EXOSKELETONS
for Injury Prevention
Identifying Toxic
Leadership & Building
Worker Resilience
Inside the Active Shooter
Technical Report
Leading Edge Fall Protection
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CONTENTS
Features
Peer-Reviewed
32 38 46
EXOSKELETONS Identifying RISK-TAKING
Used as PPE for TOXIC LEADERSHIP BEHAVIOR
Injury Prevention & Building Worker The Role Emotions Play
Resilience
By Terry Butler and Jason C. By Christopher Garrabrant
Gillette By Gary L. Winn and Ava C.
Dykes The reasons individuals place
This article examines the poten- themselves or others in harm’s
tial consideration of exoskele- Toxic leaders work for them- way may not be readily apparent.
tons as PPE for shoulder injury selves or against the goals of Emotions may play a deeper role
prevention. It provides a brief their organizations, resulting in than workers believe. Acting
introduction to injury preven- a dysfunctional environment. contrary to known safe work
tion and ergonomic assessment, This article seeks to help man- practices is often cited as a fail-
and examines studies that have agement understand how orga- ure of judgment on the part of
investigated shoulder muscle fa- nizational conditions can allow the worker for which the sole
tigue and ergonomic assessments some leaders to become toxic. remedy is often admonishment
of exoskeletons. The authors It describes how workers and for the behavior. Absent any
introduce a series of studies managers can defend themselves form of impairment, whether
conducted to assess the poten- and their organizations against from substance or fatigue, this
tial use of exoskeletons as PPE. toxic leaders. Finally, the article view is too narrow in focus to
Test methods presented provide explains how authentic leaders be of much value when seeking
quantitative data to support deci- can build a culture of morale causation and may hinder the
sions about whether exoskeletons and improved organizational discovery and learning processes
should be classified as PPE. resilience. used to prevent recurrence.
MARCH 2019 ABOUT PROFESSIONAL SAFETY
VOL. 64, NO. 3
Professional Safety is a blind peer-reviewed journal published monthly by
COVER the American Society of Safety Professionals, the oldest professional safety
society. Professional Safety keeps the professional OSH specialist informed on
An upper body developments in the research and technology of incident prevention, industry
exoskeleton is a wear- best practices and safety management techniques.
able technology en- Judgments made or opinions expressed in Professional Safety feature articles,
gineered to improve news sections, letters to the editor, meeting reports or related journal content
upper extremity mus- do not necessarily reflect the views of the editor, nor should they be considered
an expression of official policy by ASSP. They are published for the purpose of
culoskeletal health stimulating independent thought on matters of concern to the OSH profession
in workers who and its practitioners.
engage in repetitive Correspondence should be addressed to the editor. Editor reserves the right to
arm motion or static edit manuscripts and other submissions in order to improve clarity and style, and
elevation of the arms. for length.
Photo VMG Cinematic
2 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
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CONTENTS
Departments
6 President’s Message 30 Worth Reading EDITORIAL STAFF
Three trends posing organizational Book reviews of Nudge, and Health Tina Angley, Editor
risk that we can influence and Safety Management (847) 768-3438;
[email protected]
7 Reader Forum 51 Best Practices
Feedback on our January 2019 issue The importance of structure and Sarah Astra, Associate Editor
discipline with strategic safety plans (847) 768-3414;
8 ASSP Connection [email protected]
Meet the candidates in ASSP’s 2019 54 Standards Insider
election, on-site training, volunteer Active shooter technical report: Griffin White, Assistant Editor
leadership opportunities Q&A with Brian Hammer, Z590.5 (847) 768-3468;
Committee Chair [email protected]
13 Safety Matters
Scaffolding safety, de-escalating 57 Best Practices Publication Design Inc.
aggression in healthcare settings, Antiviolence policies for the Design Consultants
mine safety, opioid overdose workplace
EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD
21 PSJ Asks 58 Product Pulse Frank G. D’Orsi, CSP, ARM, Chair
An interview with Justin Molocznik, The latest safety innovations
ASSP Editorial Review Board member Frank J. Bruzzese, CSP, CIH, CPCU
61 Vantage Point
22 Leading Thoughts The curse of knowledge Salvatore Caccavale, CHMM, CPEA
Becoming a safety rock star
62 Continuing Education David A. Dodge, P.E., CSP
26 Best Practices March, April and May educational
Leading edge fall protection opportunities Cari M. Elofson, CHST
29 Checkpoints 64 By the Way E. Andrew Kapp, Ph.D., CSP, CHMM
Industrial foot protection A little gratitude goes a long way
Steve Minshall, CSP, CIH
Professional Safety copyright Professional Safety is available
©2019 by American Society of free online to ASSP members at Justin J. Molocznik, CSP, CHST
Safety Professionals. All rights www.assp.org/publications/
reserved. No copyright is claimed in professional-safety. Articles are SOCIETY OFFICERS
any works of the U.S. government also available via microform Rixio E. Medina, CSP, CPP
that may be published herein. and/or electronic databases President
For information on reprinting or from ProQuest, P.O. Box 1346,
reproducing articles published in Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1346 USA; Diana M. Stegall, CSP, CFPS,
Professional Safety, visit www.assp phone +1 (800) 521-0600. For ALCM, ARM, CPCU
.org/publications/professional-safety. specific format details, visit www.proquest President-Elect
.com.
PSJ (ISSN 0099 0027) is published Deborah R. Roy, M.P.H., R.N.,
monthly by the American Society of Safety POSTMASTER: Send address changes CSP, COHN-S, CET, FAAOHN
Professionals, 520 N. Northwest Highway, to Change of Address Dept., ASSP, 520 N. Senior Vice President
Park Ridge, IL 60068-2538 USA; phone (847) Northwest Highway, Park Ridge, IL 60068-
699-2929; [email protected]. 2538 USA. Christine M. Sullivan, CSP, ARM
Periodicals postage paid at Park Ridge, IL, Vice President, Finance
and at additional mailing offices.
Todd William Loushine, Ph.D.,
P.E., CSP, CIH
Vice President,
Professional Development
Jennifer M. McNelly
Chief Executive Officer
ADVERTISING REPRESENTATIVE
Michael Sanders
(847) 232-2038;
[email protected]
4 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
Communicate the plan.
Be Prepared.
Save lives.
Workplace violence is a growing concern. The ASSP
Active Shooter/Armed Assailant Plan incorporates
recognized best practices to give organizations the
tools they need to protect their employees from harm.
Learn more at assp.us/safetystandards
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE
THREE TRENDS WE CAN INFLUENCE
Rixio Medina Driver safety, substance abuse and Women experienced 22% of all workplace
facility security have long been recog- homicides, violent acts that were often perpe-
Connect With Rixio nized as organizational risks. Let’s take a trated by a relative or domestic partner.
closer look at the impact these issues con-
Join Rixio on LinkedIn, follow tinue to have on worker safety and health. Workplace violence also produces many
him on Twitter or comment on traumatic injuries. BLS data for 2017 show
his message at www.assp.org/ Roadway Safety that 18,400 workers in private industry were
news/presidents-message. victim to nonfatal workplace violence, up from
Transportation incidents have been a 16,890 in 2016. Looking at the data from 2016,
By partnering with leading cause of fatal work injuries in the NIOSH reports that 70% of the victims were
colleagues across U.S. for many years. In 2017, these incidents female, 70% worked in the healthcare and
our organizations, were responsible for 2,077 worker deaths, social assistance industry, and 21% required 31
or 40% of all worker fatalities, according to or more days away from work to recover.
engaging our Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
business leaders We Can Have an Impact
BLS also reports that U.S. employers have
and involving 8.6 million vehicles and trucks in their fleets, The toll of these trends is tragic and it
our workers, we approximately 5 million of which are trucks, reaches well beyond our workplaces. We must
can reduce the and some 2.6 million heavy and tractor-trail- begin to effect change around these issues.
devastation these er, light and delivery service drivers. Drivers/ One way we can do this is to influence our de-
issues cause in the sales workers and truck drivers suffered 987 cision-makers to implement current industry
workplace and fatalities in 2017. This equates to a fatal inju- best practices. For example, the ANSI/ASSP
ry rate of 26.8 per 100,000 full-time equiv- Z15 standard on fleet safety provides guidance
beyond. alent workers, the seventh highest among on addressing impaired, fatigued and distract-
civilian occupations. Within the occupation- ed driving, as well as speed control policies.
al subgroup of driver/sales workers and truck We can also help our employers recognize the
drivers, heavy and tractor-trailer truck driv- potential safety benefits of emerging technolo-
ers had the largest number of fatal occupa- gies such as automated vehicles and drones.
tional injuries with 840, the highest number
for this occupation in the past 14 years. Another opportunity to be change agents
is to demonstrate how a total worker health
Substance Abuse approach can help our organizations better
understand the mental stressors that occur
Unintentional fatal overdoses while at work outside the workplace and how those stress-
caused by nonmedical use of drugs or alcohol ors can diminish workers’ performance inside
increased 25% in 2017 as compared to 2016, the workplace. By taking a holistic approach,
BLS reports. This trend is all the more dis- we expand our conversations about the need
turbing because it marks the fifth consecutive to care about worker safety to include the vital
year in which unintentional workplace over- need to care about our workers 24/7.
dose deaths increased by at least 25%.
We should also help our employers recog-
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug nize that all workplaces are potential targets
Dependence Research (NCADDR) says that for violence. As explained in our newest
16% of emergency room patients injured at technical report, “How to Develop and Im-
work tested positive for alcohol and 11% of plement an Active Shooter/Armed Assailant
workplace fatality victims had been drinking Plan,” preparation makes all the difference in
at the time of the incident. In addition, work- deterring workplace attacks and responding to
ers with an alcohol abuse problem are 270% and recovering from them should they occur.
more likely to experience an incident.
By partnering with colleagues across our
NCADDR also estimates that 70% of organizations, engaging our business leaders
the 14.8 million Americans who use illegal and involving our workers, we can reduce the
drugs are employed. Marijuana is the most devastation these issues cause in the work-
commonly used drug, followed by cocaine. place and beyond. Join us in the ASSP Com-
And we all know that abuse of prescription munity to connect with others and share
drugs, particularly opioids, is a growing your insights, expertise and resources. PSJ
problem across all sectors.
Acts of Violence Rixio Medina, CSP, CPP
Violence and other injuries by persons or
animals caused 807 worker deaths in 2017,
making it the third largest type of major event.
We also know that workplace violence is the
leading cause of death for women at work.
6 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
READER FORUM
Professional Safety encourages readers to write to Reader Forum in response to specific articles, editorials, let-
ters, columns and news reports published in the journal. The editors reserve the right to select which letters will
appear and to edit letters for brevity and clarity. Start the dialogue today by sending your comments to the PSJ
Reader Forum, [email protected].
The Creation of Error ferent work habits. Michelangelo was well
known for his ability to focus tirelessly on a
I’m sure I’m not the only person to single project, immune to distraction.
notice this, but as a part-time professional
artist I am compelled to point out some- No offense intended, and the last page
thing that caught my eye in By the Way of PSJ is always my favorite; a great way to
(PSJ, January 2019, p. 56). wrap up our journal every month!
The article entitled “Not Wasted Time” (P.S. The ceiling of the guest bathroom
starts by describing how Leonardo da Vinci in my home displays The Creation of Adam
was often distracted by ideas he scribbled in portion of the Sistine Chapel painting. Nei-
his sketchbooks, and ends by saying “next ther Leonardo nor Michelangelo painted
time you find yourself drawing inventions in that one; I did. The odd thing is that
your sketchbook instead of painting the ceil- although we’ve had tons of parties and
ing of the Sistine Chapel. . . .” dinner guests, many of whom have
used this bathroom, this painting was
The references to the sketchbook in both on the ceiling for a full 7 years before
the first and last paragraphs imply that Leon- anyone mentioned that they noticed it.)
ardo da Vinci had something to do with
painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Bill Kincaid, P.E., CSP, CET
which he did not. That artist was Michelange-
lo di Lodovico Buonarroti, a contemporary of Editor’s note: Thanks for your eagle eye,
da Vinci who was an equal to da Vinci in the Bill! Professional Safety regrets the error.
breadth of his talents but who had vastly dif-
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 7
ASSP CONNECTION
2019 SOCIETY ELECTIONS
Candidate Information, including biographies and plat- president, director-at-large and council vice presidents. Mem-
form statements for all candidates and video statements for bers of regions, areas, practice specialties and common inter-
Board of Director candidates, is available at www.assp.org/ est groups that have a position in this election will vote in the
membership/elections. If you do not have access to the web respective races.*
page, call Denisa Shallo at (847) 699-2929 to request copies of
these materials. Election results will be published in the May issue of
Professional Safety. The new Board of Directors and officers will
Voting be sworn in during the annual House of Delegates meeting on
Voting will be March 1, 2019, through March 31, 2019. Bal- Sunday, June 9, 2019, in New Orleans, LA, and their terms will
begin officially on July 1, 2019.
lots will be sent electronically. To ensure that your e-mail ad-
dress is correct, visit www.assp.org/my-account and confirm *At press time, nominations remained open for several regional, area
your contact information. You can also call Customer Service director, practice specialty and common interest group positions. To view
at (847) 699-2929. the final 2019 candidate slate, visit www.assp.org/membership/elections.
Your ballot will be customized with the positions you may
vote on. All voting members will be voting on senior vice
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Director-at-Large
Directors-at-large serve as members of the
Senior Vice President
A critical position on the Society’s Board of Directors, the Board of Directors and perform general duties as
assigned by the Board of Directors. The elected
senior vice president serves a 1-year term, advancing to suc- director-at-large will serve a 3-year term.
cessive 1-year terms as ASSP president-elect and president,
respectively. The senior vice president serves as chair of the
Congress of Councils and oversees the functions of the council
vice presidents.
Ashok Garlapati Thomas E. Kramer
CSP, CFIOSH, QEP P.E., CSP
Bradley Giles James R. Thornton
P.E., CSP, STS, GIOSH CSP, CIH
“These future leaders are dedicated to helping
us continue to make this organization better.”
2017-18 ASSP President Jim Smith, M.S., CSP
8 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
COUNCIL VICE PRESIDENTS
The Society has five councils: Academic Affairs and Research, Practices and Standards, Professional Affairs, Professional Develop-
ment and Region Affairs. An elected vice president chairs each council.
Vice President, Vice President, Professional Affairs Vice President, Region Affairs
Academic Affairs & Research The vice president, professional af- The vice president, region affairs,
The vice president, academic affairs fairs, chairs the Council on Professional chairs the Council on Region Affairs,
and research, chairs the Council on Ac- Affairs, which ensures ASSP’s ability to which is responsible for providing
ademic Affairs and Research, which sup- uphold and elevate the value of the safety programs, procedures and operational
ports the future of the OSH profession and health profession and OSH profes- support for healthy and effective regions,
and OSH professionals through the pro- sionals through innovation and thought areas, chapters and sections.
motion and development of OSH higher leadership.
education and research.
Michael Behm James D. Ramsay Ken Daigle C. Gary Lopez Steven B. Gray Tim Page-Bottorff
Ph.D., CSP Ph.D., M.A., CSP P.E. M.S. , CSP CSP, CHST CSP, CET
REGIONAL VICE PRESIDENTS
Regional vice presidents provide leadership, assistance and consultation to area directors and chapter presidents within their re-
spective region. Each regional vice president chairs a regional operating committee and supervises the functions of chapter presi-
dents, area directors, deputy regional vice presidents and assistant regional vice presidents.
Vice President, Region I Vice President, Region III
James Boretti Denis Baker Jim Rainwater
CSP CSP, ASP, CRIS M.S., CSP
Vice President, Region V Vice President, Region VII Vice President, Region IX
Eric W. Hallerud Chet Brandon Syed Amjad Ali Ajay Sachdeva
CSP CSP, CHMM CPEA, AcSAP
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 9
ASSP CONNECTION
PRACTICE SPECIALTY ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS
Practice specialty assistant administrators assist the admin- ministrators to serve for a 2-year term. Assistant administrators
istrator in providing direction and support to their respective automatically succeed to the administrator position. Admin-
practice specialty to create a meaningful and high-quality istrators chair their respective practice specialty and represent
member experience for practice specialty members. Members the group on the Council on Practices and Standards.*
of the respective practice specialties will vote for assistant ad-
Consultants Practice Specialty Oil, Gas, Mining & Mineral Public Sector Practice Specialty
Resources Practice Specialty
Lance Roux Alexis Westin Jeffrey M. Citrone Wayne Vanderhoof Steven T. Guillory Jr. Howard Spencer
CSP CSP, ASP, OHST, WCP CSP, CIH CSP M.S., CSP, IPMA-SCP, CSP, CHCM
CPM
Risk Management/Insurance Utilities Practice Specialty
Practice Specialty
*At press time, nominations
remained open for several re-
gional, area director, practice
specialty and common interest
group positions. To view the
final 2019 candidate slate, visit
www.assp.org/membership/
elections.
David S. Marciniak Daniel Rollino Don L. Lehman Jeremy Presnal
CSP, CSHM, CUSP CSP, OHST, CHST, CESCP
P.E., CSP CSP, ARM
COMMON INTEREST GROUP ASSISTANT ADMINISTRATORS
Common interest group (CIG) assistant administrators assist the OSH CIG. The candidate with the most votes will be elected as ad-
administrator in providing direction and support to their respec- ministrator and the remaining candidate will be elected as assis-
tive CIG to create a meaningful and high-quality member experi- tant administrator. Members of the CIG* will vote for an assistant
ence for CIG members. This election will elect both administrator administrator to serve for a 2-year term. Assistant administrators
and assistant administrator for the Emerging Professionals in automatically succeed to the administrator position.
Emerging Professionals in OSH CIG
*At press time, nominations remained open for sev-
eral regional, area director, practice specialty and
common interest group positions. To view the final
2019 candidate slate, visit www.assp.org/member
ship/elections.
Rick Sanders, Alyssa Weber,
M.S., CSP CSP
10 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
AREA DIRECTORS
Area directors assist the regional vice president in providing direction to the region and support to chapter leaders within their
respective area to create a meaningful and high-quality member experience for chapter members.
Region I, Area 2 Region II, Area B Region IV, Louisiana Area
Jennifer Harris Wesley Lashbrook Nathan H. Spencer Brandon M. Smith Keith Wilson
CSP CSP, CIH CSP, CIH CSP CHST
Region IV, South Florida Area Region VI, Southern Area Region VII, Central Area
C. Alex Scott Matthew Wilcox Matthew A. Summers Angela Vance
CSP, ARM-P CSP CSP, CHST, CMIOSH CSP
Region VIII, Keystone Area YOUR VOTE COUNTS
Patrick J. Karol Electing the Future Leaders of the Society
CSP, ARM, SMS
In this year’s ASSP election, members are electing the In the February 2012 issue, Norris says, “[It] is our
future leaders of the Society. These individuals will duty to vote. . . . And it’s not just the act of voting that
help focus the organization’s collective energy and will is important. We need to cast informed votes.”
help ASSP pursue it strategic initiatives and advance
the OSH profession. Your votes validate that direction As 2017-18 ASSP President Jim Smith, M.S., CSP,
and give it strength. explains, the online voting process is quick, and he
views voting as an excellent way for members to
Professional Safety revisited messages from 2000- influence the organization’s future. “ASSP has a tre-
01 ASSP President Samuel J. Gualardo, CSP, and 2011-12 mendous impact on the OSH community. What we are
ASSP President Terrie S. Norris, CSP, ARM, CPSI, to doing now will help ensure that the Society is an ever-
share their insight on why it is so important for ASSP lasting organization,” he says. “Please take the time
members to vote. to review the candidates’ qualifications, then vote for
those you think are most qualified to lead our Society
In the February 2001 issue, Gualardo offers four key in the future.”
reasons to vote:
To become informed, members can visit the elec-
1) Ensure that ASSP continues to represent the pro- tions website (www.assp.org/membership/elections) to
fession with integrity and vision. read candidates’ biographies and platform statements,
in which the candidates share their ideas on ASSP’s
2) Voice your opinion on important issues and help direction and future.
provide direction for future initiatives.
Voting begins March 1 and ends March 31. As Norris
3) Support the Society’s leadership and provide it concludes in her 2012 message, “This is our Society.
with a strong mandate for guiding the profession. Each of our voices matter.”
4) Acknowledge the hard work of the volunteer lead-
ers and recognize their impact on the profession.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 11
ASSP CONNECTION
Chapter On-Site Education Program
BRINGS TRAINING TO YOU
Getting involved in your ASSP community has tangible benefits. As a member
of one of our more than 150 chapters, you have access to high-quality continuing
education without the added expense of traveling. Through ASSP’s on-site training
program, chapters can host training locally, providing learning and networking op-
portunities for members while generating revenue to support the chapter’s initiatives.
Courses offered through this program include ASSP’s certification preparation
workshops, certificate programs and safety management seminars, as well as custom-
ized courses to meet your members’ specific needs.
