Professional Safety - August 2020

these tasks. Especially if the guards are AVAILABLE FROM ASSP
of the fixed type and heavy, the tenden-
cy to not replace them is foreseeable. Create safety training programs
that learners will love!
Solution: Fixed and moveable ex-
panded metal guards should be painted Order your copy today at assp.us/Safety-Ninja
the same color as the machine to which Print and digital versions available
it is affixed or the expanded metal List Price: $39.95
guarding should be painted a flat black, ASSP Member Price: $31.95
especially if the machine is painted yel-
low, red or orange. assp.org AUGUST 2020 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 49

Table 1 offers some examples for
guidance on workstation design. How-
ever, somewhere during the design
review process, in many cases, these
sound and well-founded ergonomic
considerations (ANSI, 2016) are not
applied or considered until after the
machine is built, commissioned by the
customer and ergonomic-related inci-
dents begin to occur on the shop floor
(Seiden, 1984).

The infusion of ergonomic applications
in the design safety review process helps
this interdependency and drives the
compatibility factor. The benefits can be
measured and realized, improving effi-
ciency, productivity and safety. PSJ

References

ANSI. (2016). Ergonomics guideline for
the design, installation and use of machine
tools (ANSI B11 TR1-2016).

Bass, L. (1986). Products liability: Design
and manufacturing defects. Shepard’s/Mc-
Graw-Hill.

International Organization for Stan-
dardization (ISO). (2016). Ergonomics prin-
ciples in the design of work systems (ISO
6385:2016).

McCormick, E. & Sanders, M. (1982).
Human factors in engineering and design.
McGraw-Hill.

Seiden, R.M. (1984). Product safety engi-
neering for managers: A practical handbook
and guide. Prentice-Hall.

Sten, D. (2009). Critical key elements in
designing an effective product safety system
[Unpublished doctoral dissertation]. U.S.
Library of Congress.

Doug Sten, CSP, CMSE, CHCM, CEA, is a
senior machine safety consultant for Pilz Auto-
mation Safety, where he provides design-safe-
ty-related services for original equipment
manufacturers and end users. He has more than
25 years of product safety experience including
time with Pride Mobility Products, a healthcare
mobility provider, and the former Uniloy Mi-
lacron, a plastics machinery manufacturer. He
holds a Ph.D. in Safety Engineering from Warren
National University and an M.S. in Safety Man-
agement from West Virginia University. Sten is
a professional member of ASSP’s Mid-Michigan
Chapter and a member of the Society’s Engineer-
ing and Ergonomics practice specialties.

VANTAGE POINT

SOCIAL SYSTEMS & PSYCHOLOGICAL SAFETY

Add New Meaning to Safety Culture

By Rosa Antonia Carrillo

Having spent 25 years using safety culture concepts to design and implement leadership and employee
engagement programs. I have concluded that the OSH profession has gotten many things wrong about safety
culture, perhaps most significantly that it can be controlled and managed.

