Professional Safety - March 2019

FIGURE 1 needs of others. As noted,

HOW TO PREVENT RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR interactions with the envi-
ronment are formed at an

emotional attachment to

Evaluate work as Free the work Make company prior experiences and related
imagined environment of policies and outcomes, both positive and
compared to competing communications negative. Suppressing one’s
reality. interests that consistent. own interests for the benefit
Evaluate of others is an expressed level
Remove
Streamline
• when work is drive unsafe • Lead by example, no of developmental maturity.
designed; practices. exceptions. Forgoing the immediacy of
pleasure in the interest of a
• during postincident • production demands • Promote feedback long-term benefit is just such
causal analyses. and shortcuts; loops. an example. For example, a
worker may have some big
• morale issues • Empower employees event that s/he would like to
creating distraction; to stop work in attend after work. This forms
unsafe scenarios.
• work/life balance.

a competing interest against

work priorities to maintain

quality, production and time-

options (either dangerous or favorable) and eliminating them liness. As such, the worker knows that completing work as

rapidly from subsequent consideration” (Damasio, 1996, p. 174). prescribed will take a certain amount of time to achieve es-

For example, let’s say you are leaving home to drive to work poused goals. Should any deviation occur that precludes work

in the Midwest during a change of seasons between winter and from progressing, this may interrupt being able to attend to

spring. The weather has been bright and sunny for the past week, the outside activity.

but on this day it has shifted to a cold snap. You observe consid-

erable cloudiness and feel the sharpness of the cold air on your Case Study
face. Rain and sleet are in the forecast for that day. You begin your A small work crew showed up to a work site to conduct weld-
commute and then observe the rain and sleet begin to fall. As a ing repairs. The 440 V electrical source was inoperable. A crew
result, you slow down your vehicle and allow extra room between member observed two cut wires hanging from the bottom of a
you and the car ahead to permit adequate braking. The inputs junction box. As it was Friday afternoon the crew decided they
provided at both subconscious and conscious levels cause you to lacked the ability to make repairs and took off for the weekend.
use this information to alert you to possible problems and bene- Come Monday morning the crew reported to the work site and
fits. The deliberation does not paralyze your thought process but realized they had forgotten to call an electrician to repair the
rapidly helps you choose a safer course of driving to avoid a crash. junction box. Missing another day of work would affect their
pay. A crew member thought he could fix the problem by using
Emotional triggers act to shorten our ability to choose a given a stick to push the wires back into the box. The supervisor ap-
path. Negative emotional triggers function as deterrents, whereas proved and stood by to watch. An arc flash occurred injuring
positive somatic markers demonstrate possible benefits.

Empathy & Emotions both the worker and his supervisor.
Emotions

Empathy is the capacity to understand and share the feelings •Workers with the promise of an extended weekend left the

of others. Empathy also provides a level of self-reflection to help jobsite after finding the faulty wiring on a Friday afternoon. No

keep our emotions in check. Empathy is important because it one called a qualified electrician as specified by the company

helps us appreciate how coworkers and subordinates are react- guidelines.

ing emotionally so we can respond appropriately within the •Returning to complete the work on Monday, the wiring was

context of a given situation. For example, a truck driver needs still found inoperable.

to control his/her emotions when operating an over-the-road •Missing more time from work would mean less take-home

vehicle to avoid causing a crash. Having the capacity to under- pay for the week.

stand, share the feelings of others and self-regulate is a sign of Outcome

emotional intelligence and positive emotions. •Workers did not want to lose any more time/pay and at-

Positive emotions may be associated with one’s developmen- tempted to fix the electrical panel even though they were un-

tal state and capability of forgoing the immediacy of pleasure qualified.

from consuming unhealthy foods, drink or substances. There- •Pushing the wires caused an arc flash injuring the worker

fore, it is important to advance our understanding of how a lack and supervisor.

of positive emotions may lead to risky behavior, particularly The worker with a mature level of emotional intelligence may

among individuals for whom this risky behavior often becomes not like being interrupted, but will recognize the need to fulfill

most problematic (e.g., individuals at risk for or with a clinical the work obligations as prescribed, whereas a worker without

diagnosis; Devlin, Johnson & Gruber, 2015). that maturity level may be distracted at an emotional level to

take shortcuts to ensure that s/he will get out on time regardless

Emotional Intelligence & Choice Theory of the impact on quality, safety and production outcomes, set-

Emotional intelligence is the ability to work with and rec- ting the stage for deviating from known safe work practices. In

oncile the competing interests of your own needs and the this case the supervisor did nothing to discourage the worker

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 49

Christopher Gar-

rabrant, Ph.D.,

works for Zurich

North America Risk

Engineering as a

large loss analyst

from conducting a task well outside of his capabilities. As such, driven by self-interests and the competing and teaches in the
we are motivated by the emotions and competing interests that interests of others. graduate studies pro-
drive us to choose unsafe actions. gram at North Cen-
Mature leaders empower employees to tral College. He has
Choice theory presents that concept of accounting for our become successful by helping them fulfill more than 33 years’
own actions regardless of the external influences. Glasser (1996) the basic needs to belong, have the free- safety management
notes the fallibility associated with an old common-sense dom to choose, the power to implement experience from both
psychology called stimulus-response, which is the notion that to achieve goals and, in the end, have fun the client-side and
individuals are responsive to external stimuli and therefore through interesting and stimulating work. insurance consulting
not responsible for their actions. In contrast, Glasser notes that
“choice theory teaches that the only behavior we can control Understanding the competing in- perspectives. Garra-
is our own” (p. 20). Glasser indicates the theory teaches we are
driven by four psychological needs: terests in play is the starting point of brant is a professional

1) belonging: being around other people and feeling accepted comprehending why workers act con- member of ASSP’s
by them; trary to known safe work practices at an Three Rivers Chapter
emotional level. Therefore, leaders must and a member of the
2) freedom: being able to use creative and problem-solving recognize and help workers through Society’s Total Worker
skills to make choices; these emotional states. The only choice Health Task Force.

3) power: implementing the decisions we make or manipulat- we can control is our own by recognizing
ing our environment to achieve goals;
competing interests that can be detrimental to the organiza-
4) fun: learning something motivating or interesting.
Leaders, therefore, need to recognize and help workers fulfill tion. Organizational leaders are encouraged to evaluate work
these four needs to facilitate success and satisfaction in their
working lives. as imagined compared to reality, remove competing interests