“Working with the Society to provide on-site training took so much stress out of
the planning process,” says Joshua Tims, ASSP Arkansas Chapter President. “ASSP
has top-notch instructors who can bring their expertise directly to your chapter and
translate complex ideas into training that is easy to understand.”
When your chapter hosts an on-site course, it receives 10% of the course revenue. In
addition, our chapter cancellation policy minimizes your chapter’s financial risk. As
part of this program, ASSP:
•helps your chapter identify an on-site seminar that meets your members’ needs;
•hires an experienced trainer;
•provides marketing tools and assistance;
•provides course materials;
•hosts an online post-course assessment;
•awards IACET-approved CEUs.
Let your chapter leaders know about our on-site education program. To learn more,
they can contact ASSP’s Tom Kerschner, business development manager, at (847) 768-
3446 or [email protected].
Build Your Leadership Skills
Becoming more involved to influence our direction, To get involved, fill out the Vote for Your
brief form on the site to share Society Leaders
with ASSP committees is a advance the profession and your interest. New committee
appointments are made each ASSP’s 2019 elections offer the
great way to build new skills, gain transferable leadership year with approval from the opportunity to shape the future
Board of Directors. All new ap- of the Society. Turn to pp. 8-11
meet new people and make experience. pointments are made through in this issue to see this year’s
members submitting their in- slate of candidates. Then visit
a difference in the OSH Visit the ASSP website at terest on the ASSP website. www.assp.org/membership/
elections to learn more about
profession. ASSP is looking www.assp.org/membership/ Word of mouth continues to each candidate. Be sure to vote
be an important tool in identi- before March 31. Your voice
for members interested in volunteer-leadership to learn fying volunteer leaders. Share matters!
this information with your col-
becoming involved in one of more about councils and leagues who may be interested
in getting involved. Appoint-
the Society’s many volunteer committees. On the site you’ll ment discussions begin May 1.
committees. Opportunities find descriptions for all com-
exist in all areas, including mittee positions including
member communities, educa- information about the pur-
tion, standards and advocacy. pose and responsibilities of
Volunteering to serve on one each role, qualifications, ex-
of our councils or committees pectations, time commitment
gives you an opportunity and benefits.
Keep Up to Date With ASSP’s News Feed
ASSP’s website shares news and informa- “How Can We Fix the Fit of Personal Pro-
tion about Society events and activities, the tective Equipment?” Abby Ferri, CSP, shares
OSH profession, standards updates and topics many of the fit problems that women expe-
relevant to safety professionals. For example, rience with PPE, which can often decrease
a recent three-part series of articles addresses or eliminate the gear’s protective qualities.
topics that were the focus of the October 2018 In part three, “How Can We Help Support SYKONO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
Your involvement Women’s Workplace Safety Summit: work- Women’s Safety Leadership?” Pam Walas-
makes a difference
place violence, PPE and leadership. ki, CSP, CHMM, identifies key elements of
in our OSH
community. In part one, “What Are the Next Steps successful initiatives to advance women into
in Addressing Workplace Violence?” Kelly OSH leadership roles. Each article also shares
Bernish, CSP, discusses the factors that cause next steps that the groups identified during
workplace violence, barriers to better protect- the summit.
ing women in the workplace, and the conse- Read more at www.assp.org/news and
quences of this growing problem. In part two, bookmark the site to stay informed.
12 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
SAFETY MATTERS
ASSP Update LOTO Bulletin Addresses
Temporary Worker Safety
SCAFFOLDING
An OSHA bulletin on lockout/tagout (LOTO) explains the
SAFETY responsibility of employers and staffing agencies to ensure that
ANSI Approves A10.8 Standard temporary employees are protected from the release of stored
energy during service or maintenance activities. Manufacturing
As this issue went to press, the A10.8 Scaffolding Safety companies commonly hire temporary workers for a short-term
increase in production, which can result in risk to those employ-
Requirements standard, which has been in development since ees if they do not receive LOTO training. The bulletin describes
what both the employer and staffing agency can do to determine
2009, received ANSI approval. The standard is one of the A10 the conditions of the temporary worker’s job to be compliant
with LOTO standards.
series of standards, Safety in
Prior to beginning work, employers must develop, implement
Construction and Demoli- and enforce a LOTO program with written procedures; ensure
that LOTO procedures are used; establish and enforce a work rule
tion Operations. The A10.8 that permits only the employee who applied a LOTO device to re-
move it; inspect procedures and implement revisions; and provide
standard establishes safety LOTO training to employees.
requirements for the construc- The bulletin stresses the importance of communication between
the employer and staffing agen-
tion, operation, maintenance cy to identify potential hazards.
This bulletin is part of a series of
and use of scaffolds used in guidance documents that fo-
cuses on compliance with safety
the construction, alteration, and health requirements for
temporary workers.
demolition and maintenance
Read more at www.osha.gov/
of buildings and structures. It Publications/OSHA3964.pdf.
OSHA
is designed to provide mini- BRACLARK/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
mum guidelines for the safe Many workers are injured or killed
erection, use and dismantling in scaffolding incidents, such as
of scaffolding. The document in an April 2018 incident in which
will be published during spring a worker was killed when a com-
2019 and becomes effective 6 munications tower collapsed in
months after publication. Fordland, MO.
SASM Introduces Application to Detect Impairment Before Work
An alertness test is a kind of fit-for-duty do the work and they don’t stop to think from lunch, during a night shift or before
test that aims to ensure that an employee is about what happens when they get hurt,” performing a hazardous task.
cognitively and physically able before starting says SASM’s Ken Ricketts. “This is about The program is presented as an alter-
work. These tests have commonly been im- creating safer workplaces for everyone.” native to drug testing, which tests for
plemented for employees who are returning The technology uses a touch-screen specific chemicals in biological samples
to work after recovering from an injury. application to administer a 90-second test but cannot provide information about
However, Safety Association of Saskatchewan that measures cognitive functions such as impairment. Because they can take a few
Manufacturers (SASM) is introducing a new reaction time, decision-making and hand- days to process, random drug testing re-
alertness test called AlertMeter as a daily eye coordination, which are all critical for sults might be received too late to prevent
procedure at manufacturing and other safe- any occupation. The program’s interface risk posed by impaired work. According
ty-sensitive facilities in the province. displays different shapes that the worker to SASM, alertness testing has a wide
In 2018, Saskatchewan workplace fatali- must identify quickly and accurately. The application screening for fatigue, illness,
ties nearly doubled from the previous year, worker must determine whether all the emotional distress, hangover, medication
with 47 workplace deaths counted by early shapes are the same or if one is different side effects and inadequate nutrition. By
December; 20 more than all of 2017. from the rest. Each worker is scored against screening for these issues, the organiza-
“It’s troubling,” says Don Morgan, Min- his/her individual test results and per- tion aims to reduce potential incidents
ister of Labor Relations and Workplace sonal performance standards. The system caused by impaired work.
Safety. “We usually have work fatalities in identifies compromised alertness when an “When you do a drug test, you are test-
the 30s, which is far too high for a province employee’s test result deviates significantly ing for drugs, but 70% of impairment in
the size of ours.” from his/her normal results. The program the workplace is not caused by drugs,” says
SASM is working to address these high can determine whether the employee is in Ricketts. “It’s caused by stress or a lack of
fatality rates. In November 2018, the or- the optimal state of mind for keeping both sleep, so even if you did a random drug test,
ganization introduced the alertness test to worker and workplace safe, and can trigger you’re still only getting 30% of the problem.”
workplaces in the province. The program a notification with the designated supervi- SASM is the first organization in
uses a game format to perform a non- sor to determine the best course of action. Canada to make the program available.
invasive test of a person’s cognition and The scoring adjusts as workers become Ricketts says it can be used in any high-
physical capabilities before work or safe- more familiar with the test over repeated risk industry. “It’s not about drugs, it’s not
ty-sensitive tasks. use. Employers can determine when the about alcohol, it’s more about how are you
“Our workers here have this attitude test should be administered such as at the today?” says Ricketts.
to ‘just get it done.’ They rush right in to beginning of the shift, when returning Read more at https://bit.y/2UYMqhj.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 13
SAFETY MATTERS
The Joint Commission Issues Safety Advisory on
De-Escalating Aggression in Healthcare Settings
To answer the growing need for using de-escalation tech- care and social service employers to write and implement a
niques in light of increasing violence in healthcare settings, The workplace violence prevention plan to prevent and protect em-
Joint Commission has issued a safety advisory that summarizes ployees from violent incidents. Learn more about the legislation
several models and interventions for healthcare professionals at https://bit.ly/2TNCV4v.
and organizations.
“De-Escalation in Healthcare” includes techniques that health-
care professionals can apply to reduce aggression and agitation,
minimize restraint or seclusion, and prevent violence or harm to
staff. The advisory also recommends safety actions for healthcare
organizations, including:
•committing resources and time to educate staff on de-esca-
lation techniques, and to audit interventions and environmen-
tal changes;
•using audits, such as the patient-staff conflict checklist, to
inform practice;
•implementing workforce training on new techniques and CECILIE_ARCURS/E+/GETTY IMAGES
interventions;
•incorporating use of assessment tools.
Read the safety advisory at https://bit.ly/2S11Z6i.
Legislation recently introduced in the U.S House of Repre-
sentatives aims to curtail the rising rates of workplace violence
affecting healthcare and social service workers. The Workplace
Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers
Act would require OSHA to issue a standard requiring health-
14 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
SOLSTOCK/E+/GETTY IMAGES Survey of Executives Finds
Organizational Misalignment
to Managing Risk
A survey from DuPont Sustainable Solutions found that com-
pany executives are not adequately identifying and preparing
for risks in the workplace. The annual global risk management
survey of executives measures and benchmarks the maturity of
operational risk management programs in companies across
industries such as mining and metals, oil and gas, and manufac-
turing. The organization warns that unmanaged risks may lead
to disruptions and potentially catastrophic implications on busi-
ness operations such as workplace safety and health, environ-
ment, quality control, process safety, supply chain disruptions,
maintenance and reliability challenges, production fluctuations,
and integrity and asset management.
According to the survey, executives are not placing sufficient
emphasis on risks that can lead to large-scale incidents. Exec-
utives in workplaces with low incident rates admit to feeling
more secure and, as a result, do not pay attention to indicators
of potential significant events. The findings show that while
executives agree on the characteristics important to a risk man-
agement program, leaders fail to implement these characteristics
in their organizations. Of those questioned, 44% of executives
admitted that gaps in existing risk management processes pres-
ent a challenge to their organization. Executives recognize they
are not devoting enough resources and capabilities to effectively
manage risks within their companies, which threatens their con-
tinued right to operate. The survey shows a disconnect among
personnel in managing risk: 25% of executives say frontline
personnel are not aligned on top risks the company faces, while
55% do not feel that senior executives are fully aligned on these
risks. According to DuPont, this disconnect greatly contributes
to the likelihood of a catastrophic event.
“Old ways of looking at risk are insufficient in today’s global
business environment if executives want their organizations
to be sustainable and prosper,” says DuPont’s Davide Vassallo.
“Running a successful business is more complex today than ever
before, with executives facing numerous challenges on a daily
basis both within and outside their organizations. With these
challenges come numerous associated risks that executives must
successfully anticipate and mitigate. In order to transform an
organization, executives should integrate risk into the organiza-
tion’s business strategy to engage employees, increase productiv-
ity and drive competitive advantage.”
Read more at https://bit.ly/1UBxOOY.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 15
SAFETY MATTERS
Article Presents Options for
Employers During Dangerous
Air Quality Warnings
High-heat days that cause In November 2018, Camp
ground-level ozone, and Fire, the deadliest and most
wildfires and pollutants such destructive wildfire in Cal-
as soot, ash and wood smoke ifornia history, led to the
that release particulate mat- shutdown of many business-
ter can lead to dangerous es as a result of dangerous air
air quality. Government air quality, including Amazon’s
quality alert programs warn Sacramento fulfillment cen-
the public of adverse health ter. The article, “Dilemma of
effects due to poor air quality the Month: How Employers
and encourage reduced out- Should Handle Dangerous
door activity; however, OSHA Air Quality,” discusses how
currently has no indoor air poor air quality poses a risk
quality standards in place to to workers.
protect workers during these The article asks company
events. An article from Com- decision-makers to consider
stock’s discusses how employ- employees’ commutes, which
ers can determine what to are often accompanied by
do during unhealthy indoor breathing unhealthy air. Some
air quality events and how to employees may be particular-
best prepare for future events. ly vulnerable to air pollution,
Exposure to poor air such as those with heart
quality can lead to health conditions or asthma. Stress
problems such as increased from experiencing a natural
respiratory symptoms, disaster, even secondhand,
NEW FROM ASSP decreased lung function, can also affect employees.
SAFETY LEADERSHIP aggravated asthma, chronic The article implores com-
AND PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT respiratory disease, bronchitis panies to allow employees to
EDITED BY RICHARD OLAWOYIN AND DARRYL C. HILL and obstructive lung disease, telecommute on these days,
Editors Richard Olawoyin and Darryl C. Hill, irregular heartbeat and heart using air quality alerts and
with contributions from academics and industry
leaders, provide a comprehensive road map that attack, as well as temporary school shutdowns as indica-
defines the safety profession and promotes leader-
ship and professional development. symptoms such as irritation tors of the severity of low air
Safety Leadership and Professional Development of the eyes, nose and throat, quality.
is perfectly crafted for undergraduate, graduate,
post-graduate students, certification trainees, coughing, chest tightness and Read more at https://bit
higher education and occupational safety and
health professionals. shortness of breath. .ly/2DBlvAZ.
ORDER AT www.assp.org
or call 1.847.699.2929
List Price: $129.95
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Hardcover, 496 pp, ©2018
Product number: 4459
ISBN 978-0-939874-18-7
e-book also available
ANDREA BOOHER
16 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
Oregon Hospitals Association OSHA Provides Resources
Creates Tool Kit to Evaluate to Address Workplace Falls
Workplace Violence Programs
OSHA has developed a collection of resources to address
Oregon Association of Hospitals and Health Systems workplace falls, the leading cause of construction fatalities.
(OAHHS) recently produced a tool kit to assist healthcare The agency says its goals are to promote awareness about com-
leadership and other groups to evaluate workplace and in- mon fall hazards, educate workers and employers about fall
dividual violence prevention programs against current best protection, and reduce the number of injuries and fatalities
practices in the field. It provides a step-by-step approach to due to falls.
develop a new violence prevention program or improve an
existing one. Several resources are available:
•This year’s National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in
The tool kit includes definitions of workplace violence, rea- Construction (www.osha.gov/StopFallsStandDown) will be ob-
sons why this issue is underreported in healthcare, causes of served May 6-10, 2019. The weeklong outreach event encourages
workplace violence in healthcare and possible solutions to pre- employers and workers to pause during the workday to discuss
vent and manage workplace violence. fall hazards and how to prevent them.
•A series of fall safety videos (www.osha.gov/dts/vtools/con
“We are proud to have worked in close partnership with the struction.html) show how to prevent construction-related fall
diverse group involved in this effort, and we believe that the hazards from floor openings, skylights, fixed scaffolds, bridge
resulting tool kit will build on hospitals’ existing safety pro- decking, reroofing and leading-edge work.
grams to ensure we protect hospital staff from violence,” says •OSHA’s Fall Prevention Training Guide (www.osha.gov/Pub
OAHHS’s Andy Davidson. “At the end of the day, we all care lications/OSHA3666.pdf) provides a lesson plan for employers
deeply about keeping people safe while they care for the sick including several toolbox talks.
and believe that we should take all steps possible to reduce •Fact sheets on ladders and scaffolding (www.osha.gov/pls/
violence in our hospitals and healthcare settings to zero.” publications) provide guidance on the safe use of these types of
equipment while performing
The tool kit also helps stakeholders identify processes that construction activities.
can be implemented to manage or control violence and proac- •A video, 5 Ways to Prevent
tively address the risk of violence. Read the tool kit at https:// Workplace Falls (https://youtu
bit.ly/2TNBTp9. .be/Qpowg5Ynh0w), encour-
ages employers to develop a fall
prevention plan and provide
workers with fall protection
and training.
Learn more at www.osha.gov.
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assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 17
SAFETY MATTERS
NEW FROM ASSP UW Researchers Testing Smartphone AZMANL/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
App That Detects Opioid Overdose
stahe fety
training According to National Institute on Drug Abuse, deaths involving opioids have
drastically increased since 1999, with approximately 47,600 deaths in 2017 alone. In
Regina McMichael the workplace, opioid addiction and overdoses can be a big problem. A report from
Massachusetts Department of Public Health found that occupations with higher rates
of work-related injuries had higher rates of opioid overdose deaths, with workers in
construction, quarrying and mining accounting for more than 24% of all opioid-relat-
ed deaths among the working population.
In an effort to save more lives through early overdose detection, researchers at Univer-
sity of Washington have developed a smartphone application, Second Chance, that mon-
itors a person’s breathing rate to determine whether an opioid overdose has occurred. By
sending inaudible sound waves from the phone to a person’s chest, the app can monitor
the way the sound waves return to the phone and analyze it for specific breathing patterns.
“The idea is that people can use the app during opioid use so that if they overdose,
the phone can potentially connect them to a friend or emergency services to provide
naloxone,” says Shyam Gollakota, co-corresponding author of the test findings. “We
have created an algorithm for a smartphone that is capable of detecting overdoses by
monitoring how someone’s breathing changes before and after opioid use.”
The app analyzes a person’s breath for signs of opioid overdose, specifically if a per-
son stops breathing or when his/her breathing rate is seven breaths per minute or low-
er. The app also monitors for characteristic motions of an overdose such as a person
nodding off or his/her head slumping over. According to researchers, the app detects
overdose-related symptoms about 90% of the time and can track a person’s breathing
from up to 3 ft away.
The researchers hope to refine the app so it can not only interact with the person it is
monitoring, but also alert others in the event of an overdose. In addition, while the app
in its current state of development has only been tested on subjects who ingest illegal
injectable opioids, it could be used for all
forms of opioids after more testing.
“We’re experiencing an unprecedented
epidemic of deaths from opioid use, and
it’s unfortunate because these overdoses are
completely reversible phenomena if they’re
detected in time,” says co-corresponding
author Jacob Sunshine. “The goal of this
project is to try to connect people who
are often experiencing overdoses alone to
known therapies that can save their lives.
We hope that by keeping people safer, they
can eventually access long-term treatment.”
Read the abstract for the findings at
http://stm.sciencemag.org/content/11/
474/eaau8914.
OSHA Eliminates Reporting
Create safety training Requirement for Certain Employers
programs that learners
OSHA has issued a final rule that this legislation avoids the risk that such
will love!
eliminates the requirement for employers information might be publicly disclosed
Order your copy today at
assp.us/Safety-Ninja with 250 or more employees to electron- under the Freedom of Information Act,
Print and digital versions ically submit injury and illness incident and better protect personally identifi-
available
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List Price: $39.95
cording to the agency, the rule will allow fied with an individual.
ASSP Member Price: $31.95
OSHA to improve enforcement targeting Affected establishments are still
and compliance assistance, protect work- required to electronically submit
er safety and privacy, and decrease bur- information from Form 300A and
den on employers. maintain Forms 300 and 301 records
The agency says that since such in- on site.
formation may include descriptions of Read the Federal Register notice at
worker injuries and affected body parts, https://bit.ly/2SvNs7O.
18 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
MSHA Launches Initiative After Vehicle Fire
Suppression System Fatality With Agency Initiative
EVGENYMIROSHNICHENKO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS In response to recent key requirements of proper
truck fires at mining work installation and maintenance
sites, including a September of these systems. According
2018 incident in Indiana to MSHA, operators should
that resulted in a fatality, contact manufacturers when
MSHA has launched a fire possible to check fire sup-
suppression system initiative pression systems and ensure
to increase awareness and aid that they will operate in the
in prevention efforts. In each event of a fire.
incident, manually activated
fire suppression systems were The initiative includes
in place within the vehicles, educational efforts such as a
however, they did not func- presentation and checklist to
tion when activated or did help the mining communi-
not extinguish the fire when ty evaluate fire suppression
they were functional. systems and spot potential
problems. MSHA stresses the
MSHA says agency per- importance of periodic and
sonnel will examine fire detailed maintenance, review-
suppression systems in these ing evacuation methods, pro-
surface mining vehicles and viding adequate task training
will make these systems a to vehicle operators and per-
priority in future inspections. forming a detailed review of
The agency says it will check owner’s manuals.
critical portions of fire sup-
pression systems and discuss For more information, visit
www.msha.gov.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 19
SAFETY MATTERS
NIOSH Researches Health Insurance Coverage Among Workers
NIOSH researchers are investigating and maintenance occupations, with 37%
factors that affect differences in health lacking basic insurance.
insurance coverage by occupation. Lack of health insurance has been
By identifying the factors that affect associated with poorer health status
differences in insurance rates by occu- as workers are unable to access pre-
pation, researchers may target inter- ventive healthcare services and may
ventions to reduce health disparities face difficulty obtaining medical care,
among U.S. workers. especially for chronic illness. Access to
According to the research, from 2013 healthcare has been shown to decrease
to 2014, some workers in the most absenteeism and improve employee
hazardous occupations lack health in- health. Given the changes in health
CINDY SHEBLEY/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
surance: more than 25% of workers in insurance coverage from 2013 to 2014 JAMESBREY/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
construction and extraction, farming, and the wide variability in coverage by
fishing and forestry were uninsured. occupation, this data could be used to
The study showed only 2.7% of workers monitor changes in insurance among
were insured in the community and so- workers over time by occupation and
cial services occupations and education, to assess associations between health
training and library occupations. The outcomes and differences in coverage
largest group of uninsured individuals among occupations.
were building and grounds cleaning, Learn more at https://bit.ly/2tiNH7b.