This led to the mistaken belief that a quality of communication and organization- Psychological Safety
leader could get others to place a high value al outcomes (Garton, 1995). My conclusions Let’s start with one of the most desirable
on work safety without interacting with are based on two parallel areas of research.
them in deep and meaningful ways. Work- attributes of a mature safety program: Em-
ers are asked to make personal changes in First, neuroscience established that the ployees willing to speak up and stop the un-
thinking and habits that might go against human need for relationship, belonging safe actions of others. Edmondson’s (1999;
a lifetime of experience. Such change is too and inclusion is as strong as the need for 2002) research shows that correcting others
difficult and complex to convey in any way food and shelter (Rock, 2009). By mapping would be difficult for any person to do. Each
other than personal communication. brain reactions through MRIs, scans and personal interaction is fraught with anxiety
electrodes, scientists discovered that the due to the risk of losing face. We save face
Another important aspect the profession brain perceives exclusion and ostracism as for ourselves when we do not ask a question
has gotten wrong is that fixing the safety a threat of harm ranging from physical to because everyone else in the room seems to
culture is the cure for messy emotions such as fatal (Eisenberger et al., 2003). Thus, fail- know what something means. We save face
mistrust that produce unwanted results. We ing to meet employee needs for belonging for others when we do not question them if
cannot get rid of it and we do not know how is as severe as not paying employees. Em- we think they are making a mistake.
to deal with it, so we contain it with an am- ployers do not see the negative effects as
biguous label and put it away. I want to open quickly, but employees with the option of Causing someone to lose face is a big rea-
that container so that we can address its con- moving on to another job will do so. son that some people retaliate or get angry
tents and transform it in a practical manner. when they are told about a mistake. Their
Second is the study of psychological safe- natural instinct is to feel a threat to their
Safety culture is ensconced. I have been ty, a shared belief that the team is safe for in- standing in the community. Of course, this
contributing to it since developing the terpersonal risk taking. It can be defined as causes tremendous problems and stress in
model for safety as an open system with “feeling able to show and employ one’s self the workplace. It leads to not sharing or
culture at its center (Simon & Simon, 1995). without fear of negative consequences to asking for the information we need to be
I hesitate to declare that it is time to move self-image, status or career” (Kahn, 1990). successful and avoid incidents. In short, psy-
on to a more actionable model. Yet, there Creating conditions of psychological safety chological safety is the condition that must
are significant reasons to move the focus is also essential to learning (Carmeli et al., exist in the workplace for people to speak out
to social systems and psychological safety 2009; Edmondson, 1999; 2002). Google’s or admit a mistake without fear of losing face.
to prevent disasters, fatalities and serious People Operations followed up on Edmond-
injuries. Most importantly, social systems son’s research and validated that the com- Social Systems
and psychological safety do a better job at pany’s highest performing teams reported My research on social systems indicates
helping us understand what people need that “fear of ridicule” was absent (Rozovsky,
from leaders so they can do what needs to 2015). Finally, abusive supervisor behaviors that assessing the quality of social inter-
be done to prevent these tragedies. were found to lead to lower safety perfor- actions in the workplace is a better way to
mance in studies with airline pilots and improve performance. It points to where the
New Research on industrial workers (Yang et al., 2020). problems typically assigned to safety culture
Human Relationships & Emotions begin so that we can address them at the root.
Practical Applications
In The Relationship Factor in Safety of Social Systems Within social systems there are other
Leadership (Carrillo, 2019), I describe the systems such as cultural, economic, de-
neurological and behavioral science that As the implications of these insights mographic and organizational systems
led me to understand why relationships are kicked in, I began to explore how meeting (Burns et al., 1994). Social systems are
important to performance. It is through rela- or not meeting the need for inclusion, fields that influence members’ decisions
tionship that all communication takes place. belonging and psychological safety could about the right and wrong way to do
It includes how we treat each other, come to impact workplace safety and overall per- things. They also influence the type of
agreement on what something means, what formance. I also talked to successful leaders social interaction that takes place. These
to do about it, and who is included or exclud- to gain practical knowledge about how we social interactions include collaboration,
ed. These social interactions determine the could go about implementing these ideas. conflict, competition, coercion and social
exchanges (e.g., people form relationships
Vantage Point based on self-interest). Power relations
are also played out in these interactions
Vantage Point articles in Professional Safety provide a forum for authors with distinct viewpoints to (Bourdieu, 1980/1990; Merrill, 1957).
share their ideas and opinions with ASSP members and the OSH community. The goal is to encourage
and stimulate critical thinking, discussion and debate on matters of concern to the OSH profession. Social structures and cultures are found-
The views and opinions expressed are strictly those of the author(s) and are not necessarily endorsed ed upon social interactions. By interacting
by Professional Safety, nor should they be considered an expression of official policy by ASSP. with one another, people design rules,
institutions and systems within which they

50 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY AUGUST 2020 assp.org

seek to live (Carpentier, 2015). It makes SCYTHER5/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
sense that social interaction lies at the core
of developing organizational culture.