How to Prevent Risk-Taking Behavior and streamline complex processes. PSJ
Work as imagined is set in motion by organization leaders
References
to produce safe outcomes by design. How work is interpreted
to take place is often based on how and what management Berger, P.L. & Luckman, T. (1966). The social construction of real-
communicates verbally, in writing and through actions. ity: A treatise in the sociology of knowledge. New York, NY: Random
Workers read these emotional signals from leaders and form House.
opinions as to how work should proceed. Workers often be-
lieve the shortcuts they take are with good intention to be Budgett, S., O’Carroll, L. & Pfannkuch, M. (2015). Risk intuitions
more productive members of the workforce, which brings us and perceptions: A case study of four year 13 (grade 12) students.
to the three steps needed to help prevent worker risk-taking Mathematics Enthusiast, 12(1-3), 330-346.
behavior (Figure 1, p. 49).
Damasio, A. (1996). Descartes’ error: Emotion, reason and the hu-
1) Evaluate work as imagined compared to reality. As a man brain. London, England: Papermac.
matter of course, organization leaders should develop methods
of evaluation to judge how closely the implementation of actual Devlin, H., Johnson, S. & Gruber, J. (2015). Feeling good and taking
work practices match to how they were designed through a can- a chance? Associations of hypomania risk with cognitive and behav-
did, open dialogue with workers completing the work. ioral risk-taking. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 39(4), 473-479.
doi:10.1007/s10608-015-9679-3
2) Remove competing interests. Workers respond to the
emotional signals leaders provide. Leaders may verbally es- Dougherty, D. & Drumheller, K. (2006). Sensemaking and
pouse one set of priorities while unwittingly communicating emotions in organizations: Accounting for emotions in a ra-
another. One operation told workers to work safely but to also tional(ized) context. Communication Studies, 57(2), 215-238.
rush production. Competing interests distract workers from doi:10.1080/10510970600667030
behaving as imagined. Do not let times get desperate.
Gergen, K.J. (2009). An invitation to social construction (2nd ed.).
3) Streamline complex processes. Quality processes should Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage.
also be applied to OSH initiatives. Strive for consistency of
implementation and question workers closest to the work for Gergen, K. & Gergen, M. (2003, May 29-31). Organizational change
the best ways work should be accomplished. Promote feedback (Course). Benedictine University.
loops with workers when they bring ideas forward. Empower
workers to stop work in unsafe scenarios supported by leaders’ Glasser, W. (1996). The theory of choice. Learning, 25(3), 20.
consistent emotions and signals. Kausel, E.E. (2017). Assessing others’ risk-taking behavior from
their affective states: Experimental evidence using a stag hunt game.
Conclusion Games, 8(1), 1-11. doi:10.3390/g8010009
The reason individuals place themselves or others in harm’s Manuele, F.A. (2011, Oct.). Reviewing Heinrich: Dislodging two
myths from the practice of safety. Professional Safety, 56(10), 52-61.
way may not be readily apparent, but, as discussed, we can see Schoo, A. (2008). Leaders and their teams: Learning to improve
that acting contrary to known safe work practices may not be a performance with emotional intelligence and using choice theory. In-
failure of judgment on the part of the worker. Rather, through a ternational Journal of Reality Therapy, 27(2), 40-45.
series of internalized perceptions at the conscious and subcon- Vlaev, I. (2018). Local choices: Rationality and the contextuality of deci-
scious level, workers are reacting to emotional inputs and the sion-making. Brain Sciences, 8(1), 1-22. doi:10.3390/brainsci8010008
context of the present situation. Workers are motivated to con- Weick, K.E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks,
tinually adapt to changing conditions as a coping mechanism CA: Sage.
Weick, K.E. (2001). Making sense of the organization. Malden, MA:
Blackwell.

Disclaimer

Zurich neither endorses nor rejects the recommendations of the discussion
presented. Further, the comments contained in this article are for general
distribution and cannot apply to any single set of specific circumstances. If
you have a legal issue to which you believe this article relates, we urge you
to consult your own legal counsel.

50 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

BEST PRACTICES

THE POWER OF STRUCTURE

The Strategic Safety Plan

By David G. Lynn

I love football season. Stadium lights and freshly cut grass in the fall make me think about football. Growing
up, my friends and I participated in organized leagues and we played in the backyard. No matter which venue,
our competitive nature was evident in both settings.

However, there were differences What does a structured, disciplined ticipate in the weekly audits and drive
between a backyard game and a Friday program look like? Successful safety the process. This is a strategic opportuni-
night high school game. They required cultures find a way to put fundamen- ty to demonstrate high expectations for
different levels of dedication and commit- tal safety principles into practice. In a results. Repeat audit items should carry
ment. When we played a friendly game of successful safety culture, management consequences.
football in the backyard, we maintained commitment is important and employee
the core philosophy of the game, but our involvement is essential. Professionals 3) Incident investigations: The proj-
adherence to the rules was more liberal. recognize how important it is to analyze ect manager and staff will continue to be
The games were unregulated and it was work, put controls in place and train highly engaged in the incident investi-
the survival of the fittest. They lacked the employees. But the principles are half gation process. For recordable incidents
structure and discipline that organized the story. Leaders must know how they or severe near-hits, both groups will
football requires. will tactically put these principles into participate in interviews and area walk-
practice. Just like organized sports, you throughs to ensure results and identify
Structure and discipline in organized must have a game plan and strategy that all root causes.
sports taught me the finer points of the puts principle into practice. The strategic
game. Coaches molded my personality, safety plan should include several ele- Goal: Influence the future. Elevate
rules taught me to appreciate fair com- ments: management commitment and visibility by participating in the de-
petition, dedication to practice enabled visibility, employee involvement, work tails of the process such as area walk-
my success and teamwork molded my site analysis, training and communica- throughs and employee interviews.
character. All of these elements helped tion, and prevention and controls. Following through with corrective ac-
me learn to value the game and expe- tion across the project is also a critical
rience the rewards of my hard work. Management Commitment & Visibility area of focus.
In essence, the structure of organized Safety commitment does not exist
football created an environment with 4) Corrective action: Establish a pro-
character, commitment and dedication, without a strong and consistent manage- cess to track all open items for incidents.
or a culture with clear expectations for ment presence in the workplace. The goal Assign target dates, responsibility and
the team. for this plan is to define clear ways that monitoring expectations.
the management team and supervisors
Many companies approach safety like can demonstrate their commitment with Goal: Drive sustainable solutions. The
a backyard game where they make up the strategic visible action. The following project manager and staff should meet at
rules as they go. They have a competitive management safe habits will produce safe least monthly to discuss corrective action
spirit but there is no discipline to the work and positive safety results: follow-through. They will also evaluate
program that drives success. They lack how effectively corrective action measures
teamwork, direction and boundaries for 1) Daily preshift meetings: Each area have been implemented and sustained
their program. The “backyard” safety conducts a preshift meeting and safety is throughout the plant.
culture does not experience the value of at the top of the agenda. These meetings
true dedication and hard work. However, are a strategic opportunity for the project 5) Improvement initiatives: Safety
companies can improve their own safety manager and staff to be visible in the safe- progress requires focus on the trends.
cultures if they recognize the difference ty discussion. The safety steering team can provide sup-
and transition their organization into a port and direction for safety committees
structured team with focus and direction. Goal: 100% management engagement. and managers to systematically address
The project manager and staff should trends with communications, training,
Just like organized sports, companies monitor the quality of the safety discus- auditing and engineering controls.
with structure and discipline in their sion in the meetings and both should
safety cultures have the ability to teach provide input for how to make the topics Goal: Solve specific problems that im-
employees the finer points of safety. The proactive and effective. pact performance. Focus on the problems
structure molds the culture, mentors and generate sustainable solutions.
teach the value of safety and the rules 2) Weekly safety audits: The audit
help everyone to appreciate safety suc- strategy should focus on consistent par- Employee Involvement
cess. Commitment enables achievement ticipation, frequent walkthroughs, fun- 1) Hazard identification: Employees
and it relies on teamwork. In essence, a damental coaching, standard protocols,
structured, disciplined safety program consistent follow-through with corrective need a clear method for identifying and
creates an evolving tradition or a culture action and performance-minded account- correcting hazards. The hazard identifi-
with clear expectations for managers ability with results. cation process is not just about creating
and employees. a list of things for maintenance to do.
Goal: 100% accountability for results. The process should encourage employ-
The project manager and staff will par- ees to take action and correct the things
they control. The process should be vis-
ible and simple.

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 51

BEST PRACTICES

Goal: Find and fix problems. Devel- Just like organized sports, companies with structure
op a hazard identification process that and discipline in their safety cultures have the ability
focuses on what employees can control.
Use the process as a way to coach and to teach employees the finer points of safety. The
mentor employees to look for and cor- structure molds the culture, mentors teach the value
rect risk.
of safety and the rules help everyone
2) Safety teams: The safety teams to appreciate safety success.
should report through a formal struc-
ture. Establish a safety steering team to make the process highly visible. There 2) Incident investigations: Every in- ANGLESEY/E+/GETTY IMAGES
that manages the different safety com- should also be a process for evaluating cident investigation should focus on how
mittees. The goal for the safety steering new employees based on standard safety to influence the future and focus less on
team is to direct, monitor and support expectations. how to punish the past. A good inves-
the safety committee structure. All team tigation program identifies root causes
activities should focus on safety perfor- Work Site Analysis and provides recommendations for elim-
mance improvement. They should have 1) Audits: The site currently has mul- inating the hazards. Good investigators
a strategy that includes a list of priori- have root-cause training and they utilize
tized projects. tiple methods for auditing work. An the skill often.
opportunity exists to look at all methods
Goal: 100% employee engagement. and streamline them into an effective Goal: Equip people with the tools to
Develop a structured safety team or- overall process. The safety audit strategy perform good investigations. Ensure that
ganization that meets consistently and should focus on consistent participation, the team is investigating near-hits and
addresses safety performance problems frequent walkthroughs, fundamental recordable incidents.
strategically. Get employees involved with coaching, standard protocols, consistent
the solutions. follow-through with corrective action 3) Pretask planning: One of the most
and performance-minded accountability effective ways to prevent incidents is to
3) Approaching others: All employ- with results. teach people to anticipate the risk. Good
ees need to feel comfortable approach- pretask planning requires employees to
ing others about safety hazards. This is Goal: Audit elements that impact think through the steps of a job, identify
one of the most important elements of compliance and performance. The proj- potential injuries and put preventive mea-
a program. Once people actively help ect manager and staff will participate in sures in place.
each other in the area of safety, perfor- the weekly audits and drive the process.
mance begins to improve. All layers of the organization should Goal: Get employees to think “What
participate. if?” Develop and implement a formal pre-
Goal: Protect each other. Develop a task planning process. The initial process
12-month strategy for how the project
will promote this idea. The strategy
should include training, communications
and consistent face-to-face promotion.