Opioid Overdose NIH Podcast Addresses
in Construction Opioids & Worker Health
ASSP Director-at-Large Carl Heinlein partici- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) interviewed Chris
Cain, executive director of CPWR—The Center for Construction Research and Train-
pated in a TV news segment on the subject of ing and chair of the Opioid Task Force for North America’s Building Trades Union for
its Environmental Health Chat podcast, on the topic of opioids and worker health.
opioid overdose among construction workers.
Cain talks about the risks that opioids pose to worker safety and health, and tools
View the segment at https://2wsb.tv/2WLPE9y. CPWR and other organizations have developed to address these concerns. She says that
construction workers can experience a range of painful injuries that can lead to obtain-
ing an opioid prescription.
“It could be a bone break where treatment is needed for that break. It could be a
shoulder injury,” Cain says. “But, really, we think the largest numbers are related to
general musculoskeletal disorders that occur in construction workers from both re-
petitive tasks, vibration, strains and sprains, and other injuries associated with what
can be heavy lifting, pushing and other activities that happen in construction.”
Cain says that overdoses are occurring among construction workers at many
times the level of other workers. To help improve awareness about this issue, CPWR
has developed a hazard alert and accompanying toolbox talk, “Opioid Deaths in
Construction.”
Listen to the podcast at https://bit.ly/2N2MR7o, which also includes links to
the hazard alert and toolbox talk, along with additional resources from CPWR and
other organizations.
Mental Health Report Supports Total Worker Health
American Heart Association (AHA) alone costs the U.S. economy $210 billion •42% have been diagnosed with a men-
CEO Roundtable has published a report, a year, half of which rests on employers, tal health disorder.
“Mental Health: A Workforce Crisis,” con- the report says. Employers are in a unique •63% of those diagnosed with a disorder
ducted by Center for Workplace Health position to help improve this situation for have not disclosed it to their employer.
Research and Evaluation. According to working adults, according to the report. It AHA says its Center for Workplace
the executive summary, the report was also notes that interventions delivered in Health Research and Evaluation has
commissioned “to underscore the busi- the workplace effectively improve mental convened a panel of experts to evalu-
ness imperative to employers for provid- health outcomes and that investing in ate the impact of workplace strategies
ing comprehensive, science-based support such treatment is cost-effective: every $1 for addressing mental health. AHA
for employee mental health.” invested in prevention can yield $2 to $4 plans to publish a set of action strate-
Mental health is a growing concern in savings and improved function. gies for employers based on the pan-
worldwide. Research shows a 15% to 20% Findings include: el’s findings.
increase in global rates of depression and •76% of employees said they have strug- To read the complete report, visit
anxiety over the past decade. Depression gled with at least one mental health issue. https://bit.ly/2SxJGun.
20 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
PSJ ASKS
JUSTIN MOLOCZNIK
ASSP Editorial Review Board Member
Justin Molocznik, President of ASSP’s Puget Sound Chapter and Region I Deputy Vice
President, discusses his love for helping others and his experiences as a member of ASSP’s
Editorial Review Board.
PSJ: How did you get started in the safety field? the ability to help individuals grow personally Justin
Justin: Certainly not through the traditional path. and professionally. Whether it be through ASSP Molocznik
I found myself working in the insurance industry opportunities or networking connections, the ability
when I took my first position as a safety technician, to help others has been the greatest benefit. Justin Molocznik,
supporting natural gas pipeline construction on the M.S., CSP, CHST, most
western slope of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. PSJ: I understand you have a background in recently served as
It was a dynamic change, but I am grateful that the journalism and hosted a sports talk radio show. regional director of the
opportunity was presented to me. It afforded me the What was that experience like? In what ways Pacific Northwest for a
chance to change my career focus and introduce me do you draw on that experience in your safety mid-size environmen-
to the safety and health field. I’ve always held the career? tal, safety and health,
core value of serving others, and safety has been a Justin: I cherish my memories in broadcasting, and industrial hygiene
great channel to do so. even if they were short lived. Much like the safety consulting firm. Prior
profession, in journalism and broadcasting you to this, he spent the
PSJ: As a new member of ASSP’s Editorial Review have a breadth of responsibly that can seem bulk of his career with
Board, what is the biggest challenge you’ve insurmountable at times (i.e., you wear many CH2M Hill (now Jacobs
faced so far? hats). The application of what I learned during Engineering) serving
Justin: I have found the review process to be my previous career is in planning and strong as regional health and
rigorous, and we really have such talented communication. You will not be successful in either safety manager of
contributors offering cutting-edge perspective and profession without focusing on both areas. I’ll tell energy, chemicals and
insights. With that said, when you see the time you what I do miss, which is unfortunate: I have resources in Alaska.
and effort that is put forth in each submission, it not found any opportunities as a safety and health Molocznik earned an
can be difficult to critique that work. Many times, professional to get press passes for field access to M.S. in Industrial/
articles are not quite ready to be published, and the Century Link or T-Mobile Park. Organizational Psy-
challenge becomes giving constructive feedback chology with a focus in
that motivates instead of deters. It takes courage to PSJ: Can you share an impactful moment or event Occupational Health
put your thoughts and ideas out into the world, and that has driven you in the safety practice? Psychology from Kan-
I believe, as an Editorial Review Board member, Justin: I don’t want to sound contrived but sas State University. He
there is value in making sure contributors feel joining ASSP has really been a driving force in is President of ASSP’s
positive about what they have created, whether it is my safety practice. Whenever I get the chance Puget Sound Chapter
published or not. to talk to students, recent graduates or emerging and serves as Region I
professionals, I encourage involvement with Deputy Vice President.
PSJ: You’re also a chapter leader. What sparked our Society. It has been the catalyst for career He is a member of
your initial involvement as an ASSP volunteer? advancement, changes in my approach to safety, and ASSP’s Editorial Review
Justin: My involvement really started with support a lasting network of contacts and resources that I Board.
from strong leadership locally here in Seattle. The have utilized throughout my career.
Puget Sound Chapter is one of the largest in the
region, encompassing all of western Washington, PSJ: If you could go back and talk to yourself at
and is filled with influential safety leaders from our the beginning of your safety career, what advice
region. These individuals took their responsibility of would you offer?
succession planning seriously and encouraged my Justin: We unfortunately cannot go back and tell
involvement in leadership, citing opportunity for ourselves what we have learned over a career. This
personal growth and giving back to the community is why mentorship is so important. Seek a tenured
as a great way to get the most out of my membership mentor early on who can impart his/her knowledge
and as a fundamental responsibility in expanding the and give advice. To the readers, take the opportunity
profession. Our current administration is working to share with an emerging safety professional
hard to continue that effort as we are in the process of what you would have benefited from early in your
identifying our future leaders. career. What I personally want to share with our
future safety leaders is to make sure they take the
PSJ: What is the greatest benefit of your ASSP opportunity to listen and learn from everyone they
volunteer service that you’ve experienced? interact with (from the laborer to the CEO), as each
Justin: Much like what motivated me to chapter individual has something to offer and teach safety
leadership, I think the greatest benefit has been related or not, and it is on you to listen. PSJ
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 21
LEADING THOUGHTS
BECOMING A SAFETY ROCK STAR
By Robert Pater
Mike Coe, safety and medical manager at Honda of Canada Manufacturing, challenges
safety leaders to become safety rock stars. What could Roe mean by this? What exactly is a
safety rock star?
Robert Pater After all, for many, the land of safety is riddled with on a predominantly compliance-based approach. To
have-tos, shoulds, right thing to dos, threats, guilt, bypass this potentially restrictive end, Coe says, “It’s
Robert Pater, M.A., is shame and other negative motivators (or just plain essential to focus efforts on more than just preventing
managing director and boring, repetitive or impractical ones) all the antith- injuries, which, while important, isn’t enough to raise
founder of MoveSMART esis of what many associate with an exciting, sexy, the stature of safety. To achieve and to be perceived
(www.movesmart riveting, desirable rock star. So, what gives? as having real, high-level significance, safety leaders
.com). Clients include have to go well beyond preserving the status quo,
Amtrak, ArcelorMittal, Coe ardently contends that safety leaders, and beyond what’s ‘just necessary.’ Think of how admired
BHP Billiton, BMW, overall organizational safety by extension, are often rock stars are and safety leaders should be as well.”
BorgWarner, BP, Cum- not as highly valued as they should be, and that the
mins, Domtar, DuPont, reason for this is ultimately less in their company What Does It Mean to Be a Rock Star?
Hawaiian Airlines, than in their own court. He found this to be true You can search the Internet for “rock star” and see
HD Supply, Honda, even within Honda Canada, which has been rec-
Marathon Oil, MSC ognized as in the upper echelon of companies that this label applied to bosses, salespeople, employees,
Industrial Sup- actively and consistently support safety, and has office managers, angel investors and many others (al-
ply, Nissan, Northrop attained sustained superior results on many levels. though not to safety leaders, until Coe). Generally, the
Grumman, ONE Gas, His epiphany occurred several years ago when he term rock star is a metaphor for someone being lauded
Rio Tinto, United was shocked to hear some non-safety professionals as highly successful and admired in his/her field. But
Airlines, U.S. Steel and confide, “I wouldn’t want to have your job.” Coe took Coe means more by the term when applying it to his
WestRock. Pater has this to mean there was a perception that safety was 12 safety professional direct reports and the many
presented at ASSP a thankless, low-influence role, regarded as a neces- more department-level safety leaders he guides.
conferences and deliv- sary have-to but little more. After all, he reasoned,
ered 33 ASSP webinars. doesn’t it seem that the only attention safety typically Let’s go back to the term in its original musical
His book, Leading receives is when something goes wrong such as an meaning. Debra Wright, in “What Makes a Rock
From Within, has been incident, injury or potentially devastating close call? Star?” (2013), contends a real rock star has five char-
published in five lan- acteristics (I’m adding Coe and my commentary).
guages. Pater is a pro- Coe reasoned that this necessary but unexciting
fessional member of view of safety leaders, which he knew to be even more 1) Have Mad Skills
ASSP’s Columbia-Wil- pervasive in other companies, could likely curb the Wright (2013) states, “Mundane guitar playing
lamette Chapter. potential effectiveness of leaders and of safety overall.
He saw a pressing need to change this around, to up- won’t do. You need to be really good in what you do
grade the estimation of safety leaders within their own or else you’re considered as just another musician.” PEEPO/E+/GETTY IMAGES
company, and, concentrically, the esteem for safety
professionals in the organizational world overall. Safety leaders have to stand out in some way, going
beyond just knowing or memorizing rules, policies
To this end, he challenged leaders to step up from a and procedures. Critical skills they have to develop
self-limiting role that smacked of being a safety nerd. and demonstrate include assessment of underlying
Because positive regard is an essential component and expressed concerns from others’ points of view,
in getting the attention, interest and respect needed ability to present in a group setting, how to persuade/
to drive significantly positive change, any low-ener- influence others’ perceptions and decision-making,
gy, overly narrow, high-badgering safety leadership enlisting others to buy in and work toward tied-in
approach regrettably winds up tainting everyone’s objectives and leading indicators, developing critical-
reception of and association with safety. The resulting ly required steps for follow-through/implementation
reflexive disinterest or even active resistance toward (vs. “for want of a nail, the war was lost”) and more.
safety can then cascade into problems getting the tan-
gible fiscal, time and other supports needed to make 2) Demonstrate Musical Flexibility
and sustain breakthrough improvements. Wright (2013) says:
To overcome this, Coe encourages all safety leaders You need to be familiar with other instru-
who report to him, as well as safety proponents with ments especially if you’re in a band. Wheth-
whom he works, to “become a safety rock star.” Coe er it’s acoustic or electric guitar, acoustic or
reminds them, “Don’t be the person who isn’t valued.” electronic drums, and piano or keyboard,
a real rock star knows how to use them
Sure, in this day, almost all organizations value all. Playing the same type of guitar for
safety as a matter of policy (ranging from just doing years may look really cool but it can also
so on paper to those whose CEOs are actively enthu- be repetitive and become boring. You can
siastic). Still, even in the best companies, the view of easily spice up an event with a special per-
safety among many organizational members from formance playing a different type of instru-
top to bottom diminishes when safety leaders take ment. It gives your performances diversity.
22 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
In a previous article, “Mastering the Martial Art of Keys to Becoming a Safety Rock Star Safety rock
Leadership: Advanced Guidelines, part 2” (Pater, 2016), The ultimate question for Coe is how to be seen as stars chal-
I wrote that a key element in high-level strategy is for lenge them-
leaders to know the ways of all professions, discerning a highly valued person and professional. In fact, one selves to
the limitations of their own training, broadening these leading indicator he monitors is, “When you (as a find increas-
to consider other paradigms while upgrading system- safety leader) walk by, do people smile at you? Do their ingly cre-
atic thinking. To objectively look at their own prac- eyes light up? Or do their eyes narrow, do they appear ative ways
tice as would an outsider, assessing its strengths and disinterested or look away, or, worse, even scowl?” to involve
weaknesses. To dispassionately see their own preset everyone in
biases so these don’t limit and rule them. To look for Energy & Excitement planning at
the value and limitations of both status-quo-preserv- Ultimately, like many things, being a rock star the earliest
ing and change-agent-propelling mind-sets. To, like level, going
learning another musical instrument, seek exposure comes down to energy, crucial for sparking and sus- well beyond
to professions far afield from their own. To search for taining any improvement in mind-sets and actions. just exe-
similarities between their profession and others, meet- Coe cites charisma as an essential attribute of any cuting one
ing with professionals in other fields. All this will build rock star. or a small
appreciation for other musicians and boost organiza- group of
tional flexibility and strength by blending seemingly This starts, as do most things, from within. If a leaders’ pre-
disparate playing styles (professional approaches). leader is excited by safety, it’s more likely that oth- conceived
ers will be as well. The flip side is also true: when a
3) Play Well With Others leader is just going through the motions, pro forma/ plans.
Wright (2013) says “Only by harmoniously play- obligatory-like, this dampens others’ enthusiasm as
well. Can you imagine?
ing music with other artists can you produce truly
beautiful music.” Rock stars don’t take every solo, and How might a leader become excited by safety? For
neither should safety rock stars. They willingly share some, by seeking out, cataloging and sharing stories,
the spotlight and credit, providing exposure and at- not just of incidents averted but of benefits gained.
tention to others in their band. Many examples come to my mind, from the father
who shared a safety balance technique for preventing
And for safety rock stars, their band potentially slips/trips/falls with his daughter who had muscular
consists of everyone in their company (and can also dystrophy, who was then able to put on her shoes
include outside inspiration sources). without assistance or falling over. From the experi-
enced worker at Honda Canada Manufacturing who,
Coe agrees, “Each person in the band brings some- after learning some soft-tissue preventing efficient
thing to the table. This includes writing the songs, not movement methods, reported he was no longer so
just playing them.” Safety rock stars challenge them- fatigued at workday’s end that he had to nap when
selves to find increasingly creative ways to involve first coming home, reclaiming up to 2 hours of his
everyone in planning at the earliest level, going well life each day. From the numerous people who report-
beyond just executing one or a small group of leaders’ ed they were able to apply safety methods to achieve
preconceived plans. personal bests in favorite sports and hobbies. To so
many who become energized by safety methods that
4) Be a Great Performer unleashed hidden abilities, being able to accomplish
According to Wright (2013), “You need to be a mu- things they never thought they could.
sician who can get the audience engaged. Real rock Visibility
stars not only touch people through their music, they Coe reminds, “Make sure your personal activity
also make an impact through the musical perfor-
mances they provide.” is visible.” Too often, safety leaders work too much
behind the scenes (more like an invisible studio
For safety leaders, performing entails many things. musician than a rock star). This is not tooting their
But the most visible times are when they’re in front own horns. Rather, he highly recommends “going on
of groups, presenting and facilitating. Remember that tour”: greeting and making contact without necessar-
most rock stars don’t just play concerts with their ily looking to catch people in violations or potentially
heads down. They talk and personally make contact, risky actions.
customizing what they say, with energy and sincerity.
This approach can win over even otherwise luke- Create Activated Participants
warm participants. “Don’t let them just sit there. Get them moving
5) Be a True Music Lover and involved.” According to Coe, rock stars get that
According to Wright (2013): when others sing along, stomp and clap in time to the
A true rock star is not in it for money or music, they change from being a passive (or bored or
fame. They are playing music because it’s critical) audience to activated participants: respon-
what they love to do the most. They are sive, excited and proactive.
true music lovers who pick up a guitar after
their morning coffee and who fall asleep at According to Coe, one way safety rock stars can
the end of the day listening to music. They take the lead is to “create original songs that people
are people who can’t live without music. can and want to join in on and sing.” For example,
Coe points to the Queen song, “We Will Rock You.”
Safety rock stars can set up or bring in programs
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 23
LEADING THOUGHTS
Rock stars don’t
take every solo, and
neither should safety
rock stars. They
willingly share the
spotlight and credit,
providing exposure
and attention to
others in their band.
and events that excite, engage, energize and further Thai has also shared: DJANGO/E+/GETTY IMAGES
expertise that people really value and want, especially •“No one wants to be injured. But people need the
methods that help them better live and accomplish knowledge and skills to be empowered and excited to
what they want to do in their favorite off-work hob- make changes in their own lives.”
bies or activities. •“I feel we’ve done our job if everyone, not just the
safety people, is looking out for each other.”
Give Up Total Control •“There’s significant power in numbers, where ev-
Again, rock stars stoke and feed off others’ energy. eryone is working toward the same goal.”
•“In order to be sustainable, safety strategies
They know they’d tire and become depleted if they should not be seen as just safety strategies, a separate
were just singing out without getting energy returned entity or hindrance or legal obligation to the com-
(does this feel familiar?). In addition to orchestrat- pany, but be woven into the organization’s business
ing sing-alongs (high-participation opportunities), strategies and functions of the operation.”
safety rock stars continue to ask, “What do you Thai says, “There is something to be said about
guys think?” “What do you need?” “What have we genuine enthusiasm and passion, and how it connects
missed?” “How can we do this better?” with and inspires change in others. It’s like a positive
feedback loop. I’m drawn in when I see someone who
Groom & Let Go of Your Band Members is passionate and excited themselves.”
Coe believes in actively supporting those who re- Coe expects that within a relatively short time Thai
will help develop other safety rock stars as well.
port to him to grow in expertise, influence and con-
fidence. Even when they move up, or even out. Grace Support Your Supporters
Thai is one example of a younger safety professional Coe says, “Remember that there’s a lot that has to
who has left Honda Canada, with Coe’s support, for
warmer climes. Coe has helped Thai bloom into a go into a successful rock tour, such as scheduling/
safety rock star, growing from a mostly technically booking the trips and arranging lodging, nego-
geared ergonomist into a high-level safety leader tiating contracts, transporting and maintaining
who was instrumental in developing and sustaining equipment, promoting and advertising, and so
a safety coaching system within Honda Canada that much more. Each of these is critical to successful
achieved global-class results in both injury reduction performances. No one can do all these functions by
and engagement. With Coe’s blessing, she recently him/herself. Collaboration is essential. It’s the same
moved up to become a safety manager with Hawaiian in safety. You’ve heard the expression, ‘For want of a
Airlines in Honolulu. She still stays in contact with nail the war was lost’? Supervisors who release their
Coe, who she considers one of her mentors. She sees people for training or coaching or to be coached are
her new role in part as a challenge to make high-level critical supporters (or potential blockers) of safe-
improvements by getting in on the ground floor of ty improvements. Same with those who schedule
change in another organization. meeting rooms. Not to mention those who allocate
other critical resources. It’s essential for safety rock
A safety rock star, Thai indicates she’s imported stars to understand this and to show appreciation
and personalized these well-practiced riffs into her for everyone’s behind-the-scenes parts in making
new position, “The first thing I’ve been focusing change happen.”
on here is building relationships. Connecting with
people is critical, I think it’s what sets you apart from Coe further cautions rock stars not to get cocky,
being a technician to someone who is valued. A lot of believing they are the only or main ones respon-
what I do is listen, share knowledge when there’s re- sible for safety successes. There are always many
ceptivity and be honest about the things I don’t know. expert players in any successful mix. “Rock stars
People will respect you when they see you know what don’t go to the symphony and expect to be the best
you’re talking about, but there’s an even stronger hold musicians there.”
when they can see sincerity behind it.”