Sociotechnical Systems Conclusion Research and Behavioral Science, 26(1), 81-98.
Emery and Trist (1965) coined the term People say to me, these ideas are noth- https://doi.org/10.1002/sres.932

“sociotechnical systems.” One of the ear- ing new. I agree. Is there such a thing as Carpentier, N. (2015). Differentiating be-
liest experiments that led organizational an original thought? I have an idea and tween access, interaction and participation.
researchers to identify the connection the next person builds on it. Now the idea Conjunctions: Transdisciplinary Journal of Cul-
between worker relationships and produc- belongs to them. But the words are new. I tural Participation, 2(2), 9-28. https://doi.org/
tivity took place in British mines. It showed am trying to say it in a way that might help 10.7146/tjcp.v2i2.23117
that the way workers interacted had a defin- others understand, adopt and use them. 
itive influence on productivity and safety. Carrillo, R.A. (2019). The relationship factor
Nothing can alter the human need to in safety leadership: Achieving success through
The work groups had been accustomed to belong. Baked into humanity’s DNA, it will employee engagement. Routledge.
sharing tasks and taking care of each other’s drive our response to social interactions.
families if one person was unable to work. Now we know why an act perceived as disre- Edmondson, A. (1999). Psychological safety
To improve efficiency, the mine owners dis- spect can elicit a violent response. It triggers and learning behavior in work teams. Admin-
banded the groups and assigned people to do the fear of death. All leaders instinctively istrative Science Quarterly, 44(2), 350-383.
one repetitive task all day. Production plum- know this, at times unconsciously. Unless the https://doi.org/10.2307/2666999
meted, while absenteeism and conflict grew. organization meets social needs, any efforts
Emery and Trist noted that disrupting the such as organizational design, goal tracking Edmondson, A.C. (2002). Managing the
relationships was detrimental to productivi- systems and big data have limited value. risks of learning: Psychological safety on work
ty because it damaged their social system. Meeting the need to belong leads to buy-in. teams. Harvard Business School Working Pa-
per No. 02-062. www.hbs.edu/faculty/Publica
Culture as a Social System What will it take to put these ideas into tion%20Files/02-062_0b5726a8-443d-4629
Culture is a subsystem of social systems. action? Continual learning and assuming -9e75-736679b870fc.pdf
the responsibility to foster inclusion and
After Chernobyl, the concept of safety belonging in every interaction is a leader- Emery, F. & Trist, E. (1965). The causal texture of or-
culture emerged. It made a powerful con- ship mindset. We cannot force or demand ganizational environments. Human Relations, 18, 21-32.
nection between leadership and the level of that managers and supervisors be leaders.
priority that safety held in the organization. To be a leader, you have to volunteer. It is Eisenberger, N.I., Lieberman, M.D. & Wil-
The idea of safety culture remains strong, not a job; it is a calling. Having said that, liams, K.D. (2003). Does rejection hurt? An fMRI
but we have lost the original social systems a calling does not always show up as, “I study of social exclusion. Science, 302(5643), 290-
connection to relationship: the importance want to be a leader!” It might begin as a 292. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1089134
of well-being and belonging. We are now in quiet dissatisfaction with the way things
a position to rethink social systems and to are and an idea to make things better. Garton, A.F. (1995). Social interaction and the de-
pursue psychological safety. Then we have to decide if we choose to velopment of language and cognition. Psychology Press.
lead the effort for change. PSJ
The Relationship Factor in Kahn, W.A. (1990). Psychological conditions
Transformational Safety Leadership References of personal engagement and disengagement at
work. Academy of Management Journal, 33(4),
While doing 360° assessments, I found Bourdieu, P. (1990). The logic of practice (R. 692-724. www.jstor.org/stable/256287
that successful leaders use 1-hour weekly Nice, Trans.). Stanford University Press. (Orig-
conversations with upper-level direct inal work published 1980) Merrill, F.E. (with Eldredge, H.W.). (1957).
reports and frequent field or floor visits Society and culture: An introduction to sociolo-
with employees. Supervisor-employee Burns, T.J., Kick, E.L., Murray, D.A. & Mur- gy. Prentice-Hall.
personal interactions happen daily. This ray, D.A. (1994). Demography, development
is where leaders find out what is going on and deforestation in a world-system perspec- Rock, D. (2009). Your brain at work: Strategies
in the lives and work of direct reports. tive. International Journal of Comparative So- for overcoming distraction, regaining focus, and
The easiest time to fix or prevent prob- ciology, 35(3-4), 221-239. https://doi.org/10 working smarter all day long. HarperCollins.
lems is when they first happen. It is also .1163/002071594X00255
where relationships are built as leaders Rozovsky, J. (2015, Nov. 17). The five keys
support personal development or encour- Carmeli, A., Brueller, D. & Dutton, J.E. to a successful Google team. re:Work. https://
age innovation. That is how leaders create (2009). Learning behaviors in the workplace: rework.withgoogle.com/blog/five-keys-to-a
the conditions that allow employees to The role of high-quality interpersonal rela- -successful-google-team
stop or fix unsafe conditions, report mis- tionships and psychological safety. Systems
takes, and share information. Simon, R.A. & Simon, S. (1995, March). Re-
designing the safety, health and environmental
Unfortunately, the dominant management function for the year 2000. Professional Safety,
social system does not place a priority on 40(3), 26-31.
one-on-one conversations. Management ed-
ucation does not focus on understanding and Yang, L.-Q., Zheng, X., Liu, X., Lu, C.-q. &
embracing the need to belong. U.S. culture Schaubroeck, J.M. (2020). Abusive supervision,
supports individualism where it is hard to ad- thwarted belongingness and workplace safety:
mit that you feel excluded without losing face. A group engagement perspective. Journal of
Applied Psychology, 105(3), 230-244. https://
doi.org/10.1037/apl0000436