4) Audit participation: Utilize au-
dits as an opportunity to coach and
mentor employees. Audit participation
is also an opportunity for employees
to explain where the problems are. Use
audits to identify risk and promote
teamwork.

Goal: Coach and mentor employees.
Tag team audits with management and
employees. Utilize the strengths of the
entire organization.

5) Mentoring program: Employees
are most at risk when they are first
hired. New hires are also more likely
to ask a fellow employee questions. A
good mentoring program identifies
natural leaders in the workforce and
trains them to be a safety advocate. As
the mentor, they have an opportunity
to help new employees learn to perform
work safely.

Goal: Empower natural leaders to
make an impact on new employees. De-
velop a safety mentoring program that
identifies natural leaders and equips
them to coach new employees about
safety. The program should include ways

52 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

will focus on maintenance-related work tors and team leaders topics such as why and determine whether they are aligned
and projects. safety is important, safety responsibil- with the direction the project should
ities, preplanning techniques, hazard take. Make appropriate changes and cre-
4) Equipment inspections: Safe hab- identification, communication skills and ate an absolute pathway for compliance
its include requirements for employees root-cause analysis. to the rules.
to inspect the tools and equipment they
use. The process should be consistent Goal: Teach leaders how to make a huge 3) Corrective action programs:
and frequent. impact on safety. Establish a schedule and Establish a process to track all open
agenda for conducting safety leadership items for incidents. Assign target
Goal: 100% compliance with audits. training consistently throughout the year. dates, responsibility and monitoring
Audit all processes that require employ- Anyone who directs employees should go expectations.
ees to inspect equipment. This includes through the training.
manufacturing equipment, cord and plug Goal: Eliminate the issue. The project
equipment, rigging equipment, ladders, 4) Weekly safety topics: Team leads manager and the staff should meet at
cranes/hoists, electrical PPE, forklifts and should deliver relevant weekly topics. least monthly to discuss corrective action
fire extinguishers. The goal is to ensure Employees should apply the principles follow-through. They will also evaluate
that employees take this process seriously. of the weekly topics in their work areas. how effectively corrective action measures
Team leads should document employee have been implemented and sustained
5) Analyze trends (audits and in- participation. throughout the plant.
juries): Treat safety trends just as you
would a quality trend. Once you know Goal: Constantly communicate a rele- 4) Case management: When an injury
that certain incidents happen more fre- vant safety message. Managers and coor- happens at work, it is extremely import-
quently, determine why and put a plan in dinators should be visible in the process ant for the project team to stay involved
place to correct the situation. Utilize all and team leads should encourage feed- with the treatment for the employee. The
available tools to train, communicate and back in these meetings. team should take a hands-on approach to
monitor results. the process to ensure that the employee is
5) Strategic safety communications: properly taken care of.
Goal: Reverse the trends. A safety communications plan should
include methods for promoting messages Goal: Ensure appropriate treatment.
Training & Communication verbally, in writing and visually. The plan 5) Annual review: The safety puzzle
1) New-hire orientation: Orienta- should focus on safety-performance-relat- has many pieces. Each year, the project
ed topics and plant safety expectations. team should perform an annual review to
tion is the only opportunity to make ensure that it is following all regulatory
a first impression on a new hire. The Goal: Employees should see and hear and corporate requirements. The process
process should deliver information that a safety message everywhere they turn. should also score leadership safe habits
covers regulatory requirements and Develop a plan that keeps safety fun and safe work.
provide relevant safety information. but focuses on key initiatives and per- Goal: Recalibrate and identify areas for
The delivery method should include formance. improvement.
instructor-led elements as well as video
support. Participants should also take a Prevention & Controls Conclusion
comprehension test. 1) Strategic safety plan: A strategic Putting safety principles into practice

Goal: Make a positive safety impres- safety plan defines how and what you represents the structure and discipline
sion. Senior leaders should express their want to do to improve safety perfor- required to succeed. This is how an
commitment to safety in the orienta- mance. The plan should include safe organization demonstrates its commit-
tions. Give tours when possible and habits that produce safe work. The plan ment to safety. A structured plan es-
make sure employees know the basic should also provide quantitative ways to tablishes a positive culture with shared
safety requirements. measure performance. attitudes, values, goals and practices
that characterize a company’s repu-
2) Regulatory training: Maintain an Goal: Plan your success. To experience tation. The applied principles are the
annual regulatory training schedule that peak safety performance, you have to difference between a backyard football
includes all required OSHA training. identify the path you will take and drive game and an organized team. Every em-
The delivery method should include progress. The plan should be on paper ployee has an obligation to understand
instructor-led elements as well as video and progress should be easy to track. these principles and make them highly
support. Participants should also take visible throughout the organization.
a comprehension test. When possible, 2) Rules and programs: OSHA re- Cultures rely on the collective influence
utilize subject-matter experts and safety quires companies to have specific pro- of every individual to support the team.
professionals for the training. If that is grams and rules in place. Employees I challenge you to champion the cause
not possible, conduct train-the-trainer should know the required programs and in your work environment. Your com-
sessions with employees who will conduct rules, and they should be enforced con- mitment to your culture today influenc-
the training later. sistently. Compliance with programs and es tomorrow’s results. PSJ
rules measures safety commitment.
Goal: Deliver good material effectively.
Employees must comprehend the topics Goal: Follow and enforce the rules
so that they can apply the principles. relentlessly. Evaluate current “absolutes”

3) Safety leadership training: Great David G. Lynn, CSP, is president of Peak Safety Performance LLC, which focuses on strategic safety
programs equip all levels of the organiza- improvement and leadership development by creating strategic safety plans that address everyday
tion to perform day-to-day safety-related challenges. Lynn is a professional speaker and author with a unique blend of work experiences at OSHA,
tasks. Safety leadership training should Duracell, Owens Corning and Fluor. He has worked in the field on construction projects, managed safety
teach department managers, coordina- on a plant level and has led corporate safety initiatives as a corporate safety director. Lynn is a member of
ASSP’s Piedmont Chapter.

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 53

STANDARDS INSIDER

ACTIVE SHOOTER TECHNICAL REPORT

Q&A With Brian Hammer, Z590.5 Committee Chair

The ASSP Technical Report (TR) Z590.5-2019, “How to Develop and Implement an Active
Shooter/Armed Assailant Plan,” was released in February 2019. PSJ sat down with the
committee chair to learn more about the background and creation of the report, and best

practices employers should follow.