24 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
Other Attributes Pater, R. (2011, Feb.). Advanced safety leadership skills
No surprise, this is not all there is. Coe indicates part 2: 9 critical mind-sets, skill sets and tool sets. Profession-
al Safety, 65(1), 26.
that safety rock stars must develop and exhibit skills
that are desirable to others, help people actually feel Pater, R. (2014, Jan.). Creating safety leaders, part 1: Seven
better about themselves/their work and their compa- pitfalls to avoid. Professional Safety, 59(1), 19-21.
ny, show the confidence and have the courage to be
different, honest, focused and flexible. Pater, R. (2014, Feb.). Creating safety leaders, part 2:
Building three levels of leadership. Professional Safety, 59(2),
And he reminds us that often, “It’s not what you 22-24.
do, it’s what you don’t do” that determines how oth-
ers see you. Not diminishing or undercutting. Not Pater, R. (2014, June). Overcoming the top 10 leadership
nagging. Not ever just “going through the motions.” mistakes: Change your game to achieve game-changing re-
Not losing sight of the critical role you play in the sults. Professional Safety, 59(6), 30-31.
lives of others.
Pater, R. (2015, Aug.). Shaping perceptions. Retrieved
Conclusion from https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2015/08/01/Shaping
Coe reminds us that we all can become safety rock -Perceptions.aspx?m=1
stars. There’s room for many star musicians that will Pater, R. (2015, Nov.). Sustaining leadership: Retaining,
appeal to different people. But to move toward that reinforcing, reinspiring. Professional Safety, 60(11), 19-21.
position, we each have to start on the right note, ded-
icating ourselves, continuing to develop our mind-set Pater, R. (2016, April). Mastering the martial art of leader-
and skills to inspire and help others rock. PSJ ship: Advanced guidelines, part 2. Professional Safety, 61(4),
26-27.
References
Pater, R. (2017, Feb.). Beyond supercharging: How do
Pater, R. (2009, March). The music of leadership. Occupa- you actually upgrade safety actions? Retrieved from https://
tional Health & Safety, 78(3), 22. ohsonline.com/Articles/2017/02/01/Beyond-Supercharging
-How-Do-You-Actually-Upgrade-Safety-Actions.aspx
Pater, R. (2011, Jan.). Two types of leaders: Which are you?
Advanced safety leadership skills, part 1. Professional Safety, Pater, R. (2017, Sept.). Energize safety through quantum
65(1), 25. leadership. Professional Safety, 62(9), 22-23.
Pater, R. (2018, Aug.). Growing leadership. Retrieved from
https://ohsonline.com/articles/2018/08/01/growing-leader
ship.aspx
Wright, D. (2013, July 5). What makes a rock star? Retrieved
from http://learnguitar2.com/what-makes-a-rock-star
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 25
BEST PRACTICES
Understanding
LEADING EDGE FALL PROTECTION
By Baxter Byrd
Engage a few OSH professionals in a conversation about fall protection and it won’t be long before one of the
parties mentions the phrase leading edge. Over the past several years, leading edge fall protection has been
one of the hottest topics in the height safety world.
The topic has gained attention to date are the only product formally the braking mechanism of the SRL from
not only because of a greater awareness rated for leading edge use by ANSI/ fully engaging, allowing higher arrest
of more nuanced and complex fall pro- ASSP, is driven by the dynamics of a fall forces to be transmitted into the body
tection applications, but also because at and the distribution of fall arrest forces of the worker. To mitigate these forces
least a small degree of confusion exists throughout the personal fall arrest sys- generated during a leading edge fall, it is
surrounding exactly what constitutes a tem. During an unobstructed fall with an therefore necessary to shed arrest forces
leading-edge hazard and best practices to overhead anchor and immediately after before they travel up the lifeline and
mitigate those hazards. the SRL locks up, forces are generated concentrate at the point of edge/lifeline
by the falling worker that travel through contact. The most effective method of
As defined by ANSI/ASSP A10.32- the lifeline (be it web or steel cable) to shedding arrest forces quickly is an in-
2012, a leading edge is “the unprotected the SRL housing. Forces are shed by tegral energy absorber located adjacent
side or edge during periods when it is the SRL’s braking mechanism and any to the snap hook that attaches to the
actively or continuously under con- stretch of the lifeline and harness, with worker’s dorsal D-ring, which is a design
struction.” Meanwhile, OSHA 1926.751 the remaining forces distributed either feature required by ANSI/ASSP.
Subpart R, Steel Erection, identifies the through the SRL housing and into the
leading edge as “the unprotected side connected substrate or into the body of A typical energy absorber consists of
and edge of a floor, roof . . . or other the worker. As indicated, the maximum material that tears or rips when exposed
walking surface which changes location (peak) arrest force that may be trans- to the forces of a fall. As the energy
as additional floor, roof . . . sections are mitted into a worker is 1,800 lb with an enters the material and stresses it, thou-
placed, formed or constructed.” The average of 1,350 lb or 900 lb for Class A sands of tiny rips occur, each dissipating
inclusion of active language (e.g., under and B SRLs, respectively. a small amount of energy, preventing it
construction and changes location) has from traveling up the lifeline. The aggre-
led some to view a leading edge as ex- Like most one-size-fits- gated energy loss through the material
isting only during construction and that tearing reduces the concentrating forces
once construction is complete, leading all solutions, making at the point of edge/lifeline contact,
edge conditions cease to exist. Contrast helping the lifeline maintain integrity
these definitions with the use of the term blanket requirements in throughout the fall event.
by modern fall protection equipment
manufacturers and on-site safety pro- an attempt to simplify A New Standard for
fessionals, and a bit of tension develops Leading Edge Applications
between the theoretical definition of the decision-making often
term and the practical definition on job- Much like the transition from ANSI/
sites across the country. ignores other important ASSP Z359.1-2007 to ANSI/ASSP
Z359.18-2017 for anchorage connec-
It is now commonly accepted among factors and could give tors, ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2012 (revised
manufacturers that a leading edge appli- in 2014) marks a substantial leap for-
cation is any in which it is possible for workers at height a false ward for self-retracting devices (SRDs).
a worker to fall over the edge of a roof, The original ANSI/ASSP Z359.1-2007
wall or other structure if the lifeline sense of security. standard, defined a single type of SRD
component of the connecting device will with relatively straightforward testing
contact that edge. In modern usage and In a leading edge application with an requirements, including a 3,000-lb
from the manufacturer’s perspective, anchor at foot level, once the worker static test, and a drop test with a 220-
the necessity of an edge to be “under drops below the edge of the structure, lb weight that must be stopped in no
construction” or be one that “changes the lifeline will remain in firm contact more than 54 in. with a maximum ar-
location” is no longer a determining with the edge for the entire fall. As the rest force of 1,800 lb. The standard also
factor in identifying a leading edge ap- forces generated by the worker move included basic design and functionality
plication. The condition can exist on new through the lifeline up toward the SRL requirements such as auto-locking, re-
construction and existing structures, housing, they are partially interrupted traction tension and post-conditioning
regardless of whether the edge’s location at the point of edge/lifeline contact. performance.
changes over time. This interruption has two effects. First,
it concentrates the arrest forces at the The intervening years between Z359.1
The Need for SRL-LE point of contact, potentially exceeding and Z359.14 saw the introduction of
The need for specialized leading-edge the dynamic performance of the lifeline product-specific standards and identi-
and causing a failure. Second, it prevents fied the need to understand SRDs in the
-compliant connecting devices, primarily context in which they are used. In other
self-retracting lanyards (SRLs), which words, the initial one-size-fits-all design
26 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
and testing parameters as set forth in FIGURE 1
Z359.1 were quickly outpaced by the
needs of workers and conditions in the OFFSET LEADING EDGE TEST
field. To assist manufacturers in meeting
the demands of variable working applica- This rendering of the offset leading edge test found in the ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2014 illustrates
tions and performance outcomes, ANSI/ how SRL-LE are tested in the laboratory.
ASSP extracted SRD-relevant material
from Z359.1 and expanded it greatly to Position of lifeline at Cold-rolled 1018 steel with max
create Z359.14. conclusion of test 0.005 in. radius corner
The first and most obvious update in HALO SRL-LE Direction of 5-ft offset from
Z359.14 is the expansion of SRDs into lifeline travel perpendicular
three types: self-retracting lanyards Position of lifeline just during test
(SRL), self-retracting lanyards/leading before weight is released
edge (SRL-LE) and self retracting lan-
yards with integral rescue capability Shock absorber located adja- 282-lb test
(SRL-R), along with type-specific fall cent to worker’s back weight
arrest distance and force requirements.
Two classes (A and B) refer to SRDs used Note. Adapted from “Requirements for Self-Retracting Devices for Personal Fall Arrest and Rescue
with an overhead anchorage connector, Systems” (ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2014), by ANSI/ASSP, 2014, Des Plaines, IL: Author.
SRL-LEs are compatible with overhead
or foot-level anchorage connectors, or factors that affect total fall clearance in- leading edge material consists of a piece
where the lifeline may contact sharp or clude anchor setback and height, harness of 3/8 by 3 in. 1018 steel with a sharp
abrasive edges. SRL-Rs include rescue stretch and safety margin. Accounting edge radius of no more than 0.005 in.
functionality that allows a rescuer to for the seemingly interminable factors This edge characteristic is noted by
raise or lower a fallen worker by means found in a fall protection application can ANSI/ASSP as being similar to that of
of a hand or power-assisted crank. SRD pose serious challenges to the fall protec- structural steel.
class-specific requirements are as follows: tion professional.
A minimum of two drops is required,
•Class A: No more than 24-in. arrest Leading Edge Testing one with the lifeline perpendicular to
distance and 1,350-lb average or 1,800-lb ANSI/ASSP Z359.14 does not revisit the leading edge and one with the life-
maximum arrest force; line offset by 5 ft. The latter test is in-
the definition of leading edge directly, tended to replicate a swing fall, whereby
•Class B: No more than 54-in. arrest but it does provide guidance to the fall the worker falls offset from perpendic-
distance and 900-lb average or 1,800-lb protection equipment manufacturer for ular to the edge and the lifeline scrapes
maximum arrest force; the compliance testing and performance along the edge as the worker comes to
expectations of SRL-LEs (Figure 1). Al- rest. The scraping of the lifeline com-
•SRL-LE: No arrest distance limit, though ANSI/ASSP does not go so far bines extreme physical abrasion with
force determined by class when used in as to rewrite the letter of the definition, the tension forces of the fall to test the
non-leading edge application; 1,800-lb we can gain a great deal of understand- lifeline’s integrity to the maximum. The
maximum arrest force; ing regarding what the intent of the SRL-LE must arrest the test weight,
definition is, that is, under what cir- which is allowed to swing freely for a
•SRL-R: Arrest distance and force de- cumstances should safety professionals minimum of 10 seconds without falling.
termined by class. consider the use of a leading-edge-com- The lifeline must then be subjected to
patible SRL. a static test load (while hanging or on a
SRD fall arrest distance refers to the test bed) of 1,000 lb.
maximum potential elongation of an Dynamic drop testing of SRL-LEs is
SRD’s shock absorber from the point at designed to mimic the most extreme The first set of tests with a 282-lb
which the SRD’s braking system engages conditions of a leading edge application. weight confirms the SRL-LE’s average and
until the fall is stopped. It does not rep- An SRL is anchored as if at foot level maximum arrest forces, and identifies
resent fall clearance, which is the total and a 282-lb test weight is attached to the actual deceleration distance that will
unobstructed vertical distance below a the snap hook with the lifeline com- be noted on the SRL-LE. A second set of
worker that is needed to ensure a safe ponent configured so that, during the tests repeats the perpendicular and offset
fall arrest. As identified by ANSI, fall drop, it will contact the leading edge leading edge tests but with a 300-lb test
arrest distance is a component of total material specified by ANSI/ASSP. The weight. The weight cannot hit the ground
fall clearance.
ANSI does not directly specify a
maximum arrest distance for SRL-LEs.
Manufacturers are required to determine
this measurement based on lab tests and
include the information on product la-
beling and instructions. The addition of
this second arrest distance measurement
specifically for leading edge applications
means that workers must fully under-
stand their application and choose the
correct fall arrest distance when calcu-
lating their total fall clearance. Other
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 27
BEST PRACTICES
and is allowed to swing for a minimum of FIGURE 2
2 minutes or until it comes to rest.
COMMON LEADING EDGE MATERIALS
Leading Edges OUTSIDE THE SCOPE OF ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2014
Not Specified by ANSI/ASSP
Some common leading edge materials are not covered by ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2014. The vast majority of
There has been much conversation leading edges encountered in the field will be something other than the standard specifications. Safety
regarding leading edges that are con- professionals must consult with product manufacturers to ensure full SRL-LE edge compatibility.
sidered “softer” than that in the ANSI/
ASSP-specified leading edge as de- Wood Concrete, poured or block
scribed—materials such as concrete,
metal decking, shingles, wood, rebar or Metal, including corrugated decking, stand- Round or square metal stock, such as that
round tubing (Figure 2). The ANSI/ASSP ing seam or other metal panels found in aerial lifts or guardrails
Z359.14 standard makes no comment
on any edge material or characteristic Finding the Right Solution References
other than the sharp edge 0.005-in. radi- While it might sound convenient to
us steel, nor does ANSI/ASSP recognize ANSI/ASSP. (2007). Safety requirements for
terms such as sharp, rough, smooth, harsh simply require all SRLs to have leading personal fall arrest systems, subsystems (ANSI/
or rounded to describe the characteristics edge capability and put the matter to ASSP Z359.1-2007). Des Plaines, IL: Author.
of a leading edge. rest, that is simply not possible or nec-
essary, nor, in the end, wise. Like most ANSI/ASSP. (2012a). Fall protection systems for
In a May 2018 bulletin, ANSI/ASSP one-size-fits-all solutions, making construction and demolition operations (ANSI/
addressed nontested materials by stat- blanket requirements in an attempt to ASSP A10.32-2012). Des Plaines, IL: Author.
ing that “test requirements for concrete, simplify decision-making often ignores
stone, steel decking or other materials other important factors and could give ANSI/ASSP. (2012b). Safety requirements for
are not included in . . . Z359.14. . . workers at height a false sense of secu- self-retracting devices for personal fall arrest
and testing of such equipment is out- rity. It could potentially be dangerous and rescue systems (ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-2012).
side the scope of the standard.” The to infer that an SRL-LE’s performance Des Plaines, IL: Author.
bulletin states that edges not specified will somehow overcome other deficien-
by the standard can be damaging to cies or oversights found on the jobsite, ANSI/ASSP. (2014). Requirements for
lifelines, and that if it is necessary to such as a questionable anchorage con- self-retracting devices for personal fall arrest
work with those types of edges, “it nector or marginal fall clearance. Using and rescue systems [ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-
would be prudent to discuss the work an SRL-LE can offer increased flexibil- 2012(R2014)]. Des Plaines, IL: Author.
application with the manufacturer and ity at a jobsite that requires a worker to
to confirm that the use of the SRL-LE be around many types of fall hazards, ANSI/ASSP. (2017). Safety requirements for
has been validated . . . for the specific but a holistic understanding of those anchorage connectors for active fall protection
application.” In no uncertain terms, hazards will always be paramount systems (ANSI/ASSP Z359.18-2017). Des
ANSI/ASSP defers to manufacturers to when selecting the right equipment for Plaines, IL: Author.
provide compatibility information be- the job. PSJ
tween SRL-LEs and any edge other than ANSI/ASSP. (2018). Z359 committee fall pro-
structural steel. An SRL-LE marked as tection and related systems (Z359 Committee
ANSI/ASSP Z359.14-compliant refers bulletin). Retrieved from www.assp.org/docs/
to compliance only with the test as default-source/Standards-Documents/z359-bul
specified by ANSI/ASSP, regardless of letin-for-z359-14-testing.pdf?sfvrsn=4
the inclusion of other edge types, mate-
rials or characteristics. OSHA. (2001, Jan. 18). Definitions (29 CFR
1926.751). Retrieved from www.osha.gov/laws
Because it is reasonable to expect -regs/regulations/standardnumber/1926/1926.751
that most leading edge applications
will involve a material other than Baxter Byrd is a technical writer with Pure Safety Group, an independent provider of fall protection
structural steel, consulting with the equipment and training. His primary mission is translating dense regulatory standards to increase under-
product manufacturer should be the standing and practical applicability. When he’s not writing, he’s reading. Byrd holds a B.A. in Communi-
first step in solving any leading edge cation from University of Washington.
challenge. Although a great deal of
testing information is not currently
available on leading edges other than
the steel edge specified by ANSI/ASSP,
manufacturers have begun to address
these gray areas using several types of
scenario configurators that take into
account anchorage height, setback and
edge composition to help safety pro-
fessionals most effectively determine
which type of SRL is suitable for a giv-
en application.
28 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
CHECKPOINTS
INDUSTRIAL FOOT PROTECTION
Protecting Your Most Valuable Asset, Your Employees
By Lori Hyllengren
Outfitting employees with reliable industrial footwear reduces injuries and lost work time while improving
productivity and morale. That’s because every year, more than 50,000 workers suffer foot injuries, resulting in
an average of 9 lost work days.
According to data from Bureau of La- 3) Choose the Right Footwear tabs on product wear and tear, process invoic-
bor Statistics, 75% of these injuries involve If workers need toe protection, experts es, and manually distribute vouchers.
workers who failed to comply with safety
regulations. But getting workers the cor- recommend shoes that conform to the Digital programs can simplify these pro-
rect footwear can be a serious challenge ASTM F2413-18 standard. This means the cesses. User experiences vary, but the concept
for safety managers. This article presents shoe must include a protective toe cap as an of a digital process is an online one-stop shop
five ways to overcome this challenge. integral, permanent part of its design, as op- where program managers can review consol-
posed to add-on protective devices such as idated invoices from employee purchases at
1) Know the Regulations strap-on toe caps that can fit poorly, hamper multiple store locations, authorize or revoke
Understanding the code of practice mobility or be forgotten by employees. electronic vouchers in real time, and run re-
ports to analyze important program metrics.
around safety footwear is not easy. Workers Digital programs minimize management
in industrial settings must have protective time by automating formerly manual steps,
footwear according to OSHA. Organiza- efficiently collecting information that was
tions that fail to comply with OSHA regu- previously difficult to find and providing a
lations run the risk of warnings, sanctions better big-picture view of program details.
and fines. In 2019, OSHA raised its max-
imum penalties to $13,260 a per day for Red Wing Shoe Co. testing industrial foot- 5) Perform Scheduled Maintenance
failure-to-abate violations. If a workplace wear in the laboratory. To keep a safety footwear program
is cited with a willful and repeat violation,
the maximum penalty is $132,598. In addition, shoes should defend against tuned up, it is important to create a main-
workplace-specific threats. For example, tenance plan. Employers must regularly
OSHA standards categorize footwear heat-resistant soles protect workers in pav- check work shoes to determine whether
as a type of PPE. And while OSHA dic- ing, roofing and hot metal industries. Electric they need to be replaced. Any time a heavy
tates the use of PPE, ASTM International hazard shoes provide secondary protection object hits a safety toe, it could be compro-
(a global standards organization) sets against stepping on live electrical circuits, mised. Any material embedded in the soles
performance requirements for protective electrically energized conductors, parts or should be removed immediately. Regular
footwear. Safety footwear must comply apparatuses. Puncture-resistant shoes defend cleanings are important for maximum pro-
with current ASTM standards. against nails, sharp cables and other debris tection and longevity.