Rosa Antonia Carrillo, MSOD, is a dedicated champion of promoting safety, well-being and
inclusion in the workplace. She has devoted her career to coaching, teaching and developing leaders
to be people centered. Her work has helped companies transform their safety performance for more
than 25 years in oil and gas, pharmaceutical, nuclear, mining, manufacturing, and power generation in
multiple countries. Carrillo holds a master’s degree in Organizational Development from Pepperdine
University. She served as adjunct faculty at the Presidential Key Executive M.B.A. program for Pepper-
dine, and provided consulting in leadership and high performance team development. She is a member
of ASSP’s Long Beach Chapter and the Society’s Women in Safety Excellence Common Interest Group.

assp.org AUGUST 2020 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 51

PRODUCT PULSE

Dust Heat Protection
Suppression
Magid has launched a line of cooling
Brokk’s Atomized Water Mist PPE, Magid Cool Powered by MISSION,
System is designed to combat
harmful silica dust and other which includes bandanas, neck gai-
airborne particles created by ters, face covers, towels and skull caps
the demolition process. Dust designed to combat heat illness in the
suppression system produces workplace. Fabrics cool to 30 °F below
the average body temperature in less
10-micron mist droplets to than 60 seconds and stay cool for up to 2
bond with silica droplets.
www.brokkinc.com hours, according to manufacturer.
www.magidglove.com

Employee Dropped Tool
Wellness Prevention

Fitbit’s Ready for Work Radians’ tether system features
solution gives employ- a heavy-duty and multipurpose
ees access to key health survey vest with tethers designed
metrics through wearable to reduce the risk of dropped ob-
devices along with expo- jects. Workers can attach tools
sure, symptom and tem-
perature logging. Product to the tether inside grommet-
also features reporting ed anchor pockets when the
and analytics for employ- items are not in use, reducing
ers to assess and monitor the risk of entanglement and
workplace safety and tools snagging on nearby items,
health. Daily check-in fea- according to manufacturer.
ture highlights changes in Tethers can accommodate
resting heart rate, heart rate items such as hard hats, tablets,
variabililty and breathing cell phones, tape measures or
rate alongside self-reported tools up to 2 lb.
symptoms, temperature www.radians.com
and COVID-19 exposure.
Based on these factors, the Foot Protection
solution helps employees
decide whether to stay home Keen Utility’s Flint II work boot is designed for workers in construction and other industries
or go to work. that require toe protection and slip resistance. Outsole reportedly disperses liquid quickly
www.fitbit.com for improved traction, while reflective webbing enhances visibility. According to manufac-
turer, boot is electrical-hazard rated to provide a secondary source of protection
in case of contact with live electrical circuits.
www.keenfootwear.com