Brian Hammer PSJ: Let’s start with a bit of background. How has got everything they need to discuss how to deal
your experience helped you on this committee? with this type of incident. We were able to ben-
Brian Hammer is a Brian: My background brought the law enforce- efit from his experience. But take those smaller
senior transportation ment aspect to the committee, and not only the employers who may not have that; while the
consultant with Na- workplace aspect. I spent 20 years as a law en- technical report is kind of targeted to everyone,
tionwide Insurance. forcement officer. While I never responded to a we realize that it’s those companies that may not
Prior to that, he was mass shooting incident, I was in many other situa- have the necessary expertise or skills within the
a safety manager tions where shootings and violence occurred. This organization and are looking for a blueprint to
for Yellow Roadway gave me a better understanding of the importance help them. In those companies, that task will
Corp. He is a retired of having a plan in place so people know exactly often fall on the safety manager or the safety pro-
police lieutenant who what to do. fessional. Our goal was to help that safety profes-
served 20 years with sional develop that blueprint.
the Muscatine Police I also served as a school board president. Back
Department in Iowa. in those days, we had to have a bomb plan because PSJ: I noticed that the terms active shooter
He serves as vice chair people would call in bomb threats. A lot of times it and armed assailant are used frequently
of ASSP’s Standards was a student trying to get out of taking a test, but throughout the report. Is there a difference
Development Commit- you had to have a plan and realize that, back in the between the two?
tee, as a member of the ‘80s, that was not something that was well-devel-
ANSI/ASSP Z15.1 Safe oped at all. Brian: Certainly, there is a difference. We all seem
Vehicle Operations and to concentrate on shootings with a firearm but, in
Z15.3 Automated Vehi- I think the law enforcement experience has reality, most injurious assaults occur with weapons
cles committees, and brought forth a perspective that needed to be there, other than firearms. From knives to bombs to the
as chair of the Z590.5 as well as the experiences that other members incident in Oklahoma in which a machete was used.
Technical Report. brought from dealing with their own plans that they We just wanted to make sure that the technical re-
Hammer also served have developed in their workplaces. port was not concentrating only on firearms because
as chair of the Agricul- PSJ: What prompted the creation of this that is not the only type of weapon used in these
tural Branch and Area technical report? types of incidents. People can cause harm utilizing
Director of Region V, Brian: There is an absolute need for it. When you a variety of things, from motor vehicles to knives
Area 2. can’t go too long in a calendar year before you see to explosives. We wanted to make sure we were in-
one of these incidents occur, it is a time when there clusive with the threat that may exist for the person
is a need for guidance like this. What we found developing the plan.
is that larger companies have the expertise, and PSJ: What are the steps that an employer should
they were going ahead with their plans. But it was follow when developing a plan to prepare for
companies that were smaller in nature, maybe they these kinds of incidents?
didn’t have a professional security department and Brian: The first thing that we talked about is devel-
they were simply looking for guidance. During my oping a risk assessment and a vulnerability assess-
time at Nationwide Insurance, we insured con- ment to identify any deficiencies in a company. This
venience stores and other retail establishments, is an important part of getting started. You really
and they needed plans to deal with things such as need to look at your organization and say, “Where
robberies. So small employers needed some assis- am I most vulnerable? Where are the most risks at
tance to help guide them through the complicated my facility?” These are the same techniques we use
system of developing a plan that gives them the in the safety world to keep people safe from work-
best shot at being safe during the possibility of this place injuries. We assess our facility for those types
kind of incident. of indicators that might show some safety concerns.
PSJ: Who is the target audience for this report? It’s the same in this type of situation. So that’s why
Brian: The committee members had a long we felt it was a good technical report for a safety
discussion on this and we concluded that we professional to have.
would develop the technical report as it related
to all employers, but our goal was to help those We were cognizant that small employees will
who maybe did not have the technical expertise not want to have multiple different safety or se-
available. We had someone from Walt Disney curity committees. We assume that most safety
World on our committee and obviously they’ve professionals have a safety committee within
their organizations, and that’s why we decided

54 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

Invite law enforcement to your facility so they can tour it, look
at your situation and determine how they would respond. More
importantly, they may also give suggestions from their point of view.

EVGENIYSHKOLENKO/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS to make sure that, when we talked about devel- PSJ: Who should be on this committee?
oping a security threat assessment committee, Brian: We did not anticipate that an employer
we always talked about a safety and security would have to completely add a new committee,
committee because they can certainly be com- that they may be able to help or may be able to
bined together. There’s no reason that a security utilize a safety committee to help with this pro-
committee at a smaller employer couldn’t also cess. But obviously, there are people who have
handle additional members who may have more some unique skills who may not be on a safety
to add to the regular safety committee. But we’re committee. Human resources plays a big role on
not looking to force companies to say, “Hey, I’ve this committee, and they may not be on the day-
got to have another committee here.” There’s no to-day safety committee. Someone who could
reason that a good safety committee couldn’t communicate to management should also be in-
be combined to be the security committee with cluded because this committee requires complete
some additional personnel who may be more in management support. And then you have funda-
tune with that committee. mental things like building maintenance and the
engineers who may have to talk about structural
PSJ: While we’re on the topic of the security changes to a facility in the event that a facility is
threat assessment committee, can you walk us vulnerable in some areas. So, it just depends on
through its general function and goal? the location. During their first assessment phase,
Brian: Well, the committee members would first an employer may determine that it needs to bring
help to develop the threat assessment and vulner- in different personnel from the company to sit
ability assessments. Then that committee would on the committee who may not already be on
come through and get ideas about how we are go- it. So it’s a decision they have to make, and they
ing to develop our plan, and then how we’re going have to research.
to get that assessment done. Then we’re going to
talk about the training exercises that the commit- PSJ: Can you walk me through a post-incident
tee would have to put together, training staff and plan for safety professionals to follow?
having their tabletop exercises, then actually doing Brian: It is our concern that once the incident is
a tactical exercise or a full-scale exercise. So, it is over, it can be hard for an employer to manage what
encompassing in the fact that it takes a lot of work, goes on because things are going to be taken over,
but that committee has the responsibility to devel- maybe by law enforcement. And yet, we still have a
op the plan. Training would be a big responsibility, company to run. We have to manage our employees.
then running through those exercises to see how So, we must control or try to control the image that
well that plan is put together. is put out there in the press.

Obviously, the plan has to have a lot of con- There are a variety of factors post-incident
tingencies because you never know what’s going that are important for a company to consider. If
to happen, and that’s the reason you have those the shooter or the armed assailant is neutralized
tactical or full-scale exercises, to work out some of and no longer a threat, it doesn’t end there. It’s
those kinks. about communication with the media. It could

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 55

STANDARDS INSIDER

WORAWEE MEEPIAN/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS emergencies. You can look at what a company
would need to change that would help it in this
kind of emergency. But then we also understand
that there are some companies that simply don’t
have the resources to buy camera systems or the
highly sophisticated badging systems that many
larger companies have. We encourage them to
take a look at procedures they can implement in
lieu of some of those systems.

You really need to look at your organization PSJ: What are some best practices when
working with outside experts such as a local
and say, “Where am I most vulnerable? Where police force to prepare the workplace and
implement this plan?
are the most risks at my facility?” These are the Brian: The best practices are don’t be afraid to con-
tact your public officials. It’s not simply law enforce-
same techniques we use in the safety world to ment. It could be the fire department. It could be
the emergency 9-1-1 operating center. Some of our
keep people safe from workplace injuries. customers are located in areas where an emergency
9-1-1 operating center serves several communities,
be that you may need some continuing produc- whereas the police department only serves that one
tion plans because the facility may be closed community. It’s important that we have contact with
for a week while things are locked down for them. In smaller communities, having that relation-
evidence collection. Addressing some of those ship is paramount.
considerations in that post-incident plan is im-
portant for the company. One of the discussions that law enforcement of-
ficers frequently have about these incidents is that
PSJ: Before a formal program is developed, what they do not know their way around the facility. This
are steps that employers can take now to prepare was a similar problem that fire departments faced
the workplace for these kinds of incidents? years ago. Then, fire departments made the effort to
What kind of technologies can an employer start performing building inspections and now they
implement? have an idea of the building layout. That rarely hap-
Brian: We were cognizant on the committee pens with law enforcement.
about not including a lot of high-dollar technol-
ogies in the plan even though some technologies So, invite law enforcement to your facility
that cost a lot of money are very successful. We so they can tour it, look at your situation and
wanted companies to look at what they could do determine how they would respond. More im-
much like they would do on a safety assessment portantly, they may also give suggestions from
throughout their facility. Some of this can be sim- their point of view. For example, if a company is
ply changing procedures about key custody or se- looking to prevent burglary, an officer could visit
curing doors, those types of things that may have and offer tips about how to prevent your build-
loosened up over time and can make a company ing from being broken into. Those things are
vulnerable to someone coming in the rear door still applicable today, making sure that officers
versus coming through the door we would want have knowledge of your facility and how to get
them to so we can have a check. Obviously, we are around. Inviting them out to your workplace on
a big fan of things like badge control systems and a frequent basis is important.
cameras. We think that a lot of companies already
have those technologies in place and we would PSJ: Any final thoughts?
encourage employers to strongly look at key con- Brian: I come from the insurance side now. It’s im-
trol, badge control and camera control of their portant that companies realize that having this type
facility because they’re simply good safe practices of plan is like any other plan that helps reduce risk.
securing the facility from vandalism and theft to Insurance companies always want you to reduce risk
making sure we can account for employees during and none of it is 100% but, if you can reduce the risk
to as low as reasonably practicable, then you have an
improvement on your plan.

