1. Safety – A Life Saver
On the job accidents can result in injury or death to workers
Aside from the personal effect (loss of income, permanent/total disability, family problems, loss of life’s pleasures) it affects other workers and results in loss of productivity
On the job accidents/injuries also can result in financial losses to the company

2. Green’s Pressure Testing
Hydrostatic Testing performed at a contractor’s yard
Equipment furnished by the employer
Pipe burst in the bend during the test
Green’s employee conducting the test seriously injured
Substantial blood loss nearly died
Severe infection
Blast traumatically severed his left leg
Blast traumatically castrated him

3. WHY? Employer’s attitude toward safety was lax
Employer had a fatality under similar circumstances a few months prior to this at a field in Texas (we found this out during the course of the litigation)
Despite the fatality in Texas the company still did not take safety seriously – response was “accidents happen”
Employer failed to furnish its employees with sufficient equipment to perform the job safely

4. The Cost Human cost to the employee is incalculable
His life and lifestyle and the life of his family is changed forever
Cost of litigation
Final settlement in excess of US $3.0 Million

5. Avoiding the Risks
Safety must be instilled as a part of the culture of the employer
Regular and routine safety meetings to discuss a topic and to give workers the chance to ask questions
JSA – Job Safety Analysis is an essential element in reducing if not eliminating accidents
Must be thorough
Must cover the particular risks of a job/location
Must cover normal, routine risks of the work
Tail gate meetings immediately prior to the daily work to review the site, hazards, risks and routine