Stair Tread

Wooster Products’ STAIRMASTER anti-slip renovation safe-
ty stair tread enhances front-edge visibility and is designed
for indoor or outdoor applications on exit path markings,
safety egress systems or landings. Heat-treated, corrosion-re-
sistant product reportedly can withstand heavy pedestrian
traffic. Anti-slip filler and photoluminescent binder ensure
visibility and reduce the risk of slips and trips on stairs, ac-
cording to manufacturer.
www.woosterproducts.com

Publication of this material does not imply testing, review or endorsement
by ASSP. To submit a product for this section, send an e-mail to professional
[email protected]. Be sure to include product and contact information, along
with a high-resolution product photo.

52 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY AUGUST 2020 assp.org

Safety Reporting Lone Worker Safety

The Connecteam employee organizational app provides em- Industrial Scientific’s TGX Gateway vehicle-installed lone
ployees and employers with resources and reporting capabil- worker monitoring solution wirelessly connects field personnel
ity. Workers can send real-time safety reports to an office or to safety contacts. Product reportedly transmits location, gas
supervisor for evaluation and response. Product reportedly readings and real-time alerts from wireless gas detectors. With
delivers safety protocols, tips and resources to employees in
one centralized place. Managers and safety officers can mon- dual-cellular and satellite connectivity, product is designed
itor training progress by checking whether employees have for work in remote locations where Wi-Fi, ethernet or cellular
completed courses or quizzes and sending reminders to those
who have not finished. Management can also send real-time alone cannot reliably connect workers to safety personnel.
updates and safety protocols through the app to increase em- www.indsci.com
ployee awareness and response.
https://connecteam.com

Hearing Protection Retractable Lifeline

Protective Industrial Products Inc. has launched Pure Safety Group’s Guardian retractable horizontal lifeline is designed
a line of disposable foam earplugs. Product line for use in either fall arrest or fall restraint applications. During a fall, de-
includes corded, uncorded and metal-detectable vice deploys an extending metal energy absorber to reduce peak loads to
styles. PowerSoft technology reportedly allows foam anchorage structures. Product can also be used as part of a fall restraint
to expand gently and evenly inside the ear canal.
system to prevent the worker from reaching the leading edge of a fall
www.pipglobal.com hazard. Product features a 60-ft galvanized cable that is reportedly du-
rable, portable and designed for temporary use. Energy absorber clearly

indicates when device has been involved in a fall.
www.puresafetygroup.com

Access Monitoring Hard Hat

Everbridge’s Control Center is a physi- Lift Safety’s Dax Carbon Fiber
cal security information management Cap hard hat is designed for
software platform that utilizes video and workers in construction,
thermal cameras, badge access and other manufacturing, and oil and
building systems to ensure the safety and gas. Carbon fiber shell
protection of employees as well as com- provides impact protec-
pliance with social distancing and PPE tion, while ratcheting dial
policies. The platform is designed to au- allows worker to adjust
tomate temperature checking of visitors sizing. According to
and employees; evaluate building, floor manufacturer, synthetic
and room capacity thresholds via badge leather and molded
access and issues an alert if too many foam insert provides
individuals are in an area; and monitor shock-absorbing protection
temperature, humidity and ventilation to the top of the head. Mois-
following local and national guidelines. ture-wicking foam-backed mi-
www.everbridge.com
crofiber liner reduces sweat buildup.
https://liftsafety.com

Gas Monitor

Blackline Safety’s G7 EXO direct-to-cloud gas monitor reportedly with-
stands harsh conditions and utilizes 4G connectivity to deliver accurate gas
monitoring. Features include 24/7 live monitoring service, simultaneous
monitoring of up to five gases, automated usage and compliance reporting,
integrated GPS and location beacon positioning technology, and optional
push-to-talk voice communication across 100 channels. Product is designed
for use in areas such as oil and chemical terminals, fence lines and perime-
ters, spill sites, drilling rigs and facility maintenance projects.
www.blacklinesafety.com

assp.org AUGUST 2020 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 53

CONTINUING EDUCATION

MIHAILOMILOVANOVIC/E+/GETTY IMAGES Online

August 26-27
SafetyFOCUS: Construction
This event features 12 concurrent sessions and live question-and-answer discussion
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through design, health hazards, silica standards, crisis management, contractor safety
prequalification and prejob hazard analysis. Attendees will have access to all recorded
education sessions for 30 days after the event.
ASSP; (847) 699-2929; https://safetyfocus.assp.org