We know that an armed assailant or an active
shooter comes from several different places. And
sometimes we think it may be a terrorist, or we
think it is someone who specifically targets our
facility. But it most likely will be a disgruntled or
terminated employee, spouse of an employee, or
a disgruntled customer or vendor. Those are the
things we want to make sure people concentrate
on. PSJ

56 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

BEST PRACTICES

WORKPLACE ANTIVIOLENCE POLICIES

Seven Necessary Elements of an Effective Program

By Gary Sheely

At a workshop I recently led in the Midwest, I asked for a show of hands from those who had written

antibullying policies in their workplaces. Less than half of the attendees raised their hands. I repeated the

request for those who had an antiviolence policy. The response was more than half, but just barely.

About 250 attendees representing
approximately 190 organizations attend-
ed the workshop, so this was not a tiny
sample. The exercise confirmed for me
that more companies must prioritize the
development of an antiviolence policy to
guard workers from aggressive and un-
wanted behaviors in the workplace.

Elements That an Antiviolence FATCAMERA/E+/GETTY IMAGES
Policy Should Include
Putting an antiviolence policy in place can be
Some suggest that having separate antivi-
olence and antibullying policies is unneces- time-consuming and require a lot of thought.
sary and redundant; I disagree. While some
overlap may exist between the two, espe- However, it is far less trouble than dealing with
cially concerning threatening behaviors,
some essential differences prevent them the aftermath of just one event that
from being rolled into a single, all-inclusive
policy. For example, not all bullying involves could have been prevented.
threatening behaviors, and not all threats
can be understood as just bullying. In or- •Avoid any profiles of violent perpetra- terpretation of the behavior due to cultural
ganizations that implement both types of tors. Profiles of workers who are likely to differences. Behaviors that might be regard-
policies, attention should be paid to ensure become violent are worse than worthless, ed as normal in one generational, religious
consistency at points of overlap, especially and if the profile includes any mention or ethnic group could be seen as a threat to
concerning threatening behaviors. An anti- of race, sex or age, it may violate anti- individuals in other groups.
violence policy should do the following: discrimination laws. It is OK to identify
behaviors, but not persons. Unequal representation on the assess-
1) Recognize violence as an OSH risk. ment team can lead to a credibility crisis
2) Clearly define and describe the •Zero-tolerance provisions should be among workers if the team is completely
threatening behaviors that are not tol- approached with great caution and can cre- made up of management. This will be
erated, including fighting, pushing and ate more trouble than they prevent. While especially true if the incident is associated
unwanted physical contact. clear guidelines governing behavior are im- with any sort of controversy.
3) Include a reporting procedure to portant, there are several possible problems
ensure the effectiveness of the policy. with adopting a zero-tolerance approach. Worthwhile Effort
4) Outline the consequences of violent be- For example, it may violate progressive Most employers understand that devel-
havior, including what leads to termination. discipline approaches, and possibly even
5) Incorporate a clear strategy for mak- terms contained in a worker’s employment oping and implementing an antiviolence
ing all employees familiar with the policy. contract. A zero-tolerance approach can be policy is important. However, developing
6) Establish an assessment team that is abused by management. An example is a such a policy never seems urgent until after
responsible for investigating any reports manager intentionally provoking a worker an incident has occurred. Putting one in
of violence or threats of violence. into violating policy to create grounds for place can be time-consuming and require a
7) Identify resources for workers who termination. This approach also leaves little lot of thought. However, it is far less trouble
are victims of violence to have access to room for consideration of possible misin- than dealing with the aftermath of just one
critical incident stress debriefing services. event that could have been prevented. PSJ
The simple existence of an antiviolence
policy can be the catalyst that raises em- Gary Sheely is an associate of the Safety Institute (http://safetyinstitute.com) and a tactical con-
ployee awareness of their own behaviors frontation specialist focusing on workplace violence issues. He has written three books including Safe at
that might violate the policy. Work: How Smart Supervisors Reduce the Risk of Workplace Violence. Sheely conducts training workshops
and has been a keynote speaker at events across the U.S. He can be reached at [email protected].
Some Cautions
If you are on an antiviolence policy de-

velopment team, ensure that everyone is
aware of the following cautions:

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 57

PRODUCT PULSE

Cut-Resistant Glove Eye Full-Body
Protection Harness
Saf-T-Gard has expanded its Versa-Gard
Flex line of gloves to include the Flex G2 Jag safety glasses by Galeton The V-Flex full-body harness
cut-resistant glove. Glove is designed with are designed for construction from MSA Safety is designed
GorillaYarn, a yarn blend that reportedly site workers exposed to ex- for work-at-height applications
supplies continuous comfort without sacri- haust or inclement weather. in industries such as construc-
ficing cut resistance. Polyurethane-coated Product features fog- and tion, general industry, and
palms are resistant to punctures, abrasions, smoke-resistant coating and oil and gas. Product’s design
snags and tears. In addition, glove report- UV ray protection. Adjustable
edly grips well on wet or oily surfaces rubber nosepiece and ratchet routes webbing across the
and is designed for assembly, metal/glass adjustment provide a custom chest for secure, comfortable
handling, maintenance, construction, food fit for wearer. According to fit and reduces the need for
processing and general-duty applications. manufacturer, rubberized
Form-fitting design offers dexterity and temple ends reduce slip- adjustments throughout the
tactile sensitivity for small parts handling. page and help keep glass- day, according to manufac-
www.saftgard.com es comfortably in place.
www.galeton.com turer. Product features
foam padding for
comfort and cooling
airflow channels to

HazMat Boot reduce heat stress.
www.msasafety.com

Tingley’s HazProof HazMat boot is reportedly cer-

tified to NFPA 1991-2016 for chemical and HazMat

cleanup, emergency response and domestic pre-

paredness. Boot is designed with a special polymer Coverall
material and meets protective footwear chemical
AlphaTec’s Microchem coverall is designed to protect against
permeation requirements, according to manufac- light liquid splash, fine particulates and hazardous dusts. Ac-
turer. Product also features injection-molded cording to manufacturer, the suit has an optimized body fit for
construction for waterproof protec- comfort and features breathable vapor-permeable fabric to help
tion, smooth exterior surface for reduce the risk of heat stress. Product is silicone free and low
easy decontamination and larger linting to help reduce risk of cross contamination in critical ar-
foot area to accommodate the ex- eas. Product is suited to applications such as clean room cleaning
tra bulk of an encapsulated suit. and preparing, powder handling, plant and machine mainte-
www.tingleyrubber.com nance or cleaning, and product line support and maintenance.