found in construction, tire manufacturing,
2) Understand the Label metal recycling and glass industries. Employers must also periodically conduct
There are two ASTM standards for safe- workplace hazard assessments. Fulfilling
It is important for safety managers to under- this OSHA mandate is not only important
ty toe footwear. ASTM F2413-18 specifies stand the unique hazards of the job and find for compliance, but also helps protect em-
the minimum performance requirements footwear to match. In general, the more dan- ployees against new hazards or dangerous
to protect against various hazards. ASTM gerous the job, the more likely the shoe will be conditions that may have emerged on the
F2412-18a dictates the test methods used designed for a certain category of risk. Manu- job since the last assessment. PSJ
to measure foot protection. Two signif- facturers and retailers can help employees find
icant risks are impact (falling objects) the appropriate pair of shoes for their needs. References
and compression (rolling objects). An
ASTM-certified shoe may be labeled with 4) Go Digital BLS. (2015, Dec, 2). Type of injury or illness
several label codes. For example: Managing a safety footwear program can and body parts affected by nonfatal injuries and
illnesses in 2014. Retrieved from www.bls.gov/
•ASTM F2413-18 be complex. Program administrators must opub/ted/2015/type-of-injury-or-illness-and
•M/I/C assign shoes to specific workers based on their -body-parts-affected-by-nonfatal-injuries-and
•Mt jobs, the weather or environmental factors, -illnesses-in-2014.htm
The first line says the shoe meets the such as wet floors. Then s/he must ensure that
ASTM F2413-18 standard. Next, the M employees purchase the correct shoes, keep Kallis, R. (2017, Jan 1). Safe footwear im-
stands for male. (F stands for female for proves worker outcomes. Retrieved from https://
women’s shoes). The I stands for the impact ohsonline.com/Articles/2017/01/01/Safe-Foot
rating (a 50-lb weight is dropped onto the wear-Improves-Worker-Outcomes.aspx
toe from a height of 18 in., delivering 75 ft-
lb of force). The C is the compression rating OSHA. (2019, Jan 23). OSHA penalties. Re-
(the shoe can withstand 2,500 lb of com- trieved from www.osha.gov/penalties
pressive force on the toe). The last line (Mt)
indicates that the shoe offers impact protec- Lori Hyllengren is the laboratory manager for Red Wing Shoe Co. and S.B. Foot Tanning Co. She has
tion for the metatarsal area of the foot. experience in product quality testing of leather, footwear and PPE garments across international stan-
dards including ASTM, Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and European Standards (EN). Hyllengren
represents Red Wing Shoe Co. on the ASTM D31 Leather Committee, Department of Defense Footwear
Committee, ASTM Subcommittee F13.30 on Footwear and CSA Protective Footwear Committee Z195,
where test methods and specifications are developed for the U.S. and Canada.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 29
WORTH READING
NUDGE
Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth & Happiness
By Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein, 2009, New York, NY: Penguin Books
One of the most important ideas that Nudge: Improving current job task. This will remove confusion or misunderstand-
Decisions about Health, Wealth and Happiness explains is ing as to which type of fall protection is needed.
that, as humans, we have to make choices every day and, un-
fortunately, we often choose poorly. The authors explain that •Instead of red-tagging damaged or defective power tools,
we think we make decisions cut the cords off of the ends so that workers are not tempted to
like “Homo economicus”: the use a power tool that may be missing its grounding conductor.
notion that each of us choos-
es unfailingly well, that we Case Study: Innovative Engineering
“think like Albert Einstein, Systems Green-to-Go JSA
store as much memory as
IBM’s Big Blue and exercise Around the same time that I was reading this book, my
the willpower of Mahatma company was looking to improve our job safety analysis (JSA)
Gandhi.” Unfortunately, we documentation. While conducting an analysis of our previous
are not Homo economicus but year’s audit findings, a pattern of incomplete and incorrect JSA
Homo sapiens. We are subject documentation emerged. While our current documentation
to error. However, there is was completed on an iPad application, it provided no feedback
hope for us Homo sapiens in when the user failed to complete or incorrectly completed a
the concept the authors call portion of the JSA. To provide prompt visual feedback to the
libertarian paternalism, in user, the innovative engineering systems design and safety
which governments and busi- team developed the Green-to-Go JSA.
nesses try to influence people
into making better choices. The JSA was split into sections such as emergency planning,
work scope, permitting and inspections. These sections display
Choice Architecture red in the background, highlights required text boxes that are in-
This book outlines and describes how certain organi- complete in red and marks the section tabs in red. This indicates
that these portions of the JSA are incomplete. As the crew com-
zations have used libertarian paternalism strategies and pletes the required portions of the JSA, the red highlight on the
tactics to influence better choices. The book describes the text boxes are removed. When all the portions of a section are
concept of a choice architect, someone who has the respon- completed, the section tab and the background turn green letting
sibility for organizing the context in which people make the crew know that the JSA section has been completed. When
decisions. Managers, frontline supervisors and safety pro- all the sections are completed, the crew can submit the JSA.
fessionals are examples of choice architects. These roles help
to establish the context in which workers make decisions. Since the Green-to-Go JSA was deployed, the team has
The cited example is cafeterias in schools in which there is shown an increase in communication between crews, the
no intentional layout of the food being served. When some supervision and safety support. By highlighting incomplete
of the cafeteria managers experimented with the food item information, the crew can more easily identify areas that
layout, the researchers noted as great as a 25% increase or require more detail. Inspections are now on the JSA, elimi-
decrease in the consumption of certain foods depending on nating the need for additional paperwork to be produced or
their position in the layout. brought to the jobsite. Auto-population of some information
ensures that the correct information, such as emergency
Some criteria that good choice architects can use to influence phone numbers, is added to the JSA. The Green-to-Go JSA
better choices and behavior include: also provides relevant client forms and prompts the require-
ment to complete them before work starts. Finally, the crew is
•making good decisions the obvious and simplest choice; more confident in its JSA as it goes to work, knowing that the
•making undesirable decisions harder to make; JSA has been completed to standard.
•setting up good default choices and making undesirable de-
cisions irrelevant; Jason Kibbey, CSP
•prompting visual feedback systems to prime the brain’s au- Bakersfield, CA
tomatic systems.
Understanding how people make decisions, the concept JACOBLUND/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
of the choice architect and libertarian paternalism has
made it easier for me to facilitate good choice architecture
to reduce risks and increase our chances of safe deci-
sion-making. For example:
•Instead of having portable generators and using a separate
ground-fault circuit interrupter attachment, buy generators that
have ground-fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) built into them to
improve compliance with GFCI use.
•Instead of issuing multiple types of fall protection equip-
ment, issue only fall protection equipment that applies to the
30 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
HEALTH & SAFETY Research Brief
MANAGEMENT
Are Long Nursing
An Alternative Approach to Reducing Shifts on Hospital
Accidents, Injury & Illness at Work Wards Associated With
Sickness Absence?
By John White, 2018, Baton Racon, FL: CRC Press A Longitudinal
Retrospective
The author of Health and Safety Management: An Alternative Approach to Reducing Observational Study
Accidents, Injury and Illness at Work does an excellent job of addressing a hot topic in
every safety professional’s career: How do I prevent injuries? The book is well orga- By Chiara Dall’Ora, Jane Ball, Oliver
nized with 19 chapters that are clearly presented. Most of this book is based on White’s Redfern, et al., 2018, Journal of Nursing
personal experiences as a mountain guide and avid adventure sportsman in England. Management, 27(1), 19-26
However, he does reference some statistics and Maslow’s hierarchy of needs throughout
the book. The strongest point in this publication, as well as a unique way of thinking, is A study sought to investigate whether
what the author calls “free-thinking hazard identification,” which is a forward-thinking 12-hour shifts are associated with in-
method that any safety professional or active person could likely adopt after reading creased sickness absence among regis-
this book. I did not discover any weaknesses with the publication, as all of the infor- tered nurses and healthcare assistants.
mation is relative to a forward-thinking safety professional who is trying to understand This retrospective longitudinal study
how to best protect an aging workforce and prevent injuries from occurring. collected data from 32 general inpatient
wards at an acute hospital in England
White offers numerous examples from his life and work, and brings together the and explored the association between
correlation between safety in dangerous sports and safety at work. This cross-refer- shift patterns and the subsequent oc-
ence gives the safety professional a fresh look at forward-thinking safety and health currence of short- or long-term sick-
by using the free-thinking hazard identification technique outlined by the author. ness absences.
White’s technique is designed to offer managers, supervisors and employees many
tips for implementing his approach. As a safety professional, I spend much of my time The team analyzed more than 600,000
looking at situations and understanding what could happen if things went wrong, shifts and noted more than 8,000 distinct
which allows me to adjust and adapt to the situation episodes of sickness absence. They also
as it is at that moment and train accordingly. noted that when a nurse or healthcare
assistant worked more than 75% of 12-
White’s book is full of examples and tips for hour shifts in the past 7 days, the odds of
teaching employees to do the same, which can make both a short-term (less than 7 days) and
the workforce safer over time and give employees long-term (more than 7 days) sickness
the tools to recognize when the task at hand is lead- episode were increased compared to
ing off the path of the operating procedures. We working none.
have all heard of Murphy’s Law: anything that can
go wrong will go wrong. This book helps the safety Researchers conclude that working long
professional train his/her team to see Murphy’s Law shifts in hospital wards is associated with
in action and adapt to the changes before an inci- a higher risk of sickness absence for these
dent or near-hit occurs. healthcare workers and that absence rates
could result in additional costs or loss of
Overall, White has written an excellent book that any productivity for hospitals. The authors
safety professional can add to his/her hazard recogni- recommend avoiding implementation of
tion toolbox and utilize for the benefit of the team. long shifts if possible.
Kristina Anderson, GSP Read the study at https://onlinelibrary
Indianapolis, IN .wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/jonm.12643.
Concrete Foundations for Turbine Generators:
Analysis, Design & Construction
Edited by P.E. Hongchung Liu, 2018, Reston, VA: American Society of Civil Engineers
Designing turbine-generator foun- on a common mat foundation (base- establishing structural design criteria
dations requires advanced technical mat); 2) elevated space-frame pedestal and construction standards and local
expertise in structural engineering foundations with columns, walls and building officials. It addresses topics
and soil dynamics. Concrete Founda- a tabletop supported on the basemat; such as foundation layout and sizing,
tions for Turbine Generators: Analysis, and 3) foundations where equipment or turbine generator equipment, strength
Design and Construction was created structural elements are supported on a and stability design, embedded items,
to address the design of three types vibration-isolation system. finite element modeling, and mod-
of concrete foundations for turbine eling of soil and pile response to dy-
generators: 1) block foundations with This manual is written for struc- namic loads.
pedestals, piers and blocks supported tural design engineers, operating
company personnel responsible for Learn more at https://bit.ly/2BCxPAX.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 31
TECHNOLOGY
Peer-Reviewed
EXOSKELETONS
Used as PPE for
Injury Prevention
By Terry Butler and Jason C. Gillette
32 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
TTHIS ARTICLE FOCUSES ON THE PREVENTION of shoulder muscu- that grip strength and elbow range of motion decreased with
loskeletal disorders (MSDs) commonly associated with muscle fatigue (Cote, Feldman, Mathieu, et al., 2008). Another study
fatigue and repetitive overuse in an occupational setting. The used near-infrared spectroscopy and found shoulder muscle
authors’ purpose and motivation are the potential consider- fatigue was dependent upon shoulder angle, task frequency
ation of exoskeletons as PPE for shoulder injury prevention. and force level (Ferguson, Allread, Le, et al., 2013). A 40%
An upper body exoskeleton is a wearable technology engi- maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) guideline has been
neered to improve upper extremity musculoskeletal health in proposed as a threshold that should not be exceeded for more
professionals and skilled trade workers who engage in repetitive than 10% of the job cycle to avoid fatigue and potential injury
arm motion or static elevation of the arms. Some upper body to the shoulder (Chaffin, Andersson & Martin, 1999). American
exoskeletons (such as the one shown in the photos on pp. 32 Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH,
and 34) are lightweight and transfer the weight of the arms 2016) has further proposed threshold limit values (TLVs) that
from the shoulders, neck and upper back to the body’s core, demonstrate the MVC level to produce upper limb localized
evenly distributing energy to reduce stress. fatigue decreases as the duty cycle increases (Figure 1).
Injury Prevention & Ergonomic Assessment FIGURE 1
OSHA offers advice for evaluating how to best protect a
FATIGUE TLV FOR MVC (%)
worker from injury. The first step is to try to eliminate the haz- VS. DUTY CYCLE (%)
ard. When elimination is not possible, it is best to identify a
suitable engineering control. If that does not work, then the use Note. From Upper Limb Localized Fatigue: TLV Physical Agents 7th Edi-
of administrative controls should be considered. For example, tion Documentation, by ACGIH, 2016, Cincinnati, OH: Author. Copyright
a study found that welding tasks entail the risk of developing 2016 by ACGIH. Reprinted with permission.
supraspinatus tendinitis and that shoulder pain decreased
after relaxation and job modification (Herberts, Kadefors, FIGURE 2
Andersson, et al., 1981). Unfortunately, workers are sometimes
expected to push through the pain associated with poorly de- WELDING SIMULATION WITH
signed jobs because an injury prevention solution is expensive & WITHOUT EXOSKELETON
to implement. Lastly, where the hazard cannot be eliminated or
controlled, PPE must be used. PPE is any device or appliance The orange line indicates welding performance with the exoskeleton,
designed to be worn by an individual when exposed to one or and the black line indicates performance without the exoskeleton.
more safety and health hazards.
Previous research has established the association of shoul-
der muscle fatigue, discomfort and decreased performance as
a function of arm position, particularly repetitive overhead
motions (Chaffin, 1973). Through ongoing research, thresholds
of exposure to risk factors (e.g., high force, long duration, high
frequency, ergonomically unfavorable postures) have been
proposed for different joints of the body (Rostykus & Mallon,
2017). One example is the rapid upper limb assessment tool,
which is based on dose-response relationships for MSD injuries
(Bernard, 1997; Marras, Allread, Burr, et al., 2000; Marras,
Fine, Ferguson, et al., 1999; Törnström, Amprazis, Christ-
mansson, et al., 2008). Another example is the Rodgers muscle
fatigue analysis method, referenced in this article (Rodgers,
1992). Ergonomic assessments are a valuable tool for determin-
ing job tasks that involve risk factors where exoskeletons may
be useful as PPE to potentially prevent MSDs.
Previous Studies on Muscle Fatigue & Exoskeletons
Fatigue is difficult to objectively assess, as it may involve
both physical and mental components. An electromyography
(EMG)-based study of repetitive hammering movements found
KEY TAKEAWAYS
•This article examines the potential consideration of exoskeletons
as PPE for shoulder injury prevention.
•It provides a brief introduction to injury prevention and ergonom-
ic assessment, and examines studies that have investigated shoulder
muscle fatigue and ergonomic assessments of exoskeletons.
•The authors introduce a series of studies conducted to assess the
potential use of exoskeletons as PPE.
•Test methods presented provide quantitative data to support deci-
sions about whether exoskeletons should be classified as PPE.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 33
VMG CINEMATIC Lab studies have utilized EMG sensors to measure shoulder
muscle activity scaled to %MVC. It has been reported that
endurance time significantly decreased when EMG amplitudeLEVITATE TECHNOLOGIES
increased from 20% to 40% MVC (Hagberg, 1981). EMG data
have also indicated that the degree of upper arm elevation is the
most important parameter influencing shoulder muscle load
(Sigholm, Herberts, Almström, et al., 1984). Further studies
have provided evidence that supporting the shoulder while
working reduces muscle activity and potentially the risk of in-
jury (Rempel, Janowitz, Alexandre, et al., 2011; Rashedi, Kim
& Nussbaum, 2014). Recent studies have supported that upper
body exoskeletons have the potential to be a useful, practical
intervention for shoulder injury reduction without increasing
low back loads, but suggest that further research is needed to
test for any “unintended consequences” (Esfahani, Alemi, Kim,
et al., 2017; Kim, Nussbaum, Esfahani, et al., 2018a; 2018b).
Authors’ Studies to Assess Exoskeletons
This section describes a series of studies that the authors
have undertaken to assess the potential use of exoskeletons as
PPE. The exoskeleton assessed throughout these studies is the
Levitate Airframe, a passive upper body exoskeleton designed
to support the weight of the arms during overhead tasks. An
initial assessment of the exoskeleton was performed by Bradley
Chase, director of the ergonomics lab at University of San Di-
ego, who collected EMG data while 15 participants completed
tasks that capture multiple elements of industrial work with
and without the exoskeleton. In Chase’s study, he observed a
statically significant 33% reduction in shoulder/neck muscle
activity when wearing the exoskeleton during demanding work
tasks in a lab environment. Chase stated that “the reduction in
shoulder/neck muscle activity with the exoskeleton may lead to
greater worker safety, comfort and productivity.”
A second study assessing the exoskeleton was conducted at a
Midwest manufacturing company and focused on taking four
subjects to maximal fatigue. This study used welding and paint-
ing simulators to capture real-time performance and quality
data (Butler, 2016). Maximal fatigue was delayed when using the
exoskeleton by enabling the welder to maintain a quality weld for
73% longer, extending the endurance time by 71 minutes (Figure
2, p. 33). The weld quality scores plotted over time reinforce that
fine motor control of muscles was maintained over the duration
of the test. The results indicate that use of the exoskeleton post-
poned fatigue for welders involved in static work (stressful pos-
tures) and painters involved in dynamic work (long duration and
high frequency). Participants who were experiencing shoulder
pain prior to the start of the testing stated that while using the
exoskeleton, their pain decreased or went away.
A third study at two John Deere manufacturing
sites involved EMG data collection on the shop
The exoskeleton assessed
throughout these studies is
the Levitate Airframe,
a passive upper body
exoskeleton designed to
support the weight of the arms
during overhead tasks.
34 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
floor with six workers from two different plants during their study, and data were collected for 10 overhead automotive
regular job shift while exposed to various kinds of physical assembly tasks. Approximately 12 minutes of data were collect-
and ergonomic stressors that are not easily simulated in a lab ed on 11 employees performing 10 job tasks, with nine tasks
environment (Gillette & Stephenson, 2017). This innovative having 10 repetitions, and one job task having three repetitions
approach measured the physical benefits of wearing and not at multiple stations. Similar to the John Deere study, wireless
wearing the exoskeleton while performing job tasks that in- EMG sensors were used to monitor the activity of eight muscles
volve overhead postures. On-site data collections provided a re- with and without use of the exoskeleton.
al-world assessment of potential exoskeleton benefits as a form
of PPE to reduce musculoskeletal disorder injuries of the shoul- To place more emphasis on the repetitious nature of a job task,
der. Data were collected on six experienced workers performing another way to analyze results is to focus on the highest 50% of
assembly, painting, parts hanging and welding tasks. This study EMG amplitudes for the dominant arm (Figure 4). If we equate
utilized wireless EMG sensors to monitor the activity of eight the highest 50% of EMG to a 50% duty cycle, then the ACGIH
muscles for 10-minute job cycles with and without the exoskel- TLV for shoulder fatigue would be 16.5% MVC (Figure 1, p. 33).
eton at the beginning and at the end of the work shift. During the Toyota Canada study, the exoskeleton resulted in
a reduction of anterior deltoid (p = 0.001), biceps brachii (p =
To emphasize the most strenuous aspects of a job task, one 0.001) and erector spinae (p = 0.03) EMG with the exoskeleton.
way to analyze results is to focus on the highest 10% of EMG There was a modest increase in upper trapezius EMG with the
amplitudes for the dominant arm (Figure 3). If we equate the exoskeleton. The average anterior deltoid and erector spinae
highest 10% of EMG to a 10% duty cycle, then the ACGIH TLV EMG fell below the 16.5% MVC threshold with the exoskeleton
for shoulder fatigue would be 40% MVC (Figure 1, p. 33). During but exceeded this threshold without the exoskeleton. Average
the John Deere study, the exoskeleton resulted in a reduction upper trapezius EMG exceeded the 16.5% MVC threshold both
of anterior deltoid (p = 0.08) and biceps brachii (p = 0.05) EMG with and without the exoskeleton, so this is an area where addi-
with the exoskeleton. There were also modest reductions in upper tional intervention such as a neck support may be beneficial.
trapezius and erector spinae EMG with the exoskeleton. A small
portion of the anterior deltoid standard deviation range slightly A Rodgers muscle fatigue analysis and a company-specific
exceeded the 40% MVC threshold with the exoskeleton. How- ergonomic risk analysis were completed on the 10 job tasks that
ever, nearly all the standard deviation range exceeded the 40% were assessed with EMG at Toyota in Canada. In some cases,
MVC threshold without the exoskeleton. The erector spinae stan- the risk to each body part matched in both analyses (Figure 5,
dard deviation range fell below the 40% MVC threshold with the p. 36); in others there was disagreement. When asked about the
exoskeleton but exceeded this threshold without the exoskeleton. consistency of ergonomic risk assessment scores, a room full
of automotive ergonomic professionals responded that some
A fourth study was completed at Toyota Canada that assessed variability in scores is not unusual. If a job task is identified as
the exoskeleton during automotive undercarriage assembly having a high ergonomic risk score, then EMG can be used to
(Gillette & Stephenson, 2018). Undercarriage assembly has determine whether there is a benefit to using an exoskeleton.
fast cycle times and is typical of overhead work where there For this job task, the ergonomic assessments indicated that
are two basic options for reducing ergonomic risk. One comes the neck and right shoulder had high risk scores. EMG results
in the form of flipping the car on its side for assembly, which demonstrate that anterior deltoid and upper trapezius mus-
introduces ergonomic and financial challenges. The other is cle activity were reduced with the exoskeleton (although still
providing support for the arms while working to reduce mus- slightly above the TLV for the upper trapezius), consistent with
cle activation and fatigue. Eleven workers volunteered for this the body parts of concern (Figure 5, p. 36).