AUGUST 2020 Online Online
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54 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY AUGUST 2020 assp.org

VANTAGE POINT

PROJECT ACCELERATION

Juggling the Dichotomy of Safety vs. Production

By Cory J. Grimmer

Accelerating project schedule can pay dividends in meeting production schedule. Negative consequences
may follow, however, if safety and quality are sacrificed for the sake of pushing production or trying to
remain ahead of schedule.

In such cases, any benefit that may have very dangerous in my opinion to effects identified by Nepal et al. (2006)
been received by driving schedule is often ignore that. will diminish.
offset by losses due to injury, rework and
lower production from workers. Whether there is some measure of Prioritization of safety and quality
truth to this statement, the slogan of in union with production is necessary.
Nepal et al. (2006) performed an em- “safety first” tends to be popular for Prioritizing safety in particular priori-
pirical investigation that collected survey many companies; however, while worker tizes the workforce. The true measure of
data from 102 construction practitioners safety is important to most managers, success is a company’s ability to juggle all
working on 38 construction sites. They meeting production drives future busi- three components of the safety, quality
found that negative effects of schedule ness. As a direct result, a production-first and production triangle and manage it
pressure arose primarily by working out of mentality often will be the driving force efficiently at every level.
sequence, generating work defects requir- behind most business decisions.
ing rework, cutting corners and even from Success of this strategy is contingent
workers losing motivation to work. To min- Rather than look at this problem as one upon buy-in from ownersship. A funda-
imize these adverse effects, the researchers induced by schedule pressure, a deeper mental shift in both thinking and behav-
recommend scheduling construction dive must be initiated. Often a pronounced ior, in addition to an organization-wide
activities realistically through proactive dichotomy exists between safety and pro- commitment is not easy but can be
planning, motivating workers and estab- duction. While the safety of workers is achieved through consistent reinforce-
lishing an effective mechanism for project important to the majority of companies, ment of these values from top tier leader-
coordination and communication. when acceleration of production goals ship. As this paradigm shift in company
comes around, the best safety cultures can values occurs, safety and quality will be
While this study does not directly place safety on the back burner in an effort at the forefront of leadership’s goals, even
correlate schedule pressure with safety, it to meet production demands. in the midst of chaos. PSJ
touches on the negative effects on quality
that can result from pushing schedules. Perhaps a fresh view of this issue should References
When schedules are applied to meet be considered. While some think of safety
production goals, safety is often the first and quality as antithetical to production, Nepal, M.P., Park, M. & Son, B. (2006). Ef-
casualty, quickly followed by a downturn in reality, safety + quality + production = fects of schedule pressure on construction per-
in quality. successful business (profit). A company formance. Journal of Construction Engineering
that prioritizes the safety and quality of and Management, 132(2). https://doi.org/10
Mike Rowe (2009) of Dirty Jobs says: work being performed in conjunction .1061/(ASCE)0733-9364(2006)132:2(182)
with production during project acceler-
Of all the platitudes automati- ation will find meeting production goals Rowe, M. (2009, Mar. 1). The only one
cally embraced in the workplace easier to achieve. In turn, the negative responsible for my own safety is me. https://
. . . there is none more pervasive, mikerowe.com/2009/03/the-only-one-respon
erroneous, overused and danger- sible-for-my-own-safety-is-me
ous, than “Safety First!” in my
opinion. Cory J. Grimmer, CSP, CHST, is a safety manager at Intermech Inc. and has 15 years’ OSH experi-
ence. He has held various safety roles across many industries including work in oil and gas, manufactur-
Is it important? Of course. But ing, wind energy, government projects and industrial construction. Grimmer holds a B.S. in Safety and
is it more important than getting Health Management from Central Washington University. He is a professional member of ASSP’s Lower
the job done? No. Not even close. Columbia Basin Chapter.
Making money is more important
than safety—always—and it’s Math Toolbox, continued from pp. 42-47

Vantage Point Answers: Seeing Is Believing: Helping 3.