www.ansell.com

Task Light Safety Vest

Designed for high-risk environments, Illumagear Halo light offers The RadWear high-visi-
wraparound flood light visibility to illuminate entire work area bility vest from Radians is
and eliminate shadow no matter where the user moves. Device designed with fluorescent
materials to ensure that
attaches to hard hat to provide wearer with a hands-free option to wearer is seen from a dis-
improve night work by illuminating surroundings. Cord-free light tance. Vest features heavy
webbing with reinforced
offers multiple modes, including a flashing alert mode to make edging for durability, a
workers visible to others. Light is reportedly visible from 0.25 two-layer back pocket the
miles in all directions and can be turned on with a single button. width of entire back with
reinforced snap closure
www.illumagear.com on both sides, and mesh
on upper, front and back
Safety Boot of vest for breathability
and comfort, according to
Red Wing’s waterproof 83844 logger boot manufacturer. Product also
is a full-grain leather steel-toe boot with features dual mic tabs on the
shoulders and grommets at
puncture resistance and electrical hazard the neck for tool tethers.
protection. Boot also features UltraDry www.radians.com
technology, a logger sole for durabil-
ity and traction on difficult terrain. Publication of this material does not imply testing, review or endorsement
Product is reportedly slip, oil/ by ASSP. To submit a product for this section, send an e-mail to professional
gas, chemical, abrasion [email protected]. Be sure to include product and contact information, along
and heat resistant. with a high-resolution product photo.
www.redwingsafety
.com

58 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

Hand Protection

Schmitz Mittz’s Ulta-Mittz waterproof

glove is designed for oil and gas work-

ers. Glove features carbon fiber finger,

thumb and wrist guards shaped

to conform comfortably to

hand while providing finger

and thumb protection. Ac-

cording to manufacturer, layers

that are resistant to slash, high heat

Welding Earmuff and chemicals protect against cuts,
flame and chemical hazards. Outer
The PELTOR H505B welding earmuff from 3M fits shell and waterproof inner layer protect
under many welding helmets and reportedly provides against rain and wet conditions, as well as
chemical, invert mud, fluid and bloodborne
a comfortable seal to help reduce noise exposure. pathogens. Vibration pad sewn into the
Product features a semisoft cup surface to minimize group area of the palm reportedly reduces
scratch sound transmission, and a two-point suspen-
sion and wire headband with individual spring action impact energy attenuation.
to help provide constant, even pressure distribution https://schmitzmittz.com
for a comfortable fit, according to manufacturer. Seal-

ing cushions and earcup inserts can be replaced as Exoskeleton
needed to ensure worker comfort and protection.

www.3m.com The Airframe by Levitate Tech-

nologies is a lightweight, wear-

Safety Sleeve able exoskeleton designed to
support the upper extremities
Magid’s M-Gard DXS 13-gauge cordless sleeve is of workers who experience re-
equipped with DX Technology, making the sleeve petitive arm elevation. Used by
cut-resistant, cool to the touch and 20% lighter than workers in assembly, painting,
traditional HPPE, according to manufacturer. Sleeve is welding and other industries,
designed with specially engineered nonirritating yarn the exoskeleton reportedly re-
infused with strength-enhancing microparticles that duces muscle fatigue by trans-
offer cut resistance without causing discomfort from ferring the weight of the arms
fiberglass or steel. Product also features a 1.5-in. hook- from the shoulders, neck and back to
and-loop closure with gusset bicep treatment and the outside of the hips. Product report-
reportedly fits all arms. Sleeve is available in 18- and edly allows for easy wearer movement
22-in. lengths and with or without thumb slots, which without intruding or limiting dexterity,
can be fitted for many sizes, and is easy
prevent the sleeve from riding up. to slip on and off.
www.magidglove.com

Cut-Resistant www.levitatetech.com

Glove High-Visibility Parka

The Dexterity Ultrafine Pyramex Safety introduces its Type R Class 3

18-gauge cut-resistant workwear line that includes a high-vis-

glove from Superior ibility parka with an inner and outer

Glove features a light- jacket for winter use on the tarmac,

weight, bare-handed streets, railways and other areas. Outer

feel for added dexterity. jacket reverses from high-visibility

Product reportedly meets orange to all black for versatility,

ANSI cut level A3 protec- and features side zippers for added

tion and is designed with range of motion. Heavy-duty zipper

a foam nitrile palm coat- front closure with a snap storm flap

ing for added grip during shields worker from the cold. The

work. Cut-resistant fibers inner jacket is made of a waterproof

protect worker’s hands polyester material and has detachable

from potential hazards. sleeves so it can double as a vest. Inner

Glove is also touchscreen and outer jackets both have three

compatible to allow for pockets including one for a cell phone.

work with smart devices. www.pyramexsafety.com

www.superiorglove.com

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 59

ASSP Thanks Its

SPONSORS

DIAMOND

CENTENNIAL
PLATINUM

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MCoEamrqkpueliettsty,eInc.Insurance for the Safety Professional

VANTAGE POINT

THE CURSE OF KNOWLEDGE

By Timothy King

I live under a curse, a despicable, damaging curse that affects most professionals at one time or another: the
curse of knowledge. You see, the curse of knowledge attacks those who have “done that, been there and know
that,” those who think their common knowledge is common to all, yet others have still to learn.

To acquire specialized knowledge ALLVISIONN/ISTOCK/GETTYIMAGES PLUS to realize I was the exact opposite of what a
is a blessing, but to forget that others do safety professional is supposed to be: a re-
not share in this knowledge is a curse; for The arrogance we have in source who uses his/her knowledge to edu-
when we forget, we assume, and when we cate others so they can improve themselves
assume, problems can and will occur. our precious knowledge and grow. I was an expert in my knowledge
base, but not a professional in my field.
I’ll share a couple of examples: feeds the curse, and it is
•Example 1: One day while perform- The curse of knowledge befalls us all
ing a safety inspection at a sister facility, I this overconfidence that at one time or another. Think about a
was teamed with a senior supervisor with situation when an expert spoke to you on
whom I had never worked before. While ushers in our downfall as a subject you did not know, and the indi-
inspecting, I found an air hose that did not vidual spoke to you as if you knew exactly
have a valve attached to the end. I immedi- a true professional. what s/he was talking about. Think of
ately took a picture, then unhooked the air how lost you felt. Now, think about a time
line while shaking my head in amazement. You see, those old trucks had question- when a professional explained what s/he
As I began making notes, I realized that able brakes, to say the least, and it became was talking about in a way that a layperson
the supervisor was staring at me with a second nature for me to downshift when could understand. Not so lost, were you?
befuddled look on his face. When I asked going down hills or coming up to a stop, be-
what was the matter, he simply inquired, cause this was the only surefire way to know We must remember that everyone does
“What was wrong with the air hose?” that I would actually stop. Thank goodness I not share in the same knowledge base; if
Shocked, I explained to him that all air grew up in a sleepy town with no stoplights they did, experts and professionals would
hoses must have a valve on the end in case the and a few strategic snowbanks. not be needed. On some days we are the
line is pressurized; if the line is pressurized professionals, on others, the layperson.
without a valve on the end, the end of the line But then, it dawned on me that my bride- If you call yourself an expert in a field,
becomes a whipping snake of a weapon. to-be did not know my history or have my there is a good chance that those around
As he slowly nodded his head in agree- knowledge, and so I explained my reasons you are not. So be the professional, be the
ment, he said, “In my 30 years, I have never for driving an automatic transmission like teacher: step up and share your knowl-
heard that, but I see why that could be a a manual. Needless to say, she was shocked edge so that others can grow.
problem.” Here was a dangerous situation and expressed disbelief, but she understood.
that I thought was common knowledge, She was shocked at my actions, and I was The curse of knowledge must be battled
but this highly intelligent gentleman, who shocked that she did not know what I con- daily. To do so, we must first acknowledge
had participated in numerous government sidered obvious. My knowledge was not her its existence; the first step of any battle is to
inspections and countless industry train- knowledge until I shared it. know your foe. Once you know your foe,
ing classes over the years, never knew. My then you must learn what its main weapon
knowledge was not his knowledge. Until I realized that I had this curse, I be- is. In this case, the weapon is arrogance:
•Example 2: When my wife and I first lieved I was a well-versed safety professional the “done that, been there and know that”
started dating, she asked me why I kept who was going to use his knowledge super- attitude. The arrogance we have in our
shifting gears while driving, even though the power to save the world; however, once I precious knowledge feeds the curse, and
vehicle we were in had an automatic trans- grasped the concept of my affliction, I came it is this overconfidence that ushers in our
mission. For a moment, I forgot that she did downfall as a true professional. Arrogance
not have my knowledge about the shady old is a bitterness that drives others away. Sure,
vehicles I grew up with, those where func- people will seek your knowledge, but that is
tioning brakes were a borderline luxury. all; they will see you as nothing more than
a talking book, not the trusted resource you
Vantage Point have been called to be.