FIGURE 3 FIGURE 4
JOHN DEERE: MAXIMUM 10% EMG TOYOTA: MAXIMUM 50% EMG
John Deere EMG amplitude results. Average EMG amplitudes plus stan- Toyota EMG amplitude results. Average 10 employees’ EMG amplitudes
dard deviations are displayed. The blue line represents the 40% MVC plus standard deviations are displayed. The blue line represents the
ACGIH TLV for shoulder fatigue. 16.5% MVC ACGIH TLV for shoulder fatigue.
60 Without Exoskeleton 30 Without Exoskeleton
8.1% MVC 25 4.4% MVC 2.2% MVC
p = 0.03
50 p = 0.08 p = 0.001
TLV
TLV 20
40 15
4.8% MVC 0.9% MVC
p = 0.05 p = 0.001
30 10
20
EMG amplitude (%MVC)
EMG amplitude (%MVC)
10 5
0 Biceps Trapezius Spinae 0 Biceps Trapezius Spinae
Deltoid Deltoid
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 35
FIGURE 5
RODGERS MUSCLE FATIGUE ANALYSIS & COMPANY ERGONOMIC ANALYSIS
Figure 5a shows examples of Rodgers muscle fatigue analysis and company ergonomic analysis for job task #3. In Figure 5b, average EMG amplitudes for
floor tubes are displayed to validate the risk analysis. The blue line represents the 16.5% MVC ACGIH TLV for shoulder fatigue.
FIGURE 5A 30 FIGURE 5B Exoskeleton
25
Rodgers fatigue data TMM risk assessment score Without
8
EMG amplitude (%MVC)
7
6 20
5 TLV
15
4
3 10
2
5
1
0 0
Deltoid
Neck Right shoulder Left shoulder Back Biceps Trapezius Spinae
Discussion quirements to be called PPE. As demonstrated with the noted
The focus of this article is on the potential use of PPE such research findings, it can be argued that the same logic holds
true for different manufacturers of exoskeletons. For example,
as a passive activation upper body exoskeleton to help prevent doubling the weight of the exoskeleton will require the user to
MSD injuries to the shoulder. The authors have described lab- expend more energy just to carry the unit around and activate
based, simulator and on-site data collections as possible meth- it to gain support when needed. The use of a passive exoskeleton
ods to collect evidence about whether an exoskeleton serves as must be balanced with the user’s anthropometrics as well as job
PPE. Lab-based studies benefit from being able to systematical- tasks, tools used and parts handled. This requires knowing the
ly manipulate posture conditions and additional measurement care, limitations and use of the technology so that employees
capabilities, but it is difficult to simulate industrial work condi- can be properly trained.
tions and participants may not be skilled at the tasks of interest.
Simulators benefit from precise performance measurements but As noted, PPE is personal and, as such, proper fit, like all oth-
are limited to the specific application for which the simulator er forms of PPE, is critical to its use. Like other forms of PPE,
was developed. On-site studies benefit from real-world task exoskeletons should have to pass performance standards to
conditions and experienced participants, but are potentially ensure that employees are adequately protected and not subject
limited in measurement instrumentation and require coordina- to unwanted risks. Unfortunately, no such standards exist. The
tion to minimize job disruption. basis of this research is to present test methods to obtain quan-
titative data to support decisions about whether exoskeletons
This series of studies indicate that workers with jobs that in- should be classified as PPE.
volve supporting or transferring loads above shoulder level (e.g.,
assembly, painting, welding, parts handling) may benefit from When the care, limitations and use for PPE are clearly de-
the use of the exoskeleton device assessed in the studies as PPE. fined, proper training can be provided to the employee to
Reduction in EMG with use of the exoskeleton would be expected prevent misuse or the introduction of unwanted risks into the
to delay the onset of muscular fatigue and may reduce the risk of work environment. To understand these risks, careful eval-
chronic shoulder injuries. From the jobs tested, the exoskeleton uation of the features and benefits of each exoskeleton must
may be an ergonomic solution as PPE for tasks involving shoulder be considered. The exoskeleton design, weight and intended
flexion of 30° to 170° that cannot be eliminated through work purpose must be applicable for the user and the work. Asking
site modification. The EMG results show that the muscles are still to see the data used to support marketing claims made by the
working, but just not as hard, therefore lessening concerns for manufacturer will help minimize misuse or potential negative
the development of muscle atrophy (Butler & Wisner, 2017). An- effects on the user.
alyzing maximum 10% EMG may be more appropriate for higher
force/lower repetition jobs, while maximum 50% EMG may be For example, it is important to consider how to extricate the
more appropriate for lower force/higher repetition jobs. user from the exoskeleton in case of an emergency. Having a
single point of release or breakaway buckles in case the user gets
The authors’ studies assessed one design of passive upper caught on a moving line is a key consideration. The profile and
body exoskeleton, but other exoskeletons may perform dif- how far away from the body the exoskeleton projects can also
ferently and, therefore, it is not known if they will meet the contribute to the risk of the device getting snagged by a part or
definition of PPE. PPE is personal. Respirators, gloves or safety moving line. Ensuring that the material and component parts
glasses must be tested against different performance standards of the exoskeleton that come in contact with the body are made
to demonstrate whether the level of protection meets the re- of breathable and cool material is important to comfort and ac-
36 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
ceptance, like any PPE. Is the unit rated flame resistant in case Kim, S., Nussbaum, M.A., Esfahani, M.I.M., et al. (2018a). Assessing
of exposure to sparks or flame? Does the unit build up a static the influence of a passive, upper extremity exoskeletal vest for tasks
charge in highly atomized air as in an electrostatic spray booth? requiring arm elevation: Part I—“Expected” effects on discomfort,
Is antimutilation (protective covers) available for use in high shoulder muscle activity, and work task performance. Applied Ergo-
finish environments when working around painted parts to pre- nomics, 70, 315-322. doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2018.02.025
vent scratches? How is the activation when raising the arms? Is it
smooth or jerky? Smooth activation of the arm support is needed Kim, S., Nussbaum, M.A., Esfahani, M.I.M., et al. (2018b). Assessing
to control fine movements and prevent unwanted movements. the influence of a passive, upper extremity exoskeletal vest for tasks
What is the weight of the exoskeleton, and can it negatively im- requiring arm elevation: Part II—“Unexpected” effects on shoulder
pact the user by increasing the person’s heart rate or increasing motion, balance, and spine loading. Applied Ergonomics, 70, 323-330.
the forces on the joints, as can be found with some full-facepiece doi:10.1016/j.apergo.2018.02.024
respirators or self-contained breathing apparatus?
Marras, W., Allread, W., Burr, D., et al. (2000). Prospective valida-
These were all considerations when selecting the exoskeleton tion of a low-back disorder risk model and assessment of ergonomic
used in the studies at a Midwest manufacturing plant for John interventions associated with manual materials handling tasks. Ergo-
Deere and Toyota. The results from the research presented here nomics, 43(11), 1866-1886.
are applicable to upper body passive activation exoskeletons
with a weight less than 6.5 lb. Exoskeletons with a weight more Marras, W., Fine, L., Ferguson, S., et al. (1999). The effectiveness of
than 6.5 pounds and design characteristics different from the commonly used lifting assessment methods to identify industrial jobs
unit tested may yield different performance results. They may associated with elevated risk of low-back disorders. Ergonomics, 42(1),
have different limitations and, as such, their classification as a 229-245.
form of PPE may not be applicable.
Rashedi, E., Kim, S. & Nussbaum, M.A. (2014). Ergonomic evalu-
The authors’ studies provided quantitative evidence of the ation of a wearable assistive device for overhead work. Ergonomics,
exoskeleton benefits in short-term, real-world working condi- 57(12), 1864-1874.
tions, but longer-term studies are also needed. Exoskeletons
should have to pass performance testing to ensure safety. The Rempel, P., Janowitz, I., Alexandre, M., et al. (2011). The effect of
ASTM Committee F48 on Exoskeletons and Exosuits has begun two alternative arm supports on shoulder and upper back muscle load-
developing such standards. PSJ ing during pipetting. Work, 39(2), 195-200.
References Rodgers, S.H. (1992). A functional job evaluation technique. Occu-
pational Medicine: State of the Art Reviews, 7(4), 679-711.
American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists
(ACGIH). (2016). Upper limb localized fatigue: TLV physical agents 7th Rostykus, W. & Mallon, J. (2017, Sept.). Leading measures prevent-
edition documentation. Cincinnati, OH: Author. ing MSDs and driving ergonomic improvements. Professional Safety,
62(9), 37-42.
Bernard, B.P. (Ed.). (1997). Musculoskeletal disorders and work-
place factors: A critical review of epidemiologic evidence for work-re- Sigholm, G., Herberts, P., Almström, C., et al. (1984). Electromyo-
lated musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity and low graphic analysis of shoulder muscle load. Journal of Orthopaedic Re-
back (NIOSH Publication No. 97-141). Washington, DC: U.S. Depart- search, 1, 379-386.
ment of Health and Human Services.
Törnström, L., Amprazis, J., Christmansson, M., et al. (2008). A
Butler, T. (2016, Sept.). Exoskeleton technology: Making workers corporate workplace model for ergonomic assessments and improve-
safer and more productive. Professional Safety, 61(9), 32-36. ments. Applied Ergonomics, 39(2), 219-228.
Butler, T. & Wisner, D. (2017). Exoskeleton technology: Making Terry Butler, CSP, is president of Lean Steps Consulting. His 38-year
workers safer and more productive, part 2 (Session 579). Proceedings of career has focused on global manufacturing. Over the past 20 years, he
Safety 2017: ASSE’s Professional Development Conference, Denver, CO. has served as vice president of facilities and director for EH&S for Vermeer
Corp. During the past 4 years, Butler has been working with Iowa State
Chaffin, D.B. (1973). Localized muscle fatigue: Definition and mea- University and global manufacturers to quantify the physical benefits of
surement. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 15(4), 346-354. working with and without the aid of exoskeleton technology to benefit all
sectors of manufacturing and professional services. Butler holds a B.S. in
Chaffin, D.B., Andersson, G.B.J. & Martin, B.J. (1999). Occupational Occupational Safety Engineering and Industrial Technology from Illinois
biomechanics. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. State University. He is a professional member of ASSP’s Hawkeye Chapter.
Cote J.N., Feldman, A.G., Mathieu, P.A., et al. (2008). Effects of Jason C. Gillette is an associate professor and the Director of Graduate
fatigue on intermuscular coordination during repetitive hammering. Education with the Department of Kinesiology at Iowa State University.
Motor Control, 12(2), 79-92. His research interests include biomechanics, ergonomics and injury mech-
anisms. He uses video, force and EMG measurements to analyze human
Esfahani, M.I.M., Alemi, M.M., Kim, S., et al. (2017). Effects of an motion, along with musculoskeletal modeling to estimate internal loading
occupational wearable assistive device on low back loads. Proceedings on the structures of the human body. Gillette holds a B.S. in Engineering
of the American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting, Boulder, CO. Science, an M.E. in Engineering Mechanics, and a Ph.D. in Biomedical Engi-
neering/Engineering Mechanics from Iowa State University.
Ferguson, S.A., Allread, W.G., Le, P., et al. (2013). Shoulder muscle
fatigue during repetitive tasks as measured by electromyography and Acknowledgments
near-infrared spectroscopy. Human Factors, 55(6), 1077-1087.
The authors thank the management and employees of John Deere Iowa and
Gillette, J.C. & Stephenson, M.L. (2017). EMG assessment of a Toyota Manufacturing Cambridge Canada for giving the field-test team
shoulder support exoskeleton during on-site job tasks. Proceedings of access to their facilities, expertise and equipment. The authors also thank
the American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting, Boulder, CO. those who participated in these studies, as well as Bradley Chase, University
of San Diego, for helping to advance the research and understanding of this
Gillette, J.C. & Stephenson, M.L. (2018). EMG analysis of an upper emerging technology and its application as PPE in the work environment.
body exoskeleton during automotive assembly. Proceedings of the
American Society of Biomechanics Annual Meeting, Rochester, MN. For More Information
Hagberg, M. (1981). Work load and fatigue in repetitive arm eleva- To learn more about the exoskeleton device tested in this article, contact
tions. Ergonomics, 24(7), 543-555. Levitate’s Joseph Zawaideh at [email protected].
Herberts, P., Kadefors, R., Andersson, G., et al. (1981). Shoulder pain
in industry: An epidemiological study on welders. Acta Orthopaedica
Scandinavica, 52(3), 299-306.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 37
SAFETY CULTURE
Peer-Reviewed
Identifying
TOXIC
LEADERSHIP
& Building
Worker Resilience
By Gary L. Winn and Ava C. Dykes
AA BASIC ASSUMPTION about establishing a values-based safety amine leaders, their behaviors and the outcomes they
culture is that topmost management is supportive and drives produce focus on the positive, while ignoring the neg-
down needed changes. Lovelace (2012) agrees: ative and even destructive behaviors and influence of
certain leaders.
Society romanticizes the idea of leadership and its
influence on the organization and its members. With Yet not all organizations have CEOs or vice presidents who
minor exception, the majority of researchers who ex- foster a supportive leader-development environment; some are
dismissive or even hostile (Winn & Dykes, 2017). But much SOLARSEVEN/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS
KEY TAKEAWAYS worse and working under the radar of this romanticized ideal
of leader development are toxic leaders who work for them-
•Toxic leaders work for themselves or against the goals of their organiza- selves or against the goals of their parent organizations, result-
ing in a poisonous, dysfunctional environment.
tions, resulting in a dysfunctional environment.
When the toxic leader creates a hostile workplace, it results
•This article seeks to help management understand how organiza- in negative but pervasive consequences that trickle down and
create a stressful environment that adversely affects the subor-
tional conditions can allow some leaders to become toxic. dinate’s professional and personal life. This covert, destructive
behavior is a stressor that costs organizations billions of dollars
•It describes how workers and managers can defend themselves and
their organizations against toxic leaders.
•Finally, it explains how authentic leaders can build a culture of mo-
rale and improved organizational resilience.
38 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
worldwide in disability claims and lost productivity. It also Toxic leaders comfort us with reassuring and often
causes susceptible individuals real stress. According to the grand illusions that life in the factory or in the family
stressor-stress-strain model, the connection between toxic lead- will work out just fine. By signing on to their grand
ers and destructive behaviors necessarily begets many negative illusions, we can work on our immortality projects.
consequences (Barling, 2007; Bowling & Beehr, 2006). There are only two catches. For one, to achieve this
desired state, we must agree to do just as the leader
One danger is that rising safety professionals and engineers may says—no ifs, ands or buts. Thus, just like when we
be especially susceptible to toxic leaders. Millennials will compose were children, dependent upon parents whose rules
75% of the U.S. workforce by 2025. While these incoming profes- we followed in exchange for love, safety and Oreos,
sionals may be altruistic and idealistic, they have little work expe- we now trade our obedience and autonomy for the
rience when they begin their careers. This naivete may allow them toxic leader’s pledge of security, certainty and other
to buy into the ethical relativism offered by toxic leaders. In addi- goodies, including a shot at life eternal.
tion, Millennials may be less inclined or less able to counteract the
effects of their toxic surroundings until they are trained in simple The second catch is equally serious. Toxic leaders
resilience techniques offered by several authors (Duckworth, 2016; do not fulfill their promises, but not because they
Trickey & Hyde, 2009; Winn, Rozman & Dean, 2015). wouldn’t fulfill them if they could. The real tragedy
of the human condition is not that we all must die,
The purpose of this article is to: but, rather, that we choose to live by grand illusions,
1) help all levels of management understand how conditions rather than to face our fears. Hence, we fall into the
in their organization may allow some leaders to act in their clutches of toxic leaders who promise us the moon,
own interests (i.e., become toxic) and how organizations may knowing full well they cannot deliver. In the worst
tacitly acquiesce; of all cases, toxic leaders fall under the spell of their
2) help senior management identify and root out toxic lead- own grand illusions and believe that they cannot hon-
ers, thus reducing psychological and physiological stressors in or their pledges because, by their very nature, these
their systems; promises are unfulfillable. The guarantees of safety,
3) describe how workers and managers at the department certainty, success, endlessly soaring stock prices, im-
level can defend themselves and their organizations against the mortality and other desiderata are simply illusions.
effects of toxic leaders; (Lipman-Blumen, 2005a)
4) describe how Millennial leaders, their subordinates and
their organizations can defend against toxic leadership and be- Once the concept of toxic leadership dawned upon the
come more resilient as a result. military’s behavioral strategists, it was found to be pervasive
Once these challenges are understood and addressed, au- in some units. According to one estimate, 20% of U.S. Army
thentic leaders can take positive steps to build a culture of soldiers suffer from the effects of toxic leadership, which is now
morale and improved organizational resilience. New research slightly redefined from Lipman-Blumen this way in the Army’s
on grit, replacing raw talent as a predictor of success, may offer “leadership bible”: Toxic leadership is a combination of self-cen-
unique solutions. tered attitudes, motivations and behaviors that have adverse
effects on subordinates, the organization and mission perfor-
Background mance (Lipman-Blumen, 2005b).
Toxic leadership is a fairly new subject stemming from stud-
In the nonmilitary workplace, stresses on individuals show
ies in the U.S. military. Army researchers investigating the up as well, so the older term PTSD may not apply just to soldiers
incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide anymore (Sweeney, Matthews & Lester, 2011; Violanti, Andrew,
have taken a new approach by looking at leadership (externally) Burchfiel, et al., 2007). However, stresses show up more for cer-
and not just mental illness or problems with subordinate indi- tain jobs such as police or firefighters who must deal with the
viduals (internally). In this early research, certain leaders were after-effects of motor vehicle crashes, natural disasters and, in-
found to be acting subversively in their own best interests and creasingly, active shooter and domestic terrorism events. It is not
not those of their workers. For the first time, the study of lead- only soldiers who are shot at or who must see and handle bodies.
ership lost some of its patina and halo effect. The stresses add up bit by bit and manifest as psychological or
physiological effects, or both. A pushy, self-centered, arrogant
Even with the difficulties of a soldier being separated from leader may push a soldier or worker over the edge.
loved ones or the stress of being in a war environment, com-
manders noticed something else causing stress. The Army hired When the toxic leader creates a hostile workplace, often,
sociologists and anthropologists to find out what was causing few obvious signs exist, but eventually it results in negative,
the high suicide rates; the top brass thought the scientists should pervasive consequences. These effects trickle down and create
ask a different kind of question. When conditions were already a stressful environment that adversely affects the subordinate’s
stressful, “suicidal behavior can be triggered by . . . toxic com- professional and personal life. According to Xie and Schau-
mand climate,” says David Matsuda, one of the original scientists broek (2001) and Aryee, Chen, Sun, et al. (2007), psychological
looking into causes of soldier suicide (Zwerdling, 2014). and physiological stress are below-the-surface problems that
cost many organizations billions of dollars worldwide in dis-
Following these early leads, Jean Lipman-Blumenv (2005b), a ability claims, lost productivity, absenteeism and turnover.
former military officer, was one of the first to write extensively According to the stressor-stress-strain model, the connections
on destructive leadership outside the military arena. She de- between destructive behaviors begets negative consequences
fines the toxic leader as “an individual who, by virtue of their (Barling, 2007; Bowling & Beehr, 2006). Workers do not know
destructive behaviors and their dysfunctional personal qual- who to trust, and they see a toxic leader as the person who co-
ities or characteristics, inflicts serious and enduring harm on vertly bends rules to suit him/herself while still appearing to be
the individuals, groups, organizations and communities—even the safety “go-to” individual.
nations—that they serve.” She continues:
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 39
FIGURE 1
TOXIC TRIANGLE: ELEMENTS IN
THREE DOMAINS RELATED TO
DESTRUCTIVE LEADERSHIP
Note. Adapted from “The Toxic Triangle: Destructive Leaders, Suscep- How Toxic Leaders Emerge
tible Followers and Conducive Environments,” by A. Padilla, R. Ho- The Padilla model (discussed in the next section) shows that
gan and R.B. Kaiser, 2007, The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 176-194.
toxic leaders need a conducive environment and susceptible
Perhaps worst, toxic leadership preys on young or inexpe- followers. To get that far, toxic leaders likely have had poor role
rienced employees who may not see the hazards and certainly models because they personalize power for themselves (the first
not the stress that is sure to come. While Millennials may be Padilla characteristic). Since they were mentored by toxic leaders,
altruistic and idealistic, they may buy into the ethical relativism they operate under a faulty definition of leadership. Often, they
(application of ethics or values contingent upon conditions, not are vocal advocates of strong leadership, but they have a distorted
held as universal truths) offered by toxic leaders (Howe, Strauss definition of strength. They think they must control everything,
& Matson, 2000; Winn & Slagley, 2016). New hires may be espe- not realizing that overcontrolling produces toxic effects.
cially less inclined or less able to counteract the effects of their
toxic surroundings until they are trained in simple resilience Toxic leaders receive a certain level of ego gratification from
techniques offered by several authors (Duckworth, 2016; Trick- overcontrolling. They also may have unresolved psychological issues
ey & Hyde, 2009; Winn, Rozman & Dean, 2015). such as fear of the unknown, fear of failure, mistrust of people, feel-
ings of inadequacy, lack of confidence or extreme overconfidence.