Workers Understand How Load Angles

Vantage Point articles in Professional Safety Affect Sling Tension
provide a forum for authors with distinct view- You Do the Math 4.




points to share their ideas and opinions with
ASSP members and the OSH community. The Your answers may vary slightly due to
goal is to encourage and stimulate critical think- How Much Have I Learned?
ing, discussion and debate on matters of concern rounding.
to the OSH profession. The views and opinions
expressed are strictly those of the author(s) and 1.


5.



are not necessarily endorsed by Professional
Safety, nor should they be considered an expres- 2.


, 6.



sion of official policy by ASSP.
which approximates the value of 2,828 lb
in the chart

assp.org AUGUST 2020 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 55

BY THE WAY

Odor in •Grendene’s bubble-gum NOT THE
the Court scented jelly sandals WAY
•Bushnell Inc.’s banana,
While this usually involves evergreen, ammonium and Flip-flop
patents for written works, kerosene scented gun cleaner season
some companies have trade- •Sandal Island LLC’s tropical
marked the scent of their coconut scented footwear Photo by Art
products. To complete this •LeVian’s chocolate scented Williams,
process, trademark applica- jewelry
tions provide a sample to be •Hasbro Play-Doh scent, International
smelled by a government ex- described as “sweet, slightly Chapter
aminer. If an examiner’s nose musky, vanilla fragrance,
is “under the weather,” the with slight overtones of cher- Safety is serious business. But unsafe practices still occur and we hope
attorney is required to have a ry, combined with the smell these “Not the Way” images help you recognize and eliminate more
supervisor do the sniffing. of a salted, wheat-based
Fewer than a dozen scent dough” hazards in the workplaces you influence.
trademarks are currently
active in the USPTO. FOTOTOCAM/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS “Nothing can beat the
Here are some unexpected GENCY
trademarked scents in the WILLIAM MORRIS A smell of dew and flowers
database:
•Verizon stores’ “flowery, and the odor that comes
musk scent”
out of the earth when the
ARTBESOURO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
sun goes down.“

Ethel Waters

The Nose Knows

•A bear’s sense of smell results are admissible evi- •Big cats have been
found to enjoy Calvin
is 2,100 times better than dence in a court of law. Klein’s Obsession co-
logne. They take long
that of a human, and •Honeybees have been whiffs and cuddle
against those wearing it.
bears are believed to have trained to locate land The perfume was used to
capture an escaped tiger
the most robust sense of mines because of their in India.

smell of all animals. acute sense of smell.

•Not only can mos- •Rats can identify tu-

quitoes smell your blood berculosis in people at

type, they prefer type O. levels undetectable by

•Bloodhounds are so sophisticated laboratory

adept at tracking that their techniques.

Music to Your Nose BRUEV/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS If you have a photo, cartoon, joke or interesting safety
item you’d like to submit for publication on this page,
•“Lemon Disinfectant,” Lorraine Bowen send your contribution to professionalsafety@assp
•“Wake Up and Smell the Coffee,” .org. Submissions will not be returned. Please include

The Cranberries original photographer’s name.

•“Stop and Smell the Roses” Mac

Davis

•“Underarms,” Grandmaster Flash
•“I Smell Trouble,” Buddy Guy
•“Love Stinks,” J. Geils Band
•“Fragrance,” Kamu
•“Smelly Cat,” Lisa Kudrow
•“That Smell,” Lynyrd Skynyrd
•“Smells Like Teen Spirit,” Nirvana
•“Perfume,” Britney Spears
•“Incense and Peppermints” Strawberry

Alarm Clock

•“I Think I Smell a Rat,” The White Stripes

56 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY AUGUST 2020 assp.org



I AM A SAFETY
PROFESSIONAL

“Being a safety professional
means helping small
businesses deal with their
safety needs. There are a lot
of companies that intend to
do good by their employees
and by public health, but
they just don’t know how.”

ERIC DANGOY, ASP, MPH

EHS Consultant
Scientific Control Laboratories Inc.

ASSP.ORG