Vantage Point articles in Professional Safety I pray that I am not the arrogant buf-
provide a forum for authors with distinct view- foon of years past. I constantly remind
points to share their ideas and opinions with myself that my profession calls me to be a
ASSP members and the OSH community. The teacher who gladly shares his knowledge
goal is to encourage and stimulate critical think- with others. One day, the knowledge I
ing, discussion and debate on matters of concern share may save a life. PSJ
to the OSH profession. The views and opinions
expressed are strictly those of the author(s) and Timothy King, CMSP, is the safety and health manager for the Buzzi Unicem USA ce-
are not necessarily endorsed by Professional ment plant and quarry in Chattanooga, TN. King started in safety while working in the lum-
Safety, nor should they be considered an expres- ber industry in the late 1980s then transitioned to the mining industry 11 years ago. King
sion of official policy by ASSP. guides and cultivates an operation’s safety culture by bringing safety from just a priority to
a value. King is a member of ASSP’s Chattanooga Chapter.

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 61

CONTINUING EDUCATION

BOBAK HA’ERI Bakersfield, CA

March 20
20th Annual ASSP Bakersfield Chapter Symposium
This symposium features learning opportunities on topics such as driver safety, ISO
45001, pesticide exposure, the impact of marijuana legalization on employer drug pol-
icy, agricultural ergonomics and digitizing safety on the plant floor. Keynote speaker
Garrison Wynn will deliver a presentation on the truth about success and communicat-
ing safety. Attendees can network and visit exhibitors.
ASSP Bakersfield Chapter; (611) 589-2076; https://bakersfield.assp.org

MARCH 2019 Eugene, OR San José, Costa Rica
Orlando, FL 3/26-3/27: Fall Protection Competent 4/2-4/3: NETS International Conference.
3/18-3/21: International Laser Safety Person. D2000 Safety; (800) 551-8763; Network of Employers for Traffic Safety;
Conference. Laser Institute of America; www.d2000safety.com. (703) 755-5350; https://trafficsafety.org/
(800) 345-2737; www.lia.org. international-initiative/2019-internation
St Louis, MO al-conference-details.
Webinar 3/26-3/29: Preparedness Summit: The
3/21: Adult Immunizations in the Work- Evolving Threat Environment. National Wichita, KS
place. American Association of Occu- Association of County and City Health 4/2-4/3: KDOT Transportation Safety Confer-
pational Health Nurses; (312) 321-5173; Officials; www.preparednesssummit.org. ence. University of Kansas Continuing Educa-
www.aaohn.org. tion; (877) 404-5823; http://kupce.ku.edu.
Webinar
Natick, MA Niagara Falls, NY
3/21: Biosafety in the Laboratory. Labo- •3/27 Risk Management Tools for Safe- 4/3-4/4: Western New York Safety Con-
ratory Safety Institute; (508) 647-1900; ference. Western New York Safety Confer-
www.labsafety.org. ty Professionals. ASSP; (847) 699-2929; ence; https://wnysc.com.
www.assp.org.
Park Ridge, IL Nashville, TN
Myrtle Beach, SC 4/3-4/5: Safety in Action Conference. DEKRA;
•3/21-3/22 Internal OHSMS Auditing 3/27-3/29: 2019 Human Resources and (805) 665-6158; https://safetyinaction.com.
Safety Conference. Carolinas AGC; (704)
Using ISO 45001. ASSP; (847) 699-2929; 372-1450; www.cagc.org. Phoenix, AZ
www.assp.org. 4/5: Fall Protection. ETC Compliance
Mountlake Terrace, WA Solutions; (602) 923-9673; www.e-t-c.com.
Mechanicsburg, PA 3/28: HazWOPER Refresher 8-Hour. Argus
3/25: Permit-Required Confined Space Pacific; (206) 285-3373; www.arguspacific.com. Online
Entrant. Cocciardi and Associates Inc.;
(800) 377-3024; http://cocciardi.com. Raleigh, NC •4/7-5/5 Essential Risk Assessment Tools
3/28: HazWOPER 8-Hour Refresher.
New Orleans, LA Southeastern OSHA Training Institute for Safety Professionals. ASSP; (847) 699-
3/25-3/28: 22nd Annual Applied Ergo- Education Center; (800) 227-0264; www 2929; www.assp.org.
nomics Conference. Applied Ergonomics .ies.ncsu.edu/otieducationcenter.
Conference; (800) 494-0460; www.iienet2 Webinar
.org/ergo/conference. New Orleans, LA
3/31-4/4: 2019 AIChE Global Congress •4/7-5/5 Implementing ISO 45001.
Holland, OH on Process Safety. American Institute
3/26: Key Habits of Highly Effective Envi- of Chemical Engineers; (800) 242-4363; ASSP; (847) 699-2929; www.assp.org.
ronment, Health and Safety Professionals. www.aiche.org.
Cardinal Compliance Consultants LLC; Austin, TX
419-882-9224; www.cardinalhs.net. APRIL 2019
Houston, TX •4/8-4/10 2019 Safety Summit. Business
Seattle, WA
3/26: Food Safety. DNV-GL Business Assur- •4/1-4/5 Safety Management I and II. and Legal Resources; (860) 510-0100;
ance; (877) 368-3530; www.dnvglcert.com. www.safetysummit.blr.com.
ASSP; (847) 699-2929; www.assp.org.
Events During March, April & May Jacksonville, FL
Cincinnati, OH 4/8-4/10: 2019 AAOHN Conference. Amer-
Send event announcements to professionalsafety 4/1-4/5: Fundamentals of Industrial ican Association of Occupational Health
@assp.org. Ventilation and Practical Applications of Nurses; (312) 321-5173; www.aaohn.org.
Useful Equations. American Conference
• Current month advertiser of Governmental Industrial Hygienists; Washington, DC
• ASSP community (513) 742-2020; www.acgih.org. 4/8-4/10: International Asbestos Awareness
and Prevention Conference. Asbestos Dis-
ease Awareness Organization; www.asbes
tosdiseaseawareness.org/adao-conference.