Let’s be honest, examination of leadership and leader devel-
opment over decades, if not centuries, has truly been as Love- The toxic leader treats people as robots, defined by whatever
lace suggests, romanticized. As a society, we consider a leader function the leader expects them to perform. Thus, the toxic
to be the highest and purest form of action-motivator in the leader is dealing with only a small portion of that person. Peo-
organization. We look up to historical leaders; we idealize reli- ple pick up on this and respond by being only partly present. In
gious leaders; we emulate business leaders. We have not broadly other words, their commitment to their work and their connec-
considered what happens when a leader’s behaviors become tion with the company are tentative at best. Over time, they will
destructive, consciously or not, and the outcomes are, by and likely see their work as just a job (Reed, 2004).
large, negative. Could a leader act in the interest of other than
their followers and organization? And, if so, what happens? The Toxic Triangle
Toxic leaders have three characteristics (Figure 1; Padilla, Ho-
The toxic leader lacks concern for others and the climate of the
organization, which leads to short- and long-term negative effects. gan & Kaiser, 2007). First, they lack genuine concern for subordi-
The toxic leader operates with an inflated sense of self-worth and nates. We all know people ostensibly in leadership positions, but
from acute self-interest. Toxic leaders consistently use dysfunctional their actions say, “look at me” and not “how can I help?” Toxic
behaviors to deceive, intimidate, coerce or unfairly punish others to leaders bully and intimidate because they see followers as “dis-
get what they want for themselves, destroying initiative and morale. posable resources they can use as they see fit” (Lovelace, 2012).
One reason that toxic leadership persists in the U.S. Army is Of course, subordinates are not disposable resources; on the
because performance is evaluated in a top-down fashion. In a contrary, they are the very core—the building blocks—of insti-
military chain of command, this means that toxic leaders can tutional skills and knowledge in an industry or company where
keep subordinates under their thumb, and they are pretty good it takes years to know all the rules and gain insights. These
at currying favor with superiors. Hence, toxic leaders remain in people are skilled and trained craftspeople, not children, which
place and are even promoted, despite their toxic ways. even the fresh graduate or new-hire craftsperson knows.
A new bottom-up evaluation procedure that enables subordi- Second, they have susceptible followers. Those people are
nates to evaluate leaders shows promise (Wilson & Darwin At conformers, in their words, followers who have unmet needs
Work, 2014). In some nonmilitary settings, the structure is sim- and who tend to have low self-esteem. They also may have a
ilar and surely exists in state police units and EMS offices that low degree of emotional maturity. But while these followers are
operate with near-military rules. It can flourish in unionized easy to influence by a toxic leader, they also likely hold a similar
environments or line-authority organizations, as well. worldview and may be ambitious, which makes this union of
weakened follower and destructive leader more likely.
Lovelace (2012) notes that toxic leaders “lack interpersonal
skills or have destructive personalities which have an extremely
negative effect on the climate of the organization.” These de-
structive behaviors include gossiping, working around estab-
lished and formal channels of authority, or, as Lovelace says,
toxic leaders “support in-fighting, abuse their informational
power [structure] and behave aggressively.”
Third, toxic or destructive leaders operate in environments
best conducive to themselves. These conducive environments
are unstable in nature (war, organizational upheaval, maybe a
multiple fatality); pose single or multiple threats to followers;
offer a direct threat to the cultural values; or operate in an en-
vironment lacking checks and balances (Padilla, et al., 2007).
Nobody is out there looking for a toxic leader who is essentially
preying on susceptible followers.
So, using the Padilla, et al. (2007), model we see that the
matter of toxic leadership is not simply one of bad leader/good
followers. Sadly, the toxic leader must have willing or naive
followers despite the countervailing indications in the environ-
ment. For these followers, it is easier to go along than go alone.
40 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
Padilla, et al. (2007), continue with some important observa- How to Avoid Toxic Leadership:
tions about destructive leadership: A Model for Leader Development
•Destructive leadership is seldom entirely destructive. Leaders, Not all organizations have CEOs or vice presidents who fos-
in concert with followers and the environment, contribute to out- ter a supportive leader-development environment; some may be
comes distributed along a destructive-constructive continuum, disinterested, some may be unaware and some may not appreci-
with outcomes related to destructive leadership primarily falling ate internal change. In a 2017 presentation, the authors suggest-
at the negative end of this spectrum. Some of the worst political ed a model to counter the effects of toxic leadership by growing
and business leaders, even Hitler, Mao and Mussolini, created safety and engineering leaders out of the spotlight even in this
some positive outcomes for their constituents. kind of depleted environment:
•The process of destructive leadership involves dominance, Under favorable circumstances, leader development
coercion and manipulation rather than influence, persuasion and culture change can happen at lower levels which
and commitment. are removed from the overt power structure. Even
when upper management is dismissive, disinterested
•The process of destructive leadership has a selfish orienta- or merely unaware, the motivated junior leader can
tion; it is focused more on the leader’s needs than the needs of change culture on his or her own using this model as
the larger social group. a guide and modifying it as local needs warrant.
•The effects of destructive leadership are outcomes that com- While having a local honor code [statement of val-
promise the quality of life for constituents and detract from the ues] might seem out of fashion for Millennials, these
organization’s main purposes. have been in place and changing lives for decades
at our nation’s military institutions. So why not in
•Destructive organizational outcomes are not exclusively the industry, too? After all, an honor code as simple as
result of destructive leaders but are also products of susceptible the 13 words at West Point or the Virginia Military
followers and conducive environments. Institute is essentially the same as the code of ethics
for [ASSP] or the National Society for Professional
How to Identify a Destructive Leader Engineers. An honor code can look like this: “Smith
Ostensible leaders who work for their own goals may not Trucking holds the safety of its drivers and the com-
munity in highest regard. Smith Trucking employees
even know they are doing so. There are some warning signs that will not knowingly violate safety rules and it will not
mark a leader as toxic. In the following excerpts, Kim (2016) tolerate those who do.”
suggests several red flags:
The structure provided by Hesselbein and Shinseki
1) Unwillingness to listen to feedback: Leadership (2004) known as be-know-do is the glue that under-
is about leading people, which includes listening to pins the U.S Army’s entire leader development pro-
those on the front lines, those at different levels of gram because it anticipates initiative and leadership
management, and all of their meaningful concerns. from mid-level soldiers who, if sufficiently preferred,
Some leaders unfortunately emphasize their own de- can act in time to prevent losses. Mid-level soldiers
sires and ideas at the expense of any receptivity. are specifically trained to step up—to act on their
own and so save time and human capital.
2) Excessive self-promotion and self-interest: While
it is important for leaders to provide guidance and Storytelling [reinforces and] clarifies important mes-
clear goals to their employees, it should not be at the sages in informal ways, and the best stories are those
expense of any other goal except their own self-ad- generated by the workers themselves. There is an au-
vancement. Narcissism has its limits. thenticity to a story told in the break room that has
credibility with craftspeople and the ability to alter the
3) Lying and inconsistency: Nothing undermines a local safety culture far beyond the leadership charts
leader more than backtracking or shuffling on rules and mission graphs in some corporate annual report.
or guidelines they set up for their employees.
Finally, those craftspeople who display person-
4) Lack of moral philosophy: Leaders need to have al courage out of the view of upper management
a guiding ethical core that informs their decisions and sometimes want it that way. Their strength of char-
how they decide to prioritize and work with the peo- acter—what they do speaks louder than what they
ple around them. They need to care about values like say—makes them a local icon, a local hero even if
fairness, social justice, equitable behavior, empathy it’s just among departmental regulars. But then, isn’t
and humanism. that the entire point: to decentralize safety responsi-
bilities? (Winn & Dykes, 2017)
5) Rewarding incompetence and lack of account-
ability: Bad leaders can sometimes be so discon- What This Means for Safety Professionals
nected as to refuse to see toxic or incompetent or Project Engineers Assigned to Safety
employees also poisoning the workplace around
them, even if the leaders themselves are not engag- Anyone assigned to manage the safety function cannot afford
ing in those behaviors directly. to harbor or allow toxic leaders to flourish. A toxic leader might
allow certain people certain latitude because it makes him/her
6) Cliquishness: Insecure leaders will often surround feel good. The toxic leader may unnecessarily bully young or
themselves with a small cadre of “yes” people who inexperienced workers. A toxic leader is much like the “look at
parrot and mirror themselves completely. Cliquish me be safe” person until no one is watching, then s/he reverts to
behavior causes dissent and splitting within an orga- actions that serve his/her ego or agenda. Worse, the toxic leader
nization, and breeds resentment.
7) Bullying and harassment: In the worst-case sce-
nario, a leader may become frankly abusive and belit-
tling to people around them, using attacking or foul
language or threats or coercion.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 41
allows subordinates to work unsafely because it serves his/her The authors’ own survey research of graduate students at West
own purposes at the peril of employees. Virginia University and several regionally matched institutions
suggests that Millennial graduates have essentially no manage-
Safety leaders cannot violate their own honor code. That is, ment experience, and more than half have never worked at a full-
they cannot look away from safety violations or practice “just time job at hiring-on time. These incoming professionals surveyed
this once” for any reason. Craftspeople know immediately that in our research and graduating in various majors indicate altruism
this leader is toxic: s/he has no central core values that direct but some degree of rashness and naivete. Winn, Williams and
those actions. On the other hand, an authentic safety culture Heafey (2013) presented findings, including these key points:
is essential for organizational and personal survival when it
comes to safety. The safety leader must act in accordance with •Survey participants missed opportunities in sum-
all three aspects of the values that play out in their organiza- mer work to learn about how people interact and
tion, including artifactual (visual), espoused (stated) and val- how businesses operate. Those students who did not
ues-in-use (reflexive or instinctive) expression of personal and work missed basic opportunities to pick up experi-
organizational values (Schein, 2010). A toxic leader may buy ence with basic office rules and procedures.
jackets with a safety slogan but ignore fall protection rules; that
person shows artifactual values, but not values-in-use, and that •Survey participants seem altruistic and would act
leader is, by definition, not authentic. The consequences of toxic ethically on intuition alone. We see this as a missed
leadership in safety may infect the organization and they may opportunity to learn altruism firsthand.
be deadly to the persons involved.
•Survey participants understand that professionals
Toxic Leadership & the Millennial Generation must read widely, but at this stage of their career
Any discussion in the popular press about the generation preparation, they do not. This is a missed opportunity
to gain historical or industry perspective.
commonly known as Millennials probably begins labeling them
as idealistic and overprotected. But reading a bit more closely, The authors concluded from these surveys that graduating
these emerging professionals are actually leading the charge Millennials were not misguided as much as they were simply
on some hot-button topics such as gun control by becoming far inexperienced; altruistic, yes, but somewhat naïve about assess-
more active in the political process than their parents. We have ing risk. Hipple (2014) observes that with Millennials, texting is
only to read about high school students who speak frankly with becoming the primary mode of communication. It has already
legislators about inaction over gun control, for example (Cam- become a means of jumping the chain of command as a con-
po-Flores & Hackman, 2018). doned communication tool. A manipulative but toxic leader
could take advantage of such employees by working outside the
Millennials are empirically different on various measures official lines of authority and communication, creating cliques
that suggest they may be vulnerable to toxic leaders. Sociologi- and, ultimately, resentment and disintegration of authority.
cal and organizational behavioral research available in the past Nobody would know whom to trust.
decade suggests that the Millennial generation represents a sig-
nificant group of people who are socially unique. Of course, the big question presents itself for the purpose
of this article: How can today’s incoming professionals be ex-
A prominent book describes the Millennial gener- pected to identify, much less challenge, toxic leaders if we are
ation, sometimes called the Y generation (Howe & unaware of the deleterious effects of toxic leaders, especially if
Strauss, 2004). These are people born between 1982 they are unwilling to confront authority (Martin, 2014)? How
and 2002. The author characterizes the generation can we better prepare incoming managers and their subordi-
as “overprotected but still eager to learn.” [The] nates to identify and withstand toxic leaders?
Millennial generation is different enough from other
generations that special methods of training them Building Department-Level Resilience Against Toxic Leaders
may be required. Can a perceptive leader build resilience against toxic leaders
The first of the Millennials started their working at the department level? In short, the answer is yes, but it will
careers in about 2002 and they have entered middle take some work. Several simple suggestions can help junior
management in about 2012. The Millennials represent safety leaders or project engineers immunize themselves. These
a 20-year span of people born after Generation X. suggestions can work individually or together.
They have solidly entered the workforce after college,
about 2002-2004, and now 10 to 12 years later, they First, junior professionals can gain self-awareness through the
are entering leadership slots. In terms of size, the Mil- Myers-Briggs Type Inventory or True Colors personality assess-
lennial generation is big, indeed, very big. In fact, it ment. Each is commonly used by organizations as large as West
is the biggest generation to come along in 50 years. Point or as small as a local hospital to help individuals and their
(Winn, Rozman & Dean, 2015) supervisors understand preferences, biases, interests, motivations
and, especially, values. The more a new hire knows about his/her
Trickey and Hyde (2009) conducted a 10-year qualitative own behaviors, the less susceptible and more resilient s/he will be.
study that focused on the dark side of leadership from the gen-
erational perspective. Despite the negative opinions about Mil- Next, the supervisor can consider using regular peer evaluations
lennials, the results from the study revealed that this generation of leaders’ performance. These are used increasingly and with
of followers prefers to abide by the rules, strives to please oth- more impact than ever. Lovelace (2012, citing Reed) says, “a toxic
ers, delivers work of high quality, has little trust in leadership leader may be able to fool their supervisors . . . but they will not be
and demonstrates low self-efficacy. These findings indicate that able to pull the wool over the eyes of peers and subordinates.”
Millennial followers may be susceptible to leadership with a
destructive demeanor because they are more compliant and less Third, the alert supervisor should help subordinates avoid solo
assertive with those in supervisory positions (Martin, 2014). confrontations with almost anyone. Lipman-Blumen (2005a) says:
Confrontations without witnesses open the possibil-
ity for the leader to twist the encounter into a “you
42 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
SOLARSEVEN/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS said/she said” scenario. Bringing a small, but well-re- Research strongly suggests that the
garded, group to a confrontation with the leader
will impress upon him that you are not alone, that effects of toxic leadership create
influential others share your concerns, and that this
meeting is completely on the record. stressors that are silent, long-lasting
Fourth, a junior leader can consult with known and trusted and just as debilitating as the more
colleagues who interact with the toxic leader. Seeking the advice
of the respected opinion leaders in the organization who are rec- common workplace hazards.
ognized as wise will build resilience and strength, and not allow
the toxic leader to have undue influence on a new hire. The expe- Certainly, stress occurs to the individual pressed with a toxic
rienced manager can steer the new hire toward trusted personnel leader, but also to the organization whose members do not know
in the organization at an early stage (Lipman-Blumen, 2005a). who to trust. Recall Kim’s (2016) admonishment as previously
noted: “Nothing undermines a leader more than backtracking or
Next and importantly, the savvy experienced manager can shuffling on rules or guidelines they set up for their employees.” In
specify opportunities for experiential training in safety so that the world of safety where personnel and property risk can range
followers can model the correct behavior, skills and attitudes from low to extreme almost immediately, the effect on an organi-
of authentic leaders; followers can see for themselves who is zation by a leader who backtracks or shuffles safety rules is at first
authentic and values-driven, and who is not. In fact, the more personally hazardous to the individuals who fall outside the rules,
the experienced leader can share training conditions firsthand but also devastating to the organization left without a clearly val-
outside the classroom and in the field, the more s/he will ob- ues-driven culture. Won’t Millennials be at most risk due to their
serve emerging leaders among those undergoing experiential lack of experience in how organizations work properly, much less
training, particularly training with scalable outcomes and am- when leaders are malignant? Morale suffers all around and every-
biguous challenges built in (Winn, Rozman & Dean, 2015). one suffers under the dark cloud of poor leadership.
Finally, an experienced manager should provide Millennials with On the contrary, Reed, Midberry, Ortiz, et al. (2011), say that
feedback and coaching during and after confrontations; the young good organizational morale is a “force multiplier,” that it “has
professional will appreciate the immediacy and intimacy. This been found to be motivating, leading to perseverance and pre-
also provides firsthand exposure to legitimate group norms, not sumably success at group tasks, especially under trying circum-
just those of the toxic leader. The younger subordinate soon knows stances.” They conclude:
how the organization should be run, not how an errant toxic leader
wants it run. This, in turn, builds resiliency at the personal and or- Unit organizational culture, through the actions of leaders,
ganizational levels (Winn, Rozman and Dean, 2015). directly affects unit performance in high-threat environ-
ments. Leaders have a responsibility and imperative to
Creating Organizational & build high morale by developing their own proficiency and
Personal Resilience Against Toxic Leadership displaying confidence in themselves and others. A detailed
knowledge of potentialities and the current mission is also
What happens to the organization when invisible hazards critical. Individual expertise and the promotion of strong
such as toxic leadership are present? What happens to the in- unit cohesion couples with these characteristics in the for-
dividual? Research strongly suggests that the effects of toxic mation of high unit morale. A unit organizational culture
leadership create stressors that are silent, long-lasting and just that fosters high morale may result in high levels of unit
as debilitating as the more common workplace hazards. Fortu- performance in high-threat environments.
nately, defenses are indeed possible.
Building Resilience Takes Effort
Borrowing the term from Dixon, Boland, Gaskin, et al. Can perceptive leaders identify and thwart stressors such as
(2014), when leaders actively provide personal and organiza-
tional resilience to adversity, they are providing a “full mental toxic leadership in the workplace? Two well-known researchers
jacket.” This means developing the tools to ward off stress that think so. First, Ness, Jablonski-Kaye, Obigt, et al. (2011), pro-
comes with the destructive influence of toxic leadership. This is vide specific advice for Millennials working around toxic lead-
one way to describe resilience but let’s look even closer. ers. They propose coping strategies so that authentic leaders can
offset the effects of stress and provide a more resilient worker:
The term resilience has come to be used to describe positive
and negative reactions to disturbances in ecosystems of all •Educate: “Provide accurate information so team members
kinds including personal and organizational, but also in safety can set up appropriate expectations and be psychologically pre-
and health cultures. Pecitto (2015) says: pared.” Ness, et al. (2011), say that communication and updates
reduce stress caused by the unknown (or the toxic).
Resilience has even become part of the national and
global policies of the U.S., the UN and the European •Train without interruption: “Practiced skills are less likely
Commission. The concept of resilience has also been to be disrupted by stress. . . . Stress inoculation training using
implemented in the area of safety and health based realistic situations better prepares those operating in dangerous
on the criticism of the traditional approach to OSH, contexts for potential stressful situations.”
which does not result in a satisfactory level of occupa-
tional safety. The concept of resilience was adopted to •Maintain unit cohesion: According to Ness, et al. (2011),
research OSH in different fields and thus with different when members of an organization bond, it helps them sustain
approaches, such as via sociotechnical studies, the
psychological and behavioral aspects of organizational
resilience and the link with research on individual or
family resilience and its influence on work.
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 43
their will and commitment to each other, the organization and applicants did not necessarily make it through to
the mission. “Cohesive units are less susceptible to the influence graduation, for example.)
of risk factors.”
