidents must evolve into programs which reward employees for reporting near miss situations and existing “traps” along with recommendations to eliminate the hazard. “Take Responsibility for Accident Prevention” is a pro-active program.

Trap involves the worker, the supervisor, management, and even MSHA. The goal to make the workplace safer for everyone.

Questions to consider What are common “traps” at your mining operations? What methods are used to identify “traps” in the workplace? Are you responsible for identifying and removing “traps”? Do supervisors have responsibility to identify and correct “traps”?

More Questions How can “trap” hunting benefit you? How can “trap” hunting work at your company?

What do I need to get started? Establish a program –KISS (Keep it simple sweetheart) Provide TRAP training for employees Develop a method of reporting “traps” Develop a procedure for evaluating solutions Establish benefit of reporting Recognize those who participate Share results

TRAP Committee Organize a TRAP committee made up of management and labor to review and evaluate “trap” suggestions which are submitted.

“TRAP Buster” of the Month Recognition Award/Reward Send suggestion to MSHA’s Accident Reduction Program

Summary Remember: The overall objective and goal of the program should be to identify and eliminate workplace “traps” before they have a chance to snap shut on a worker.

Additional Topics Addressed in the TRAP Program: PowerPoint programs –Task Training –Supervisory Responsibility –Miners’ Rights and Responsibilities