62 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

San Antonio, TX Webinar St. Louis, MO
4/9-4/12: Environmental Compliance 5/8: CAOHC Certified Occupational
Boot Camp. Aarcher Institute of Environ- •4/23-4/24 Managing Safety and Health. Hearing Conservation. Council for
mental Training; (410) 897-0037; www Accreditation in Occupational Hearing
.aarcherinstitute.com. ASSP; (847) 699-2929; www.assp.org. Conservation; (414) 276-5338; www
.caohc.org.
Schaumburg, IL San Diego, CA
4/10: CAOHC Refresher. Acoustic Asso- Webinar
ciates; (847) 359-1068; www.acousticas •4/23-4/26 Math Review, ASP and CSP 5/12-5/14: Software System Safety Engi-
sociates.com. neering. A-P-T Research Inc.; (256) 327-
Exam Preparation. ASSP; (847) 699-2929; 3373; www.apt-research.com.
Cincinnati, OH www.assp.org.
4/10-4/11: Laboratory Safety. Laboratory Hillside, IL
Safety Institute; (508) 647-1900; www.lab Richmond, VA 5/13: OSHA Guide to Industrial Hygiene.
safety.org. 4/25: Confined Space Train-the-Trainer. Construction Safety Council; (800) 552-
Chesapeake Region Safety Council; (800) 7744; www.buildsafe.org.
New Orleans, LA 875-4770; www.chesapeakesc.org.
4/10-4/12: NSC Southern Safety Confer- Washington, DC
ence and Expo. National Safety Council; Park Ridge, IL
(800) 621-7619; https://ssce.nsc.org. •5/13 Math Review. ASSP; (847) 699-
•4/25 Implementing a Safety and Health
Irvine, CA 2929; www.assp.org.
4/15: HazWOPER General Site Worker. Management System. ASSP; (847) 699-
ehs International Inc.; (855) 234-7462; 2929; www.assp.org. Franklin, PA
www.ehsinc.org. 5/14-5/15: Confined Space and Confined
Park Ridge, IL Space Entry. Miller Fall Protection; (855)
Webinar 565-6722; www.millerfallprotection.com.
4/16: CSP Exam Preparation. Bowen •4/26 International Standards and Legal
EHS Inc.; (866) 264-5852; www.bowen Washington, DC
ehs.com. Requirements. ASSP; (847) 699-2929;
www.assp.org. •5/14-5/16 ASP Exam Preparation.
Webinar
4/16: Applying Construction Fall Protec- Arlington, VA ASSP; (847) 699-2929; www.assp.org.
tion Concepts to General Industry. Vol- 4/28-4/30: Your Road to Leadership Excel-
untary Protection Programs Participants’ lence. American Traffic Safety Services As- Syracuse, NY
Association; (703) 761-1146, ext. 300; sociation; (877) 642-4637; www.atssa.com.
www.vpppa.org. •5/15 Women in Safety and Health Pro-
Stratford-upon-Avon, U.K.
Wilsonville, OR 4/29-5/1: 2019 Ergonomics and Human fessional Development Conference. ASSP
4/16-4/17: Confined Space Train-the- Factors Conference. International Ergo- Central New York Chapter; (315) 944-
Trainer. D2000 Safety; (800) 551-8763; nomics Association; +44 07736 893350; 8757; http://cny.assp.org.
www.d2000safety.com. www.iea.cc.
Elgin, IL
Grand Rapids, MI Harlingen, TX 5/16: Certified Roofing Torch Applica-
4/16-4/17: 2019 Michigan Safety Con- 4/29-5/3: Infrastructure and Safety tor Train-the-Trainer. National Roofing
ference. Michigan Safety Conference; Summit. Texas A&M Engineering Ex- Contractors Association; (847) 299-9070;
(517) 203-0737; https://michsafetycon tension Service; (800) 723-3811; www www.nrca.net.
ference.org. .teex.org/prt.
Greensboro, NC
Springfield, MO MAY 2019 5/17: Low-Voltage Qualified NFPA 70E.
4/18: OSHA Focus Four Hazards. Build- Waipahu, HI e-Hazard; (502) 498-7978; www.e-haz
er’s Association; (816) 531-4741; www 5/1-5/2: OSH Standards for the Construc- ard.com.
.buildersassociation.com. tion Industry. Building Industry Associa-
tion of Hawaii; (808) 847-4666; www.bia Baltimore, MD
Online hawaii.org. 5/19-5/23: NAEP Conference. National
Association of Environmental Profession-
•4/21-5/12 Prevention Through Design. San Diego, CA als; (856) 283-7816; www.naep.org.
5/6-5/7: Electrical Safety Arc-Flash NFPA
ASSP; (847) 699-2929; www.assp.org. 70E. National Technology Transfer; (855) Minneapolis, MN
712-7353; www.nttinc.com. 5/20-5/22: AIHceEXP 2019: Advancing
Rockford, IL Worker Health and Safety. American
4/22-4/23: OSHA 10-Hour General In- Sumner, WA Industrial Hygiene Conference and
dustry. Rockford Systems Inc.; (800) 922- 5/6-5/9: Electrical Safety for Industrial Expo. AIHA; (703) 849-8888; www
7533; www.rockfordsystems.com. Facilities. AVO Training; (877) 594-3156; .aihce2019.org.
www.avotraining.com.
Online
Prior Lake, MN 5/20-7/15: ASP/CSP Review. Bowen
5/7-5/8: Minnesota Safety and Health EHS Inc.; (866) 264-5852; www.bow
Conference. Minnesota Safety Council; enehs.com.
(651) 291-9150; www.minnesotasafety
council.org.

assp.org MARCH 2019 PROFESSIONAL SAFETY PSJ 63

BY THE WAY

Thanks a Thousand

Have you ever received a dozen

compliments but ruminate about the one NOT THE
negative comment you heard? The human WAY
brain is hardwired to have a negative bias,

RAWPIXEL/ISTOCK.GETTY IMAGES PLUS built with a greater sensitivity to unpleasant Mixed
news. Author A.J. Jacobs decided to try to undo signals
his own negative bias with a simple statement before each meal
he ate. He would take time to thank the individuals who helped Photo by
make the meal possible: “I’d like to thank the farmer who grew Steve Finkey,
these tomatoes, and the trucker who drove these tomatoes to the Heart of America
store, and the cashier who rang these tomatoes up.” One day, his
10-year old son said, “You know, Dad, those people aren’t in our Chapter
apartment. They can’t hear you. If you really cared, you would go
and thank them in person.” Safety is serious business. But unsafe practices still occur and we hope
these “Not the Way” images help you recognize and eliminate more

hazards in the workplaces you influence.

So, he did. Focusing on the cup of coffee he drinks in the MARTA ORTIZ/ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS Say Goodbye
morning, he went to the local coffee shop to thank the barista. JOSHBG2K Without Guilt
“When I started
But then he realized the complexity of his morn- Tidying up may seem like
ing cup of joe. He tracked down the buyer who counting my a thankless task, but clut-
chooses the coffee, the trucker who delivers the ter-clearing guru Marie Kondo
coffee beans to the shop and the steelmakers blessings, my has a nontraditional tip to
who built the vehicles that deliver the coffee. help. When cleaning, many
He thanked the pest control employee who whole life turned people hold on to items that
works at the coffee warehouse, the workers at have sentimental value; even
the New York reservoir who provide the water, around.” the idea of throwing them
the lumberjacks who harvest trees for the card- away induces a fear that the
Willie Nelson precious memories or legacy
board cup, the designer of the cup logo and the inventor of the associated with these items
coffee cup lid. He eventually traveled to Colombia to thank the will be forgotten or vanish
farmers who grow the coffee beans. altogether. However, Kondo
says there is a simple way to
He decided to call his project “Thanks a Thousand,” because he avoid this mind-set. “Giving
ended up thanking more than a thousand people who all make his sincere thanks to an item will
morning cup of coffee possible. “I discovered that my coffee would significantly reduce or even
not be possible without hundreds of people I take for granted. The eliminate any guilt you may
project allowed me to focus on the hundreds of things that go right
every day, as opposed to the three or four that go wrong. And it
reminded me of the astounding interconnectedness or our world.”

Looking Good feel when you decide that you
will no longer have it in your

Looking for ways to cultivate a better outlook? home,” she says. “I understand

Try these: that for some people it may

1) Studies show keeping a gratitude journal can seem strange to thank items,

help people sleep better, lower stress levels and but if you try it, you’ll be sur-

improve interpersonal relationships. Write down a prised by its effectiveness.”

few people or things you are thankful for every day. Next time you are having

2) Deciding between a family trip or a trendy new trouble parting with a child-

sofa? Researchers found people are more likely to val- hood stuffed animal, look into

ue experiences over material purchases. Consequently, teddy’s eyes and let him know

reflecting on experiences helps people cultivate a you are grateful for the fond

greater appreciation of their own circumstances. memories. Then give him to a

3) Robert Emmons, author of Thanks! How the young friend or to a donation

New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier, rec- service. He’ll have more fun

ommends asking three questions every evening and playing with someone new

filling in the blanks with names of people in your life: than sitting in a musty closet.

“What have I received from __? What have I given to IVANASTAR/E+/GETTY IMAGES PLUS

__? What troubles and difficulty have I caused __?”

4) Carve out time to be happy, then give it

away. Studies show that using an extra 30 min- If you have a cartoon, anecdote,
utes to do something nice for others is more joke or interesting safety item you’d like to submit
rewarding and leaves us feeling empowered and for publication on this page, send your contribu-
in control of our lives.
tion to [email protected].

Submissions will not be returned.

64 PSJ PROFESSIONAL SAFETY MARCH 2019 assp.org

SAFETY 2020

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