A crucial tenet of grit theory is that grit can be de-
•Establish a culture of catharsis: An experienced leader antic- veloped. And if it can be developed, then greater lev-
ipates that individuals who have experienced traumatic events els of achievement can be earned. That brings us to
(e.g., death of a fellow team member) will be stressed and cre- the second part of Duckworth’s book: how to develop
ates opportunities to purge feelings. grit from the inside out. These chapters focus on the
psychology of the would-be achiever. Gritty people
•Teach coping strategies: People who believe they are in con- have four key “psychological assets”:
trol of their circumstances and their environment feel equipped
to handle the stress of hazardous situations. Administrative •Interest: “intrinsically enjoying what you do”;
and bureaucratic conditions can introduce feelings of helpless- •Practice: “the daily discipline of trying to do things
ness. Organizations would do well to destigmatize reporting of better than we did yesterday”;
stress, facilitate support and eliminate administrative practices •Purpose: “the conviction that your work mat-
that make one feel controlled by the system. ters,” that it is “integrally connected to the well-be-
ing of others”;
•Commitment, control and challenge: Authentic leaders •Hope: “the expectation that our efforts can im-
should facilitate commitment by integrating people into the prove our future.” (Wood, 2016)
team, giving them a role and a sense of control to act within
that role (Ness, et al., 2011). Here is where the authentic leader helps protect young profes-
sionals from the effects of toxic leadership by taking advantage
The second researcher has studied how workers overcome stress of new hires’ passion for the field of safety (grit factor No. 1)
and increase resilience of the organization and the individual. and helping build persistence (grit factor No. 2). It goes almost
Angela Duckworth was an Assistant Professor at the University of without saying that young professionals have entered safety and
Pennsylvania a decade ago when she noticed that talent alone did health as a career because they are passionate about helping other
not always predict academic success, and that, more often, per- people and demonstrate nurturing even before they graduate.
sistence did. She called this combination of passion (deep interest) Let’s take advantage of this as we develop grit among them. The
and persistence (effort) “grit,” and set about to test her theory. authentic leader will be demanding, but supportive, too. In this
way, the authentic leader builds resilience and strength of char-
She took her idea to the U.S. Military Academy (USMA) to acter in a career in safety, but also takes advantage of passion
predict whether a given cadet would make it through the first and builds resilience and strength of character to ward off the ill
difficult summer known as “Beast Barracks,” where strongly effects of toxic leadership (Duckworth, 2016).
gifted academic and athletic cadets are tested for up to 15 hours
a day, all summer long. Of the nearly 20,000 annual applica- Conclusion
tions to USMA, only 1,500 men and women are selected per Even though society seems to glamorize the idea of leader-
year, based on extraordinarily difficult standards, plus the
required nomination by a sitting Congressional member. Still, ship, only recently has organizational and behavioral research
roughly 20% of plebes drop out every year at enormous ex- focused on the negative features of “leaders gone bad.” A leader
pense to the institution and to the U.S. government itself, not to who acts in self-interest, against the values of the parent orga-
mention the disappointment of family members. Could Duck- nization, or ignores work rules with no apparent theme can be
worth’s “grit scale” better predict first-summer success? called toxic. Toxic leaders work under the radar of this roman-
ticized view of leadership, and they create stress for the organi-
To her surprise, and that of USMA faculty, Duckworth’s simple zation and for its members.
grit scale predicted West Point resilience better than the long-used
USMA instrument, and even better than GPA and SAT scores. The U.S. Army noticed these characteristics of toxic leaders
as they endeavored to uncover reasons for high suicide rates
Duckworth (cited in Wood, 2016) says that grit is a “combi- among enlisted soldiers. Those researchers discovered that toxic
nation of passion and perseverance.” leaders show morale-damaging behaviors but have even worse
effects on resilience when they have conducive environments
No matter the domain, the highly successful [cadets] (“nobody seems to care”) and tolerant followers (young people
had a kind of ferocious determination that played out with little experience and a penchant to please others, often a
in two ways. First, these exemplars were unusually characteristic of Millennials). Millennials are entering man-
resilient and hardworking. Second, they knew in a agement positions now and will comprise 75% of the workforce
very, very deep way what it was they wanted. They in less than 10 years. Still, Millennials sometimes have a some-
not only had determination, they had direction. what naive worldview that may open them sooner to the nega-
tive effects of toxic leaders than a more experienced worker.
With the publication of her book, Duckworth and the grit
factor were off and running in the psychology literature of the Resilience is a measure of a person’s or organization’s ability
last few years. to bounce back after adversity, and toxic leaders surely present
adverse and sometimes subtly destructive conditions. Since the
Fortunately, grit can probably be both learned and support- rising generation of young professionals has little work expe-
ed. Wood’s (2016) review of Duckworth’s book identifies four rience to fall back on (built-in resilience to some degree), they
psychological assets needed to “grow grit from the inside out”: probably represent a vulnerable population in the workplace
where mistakes in judgment can be costly. More important,
In defining grit this way, Duckworth isn’t knocking supervisors who continuously act values-congruent and do not
the role of genius or talent. She’s simply putting it in allow bending the rules will strengthen junior subordinate per-
a larger context. A genius may fail through lack of sonnel and the organization. Even in the face of serious stress-
grit, whereas a non-genius might succeed through
abundance of it. Indeed, her data indicates that grit
is a better predictor of success than genius or talent.
(The smartest and most physically able West Point
44 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
ors such as a fatality or large-scale property damage, morale Leadership in dangerous situations: A handbook for the armed forces,
and resilience can rebound if the commitment is in place. emergency services and first responders (pp. 40-59). Annapolis, MD: Naval
Institute Press.
Applying the “full mental jacket” analogy, authentic leaders
will help build resilience at the department level by using a Padilla, A., Hogan, R. & Kaiser, R.B. (2007). The toxic triangle: De-
model that includes establishing an overt, public set of values or structive leaders, susceptible followers and conducive environments. The
an honor code; having a model to live by those values including Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 176-194.
acting decisively and being supported when they do. Supervisors
will protect incoming professionals from toxic leaders and build Pecitto, M. (2015). The concept of resilience in OSH management: A
resilience by being demanding but supportive, actively rejecting review of approaches. International Journal of Occupational Safety and
moral relativism, and offering the wisdom and stories of experi- Ergonomics, 2(2), 291-300.
enced safety leaders. Supportive leaders will soon recognize that
resilience can be built, even strengthened, by building on the Reed, B., Midberry, C., Ortiz, R., et al. (2011). Morale: The essential
altruism and passion that this generation of young professionals intangible. In P.J. Sweeney, M.D. Matthews & P.B. Lester (Eds.), Leader-
displayed empirically and identified in earlier research. The au- ship in dangerous situations: A handbook for the armed forces, emergency
thentic senior leader adds to the junior Millennial professional’s services and first responders (pp. 202-217). Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute
own passion by fostering what Duckworth calls grit. Press.
The conversation about organizational and individual resil- Reed, G.E. (2004). Toxic leadership. Military Review, 84(4), 67-71.
ience will continue for another decade. The ingredients in the Schein, E.H. (2010). Organizational culture and leadership. San Francis-
recipe for a values-consistent safety culture are simple elements: co, CA: Jossey-Bass.
the time-tested honor code; the demand-much/support-much Sweeney, P.J., Matthews, M.D. & Lester, P.B. (Eds.). (2011). Leadership
methods of handling Millennial juniors; creating passion and in dangerous situations: A handbook for the armed forces, emergency ser-
perseverance through grit—these give the motivated senior vices and first responders. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press.
leader hope that stressors can be challenged head on. PSJ Trickey, G. & Hyde, G. (2009). A decade of the dark side: Fighting our
demons at work. Tunbridge Wells, England: Psychological Consultancy.
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Applied Psychology, 92(1), 191-201. social environments that breed them. Forbes. Retrieved from www.forbes
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conceptual model. The Leadership Quarterly, 18(3), 207-216. Winn, G.L. & Dykes, A.C. (2017). Leader development and culture
change in a depleted environment. Proceedings of Safety 2017, ASSP’s Pro-
Bowling, N.A. & Beehr, T.A. (2006). Workplace harassment from the fessional Development Conference, Denver, CO.
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fessional Development Conference, New Orleans, LA.
Campo-Flores, A. & Hackman, M. (2018, Feb. 21). Parkland students protest Winn, G.L., Rozman, T. & Dean, J. (2015). A modified model of expe-
in Tallahassee, raising political pressure for tougher gun laws. Wall Street Jour- riential training for safety professionals and project engineers. Proceedings
nal. Retrieved from www.wsj.com/articles/parkland-students-protest-in-talla of Safety 2015, ASSP’s Professional Development Conference, Dallas, TX.
hassee-raising-political-pressure-for-tougher-gun-laws-1519252255 Winn, G.L., Williams, A. & Heafey, M. (2013). A research-based cur-
riculum in leadership, ethics and protocol for safety management and
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Maritime Security. Retrieved from http://cimsec.org/is-there-a-military
-millennial-problem-twelve-responses-to-cdr-darcie-cunningham/12481 Gary L. Winn, Ph.D., teaches construction compliance methods, training
and safety management as part of the Industrial and Management Systems
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well over 80 peer-reviewed manuscripts concentrating on construction, trans-
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Today. Retrieved from www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/culture-shrink/ Professionals and Project Engineers. In 2018, he received the ASSP William
201607/8-traits-toxic-leadership-avoid Tarrants Outstanding Safety Educator of the Year Award. Winn is a profession-
al member of ASSP’s Greater West Virginia Chapter.
Lipman-Blumen, J. (2005a). The allure of toxic leaders: Why followers
rarely escape their clutches. Ivey Business Journal, 69(1), 1-8. Ava C. Dykes, Ph.D., has served as the director of NIOSH’s Molecular
Biology Core Facility for the past 5 years and is an adjunct professor in safety
Lipman-Blumen, J. (2005b). The allure of toxic leaders: Why we follow management at West Virginia University. Dykes is interested in the role of
destructive bosses and corrupt politicians and how we can survive them. Ox- gender in leadership and its influence on the workplace. She earned a Ph.D. in
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Lovelace, J.B. (2012). An introduction to toxic leadership. In J.B. Love-
lace (Ed.), PL300 military leadership course reader. New York, NY: XanEdu
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assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 45
HUMAN FACTORS
Peer-Reviewed
RISK-TAKING
BEHAVIOR
The Role Emotions Play
By Christopher Garrabrant turn, elicit an emotional response from which we interactively
contemplate, make decisions and act. These interactions are
LLEADERS SEEKING TO ACHIEVE FAST RESULTS through an inci- based on how we make sense of the information received, pro-
dent investigation may overlook key motivators or competing cess it at an emotional level, and react or behave. According to a
interests affecting behaviors that drive workers to take risk. Of- study conducted by Kausel (2017) subjects were tested to deter-
ten, the incident investigation effort is cursory and born out of mine how emotions influenced behaviors and how conclusions
a compliance necessity rather than for the learning and preven- were drawn by test subjects.
tion experience, which is akin to checking the box and moving
to the next priority. Workers themselves may not be cognizant Recent models of the interpersonal effects of emo-
of their behaviors and choices that lead to injuries and loss. tions, such as the Emotions as Social Information
Individuals rationalizing whether to take a risk suggests that
there is an understood level of adverse consequence as a possi-
ble outcome of their actions. This is a broad statement and an
overgeneralization of the complexity of thought processes and
actions that take place in a matter of seconds. Budgett, O’Car-
roll and Pfannkuch (2015) comment that “As a concept, risk
can refer to a probability or to a consequence or to the product
of probability and consequence” (p. 331). Probability enters as a
decision-making mediator of a potential outcome and becomes
a measure of the risk frequency and severity as to whether one
will act knowing the possibility and extent of harm.
Forethought may not be as ever-present as one might assume
because many of our decisions are reflectively and emotionally
made at a subconscious level. This article explores how emo-
tions serve as a factor in why people take risks and how emo-
tions may motivate actions that may lead to harm, specifically
as it relates to the work environment.
Emotions Influence Risk-Taking Behavior
Risk-taking behavior is influenced by emotions. As we per-
ceive the world around us, we take in data from various input
stimuli, then interactively process the information received.
This intake of information occurs at lightning speed and with
little or no forethought to actual consequences. These inputs, in
KEY TAKEAWAYS
•The reasons individuals place themselves or others in harm’s way
may not be readily apparent. Emotions may play a deeper role than
workers believe.
•Acting contrary to known safe work practices is often cited as a fail-
ure of judgment on the part of the worker for which the sole remedy
is often admonishment for the behavior.
•Absent any form of impairment, whether from substance or fatigue,
this view is too narrow in focus to be of much value when seeking
causation and may hinder the discovery and learning processes used
to prevent recurrence.
46 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org
(EASI) model, have underlined the importance of ary mental faculty, an unsolicited, nature-ordained
emotional expression as triggering inferential process- accompaniment to our rational thinking. (p. 52)
es in others [37]. (p. 8)
The difference between choices based on emotion and a sense
The researchers concluded their study showed that “peo- of duty provides two opposing concepts. Emotions act upon us
ple have lay beliefs that emotions such as fear are linked to at a base level of understanding, whereas many would just as-
risk-taking” (Kausel, 2017, p. 9). This strongly suggests that sume that obligations, duties and rules drive behavior. Workers
emotions influence choice. One could then reason that the often observe the world through a knowledge of right because
effects of poor morale are derived from poor leadership and there are laws or some rule dictating how the world ought to
are inevitably linked to outcomes of poor safety performance function within certain contexts. If individuals have all made
and risk-taking. For example, workers are usually acutely sense of a given situation, in the same manner, the behavior can
aware of their supervisor’s perceived attitude to determine be expected to function consistently. Unfortunately, the num-
what kind of a day they might encounter. If the supervisor’s ber of variable inputs is too great to contemplate.
mood on any given day is perceived to be angry, workers will
respond by keeping to themselves and only bring up matters Workers respond emotionally to the demeanor and actions of
when necessary, thus avoiding possible conflicts. Workers leaders. Perhaps you or a coworker has asked, “What kind of a
themselves react to the perceived emotions (real or other- mood is the boss in today?” This question is motivated by a need
wise), process the inputs, and act or don’t act in response to to understand how to respond or interact with the boss and to
the state of affairs. avoid conflict. According to Schoo (2008), positive leadership
is known to produce happier workers, which, in turn, results in
According to Damasio (1996), under certain circumstances, better workforce outcomes. The emotional state we experience
emotions can disrupt reasoning: drives us to act in particular ways either to please or to avoid
conflict. Positive leaders who are attuned to worker emotions can
There has never been any doubt that, under certain actually incent workers through their mature and genuine con-
circumstances, emotion disrupts reasoning. The evi- duct. When workers are stressed emotionally, an innate sense of
dence is abundant and constitutes the source for the survival may act as the motivating factors. According to Schoo,
sound advice with which we have been brought up. “Therefore, in fulfilling higher needs, people’s behaviors may be
Keep a cool head, hold emotions at bay! Do not let more relaxed, flexible and effective, and work environments are
your passions interfere with your judgment. As a re- likely to be more pleasant than in situations where people have to
sult, we usually conceive of emotion as a supernumer- struggle to fulfill their external necessities to live” (p. 52).
HYBRID IMAGES/CULTURA/GETTY IMAGES Risk Perceptions & Human Error
Employees committing unsafe acts as the leading cause of
injuries is a premise that has been held for some time, first
posed by H.W. Heinrich in 1931. According to Manuele (2011),
“Heinrich professes that among the direct and proximate
causes of industrial accidents, 88% are unsafe acts of persons;
10% are unsafe mechanical or physical conditions; 2% are
unpreventable (H-5)” (p. 54). Manuele is careful to note that
Heinrich’s writings are the foundation of many safety-related
training practices. However, he indicates that Heinrich’s view
of causation should be revisited as “analytical evidence indi-
cates that these premises are not soundly based, supportable or
valid, and, therefore, must be dislodged” (p. 52). This is due to
the absence of Heinrich’s research documentation, which can-
not be found. Dislodging a long-held premise is easier said than
done, but necessary to remove blame and encourage dialogue
to prevent recurrence. The view of unsafe acts of persons as
the primary cause of incidents will likely serve to instill fear in
workers, thereby driving the problems underground and leav-
ing incidents unreported and unresolved.
Heinrich’s view presupposes the fault of the person or that
human error is the first and proximate cause of incidents.
Manuele (2011) comments on Heinrich’s view of human error:
“That concept permeates Heinrich’s work. It does not encom-
pass what has been learned subsequently about the complexity
of accident causation or that other causal factors may be more
significant than the first proximate cause” (p. 54). It is difficult
to conceive of a single causation for any incident given the
number of variables and complexity in play at any one moment.
Context & Sensemaking Matter
Work is often a balancing act of priorities. The priorities of
others often conflict with our own desires, perceptions of need
assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 47
and goals. Competing interests change the context of what we Social Construction
perceive as important. How we behave is contextually based Comprehending how or why a choice is made requires some
on many variable inputs including our upbringing, values, as-
piration, desires to seek pleasure or shun pain, knowledge of a level of dialogue. Dialogue provides the link between what we
given situation, and the very moment and inputs of a given sit- understand as real and the communities to which we belong,
uation. Context sets the stage for internal debate and ultimately or, as Gergen and Gergen (2003) simply put it, “We understand
a choice. Vlaev (2018) states, “When presented with a context, our lives as stories.” Last, Gergen (2009) provides the following
a person has to construct relevant preferences and beliefs, and four observations regarding constructionist viewpoints:
will create and evaluate arguments in order to do so” (p. 2). The
contextual immediacy of our situation influences behavioral 1) What we take to be an experience of the world
choice and related outcomes. Vlaev argues that “rationality as- does not in itself dictate the terms by which the
sumptions typically hold locally—i.e., within a context, but not world is understood. What we take to be knowledge
globally across contexts” (p. 4). of the world is not a product of induction, or of the
building and testing of general hypotheses.
Case Study
Toward the end of an evening shift, a work crew experienced 2) The terms in which the world is understood are
a jam up of materials in the manufacturing equipment they social artifacts, products of historically situated in-
were operating. Operators were desperate to keep production terchanges among people. From the constructionist
running to avoid disciplinary action and additional hours of position, the process of understanding is not auto-
overtime. The crew began cleaning the machine with solvent to matically driven by the forces of nature but is the
speed up the work. Materials became saturated with the flam- result of an active, cooperative enterprise of persons
mable solvent and were permitted to enter into a drying oven. in relationship.
At approximately 2:30 a.m., the crew observed a series of two
explosions in the dryer. When observing the emotional state of 3) The degree to which a given form of under-
the workers, a few relevant facts became apparent: standing prevails or is sustained across time is not
Emotions fundamentally dependent on the empirical validity
•Workers were frustrated because the machinery jam was go- of the perspective in question but on the vicissitudes
ing to cause them to work overtime on an already-late night shift. of social processes (e.g., communication, negotiation,
•The plant had demanding production goals laid out by man- conflict, rhetoric).
agement causing additional pressures to meet demands.
•Workers could not leave their workstations for breaks and 4) Forms of negotiated understanding are of critical
therefore were observed eating around the equipment to ensure significance in social life, as they are integrally connect-
that demands were met. ed with many other activities in which people engage.
Outcome Descriptions and explanations of the world themselves
•Operators deviated from known safe cleaning procedures by constitute forms of social action. As such they are inter-
applying a combustible solvent to materials feeding through the twined with the full range of other human activities.
machinery and into an open flame dryer.
•Oxygen and the solvent were introduced into an open flame The central theme of social construction revolves around
dryer, which resulted in a series of explosions. the social processes that are in play during our attempt to con-
Relevant inputs and internal discussions form how we ob- ceptualize the world to attain knowledge. The theory of social
serve the world around us to promote internal sensemaking. construction relates to the interactions of individuals to form
The term sensemaking itself is straightforward in that it simply shared mental representations or reciprocal inputs that create
means “the making of sense” (Weick, 1995). Dougherty and knowledge and ultimately contextual meaning. “The most im-
Drumheller (2006) reflect on the work of Karl Weick and indi- portant experience of others takes place in the face-to-face sit-
cate how sensemaking is a continual series of reflections and uation, which is the prototypical case of social interaction. All
projections toward a future state. other cases are derivatives” (Berger & Luckman, 1966, p. 28).
Sensemaking is also prospective in that sense that Emotional Triggers (Somatic Markers)
is made retrospectively affects future sensemaking Is it a matter of choice if we are so compelled by external in-
(Weick, 1995, 2001). By recognizing sensemaking as
both retrospective and prospective, sensemaking as a fluences at an emotional level to act? Triggers or sparks to our
process is also emphasized. Specifically, sensemaking emotions bias our decisions as feelings in the body such as anx-
is ongoing in duration, having no single point of de- iety or fear, eye-dilation, increased heart rate, nausea or repul-
parture and no permanent point of arrival. (p. 217) sion. Damasio (1996) argues that emotional processes act upon
how we process and behave with certain stimuli: “In short,
Weick (1995) notes that emotions play a part in both the somatic markers are a special instance of feelings generated
commencement and outcome of sensemaking: from secondary emotions. Those emotions and feelings have
been connected, by learning, to predicted future outcomes of
The reality of flows becomes most apparent when that certain scenarios” (p. 174). Emotional triggers, therefore, func-
flow is interrupted. An interruption to a flow typically tion to alert or incent people to action “when a negative somatic
induces an emotional response, which then paves the marker (emotional trigger) is juxtaposed to a particular future
way for emotion to influence sensemaking. It is pre- outcome the combination functions as an alarm bell. When a
cisely because ongoing flows are subject to interrup- positive somatic marker is juxtaposed instead, it becomes a bea-
tion that sensemaking is infused with feeling. (p. 45) con of incentive” (Damasio, 1996, p. 174).
In some respects, an emotional trigger operates subconsciously
as mental cues that help us choose options with the evidence in
hand in a rapid form of data review. “Somatic markers do not de-
liberate for us. They assist the deliberation by highlighting some
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